What I wore Sunday: The Easter dresses are done!

Part of my recent interest in returning to blogging has been to more actively participate in the online community of bloggers.  I've been reading a lot, but feel like it's a one-sided relationship.  To that end, I'm linking my post to Linen & Purple's What I Wore Sunday, which is a round-up of Catholic women in their Sunday best.

Anyway, you know I wanted to show you these dresses anyway!  They (thankfully) came a long way from the stack of fabric you saw last Tuesday!  I finished the last bit of the stitching on Anna's dress in the car on the first leg of our tour-de-Pennsylvania Saturday morning :)

I realized in retrospect that everyone taking pictures was far more interested in Anna than in Anna's dress, but this one at least shows the detail at the top (there are also embroidered flowers at the hem).  My mom (remember her talent from the Baptismal gown made from my wedding dress?) made Anna's bonnet to match her dress.  The lady behind us at Mass said she looked like a porcelain doll, and in my 100% biased opinion, I have to agree.  (Except that porcelain dolls don't let out such happy (loud) squeals or squirm around the entire time!)

It was neat to take a family picture with Anna in the same spot we first became a family 2 1/2 years ago.

Here we are at my parents' house with my awesome family.  It's the best shot I have of my dress, and -incidentally - since we don't own a full-length mirror, my first good look at the whole thing.

I will also note that the blog is to thank for me creating the dress - I was reading the archives, and found this old post where I mentioned using the green fabric for a tablecloth for Justin's birthday dinner.  I had forgotten I had this fabric (originally purchased, as I mentioned in the other post, at least 8 years ago for a never-realized Easter outfit) until I saw the "tablecloth."  I had just picked up the pattern on a whim at Jo-Anns (they're clearancing everything to get ready for the new, bigger store), and it ended up being a great pairing.  I found the belt at Target.

I was really wishing I was cool enough to wear a hat like this.  Also that places like Target sold them.....for maybe 1/10th of that price.

Phase Eight hair accessory

I satisfied my hat desire (at least for this year) with two satin flowers from A.C. Moore that I attached to bobby pins.

My excitement at our finished dresses was just a tiny fraction of my Easter joy.  We had a great trip: safe travels, (mostly) great weather, a beautiful Easter morning Mass at my home church, delicious food, and lots of fun with family (and not just the great folks shown above!)  Among others, Anna got to see all 4 grandparents, 6 of her great-grandparents, and she met her great-great-grandmother (age 101) for the first time.  Here's a 5 generation photo:

Generation 1: Great-great-grandmother Florence
Generation 2: Great-grandfather Gerald
Generation 3: Grandfather Steve
Generation 4: Father Justin
Generation 5: Anna!

Anna spread lots of Easter joy (and kisses, as demonstrated here with my beautiful sister)

She was spoiled with Easter baskets:

And, true to form, she rolled past her numerous Easter goodies to check out the furniture.

HAPPY EASTER!