Well, if you haven't heard by now on the Project Run & Play site or my Facebook page...

I know, I still can't believe it myself. Out of so many talented ladies, I won. I was just stoked to have been invited!! And then I got through the first week. And then somehow I got through 4 more weeks to find myself in the FINAL THREE! Wow I could not believe it, and then, somehow people had faith in me, they believed in me, and they made it happen. You guys! You voted, you made this happen!

I need to thank a bunch of people!

First the Simons! Well, the Elizabeths really, at Simple Simon & Co. These ladies run the competition, and I want to thank them for the opportunity they have given me, the exposure. That they believed that I could even compete means a lot. I've always seen myself as a flying under the radar, the underdog, the oddball of the mama bloggers. Apparently not! They're watching, you guys, always watching!

I'm watching you Wazowski, always watching.  Always.

Next my family. My hubby especially. He let me sew, he cooks & cleans {he does that anyway because I don't do it right ahha}. He let me take over the dining room table and most of the floorspace around it with my sewing. He resisted cleaning it the tiniest little bit, knowing I wouldn't be able to find anything if he touched it. He helped me with ideas, he doubted some of them, which made me push myself harder to make sure they worked {I'm oppositional like that!}

My mama was a great support too. She came along to every photo shoot with Tim, taking care of the one sibling I wasn't photographing while Tim entertained the one I was.

I want to thank all my friends, in real life and online. Everyone on my facebook & instagram was a CRAZY support. They were so proud of everything I was doing, and I was proud of impressing them! I could prove to them, and to myself, that I deserved to be in this competition!

Kat, you have become my bestie, my life partner {lol}. I've never had a crafty partner in crime like this before, someone who understands having kids and who has a similar parenting style to me {kids first, everything else second}, and also someone who loves to sew. Thank you for asking me every day to show you pics, because you made me work so hard to make sure I had something worthwhile to show you of my progress. Thank you for being someone I could throw ideas at, thank you for being there!! I love you girl, can't wait for the next part of our crafty adventure!

Delia & Kristin, you two were SO invaluable to me. I already said in my emails to you guys how I felt, but I just want to say again how awesome it was to have you guys who had done all this crazy stuff before. You helped me focus and refocus. I needed it! And when you guys liked my designs, it gave me faith that maybe I would get through the next week and the Simons wouldn't be like, "... this was a bad idea... who asked her to be here?"

My lovely competitors! You ladies made me doubt myself SO much, in a healthy way! You made me check myself, not play it safe, made me live life recklessly {figuratively ahha}. Shannon your emails, your comments, babe you're such an inspiring and talented lady. You are so optimistic, and I learn something new everytime I visit your blog {or see your pins!}. Cath your attention to detail is INSANE. WHAT? And you were doing TWO competitions? I wish I had the patience to do half of what you do. And Suzanne. Oh my goodness! We made a pact that ONE of us had to make it to the final three, we BOTH did it! I love your designs so much, I plan on recreating all of them. And I just read your post on the grand total you spent on the entire season. Girl. You are INCREDIBLE!

And you guys! For commenting and voting and sending me emails. I wouldn't be blogging about what I make if it weren't for you guys! So thanks!


Here's a recap, and for the moment I've added them to the sidebar of the blog for you to check out ^_^

Week 1 was the Pattern Remix! We had to remix the Party Dress by A Cottage Home. I downsized it and turned it into a romper for Eddie!


Week 2 was Spots & Stripes. This was such a challenging week as I tried to think outside of the box. My first look was apparently too safe, so I decided to shake the tree! I shook it, shook it good! The best part about this week was so many boys looks!



Week 3 was Boys Week! So good! So many different styles. I was tossing up between this one being my week 3 look or my Signature look, I needed something good to get me through the competition so I decided this had to be week 3.


Week 4 was Love Is In The Air themed. I came up with this cute little outfit for Eddie, but again I didn't score very high in the creativitey department. EDDIE YOU ARE LETTING ME DOWN.

I'm kidding girl, you can't ever let me down. But your brother has 3 years worth of modelling ahead of you, step it up hon.

{Still kidding.}

I did make the cutest damn shoes ever! 


Week 5 was the Men's Shirt Challenge. We had to use a men's shirt to come up with a look. Well I knew I had to do something drastic, because by this time there was no way I was coming THIS far in the competition and then not getting into the final. I made TWO outfits, for Eddie & our friend Amelia. It was one of the hardest photoshoots I have ever done, but it doesn't matter because I don't stress. I know that if there is at least ONE god photo then that is good enough!

This look won that week and I wrote tutorials for both outfits


The final was Signature Look. Oh man this was SO FUN. I absolutely loved this look, and so did you guys because it was my winning look!



The best part about this competition is how I felt like a real fashion designer. From sketched concepts to pattern-making to sewing the garments. I learned that in fashion school, but going to the styling & the photoshoots was also so much fun! I bought myself a brand new sketchbook & pencils, because this last week I've had no fun sewing. I can't make stuff straight anymore, they need to have twists and stories behind them.

So what's next? There's a bunch of sewalongs I want to join in, some ideas I want to start, and a series that's coming soon. Also some tutorials for the looks I made in the season will be coming up shortly.