DIY Mermaid Costume & picking grandma's flowers

So this post is about a year overdue. Last year for Halloween, Ivy was a mermaid.  I don't know how much of a DIY this will actually be, because I made this costume so long ago! Let me try to jog my memory… 

Basically I bought purple clearance fabric and made a tube top with elastic and some pleats. I used a peach-colored elastic headband to make a little halter strap. I used my seaweed ribbon and a real starfish from the year before's costume (see the Starfish costume here). For the skirt/mermaid fin, I measured Ivy's waist and cut out a maxi style skirt out of the scalloped fabric, a little wider than her waist and added elastic to the waist. I made the bottom edge come to a point in the middle. Then I used the blue/green batik fabric to make fins (8 panels to make 4 panels - 2 fins on the front, 2 on the back.) I sewed giant sparkly green rik rak on the front 2 fins, then sewed them all to the pointed edges of the skirt. 

PROBLEM: kids can't walk in mermaid fins

To solve this problem, I made a slit up the back of the skirt/mermaid fin. Then I added snaps on the side of the fin and skirt, so it could be hiked up. Oila! She can walk!

Our ritual each year is to go to the beach in front of my grandma's condo and take pictures of Ivy in her Halloween costume. It's actually not my grandma's condo anymore. She passed away a few years ago when Ivy was about 2. I remember going to show my grandma my Halloween costume every year growing up, and it seemed to bring her so much joy. She loved seeing the grandkids all dressed up. Every time I take Ivy, I remind her about who her "G-Gma" was and that this was where she lived and talk about how special she was. She and my grandpa's ashes are spread in the ocean right where Ivy is looking. 

What was crazy on last year's trip to the condo is that Ivy stopped on the sidewalk exactly in front of my grandma's condo and picked a flower for me. I couldn't believe it! She had no idea that she was exactly in front of G-Gma's condo, (it's been remodeled by the new owners), but also, I picked flowers from that same bush for 20+ years, and gave them to my grandma. 

I don't know what Ivy is going to be this year… we are on a different island now, but will have a chance in mid-October to go visit my grandma's beach. I better get my act together and make a costume! (And hopefully it's beach-themed again, haha). 

This girl makes it too easy to take pictures! She's just up for anything. Don't you love the starfish head band? A friend of mine saw I was making a mermaid costume, and said she had the PERFECT head band for it. Pearls and starfish. I love it!

If you have more questions as to how to make this costume, feel free to comment or email me. 

Sorry the DIY part of this post is pretty lame… haha. 

Aloha, Becca

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Statements - Whimsical Gifts & Decor - Arkansas

On my trip to Arkansas earlier this month, I stumbled into this spunky shop called Statements.

After perusing every square inch of the shop for a good 15 minutes, I finally pulled my eyes away from all the eye-candy, and introduced myself to Allison, the woman behind Statements. She is just a doll. I could have talked to her for hours. She's lived in Conway for 13 years and before owning her own shop she was a buyer. She has a clear vision for Statements service of home decor products, and I think it can be summed up in the following quote from her:

"A lot of people are scared of color and I think when you come in here, you'll see that really all colors go together just fine. There's nothing to be afraid of. What could you possibly do to mess it up?"

This was the first product to catch my eye when I walked in. Paper place mats! Gorgeous patterns to choose from. 

Kit and I both had clock envy for all of these.

The industrial baskets on the left are totally what I'm into right now. 

And I couldn't NOT get a photo of this scalloped lamp shade.

This cart is something I would want in my house, ASAP. I'd be pushing that cart to and from the washer and dryer like it was nobody's business. What's better than silver and orange? Industrial perfection, is what I call it.

The ornaments and pom pom garland are so colorful and whimsical.

Allison is constantly on the lookout for new trends. 

In our conversation about Christmas Tree decor, she said, 

"I broke up with 'deco-mesh' about 4 years ago. I wanted to come up with something different and attainable." 

And take a look at what she found: Deco Flex Tubing. I've never seen anything like it! The neon colors are so fun, and look down below how she uses it on neon trees! Much brighter and cheerier than deco mesh.

In the words of Allison, "It's always fun to have a yellow tree."

 Clearly she has such a great eye for color. There's literally something for everyone in this shop.

I absolutely love the way she displays her products. That bed is just too fun.

Of course Allison addressed the issue that all DIY-ers and home decor guru's face:
"There's a few people who would say, 'Oh, I could make that.' 
I always say to them, 'Giddy-up, send me a picture when you do.'"

I think that's the best use of "giddy-up" I've ever heard.
Thank you, Allison for sharing your shop with us.
If any of you are in Conway, Arkansas, check her out!

Statements

923 Front St.

Conway, Arkansas 72032

(501) 205-1880

Mon - Thu: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Fri - Sat: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

www.facebook.com/statementsconway
allison@stmnts.com

And how cute is Conway?

Aloha, Rebecca

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