so stinkin' hot!

With record highs here in North Florida, I find myself dragging my feet and totally uninspired. The little ones don't even want to play outside in the sprinkler, it is so hot. Daily, the car dash reports temperatures in the triple digits, and the weatherman tells us it 'feels' even hotter. When will it end?!?!?!

Despite all that, the girls have had an eventful summer exploring our Gulf Coast. We were fortunate to be able to spend time at Ft. Pickens in Pensacola while their dad was there for work. The girls have inquisitive personalities, and had a great time exploring the fort with all of its secret passageways and nooks. Their favorite pasttime was making fun of momma for not wanting to follow them! They also took delight in hounding the local fishermen at the pier, taking long walks, and adventuring. Both fell in love with the Blue Angels as we were able to watch their twice weekly practices.

Now, we are looking forward to school starting in just a couple of short weeks. It does not seem possible that the summer has gone by so quickly. Nor does it seem possible that my girls have grown so much is such a short period of time.

take care, michelle

april showers....

April showers this year brought a resurrection of flowers! My husband transplanted many of my mother's hydrangeas from the house where I grew up to our home. When we planted them many months ago, we thought they would not make it. After all, they were literally a bunch of sticks. I did not hold out much hope that these woody stems would turn into anything, but he told me to be patient and see. Well, what I get to see now as I pull into my driveway everyday, are bunches of blooms. These plants are so special to me not just because they were my mothers, but also because the plants originated from my grandmother's and aunt's homes so long ago :-) My husband's hardwork and faith paid off, and I have promised my sister that when the blooming season is over, he will try his hand at transplanting some in her yard! My girls love them too, and I look forward to planting these old girls in their yards one day.

what a weekend!

We had such a nice weekend. The little bug's birthday celebration continued with two more parties...she is not a bit spoiled, by the way...and we had a nice time with my sister, although her visit was way too short! Sunday, Abbigail and I had our trunk show and had a great time. We will definitely do another one soon....maybe for back to school - great suggestion Maggie! Meanwhile, my space at Textures is slam packed with new stuff! My favorites right now are all the new 4th of July outfits and dresses. The plain peasants look almost too simple on the hangers, but when worn are absolutely adorable. Why take away from her beauty with too much fuss and too many ruffles? And I am a fan of ruffles! But when I put one on Abbigail yesterday I was amazed :-) They would be cool swimsuit coverups for summer vacation. Will work on something for the boys this week. Stop by and take a look!

Thinking about putting together vacation sets...a selection of coordinating outfits that take the hassle out of packing for you little one this summer. Any thoughts? I want to do a long weekend set, one week and two week sets.

Have a great week! michelle

trunk show and a birthday!

I had to move my trunk show to this Sunday. Hope you can make it :-) Lots of cute summer styles. Sunday, May 23 from 2pm until 4pm at Textures in Midtown. If you are going and need directions or more information, please send me an email or leave a comment. I am looking forward to showcasing my creations.

We cannot wait for summer to arrive -- well, summer weather is already here -- so, we can't wait for school to be out for the summer! The girls are actually counting the days down. Very cute. They are looking forward to exciting archaeological expiditions with daddy, visiting their mama-e (my sister), swimming, and picnics. I am looking forward to them finally getting their bedroom and playroom organized!!!

My best news today, is that my baby is 5 years old today!!!!! We were so excited and blessed to have her those short 5 years ago, and she is such a beautiful and loving child. She wants to get her ears pierced and her hair cut for her birthday. Two things I am not ready for :-(

Take care, michelle

gardening & sewing!

With extra time at home right now, I have discovered that I actually enjoy gardening. I have put in a decent-sized vegetable garden that I hope will feed us this summer and maybe provide a little extra to put up. Lots and lots of tomatoes, some yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers, cucumbers, and okra. The girls are excited to see the progress and very interested in the whole process. Everything is blooming and many plants have started to sprout their fruit already. I can't wait! and I cannot believe how quickly everything is growing! I weed in the morning and talk to the plants while I stake them, provide support to heavy branches, water, and pollinate the squash - the bees left when the azaleas stopped blooming :-( Oscar, our old cat friend surveys the crops with me each morning and pretends to stalk birds (he's too old to do much anymore).

Then, after my yard chores are done, I get to settle into the sewing room and create beautiful summer togs for your children. Thanks to Linda for purchasing a bunch of outfits for her neice--she'll be the best dressed child at the beach this summer! Thanks also to Rachael for purchasing the baseball outfits for her girls. If you are looking for something cute for the summer, please let me know. I am busily gearing up for the trunk show which is Sunday, May 16th from 2pm - 6pm. New items will be listed on etsy after the show! thanks, michelle

custom orders and upcoming trunk show

Spring for us includes gardening, playing in the yard, spending more time on the front porch, and this year it will include my first ever trunk show! Thanks to Maggie at Textures Handmade Market, I am currently planning my first trunk show. Scheduled for the Sunday after Mother's Day, I will be showing lots of great summer styles for girls and boys. More information to come soon. In the meantime, if you need a special summer sundress for your favorite little girl or would like something cute for the little man in your life, please drop me a line. Several ways to get in touch.....email me at mackandmae@gmail.com.... leave a comment on this blog.....or click the Shop link to the right. I hope everyone is having a great week so far :-)

new etsy listings!

I have been busy trying to list new items on the etsy site. Please take a look. Just click on the link in the right hand column "shop mack & mae online" and you will be taken directly to my shop. I am adding new spring styles that I hope you love! There are super cute two-piece dress/tunic and pant set. Lovely 100% cotton in a pink and brown mosaic print. The pants are a beautiful white linen. Perfect for Spring! Mention the blog, and shipping is FREE!

At left is a 2-piece playset that ties at the shoulders and has the cutest bloomers! I also have a dress listed in this fabric but with chocolate brown trim. Very cute.

Later tonight I will be listing some very cute tie-back baby sets but right now the little ones are screaming for supper :-)

Take care, michelle

gainesville spring garden festival!

Thanks to all the folks who stopped by our booth this past weekend at the 20th Annual Gainesville Garden Club's Spring Garden Festival. It was a pleasure to meet everyone and I appreciate all who took home a new outfit for their child, grandchild, friend's child, etc. Your patronage means so much to me as I get this little cottage industry going! If you came out Saturday you were lucky enough to have a beautiful day of sunshine and perfect Florida weather. Sunday was rainy, windy, and cold :-( We will be there next year...same booth, #29.

New items will be posted on the etsy store in the coming days, but please remember that any style can be created using whatever fabric you like and many of the baby styles can be translated into a larger, coordinating garment for an older sibling. If you are in Tallahassee, new items will be in Textures Handmade Market tomorrow afternoon. I have lots of baby playsets that are perfect for spring and summer. Many with bunnies that would be great for Easter pictures.

A big thank you to Heather and her crew from Natural Treasures Plant Nusery in Gainesville. She was our festival neighbor and very gracious to share her plant knowledge with our daughters who are quite inquisitive and bothered her all weekend with questions about flowers, sunlight, vegetables, fertilizer, etc. I will post her info as soon as we unpack and I can find it :-)

Thank you!