lakeridge winery weekend

A big thanks to all the shoppers who stopped by our booth this past weekend at the Lakeridge Winery and Vineyard Annual Holiday Open House in Clermont, Florida. We met many new friends. Thank you to those of you who purchased a mack & mae handmade outfit for your special little ones. Abbigail and I had lots of fun and we are looking forward to the next festival we are prepping for - will let you know soon!

changing things around here

I have been playing with blog templates online today....standby for some cool changes :)

little sissy's yellow chair

I roused the girl's a little early this past Saturday so we could check out a little yard sale up the street. They both found treasures...Abbigail nabbed a US wall map for 50 cents. It now resides on the wall over her bed. She informed me that this was the perfect spot so she could pick the place she would dream about each night.

Little sissy fell in love with this yellow boudoir chair for her 'new' bedroom. Abbigail wanted her own room, so she moved next door and now little bit has her own room just like a big girl. After some rearranging, her room was in need of a reading chair and lo and behold, we found this one. I wanted it too, but kept my mouth shut as she negotiated with the seller. We did not get a break on the sticker price, but at $10 it was still a steal. Now her monogram is on it and it's all hers.

Take care, michelle

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!

a mystery solved!

My sewing room is in more disarray than normal today after a day of rearranging. Yesterday, my husband (who apparantly did not have enough projects going on already) decided to get to the bottom of a little mystery in our old house: "why don't the windows in the sewing room open?" To explain, the sewing room is actually an add-on to this old house and started out life 'round about 1873 as a wraparound porch. At some point long ago, the porch was expanded and enclosed and these strange windows, with the screens on the inside, were installed. With so many other things to work on in this house, the mystery of the wierd windows has been - up until yesterday - relegated to the back burner behind new roof, wiley squirrels, painting, invading kudzu, refinishing floors, lighting-challenged dining room, etc. I love this house. But sometimes I have a love/hate relationship with her. Last week on facebook, I posted about how we were putting crown moulding up and that NOTHING in the house is straight or level. The windows remind me why I love her :-)

I looked at the windows a couple of times and then moved on. They are beautifully shaped and pleasing to look at. Made well and very old. But there are other parts of the house that interest me more and, besides, I have suffered in this stuffy sewing room cursing whoever designed it for the last 8 years. Charlie, on the other hand, has been annoyed this whole time because he has not been able to figure these windows out. Until yesterday.

In the middle of moving a guest bed out of the sewing room (apologies to my sister for making her sleep in this room when she has come to visit - now ya'll get to share the girls' playroom upstairs!), Charlie decided to take another look at the windows. Inside, sanwiched between the screen and the window and hidden under years of peeled paint and Lord knows what, was a strange looking bent piece of metal. What the heck? Well, he pulled off the screen, took it out and also discovered that there are hand cranks on the windows!!! I cannot tell you how excited we were. The house and I are friends again :-)

Have a great day! michelle

we have a winner...well, two winners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in my first giveaway. I loved reading all of the comments and hearing about why you are thankful :-) My oldest, Abbigail, was selected to draw the name this morning, but the 'little one', Catie-Beth, doesn't take turns well and she decided to pick a name as well. SO, we have two lucky winners who will receive a custom garment. Melissa Johnson and Baseballtraveler. Please email me at mackandmae@gmail.com so we can get started on your creations!!!

Everyone who commented will receive 20% off during the month of November. If you are interested in a custom item, please email me. If you want to use your discount on the etsy store, please convo me before you pay so I can send you the correct invoice. Please check back often as the giveaway will be a monthly event!

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I am off now to mediate a dispute between my husband, a pellet gun, and some squirrels :-)

michelle

giving thanks, and a giveaway

Thanks to everyone who has commented, checked out the new blog and etsy store, gone to Textures, and patronized mack & mae. I am truly thankful. Terri Smith (http://www.terrismithphoto.com/) was gracious enough to sponsor a giveaway on her blog last month and we had such fun doing it, that I want to offer a monthly giveaway to my blog visitors. Very easy...just leave me a comment regarding the month's theme and at the end of the week, we will draw one lucky winner who will receive a custom garment. Many styles and fabrics to choose from. Retail value ranges from $30 to $50. What a deal. For your child, or you can give as a gift. Everyone else who enters will receive 20% off any order placed in November!

So, for November, the theme is Giving Thanks. Please leave me a comment on why you are thankful this holiday season. You have until midnight on Friday, November the 6th to enter. Good luck.

If you want to receive email announcements about mack & mae, specials, giveaways, etc., please drop me a line. You can send me an email at mackandmae@gmail.com with "email list" in the subject line and I will add you to my mailing list. As always, thank you for your support and for forwarding my links to your friends and family!!

Take care, michelle

happy hallow's eve / giveaway starts tomorrow

I hope that everyone has a safe and fun evening collecting treats. No tricks! My girls could hardly sleep last night, they are so excited about today's events!

Our first giveaway on this blog will start tomorrow! Please check back for the details!

michelle

beautiful day, great pumpkins, great photos

What a beautiful day it was Saturday in North Florida! Cool, but the sun was shining and the girls and I were able to take many photos. In the morning, we stopped at a local pumpkin patch to pick out two lucky fruits that are to be carved up this afternoon after school! Not sure how that will go, but am sure it will be messy and fun.

For our amateur photo shoot, we made it to a beautiful greenspace on the west side of Tallahasse near where I grew up and took a bunch of pictures while the girls ran and played and stomped in mud puddles. They are crazy! It was a good thing we had on the new rubber muck boots. Besides lots of dirt and mud, there were also treats left by horses and other furry friends. Yuck. But, our reward was good pictures that I can use on advertisement cards to leave at http://www.textureshandmademarket.com/ and better pictures for my listings in the Etsy shop http://www.mackandmae.etsy.com/ Yea! Abbigail is modeling a wrap dress (cut to tunic length) in a pretty fabric we have named "Woodland Berries." A non-mud-splashed version is listed on Esty, size 6 (or custom sizes available). Designed to be worn with tights, jeans, leggings, etc. I also make this style in a regular dress length as well as in a top.

Below, Catie-Beth is wearing an a-line jumper dress with a cute ruffle at the hem. Two buttons at each shoulder. Fabric is "At The Fair" and is adorable. Again, a non-played-in version is listed on Etsy, size 5T (or custom sizes).

Abbigail's boots, if you are interested in a pair for your little one, are from Walmart. Very durable, very cheap, and very very cute! Looked like the sizes ranged from toddler through adult. I want a pair. The tag on the shelf said "Dairy Boots." She thought that was funny.

Have a great week!

long weekend

So, my girls have a long weekend coming up since their school is taking Friday as a Teacher Planning Day. They are excited, but I am putting them to work. While perusing the aisles in a local shoe store this afternoon in search of something cute to go with a dress, my oldest spotted some very utilitarian rubber boots. She wants them to wear hunting with her daddy. This weekend, she will be modeling them with my dresses as I was smartly informed that muck boots are the perfect complement to dresses, and we would only need to buy one pair of shoes :-) I can't wait to see how the pictures turn out. Check back! Oh, and we have 2 winners from the www.terrismithphoto.com online giveaway. I am excited to see what they choose!!!

fall is here, hopefully! (and an online giveaway)

Hello! I think Fall is finally gracing us with her presence. I was out of town with my daughter this past weekend, and a trip to my favorite fabric store was full of cool weather, and inspiring new prints. I have a few new items posted on my Etsy store (see 'shop mack & mae' link at right) and will be adding items in the coming days as they are completed.

ONLINE GIVEAWAY - my new friend Terri Smith of Terri Smith Photo is graciously giving away one of my custom dresses to one lucky blog follower. If you are interested, please visit her website http://www.terrismithphoto.com/ and click on her blog. Scroll down to find her post on mack & mae and leave a comment. Her daughter will be drawing the name of one lucky winner this Wednesday, so hurry. Terri is a wonderfully talented photographer, so while you are there, please view examples of her work. I cannot wait until I can get her to photograph my two little ones.

Please remember that custom orders are always welcomed and I love working with you to make sure you get exactly what you want in exactly the right size. If you are looking for something for the holidays or for an upcoming shower or birthday, please be sure to give me at least a two-week advance notice to make sure I can get the item to you on time!


Thank you for visiting, bundle up, and have a great week :-) michelle

welcome friends!

Thank you for visiting my new blog. mack & mae is a new venture of mine that I have been working on since June of this year. I have been creating stylish, functional, and comfortable clothing for children utilizing my 30+ years of sewing experience and the insightful design input of my daughters. In Tallahassee, items are on display and available for purchase at Textures Handmade Market (please visit the link in the righthand column of this blog). I am also taking custom orders if you need a special size, etc. (pictured at right above is an a-line jumper in pink "mommy toile" with a cute ruffle at the bottom).

I really love vintage fabrics, so many of the dresses and sets you will see at Textures are either made from vintage or vintage-inspired materials and some of the styles are reminiscent of vintage children's wear as well. Besides clothing, I have also been selling flannel nap blankets as well as buggy blankets (which are smaller but heavier and great for outdoor use). Most items are done in very limited quantities, so you are sure to have a unique outfit for your child or as a very special gift.

If you are shopping for girls, I have cute a-line dresses with a ruffle sleeve/strap, a-line jumper dresses, shoulder tie dresses, wrap dresses, top and pant sets, and plain pants great for lounging about. Many of the girls' styles transition nicely into fall when worn over a blouse or turtleneck - if it would ever get cool here! (at right is a wrap top and ruffle pant set).

For the boys, I have very cute shorts and pants. Sorry fellas...I am working on new styles for boys.

coming soon!

Thank you for visiting. My blog will be up and running soon with lots of pictures and much more information about my hand-created children's clothing. Unique styles and fabrics for your little ones!

If you would like to see my handiwork, and you are in the Tallahassee area, please visit Textures Handmade Market on Thomasville Road in midtown (1123 Thomasville Road). And while you are there, have one of the wonderful cupcake creations at Lucy & Leo's Cupcakery.

If you have any questions or would like to place a custom order, I welcome your email: mackandmae@gmail.com

Thank you! michelle