HANDKERCHIEF DRESS

The second Shea Marie design for our styled shoot was this sexy handkerchief dress.   If you didn't see my other post with the first outfit, check it out here.   It's made of a taupe chiffon which has about eight yards of fabric in the finished design.  The circle skirt is completely draped by hand, so no two dresses would be exactly alike!  The criss cross halter creates a peek-a-boo at the front and a completely backless design.  So pretty on a figure like Gabby's.....va va voom!!  Mr. Casino doesn't look too shabby either.

As I draped the skirt, I purposely made some pieces shorter than others.  It creates such pretty lines and high/low points within the circumference of the skirt letting some leg shine through here and there.  Plus, the finished look is so dreamy and feminine.

The gathered cumberband waistband is a perfect compliment to the gathers in the halter and the folds in the skirt.

Love this....as I said before, seeing my designs on a live model is such a treat.  Thank you Gabby and Casino for taking time out to make my designs look extra special!

BUSTIER AND LONG SKIRT

This project was purely for fun.  I fell in love with the 3D chiffon fabric while shopping for another project and decided I just had to order some!    After months of being tucked away in my fabric closet, I had a window of opportunity and decided it was time  to do something with it.  I had always felt that it would work well in a more formal design.   As luck would have it, I was able to find a solid crepe fabric locally that was an absolute perfect match and would be the perfect compliment to it.  I knew I was headed toward a layered look to highlight the light and airy feel of the 3D fabric, and after playing around with several ideas, I opted to use it as a peplum for the skirt.

Once I landed on the skirt concept, I decided a bustier would be the perfect top.  I actually purchased a strapless/backless bra and constructed my lace around the foundation.  It was fun actually!  I used some ivory lace remnants and trim I already had..... and made some spaghetti straps from a matching ivory fabric with a fun criss-cross design to finish it off.

You may recognize Gabby....she was my model for a number of the veils I offer on my Etsy shop.  She and her horse Casino were so much fun to work with!  We had a gorgeous summer night with a yummy sunset for our shoot.   It is such a treat to see my designs in person, I can't tell you.  I'm so used to seeing them on my dressform or hanging on a rack, that it swells my heart to have them captured this way! Thanks Gabby, Casino and of course, KB Digital Designs for helping me highlight my work in such a unique way!

CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES

These are super rich, and super good!  Even better, they're super simple to make!!  If you enjoy the flavor of cranberries and chocolate, then you're going to really enjoy these babies.

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup flour

3/4 cup craisins

3/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet, white, etc., I chose dark chocolate)

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.   Line an 8x8 pan with parchment; spray a little non-stick spray in the pan prior to adding the parchment, and another small amount after adding the parchment.

Next, melt one stick of butter in the microwave. In a medium size bowl, cream the butter, egg, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla by using a wire whisk.

Add the flour blending just until all the flour is incorporated.  Mix in the craisins and chocolate chips.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 24-26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  If you like soft and gooey, go with the short end of the time allotment.

Remove from the oven and let sit approximately one hour until firm.  Slice into relatively small pieces since they are so rich.

Grab a cold glass of milk and Enjoy!  (bet you can't eat just one)

Note: You'll find a number of these recipes on the web...although, the vast majority use white chocolate.  I've never been a fan of white chocolate, so I substituted my favorite which is dark chocolate.