I wish summer was over sale!

~Starting today belle and burger online, is having" I wish it was the end of the summer" sale. I will be adding new items all week. Starting with this sweet green Lacy sleeved T. ~All items already online reduced, including my undies and this sweet sleeper set size large(7/8) ....All this is to make room in my shop(closet) for my new fall stuff. Super cute stuff at crazy cheap prices. Here are few more of the sale items.

~These hip riding knickers, size 6 or med, are made with a very cool t shirt weight knit. They are sexy and comfortable.


~The raffi tank is another new addition to the online shop



~This size 4 A- line chic skirt is made from recycled shirting and the chic applique ...is cut from a quilt piece from the 40's.
This comfy cotton raglan ~t is a size large. The black and white art deco print is a perfect paired with fall or summer colors.

There is more online right now and I will be adding all week. I have lots of skirts and some kids clothing too so keep your eyes peeled.

A super hero's breakfast

"rice pudding"
about 1 c leftover cooked rice(I had jasmine)
1 c+2 splashes milk ( I used vanilla soy)
1 egg
1TB brown sugar
1TB white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c raisins
pinch of nutmeg
sprinkle of cinnamon
1-2 TB butter
warm rice in pan over med high heat with one c of milk and the sugar until most of the milk is absorbed. Turn off heat add one splash of milk. Beat your egg in a small bowl and temper with your rice mixture then beat it into the the rice mixture. Turn your heat back on very low mixing for about a minute or two to insure you cook but don't scramble the egg. Turn off the heat add vanilla , spices , raisins, and one TB butter. cover and let stand for a minute. Serve with a splash of milk and a pad of butter. Put left overs in fridge with a little extra milk for a sweet cool treat.Makes about 2-3 super hero size servings

Loving Linen

~Have I ever mentioned that it is hot here in central Texas? and that you can count on a little crisp air starting maybe after Halloween(not before mind you). Well it makes it hard on us gals down here to sport all those sweet fall fashions. We can pull out the cute chord or wool skirts around Thanksgiving(maybe) but no tights please just some cute knee stockings. So what is a fashion forward lady living in central Texas, to do? Well, I have found a way to fight the powers that be!(be messin' up my fall fashion). The answer, my friends, is Linen

~Linen (I have learned lately) is one of the oldest fabrics and it is the best fabric for extreme heat. "Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather" wikipedia

~Also it comes in lovely fall colors. And correct me here(my northern counterparts)if I am wrong; but I believe that a with little layering (I am thinking about lovely slippery under things) it can be perfect for fall weather anywhere??It is also quite a pleasure to sew. Linen seems to want to stay where you press it. (love that)

~So here are two of my latest skirts both custom orders. This is my new "fall" pattern A line with a FOE elastic waist (so comfortable, also FOE sews excellent on the linen). ...The skirt is longer than my summer offering, flares a little at the bottom (30's nod), and is a teeny bit snugger through the hips.
The first Skirt has a bouquet of Nasturtiums on a rust Linen(LALALALOve this fabric). All the applique flower fabric is vintage 30's/40's quilt pieces. The perfect green fabric for the leaves was pulled from the bottom of a box given to me?( thanks Conner) I was pleased to pieces over the outcome of this skirt. The customer had liked my Nasturtium apron and so we decided that would be a good theme. It fit me like a glove. I have to admit I have not had a chance to make myself one of these "fall " skirts and I was a little sad to watch it go. However, I tried it on to show you the fit(weeepweep).


~The second was another giraffe skirt, for a sweet southern lady
~She had been waiting for the perfect belle and burger item and she said this giraffe skirt was it!
I made a moon this time around cause she is a sweet hippie and I knew she would appreciate that. ~The button eyes are wooden and the giraffes are from quilt scraps that I believe are from the 70's . I love the blanket stitch,from the quilter, that follows both of their necks for a spell. I love working with vintage quilt scraps because I love the idea of collaborating with this other artist from some other time? That collaboration is a great inspiration to me. Finding colors that speak to me in another's art work and intermingling it with my own creativity .All right I will settle down and not get all art~ spiritual on you.

I wonder if I'm Growing

~ We have working on some things around here keeping ourselves busy. I have a few tutorials I am creating and doing quite a few custom skirts all to be shared later along with a much needed shop update. One very important family transition we are in the midst of is giving burger his own room and bed. Burger and I have shared a room for toys and sewing (and guest bedding) for almost 3 years. Very slowly over the last month or two we have been moving my sewing studio into our living/toy/TV room and moving Burger's toys and such into his room. We always called it the sewing room, Now he says "My room". We were slow about the sleeping. Starting with naps then moving into nights. But now that is where he wants to sleep. I still have to go in once or twice when he wakes but I think even that will dwindle out. I think I am probably the saddest out of all of us about the change. The first 2 weeks were very difficult for me sleeping wise; but I am getting used to it. I guess my little man is growing up.

~Other stuff I am loving right now,
Alabama stitch book.... I cannot leaf through this beautiful book enough. The projects are all hand sewn and made from recycled tshirts; I am just in love with this one ladies.
Homemade Life...This is such a wonderful book about food and life and love and all that kind of deliciousness. I brought it home yesterday from the library and have read half of it (which for me is alot). The recipes look yummy and the stories that Molly Wizenberg tells are even sweeter. I must admit I have not followed her blog Orangette, but I will now.

Sharon Jones she is bringin' it ( um yeah I watched "Bring it On, All or Nothing"at the gym this week, sorry ) I bought the album 100 days 100 nights, thinking" wow, I have never heard of this 60's soul sista ",DUH, That is because the album came out in 2007. She is one hot, howlin' mama and her 8 piece band really back her up. The music is incredibly authentic and so is the writing , and I can not hear it enough. In particular this lil' sex you up song.

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings - Let Them Knock - Live

The Texas Tank

~I recently met this sweet lil' filly from Boston and we easily hit it off chatting over baseball(hello she is from Boston). Many hours and Lonestars later we were cutting it up over at the Continental Club's Sunday Heybale show together . This whole night reminded me again just how much I love this big ole state I live in. Nothing like baseball, Lonestars and country music to bring a Yankee and a Redneck together in Texas. I found my self repeating her lines from Lyle Lovett's song and swearing they were true; Texas does want you anyway...even if you are a Yankee or a from the Georgia woods.
~Somehow this story seems fittin' in my post about my latest tank design. It is my Texas tank and you don't have to be from Texas to wear (or want)one, you just have to have some sweet Texas Pride which I think is pretty easy. This is my third one ( I wear the other two). I made it for my Dallas Mama's 4 year mamaversary. The applique is a quilt top scrap shaped like Texas made in to an iron on with wonder under. I then stitched it on as well because I just really like stitching. I have not really tested the wonder under without the stitching. I find the wonder under helps keep the integrity of the applique' a little more that just fusible interface especially since some of my quilt scraps are from the 40's. I bought the wonder under to make these appliques into iron-ons for Parts and Labour but that is still being worked out (in my little brain) I will tell you all about it when I get a method hammered out. There are plenty of these Texas tanks in the works and I will post them when I put them up for sale.

~One more side note about Texas pride, I love Texas music and I love me some Scott Biram (even if he is a mean old bastard). Now he has strayed on his last few albums away from my heart and away from country music. (he 's playing up to his Honky fans) Sorry honky fans not a lover. But this one hits me right where I live and so I share it with Ya'll. ( and the rest of the record is terrific)

Giraffe Sisters

~I recently had a custom order from a very close friend for her sister(who is also a close friend). She wanted a skirt that would go with a tank that I gave the sister and also include a giraffe in the design. "The giraffe" she said" is our sister spirit animal." Aren't they adorable little hippies! Now these are two of my favorite people in the world so I am always inspired when making items for them.
Now believe me I have quite a stash of fabric( I need fabric management counseling); but I was not really feeling any of my stash would work for this particular piece. The tank is a sweet cherry print on a very mellow yellow background .Lalalalove it. I kept thinking that I wanted to use something like denim but we still have a long way to go in central Texas summer.
So I decide o just stop in and see what was at the big half off sale at my local chain fabric store anyway.When I walked in this blue linen fabric just grabbed me. I knew immediately it was the one! I had planned using a 70's patch work quilt top scrap to cut the applique's from. So I thought this linen had the perfect70's look and feel a to it( without being some crazy itchy hot polyester). The pattern is my own a-line with that mellow yellow foe at the waist and a little more flare at the bottom. I think is is a great everyday casual skirt, and it looks great with cowboy boots!~It will also be nice and cool for the summer but the dark blue linen is giving me a fall feeling. (We really only change our colors in the fall in Austin.)
I came up with the single giraffe design and then decided that I wanted two little sister giraffes under the sun. The recipient loved it and so did I!! I hope her sissy does too.
expect more giraffes this fall from belle and burger

what am I doing?

~ I am going to the gym- everyday for 4 weeks....I feel a little like this lady
But my the headaches are really improving!!

...I will check back on this topic when I feel more like this,~she is rockin' the sound waves...