Ash is my East Coast soul sister - after meeting her a little over a year ago, she's become someone who I feel like I get to know better with every blog post over at her site as well as every My Mother's Attic post here. I like to think of NDAD as this fantastic, creative, supportive, and loving community where we bond over creativity as well as experience. Today's post is one that will resonate with many of you and one that we can connect with and feel joyous about as we look forward to what's to come. I leave you with Ash's post before the holiday weekend ahead. Sending love out to all of you!!

This summer has been a doozy. As I mentioned in last month's post there were some serious family emergencies that hit our household in July, and devastatingly, I had to put my sweet, loving dog, Ursa, to rest yesterday morning. She was my college graduation gift eight years ago, and has lived with me my entire adult life since she was a wee 7 week old pup. She helped me navigate life in the "real world." She saw me through my first job, first apartment, an engagement, a marriage, home ownership, two cross-country moves, two babies...she is my best friend and my life will truly not be the same with her gone. She was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago and became a "tripawd" last June. She lived bravely, fiercely, and with such spirit for the past 16 months, but the cancer finally took its toll, and it was time to let her go. I will miss her always. I will love her forever.

Ooof. to say I am ready to bid adieu to this summer is the understatement of the decade. I am hoping that fall, by far the most beautiful season in Vermont and my favorite time of the year, brings easier days. James and I are kicking off the month of September with his 30th birthday and our 5th wedding anniversary (which marks 10 years since the night we met at his 20th birthday party back in college). This month's creation is inspired by those milestones and the resulting celebrations. Despite the tough summer, James and I knew we needed to do something to celebrate these happy moments, so we've planned a barnyard dance in a friend's epic barn, complete with our favorite band in the Universe (if you don't know Darlingside, I recommend you change that immediately! These guys are incredible!). I am so looking forward to an evening with dear friends and family, dancing our faces off and celebrating our marriage and these past 30 years of life and all that's to come.

While I have an outfit planned for the festivities, Sunny (my 4-year old) did not. She requested a "twirly" skirt for dancing and was completely intrigued by this 90s number from my mother's attic.

It was far too short and tight on me but she seemed excited about its "twirl" potential...

...so a remake began...

Clearly, it did not fit her in its current state.

I used a seam ripper and removed the bow and top and then used my favorite Simple Skirt tutorial to create a twirly party skirt from the remaining fabric.

Sunny was thrilled.

We paired the look with her "party shoes" because truly, what outfit is complete without black patent leather shoes and a new sweater gifted from my Francophile mother (and made out of Alpaca wool because we are seriously considering the addition of an Alapaca or Llama to Cartwheel Farm sometime soon...but that's a story for another day!)