MADE FOR PEPPER: 9 MONTHS

This was the first month that came and went without me making an outfit for Pepper. I was just too busy and couldn't make it happen. I do have some accessories to show that I made - a leather hearts and lips mobile and some cloud and lips pillows for her crib. She is actually almost 10 months in these pics, but for the sake of not having a hole in her first year of outfit photos, we will just say she's 9 months here! At 9 months, Pepper has 5 solid teeth, is talking up a storm of baby gibberish, crawls like a champ, and pulls herself up to standing well.

Cotton flannel cloud pillows and hot pink cotton velveteen lips pillows.

 

Bye bye!

MADE FOR PEPPER: 8 MONTHS

For 8 months, I made a little ballet outfit for Pepper. The tulle has glitter in it, which managed to get all over my sewing studio. This is probably the girliest outfit I will make - it's all pink and sparkly, which is not normally my thing, but what baby doesn't look cute in a tutu? At 8 months, Pepper has more teeth coming in - the top two center teeth and one in the top left. She stands well with the help of furniture and is beginning to wave good-bye and give hi-fives.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 7 MONTHS

I'm catching up on posting Made For Pepper outfits. The blog is fairly neglected recently, but you can always follow on instagram for more regular posting (link in sidebar ---------->).
At 7 months, Pepper has two bottom teeth poking through, front and center, and sits up very well on her own.

Here, she's wearing another romper, this time in cotton floral calico, with the last roses from the garden on her head.

The vest is reversible, with leather on one side, suede on the other, and leather tassel tie front closure.

And moccasins, as usual.

Suede-side

Leather side

MADE FOR PEPPER: 6 MONTHS

We went to the Alameda County Fair, so I was inspired to have some fringy cowgirl flair for this months outfit. You might remember my own vest from HERE. I sized it down for bebe and added some suede fringy bloomers and moccasins. Vintage red bandana shirt gifted from Lil Sara, bracelet from Minds Eye Vintage. Happy 6 months, Pepper! You're growing up too fast.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 5 MONTHS

Here is Pepper's 5 month outfit, even though it's almost time for the 6 month outfit. A simple cotton and silk dress with eyelash burnout dots and a flower crown made from all the beautiful roses blooming in the yard right now.

MAMA SHOUT-OUT ON R29

Life is busy, blogs are ignored, babies get big. This is a cool little blurb from R29 that came out almost a month ago, so I'm sharing it now, fashionably late, of course. Click HERE to read the full story and see some of my favorite things to do with kids in the East Bay.

MAY DAY

The yard is filled with flowers this time of year. Roses, Black-eyed Susans, and a variety of small daisies. I made a little flower crown for the babe to celebrate the beautiful day. Wish I could freeze her in time like this.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 4 MONTHS

For Pepper's 4 month outfit, I got pressed for time so I used the same pattern from last months and cut a new romper in cotton batik fabric. Pepper wears her romper with leopard print hair-on hide moccasins.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 3 MONTHS

Catching up on monthly outfits. This was 3 months, right in time for St. Patrick's day. Green silk floral romper with gold leather moccasins. The clover was in full bloom! Spring is here.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 2 MONTHS

Here's Pepper's 2 month outfit (posting it late, of course). Her 2 month birthday fell near Valentine's Day, so of course I wanted to make something red!

This is a simple dress pattern that was fun to make. The skirt, ruffle, and ties are silk chiffon, the yolk and skirt lining are cotton poplin.

It's got an easy adjustable fit so she'll be able to wear it through her first year (probably as shirt when she gets big).

The headband is just a strip of chiffon, the shoes are red metallic leather moccasins, available for purchase HERE.

Red lips bags available HERE.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 1 MONTH

The last few months have been pretty busy, mostly because I had a baby! Her name is Pepper and she is awesome. I thought a really fun project would be to make her an outfit for each month of her first year (maybe even longer?). This would would be a great way to document her growth and try my sewing skills out with baby clothes, which I've never had any interest in making...until now! So around the 15th of each month, I will show her monthly outfit (running a little late this time). Stay tuned for the next one, it's around Valentine's Day and I'm excited to get working on it.

Gold leather moccasins by Claflin, Thayer & Co., available for purchase HERE. Vintage trims and fabric pulled out of my stockpile.

Mini moto jacket pattern and muslin mock-up.

Finished jacket in raw silk with silver lurex thread. I've had this fabric forever and love it.

Complete outfit: jacket, skirt, and shoes made by me.

Little lady in her outfit.

EMBOSSING

Embossing is available on leather moccasin styles. This makes a great way to personalize baby's first shoes. Adding the name and birthday to the tongue of the shoe makes a great newborn gift! Check store to right ------------------------------------------------------------------------>

MOCCASINS AT MARISA HASKELL

A small selection of moccasin styles are now available at Marisa Haskell in Oakland, CA. If you're in the Bay Area, stop by the shop to check out her amazing jewelry and pick up a pair of baby shoes:

Marisa Haskell Shop
470D 49th Street
Oakland, CA
94607
(510) 325-0019

ONLINE STORE OPEN!

You can now buy moccasins online - my online shop is open and stocked! Click at the ONLINE SHOP link to the right. You only have a short time to order and receive by Christmas, then I will close shop and reopen after January 1st. LAST DAY to order and have shipped by Christmas is TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18 - possibly sooner. Thanks and happy shopping!

SHOE SHOUT OUT

Here is my first bit of press about the baby moccasins from R29, thanks for the shout out! Check the whole feature HERE.

SOME WORKSHOP PICS

Recently my friends Lily and Chris from Wild About You Photography came by my workshop and checked out the moccasin-making. I love the pictures they took and thought I'd share a few. Check our their website HERE for amazing wedding and portrait photography!

WEEKEND SHOP REPORT

Thus concludes the end of my weekend-long shop, for now at least. I was having too much fun to take pics but here's a few. Many thanks to Lil Sara for her help and company! Thanks for coming by if you made it, and if not, shoes will be available online soon.

My dad, Edward Claflin Thayer, and I, standing beneath the original sign that hung in front of our family shoe business circa 1820.

Old family photos and framed store receipts on display with shoes.

Shoes and lips bags. Something for everyone.

I will be adding shoes to my online store shortly and they will also be available locally in Oakland, please check back for updates.

SHOES SHOES SHOES

It's like Santa's workshop over here - turning out shoes for the shop this weekend! Stop by and say hello, check out the collection, and pick up a pair for someone small:

CLAFLIN, THAYER & CO. SHOP
470G 49th Street (Temescal Alley)
Oakland, CA 94609
Friday 12/7: 5pm - 9pm
Saturday 12/8: 11am - 6pm
Sunday 12/9: 11am - 4pm

Photos by Wild About You Photography.

SHOP CLAFLIN, THAYER & CO.!

I'm really excited to announce Claflin, Thayer & Co. will be having a shop in the Temescal Alley (Oakland, CA) December 7th - 9th. Starting at 5pm on Friday, I will have my new collection of leather baby moccasins for sale in addition to other leather goods. The alley hosts an awesome party every First Friday of the month with shops staying open late, live music, good people, and the best goddamn hamburgers in town. I'm thrilled to join my friends at Mind's Eye Vintage, Ali Golden, the Temescal Barbershop, Crimson Horticulture Rarities, Marisa Haskell Jewelry and Esqueleto as a shopkeeper for the weekend. Please come by and say hello! More details to follow.

THE FIRST MOCCASIN

I've fallen into making baby shoes, I didn't plan it at all - it just happened. Here's how it all began: I went to visit my friend and her new baby and wanted to make a nice gift to bring along. I thought some moccasins would be cool, so I made a pattern. They were fun to make - much smaller and less time consuming than the full jacket patterns I am used to pondering over for long periods of time. I'd made a pair of moccasins for myself several years ago (pictured in orange below) but think this style is much more suited for a baby. I did a little research and made a pattern, largely inspired by the little fabric Budweiser "booze shoes" I have, also shown below.

Just a few pattern pieces - moccasins are pretty quick n easy.

For this first pair, I hand sewed them but now prefer to do them on the leather machine for a cleaner finish.

Almost done, just 4 pieces plus some laces.

Finished shoes. These fit 0-3 months.

And here is Mr. Emerson himself modeling them. It was hard to get a good picture because he kicks his feel like a little madman.

I've probably made upwards of 40 shoes since then. More to come...