Refashion project: ragged old dress

I have moved my blog and my Archives to my own url http://www.hellocraftlovers.com
All the material is also over there :)
I made a WordPress blog with larger images. This is number 2 out of 3 doubble posts I'm planning to do on both blogs.
Do you have a dress that you just loved (wore) to pieces? I’ve worn this dress a lot – A LOT! : -) It has turned to rags… I have a body that often don’t fit in dresses from the rack. Found a super wonderful and talented Swedish designer – Jenny Hellström – and all her dresses fitted me like a glove. AND it was all in my taste – everything! Bought a dress form every season. I’m sad to say her wonderful fashion line went busted! Bankrupt in the finance crisis! OH NO! What to do?
I cut up my absolut favorite dress, altered it a bit (like put a zipper in the side instead of buttons. Widened the skirt in the bottom to get more of an A-line skirt instead of the straight skirt that would have been difficult to walk in when I skipped the side buttons that was functioning as a slit) Used some old plastic mini belt buckles to make cute bows to replase the ribbons & made a belt with a vintage green plastic belt buckle, matching the tiny riding helmet pattern on the fabric (brown background color).