--little owl--

i am moving......

2010-10-01T21:57:00.007+10:00

This blog is no longer.

My little blog has moved to here.

Please pop over and say hello.

--cool colours---

2010-04-26T06:00:00.004+10:00

Here are the colours chosen for the new little mans cot quilt (my first ever quilt attempt).

The colours may look strange, but I'm told they'll all tie in together nicely at the end. Wish me luck!

--when dad's away...---

2010-04-25T20:03:00.005+10:00

...the kids will play (up)!

photo credit: amiee at artsyville

I saw this over at artsyville tonight. Oh - how true it is!

Please come home soon.

--thank you note--

2010-04-18T09:21:00.001+10:00

Mini quilt inspiration!

This 'thank you' mini quilt from CB Handmade is so adorable. Just perfect for that special crafty someone.
Yet another project to add to my never ending to do list.

photo credit: CB Handmade

--pillow talk--

2010-03-23T18:46:00.000+11:00

A small something I whipped up for a gorgeous little boys 2nd birthday.

Only problem was the pattern was for a 12" cushion. Do you think I could find one that size at the last minute....nope. So unfortunately, a 'squished' 14" had to make do.

Happy birthday Zac!

it's nearly here

2009-11-10T15:01:00.007+11:00

Its is hard to think that 2009 is drawing to a close. The year has absolutely flown by and extremely little blogging has been done. It's a very sad state of affairs really.

Anyway, to make me look forward to 2010 (scary), I stumbled upon this very crafty wall calendar at Whip Up. It features all sorts of wonderfully gorgeous craftiness from very creative sorts- I particularly like 'Dear Fi'- February's feature. She has a lovely blog that I love to peruse.
Hopefully it will give me some inspiration to dust off the sewing machine.

the beginnings....

2009-04-25T20:30:00.003+10:00

.... of something I've been wanting to do for AGES....

...selling my handmade goodies.

So to start right at the start, here is my new logo.

And the rest will hopefully follow soon.

escape

2009-04-05T20:47:00.007+10:00

On a weekend escape we did go,
to kickback, relax and take it slow.

To get in touch with nature again,
and a little tent to call our den.

A crackling fire to keep warm at night,
Cooking marshmallows- a simple delight.

So sad that our time must end,
but we'll be back- just don't know when.

A collection of photos from our weekend at the Grampians

winter pinnie

2009-04-02T11:25:00.005+11:00

The sewing machine got a dust off, and was put to work making the first of Brooklyn's 'winter pinnies'.
I'm not one for dressing little girls all in pink, so to find some girly fabric with blues, purples and greens was a welcome sight.

This was made using a printed cord fabric (from spotlight), and simply embellished with a satin ribbon on the waist line.
I think it looks quite cute. Girly and pretty- and no pink!

jackpot

2009-03-30T12:39:00.009+11:00

If you planned on going to the the fabric and craft sale shown below, but haven't been yet- HURRY UP! Or you will seriously miss out on everything!

I was there 20 minutes after opening, and it was busy. People were carrying bolts and armloads of yummy fabric, and every notion under the sun too.

I got quite a bit off stuff, I must admit. I started to get excitedly carried away. I only stopped looking because I couldn't carry any more, or my arms would have fallen off!

The haul:

About 20m of chocolate brown brushed drill- $10. Bargain!!
4m pink/white/ grey check wool- $7
5+m brown check soft wool- $18 (this is divinely soft)
2m grey drill
3m pink trackie material
2m lightweight purple linen
embroidery hoop
and 12 zippers

All for just under $40!

Now that I've got it, what to do with it?????

Edit: If you do decide to go, it's cash only. I found out the hard way.

hi- ho, hi-ho, off to the craft sale I go....

2009-03-30T08:30:00.000+11:00

Wish me luck! I'm off to here this morning.

I'll tell you what it's like when I get back....in a couple or so hours ( i expect!).

the new look

2009-03-28T19:14:00.004+11:00

Welcome to the new look 'little owls' (what was owlet).

So this is the look I have settled on... finally.

Loading the template has caused me to lose a few bits and bobs in my sidebar. Hopefully I can get them all up and running again soon'ish.

I love this look. I love the colours. I love the layout.

This is hopefully the start of something new for me......

what's in a name?

2009-03-23T15:23:00.003+11:00

Ok, so I haven't been around for a while. Not much blogging, let alone looking at other people in 'Blogland'.
So when turning on the computer today and quickly peeking at everyone's blogs, I was mortified to discover that someone else has the name/brand Owlet and does the same sort of stuff that I was looking at creating. I went and checked out 'Owlets' bloggy stats and turns out she has been around a lot longer than I. So I think it is only fair that I change my name. *sigh* (i really liked the name too).

But what is in a name? And how am I to try and come up with an orignal name/branding? Help!! I'm stuck. Any ideas??

I'm almost back...

2009-02-19T10:53:00.003+11:00

After months and months, and some more months of renovations, I am almost back to my much neglected blog... and sewing machine!

And... I now have a new STUDIO!! YAY!
Gone are the days of sewing on the dining room table!

Well, at least the walls are up now. So, I'm off to do the painting and decorating and hopefully you should all see me sewing up crafty projects again soon.

ribbons & bows

2008-10-09T08:33:00.004+11:00

With the littles ones hair starting to get a bit wild, some much needed taming was in order.

Here's a couple of little numbers I whipped up to help the taming process along.

something I learnt today

2008-10-08T09:26:00.005+11:00

While doing the morning 'bloggy' thing I came across this website that is full of blogging stats. It also has some very interesting facts and figures about the who, what and why of blogging. I have a fascination with numbers so I found it a very worthwhile read.

I found out that my blog is ranked 890,116 out of 113 million blogs. There's a lot of blogs out there!
If you want to find out how your blog is ranked, click here and then put your url in the search window. Your rank should appear under your blog picture.

on my desk

2008-10-08T07:12:00.000+11:00

A much anticipated fabric parcel arrived from 'Sew, Mama, Sew' this morning.

Lovely fabrics by Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner and Joel Dewberry.

Not sure what they're to be used for yet.

To see more desks, head over here.

tutorial tuesday

2008-10-07T12:19:00.007+11:00

No theme this week. Just some great links to some of my favourites that I am just dying to find the time to do.

coffee cozy- pink milk & fairy cakes

photo credit: pink milk & fairy cakes

patchwork notebook cover- craft apple

photo credit: craft apple

oven mitts & fingertip mitts- savvy seams

photo credit: savvy seams

picinic rug- sew, mama, sew

photo credit: sew, mama, sew

crayon roll- skip to my lou

photo credit: skip to my lou

See you next week for more tutes.

Hannah x

this is...

2008-10-06T10:13:00.002+11:00

... my favourite kitchen tool.

photo credit:chateauglenunga

Something so very simple, but it is my sushi mat! I cant live without it. I just absolutely L-O-V-E sushi rolls! *drool* I can't get enough of them!

Thanks to Handmaiden for this weeks 'this is' theme.

tangled mess

2008-10-03T13:33:00.007+10:00

Trying very hard not to laugh, while trying to discipline is challenging.

Little B found a roll of cotton on the spare sewing machine, 'yoinked' it off and proceeded to wrap herself up in it. It was totally hilarious! What can you do really....?

on my desk...

2008-10-01T11:52:00.003+10:00

I thought I might try my hand at something new and fun- cute little hair clippies for my little B.

My order of various types of clips and bright ribbons arrived this morning, so I cant wait to get started. Now, if only I had a glue gun....*hmmm* Maybe I should have thought about that one earlier. Well, I best leave this post then and toddle off to go get one.

tutorial tuesday

2008-09-30T08:31:00.007+10:00

home decor

I'm currently in the throws of renovating our home- and what an expense that can be! My home needs a fresh, new updated look.
So here are some cheap and easy tutes to brightening up any bare looking corners in your room.

cover a lampshade- kirin notebook

photo credit: birds & trees

perfectly portable cushion- sew, mama,sew

photo credit: sew, mama, sew

placemats & napkins- wink design

photo credit: wink design

envelope cushion cover- craft blog

photo credit: craft blog

fabric wall art 1- bella dia

photo credit: bella dia

fabric wall art 2- how about orange

photo credit: how about orange

I think I'll give the wall art idea a go first, and give the walls a lift.

See you next week for more tutes!

Hannah x

beach bag

2008-09-29T10:27:00.003+10:00

A new beach bag, for a little small someone to go to the beach for the first time with.

Using a super quick and easy tutorial from here.

tee-pee, pyramid or sunnyboy?

2008-09-25T16:30:00.008+10:00

A tee-pee purse, a pyramid box bag or a sunnyboy pouch. It's all the same thing to me!

Having come across a pattern to create one of these contraptions here, I was eager to get started. However, in this pattern the purse was not lined. So after much sewing and unpicking, and more sewing and more unpicking (and a few curse words too), I managed to figure out how to line it.
Ta Da- My finished product!

Only now do I find a complete and well set out tutorial here on how to make it. %$#@! If only I had seen this tute earlier......

tutorial tuesday

2008-09-23T08:52:00.009+10:00

Not so much as tutorials today, but rather uses for 'yo-yo's'.

I was recently put onto another sewing gizmo- a 'yo-yo' maker. These things should seriously come with a warning.

WARNING- YO-YO MAKING CAN BECOME A SERIOUS ADDICTION.

I'm finding myself 'yo-yo making' in bed, in front of the TV, when the little one is asleep, in the car waiting for appointments, whenever I get a spare moment. But I have not planned what to do with these little cuties. So, after a bit of research, the following are uses for your 'yo-yo's'.

photo credit: I am susie

pony tail holders-

photo credit: Julie Antinucci

hair clips-

photo credit: jilly bean designs

photo credit: hair fairy

embellishing purses & bags-

photo credit-b3designs

photo credit: dorathy

photo credit: skamama

photo credit: french knots

quilt-

photo credit: the tin thimble

And there are tonnes more uses for these nifty yo-yo's. But that is enough for one post. I'll do another yo-yo post another time.

See you next week with more fab tutes.

Hannah x

purse frame workshop

2008-09-22T07:11:00.002+10:00

... the results.

And here it is. Purse number one- successfully completed.

This purse was made during Nikki's purse frame workshop. The purses we made are so nifty- I think they'd make great Chrissy presents. The workshop was heaps of fun too, and I would recommend it to...well... anyone who sews.

So much fun they were, that I bought another purse kit in a different size and a couple of extra frames too. That should keep me busy for a while!

Check out Nikki's other courses here.

this is...

2008-09-21T07:49:00.002+10:00

...what I want to be when I grow up.

As a child, I would constantly change what I wanted to be when i was older, as often as I would change my knickers. Well, that's how dad once put it to me.

From every girls dream of being a vet, to a psychiatrist, marine biologist, air force helicopter pilot, landscape gardener, interior decorator, scuba diver instructor ( i can tick this one off the list), a linguist ( partially there), a PE teacher, a park ranger and the list goes on.

me!

Now I'm at stay-at-home mum, and I love it. I would one day love to go back to school/uni and study languages, but that wont happen any time soon. So for the meantime, I'll dream about maybe opening an etsy store.

Thanks to bug and pop for choosing this weeks 'this is' theme, and to Handmaiden for hosting while Angela has been away.

hi ho, hi ho....

2008-09-20T09:00:00.002+10:00

....off to purse making class I go.....

I'm super excited to be going to my first ever crafty workshop.
Nikki from you sew, girl, runs heaps of sewing and craft workshops that look like tonnes of fun, so I booked myself in to the purse frame workshop - months ago.

photo credit: you sew, girl

I'm heading off there this morning. It's a bit of a drive, so I had best scoot.

Wish me luck!! :)

tutorial tuesday

2008-09-17T10:30:00.000+10:00

Printing

Something that I have always wanted to try is fabric printing. But there is so many methods on how to do it.

Here are a few easy 'how to's' for basic printing at home.

lino/ block Printing- lizzy house (large PDF file)

A very simple and easy method of printing. All products required are available at your local 'Riot' art & craft store, and some bits and pieces can be found at Spotlight too (the bigger stores).

photo credit: lizzy house

cheap & easy screen printing- craft grrl

As the title says, cheap and easy- or so it looks anyway.

photo credit: craftgrrl

rolling pin printing- craft chi

An easy way to get a continuous pattern. Also a great one for the kids.

photo credit: craft chi

screen printing 2- instructables

This method is a little in depth than 'screenprinting 1' above. But still easy to do at home.

photo credit: tracy_the_astonishing

gocco printing 1- felt cafe

Now if we all had one of these-life would be much simpler! An easy home printing system for fabric, business cards... or just whatever. It's on the Christmas list for myself!

photo credit: felt cafe

gocco printing 2- the small object

And another gocco tute.

photo credit: the small object

See you all next week for some more great tutorials!

Hannah x

not tutorial tuesday today

2008-09-16T15:18:00.004+10:00

This weeks 'Tutorial Tuesday' will be up and published tomorrow- on Wednesday. A day of chaos today, and now Little B has an urgent trip to the doctors.

this is...

2008-09-15T08:39:00.003+10:00

...what I do in my spare 10 minutes.

Writing lists. I'm a compulsive list writer!

If I am not found at the computer desk blogging or checking emails, you'll find me up at the dining table with a cup of tea writing lists. Shopping lists, tutorials to try list , repairs to be done list, menu for the week list, my all important 'fabric shop' shopping list, any list at all.

photo credit: hydratante

I like to feel organised in my little world of chaos!

Thank you to Hoppo Bumpo for his weeks 'this is' theme.

this 'was' on my desk...

2008-09-11T06:51:00.006+10:00

...yesterday.

A finished lula louise reversible shoulder bag.

A simple sundress I won from a giveaway at Habitual.

And a roll of this bright fabric I scored from a friend who was cleaning out her garage. I couldn't believe she was going to throw it away!! Anyone got any ideas of what to do with it?

Check over here for more desks.

tutorial tuesday

2008-09-09T07:43:00.010+10:00

Buttons

I was recently given a truckload of buttons by the lovely Hollie over at Hokey, and I started wondering what other uses could they be put to -other than for being used for button buttons (if that makes sense).

So here's a few different options.

Button Bouquet- Kiddley

Photo: Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion

Button Bracelet 1- Creative Kismet

Button Bracelet 2 - Speckled Egg

Hair Clips- Paperseed

Hair Clips and Bobby pins- the dizzy daisy

Michelle of Leni & Rose has made these lovely hair slides which I think are cute. No tutorial there, but you get the idea.

photo: leni & rose

And to finish off, this spectacular piece of button art. There is no tutorial for this particular one but I imagine that it would be pretty easy to get the idea of how to do it. I think it is amazing!

Photo: a little bit of just because

I couldn't resit by adding another on of these beautiful button-y artworks. So much fine work has gone into these stunning pieces.

Photo: a little bit of just because

(eeek! while compiling this post I just discovered that someone else does 'Tutorial Tuesday' too. I honestly didn't mean to copy their idea.)

postman stalking

2008-09-08T08:18:00.005+10:00

This I have to be the biggest culprit for.

I hear the sound of the motorbike coming up the street, and it's like I spring into action ready to attack! As soon as he has gone past the letterbox, *zoom* I'm straight out there investigating the days delivery.
But today he knocked on the door, and dropped off a lovely parcel of goodies from hokey, from her 200th post giveaway.

Oh- and what goodies they were! Oodles and oodles of lovely bright coloured buttons, a stash of pretty ribbons, some bright notepads and a ton of simply divine fabric! I think I have been well and truely spoilt!

These buttons are just gorgeous!

Thank you so much Hollie for your generous giveaway.

this is...

2008-09-08T07:03:00.002+10:00

... my favourite band.

I cant say I have a favourite band. I've never been a great collector of music. I have probably only ever bought 15 CDs in my lifetime.
Don't get me wrong, I do love music, it's just that what I like changes from day to day. But here's a peak of what I generally like to listen to.

1. A Night At The Opera, 2. INXS - The Greatest Hits, 3. Crowded House Woodface, 4. David Bowie - Aladdin Sane (1981), 5. Confessions on a Dancefloor, 6. Pink Floyd The Wall CD

Thanks curlypops for choosing this weeks 'this is' theme.

when it rains...

2008-09-07T07:23:00.005+10:00

...it absolutely pours!

That's how it has been with illness in our household over the past month.

From little B having a chest infection, me having laryngitis then the flu, and then this week the little one having gastro who has since passed it on to the rest of us. Hopefully that's the end of it for a while.

photo credit: sctag1015

So from Brooklyn to dad, "Happy 1st Fathers Day Daddy. Sorry I gave you gastro last night. I promise I will give you a better Fathers Day present next year."

on my desk

2008-09-03T08:34:00.003+10:00

Sewing creations!

Having only milliseconds of time here and there, my sewing has been put on the back-burner for weeks and weeks and weeks . Life had just been consumed with... well, um... life.

So the new motto for Spring is, "more time for ME" (and my sewing).

On that thought, I got straight to it and pulled out Bert, my sewing machine.

On my desk today, I have the makings of a lula louise reversible shoulder bag. I just need to put the bottom in.
I have also cut out some lightweight cotton fabric to make Brooklyn a simple sundress from over at habitua l.

(Sorry no photos today. The camera has gone on a holiday and will be back tomorrow).

Check out who else is playing 'on my desk' here.

the lucky 'H'

2008-09-02T09:41:00.007+10:00

I think this week I have to be the most luckiest gal in the world! I've won, not one, but two blog giveaways!! Over at Habitual (post here) and at Hokey.
(Maybe it's something to do with the letter 'H'. My name starts with a 'H'....*hmmm*. I'm never this lucky- maybe I should go buy a lotto ticket).

Hollie over at Hokey had a fabulous giveaway for her 200th post, and the prize was every sewers dream.... fabric, ribbons, buttons- lots of lovely crafty goodies.

For a great crafty blog, please do go over and pop in to see Hollie and check out her crafty ventures. Even better, take a peep in her etsy store. There's lots of lovely things to be found there!

Thanks again Hollie. I'll be stalking my mail man!

tutorial tuesday

2008-09-02T07:03:00.002+10:00

pin cushions

Something I cannot live without.

Here are both your conventional pincushions, and some slightly different ones. I think the mouse one is so cute!

Box pincushion - Bari J
This was the first pincushion I made for myself. You'll see it here. This tutorial was really easy to follow and very straightforward.

Segmented pincushion- living creatively
I like the idea of a segmented pincushion. Sometimes I use various pins for marking and like to keep them separated from my other pins.

Tiny pincushion tutorial- how about orange
Cute and tiny.

Simple Square Pincushion- paper.string.cloth
A standard straightforward pincushion with a very easy pattern to follow.

Mouse pincushion - my byrd house
These are my favourite! The are so adorable, and would make a lovely gift for a fellow sewer. Another one for my never ending 'to do' list.

Come back next week to see more tutorials.

lucky

2008-08-31T20:05:00.006+10:00

Yay!!

I won a blog competition over at one of my favourite blogs.... habitual!

The prize is this gorgeous sundress that is a must in any little girls wardrobe.

Amy has a fantastic blog that is always such a delight to read. There you will also find the pattern for this beautiful sundress and also a pattern for making a gorgeous kimono top too.

I cant wait for it to arrive and to try it on- Brooklyn that is!

hokey's soy, choc & walnut vegan cookies- modified

2008-08-29T07:27:00.001+10:00

I found this yummy recipe for gluten and dairy free cookies over at hokey's.
After peering in the pantry and not having all of the ingredients, some modifications had to be made. I really needed a chocky fix right there and then!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Soy flour (I used 3/4 gluten free plain flour. FG Roberts brand)
1/2tsp baking soda
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4tsp salt
1/4 cup Brown sugar ( I didn't have enough raw sugar so I swapped the sugar quantities around. 1/2 c brown and 1/4 c raw)
1/2 cup Raw sugar
1/3 cup veg oil
1/3 cup soy milk
1Tbs Vanilla
1 cup rough chopped walnuts

Mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. mix in soy milk, sugar, oil and vanilla. Fold in walnuts.

(warning: fight the temptation to taste the uncooked mixture, raw soy flour is yuck)

Bake in 160 degree oven for 15-20 mins. Makes around 22 cookies.

When cooking, the mixture doesn't spread. So pile little tablespoon sized blobs on the tray.

They turned out to be very tasty little treats that cured my chocky fix.

a quick date

2008-08-28T07:44:00.007+10:00

An eye mask whipped up in a spare 10 minutes I found somewhere in my day yesterday.

Not proud of the job. Very rushed. But at least my sewing machine got a little bit of (and long overdue) lovin'.

on my desk

2008-08-27T08:06:00.004+10:00

Having been crook for the past week and a bit, not much creative work is happening on my desk.

I've been taking it pretty easy.

The desk is relatively bare.

There's some fabric I picked up in Mansfield to be used on.... um...don't know what yet.

A shirt pattern I'll make for Brooklyn- when I have some time.

The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail. Great Book- tough read.

And of course, the cuppa, with some scrummy gluten and dairy free chocky slice.

Head here to see who else is playing 'on my desk...'

tutorial tuesday

2008-08-26T09:07:00.001+10:00

Bags, bags and more bags.

That's the theme for this week.

There are soooo many bag tutorials in the land of blog. Here's just a handful of them.

Sewing Pouch/ Bag- Mackville Road
This looks like a great bag for putting all you sewing do-dads in when traveling.

Linen Tote- Limon Verde
I have made this one before. A basic square tote bag with cute embroidery detail.

Shoulder Bag- U-handbag
One for my to do list. I just love this bag! There are also many other bag tutorials on this blog too.

Booty Bag- My Longest Year
Now this has to be one of the easiest bag tutorials getting around. If you have an old pair of pants that are just never going to be worn again, give this tute a go.

Bias Tape Bag- Belle Epoque
I love this tutorial. It's so quick and easy. And if you have your own bias tape maker, even better

Stay tuned for more tutorials next week.

this is...

2008-08-24T12:06:00.002+10:00

... my favourite children's book.

Snugglepot & Cuddlepie.

Always has been and I think always will be.

Hopefully my daughter will love it as much as I did.

and this book is a favourite too.

Thanks to pottymouthmama for this weeks 'this is' theme.

tutorial tuesday

2008-08-19T09:05:00.009+10:00

for the littlies.

This week I've listed six simple tutorials to create something adorable for your smallest member of the family.

Cloth Baby Shoes- Stardust Shoes
These shoes are super easy to make and make great gifts for those friends having new bubs. Leni and Rose makes these shoes in some stunning colours. Head over here to see her lovely shoes.

Girls Twirly Skirt- House on Hill Road
This skirt is just adorable, and looks so easy to make. Another on my to do list.

Kimono Wrap Top- Habitual
I have been wanting to make this top for ages. I just haven't found the right fabric yet.

Easiest Baby Hat- Radical Cross Stitch
Seriously- the easiest hat-ever!

Baby Tag Blanket- Craft Blog
I have made this blanket a couple of times. But instead of using chenille or baby fleece on the back, I use a satin ( or similar) material. I find babies love the feel of satin between their fingers.

Umbrella Stroller Blanket- Joy Bucket
What a great idea! No more cold knees! I'll be making this one too.

See you next Tuesday for more tutorials.

this is...

2008-08-18T09:30:00.004+10:00

... how I like to spend my weekend.

This is not normally how I spend my weekend, but last weekend we headed off to Mt Bulla for some R&R without the 'littlies'.

We spent some time trying to learn how to snowboard, with not much success, and battled with some terrible conditions.

Photo credit: Travis Meredith

And then decided to spoil ourselves by meandering our way up to the King River Valley and stopping in to a few wineries for a couple of beverages, and to enjoy the views.

Oh- If every weekend could be this good.....

break

2008-08-14T09:00:00.000+10:00

Lovely readers,

I am off on holiday for a couple of days, so you wont see anything posted from me till i get back on Monday.

Have a fabulous week in the 'land of blog'. :)

tutorial tuesday

2008-08-12T06:30:00.002+10:00

I just LOVE tutorials!

My bookmarks list is just sooo huge with lots of craftilious tutorials I happen to stumble upon daily.

So why not share them around.
Every Tuesday, I'll post some of my favourite finds of the week.

Reversible Shoulder Bag- Lula Louise
I have made this bag many times. It's super quick and easy, and can fit tons of stuff in it!

Notebook Cover- Craft Blog
Isn't this just divine! It would make a great gift.

Lined Apron- Lululollylegs
Aprons for big people and little people.

Wristlet- Javajem
These look so cute too. Again handy little gifts. Maybe Christmas presents *hmmm*

Cold Pressed Soap- Birch Bark
This is something I have always wanted to try.

Pop back in next Tuesday for some more fabulous tutorials.

this is...

2008-08-11T09:31:00.002+10:00

... a work in progress.

There is always something on the go on my desk. Correction- 'many things' on the go.
And it is so easy to get distracted by all of the fabulous tutorials in the land of blog, that one tends to forget how many projects are on the go already.

This skirt was started in about *now let me think* maybe May. As any mum will know, we always put ourselves last. And as this skirt is for me, creating items for the littlest member of our house tend to take priority.
And this is my new vege garden. I have been harping forever about getting a vege patch, and now that I"ve got one, the weather is too miserable to be gardening. Oh- how I long for some sunny weather!

Thanks to Debbie at Kept in a Jar for this weeks theme. Pop over to Angela at Three Buttons to see who else is playing 'this is...'.

dream studio

2008-08-07T09:01:00.002+10:00

I currently don't have a studio, but long for the day when I do finally get my own space to create.

In the meantime, I drool over some of these divine studio spaces.

1. Stash corner, 2. The Posie studio, repainted and reorganized at last!, 3. A Place to Sew, 4. Studio 2, 5. Studio cleaning, 6. studio, 7. My new craft studio, 8. above my desk, 9. craft room 9.07, 10. studio, 11. my little studio, 12. anthropologie craft room window display 2

square bib tutorial

2008-08-06T07:49:00.014+10:00

My first tutorial. Let me know how I go.

You will need:

pattern
towelling
126 cm bias tape/binding
13 cm twill tape
1 press stud kit
30 cm ribbing
matching thread
and your usual sewing supplies & machine

Cut out the pattern.

When it comes to cutting out the hole for the neck, I use as cup that is about 7cm across and trace around it. (much easier than trying to draw a circle).

Pin bias tape/binding around all edge of the bib, except for the hole for the neck. Trim off any excess. Sew into place.

Pin ribbing around neck hole and sew into place.

Fold twill tape almost in half, and tuck in all edges as shown. (This is where my machine played up, so sorry no photos of any more sewing from here). Sew around edge of twill tape.

Attach one side of the press stud onto end of twill tape.

Sew twill tape into desired position on bib.

Mark on bib where the opposite press stud is to go. Attach onto bib.

My model was sleeping, so teddy had to do the finished demo.

TaDa. Bib is complete. Now how easy was that!

colour change

2008-08-04T10:50:00.002+10:00

What do you think?

Does it work?

Hmmm, I'm not too sure......

this is...

2008-08-04T09:04:00.004+10:00

... my trade secret.

My bias tape maker. I don't know how I would ever live without it now.

Photo credit: by IamSusie

Thanks to Amelia at bollewangenhaptoet for choosing this weeks this is theme.

candy stripe pants

2008-08-02T09:25:00.001+10:00

After making the flannel flower dress, enough material was left over to make another creation.

So after much deliberation, pants it was.

Front

Back

The material is a lovely light-weight denim, and I teamed it up with some fun candy stripe fabric that I had floating around the place. They are a nice and baggy fit which is good for little people who are become extremely active.
And so quick and easy to make too. No more than 2 hours, I'd say. So instead of sitting in front of the telly at night, whip up a cute pair of pants!

overhaul

2008-08-01T08:16:00.003+10:00

I'm going through a period of change, and my blog is included in that as well. (I've never been happy with it's layout or colours.)

So if your a regular reader, please excuse the changing of everything till I find something I'm a bit more content with.

On my desk...

2008-07-30T11:58:00.003+10:00

Only a few things this week. Mainly fabric.

Some pretty florals ready for spring.

Maybe for a pinafore, or a smock, or a skirt.....

studly

2008-07-30T08:16:00.003+10:00

So I finally worked out how to put press studs on- well my husband worked it out really. I was give a mixed bag of studs with no instructions and lets say, lots of swearing and cursing trying to figure how they go on.

They're to go on Little B's new bibs I created, as she has a tendency to pull off bibs with Velcro, and then thinks its funny that we scold her for taking it off. *hmph*
And it works. She cant take these bibs off! *yay*

This bib is very easy to make- so I'm toddling off to make some more.

If anyone is interested in measurements, let me know, and I'll put a post up.

This is...

2008-07-28T14:54:00.000+10:00

(...late)

... something that made me giggle.

Dirt mustache anyone?

Brooklyn's first real play outside.

We were putting in a new garden bed on Saturday, and Little B not knowing what dirt was, thought she might have a fistful as lunch. *hmmm, crunchy*

on my desk...

2008-07-23T09:41:00.003+10:00

I've been looking at other peoples 'desks' for so long now, I finally decided to join the 'on my desk' meme- even though my desk is currently the dining room table!

On my desk today, there are a couple of small projects on the go.

I'm designing a wide shouldered bib for B, so when she turns her head with food over her face, she doesn't leave it plastered on the shoulders of her tops. It's coming along nicely. I may even do a tutorial on it later.* hmmm- time factor*

There are also some little birdies just waiting to hatch for 'the mobile.'

The latest edition of ' ottobre design' magazine- there's some absolutely adorable patterns in this edition. Some of which you will see attempted soon.

And lastly, some chocolate brown cotton with gold print I picked up for $1 m. Lovely fabric, just don't know what I'm going to do with it yet.

Pop over to Kirsty's blog and see who else is playing along.

flannel flower dress

2008-07-22T08:57:00.004+10:00

With not much else to do but stay inside because of this woolly weather, what is one to do? Sew, of course!

This cute little number was fairly simple to make. And I learnt how to make bias tape along the way too. Easy peasy!

The dress is made out of a light-weight denim and is trimmed with a pretty Australian flannel flower print.
The top of the dress is lined with the printed fabric; I covered my own buttons and made the tape trim for the bottom of the dress.

I love this dress because of its simplicity, and will most definitely be making more for 'Little B'. One thing I will do differently next time is move the button holes a wee bit higher (the top bit looks a little 'flappy' to me) and I might play with different pocket styles on the front.

All in all, I think it was a success.

After note: I forgot to mention that the pattern is unfortunately not one of my own, it is 'New Look 6576'.

This is...

2008-07-20T06:00:00.003+10:00

...what makes me happy.

Apart from the obvious things that make one happy, eg; friends and family, this what makes me the happiest.

A beautiful, warm and sunny day.

1. all by mother nature, 2. may, 3. blown away, 4. Field of Sunshine, 5. ~ You Are My Sunshine ~, 6. Sunny Side Up, 7. Waitin' On A Sunny Day, 8. sunny boardwalk, 9. Sunny yellow field

It makes me want to get out of bed in the morning.
It puts an extra spring in my step when out for a stroll.
It makes me want to lay on the grass and look up at the few clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
A sunny day makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, and smiley and rosy on the outside.

Thanks to one little acorn for choosing this weeks 'this is' theme, and for making me long for those warm, sunny days again.

blue bird hatchling

2008-07-17T12:04:00.003+10:00

The first blue bird finally managed to hatch his way into the world today.

The rest in the nest should all be hatching shortly, to join him on the mobile for Brooklyns room.

Sherrin's best ever banana bread- version II: gluten free & dairy free

2008-07-14T13:09:00.003+10:00

Sherrin once gave me a recipe for 'the best ever banana bread'. I loved this recipe soooo much, so when recently been told I can no longer have wheat and dairy, I was devastated.
"What am I going to eat now?" I moaned. Thinking that life as I new it, was no longer. I just love my cheeses, pastas and cakes too much.

But there is hope for those that are like myself, so I've discovered. There are alternatives. I can now have my banana bread and enjoy it too.

So here is the non gluten and non dairy version of the best ever banana bread.

125g nutelex
1 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tsp bicarb soda
2 cups plain gluten free flour (I used F.G Roberts brand for this recipe)
pinch salt
2 ripe bananas
65g apple puree

Pre heat oven to 160C. (mine's not fan forced)
Cream butter and sugar,
stir in eggs,
mix soy milk and bi carb soda,
add to mix, fold together.
Stir in flour, salt, bananas and apple puree and mix thoroughly.
Pour into greased medium loaf tin.
Bake in oven for about 1.5 hours. Or check with skewer to make sure it is ready.

TaDa! Super easy.

Even easier is when I just put the ingredients in the mixer following those steps above. Leaves only one thing to wash.

Enjoy it! I certainly did!

This is...

2008-07-13T15:36:00.004+10:00

... what gives me goosebumps.

Polystyrene foam.

Photo: mercuryvapour

Weird, I know. But I just cant stand the stuff!! The sound that it makes when rubbed drives me absolutely insane! It makes my skin crawl and get goosebumpy, and makes my hair stand right on its end.

And the worst thing is that nearly everything is packaged in it.

Eeeek- just the thought of it sends a shiver down my spine. *shudder*

Thanks to Flightless Boyds for this weeks 'this is' theme.

winter days

2008-07-10T11:04:00.003+10:00

It's freezing cold and bucketing rain.

The heater's set to toasty warm.

Relaxing on my favourite couch.

Cuppa tea and cake in hand.

Knitting something to keep me warmer.

chunky.

2008-07-08T06:31:00.000+10:00

Another knitting creation completed. I'm staring to get the hang of this knitting caper.

tweet tweet.

2008-07-07T06:30:00.001+10:00

On my bloggy travels, I stumble upon countless craftylicious projects. I add them to my favourites list with all intention of doing them, but then find another project to do.

This beautiful & adorable birdy mobile is now on top of my to do list. It comes from here. I think it is just divine and would look stunning in B's room.

This is...

2008-07-06T06:00:00.001+10:00

... my most precious childhood possession.

As a toddler, my security blanket was a big piece of sheepskin called 'bye byes'. It got lugged around with me everywhere. Mum and dad obviously didn't want me carting this thing around for years, so they started cutting pieces off it making it smaller. They would say it shrunk in the wash. Eventually, I thought 'bye byes' just shrunk and disappeared.

These are the only pieces I have left of 'bye byes'. I think I must still have some attachment to these as I still cant bear to get rid of them after all these years. (yes mum, I still have them).

...my most precious childhood memory.

I loved my little brother to death when I was little. We're still good friends now.

Thanks to Teacups on Treetops for this weeks theme.

DIY

2008-07-05T09:32:00.004+10:00

Unfortunately, it's not DIY craftiness. It's DIY renovations that have been put off for years.

So the sewing machine is temporarily packed away. *sigh*

And I'll be using THIS machine instead over the next couple of days-

to sand off this hideous blue 'suede effect' wall so it can be painted over.

Looks like I'm in for a very long weekend. But cant wait for to see it finally finished!

pin cushion

2008-07-02T12:02:00.004+10:00

A cute pin cushion just for me.

It was super quick- about an hour, and easy to make. I don't know why I never made one sooner!

No more trying to fish around for pins in a plastic jar.

The pattern for this cutie comes from here.

on the move

2008-07-01T06:01:00.004+10:00

From stationary, idle, sedentary being

to

inquisitive, mobile, dust collecting caterpillar.

(and the gorgeous dress comes from starashan. Go see.)

The Evening Gown

2008-06-29T15:30:00.000+10:00

You haven't heard from me for a while, as I have been churning out the 'the dress'. It's now done, finished, worn and it had a great night out!

Pattern: Vogue Patterns V2962

Before I even got off the starting block, I was a little nervous that the pattern may not be the right size. The pattern is date 1957, and I tell you what, people back then must have had the tiniest waists and big busts, as there was no way I was going to fit in the size 10 without some serious modifications.

The halter crossover bit was shortened immensely and widened, the waist piece had a few extra inches added, and under the bust was taken in miles. I didn't add the 6m of lining in the skirt as pattern suggested, but instead opted to make a tulle skirt. Much easier.

Overall, it was a relatively simply gown to make and I think it came out ok. (It's the first piece of clothing I have made for myself in 12 years.)

Thanks mum for helping do the fiddly zip. I might have to invest in a bust. I'm sure it'll help make things sooo much easier for next time.

And just to top the night off, I won 'belle of the ball'. Fancy that!

Birthday Surprise

2008-06-25T08:27:00.003+10:00

I just love unexpected snail mail.

Yesterday this very cute little envelope arrived in the post. I instantly recognised the design from one of my bloggy haunts here.

Surprise!

A gorgeous badge and hand printed stationary. I love it!
Sherrin does such a wide range of beautiful work- sewing, printing, badges and wonderful arts and crafts. Go check her out.

Thank you for the smiles. You definitely made my day.

Fabric Love

2008-06-23T06:00:00.000+10:00

nest collection by Tula Pink at Moda Fabrics.

Stunning fabric.

Would love to know where I can get it in Melbourne. *hmmm*

This is...

2008-06-22T08:43:00.007+10:00

... my most favourite outfit that expresses my individual style.

I would love to say that this was MY favourite outfit and MY individual style- but not the case. I am wishing that I had these gorgeous outfits from Chronik in my wardrobe- so feminine and natural. But alas, I don't have them, nor do I think I would have the courage to wear such beautiful pieces. (I feel safe in black).They're just divine.

I'd have to say that I'm a jeans girl through and through. Jeans by day with flats and layered tops or jeans with a white jacket and killer heels. They're just so versatile, and comfy. (sorry no pics- camera is dead at the moment).

Check out who is also playing "this is" here.

Thank you to Kittys Kaboodle for choosing this weeks theme.

knitting help

2008-06-20T20:33:00.008+10:00

I have to be the most gamy- handed knitter in the world!

As I'm a self taught knitter, I have picked up a strange technique that makes knitting seem difficult, when I know it really isn't.
I hold the right needle with my hand over the top of it, and every time a cast a stitch I therefore have to drop the needle, pick up the yarn, do the stitch, then pick the needle up again, so on and so forth. Exceptionally tedious.
I'm a knitting newby so I don't expect to be a sewing demon, but surely there is a better way than what I'm currently doing.

Can someone offer me some help?

Something Finished

2008-06-20T17:30:00.003+10:00

Yay! The scarf is finished!

It took a little longer than expected, as I was trying to teach myself how to do ribbing. Not a bad job for my first attempt I think. Don't look too close- you might see a hole or three!
It's nice and snuggly, and I think it would look great with one of these badges made by Starashan.

Now I'm off to finish this dress I keep procrastinating about.....

Snap Happy

2008-06-19T02:00:00.002+10:00

Misty Morning

I finally got around to putting our long weekend photos from Mallacoota onto the computer.
This one is one of my favourites. Little B was having a grumpy morning so we toddled off for a quiet walk to the beach. It was a bit crisp, but great to get some fresh sea air.

On the go.

2008-06-18T08:16:00.003+10:00

I have so many projects on the go at the moment, it's hard to think straight!

I'm trying to get my ball dress finished first, as the ball is only 10 days away -AAAGH!!! and it's not all together yet. Panic may soon set in I think. I really didn't have the time to spend on this dress to start with. I procrastinated too long with the idea of making it first. Never mind, it's started now. Must plow on!!

I also started a scarf recently. I'm sooooo close to finishing it, that I just want it finished. It is my first attempt at doing ribbed stitch, and it'd be the first time I've ever knitted something through to completion.

Another project started is a black skirt from here. This was started way before the ball dress even came onto the scene, but will now have to be put on the back burner till dress is done.

Aside from crafty projects, I'm in the middle of putting in new garden beds, renovating the whole house, thinking about making curtains, and want to start spinning wool.

Ohhh- where does it end! :)

This is...

2008-06-16T09:36:00.000+10:00

... the space in which I create.

My creative space is in the centre of our home, the dining room. Well, more the dining table. Eventually I'll have my own room, but for the meantime, this is it.
So, I cant show you any inspiration boards, piles of beautiful fabric or bundles of yarn. What I do have, is a great big window to gaze out of to watch all the native birds foraging around.

Thanks to Quiltingmick for this weeks 'this is' theme.

I love Red

2008-06-13T09:23:00.009+10:00

I don't know what it is about red that I'm drawn to, but I just love it. It makes me feel lively.

An article on the 'psychology of colour' says the following about red:

passionate, strong, energetic, fiery, sexual, exciting, natural leader, powerful, dangerous, angry aggressive, extreme & intense

1. Summer Berries Red Current01, 2. The red one, 3. String of red glass beads - spiral, 4. Bloody Red, 5. FELT FLOWER RED TOTE, 6. Red shoes, 7. How much more red could this be?, 8. Zipper Pouch - Red Stripes, 9. Hues of Red Waves, 10. The Red Bridge, 11. Red pom poms, 12. April CCswap, 13. Red 1.0, 14. crafting 365: 73 - for Carol, 15. "English Garden" red hand-painted pendant, 16. Red tulips Wrangels 30 april, 17. red and aqua, 18. Birthday Girl with a Red Charlotte, 19. April CCswap - handmade item, 20. pink | red | orange, 21. Minami Necklace, 22. small happy red fleece poofy, 23. Red One, 24. Red State BLue State Necklace, 25. red beads, 26. water in red, 27. Red and white Yoyo Garland, 28. Handmade Brooch Bird red pink orange Flower, 29. Red fabrics from Purl Soho, 30. Red currant * Красная смородина * Grosella * Ribes * Groselha * Groseille rouge * Rote Johannisbeeren, 31. Cherry Drop Earrings-Vintage Plastic Beads and Handmade Copper Ear Wires, 32. Red knot stitch, 33. red corduroy overlook zippy, 34. 'neath the blood red canopy..., 35. Handmade Red Japanese Chainmaille Flower Charm, 36. red seed beads

This is....

2008-06-10T09:47:00.007+10:00

... my favourite travel memory.

I'm a bit late posting this week, as we've only just walked in the door from our relaxing week away visiting my in-laws.

Favourite travel memories- a tricky theme this week from your covers blown, as I have truly seen some spectacular places of which the memories still linger.

I lived in Brasil for 12 months in 1999, and did some amazing travelling around the country. Brasil is so rich in culture, has beautiful architecture, and the people are the friendliest I've ever met.

1.The famous ( and i think VERY overrated) Rio de Janerio. 2.A small Brasilian country town; Ouro Preto

Another awesome memory is a SCUBA diving trip to Palau in 2005. One of the perks of being the manager of a SCUBA diving facility is taking trips overseas. This was my first dive trip and was lucky to be at such a lush tropical oasis.

And of course, I cant forget our eloping to Fiji in 2006.
On the quiet north coast of Fiji there are hardly any tourists which is what we wanted, and to do some SCUBA diving as well. The resort was awesome, extremely quiet (no kids) and not many people were around during the day as they were off diving. We thought we might as well get married while we're there too.

Long Weekend- Yay!

2008-06-04T09:41:00.000+10:00

It's the long weekend, so we thought to take a couple of extra days and make it a long week. We're off to the coast to visit the in-laws. I'm so lucky that I have the best in-laws!
Hopefully the weather stays dry so we can enjoy a spot of fishing and walking on the beach.
So if you don't hear from me for a while, I'm having R&R by the beach and I'll be back next week.

My new love!

2008-06-03T08:11:00.003+10:00

Good bye ol' faithful. We had a great relationship, short lived, but full of fun. I'm sorry- it's time for me to move on.

When I saw the new, younger version of you, I just had to have him. He's so much more sleek and stylish, and does much more than you ever could. Anyway, I'd like you to meet Bert- my new love.

Bert is my new birthday present (which is still weeks away yet). But if I was to attempt to make this ball dress, ol' faithful would have groaned at the thought.
Well, I'm off to break Bert in. *hehehe*

This is...

2008-06-02T06:00:00.005+10:00

...my favourite pet!

As a kid growing up on a standard city house block, dad always said "NO DOGS! You're not getting a dog as a pet!" So I made up for it in other ways. Our house soon became a menagerie of creatures great and small.

We had fish, birds, rabbit, mice, a cat, and eventually came a dog. But my favourite was 'Puddles', my duck.

Photo credit: Liz Walker 1975

On a weekend trip to Melbourne, our family decided to pop into the Vic Market. After separating from mum and dad, I found the animal section, and promptly decided I wanted a duck. So I paid the man my pocket money and rescued the poor thing from its tiny horrible cage. It sat on my lap in the car the whole way home- a 2 1/2hour drive.
Puddles was my best friend . She slept in a box next to my bed with a hot water bottle, and would only sleep if my hand dangled in the box.
I would take her for walks around the block. She'd follow me everywhere. She also used to help dad change the oil in the car. While dad was lying underneath the engine, Puddles would sit up under dads armpits and watch what he was doing. I'm sure dad wasn't too impressed about it. I think she thought she was a dog. Which is why in the end we had to take her to a local farm to learn how to become a duck again.
It makes me giggle thinking back on those days.

Thanks to Two Peas in a Pod for this weeks 'this is' theme.

I WON!

2008-05-31T09:01:00.000+10:00

I have never won a single thing in my life- no raffle, no meat hamper, no lottery ticket, nothing.

So when Dana from Acoustich said she was have a giveaway if you left a comment about her new site, Twiglet, I thought I can have a look at her site and do that. I really didn't think any more of it, until I read that I'd won. WOW!

And here's what I'd won. A stunning cotton hoodie for Brooklyn. It is absolutely divine! Thank you so much Dana. It fits perfectly.

Head over to her Etsy store and check out her other gorgeous goodies. You'll love them!

Contemplation

2008-05-29T10:38:00.011+10:00

Am I biting off more than I can chew????

I have a ball coming up on the 28 June and I need a dress to wear (there's nothing like the last minute!).
I have been eyeing this pattern off for quite a while now and am wondering if I have the skill, or the time to make it.
So I bought the pattern in case I was bold enough whip up such a wonderful creation. I was thinking maybe in a midnight blue colour. *cogs turning*
I'm still thinking about it and the clock is ticking away.....

If the shoe fits

2008-05-27T18:35:00.001+10:00

And my fascination with red grows....

I made these adorably cute little shoes for 'B' after spying a gorgeous pair that Leni & Rose had made. The pattern is super easy and comes from Stardust Shoes.

The shoes look nice and comfy. I lined the sole with micro polar to keep Brooklyn's tooties warm in winter. They look like they're supposed to stay on really well- if you can get them on!
I don't know where I went wrong. I had a tiny seam allowance. So I'm assuming that 'B's' either got wide feet or the elastic is too tight. *hmmm*.
I'll try to make another pair later this week. A bit of pattern jiggling may be in order.

This is...

2008-05-26T07:34:00.008+10:00

...something I've got, but still haven't used!

Thanks to Flossy-P for this weeks 'this is' theme. It's got me thinking, and now I've got the guilts on. It's a little embarrassing thinking of all the stuff I've got but never used.

There's the shoes I thought I fell in love with. I rang nearly every Myer store in Victoria for them and I trudged all over Melbourne trying to get my size. And now they just sit in the bottom of the wardrobe collecting dust. I think they must be about 7 years old.

Or what about the fitness books I bought in anticipation to get myself fit and back into shape after having Brooklyn. Hubby always said I'd never use them. Unfortunately, he's always right.

This dress I got when I was pregnant. I planned to wear it to any evening event and then thought I looked too frumpy in it. It fits ok now though.

But the worst sin is this- a complete series of Get Crafty magazine.

I've always been a crafty person, and the series provided tonnes of inspiration and 'how tos' on making jewelery, sewing, needlework, painting techniques, decoupage, sculpting, soft furnishings, baking, lead lighting, patchwork, confectionery making, fabric dying, wood work, and the list goes on....
I had mum and dad go down to the newsagent and collect every single edition for me ( I was only 14 when it came out). It's only recently been pulled out of mum and dads attic due to a clean out and made its way back to me. So 14 years later, I plan to use it.

123 meme

2008-05-23T08:01:00.004+10:00

" The '123 meme'?" I hear you say. "What's that?"

Well, on my usual morning cruise of blog peeps, I stumbled onto 'The Small Stuff'. Back in April, Bec posted a meme about doing the following:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

I haven't been tagged, and I'm not going to tag 5 people. I just thought the idea looks like a bit of fun, and a change from my sewing posts. So I gave it a go.

I've recently picked up a new found favourite book to re-read, The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. I don't know where this book has hidden all my life. I love reading and cant believe I haven't stumbled upon this sooner, considering it was first published in 1980.

Anyway, this is the passage the book revealed on page 123:

That must be the trouble, he thought as they walked along a path beside a glinting stream. Either that, or she just isn't intelligent enough to comprehend the language. From his observations, he couldn't believe she lacked intelligence, for all that she was different.

The book is a great read, as is the whole series. Definitely a must read!

Share the literary love! Let me know if you do a '123' post.

Red Riding Hood meets Strawberry Shortcake

2008-05-20T20:40:00.009+10:00

I recently stumbled across a great book 'Crafts for baby'. It has so many projects in there for little ones, from toys to clothes, teddies and nappy bags. For my first project, I thought I'd give the comfy fleece coat a try.

After spending over an hour at Officeworks trying to get the pattern copied at 400%, I was ready to go.

The pattern was relatively simple. And there was only 6 steps to the instructions, though sometimes I found them a little vague. However, I managed to get the coat finished.

TaDa.. here it is. (un-hemmed)

I used a red micro polar fleece for the outer layer and a cute strawberry print for the lining. The instructions have you make toggles for the front closure, but I couldn't get them right, so I covered some buttons with the strawberry material and used some matching ribbon for the loops. (I cant do button holes as my needle position is stuck for some reason- I make do).

I think 'B' looks quite warm and snuggly. A great coat for a chilly winters day!

This is...

2008-05-19T09:15:00.004+10:00

.... my way of recycling.

We try and recycle & reuse, where we can in our household.

* We have the standard issue bins from the council- the green waste, the recyclables and the rubbish. Our rubbish bin is rarely full, meanwhile our poor recycling bin is always overflowing.

* Our washing machine water goes into a drum outside the laundry window. We bought a pump and attached it to the drum so I can now water the garden and lawn. I used to have to stand outside when the washing machine was going and lug the drain hoses around the yard. Not much fun in chilly winter!

* Brooklyns bath water keeps my pot plants watered.

* I make little toys for Brooklyn using odds and ends that I have floating around the house. At the moment she has a fascination with lids. So I strung a couple of lids from old bottles onto some bright ribbon. She loves it!

* Egg cartons are great for raising seedlings in, as are old milk cartons.

* A friend and I swap some of our old clothes that are still in good condition and turn them into outfits for our little ones. A pair of my old cords recently turned into pants and overalls for her little man.

*And nothing beats going to an op-shop to rummage around for fabric and odds and sods. Here's a little skirt I whipped up for 'Little B' from a pair of woolen trousers.

Another makes a pair

2008-05-18T23:30:00.002+10:00

I wasn't going to make any more soft play blocks for a while...but my husband suggested I make another block like a dice so 'Little B' can match the other one with numbers to the new one with dots. She's only seven months old, so I don't think she'll be matching dots to numbers any time soon!
This block was a bit rushed and wonky. Brooklyn doesn't seem to mind though- as long as she can chew on it and it makes noise, all is ok.

And I'm still having trouble with machine tension. Maybe it's time for a new machine *sigh*.

I'll be back for this weeks 'this is...' later.

Project of the Week

2008-05-14T08:57:00.003+10:00

Play Blocks

I've found it's so hard to keep little people entertained for hours on end with the same old toys. And I hate toys with batteries- ahhh more noise! So here's a little something that I have whipped up for 'Little B'.

Before making them, I thought to myself, "these play blocks look simple to make". However, they turned out to be a little fiddly. Just trying to get the corners right and sewing the numbers on proved fun (something is wrong with my machine tension). They also turned out a lot bigger than I imagined too. Next time I'll make them a lot smaller.
I just used some scrap material I had left over from other projects, jazzed it up with some numbers, ribbons and buttons, put a little rattle inside and 'hey presto'- a cheap, educational and fun toy for Brooklyn. It has kept her entertained so far this morning, so let's hope she's still interested in it later!

The Best Ever Banana Bread!

2008-05-13T08:44:00.005+10:00

Here is something that I am seriously addicted to-banana bread. "Sounds odd", you may say. But wait till you try it! I've tried many recipes and this one is truly the best.

Once cooked, it doesn't last very long in our house- because I eat it ALL -with lashings of butter! If I was allowed, I'd probably eat the whole loaf in one sitting. Not good for the thighs though.... It's great to munch on with a cuppa while trying to tackle with the sewing.
Oh-if you do try this recipe, I use only two bananas.

This is...

2008-05-12T07:50:00.009+10:00

....my mum (& her mum)

Reminders of my mum:
* dirty hands from gardening
* sausage rolls. Mum makes the best. Every time I eat one, I think to myself "mums are better"
* Estee Lauder 'Beautiful' Perfume
* 'Days of our Lives' & 'The Young & The Restless'
* Sheltie dogs- mum used to show them.
* Saying, "Don't spend it all at once".

Happy Mothers Day Mum!

...my favourite book.

Being relatively new to 'this is' I missed one of my favourite topics- books.
This is my all time favourite book; The Classic Book of Fairy Stories'. It was given to me by my grand-parents when I was 6 years old.
The stories are all fairy tales that we know of, but are not the version we may normally remember. The illustrations in the book are absolutely gorgeous too.

The Tale of the Trouser Leg. Part 1

2008-05-07T08:01:00.010+10:00

Over Easter, I bought a pair of mens woollen trousers from the local oppie for $3 (yep $3!), with plan of turning them into a shoulder bag for me. I love the fabric so much I decided I couldn't turn them into a bag, and have been reluctant to cut them up.
Fabric close up.

However, after getting up enough bollocks and many weeks later, I have now turned one of the legs into a cute skirt for 'Little B'.

From this:

Into this:

And a little bit left over to make a small something for me. A small purse maybe.

Hmmm.... I'm now left wondering what to do with the other trouser leg???

Sunrise Spectacular

2008-05-06T07:57:00.007+10:00

When 'Little B' woke up early this morning- at 5:30am, I lay in bed moaning "you've got to be kidding! I need more sleep!". So after hauling myself out of bed and having fed her, I was welcomed with this beautiful sunrise. A small reward.

A bit of early morning research;
Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.
A red sunrise reflects the dust particles of a system that has just passed from the west. This indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. If the morning sky is a deep fiery red, it means a high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain is on its way. Information came from here.

This is....

2008-05-04T17:01:00.000+10:00

...the pair of shoes that I would sleep in if I could!

I've joined in on the 'this is...' meme hosted by Three Buttons.
The theme for this weeks "This is..." comes from 'Hip Hop & Banana Bread'. It's a bit of a tricky one for me, as I am not really a shoe person. I have two pairs of shoes that I wear most of the time because they are comfy, but no means do I love them enough to wear to bed.

But this pair I love. They're bright and funky and always make me a have a skip to my step. They make me feel happy. I should wear them more often!