Monday, December 26, 2011

See, I told you I've been a good girl!


Tomorrow is B Day! - I've unpacked her from the box, watched the most informative instructional DVD, swooned every time I've looked at her in the last 48 hours....
Time to start her up!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Teacher's gifts

I'm half way through. Still got the Rocky Road to cut up and bag, Peanut Butter, White Choc and Sea Salt Biccies to make and one more Fabric basket to make.








Now we're off to see Santa!!!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday Snippets








For my Dad, for Christmas - finally finished after starting it in 2007! Hope it's worth the wait. Couldn't resist the windy photos on this blustery day in Old Melbourne Town!

Friday, December 9, 2011

I've been a very good girl....

...so Santa, will you please bring me one of these little beauties?!

Foolishly, I went into the Sewing centre for some white thread. I was thinking of an upgrade to a machine that so I could do my larger size quilts instead of having to send them off to be quilted. I was looking at a larger Janome but I was lured by her Swiss charms (and the Stitch Regulator) She costs an awful lot of money, even on sale. Sigh.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunday Snippets


What did Sunday bring for me? I nice lie in with the little lads, watching silly movies in bed, eggs, bacon, avo and chorizo for breaky, plus a great big cappuccino, then...

 ...did a bit more quilting on the cot quilt I started a few months back,...


...then realized I needed to make these 8 placemats in a hurry...,
 ...had trouble choosing the binding


...was required to view the lads playing Xbox, so did a bit of hand-quilting...

...made these for Meg in the Beehive bee.


I then went to Target to get the NZ Christmas pressies. I also got a few items of the undie variety, and a most (un)attractive "foundation" undergarment. As I was called forth from the queue, I realized, to my horror, that the young man on the till was my friend Lisa's teenage son. I hope that he will remember me for the lovely cake he ate last week that I baked, not my granny undies!!


Is it any wonder that I had to buy these at the supermarket to placate myself?
A bit of Tangy Bliss is all you need sometimes!

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Things for little folk.

I have a friend with a little newborn son, and have been busy trying to finish the quilt started for him 9 months or so ago!! I finished it and delivered it yesterday afternoon, but the weather was so horrid that I couldn't take a photo!

Dom's favourite toy from babyhood has been "Pigly". We bought it when we found I was pregnant - one of those lovely soft things you can't resist when the hormones are rushing about.
Charlie's favourite is "Snugs", a square of soft chenille with satin and grosgrain ribbon tags attached to the sides. I bought it when he was a baby from ELC in Chadstone and it cost around $40. 
Now, to be fair, the ribbons are all custom made and there is appliqué and they are actually called "Taggies"



I decided to have a burl at making some "Snugs" of my own


This is my first take on it. She wanted a New Zealand theme seeing the poor little bugger will be inundated with all things Ocker all his life (sorry, lovely Australian friends, we love you and your beautiful country, but there is so much green and gold)
 This one has a Rainbow Theme

They make pretty nice gifts for a baby and are dead simple and cheap to make.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

When you wish you'd just handed over the money.

Some of the girls, namely Kath, Lisa , Sniff and myself, along with the lovely Mr. Charlie, took a lovely road trip on Friday just gone to the Mornington Peninsula to frequent a fantastic event called Christmas at the Studio.

Great hilarity ensued on the journey there, so much so that we were told, "Be quiet, please, I can't hear my movie!" from the smallest traveller, even with headphones on head!

There were lots of lovely things to buy.

There was lovely food and drink to buy too! 
And balloons!!!




One lovely thing to buy was a Handmade Advent Calendar. 
It was $75. 
"Too much!", says I, when I can easily whip a couple up myself!!

I went to task on my project that very night. 
By the next day I was about ready to stab myself in the eye. 
What a bloody faff! 
Cutting out all those ruddy numbers, pulling off all the iron-on sticky paper, pressing them onto all the pockets then sewing around the little buggers almost did my head in. 



So this is it. 
They're getting one calendar and I'm putting two chocs in each pocket!


Next time I shall be mindful of how long "handmade" actually takes. 
And fork over the money!!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

A certain 5 year old.

Well, the little man has turned 5 after what seemed like months of waiting! 


The birthday celebrations went on for 2 weeks, as he had a big party with a friend 2 weeks before the actual event, for all the kinder buddies.

Check out those Cake Pops!!!


Then came the actual day...Halloween! 
There was trick or treating...


 ...at spooky looking abodes....


...well, actually, only our abode looked spooky...


and a second cake this time, one for the actual day, which was just as much fun!

Our little boy is five. But he still gives us a cuddle in bed in the mornings, and lots throughout the day too, just like his big brother. That's my favorite part of being a Mum.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Sunshiny day Blogtoberfest Day 18

I'm getting a bit slack on this blogging every day business! Oh well.
It's a gorgeous day, too nice to be inside sewing (as I sit inside at the computer, blogging...) so I thought I'd post a sunshiny pic of what i SHOULD be sewing.


 A cot quilt for the new little cousin in Vancouver. It's been started and won't take long to finish, but I've been dragging my heels. Best get it done before she gets to school age!

Poppies are my favourite flowers so I planted a slew of them this year, and they are just blooming fantastically!!




Charlie and I have had a lovely morning, taking Dom to school on the tram, having coffee with the girls, Dymocks story time, Lunch at a cafe, home on the tram via the supermarket to change the lightbulbs for a record THIRD time!

Must remember that it's time to put the sunscreen back in my bag again though. It's lovely and warm today but supposed to be 29 degrees on Thursday!

XX

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Vintage Jug love! Blogtoberfest Day 15



I've recently developed a love of certain vintage "objets". It has quite a lot to do with this very talented and lovely friend . And look what she presented me with yesterday, having requested that she ferret some out for me some weeks earlier!

Two beautiful French (?) enamel jugs!

I risked life and limb to climb on the garden shed, armed with secataurs, to secure the very choicest Bottlebrush blooms to put into one of them. Will fill the other with some gorgeousness from the market today.

SO much better than a glass vase! Thanks Lisa! And remember, No Mates Rates!

If you are in the market for anything Vintage, look no further. She is a marvel! She can source things, make you a fabulous themed chair or ottoman from vintage tea towels, and has a storage locker full of fabulousness. And she is one of the kindest, coolest people you will have ever met!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Must like kids

I like kids. They make me laugh. I used to be a teacher. Most of them like kids!

I love my own kids with a fierceness that is sometimes overwhelming and I am constantly amazed by their uttering and antics. I'm so very proud of whatever little achievement they...well..achieve.

I always feel that I don't spend enough time really playing with them, though. Classic Mother's guilt.

Today, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of my friends, a new friend, playing with my five year old son for an hour or two. They built Lego - the Ninjago he got at his birthday party yesterday. Then he sat on her knee with the iPad and showed her his games. She was right into it with him, on his level. He had an absolute blast!

We were at sewing group, at Sniff's house. Well, it used to be sewing group, but we've diversified into, let's say, an activity group! There are bloggers, laminators and a good bit of sewing goes on too. It's good fun!

It was beautiful to watch. He had the best time, I think, that he's ever had there. I go there to sew and chat to the girls. I have a great time every time I go. He doesn't mind it, but I always fob off his attempts to join in the sewing. In fact, I pretty much expect him to entertain himself. We all chat to him, suggest activities. But this week he was the centre of someone's attention! And Tori bought chocolate!

I'm going to get some hessian this week, a big blunt needle, some wool and buttons. I'm going to let him sit beside us and sew too if he wants to.

Thanks, lovely Kath! You made his day, and mine too. It was so kind of you to take the time to connect with him on his level for all that time. Looking forward to the big Halloween/ birthday celebrations including aforementioned Lego, with your young Lego master. Oh, and there may be a few drinks involved too!!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

At last, she sews! Day 11

I finally got the binding done on Charlie's Quilt! Feels like I haven't touched the machine in ages, but it's good to be back!

I'm really happy with how it turned out!!

It's bought the room together beautifully. Have now dumped (in the wardrobe) the blue and green Ikea mat that never used to stay flat!



 And on a slightly different note, here's a taste of another little somethin' I'm working on for the littlest Rock Star...