Spring is here!!!

Finally! It is officially the end of winter. Other than one lovely day this week I wouldn't have known. Although, Adam has been on count down...'How many days 'till spring Mummy?' So cute!

Anyway. I wanted some new designs for my shop, some fun springy dresses. Happy colours and a simple design. I thought, and sketched A LOT of dresses, but kept coming back to the LilBlueBoo Sienna dress. I have made so many of these now for Sophie, and for gifts. I looked into licensing and wadda-ya-know...you can buy a licence...so I did!

Using the gorgeous Patty Young fabrics as well as some recycled fabrics, I have so far managed to get three up in the shop. I say 'managed' because I am home alone wit the kids this week, so sewing time is limited! Plus, I'm so tired...not having Mark here is hard. We all miss him and can't wait to see him again at the end of the week. The kids have been edgy and Adam has been very sad...breaks my heart!

Anyway, I digress! Here are a couple of the dresses that are now available in my shop. I love them. Especially the pirate one. Mark forced me to list it, even though I really wanted to keep it for Sophie.

I managed to snag a lilblueboo scrap bag and I was so pleased with the fabrics that were in it. So, Sophie got a new dress and a new pair of leggings to go with it too. I used an old pair as a template. I love all the mixed up colours and patterns. It was such a grumpy day yesterday, when I took these pics, but Sophie seemed very happy with her new dress. She kept pointing at it and saying 'wassizzz?' (translation:whats this)

I wished the stripes matched though :S

Thanks for reading :)

Christmas gifls...

I know, it's VERY early to be thinking about Christmas gifts, but I plan on making as many gifts (or buying secondhand/handmade) so I need to be organised. Plus, seeing as though I know lots of bloggers have taken the handmade pledge, I thought that you lot might be able to give me some hints.

Ok, here is the list I have so far...

I want to make Sophie and Adam a Waldorf doll each. I have been looking around the web and found a great tutorial here. I love the idea of making them something from natural materials, and that doesn't come packaged in plastic.

Adam desperately wants some more Lego, and has about five different types on his list - yes he has already made a list! So I though I would just check out EBay and get some second hand batches, then I can make a big bag and applique 'LEGO' onto it and that's that one.

I think I'll be making another pair of pj's for Marky, he loves the other ones I made him so much. Thankfully his Mum bought him another pair so I was able to wash the ones I made...eugh! I know, Men can be gross sometimes eh!

I was supposed to make my Dad a Gilet for his Birthday, but seeing as though that was 10 days ago, I think it might be a little late...ooops! So that will be what I make for him.

I made a scrapbook for the family members who are still in England last year, which had a picture of each baby, every month of their first year of life and then it's one picture a year after that. I loved it, and they did too. So I will send the pictures for them to keep their books up to date. I included on each page what each child was doing by this age and what their favourite things to do where, for example; Adam at 1 year would walk around saying 'Hiya' to everyone and everything! Funnily enough, his sister does exactly the same thing :)

Where was I? Oh yeah...gifts.

This one is ambitious, but I think I have enough time to pull it off.

I'm going to make Adam and Sophie a quilt each. I have been itching to make Sophie a quilt since I found some vintage fabric MONTHS ago. So now, I have a deadline of Christmas to get them done.

There are some beautiful toys on Etsy, that I just love and I think the kids will too.

How cute is this bowling set

I love this

Ooooh and this

Sooo cute 

Parachute man... I had a plastic bag version of this, how much nicer is this one 

Wooden family

Wooden blocks, which I would personalise for my bubs.

Nesting family

Ok, I'm being summoned...gotta go.

I would LOVE to hear what handmade gifts you are all buying/making this year :)

Oh Sunshine...

Finally the sun came out today, so I bundled Sophie in the car with some of my Etsy dresses to take some piccies at the beach.

The photos in my shop have all been taken on my phone and you can tell!!! So I have been itching to get them changed after getting my new camera. So I seized the opportunity today :)

Look how pretty :)

Little blue number

Super easy to make...little bow on a hair clip!

Back of my favourite party dress. It's a little big on Sophie, but you get the idea.

And the front :)

Simple little summer dress. I made HEAPS of these for the Craft Markets last year. Polka dots are just SO cute!

A bit of a re-spray

I found this round table at the local op shop (charity shop) for $30!!! I re-sprayed the legs and the chairs. I have eight of these chairs as they belong to a larger table, but I reckon each table only needs four.

I then re-covered the seats with oil cloth and popped the studs back in and hey presto!!! New table, and much nicer than the old one, even if I do say so myself.

This high chair needed a little attention too, so I checked out how it was put together and thought that I would be able to undo it, and recover it...

And I could!!! It was easier than I thought actually. I just cut off the covers and used them as templates for the new fabric. I then sewed around three sides, leaving the side that you can't see open, and then once I had turned the fabric right-side-out and pulled it on, I hot glue gunned it into place...hey presto! New high chair :)

Now all I need is a little art work to liven up the walls and it's done.

New Jammies for the man

Ok, I have hassled my hubby Mark, since I first started sewing...eventually, after his jammies died a death, he asked for some new ones. I more than a little excited!!! I am ashamed to say that this was MONTHS ago, it was well before we moved. Poor guy has been wearing jammies with a massive hole in them.

Anywhooo, I finally got around to making him some new ones. He loved his old ones so much, and due to the fact that they are pretty much no longer wearable I thought I would chop up the old ones and use them as a template.

How relaxing is seam ripping!!! I just chilled out and ripped those suckers up. Although, I don't always feel this way...especially when I'm ripping open the seam of something because of a mistake I've made grrrr!!!

Ok, here is a view of the front and back piece.

This is the new fabric...how cute is my other half, picking out robot fabric :) The bit attached to the back is the pocket. I attached this by sewing along the opening part of the pocket with right sides together. I then folded it back (as it is in the picture) and ironed. I'm not normally a fan of ironing, but it definitely helped in this case.

I then turned the pocket back to the outside and sewed the back part of the pocket to the front part of the pocket (I'm sure that doesn't make sense). I sewed along both sides and the bottom, leaving the top open. the top part of the pocket is closed up when you make the waistband.

Sewed the front to back portions. Then the U shaped crotchy bit (I'm sure there is a proper name for this). then I sewed down each outside leg.

When I took apart the waistband, I noticed that they had serged/over locked the elastic to the fabric. I like this as the elastic doesn't move around.

I re-used the elastic and pinned to the fabric.

Can you spot the obvious mistake? ( Luckily I did too, before I sewed it).

Yup, I pinned the elastic to the fabric on the right side and that is wrong! It should be pinned to the inside, sewed around the top, folded and sewn again.

A grainy picture of my lovely man :) He says he loves his jammies 'cos he knows I made them with love (even though they took about 6 months to come to fruition). He's not normally soppy so this is a BIG compliment!!!

Please note, I took these pics before I got my lovely new camera :)

I'm in LUUUuuuuurrrveeee!!!

I have been looking for a camera for a looong time now and after seeing Dana's post on her FAQ's section I was adamant that I wanted a Canon Rebel.

Yesterday it arrived and I can't leave it alone. I just love it. No longer do I have to use my iphone to take my photos..I have a lens that I can move myself and a proper flash and everything!!!

I love the detail in this picture. It was such a tiny shell too.

And...look at Sophie! This is how I see her and now the camera does her a little justice. I know we all think our kids are gorgeous, but how great is it when the picture actually captures the sparkle in the eyes.

I'm a happy chicken :D

Sunshine Award

Thank you to the Screamstress who passed on the Sunshine Award to me... I'm not sure what I did to deserve it, but it's a sun-shiny addition to my day :-D

I now have to tell you 7 things about you that you don't know, OK I'll be honest, but it might not be pretty.

1. I play netball, and I'm pretty rough too. I once (accidentally) punched a guy in the face, and was secretly pleased with myself (don't hate me for that one)

2. I'm vegetarian

3. I can't crochet and it annoys me that I can't

4. I swear more than I should

5. I used to be a copper...(don't hate me for that one either)

6. I want to be a teacher and I believe that it will happen one day (not based on my responses here though)

7. I love Harry Potter, and Twilight!!! I really love them...

I pass this award on to..

Bethany at Craftopia

Erin at LuckandBliss

Julee at Greenishmama

I look forward to your responses...