A holiday at Fraser Island

We just spent 6 glorious days on beautiful Fraser Island usually we would camp but being 26 weeks pregnant it was not to be so we stayed at Kingfisher Bay Resort, was great but I've come to realise we are not a resort family and really missed camping! Nuts I know.

A new bag & a dress for Zoe

I am in the mood for sewing again, yipppeeee, bout bloody time I say, it's been months since I lost my sewing mojo, well pretty much since the morning sickness kicked in I guess. Well nowI'm back and I have heaps of projects I want to accomplish.


Here is a new bag I made for myself after a trip to spotlight where I found this fabric that I completely fell in love with.

And a dress for Zoe made in the same fabrics as the skirt I made a few months ago.

yeah yeah I'm still alive...

Just not in the mood for sewing atm.
Actually today I felt like I might get my sewing mojo back soon when I spotted a fantastic nappy bag that I could easily sew myself, am thinking that might be my next project because for those of you who don't know, I'm having baby #3! very excited, even moreso now that my morning sickness has somewhat slowed down, it is no longer all day sickness, thank god, I was not coping too well at all.

Just whipped it up

I couldn't bring myself to start the housework until I made another skirt, now it's 4.30pm and time to get dinner organised, oooppsss no housework today.

Decided to jazz this one up a bit with some lace that I have had for ages, turned out great!

Ruffled Skirts for Zoe

I come across this skirt tutorial and just had to make some for Zoe, she absolutley loves the pink one and won't take it off! It was the easiest thing to make, amazing how many things you can actually make just out of rectangles.
Oh and here is a pic of the girl herself, she was in a modelling mood the other day when I had my camera out.

It's beanie time

I made this cute beanie for Zoe last night whilst watching PS I love You...was a little hard to crochet through the tears but I got there in the end, too bad it's too small for her, will have to find a baby girl to give it too.

The colours in the photo didn't turn out quite right, what looks like red is actually hot pink.

I got the pattern from here http://craftychristina.blogspot.com/2007/11/soley-granny-squares-hat-pattern.html

I'm back!

I'm still working, but I have decided I can't live without my craft, so I am making nights free to do what I love best!

In the past 2 weeks I have made 3 bags, 2 of which were gifts for my Mum and MIL for Mothers Day and ANOTHER bag for myself, will post pics later.

And I've refound my love of crochet, I'm in the process of making a beanie for Zoe and I made myself one last week.

Andddd I have developed a softie addiction and created these two cute guys, Harold and Hilda this week, can't wait to add more to the family.

And another one...

Adrian is starting to call me the bag lady, am becoming a bit obsessed with making them.
Here is another one out of the same fabric as the last one, a little zippered tote. It measures 26x26x6cm deep.
I want to come up with some great designs so I can start selling them to make some money to fund my 'habit' :)

Watch this space for my new business.....

Now I have a question, does anyone know how to put lining in when you have a zip? Is the only way to handstitch it? For the life of me I can not work it out.

Another bag

And here is a bag I made last night after Jack & Zoe went to bed, luckily they fell asleep at 7pm!

I just love this fabric and think I will be making lots and lots of things out of it.

The bag was quite simple to make after I drew up the pattern from another bag that I have.

I have sewn in a zippered pocket and a mobile phone pocket in the same fabric as the outside.

The button and loop detail

A skirt for Zoe

I just love making things for my little girl, this skirt was made using my own pattern that I copied from a skirt she had as a baby, very very simple and so quick, it only took 1/2 hour to whip up, would be even quicker if I didn't put the applique flower on it.

Busy Busy

Have had a wonderful weekend sewing, I miss him, but gosh it's great when the husband goes away and I can just potter around, it also helps that the kids have decided to be perfect angels and are happily playing away, today they have made a cubby out of boxes and one of them is a dog, very cute.

Anyway, here is a little 'purse' I have made out of a bit of pink felt, very easy to put together and great to do whilst sitting in front of the telly.

It measures 8cm x 7.5cm finished, a perfect place to keep your 'girlie' things :)

A little pin cushion

Now that I have been ordered to laze about due to my broken tailbone and extremly sore back I get to make these cute little cushions....there has to be something good coming out of this, sitting in front of the telly and embroidering, what could be better? Maybe sitting in front of the telly embroidering without a sore butt! lol
Had so much fun making this, and of course because it had pink on it Zoe thought it was for her, she thought it was a pillow for her little baby, maybe the next one can be for that, I am not giving this one up!

My toothless terror

My little man Jack got his two front teeth out this week due to an accident he had when he was a baby. He was so great in hospital and was the bravest boy ever. Now I just have to make a little pouch to put his teeth in for the tooth fairy.

Shorts for Zo

I was itching to use my new sewing room so I ended up whipping up some little shorts for Zoe last night in the gorgeous pink & white animal print, she was so excited to see them this morning exclaiming with flapping hands "Are they for meeeeee" she just had to wear them to daycare this morning. I used a boys shorts pattern as I only had a nice girls one in Size 3 and she ain't that big yet.

My next project

I ordered these patterns today from the states, I just love them and can't wait to make the apron. My sister wants the baby carrier, it looks awesome to use and I think it will be fairly easy to make. How gorgeous is that apron!

I got them from here http://www.montessoribyhand.net/patterns.html

uh oh

There goes my pact, I promised myself I wouldn't buy anymore fabric until I used up all that I have, and then silly me goes to Spotlight 'just because I was driving past' and ended up coming home with this stash!

Everything was either $5 or $8 per metre, who could resist? I could have bought more except Zoe decided to turn into a brat and I couldn't look properly which was a bugger as there was so much nice stuff.

How could could I not buy this? How gorgeous is this fabric! My sister has put an order a pair of shorts for her new baby boy, so cute!

Zoe spotted this one and had to have it, ok well I HAD to have it, she only wanted it cause it is pink lol I ended up with 2 metres as it was only $8 reduced from $19.99!

Not sure what I will do with it yet, it will look good in my stash for a while.

I'm thinking some funky shorts for Miss Z, she will love them.

I've got a sewing room!

All my dreams have come true :) I have wanted my own space forever, not once in my life have I ever had my own room, and now I do!

I moved all my gear into the new room today, lots still to do, like painting, but I was too impatient to wait for that, around here things don't happen too quickly.

This is our old tv cabinet from upstairs, it usually has doors on it, but I think I might leave them off, I like to see all my stuff and I figure I might keep it tidier if I have to look at it all the time.

All my things used to be in the linen cupboard, so not only do I get a sewing room, I get my linen cupboard back :) Oh the painting is a work in progress, no where near finished, oneday I will get to that.

My sewing table, the corner will eventually have some shelving, and I will get a wall storage system from Ikea to go across the wall to put all my bits and bobs in.

I've also got a cutting table coming and will eventually get a sofa bed so it can be used as a spare room too.

Think I better start selling some of my stuff so I can pay the room off!

A very productive Friday night

Jack & Zoe fell asleep early and Adrian went out for a band jam, which left me lots of time to sew!

I made 3 cute little singlets for Zo, she loves them and can't decide which one to wear today and I made 3 of the little boxy pouches, the tutorial is here http://threebears.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/little-boxy-pouch-tutorial/

I think I could get addicted to making these, so easy and quick. I've found the stiffer the fabric the better they turn out, I made a couple more but seem far to floppy.

Wedding Invites

My sister is getting married in April and this is the paper that we have chosen for her invites. Her colours are chocolate brown, green & cream..... I really love these colours together!

Doing something a little different, she loved all 3 papers so we are using all 3! One person might get the flower one, another might get the circle one and another the fern one. This will all tie in together at the reception when all the placecards are different too.

Also, instead of doing a regular invite with all the details on one page, I am doing a little booklet style and tying it at the top with a chocolate brown ribbon.

Here are the papers, I've got the guest list so will start this weekend, can't wait, love making invites :)

A quilt for Zoe

I have made a pact with myself, I'm not allowed to buy anymore material until I have used up all that I already have, a whole 6 crates full!

I found a pattern for a very easy quilt, I've never done one before and this looks really simple, it's out of this months Better Homes & Gardens.

The materials I have put together match ok, I wouldn't have chosen these if I had of gone to the shop to buy it, but as I said, I'm using up what I have.

A top for me

Have just cut out a top for myself, Simplicity 4589, I am making the sleeveless square neckline version out of some white broderie anglaise that I had here. I wasn't sure if I should make a 10 or a 12, so have decided on the 12, if it's too big I can always give it to my Mum and will know to make the 10 next time.

I made a bag!

Well I did ditch work, and let my sewing bug go wild.... I made myself a new bag today from scratch, no pattern, just saw a couple of pics online and went for it, basically it's a heap of different sized rectangles. The best thing is I used up leftover fabrics from other projects I have done.

It's a messenger style with built in pockets inside. I cut the straps off an old bag and used the buckles from that.

The interior pockets and fabric lining

The strap and buckles I stole of an old bag

Think I might ditch work today!

I just feel like creating today! I think I might use the excuse of my little boy being home to step away from working and go and do some sewing instead! He could even help me and spend some quality time together before he starts big school next week, omg my baby is going to school!

What to do

I have a list a mile long of things I want to make.

I'm not sure where to start, I guess getting off the computer would be a good start huh, I have become addicted to checking out other people sewing blogs, so inspirational!

Can't wait for my sewing room to be finished, it's such a pain sewing on the kitchen table and then having to pack it all up.

Think I might go to bed and read instead! Am reading Mao's Last Dancer at the moment, it's so good!

Nappy bag for my sister

Spent yesterday afternoon making this great bag for my sister who has just had a new baby boy, Oliver. Am thinking I might make one for myself now, would be excellent to use as a beach bag.

It's the Amy Butler Diaper Bag pattern. It's a really great size and has 6 pockets inside.
Next time I will use lighter interfacing as it was a little bit on the heavy side to sew.

The inside lining and pockets, I probably would have chosen a different colour lining than white but that's all I had at home and was impatient and wanted to make it there and then.

My Christmas Table

I was very proud of my table this year, it turned out beautifully. We had all of Adrian's family over for a Christmas Eve feast. Here are some pics. I just wish I had of taken some photos of the food, it looked like a Donna Hay spread! I used silver wrapping paper for my table runner and made napkin rings out of felt.

Santa Sacks

These are the santa sacks I made for my nephews Cooper & Oliver. Thinking I might make a heap next year to sell on ebay.

Painting....my new passion

I've only been painting for about 12 months and gosh I love it. I'm learning new things all the time and can't wait to do more.

These paintings were done at Go Arty in Maroochydore, a fabulous place to learn different techniques. You go and choose what size canvas you want, the style you like, then they help you put it all together and teach you how, fantastic fun! http://goarty.com.au/