handmade christmas challenge

I feel productive if I can sew, make or design something on a regular basis (hopefully a little bit each day - but not always).  This week has been busy, but I have been able to sneak in a bit of crochet, and some sewing and have been making some Key Fobs that I sell in My Store that I think will be great for small Christmas presents for Kinder teachers and friends....

I have also been having fun with my ever growing pile of scraps and vintage fabrics....

I wanted to make some tote bags as more and more shops these days are not providing plastic bags (ie, spotlight!!), and it does feel good not to carry those ghastly green bags around all the time!!

I thought of having a cute little saying on it...

Then I remembered my little crochet flowers I bought from OneCrafteeMumma and thought they would be a great addition.  The bags are not finished yet, but I really don't think I can wait to give them out at Christmas, so I think two special friends will be benefiting from my little experiment...

To join this Handmade Christmas Challenge...head over to knicky knacks!

my creative space...

They say that a four year old child can ask approximately four hundred questions a day!  wow - that's a lot, especially when you are the one person answering most of them day in day out!  My son's curiosity to question the every day phenomena is astounding, challenging, but mostly enjoyable as I endeavor satisfy his need for information....

examples of some questions include;

   - Why does it rain and how is wet?
   - What makes the letter R, R?
   - Why do the leaves turn brown?
   - Why is the moon so far?
   - how come you need so many (key fobs) mummy? (ha!  I do tell him I sell them, but so cute that he thinks I make myself heaps!!)

On one particular afternoon, when we were chatting we were discussing birthdays (as my and my son have both celebrated ours recently).  This is how the conversation went;

Mum are you older?
Yes, I am older than you
Why i cant i be old?
you will be one day
I want to be 29
how come...

So i can do knitting (crochet) too...

for more creative types...head over here! 

wardrobe wednesday

I cannot remember the last time I made myself an item of clothing....

this week, whilst making a skirt, my certain quirks regarding sewing for myself came flooding back....

regardless of what I am sewing, I have certain quirks, and laugh at myself, and often my husband will  shake his head in amusement - thinking "what are you doing??"

You see, I can't sew wearing shoes or slippers on my 'sewing foot' - that is, the foot that is controlling the pedal!  oh, no it has  to be as close to skin on metal (or plastic??) as possible - perhaps a sock, but sometimes not even, and in the cooler months when the chilly breeze is seeping through the cracks of our old floor boards, I am sure that I come close to loosing all feeling in my right foot and possibly suffering from frost bite (ok not quite frost bite, but you get my drift) as I parade around limping with one slipperless foot...

And so, as I enjoy cutting up fabric that will eventually be turned into an item of recognisable clothing, I again embark on a journey quirks as rarely am I able to settle on 'one pattern' as I feel compelled to 'create my own - as i go along' type of thing - which involves lots of 'trying the garment on' at various stages of production - which means, in this case, I end up wearing very little, standing next to the iron madly pressing seams, pinning hems all with one slipper on....

"honey - have you closed the blind in that front room?? - because the neighbours can see you!"
"ha - oops" - i say!

and so the stripy high-waisted skirt that i spied in a catalogue and admired,  is now finished!  Final price was about $11 for the fabric and I already had a black zip and I used little snap fasteners to close the band (which I thought about covering with buttons, but I like it as is, i think!).  It might not be exactly like the extravagant expensive version, but I am content with this little number!

We are off to a little girls 4th birthday party today, so perhaps I'll just stay as I am, as I feel dressed up to party, although I'll play around with with cardigan I settle on as I have a grey one i like...

black top - dotti
pink cardigan - sorry can't remember!
skirt - Hah!  Made by ME!!
footless tights - I think i just picked these up at the supermarket in an emergency, and they have been handy ever since!!
shoes - Miss Shop
braids - Diva
earrings - by me also!

xx

not all girls like pink!

The sun is shining, the little one is asleep and big one is chatting to me whilst playing outside....so I quickly snap and pics of these items still to upload onto Made It....

These gorgeous little skirts are perfect for all seasons with added layers when cold or perfect with a simple t-shirt or singlet for when the weather is warmer.... (and a matching clip or brooch is included!!)

and not all girls love pink.....

So i have heaps of things in other colours other than pink in my store....

Masterchef finale....

I'm excited about tonights Masterchef final.  It's about the only show I watch (besides Grand Designs and thats not on at the moment).   I really like both contestants and don't even really have a favourite although I can't help but shake my head in amazement that Callum is only 20 and already so talented in his cooking ability.

It's a beautiful Melbourne winters day today...

we headed off on a culinary journey ourselves this morning....

I'm ever grateful that I live in a city that pride's itself on great food, produce and coffee....
We love going the market (Queen Victoria that is) and try and get their at least once a fortnight and even my son knows the drill too well.....first stop bread...
second stop an almond croissant for the little ones...

some fresh dips and maybe some cheese...

After getting some organic poultry, we head off to the seafood section where we select our choice...

And of course there is always time for a coffee....

We get home to enjoy a feast of olive bread and dips for lunch and in true Masterchef style, I'll be cooking up a feast for two tonight (after the little ones are asleep of course)....

Hope your all having a lovely Sunday...xxx

Handmade christmas challenge;

I'm getting into the swing of things and finally bought some handmade goodies to start my Handmade Christmas Challenge - although it will be a double handmade effort here as these little beauties I got from the lovely Tamara at One Craftee Mumma will be used by moi to make pressie's for special people at Christmas...

Whilst I haven't yet confirmed what exactly I'll use each item for, possibilities are flowing, and I see cute little t-shirts with doiles sewn on for my neices, doily purses, or hair clips....

and with these, perhaps I'll make some embossed owl card pack or even framed paper owls to adorn a child's room.....

To see or join the Handmade Christmas Challenge head over to Knicky Knacks

my creative space...

Oh i have missed sewing and making things of late....it seems like ages since I have posted any new craft related ventures, but I'm glad to say that I am back after a short little break (given my frantics in the lead up to two markets I had in June)

So with a stash of fabric pulled out the cupboard I buzzing with motivation to make a few things....they include a skirt for moi!  I saw a striped knee length a-line skirt in a department store catalogue not so long ago and baulked at the price for what seemed like a simple cotton skirt and a few buttons!  So I am on a mission to make a spring skirt for a fraction of the price.

I am also planning on making a cute little skirt or dress with these fabrics as a little friend down the road is having a birthday soon so thought a handmade outfit might be the way to go....aren't the apples just so cute!


Can't wait to see what you other creative types are up to today!  Check out Kirsty's blog here....

Birthday Giveaway Winner

It's time to draw a winner and here is the lucky number......


(OK so i tried to upload the Random Org Widget and it wouldn't work but the number was 7)

Yay! Quilary - you are the winner of my birthday giveaway and very spooky as 7 is my favourite number! 

Thank you everyone for all your birthday wishes..... (old exhibition building)

I have had a marvelous day... (kitchen aid from my hubby and kids....more baking coming for sure)

And been spoilt rotten... (lovely friend from Pod and Three Peas baked me a delicious birthday cake and gifted me some lovely vintage canisters - filled with coffee and suger - oh how perfecto!)

Yay! I feel like a little girl having lots of fun!

(me when I was little!)

xxx

wardrobe wednesday

Today I'm posting photos of what I wore to my Nonna's surprise party (0n Sunday) - I based my outfit around a gorgeous handmade headband from Cathy at BlissClips as she was my Craft Swap Partner and I was so thrilled with what she made me.

Top - tunic from Portmans

Skirt - from Susan

boots - target

headband - blissclips

And here is me with the birthday girl in all her glory!! So today is my birthday and even though I'm dosed up on antibiotics we are heading out the door as I'm being taken to the Museum to see the Titanic Exhibition....


I'll be back to announce the winner of my birthday giveaway - so if you haven't entered scroll down to comment as you have till 12noon!

80 years young....

Today it's my Nonna's birthday!  She is 80 years young!  On Sunday we had a surprise party for her and lots of people came together to celebrate a lifetime of acheivement, amazement, challenges and triumphs.
We danced and sang and had a great time and my cousin even performed a belly dance!

My Nonna holds a dear place in my heart.  This photo sits on my dresser in my bedroom.  I'm not too sure how old she was at the time but the sapphire cross she is wearing has been passed onto my mother and a while ago it was given to me....and one day I will pass it down to my daughter.

Buon compleanno Nonna! 

ps - last chance to enter my giveaway so scroll down for details...

At my house.....

Feeling a little run down today....although I could see it coming....that inevitable cold which has now turned into something a little more sinister.  The type that makes you wish you could hide under the doona and re-surface sometime in the afternoon or bundle up on the couch with favourite musical on TV with endless camomile, but alas I have forgotten the pleasure of having a 'sick day' since children arrived.

So fittingly we've been playing doctors and I've managed to get a pot of minestrone soup on the stove.  I'm lucky that my darling husband that is coming home early so that I can head off to the doctors later in the hope that they have discovered a magic miracle potion that will bring the spring back to my step. But right now the only other miracle potion is this one here below so, it's time for a break... it's time for a...

 Here is hoping the winter chill hasn't caused iky sickyness in your house. To join in visit Lou...


xx

want to join me for tea....

We could wear a pretty dress and maybe cute little shoes. 

I know this little place I think you will like....

I would put a bow in my hair and I would admire your dangly earrings. 

I could bring a thermos of tea

you could pack a some homemade biscuits

We could chat, sing, dance, play and we could swap some crafty tips

and squeeze in a spot of crochet.

We would admire the view, perhaps have a little lie down and laugh about life...

Oh wont you join me for tea

I've just poured you a cup....

xx

my creative space...

I put down the crochet hook
I closed the door on the sew machine room
I placed those crafty books on the bookshelf...

....I picked up a wooden spoon
Adorned myself with a homemade apron
opened the fridge and pantry
And got baking.....


Oh they are delicious, delectable, sinful, satisfying, irresistible and great to share around!

I am talking about these Cinnamon Scrolls. One night when the little people were in the land of nod I was reading through some of my fav blogs and noticed that Retro Mummy had blogged about her Cinnamon Scrolls for the third day in a row.  I had to check out what the fuss was all about so I sort out the recipe from Pioneer Woman and watched, step by step, with wonderful photo's how the scrolls were made -

The decision was easy - I had to make them!  I read through the ingredients - Yep I have all of those and in the method there is even a suggestion of where you can stop half way and complete the rest the next day- perfect!  It was already 8.30pm and I figured I could make the dough and finish off the rest the following morning before playgroup!

I halved the recipe and made smaller scrolls by dividing the dough in half again when it came to making them - this resulted in perfect sized scrolls for little people and an incentive for bigger people to have more than one!  The frosting is divine and I was licking it from the spoon when finished!  I added expresso coffee and Maple syrup to the frosting instead of just brewed coffee and I did not have maple flavouring - but it worked out fine!

I took one tray to playgroup, dropped of another tray to my husband at work and left some in my friends letterbox.  The verdict was unanimous - they are extraordinarily the best scroll ever!

I dare you to try and stop at one!  And these are not dainty, sit with your crochet hook and nibble - oh no, these are sticky, lick your fingers and get frosting all over the handle of your mug kind of treat! 

Get the recipe here!  at Pioneer Woman

Check out other creative types at Kristy's....