spin a bib....

Ok, so remember the children's story of Rumplestilskin??  You know, the one where a girl is kidnapped and made to spin hay into gold, only she can't.  Thankfully a funny little man appears in the night and spins the hay into gold for her in exchange for a valuable item...

Until he requests her first born child! The young woman cries and cries at the thought of handing over her precious new born baby and the funny little man shows grace and says that he will forget her promise if she can guess his name within three days! Thankfully she does - Rumplestilskin is your name!  And she gets to keep her baby!  Strange story really (for the little people  - it's a bit odd - I mean she marrys the king that kidnaps her!)

Anyhooo - I've been spinning up a few crazy fabric and beaded bib necklaces after my first attempt went down well.   People in the street and in shops were admiring my handy work!  I'm not really sure what came over me - one night I was planning on cutting out some children's dress patterns and each time I looked at a stash of fabric all I saw was more and more options for some bib necklaces - so I went with that and these are what I came up with!  I'm still using what I have in my stash - although I admit I've run out of ribbon so will have to get more to finish off some others.

Some are made with denim, some with a beautiful deep mustard felt with gorgeous fabric and beading.   

As much as I'd love to keep them all, a quick little research on Made It and Etsy yielded nothing of it's kind, so I've added them to my shops!

Find my Etsy Shop here
Find my Made It Shop here

Friday loves

A few loves that I'm having at the moment.............

1. Happy healthy kids - there is nothing like seeing the colour and smile and zest for life return after your kids have been zapped down with a retched lurgy for about a month.  I don't know how the parents of really really sick do it.  This week, the smile, the rosy cheeks and the happy kids I know and love made a welcome return.

2. Sunshine - does it really need further explanation?  sunshine makes you happy - And I love that umbrella!!!

3. Finding inspiring blogs!  Through a link from another link (sorry I can't credit anyone) I stumbled upon this delightful blog called Green Apples and she is all sorts of amazing.  She recently completed a month of blogging about her handmade clothes that she wore every day for a month!  She shares the pattern she used, the material, her tips and then shows off a photo of herself in her new outfit - so inspiring and motivating that I've pulled out a Vogue pattern for some gorgeous summer pants I've been wanting to make for ages!


Wishing you a happy friday (and I'll link this to the gorgeous Maxabella's grateful link tomorrow!)

my creative space...

I returned to a craft I'd kind of said a fleeting farewell to. Jewellery making that is.  You name it I used to make it.  As a little girl I loved all things about beads and could sit for hours with some thrifted necklaces cut up and restrung to make something new.   But sometimes you can take the girl from the craft but you can't take the craft out of the girl.

Inspired by some latest trends in fabric and beaded bib necklaces, I thought I might just have enough bead and bits and bobs to make my own.

To my surprise when I pulled out my stash that has been sitting idle in the back of my craft cupboard I was astounded just how diverse and extensive my little collection was.

Without planning I started threading some beads onto a scrap of denim and then found some small scraps of silk and a bit of velvet ribbon and in less than an hour, I had a new accessory (without spending a cent) - well, I didn't go out and specifically buy anything if that counts.....

Seems like this craft can't escape me after all!  for more creative types - head over here! 

Wardrobe wednesday...

On Grand Final day we were off to a wedding of good friends.  It was a lovely day in Melbourne (for the first time this spring!).  The sun shone. I felt better. we had my MIL and SIL to baby sit the kids. Thankyou!!! 

And new shoes! 

I hadn't decided what I was going to wear until about an hour before we had to go.  I put this navy dress on, a little silver belt, shrug and that was it!  No changing into five hundred different combinations!!!!

It was a beautiful ceremony. I love weddings. they are just so magical and it reminds me of my own wedding.  We got to catch up with great friends, dance and have time together!  We even danced!

The happy married couple!

And for all those people that could not believe that someone would be married on GF day, relax - I organised a draw so it will be on again this weekend!!

Dress; Dorothy Perkins
Belt; Witchery
Shoes; local shoe shop
shrug; sportsgirl

Rudy and the Dodo {New Stockist!!!}

Let me introduce you to a fabulous online store stocked to the brim with gorgeous delights to tempt anyone who has little people in their lives.  Julia - the amazing woman behind Rudy and the Dodo bought some cards from me a few months ago  - just before she was due to have her third baby and this is when I first discovered her store.  I was thrilled to bits when Julia was so happy with my cards that she ordered a selection of my new 'conversation cards' and 'paper sewn bunting' cards to stock in her store!   

So if your looking for something unique, original, quirky, fair trade or handmade - then look no further!!
You can search by the crazy categories (like - cutie pie ones; craaaazy twos; cyclone threes) and there is even a category for the mumma's!!!

Here are some of my favourites....

 Honey sticks beeswax crayons, knitted play food, craft kit butterfly frame.

Make sure you take a look! 

@ my house....

Playing along with Lou today and sharing a glimpse of what is going on at my house.
This morning we did some grocery shopping - which is always a hoot with my two in tow!  They help with choosing the fruit and vegetables and putting it into the trolley.  I now give my son a "list" of things that he has to get at the shops and today he choose to have 8 items (my son has a bit of a thing with numbers - so today it was the number 8).  I tend to put things on his list that...

a) he can reach
b) interest him, ie, his favourite foods like sultana's, muesli bars, yoghurt etc
c) spread through the store so the game lasts the whole trip.

My daughter sits happily in the trolley and somehow we started a ritual that they could have a slice of wholemeal bread from one of the loaves that I buy.  I really can't believe that they still request it as soon as it goes into the trolley, but I'm not complaining as they merrily chomp on their plain piece of bread whilst I zoom past the confectionary isle.  ;-))

I'm cooking a beef steak salad tonight and couldn't resist some scrumptious root vegetables to go with it.  I am not a fan of tin beetroot, but these beets look so yummy! Some of our other trolley favourites are "triangle cheese" for my daughter and tonic water is really the only soft drink we have, the kids like it and I don't feel guilty letting them have a little bit.   Today I also bought some dill cucumbers which I haven't had for ages, but love them and ate some straight from the jar when I got home!

What's going at your house??  Stop past Lou if you would like to join in!

friday loves

a few loves that i'm having at the moment....


1. thoughtfulness - Ok so last week I posted that we were 'recovering' from 'the worst cold ever'!  Well I lied....we were not recovering, oh-no!  I think I just said that to psych myself better and say good riddance to being sick.  No it hung around and morphed into something far more hideous that included aching ears, razor blades in the throat and my poor boy got an ear infection during the week!  booo hoo to us!  A friend called, just as I had pulled up smack bang in the middle of Struggle Town and said to me 'Oh my.... I can't believe you're all still sick....I'm cooking soup today, so i'll drop you around some'

**sigh**

So when she arrived at 4pm that day with a basket, brimming with so much food....i haven't had to cook for three nights!  Two types of soup, tuna pesto pasta, bread rolls and a huge watermelon!  Can you believe it - She has two kids and works part time as well!!  Thankyou Janine!  You are awesome!  Unfortunately my friend is blogless!  A travesty I know...and something i will have to work on because she is the most organised person I know it would make for a great blog!

2. Bloggy friends -No really you guys are all full of awesomeness.  Whilst being cooped up inside sick and with sick kids it was nice to know that I could log on and have inspirational moments of sanity.  Just reading what you folks were up to meant I didn't feel so isolated.  You were like my mothers group, a warm hug, a cozy blanket, a great conversation and a cup of herbal tea all at once.

3. Lovely sibling moments.... caring for each other, comforting one another and in general, just showing their love for one another (sometimes)!

I've joined in with the delightful Maxabella Loves link were bloggers declare what they are grateful for!  Please stop by her inspiring blog if you get a chance...

Happy Friday to you all
xx

my creative space...

I got so excited with some the arrival of some new fabric in the post from Aunty Cookie that I got straight to crafting and making.....

Previously I had made, what I like to call "the conversation card" as I had a cute little bit of off cut fabric with cute little people, and they looked like they were saying cute little things, so on the cards, I added cute little conversations....

Then I sold all the cards (yay!) - but couldn't get anymore of that limited edition fabric (boo hoo)
But then I found this one (yay!) and its brilliant....

So more cards will be filling my store soon, and I'll have more kooky conversations on them to boot!

For more crazy zany conversation that you can poke a stick at head over here!

New Stockist!!!!!!

I am delighted with joy to share with you that a few of my items have flown free from the nest and will be stocked in a wonderful shop in Beechworth, which is in a gorgeous little country town in North East Victoria!  I love visiting this old gold rush town, full of history, lovely bric-a-brac shops, local produce, wineries not too far away and the famous Beechworth Bakery.

These are some of the items that have been sent off - my fabric bird and elephant mobiles!


The shop - Clothes Line is fabulous store run by Jade and supports handmade products! It can be found at 64a Ford Street, Beechworth.

At my house .....

School holidays are upon us - so two weeks without much commitment or heading out the door hastily to get to places on time!  The kids and I are still recovering from what I like to call is the worst cold ever - not a flu, but a really bad cold and just hung around made us all miserable.  But with that came lots of down time, cuddling in the bed and staying in pj's all day....

Today's activity was a bit of fun - Playdough with bits and pieces around the home to make it more interesting.  My kids had fun sticking buttons and beads and pasta into the dough to make funny things.  We also have this kit that makes playdough bugs!!

Join in sharing what is going on at your house here!

flea market finds.....

It's been a while since I've been able to join in on this Sunday ritual - my thrifting mojo had taken a vacation, but on a little spontaneous visit to a Salvo's store with the kids yielded a few lovelies to report.

We wandered around, my son asking what we were doing in this shop.  I replied that we were simply looking for things that are nice.  We found a cute little white vase, this old fashion glass jar which the label on the bottom indicated that it once was sold with Apricot syrup.  I love its shape and the wire handle!

Then my son found this little wooden mushroom and upon inspection found that inside, was a smaller little mushroom with a little removable top too - the kids think it's fantastic.

The whole lot cost under $10!

For more thrifting adventures head over to Sophies.

Friday loves

A few loves that I am having at the moment.....

1. Oranges -  the little ones and I have been pretty sick all week!  I know - a great way to start spring, but it still feels very much like winter in Melbourne and we have been bunkered down in the house with a terrible cold.  So we've been getting stuck into the oranges and I must say, I do love a good navel orange!

2. Entering giveaways - I do love good giveaway and was the lucky winner of one only last week - although I have won a few in my short time here is blog land.  There is a lovely giveaway over at Moose & Bird - this stunning pear pillow!  Be sure to check it out!

3 Worthy causes -  Kid Independent are supporting Backpacks for Aussie Kids by running an "undie drive" - All you have to do is visit the site and pledge to post them some new undies which will go to kids in foster care!  Foster carers are un-sung heros and do an amazing job but sometimes have little time to prepare for a child that may be coming into their care.  Not only that, but sometimes kids are placed into foster care with very few possession, basic items - like underwear.  I have worked with many children in foster care or whom have had to be placed into foster care in the middle of the night and sometimes there just isn't time to pack anything!! By registering to pledge you go into the draw to win some fabulous prizes - like this gorgeous handmade delight!  What a great fabulous cause hey!

Happy Friday
xx