Giveaway

Retromummy has this AMAZING 'flower sugar giveaway. ' 20 fat 1/4's up for grabs!! Yes 20! What a Christmas present!!! Pop over to Retomummy's lovely blog to be in the running.

Op Shopping

I had a quick rummage through hoping to find some sheeting to add into my quilt. No luck this time. It was in a bit of a mess really. I folded a few things up and one of the volunteers said they had an opening if I was interested...

Just as I was leaving I picked up a bundle and right underneath was this lovely tablecloth. I LOVE both the colour and design. Oh and the price... I love the price as well. A bargain at $2.00!

Then, this pretty tablecloth was found at the next stop. I think it could almost pass as Christmasy. What do you think?

Visit Sophie for more flea market finds.

Inspired

...by the Let's Get Shabby team. December challenge is to share your favourite Christmas song/carol/hymm. You could use it as your title or parts of it as your journaling-which is what I did!
I have used the words 'better watch out' from the song 'Santa Claus is coming to town'.

I think it fits perfectly with my photograph. Look at my very cheeky boy. And look at  Santa! Hilarious!
This was taken at Ollie's Preschool Picnic. Our children were the last in a VERY long line of children to sit on Santa's lap for a photo. Clearly, Santa was over it by our turn. SO FUNNY!

Pop on over to the Let's get Shabby blog for a peek. There are some gorgeous Christmas cards this month and an ace tutorial for a very pretty Christmas tree.

Little Bits of Pretty Giveaway

So sorry I am running a tiny bit late with the big announcement. Soooo then. The names were popped into a jar, the old fashioned way. Extra entries if you blogged about Little Bits of Pretty, a bit of a shake around,
and the lucky winner is....

Congratulations Melinda! I will pop your pretty bits in the post asap.

Stitching

In amongst the Preschool Picnic, the Mr's work Christmas Party at our place, school Presentation Night, a trip to Sydney for CF Clinic,  a sick child, Orthadontist appointment, Christmas Concert, the planning of  Pa's 70th birthday, friends visiting... I have managed to do a tiny bit of stitching. I have only purchased 3 out of the 25 gifts I need to buy but yes I have been stitching. Just needing that bit of sanity in amongst the busy.

 A quick little paper garland using the circle punch and some music paper.

Some gift tags using up some scraps...

And  I've added a few more strips to my no. 1 WIP. I like how this looking.

And finally, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to everybody who left a comment on the Little Bits of Pretty Giveaway. I am absolutely thrilled with the sales so far as well as your lovely feedback. I am so grateful for your support. Truly! It is not too late to enter the giveaway. Everyone is welcome to enter so please leave a comment on the Giveaway post here. I have popped a few extra things in the Little Bits of Pretty shop and then a brand new update in the New Year.

Tis the Season

This little bag of Christmas deco's was picked up at the op shop for $2.00
I had to fight my children for them. They have had a lovely time playing with them. I've popped them in a cute glass bowl-another op shop find, on my dining table. They are so cheery and some are just like the ones we used to have when I was little.

 


I also managed to pick up this preloved sheeting. Two pillowcases and two single flat sheets for $2.00
So pretty and will be perfect in my quilt.

For more Flea Market Finds look here.

A little second hand love

Recently I came across this sweet blog. One of the things I love is clicketty clicking on the links that are sharing their Flea Market Finds. Today I thought I would play along and share my favourite find this week. I love op shopping and have been lucky enough to pick up some real treasures. Today I'll show you this one.

I think it will make a beautiful tote bag. For now it is happy on my dining table, despite it being a tiny bit short. I am kind of afraid to cut it up cos I really do love it. The best bit...it cost me $1.00

For more Flea Market Finds Click here.

Little Bits of Pretty Giveaway

I am very pleased to launch Little Bits of Pretty, a FUNDRAISER for The Children's Hospital at Westmead. If you have been a reader of my family blog, you will know that our beautiful Bella was born with Cystic Fibrosis. It is an ongoing challenge for our family, the treatments are intense, time consuming, the uncertainty of our child's future is a rollercoaster of emotions. CF is a progressive condition with health deteriorating over time, and whilst treatment and life expectancy has improved significantly,
THERE IS STILL NO CURE!

The Children's Hospital at Westmead is a big part of life as we know it and I have put together this fundraiser to support them in their work. The Children's Hospital helps SO many sick kids and their families and this is one family's way of saying thank you.

To celebrate the launch of Little Bits of Pretty I am having a little giveaway. If you would like to be the running to win these pretties, just leave a comment on this post.  If you would like a second chance at winning, then mention the fundraiser on your blog with a link to the Little Bits of Pretty blog. Be sure to let me know you've blogged so I can double your chance at winning these gorgeous bits. Easy  peasy. Good luck and my heartfelt thanks to you for spreading the word.

Inspired

Inspired to have a go at the Let's Get Shabby challenge. Beautiful blog. Also inspired by the love I'm feeling for my scrappy vintage bunting from the last post...I thought I'd use some leftovers. In my desperation to make the deadline tonight, I had to take a night time shot. Of course the flash causes havoc so my pic is VERY dodgy. I'll take another one tomorrow okay!

Sooo the criteria...use three things from your sewing basket, one must be a pin.

1. gold safety pin

2.vintage buckle

3. press studs

and for good measure, a pin, one of the buttons, cotton, and the brand peeled off an old cotton reel. I have popped a letter to Lulu in the little envelope, all about our baby girl at 11 months. The journalling is taken straight from our family blog.

Edited to add a daylight picture

Upcycled bunting

I have been collecting preloved linen for a while now with a quilt in mind. ooh I love op shopping and these old sheets are becoming more difficult to find. Some sweet prints but despite a couple of washes they still smell like ...well op shops I guess. Or moth balls or granny's cupboard.  Some of them are quite worn and faded. It's great to give them a new lease of life. I have cut some 3 1/2 inch squares for the quilt.

I am not too sure where I am heading with it just yet so in the meantime, I thought I would use some of these pretty sheets and pillowcases in a bunting for my craft room. Very scrappy, very easy. I stitched them onto the bias binding pretty randomly, used some teal stitching-the messier the better I think...some dyed doilies here and there and taaadahh my blank white wall is a bit happier.

The sunny paisley is my FAVOURITE!

Recycled crayons

This week the little boy and I sorted out all our crappy crayons and had a go at making them into new ones. We put the crayons into an old muffin tray that we use for painting nowdays. Popped them into the oven on 160 deg for about 15 minutes. We kept checking them because we wanted to watch the melting process. They cooled for a while-we went to collect Bella from school-and were then ready for drawing. So easy and fun!

Log Cabin Cushion

Completed! Remember the log cabin cushion cover I started a while ago?

Well I have crossed it off my to do list-the one in my head. I have SO many wips and I have made a kind of promise to myself that I won't start anything new until I have finished them...well some of them. I really like these cushions, I'll definately be making more. (after I've completed some more unfinished projects from my basket of wips of course!)

What have you been making this week?

Apple catchers

A long time ago I bookmarked the 'cutest ever baby pants' in the Meet me at Mikes book by Pip Lincolne. I thought I had better have a go at making them seen as Lulu is hardly a baby anymore. Still our baby but I think it's borderline that she be wearing the cutest ever baby pants. I made them in some cheapo fabric from Big W. They turned out okay so I might make another pair in some favourite fabric.

Lulu LOVES them cos they have 'fwourwahs' (flowers). It was very tricky to get a decent shot of Miss Busy. She just wouldn't stay still.

 I remember wearing these little pants under my sports uniform in Kindergarten. We called them 'apple catchers' back then.Did you wear apple catchers too?

Binding Practise

A little dolly quilt for Lulu's 'bubba'. What a good little mummy she is.

And after my practise run on the dolly quilt it was onto bigger and better things.

FINALLY! Introducing.....the 'Belle' quilt-named after it's recipient our dear Nanna Belle.
Testing the single sized quilt out on Bella's king single bed.

I didn't particularly enjoy the handstitching of the binding and I must confess some parts are a bit dodgy but I am thrilled to have completed a quilt. I have definately learned things along the way. Mistakes made = lessons learned and improved knowledge. I can't wait to deliver it this afternoon. I am oh so tired of looking at it:)

A creative kickstart!

Last night I stayed up way too late and excitedly created this fun page put together by the very talented Gigi.

I have lurked Gigi's blog for a long time and have been inspired by her gorgeous creations, not to mention her honesty and wit! She has really evolved as an artist and I LOVED trying these new techniques. I have to say those wiggly borders and hacking into the cardstock like that put me right outside my comfort zone. I am thrilled with my page. I'll be using these techniques again and again! It's not too late to join in on the class. As well as being super inspired, all funds raised will be a big help for her gorgeous boy. You can read more about Gigi's class and her family here.

Progress

Progress on Nanna Belle's quilt has been slow...but it is progress nonetheless.
I finally tackled the quilting, it was daunting I tell you. Straight lines both vertically and horizontally. A bit of unpicking, only two small puckers and I think I am okay with that. I am trying not to be so fussy. So it's perfectly imperfect.

I whipped up the binding last night. I have chosen a kona solid in coral. It's quite orangey but I wanted it to mesh in with the quilt as well as contrasting a little. Onto the binding then!

Stitchy art

I had a lovely time making this piece of 'stitchy art'-that's what I'm calling it...
 
I made it for  my oldest and dearest friend. We've been friends since Kindergarten!!! And that was a VERY long time ago. Never in a million years did I think I could ever sew anything but thanks to her patience and ENCOURAGEMENT, I have! Sooo I made her a little piece of stitchy art to let her know how much I appreciate and enjoy our little sewing sessions.

 

It has some scraps I swiped from her scrap bucket, some little favourites of mine,  some vintage sewing pattern, music paper, more of that thrifted doily from a couple of posts back!! Some thoughtfully chosen buttons from my button jar, some precious little bits from the op shop-LOVE the really old hook and eyes.

I always feel nervous giving a handmade gift. Do you?

Blossom Blouse

The other day my lovely friend stood patiently by my side and told me where to cut and where to stitch. I am very pleased with the end result.

Thanks Mooks for your patience. I love you to bits and just wish we lived closer so we could we make stuff together more often.

The Blossom Blouse pattern is from Sew Liberated and it was SO simple-just perfect for a beginner sewer like me!

And just to make sure I could do it without my lovely teacher, I decided to make a second blossom blouse.

I used a vintage cot sheet that I picked up from the op shop ages ago. I have been collecting preloved sheets for the past year with a plan for a quilt of sorts but I loved this little floral print and thought it would be fresh and pretty for a Spring Blossom Blouse. I can see more of these being made but I am wondering, how many Blossom Blouses does one little girl need?

I kind of wish I had one in my size.