Sew-along

Last week I jumped on into the Lazy Daisy Sew-along. It has been put together by Daisy who doesn't seem lazy at all! She has put so much effort into the sew-along already! The pattern is easy to follow, great for beginner pattern readers like myself, Daisy is very encouraging and on hand to help. I purchased the pattern from my local Spotty. When I asked for some help in getting my measurements and explained I would be making the skirt via an online sew-along, the Spotlight lady looked at me like I'd swallowed a bobbin (or something sewing related because this is a sew along after all). She offered the name of a local lady in case I was interested in sewing lessons. Oh no I can sew I told her..I'm just not very good at reading patterns. Hehe. Blogging is a funny thing and an online community is a tricky thing to explain to someone who has no idea what you are talking about. Needless to say. I decided not to tell her I was sending happy mail out to strangers friends I haven't met yet.

This skirt even has a zip! So if I get a hold on that, there will be something to shout about.
I am using some crazy thrifted fabric for my skirt. I really like this print despite it not being something I would normally wear. It only cost me a couple of dollars so if it works out then I have plans for some lovely brown velvet-also thrifted.

It's not to late to join in.
All the details are here.

I've caught the bug!

It seems I've caught the sewing bug and over the past few weeks I've been stitching and have happily cut into some of my vintage sheets.

I made a couple of wrap skirts for two beautiful women. Unknown to each other but both are kind, funny  and thoughtful. I loved sewing every stitch.  Making something is so much more enjoyable when it is for someone else, I think.

I also stitched a pillowcase dress for my littlest love. It was one of those things I have been meaning to make since forever.

My big girl liked it and so I turned another thrifted pillowcase on it's side and made her a little top. She prefers converse boots and cut off jeans to mama made clothes but this one was a winner so I am pleased.

And last but not least, I salvaged this piece from my wip's box. I tried to make a skirt a long time ago but I cut the band all wrong and it didn't fit so it was tossed aside for another day. I attached the skirt to a singlet that I picked up at Cotton On so I guess I cheated a bit with this one but at least it's out of the wips box and in my cupboard. I feel like a big dork in these photos too but I am okay with that. Actually, I am hoping the thrifted macrame belt steals your attention away from the big dork!
 

Right then! I am off to make a cuppa and breathe. This silly post took me SO long. First I lost all my words and then I lost some of the pictures. And I almost lost my nerve!

Made

Made for my sweet mama who turned 70 years old yesterday.
Each patch was stitched with much love.
I hope it gives her much colour and warmth in the many, many years ahead.
Love you so much mum! Happy Birthday!

Good things lately

1. A spot of making- cushion cover made from thrifted cross stitch, vintage floral and some too small for me jeans.
2. Lemon Crinkles. Thanks Miss Kylie!
3.  Floral tin $5 from a new found treasure trove in my town. I was going to put it in the garden but now I'm having second thoughts.
4. Seedlings sprouting. The littlest love gave me the little biodegradable pot for mothers day this year. It came with a peat pellet and a little packet of mixed seeds. We planted them together and now we are watching them grow.
5. Goodbye Winter
6. Littlest love being her funny little self.

Please let me know if you have a 'good things' type post. I'd love to see what good things make you smile.

Thrifted lately

Another chenille blanket..I know I need it like a hole in the head! I wouldn't have taken it home with me..honestly! BUT we have something special in the pipeline and I've got a vision of chenille blankets spread across our back lawn. Think family, friends and picnic dinner with a kaleidoscope of chenille.

Also found were these lovely wooden spools. They have so much character don't they? Who knew a bag a cotton reels could bring so much joy-organising in arrays, building towers, sorting by colours, shape and size.

Beautiful doilies!I'm thrilled with these. Doilies are few and far between theses days and these ones are gorgeous! Love a 50c price tag too.

I hope you've found some treasures lately too.
I'm linking in with Max and the other show off's. 

Making, baking, photo taking

Firstly, thank you for your lovely comments on my last post. I'm a little unsure where my blog fits these days and I often wonder about my sporadic posting, whether to blab on about life as we know it or not. While I tend not to share too many details here...both my running and my returning to work has been a big deal for me so I thank you for your encouragement. I have been trying to nurture me a bit a bit more this year and both these things have been dolly steps towards that.

So, I thought I'd share some recent making, baking and photo taking...after all that's what this blog is really about isn't it?!

So as well as pj making I stitched up an easy peasy skirt for the littlest love. A marriage of new and old-new fabric teamed with a thrifted doily and trim made from floral sheeting.

A spot of bunting is always fun to make too. Was great to snip into some of these treasures.

Sunday breakfast is like a cafe at our place. I cook for everyone and because they are all a bunch of fusspots, I usually make three or four different breakies. There are usually hasbrowns and blt's, omlette and french toast. Sometimes there's caramel apples. The Mr does the coffee. Always.
Recently, I baked a Blueberry Breakfast Cake. I will definately be adding this one to our breakie menu. It is absolutely divine.You will find it here. Definately worth making and best eaten still warm.

I've been very slack with my photo taking lately, opting for the handy iphone in my back pocket. I love the ease of snapping a quick pic and have had a bit of fun playing with an app or two. A real mish mash of images but each spoke to me in one way or another.

 Have a great weekend! I am off to the swap meet. Hopefully I'll have some spectacular show n tell to share.

April Snapshot

• The boy went on an origami making rampage
• Littlest love had her very first haircut, 2 inches off but you wouldn't know it!
• Holiday reading
• The bigs had their cross country
• Finger nail painting and earring changing most days of the school holidays for Bella
• Afternoon at a favourite cafe with favourite friends
• A spot of gardening and enjoying the gorgeous Autumn sunshine
• Our boys went on a four day camping trip. Real camping by the river. The kind where there is no running water. The kind where the amentities are a little walk in the bush! Toasting marshmallows. Chopping wood. Throwing sticks into the fire. Fishing. Father, son and Grandy.
• Ten Pin Bowling with friends
• Lots of playing at parks
• Sick Kids
• The Mr and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary! We enjoyed a rare night sans children. Indian for dinner, drinks at a newly opened bar and a movie.
• The boy made a mosaic pot at art class!
• A new sewing skill was learned-make your very own piping! And a cushion made for a very dear friend who is FORTY!

Wow April was busy!

New old clothes

Now that autumn is well and truly here,  I've been packing away the Summer wardrobe and thinking about some Winter staples. It's always a good feeling to hand down outgrown clothing and donate a few bags to the oppy. I am becoming better at this each time.

So before I pack away the Summer threads, here's a little show 'n tell of a few 'grown up' things I made myself, all upcycled from preloved linen. This pretty top was made from a beautiful tablecloth gifted from my Aunt. I wore it over a a cream singlet top with faded skinny jeans and strappy beige sandals. I have worn it more this past Summer than I would have used it so a successful upcycling project, I think.

Next up a skirt x2. I'm a bit pleased with this one because I followed a real pattern! Under instruction-and lots of encouragement- from a dear friend I stitched up the green floral skirt. And just to be sure I could remember how to read a pattern and all it's jargon, I made the second one all by my little ol' self.
I love these skirts and have worn them both quite a bit but I do find the waistband sits a fraction too high for me as it's vintage pattern. The pattern, zippers and floral sheets were all thrifted.

I also made a third skirt, a wrap skirt but it seems to be at the very bottom of my massive basket of ironing.

A new dress

I am really enjoying some sewing time lately. I am tackling new patterns, learning the lingo and I feel like even if the instructions aren't making sense to me, I can nut it out myself. A year ago I had neither the ability or the confidence. Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy this hobbie so much. I've mentioned before that I am not a patient girl. My motherinlaw gave me a sewing machine for my 30th bday. I told her then that I couldn't sew and I wouldn't use it. She assured me I would do both. I felt like it was kind of wasted on me and now all these years later I am using both the sewing machine and the overlocker she gave me a few Christmases ago.

I recently made this little number for Lulu. It's made from a thrifted Holly Hobbie sheet. Lovely and soft, just the right amount of wear and tear. I used a new spotty fabric to make some binding for the trim and buttonholes!!! Dodge city but they are there nonetheless.

A size too big so perfect for next Summer. Great for collecting spikey things 'up the hill'.

Hooray for Friday! Have a lovely weekend.

Untitled

Hello! I know my blogging is rather sporadic at the moment. To be honest, I just haven't been feeling it lately. I've been busy and happy. There has been making, baking and photo taking. A spot of running! Despite the lack of blogging, I have kept up with my portrait a week for The 52 Project. Miss 11 isn't fond of featuring on mama's blog these days. I knew this time would come eventually. So herein all photographs of the big girl will be published only after her explicit approval ;)

As well as the usual goings on, I have been quite the little sewer/sewist of late. I just completed my third 'grown up' skirt for the year as well as a new dress for the little love. This week though, I've found some hand stitching to be a lovely mindless therapy while watching a bit of telly. This little cushion was inspired by the amazing Dottie Angel. It is the 'happy heart kantha cushion' project from Granny Chic.

The fabulous GRANNY CHIC by Tif Fussell and Rachell Blondel

I do love the heart and think I'll make that one too.

On the thrifty front, I found this nice, sturdy old chair at Vinnies last month.

My rotten gorgeous kids managed to break 2 of my apple glasses recently so apple glasses have been put back on the thrifting list. We have used these daily and two were accidently broken, a day apart. I am a big believer of using stuff you love though. No point keeping things for a rainy day. The hunt continues...

Have you found any lovely treasures lately? I'm linking up with Max today to show off my lonely little chair.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter break.

Ta dahh a quilty type blankie

Last week I spent my down time stitching up a little quilt for my niece, Harmony. Her mama loves purple so purple vintage sheets it was. I've used some white chenille backing with a touch of floral. There's no batting sandwiched in between. I prefer a soft, light blanket style when using the chenille. The chenille has the perfect amount of snuggly and it's very warm. Simple quilting with random straight lines, I think it'll be a beautiful addition to her bassinett. More photos to come once it's been gifted.

Have you been making lately?
What do you like to do in your down time?
Have a happy week!

Five go off in a caravan

Toward the end of last year we went on a little caravan adventure around sunny QLD. We spent almost 7 weeks away from home and mostly headed wherever the road lead us. We didn't have much of a plan and we just enjoyed the break from routine and being a bit carefree. We crammed a lot into our 7 weeks and I thought I'd share a few snaps as well as the cushion I made last week as a little reminder of our time away.

Camel Ride, Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie
Seaworld, the touch pool
The Maheno, Fraser Island
Seaworld, dolphin encounter, Ollie-second from right, Bella, standing. That cheeky dolphin kept splashing water on her glasses.
Fraser Island
Movie World, Gold Coast, watching the street parade
Australia Zoo, Beerwah
The Great Barrier Reef
And another
Feeding wild dolphins in Tin Can Bay-possibly my favourite thing!
Strawberry picking near Maroochydore
Strangler Fig, Fraser Island

Good Morning 1770, taken inside the caravan
Townsville

Finally, the cushion!!!

My beautiful friend gifted me this wonderful book, another little reminder of our trip.

Boo says she 'bags' reading it first but I'm thinking after that I might  upcycle it to a picture frame or fill it with our holiday snaps. Should I? Could you? I don't think I can. I want to though.