Miss S's Kaftan

It's the second week of school holidays for us and I had so many plans for all sorts of projects but the time has got away from me - and the craft projects have been relegated.  I did however manage to make this kaftan for Miss S.   The pattern is a mix of tracing one of the shirts she has and scaling down the Make it Perfect Shearwater Kaftan.  It feels like it has been so long in the making with little sessions when ever I could snatch the time.  One night I managed to make the pattern, the next session cut it out, the next sew a few seams, the next hem and finish.  I found it pretty frustrating but it's done.

Poor little thing she was prancing around the garden in her togs and Kaftan but we have no pool.  All dressed up and no where to go....

It's made in a really cute Kokka double gauze.  I am amazed at my subconscious sewing with all these pale colours at the moment, I wonder what that says about where I am at???

But the best thing is that Miss S loves it and has wore it yesterday!  She said to me "I have three things now that you have made that I love."  How bitter sweet is that.

Pottering Around The Garden

This is the bed that got a make over back in August , we have already had the first broccoli heads.

 The garden this time of the year is just fantastic, growth is powering along everywhere.  The weather is great for working in, not too hot and not too cool.  Lots of colour everywhere we look and the first pickings are beginning.

Rainbow Chard

Mulberries starting to ripen up, we are getting about 2 a day so far.

Pigeon Pea full of bloom and beneficial insects.

Zucchini flowers waiting to be pollenated.

My first apple blossoms on my Tropical apples.

 I spy strawberries amongst the Kale.

Pretty flowers

Garage Tidy Up

What beautiful words "Tidy Up " are to a mothers ears.  With three children, two cars and numerous bikes, scooters and other wheeled devices our garage is a messy garage.  Mr Daddy has been romancing me with an enormous garage tidy up, can it ever be tidy enough?  I don't know but I love where it is going.

A wall of hooks, I should have taken before pics so the improvement can be truly appreciated.

The kids end, we call it the Port Rack - for obvious reasons

Mr Daddy's end of the wall.

We still have a way to go but we have held back the Hoarders TV crew for another week.

Yellow Spots

This is my favourite skirt pattern so quick and easy and a great shape.  It is the Make it Perfect Versatile Wrap.  It comes in three sizes and can be whipped up in a hour or so, great for when you need an emergency outfit or just something new.

I have a few of these skirts now and plan to make another one or two now the warmer months are here, I love, love, love this skirt with yellow spot - Happy Dots.

 Here are a couple of other skirts...

This is a sample made by the ladies at Thread and Ginger that I picked up in a sale they had, I would never have chosen this fabric but I love it and have had it for a few years now.

I love both these fabrics but I don't think they ever really worked as a skirt.

I think I need something red and bright next I am thinking Butler.  I haven't used any of Amy's lovely stuff for such a long time. Oooh might just pop onto etsy now!

New Ribbons!

Oh how much I love love love  ribbons.... Especially beautiful new ribbons like these from Stamp'in Up!

I am very lucky to have my Sister-in-law Emily as a Stampin Up demonstrator, Emily also lives down the road which is very hand for using her Big Shot.  Emily does a Ribbon Club where you can get one meter of each ribbon colour in each style group for a reasonable price.  Much better than having to buy a whole role of a one colour - which get cost prohibitive very quickly.  

1 cm Ruffled Ribbon - In colours

1.3 cm Seam Binding Ribbon

1.3 cm Scallop Dots

I have so many ideas running around in my head, obviously great for embellishing any project, tying in little girls hair, I love a sturdy ribbon as a quick bag handle or even just leaving in jars for display.... I have promised myself though that I have to use them and they mustn't fall into the "too good to use" category and never be used at all.  I also think I might use some for my Bunting swap.

Jen's Jam Drops

It's been very busy at our house for the last little while... I have had been dying to make these yummy jam drops for ages.  My friend Jen made them for afternoon tea one day and I have been thinking about them since.  I have finally made them and they are as good as I had remembered.  Thanks Jenny

Jen’s Yummy Jam Drops

185g butter softened in microwave

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1 ¾ cup of plain flour

1 egg and 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash

shredded coconut for rolling

Mix butter sugar and vanilla then add flour.  Refrigerate for ½ hour then roll into little balls, dip into egg wash and then shredded coconut.

Place on tray and use thumb to make jam hole.  Put a small amount of jam into each biscuit.  I find using a good quality jam with a low sugar content like the brand St Dalfour best for baking jam drops, the jam doesn’t burn and bubble.   Bake at 180 for about 25 mins. 

Don’t eat them all by yourself!

One Panel - Two Bags

I found this beautiful panel of linen at my beloved Thread and Ginger some time ago.  I don't usually go for muted tones but it is just so sweet and captured my imagination, what do you think?

This is the first bag I made for Miss S.  She loved the wooden handles, it makes it really easy to hold the bag open and stuff with toys.  The yellows, cream and pinkish red make me feel happy.

This is the second bag, it is designed to roll up into a little bundle and be tied off with the yellow ribbon.  That way you can keep it stashed in your handbag/car/where ever for when you need a spare bag.   It is my favorite, this size holds a couple a magazines and a drink bottle nicely.

Brave Barry

Master B is super hero mad, he loves anything and anyone with a hint of hero.  Yesterday he was running around with his multitude of capes and masks on and Mr Daddy asked him who he was being.  Master B answered after a few seconds of thinking time that he was Brave Barry!  How does he even know the name Barry!  

This is the Super Elephant Boy mask we made the other day.  It's his design he found the bits of fabric and bought them to me to sew together.  I love the little hole for his nose I had to cut out  of the trunk, he was worried about being able to breath - such a sensible 4 year old.

Hexipuffs

I saw this knitted art the other day on the Molly Makes Blog, I think it is amazing.  I am not a knitter and do not aspire to be but this quilt makes me wish I was...

Just breath taking, it just calls to me - "come and sit here all day, indulge yourself, read a lovely novel, neglect your family and everything else."   It is called Hexipuffs and it comes from Tiny Owl Knits, very very clever.

Recycle World

We have a local Recycle World or as most people refer to it as "The Dump Shop."  Which as it's name suggests is a little junk shop at the local tip for treasure that is too good to be land filled.  Our family loves a trip to the dump shop, you never know what you are going to find and you can have anything you want.  Most of the time the staff give the stuff to the kids for free and everything else seems to cost $1.00.  Mr Daddy worries we are teaching the kids be big consumers when we go there but I think we need to worry too much about the long term effects of over indulging at the tip!  On our last family outing there I got this fabulous vintage light fitting.

It needed a really good clean up as it was caked with dirt and dead insects.

On the whole it came up even better than I expected.

and  now makes a great vase.

Perfect for roses.

Ikea Fabric

I love Ikea Fabric,  I love the designs, the price and the quality.  This green birdie fabric is so cute, I brought it yonks ago and haven't seen it since.  I felt a bit funny about making Ikea fabric into clothes when you see it as other peoples curtains or nappy bags.  Despite this I have taken the plunge with this Make It Perfect Kaftan pattern and I am glad I did.

The fabrics still a bit stiff but am hoping it will be great in a few more washes

Weird side angle shot.

Arhh Help We've Got Bees!!!

Our house has been taken over by Bees!  For the last few days our  house wall - right by the front door has been covered by honey bees.  We have not invited them and I do not wish to keep Bees.  Although I do spend alot of time and energy creating a bee friendly garden I just want them to visit not live here.

I think this would look pretty good to a Bee.

A neighbor gave us the number of some friends who are Bee enthusiasts and bless them they have driven from miles away to come and help.  They said that these Bees maybe searcher Bees looking for somewhere for a new home or they may just be lost.  Yesterday they were coming in the brick weep holes to the ceiling space, we could hear them in the ceiling they were even popping into the lounge room via the down lights!  We taped the lights up and my new Best Bee Friend (BBF) smoked the ceiling with his smoke machine to get them out.  My BBF also put a small hive by the front wall to try and attract them away.  The plan is that if they go in the hive we can put the catch on and he can take them away.  Last night they all disappeared so didn't fall for the hive trick but we will try again tonight.

This is the little hive we are trying to lure them into.

Luckily they are friendly Bees and we have glass.

Get away from that weep hole.

We think they can't resist Mr Daddy's chalk flowers.

Bags For Little Girls

I just love this bag design, it's been a favourite for years and I have made heaps as gifts.  When Miss M was 3 1/2  (5 1/2 years ago now) she was very taken by the celebs who carried around small dogs in pretty hand bags.  Miss M thought that was a very clever and sensible idea so commissioned me to make her one to carry around her beloved Tom Kitten teddy.

Little Miss M, can you see the bag on the crook of her arm.

Aside from the beautiful fabrics that can be used, the dimensions are so good for little hands, they can hold the bag open with one hand and load up with the other.   I don't have a pattern I just wing it a bit with the fabrics I have at hand.  Next time I make one I will trace out a pattern and see if I can post it here????

This is one of my favourite fabric combos.

The other little bag in this shot is a small gift bag not so good for little hands but great fabrics.

Bunting

I love bunting, I don't really enjoying making it but I love the end result so over the years we have built up quite a collection.  You can map the progression of my sewing through the bunting it's like the tree rings of my abilities.  The first buntings are now what I consider quite lame see the pic below left.

Here is an example of my primitive bunting, I think this pic makes it look better than it really is.  If you can see it is only one layer of fabric, just over locked around the edges and badly joined.

Bunting is so good for instant decorating, it doesn't pop, drip colour when wet or break (unless it is some of my early work.)   Rach the Funster over at Squiggly Rainbow has organized a Bunting swap - what fun.  See the link at the top left hand side of my blog page any one can join.

Back at my house it is the end of birthday season and our bunting has been up for two months.   I took some quick pics before it all gets packed away until the next fun event.  (Please excuse my security grills over every window surface in our house it's on my wish list to do away with one day but does a great job keeping the insects out.)

Boy Bunting 

Big Bunting 

Mixed Bunting

Mixed Bunting up close

Princess Bunting 

This is some ribbon with a bunting effect, a great way to use up all those odd bits of ribbon.