Too cute

Finished the little gown I mentioned in the previous post, thanks for posting the pattern http://http://thismamamakesstuff.blogspot.com/2008/08/tutorial-t-shirt-to-newborn-gown.html (sorry, haven't worked out to change the lenght of thelink yet, if someone could help out I'd love it!). This was super easy and such a different thing to make for a newborn. I love the "Tag Team" on the back, boy, is parenting that or what!
It was a short sleeved t-shirt, so the sleeves weren't long enough, but it's a summer baby, sort of anyway. Other news is a girl's night out tonight. My faithful mum's group friend's and I are hitting the town, off to heae a band and drink beer and generally get up to mischief. Little Miss is having a sleepover at her friends house, homemade pizza's and The Incredibles on tv- who couyld ask for more? Both girls in this household happy.

Making presents

I had finished the pink zig zag quilt (see earlier post) for my friend having her bub, and had a night to spare- someone at work told me her favourite colour was red, so I made these too. Don't know if I overdid it with the ruffle around the leg AND the back ruffle, but my new motto is 'their can never be too many ruffles on a baby's bottom" so they will be fine. The front view is pretty nice too, I thought.
I thought I would try and make her a baby gown like this http://thismamamakesstuff.blogspot.com/2008/08/tutorial-t-shirt-to-newborn-gown.html. I like giving things that no one else has (der, why else would it be hand made, I ask myself), but also something a bit funky. She thinks she's having a girl (I hope she does after the girly goodies

I have made), she could swap it all for boys stuff, I wouldn't mind.

Big grown up daughter is having her first sleepover here at our house tonight, her 2 little boy mates, nearly 5 and nearly 3. They are all engrossed in "Go Diego Go" at the moment and being absolutely no trouble. They've had dessert and I'm off to make the beds up. I feel very domestic having extra kids in the house, and want to spoil them all rotten! Pancakes for breakfast....http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Good-Old-Fashioned-Pancakes/Detail.aspx Not for the dieters! Best pancakes ever.

A hard earned thirst needs a good old....

SPARKLER!
Cleaning up the kitchen? Reorganising the cupboards? Thinking life can't get more boring....?
Then you find the birthday box! Filled with candles and other exciting stuff, the sparklers were found from the first birthday almost 4 yrs ago. Who needs and excuse- I used 2.

I love the smell at the end of the sparkler, probably toxic and definitely addictive (I said I did 2, didn't I?). I wrote my name, and my girls name. Don't feel guilty she missed out- there are a few left. If she's ever up after dark, she'll experience them teehee.

remember 'throw downs'? They are my best memory of cracker night. That and trying not to get killed! I wonder what our children's equivalent is? After my Ikea jaunt the other day and four new candle holders, my girl now sleeps to candlelight, maybe she doesn't need the thrill of cracker night as she has candles each night. I have never had her sleep so quickly as now she has candles to gaze into......

2 quilts

Ok, here are the 2 quilts I finished off theis week...actually, tomorrow, I have binding to finish on the one on the left. The one below is a cute made up one- had the cowboy fabric from a shirt I made for my nephew, plus bargain bin ric rac and vintage chenille. Found the lovely backing in an op shop, I think, have had it a while. I am happy with the result, especially the binding! :)

Excuse the poor photos, it was night and the clothes airer was handy....

The one top left (added after and not in too bad a position) is an actual pattern, found here http://www.purlbee.com/zig-zag-quilt/ However, I forgot to add binding to the top and bottom, and made the squares 5 inch, as 4 and 7/8 was too fiddly for me on that day! So can't tell you the finished size, maybe a cot quilt size? This was is for a friend finishing up work this week to go on mat leave. When I started it is was just for fun, with no one in mind. It's good how that works out. The cowboy one will go to a stach of finished projects with no homes.

My mum sent me the chenille, it is new, from Spotlight. She has just started sewing with it, and didn't like it much, so I got the leftovers. Thought the zig-zag effect was nice, plus it's super soft.

Will post a few more finished ones during the week. I have about 10 cut out out the moment, all in varying stages of completion, waiting for the day I have a market or something.

Knock Knock

Ok, don't know what these pics have done, will keep going to see what happens. After my woeful blog yesterday (as in how feeling sorry for myself was I?) I packed us up and headed to...Ikea. Me and the rest of Melbourne. I thought there was someone famous there or something. Photo by 4 yr in back of car as we left, she is way too good at using my camera. I didn't go with anything in mind, maybe some inspiration, I thought...

and came across 2 of these baskets for kiddie's expedit bookcase- great for the Mr Men and Little Miss Collection. Took us 2 laps of the store to find them- I find going against the 'sheep' great, everyone got out of way! Little Miss Tired....



rested in the trolley, after a kiddie meal in the cafe. You could seriously spend a lot of time in that joint. I had ridiculously bad morning sickness with this one, and for some reason went to this Ikea- walking through the rug section STILL gives me nausea! She dressed herself this morning too- I thought it was a good look, I didn't dare mention the cold legs, but she didn't complain about them either.






Also got this cute little shelf, it now has the kettle on the top, and the toaster on the middle shelf. Was all too high for the top of the microwave, so is now next to it. The toaster crumbs (-more annoying than......I don't know what) can be swept out form underneath. I will keep the bread in the bottom rung, and maybe a teacup- cute!

Lastly, my favourite shopping mate, despite what I said in my last post!

Strategic seat belt too, how funny, she is a ham at the best of times, let alone when there is a camera. Here's a sample:
"Knock Knock"
Who's there?
"Courtney"
Courtney who?
"Courtney fish lately?"

As I can only put 5 pics (?) I will post later with my quilt pics

Single life

Feeling much better now, I went to work yesterday with an annoying cough, but able to function at least. Finished one and a half quilts, and more to do tonight. Having a general tidy up today, and little miss wet the bed last night lots of washing and new sheets to put on. Poor little tacker only does it once in a blue moon when she is exhausted. She had a sleepover at her cousins Friday and night, and has a ball, comes home exhausted though!

Sunday blues have hit me, I find the weekends so hard to do stuff. Working, running the house, all these things I do on my own, and I get a bit tired. During the week I have friends to talk to, can ring up or pop in for a coffee, weekends are very much family time, I find. Dad's home from work, wants top hang out with mum and kids, go visiting or do zoo's, museums etc. I find going to those places hard, my daughter runs around and has the time of her life, and I have no one to talk to or say "hey check that out". Hope I don't sound too whingy. I didn't plan to be on my own at this point, I expected a few more little tackers around too, so I often get a bit frustrated. Does anyone have ideas for me? Something not involving too much money is also handy. If I had unlimited cash flow, I could definately find more entertainment. Luckiliy little miss is happy with Ariel the Mermaid whilst I finish up the chores, then maybe in the car for a drive to somewhere. I'll keep you posted.....

Binding done

Another restful day, feeling a lot better by this evening. Panadol is amazing stuff, truly. As you can see, I played around and found a new template, this really brightened me up, I am a real pink lover. Plus I like the layout better. Still need to learn lots of things, but a bit more of my day was taken up with Ta-Da! A few more tapes. The cowboy one is for a quilt/blanket I made with cowboy and chenille applique stars- I will post a photo as soon as it is finished, I love it. I have so many to finish, and another 10 or so in storage. I tried selling some at a baby and kids market, wrong market- none sold! So I'm stashing heaps away at the moment, especially while i'm single and have to stay at home every evening, winter is the other incentive. During my bias making frenzy my iron started leaking brown water- not a good sign. Luckily I am close to the Sunbeam outlet shop, having a 40% off sale, and got this little beauty...
So new, so clean, and a 3m cord! yay. And a bargain $35- money well spent, seeing as I use it every other day. I'm a clothes ironer, which most people find freaky. All my friends do the "er, as if you'd iron" statement, so I proudly tell them I do underpants and singlets (kidding of course). Did iron my new doona cover the other week, after a wash- came out beautifully, will try not to make it a habit though.

here is another funky op shop doona, single bed, great bright fabrics, I think there is something in this- doona bags? Theeir are so many great colours, it's a waste to leave them on the bed haha. I am also posting at http://melb-opshopping.blogspot.com/, there is another beauty there from me tonight. I am quilting a few patchwork blankets/ quilts tonight, with a bit of ER watching- I am up to series 8, I have been watching it from the beginning again (watched it all originally on tv) on dvd. I am so addicted, there isn't much else on that can drag me away from it lately (have not watched ANY Olympic coverage, very unpatriotic). But I could intubate if I needed to- HA!

Later Gater

Sick day blues

Well, I don't like sick days, I've decided. It is much better to have a day off work when you are feeling good. I felt sooky and sore all day from this virus that has been getting worse for a few days, so I gave into the beast and tried to rest. Well, I managed to do that, hence the following projects:

Yellow floral bias tape and
a browny spotty one, and purple (sorry about the flash).

I decide this was resting as I sat on the couch, with the ironing board really low, and watch ER and made tape. I have a heap of baby quilts to finish, so this was a necessary project, plain bought stuff being too boring. I used this little gadget http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=464/181.0.22734.22738.0.0.0, which eliminated the burning fingers and melted tape measure jobs of the past. Mind you, the metal thing gets hot. I made the 25mm tape, so quick and easy. The rest of the site is good, too, I made the yo-yo canvas with their yo yo maker, idiot proof, really.

Being sick makes you a bit sooky, though, my cat decided to reject me last night and slept in my child room- sob, I missed the annoyance and miaowing when I rolled over. At least i got to wear my trackies with style, and went bra-less for comfort, worse still I left the house like that! Not that anyone could notice, with scarfs and jumpers etc, but I knew. Very liberating haha.

Back to the bias making, lots more to do.

Op Shop Thursday

ok, I have a few projects to show off, and upcoming ones to mention. I have been wanting some of this fabric for such a long time, and my tax cheque has delivered- 2 metres of the luscious stuff, ready to be moulded and shaped into yummy toadstooly things. I have a bag and a pini for my bub already in mind....pleas lots of scraps. Have used a little already, as you'll see in a minute....Friends have just left for overseas, and I made these little keychains for the kids to take on their travels- lucky keychains, hope they savour the trip teehee. here is funny man...

and here is toadstool. using some of my yummy fabric. I have sprinkled it with fairy dust, of course. And a order from the front bedroom has come in, of course.

Here are today's op shop finds. I hit a few, as I usually do on Thursdays, making to trek to St Kilda and back to Footscray. I love this one- 1972, with stocking toys on the cover, and the mum fringing the lamp. Daughter looks very unimpressed with her booty.

Bought myself these as I don't get much to laugh about. Not bad for $3.75 each. I can see many scanned and emailed ones as I know there will be many I want to share with friends.

Here is last weeks op shop find, but this weeks project. My very favourite Vinnies is the warehouse shop in Brooklyn, and it has new headquarters- 99 Dohertys Rd Altona. I will gladly share this with eveyone, as there are bargains to be had. I decided to make this bag for my friends birthday, and ummed and ahhed about the fabric- until I found this double doona for...$3! The main print with the big flowers is one side, the contrast trim and the bow is the other. What an easy way to pick fabrics, I say. Inside I lined with a Michael Miller fabric, similar colours. Yummy.

I found about 4m of this last week too at Savers, couldn't believe my luck. Have a pattern I will show another time of the dress I am making for kiddy, it is so cute.

And last but not least, my carpet cleaning story. After frantically cleaning everything up, moving everything out of the carpeted rooms, and waiting.....I layed on my bed in exhaustion at 11am, the time he was supposed to show, to wake up at 12.30 realising he wasn't coming! No second chance from me, I hired The Rug Doctor and got to it. Tonight I have done halfe the rooms, as in half of each room is done, I will mnove more furniture, blecch, and finish in the morning. So glad I didn't put it off, the browny black water I was emptying was making all this hard work worthwhile. just wish I had doen it in summer, not a Melbourne winter. Oh, well, it's getting done, that's all that matters!

Off to bed to get my rest to finish off tomorrow.

where to start

7pm. Uh-oh. I have the mild gut twingle of panic. When you have overcommitted and have no one to help.

I am finishing 2 little toys on keychains for my kiddies friends to take on their holiday, and have the carpets being cleaned on Thursday. I am working all day tomorrow too. And have the 3 rooms and hallway to clean out into the lino-ed dining room by Thurs morning. Ever don't this yourself? And remember the photo from my last post, of the mess in my bedroom? It is STILL like that.

'Slurp' as I drink my extra strong coffee- gotta go and clean/sew/tidy- hang out washing etc.

Today's project

I would love to show my sewing project for the day, I do have one, but I thought if I put this down, I would HAVE to do it. You know how when you clean up sometimes you shove everything in a cupboard and deal with it later? Well, I did it yesterday and now have to put all this back...

It is all my sewing stuff that is now blocking entry to my built in wardrobes (if it didn't, I would be tempted to leave it there. I can get to my bed, it is most important. The dining room/sewing room looks lovely and is in the middle of a spring clean. An ambitious project for me.

Early Sunday morning

It is a wet Sunday morning, quite early for me. I could have layed in a little bit longer, cuddled with my little girl, until we heard....vomiting cat! Quite a smelly cat, actually, the litter box needed to be taken outside, me in socks, rain on veranda, dog excited to see me- all before my coffee!




I sent the offending cat, Ace, outside and will deal with her later!



This is how she likes to sit and watch me on the computer. She doesn't stay for long, then she likes to sit on my lap, or walk across the keyboard flicking her tail in my face.













I also thought i'd warn everyone about this addiction, it is quite severe and I am about to start kiddy in a treatment program- Cruskit addiction! With vegemite THEN butter, and pray you don't mix that up! They have replaced bread, snacks, and generally every meal if she can get away with it. If I ask 'what do you want to eat?" I will get the Cruskit answer. They are pretty good. Funny favourite, though.

Kid's crafts

Ok, i am having trouble.... I am trying to write, then add a picture, then write again. I can't make it happen, and it would be making me frustrated, but my cat is annoying me more, and I am having a glass of wine- teehee. As you can see, pictures arrive before the text, even though I wrote first. Help!

I will start again, as I know this happens and then I can say what I wanted to.

I started today, after a shocker yesterday, with the hope of giving my daughters room a 'thorough cleansing', as in gut it, clean, then repack. She has obviously learnt in her 4 and 1/2 yrs that mummy does this and I should stay out of her way, because she mostly did that. The fairy theme I started with at 2 is getting old, and she is having more say in the decorations,vintage Strawberry Shortcake is a fave, as is her knitted patchwork blanket (how can you say no when you have made it, and she loves it?), See pic of kid and cat.

The most exciting part of the cleanout is we need new canvasses for her wall, which I started with the fairy theme, but wanted to update. TAA-DAA the yo-yo maker has delivered the goods! With lots of help for my girl, of course, who picked all the buttons. See how excited she is?I got to work the glue gun. see 2nd 2 pics.

Please excuse the Bee Movie t-shirt, it was a gift that I am hoping she will destroy with textas and kinder haha. It's getting there!

There is another blank canvas next to it, she wants more yo-yo's, hmm, I will try and do something with it.