stuff

ok, no story today, so no need for order here (none at home today either, fo that matter!) Still have a bit of a headache as I put on the dancing shoes and unexpectedly ended up seeing these guys perform last night, it was great! Highly recommend it, very trippy though, to see Brian Mannix still in skinny jeans!

Have to show off my cute doggie, I went back to the 'good' groomers, who love him and would never shave him (there words!) and charge me much less AND give me back a cuter version of Murray! Ain't he spunky? I didn't get ears or tail done, thank goodness, this just adds to his already cute personality!

This arrived from Ebay, haven't had a good look yet, but am sure i'll find a few good pics to share. Great condition, too, I love Ebay.

Not as much as I love what I now term "Haby day" when I go to Savers. All this for....$2.99! The pink and green rolls are bias binding, and the heart and star ribbon alone are worth it! Someone obviously didn't need a fully loaded bobbin, but heck, I do!

Have gone back to my roots and decided to do a cross stitch Xmas stocking for little miss. God, I forgot how long it takes! I did years of cross stitch from about year 7 of high school, where I first learnt it, to when I hade little miss, then sewing took over. No quick results here, just many night in front of the telly, I think! It took one whole night to prepare the fabric and pattern etc! So here is my work in progress after 2 nights. And yes, I am enjoying it!

Get to go pick up my machine today after servicing, yay, but I won't until I clean my bedroom! It's too bad even for a photo, but if my reward is my fixed machine, I can get it done. Ciao!

Gosh damn!

This is my fourth attempt to get my photos in the right order, and I am giving up! My story will be backwards, I will be frustrated, but need to get dinner started, so here goes.

After my weekend of craftiness, and having a full on week with work, it hasn't happened- work, that is. I had to leave work at 11am on Mon to bring my little one home from day care with....?gastro. I atcually think it was the sausages we had for dinner, but it meant I got today off too, due to a 24 hr exclusion. I hate to say it, but i'm bored at home today, need to go to work! So no extra money this week, just Wed and Fri to work. But my little one is fine, no poos today so she is DEFINATLEY going tomorrow.

So this picture will make no sense, let me just saw it is very old wallpaper, and I have framed 2 pieces for the loungeroom walls. Nice, hey?
There is one in this pic on the wall, and my newly organised lounge room- this corner is the one where the messy kids table was. I had a massive burst of energy Sun night, and said bye bye to my old tv cabinet, and

hello to my new one. I scored this for $45 from Bargain browser a while ago, I have been waiting to sand it back and pretty it up, but I decided it wouldn't happen this year, and I wanted to use it. THIS is where I got the old wallpaper from, used to line the shelves.

My lounge room must have better feng shui in this position, the room is much more comfrotable, and more space.

Speaking of space, there's a cat in here....hiding from the dog! Under the dog's basket! Pretty funny. We took the naughty dog for a walk today, and gave him a bath when he got home- he then ran and rubbed his fur dry on the grass! He's going to the groomers Fri, naughty boy....that'll teach him!

Ho Ho Ho

Have done a combined project this week, that is, combined with my friend we have made Santa sacks. She had the idea, bought the fabric....and I sewed. The idea was a 'sewing day', but after making her do one, I said it would be quicker if she took her boys home and I finished them off haha. She made for each of her 2 boys, and one for her friend who had 2 boys, so I haven't shown all of them here.
Her son chose the digger fabric for Xmas, and yes, we decided it didn't matter the diggers etc were sideways!

Her 3 yr old chose this fabric, and as my payment was excess the fabric, I was happy- I have a bit of this left over to sew on t-shirts etc.

And I love that my daughter would fit in this Santa sack! Check out the hands and feet!

Now I have no excuse for not making my daughter one :)

Been busy

Have been a bit busy the last few days, not sure what I've been doing though. Oh, probably trying to finish all the blasted quilts!!! And I have finally put some in my shop, which is a bit exciting. It's good sometimes to put things away until you are in the mood, they turn out so much better I think than if you HAVE to finish them, ie they are a chore. The four years since I got my new sewing machine have flown, and so today... it's been put in for a service! Good old Statewide Sewing Centre, it will be ready by Friday. But I made sure I borrowed my sisters, also a Janome, so I can sew this week. When, I don't know- an inservice day tomorrow, and an extra shift Friday means...*gasp*....4 days of work! How will I cope with such little sewing time? Oh, well, have to stock the bank account for Xmas.

Speaking of Xmas, my friend came around today and we cut and stictch a few Santa sacks for her boys, very cool. My fee was the leftover fabric! The boys were very excited, they had a great time playing with little miss, leaving me this to clean up....

and that's after the floor was tidied. They decided to make a cubby house, so the lounges were moved (recovered the blue one myself! Red one is waiting for fabric to appear). Little miss liked this position to watch Willy Wonka in. She nearly fell asleep in it!

And lastly, my little doggy, fur grown back, and being very cute giving his Winnie-the-Pooh thing a cuddle. He lays on it and bites it, and sleeps with it too!

I downloaded my favourite album last night...yes, I am happy to admit I have loved Wham my entire life, and at 34 can still listen to it, and sing and love the music....isn't that what music should be about? Never being embarrassed and being proud to like what you like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SoiswXso60

I've always loved this song, and when I found this video....I was here for hours!

Markets!

I planned to get the sewing machine serviced this week, and drop my 2 pairs of scissors of for shaprening. It didn't happen as I went to 2 craft markets instead! Saturday was the Maribyrnong Makers Market which is just up the road from me in Yarraville. Lots of cute ideas, just not lots of money, I would have purchased a few things. At least most people have a card or web address for cash poor folk like me!

Sunday was Mathilda's Market in Malvern. It was gorgeous, I felt like I met someone famous when I met Leslie, and the gorgeous Mae. I love her craft stuff, and her style. I was a bit disappointed as I thought it would be all handmade stuff, what was the BabyGap clearance stuff about? Not that I minded really, but that's what I would expect at the Baby and Kid's Market. Are there any 'true' craft markets any more? I had my girlfriend with me who is pregnant, and had a good sticky beak at stuff.

So after all this crafty goodness, I went home very motivated, and as my poor daughter had had nothing bought for her due to fund shortage, and watched everyone else buy things, I made her a few treats.

Some hair pins.....
And hair bands (owls courtesy of a handmade pair of ladies shorts from an oppy!)

I have to add here, none of this would have possible if not for my new tools. Who would have thought they would have made such a difference, but when your daughters craft scissors are sharper than the sewing ones, it's time to get sharpening! While I wait, this $12 pair from Big W are great, as is a new unpicker. Didn't know they go blunt wither, until I tried a new one. Der!

I finished a top I started last night for little miss, button hole hell got me this morning. I have an automatic buttonhole, which today went spazzo- I think the service is long overdue (only 4 yrs, come on haha).

Finally got it done, and she is very happy with the result. Mismatched buttons as usual, which I like, and it matches a mini dress I made, out of the same set of sheets. It is a vintage pattern, too. She likes it left open, so it's a jacket (?). Oh, well, at least she'll wear it. Just not at the same time as I wear mine haha.

bags, bags, bags

went out for a dance last night, caused havoc as usual haha. Took my little black Prada bag, the first one I got at the op shop, that started me on my bag addiction. It only takes one, let me tell you! It has a matching coin purse/key holder, and came with the authenticity card, completely in Italian! Ahh, Prada...... I dropped little miss to her aunty's for a sleepover (my b'day request was a night off, which once I got it, I missed her and couldn't wait to get her back, wierd) and spotted this bag I made her a while ago, from true vintage fabric. Inside has blue lining, and orange as well. Cute, huh?

I'm in love with her jewellry organiser, need to make something similar so I wear more! Put away in a box is terrible, i've decided.

Then onto the spare room for the piece de blah blah (resistance? Can't spell it anyway) Her handmade bag holder! OMG, I want one, and apparently for $30 I can make it myself (couldn't bribe her to do it for me, damn). Isn't it awesome? Sooo need one, my floor is covered at the moment as i am sorting through them.

I spotted this little one, my sis is more vintage than I am with her collection, and this little one is gorgeous. At least I know now bag fetishes must be genetic! I'm older, but I definately caught it off her haha.

back to my chores, ciao.

Feelin' like a dinosaur.....

I know i'm not one, well, compared to my little one I am, but birthdays always bum me out, I feel the year tick over VERY LOUDLY! I thought i'd share some of fave pic's in the last few years- there are always good ones of little miss, and the one of me is one she took of me on the train! She's better at them than me, I think! And in case you wanted to know, i'm 34 tomorrow.

She has always loved nuding up, and still does, i don't know when (or if) it will stop. She still does a little happy dance before her bath in her birthday suit. Which cracks me up of course!

School went very well, she was very impressed and happy to see me after the hour and a half. She now knows where everything is, and as we sometimes play in the school ground playground in the evenings, she is getting more confidence every day. I went for a Savers fix affter I dropped her back at day care, and even found her school uniform! A checked navy and white dress for $2.99. Lovin' that.

Finishing stuff

It's always a good feeling when a few unfinished projects get done, especially when oyu have posted the before shots on your blog! See here and here for the before shots if you need to. I can leave no plain singlet un-trimmed haha. This Country Road one was an op shop find that has been worn for a while plain- not sure if she'll like the doileys, but the butterfly print may win her over. If not it'll be up for sale! These were new tops, with a few trims- the Babushka fabric is my favourite, and precious at half a metre only! Was going to sew some yo-yo's on, but this took my fancy instead. Vliesofix is awesome, isn't it?

Hopefully my little miss will choose one of these to wear on her big adventure tomorrow- a morning at her primary school! Only an hour an a half, but a step that reminds me how grown up she is! Details later! Bed for now.

cool blog

A blog I really enjoy reading is this one, I'm not ready to take the challenge yet, but love seeing what people can do. I particulalry liked this post, I read it and went, yeah, that's a cool idea. Then I was in Kmart saw a Bonds one for $22! A 2nd hand Country Road one was also $22, so when I remembered this post, I got the patterns. It reminds me of the baby dresses from men's t-shirts-(I have a few friends buying me t-shirts now to make gifts). Maybe these will be as popular?

Am taking little miss to a party today, I am in a dilemma for gifts. All my friends know they get handmade, and love it, but when you don't know the parent (a day care friend whose mum I have never met) and are told by your nearly 5 yr old "she only likes Bratz and make up" it's a bit tricky. I ended up make a flower brooch and some covered hairclips like these. I also bought a jar of beads to make Princess bracelets/necklaces- $15 reduced to $3.50 at Spotlight! I almost went Bratz, but decided that's not me, I have to be true to my self and at least the bought thing is something to make. (I do remember, though, that this is the child who got a bead stuck up her nose at day care a few months ago and needed the hospital- eek!)

Any one else have that problem? I guess it's about keeping up with the Jones's, the older I get the more I rebel against it. Another week till my birthday, another year older and more rebelling, bring it on haha.

Big day

Having a quiet one today, it has been a funny week, with a public holiday thrown in. I only worked one day this week, as it was closed Cup Day, and now have my extra day off, i've been enjoying it, that's for sure. Don't follow the horsies, and definately don't throw my hard earned money away betting on them, so the day was only significant for me in that I cleaned out the laundry! Yay!

Had to see my dr today in Footscray, so popped into Savers, and had a find in the haby department. These all came in 4 separate bag and were $1.99 or $2.99.

Just what i'm into at the moment, beads, jewellry making etc. Someone has started this bauble and given the lot away, the 3 packets of pins alone in worth $5.

Posting an 'on my desk'- hoping it will shame me into fixing it up. Half of this is guidebooks to Bendigo etc, I love those little books and flyers, need to find a place to put them for next time I go. All the plastic bags are for beads etc, don't know how they managed to find there way on the desk. And some books from the oppy last week.

The big thing i've done today is apply for a business name (only want there to be 1 beccasauras), haven't finished it because I can't pay today haha. Also opened and Etsy shop- now stuff I make that hasn't a potential owner can find one! Can anyone tell me how to get the link on my blog?

Am selling a bit of my daughters too small dresses and things, and a few designer label kids stuff on ebay, my username is babysibbi if you want to check it out. That's what i'm up to for the rest of the day, listing away. Ciao

A weekend away

I finally packed my little one up and took off for a weekend, as I had 4 days free and didn't want to go stir crazy at home! We drove up to Bendigo, and my daughter got to visit my dad twice in a weekend on the way there and back. we splurged on a motel room, and you would think it was the Taj mahal- she LOVED it. I tragically forgot my knitting bag and needed an emergency dash to Big W at 5pm on a Sun evening, and she kept saying "i want to go home", meaning the motel room. She settled in very quickly....and enjoyed the finer things in life, like breaky in front of the tv (she does this at home, but it was more fun here, I suppose.) The yelloe teddy was a pressie her dad made her- he is now part of the family, and every other photo has him in it! We ate at the motel bistro which was delicious, she fell asleep quite easily- I had to pretend I was going to bed at 7.30 too, but it was worth it (hence needing the knitting!)

We started off this morning at Bendigo Pottery, where she got to try 'Clay Play', and watch someone at the wheel. I haven't been there since I was a young teen on a family roadtrip (shudder), but remember my mum's obsession with the place well.

Seems genetic, as we had to bring home 2 tubs of clay to make Xmas decorations! We'll cut more out, seal, paint and glitter- yay! We'll need some for our tree, and as we are leaving for my mum's Xmas Eve some for her tree. Scary that it is so close! Our birthdays are before it, so a few more celebrations yet.

I managed to sneak into one op shop- so many up there, but whiny child wouldn't let me enjoy! Bargain bags of wool and fairy skirt fabric- picked it all up for $9! Heaps in the blue pile, 2 massive hanks! Feel like knitting in front of the telly lately, it is cold here at home tonight, so have my feet up!

Successful road trip, may be more in the future, am keen to get her horseriding too! Plus visit some patchwork shops etc.