Blogtoberfest Day 31/The End of Blogtoberfest

Its all over, 31 days of hard core blogging by lots of people. I've got to know some of my favourite bloggers a bit better and added a whole bunch of new ones to my bloglines.

A big danke to Big Cats Emporium for running Blogtoberfest and glückwünsche to everyone who participated. All through the month there were some great giveaways run by fellow-blogtoberfesters (unfortunately I didn't win ANY, but thats just my luck) and danke to CurlyPops for keeping us all up to date with what/where/when etc.

And for the last day of Blogtoberfest I finally got the last non-Christmas-present thing off my to do list. Next up, more Christmas presents.

Nappy bag using Amy Butler Lotus fabric. This Lotus fabric range is definitely my favourite Amy Butler, wish I had more. Made with a matching zippered pouch which fits a couple of nappies.

An outside pocket at the front and the flap has magnet closures.

Side pocket on each side with velcro closure

Interior is a matching plain pale pink and has two pockets with elastic

And the back has a nice big zippered pocket.

I am so happy with this nappy bag, it came up so nice and uses a few different techniques so is really nicely finished. The pattern came from here. My photos look atrocious but it was really sunny and the monkey was desperately trying to get his photo taken so I was snapping shots like a mad woman. He eventually gave up trying to stand right in front of the camera and just climbed on the coffee table and sat in front of the bags so I couldn't take anymore without him in the shot.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow to see who the winner is for my Blogtoberfest giveaway!

Blogtoberfest Day 31/Last Chance for my Giveaway

I'll be drawing the winner to this tomorrow morning so don't forget to head over here and put you're name down if you like.

I'll be later with a "proper" last of the Blogtoberfest post.

Blogtoberfest Day 30/Fabric Heaven

Today I went to heaven. Fabric heaven. The Remnant Warehouse where all those pretty fabrics I've seen online and ummed and ahhed about were there in real life. I was very very VERY restrained and only came home with what I intended to get. I will be going back though when I am ready to boost the stash.

There was Amys and American Jane and Anna Marie Horner and Tula Pinks... I wanted one of everything! Considering how much our Aussie dollar is buying at the moment, the prices were quite reasonable. Especially cause I got to bring it straight home with me!

Fabric for Bella's quilt from Sandi Henderson's Ginger Blossom range. It is just as pretty as the pictures I have seen.

To make napkins for the Christmas table as a Xmas present for my Mum.

An Avent Calender panel and co-ordinating fabrics.

Pretty Amy Butler for a nappy bag for a soon to be born baby girl.

Another Christmas present for Mum, already made into this...

A Gratitude Wrap, much better than my first attempt and the pre-done bias was great, 100% cotton.

Blogtoberfest Day 29/Operation Getting Ready for Christmas 2008

This is my first Christmas since I started sewing, so of course I have wild ideas of all these things I'm going to make for people.

So I'm making a list, checking it twice and adding MORE things to it everyday. Hopefully If I start on them now with 8 weeks to go I'll manage to get most things done before a mad dash to the shops the day before Xmas to buy all the presants I didn't get finished in time!

I want to make one of these Gratitude Wraps for my mum. She's always picking up "spare" birthday/thank you cards etc so she has them on hand and this would be great for her. I made one up for myself to hold some cards and blank notebooks I have as a test run. Needless to say my binding abilities are atrocious so when I do mum's I'll have to think of another way.

I've been meaning to make this for ages, something to hold all of Bella's hair clips. I had grander plans but just never got around to it so this will do for now. You can't see it in the photo but one of the ribbons is the cutest chicken trefle ribbons I bought on etsy. This isn't for Christmas of course but at least I got it done before Christmas!

This is a Christmas present from my mum for this old lady who visits them everyday at their shop, a plastic covered shopping bag. She is 90-something and gives Isabella & Liam a present for every Birthday, Christening, Christmas. I have another 2 bags almost finished destined for Christmas presents as well. Well I might be keeping one, if I can just decide which one goes with my cupcake one I already have.

Only 2 more days of Blogtoberfest left, is everyone sick of my posts by now? I thought I spent a lot of time on Bloglines BEFORE, but now with everyone posting every day...

Blogtoberfest Day 28/This Is... Something I'm Surprised I Like

The place can look like a herd of elephants plowed through knocking everything over, throwing toys in every imaginable corner, but as long as I can create piles and at LEAST vaccum before we head to bed the place feels a little bit cleaner. We put in floorboards when we moved in, the first thing we ever did, and I am so glad we have them now we have the kids. Food chucked on the floor? baby spat up some milk? children (oh and husband) trampsing dirt through the place on their shoes, all gone in a minute with no stains. Ahh I love clean floors. Yes I am a sad person who is easily pleased and our Dyson was worth every cent.

This Is is hosted Angela and this weeks great meme was from Earl & Cookie. Now to think up a recipe for next weeks meme...

Blogtoberfest Day 27/Matryoshka Messenger Bag

For Isabella, a messenger bag using denim and some matryoshka fabric.

Outer pocket under the flap. (Check out the cute button I made with my covering kit, it matches!)

Back

The inside is using some strawberry fabric I picked up at Spotlight. Isabella was REALLY happy it had strawberries on it. The inside has two side pockets.

This was supposed to be for Isabella for Xmas for her to use at daycare next year but I think it might not make it into the Xmas presant box!

I have one cut out for Liam using some Robot fabric since we just found out he has a spot to start at daycare next year. Plus, I just might have to make one for myself as a nappy bag too cause it would be perfect to hang off the pram as a nappy bag.

It was SO hot today. All Liam wanted to do all afternoon was snooze. Isn't he cute with his little bum poked up in the air. His sister still sleeps the same way.

Blogtoberfest Day 26/Jammies for Everyone

Some jammies for a little girl turning one this week. I did a kimono top but instead of ties, put some buttons on. If she's a tosser and turner like Liam while asleep, I didn't think ties would hold up.

And a pair of jammie shorts for Liam. I have HEAPS of this Hey Diddle Diddle fabric left and no idea what I'm going to do with it yet. Isn't it cute with the cow jumping over the moon and the little spoons and the clocks....

Note: sarahau asked for some info on the Hey Diddle Diddle Fabric (sorry sarahau, I don't have a link to a blog or email to reply direct). Anyway I picked this fabric up at our local Spotlight store and all that is on the selvedge is "David Textiles". I found some on eBay, but our Spotlight (if you are in Australia) had it for much cheaper and had heaps of it.

Blogtoberfest Day 25/Crafter-In-Training

How to sew according to Isabella..

Make sure you say each step out loud as you go, cause apparently that helps you "sew like mummy". Hmm I didn't know I talked to myself while sewing, thats a worry!

"First you poke it through"

"Then turn it over"

"Pull it out and allllll the way up to the sky"

"Start again"

All finished. Her very first embroidery done ALL by herself, no help from mummy other than threading the needle and setting the fabric in the hoop. How proud am I! Now if I can teach her zippers and buttonholes we're set!.

Blogtoberfest Day 24/Love Fridays

I love Fridays. It means a day just me and him...

While she goes to Daycare which she LOVES.

Normally me and my little guy head to the shops or do whatever I have put off for the whole week but today we mainly chilled at home so I could work and he could play with EVERYTHING without competition and sleep all afternoon.

And I whipped up this little guy for my Princess for when she got home.

Blogtoberfest Day 23/Blog-away

A little something to celebrate the festive season of Blogtoberfest as well as my 200th post. (Yes I like to chat a little bit apparently).

This little embroided notebook cover (A5 size) is made with some red flower fabric that was the very first fabric I every bought (check it here on my fourth post and again on my fifth post) and the linen is from Kristen Doran. It comes with a matching pen/pencil holder that can be removed and used on other books too.

So anyone who would like this little set, just leave me a comment before the end of Blogtoberfest on 31st October and I'll do the draw through the random number generator-thingy.

I've been loving doing some embroidery in the last week. Getting to be crafty while sitting out on the lounge with the family instead of locking myself away with the sewing machine in another room and looking like a crazy lady chatting to it. Well sometimes arguing with it. I have another embroidery for another notebook all done, just need to piece it all together and then on to more Xmas gifts.

Also over in the Princess and the Monkey Shop and on Etsy I'm running a special until the end of October, free postage in Australia and the free matching zippered pouch with any Arty Bag.

Blogtoberfest Day 22/Classic Emily

Another customer website up and running, one more thing off the "proper" work list. Classic Emily's site went live a little while ago, but since it's Blogtoberfest I'm racking my brain what I have forgotten to blog. My fave has to be these groovy Combi's, I'd love one for Liam's room!

To all those yawning and wanting crafty stuff, I did get some more secret squirrel stuff done today so see you back here tomorrow for the reveal. Don't get too excited, it's not THAT great.

Blogtoberfest Day 21/Lots of WIPs DONE

An Oliver + S Lazy Days Skirt for a birthday girl

With a matching pillow and appliqued name

Another panel for Bella's quilt.

And a couple of secret squirrel things that I'll be showing off on Thursday

Blogtoberfest is over here.

Blogtoberfest Day 20/Shorts & Another Wristlet

Another pair of shorts for Liam from the great Burda 9793 pattern.

I got to use my "new" overlocker for the first time and the inside of them look great!

And one more wristlet finished as Xmas/Thank Yous from Isabella. A bunch more to come.

Blogtoberfest Day 19/This Is... My Favourite Films

My faves as a kid... Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (apparently on repeat all the time according to my parents), Mary Poppins, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Also my favourite book as a child) and The Wizard of Oz.

As a teenager... Terminator 2 over and over again. I know. I just liked all the futuristic stuff. Please don't tease me.

This year... The Dark Night. Fantastic. Heath Ledger was just brilliant. HOWEVER, it definitely WASN'T Don't Mess with the Zohan. I have a rule that I never leave a cinema where I paid good money to watch something. I couldn't do it. A friend and I went to see this so-called "movie" and about 20mins in started wondering what was going on and ended up leaving after much deliberation with about 20mins to go, our brains just couldn't take it anymore.

An all time favourite though? Well I don't think I have one, it changes all the time. I can tell you I'm not keen on sappy movies, most girly movies, movies involving the "Wild West" or Medievil. I like action movies and dramas however we also have a full Disney Masterpiece collection going that I started years before the kids were even born and love seeing Isabella now enjoying them too.

Thanks to ilovehokey for this weeks theme and Three Buttons for hosting.

Blogtoberfest Day 18/Liam's Big Swim

Liam's first day at swimming was this morning and at first he wasn't overly keen on the water but once the teacher started singing he was pretty happy to go with the flow.

The poor people around us got to listen to "Yayyyy gooooo Liammmm" for 30mins straight from a very proud big-sister.

And while everyone was napping getting over our big morning, I started on some Xmas/Thank You presents for the carers at Isabella's daycare this morning. Little zippered wristlets. One down, a bunch more to do!