Happy Birthday to Me

It's official, I've left my 20s.

It's not scary, or sad or any of that but makes me happy and grateful. I'm 30, married to the love of my life and have a beautiful daughter and gorgeous son. I'm working for myself, doing what I love and am successful at it while being able to also spend all of my days with my children enjoying this brief time in their lives that they are all mine. Just where I wanted to be.

Today was a perfect day to celebrate a new decade. I woke up after a nice sleep-in to the sound of two very excited kidlets bounding in the door with presants for me. They had been waiting over an hour before Daddy would let them wake me, and that's a long time for a 3 year old and a 20 month old. I got gorgeous cuddles in bed then hand drawn cards and showered in presants, literally. Poor Liam still does NOT understand how to pass something gently, you get it thrown at you. I was almost decapitated by a DVD. After that I had crumpets and coffee made by Isabella and a lovely laze around before we headed off to lunch at the beach with my parents and MORE presants. Sheesh I want to turn 30 every week!

To top it all off, after lunch we headed home to a birthday cake made by hubby. Yes he made me a cake, icing and all. Aren't I lucky? Told you it was a perfect day. Photos coming soon...

Go Mama Go

The Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day is in full force. Luckily this time most blogs are leaving comments open for a few days because no way I would be able to go and comment on all the ones I like!

Fingers crossed that I win something and if you'd like a chance to win over here at my little 'ol blog head here and leave me a comment. Somehow I got left off the master list on the Sew Mama Sew website until I headed over to start commenting myself, it's all fixed now, but I hope no one missed me!

Getting Ready for a Birthday

Invites are done...

Finished The Princess and the Pea set to go with her new book. I was going to make a doll for the set, but we have SOO many around here I thought it was a bit of a waste so Jemima is the Princess.



And a pillow to match the Sandi Henderson quilt I made her for Christmas. (Thank you Hoppo Bumpo! I won the pattern for the pillow from her blog).

Just the party favours and decisions on cakes and I think we're ready with 3 weeks to spare. I'm feeling organised peeps.

My Satchel Bag

For me. Designed Monday night and made yesterday with a super soft suede outer and cotton inside. All day yesterday. Everything is interfaced and top stitched so it took me a while but I love it.

Kid's Mail Swap #2

I signed Isabella up for Pigeon Pair's Kid's Mail Swap #2. Together we picked out some cards, and while I drew a picture on the front and stamped the names, Isabella stuck a picture of her and Liam inside and a pretty sticker and wrote her name.

Then she dictated to me what we should write. I figured I better write it because they did need to get into the post before 2012. We headed to the shops and picked out a little animal pencil from Smiggle, some more stickers and a postcard with a picture of Cronulla where we live.

She can't wait to get a letter from the other kids. It's such a brilliant idea, thank you Pigeon Pair.

Afternoon Tea with Teddy

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

NOTE: My giveaway has finished. Thanks for everyone's entries, I'm overwhelmed that 180 people left comments to try win one of my goodies. Thank you to everyone for dropping by.

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day is on again. Last year I took part and had a fantastic time, I found some wonderful blogs that I still read, inspiration for many projects and even managed to win myself something.


I jumped at the chance to take part again this year, and as always with giveaways trying to pick something to offer has been hard. I couldn't narrow it down to one thing, so instead, there are 3 goodies.


A blue bi-fold purse with 12 card spaces, a spot for notes and an attached zippered pouch for coins and other bits and pieces.

This clutch that I made from the Meet Me at Mikes book. I made it for myself to take a wedding and now it's up for grabs

One of my Itti Pouches featuring Amy Butler's Belle fabric, perfect sized for loyalty cards and receipts.


To be in the running, please leave your comment before Sunday 31st May 9am US Eastern time (11pm Australian Eastern time) and I will draw 3 names. I will ship internationally so everyone is welcome to enter.



Have a fantastic Giveaway Day and good luck to everyone. I'm off to see if I can win something too.

Photos from today

A big thank you to Tanya for taking our photos this afternoon. Can't wait to see the rest of them.

SEWN Launch Party

It's a party all over the place for the launch of SEWN in June. The SEWN website sounds fantastic... (From Sarah's blog)

The website will have just about everything you can think of that you would want online as a sewer. There are forums, online advice from industry experts, conversion charts, colour wheels, free patterns and class listings.

There will be interviews with all your favourite designers, quilters, patterns makers and authors. There will be tutorials with me and with other sewers from here and overseas, podcasts and coverage from shows and articles about all maner of exciting things.

Best of all, there are great unique gadgets - Fabricmatcher, which is an online tool which lets you match patterns to fabrics and see what your project will look like without sewing a stitch, and Find Fabric, which is the niftiest thing that will find the fabric you are looking for without you having to search for it for hours on the internet. It's so clever it even searches shops in your vacinity first to save you on international postage. How cool is that?

Plus there will be an online buy and sell area called SEWiNg, which is where you can sell the stuff you sew to the people out there who don't sew - and some of the ones who do :)

Sounds exciting right? So blogs everywhere are offering giveaways to celebrate and I thought I'd join in and offer a patchwork scarf I made.

The fabric is from Moda called Recess and the scarf is backed with a cream cordoroy and it measures 56" long.

To be in the chance to win, just leave me a comment before 8pm AEST on Monday June 8th on this post. I will ship internationally so everyone is welcome to join in.

I can't wait to see the new website!

Giveaways Galore

It's going to be a big week this week peeps, Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day is on Wednesday and I've just signed myself up for the Sewen Giveaway Day. I've sewen up all the goodies and tomorrow, fingers crossed the sun decides to shine, I'll get my photos done.

Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway will be posted for comments to start on Tuesday and is drawn on Sunday

Sewen Giveaway I will post tomorrow to start comments and runs until June 8th.

Let me know if you are having a giveaway on your own blog, I'd love to come and try win something!

Sew Hip Skirt

Pattern courtesy of Issue #5 of Sew Hip magazine, a skirt just for me. With pockets and a zipper and all. The instructions were a bit brief with no illustrations, but it didn't take too much to figure out how it all went together, even at 11.30 at night when I was sewing it up. 

I probably should have photographed it BEFORE I wore it out this morning while it was still nicely ironed, but I can report it is super comfy and I think it will go great with stockings for winter. The fabric is from Alexander Henry picked up super-cheap.

Birthday Crown

For Isabella's Birthday using this tutorial. A super quick project, the only time consuming thing was changing the colour of my machine thread 4 times.

Pram Blanket and Liner

A present for a little boy born late last week, matching pram liner and blanket in Michael Miller dots. Luck has it the new Mum & Dad bought the same pram we have for Liam (colour and all), so playing around to get the right shape and button hole placement was pretty easy.

Baby should be nice and warm don't you think?

The liner is backed in lambswool that my Spotlight has started stocking so it's reversible and the blanket is backed in a faux fur and is super soft.

Sewing up a storm

A patchwork scarf for me with some grey wool blend fabric pieced with lovely pink Amy Butler and a crocheted flower.

For the back I used a vintage pillowcase that I got from Meika last year.

A scarf for Liam with dark blue wool blend fabric and robots for the front and Michel Miller dots for the back.

My new cushion with the Kristen Doran fabric panel I got from the market

and denim with a strip of Kristen's Mollybirds on the back. I placed a zipper on the side.

Towelling backed Monkey bib for a surprise gift for a little boy.

All done in only a few hours last night while the babes were sleeping. I love the instant sewing gratification of quick projects.

Giveaway Goodness

Look what I won...

A personalised pillow pattern from YCMT, thanks to the marvelous Hoppo Bumpo. What a fantastic giveaway, oh and one of the best things? Since it's a PDF file Liesl has already sent it to me and it's in my hot little hands. Well hot little inbox.

See ya, I'm off to pick fabrics to make one for Bella and Liam.

Snuggly Snowflake Sweater

For a friend's baby due in July, a tiny jumper in Sirdar's Snuggly Snowflake Chunky yarn (Milk colourway) used with Sirdar's 1773 Baby/Child Sweater and Hats pattern book.

Not my favourite yarn to work with, but the end jumper is adorable and super soft and it was knitted up in only a couple of nights.

Finders Keepers Market Haul

The Finders Keepers market was on this weekend and yesterday I got to meet and catch up with some of my favourite crafters and buy some of their wares.

A gorgeous fabric panel from Kristen Doran destined to be a cushion for me and some gift cards. Kristen is always super nice and I love everything she does. Doesn't help me that she lives within 15mins of my house and stocks my local craft shop. Dangerous.

Some magnets and buttons fom Badskirt

Fabric trim and 2 badges from Aunty Cookie. Both have been claimed by the children. No fair. Should have bought more.

And a hair clip and ring from Ivy Designs for Bella's birthday.

Aunty Cookie Birthday Print and wooden blocks. The print is for Bella's birthday to go with an Aunty Cookie one a friend bought her for her birthday last year.

A Badksirt Hippo in Saffron Craig Gingko, a definite favourite. Again for Miss Bella's birthday.

A scarf from Six and a Half Stitches with cashmere wool, so soft. This is for Bella too (notice a trend, sheesh she's spoilt) but she wore it last night out for dinner and it was beautiful plus she was happy to keep it on.

A good haul.

Red Bi-Fold Purse

Another bi-fold purse. 

A fellow sewing buddy asked me to make this for her, and as she is a big fan of red, I used some Andalucia fabric from Patty Young that I had. 

PS. I had a few comments asking for the pattern I used, but I didn't used one. After some sketches and rough measurements of what I was after, I tweaked it as I went along on my first attempt. I do have a copy of this tutorial though which looks good the purses that*darn*kat makes are brilliant. I didn't use any fleece in mine, it's all interfacing.

In-the-Bag Organiser

More Ikea fabric for my new In-the-Bag Organiser to carry all the "bits" that get moved between handbag/nappy bag/swimming bag/shopping bags.

Mobile/Blackberry pouch on the back for easy access.

Left side has a zippered pouch (fits my asthma puffer, lipgloss etc.), a flap behind it with a small case of hand wipes for grotty children, and a pouch at the front for a little notebook for shopping lists/letting the kids draw etc.

Pen/pencil holder in the middle. Sick of hunting through the bottom of my bag for one.

Right side has another pouch at the front for my sketchbook and then another flap behind it to take bills/papers etc. with me.

PS. Like the fabric underneath? Last week I finally made a new ironing board cover. Somehow the last time my Mother in Law was here she burnt a giant big hole in our good one, and then sent us the world's weirdest one to replace it, about 3 times too big. Anyway all fixed. Only took 6 months.

Good Mail Day

A beautiful piece of vintage fabric won via the Vintage Fabric blog and a new book for Isabella's big 0-4 birthday coming next month. Not quite the good post day of Curlypops but a good mail day for me. 

PS. I ordered this book Friday night at 7pm and it arrived in our mailbox Wednesday morning. I can't rave enough about the service from the Book Depository! All the way from the UK, free freight and arrived on the 3rd business day. I can't get stuff shipped that quick from here in Australia!

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day: May 27th

Remember the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day back in December? Blogland went crazy and I even won something gorgeous. Well it's back this month on the 27th and I'm going to take part again so keep an eye out.

Now if I could just figure out what to offer as part of my giveaway. Any suggestions?

My Daughter's Influence

If you let my 3 year old loose in a craft store and tell her to pick anything she'd like for us to do together, it will apparently involve jewellery making.

Now I've never made a piece of jewellery in my life, nor read any instructions on how to start, but last night, armed with a beading kit from the store, we sat down once Liam was asleep and made me a pair of earrings and a bracelet and necklace for her. The results aren't too bad, Isabella's definitely happy with them and that's the point right?

Cause I needed another hobby like a hole in the head.

Bi-Fold Purse

Over the weekend my purse went missing. Delaying all the phone calls I was dreading to make, Sunday night I made myself a new purse to hold a stack of non-existant cards and grumped about my old-but-new Oroton one I got just after Christmas. I scoured the web for ideas and pulled out this fabric from Ikea which is great for purses and bags as it's quite heavy.

First call on Monday morning was to American Express, and wouldn't you know it, they had a note on file that my wallet had been found. We picked it up and it was all intact, money and all. So my old wallet is back and now I have this one too.

Crochet Roll #2

After I made this the other day I was super excited yesterday to get an email from a lovely lady in Germany asking if I would make her one. After hearing her favourite colours were reds, pinks, turquoise and browns this fabric from Valori Wells came straight into my mind. It pretty much covers them all! I hope you like it Jennifer.

Dotty Denim Dress

Last night's sewing results. Denim from Spotlight matched with an old favourite Amy Butler's Lotus Full Moon Polka Dot's in Cherry used as facings and a trim on the pockets.

Chef's Aprons Test Run

Isabella's birthday is coming up and she'll be 4. Scary. We're planning a cooking theme, she just loves to cook. Each of her friends will be getting a little apron as their "thank you" so I whipped up a test for the boys and a girl's one is almost finished.

The boy's has a transport theme and the girls have a gorgeous pink paisley.

Bella's happy with them so production line here I come. I also picked up the paper I needed for her invitations so looks like we'll be busy for the next week.

Kid's Mail Swap

I've just signed up Isabella to play along with Pigeon Pair's organised Kid's Mail Swap #2. As part of the swap she will be sending/recieving mail from 5 other kids of a similar age from anywhere in the world. She is going to be so excited when I tell her. Join in, it should be fun.

Facelift

Yep my blogs getting old, it was too far gone for just botox, it needed a whole new facelift. Like? There are so many fantastic free templates out in the world-wide-web and sure I do have the knowledge to have done it all from scratch but who has the time for that when they decide to do a complete overhaul during a little person's naptime with no prior planning.

Butterfly Stroller Blanket

A stroller blanket for Isabella. Shed picked out the fabric (TG13 Butterfly by Tina Givens) from my stash and helped me cut and sew it. We backed it with a white soft faux fur.

Apparently it's going to bed with her tonight so I'm not sure if it's ever going to make it to the stroller.

Quick Skirt

I love these skirts, cut, sewen and ready to wear in less than 30minutes with no pattern. I forsee some in courdory for winter to wear with stockings and leggings coming soon to a blog near you.

Crochet Roll

'Cause I seem to spend so much time crocheting now, in the car, by the swimming pool watching lessons, in front of the TV late at night, something to hold my hooks and a pair of little scissors to go in the bag I made that is getting more use than I expected. Like my scissor pocket? One of my fave fabrics from Aunty Cookie. The ribbon trim is another fave, little Chickens from Trefle I bought from Sweet Flavor on etsy.

Had enough of pants yet?

Really does anyone want to see any more PJ pants? Too bad. Makes me feel like I've achieved something else off my to do list, so here they are. A pair for Isabella to match Liam's (hers have a pink stripe, his have blue. Not that you can tell from the photos). I think we are now set for PJs.

Four posts in one day. Sheesh. Off to make Roast Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary Roast Potatoes for dinner, yum.

Pants pants and more pants

Friday night I made Liam 3 pairs of pants, 2 PJs and 1 pair of navy drill cargos. I made two other almost finished gifts, talk about being productive in one night!. The cargos were worn first thing Saturday morning, he is that desperate for pants, so they are now in the wash and haven't been photographed yet. Finding pants that are the right size around his itti bitty waist but long enough for his Mummy-inhertited-long-legs is so painful.

PJ Pants. The cows were worn last night, he woke up this morning "Moo-ing" so I take that as a good sign. Next up a pair for Bella.

Just for fun...

Amitie VIP Mailout Challenge

Last week this arrived from Amitie with the challenge to make something with these lovely ribbons. So, ta da...

A bag perfect for an almost-4-year old. It's secretly going to go with a birthday present I am putting together for my Princess but she doesn't know that and lucky for me can't read blogs yet.

A Granny a Day Part Trois

These squares are still multiplying, not daily, but still growing. I've even started joining them as I go because the thought of having to join 100 little squares together at the end is kind of daunting. I like the idea of slowly seeing it grow, I think it motivates me a bit more.

And now I have this...

The beginings of one big Granny Square. I am trying to add at least one round each day, which is easy now but you can imagine as it gets bigger! It's intended to be a baby/stroller blanket, but we'll see how big it gets. Currently it's 9" square, not too bad for 3 days work so far. Well for me anyway.