Productive

I have actually been pretty productive lately. I have a whole heap of new bags that I can't show yet because I still haven't taken photos of them, but I do have photos of a little gift pack I sent off recently to my Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law and their new little baby Angus. I really wanted to try and do a completely handmade pack of goodies to send them. Unfortunately with illness hitting the household at the time of the birth, it took me a little longer to finish everything, but I got there eventually. The pack included:

* reversible bibs for little Angus - made with a mixture of reclaimed vintage and new japanese fabrics.
* cloth ball rattle - pattern found here. It was so super easy, and lots of fun (although I used felt for the circles on the end, which made it even easier!). I can't remember where I got the idea of using a cat toy for the rattle bit inside (i'm sure I read about it on a craft blog somewhere), but it worked a treat.
* casual market tote - just a little pressie for the new mum, whose favourite colour is purple (fabrics used are reclaimed purple linen, reclaimed wool fabric, and new Hollabee linen/cotton blend fabric with hand screenprinted rubine swirls. Strap was a recycled fabric belt, with vintage buttons for detail).

(reverse side of bibs)
OK, so this is one short post (for me!). Look out everyone. I'm on fire!!!

One for the boys, one for me, and one for Sharon!

This is my latest new creation. After making a few 'Little Lady bags' for little girls, I decided it would only be fair to have a crack at doing some boy bags too...or as I like to term them - 'Little Man bags'. He he he, always makes me think of Kel from Kath and Kim.


So here is Jack. A mini-messenger bag with a velcro flap closure, made with vintage denim and vintage airplane fabric, and he's currently sitting in my shop.

On an entirely different note, and with no groany segue whatsoever (and as sighs of disappointment echo all over the bloggersphere...) I have a lovely award to pick up. Just let me sashay down red carpet and pull my speech out of my cleavage (yeah right...as if I have cleavage)...


"Ahem...the lovely Sharon from Iris and Lily has very generously bestowed upon me a lovely blog award, which is very flattering coming from such a talented sewer, crafter and blog-writer. So firstly, I'd like to thank my Mum and Dad..and oh I just can't believe I'm standing here...and oh my goodness I'm so not prepared for this, um....oh yes to my husband, thank-you...and oh oh, the wind-up music already..just one more thing...um my kids ....um....can you shut that damned music up?...."

Sorry about that - I think I fell into a 'Scrubs'-like daydream sequence there...

OK, so I am in turn passing this award to the following blogs:

1. Charlie and Grace - because I love reading about all the wonderful creative things Ali has been up to. And she has just done a great tutorial on making a book/journal which has me all inspired.

2. Hey Harriet - because it is always an entertaining read, and Tracy is the founder of 'Shadow Shot Sunday' which is a very inspiring meme where participants take photos of cool shadows.

3. Great stories - because it always takes me at least two days to compose my comment for each of Paula's posts. This girl really makes me think....and I like it!

4. Hot Fudge - because her blog is so full of colour and beautiful things...and I don't just mean the photos. Robyn describes her sewing exploits (which are stunning) and her family life so well - everything is always so vivid. And she makes me look forward to one day being a grandma!

5. Kimono Reincarnate - Not only does Melanie's creative talents appear to know no bounds (her bags, her jewellery, her paper/fabric folding - all beautiful) but she writes as an Aussie living in Japan, soaking up all the cultural goodness that is to be had there. Always inspiring!

6. Stripy Sock Studio - Helen's posts are honest, raw, and ridiculously beautiful. She is a writer and poet who also knits and crafts, making endless beautiful things. I like that I feel transported to a different world when reading her blog.

7. Fabric Fantastic - Kara Smith is an amazing designer, and also a really nice person to boot. I always love reading about how her business is going (and booming) and about her idyllic life in the Blue Mountains. And of course, her design aesthetic is to die for!!!

8. Leni and Rose - If you haven't checked out Michelle's posts on technical bloggy tips and tricks then you are definitely missing out. Not only that, but you are missing a whole lotta crafty inspiration too, as Michelle knows her way around a sewing machine as artfully as she does a computer!


Whew!!! OK, now lastly.....these were baked a long time ago, so I'm sorry Sharon, they may be a bit stale by now - but these are for you :) In honor of the gorgeous apron you sent me the kids and I whipped up these yummy afghan biscuits, and the aprons are all nicely christened with butter and chocolate stickiness.

And for everyone else - if you got to the end of this long post and you're still awake - then you deserve a bikkie too! Oh go on, have two. The ARE really yummy :)

this is...

OK, so once again I'm a day late. Just can't seem to get my act together on a Sunday lately. This week's this is... theme, as chosen by Kitty's Kaboodle, is this is... my most favourite outfit that expresses my individual style. And of course this picture is just a joke....no really... it is...really...ahem..

Anyway, this week I'm just going to cheat and show you some pics you've probably already seen before. Because sometimes I'm just lazy like that. And also, all my favourite outfits are summery, and right now it's too cold to put them on for a solo photoshoot. And trust me, you don't want to see me in my trackies, fluffy socks and pilled old turtle-necked jumper. Really.


If I had unlimited time and funds, my preference would be to make most of my own clothes. One of my favourite outfits is this dress that was made with op-shopped fabric and some old buttons. I used the Built by Wendy pattern. I love it!


I also love this top, also made with thrifted fabric and buttons. It's a happy top. Some might say 'clownish'. I say 'happy'.


The one part of my wardrobe that I do like to spend a lot of money on however is shoes. I like them to look great,feel comfortable, and not put too much stress on my hips. Hence, the selection of shoes in a previous this is... post.


But usually, I'm living in my favourite pair of wrangler jeans, with any old top thrown on. I love that I can wear a t-shirt, a handmade blouse, or a classy 'going out for tea' top, and the jeans dress up and down really well. They also have just the right amount of stretch and just the right amount of bootleg cut.


And of course, no outfit would be complete without a few accessories. And a nice bag.

And speaking of bags (I'm sorry - was that a bad segue or what!!!).


Here is one more for the shop.


The Briony reversible handbag. Made with 100% recycled fabric and buttons. I really love deciding on the button details on these bags - not sure why but it really makes me happy :)

And speaking of happy (yes I know, I should get a job on Today Tonight as their segue writer)....

...have a happy Monday all :)

Flower power

I think I've been channeling my inner hippie lately....


Genuine flower power pants for Kate, made from a 1970s pattern. The fabric is a really fine corduroy, and it sits beautifully. Made in under an hour during her nap. I love projects like this - ie. instant gratification.

And a new reversible bag for the shop.


This fantastic fabric was actually an ironing board cover.


Reverse side is made from blockout curtain fabric.


Art cards (or ACEOs) from Jellygnite - an Etsy purchase I couldn't resist.


They are now making me smile as they brighten up my sewing space.


They came in a gorgeous package with a lovely postcard and little handmade notebook too. Isn't it funny how the packaging and little extras count for so much? It just feels so thoughtful and personal. You don't get that from ordering things from big corporate companies :). Oh, and Ali has also started a new blog (called Charlie and Grace), full of everything from art, craft, sewing, book reviews, and lots of retro loveliness! I highly recommend it - check it out :)

Lastly, I know I'm late for the 'this is...' meme (the theme this week, as chosen by Quilting Mick, is the space in which I create). But I still can't decide if I can bear to show you my sewing space in all its messy glory. It's really a disgrace at the moment, and I'm worried that a photo of it might be, like, oversharing, you know? And I know, I could just clean it up - but (puts whiny voice on now) I have SOOOOO much to do this week, and if I start then I won't be able to stop there, and I'll end up cleaning and sorting the whole rumpus room, and then I'll notice the outdoor area under the deck and suddenly I'll be sweeping and tidying and gardening, and sorting out sand-pit toys.....aaaaahhhhhh. A job for next weekend I think (*wink*)....

Oh bugger it. Here it is, don't say I didn't warn you!


Slinking away to feel embarrassed now....

This is...my way of recycling

Thanks to Angela's mum for this week's this is... theme.

We recycle a lot. I could show you some very unattractive boxes of paper, plastic and glass waiting to be taken out to the recycle bin. I could show you a ridiculously messy bookcase full of things saved for kid craft (think paper scraps, cotton reels, cardboard tubes and fabric scraps). I could even show you the lovely black hose we plug into the washing machine to drain the water onto the garden, although this has currently been chewed by the dog and brittled (is that a word??) by the sun, and is in dire need of replacement.

But you know, sometimes recycling can be a bit ugly. And I do try to keep this blog space...well...un-ugly (surely this one is a word?...).

So here is my pretty, sanitised, 'tv-world' version of my recycling.


First, my latest recycling project - bookmarks made from vintage sheets, pillowcases and buttons. Having lots of fun making these. Lovely and tactile to touch, and the button stops them slipping down into the book (a pet hate of mine, and one which sometimes leads me to 'dog-earing' (ok, I'm sure this one must be a word...right?) my books - which in turn is a pet hate of my husband's.

Like most crafters/sewers, I guess I do a lot of fabric recycling. All the bags I make are at least 33% recycled. Some are even 100% recycled if you include fabric scraps and remnants found in Op Shops, and exclude new sewing thread. Of course, when I first started making bags, I pretty much only used recycled fabrics. Here are some of the earliest bags I made, mostly from things which were once other things...:


1. I used to be a tablecloth, 2. I used to be a cushion cover, 3. I was a pilowcase and unwanted fabric scraps, 4. I was once an ugly dress, 5. I used to be an ironing board cover, 6. I used to be a tablecloth, 7. I used to be a pillowcase, 8. I used to be Grandma's tablecloth

For a little tour of recycled things I have blogged about previously, check out:

Mixy-Matchy napkins from bed sheets, pillowcases, and vintage fabric scraps
Hippy pants made from a bed sheet
Girly smock made from a bed sheet
Apron made from a bed sheet
Christmas wreath made from fabric scraps

Forty three smiles for me :)

Thanks to everyone who left a comment, and a happy thought on my blog this week. Each one gave me a smile. And I really needed some extra smiles this week. Today alone I've had two sick kids (one with croup), a trip to the doctors, and I'm on day three of severe sleep deprivation. I know it's getting bad when the voice in my head that tells me to stay calm and it will pass, is starting to get drowned out by the voice that says "for $%^$^$% sake everyone, just leave me alone for one second!!!!!"....And then of course I get to do that lovely pendulum swing between being ridiculously frustrated with my grumpy, demanding, sleepless ill children, and then horribly guilty for having such feelings when they clearly just need extra patience and humouring. I'm sorry, usually I do like to keep this blog as my happy place..but...some days are just like that.


But back to happy stuff! I did print off all the names of people who left comments, put them into my trusty lotto bin (aka, my apron pocket) and let Lee do the honors. And the name he pulled out was...


...Hyena in Petticoats

So Leah, if you want to email me your address I will get this little sucker posted off to you next week (the bag I mean, and I wasn't implying that it sucked, although maybe it was a Freudian slip, as I did have a moment of anxiety when Lee pulled your name out, as I was kinda hoping that the winner would be someone whose sewing skills I wasn't just a bit intimidated by.....okaaay, I'm rambling now aren't I? I always do this when I'm tired. Anyway, I do hope you like it....)

I really am losing the plot....I was going to post some pants I made for Kate, but because of the full-on chaotic week I had, I made them (at night, because I REALLY needed some quiet time to do something constructive yet meditative) then forgot to take a photo of them until the end of the day after they had been worn and covered in crumbs and avocado, so I think I will wait until they are washed and ironed and look all nice, and..... aahh, what the hell, here they are anyway, creased as all getup and covered in food. Noice! They do actually look quite cute on.


And yes they did get washed after this (although given how tired I've been it is lucky they didn't get put back into the cupboard while on the hanger - ooohhh, extra noice!).


I really like them with these shoes, so for some bizarre reason I thought I'd hold the pants over them, so you can get an idea of how they look together. Is this a bit weird? I don't even know now - too tired to have any perspective I think.

Oh god, can I blame my above-mentioned sleep deprivation for this rambling nonsensical post? I promise I'll be back to my regular programming by the next post (it's the weekend, so at least Matt and I can do 'sleep shifts' if we need to. Yay!!!)

Goodnight everyone. May you all have restful and rejuvenating sleep...or at least, just......sleep.

xxx

Celebration Giveaway!!!

Welcome to the world Jett!!

Just over one week ago my little sister and her husband had their first baby boy. He is the tiniest (2.75kg) most gorgeous little boy, and after only a week he has well and truly nuzzled his way into our hearts! It is extra exciting for me, as we live only five minutes from each other, and Jade and Kym have always been like surrogate parents to our kids (we have always seen Jade at least a few times a week, as Kym is a chef - so works ridiculous hours, as most chefs do - and Jade usually has a couple of dinners a week with us). So this means that little Jett is not just our nephew, he will be a part of our extended family in the loveliest way possible. And for Lee and Kate it is practically like having another sibling (Lee wants to know when Jett will be a big boy and play trains with him).


So I've been planning this giveaway all week. I mean, you can't have something so wonderful happen in your life and not throw something good back out into the world can you?

Also, I've been reading some awful crafting stories on various blogs lately, regarding theft, design copying, and general unethical behaviour in the crafting world. But what I have found truly inspiring is that the people who have been infringed upon have refused to let the negativity invade their life and bring them down. And for every unethical copycat crafter out there, there are hundreds (possibly thousands) of kind, generous and honest crafters doing their thing. In fact, I received some gorgeous japanese fabric I bought from Corrie from Retro Mummy last week, and for no reason (other than being a generous person) she threw in two free fat quarters of more gorgeous fabric. Such a lovely surprise! And only this morning I was reading my bloglines to find that I have won my own first blog giveaway! Justine from 62Cherry was giving away some lucky dip fabric packs, and I was one of the lucky winners! Yay!! Thanks so much Justine :) Also, I have noticed two other crafters running giveaways (visit machen machen : make/do and crafty remix: djbebe to check them out). So I figure what better time to keep the great craft karma going, by sending out my own little package into the world, to hopefully make someone's day!


Originally I hoped to have time to make a bag specially for this giveaway, but I have realised that if I wait until I do this then little Jett may end up being big Jett the teenager. So I'm taking the easy option of pulling a bag out of my shop, to be sent to a random reader.

This little bag is made from a combination of new Japanese cotton canvas, green recycled cotton fabric remnant, and a recycled faux-suede curtain. The brooch is made from new felt and an old button from my Grandma’s button tin.The bag is reversible, so you can turn it inside-out to match whichever side best suits your outfit (or your mood!).


To enter the giveaway, I am asking for one small thing, I would like you to tell me about something that is really good about today. It can be as small as enjoying your fresh aromatic tea for breakfast (yep, that's what I'm actually doing right now) or as big as gratefulness for your beautiful children. I don't mind - just a happy thought. Something positive :)

Oh, and I'll draw the winner on Friday (Aussie QLD time) so plenty of time to enter :)

Stevie Nicks dress strikes again...

OK, bit of a misleading title, but there is relevance, I promise. Remember this dress? Yes, the hilariously awful one. Well, I have been very miserly about using the rest of the buttons from the dress, as I just love them so. Although I'm pretty sure the dress was an early 80s number, the buttons have such a gorgeous psychedelic feel to them - more 60s or 70s I'd guess. Anyway, they are among my favourites in my button collection, so I've been hanging onto them.


Until now! How could I resist pairing them with this fabric?


So this little number has gone into the shop. For some weird reason I would love to know where these buttons end up. I imagine they have seen a lot - and hopefully they will see a lot more now!

Well, a lot more than sitting in one of my button jars anyway :)

Have a great week everyone!

Pass the tea, bag!

I remember my Poppa Fred used to always tell this joke: Three men were having dinner with their wives, and the first leaned over to his wife and said "pass the honey, honey", the second then looked at his wife and said "pass the sugar, sugar", and the third looked at his wife and blurted "pass the tea, bag"....aaaahhhh that one just gets better with age.

Anyway, the relevance of this joke? Well for starters, I'm about to rave on a bit about last night's tea (dinner). My brother-in-law (the amazing chef) got his hands on a whole kingfish, so he and my sister came over to our place and cooked it up with a lemon, fennel and dill risotto and a fennel/orange salad. The fish was so huge, we had my mum, dad, and aunty over as well, and between the seven of us we couldn't finish it. It was sublime.


And my mum (the amazing baker) made Impossible Pie for dessert. All this gorgeous food, and we didn't even leave the house (our lovely and understanding family all came to our place so we could partake without having to keep the kids up late - how considerate is that!!!).


It was by far the loveliest Monday night meal we have had in a long time. Great company, great food, can't ask for much more than that eh?

OK, and the bag reference in the joke comes in here - I finally added another bag to the shop today. This one is called the Cheery Tree slingback bag.



Anyway, stay tuned for the next exciting episode of Poppa Fred's jokes!!! (sorry, only joking....no really...)

Saucepan Man bag is here!

After I last mentioned my bag names theme, there was one popular request (well, joke really...) for a Saucepan Man bag. And how can I resist something as funny as this! So now, I am happy to present, the Saucepan Man shoulder bag (now for sale on Etsy)!

OK, so I admit there is nothing real 'saucepan-ish' about this bag...but in the spirit of amusement I'm going to draw a really long bow and try for the following similarities:

* Bag pattern is covered in circular flowers - Saucepan Man is covered in circular-shaped pots...
* Man covered in saucepans attracts a lot of attention - person carrying this bag is also destined to attract a lot of attention (groan!!...I'm sorry, I'm really struggling here)
* Saucepan Man was a bit deaf - if you stick this bag on your head then you will probably be a bit deaf too...(scraping the bottom of the barrel now..)
* Saucepan Man was very nice - this bag is...well...very nice.

OK I'm stopping now before you all turn off your computers in disgust! Truth be told, after all the joking about what the next bag name might be, how could I resist going with a Saucepan Man bag? I just hope the name doesn't actually put any real potential buyers off...I mean, really, it's a NAME....of a BAG....does it really matter? Hehehe (nervous laughter)...anyway, I hope it doesn't!


After all this waffle, here's the boring details:

This bag is made from a combination of a new Japanese cotton canvas from Kokka Fabrics, recycled corduroy, and some vintage cotton remnant. A big brown vintage button (an original one from my Grandma's button tin) is used on the front closure.


And a small brown vintage button (one of my recent Op Shop finds) adds detail to the strap.

The internal interfacing is a combination of fusible interfacing (used on the cuff of the bag), as well as recycled flannelette (used in the body), which gives strength and structure while retaining the softness and ‘fall’ of the bag’s fabric (this was one of the best tips I ever got from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing book - I really love interfacing with flannelette - makes the bag feel really lush and full, without being stiff!).

There is an internal pocket big enough to hold a mobile and keys, or your wallet, as well as a narrow pocket that will hold a pen snugly. All seams have been double-stitched at stress points.


Measurements (approx):
- 9.5" (24 cm) wide at opening
- 12.5" (31.5 cm) wide at bottom
- 10" (25.5 cm) high
- 36.5" (93 cm) handle length (from end to end)

Sock it to me!

This fantastic present (Sock and Glove by Miyako Kanamori) arrived in the mail this week - a birthday present from a lovely friend in Melbourne. So of course I ended up at Op Shops this week on a sock buying spree! So far I have only made one little character.



Lee has named her 'Elsie'. I think she will need some new friends soon. So many to choose from...




I am dying to find a pink glove so I can make the pig....but in the meantime, maybe a patch-eyed dog!

I have also finally gotten around to making something to add to my Etsy Shop (after setting it all up I suddenly lost interest in making bags for a while, and became all obsessed with making clothes, clothes and more clothes).



Anyway, this one is called the Dame Washalot shoulder bag (has anyone guessed the theme to my bag names yet? So far, no-one has said anything, so maybe it's just me who gets it, and everyone else just thinks I'm plain weird...).

I have also finally made myself a new bag, cause hey, what's the point of being a bag-maker unless you can make yourself a new one to play with every once in a while!



Admittedly, this bag was originally going into the shop....but how could I part with these gorgeous buttons...(yes I know, the button fixation again....get ready, as I think there may be more to come on this topic...ahem...stayed tuned - or don't, if you're really sick of me and my buttons :))