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!

This is...the contents of my handbag

This week's this is... theme (as chosen by Sharon from Iris + Lily) is 'the contents of my handbag'.


So here it is - in all its uncensored glory. Starting from back left and moving in a backwards S shape (why? I dunno, just humor me...) - fabric scraps, keys, pamphlets from the Paddington Fair we went to yesterday, random receipts and business cards, sunglasses, doll's hat, wallet, pen, tampon (told you this was uncensored - sorry), Kate's Easter bag, current knitting project, money that's been flung into the bag in a hurry.


And this is the bag all this came from (made by me, of course!). It's very handy as it fits a LOT of stuff, so some days my handbag loot would be twice as much as this, and might include nappies, bibs, drink bottles, food etc. It also has a long strap so I can wear it and be 'hands free' - especially important when I'm out with the kids. But as Tom Robbins likes to say, "a big front always has a big back". And the 'big back' of this bag is that it often ends up holding LOTS of things I don't really need to be carrying around with me. Same with my nappy bag, which is a big-ass Crumpler that I love, and can fit everything in, bar the kitchen sink - problem being that it often does include everything as I just keep chucking stuff in without taking other stuff out first. All I can say is, thank goodness the theme this week was not 'This is...the contents of my nappy bag'.....EEEEKKKKKK!!!!!

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)

Show and tell

It's an unfortunate thing that the more there is to blog about, the less time there is to actually do it. Well, that's how it goes with me anyway. Been so busy doing stuff I've had no time to write about it - plus we are having Internet issues at the moment which is making things very hard....gggrrrr....

So anyway, here is a quick show and tell of what went on last week. First cab of the rank is...what a surprise...bags!

Three bags for three lovely ladies I used to work with. I'm still enjoying trying out different shapes, styles, and methods of construction. It's just such fun! And all three are a mixture of new fabrics and Op Shop finds. There's something about the mixture of old and new that quite appeals to me.


Clutch in Heather Bailey fabric from her Freshcut range, with a beautiful glass button from my Grandma's collection. Lined with fabric from an old sheet.


Shoulder bag in Amy Butler fabric, from her Lotus range, and cuff, straps and inside in vintage denim remnants I found in an Op Shop. More old buttons from Grandma's button tin.


Shoulder bag in soft quilting fabric found at Spotlight, with vintage designer fabric found as a remnant in an Op Shop, and thrifted red cord remnant for strap. And of course, another button from Grandma's trusty button tin (going to have to start replenishing the vintage button stash soon - ebay here I come!)

Also whipped up a couple of things for Kate this week. First was a twirly skirt I made by following a tutorial at this link http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cornpatchcreations/twirlyskirt.htm



I also made some light summery pants from the same old sheet I used for the inside of the Heather Bailey clutch. The pattern was actually a pajama pants pattern that I had used to make pjs for Lee, and I just altered it to have more of a wide leg and funky cuff, rather than the tapered in look. I was quite happy with how they turned out, and they literally took me about 20mins to whip up. Yay! I love a bit of instant gratification.



And that's about it for the 'making' stuff. Poor kids had a lovely bout of 'hand, foot and mouth' virus (not to be confused with the deadly 'foot and mouth' disease you get from cattle). So a few days of fevers, crankiness, and awful foot blisters and mouth ulcers. Boy it's gotta be tough being a kid sometimes. But all's good now and we came out of quarantine on the weekend - whew!

Looking forward to a slightly more relaxed week this week. Yes I know, famous last words....

Stevie Nicks to Strawberry Shortcake

Once upon a time there was a dress. To say it was the ugliest dress in the world may be a little harsh, but it did have a 'Stevie Nicks meets red riding hood 1983' kind of feel to it.



But the dress had seen a lot of love. Someone had picked out the gorgeous red floral cotton, the cream floral contrasting fabric, and some swirly red and white resin buttons. They then sewed and sewed, and created...well.....something of a travesty if you ask me. But then, I am a child of the 80s, so my intolerance of the fashion crimes committed during this decade (which are trying to come back to embarrass a whole new generation at the moment it seems) is possibly a little extreme. But back to the dress. It had the bat wings, it had the pointy ruffled over-skirt bits, it had the 'medieval-style' lace-ups at the back, it had the big shoulder pads, and of course, it had the 'drop waist'.



This dress was worn a lot. It had been ripped and carefully mended, and the collar was stained with age and wear. One day, however, the owner and the dress parted company, and the dress made its way to St Vinnies. There it was spied by a girl on the lookout for fabric and buttons.

The dress had a new home, but little did it know it was to stay a dress for not much longer. That night, while her husband tinkered with and cursed his mountain bike and its baffling parts, the girl started cutting. She decided not to plan her object. It was cut out freehand, and pieced together ad hoc. Not necessarily because of a lack of respect for the dress, but more so that it inspired her to create with a childlike enthusiasm and impatience, and well, after all, the dress did only cost $1.00. If the project ended up a dud, then there would be no real loss, and at least the process was fun.

At the end of the evening, the girl held up her project for her husband to admire.....well? "Ha Ha" he laughed. "It's a Strawberry Shortcake bag". Maybe not the exultation or even admiration the girl was looking for, but she took it to mean it was not a failure. The freehand thing didn't really work out. There's a bit of wonkiness. But the girl thinks it's ok. It's a thing from the 80s she can live with (and looks a lot better on her than the dress did).

The end.

Super Monday

What makes a Monday super? Well, to start with - a cape!



Now we can play "Super Lee to the Rescue" in style. And hopefully there will be no more stealing damp towels from the bathroom to turn into capes (just lovely after they've been dragged around the floor and then put back on the towel rail - yick!).

Then for me, another handbag. This one is made from a tablecloth I found in an Op Shop - I think it's maybe from the 60s or 70s. I've been a bit obsessed with developing a pattern for a handbag that I am happy with. I would love to be able to make them for people as gifts, but they've got to be good. This one is getting closer to something I am happy with, but I think it could have done with a more rigid interfacing. This was the first time I have used the 'One Step Buttonhole' feature on my sewing maching (yes, after three years I finally felt confident enough to give it a try). And boy do I feel silly. It was SOOOOOO stupidly easy. I've a funny feeling I'm going to find reasons to add buttons to many more projects now!

Anyway, here it is:



And the inside view:



After a morning of sewing (and just the bare minimum of housework) we then took off to the local kid-friendly cafe (still wearing the cape), then to the park, and then to the train station where we met Matt getting off the train from work. Lee was so excited to be at a train station, and the train driver even waved at him - how can anyone resist waving back at a boy in a cape bouncing up and down and waving like a maniac!

All in all, a super day!