Party Season...

I was only saying to someone last month that the girls didn't seem to have made that many friends at preschool. There were lots of parties happening and no invites for us (they weren't aware but I was hearing other parents talk about this party and that one..it actually made me sad to think that people were struggling to break through the special bond my girls share).

Well that all changed and we have had two preschool parties in the last two weeks. Yay to new friends!

I am really struggling with what to buy 5 year olds. There is so much commercialised stuff out there! So for our new friend S we made this superheroes cape (I used a tutorial that I found online and now I can't remember where I found it..sorry) and teamed it with a canvas to paint, some acrylic paints and paint brushes and for our other friend S I made a little twirly skirt and appliqued t-shirt and teamed it with 4 pretty butterfly clips and a sparkly lip gloss. I probably spent $20-$25 on each child. Not factoring in fabric (as it was all from my stash) or time. So please share your thoughts with me..Is this enough ??(baring in mind that its from two little people). What else can I do for 5 year old pressies??

And here is a sneak peek at some lounge pants I made for my sisters birthday. Vintage sheets and a lovely vintage linen tablecloth used for the cuffs..mmm comfy. I hope she likes them. The jewellery is from Zaruff in Sydney. You can buy it online. I have one of their hand crafted bracelets, made from semi-precious stones and venetian glass beads. Its chunky but I love it. They often have some great sales and you can pick up some of the jewellery at half price!

Increasing My Fabric Stash

I just thought I would share some of my fabric bargains that I have managed to score over the last month. Now its time to start planning some summer sewing.......

$2.50 for vintage cotton plisse at a country Op shop. Its a bit sad that when you go home to see your family..you have to have a good trawl through the local Op shops!

Linens, denim and a spotty drill, along with some buttons and embroidery thread picked up at the YMCA Garage Sale on Saturday

3 clowns also from the YMCA Garage Sale..they were too cute to leave behind

My splurge on fabrics from the US. I highly recommend this shop. Their service is fantastic.

Cottons from my parents local Spotlight..all for $2 a metre.

My spotlight never has anything this good. I just wish I had gotten more!





And some fabric from my local fabric store. They had a sale last month with 25% off quilting cottons for members.

Polka Dot Swap

Look what arrived in the mail for me last week. Yippee. My Polka Dot Swap Parcel from Bianca. Wow I have been so spoilt. After such a crazy week, it was lovely to sit down and savour all these goodies. Thanks Bianca.

3 lovely pieces of material - spotty velvet, spotty plisse and some gorgeous fabric for the little man

A lovely little bag (which I have had to hide rom the girls) and a covered note pad which already has a permanent home in my hand bag.

For Bianca, I made the Hostess Apron from this pattern . It was my first attempt at an apron and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it came together. I will be definitely making this one again. And a flower brooch, using some of my all time fav fabric and the Prints Charming Pattern I got at the craft show in Sydney. Lots of fun. Thanks to Stacey for all her hard work in organising the swap.

****On another note..is anyone else having trouble uploading images to blogger??******

No Sewing..but some new Inspiration

Still no sewing..apart from some library bags for the girls(But I suppose that counts). The sleep deprivation and the sickness continues in this house. Blah..Blah ..Blah. Although last night everyone sletp in their own bed. Its amazing what a decent nights sleep does for the soul and the sewjo. Today I traced a couple of things off from Ottobre for a little ones 2nd Birthday next week. So fingers crossed that the sleep continues and I may get some sewing done this weekend. Yay.


I decided to visit Spotlight last week for some inspiration (excuse the crappy photos). I really want to try sewing knit fabrics. I scored the mother load in knit fabrics. I think it was last years knits but they were all reduced to $7 per metre. I just love a good bargain! So I am hoping that some new fabric in the stash will get me motivated to do some winter sewing for the kids.

Some lovely knits for winter sewing - lots of chocolate brown. I hope this will look okay on little girls?

And some bright summer cottons that I think I will use to make the Siiri Pinafore from the latest Otto

Wet Washing...

Hanging on the line.. I love looking out my kitchen window and seeing my newly washed fabrics blowing in the wind. I ventured out to spotlight yesterday (my final trip until after Christmas). It was chaos. So busy..but hopefully I have everything I need. Its only 7 weeks till Christmas and its time to start working on my big To Do list. I scored some great fabrics on the bargain table. Beautiful cotton that feels like a linen. Reduced to $3 a metre. It came home with me and will turn into something for the girls for Christmas

Pink Cupcakes

Amongst the tonsillitis, snotty noses and ear infections..I did get some birthday sewing done for our special friend. I was inspired by a little dress that the girls were given by my aunty when they were 12 months old. It was cute but just didn't get much wear as they were crawling when it fitted. The girls and I ventured out to spotlight prior to the party and I asked them to pick some material. They chose...pink cupcakes. Not normally my choice but I think it turned out cute. I haven't heard yet if it fits or if the little girl likes it...which is rather disappointing! The girls also chose some materail for themselves that they want a dress made out of..so I must get organised. The last week has flown by and with all the lurgies in the house nothing much happened. I have big plans to make them some clothes for playschool now that its warming up, hopefully this week.

A Spot of Sewing and a Visit to Spotlight

(All packaged up in the gift bags made by Mum. Thanks Mum)

One of our little friends turned 1 yesterday so I whipped him up a little pair of pants and embellished a little t-shirt for him. I am sure he will look super cute in it. His mum loved it, so that's always a good start! I used some cord from my stash and the cuffs and pockets are made from the surfy material I picked up at the YMCA garage sale last week.

I also ventured out to Spotlight in the afternoon. The service in my local Spotlight is terrible. The queues are long and most of the staff are cranky but I did get some nice stuff. Just after Christmas I inherited some gorgeous cottons from Granner's (My Grandma) stash that will make cute winter pants. So I found some great Japanese Linen that will make cuffs and pockets. And some nice cottons that will line some Vintage Pinafores I plan on making for the markets. Alecia and I are off to Here at the end of March, so its time to get sewing!