The best giveaway ever!

Image: Retromummy

Fingers crossed to win this!

When your young man demands to buy some material and for you to make a ruggy, how can you refuse? :-)

Xmas pressies for Kindy teachers. Pattern at Attic24.

Mother daughter crafting

Refashioned a dress into a skirt and added pockets. For me.

A lot going on but not much craft. 2 necklaces made today though.

In the garden.

This was an easy project to complete. Instructions at Bloesem Kids.

I've made another girls shirt. They are so quick to put together.

We made lemon cordial with Nan today. It is seriously good. Just lemons, sugar and water.

Some birthday presents for little girls. Made from scraps.

I'm trying to use up lots of materials that I have been given. I have all my sewing things in my wardrobe and my clothes are getting swallowed up by fabric piles. Here are two skirts I have made recently with some scraps.

I've had 4 years of sewing for girls and so here is my first attempt at sewing for boys.

I think this is only available overseas. If only it was available in Australia and in the Toy Sales!

I made this ages ago. It is a soft pendant for a child's necklace. Perhaps I need to revisit this idea.

Source: Creativity and love

How beautiful is this doily garland? So pretty. Unfortunately I did make it. I found it on this wonderful blog.

Some more kids craft. A butterfly.

I managed to make this top over the weekend. First time sewing stretch fabric.

Weekend fun with opshop find

It's been really overcast rainy weather for a few days so today we got out the felt pens and pencils and decorated a big carboard cubby castle. Lots of fun.

I've managed another crocheted hexagon for each day of June (and more). I thought I had enough to put the rug together but when I put them all down on the floor, it seems I have only made a lap rug thus far. Aaaaahhh. I have a feeling I may just put it all together soon as I don't want this to be another WIP for years to come.

We been busy birthday crafting with sewing 5 party bags...

a mermaid cake....

And some posies for the table...

For this bag I tried not to put too much onto it. Just a hint of colour peeping out of the 2 ends.

I love nothing better than scouring opshops. I think I could do it all day most days of the week. (Especially without little people to take care of!). It was 50% off at the local opshop today. I seem to be finding lots of pretty cotton dresses and tops at the moment. Yay!

From our weekend outing... loving the crotchet rugs. hehe

Some bits and pieces turns into....

and this...

I have always been afraid of making my own Play Dough. I thought it would take a long time and dry out quickly. However I found the recipe below (can't remember where... it was a long time ago) on the web and it is just so easy. It doesn't take long and the good thing about it is that if you keep it in an airtight container, it stays so moist and fresh. I will never buy the real stuff again!

Play Clay or Play Dough Recipe

2 cups water

1 cup salt

food colouring (.5 teaspoon for pastel colour and 1.5 teaspoon for vivid colour)

4 teaspoons cream of tartar

4 tablespoons oil

2 cups flour

1. Combine water, salt, cream of tartar and food colouring in large saucepan

2. Cook on low heat and stir. As the mixture heats up, stir in the oil then the flour slowly

3. Keep stirring until it starts looking dry and pulling away from the saucepan

4. Remove from heat and pinch a piece between 2 fingers. If it is not sticky, it is done. Otherwise, continue stirring over low heat

5. Place dough on counter and knead until smooth

6. Store in airtight container

DO NOT REFRIDGERATE!!

Image: Life under the avocado tree

Isn't this the cutest little homemade kids kitchen you have ever seen? Check out this blog for more info. It's very clever. Goes to show what some white contact can do.

It's been a little while between posts. Just the usual routines catching up on me. There is nothing like an acquaintance to ask you to do a sewing job that stretches your skills. I was asked to make some cushions using some leftover fabric from a professional upholstery job. I decided to try an invisible zip with these. I got a universal invisible zipper foot for the new Janome. It was really really difficult to get it onto the machine. You just kind of have to squeeze it onto the shank even though it doesn't feel like it will fit. The plastic seems like it might snap very easily after a few rounds of taking the foot on and off. But it only cost $6.95 so I can't complain! I made 3 cushions but only photographed 2.

Today I followed the tutorial on Made to sew up a vest for my boy from a knitted shirt I got at the opshop. The tutorial was very easy and I made the vest really quickly. This is the first thing I have sewn on the new machine (Janome DC2101) and it was great to sew on. It's so quiet compared to my old Brother 3022.

I did it! I have 31 crocheted hexagons done for each day of May. Now I will try for 30 more for June.

Big purchase round here. I bought a new sewing machine. Janome Dc2101. I've been dreaming about it for a while and saving our pennies. I have literally sewed my old machine into oblivion. Crazily enough, I have had the new machine for 5 days and have had no time to open the box!! OMG!!

Image: Make Something


Love the patchwork skateboard over at Make Something. What a great idea and the process could be applied to other wooden objects.

I've been sewing like a mad woman to get these cushions done in one night after the kids went to bed.

Something to do with scraps. The kids have enjoyed drawing bodies and faces on these dresses/clothes.

We had the garden bunting out last weekend for a special celebration. Too many people packed into our small house but everyone had a good day (especially the birthday boy). The bunting is made from old business shirts.

Image: Fake Virigina

One of the kids told me tonight that dinner tasted like dog food. Charming. It was my second attempt at the slow cooker. Both times my food has turned out bland and lacking depth of flavour. I'm using recipes from scratch (not sachet packets). Failed on the ratatouille. Failed on the beef goulash. I thought slow cookers were easy. Any advice?

quilt festival

I am participating the in Amy's Creative Side Blogger's Quilt Festival. And my entry is very, very understated. You may think it doesn't look like much... just a lot of white flannelette. It took me ages to make. I was so pregnant at the time I started that my Mum bought all the materials for me because I couldn't carry them. It is the size of a queen bed and took many hours to make (and many reels of cotton thread!). It's extremely heavy and so snuggly in the winter.

A little boxy pouch I made using Three Bears tutorial.