Obligatory snaps

 Jessica was in no mood for photos. This was taken 28 Oct 2010 before school. I made only her skirt and the 'scarf' in her hair. The t-shirt is something she already owned and the leggings... she really could have gone without the leggings! But, as she likes to climb I must be thankful she considers her modesty. The headscarf is waaaaay too big. I know this. Thank you for noticing it too.

Georgina and Jessica... wow these two are hard work. Georgina didn't want to get out of the car. Neither of them looked happy about being dressed up, yet both of them had been so excited in the lead up. Jessi LOVES that costume. The pettiskirt is horrendous and is fraying nylon crap all over the place, but that didn't stop her wearing it 3 days in a row. Maybe if I get a tealight I can singe the edges a little to stop (or even slow) the fraying.

 My friend Cissy and I at the Workers Club Halloween party, 30 Oct 2010 (it's a bit hard to have a party on a Sunday night lol). Cecilia is wearing a 1920's dress she ordered for the last Murder Mystery night which arrived 2 days after the event, a $30 feather boa, $55 shoes, had her nails not only manicured but acrylics applied, fake bullet wound tattoos, fake blood, and she left at home her big old fashioned cigarette holder (like this) with fake cigarette all bought for the occasion. I, on the other hand, frantically scrambled to make myself a costume, any costume, with supplies on hand.

I am sooooooooooo proud of myself!!!!

(did you hear that? it's probably the only time you ever will so please take note!)

I am not a "someone" or a "something", I am merely wearing a costume. I aimed for Regency, and I think I may have pulled it off. Sort of. This would have been more a day dress or something. If you don't know what the Regency era was, think of movies like Pride and Prejudice, Emma.. Anything Jane Austen!!

(It reminds me of an oversized nightgown/christening gown)

I had no more than 3 fabrics to choose from. I rarely buy more than 2.5m of any one fabric and I needed roughly 4m for this ensemble. It should have been in a small floral print and is instead in this funny little dotty cotton where the dots are ties of cotton. I really didn't want to use this fabric, I was saving it for something for me. Let's face it, I save too much "for good" and never get any use out of it what so ever.

I DID NOT USE A PATTERN! At all.. It was all from my own head and playing around with the manequin. Although I have a plus size manequin, that darn thing is nothing like me and it took a bit of work to get it from there to me. All piece by piece. I worked out the front bodice and then the back, realising I needed to have a slightly odd side panel too. 

I chose pastel pink for contrast only because I have a gorgeous pink shawl I bought at an op shop and rarely get to use. I already had the wide ribbon, the lace on the sleeves threaded with narrow pink ribbon, the pearls and flower in my hair. The pearl necklace is something I wore to a school ball. Possibly year 9 (so, age 14.. half my life ago lol). My friend bought me some narrow cream ribbon for the lacing loops and some flat lace for the hem as well as the pink lacing used in the corest style back all for under $10. Overall, I don't think this dress cost me more than $25. The fabric itself was no more than $6/m when I bought it. I know this because I am mega stingy!! (or mega broke, you decide). The bodice and sleeves are fully lined with some heavy, but soft, creamy fabric I got in a remnants bag and the weight of it helped to hold the sleeves up, giving them that "poof" they needed. The panel in the back (under the corset style lacing) is only fixed down one side and held with press studs (snaps) on the other. I was curing my hair and nanna was behind me sewing in snaps! It's a little hard to do those things for yourself lol.

The skirt is two fabric widths pleated to fit (yay for dotted fabric, no measuring required haha) and a press stud to hold the last pleat under the centre back bodice in place. It needed to open slightly to get it off and on. All hidden under the wide ribbon sash. I styled my own hair. It's not what I wanted but it sufficed. 

I was sitting there curling the front when nanna took this photo lol

I have no 'in progress' pics, I could go back and take some but I know no one is really that interested. I started with the mannequin and made it as 'me' shaped as it would allow and using super fine interfacing I marked a centre line, lined it up with the centre front of the mannequin and drew all over it with a Sharpie! I hand stitched in some gathers, pinned pleats etc and marked it all in black texta. I removed the interfacing from the mannequin and all the pins and tacking stitches, and traced it onto baking paper. Using an old bed valance I cut out my 'pattern pieces' with the baking paper pattern. Sewed up the hideous green valance pieces and tried it on. Too big. More tucking, pinning, tacking, drawing on.. until I got something that fit. Scribbled all over the green fabric in biro, sharpie and pencil marking different things. Undid all the stitches etc and the green fabric became my final pattern. Re-cut the pieces in my good fabric and lining. Then sewed it all up and put it back on the mannequin to work out sleeves. Had to cross my fingers the sleeves worked, and 'poofed' appropriately. The corest-y back was the very last thing I did, after the skirt was sewn on etc. I had no real idea how to make it work, and was worried I'd have to concede defeat and use a zipper. I also nearly forgot to sew an underskirt! I didn't have enough fabric to line the skirt so I cut some white jersey very randomly and serged some elastic to the top and serged up a seam. No one could see the underskirt so it was terribly rushed and imperfect but by this stage I wasn't fussed. Considering I was still at the serger/sewing machine 3hrs before leaving the house, and the last minute finishing touches nanna was adding, I was grateful just to be done!

I had a good night out. Well, I appreciated the getting out!! Above is myself, Ange (Georgina's mum and my ex-coworker) and the barmaid Danielle leaning over the bar to get in on the action :)

This was the night before all the headaches started. I have one again today and I am wondering if it is related to the hay fever I have right now.

I have Jessica home with a nasty cough too. She missed a day of school last week also. It was the athletics carnival on a 36C degree day! I told her teacher she wouldn't be attending. It was way too hot to make them run around in the sun, she can't wear appropriate footwear due to her latex allergy, and she is under strict orders from her dermatologist not to get sunburnt because of the pills she is on. I felt a little bad about it, like I should be encouraging participation.. but let's face it. Not all kids are athletes anyway.

The weather is still bouncing between about 18C and 36C but we've been forecast 40C this week too. Not looking forward to the summer heat if we're already getting such high temps.

The creative in me emerges

Ok, so once more it has been forever since I have blogged. I do think regularly about blogging, life just gets in the way. That, or the thought of penning words is really off putting! I have been semi-active recently. Something I am finding quite difficult at this point in time. I am feeling very angry about my break up and can't look back on the past year with anything but bitterness. No, it's not healthy and I know that. I am doing a pretty good job of moving on only there is little to move too. I had a deep and meaningful with a friend last night and we both agreed small towns are bad for your self esteem! There's no where to go, no one to meet etc.


On to the fun stuff! First off, my cousin celebrated her 21st last weekend and Jessica and I made her a little something. The pattern was from an American patchwork mag I bought on a whim. Why, cos I just saw the pic of this on the front and had to have it! It's not a bad mag either. I don't patchwork, but there's ideas and other patterns in there I may just use.

My cousin Jaimie, Nanna, Jaimie's little boy Blake, and my Jessica (yes she was nervous being that close to a balloon - Latex Allergy)

Jaimie's Bird

So then LeAnna requested one, and Jessi wanted to make one for our nan, and I'd made another just to see if I could sew it better. Cos really, my sewing is amateur!! And my handsewing (ie, closing stuffies) is so poor, and so visible. I will get better I know. The beaded hangers on a couple of those birds were made by Jess. I cut open some basic wire bracelets, twisted an end and let Jessi thread on beads, then looped the other end through the first to close. She LOVED the beading process. She also really enjoyed making the pink bird for Jaimie. By the time we got the the other birds she was more bored with the process.

I gave Jessi some scraps while I was cutting out and she was saying "flutter flutter flutter like a butterfly" (among other things which I wasn't really listening to as I was busy cutting). When I heard her talking of butterflies I asked to have her pieces a moment, and laid them on the work surface with 2 points together and said "it does look a bit like a butterfly, if you put this [bobby pin] here.." which is where she piped in "for a body!! yeah, yeah, do it like that!" so she snatched it up and tried threading the two points onto the bobby pin. They wouldn't stay. So mummy hand tacked the bobby pin to the bits of fabric! Butterfly has since gone to visit at nannas the weekend with Jess.

I also made a little owl. This little guy was made using ideas gathered from viewing other blogs. I spend hours some days/nights just pulling up blogs, clicking their links and looking at more blogs. There are some totally wonderful people out there sharing their work with us. I think the two who inspired my little owl most were SquirrelMomma (found via Softies Central) and LuckyKate Crafts. No patterns, no clear idea how to cut the shape. I literally sat down with felt and scissors and got this little guy. Clearly, he needs some darts at the bottom, and an inserted base so he can stand. Otherwise he is totally cute!! Dunno what to do with him now though *lol*

Also from LuckyKate Crafts I fell in LOVE with her tooth fairy doll with pocket for the tooth (and the cash) to be stowed safely. I think it would be easier to convince my little munchkin no imaginary tooth fairy or otherwise would be coming anywhere near her in her sleep to snatch a tooth from under her pillow. No matter how much she loves fairies AND money! The only reason Santa is allowed to sneak into this household is because he doesn't go near the bedrooms *lol*. She hates people in costume. I have a strange child cos she herself loves dressing up!! So to tell her to put the tooth in the pocket and the doll where she felt comfy would be a heaps better option.

Here is my doll (not nearly as gorgeous as Kate's!)

Mind, I did make her at 11pm or something ridiculous. The gorgeous stripy fabric is a scrap of a fat quarter so the pocket isn't doubled like I think Kate's is, I had to hem it (YUCK!). I also had a hard time finding a piece which the lines were even with those on the skirt. I thought it would look pretty messy if they didn't line up. I again freehand cut this. First sewed the pink to the stripes, then cut the doll. I had NO IDEA how to do the hair.. At all! It's a bit messy but looks cute enough. I don't think I stuffed the doll enough either. The tooth is take 2. The first one looked more like a heart with 2 points *lol* again cutting freehand at 12:30am! I don't recommend this peoples. I should have put the doll down to finish in the morning, but I just couldn't. Once I'm on a mission... Her eyes look a bit like they have an Asian influence (I mean absolutely nothing derogatory, just a description). Hand sewing is not my forte. As you can plainly see. I'm going to try out the plastic eyes I bought a while back but I didn't want to waste them on my prototype.

How sweet is this. Jessica asked if we could save the tooth fairy doll for "our baby". When asked what baby, she said for when we have a baby. Aww.. how cute! Poor kid is going ot be waiting a while, and I am surprised she didn't ask for the doll. She's not lost a tooth yet.

I've been making a variety of dummy clips (pacifier, soother chains to those international friends). They're getting near impossible to buy in the shops now days (no idea why when you have 20 different dummies to choose from!) and I thought my sister could use some for her baby due in November. Well, I started making them for my nephew, but soon decided to play around with them more. I've really enjoyed making these! It keeps me busy for a while. The ceramic dummy being used here is something we have for sale in our toy shop. I have one of each colour and our toy shop has tons of them! We blind ordered once and got some crazy items, these dummies included. At least *I* have a use for them *lol* No idea why someone would buy one... I also figure these chains could be used as pram/stroller/push chair/buggy toy savers buy looping the end which is currently on the dummy around a strap, bar etc on the pram and then clipping the other end to the toy/blanket/bib that baby is likely to toss from his or her pram. Pity we can't clip socks to little baby feet!!

A couple of weekends ago our local Volunteer Firebrigade held its centenary. I decided last minute to go and managed to scrounge up something semi-decent to wear. As a broke,single stay at home mum I have very little call for "after 5 wear" *lol*. This is my friend Cissy and I. I have the specs (oh hold on, I said that to an international friend once and they didn't have a clue what I meant. Specs is Aussie slang for glasses. aka, spectacles). I don't usually enjoy going out but I had good fun this night. And my cousins Jaimie and Joseph had me drinking Riccadonna. Of which we went through some 5-6 bottles! I wouldn't say I was drunk, but I don't usually drink, so I felt pretty odd. And I must say, I don't like how alcohol makes me feel.

I was really proud of how I did my hair that night with just the mirror I am using for the pic. I didn't have a second to hold behind me to see what I was doing so I am stoked with how it looked!! I just twisted and pinned :)

Oh, and I am TOTALLY inspired by Sewing Stars!! She does the most amazing works and everything looks so tidy and professional. Not to mention how jealous I am of her ability to draw/paint. Her little graphics are right up my alley! Insired as I am, I have asked a friend if she might be able to design me a versatile little graphic. I want to try selling some things and I want them to look professional. Like Sewing Stars work. I literally sat and went through every page of her blog, admiring her work, ooh'ing and ahh'ing over things and wishing I could draw. I would pay someone like Teresa (Sewing Stars) to design me some graphics to use, if I had any money. That would be the point of trying to sell some things, to help supplement my extremely minimal income (think less than $15,000AUD a year). Great stuff Teresa. Thanks for the eye candy!

Those photos I promised

Decided it would probably be easier to add pics in a new post than to update the other one. So, here are pics of what I've been working on. Minus a couple, like the little purse I sewed from a recent "Handmade" magazine but can't find right now and the doll I was happily crocheting until I snapped the plastic crochet hook I was using and unsure where in my stash is another 5mm one. I've never broken a hook before and actually attempted to continue crocheting with the 1.5" stub but it hurt my fingers. Was possible though, I finished off some of the dolls dress with that stub!! Crazy I know. Yay for the life of a bored person. Anyway, the pics.....

A little doll dress I started. As you can see, it's far from finished! I used hemming tape for the hem. My sewing machine is really touchy about tension. I have to finish the neck and back, including the buttons or some other closure. Not sure if I will finish it. Just isn't working for me right now. I planned to do some applique or embroidery on the front, not to mention the matching bloomers. Maybe one day!

I used a pattern to make this little sun suit for Kristina. The pattern was actually for swimmers but hey.. It's a little too wide at the hips and wasn't quite tall enough for the baby bjorn doll. I fixed the height by hand sewing on the purple lace, which I then added to the legs as well for some continuity. I'm really pleased with it! I chose purple and green to work with some of the items I crocheted.

A little halter and some shorts. Of course, my own designs. One leg of the shorts seems a tad smaller, and take no notice of that little gape in the crotch.. It's just not there, ok?! *lol* I like the halter, though it seemed to drag on forever! Such a little doll too. This is why I am no good at wearables for people.. far too impatient. You can't really see the little flower but it has a yellowy-pearlesque button in the middle. Again, these are my own designs.


A little skirt (teamed up with the halter from above) and some shoes. The skirt is still waiting on a green belt and a top to match. I can't find either of those yarns at the moment, buried under a pile of books I think. The shoes were interesting to make. I wrote down what I did but not sure if it really "works" as a pattern. Might have to ask LeAnna to test it for me. All my own designs. You should expect no less ;)

I love, love, LOVE the little hat I made!! Just a basic round with fpdc and bpdc details. It just looks so cute!! Probably not the bext photo. The little ribbon flower worked better than I expected. The mittens look huge, these dolls have their hands in bizzare poses so to make it fit they had to be biggish. I just tied them with ribbons to match the hat, but sewed one end to the mittens so the ribbons wont fall out and get lost etc. The blanket is some polar fleece and a panel cut from this really cute Sunbonnet Sue type fabric I bought in Perth earlier in the year, for 50c a metre!! The place was relocating so they sold everything totally cheap rather than move it. How lucky to be there at the right time *happy dance* I got something like 24m of fabric, or maybe it was 48m, I don't recall... Anyway, the diagram had little yellow "stitches" around the girl, the dog, and the inside of the patchwork border, so I hand sewed on those lines around the doll. It's given it a nice, raised, quilted effect so I think I will do the same around the dog then perhaps machine sew the rest, possibly in a bold pink or something. Might add some ribbons. Who knows. It's only for the baby bjorn doll afterall!! Hope Kristina loves all this :)

I sewed this yesterday and I really quite like it!! It was intended as a pencil case for Shania as part of her xmas present. I'm not sure yet. Maybe a 10yr old will think school supplies is the suckiest present ever. I tried to make it have some width in the bottom and had no idea what I was doing. Of course, today, I find out how easy it should have been so I will likely fix it. The flower is 5 ribbons cut to about 2" and sewn with a few stitches once folded, then the button to cover all the mess. I couldn't get one length of ribbon to fold how I needed it to do it all in one piece. Random blue buttons just for some more depth. The pink ribbon was also used as a little tab/pull on the zipper. It just works. The pink really brightens the whole thing. If I did it again I think I'd use a wider ribbon for a bigger flower. Otherwise, I am happy!

A double scrapbook layout that just ISN'T working for me. I think that it's far too busy. But, seeing the photo, I might actually like it. The righthand photo is a collection of other pics I want to include, hence the huge frog tag which is destined to become a little album to stash all these pics. And to think, the eldest girl (left) is 13 this year!! Sharyn's (elder girl) photo is so much darker than Amanda's which is making it a little frustrating to make this layout work. I am a bit stumped by it for the moment so have walked away. Will return in a few days and see how I feel. Have already drawn out some scallops on a plain blue paper to use somewhere on this layout.

A vintage pattern for a dress I am crocheting for Jessica. I FINALLY got some Bendigo Woollen Mills cotton and I am loving it!! Perfect for wearables, so soft and slightly fluffy. Not at all tough and rough. The colour is "light teal". Jess likes it so far which is fabulous! This is front/back (both are identical) and maybe 1/3 of the length it needs to be. Fast to crochet just tedious as it's just repeating and counting (5dc, 1dc, 5dc, 1dc etc). I do like it a lot and will finish it up soon. It may be too warm for her to wear in summer.

A scarf for Kristina's younger brother Deegan. Still in the works. No pattern just random rows of knit and purl. I like that the thick/thin yarn is giving it a textrure it would otherwise be without. I originally bought this yarn to make Deegan a comfort blanket but his mum (Nichola) bought one before I had the chance. After I told her I had the yarn! I also used this yarn to make a hat for her new baby Nate. I gifted that before getting a pic as she was heading off to have him. I'll try get a pic of him in it when they come home. The book is from the library and probably overdue...

Back in March was our local race day (horses) and for whatever reason I was bit with the sewing bug the day before, sometime around 2pm. I sewed this in record time and Jessica loved it!! I used some cheap earrings on the ends of the ribbon tie for fun, bought a hair clip to go with it (would have made that too but was threading the ribbon just before walking out the door! She got blue fairy floss (cotton candy to my USA friends) on it. It probably wont hold up, the seams are finished and such. It was just so sweet! Has matching bloomers underneath from the print fabric. It was from a 1970's sewing pattern. I had to fold the neck and tack open as it was just too high for her. She looks so sweet and got a ton of compliments on the day.

Toys galore

I was asked if I would like to test a pattern for KristieMN at Crochetville after commenting how Jessica is totally into her "babies" at the moment. Kristen had said she already had the testers she needed so I was really surprised to get a PM asking if I would like to test too. Of course I said yes! I just adore Kristie's patterns!!

Here is Hallie, a BackPack Baby pattern by KristieMN which I imagine will be available at her Etsy Store Kristie's Kreations just as soon as she has all her testers results. I haven't done the bear as I still can't find a smaller hook! Hallie is the name Jessica chose for her new doll.



Also completed 2 cute balls. So quick and easy. So much so that I even embroidered on them just for the sake of it! Basically just cat balls with bells inside crocheted over which means they jingle when shaken, rolled, throwed etc. I think I will be making these and stashing them to sell when markets come up etc. Only thing is that I need to get to a discount store to buy them. The larger balls at the local supermarket are 2 for $4 (almost) and the smaller ones $4 (almost) for 4! So quite pricey really!! The colours in these balls are the same as Hallie but as she was photgraphed inside in the evening her colours aren't shwing as bright. These are a truer representation of colours used. I will probably send one of these balls to my friends little girl Hayley for her 1st bday which is fast approaching. I made her a toy when she was little that she loves, will keep it up as a tradition *lol*

And last but not least, I am so proud to show you Barbie in a mermaid tail that is all my own work! This took me days!! I am really very pleased with it and owe so many thanks to Vicki for sending me the colour of cotton I wanted all the way from Washington state USA! I have wanted to make a mermaid since I was on that real Barbie kick for Jessica's bday this year and just didn't have what I felt I needed. So heaps of thanks and love to ya Vicki for rescuing me!

Right now I am working on a top for Jessi. I would have finished already but I made the first piece too small so have to make another. Not to worry. The small one will likely become a halter, also for Hayley's birthday :D Where there is a will there is a way! And I waste little!! I will show them off once complete. I don't like showing half objects. Spoils the surprise. Oh, these are all my own design too which makes it so much more rewarding.

I decided to start getting this house of mine organised yesterday. What a disaster, but also a lot achieved. I moved the fridge and I tell you what.. I wish I hadn't done that. I was trying not to puke while scrubbing the floor under it. So relocated the fridge and the pantry which allows me to then move the tv and couches etc. You see, so much in my house needs something done before something else can progress and that's a lot of the reason I just leave it be. Totally reorganising things creates a huge mess. Right now you can barely walk through my kitchen, simply because to move the other cupboard that was in there I need to move things in the living room to put it in there. Some of those things from the living room need to go into Jessi's toy room which isn't even in existance yet. Ahh.. the joys! *lol* anyways, I got some done. Will get to the rest soon I suppose. It needs doing and I need to stop procrastinating about it. That simple.