Just some of this years creations

 Butterfly canvas done together with Lucy for her bedroom wall

 

It's been a busy year with my two jobs but I always seem to manage to fit in some time along the way for sewing and craft projects.

The butterfly canvas above was made using paint chart samples from Bunnings, old sheet music and some old atlas paper.  I cut the shapes using a butterfly paper punch and stuck them on using a hot glue gun. If I am near a Bunnings store I always pop in to replenish my stash as they are so useful.  They are great for decorating this and I particularly love to make gift tags for Christmas with them.

 

Ipad bag made for my Mums new gadget

 

The ipad bag evolved with some great recycling of a denim dress.  I used the middle section of the dress incorporating the waistband and the buttons down the front and just added a pretty top with a floral green cotton.  The straps were easy as I used the tie belt that came with the dress.  

 Owl made for a friends daughter who simply loves owls to bits

 

Another of my owls, made with recycled denim for the body front, cute cottons for the front and wings, chenille for the back and felt for the eyes

Knitted slouch hat

 

I don't knit often, but was successful in making a slouch hat which I gave to my Mum (it suited her better than me)

 Winter pj's for the kids

Pj's are always a great quick thing to make, I usually buy the tops from target to go with them.  I have started adding large hems on the legs so I can let them down the following year and get at least two seasons from them. 

Cushion for my daughters little friend who adores horses

 

I enjoyed this little project for my daughters friends 8th birthday.  Made with recycled denim for the front and the love heart was done with left overs from Lucys pj's pants.  I quilted the love heart to add interest and hand embroidered her name with embroidery cotton. Another original handmade gift, gotta love it as it costs next to nothing and no one else has one.

Appliqued Towels for christmas for Allie, Liam, Aidan and Nicholas

 

The towels were christmas gifts for my niece and nephew and our neighbours two boys.  I was pretty happy with the result - the towels are really lush and quite large.  I bought the towels from Pillow Talk and used the cotton fabrics from my stash for the applique. 

 

A burlap, lace and pine cone wreath for our front door

 

And lastly here is my new christmas wreath, I used a foam ring that I had in my Christmas stash - probably purchased from a $2 store if I remember correctly.  I wrapped it with strips of hessian and hot glued the pine cones onto it.  I then simply wrapped some old vintage lace around the remainder of the ring and tied a lace ribbon on top to hang. 

 

 

So another year is almost over - only hours left in fact

 

Happy New Year to everyone out there in craft land!

 

See you next year

xox

A gift for the teacher

The gift

(basil, parsley and mint herb pot)

 

The card

 

Gift tag

 

Well the last day of school has come and gone - we are officially on school holidays. And every year there is a challenge to find a gift for the kids teachers. This year they were in the same class (one advantage of having twins) so I only had to choose one gift and this time it was for a man (all previous teachers have been female which is so much easier).

So, what to do ?

I did not want to buy chocolate coated peanuts or a coffee mug (he has about 10 already I think). I knew something would spring into my head - but it only happened the day before their final day at school.

I decided to plant a big pot of herbs. Sometimes when Mr Dreise has a day off his wife is the fill in teacher for the class. So I made it a joint gift to Mr & Mrs Dreise from Oliver & Lucy.

 

Last day of school in their Christmas clothes

 

Waiting patiently to perform in their Christmas concert

 

Image from last year - Lucy in her Santa dress

 

 

I did not photograph last years gifts for the teacher - from memory it was a crazy busy year with me working full time and I don't even recall what I gave the teachers.  But this is the post from 2010 where I managed some home made gifts for the 4 teachers the kids had see post here

Each year I say I must start my Christmas sewing early but alas again it did not happen - but let's face it, it is hard to sew for a man.  But next year they have a female teacher once again so no excuses, next year it will be a handmade sewn gift for Mrs Simpson. 

And of course it will be here before we blink. 

 



On the first day of Christmas

 

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME......

 

December 1st is always the day for us to drag the Christmas decorations down from their hiding place

Today we started off with some German Christmas biscuits and Carols to set the mood

 

The kids were really into it this year and did a great job

 

There was a little bit of messing about

 

 

But I think they are definitely old enough to do a pretty good job now

Here she is all finished

And I didn't have to rearrange too much

(not like last year)

This beautiful heart is from Austria - one of my prized Austrian glass decorations - a gift from a dear friend who lived there for about five years.

 

A sweet Angel - from Russ designs

 

Gorgeous Santa from Earthborn

 

 

And this is this years new creation !

A branch from my Tropical Birch tree propped up in a pottery vase (a birthday gift from my potter friend Ange) decorated with baubles, birds and butterflies.

 

Sweet bluebird on my birch branch

 

And this little girl is from last year too (courtesy of Pillow Talk - again half price) -  I really love her, so sweet she is...

 

 

Lucys snow globe

 

(accompanied by china bell and present from Bed Bath and Table

And every child needs a snowglobe - they were a Christmas Eve gift last year for the kids (courtesy of Myer).

 

Olivers snow globe

Accompanied by the reindeers - purchased from Bed, Bath a Table, a couple of years ago now (always at half price)

 

So that is it, the 1st of December has been and is almost gone.  The countdown is now officially on. 

 

I have started some sewing for christmas gifts but cannot say too much here in case the wrong person reads it.......

The lights are up on the front fence (one measly strand)

And the shopping has begun, still a way to go though

I am yet to find a place that I am happy with to hang my Advent Calendar I made last year

This year our tree is in a different room, I have moved it from the loungeroom to our outdoor entertaining room -  and I have to say I am liking it, a lot !

We will see it a lot more from this position and we already had our Christmas lights up in the outdoor room - they stay there all year.

 

So, have you put up your tree and found your Christmas cheer?

 

 

Ipad bag for my Mum

My Mum has ventured into the techno world for the very first time in her life.  On her recent holiday here she bought herself an Ipad.  Mum has never ever used a computer, so it was all a new language but she is picking it up and enjoying her new world.  Being able to contact friends at any time of the day was a huge attraction, and I have to say I love being able to flick her an email at any time with just the smallest thought that comes into my head.  Also sending her photos of the kids at the push of a button means she never needs to miss out (she lives in Victoria, we are in Queensland).   She needed a bag to carry her Ipad around with her on her travels.  This is where I come into it.  So I made her this tote bag made to measure from a recycled denim dress.  Complete with the waistband and buttons still intact - I love the finish.  The design came together very quickly, and I have to say I really do love it - wouldn't mind one myself, that would be IF I had an Ipad.  But I don't....

Recycled denim dress and gorgeous Japanese floral cotton

Made to measure to fit her new Ipad

She looks pretty happy about it !!

Fairytale Ball

Mst O and Miss L had to dress up as fairytale characters for school last week.  They had a ball in their school hall and then it was back to class for a feast fit for a King or Queen, or Robin Hood or Tinkerbell in our case. Parents were invited to come, but sadly I had to work.  So I tried to make it special for them by putting in special effort to hand sew their costumes, not bad since I did some for them a couple of weeks ago also for their Book Week celebration.   I made Mst O's hat from a pattern I found here, thanks crafty stacy,  it was great, I reduced the pattern down to 90% of the adult size, Mst O does have quite a large head for a 6 year old, but it was just perfect. 

Daddy made up a quick bow for Robin from the bamboo in our garden, we have lots.

Mst O's shirt was recycled from an old mans shirt I had in my sewing stash, I cut it up and remade it to fit, with new sleeves and some black wool sewn in criss cross fashion at the front.  His cape was made from velvet in a chocolate brown.  So handsome !  The green jeans were from the op shop, United Colours of Benetton no less, Robin Hood likes designer labels. 

Daddy also helped with attaching the glitter encrusted star to a stick, collected from the garden, to complete her wand. 

Tinkerbell was in heaven in her little costume, she really played the part, dancing around waving her wand. 

 Mst O was so taken with his costume when he dressed up and saw it on himself complete for the first time, he had no words, just big hugs.  I think I did good.