I'm getting there!

I've been trying for ages to get this one posted, and tonights the night!

Just a little reflect on the last month, and the holidays. Little Miss was at vacation care program 3 days a week while I worked, so we had 4 days a week together. 

New Years Day started it off with fabric sorting and dvds;

whilst the girl was at the beach with her bestie.

We had a night at the Moonlight Cinema at the Botanic Gardens;

and watched Grease: Sing a Long while the bats flew overhead.

We backed that up the next night with out first Melbourne Tigers basketball game! With one of their huge fans, introducing us the the game fun.

We were even 'found' on the televised version and Instagrammed! Jacqueline did her version of 'celebrity spotting' haha

There was much catching up with this little man, here on his new wheels.

 and of course, many selfies!

This is Henry's selfie face- saying 'Blue Steel selfie' gets this face every time! Hilarious!

Now to get the sewing projects in some semblance of order and show them!

A first birthday

Oops, nearly forgot to show you the cake! I made one of these which I'd seen around blog land and had to try (icing was supposed to be purple, but looked a bit grey). It tasted, and I got a heap of compliments for the part guests which was lovely! I do love a challenge...

(2nd pic a bit blurry, but shows more colours)

 We ended up having both kid's birthday parties on the same day- Henry's first birthday from 11am to 2ish, and the my girls from 5pm onwards. 4 friends slept over, what an experience THAT was!

But the little man's day was lovely, great weather, and a very happy chappy with his balloons!

 His party outfit was a bit of handmade by me stuff, which was cute. I love making him stuff, as he actually has to wear it (unlike a tween girl). Here he is munching on some BBQ corn, it was an amazing feats of slow cooked meats and salads, and vegies. YUM!

And he loved all the fuss, of course (who wouldn't?)

I made some bunting for the party, which is now in his room. I found all these fabrics precut into squares in the stash (the stash in the garage, that is). I think I planned to sell it at one stage- good for Henry I didn't!

 Bright and cheery!

His present arrived about a week later (and I still haven't made the hat- oops!) It's a Kinder Boy, whom I named Neville. A great pattern, and not toooo fiddly for my fat old fingers! It was a lot of fun picking the fabrics (OK, that may have taken me one whole evening). I used the Doctors Flannel as recommended in the pattern, which is totally worth the hunt for. Easy to work with, soft and you can tell it's durable (it's 100% wool but the non itchy kind).

 I gave him cowboy undies!

  and some spinal surgery. He's a red head, as it was the only wool felt I had in the stash, and I didn't want it to go all pilly like acrylic felt.

Very cute!

 

He was gifted with this perfect basket I found at the oppy

and a mattress and blankie, too.

  

His favourite bit was the tearing of the paper- hesitant here at his birthday, but 2 weeks later at Xmas there was no hesitation!

An action shot from my sister the next day, I just wanted to check it was in use haha

and our Boxing Day proved just as much fun, the excitement he had about his own 

maraca and bells was contagious!

Just beautiful!

a biiiiiig catch up!

 Gosh, there's too much here for one post, so thought I'd do a quick summary, and then some scheduled posts to give more detail on a few things I'd like to share.

November and December are THE busiest months for us! 4 birthdays now, Xmas doesn't even get a look in until there'll all done. Someone PLEASE remind me to start preparing in June? (and then tell me to listen and follow through hehe)

So there was my birthday;

The girl went to camp! 2 nights at Phillip Island, and she adored it! It was very touch and go whether she would go, as some anxiety has crept in and sleepovers and sleeping through the night were all affected (not going into much detail, it's not my issues to tell). But she made it, and I'm so proud of her!

 

We had a wee bingle and needed a new car :( Luckily the new one has working air conditioning, so now we have survived all the drama, we're enjoying that!

 

And a few catch ups and meeting new friends. 

Throw into that mix the decision to do a market stall! A good decision I might add, it helped my hoarding habit by forcing me to go through a lot of older stuff I've made, and give people a few bargains. And it was a lovely crowd and atmosphere, a great day out really.

  I even opened an Etsy shop :)

I purchased a snap press, as a friend was getting rid of hers, so  I went hard with some bibs. Some for a friend, some for the shop/stall.

Very addictive!

Simplicity 2380

So keeping up with the summer sewing theme (and still on the clothes) the girl and I were window shopping last week when we went into Bardot Junior. I was asked to take her out of there (by her) as she wanted everything in the shop! This jumpsuit caught her eye, anmd I quietly freaked out over the price! So I reminded her of this pattern, which I made her twice 2yrs ago, in dress and short style.

So here are the 2 pairs....and the challenge for me was to whip them up in a weekend!

and she picked this off the clearance table at Spotlight, bless her, trying to save me more money. $15 for the fabric. NOT my pick at all, I thought a plain purple, or an animal print but we couldnt find it.

I didnt want to do a casing and elastic, I deviated from the pattern (a big "shock, horror" for me) and tried some shirring elastic. Too easy!

  

It was a border print, and I'm sure it's sideways, but I (and her) aren't too fussed.

A try on at a few stages...

  and the shirring around the waist. A bit gentler on the 'food baby' than a casing and elastic!

I finished it last night after bedtime, so she was desperate to try it on after school- stinky socks and all (freezing in Melbourne today!)

 I need my sunglasses! So cool though, and there were grumbles when I asked her (4 times) to take it off and go for her shower!

  'Jumping' in her jumpsuit!

Lucky this pattern goes up to a 16, so a few more versions I hope. 

Especially if I find that animal print rayon!

and, gratuitous baby shot. We took him to the park! Love the boy so much!

What i've been up too....

There's been a bit of quilting stuff happening, and other sewing of course.

I'm a bit of a fan of this girl, and her beautiful work. I spied this quilt in Feb and think I pulled all the scraps out for it straight away! It took till now with all the other projects that came up to get it started- and it only took me a week! I used a pink homespun with it, as I use so much white in quilts I wanted something different.

I haven't decided on the layout yet, there are a few versions in the original post that inspired Nova (who has now inspired me hehe) so I might put the design wall up tonight and get laying!

I also saw this on Nova's blog (OK, now I sound all stalkerish, but I saw it over here too, it was a coincidence, I swear!) Anyway, it was good timing, as I have been pretty slack for the nephew...I mean, only 1 quilt in 8mths....sheesh!)

I got out the blue cotton stuff I scored a while ago when the school was throwing it out;

and a plan formulated when I spotted this thread at Spotlight. I'm going a bit neon mad at the moment, I like 'pops' of it in things at the moment.

So I joined The QAL and got started....might be getting ahead of myself though, better slow down!

  Couldn't resist a mirror ball dot in there hehe

The girl decided she needed to make some new lavender sachets today for her drawer....and lucky Henry got one for his sock drawer too!

 I had the Maze and Vale prints already pieced for a cushion, and this scrap was in the scrap bin just waiting...

Oh, and I finally got a snap of the girl and her braces...only took 3 weeks, and I think she forgot about them for a sec! I really thought it would be a year before she let me take a pic of her again!

Speaking of cute (weren't we?) here's the little man himself- 8mths old and standing/cruising and has started those slobbery baby kisses. In. Love!