Bag swap

Crafty Mamas November bag swap

The gals over at Crafty Mamas forum have a swap each month with a set theme. November was a bag swap and Krissy was my recipient. I feel the pressure of providing something that will be good enough and well received when I participate in a swap but that aside, it is fun!

I really don't like feeling that I am giving someone a gift that they wont like so I checked out Krissy's preferences- bold and bright. Not a pastel girl, our Krissy.

Pattern- Button Tote bag - Andrea Forstbauer

Fabric-
External- vintage sheet fabric
Lining- mushroom canvas from stash
Self covered buttons

Approval rating- seems to be well received!

It was a nice straightforward pattern and a really big tote bag. Could fit anything in there methinks!

Krissy has a gorgeous daughter Matilda so I made her up a little purse to stash her little treasures in.

Pattern- Bubble pouch - Keyka Lou

Fabric-

External- Fresh as a Daisy- Robert Kaufman

Lining- Party Time Cupcakes- Makower UK

Note to self

Dear Tas,

Please remember that the next time you are in middle of a heatwave and tired and niggly from staying up with ill children at night NOT to attempt to sew a flimsy slippery fabric, particularly if you have a blunt denim needle in your machine.

It'll only end in tears.

Warm regards,
Tas

PS Repeat after me: "What doesn't kill me will make me stronger. And evolution gave me an apposing thumb and forefinger so that I can open the cupboard to the rubbish bin and show my superiority at being a human as I turf inanimate objects into landfill"

Blog giveaway: a bag in your choice of fabric

Celebrating 100 posts

I still think of myself as a blogging newby but having now hit the "publish post" button 100 times I guess that I need to consider myself climbing the ladder of blogging experience rather than standing at the bottom looking up with my mouth hanging open.

So I have worked out that it seems to be the done thing to give away something when you have posted a nice round figure- in this case 100 posts. I can't believe that I have posted that many times- and I even more can't believe that some of you loyal people have hung around to read my blogging blurb. A huge thank you to those who have! It is good for the soul to think that someone wants to hear what I say and do.

So in the spirit of blogland, I am offering to sew up a bag in your choice of fabrics as chosen from the selection below. I don't know what bag it will be yet but there has to be some element of surprise, hey?

So rules of engagement:
1 There are no rules.

All you need to do is post a comment nominating your fabric choice. One entry per person. Will post anywhere. Please leave means of contacting you if you don't have a blog.

You don't need to blog about the giveaway (though if you chose to, I'm not going to complain or apply for a restraining order) and you don't have to follow my blog (I think that it is cruel and unusual punishment to make people sign up to my blog if they don't actually want to)

So I hope that you find something to your liking. I will close this competition in oh, about a week and I will pick a winner through either a highly technical method involving a computer progam or a less technical method involving a 2 year old, box and pieces of paper.

1. Pretty pink.



2. Bold blue.



3. Bohemian brown



4. Pretty palette



5. Gorgeous garden



6. Rich Red



Good luck!

Blogtoberfest blog giveaway

My 3rd prize- but who's counting?

Cherrie from willywagtail ran a giveaway on her blog for Blogtoberfest and I was the lucky winner. A little parcel stashed with vinatge goodies arrived today.





Might whip myself up a little outfit like that on the left for summer..no, you're right. I'll burn that page right now! But a gorgeous granny rug.



And this gorgeous little vintage address book is a blast from my past. I used to collect cards with these pickies on them I swear.

Thank you Cherrie. Much appreciated!

So endeth the Redondos...phew!

(Secret happy dance)

OK So 5 Redondos over the course of about 8 months doesn't seem like a lot but when I have a love/hate relationship with a pattern, it hangs over my head.

I can whip them up in a few hours now but still don't love doing them. Though I might try a knit fabric one next.

Pattern- Studio Tantrum Redondo

Farbics-
Yellow floral- vintage fabric from stash
Bold green/pink/white- I believe a Marimekko print
Yellow/pink/lime floral- VIP by Cranston
Dusty pink dot- Barefoot Roses by Tanya Whelan (Grand Revival)
Green butterfly- Simply Sweet by Robert Kaufman

Approval rating- Expected to be high as the recipient wants a twirly skirt!

The best hiccup remedy

It works every time! Seriously!

I got the hiccups today. It served me right for scoffing down a sandwich too quickly. And could have been worse- if I was a horse, I could have gotten choke. Now that is seriously uncomfortable. Just ask any horse you know.

Anyway, after a couple of minutes of entertaining the little ones, I did my fail safe hiccup remedy. Forget breath holding. Forget trying to scare myself. Forget standing on my head. I just pour myself a glass of water, lean over the top of it and drink backwards...or is it upside down?

Have you ever tried it? It has never failed to cure my hiccups but I wonder if it works as well for everyone.

Best Ever Summer Meringue

Simple and yummy.

Continuing my "Best Ever" series of recipes, I made up the name to this so it is probably actually the "Only Ever" Summer Meringue around.

Make up a mix of meringue and form into a large flattish rectangle. Cook and leave in the oven to cool. I am presuming that you have your own pavlova or meringue recipe. I make it flat as I like the chewy crunchy meringue rather than the marshmallowy bit.

Break up into chunky pieces and cram into a large serving bowl alternating with spoonfuls of vanilla icecream. Flatten and cover and put into the freezer.

Make up a coulis blending fruit of choice and icing sugar to taste. My favourites are raspberries (scrummy even if using frozen berries) or mango.

Serve up spoonfuls of the frozen mix and serve with the coulis.

I initially used to put coulis through the frozen mix but found that it lost its flavour when it froze and was much nicer when it was over the top. You may also want to take the dessert out of the freezer a few minutes before serving unless you have a jackhammer in the kitchen utensil draw.

Gorgeous dessert for those warm summer evenings. Enjoy!

Perfected the knit skirt!

In my not so humble opinion.

Continuing on from my attempts at a comfie, flattering knit skirt for myself, I whipped up another one last night. Another brilliant thing is that I can sew these up in about an hour.
Fabric is black Colorado from Crafty Mamas shop and the Asian print came from there too.






I am really happy with this pattern as it is flattering, quick to sew up, lots of room for variation and easy to adjust with that much anticipated weight loss!

A Cosy of Pyjamas

Yes, I made that up.

I am saddened by the lack of collective nouns available for items of apparel but some reward at the end of a sweat shop session is that I can make up my own.

Pattern- Kwik Sew 3234
Fabrics-
Plain- Stella from Crafty Mamas shop (Australia)
Pattern knits- European knits from CM
Car print cotton- Spotlight
Approval rating- 10/10 (my boys are easy to please plus they got to do a bit of the fabric chosing. Always helps make things a winner)

I have 2 boys- one nearly 5 with my figure (short and thick) and one 6 and 1/2 who is a bean pole. I ended up making these in a L (10) but hopefully that will give me (well, them) 2 summers out of them.

I used a squared off stretch stitch to hem them as I couldn't be pfaffed swapping everything back and forth on my overlocker to do the professional double stitch finish. And my boys wont notice anyhow. But I think it is quite a nice little boyish stitch compared to a 3 step zigzag.

So that's it- no more stripes and no more pyjamas for a while. It really reinforces the fact that I don't like making the same things over and over.

Some Crafty Business!

Some much needed motivation.

Sharon from Handmaiden ran a blog competition during Blogtoberfest and I found out today that I am the lucky recipient of her ebook Crafty Business. (Yes, the competition gods are still smiling down on me!)

I started my blog earlier this year and as a personal recording of my crafty pursuits and social commentary which occasionally attracts a vaguley interested reader, it is plodding along quite nicely. I opened my etsy shop July 2008, listed 7 things and those that haven't sold are still there with no new additions for company. Admittedly I am time poor and having 1 child in school, 1 in half day kindy and 1 still at home means that, for me, sewing with intent to sell is a challenge.

I don't twitter; I don't facebook; I daydream about hanging around with fun like-minded people at a regular market stall; and when someone asks me if I sell my clothing after admiring something my daughter is wearing, I timidly volunteer that I am meant to be but don't really have the time. (Don't worry- at this stage of recalling those conversations, hubby rolls his eyes too- and says "did you hand out one of your business cards?" Erm, the answer to that could possibly involve the word no...)

Sharon runs a forum and videos as well as an online workshop for anyone who would like to improve and build up their craft business.

So thank you Sharon. I am hoping that your information will motivate me, inform me, educate me and drive me to be a better blogger and seller.