my little space

sweet tooth

2011-09-09T19:50:00.004+10:00

Has it been almost a week already since Father's Day? What better way to start the day than to be woken up with a cup of coffee and a peanut and banana tart from Becasse Bakery? Oh, so sweet (almost too sweet for first thing in the morning!) and only because it was a special occasion. The day was spent with family, eating a little too much and some fishing and bike riding thrown in to make the most of the gorgeous day!

It's been a hectic week around here....we've had a school camp, a classroom visit, work and tradesmen at our house.

Sometimes it's the little things, like finding a nice punnet of blueberries and baking a batch of muffins, that make everything seem okay again.

pretty magnets

2011-08-29T19:07:00.003+10:00

What better way to decorate magnets than to cover them with pretty scraps of fabric?

Fabric covered buttons with flat backs and magnets glued on, make for pretty magnets for your fridge!

A present

2011-08-23T20:39:00.004+10:00

I did it...... I pulled out the sewing machine, plugged it in, ignored the housework, didn't think about dinner and sewed.

Ashley's dear friend Eliza had her birthday today and I made a little pouch to store some felt pens and paper. I have used the pattern before from here and love it!

It folds out into three sections, one for some little pens or crayons, one for a little notepad and one that I like to add in some stickers. It can be taken anywhere with you, perfect for coffee shops or long trips in the car.

Happy Birthday Eliza!

birthday banner

2011-07-23T14:14:00.004+10:00

My sister-in-law is celebrating her birthday today so we made a little birthday cake banner for her. The idea came from this little tutorial. It was a lot of fun to make and we had all the bits we needed right at home.

favourite reds

2011-07-18T09:19:00.004+10:00

It's the last day of the school holidays and Ashley is having a play at her friend Eliza's house today. We chose some favourite red fabrics, cut out some circles, attached them to plain canvas bags with an iron on fusible and tah da!

Instant craft bags for the girls! We filled them up with bits and pieces to keep them busy.

Happy crafting girls!

need a holiday idea?

2011-07-08T17:47:00.008+10:00

It's school holidays here and we have been enjoying spending more time together and not rushing around here, there and everywhere.

Today we opened one of these Djeco projects and we spent hours on these beautiful pictures. There are four prints in a box (each so gorgeous, it was difficult to choose a favourite), felt markers, and instructions on how to colour and decorate.

.........all boxed up

........here are our finished products.

.......my favourite.
Our favourite holiday project so far! We found ours here, which I have to say is the best toy store around so if you are looking for something to do, it is definitely worth a visit!

a thimble list

2011-06-22T21:36:00.006+10:00

I am a list person. I write out grocery lists over morning coffee, scribble on the back of receipts whilst in the car and even wake up in the middle of the night sometimes to write down things I need to remember in a notebook next to my bed.

A thimble list.......is a list of small things that make you happy. I came across the idea here, and thought it was such a nice idea!

So here goes my thimble list:

- make coffee for hubby in the morning (he is usually the one to make our coffees each morning!)

- pull out a sewing project that has been started but not finished (oh, there are so many)

- meet up with a friend for a coffee

- try a new recipe

- bring home a bunch of flowers for home

The best thing about this list is......you can make a new one each day!

trimmings

2011-04-07T21:24:00.004+10:00

The trimmings competition at Umbrella Prints is on again for 2011! I was hoping to enter last year but didn't have the time and now that another one is on, I would love to find try and make a few things with their beautiful prints. At least I know that if I run out of time, I will still have my little stash of trimmings to admire!

Carrots......filled with orange jellybeans to hand out to classmates before the holiday break.

Happy Easter!

a little party

2011-03-11T21:04:00.003+11:00

It's been almost a couple of months already but our little one has turned seven.

We had a small party with close friends from school and made it all things girly.

Now we are a few weeks into a new school year and falling into routines again. I'm hoping it will be a year filled with more time for sewing and making new things.

We're going on an egg hunt!

2010-04-05T09:26:00.006+10:00

Happy Easter!

We are meeting up with friends today and having an egg hunt for the little (and grown up) ones. I made up some Easter hunt bags to help carry around all the extra chocolate.

Mini canvas totes with coloured handles and eggs stitched on with contrasting thread. I have a feeling the kids will be more excited about the chocolate eggs though.
Have a Happy Easter and a wonderful holiday break!

patches

2010-03-22T13:38:00.007+11:00

As soon as I saw this tutorial I had to make a start on this quilt. It's perfect for my 8 year old son who is very excited about a new "boy" quilt of his own.

We have also been preparing for Easter...... not long now until the Easter break!

slow and steady

2010-02-08T16:10:00.004+11:00

I picked up a quilt pack from the Amitie stand at the Craft Fair last year. Yes, it's taken me a long time to get to this stage and no it isn't too tricky. I fell in love with these fabrics and thought it would be perfect for my little niece on her christening day.

I'm looking forward to getting a start on the quilting, in front of the TV, now that all my favourite shows are back!

school butterflies

2009-11-26T20:40:00.002+11:00

With the end of school fast approaching, Ashley wanted to give a little something to each of her classmates. She has been lucky to have such a great kindy class and has really enjoyed her first year of big school. I made some little canvas drawstring bags, using cotton twine for the drawstrings and some iron-on adhesive (heat'n'bond) to decorate them with butterflies from Canyon Flutter. Inside was a pencil and a sharpener for each of them.

If you have a chance, pop over and have a peek at this wonderful giveway.......for gorgeous, gorgeous fabric. My fingers are crossed!

butterflies

2009-10-28T16:44:00.005+11:00

It's not easy to please a five year old girl.....however, if you throw in a little pink, red and a butterfly or two, it's bound to be a hit!

This wrap-up skirt pattern is wonderful. It has simple to follow instructions and a super clever way of making a cute pocket. I will definitely be making a few of these for Christmas presents this year.

library bag

2009-10-14T14:13:00.002+11:00

I've made a few of these library bags recently for little friend's birthdays and filled them up with books. The pattern is the Easiest Accessory Bag Ever and there are three bags to choose from. The one above is the middle sized bag pattern which I like as it has tote bag handles and drawstrings too.

They also make a trip to library a little more colourful and fun!

momo

2009-10-06T15:59:00.009+11:00

The sun decided to come out this afternoon so I quickly took some pictures of a little quilt, just finished, made from momo wonderland fabrics (which I love). It is for my little niece Ruby who is just a few months old.

I enjoy making quilts with rows of squares, not too tricky and nice and quick to put together. I quilted with a soft pink perle 8 cotton and bound it with stipes.

Now it's all bundled up and ready to go!

little birds and teacups

2009-08-26T14:42:00.007+10:00

This little canvas is from Audrey and Maude, a kit that I picked up from the show last week. It was a great project that I could pick up and put down whenever I had a few spare minutes. We have been so busy with this week with book week preparations, poetry festivals, excursions, and science projects......this project was a lot of fun and has helped keep me sane this week!

Ashley isn't too keen on dress-ups and I couldn't convince her to dress-up as a book character for book week so she picked out an outfit from her wardrobe, wore her headband and we all decided that she could get away with being Alice in Wonderland! Each student also had to bring a dish to school for a picnic lunch so we made these little wonderland teacups.

Pink icing on round biscuits with a marshmallow and chocolate freckle on top. The handles were peppermint or musk lifesavers cut in half. Yum!

little bugs and butterflies

2009-08-21T13:50:00.003+10:00

Another quilt done! This one is for my nephew who enjoys The Hungry Little Caterpillar book. The pattern is from Andover Fabrics and the quilt was sent away for machine quilting. The pattern also has an extra border around it but I had to stop here as it was getting too big!

A peek at the backing.....

It's a bit tricky to take photos of it...now it's time to bundle it up and send it to it's new owner!

you might like to know....

2009-08-10T12:56:00.004+10:00

...there's a little competition happening at Umbrella Prints so take a peek and see what you can make with one of their gorgeous trimmings packs!

petals

2009-08-08T16:42:00.004+10:00

Two years and seven months......

........and now it's finished!

from Material Obsession One .

rolling

2009-05-28T16:58:00.003+10:00

Fair Day was great fun! We were lucky with the weather, a beautiful day, and we were lucky to be looking after the children's stall where a lot of little ones came to visit. Now that the fair is over I have had some time to sew up some pencil rolls for friends.....

...and thank-you hair ties for our helpers on stall.

I have some quilts to finish now, a few babies due in the next couple of months. Josh and Ashley will have a couple of new cousins arriving soon! Hopefully I will have some pictures for you soon.

buttons buttons buttons

2009-05-01T13:39:00.007+10:00

I've been spending my evenings in front of the television watching Masterchef and making fabric button hairties for the school fair next Saturday. While sorting them out I thought I'd sneak in a quick picture as they looked so colourful altogether. Ashley has picked out half of them for herself and I have to keep reminding her that they are for the stall! I found the fabric covered button kits in bulk from www.jackobindi.com.au which I was happy about as I've only seen them in spotlight in packs of six. (tried to make a link for the website but having a little trouble with it)
Have a great weekend!

reflecting

2009-04-26T22:38:00.003+10:00

We spent the weekend in Canberra, a three and a half hour drive away from Sydney, and took Josh and Ashley to visit the Australian War Memorial on ANZAC Day. We placed a poppy in the Hall of Honour for the soldiers who sacrificed their lives. I've always loved the flanders poppy, which were one of the first flowers to sprout on the fields following the war. It was a reflective day.

We managed to squeeze in a visit to the Australian Mint and Questacon too, where you can easily spend hours and hours! The kids are in bed now and it's the end of the school holidays. School bags have been taken out of the cupboard, winter uniforms are ready to go and we are back to early starts again tomorrow! Hope you all enjoyed your holiday break too.

machine daze

2009-04-21T07:43:00.004+10:00

I spent Saturday at a machine quilting class at MO, my first attempt at quilting with my sewing machine! I found it quite tricky and very different to the relaxing stitches of hand quilting. I tried leaves and pebbles....

cross-hatching and wonky hearts!

It was a great class and it opened up a lot of new ideas for me who is used to stitching in straight lines only. I just need to practise and hopefully will be brave enough to try and quilt one by machine soon.

button flowers

2009-04-05T11:09:00.003+10:00

Making these flowers is so addictive........

It's so much fun to play around with different buttons and colours.......

I'm not sure what I am going to do with them yet but I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head. Thank-you for your lovely comments, I have been trying to work out how to use the random generator but gave up so I used the good old name on a piece of paper method and a spoonful of sugar was picked - Hooray! Please email me your details Lisa and I'll send your little surprise package. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

100

2009-03-30T10:00:00.004+11:00

Hello again! I've tried to simplify my days, making sure that Josh and Ashley are settled properly into school and now that we are heading towards the end of term 1, I have finally had some time to sew. A little bunting for the school fair which is coming up in May - we are helping out with the children's stall and it should be a lot of fun!

Would you believe this is my 100th post? I'm terrible at posting, very irregular and I tend to drop off for a few months when life gets too hectic....but I made it and I'd like to say thank-you to each of you who has popped in to say hello and keep me company over here! A little giveaway is in order I think so please say hi and I will draw out a name on Friday and send a little parcel of goodies your way if it is you.

Have a great week!

there's no place like home

2009-01-17T18:28:00.004+11:00

Happy New Year! We are back from our beach holiday to Lindeman Island and have had a very relaxing week full of tropical weather, swimming and summer activities with the kids. I'm not usually a beach person so I had to dig out the swimmers and pack the sunscreen and hats. My children love the water so we spent most of the time in the pool and making sandcastles on the beach.....I even managed to finish a novel too! It felt strange not to worry about cooking meals or cleaning the house - it made me realise how much time I do actually spend doing the housework.

It is good to be back home though and we are now getting ready for school. Ashley starts school this year and I'm a little sad - she has always been the baby of our family and I can't believe she will be starting kindy.

Hope are are enjoying the school holidays too....only a couple of weeks to go!

time to pack

2009-01-07T16:47:00.002+11:00

I know NYE fireworks were a week ago but we are running on holiday time around here and things are taking a lot longer than usual! We are off on a little holiday tomorrow....just the four of us, and we are looking forward to some nice family time together in the sun. Have a good week everyone and see you when we get back!

2008-12-27T16:46:00.002+11:00

Just popping in quickly from my mum's place as our computer has quite literally blown up! We've had no computer for the past week and I'm not sure when it will be back either. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Santa was good to you all (we are still eating our way through lunches and dinners with family)!
Today we celebrated a friend's wedding which was a traditional Laotian ceremony. It was so beautiful and the colours were so stunning and vibrant. My husband's family is from Laos and we didn't have a traditional ceremony so it was interesting to see one today with all the traditions and rituals. I think my favourite was tying on a small piece of white cotton string to the bride's wrist to signify well wishes to the couple. You might be able to see them all tied on her wrist in the picture below....

Wishing you all a Happy New Year too!!! (just in case we don't get our computer back in time)

partridge in a pear tree

2008-12-18T08:29:00.004+11:00

hello! Just popping in quickly to show you the last of the dolly quilt mailouts for the year. Must admit that I haven't had a chance to start the last couple but I couldn't resist this one.....being a Christmas theme and all! School holidays have started and pre-school is in it's last days. Plans have been made for the holiday break and Christmas shopping is all done (phew)!

The pear tree was made using an 18 degree circle segment ruler - a new favourite toy. Very quick and easy and the partridge and pears were appliquéd on.

I always enjoy sewing on the binding, it's my favourite part of making a quilt! Below are some spare change squares which arrived this week - beautiful fabrics, I think I will jumble them together and make a quilt with them as they are.

Time now for catching up with family and friends, a wedding, some sewing (hopefully) and counting down the days until Christmas!

more time

2008-11-21T16:34:00.004+11:00

This little stash of AB goodness (except for the book) was given out at the Amy Butler evening last night . It was a nice night, hearing all about her life and inspiration....although it did feel a little bit like watching mornings with Kerri-Anne!

Market stall has been postponed, due to an over allocation of stalls and to be honest with you, I'm a little relieved. It's left me with time to make a colouring wallet by Jennifer Casa which I first spotted here. A great pattern...I think there will be a few friends receiving these over Christmas!

mermaids and pirates

2008-11-15T19:40:00.002+11:00

Ashley's friend is having a birthday party with a mermaids and pirates theme in a couple of months so we made up these little bags to see whether she would like to use them as lolly bags. They were sewn up with some cotton canvas and a little drawstring looped through the top. The fabrics were ironed on with heat'n'bond, an iron-on adhesive, and the little pirate face was hand sewn with some embroidery thread. Super quick and easy!

....and I couldn't resist these beauties from our local fruit shop!

to market

2008-11-11T13:54:00.003+11:00

A few friends and I are putting together a little market stall in a few weeks. We are making little things and putting them together to see if anyone would like them. I was excited about it a couple of months ago when we decided to do this but now I'm not so sure! I'm finding it difficult to sit at the sewing machine to make something for someone I don't know and progress has been slow. So far I have a stack of coasters and some little kids totes.......time to get sewing!

little ghosts

2008-11-01T08:09:00.003+11:00

It was our first Halloween trick or treating with the kids. They dressed up as a witch and wizard, their outfits and capes quickly sewn up the night before. Lolly bags prepared for the little ones and ghost meringues for the mums and dads. All sugared up before bedtime and had loads of fun.... Happy Halloween!

too nice

2008-10-11T17:26:00.002+11:00

This lovely package arrived in the mail this week from Kellie....thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! It is a gorgeous smock and monkey (plus watercolour paints) which Ashley just loves. The smock is too nice to use but I don't think my chances of talking Ash out of using it are very good. I've always admired Kellie's pretty designs and I have to say that they look even better in person. The detail, colours and fabric choices are just perfect.

My favourite part is this little bird.......thanks Kellie!

summer dress

2008-10-07T19:59:00.003+11:00

I ventured into Spotlight the other day to have a look at some overlockers. After making Ashley's skirt a few weeks ago I thought I would try making her a dress as well and started to research a little on overlockers. I have no idea about these machines and haven't even used one before so any bits of advice anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

As I walked through the store, the top fabric in blue pictured above caught my eye. It looks very much like the bottom fabric in pinks which is a Liberty print I love and purchased a tiny amount of and haven't yet used. Is it just me or do they look very similar? The blue print came at a bargain price of $6.99 so I thought it would be perfect for a summer dress.....

This pattern is from here and is called the simple servant frock. A nice and simple pattern for a beginner like me.

....and I'm happy because Ashley likes it!

fun mail

2008-09-26T18:08:00.003+10:00

It's Friday and the start of the school holidays! What better way to start them off than to have a read of these quilting magazines from Lisa, which landed on our doorstep as part of a magazine swap organised by (another) Lisa. Thanks Lisa, lots of inspiration and fun projects in these magazines.

Here is a little peek at what I'm working on.......hope you enjoy your weekend!

twirls

2008-09-22T19:59:00.004+10:00

My daughter loves her skirts and dresses. I'm relieved that the days are getting warmer as she always likes to pick out the dress without sleeves or wants to wear skirts without tights. This little twirly skirt is my first attempt at making something for her to wear. When I finished it she asked me who it was for and I felt a little guilty because I realised that I usually make things for other children. When I told her it was for her she changed into it right away!

It twirls!

This pattern is the Ruffled Skirts Tutorial from Grand Revival Designs. Give it a try, it's simple and fun!

counting down

2008-09-18T19:33:00.004+10:00

Is it too early to be thinking about Christmas? I'm one of those people that always get caught out with last minute Christmas shopping. This year I'm hoping it will be different. I'm trying the handmade approach this year....not sure how it will go as I always feel a bit nervous when making gifts for family and friends. I made some coasters from the last minute patchwork book, you can never have too many coasters can you?

I love the new Urban Chicks range 1974 which I'm hoping to make into a quilt for home. I ordered it from Pink Chalk Fabrics which has the speediest delivery. Only one week, which is super fast from the US to Sydney. Now I just need to decide on a pattern for it!

just in time

2008-09-15T09:20:00.004+10:00

Our nephew's 1st birthday party was yesterday and the quilt was finished just in time. I ended up quilting rows just inside each block with white perle cotton. It was a bit tricky sewing straight so I stuck some masking tape down to help me sew straight lines up and down and across the quilt.

It's a cot sized quilt and I added a white border to make it just a little bigger. Making a quilt that is big enough to fit over an actual bed is something that is on my to do list!

Here's a peek at the back which is mostly white with a strip of coloured squares. Now for a rest......until the next birthday!

this little piggy

2008-09-04T20:10:00.003+10:00

I have a nephew who is turning one in a couple of weeks and I have been frantically trying to finish up this quilt for him in time for his birthday party next weekend! I spotted this tutorial for a disappearing nine patch and thought I would give it a try. I think my quilts all look the same, made up of squares and usually in blues, reds and whites. At least this one has different sized squares! It is a crib sized quilt and the top and backing are done. I think I will sandwich it together tomorrow night as it's been a long day.

Here is a little close up of some of the piggy fabric....he was born in the chinese zodiac year of the pig! I'm hoping to hand quilt it with a perle cotton, maybe just around the inside of the squares. I always get stuck for ideas on quilting....anyone have any other ideas?

hello spring

2008-09-01T19:47:00.002+10:00

It's the first day of spring and we couldn't have asked for a better day! Blue skies and not having to wear long sleeves or scarf made for a beautiful day. We spent the morning baking fairy wands and then ate them outside in the sunshine. It was difficult not to want to make pointy stars and ice them evenly but watching the little ones creating their own versions was worth it!

I also pulled out this spring inspired quilt which I have been hand quilting (for quite some time now). Almost there......

roll up

2008-08-18T08:49:00.003+10:00

The thing I like most about sewing is being able to make gifts for friends and family. Making something with just that one person in mind, something that they would like, in their favourite colours and hoping they will feel happy using it, knowing it was made just for them!

Our friend Eliza is turning five this week so I made her a little pencil roll using the pattern from Last Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts. She loves to make things and likes all things pretty so I thought it would come in handy.

Packaged up in a little tote bag for her so that she can take it with her anywhere....in her favourite colours. Happy Birthday Eliza!

another dolly

2008-08-11T09:05:00.007+10:00

Is it just me or are the days getting colder? Spring seems so far away with our frosty mornings and windy afternoons. Perfect weather for quilting which is why I have a few pictures of the July dolly quilt from material obsession....just finished!

I'm used to patterns and structure, squares and triangles, so this was something new for me. It will be interesting to see how some of the other quilts turn out.

This one is quilted with a perle 8 cotton.

.....and bordered with assorted fabric tongues. Hope you all had a good (warm) weekend!!

lunchbag

2008-07-29T19:22:00.004+10:00

A couple of our very close friends are living in Tokyo at the moment and the good thing is, we can visit them (we popped over last April) and they stay with us when they are in Sydney. Carol knows about my weakness for Japanese fabrics and craft magazines and always brings over some treats, so when she asked me to make a lunchbag for her daughter, I jumped at the chance! Her daughter is in daycare and apparently all the little children bring their lunches in fabric drawstring bags made in cute fabrics. I made one with a matching placemat with a yellow polka dot trim. The picture doesn't show much, which could be a good thing because I haven't sent it yet!

I did manage to send my quilt for the 4SQS but only took this picture of one of it's corners in the hope that I would take more on a sunnier day (but I forgot!). It's on it's way now to it's new owner....I hope she likes it.

it's a wrap!

2008-07-25T16:09:00.004+10:00

There are so many great tutorials out there at the moment, one of which is this gratitude wrap which I managed to put together last night. It's nice and simple and perfect for keeping cards and stationery in!

The trickiest part was getting the binding on straight. I used some ready made binding but it was still fiddly around the corners!

Some other tutorials that I'm hoping to try are these pinwheel quilted coasters and some button top brads . If you have some time, make sure you have a peek at free design goodies too as they have some wonderful freebies to keep you busy!

mail

2008-07-23T21:48:00.005+10:00

This arrived on my doorstep yesterday afternoon.....a swell summer quilt from Lisa. It is so perfect, the fabric, the colours....the stitching!

a peek at the back, I love this line of fabrics......

and it arrived with goodies!

A close up of the corner which had some giant ric-rac added on. I think I've been lucky to receive this quilt, thank-you so much Lisa, I love it!

another block

2008-07-22T08:57:00.003+10:00

Another block is done on the ginger grove quilt. I started this quilt while taking quilting classes and the shop is now closing down so I'll be finishing this up on my own. It's a slow process, all those berries to stitch on......

a little escape

2008-07-21T08:45:00.006+10:00

We spent a few days in Hunter Valley last week where we were surrounded by vineyards. We used to go there often before we had children and haven't been back there for years so it was like a nice trip down memory lane for us. A little different this time though....instead of sleep-ins, wine-tasting and dining out, we were up early visiting playgrounds, playing tennis and keeping busy with other kiddies activities! (poppies from Hunter Valley Gardens)

We did manage to pop into a couple of vineyards to stock up on some wine.....

and now we're back home again and Josh is back at school today....three weeks has flown!

pin pillows

2008-07-10T09:33:00.005+10:00

I've been trying a little embroidery....something I haven't done much of before. The stitching is a bit wonky but it's relaxing and I like the idea of finishing a project in a couple of days.

......balls of yarn (just in case you were wondering)

....and some circles which were chain stitched in different colours.

......made into pin pillows and on their way to new homes!

anneliese

2008-07-07T15:30:00.002+10:00

I fell in love with this picture as soon as I saw it here and just had to have one of my very own. It is sitting beside my sewing machine now and makes me just want to quilt all afternoon!

summer

2008-07-01T13:08:00.004+10:00

Yesterday we spent the morning swimming and then we grabbed a quick lunch (good old happy meals!). We stayed home in the afternoon so I managed to do some sewing. I seem to get a lot more sewing done during the holidays, not sure if that's good or bad! I finished off the top for the summer quilt swap which I've just joined. I've had a peek at other little creations and it's a bit daunting to see all the beautiful work out there. Mine is very simple but I tried to use some summery fabrics to brighten it up!

Tonight I'm planning on starting the quilting!

sunshine

2008-06-28T10:59:00.004+10:00

The sun is out and school holidays have begun! I'm looking forward to the next few weeks, without the early morning routines and just planning each day as it comes. Last night I finished up the quilting on June's dolly quilt mailout. It's a fun quilt to make, although I think I made the green border a little too wide (oops!). Making the prairie points around the edges is something new for me and I will definitely be trying them again.....

Here's a peek at the back.......

Have a good weekend everyone!

it's cold!

2008-06-15T06:50:00.005+10:00

It's been so cold and windy the past few days......perfect for sewing and staying in, hot chocolates and reading books! These cute little fabrics arrived from amitie this week as part of their blog mailout (might be making some bibs out of these!).

I've started a few little projects here and there but I'm still trying to actually finish one. Here is a peek at some prairie points that will border a small quilt that is almost done!

simple things

2008-05-27T10:20:00.006+10:00

Here's a quick project to use up those scraps! I used Amy Butler's business card holder pattern from her website and it's handy to keep those library/membership cards in. I needed a little project in between the quilts which seem to take me so long.

This morning we also managed a little baking for friends who are popping over today. We tried to make a chocolate sponge cake on the weekend and it was a total disaster. Flat as a frisbee and as hard as a rock. So we went for the trusty choc-chip recipe that never fails us!

rectangles and squares

2008-05-19T13:25:00.004+10:00

This weekend the rotary cutter got a bit of a workout. I started on the May dolly quilt package which is made up a lot of small squares and rectangles. These packages come with fabrics chosen for you already which is great as I find choosing fabrics difficult and you have a chance to play around with colours and fabrics that you normally wouldn't choose.

I've also been meaning to make a little lap quilt for home to keep us warm (it's getting so cold!) and decided to try Amy Butler's brick path quilt pattern.

Once again the rotary cutter was put to good use.....144 rectangles have been cut, only 54 to go!

block 7

2008-05-05T09:31:00.004+10:00

This weekend just flew by (don't all weekends?!) and in between lunches with family and birthday parties for friends I managed to start on block 7 of Sue Spargo's Ginger Grove. This block is made up 3 cotton heart shapes, with woollen stems and berries. I just need to find some embroidery thread in the right colour now to finish it off. Hope you had a good weekend too!

wheels

2008-04-30T16:07:00.003+10:00

This month's dolly quilt was finished just in time. It's my favourite so far, using a segment ruler to make this circular pattern (something I have never tried before). Great for using up scraps as you don't need large pieces of fabric. I will definitely be trying this pattern again with what I have in my little stash!

party bags

2008-04-27T19:25:00.003+10:00

Back to school tomorrow after two weeks of holidays. It's been nice and relaxing spending time with the kids and not running around trying to get from one place to another!
We had a first birthday party to go to on Saturday for our good friend Jamie and we packed his little present in a personalised canvas bag.

.....inside was a card with an elephant shape cut out, fabric glued underneath and an eye and ear stitched on with embroidery thread.

.....and the canvas bag with a circle appliqued on, woollen "j" stitched on top and red stitching around the edges. Happy Birthday Jamie!

hello again

2008-04-24T15:40:00.006+10:00

There has been a bit of sewing going on around here. After a few months of trying to find the time and motivation to sew, I think taking a break has helped and I am slowly finishing up projects that have been piling up on my table. Josh's quilt is finally done, all it needs is a label and he is so happy to have one of his very own. It already has it's own little spot in his room...

I've also joined a dolly quilt mail-out which I'd recommend to anyone as it's a lot of fun! Each month a package is sent out with instructions and materials for a new dolly quilt. It's great to play around with different fabrics and to whip up a quilt in a matter of weeks. My daughter is slowly accumulating a little collection, perfect for her baby dolls!

mail

2007-11-05T17:07:00.000+11:00

This wonderful package arrived on our doorstep from the lovely Megan, full of goodies and inspiration. I'm looking forward to using these fabrics and was thrilled to see some hollabee fabric again, this time I'll be making something for home - thank-you Megan!

Here are some pictures of block two and three from the sue spargo quilt which I've been slowly (very slowly) working on. I enjoy sewing with wool, the texture is beautiful and it doesn't fray so it's super easy to sew on!

guilt quilt

2007-10-15T19:49:00.000+10:00

Mother guilt. I am constantly wondering whether my children are adjusting to school/daycare, whether they are making friends, whether they are confident in themselves and if they are as happy as they possibly can be. I tend to forget that they are just 3 and 5 and they are children and the smallest things can make them happy.
I've just finished the quilt top for Josh's first quilt which he helped pick out the fabrics for (the goldfish are his favourite!). He is so happy and it's made me work on it constantly as he can't wait until it's done.

The binding will be this stripey fabric, all I need to do now is quilt it.......should be ready by the middle of summer!!!

coasting

2007-10-14T09:57:00.000+10:00

After a two week break, it's back to school tomorrow. It's been nice spending some time at home with the kids, relaxing and catching up with friends. I managed to find a little time this weekend to use this beautiful fabric from Hollabee. It is a cotton/linen blend and I love the print on them!

They're coasters.......a set of eight, for some friends!

not a tote

2007-09-19T19:17:00.000+10:00

If you're looking for a bag pattern that is simple and fun, try this one from grand revival designs. It is reversable, can be made in a large or small size (I tried the small one) and can be made in an over the shoulder or satchel style! I found mine at duckcloth which is having a sale on some fabrics at the moment and has free postage within Australia!

not quite sure

2007-09-12T09:50:00.000+10:00

Have you ever started a project, and after a while you start not to like it so much and then you struggle to find the inspiration to work on it at all?
This is the first block of a sue spargo quilt that I started months ago and it's unlike anything I've done before. I started it to try something different, it has a lot of applique and bias, and I've used deeper coloured fabrics along with wool felt.

It's starting to grow on me now, after the first block is done.

I've started the second block.....let's hope I'll have pictures of it soon!

swap happy

2007-09-10T10:36:00.000+10:00

Three lovely parcels arrived the other day as part of the scrap swap from my swap partner, Tamara. They were divided into fabrics for Josh, Ash and for me. Ashley oohed and aahed (and so did I) over her pretty florals and Josh loved his cool cowboy prints and stripes. I was lucky to receive some gorgeous prints too and am looking forward to using them. It's funny how different fabrics can give you the inspiration to sew, I have all these little projects that I have been meaning to try and a lot of the fabrics I received are just perfect for them!

Tamara also sent some gorgeous pins and hairties for Ashley, which she wore right away and you can find them right here!

Thanks Tamara, you've been so generous and it's been fun swapping with you!

sunny days

2007-07-25T10:53:00.000+10:00

I've been trying to finish off this tote for a friend's birthday and it's finally done! I usually have trouble matching up the lining and outside fabric (and end up with little gathers) but I think I might have gotten away with just a small pucker this time. I also attached the handles to the outside for a change and did a wobbly little criss cross.....it was a little trickier than I thought it would be.

And while the machine was out, I sewed up these cushion covers. I haven't made cushions before so the back is an envelope closure. Now I have to work out how to make buttonholes on my machine before I add on some buttons!

Now it's time to head outdoors....the sun is out and it's a beautiful day!!!

where do the hours go?

2007-07-21T10:28:00.000+10:00

Looking forward to the weekend and hoping there will be some time to sit and sew up some of the ideas that are swirling around in my head.

Thanks for your comments, the two names picked for the giveaway are Allison and Kirsten! (please leave your email in the comments so that I can get in touch with you)
Have a great weekend everyone!

one year on

2007-07-17T09:18:00.000+10:00

Have you seen these Petit Pattern Books? I managed to find the one on Scandinavian Style and it is full of beautiful geometric patterns that are also provided on a CD so that you can upload them on your computer and copy or change them as you like! It's a beautiful book and I'm looking forward to playing around with the patterns. Here are a couple of my favourites.....

isbn: 9784861003868 (take a look at print & pattern for more)

It has also been one year since I started this blog. I'm not very good at posting as I find it hard to juggle everything all at once most of the time. I do enjoy it though and I'm happy to just go along at my own little pace. I appreciate each and every comment that is posted and to say thank-you I'd like to send a couple of goodies your way! One is a japanese craft book on aprons and the other is an issue of Cotton Friend (current issue) which is packed with goodness. Just leave a comment and I will pick out a couple of names in a few days!

new home

2007-07-16T08:30:00.000+10:00

The quilt is all finished and has a new home now!

sashiko

2007-07-11T14:58:00.000+10:00

It's school holidays and we have been busy here trying to keep the little ones entertained each day. This morning we braced the cold and ventured out to the grower's market where we found some deliciously sweet strawberries. I planned to spend the afternoon baking with the kids, using the strawberries but they just didn't last long enough!

I also recently found a sashiko kit and made this little patch. It is a form of traditional stitching used in Japan, originally used to hold layers of fabric together for extra warmth. I really like the simple geometric patterns and one of my favourites is this wave pattern. The kit came with a stencilled piece of fabric which made it easier to stitch these waves. You can find them from abundia if you like. Not sure what I'm going to do with the patch now, maybe turn it into a pocket for something?

spots and stripes

2007-06-18T08:36:00.000+10:00

The quilt top is done! The pattern is from here and I used very similar fabrics as I liked it's bright and happy colours. I changed the border fabric to a deeper blue as it is for a boy and the original has more reds and pinks.

Now it's time to sandwich it together and start the hand quilting!

moopies

2007-06-06T10:14:00.000+10:00

What do you do when friends and family are all popping out babies? Make mini-moopies of course!

card making

2007-06-04T10:28:00.000+10:00

I visited the shoppe not long ago and couldn't resist these beautiful cards. They arrived so quicky (unusual for us in Australia!) and were packaged so perfectly. They inspired me to make some cards over the weekend.....

When we were in Japan we found a beautiful washi store in Ginza that sold traditional japanese paper. There were so many patterns and styles and I ended up choosing red, navy and white designs. I used them on these cards underneath teardrop patterns.

.......and on the back, I used a traditional Korean stamp with my name carved out on it in Korean characters.

friday

2007-06-01T16:54:00.000+10:00

I love fridays. I can start to relax at around 3pm when I've picked up the kids from school/kindy and we're on the way home. No more rushing around, trying to bath and feed them and having them in bed by 7pm. It's even better when you know you will have a morning to yourself the next day. I'll be spending the morning with a friend for a coffee and a catch-up (hopfeully some shopping too!).

There is so much I want to do this weekend.....finish off a quilt top, do a little sewing, make some cards, start a new quilt and the list goes on. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

beads n wire

2007-05-28T07:42:00.000+10:00

We went to visit my sister-in-law's bead store on Saturday and It was just like going into a button shop, colours everywhere and so much to choose from!

These tiny floral beads are my favourite.....

We spent Sunday threading them up, making bracelets for Ash, Josh and their friends....might have to visit again this weekend!

Beads N Wire, Shop 5, 7 Hillcrest Road, Pennant Hills 2120

wip

2007-05-25T11:15:00.001+10:00

I have a bit of trouble coming up with quilt ideas for boys. I always end up choosing floral themed fabrics and tend towards red stripes or spots. This one is for my nephew and it's looking very bright....we'll have to see how it turns out. I'm hoping to finish it before his christening in July so fingers crossed!

change of mind

2007-05-23T08:40:00.000+10:00

I started this quilt months ago when I found out I was going to be an aunt and it turned out to be a very girly quilt. I now have a new nephew James so I have had to start another one! Ash has claimed this one for herself and it just covers her as she is three.

It's a simple quilt, nine inch squares and hand quilted with a criss cross pattern. I'm so glad it's finished!

coming up for air

2007-05-22T08:44:00.000+10:00

It's been a busy few months. I took a small break to spend time with the kids, get used to new routines and to try and get a little more organised around here. I can now pack two sets of lunches in 5 minutes, half asleep, at six in the morning!

We made a trip to Japan and Korea to visit friends and family in April. It was wonderful (and tiring) to take Josh and Ash away. We just missed the cherry blossom festival but managed to find a few still in bloom!

big school

2007-02-05T08:01:00.000+11:00

Guess who started school?
He is having a great time and I'm happy to say that there were no tears on the first day (from Josh or from me!). We are now getting used to new routines......earlier bedtimes, morning traffic, packing lunches, ironing uniforms and tying up shoelaces!

happy australia day!

2007-01-27T05:34:00.000+11:00

It was Australia Day yesterday and we celebrated at home with friends, a bbq and yummy pavlovas! They were fun to make and decorate, although I forgot the most essential ingredient.....passionfruit. I thought something was missing, they just weren't the same without passionfruit and now we have half a dozen sitting in our fruitbowl. I think I will have to make another batch today!

I've also been tagged by Tiff, to mention 5 things that I haven't mentioned before on this little blog! I find it difficult to say too much about myself and my family, which is why I prefer taking and posting up pictures. So for a change I am going to let you know a little bit more about us.........

1. I'm 34, been married for 7 years, work part-time and have two little ones that keep me busy!

2. I was born in West Germany, to Korean parents and have been living in Australia since I was 2.

3. I can't cook (much prefer cleaning). I can't resist a good recipe book but always end up baking up something from the dessert section.

4. I studied economics and didn't like it, which is why it took me 6 years to finish a 3 year degree!

5. I love being an at home mum.

I'd like to tag Ali and Kirsten, if you haven't been tagged already!

three and six

2007-01-19T10:10:00.000+11:00

Miss Ashley turned three yesterday! I can't believe how quickly the time has passed and how much she has grown up in the past few months. She always loved her dummy as a baby and when she turned 2, we took it away from her as she hardly spoke at all and we were getting a little worried. Now she is 3 and a little miss chatterbox who always has something to say!

I took these cupcakes to kindy for Ash and her friends (I didn't bake them), they are from babycakes where they make delicious baby cupcakes. The cupcakes themselves are yummy in many different flavours, but the little ones still ended up just licking the icing off anyway!

I've been tagged by Ali , here are six weird things about me.....
- I love doing laundry. I won't let anyone touch the laundry as I love to sort, hang and fold the washing almost each day!
- I love green thai curry that my husband makes, and can it eat it for breakfast.
- I can't go to sleep in an unmade bed. Even if I am going to bed in 5 minutes, I have to make the bed before I get in.
- I don't like animals without legs. Snails and worms terrify me!
- The toilet paper roll has to have the paper hanging over the top, if it isn't, I turn it around.
- I can't wear the colour white. I have white tops but if I put them on, I change my mind as I feel like a lightbulb.

Most people I know have already been tagged so feel free to join in!

starting again

2007-01-12T09:06:00.000+11:00

Thank-you for all your suggestions and comments on making a quilt label. They are a big help and I am going to give them a try as they all sound like great ideas......I will let you know how I go! I started on another quilt a few weeks ago, with applique which is something I haven't tried before. I've done my first square and only have 35 more to go! Not sure how long this will take me as it is fiddly and trickier than a straight running stitch (which is why I like my square patches).

all finished

2007-01-03T08:23:00.000+11:00

My very first quilt is finally finished! It's all stitched, hand quilted and binding has been done. I thought it would just take a couple of months to complete but it took a whole 6 months (and it's only a cot sized quilt)! I've learnt a lot, mainly that these things take time and I've really enjoyed making it. Now it is all bundled up and ready to be sent to it's new home. The only thing is, I haven't been able to find any quilt labels that I like. I'm looking for something simple, does anyone have any ideas?

small things

2006-12-29T17:26:00.000+11:00

This is a small drawstring pouch I made for a friend with a little present tucked inside and a small vintage button on the front. We had a fun Christmas with Josh and Ash, watching them unwrap their pressies from Santa and sharing Christmas dinner with family. This Christmas has been a special one for us, it has made us realise how important family is and to remember our loved ones. I hope you have also had a lovely Christmas.

happy christmas

2006-12-25T14:32:00.000+11:00

Happy Happy Christmas! We have three birthdays in December and one in January for our family so it's always a busy time of the year for us. I hope you have a safe and happy holiday with your loved ones!

postcards in the mail...

2006-12-15T14:44:00.000+11:00

(top row: from jenn, buttered parsnips, dani, and lily; bottom row: from beate, beki,alina and michelle.) Thank-you!
I'm off to pick up the kids now......have a wonderful weekend everyone!

tagged

2006-12-09T14:54:00.000+11:00

When I read Ali's post yesterday I almost fell off my chair when she tagged me! Thanks Ali, here goes......

4 jobs I've had

sales assistant in a book/stationery store

customer service in a bank

worked in a finance company

and now working in aged care.

4 movies I could watch over and over

pride and prejudice (any version!)

chocolat

any james bond movie

4 places I have lived (apart from where I am now)

herdecke, germany - born there and stayed till i was 2

mackay, queensland - where we first arrived in australia

sydney - where i have been for years and years!

4 TV shows I love

greys anatomy

amazing race

law and order

(why do I keep getting stuck at 3?!)

4 places I have been for a vacation

Prague - so beautiful, loved it.

Paris - so romantic.

Malaysia - so much to eat.

Korea - where my family is from.

4 websites I visit daily

bloglines

flickr

ebay

4 favourite foods

chocolate

any dessert with apple and/or rhubarb

pasta that my husband cooks (he's the chef in our house, I can't cook)

japanese

4 places I would rather be

Tokyo, Japan - to visit a friend and shop!

Somewhere on the coast of Italy - relaxing in a small village near the water

Las Vegas - don't mind trying out my luck!

Thailand - to explore

4 people I am tagging

Nic (sweet little treat)

Laura (no appropriate behavior)

Joyce (slateblu)

(3 again!)

busy postman

2006-12-04T14:09:00.000+11:00

This wonderful apron book arrived at our house recently and I have been flicking through it's pages ever since trying to decide on a favourite. I love aprons but haven't tried to make one yet......it is on a long list of things that I would love to try and make but the project just seems too hard.

(isbn: 4579108035)

I also received a lovely swap package from Maitreya....thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

summer

2006-12-01T07:28:00.000+11:00

Blooming natives in our backyard.....I think they are a type of eucalyptus tree?

I also received a postcard yesterday as part of the postcard swap....thank-you, I love the tree!

swap fever

2006-11-27T12:54:00.000+11:00

I have finally managed to finish off my ornaments for the holiday swap. It feels like it has taken me forever, but I am glad they are done now and on their way to their new homes!

Each of them were packaged in a little bag to keep them safe during their journey!

I also signed up for the postcard swap - I don't think I will sign up for more than one swap at a time in the future, it was hard work trying to come up with an idea for the postcards. I just drew a blank and had no idea what to make! As you can see, I kept up with the tree theme........

They were posted off this morning too! Now for a cup of tea........

run, run, run

2006-11-26T10:18:00.000+11:00

We spent the morning baking gingerbread men.....some were covered in blue and orange sprinkles with hundreds and thousands but they didn't last long enough for me to take a picture!

what a bird!

2006-11-23T20:43:00.000+11:00

It's late, I should be asleep but hubby is away overseas on a business trip and I can't seem to sleep so I thought I would do a quick post to show you what arrived in the mail.

A lovely felt bird from Frances, as part of the holiday ornament swap. It's so cute, beautiful stitching and beads and a wonderful card to go with it. Thank-you so much, it's going straight onto our tree!

packaged surprise

2006-11-21T07:16:00.000+11:00

This wonderful swap surprise arrived from Ali yesterday, full of goodness! Thanks Ali for your thoughtful package, especially the buttoned up gingerbread man, cute fabrics, great magazine, groovy gloves and Christmas goodies!

The lights have already found themselves a home........thank-you!

oh christmas tree

2006-11-20T14:09:00.000+11:00

Christmas trees for the ornament swap! They are backed with felt and stuffed a little for shape, the only thing is I forgot to add some ribbon so that they can be hung up on the tree! I managed to find an eyelet thingy that will hopefully solve the problem.....just waiting for hubby to get home so that he can help me work out how it is done.

Hopefully I can package them up and send them off before the fast approaching deadline. Then get a speedy start on the postcard swap!

a little bribe

2006-11-16T07:54:00.000+11:00

I couldn't resist, I had to visit my favourite fabric store yesterday. I have almost finished the quilting on the baby quilt I am working on so am looking for a different project that involves applique as I haven't tried it before. I took Josh and Ash with me, armed with lollipops for bribery and we lasted a whole 15 minutes in the store before they got bored and restless. Just enough time for me to grab a pattern and some fabrics to start me off! I found a nice summery pattern and floral fabrics in the hope that I will have it finished by the time summer rolls around.

This swap package of fabric, buttons and yummy chocolate arrived yesterday from Laura. Thank-you so much! I love red and love chocolate!

See how perfectly they are folded? Can't wait to use these red fabrics!

WIP

2006-11-10T06:56:00.000+11:00

I started on some Christmas bits and pieces last night while watching tv and came up with some shapes for decorations. Not sure what to do next but at least it's a start!

We also had Josh's orientation day for school yesterday. He is starting next year and I can't believe it. I have been counting down the days for him to start school and now that it is just a few months away, I think I will be one of those mums fighting back the tears on the first day! Now there are new things to worry about.....will he be happy at school or will he make good friends? I have a feeling it is harder on the mums and dads than it is for the kids!

the saga continues....

2006-11-03T18:36:00.000+11:00

I think it has been a few months now since I started on my first quilt (baby size of course!). Little did I know then, that I would still be working on it now, with no end in sight. Patchwork class was last night and it took me an hour to sandwich the quilt together. I then started on the actual hand quilting and managed a total of about 10cms. Can you see it?

It was tough, a lot harder than my practice piece. So I decided to pack it up and try again over the weekend.

Some new spring clothes for Ashley.....

A pretty t-shirt from one of my favourite places where I can always find something nice!

quilt again

2006-11-01T09:09:00.000+11:00

Another baby quilt top finished. Classes start again this week so hopefully I will get started on the actual quilting as I need to get them finished soon!

Next on the list is a boy quilt. I think I will try something different to squares, not sure what though.

just around the corner

2006-10-27T09:19:00.000+10:00

I have started on some Christmas stockings. It's my favourite holiday season, especially since we had two little ones that look forward to visits from Santa! I used a canvas lining to try and give it more shape as I wasn't too keen on using batting in case it turned into an oven mit kind of stocking.

Surprise flowers also arrived yesterday (thank-you!). The orange ones are called pincushions, how sweet is that?!