Handmade Birthday Presents

I must admit is it getting hard as they get older but the lovely Ness pointed me to the direction of crochet finger puppets. She modified the matching castle and so they were made.

Orginal pattern from here and here but if you check out Ness's she added in a Prince and a Witch.....clever clogs! I am not that clever nor have the inclination as if you will remember, I vowed to not crochet toys again!

It's the day of the party!

It has arrived. There is excitement in the house. I must say I am glad....I am over the Dinosaur/dragon theme this year. I long for pretty cakes......

Anyways, here is Mr B's birthday cake for his party today. His tail is a tad short as I miscalculated the size and his scales aren't scaly enough but B loves it and that is all that matters!!





And just for the fun of it...here is the Master A's first birthday cake from feb. If I am breaking the craft only posts I may as well do it properly!

My big boy is going to be six!

I'm breaking my "only craft posts" rule. Tomorrow my big baby is turning 6. According to him there are so many things that a 6 year old can do that a 5 year old can't. They can read, say grace and bedtime prayers (though as 3 year old he could do this but not a 4 or 5!!!), amazing!

While the party is on Sunday complete with dinosaur cake, he has once again requested bug cupcakes. As I love making them so much I didn't argue so here they are in all their glory.

Happy Birthday to my B boy!!

Birthday Fat Quarter Swap

Well the EB girls are truly amazing and this is the sort of thing that happens on your birthday. Your postie gets really cranky and has to drive up and plonk a huge amount of mail on your door s it doesn't fit in your mail box. It then happens to be full of lovely lovely fat quarters and other lovely little surprizes. You guys rock, you really do.

Here is the most eclectic mixture of lovely lovely fabric:

Top Row: Adds (HUGE piece of Robert Kaufman, Amanda - AJ(Lovely spots - think it's prints charming), Bec (Retro cats in Paris!), Joy (lovely pink and yellow print), Leah (chocolate print on dusky pink. Definatly my fav!!)


Middle Row: Cass (Gorgy Retrol Dick and Jane I think and an Owl and Pussycat Magnet), Kylie (Prints charming & Button box), Natalie (funky purple paisly and wonder pieved quilts mag), Amanda (Michael Miller heads, retro blue scrap and 2007 Annual P&Q mag - YAY - don't have this one!)


Bottom Row: Emma (Palazzo - Yippeee!), Xena (ovely mushrooms), Lily ( Freespirit and a charm square), Helen (Gorgeous Geisha Girls)


Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

A day at the Job Warehouse

I got my day and boy was it a day. Mucking around in the dust and dirt and boxes and crates. The stuff that I unearthed was amazing. Lace, trim, ceramic buttons, thimbles, button on collars, woollen under garments and feathers in every colour of the rainbow all hand wired, braids, lace, netting, satins, silks felt hats.

Here is some of the treasures that were unearthed!
Guipure Lace, black 100% cotton on wooden spools, ceramic buttons, tortoiseshell buttons














Lace, lace and more lace, trim, ricrack, sequined trim, eyelet lace. I can't take good photos but this stuff is so beautiful.
















Darning thread in every colour of the rainbow. Even some wool darning thread!







I haven't taken pictures of the other things that really don't show up well. Some buttons that are made of pressed metal, some old buckles, thimbles. Oh the goodies.

I have been invited back and can't wait to go next time to see what I can find.

The Big Flower gets Quilted!

Easter is a perfect time for eating chocolate and quilting. They go hand and hand really as they are 2 of my favourite things.

This Easter I had the time to quilt my Big Flower quilt that I had been putting off. The stippling is a little dodgy as the old sewing machine's tension has decided it's too old to behave, but we managed in the end. Ended up stippling flower chains in the 16 square patches and echo lines int he flowers and leave. I'm really happy with the end effect. A few dodgy lines but......gives it character.















My lovely lounge loves it's present.

Sewing with Babysitters

My mum is the best. She is here visiting at the moment and I got to sew all day yesterday!!

My beautiful friend's daughter was christened today so I made some little shoes, a ball and an ABC's book. I so happy with how they all turned out.
































Then as I was on a roll.....I whipped up a second pair for the little baby Georgia that was born last week with a rough start to life. Hope they will make her mum smile a little. I got the fabric from a scrap swop. There is heaps of lovely little pieces that I now have to play with thanks to Bec. She makes and sells the most amazing bags on Etsy so my scrap pile is now full of funky fabrics. YAY!