Introducing the Versatile Shopper....

Hooray! I've finished one of the projects I had on the go.

The idea for this bag came from the ever increasing number of shops cutting back on plastic shopping bags (yay for the environment). But I've been less excited about the ugly shopping bags you can get from your supermarket etc. so decided to have a go at making one myself using some Amy Butler Mid West Modern fabric - so now I can shop while looking fabulous and doing my bit for the environment!

Never one to do things by halves this is my first ever go at sewing a zipper (no straight and simple zips for me). After a little bit of fluffing about and a little bit of cursing it came to me and I am very pleased with my first effort!

The zippered pouch which the bag folds up into when not in use, forms a nifty little pocket on the front when the bag is open.

The bag is nice and light weight - perfect for carrying around in your handbag just waiting for those emergency/must have/impulse purchases. All the seams are reinforced to carry the heaviest of loads.

This will be going straight into my handbag!

I would love to hear what you think, let me know wont you?

Crafty goodness

I've been feeling a little uninspired and despondent about my crafting of late, with several projects on the go and none of them going right.

BUT after a lovely day spent on the northern beaches with a group of talented and lovely crafters, getting a few more squares for my quilt done,

and after receiving this lovely gift from Sophie I do feel much better.

My swap item seemed well received and has found a new home here, where I hope a lovely little girl will grow to love her.

Thank you Craftroom (of course I mean you Corrie!)

wet weather wonders

This precipitation has been......persistent.

Therefore lot's of indoor creative activity was called for, resulting in...

allergy friendly cookie baking

recipe as follows:

Basic Cookie Dough

120gm margarine

1/2 cup caster sugar

Orgran 'No Egg' - 1 egg equivelant

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

3-4 drops vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 170C, and line two ovens trays with baking paper.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat together the marg and caster sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the 'No Egg' and mix until combined.

4. Add the sifted flour and vanilla.

5. Knead mixture to form a ball. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and place in fridge to rest (approx. 20 minutes).

6. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough evenly on a clean, lightly floured surface, until it is 4-5mm thick.

7. Use cutter to shape dough into desired shapes and place on oven trays.

8. Place in oven and cook for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden .

9. Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool.

I also added some Lindt 85% cocoa dark chocolate (contains no dairy!), roughly chopped, at the kneading stage - yum!

Strawberry Coconut slice, recipe from current addition of Family Circle

Chocolate truffles

and some flannelette pyjama's for the girls!

It's the first time I have tried machine applique and my machine was not cooperating (I hear you Tania), but I had promised I would have them ready by next morning - and so I would God damn it.

The pants were made with some flannelette I had purchased oh, maybe three years ago and somehow or other there just didn't seem enough fabric to make a whole pair of pants for my 'babies' anymore. Hmmm, they do have a habit of growing....

So I paired up the fabrics and made one pair of pj's each. The girls are over the moon, I think they would wear them out if I let them. This just makes the effort so much more rewarding don't you think?

The white tops I bought from my local clothes shop and hey presto a new pair of pyjama's. As miss A said "at least there are no buttons". Spoken like a true four year old!

I have to say I am quite chuffed as well.

Hope your weekend has been as pleasant and productive as mine :)

P.S. I seem to be having major issues with my spacing and page layout - H E L P!

my inspired weekend...

So the kids are sick, it was a rainy, cold, drab kind of day and 'dad' is at work; there was a gravitational pull coming from the new sewing room!

I made this

and these

and as I sewed this floated round my head....

Ode to the Sewing Table

I think about it all day long
If I'm honest all night too.
I have no where to set it up
Whatever will I do.

And then one day my dad in-law says
"Here - you can have this"
I jumped for joy, said to myself
"At last I've got my wish!"


We bring it home, we set it up
It's perfect, fits just right.
A table for my sewing things
Oh, what sheer delight!


He says "now that you have your table,
Are you happy dear?"
I have no words just one big grin
Stretched from ear to ear.

and deeper I go...

You may remember I posted a little while ago about ordering some fabric online. Well it arrived rather unexpectedly on Saturday morning - hurray!!

l - r: Del Hi by Valori Wells - mediterranean FQs, Wildwood by Erin McMorris - lime FQs, Midwest Modern Fuchsia by Amy Butler FQs

l - r: petite Granville blue, Ohinasama Princess pink, spotted owl natural, all by Alexander Henry

Socialite dress pattern by Anna-Maria Horner

It was all I could do to contain myself while I was helping him with some work around the house (putting up picture rails no less!).

As soon as I had the chance I rushed into my newly set up sewing room, also accomplished on Saturday (no more sewing on the kitchen table) to open my package. Unfortunately my photo's do not do the fabrics justice.

What a delight - both the gorgeous selection of fabrics and the sewing room.

Then to top things off I spent the best part of Monday trawling the fabric shops on John St, Cabramatta.

WHAT an experience. The choice of fabric was h u g e.

Of the five shops I went into each seemed to have a different speciality, from bridal/formal to manchester to stretch. In each shop the service was attentive, knowledgeable, patient and friendly. When your only previous fabric shopping experiences extend to Spotlight this was certainly an eye opener! This was followed by a scrumptious Vietnamese lunch.

Alas I was enjoying myself so much I forgot to take any photo's.

I came away with a number of purchases which you can see in the photo above sitting in front of the sewing machine, which I have vowed to myself and him, will be my last until I have actually made something with all the fabric that is slowly taking over.

So keep checking back for hopefully some fabulous sewn creations in the not too distant future... this bug has bitten hard.

a bit of this and a bit of that

This week I've finished off a couple of things I hadn't posted about before.

modelled by a very reluctant miss A

I made a bag for my clarinet playing nephew, to carry around his instrument and all the associated bits and pieces. I was instructed to use up some left over green fabric from some placemats I had made for mum last year, but I couldn't bear to make such a plain bag so I ducked out and bought the only musically themed fabric I could find (trumpets), just to jazz it up abit!

I also made the swap item I will be taking to this month's Sunday session at the craftroom. Here is a sneak peek.


I've been thinking alot about this upcoming event. I don't think I have had five straight hours alone to sew, crochet or whatever since I had my first baby.

To say I am excited is a major understatement!



So, what to do with the time? I pretty much think I've decided to finally get on with making the quilts I've been dreaming of for my girls. I went to Spotlight and got a few more pieces of fabric for them today.


I hope to cut all the fabric beforehand so that on the day I can just sew, sew, sew.

I am hoping to be the lucky recipient of a very lovely owl made by Rachel, who is also a craftroom girl. The giveaway is still open for afew more days so pop over to The Two Windmills for your chance to win.

things I'm loving....

Op-shop finds.....

My Zygocactus



in full bloom.....



Log-cabin pillows....



and finishing a project!.....



Watching my sweet pea seedlings emerge....



and two weeks later.....


Waiting for my first orchid flowers to reveal themselves....

and inspiration for the constantly thought about, never actually started quilts here, here and here .

What are you loving right now?