in love

with shabby apple. 

I discovered this gorgeous on-line shop afew days ago via grosgrain. 

I love so many of the dresses on offer, it's Impossible to choose just one favourite.

Here are just some I'm coveting

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-956-primavera.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-1193-ca-bronzite-pp.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-1205-off-campus.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-955-gondola.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-975-trevi-fountain.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-937-aloha.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-931-north-shore.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-923-nothin-like-a-dame.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-698-mt-greylock.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-722-sierra-nevada.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-606-oh-la-la.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-614-lamour.aspx

 

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-792-aint-she-sweet.aspx

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-925-garden-isle.aspx

The dresses are to die for and I love the names they give each one. Not to mention the styling and photography - photo shoots on location in Paris, Rome etc..  I could, and did, look for days on end.

I would kill to have any of these in my wardrobe.  Unfortunately unless I win the lottery (or this competition!) it's not gonna happen due to the ridiculous cost of shipping :(

Inspiration to get the sewing machine and some vintage patterns out???

Happy New Year to you all, hope the year to come is a great one!

holiday christmas craft - a tutorial for peg reindeers

As alot of you would know, the Summer holidays have started.  Ours got off to a fabulous start with afew days away at Port Macquarie.

 

With all the rain thats around at the moment we were very lucky with the weather.  Although it did rain abit, in between it was sunny and warm.

THE best way to start the holidays!

So today was our first full day of the school holidays at home. 

Aimee, my little crafter, was keen to make something.  Happily, I had all the things we needed to make Peg Reindeers on hand. 

So between making several batches of Christmas Candy Cane Fudge (more on that in another post) we made a number of Peg Reindeers.

We basically copied one Aimee made at school last week.  Here's how we did it.

First gather your supplies.

 

You will need

• two wooden pegs
• craft glue
• a 10cm length of ribbon
• two googly eyes
• one small pom pom
• some bull dog clips come in really handy too!
• a couple of keen children

Now, seperate the pegs and dispose of the spring. 

Lay the pegs down in front of you with the flat side up and spread glue below the notch for the spring at the thick end of the peg on all four peg pieces.

Now place two of those peg pieces back to back with the ribbon in between and clamp them together with a bulldog clip.

Repeat with remaining peg at other end of ribbon.

Making sure you have the right side of the ribbon facing out, spread glue onto top section of pegs, at the narrow end. 

And clamp together like so, to dry.

Dab three spots of glue onto the pegs for the eyes and nose of the reindeer

Stick on the googly eyes and the pom pom nose..........

Done

and done!

Super easy and fun. 

Between the three of us, we made eight in about half an hour.  Aimee and Bethany love giving handmade gifts as much as I do, so these will be going to family members on Christmas Day.

So there you have it, a great little handmade ornament for hanging on the Christmas tree!



Skinny jeans anyone?

image source

Spotted these fabo coloured skinny jeans on Shorties facebook page and lamented,

"if only they came in adults sizes.......".

Loved little betty's red pants which she made herself!  So cool.

Out shopping on the weekend and found these at Glassons



image source

Love!!

Snapped up four pairs. Yay :) 

a long winded tale or a Christmas gift - whichever you're interested in

I've been mulling over ideas for a while now about what to give to Miss A's first grade teacher as an end of year gift. 

This teacher is an absolute gem, I wish my girls could both have her, every year of school!  She is fun, thoughtful and an excellent teacher. 

I had found out awhile ago that she loved elephants so I went out yesterday and bought her a lovely little elephant statue (no photo, sorry) and a nice little box to put it in.  But I really feel that handmade is my chance to show people how much I appreciate them, so I wanted to make something for her also.

One idea I had for simple handmade gifts this Christmas was based on a calico shopping tote that came with a magazine I purchased some time back.  Its such a simple design, but everything about it makes it the perfect shopping bag (except the magazines name stencilled across the front of it!).  Lightweight, easy to roll up and stuff into your handbag, and best of all - the perfect length handles (straps??) for carrying on your shoulder.

I've got metres of calico stashed away in my cupboard from one of my "kooky projects" as my husband likes to call them, making a lounge cover, about a decade ago.  No I didn't make a lounge cover out of calico, just a muslin.  Is it still a muslin if its not a garment to be worn............?  Anyway I digress.

As soon as Miss A saw the elephant after school yesterday she decided that today was the day she H.A.D. to give her teacher the present.  I toyed with the idea of making the bag after the kids were in bed last night, but after an hour and a half of fidling with fabric I realised it just wasn't going to happen.  I told her this morning I would make the bag today after I'd dropped her off at school. 

So we get up to school and I am reminded that this morning is the end of year School Mass.  Hmmmmmmmm, I better hang around I think. 

Just as well too, because after mass the principal handed out a bunch of awards including Best in Class to each grade and who should get the award for Miss A's class!  It was a very proud moment :))) 

Then the principal announces there is a morning tea being held after mass for all the parents who have helped out through the year with things like the Daily Reading Program, school excursions, sports/swimming carnival and tuckshop duty - yep, tick ALL those boxes, might as well hang around abit longer and get a free cup of tea!

So, finally get back home three hours later, have lunch, do violin practice with Miss B and find I have exactly two hours to make this bag.

After a bit more fidling with fabric followed by some hardcore sewing, I was very pleased with how the bag turned out.  

I couldn't leave the house without snapping a quick couple of photos, then I managed to get back up to school with said gift only 10 minutes after the final bell had rung. 

Miss A was happy, her teacher was happy and I am happy.

Definately think I'll be whipping afew more of these up before Christmas rolls around!