Love

I've been eager to share with you a little something I made on Monday night, but with this yukky weather we are having I only got the chance to snap afew shots this morning.

Amelia made this sweet little pocket quilt for her little one who started school last week. 

I fell in love with the idea and asked Bethany if she wanted something similar.  At the time she replied, "no Mum, I don't need something like that". 

Come Monday morning, she asked me for a photo of myself. 

At first I thought the teacher had asked everyone to bring in a photo of their family, but with a little questioning she revealed she just wanted it to keep in her pocket to look at when she was missing me - AAWWWWW - my heart melted. 

She then went on to specify that she wanted it as a "squishy thing" and explained what she wanted. 

Luckily for her I had some printable fabric on hand. 

I used a piece of her favourite fabric to make a little loveheart which I stuffed with fibrefill.  I then printed off a couple of photos, cut them down to size and whip stitched them in place.

She absolutely adores it and I am so glad she had it in her pocket on Wednesday when she forgot to put her lunchbox away and the teacher reprimanded her for it. Ouch!

In other school news, Aimee brought home the class trophy yesterday.

Well done Aimee.  You so deserve it :)

 

LOVE!

a simple handmade gift

A lovely little girl I know, let's call her Millie, turned four recently.  Now whenever Millie comes to my house she loves to play with my girls toy rotary clothes line.  She adores it in fact. 

So what could be better then her very own clothesline.  I got this very idea from somewhere out there in blogland but for the life of me cannot remember where it was........ so if you know, please let me know, so I can link back to it.  Ta.

Just a simple draw string bag,

with a little bit of (dodgy) embroidery so everyone knows its your PEG bag.

 

Pop in half a dozen old fashion wooden pegs and a length of nylon rope with some chunky wooden beads knotted onto each end. 

Voila, one simple, super cute handmade gift!

Besides Miss Millie loving clotheslines she desperately wanted an On-the-Go Art Satchel like her big brother and sister have,

so this one was whipped up especially for the occassion too.

First day of Kindy!

My dear little Betty, looking so big in her school uniform.

We took all the manditory first day photo's.  I'm proud to say she (and I) managed to smile :)

Big sis Aimee is so excited about her sister starting school today.

I have to admit I have a very heavy heart and shed a tear or two after she was dragged (literally) into the classroom.........

Things can only get better from here!?!

I love you so much Bethany

xoxoxoxoxox



Year 2

Aimee's back to school today. 

She is so excited.  She's been aching to get back for the last couple of weeks.

 

To make it even better she lost her top front tooth this morning!

The tooth fairy will be paying a visit tonight I am sure :)

In a couple of days time I'll be taking some more photo's like this, but I'll have two girls in uniform.

Kindergarten starts on Wednesday.

It's so nice to have two days of Bethany all to myself at home with me before she starts 'big school'.

I love having my girls at home with me, but of course, inevitably, they are off to school. 

Even though Bethany won't admit it, she is so ready.

This is going to be a great year!!

I do love a good jumpsuit

I've seen some really cute ones around this season.  I thought to myself it couldn't be that hard to make one.  I asked Aimee if she wanted one, "no thanks" came her response, quick as a flash.  I asked Betty if she wanted one, there was a moment of silence.  "You can choose the fabric" I said.  "OK then" she said. 

I do love the fabric she chose.  My sister gave it to me a couple of Christmases ago.  It was a three way present.  Fabric for me to sew (she knows how much I love to sew) some clothes for Aimee and Betty.  It feels like voile, soft as butter, mmmmmm, but I'm only guessing. 

Anyhow, so I wanted to make a jumpsuit. 

I could see in my minds-eye exactly how I wanted it to be.

So what I did is use a basic pants pattern for the bottom half and for the top I took some measurements of Beths torso.  I cut two rectangles using these measurements, trimmed abit off the top corners to allow for arm holes.  I made facings for the armholes, then turned down the top edge front and back to make a channel for some grosgrain ribbon I had in my stash. 

This makes the shoulder straps - abit like the pillow case dresses you see all over blogland. 

I then turned the top inside out and slipped it inside the pants so right sides were facing and sewed these two pieces together.  I then sewed another piece of matching grosgrain ribbon to the right side of the waistline over the seam, not only for decorative purposes but also to make a channel to run some elastic through to cinch in the waist. 

I added some elastic around the ankles of the pants too. 

If I were to make another one, I'd add a couple of inches to each side of the garment to give it a bit more of a billowy, casual look.  This one is quite fitted and although Beth has room to move and jump around with ease it won't fit her for long.

After I made this one, I decided to have a look around on the internet for a pattern or tutorial and come across afew beauties. 

What else is a jumpsuit good for if not jumping?!

Watermelon Granitas

Last week Dean took the girls grocery shopping and came home with, among other things, a whole watermelon........ 

So what do you do with vast amounts of not very sweet watermelon?

Make granita of course!

Here's how.

In a small saucepan put 1/3 cup of caster sugar and 1 cup of water.  Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. 

Set aside to cool for 15-20 minutes. 

While the syrup is cooling chop up 2 cups worth of (seedless) watermelon and wizz up in the food processor to make puree. 

Combine the sugar syrup and the puree, pour into a metal cake tin, I used a 20cm square cake tin but any metal pan will do, and place it in the freezer.  Every hour or so open up the freezer and pull a fork through the mix to form ice crystals. 

Repeat the process until you have a tray of watermelon ice crystals

- a.k.a. watermelon granita!

Enjoy!

patterns

I've made afew pattern purchases recently, gearing up for when school starts again.  Bethany is starting Kindergarten this year, so I will find myself for the first time in 7 1/2 years on my own during the day.  I'm really going to miss having the children at home, but I'm sure I won't have ANY trouble filling the time!

The pattern on the left is a vintage pattern, McCalls 7689, purchased from OpalsOwlVintage on Etsy.  I just fell in love with view C.  The ruffle around the neck takes this dress from plain to something special - LOVE!

The patttern on the right, another McCall's, 6354.  Jess from Craftiness is not Optional made this back in August of last year.  I really loved her version.  It looks like such a cool, comfy dress to wear.  I bought the pattern from sewingpatterns.com

Back in December, sewingpatterns.com had a sale on Simplicity patterns - everything 99c!!!!

How could I pass it up?  In the end I narrowed it down to four patterns, because even though the patterns were cheap, I still had to pay shipping.  All up I paid just under $20 - not bad for four patterns :)

So on the left is lisette 2211.  This is a great pattern.  A cute pleated skirt, a tunic and a blouse.  The blouse is what first caught my attention because like Christy I've decided I need more seperates in my wardrobe.

And on the right Simplicity 2226 - love a skirt with pockets!

On the left Simplicity 2117, because I've realised I have mostly A-line skirts in my wardrobe....

and on the right a Cynthia Rowley pattern 2215.  I like the simplicity of this dress.  It looks very wearable, not too dressy - and it has pockets!

I've got loads of fabric just sitting, waiting to be turned into something - anything.

Four days until school goes back.  Six days until Bethany starts Kindergarten..........

Before we get to that though, for those of you in Oz

Happy Australia Day for tommorrow.

 

Hope the copious amount of water falling from the skies here in Sydney at the moment don't dilute your enthusiasm for celebrating this truly wonderful place we call home!!!!