Peace and tranquility nearly..

Its back to school and kinder and i am wandering around like a lost sheep, no arguments to moderate, No constant requests for food and drinks (Mister 2 helps himself to the bananas).. It is that long since I felt any kind of creative urge, I think it might have up and moved out!!

The only crafty thing I have done in the last fortnight is I have made a series of canvas paintings for Miss 4.5. I used to pictures from her doona and made 3 small paintings to hang on her wall.

The inspiration came from her bed linen. We have a princess, a unicorn and a castle.

I sat last night glued to the couch while watching Project Runway Australia. I love this show.. The judges got it so wrong last night. I mean who in their right mind would wear boardshorts and a mesh top to a bar??? Not sure why you would wear a trenchcoat to the beach either??? And the frocker sure did make a shocker.. I cant wait until they get a chance to shine in their chosen style, Ooh I love it...

A little tiny visitor!!!

During the week we had a visitor, I tiny little visitor ( His mum came too, I'm totally dry!)
4 weeks old and only just 7lb... Oh how nice to have cuddles without the sleepless nights that go with ownership... It has lead to many questions since. "Where does the baby come out?? Does it hurt?" My reply. The doctor helps, You dont need to worry about that until you get married sweetie!!!

Back in the land of sewing`

Oh it feels like forever, I think I had inherited someone elses tumbleweed... This space has been well and truly deserted for some time now... Tsk tsk..

I have been sewing but havent found time to report it.. so here is a really quick catch up.

I have just finished adding the pictures to my last post ( a month old), after waiting for the pictures to upload, now I understand why I never have time to do this....

After a small amount of stitching thismorning, I have the enthusiasm to upload some more pictures.

My friend who came for a hat making sewathon this morning had made a gorgeous skirt for her daughter and my girls loved it. So as I approved of the cutesy fabric (It is brown!!! whats not to love!!!) I headed off and bought the fabric and tackled one for Miss4.5... I used embroidery thread in the loopers of the overlocker to give the edge a nice sheen... I like it.

I also added a layer at the bottom to give it some weight and a bit of a contrast.

She has worn it quite a few times and had lots of compliments too.. That's always a great reward. A happy child in a project that didn't take long..

It does help when there is very little procrastinating over what fabrics to use...

Another reason I think I have been missing in blogland is that I am totally addicted to Project Runway.. I love it, I could watch it every day. It is just the ulitmate for a garment sewer like me.. The Australian version starts next week and I cannot wait.

Found my Mojo

I have finally polished and cleaned enough to earn a sewing day. My sewing group got together yesterday and we all had a great time, sewing, drafting, cutting and embroidering (and scoffing buns and scones)....I drafted off a pattern from my newest Japanese Pattern book and even took some shots while packing up last night. My husband giving me the big hmph when glancing at the sewing stuff that had migrated from my sewing room onto the kitchen table... Hey, how unsociable to sew in a different room from my friends???

I made a blouse from my newest and absolute favourite Japanese pattern book. I used a nice lilac hailspot type fine cotton (as miss 6 loves purple) Despite the intricate appearance of the front, it went together suprisingly easy. Now I just have to sew the button holes and buttons on (that may take another 6 months to get to!!)

I altered the collar to have a curved edge instead of square. I think it softens it off a bit..

The Watson Dress

I have finally finished the Chocolate Linen Dress which I have labelled the Watson Dress on the pattern pieces.. Partly because if I wrote Brown dress, I would not know which one.... Watson was my grandmother's maiden name...

It was hard to photograph and It looks a completely different colour in each photo, I will need to get my little model in a good mood so that we can have a smiley face with the dress..But I am happy with the way it turned out, I wonder wether it would be something I could perhaps make to order???Would it look any good in Pale Pink?? or does it not work with the organic look..

Mothers day morning, the sweet little girls both presented me with their special gifts from Kinder and school and they were very cute...After that it went rather downhill. No special breakfast and certainly no fairies appeared to do the ironing..Maybe I will practise teaching them "Mummy loves Cool Water " or perhaps "Mummy really needs a special treat from Ella Bache!" I might practise that for Christmas even, couldnt hurt surely... Best move on to the next project and aim at getting my creative bum into gear, thanks for the words of wisdom EmmaRose, I think I will use that theory when my MIL calls in....

Busy mummy far from yummy..

Oh I feel so exhausted just from keeping 3 kids entertained, distracted, disciplined and educated. It is very hard work. As I am sure many of you know... and some more than only 3.
Why is it that they always whinge and whine about utter starvation whilst unpacking the groceries ffrom the car? Why is it that they cannot wait till all bags are in the kitchen before telling you what it is they need to eat or they are going to die? And why is it that they insist (chuck a tantrum) on eating something before it even gets to the pantry shelf? especially when they only had the weetbix wiped from their faces 2 minutes before going to the supermarket?? (it is only a minute drive each way!!) I can so remember doing the same (whinging) when I was little..except back then parents(mothers) werent dragged off the police station if they left 3 kids sitting in the carpark for an hour or so while your mum did the monthly(yes thats true!) grocery shop...Think think think, what would I have liked my mum to do when I saw those choccy biccys and tried so hard to convince her to let me eat one before I died????
PLAN _ next time shopping, buy extra packet of something, give to kids to hold on the way home and let them cut loose as soon as I get home, put groceries away in peace, all happy!!

enough mummy talk...........

Here are a few shots of the pattern I have drafted off for the chocolate linen dress I mentioned in the previous post. All I have to do is the hem and it is all done, but here are the design shots.. I bought this handy little bendable tape measure/ruler a while ago and it has definitely been worth the money. I have used it here to add the 1cm seam allowances to the pattern, and I get the exact curve I need.

I feel so slack about not posting lately but it truly reflects the spare time in life.. I'm one of those anal people (is that ok to admit?) that cannot relax and do something for myself unless all household duties are finished and the image of spotlessness is achieved.. Yeah, yeah call me Mrs Windex, my husband does. Perhaps I need some shock treatment, or worse....(Call me a shrink). I constantly (whilst windexing) think of a quote I read somewhere on a crafty blog sidebar about 'a clean house was a sign of a wasted life' or something to that effect in a more crafty orientated way, true yes, but it has become a bit of an obsession for me.. (OOOh that hurt, better read my Dr Phil book and see if that is at all normal??)

So I will attempt to sew, more, very soon. I need to finish the brown dress and this little pinafore for miss 4.5... I only need make the shoulder straps and take up the hem, or rolled hem it on the overlocker?? wait and see. Is it a good or bad thing when you start to send unused fabric to St Vinnies? the yellow garbage bag in the photo is all unwanted fabric and I am thinking, enough stashing, more sewing..

I love crafty pressies

I had the joy of attending a garage sale today, It was called "100's of rolls of fabrics". It sure was...a fabric shop closed down and I got a real bargain.. I got this little gem for only $7 per metre... I love a bargain.. I think I would like to make some Christmas stockings for the kids. I have seen some yummy ones around. At least I am planning ahead.. Then planning and doing are a far cry from each other.

For my birthday, my dear mother bought me these two dressmakers squares..She was shaking her head at me using a little 20cm square trying to mark out my bag last week and decided it would be more appreciated than perfume or the like..

You know its only since I have had children of my own that I can really relate to my mother and understand where she is coming from. 2006 was a very unifying year for my mother and I. She underwent a 23hour operation to remove cancer and her soft palate and cheekbone. She nearly lost an eye and had no teeth for 12 months. She had a piece of bone taken from her pelvis to create a new cheekbone and upper jaw. And a muscle from her leg to make a new roof of her mouth, it is amazing what doctors can do these days but it was the scariest week of my life.

She has had a long battle recovering from surgery, radiotherapy and having people look at her funny. She is my inspiration. She is the bravest person and despite all the obstacles she has faced in the last 18 months she has still got compassion for me when I have a shitty day. And a lot of people including me admire her for her strength of character, and perhaps her broad mind.

So yes I love my mum, she has given me many gifts - life, the skills to sew, and much much more. Now these little beauties will help me enjoy my special time..

Next job is to get dear husband to make a hook to hang them on so the kids do not try to use them as "Boomerangs!!!"

I also scored this great 3mtr tape measure today at the garage sale..I have never seen one. I spend most of my weekend wearing my tape measure around my neck so I best be sure not to trip.. (I don't understand why kids that have been in bed for half an hour decide they are hungry??) Out here in the sticks it is very smokey...the farmers are all burning off and the smell reminds me of camping I love it...(Better go and put Mister 2 back in bed again!!!, why can they eat more weetbix at bedtime than they can for breakfast??) and why do husband always have a job that needs doing somewhere between 6.00 and 9.00??

First time tagged.........

Thanks so very much, I've been tagged for the very first time, by the queen of fray and babycakes.
I will do my best, So here goes..

Four jobs I've had:

Office administration - Wholesale food Distributor

I was the only female amongst 14 men! I know lots about mens genitals and football, not by choice.. Once again lots of free food.. 4 years

Office Manager - Real Estate

Wore a lovely suit, got my license, got bored...2 years

Accounts Manager - Wholesale Food distributor(Same place)

Felt like I never left, Learnt more about blokey things, took maternity leave, never went back....I miss the laughs though...4years

Mother - partner in own business

Oh gee all the time I spent envying those mothers pushing their prams around the streets when I had to work... I am on duty 24/7 and wouldnt have it any other way.

Four places I have lived.

I have lived in the same district all my life

Western Victoria..

Four Places I have been on a holiday

I have travelled around Australia twice, lots of places. But the special places that come to mind are:

Brampton Island - Honeymoon

Kakadu - Northern Territory

Broome - Western Australia

Daintree - Queensland

Four of my favourite dishes

Anything chicken, I dont do any other meats at all..

Chocolate, I am addicted to chocolate

Caffeine - however it comes, coffee or coke (addicted here too)

Cheesecake - preferably baked..

Four websites I visit daily

ebay

etsy

made-it

Dashin Fashion

Thanks for that Emma, I will have to find some crafty types to hand this onto...