Making - Birthday Skirts

Happy Days friends,

We have had a few little people birthdays recently and I was out shopping with one mama when we spied some fabric she thought her wee girl would like.

I bought half a metre and whipped up this skirt on the morning of the party - I quite like it.

Do you make birthday gifts? It seems to get harder as the years go by to think of handmade things the older ones would like... maybe that's just me though?

love you more than fluro pink + linen xxx

Screen Printing

Hey hey you gorgeous person!

Recently I took a course in screen printing through the Make Company. I love crafty courses and I've been keen to have a go at screen printing for ages. (I last did it when I was about 11!)

It was super fun. The course was run over 2 nights and you made 2 screens.

This is the printing I did on night 2. The little prints will become bean bags for playing with and gifts and the lighthouse has been printed onto some organic cotton bags my sister and I bought last year.

I'm really pleased with the prints. I looked at images of light houses for the lighthouse but just free hand drew it from some of the ideas I liked best. I tend to think of myself as creative but not artistic but I'm learning to embrace my own 'naive' style of drawing.

Now I have the screens and paint I am planning to do some more of these and maybe get my boys to make some screens of their own. Much fun to be had!

What new thing have you tried lately?

love you more than a lighthouse xxx

Make My Week - Silhouette Hoops

I have made these before and even written a tutorial (of sorts!) here.

These were for examples for the craft class I ran recently. A friend emailed me the pictures and I asked her girls what their favourite colours were and chose the fabric accordingly.

I love how these can be so easily recognised by people who know the subjects.

Keeping it nice and simple round here for another week or so and then the pressure subsides somewhat.

joining in here

love you more than light at the end of the tunnel xxx

Make My Week - Trimmings No. 2

Here is my second entry into the Umbrella Prints trimmings competition

this time I ordered a mixed packet and decided to go with a hearts theme.

Using a similar approach I cut hundreds of hearts of various sizes and used every single piece of the fabrics to make a multitude of hearts!

I made four simple cushion covers on the theme of love - LOVE, kiss, heart and balloons,  using op-shop fabric for the body of the cushions. The backs are an envelope back with a sqaure of velcro in each to make sure they stay firmly closed.

Honestly I think these turned out pretty average - it just goes to show sometimes things don't come off the way you hope they will. Still they are complete and that's the main thing. :o)

What now? On May 30th (this Friday) all the different images of things people made will be uploaded to Umbrella Prints pinterest board and then you can madly pin all your favourite projects. Each time you pin an image from their board (so please don't pin from this post if you like mine), that project gets a vote and the winner gets prizes. Cool huh?

As always joining in with the super talents over here

love you more than a project finished in the nick of time! xxx

Little Bits Here and There

Often I am a week or 2 ahead of myself with Make My Week and I end up saving little projects in case I get caught short without some show n tell one week.

Today I'm being daring and I thought I'd show you a couple of little bits that have been in the make here lately.

Stitched houses - this is another of my 'make it up as you go along' stitchings. Houses and homes seem to be in my thoughts a lot lately. Perhaps it's being in a full furnished flat with not a lot of outlet for making it my own or maybe it's all the interiors, styling,making books I keep lugging home from the library??

either way - here they are.

Also I inadvertently got taught to crochet. We made miniature hearts but I really wanted to make rows (you know, because in about 500 hours of rows I could make a blanket!) So I sat in the park making a great hash of the whole thing and someone walking past asked what I was making and I said (like any proud in public crafter would do) I'm not sure, I don't really know how to crochet.

So she stopped and helped me and we got chatting and she lives next door to one of The Atlas' work colleagues... small world huh?

So this wonky creation is a promised teddy blanket for one of Bounce's wee bears. Who knows where this could led me. Never say never aye??

love you more than accidentally learning a new skill xxx

Make My Week - Road Kill

Recently there was a 'hard waste' time where people could put out their beds, desks, cupboards... that sort of stuff and the council (and other hoaders visionaries) could/would collect at will.

We needed something to keep our modem off the floor and found this piece of delightful road kill.

I bought one roll (that was all they had) of patterned tape from my local Kawaii (Japanese $2.90) Shop.

With the 10m of roll I managed this. The Atlas says he quite likes the extra black showing, I'm not sure.

Still for $2.90 + free road kill, it's doing the job quite nicely.

For projects that required more talent pop over here.

love you more than a cheap makeover xxx

Make My Week - train wreck

So I signed up for the postcard swap and thought I would be extra clever and contain my postcard in plastic so that it would arrive safely.

Especially as I didn't have heavy enough card to sew onto the back of the stitched part.

Then I discovered I am seriously lacking in the plastic sewing skills department. This stuff sticks and clings to the machine and presser foot like the badness.

So now I am sending a card that looks like a train wreck, and I managed to put the card part on upside down.

I hope my recipient likes train wrecks....

It's hard to send something I'm not pleased with but I'd rather send something than nothing... perhaps she will blame it on the postal service??? So there it is... a fail shared is sadly not a fail halved.

love you more than good ideas that turn out the way you hoped they would xxx

Fun Things Happening for Creative Types

So I signed up for the international stitched postcard swap, here's a sneak peak of mine in process. I only saw this one the night it closed so it's a bit late for encouraging you to get involved but!

I have found 2 other things some of you might like.

Trimmings Competition: This is run by an Adelaide! fabric printing company who makes delicious and conscious fabrics (more about them another time) and has this cool competition for using scraps to make anything that takes your fancy. You buy a bag of their scraps and make something, and there are prizes!

image from their blog

Also this amazing fabric company in the UK whose fabrics are all ethical and diverse has a competition running as well across 5 blogs to pitch your idea and then each finalist gets sent the fabric to make their item for final judging. There are more details on this lovely blog as well as links to the others.

So what are you sewing at the moment?

I'm looking forward to the Australian Sewing Guild's stash busting fringe event coming up soon.... yes I am :o)

Love you more than inspiration everywhere xxxx

Make My Week - Stockings

A while ago Deb gave me a collection of Christmas fabric strips and I decided they would work perfectly for 3 small stockings.

One for both the boys and one for their cousey (2 are the same).

Lined in an old blanket I made it up as I went along, not entirely successfully! I like that they are small so that not too much can fit in - just some wee treasures and an orange!

Joining in with Lovely Leonie (click on the show n tell button on the right)

Love you more than a project ticked off the to-do list xxxx

 

Make My Week - Freaky After Dark

Okay so clearly I am on a bit of a pillowcase craze at the moment - so easy and so quick!

I gave these to The Atlas yesterday on our 14th anniversary. We went out for dinner last night and had a little laugh together. I said, well we had 7 years and then children now at the end of another 7 you are moving me overseas... what's going to be our big change at 21 years??

I made these with a group of lovely ladies who all assumed I was the 'talker' and The Atlas the 'dreamer'.

Me the talker?? Yeah okay I totally get what they meant. Strange thing is when the lights go out it all swaps over. I have the dreams and The Atlas talks in his sleep. (Truth be told we probably both do both but I wake up and listen to The Atlas and tell him about it the next day!).

joining in with the lovely ladies here

love you more than an accidentally comical creation and a well ironed pillowcase xxx

Make My Week - A Pillowcase

This is a Christmas present ticked off.

For a very cute little fellow we love and who loves anything machinery wise. I absolutely love this fabric - it's super boyish but not too typical or disney. I like the colours a lot and I think it will grow with him (he's currently 18mths).

A project started and finished in one evening. I've even top stitched the panel and added a proper gusset so the pillow doesn't try to make a getaway in the night.

Joining in with super crafty makers here

Love you more than a digger on the way to kindy xxxx 

(which are actually kind of normal for us but still very exciting if you don't live in Christchurch!)

We Recommend - DIY

Okay, so not everyone sews but there are a lot of people (me at least) who rather like a little DIY and summer holidays are the perfect time for such things, yes?

As a child one of my best-ever gifts was a 'craft kit' - glue, mini straw hats (those were the days!), scraps of ribbon..... you know cool stuff.

So this week I want to highlight some cute ideas for DIY-kits. These aren't sponsored but I've provided links where I can to help you get the bits yourself if you want to.

Best thing about DIY-kits is that they are the gift that gives twice - once when you give it and again when they have a go and sometimes even more if the products go for a few rounds.

1. Pillowcase fun - I literally made this pillowcase last night. And although it's not good manners to say so, I totally love it and am rather impressed with myself.  I used 1m of plain white homespun and made up the pattern as I went along. You could however buy a nice (or cheap) pillowcase from any shop - Briscoes, Farmers, Bed Bath & Beyond.... and then add in some fabric markers. Perfect for the arty type. Not too pricey but the markers obviously go on giving for other projects. Other inspiring pillow case ideas here.

2. Shoes - these are the shoes I made earlier this year. I bought the shoes for $7.50 from The Warehouse and the glitter - which you only need a small container of - from there as well. Add in some PVA and even print out a tutorial if you are feeling super and you have another fun gift. You could leave out the glitter and go for fabric paints or markers, sequins would be fun too.

3. Kitchen kisses - these wee cookie cutters are from The Make Cafe and they are going to go in Bounce's stocking. They are so cute and small and they make a Noah's Ark scene which totally spins my wheels. At $8 for 6 they would also make the perfect teeny present if you split them up and did the 'cookie in a jar' (see last weeks 'brownie in a jar') with that tied around the jar. Kitchen DIY kits are super easy for small or big kitchen lovers - cute cupcake cases, icing gels, edible glitter, fancy sprinkles.... all those special things that kitchen lovers might not normally buy themselves but would use for special occasions during the year.

4. Tin Can Robots - this is another great one from Leonie who made these for my boys last year. Tins, magnets, fabric scraps, googly eyes etc. Add in some glue/sellotape/washi tape and you'e got a super fun idea for kids.

5. Not DIY but it must be said - if you have a child between 18months and 3 to give a gift to spend $1.50 at the supermarket and buy them a box of tissues and let them pull every single one out of the box. I promise they will absolutely love it - it's like magic those things just keep popping up again.

6. Washi tape - a while ago I won a voucher from this lovely shop and I spent it all on washi tape - a couple of rolls will go in the boys stockings. But at $4ish a roll I also think this on it's own or with a nice couple of pencils and a link to your washi tape ideas on pinterest, is a lovely gift for a stationery lover - you know I am a stationery lover!

7. A fat quarter/strip of fabric and a bag of wheat (super cheap from Bin Inn) and some simple instructions and a new sewing type could make their own wheatie bag.

8. Seeds and a little hand trowel or garden gloves. Perfect for the big or small worm lover. (Mitre 10, Bunnings or your local garden centre will stock these bits - I know rocket science to work that one out!!).

I'm going to highlight some easy to make (no sewing) cheap gifts for families in the coming week/s but for now these are I think easy ideas for the DIYers in your lives.

What DIY kit would you love to receive?

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

Thanks for your recommendations. Button code on the right.

Love you more than the smell of a new vivid xxxx (perhaps I should not admit to this?)

Still time to enter last weeks giveaway if you like food :o) x

Make My Week - in the centre

I love Christchurch. I feel especially fond of it as a city. Although I didn't grow up here I was born here and I feel like these last few years have been the right time for us to be here.

I made this necklace recently and I was thinking about selling it - along with some other necklaces I made (still no decision on those) but this one I decided to keep.

It's made from the front of one of the old bus route maps for the city - maps that probably no longer exist. I love how so many of the bus routes go through the cathedral.

I've set it slightly off centre - because for me, my heart falls to the east (where we used to live and still 'do church') and to the south where we now live. Also I know as a city we're a little out of kilter but I think the heart remains strong.

I love that the cathedral is right in the centre of the routes - it's a symbol for me of my turangawaewae (true standing place/home) - in the sense that all I am is centred in my faith - all other roads and pathways and journeys intersect with the cross. The literal cathedral is not the thing that matters it is the metaphor for my faith - the thing from which all of my identity, sense of purpose and love flow.

I'm so pleased with this necklace. I think I might have one more of the old bus routes left....maybe I'll make another to sell one day... who knows.... sometimes selling stuff just seems too much like a difficult process.

Ummm... if you are a chch blogger and not on the email list we'd love to see you tonight at The Make Cafe - anytime from 6.30pm - wear some lippy (unless you are a guy, but if you are a guy you are welcome and we won't judge if you wear lippy either!).

Did you enter my giveaway yesterday?

Joining in with delightful Leonie and other beautiful makers.

Love you more than a pretty symbol of hope xxx

Make My Week - Sketch by Stitch

I have these dreams of one day being able to draw a picture I'll feel really pleased with

in the mean time, I stitch

This is something for a friend.... if she wants it. It's based on a verse I love in Job that says, but He knows the way I take, when he has tested me I shall come forth as gold.

These trees are based on something I pinned showing how to 'sketch trees'.

I do love single coloured stitching and it's nice to work on little projects, especially ones that are easy to travel with.

Also my humble effort for the Hottie Project - keeping children warm in Christchurch

Joining in with the lovely Leonie and other cheerful crafters

Love you more than an op-shop box filled with embroidery floss xx

I took the photos at night so I played around with them - that's why they all look a little different. In real life the fabric is a similar colour to unbleached calico.