op shop finds

 

ooooo looky looky! a resent happy score at our local...very stoked with the pretty plates especially!  And check out the cool vintage car fabric...not sure what will be made from it, but obviously it HAD to come and live at my house...suggestions??

MORE MAKIN` STUFF

 

a year ago, I started this wee quilt for my neice.  It was inspired by Amanda Soule's book...where someone draws on the fabric and then it is embroided over...I have made all sorts this way now, but this time I peiced family members drawing together with vintage fabric finds, to make a quilt for one of my sweet neices, commemorating her birth....I bakced it in a soft duckling yellow polarfleece...so she can have it over her chair or the end of her big girl bed one day.  I so hope she likes it, as a wee peice of her kiwi extended family is in each of the squares....and I so hope my sister doesn't look too closely at the needle/sewing work - eep!

time = sewing

As its the school holidays, I have a wee bit more time ...HOORAY!!...and although my kiddos are all in varying stages of the 100 day cough (a whooping cough strain)...they are awesome at building forts and such like inside to while away a day or so...so in the upstairs playroom/sewing room, you will find us ALL, holed up in a quiet activity...fort making, reading, drawing and for me sewing!  At last after 4 MONTHS I have finched Micah's quilt coverlet...phew!! it was sweetly simple and of course easy to make...over half the fabric has a sentimental purpose (cut from a dear family  members cast offs)...and some were too delicious to leave in the shops, so of course HAD to come home with me...and viola`! One wee guy has a Mama made quilt cover...now only 4 more to go!

made it

been doing a wee bit of sewing lately - here's last weeks venture....all from my stash -YAY. vintage cars/city fabric from a friend....simple black cotton and reversible with green polar fleece on the other side ....Micah Jack seems to like it and looks super cute in it...although don't look closely as my machine and I didn't get on so good with the thickish layers - grrr.

Jose is begging for one too- so found the BEST fabric down at the local oppy this week to make his lordship one too... Such a good pattern for another layer.

squeal!.........

look what arrived in the mail for me!! it was hearalded with Pip the pooches melodramatic protection of the gate as the courier attempeted to hand over the package - sigh...seriously need to do something about that!...anyho LOOK!

from the states came my vintage swap package (which is seriously way more generous that mine was, and postage is enormous from over there too! - eek!), and a wee treasure trove tumbled out...THANKS so much MUCH Nicola...I have the perfect use for the yarn already, have drank from the teacup, have plans for the books and love the yellow fabric/sheet...your awesome! Thanks so much xx

thrifting in june thus far....

...has been grand!!! Check out this fabulousso red leather bag - seriously swooning and rubbing it ALOT (with the odd sniff thrown in for good measure!)...these cute as pie plactic crystal wee bowls for the lads/ladettes to dine in style with...some dolies that I have snipped apart and sewn onto the other things (will show at some point), new (old) placemats to funky up...and some old linen napkins - YUS! My theory is to collect as many white/cream random ones as poss for everyday, as they wash up a treat and can be thrown in napisan ...and all matchintheir oddness (said that all in one breath...phew)...and this wee duck thingy - not sure what to do with it, but will figure something out eventually. Oh and an awesome barely worn thermal for my gal...

At this rate - June is looking mighty fine for thrifting -!

sneak peak

I sent my pay - it -forward parcels off last week, but thought would share what I made....

using all re-purposed fabrics, I made some wee aprons, 2 with contrasting trims, and one featuring my very loved vintage doily and crochet lace........when perusing the local opshop, my girlfriend found for me a wonderful bok on Strauss and some of his life story....lots was in the wonderful Victoria scripts, old photos, handdrawn scenes of balls and engagements...I was inspired to chaop it up (is that a sin?? book was a bit tatty - tis my excuse)...and made envelopes and stationary with the pictures and paper doilies.....and also made some sweet hanging lavender satchets, with lavender gathered last summer and dried for such thing.

All in all it was a lovley project to be part of. I hope the lovley ladies recieving the parcels like them, and more importantly can use them. xx

costume crazy

its that time of year ay know- the time when its super fun, super crazy, super much-work (new word for you!), super food, super people....and this is all super - but leaves me super tired! -in a none- grumbly kinda way!

With all the goings on I have put my hand up and yelled pick me, to make some of the costumes for the kids various thingys they are involved in, Some have just need tacking up something found, some have need ripping and cutting (of somehting found)....and some need making from scratch....sigh,, I can feel the super enthusiam I had for these tasks dwindling somewhat!....

Nyah, our drama princess, is a chinese narrator, a zombie, a dancer in her jazzz show, and an inn keeper in the Christmas story show....so, we have cut, tacked, scrubbed, make-uped, repainted jazz shoes, plaited, wound and brushed hair till it shone....and we are almot halfway there now!

Our big girl is packing up to go to my parents for 5 sleeps (can't get my head around that yet, as its the LONGEST time ever apart!)...so has shrugged off the Christmas story part she was to play - and is I think secretly relieved whilst saying shes sad to miss it- uhuh~

Our sweet boys will be sweet shepherds in the Christamas story play, so they ae next on the list of cutting, sewing, measuring scolding to keep still, and having the odd -oh how cute are you- moments....ahhhh, am looking forward to sewing something other than costumes soon I hope!

I am blessed, not grumbly I promise!

a few things made...

I thought I wasn't achieveing much on the making front, and feeling quite cranky about it....but when I was looking a photos for the last month or so I found these things I'd made to give away...not many things make it into the shop, bellabree.felt.co.nz , as most things just get given away...which is even nicer I think.

1. Apron for my lovely friend Tania, its in matress ticking and a darling quilting print.

2. Baby socks...for my lovely friend Tania's new baby, made from Alpaca wool from the South Island trip hubby had last year (and brought for me!).

3. A cushion I covered for my Dad...with the wee pocket, the idea being its a place for the kids to leave notes for him, and he treats for them....in a beautiful apolstry linen and thrifted retro fabric.

Very satisfying looking backwards!

Enjoy your week lovely ones!

Snuggly pj pants

Before I show you my new (and lets be honest- slightly too small) pj pants for my wee -est boy, I have soooo many photos to post and sooo many words to share (sigh) But for today will show pj pants, I found this fuzzy cute stripey fabric at the local Opshop- for the bank breaking cost of....20cents, yup crazy huh! I so love the lil ole ladies down there! Anyho, I thought due to the pilling quality of the fabric, I'd turn it inside out so the fuzz is on the legs and the inside is outside (confused, try living in my head! ;-)...I used another pair of pjs to cut out from and voila`...sweet baby boy pants...I have the top cut out but will have to sew it seam by seam as life is a tad nutty at the mo!...so for now this wee cherub models his pjs with another oppy find, a thermal top- yay him.

More later this weekend, and Easter thanks-remembering- wishes to all those who remember.