Woo Hoo the wait is finally over

I'm in print.  Here is my pattern that is in this months Homespun.  I have been making a few more different versions over the last few days.  I have about another 1/2 doz cut out and just got some more boy fabric today to make some more.  I  have heaps of fabric in the stash for girls of all colours but the boy stuff is hard.   Hopefully the latest crop will come up to my son's expectation of being boyish enough even for him.

Must say this is the best post day ever, also got another stash of fabric for skirts which look yummy enough to eat.  As it is going to be extra hot today and tomorrow I think I will be cranking up the aircon and sewing sewing sewing. ..... but first a coffee and a flick through the rest of the magazine not just Page 74.

Leftovers

Christmas Day was spent at our place this year.  It was fairly warm so the kids were able to have a dip in the pool in the afternoon.  It also means we have leftovers and I will be looking at my copy of Delicious Christmas for interesting things to do with the Ham, Turkey and all the rest of the bits of pieces I have in the fridge to make do over the next couple of days.   I couldn't resist the  Recipe App for my iphone either.

I also have leftovers in the sewing room, half made items for the stall that were left, mainly because I had to change thread colours or had had enough of doing the same thing over and over so I have just left them so this weekend I am going to finish all the half finished items and put them in the done and dusted pile.

Wishing you all A Merry Christmas

We did the rounds of the lights this week.  Just those around the neighborhood.  One street had there own carolers, it was a dead end street so it was jammed packed we decided to park at the beginning and walk instead of braving the traffic jam which was a good decision.

Yesterday I made my 5th batch of chocolate coconut balls for this Christmas, don't ask me where batches 1 - 4 have gone ... it must have been Santa's Elves.

I wrapped the last of the pressies last night.  We got caught out last year when my son couldn't go to sleep on Christmas Eve and we were starting to wrap at midnight.

Let me take this opportunity to wish every one

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Sparkly Christmas

Last night was the annual Christmas Din Dins with the Sparkle Girls (my little group of quilty friends).   Its a great way to celebrate the end of the year and of course there are presents involved.  The end of year gifts are always lovely to exchange, we each think long and hard before getting down to business and we are never disappointed.   As you can see they are always beautifully presented and there is usually food of the chocolate variety, a bit of handmade (always gorgeous), some sewing notions, fabric and other nice bits and pieces.  I know these are the best presents I get every year because I didn't have to buy them myself lol.

Big Thank You Girls.....Helen, Kay, Silvia and Sue.

Glad to have my feet firmly on the ground

I have finished my whirlwind tour of Melbourne.  Every year I get flown to Melbourne for Xmas lunch, hard life I know but someone has to do it.  Each year my stop over gets better.  The first year I had to leave on the 6pm flight (the day of the lunch) and that was when everyone was just getting happy and relaxed and the plane flight was not good after having a few drinks at lunch.  Last year we got a 9am flight the next morning, lets just say not good after a long afternoon/night of christmas cheer.  This year  my flight was in the afternoon so I got to do some morning shopping and walk around Melbourne... well a couple of blocks of Melbourne.   

You come to realise how small Adelaide is when you go to Melbourne, because lets face it, Adelaide has one main street and your can see the sky in Adelaide Streets, all the buildings are big in Melbourne and the traffic is OMG don't think I will be taking my car to Melbourne any time soon. 

Now I am sure I would be braver if I wasn't on my own but I decided to walk to Southern Cross Station to purchase a Skybus ticket.  Had  my trustee NOT iphone which got me lost ... where was Lee (GPS) telling me I was going the wrong way....  What was supposed to take 15min walk took 45 but I did get my ticket to the airport and by the time I returned to Bourke Street some of the shops were open.  Turns out I could have just jumped on a tram out the front of the hotel but I couldn't find how much the tram costs and the website was no help to find out where to get a ticket for a short trip.  On my many miles of walking I found a human inhabited info booth and was able to ask more questions.  

Found a cute little Arcade off Bourke Street where I managed to find something for my MIL for Christmas and the cutest Lolly shop SUGA for the best hand made lollies.  And the Babuska shop above I took this photo for Mrs P.  

Those who know me know that I get very motion sick at times, the reason I drive everywhere and my husband sits in the passenger seat.  Usually I have these wrist bands that seem to work pretty good to stop it but I completely forgot this year.  So I was pretty green when I got of the flight in Melbourne and worse when I finally got home again in Adelaide. I don't think I will be forgetting them again next year.

It is official now and we have a bit of a blurb on the Grange Twilight Market site so go and check it out. We hope to see a few blogging friends down by the sea.  And if you are on Facebook we have a Page that you might like to LIKE. 

SHHH I have a secret to tell

We got the news on Monday that we have our Market Stall at the Grange Twilight Market.  Leanne and I are going to be very busy over the next 6 weeks or so.   We have decided to jump in the deep end for our first ever market as this one is run over 3 weeks, so we won't be sewing for 1 stall we will be sewing for 3. It is a good job we had made a start is all I can say and I am going to have really schedule my sewing time and make sure I stick to it.

And we have a facebook page Leanne & Amanda Handmade so if you Facebook go ahead and LIKE US, to get all the information about what we have come up with for the stall.

Yesterday I did a bit of a photo shoot with squid to show off my products, I didn't have my big camera, flat battery, so I used the squid's new one that just arrived the day before (her old one, about 3 months old, died and had to be returned for a warrantee repair we ended up getting a new one as it was irreparable) and I didn't have any idea how to use the thing, mind you she seems to have worked it out.  I was trying for some action shots but that didn't quite work out.

I get the feeling blogging is going to be a bit hit and miss over the next few weeks, but I will drop in from time to time... probably to download a stress attack.  But tomorrow I am off to Melbourne for Xmas Lunch for work with some time for shopping.....woo hoo.

I've Been Busy Again

I have been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks.  I've ended up getting up in the wee small hours and putting in an hour or two of sewing just to stop the tossing and turning.  I have been working on some little girls skirts and have a few more to finish but they are at the waist band stage so they shouldn't take too long to put together.  

Here are the first few finished articles and I have sold one and have another order for a size 7-8 so I think they will sell either at the market stall (if we get there) or on my Etsy & Made It Shops.

Next week I am heading to Melbourne for work, I have managed to score a free morning in Melbourne if anyone can suggest any shops that I should visit please do so.     

Favourite Things Friday

This weekend past we put up the Xmas trees.  I get a bit funny about my trees and I just have to have my own because that way I get to decorate my own tree my own way.... yes I know it is sad but.  I get very cranky when the kids want to help.... there was lots of crankyness this year as I had far to much help.

The kids have there own tree where they can put all their crap sorry lovely craft that they make at school on their tree without cluttering my trees.

My trees have the special ornaments that we have been collecting over the years and the hand made ornies that I received over the years from the Passion 4 Primitive swaps that I use to be involved in.  Some of the ingenuity of those women were amazing they really thought outside the box when it came to ornie swaps.  I know the prim stuff is not everyone's cup of tea but I really love bringing them out because they were all made with so much care and I remember how much fun it was to receive my parcel at the end of the swap with all these amazing things carefully wrapped and received from all over Australia.

For more FTF fun visit Mrs P 

Creative Space

I wasn't going to but as it is the last one for the year I thought I had better.  This weeks at sewing I cut out 17 wrap skirts to put in the market stash.  They are in little girl sizes 3-4, 5-6, 7-8.  I have already sold one so I had better get on with it this weekend and this afternoon.  I went for colours that I don't usually buy but I thought would still appeal to young girls.  I think I might make more because at least if I don't sell them they will be great for the Squid... she needs more clothes.

I use french seams when I sew them.... mainly because I can't thread my overlocker but I also like the finished look so here they all are with the first seams all done.  I haven't decided on the contrast tie yet but I think I will do that this afternoon.

Don't forget to check out all the creative spaces here you probably have a few weeks to do it.

What The

As you will know I have been making a few bags lately and I have been bemoaning the fact that I don't have a pressing ham which one of the patterns called for.  I looked into buying one on the internet and decided that I didn't want to do that and have been making do with a rolled up piece of wadding (with limited success) and thinking I must get to DK to check and see if they had one.  

Leanne text me this afternoon and asked if I was home and turned up on my doorstep with one that she had made.  She found the pattern on the internet and it is just the ticket and is better than one I would have bought I am sure .... Market sweat shop here we come.