etsy shop update

 What ive been working on over the last week.

a versatile blogger award

Last week I recieved an award from The Moerks and Ive been searching my brain trying to come up with some things to write about but there was no room inside my head for anything but the necessary stuff like keeping up with housework and kids and feeding everyone on time (when they walk in the door) so Im just going to have to start this post and see where it leads! Before too much time passes and I forget to mention a huge Thankyou for thinking of me.

The rules for the Versatile Blogger Award are to thank the giver (tick), then list 7 things about myself and pass the award on to 15 others. Ill probably do more or less than this number, sorry for bending the rules.

I might need to pop the kettle on while I procrastinate a bit longer. Hang on....

Can one of the seven things be my new teapot? Im sure it can!

Number 1.

 My teapot! (which I imagined breaking before I got it home as that was the way last week felt it was heading). My search for the perfect pot had been extensive and lasted about a year and a half. No. Wait! Its been almost two years now. Shame on me for taking so long to choose but im an instant love kind of girl. It has to be love at first sight for the things that ill be using everyday in my life. I mean ill be waking up to this pot for many years to come. See Matchbox at D.F.O. for a great basics selection.

Number 2.

Time for procrastinating is over. Unless I talk about the fact that I procrastinate! Yes! Thats it! 

It was lovingly pointed out in a friendly email today by a nice lady that we, she and I, have this in common. 

Now I know a few of you are on the same page and are probably nodding your heads while they are embedded in the sand. A difficult thing to do you would think.

Im gonna be really specific here.

These are the things I procrastinate about.

Waking up.(I can pretend im not awake)

Having a shower.(our shower here is evil and I burnt my stomach and my feet the first time I used it cos I was too cocky and thought everyone else was exaggerating how touchy it was)

Getting dressed.(I hate my clothes and should be sewing more right now but im PROCRASTINATING)

Eating breakfast.( I dont like eating in the morning even though its 'the most important meal of the day')

(okay youve guessed im not a morning person but I would secretly love to be and I often try to trick myself into getting up and walking the dog before I realise my mistake)

Finishing patchwork quilts. There. Ive said it. I love to start them but if I cant finish them in a day they sit there. For years it seems. The first one I started 8 years ago is still unfinished. I probably only have another 2 hours to go and it will be done. Why cant I give myself the gift of completion?

Number 3.

I rave.

I realise the part where Ill admit to raving will be one of the shortest of these 7 but I have nothing to add to this.

Number 4.

I like to draw house plans in my spare time as I can imagine the spaces and rooms as I draw them and walking through it I envision the light coming through the windows. Maybe a missed calling as an interior architect, who knows? I would never have completed a project anyway. I did make a model once so I could spin it around to watch the light flow in from different aspects. We never built that house.

Number 5.

I havent hung one iota of fabric by way of a curtain in this new abode even though every single day since weve moved in I fully intended to put them up that day! The rods are on the floor ready to go in every room and the cordless is plugged in and everything. But no! Not a curtain in sight. Oh! Did I mention before about how the neighbours can see in to half of our rooms. Uh huh.... dumb. And I have a shortage of storage space so if I did put the curtains up it would solve my storage issues in the linen cupboard which irks me constantly as well!

Could I get more stupid?

Number 6.

I think im organised.

Number 7.

I dont like cooking for my family, I only enjoy it when other people are coming for dinner.

I dont know why. If I knew why, would I then be able to finally enjoy it because I could turn my thoughts around?

Now for the fun part. Who to pass this on to....

DorothyBills because Id love to know more about Eleesa.

Sara from InTheLightOfTheSun. Come on, enlighten us.

Lets have some good old crazy talk from Michelle @ MishMaccas.

 Kate @ Foxs Lane because, lets face it, who doesnt want to know more about this creative lady?

Beccasauras because she loves to share and is good at it,

and Abbe from CopperPatch because she doesnt rave. Need I say more?

winner announced and a thankyou

After much deliberating on my part and waiting for Jane to somehow realise she was the first winner, I have picked another from the ladies that commented on my Pin-Cushion Giveaway. But first I want to say 'Jane', if you find this in the future please dont hesitate to let me know youve seen it finally. Ill make you one as well and pop it in the post on its way to you.
Again, thanks to everyone who let me know how much they loved my creation. It was a huge creative injection for me to see all the lovely comments!

So.... the winner is Gail @ Glady and Flo!!!!!!
Congratulations!
Ill be sending you messages wherever I can find contact details for you just in case you dont see this, either.

The next thing I really want to say is a huge Thank You to Elsie Marley for hosting Kids Clothes Week.
It really got my sewjo (sewing mojo) back from wherever it went and heres how my rack looks now!

And this doesnt even show the many pairs of pants because im being fussy how I want to hang them and have yet to glue some wooden pegs to hangers. I think I have 11 pairs made so far.

Here are the diverse trimmings that I put on the girls tunics.

I like the new additions with the older things and now im closer to having a more complete and well-rounded look for my shop offerings. Ive been busy shortening and stamping some coathangers for use at the markets. (Did I mention that I used to buy coathangers like they were going out of fashion almost everyweek during grocery shops because the downfall of being able to sew is that all your kids know you can whip them up clothes to their hearts content plus they inherit your love of fabrics?) 

So, I have a lot of the plain wooden ones. Well, a while ago I ordered a free stamp through Vistaprint (you look for the specials and sometimes only need to pay for postage).

I didnt end up liking this stamp for paper goods as they only had a limited choice of fonts for free and it was my first purchase from them. But on the wood of the coathangers it was perfect.

Im off to catch up on some housework so that I can perhaps enjoy a full day of sewing tomorrow.

Heres hoping!

self portrait stencil tutorial

Ive just found something to play around with over the weekend here. Its at A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk's blog. Enjoy!

P.S It looks like ill have to do a redraw for my Giveaway as there's still no sign of Jane. Ill choose a new winner over the weekend and announce the who on Monday!
If Jane sees that she was the winner down the track ill just make her a pin-cushion anyway!

Have a great weekend with the ones you love, x

a wedding

Zjahlii

A gift from her father

Riley, her man

Their gift to us, Mali

Monet

Paisley

 Mum Elisha (aka MonetPaisley)

Her men Clint and Hurley

Eddie and Alyce

My blanket (theirs now)

India

Brendon

Me (getting ready)

Troy and Tegan

getting ready for a cake fight

 still looks gorgeous after shes had cake shoved in her face

kids clothes week - day 5

Ive slowed right down in production towards the end of this creative week hosted by Elsie Marley. I came down with a head cold wednesday night and cant seem to shake it yet. The only thing I have to show for yesterdays efforts is one vest and today ive been in bed for most of it but have managed to pluck myself out from under the covers and away from my book to sew up a couple of pairs of girls pants so that I can still finish the week off with a nice respectable pile.

So im sitting here with a nice cuppa listening to my dryer do my housework for me....and I think ill visit some of you to see how you went with this challenge.

Have a cosy weekend, x

my creative space

Well.....

I dont know how to tell you this so im just gonna come out and say it.

My husband has taken over my creative space!

Hes making a patchwork quilt. Although he calls it a stitch-me-up quilt, and im yet to work out exactly what he means by this.

We went fabric shopping on monday (his day off) for his fabric and he couldnt wait to get home to start it.

 I kid you not. Actually thats exactly what he was being. Just like an excited little kid .

So this is what ill we'll be working on today.

Head on over to Kirstys to see what everyone else is up to.

making the dog jealous

We were spending the evening in our garden the other day and it was nice so I went inside for my camera to take shots of him and the dog as they were sharing a moment.

After multi shots of doglove I said, 'look at me'.

So this is how he looks at me,

and this is how I look at him.

kids clothes week - day three

Im having a fun but busy week being a part of the Kids Clothes Challenge over at Elsie Marley.

I got off to a unusual start (my husband chose now to enlist my help in making a patchwork quilt) but have found that some others have kind of done the same thing. I think we mostly all started preparing earlier in our own ways and I have come across a few people doing the same as me. Once you know youre in for a challenge your mind is constantly working towards that goal.

I started cutting things out last week while I was with Eleesa from DorothyBills. Over the next few days I couldnt wait to start them so I got stuck in. Id been wondering when my sewing mojo (sewjo) was gonna show up.

Ive finished another two vests, well almost. They just need topstitching.

And am cutting out some more girls tunics tonight.

How about you?

my place and yours

I havent participated in 'My Place And Yours' for a while but have just visited Bountifully and felt the urge to join in.
This weeks theme is proud adj. , prouder , proudest . Feeling pleasurable satisfaction over an act, possession, quality, or relationship by which one measures one's.

I thought id introduce you to my son, Solomon. He loves to dance and I am proud of him.