SDO: some sewing

While Matt had the children for some daddy time I sat myself down at the sewing machine. I didn't even tidy first. I knew they would be home before long so I took full advantage and chose to fill up my mama-needs-to-do-something-creative-tank.
I finished the backyard blanket which was basically a thrifted sheet sandwiched together with some old terry toweling-its not really large enough for all of us but for my first go it gave me an idea of what I will do next time.
Jett put in an order for a large pencil case with a pocket for his rubber and sharpener so that was next-now I've got orders from the other two.
A couple of skirts for the girls using a thrifted pillowcase and a pillowcase dress for Jasi. I think i filled my makin tank at least for another week. It is such a joy to see the children wearing clothes or using things that have come from my hands and heart-even if I am a beginner sewer-I am really catching the bug.

thinking & doing

Sewing:
For so long I've been thinking of sewing this or that and when the time comes where I might have an hour I kind of freeze up, can't decide on what to sew, what fabric to choose and on.. After the funk of this last week I became a little desperate to make something ..anything.
I always think a little better with the least amount of noise so when my husband took the children out- I suddenly got moving. My hands cutting, sorting through materials and my head keeping out of the way. My new sewing machine given as a generous gift by my mil, was smooth and humming along without any naughtiness and it was all just right.
I went to bed that night saying to my husband sounding very much like my children- Look did you see what I made?!
Well I havn't finished it and this next bit will probably take me forever but just maybe if I keep a basket by the lounge or the bed I might pick it up and do a few stiches here and there you know in between feeding the six of us and cleaning up after all that eating and reading the twenty or so books Bella brings me to read to her at rest time ( and other times), and reading the Hobbit to the elder two which I'm trying to just keep to one chapter a night but Oh I had forgotten how good it is.
So here it is my first ever little quilt... for a very special little someone.

sewing for Bella

A while ago when I was on a sewing buzz I made the children some place mats , Isabella was breast feeding so I decided I'd do hers later well last week she noticed that she didn't have a place mat and sweetly asked wheres mine?- that's about all it took to get me to sewing. She was so happy the next morning, she carried her place mat around all day showing anyone who was near. Now I'm thinking what next?

Happy Easter!

We are just about ready to leave for our yearly Easter camping with friends for a whole blessed week but before we go here are some drawstring bags I made for the kids to put goodies in for Easter morning ( terrible photo I know-it was very late and I resorted to using the flash). We'll be spending the week celebrating a couple of birthdays, swimming, bike riding and plenty of watching the children get as dirty as they possibly can. Maybe I'll get some stitching in. May happiness and warmth surround you and your special ones this Easter.
Be back here in a week!

recovery fun

I hope you had a beautiful weekend with your lovely ones around you. I spent the entire weekend home trying to get well with my lovely ones coming and going. While I was in rest mode ( which doesn't happen very often) I had a little crafty fun. Ohh its so good to be makin. Want to see?

An old t-shirt that I left wet in the laundry basket was found moldy all over the front but this t-shirt was a comfy one & I didn't want to throw yet another laundry disaster away so I sewed a piece of fabric over the top of the mold and had some drawing fun with the sewing machine.
This was so fun and so easy I'll be playing around with this again soon for sure. Once I had the fabric scraps drawer open I started playing with making a little picture. I don't know what this will be maybe a wall hanging, I might add some writing, or it could get left in the come back-to pile. While I was fiddling with the fabric and arranging pieces here and there my 5yo asked for one just the same except no pink and a little bird added so I'll be making one of these again soon, its his birthday in 9 days perhaps a birthday present?




And two favourite things right now- a dress for little Bluebell from Lazy Bones in Bangalow (its a good thing its 2 hours away-the vintage quilts are delicous and though I can resist every 6 months when I visit if I saw it over & over well I'm sure I'd grow weak and convince myself one of us needs a quilt just like that) and this cushion with hand painted flowers. Pretty hey?



Oh and I finally got around to changing the banner-the days are cooling down, the skys are blue with breezes blowing, lorikeets visiting and afternoons spent outside reading, crafting, tea-drinking and biscuit dunking. I love Autumn. Warm, yet soft and breezy.
This week I'm going to be posting a bit on our project learning and some wonderful things I'm learning from Lori's blog at Camp Creek. If you drop in please say hi I'd love to meet you!

nature study bags

I made these nature bags from old pants, I got the idea from Camp Creek Blog...the kids love them and are itching to get some use out of them, if only the weather would cool a little ....

They are packed with all the essentials for a little nature study- nature notebooks, pencils, rubber, watercolors, magnifying glass, little specimen containers for collecting samples and bringing bits home because the 2 yr old doesn't always understand the need for sitting patiently while her siblings sketch so we may need to bring them back and do our drawings later but to be outside-looking, running, discovering is so worth it, the children are settled, the bodies and senses are fed and a calmness seems to fall on everyone. Ahhhh, bliss for this mama who often finds herself surrounded by an insane amount of noise and energy. More nature walks, definitely more nature walks!

thirty-four

Yes I am.
Hard to believe really. Sometimes I feel I've lived a lifetime and at other times I know I'm still at the beginning. Truly blessings do abound and this blog helps me to see, helps me to stop and breathe in this moment , the now of my life.
So here is my now...some birthday loveliness in the form of pictures, cards, presents and something I really wanted- a little bit of Makin Mama time....thankyou sweet husband for making this day just what I needed...loveliness in many different forms xxx.As I lay my head to the pillow my heart gives thanks-
I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing because he has been so good to me. Psalm 13

Ikea drawers

Little bits and bobs,treasures collected from everywhere..where o where does it all go.
Well we bought these ikea drawers for all those little 'special things' that are collected over time and to personalize them a little I covered them with drawings & favourite pictures.

He wanted an elephant

When I showed the children the Mr Bunny I made out of Daddy's old jumper 8yob asked if I could make him a elephant. At the time I said that would be way too hard I'm just a learner-sewer is there something a little easier perhaps? No, an elephant it had to be. I put that on the too hard shelf for a while.
After a particularly hard day for the boy (and the mama) I decided I would make him an elephant no matter the end result -I was going to give it a go.
I searched elephant softies on Flickr hoping to stumble upon a tutorial and after a while of wasting the night away I drew up a pattern, cut it out and got sewing.
I was reasonably happy with the results and most importantly the boy was very happy and seeing him play with 'Jumbo' all day was very warming to this 'learner-sewer' Mama's heart. I could so get into this softie making thing.

goodbye grey jumper...hello Mister Bunny

I really enjoyed making these

I made these placemats as an engagement present for a very dear and special friend. I felt a little anxious about giving a handmade present -'was it good enough?' but I actually really liked them myself and I thought if I'd be happy to receive them then hopefully someone else would.
And she was.
I also made this little door hanger for my new nephew. I got the idea for this from here.

SDO #2

A little bit of time for the mumma, a little bit more makin for the babes.
What has been so delightful and surprising to me has been how proud and happy the little ones are in seeing me create, despite the flaws. They are seeing that its worthwhile and enjoyable to create even when the outcome isn't perfect. And the list of 'will you make..?' is growing and I love that. Now to just organise myself some more makin mumma time...

just a little bit of making..

new pants out of old t-shirt
crude dress for baby emily out of leftovers
miss buttons for 7yog.


and hopefully more to come.It's taken me a while to actually do something with this crazy need to make ,anything.Just to be able to finish & accomplish a task,to be able to hold something up & proclaim 'I made this!'I don't know why it is so satisfying perhaps its the immediate results and it helps that it is received with happiness .Regardless of why I'm looking forward to creating a little more makin time.