White Christmas

I've been busy making White Christmas for teachers this year. It's so simple and yum.

My friend Vicky made these gorgeous hand printed clay and card tags which add an extra nice touch.

White Christmas:

800 gms of white chocolate

2 cups dessicated coconut

1 cup of shelled unsalted pistachio nuts

1 cup of craisins

Melt chocolate and mix all ingredients together, set in fridge in a slice tin lined with grease proof paper. Cut into cubes before it sets rock hard.

Enjoy!

Xmas Stitching

My fingers are hurting from so much stitching. I think I need to take a couple of days off from hand stitching. There are still at least four more gifts I could be machine sewing........watch this space!

Nana's quilt - Flea Market Finds

Well I can finally say I have started my Christmas gift sewing. A few weeks ago I came across this blue crystal box full of Nana fabrics in Vinnies for $6. I knew immediately what I was going to do with these. A quilt for my Mother In Law, these colours match her lounge room perfectly.

For more Flea Market Finds, pop over here.

Hexies, Bows and Pencil Rolls

I've been decorating a few tops of late. These are all birthday gifts. I still have not started my Christmas sewing. Hubby is out tonight, bottle of wine in the fridge....maybe I'll make a start.

As I sit in my back room typing this looking out to my very green back yard I can hear a harmonica and a man singing from a back yard down below. It's the nicest sound and has suddenly made me feel so relaxed and happy........it's the simple things!

Have a lovely week end everyone!

Flea Market Finds

I'm loving my finds this week, this gorgeous vintage floral sundress was $20 at Vinnies. It needs a little adjusting but will look perfect with a pair of thongs for summer.

Don't you love the logo on the tag?.....so corny!

And this floral fabric, it's a least 5 metres for only $5. I picked it up a few weeks ago and decided I had nothing to do with it but when it was still there this week I thought I was meant to have it.

Visit Sophie for some more Flea Market Finds.

Just made it

I was stressing this year when it got to the 2nd of December and I had not thought of an advent calendar for the kids. I took Harvey and Rosa into a busy Westfield at lunch time to buy the Kikki K one I saw last week. Of course all of Sydney was sold out. Then my daily blogging turned up this little beauty and it's free to download. We just started at number 5 and I am slowly filling them up.

Oldie but a goodie- Flea Market Finds

This little treasure was spotted by me when I was last in Melbourne, it was from a second hand furniture shop, not quite your local oppy but I thought it was most certainly blog worthy for Flea Market Finds. It was the colour that won me over and although it works it does need a little service. I am totally in love with my new old machine and can't wait to get it purring like it should be.

For more fabulous finds, hop over and visit Her Library Adventures here.

Little Bits of Pretty Giveaway

My God daughter Bella is a gorgeous little girl living with a condition called Cystic Fibrosis. I'll let you read a little about it here. My best friend Lea has put together a beautiful or should I say "pretty" blog to raise money for the wonderful Westmead Children's Hospital. Lea is an avid scrapbooker and crafter and is putting her talent and love into something great. Please pop over to her other crafty blog and enter in her fab giveaway. Her little packages make great gifts for your crafty friends and %100 of sales go to charity.

A couple of examples of her packages for sale below:

Vintage Pillow

I found this little vintage pillow case at an op shop.

A bit of a soak and dye later and you have a gorgeous little pillow for a little persons bed.

Brick Path for Darcy

I can finally show you my first brick path quilt. I made it months ago and have been waiting ever so patiently for my sister to give it to her friend down in Melbourne. I used a wool batting which I have not used before and it makes it so thick and snug for a Melbourne winter. Sheree told me of the colours she loved and I had so much fun picking these fabrics. Obviously they are not a normal choice for a baby girl, which makes it all the more different as special, just want Sheree was hoping for...... I'll certainly be making more brick paths, it's super easy when you don't have to match any seams......

I'm happy to say that Sheree LOVES it and here is her cute bubba Darcy having a kick and a play on her brand new quilt....

Beehive Beauty

A sneak peak of the Beehive blocks that have made their way back to me from Australia, the US and Canada. I'm very excited to be putting these little pieces colourful girlishness into a quilt for Rosa. I got the idea from the very talented Aneela Hoey, also seen in the 2nd issue of Fat Quarterly. I can't wait to see it sashed in white and quilted.

Lucky Me

......... for winning a giveaway from the lovely Trish at Two Peas in a Pod Designs. I'm loving my new apron with the most stunning rosettes that are detachable. This is a new design of hers and the pattern has just been released in her shop. Also this gorgeous ring made with ribbon and pretty stones.

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Harvey turns 5

This little man turned the 5 on the week end. Oh my am I glad it finally arrived, we had been counting down from 2 months to 1 month to weeks to days. The poor little guy has the last birthday for the year and it always seems to take forever to arrive.

He woke early of course and was ever so excited to receive his beloved Woody doll from Toy Story. The day started out with torrential rain but cleared just enough for the kids to enjoy the jumping castle. Happy birthday sweet boy. I loved seeing the smile glued to your face all day long. I hope you have so much fun being Five.

Floral Daks

My sister gave me this 90's looking soft floral fabric in the holidays. I've been wanting to make Rosa some simple pants to "knock around in" as my mum would say. Mum helped me trace a pattern off some track pants with a low crotch and ....voila... here you have a pair of comfy harem pants or "poo catchers" as we called them in the 90's.

Vintage number for Lu Lu

Lucia's mum just sent this pic through having seen my blog post. Perfect attire for daisy chain making don't you think? She is such a sweet little poppet.

Wow! what a long bloggy break, not by choice just simply life getting in the way, the school holidays were so busy I only managed to sew a couple of things, my creative list is getting longer by the day........ I did manage to snap this little vintage number up at Vinnies while in Wagga. I had plans of recreating a more modern top but impatiently unpicking the collar ended in one big rip down the front.

So a skirt it is....... perfect fit for my God Daughter Lucia. Not bad for 2 bucks!

Fast Cars quilt

These Heather Ross cars were the starting point for this little boy quilt. Such divine fabric and so easy to match with some colour co-ordinating Honeycomb Kei, Amy Butler dots and Castle Peeps in the orange and blue. This is my first quilt using linen and I love how it blends with the other fabrics.

I used the split 9 patch method as seen over here and here. However I did add a few more squares, making it quite a large cot quilt. I guess it can always be used on the floor.

I hope our Friends love it and I'm sure baby Kai will love the cars when he gets a little older.

Rosebud turns 3

Our baby turned 3 today. It seems one minute I was holding her in my arms and in no time she has blossomed into a bubbly, funny and very affectionate little girl.

She makes us laugh daily and adores hanging out with her brothers doing all things blokey. She especially loves the girly rituals of playing tea parties, dressing up, drawing and colouring.

And of course ALL things pink.

You are pure joy Rosa and we love you just so, so much...............Happy Birthday Honey xxx