Wordless Weekend

Taken HERE ages ago....

Sew Busy...

image from here

So true here at the moment. Ive been so busy sewing that my house looks as if a bomb has hit it, and we are eating alot of food out of the slow cooker so I dont have to work too hard on dinner. Lazy? nah just super busy on secret squirrel stuff for the market. All shall be revealed soon :-)

The Great Australian Black Out

Those of you who visit my blog directly rather than through Google reader would have noticed a large popup about internet censorship. This week is the Great Australian Blackout against proposed internet censorship in Australia. The issue popped up in late 2008, petered out and It came back with a vengeance.


If you like reading blogs...

If you like free speech...

If you like the fundamental concept of freedom...

You should take a stand.
 
I couldnt believe this when I read about it... thanks to Amy from Badskirt for posting about this, I had no idea!!

Something for Me...

I decided at the beginning of this month to take part in the 12months of sewing challenges over on carolyn's blog.

It was getting threateningly close to showing off week and I hadnt even thought of soemthing to sew! Until the other day I decided to make a laptop sleeve for my new laptop.

I was quite impressed with my bias tape ability as I made it all and then sewed it on. The most bias tape Ive done successfully ever! Well actually the only time Ive successfully done bias tape!

my new laptop sleeve...

Tutorial: here

Fabric: Outer Layer is dark blue Denim, Lining is "ginger blossom" by Sandi Henderson.

I found this quite easy and for the first time in my life I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY!!! woo!!! I generally decide that I need to add my own little spin on the tutorial, simply because I refuse to do as Im told!! And I like to personalise things. This time I thought I would challenge myself to do it exactly as written and it looks really good :-)

For more finished sewing projects head over to Carolyn's.

Some new photos

I took these photos of Olly the other day at the park to use as product photos for weepantz. I just love them, so I thought Id share :-)

a couple of the new weepantz photos.

ruth on the swing...

me :-)

giving mummy kisses through the bars on the fort :-) Mummy felt very very special :-D

 okay so it ended up with me showcasing my beautiful kiddies. But who would blame me? they are of course absolutely gorgeous!!!

An Update on Give Away Day!

You might remember me participating in the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day Back in December. Anyway, the dress went all teh way over to the US, Canada actually if I remember correctly. To a lovely lady named Sarah.

Out of the blue the other morning, I recieved a lovely email with some photos of her daughter wearing my dress, It was so awesome to see someone else's child wearing my creation. I thought I'd share the photos with you all (with her permission of course). Sarah doesnt have a blog from what I can see (correct me if Im wrong though!!) so I cant direct you her way...

this little girl is just gorgeous! and I think she looks lovely in my dress. :) Congratulations Sarah, and Im glad your little girl likes it too :)

Lost in Translation, some other Sewing from before Christmas

Ive been meaning to blog photos of this for a while and just never got around to it. So here we are...

For Christmas we had decided to go away to Bright which is in North East Victoria. We had also decided that with all of the stuff we had to fit into the car (golf clubs, guitars, kids toys etc) that the pram just wasnt going to fit. So I made the decision to make myself up a Mei Tai sling.

There are a bunch of tutorials online so I didnt use just one of them, but I did stick with the instructions for the man-tai very loosely when putting it together.

I used some white duck cloth... I know what you are thinking, white?!?! are you crazy?? but I didnt want A black one and white was the only neutral colour option left.

I also used some of some quilters cotton that I had laying around for the outside panel to make it pretty.

The sling is being modeled by my very talented Sister In Law Heather who loved getting to wear Olly to the pub and back. :-)

Olly really liked it too :-) He also really liked that iceblock. His first one ever... he was slightly confused by the cold at first, but because it was so hot he eventually figured out why we were giving it to him!!

and yummed it all up :-D

Shirt and Skirt Market Jan 2010

Well yesterday was the shirt and skirt market at the convent in abbotsford. It was a lovely day and my stall was situated right outside this fantastic cafe that has a wonderful idea that you pay as you feel. You can pay $1 if thats all you have and you will be fed as if you pay $100. Its a fantastic mentality that everyone in a community should be able to dine together regardless of their financial situation. But most importantly, as I sat there all I could smell was the AMAZING food!!!!!! smelled very good :-) and from all reports tastes pretty darn good too!!

Anyway back to the topic at hand... the market... hee hee. The market wasnt huge this month like last month but was still not a failure. I recieved my first ever custom order of a dress for a little girl, very exciting for me. I also rellished in the squeals of excitement from women who loved my wares. It is a fantastic thing for me as a designer to hear people be excited by my products, and to say how much they love them. :-)

The weather was windy. It was also rainy. But mainly windy. All of a sudden I didnt feel as ridiculous as I did when buying my 30kg sand bags which oh dear are soooo heavy and mean its impossible for me to set up my stall alone as I cant get them out of the car, they are just far too heavy... thank goodness for my really strong boyfriend!! But even he struggles. Anyway, so my tent stayed put thankfully. My rack fell over a couple of times, but with some help from my neighbour (who's website I'd love to find as she makes wonderful panama hats that just looked fantastic!) I got my rack anchored under the sandbag. But then the rain came!! haha it was a fun day with the weather, nothing tragic, but by geez it was cold!!


Anyway, some photos from the day...

I really love my new banners which I got from here.

Anyway, back to the regular grind of sewing all day getting ready for the sisters market on Feb 13th. I also plan to stock my website and also my etsy store this afternoon :-)

I have also joined a new baby auction site as a seller. Its a new site, but it was nice to be asked to have a store there, which I will put a few products in either this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

Oh the things that are happening in my house at the moment! Its a madhouse!! haha!! I've also applied for this market and will be checking it out next weekend to see how busy it actually is and get a feel for it ahead of my hopeful success in getting  a stall there as of next month. So hopefully things are set to get busier.

Im also looking for IRL resellers for my products so anyone who is interested please contact me via email.

Sneek Peek of my New Design.

I thought I would upload some photos of my new design that I have been working on. I have made up one set for Olly and another for the markets as a sample and will make up 2 more pairs.

weepantz overalls.

My own design.

The pictured pair of overalls is a size 1. they are a quite baggy make, and look very cute on :-)

The applique is a fish made from some scraps of farmers market that I had laying around. VERY sweet.

Let me know what you think! Ive not made many boys clothes before...

Amy xo

FLASHBACK FRIDAY... #1

So Ive made a decision to start a little game called "Flashback Friday". Yes, I need the ability to blog daily and a good reason for it.

Definition of Flashback Friday....

On Fridays you post a photo of something that makes you remember something. It can be of you, your family, something you sewed in years past the options are endless...

The only rule is that you have to share the memory!!

So get searching through those old photos and digging into your memory bank and we can have a wonderful time looking through funny, sad, whimsical or fantastically artistic photos every Friday in Blogland!!

I'll go first!!!!!

This photo is from when my partner and I met for the first time. Mick and I met online back in 2007 and chatted online for a long time before finally making the decision to meet in real life.

The main problem with us meeting in real life was... he lived in Victoria and I lived in Queensland, we worked out the exact km's between our houses and it was about 17 200km. Anyway, I was doing full time University, studying to be a teacher and being a single mum to my beautiful little girl when he got into contact with my mum one night and asked her ever so nicely if I agreed to come to Melbourne to visit him would she babysit my little one? She agreed, they both decided I needed a break from the hectic life I was leading.

So on Thursday the 3rd of May 2007 onto a plane I got to visit this man whom I supposedly knew so much about, and knew everything about me. It was sooo scary I was petrified!! But somehow knew that something exciting was going to happen and we were going to have a good time together. On the plane I was doing university revision, I still remember my highlighter exploding everywhere... LOL!! and just waiting waiting waiting to arrive. It was the longest 2 hours of my life!!!

I got off the plane and met the man of my dreams and from that first kiss I fell in love with him. Dont tell him that of course... Although Im pretty sure he knew that I did and felt exactly the same way. The photo was taken in his loungeroom at the time. We had been getting a number for a pub or something off the net and I got bored and decided to wear his welding helmet! haha...

Haha... nostalgiac moment there!!

Anyway... sign up and play along with me!!

SURPRISE PRESENTS!!

Yesterday I was told to stay at home so that I would be here when my two birthday gifts arrived (in 2 separate packages). I sat by the front door all day... yes... literally, so no work got actually done yesterday, except cutting out one pair of little explorer pants for Olly. LOL!!

Anyway, so to my surprise the first gift arrived, I had  been told to be very careful when opening this one as it is delecate, so it arrived, and I opened it.... inside was this....

Clock made my my sister Carmel. Photos are of me, my partner and my kids. This will take pride of place on the wall above my sewing machines :-) what a talented sister I have.

I then waited once again (and very impatiently) for the second package. It actually looked like it wasnt going to arrive. I was about to leave my post next to the door and I saw a little Toll van drive into my driveway. I got incredibly excited, ran outside and almost mauled the driver!!

I was really really hopeing it was going to be an embroidery machine... wishful thinking I know, but a girl can dream!!! right?? Anyway, so I opened up the package and RIPPED out the invoice sitting in the top of the box and sure enough my mother had purchased me a new LAPTOP!! replacement for my old one which carked it a few months back!! fantastic new piece of equipment!! and means I can have my own special computer for my business which is great, I can keep all the **lovely things my partner downloads** off it!!!

Lots of squealing and phonecalls followed the arrival and consequent opening of the laptop and I now have it set up with some of my files on it. I just have to transfer a few from the desktop and Im set!!

a picture of my lovely new acer computer. has a built in webcam and lots of lovely HD features. Im just happy to have my own computer again!!

I feel soooo spoiled!!!!!

Amy xo

Market Prep... again....

Okay so this Sunday I am off to the market again! I am very excited and cant wait to go out for the day and meet some mums, dads, grandparents, aunties, uncles etc etc etc.

I havent been able to sew any more nappies this month as all my fabric suppliers have been closed for Christmas, but I do have a few in stock from last month which is good. I will have the new pop over bibs that I made last week and a few samples of my new overalls design for little boys so that they can be pre-ordered for those who want to get in early!!

I'll also have plenty of dresses available! Still lots left over from last month!!

I cant wait to see everyone there! might chuck a sneak peek of the overalls on here later hey?!

Happy reading friends!!

Amy xo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

Well what a lovely morning! I awoke to a lovely man (that would be my partner) saying happy birthday, Im off to work. And shortly followed by Olly giggling through the baby monitor and Ruth going in to play with him. So a few extra moments peace. what a lovely present!!

I recieved some fabric from my lovely mother in law which I will use to make some little explorer overalls for Olly! :-) I will photograph it later and add the photos to ths post :-)

creamy/brownish linnen; "birdie" by my sister and me designs for moda; "farmers market" by sandi henderson; "xox" by holly johnson (I think...)

Fabrics are unironed straight from the wash, sorry bout that....

Have a happy day readers!!

Amy xo

Some sewing...

As I said, I bought the Make it Perfect Little Explorer Pattern while I was away for Christmas. I was so excited to use my new pattern (and fabrics) so I made up a little pair of the overalls for my nephew. I will make another pair for Olly soon. Apparently I am getting more fabric for my birthday :D

little explorer overalls

Pattern: Little Explorer by Make it Perfect

Size: 1

Fabric: Ivory Cotton Drill & Michael Miller Print (I think...)

Ive also been doing alot more prep for the Markets that I have coming up. So Ive been making some larger, pop over style bibs. I think they are just drool worthy and hope they sell really well so I can make more!!!

WeePantz Pop Over Bibs

Size: OSFA

Pattern: My own measurements

Fabric: 100%cotton prints (from Spotlight mainly), Terry Towelling backing & cotton Ribbing

I have also been doing some unpicking today. I LOATHE UNPICKING It is the bane of my existence. But, alas, once its done its done, so I attempt to stick to it. Funny all the "other" things I can think of to do rather than sewing and crafting when unpicking has to be done. I think my washing has never been more up-to-date!!!!!!

Anyway, yes the blog was another unpicking procrastination... :P I will get back to it... why on earth dont they invent an electric unpicker? perhaps I need to teach DD how to do it!! HEEEEE HEEEE

Amy xo

Happy 2010!!

Well... Ive missed a bunch of updating over the holidays, but that is because I was busy sewing and then went away... Good excuse right??

Firstly... Thankyou to my swap sender who sent me this beautiful apron and pot holder for my secret santa gift. :-)

Also, here is some photos of the gifts I made, although there were lots more gifts and I forgot to photograph them all... WHOOPS!!

Clockwise from top left:

Crayon Roll; Skirt (My own pattern); Messenger Bag (Burda); Rice bags.

So on for the new year!! :-)

Amy xo