Friday 29 April 2011

Royal Wedding...

A huge congratulations to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on their marriage today...we've been watching here since 7am this morning. Such a historic day, and an amazing feeling of love and joy being expressed by people all over the world...she was radiant, her dress was stunning, and they looked so in love - I hope they have a long and happy life together.

Good Luck to them both!




Wednesday 27 April 2011

Girl's Dress (no, not a bag lol!)

I decided I wanted to make something I'd never made before. So I decided to make a little girl's dress (I don't have a little girl, and my 3 year old son definitely doesn't like 'girls stuff' as he calls it lol!)

So this is what I came up with - I was very pleased with how it turned out! I just used one of Jamie's shirts as a pattern base, and went from there!

You might recognise the fabric as being the same as that from my camera bag - it looks much better in a dress! 

Thanks for looking!
xxx

Tuesday 26 April 2011

New Camera Bag

I decided I needed a new camera bag....everything keeps falling out of my old Canon one lol! 
So I grabbed some fabric, had a look round the internet for some inspiration and ideas...and set off (I do like to make things up as I go along - I'm a 'bodger')

So here it is - I kinda wish I'd used different fabric - this was supposed to be a mock up of the real thing but I went a little overboard and it's now a full-blown bag, with padded foam lining, padded inserts, flower details, the lot! So I guess it will have to do until I can make myself another one in fabric I do like!

The bag...
The pockets...

The inside, with padded inserts (ok, so I cheated and stole the ones from my Canon bag, too....)

and here it is with my camera, lenses, and my full handbag in as well to show size - I wanted a bag I could take everything out in, instead of carting around two bags as I usually do!

I might add some more pockets to the inside if I do make another one - somewhere to put my filter cases would be handy!

Thanks for looking - I'm hoping once I get this perfected I can get a pattern made for you, but I'm still working on sorting the Romance bag pattern lol! 
xxx 

Sunday 24 April 2011

Sunday 17 April 2011

Beautiful Days......

are my favourite days!
We decided to take a little trip to our local shopping centre for some lunch, and then headed down to the Marina to see if we could see some ducks - but all we found was one moorhen and some plastic swans lol!
There's nothing I like more than spending time with my wonderful little man and my gorgeous Mr. B - my little family!
BTW, if anyone is wondering - the thing hanging on Jamie's belt loop is a superhero squad torch....obvious, really....rofl!






I hope your day was as glorious as ours, and thanks for looking!
xxx

Saturday 16 April 2011

Spring Craftiness tutorial

While sitting with the small one, supervising his craft session (trust me, he NEEDS supervising - I turned my back for a second and he cut a tube of glitter glue in half!) I had an idea pop into my head (those of you who know me - see? It DOES happen occasionally.)

I decided to make these cute little frames - and do a step by step tutorial for you too!



You will need :-

12 lolly sticks
thick card or craft foam for backing
scraps of co-ordinating fabric (or not co-ordinating, if that's how you roll!) 
embellishments (I used foam hearts)
long strip of ribbon or fabric for hanging
glue stick
black gel pen
sellotape (other sticky back plastics are available!)

Firstly, cut out 3 squares of your card or foam backing, making them just smaller than the length of your lolly sticks, depending how much stick you want to hang over the edge. You will see I forgot this photo, so took it after I'd stuck the fabric on lol!

Then, stick your fabric on one side - I used 1 main piece and then a co-ordinating strip - how you do it is up to you!
Next, attach the lolly sticks using a glue stick - I wasn't particularly set on getting them straight - they looked cuter all higgledy piggledy!
Then add your embellishment - I used cute foam hearts that I pinched shamelessly from my sons craft box!

Next, using a gel pen in black, I wrote 'love' and drew hearts on the frames, because I'm sappy!

Lastly, I turned them over and added a twisted strip of fabric for hanging (you could use ribbon, or string if you wanted). I laid it on the back and sellotaped it - it was easier than trying to glue it! I made a loop at the top and taped that down too.

And there you have it! One very easy cute project to bring a little bit of spring to your room!

Oh, and while I was doing this? 

My little man was still having some crafty fun of his own lol!
Thanks for looking, have a great weekend!
xxx

Thursday 14 April 2011

I didn't manage it....

I made another bag! lol!

This is another using my 'Romance' bag pattern (which I am trying to get sorted for you, honestly!) so I called it 'Dark Romance'!



Fabrics used:

Riley Blake - Sublime Red Flowers
Michael Miller - Dumb Dots Black
Michael Miller - Ta Dots Ebony

Thanks for looking!
xxx

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Anna's bag!

Here's the bag I made with the fabric that arrived yesterday - I promise I'll sew something that isn't a bag tomorrow lol!

Fabrics are:

Denyse Schmidt - Hope Valley Prairie Rose New Day
Free Spirit - Designer Beads Powder
Ribbon is East of India Grey Heart


Thanks for looking!
xxx

Tuesday 12 April 2011

I love my Postman.....

because he brings me pretty fabric from my favourite fount of fabricky (not even a word? lol!) goodness - Sew Me Happy! lol!

Fabrics are: 
Denyse Schmidt - Hope Vally Prairie Rose New Day
Free Spirit - Designer Beads Powder
Michael Miller - Ta Dots Ebony
Ribbon - Black with white spot Grosgrain


I ordered this little lot to make a bag for my friend...but when it arrived I wasn't keen on the fabric/ribbon combo! So after a quick think and an email or two to my friend...we came up with this combo instead from my stash! Phew!

Ribbon - East of India Grey Heart (also from Sew Me Happy)
Fabric - Miscellaneous from stash lol!
Much better, yes? 

The grey dots and black ribbon won't go to waste - I'll just use them on something else lol!

Thanks for looking
xxx 

Monday 11 April 2011

Yesterday's Bargain shop!

We all trooped off to Lakeside Shopping Centre yesterday to pick up some bits and pieces, and while we were there I thought I'd pop into Primark and see what bargains were to be had - I love a bargain, me! lol!

This is what I came out with - the 3 fabrics on the left are all XL ladies shirts to be upcycled - the birds has little matching fabric covered buttons, the matrioshka doll fabric has those gorgeous little heart buttons, and there were some lovely little red buttons on the rose fabric, so I can re-use all of them as well!
Even better - they were all £1 each in the sale!
The three on the right hand side are all single duvet cover sets...imagine how much fabric is in those - and they were £5 each! 
So I got the whole lot for less than £20 - I love a bargain, and upcycling!



Thanks for looking!
xxx

Sunday 10 April 2011

As it feels like Spring....

I thought I'd share with you this bag I made yesterday...
I designed and drafted the pattern, and made it up myself!
it's called the 'Romance' Bag, and the pattern will be available soon.
This was my first time trying to make this style of fabric flower - I think it turned out ok!
Fabrics used are:
Tanya Whelan - Delilah Roses on Red
Michael Miller - Dumb Dots Fuschia
Riley Blake - Be Merry Polka Dot on Cream
Ribbon - no idea - an odd piece from my stash lol!







and also....see that vase of tulips in the first picture?
That's what Russ surprised me with yesterday morning when he came home from work - what a sweetie he is!
Of course I had to take some pictures - they're too beautiful not to!



Thanks for looking!
xxx

Thursday 7 April 2011

Spots before the eyes......

Please, do not adjust your sets......lol!
Remember all that lovely spotty fabric I ordered for my friend's bag? 
Well, I made it today! I used the Otto pattern again as she loved the one I made for my Mum.
She was very pleased with it, bless her - I'm so glad. It was a Mother's Day present from her daughters, so I made sure I did the best job I could.





Thanks for looking!
xxx

New threads!

I ordered myself some new Coats cotton threads the other day from Sew Me Happy...
I took them out today to start bobbin winding and they looked so pretty I had to take a picture!
Look at these.....


Can't wait to get sewing with them!

Thanks for looking
xxx

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Sunday 3 April 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

Here in the UK it's Mother's Day today...which means I can finally post what I made my Mum about a week ago lol!
I couldn't post it here before as she reads my blog - so Happy Mother's Day Mum, I love you!
Here it is - a bag based on the free Ottobre Dotted Dream Purse Pattern, but with a few of my own modifications, such as the button and the straps!
This is the first bag I've made, so I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and so was my Mum -she loved it! Yay!

Fabrics used are:
Riley Blake's Green Gingham Check Quite Contrary by Minds Eye
Phoebe Butterflies on Brown from In The Beginning
Riley Blake's Red Cheery Circles from All Star Collection
with a plain brown upholstery fabric from my stash for the lining,and a button from my stash too.


Thanks for looking - and I hope all you mamas out there have a lovely day!
xxx

Getting an early start...

Well for some reason, (and trust me, this NEVER happens!), I'm making an early start on things for that most dreaded of C-words... CHRI...