NIKKI-SHELL

My little chefs

Busy at work making scones,

teddy bear shaped of course!

Yum!  Next i'll have them preparing dinner.

Bribery

We started a new bedtime routine a few weeks ago.  We had got to the point where Mia would not sleep in her own bed, she'd insist on going to sleep in our bed and then she would still get up numerous times and we'd put her back to bed over and over.  I got tired of it, very tired and enough was enough.  I had a chart printed that i found on the internet which say's "I'm a big kid!  I go to sleep in my own bed."  and i put the child gate on the bedroom door.  I explained beforehand what was happening hoping it wouldn't be too big a shock for her.  The first night we had dinner, then a bath together and some quiet playtime afterwards (no tv after dinner).  I read some stories and sang some songs then put them both to bed at the same time (they share a room) and for the rest of the night i listened to both of them cry.  Esme fell asleep after a little while but Mia stood at the gate crying to be let out.  The next night i put Esme to bed first so she could fall asleep or at least be settled when i took Mia in after her stories.  The same thing happened, Mia cried at the gate.  The third night i discovered that i could make a deal with Mia, if she stayed in bed i would leave the gate and door open, it worked!  That and the promise of a stamp on her chart and a sticker on her hand.  I also told her that if she could manage to stay in bed every night for a whole week she would get a special surprise, last week it was The Fairies dvd but i can't afford to be buying dvd's every week so for this week i made her a pair of Lounge Pants from some Hello Kitty! fabric i've had in my stash for about a year, just like Mammy's.

She loves them and has declared today a lounging day which is good with me.

So now you know how i've managed to get so much sewing done recently, i've actually had time to myself and with Kev being at work most evenings i have no interruptions.  We have come up with a regular routine and we stick to it.  Bribery is GOOD!

I've got some lounging to do

Like i said the other day when i showed you my prison pants, i had another pair of Lounge Pants cut out ready to be sewn up.  I got to it yesterday morning with the sewing machine and they were put together within half and hour or so.  The fabric is from my favourite eye candy store Amitie, i bought it a while back on sale, i think maybe before Christmas.
(Sorry for the crappy lit photo, my house doesn't get a lot of light inside)

I picked up some velcro and elastic today and have plans to knock up some of these for an expecting friend who could be any one of a number of my friends at the moment!

Oh and head on over to Tag Sale Tales, Jenny asked me to do a guest blog post. And you'll find my bag mentioned over on Betsy Ross' journal.

Are you getting sick of them yet?

Yep, it's another Simplicity 4589 and nope, i'm not at all sick of them, yet.  I may even make more and may even try out the other styles i the pattern! Oh shock horror!  This one is made with a silk blend fabric which has two very fine layers to it, i found it a little difficult to sew as the needle was struggling to get through the two layers.

The lovely Catherine took me to the Stitches & Craft show on Thursday and i managed to pick up some sheets of wool felt for $1 each.  I also found these fabulous knitted soaker packs at the Eco Yarns stall.

I grabbed two and asked Catherine when she went back the next day to pick me up another.  They'll be great to keep Esme's bottom dry and warm when the colder weather comes in, although she's already asking to use the toilet, at 16 months!  The pattern has a mistake or two in it so i'm working it out in my own way.  I'll let you know how i go.

Prisoner pants

I used the pattern from Amy Butler's 'In Stitches' book to make these Lounge Pants the other night.

It wasn't until i finished them and tried them on that i realised i looked like a prisoner!  I like them anyway and as they are Lounge Pants i won't be wearing them outside the house.  They were easy to make, although i did have to reduce their length a considerable amount due to being a shorty! The fabric i found on sale for $2 a metre, i used 2 metres to make these.  I even have another pair cut out and ready to sew up.
Mia is really into being a fairy/princess/ballerina/anything that wears pink at the moment so i made her a leotard and tutu.

Kitty B, Justine and i went to the cinema to see The Departed last night.  It was a great movie although lots of people being shot in the head.  I'd watch it again and now that it's out on dvd i might just do that.  Leonardo Dicaprio has become pretty hot recently, i've never really been much of a fan, i always thought he was too boyish but not now, he's all man!  Yum!  Now Matt Damon, ugh, no thanks.

Oops!  I forgot to mention, my 3000th comment was from Kris, which i find a little freaky as she was my 2000th also, i think she has hacked into my typepad account and waited for the right moment!  ;-)

Birthday gift

Yesterday my neighbour told me that today is her birthday.  So, last night i made up this little gift for her.

A small pouch (lined with the green polka dot fabric), hair tie's, a hairband and eye mask all made from leftover Amy Butler fabric i've been using to make myself a skirt (more on that later).  She was particularly pleased with the mask (pattern from Amy Butler's book) as she does a lot of meditation and has recently been looking for one.

Thanks for all the compliments on my bag and for the information about where to find wool felt.

Oh and i'm nearing my 3000th comment!  I'll send a little something to that lucky person.

Just for me, just because

I mentioned yesterday that i'd be showing you a new bag, well i actually have 2 new bags to show you!  You may remember this bag (top one)that i made last year and sent to Marianne, well last night i decided to make one for myself.  I used some blue upholstery type fabric from my stash that i think i bought on special for about $2 a metre and some red polka dot fabric that i found in here, there are all sorts of delights in those boxes!

Then this morning i made a little shopping bag that i can scrunch up and put inside incase i get caught without one of my trusty green bags.  Plus my bag looks much better, my green bags are looking a little battered lately.

Check out the dirt on my camera lens!  I'm going to be making some of these shopping bags for my shop and market stall.  Talking of the shop, i'm working on it and hope to have it up and running in the next few weeks.
Oh and i've heard congratulations are in order Lana?!  If you read this.

Eeek!

I've been sewing these little cuties for the Steiner school to sell at their market in a few weeks, my girls attend playgroup there.  I've made 3 mice so far, 2 to go then i'm onto the chickens. 

I love these little animals, i'm going to be making my girls some but first i need to find a good wool felt source either here in Melbourne or somewhere in Australia i can order online, any ideas?  Or do you make felt and would be interested in a swap?
Tomorrow i have a new bag to show you!

sheet!

I made another top from Simplicity pattern 4589 using a thrifted sheet i found sometime ago, i think i was still pregnant with Esme at the time and found it at an op shop near the hospital.

It's a little faded in some places but the fabric is nice and soft!

Spaces for blog meet #2 have been filled and what a fabulous mixture of crafty ladies we have!  I'm looking forward to meeting you all.

Back in the swing of things

Our market stall went really well!  Considering we I had no clue what i was doing or what to expect.  We got a feel of what people wanted to buy which will help us for next time, i personally think it all depends of the kind of people that attend and as this market is held at a school we are aiming at families.

We had lots of visitors, friends and (justine's) family stopped by (i'd be very suprised to have seen mine as they live in the UK!) and some bloggers too!  Our next stall will be in May as it's booked out until then, but this gives us time to make stuff up and we may do a different market in the meantime, we'll see how things go.
I now feel motivated to sew more and get my shop open again, maybe on Etsy or on my own blog, any ideas on which you think would be best?  I have lots of new ideas, i suppose i just need to act on them eh?
I'm also going to be starting work on the zine and hope to have the first issue ready in May sometime, it'll be a busy month as we'll have our market stall and the blog meet #2 also.  Phew!