NIKKI-SHELL

spend, spend, spend

I know i'm on a blog break (i'm enjoying it AND relaxing) but i just had to share this article with you.

Spend, spend, spend.  It's no way to happiness

Off to the sofa i go!

 

Time to recharge

I've decided to take a break from blogging.  Being pregnant and tired, being sick last week, having family stay and all the other things that happen in life have sapped my energy levels.  I need to take some time out to recharge my batteries, just be 'ME', spend some time getting things back into order and get back into a routine. 
My body is telling me to take care of it and i intend to do just that.  I have low iron levels while pregnant and this time is no exception.  I've cut out the tea and coffee altogether and have started drinking green tea and peppermint tea and lots of fresh orange juice instead and although i don't have a particularly bad diet i'm trying to improve on the things i eat. 
Hmm....maybe i need a holiday too :)  Maybe even just a visit to the beach?

I'm not sure how long my break will be, i'm just going to see how it goes.  I will however send out invites for Wardrobe Refashion this weekend.

See you soon!

farewell

Today i said goodbye to my brother Thomas and his girlfriend Amy as they left for the next part of their adventure, New Zealand.  I wonder how long it will be until i see them again.

My bump is growing and seems to have suddenly POPPED out which means i have a very small amount of clothes that actually fit.  So, because i've been strapped for time and my sewing room is still not sorted i decided to splash out and bought some fisherman's pants from here.   And just  incase you think that i've broken my pledge these pants are NOT mass produced but handmade by the girls of Thai Dreams in their own home :)

It takes some practice tying them but they are soooo comfy!  I bought  this red pair and some in khaki.

A side view of the bump

Oh yes!  I have a new homepage, see it here.  Kindly designed by Sime....he's so good to me!

Welcome to the house of fun

Last week was Kev and my my brother Thomas' turn.  The weekend was Esme's turn and Sunday i spent the whole night with my head in a bucket.  Monday morning was spent at the doctors to be told i have to wait it out and the rest of the day spent sleeping. 
Yesterday i felt much better although very fatigued and we had a quick visit to see Kev at his new workplace and stopped off at the park on the way home.

New (to me) gold shoes.  Bought last week at the op shop.  Love!

Last night was Mia's turn to be ill but this morning she is full of beans.  Today seems to be Amy's turn.  Hopefully now that we've all had this nasty bug we will get back to feeling normal.

Today will be spent having a toy clearout and once that's done i may tackle my fabric stash.  I need to be in my sewing room this weekend to do some work and at the moment i can't get in there for all the stuff lying around.  Wish me luck :)

Where is it?

Where is that second trimester boost of energy?  I'm 2 weeks into my second trimester and it still hasn't turned up!  Yes i'm feeling a little flat, a little uncreative, maybe even a little bored.  I feel tired A LOT, my brain doesn't work so well (ask Justine) and i feel uncreative because of this:


Yes, that is my sewing room, what happened?  Well, Kev took my bookshelf for his own room so he could have 2 that match and i'm to get new bookshelves so until then my books are like this, stacked on the floor and in boxes.  The rest of the room seems to have followed, i need to have a serious clear out and reorganise everything but as i said, i'm tired and can't be arsed!  Every time i look in there i just want to shut the door again.

So other than my Burdastyle work (which i'm really enjoying) not a lot is being done.  I'm sewing the binding onto a baby quilt for my friend Amber's newest family addition, Theo and that's about it.  I do have a list as long as my arms and legs all joined together of things i WANT to make but i'll say it again, that tiredness is getting in the way.

So, i'm cutting back, prioritising my time.  I want to be spending time on certain things, some of these things i'm yet to get started on but just haven't found the time.  I'm leaving Sew Green, i've loved posting over there but haven't found the time to do so for far too long.  I'm also closing my Greener by the Day blog for the exact same reason, instead i'll post any 'green' posts here on Nikkishell.

My priorities are Nikkishell, Mixtape zine, Burdastyle and Wardrobe Refashion and to spend more time making and doing things i want to do, things that are fun and don't NEED to be done by a deadline, that's it, i won't be taking on anything else, once baby 3 arrives i'll have even less time and i'm cool with that.  After having Esme i stupidly thought that i could take on anything since Mia had been such an easy baby, BOY OH BOY was i wrong?!!  It was a stressful time trying to run a business and look after two kids under the age of 2, one of which (Esme) was and still is extremely clingy towards me.  I've learned my lesson and will be taking time out once baby 3 arrives.

Kev has also been out of work for the past month and this week started a new job which is great.  It's been nice to have him home but i feel my  routine has been thrown out of the window, we'll soon be able to get back into it.  He did have a severe case of gastro the night before he started work and ended up having to have his second day off sick and he was really sick probably the worst i've ever seen him, ugh, not good timing at all but he's back to work and feeling much better.

Another reason i've not been posting or making much recently is because we have my brother Thomas and his girlfriend Amy staying with us for 3 weeks.  I've not seen them since we left the UK (almost 3 years ago) and it's been so good to see them.  They're doing the touristy stuff and today have gone on the Neighbours tour!  Hahahaha!

There'll be a trip to IKEA very soon for some bookshelves and other storage solutions, my second trimester energy will kick in, my brother and his girlfriend will be off on the next part of their adventure (New Zealand) and we'll get a good routine going again.  I'm looking forward to it!  Bring it on!

Oh and thanks for all the comments on Baby's scan.  It feels more real now that i've seen that little being inside of me.  :)

Number 3

Hello little one!

All is well and baby is due on March 15th which makes me 13 weeks and 4 days pregnant. 

Jane altered

This week i worked on altering the Jane pajama pattern into maternity and nursing wear.

Read more about how i made the alterations here and see my how-to here.
This week i'll be making Idit. I plan to alter it by adding extra fabric to the front making it longer and wider to accommodate my bump. I’ll also have the front wrap over more maybe by adding more fabric and having it meet at the bust. I’m also considering adding a hood. Do you have any ideas for how to make these alterations?

Steffi altered-take 2

The bolero

Read more about it here and see my how-to here.
Next up are the Jane pajamas, just in time for the warmer weather that is slowly arriving here in Melbourne.  I'll be lowering the front waistband to make room for my bump and altering the top into a nursing top for when baby is born by splitting the top under the bust and adding poppers to close.
After Jane i'll be working on Idit,  i plan on lengthening and widening if needed around the waist and bringing the front together at the bust.  I'm also thinking of adding a hood.  What do you think?  Any tips or suggestions?  Let me know.

Mix Tape Zine issue 2-ON SALE NOW!!

The second issue of Mix Tape Zine is now available for pre-order.  You can buy the regular zine here by emailing us using the link in the sidebar or in our Etsy store.
The Special edition is only available for sale in our Etsy store on a first come first served babsis and only 1 per person.

What are you waiting for????

Mix Tape issue 2

Issue 2 will be available from November 1st.  $6 USD plus shipping.
Please place your pre-order from Monday Sep 3 10am EST to ensure you don't miss out!  You will be able to purchase the regular edition from etsy and our blogs

Front cover artwork by Angela, mixtape is a collision of craft, eco-cool and pop culture kitsch.  Issue 2 features articles such as:

Home food preservation
Crafty 101
10 ways to green your beauty regime
Best of Etsy
Recipes
Book and music reviews
Gardening
Ecological/ethical repercussions of crafting
Fabric beads
4x4
craft book reviews
collectors page
crafty lady profile

and much much more!

there will also be a SPECIAL EDITION!!  $10 USD plus shipping
ONLY 30 AVAILABLE SO GET IN QUICK!!  Only available on Etsy.

The special edition of Issue 2 will have a slightly different cover but will still feature Miss Buttons (who you see above)and have extra goodness inside. It will also come in a handmade paper envelope which will be stuffed with heaps of goodies.
Available from November 1st.  First in best dressed.  Once they're gone they're gone!

ONLY ONE PER PERSON

please note:not actual cover