NIKKI-SHELL

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I'm wearing my 'new to me' top and a cute Woodland Doll brooch made by me using a One Red Robin kit bought at the Stitches & Craft Show.  You can buy your own here :)

For more players check here.

How a dress form is made

Ever wondered how a dress form is made?  Now you can find out by watching here.

Thanks to Nora from BurdaStyle for bringing this to my attention.

Are you a Melbourne based homeschooler?

It's getting to the point where we need to seriously consider our approach to homeschooling.  Mia is 4 years old and if we had been sending her to school she would have been in 4 year old kinder right now and starting school next year.  So far we have been quite relaxed with the whole thing, teaching our girls the natural way through living life,  which is how we intend to continue but next year we will need to register Mia as being homeschooled and will need a little more structure to our week.  Most of their friends are now heading off to Kinder and school so we need to find additional ways of socialising with other kids.   We've been looking for a local homeschooling group but have yet to find one so we have the option of looking harder for other homeschoolers in the area (and possible starting our own group) or moving to be near one.  So i'm asking that if you homeschool and live in the Inner Eastern Suburbs (Brighton, Bentleigh, Moorabbin, Highett etc) and would like to be part of a regular meet up please email me at nikkishell@gmail.com.  We're also looking for other activities they can be part of, dance classes, scouts etc.  If you homeschool which social activities do you/your kids particiate in?  I'd be grateful for any suggestions.

BurdaStyle & Simplicity combo

I just wanted to let you know about the BurdaStyle & Simplicity combo winner.

The Ute blouse is available free for download until Monday and you can order the Simplicity skirt for the reduced price of US$5.  See here for more details.

I have the Ute blouse cut out and ready to sew in a beautiful chocolate coloured silk/cotton from Tessuti.

And as quick as a flash.....

...a whole year is over, just like that! 

After a pregnancy which felt like it lasted for an eternity and being five days overdue Heidi decided to make an appearance in the world.  It was like she'd just had enough and thought it was time to come out and quick!  A 50 minute labour which finished with me giving birth in our bedroom and it was all over and done with, just like that!

This past year has been a full one.  Life with three small children is busy, entertaining, tiring, amazing and a huge achievement!  Heidi has grown into such a character, she keeps up with her big sisters and shows them who's boss.  She is adorable and cuddly but also fiery and cheeky.  She looks like her oldest sister Mia in most ways but also has some of Esme in her, the way she smiles, her frown and her temper! ;)

I can't believe my little Heidi Boo is already one!  Time certainly flies when you're having fun :)

The show is over, but not for long!

So much work went into the months leading up to the Stitches & Craft Show.  I felt like almost every waking moment and most of every sleeping moment (lots of sleep talking and walking!) was consumed with the organising of everything needed for the 5 days of the show.  It went by in a flash and now it's all over!  I had such a ball last week, i worked all seven days of it.  Monday and Tuesday were all about getting prepared and from Wednesday to Sunday was spent working at the show.  I must give a big shout out to Angela and Ross and their team who worked so hard to get the 'show on the road' and did a fabulous job!  If only you knew how much work went into such a thing.

As you can see above i was representing BurdaStyle.  Most of you will know that i have worked with BurdaStyle for two years now.  I started by writing for their blog and it has grown into me being a big part of their team and putting the word out about them here in Australia.  I can't tell you how much i love this site and the girls behind it, i think it's a great way to encourage people to sew their own clothes which as you know i am all for and promote through my website Wardrobe Refashion.  I also had a workshop area at the show called the Reconstruction Zone which was incredibly popular.  Once people realised what it was all about they really got stuck into to having a go at refashioning.  A lot of the people that dropped in had never sewn in their lives, a bit of encouragement to just go for it was all they needed.  In particular was a lady called Sally.  Sally, a grandmother of seven in her 60's had a sewing machine at home but was too scared to use it.  She won a ticket to the show on-line and spent most of her day at the Reconstruction Zone.  She made an apron and a blanket and was so pleased with herself that she shed a few tears!  She had her photograph taken with myself and some of the Living Creatively girls and went home to share her creations with her family.  She was back the next day!  And spent her time in the Reconstruction Zone again.  I actually had to ask her to leave a 5pm!

Some highlights of the show were seeing Handmade Nation and catching up with Faythe Levine, checking out fellow bloggers in the Incubator and seeing their handmade delights (I did buy a few goodies) and finally meeting Colette from Tessuti.  Colette and I have had email contact for some time now and i buy most of my dress fabrics from her.  She was as beautiful in person as i thought she would be :)

i must also mention my wonderful volunteers.  I had some fabulous help throughout the week from some amazing girls, i thank each one of them.  I'd particularly like to give a shout out to Sam who spent almost 3 days on the Reconstruction Zone wearing a hard hat and a yellow jacket.  She worked that area so well, helping people out and keeping it all in check.  She saved me!  If only i could pack her in my suitcase and take her with me to the other shows ;-)

I've now had a few days to wind down from the excitement of the show and get to know my kids and husband again but the work has not stopped.  No rest for the wicked!!  I must get ready for the next show which is in Brisbane in 5 weeks.  Although i am not selling anything like the wonderful girls in the Incubator i still have heaps to organise and some creating to do.  You can check out more photos from the show here.

Oh and this day last year was my last day of being pregnant.  Yup!  It's Heidi Boo's 1st birthday tomorrow, i can't quite believe it!

My home from home at the Stitches & Craft Show!

WOW!  The Stitches and Craft Show is blowing me away (and tiring me out!).  It's going great, the BurdaStyle stall is getting a heap of attention since it's the only stall that has anything to do with sewing patterns and pretty much the only stall about sewing clothes.

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Do you like my little home from home?  It's very cosy in there although a little hot!

And before i head off for day 4 at the show i just wanted to let you know that BurdaStyle have joined forces with Simplicity to offer you a great deal on a fresh look.  Check out this blog post for more details on how you can vote for your favourite combination.  Voting will end on Sunday, March 15th at 12 am EST. The outfit with the most votes will be published as featured project on BurdaStyle.com and Simplicity.com on Monday, March 16th.

WR, S&C or YMCA?

Fi, Jus and myself. :)

Come to the Stitches & Craft Show this weekend and see us in our construction gear and the Reconstruction Zone! 

We were on Kerrie Anne yesterday morning with Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation fame.

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On Monday i had the pleasure of working with this awesome chick here.  We created, organised and chatted heaps but of course i can't tell you anymore, you'll just have to visit this fabulous show next week :)
On our lunchbreak Fi spotted an op shop (she has an eagle eye for these things).  Of course neither of us left empty handed, Fi encouraged me to buy this dress,
 

See my hair?  I've been having trouble with it since i stopped feeding Heidi.  It has been dropping out by the handful and i've been needing to wash it every day due to it being to so bloody oily.  Yesterday i spent a stupid amount of money on shampoo and conditioner, an amount that almost made this frugal girl cry but i was desperate and after washing with it today i must say it was worth every cent!  It doesn't look it's best in the photo, i'd been out in the Melbourne windy weather all day.  I think i'll call into the shop and give the sales assistant a nice big hug next time i pass :)

Enough about my hair.  Today i also wore a pair of jeans (found at the op shop) and my new favourite shoes.

I found them in one of my local op shops a few months back for $4.  They had these horrible metal bits on the heels so you clip clap when you walk (i hate clip clapping!) and one of the buckles had come off, so i had them re-heeled and had a new buckle attached.  I picked them up today and i LOVE them!

Yes, i know i need a pedicure, that white paint you see on my toe nails is from painting lots of stuff white, but of course you'll need to go here to see what it was i painted :)

See more players of Whatcha Wearing Wednesday here at Fi's place.