The art of contact

My mother taught me early-on the necessary skills to apply Contact to my school books. Now that I’ve been doing it for 20-odd years, I can see why she was eager for me to learn how to cover my own!

These days the crafter in me sees a myriad of uses for Contact (or Duraseal, whatever brand you choose!), and you can find a fair bit of it slapped up around Claire’s room. (Alongside the removable wall stickers of course)

Today’s adventure in contact was to spruce up a chest of drawers for Claire. We picked up a half-price Malm chest at Ikea last week, marked down due to some chips out of the edges. I don’t mind chips – Claire is sure to do way more damage to that piece of furniture in the course of her childhood. And it’s a perfect excuse to brainstorm some creative covers.

Don’t mind the bubbles (I don’t). It took me a good 20 minutes to get this stuff onto the top, and then another 10 minutes of negotiating with Claire on the placement of the bird, butterfly and flower stickers. But it now looks a little more girly than it did when we brought it home, and is in keeping with the loose ‘Flower Garden’ theme we have going.

(Ikea is getting some good business out of Claire. She also had fabric bedhead covers made from their textile department, a doona cover and some soft butterfly and snail toys stashed around the room, as well as the obligatory hanging toy storage!)

Saturday afternoon fun

Learn how to blow bubbles in the garden?

Or get in touch with our inner rockstar and get a tattoo?

Hmmm, what shall we do next?

Woolly jackets and spring skirts

Here’s a few things we’ve been working on for a while.

~A turquoise cashmere swing jacket~

We found this pattern in a book called Cute as a Button at the local library. There were lots of other patterns as well, but this Swing Jacket for toddlers caught my eye. Also included was a pattern for embroidery, but I know it won’t get worn enough to justify the HOURS of work that goes into those kind of embellishments. We finished it off with our cute ‘airfent’ (as Claire likes to call them) button from Lou (see what happened to her cat buttons too).

The fabric is repurposed from an unsuccessful jacket we made for Miss G many years ago – it was just too short in the arms so never got worn. The fabric itself was also a score from the Lincraft remnant bin – i think it cost less than $20. I think it’s gone to lovely use here, one where I have more control over the number of times it gets worn anyway!

~THE Patchwork Twirler~

So, it seems sorting the pattern pieces is the hardest part of patchworking. After I got through that conundrum, the rest of this skirt when surprisingly easily. The gathering was a little tricky, but not too much to deal with. I managed to get all the sewing and gathering done during Project Runway last night, and finished off the waist and elastic during nap time. Once again, thanks to Ally at Sunshine and Stitching for the free Charm Squares – Claire is still wearing this (in bed), 5 hours after she insisted she put it ‘mon’.

~Next crafty post: The retro panda dress and a geometric corduroy skirt. Stay tuned!~

Comfort sewing

This week we have all been afflicted with colds, flus, and for poor Little C, pneumonia. So needless to say, it’s been pretty quiet around the house.

Today I took some leave from my day job and spent the day relaxing at home. While relaxing and sniffling, my creative fingers got a bit itchy and I found myself trying out one of the Mani Mina patterns I treated myself to from Etsy a few weeks ago.

The first dress off the machine was this red linen beauty, as modelled by an unusually enthusiastic toddler. She actually WANTED to wear the dress as soon as I showed it to her – almost unheard of. There’s usually substantial coaxing required for her to put on any on my dresses, but some reason this one took her fancy. So much so, I can’t get it off her to sew the final embellishment, a cute cat button from Buttons by Lou Lou. Oh well, tomorrow night’s task!

The dress is from the Summer Everyday pattern, though I lengthened the sleeves and cropped the length of the dress to make it suitable for Lil C to wear with layers in winter. The pattern is really easy to make – I was done in less than two hours (except the button, of course). I am planning to add a bit of Bloombub flair to it, and will be crocheting some cream coloured cotton lace to trim the sleeves and hemline.

When a pattern is so easy, and the finished product so well received, why stop at one?!

This beautiful Cosmo fabric has been sitting in my stash for some time now – I believe it came from my first purchase at Retro Mummy (these groovy pants were also from that parcel).

Miss G admired the fabric, but I was unable to entice Lil C to remove the red dress to try this one on. I took a few extra artistic licenses with this version. Only the back is elasticated, so as not to gather the beautiful print at the front, and the sleeves got even longer and we made a little ‘bell-style’ elastic feature as well to keep the cuffs from flapping about in the breeze (or getting dipped in food, which is far more likely).

I’m contemplating whether to add some black ribbon or white broderie to the edges to cover the overlocking. Maybe I’m just a bit lazy this week and won’t bother.We’ll have to see which dress Lil C chooses to wear to Daddy’s birthday celebrations on Saturday.

If you like the look of the Summer Everyday dress, but are not of the sewing type (or just too lazy), you might like to take a look at these local designers:

MyOneBrownMouse’s Kinder Dress, or

MonPetitPoppet’s Smock Dresses and A-Line blouses. MonPetitPoppet is a local Brisbane mum too, and has just been featured on the Matilda’s Market blog.

Now that I’ve had such success with the Summer Everyday pattern,  I might give the other two Mani Mina patterns a try – the Reversible Kimono Dress (I am repurposing some beautiful purple wool for that one, just need to find a nice print for the lining); and the Round Collar Dress (but maybe that will wait for some spring inspiration…). I also covet the French Ruffle dress… but I think that’s for a slightly older child to appreciate.

Mani Mina e-patterns. Available from Etsy.com

Happy dressmaking!

Rainbow Cake #1

Four hours of baking & decorating later, we had ourselves a lovely Rainbow shaped cake at Playgroup today. The M&M toppings were a huge hit with the kids, though I did notice a bit more rambunctious activity after morning tea.. perhaps a few too many colours and additives??? Oooops.

Claire loved her cake, but we didn’t have enough breath to blow out the candles. It was quite an effort, even for me! Thanks to Lizzie for taking such beautiful pictures of us – there are never enough photos of Mums and Bubs together – Mums are always behind the camera!

Tonight’s task: top these rainbow cupcakes with icing and sprinkles for the final Birthday extravaganza, at daycare! Let’s hope 17 cupcakes is enough… as I’m all baked out. We made a chocolate cake for Miss G’s birthday this evening too, that’s tonight’s dessert (as if I hadn’t eaten enough cake and ‘faulty’ M&Ms today already).

**If anyone is interested, I took some photos during the construction of the big cake, so will attempt my first tutorial on the weekend.

Many happy returns!

At our house this week

What a whirlwind 7 days we’ve had…

Last week, we went to Marsy’s house in Townsville. Here’s some of Lil C’s antics from the tropics:

With the Fishes at ReefHQ

Then, on Saturday, the festival of birthdays began, with a pre-birthday dinner for Miss G in West End. Here’s a snapshot from dessert… yummm

Mmmm, more icecream?

Today, however has been all about Lil C. From early morning birthday present frenzy, to fast food for lunch and now her current position slumped on the couch… we had been watching Dora, but it’s all become too much!

And tomorrow, we do it all again for Miss G’s 15th birthday… lordy, I need a nap just thinking about it. And to top the week out, Miss G and Mr A will be spending ht rest of their evening performing / backstaging at the school musical. More photos of that to come (however, here’s a sneak of the ‘prom’ dress we made for Miss G. It also doubled as her ‘Giselle’ costume for the Disney-themed school social a few weeks back).

I think I might need another holiday just to recover from this fortnight’s festivities.

Thanks to Lou for inspiring us to share our week!

cake conundrum

Lil C has requested a rainbow cake for her 2nd birthday (Monday)… which of these fabulous rainbow cake options should we attempt?

We need to make two anyway – 1 for Playgroup, and 1 for Daycare…. any recommendations?

Inspiration came from Cupcakes take the Cake and Coolest Homemade Birthday Cakes…

Last year we had a Garden Party theme complete with fairies and toadstools!

Brag post – Look what I did!

(Sort of) One Year ago today…

Not quite as glamourous as the ‘one year ago today’ post at TikiBoo Kids, but…

One year ago today we had demolished this Spot 1st Birthday cake at Master R’s party….. time to make another cake for him this week! How the time has flown….

At our house this weekend

Lots of cuddles, and playing with the ‘camma’

Groovy hat making for a special nephew turning two (plus cutting out for a hat for Lil C!)…

Two excitable toddlers watching Sid the Science Kid ahead of a day of running, eating and ‘sharing’ (we hope)

Peppermint Patty & the new FatQuarter Pinnie Top

I love fat quarters.

All the prettiest designs come in a fat quarter, they’re usually the smallest (& cheapest) way to buy designer fabric, AND, as I’ve been discovering, are exactly the right size for Bloombub’s revamped swing top, newly entitled the Fat Quarter Pinnie.

When one 'bobble' is not enough...

As modelled by the cheery Miss C in our favourite Tiffany Blue with chocolate spots, the Fat Quarter Pinnie is perfect for spring, summer, autumn (with a cardi) and winter (over a long-sleeved top).

I’ve also made some matching peppermint  flannelette trousers for her, but we’re saving them for when it gets a bit cooler.

So, what do you think? Soon to be added to the MadeIt and Etsy store catalogues, and always available for you to custom order. A fat quarter will cover sizes 000 to 2 – any larger and we would have to look at different straps (but of course, that’s never a problem.

I’ll post some of the fat quarter fabric I already have in stock on the Bloombub Facebook page for you all to peruse…(don’t forget to become a fan so I can offer you all a free embellished singlet with every order…).

If you order this weekend I can express post to you to have in time for Easter! Don’t you just LOVE spots!

What have I been up to?

Where has the year gone? Three months since my last post.

While I feel like I’ve done quite a bit of sewing, when I went to photograph my handiwork, there wasn’t much to show… maybe I have lots of half finished projects somewhere? (there’s certainly a dress half done next to the machine.. but I’m waiting to crack open my NEW overlocker before finishing that one).

So here’s the top half of Miss C’s Christmas Fairy outfit… the bottom half has a mesh skirt over festive stripey bloomers, but she messes up the skirt on the first wear and it’s been deemed to ratty to photograph.

And here’s the lovely frock we wore to our Playgroup Melbourne Cup festivities… matching fascinator was worn for about…mm.. 3 seconds before being thrown on the floor. (Mummy wore her French kisses dress too!)

Soon : my experiments with the Oliver + S sailor pants/skirt pattern… an exercise in flexible sizing!

Tuxedo Dress

Here is Lil’ C in her new Tuxedo Party dress – bring on the birthdays we say!

Mesmerised by the Night Garden

A most productive week

For some reason this week I’ve been on a roll – three pairs of bloomers and the finishing touches to a new prototype trapeze dress that has been lying around for about two weeks waiting for some buttons and slip stitching to it’s lining. It still needs some satin or grosgrain ribbon around them hem – I’m waiting for my trip to the Gardams sale to stock up.

Pearly buttons on a pink & chocolate prototype

The red and white bloomers are a special order for a Birthday Girl, Miss A. Her wardrobe is strictly colour coordinated, so red, white, black or pink were our only options! Hopefully spots and hearts won’t be too loud.

Spots and hearts with lacy ruffle trimmings

It is third timelucky with these new summery shorts – using more of the fabric leftover from Lil C’s birthday frock. (I don’t think we’ll be wearing them together though)

Spring flowers and red ribbons

They’re still a little big around the leg, but a vast improvement on the blue ladybug test case, and the shiny black pair with pinstripe borders that haven’t even been finished because I botched them so royally. One day I’ll unpick them…..

Next up: more shorts, finishing the tiered skirt, and a photo of Lil C’s party dress for Miss A’s celebrations next weekend.