Spolight find

Macie and I took a wee trip to Spotlight last week. Our main job was to find fabric for a Jedi cape for her bestie Cruz. Of course we took the opportunity to have a good look around! I am so lucky to have a little princess who enjoys fabric and shops... Macie happy to push her baby in the trolley, sit and look at the pattern books and also check out whats on offer fabric wise... how could I then resist when she found the cutest wee cord fabric with elephants on it.... oh and a great pattern book with the cutest wee tunic top in it! (Sorry Daddy, it was a MUST have!)

So, after a bargin of denim for $3, elephant fabric and book, and of course the Jedi fabric for Cruz.. we headed home. Macie got up the next morning expecting to wear her elephant dress... alas it was still just a piece of fabric.. so on Saturday we got busy sewing. She helped a little bit and then helped more by keeping herself busy and out of my way...;)

Here is the finished product...

Check out the face! Not sure what thats about, seems when we 'model' these days it comes with a screwed up nose and two chins!!!!!!!!! ;)

Check out the special strawberry pockets we chose to put on the dress..

Here is the clever straps up close... we used suspender clips. Macie loves!

Here is the gorgeous book the dress is from...

Its available on Book Depository. The book has 23 different project from the same basic 4 patterns. It includes tops, skirts, dresses and pants. Good buy!

Just about to sit down and sew together the Jedi cape, will post pic when thats all done especially for those with Star Wars fans. Happy sewing everyone. A xx

Crafty Girls Road Trip

I was very spoilt this mothers day. I even received a pressie from my Mum. It was this wee book. It is a cool idea.... it details all the great crafty spots all over the country of New Zealand including Vintage shops and crafters that re-use or upcycle goods.

This past weekend, I have been a very lucky duck. I have been in Nelson, craft centre of the country! Around the conference I was there for, I made sure I was able to get out and about with my darling Rach to visit all the places she had been dying to show me. Funnily enough, we talked about this wee book (which I neglected to take with me... would I need it with a local to show me around... I thought not). Once I arrived home on Sunday evening, I checked the book... We had visited nine of the recommended spots for the Nelson region plus one that is not in the book but will definately be there in the next addition!

So... here is where I went and what I thought/brought.

First up and an absolute must is the Saturday Market. This is an absolute must for any visitor to Nelson, crafter or not. It has a wonderful assortment of stalls and amazing foodie smells. I looked mainly at the clothing and vintage ones. Oh and the delicious peanut butter one.. a wee jar snuck into my bag for Macie and Daddy. I loved the vintage stall where I spent a grand total of $20. I got a sweet little leather wallet and a cool 1950's woven basket in red for my kitchen. Topped off with a hot chocolate, it was a fabulous morning.

After a day at the conference Rach picked me up and took me to her all time fav Vintage Shop, Black Cat Vintage. This delightful little shop is just off Main Stoke Road and it is home to a fabulous selection of extremely well priced second hand vintage items. It was heaven for an hour! Here I picked up a wooden chess set for my clever chess playing five year old (who was over the moon!) and 3 gorgeous doilies for a project I have in mind. I saw many many an item directly from my childhood and my grandparents homes. It was like a trip down memory lane. LOVED IT. This little gem was a definate highlight and should feature in the next Crafty girls book.

On a Sunday at this time of the year, many places are closed in Nelson. And a good thing too I believe. However, venturing a wee way out of the city to Mapua opened up many a shopping opportunity. In Mapua we visited...
...The Mapua Country Trading Co. This was like taking a step back in time upon entering this little gardening shop. It was home to 'vintage' seed packets, awesome DIY ideas for the compost/garden and many a delightful pressie for the people in your life that have everything and are hard to buy for.
...Delicious. A little wee it like Stevens but way way better. This gorgeous kitchen/giftware/toy shop was top notch at affordable prices. Spacious, not cramped it was just a treat to look around. I found a cute wee cup for Macie, purple with white spots. A sure winner!
...The Hat Factory. (Not in the book). I loved this shop. Every type of hat you could think of and nothing I saw over $20. Of course I had to buy one. Now have a lovely knitted bucket style hat in white. Scrummy. Couldn't wear on the plane home otherwise I risked having it blown back to Nelson when I stepped out of the plane in Nelson.

We headed back into town for lunch and had the most amazing food at The Suter Cafe. Attached to the art gallery, a lovely little place to eat. Its also right on the very edge of the duck pond at Queen's Gardens so a fun place for little ones to walk and feed the ducks and ducklings.

After a drive around the streets of Nelson, seeing all of these places and more I am quite sure that I could move there! Just have a few people to convince that this is the best idea ever!!! ;)

While away, I got lots of crochet done. Two hats and half a blanket not bad going I'd say for two nights away. Hope your weekend was fun filled too! A xx

Pretty neat doll!

My sewing friend sent me a link to the most adorable fabric doll kit - a Roxy Long Socks.  I just had to get one and Thea was extremely excited when it came in the mail.

This was a lovely project that we did together - she's older now and very sure of what she wants (!) and even though I tried to steer her in the winter doll option, she was adament that it was the springtime option that was perfect for her.

So I got out all my fabric scraps and we picked the fabric together - again she was pretty sure about what she wanted but I managed to get a few of her quilt colours in there.

The doll was quick and easy to sew up - Thea sat beside me passing me the stuffing so it was totally a team effort.

I think she's pretty happy with it!



I am still keen to make the winter doll (it has a hood!) but I know plenty of girls that I can sew for.  The great thing about this pattern is you can purchase the faces seperately so I think I will have a few tucked away for later.  It's also a great project for scraps.

Till next time
Melissa

Crochet? Yep... please!!

Winter is beginning to show its face around here. Not all doom and gloom for me though. I like winter for lots of reasons. One of which is the perfect excuse to crochet. Its a cosy afternoon or evening activity.. gee one of my gorgeous friends was sitting up in bed this morning on her Mother's Day, having her cuppa and crocheting.

I have been a little addicted to hats. At the most recent Martinborough Fair, I found a cute wee hat for Macie. She has grown out of the sweet wee one that Melissa made her for last winter. I loved her new one so much I decided to find a pattern to make one for someone else. Searching on etsy was hard work...to many to choose from. I narrowed it down to two.  One for boys and one for girls. Best thing is though, the patterns range from newborn to adult... several little newborns in my world will have one each come September ;)

Here are the two finished ones so far. One is for my gorgeous little nephew Phoenix, the other for a very special 4 year old who I get to see in 2 weeks time.

I hope that all of you crafty people who are also Mummies have had a lovely lovely Mother's Day. Happy crafting everyone. A x

My love affair with Amy Butler

I was first introduced to Amy Butler by Amber a few years ago.  I love both her patterns (which are so easy to follow) and her fabric.

One Christmas I made all the women in my family one of her reversible swing bags, this is where I was first introduced to perhaps my favourite of her fabrics - Morning Glory in Linen which is part of the Lotus range.

The next thing I tackled was her Barcelona Skirt, again so easy and looks so effective.  I have made two of these, one in purple/brown/white and the black/white one below.

Since then I have used her fabric and patterns often.

Amber made me this bag out of her Style Stitches book for my birthday last year.

At the end of last year I made her Frenchy Bag out of Joel Dewberry:

And then her Birdie Sling out of Tanya Whelan:

A few weeks ago, during Sew Club, I made a Gum Drop Pillow out of the Lotus range of fabrics:

This is in my lounge and to match it, I am currently making my first ever quilt!  Amber's mum is teaching a group of us how to make lap quilts (more on that to come) but here's one of my blocks, again in the Lotus range:

So there you go.  Still so many patterns and fabrics in her range to try.  Also rather exciting is her husband's range of fabrics.  I have a few charm packs of the Curious Nature range coming and I plan to make a quilt for Oscar's bed with this, pretty neat eh!

Till next time
Melissa

Holiday Projects

Don't you just love the school holidays? Long lazy mornings where you take your time getting up and sorting breakfast...pj's til lunchtime at least once... play dates, parks, picnic lunches. Not a lot of time for sewing.

In the second week of the holidays the kiddies spent a day with their grandparents. It was my holiday, my sew day. I was really excited and had 4 projects all cut out and ready to go.

Fortified with a hot chocolate after dropping of the kids and I was all set. I had at least 4 hours of sewing ahead of me.

I made a 2nd peasant dress for me from SisBloom. It is really easy to sew and looks great. I made mine in chiffon to go over t shirt and jeans.

Then I completed two nappy wallets for a couple of friends. I fixed a cape for my nephew and made a start on Macie's shorts.

Since this wonderful day of sewing I have been busy with the demands of the children... sewing demands that is. Macie was keen for her shorts to be completed so she could wear them over her new purple tights and Cullen was gifted a Darth Vadar mask on his day out with Nana and Grandad so he desperately needed a cape to match his cousins.. like now mum!

So we tootled off to Evans' in the Hutt to use my $25 credit ( I can share that I was not at all planning on using my credit for a cape but when needs must...)

Lucky for Cullen it was a sew club night. So after using my afternoon to cut out the cape, I took it and my trusty overlocker to sew club where I completed it. All less than 24 hours after he had asked for one. I left it on his bed end for him to find in the morning and wa-la we had Darth Vadar swoop in for a two day visit. Here he is with his sister proudly showing off her new shorts from Clever Charlotte.

(gee whizz how many chins does that little one have??!!)

I hope your holidays have been filled with fun.. and sewing too! A xx

A is for .....

Aimee...
I special friend of mine has discovered sewing. She is 11 years old and I believe she has quite a talent for hand crafted things... and especially an eye for colour. I have known Aimee for about 2 years and during this time she has made many a gift for friends and family, starting out with precious handsewn toys. She moved on to a simple bed quilt for herself and one of her latest projects are these gorgeous little zip wallets.

When I heard about them I had to order one of my own.. a bargin at twice the price. Excited to see what Aimee would come up with, I asked for a surprise... (sorry Aimee). And this is the precious result. A gorgeous mix of reds, oranges and pinks. Perfect!

Aimee, I am so proud of you and your beautiful creations. I know they are made with care and love and I will treasure it always. This one is going in my knitting bag to hold all my little bits and pieces.

A is for Adam

Adam is the grandson of our fabulous neighbour. Like Aimee, Adam is very clever. Adam has a passion for all things wood crafted. I have it on good authority that Adam's woodcrafting skill is well above his 11 years.

Last year for her 2nd birthday, Adam was commissioned to make Macie a little jigsaw. We were all very much impressed with his skill. Just ahead of Christmas, Adam asked us to 'test' a few puzzles for him. The kids and I were very happy to do so and also got a few extra orders from our little friends. Here are a couple of Adam's Animals.

Keep up your very special talent Adam. We love seeing and hearing about what you have been crafting.

Adam is selling more of his puzzles this weekend (Sunday March 10) at the Managroa School and Country Fair from 10-2pm. Adam's Animal puzzles range from $3-$5.

Adam and Aimee are such inspiring young people. It is so so exciting to see younger generations passionate about hand made things rather than electronic pass times such as play station. I am keeping my fingers crossed that more and more of the next generation are seeing and appreciating handcrafted things and this ignites a crafty flame in them also. A xx