Kids book bag

Toddler boys santa sack with photo window pockets

 If you are ever tempted to sew with vinyl, my advice ... forget it! It was really difficult as my sewing machine kept gripping the vinyl making it bunch (with a terrible cotton mess underneath). After googling for help, watching multiple utube videos of others who were successful give tips, and becoming best friends with my quick-unpick I finally secured the pockets. Unfortunately I had to be satisfied with the sewing on the vinyl not being ideal. However ... I loved how the rest of the Santa truck turned out!

I went to Spotlight and bought gift bags which had the felt Santa Head & Owls on them. Pulled them off the bag and saved myself oodles of time. Plus I would never have been able to make them so cute. For the truck I googled pictures of trucks, found one I liked, printed it off, enlarged it to the size I wanted, traced it onto the relevant coloured felt, hot glued them in place then sewed around the outside of each coloured felt piece to make sure they would last for years. This was a custom order which is why I had to perservere with the specifically requested photo pockets (front & back no less)!! Never again!!!

Christmas gift tags in storage box

Stampin Up Christmas Santa punch art

Quilled alphabet letter K - Nursery Art

I received this white square box frame for my birthday. I'd also been meaning to get around to quill some wall art for my baby boys nursery. This is what eventuated. It started off quite plain but it was just always missing something so more and more swirls were added. I'm happy with the result. The colour pallet are colours already in his nursery but on the downside, this took hours and hours to make!

Christmas presents - Girls Ruffled Layered Skirt

It's been a little drought since my last post due to giving birth to our precious son and enjoying all that comes with having a first child. Awesome just doesn't explain it properly.

Anyhow, I made these skirts and appliqued t-shirts for my nieces for Christmas but as I wanted them to be a surprise, didn't post them when they were made. There are heaps of tutorials on these types of skirts on the internet but I sort of made it up as I went along. They fit perfectly and look lovely on my nieces.

Handmade Christmas decoration - Fabric Bon Bons

 

Getting into the Christmas spirit yet? If you're lagging a little, these handmade fabric Christmas decorations are sure to change your mood. The added bonus is if you pop into Spotlight now before Christmas, they have all the fabric, ribbons and Christmas decorations on sale for 50% off. Bonus!

 

They are very easy to make and very affordable if you take on board the tip above. Plus if hubby is a hoarder .. raid hubby's stash of goodies in the shed for spray glue, hot glue gun, wire cutters, foam, storm pipe / poly pipe.  I think that was all I managed to acquire but I'll update this post tomorrow (16/12/2012) with the exact items used.

Cross Stitch face washer - Little Puppies

Christmas cards 2012 - SU Bird Punch Christmas Wreath

Newborn nappy cover and going home outfit

This is little bubba's outfit it will come home in from the hospital. Less than 10 weeks to go! I bought the romper and socks, but made the matching nappy cover. I also plan on crocheting a little white jacket for cooler evenings out. I'll post that in coming weeks. And possibly matching booties and mittens. I'll see how I go.

However the next priority is getting a start on this years Christmas cards.

Baby Polar Fleece No-Sew Throw Rug

This really is the easiest cheats 'no-sew' rug ever. I saw it in Textile Traders and loved it. Plus there is no sewing involved. The fiddliest part was cutting 2 co-ordinating fabric squares of polar fleece at exactly 1.5m square. I cut a 10cm square from each corner, then marked 3cm wide strips cutting in 10cm. Then just went along and tied the top and bottom strips together.

Would make a great baby or christmas present.  Below is the underside of the rug:

Christmas present - Owl skirt and top set

I've been busy sewing again, attempting to get organised for Christmas. I'd made this skirt for a niece earlier this year and made another spare to put away for another niece for Christmas. I got busy today and appliqued the matching top. One Christmas pressie completed.







 Above picture: this is a close up of the applique. I used a small bowl to trace an exact circle of the visoflex, roughly cut around outside this border, positioned the visoflex on the pattern fabric, ironed, cut accurately around the circle, peeled off the backing, positioned the fabric on the top, ironed again. I finished off this time sewing a zig zag stitch around the outside of the fabric piece to hold secure.

Above picture: This is a close up of the pleated hem of the skirt. Makes a plain skirt that little bit more fancy.



Christmas Santa Sack

This is the first 'gift' I've made for our growing little baby nugget (now 21 weeks). As we don't want to know the sex, everything I'm making will have to be unisexed. I found the Christmas Owl fabric in the local Spotlight store last week and just had to have it.

Sewing - Hanging Hand Towel

I've been wanting to make these hanging hand towels for a while now (since I spotted them on this website ... http://kleiosbelly.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/christmas-prezzies-6-1-for-you/) and happened to spot these cute tea towels in Spotlight the other day. The intention was to make a couple for Mothers Day, however I hung this one up in my kitchen to take a photo, now I just can't bear to take it down. Think I'll have to make some more and pop them away in the present cupboard for Christmas!

 

The possibilities really are endless as I also saw some plain coloured towels (with no pattern/design) which had a matching strip of fabric along the bottom. This added that extra splash of colour which was needed to give another point of interest. What a great gift for someone who is hard to buy for!!

Christmas card - Origami Christmas Tree

Easel calendar card - various

Over the last few days I thought I'd make a start on my Christmas pressies for this year. I always give my work colleagues a christmas ornament (which I bought during the after Christmas sales last year). I'm not always this organised I can assure you! But I also wanted to make something unique and special. I'm really into easel cards at the moment so this calendar easel card developed. I'm trying to mix up the 'styles' to suit the personalities/style of my colleagues. Here are a few samples to give you some ideas.

We will also be making a similar version of the red easel card at the next ladies card making day.

Products used:
1st blue easel - Kaisercraft paper, Stampin Up Baja Breeze card stock and ink, Stampin up Vintage Vogue stamp set & Sea Worthy stamp set (wording), corrugated card.

2nd red easel - Stampin Up Riding Hood Red card stock and ink, Stampin Up Medallion stamp set, Stampin Up scallop circle punch, red ribbon, co-ordinating paper.

3rd & 4th yellow easel - Kaisercraft Lush Collection stamp set, japanese paper, various yellow & black cardstock, chinese embellishment.

Christmas Ornament - Origami paper folding #2

I made another version of the Origami Christmas Bauble/decoration. I went for an off white colour scheme, with gold tassel at the bottom, cream flowers in the centre of each origami flower, with a gold gem 'bling' in the centre. Simple yet elegant.

Christmas Ornament - Origami paper folding

If you have a good half a day spare, then this is the project for you. They turned out fabulous, but sooooo time consuming! Luckily I have all year to make them for my work colleagues for next years Christmas pressie! ;)

Christmas Santa Sack

I made this for my neice as this is her first Christmas and I've already made one for all of my sisters family members. I particularly liked the colour combination on this one. It's just bright and ... happy!

Christmas Ornament Pinecone Ball

I've updated these pictues as the first ones didn't show just how pretty these Christmas pinecone baubles actually are. Using pieces of folded papers and glue/pins, & ribbon this is the end result. They truly are very cute.