Christmas...

So I've been eyeing off an MP3 player for christmas for myself - need something to keep me a tad motivated when we are out walking as the girls tend to both nod off to sleep - epsecially when we are out walking in the afternoon.

Found this very funky looking one called the "Pebble" made by Samsung - I am loving the silvery coloured one - well most of the colours infact! For under $50AUD they are quite reasonable - especially when it is likely to end up being pegged across the room by one or both of my girls, and in Zahli's big gob being chewed on LOL!

After having a fairly major hiccup with the girls' planned christmas present of a wooden kitchen set ie. stove + sink. We had enquired a few months back at a local educational toy shop and was told to call in mid-late november as they would have more instock - well I went in and of course they haven't received ANY and they have NO IDEA when they are getting more :( They blamed it on the supplier - apparently is very sparodic and months between bulk orders arriving so no guarantee they would arrive in time... I am back at square 1 and our options are (1) Buy a cheaper version in the meantime until we can get one made for the girls or (2) just wait until late january and get the one I really want.

At this stage we are planning on purchasing from Encounter Centre , a couple of hours south o ADelaide. The people who make them are volunteers and the prices are almost half of most other suppliers. Makaia's birthday is the first week of January, so we will just play a belated christmas day when they arrive via courier.. The girls will get spoilt enough between the 4 sets of grandparents they have, plus other aunts and uncles

This is the stove i've picked out (I'm planning on buying similar saucepan set instead of wooden - easier to keep clean after mud-pie making)

And the matching sink - stainless steel bowl = perfect for 'cooking' as it won't stain! Bonus!

It took me SO long to decide which ones I wanted - I am not a fan of the ghastly bright coloured furniture for the toy room which is predominatley pink/brown/orange and want something that will be suitable for future children on the chance that we will have boy/s.

I can't wait for them to arrive now! Late january seems so long away. I have a whole heap of wooden kitchen accessories ready for christmas presents for the girls and am planning on making some pretend soft felt/fabric cakes and donuts for them with an online tutorial I found somewhere (will link once they are complete!)

So now I am on the hunt for some 'extra' christmas goodies for the girls (almost 3yo and 1yo) as the kitchen will be delayed... :( Would never have thought everywhere in the state would be sold out until after christmas, when christmas was over 6weeks away when I made the enquiries!
No idea what happened with the text at the end here (oops!)

Engagement Cake! WOW

I was enlisted to make my brothers engagement cake recently. *congrats to him and his fiance!*

Request was - double layer - choc mud bottom layer and white choc top layer with red/white/black theme and a similar pattern to their invites that looked like this from http://www.hipp.com.au/

Found some awesome paper in a local art shop that 'specializes' a bit in custom wedding invites and thought it to be a pretty close match to the invites!

Here's the finished product all ready to go to the party!

I had to cut the paper into stripes wide enough to cover the sides of the cake and join them together to make on continuous strip to join at the back of the cake.

The pattern was a different part of the paper on the top and bottom to give it a bit of variety. At over $3 for an A4 sheet it was expensive just for a cake edge! :o

The cake top was covered in assorted ribbons in co-ordinating colours with edible icing love hearts in assorted colours - to match of course! (I love co-ordinating!)

I think I had near heart failure when people were standing near the cake flapping their elbows around as the top layer was just 'resting' on the pillars (which is normal for 'layered cakes')

Here they are cutting my beloved cake finally - brother had no idea WHERE to cut it so hence the stabbing motion ;)

This is what was left! Just the top layer of white mudcake as the bottom layer was more than enough for the 80 odd guests they had at the party! I think it's frozen in Mum's freezer waiting for a rainy/hungry day!

VERY VERY happy with this cake! Think it could pass as a wedding cake too! Hopefully some of the guests at the party will keep me in mind in the future for cake making :D

Pink-ness & Craft Swapsies

A few very PINK things for a friend and her two gorgeous girls :)

I made some Booties awhile back (that I have already blogged) and made these matching bloomers from the Amy Butler "Little Stitches for Little Ones" from spotty fabrics with ruffles on the bum side to match the booties - also in 6-9mnth size. Hopefully the new owner loves them!

The front - Pink with white spots

The back - Ruffles with white Ric Rac

And here is the matching set - Bloomers with Booties - quite cute I think!

This is just a plain pastel pink singlet with some applique on the front. I designed the flowers myself, and was the first time I have appliqued onto something 'stretch' I think it is definetley a good idea and can spruce up boring tank tops for summer for girls (or boys!) Will be making some for Makaia & Zahli when I get some free time

Made this little ribbon flower accent for a bit of a 3d touch.. Quite effective I think!

I was involved in a craft swap on my favourite "crazy pram lady" forum and this is what arrived in the parcel for me on friday...

An 'organiser/portfolio' which has pads of paper, pens & pencils and 2 erasers and a pencil sharpener in the pocket. I LOVE it and it's perfect for all my noting and lists that seem to be lost all over the house and covered in Makaia drawings..

This is what it looks like closed with the brown satin ribbon...

And opened - Ta- Da!

Makaia has claimed it as hers - she is totally fascinated by the erasers as she has never used one before - I think she just keeps drawing pictures and rubbing them out again because of the novelty factor! Funny what amuses toddlers when they are almost 3 years old!

This is what I sent off to Perth for my craft swapee's Son who is similar age to Zahli (who is currently 10mnths)

I don't have any patterns for boys at all so made this cute military style cap from my "Little Stitches for Little Ones" book (Yes I adore this book and am slowly making everything in it)

I chose neutral browns/blacks and cream chequered fabric so hopefully will match lots of her son's outfits..

The lining was the same fabric but in cream so it matched perfectly. My 'stitch in the ditch' to join them together wasn't perfect but I'm hoping she won't notice too much!

Not sure if she has 'guessed' if it was me yet. Was supposed to be a surprise so did a good job of not letting on who/what I was sewing!

And finally here is a pic of our younger daughter, Zahli that we took yesterday - just because she is cute and I love her cheeky smile!

Apple and Stripe Delight

I made this top for a lovely 'Forum Friend' of mine - Kate. She fell in love with Makaia's when I made it and asked me to make on for her...

Made from Sandi Henderson's Apple Dot and Stripe Fabrics which I am TOTALLY in love with *still* even though I purchased them all months ago :p

So glad Kate chose purple for the buttons - really finishes it off perfectly!

Here's the final finished pic before I posted it...

The very beautiful Jazmyn modelling her new top - perfect fit!

An Action shot... ;)

(Just because she is so cute!!)

I think this pattern is definetley a keeper! Kate posted a link to the photo on a parenting forum and now I have a few more orders as a result! Thanks heaps Kate!!! :D

Rolling Rolling Rolling..

Another Crayon Roll which was designed to be 'unisex' colours. I just LOVE the crayon fabric. I think it's PERFECT for the Crayon Rolls!

Hope the lucky winner loves it! :)

Faaiiirriiieesssss!!!

I made a cake for a lovely lady called Ceinwen on my "crazy pram ladies" forum and we were also invited to her daughter's Emily's 4th Birthday Party which was held at "The Fairies" Headquarters...

Here is the cake - loosely based on the Purple Fairy from "The Fairies" - I Think her name is Harmony? ? (I SHOULD Know this considering Makaia is addicted to fairies!)

It was a chocolate mud cake under all that icing and glitter - It taste DELICIOUS! First time i've made a mudcake so am quite pleased how it turned out and how it tasted! Definetley on the list for 'orders' now ;)

My piping is getting better and I was REALLY impressed with my fondant icing on the cake - it was perfect! Although you can't 'see' it cos it's covered with fairy glitter ;) My writing is pretty darn neat too! Especially considering it's freehand. Definetly the most enjoyable cake I have made so far!


Singing Happy Birthday to Emily - that's the "Rainbow Birthday Fairy" - What a fun job she has! Entertaining "Fairy" kids all day long and dancing around like a looney :p


Cutting the cake - VERY big knife for a little girl!
And here is one of Makaia just because I think she looked cute all dressed up in her fairy costume Nanna brought her... She was determined to wear a different one that is pink and SUPER short because mummy didn't realise it was a size 1 when she brought it - whoops!

Shame she wouldn't look at the camera! Was too busy watching all the other kids run around in the fairy party room!

Finally.. a 'group' shot in the Fairies Party Room - Just because the mural and paintings on the wall/floor/roof were very cool :)

Empire Waist Amy Butler/Joel Dewberry Dress

I've been DYING to make this gorgeous dress from my "Little Stitches for Little Ones" by Amy Butler. Of course the Joel Dewberry Damask arrived FIRST in my orders, and the matching "Ticking Stripe" fabric was the last to arrive - over a week later! Testing my patience!

Here's the final pics before Z tried it on - Made it in time for her to wear it to the wedding that Joel was in on the weekend just gone. Everyone was mighty impressed :D

Bit of a close-up of the bodice (which is fully lined!) There are splits in the sleeves, and a tie in the middle on the front (bit hard to see as it blends in) I made it in 9-12mnth size although it is going to fit for AGES still as the arm holes are quite large - she SHOULD fit it for as long as it fits over her head!

These are the matching bloomers from the same book in co-ordinating Ticking Stripe Fabric (also buy Joel Dewberry Manzanita collection)

Finally - here is a pic of Z before we went to the wedding on saturday wearing her new threads. As you can see it is HUGE on her. The bloomers fit pefectly though - even though they are also 9-12mnth size. She is scared of the grass hence the scared look on her face - LOL! Yes, I know she needs to grow some hair! :p Will look awesome once she is walking - which will *hopefully* be soon

Monkey Pants

After admiring this pant pattern on Etsy I finally brought the pattern in 6-12mnth Size. They are made from stretch knit material which gave me a chance to test out the stretch stitches on my machine which i've not used yet!

Grabbed some cheap stretch knit from Spotlight for $2/m which was also buy 1m, get 1m free, so 2m = $2 was a bargain! Think I have enough to make about 20 pairs of these now - DOH!

These are Z's pair

~ Front ~

~ Back ~

I love the insert bit - you could have embroidery or something to highlight the insert bit. Looks pretty cute when they are crawling ;)

Had so much I offered to make a pair for the Lovely Lucy - who is 2 days younger than Z. Made them opposite to Z's so they aren't too 'matchy-matchy' when at Playgroup - Haha...

~ Front ~

~ Back ~

Here is the gorgeous Lucy - modelling her new pants... She must be chubbier than Z as the legs look a tad tight - oops!

And again... :)

Apparently she has had lots of comments on her spotty pants! That's always a bonus ;)

Past Projects

Brown and Blue Damask Clutch with Satin Ruffle and Satin 'wrist' ribbon - to keep it on my sister's wrist when she is out and about ;)

Improvized a bit by adding the two card slots on the inside for a drivers license/ATM card too. Look quite effective and fit the cards perfectly!

Little Stitches for Little Ones by Amy Butler - Booties - in 6-9mnth size

Z's foot was too big for them almost straight away so they are winging their way west to a friend for her lovely daughter!

Blackforest Cake...

Made this cake at short notice last week for a friend of Mum's..

Blackforest cake with chocolate ganache icing, coated in chocolate topped with fresh cream, glace cherries and more chocolate (chocolate heaven!)

Writing wasn't as perfect as I wanted :( But they were pretty happy with it!

Still Pretty good for a rush job with a zillion other things to do for the wedding Joel was in... ;) Have to practice pouring and smoothing the ganache. It set A LOT quicker than I thought it would.. Practice makes perfect... right?!

New Cakes....

Here is two cakes I've just finished for a customer for a combined Christening/2nd Birthday Party tomorrow..

A "Dora" 2nd Birthday Cake

And a christening Cake - also needs a few sprays sticking out of it still but can't do that until I deliver it to the customer's house as I have to be able to get it in a box and unfortunately they don't make them that tall! Haha...

Now I can do some much anticipated sewing - an Amy Butler Dress for Zahli! :)