What Madeline's wearing this Wednesday

Hi there!

Introducing Madeline, my fabulous dress form (and friend, of sorts). Madeline is often used for sewing, but is used just as often for me to hatch and test ideas about outfits, accessories, ideas to sew. I was looking at her this morning thinking just how gorgeous she looked, and decided she deserved a photo. And perhaps even a blog post!

So, this is what Madeline is wearing this Wednesday:

Singlet, so old I just do not know where this one came from, or when.
Cardigan, old (now too small, read: tight) JAG jumper split up the middle
Vintage lace trims, opped for $2 for a huge bag
Skirt (yet to be stitched), vintage tablecloth
Necklace, braided tshirt strips from opped tshirt
Flower from miss rose and sister violet

Thanks Madeline!

How do you organise your creative thoughts? Are you a pinner on pinterest? Do you have a mood board? A journal? What helps you pull ideas together and know what's next?

Chat soon xx

{this moment} - mummy sandwich cuddle

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

This moment was inspired by Soulemama. If you’re tempted to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see. 

xx

trackie thursday!

Little's effort - a dolls house rocking horse

Yay! Another week, another trackie thursday.

For those of you just tuning in, trackie thursday is our slooow day. No preschool, no playdates, no swimming lessons, no reason to leave the house, or even get dressed. trackie thursday is our day of rest.

It is also typically the day that we do cool stuff at home. We play, we bake, we make.

Today, we painted our dolls house furniture. The boys really, really loved this activity. Not quite sure what the attraction was - the new paints, the new surfaces to paint, or the fact that it all felt a little bit like vandalism (!).

The Gherkin, concentrating (by some miracle the tongue is in xo)

Little stuck with it for a good twenty minutes, before he started painting his arms and face (with craft acrylics - excellent!), and The Gherkin was there for much longer. And, this mummy is learning - I remembered to ask the boys to paint with paper and placemats under their work. Last time we painted on the kitchen table we stained the timber...

The Gherkin, still concentrating, but clearly very happy

The boys are keen for me to "makeover" their dolls house. I think now after their great start I need to put some effort in, too!

Chat soon xx

things i hope to sew soon...

So, over the past few weeks...

I have made 13 dinosaur tails.
Done monster patching on The Gherkin's jeans.
Made a cover/holder for my ergo baby carrier.
Finished replacement seatbelt covers for the kids' carseats (and in cute fabrics too - have to take some pics).

Now, it's time for some sewing for me. Here's a glimpse of some of the inspiring projects catching my attention at the moment:

by sloppop YEAH - have a lovely rose-coloured corduroy...

burdastyle casual dress 05 2012 pattern - in a wool or sweatshirt fabric?

 

marimekko MANTU - no words, really. lovely.

 nani-iro - I just know how good this would feel in one of our highland winters..
I may be able to refashion something opped/thrifted into something like this?

Now I just have to decide what's first on the list! What would you choose first? I have a whole pinterest board dedicated to sewing for me, which I rarely get to - I think I have done well to narrow it down to four projects!

Those of you in the southern hemisphere - what's on your sewing list for the cold months ahead?
And those of you seasons ahead, what was your go-to wear for your winter just passed?

I would love to beg, borrow and steal your great ideas!

Chat soon! xx

 

 

 

for those who believe in fairies...

 

Do you believe in fairies? The highlands do!

 

Autumn has arrived, and with it fog, moss, and fairy mushrooms! The boys are enchanted by autumn, by far the best and most beautiful season in our part of the country.

 

But, please, don't eat these mushrooms! These are a type of poisonous toadstool called fly agaric (amanita muscaria). Oh, and if you eat them, the fairies will have to move out ;)

 

Chat soon xx

dinosaur party!

dinosaurs!

 

He's three! Can't quite believe my Little is three already, and babyhood and toddlerhood officially over. And what a way to celebrate! The boy had his dinosaur party, that he so badly wanted, a purple dinosaur cake, and dinosaur tails for everyone! (that is, all of the kids - I could only find the time and energy to sew thirteen, rather than the thirty required if I sewed for the adults, too).

 

the happy birthday boy



 

There was no sweets table, gorgeously decorated, no pin the tail on the trex, no bracho-bubbles, so many of my pinned ideas will sit waiting til our next dino party (I have three boys, I am sure there will be another coming my way!).

 

very happy Little with his purple dino cake



 



Little had the best day, and love love loved his cake! He didn't like wearing his tail though, so he was the only kid there without one! Other little friends, on the other hand, didn't want to take theirs off...

 

 

 

I wore my new tunic that I made and keep mentioning but never photographing, and The Gherkin decided under no circumstances would he be photographed.

 

 

 

We had a brilliant day. Happy birthday my beautiful Little boy xoxo

 

 

 

preparing for the dinosaur party!!!!!

So, believe it or not, our Little is turning three next week. I can't quite believe it, his babyhood has just vanished. I now am beginning to understand what people mean when they say "enjoy it dear, it all goes by so quickly". It seems it was only weeks ago that he was brand spanking new.

He is growing into a big boy and wants a dinosaur party this year. But, to be very clear, he does not want dinosaurs that Rah! coming to his party. Just the quiet ones.

So much inspiration on pinterest, it's a wonder my head just didn't pop! So many cakes, most well beyond my skill level...

And then there's all the stuff that goes with it, the games, the outfits, the party favours, the decorations, the "dessert table". I am yet to see a dessert table at a kids' party, but I am impressed that people are going to the effort. Clearly I am going to the wrong parties! Here are some other bits and pieces that caught my attention:

how cool would slime be with an itty bitty dino inside?

oh my, check out the dino biscuits (cookies)

 

want one.

So, what are we doing for our dino party?

I don't want to spoil the big reveal, but we hope to have it in the garden. The birthday boy has requested a dino treasure hunt, a dino cake and we'll probably play pass the parcel and pin the tail on the... you guessed it, dino!

Little's friends will each get a dino tail (only have a dozen to make some time in the next few days!). Very much like this one:

my big boys in their dress ups for the Gherkin's fourth birthday party last year

 

And they will also be leaving with little dino bags containing a dino stamp each, a hopping dino toy and a dino crayon.

But more on our party during the week, I have to save something for later!

Have a happy week, chat soon xx