Sea Turtle Meanderings

I had one thing I did not get done in time for the wedding. It was Scott and my own sea turtle for the wedding table. This was sad, but, with the unsettled lead up due to health it was something I had to let go of. I managed to complete Scott's turtle and I will now ever be known as the one that was late (insert many eye rolls). 

It is 1 month after the wedding (as of tomorrow) and I am celebrating a wonderful first month by posting pics of Scott's turtle pal Percy. We each selected our own fabric and buttons for eyes. Scott has gone for a spotted green shell and latte skin tone with shell buttons for eyes. Which I then hand sewed because my sewing machine hates me. He adores it. I wish you could see the itty bitty tail, so cute. He is 40cm in length, so quite a large project.  I have also almost completed my own turtle, just the shell construction left to go (the hardest part). I hope you all like. Please note the lounge featured is our new chocolate recliner and coach set. SO COMFY!!! Good night blogging world. 

Pattern is from one of my favourite stores, Funky Friends Factory. Check them out when you get a spare moment. Wonderful patterns. 

A Shout Out to Amazing People

I just wanted to dedicate a blog post to some of the amazing pattern designers. I can take a pattern and modify it but coming up with one cold...USELESS. So this is a shout out to all the wonderful ladies and gents who design amazing patterns for the rest of us to shine.

Pattern People who Have Helped Me Shine

1. FUNKY FRIENDS FACTORY

A shout out to Pauline who runs Funky Friends Factory (she also has an Etsy Store and blog. Thanks to your simple designs and easy to follow instructions you made it possible for me to get into sewing. Without you I would still believe a Home Ec teacher who told me to never touch a sewing machine again. If you want simple but beautiful patterns go here. She is amazing. If you are in Brisbane go to her store.

2. DOLLS AND DAYDREAMS

Thank you Sarah for your simple but uber cute designs. Your skeleton pattern went over a treat with one of my best friends. I have so many of your pieces ear marked for future projects from you foxes, deer, girls to your babushka dolls. Sarah also has a blog that shares upcoming ideas, completed work by friends and techniques. It is a great read.

3. BE BE BOLD

Thank you to Be Be Bold who gave me my first sewing project in 8 years. Thanks to your Lucky Owl Pack with all equipment and fabric required included I had the confidence to have a go. I wanted to have a go because of the beautiful rich coloured red and blues in your fabrics.  Because of your workshop at the Townsville Craft Expo I was able to be shown just how easy crafting and sewing is. Without you, I would not have been able to have so much fun hand sewing all of my toys. THANK YOU!!!

People Who Will Help Me Shine (a pattern wish list) 

DIY FLUFFIES

I love this store, I look at it almost every week to see if anything new comes up. I particular like this bull, owl and dragon. 

PDF Sewing Patterns for Baby, Child and Home & More

Such beautiful patterns for clothes and all the other home wares you need for a baby. I particularly like the dress patterns and the fleece hats. 

ANGEL LEA DESIGNS

I love the applique designs on this site. The pirate ships, owls, alpaca, thongs (flip flops), bird and hedgehog. 

BED BUGS

I love the idea of plushie pillows! Cuteness anywhere comfy in the house. Some of my favourites are sheep, monsters and bats.

Wedding Sewing...the beginning

Well it is time to begin. I have my pattern and now I need to make the matching pair of plushies for our wedding. Thank you again Funky Friends Factory (love the patterns). Here is a sneak peek of what I am doing, I am linking these into where we are having the wedding reception. Each of us selected our own fabric and now I need to start the hand sewing. With the 'help' of my buddies who lay on or steal everything I touch. Lock down in the office :)

I live!

Life has become very hectic with school, wedding and social events. In the past month I have been very spoilt. I splurged and went and got highlights and my first facial (which I loved). I love the Ella Bache products, I actually have clear skin for the first time since...I forgot. My skin is starting to look beautiful again and I found the hairdresser for my wedding.

On the work front it is insane and I am trying to find ways to cope. I stopped sewing, crafting and cooking properly which was the worst thing I could do. I have started using a planner to try and get myself organised and the craziness of life sorted. So, with renewed focused I shall start these things up again. Here is a photo story of my past month. I hope you like.


The blurbs crack me up. WIll have to post a few favs.


Birdie Buddies


My cat eats flowers...she isn't a kitten anymore


Which one doesn't belong. I can't see ACDC supporting a low alcohol wine product.


I didn't mind the pink one in the middle.


Valentine's Days- special lights and dinner


Latest swap (plushie in an envie) You send un stuffed to save postage.

Little Birdie Crafting

So the last Swapbot swap I was in required us to make a 2 little birdies for our partners. My two sets are below.

However, this got me thinking. I had a secret santa to do with a very small dollar limit, so I got hold of some nice Christmas fabric and made up a set of these birdies in Christmas Tree ornaments. My secret santa person loved them. Here are the 3 pairs put altogether in their 'nest' (a nice lightweight summer scarf).

I LIVE!!!

Hello blogging world,
You may have noticed I have not written in a while (well for me that is). I have been quite ill but am recovering. It has been a very busy time while I have been ill with many exciting things happening. A few new things to report. My wedding invites have arrived!!! From the lovely people at Orchard and Brown. Scott and I are both very excited about this.

School related stuff first. We have been very busy in the classroom organising a number of events. The first was some Christmas relief for a troops and canine units serving internationally. We have managed to get students to write Christmas cards and create care packages to send to our men and women currently serving. The kids (and I) got right into it. I sent to the Canine Units with 2 sets of dog treats and packets to Aussie Mix lollies for the handlers. I hope it reminds them of home.

The next thing we decided to do was make bags with our whole class using recycled materials (fits in with all the sustainability we have been doing all year). I was allocated by my class a set amount of materials and had to create a bag in 1 hour that met the design brief given. It was expected to be to an A standard. I was admittedly nervous. But here is the finished product. Pretty good for the first time I ever made a bag (not to mention not allowed to use a pattern).
Finally Swapbot news. Because of my illness I actually fell a little behind. The last time that happened was when mother nature decided to drop Cyclone Yasi on us. That was certainly an experience. But, I have some wonderful partners who I managed to stay in contact with and gave me a few extra days to complete my projects. Shaking hands make hand sewing difficult. But here is my final product for the Handmade/Altered Christmas Decoration Swap. A door hanging decoration of Chris the Christmas Mouse although I will not be suprised if he is given a new name.

Skelebones Ghost Tour Adventure

Righto, made up a second Skelebones for a birthday. She loved him. So much so that for her birthday celebrations we did a birthday tour and brought Skelebones (his new name) with us. Above we are all chillin' before the tour. Myself (in silver), our ghoulish tour guide, birthday girl-holding the slightly scared Skelebones and finally our never speaking door man. It was a great night with a beautiful meal and drinks at the Yongala Lodge. Skelebones needed some liquid courage. We continued through to the upstair section of the restaurant where 2 or more spirits were supposed to be. Armed with EMF detectors (mine kept going off randomly and it seemed to freak a few of our new found buddies out) we checked out the rooms. Heard the back story of how the Yongala was built and stories of sightings on the verandas and in the rooms. We were also warned not to be last down the stairs or we may get a little help...guess who went last down the stairs. No I can not explain it, yes I did get a little help. Creeped me out.



Next, we were off to the West End Cemetery and heard the many stories of sightings from the little girl called Alice to the lady with the black cat. From their we went to the old convent in a building where the current tenant lives out of only one downstairs room. The rest of the old massive 2 storey house he refuses to go in. As we travelled upstairs we found all the bits a pieces that people have left behind over the past 40 years. Clothes, furniture, toys and even companies paperwork. You can see Skelebones sitting in the old 'prayer room' and holding the EMF on the green chair where a nun apparently sits.





To finish off the tour we went to the old morgue and hospital sights which was creepy. But heard the stories my aunties used to tell me from when they worked on both sights. When I was a kid I thought they were making it up. But, pretty much the tour guide said the exact same thing they did. It was a fun night overall and Skelebones enjoyed his adventure.

Sneak Peak

Working on a few crating projects for swaps at the moment. The bird sewing project should be a lovely afternoon of hand sewing. The other will take a little longer and be a little more fiddly. But, it is still exciting to be crafting again. Here is a sneak peek at what the projects looks like.