Adele's Dress

Cutting it close to the wire, but Adele's dress was finished last night. I had a sewing session the other night till midnight. Well I actually got up out of bed at 11 pm and did a good 90 mins of sewing to put my mind at ease. Thankfully I did as I had issues with my buttonhole maker and then had to sew on buttons. All things that I got sorted but just took a bit of time. Now I have the buttonhole foot sorted, I love it!!!!! It is so easy. Sort of helps if you have the correct buttonhole foot on. I mixed up the foots on my two machines and it just wouldn't work. I even google and YouTube it to try and work out what I was doing wrong. Just the wrong foot.

But all sorted, Greta's dress has buttons now too and the rainbow peak a boo quilt is all finished. Just a pair of shorts to go.

Adele's dress is a Modkids "Addison". It is quite a traditional styled dress. I love the look of it and making it in modern fabrics makes it awesome. I think. Great instructions and easy to follow.

The fabrics are from Spotlight. A friend had made her daughter a bubble top out of this fabric and I loved it. When I went in the store last week I couldn't find any fabric I liked as much so I copied her choice. I think it makes a girlie dress, with out being pink.

I can't believe it is Christmas Eve! I am hosting Christmas this year. I have made a lot of the food already, just a few last minute things this afternoon. It has made my insomnia horrendous though. I am not stressed about it but I lie down and keep planning it, over and over and over. So I am rather exhausted today. Anyway, the house is very excited about tomorrow and the big red man. They are playing "Christmas morning" at the second. I am guessing there will be toys spread out all though the house.

Merry Christmas to all, hope you have a lovely day tomorrow and enjoy the time spent with family and friends xxxxxx

Tx

A few more decorations

I came up with an idea to use the rest of the circles and the yo-yos without pulling them apart. I just didn't have the heart to un do them. That was a lot of time and effort spent making them, even if I didn't like them... for that project.

I used the rest of the circles, put in a layer of batting and then circle on the back. Used a yo-yo and button, strung them all together and a cool, funky bunting of sorts. I haven't used all of them yet, there were quite a few, but I have two buntings and have decorated some photos. Now I think we have enough new decorations for this year.

I have spent today making chocolate Santas. Trying to start making a dent on the things I need to have sorted for Christmas day. Made semifreddo too. Chocolate of course. I hope it last until then as it is so yummy. YUMMY!!!!!

Tx

Everyone needs a Christmas Pillowcase

This year, to add a bit more Christmas to the kids rooms, I have just finished making them Christmas pillowcases. Mostly because they are so tired, constant fighting and I need a distraction from it. Usually I love school holidays, spending time together and all that stuff, but these fast few days. Man oh man. Constant fighting and they are so tired!!!! Which of course means they wont sleep, at all. 9 pm and still away and then up super early, like about 6. So every day is worse and worse. JUST SLEEP!!!!!! I have tried everything, I guess they will have to sleep at some stage. So anyway this morning I have been busy sewing.

I started making a yo-yo tree thingee and the yo-yos were so small you couldn't see anything on the fabric so I have given that one up, after about 30 yo-yo's. This means I have 43 circles to come up with projects for. I was going to cover the pillowcases with the circles but I didn't have enough interfacing. See I need more chocolate! I used what I had with Ryan's pillow. I do still quite like it.

It's funny how all the fabric is snowmen and winter stuff when it is summer here for Christmas. Oh well.

And it got the seal of approval. The quilt was made two years ago I think.

Adele's of course is a bit different,  girls and ruffles is always I nice combination. She wanted the angles fabric. I think this was because she was an angle in the Kindy show. I like it too.

Her quilt was made last year.

So both their rooms are looking quite cool. Secretly I am quite excited as I get to do this all again for Greta when she goes into a big bed, I can't wait!!

I can hear Adele yelling at Ryan as I type. Blair's working long days at the moment so I get the "fun" of dealing with them all day. ALL DAY! He gets home after dinner and bed, I already have a head ache.

Right time to find more circle projects which are no quilts or interfacing.

Tx

Greta's Christmas Dress

Every year, since I have started sewing, I have made the kids an outfit to wear on Christmas Day. This year is no exception, though I have no idea what to make Ryan. He is becoming a big boy. I have some nice, grown up, light fabric that would be a lovely pair of shorts. But for some reason that makes me sad. No pirates or knights or tanks.

This morning I finished off Greta's dress. The pattern (Burda 9712) has used over and over and over again for Adele so it feels good to be able to use the same for Greta. New but old. For some reason I am feeling really nostalgic about this Christmas. I think it is because one of the other big kids in our coffee group is starting to doubt Christmas. Kids at school told him stories and asked his mum about it. Ryan is still fully into it and I really hope next year he is still. There is just something magical about Christmas and believing in magic. Anyway I splashed out and bought designer fabric. It is Amy Butler "Love". Greta will be all wrapped in Love. I love the look of it, girlie but not pink.

Adele's dress pattern arrived yesterday and it is amazing! I need to find the time to go fabric shopping without her around. For her I have floral and white in my head. Not good for stains but I think will look super on her.

And of course another batch of biscuits. Adele has her kindy play with shared afternoon tea today. These are Stained Glass Window cookies. Just a plain cookie, cut a hole in the middle and put in crushed up boiled lollies. The lolly melts, let the biscuits cool first, the lolly sets and you have a stained glass middle. Easy but super cute.

I really wanted to have an adults Christmas Party this year, but I think I have left it too late as Ryan got another party invite, we have a class party, early Christmas at my parents, a Hens Day AND Adele has a party to go to before Christmas. Plus I am still trying to lose baby weight, exercise and make Adele a Christmas dress ;) But you know, with all that I am actually NOT feeling stressed, I do love Christmas and spending time with friends and family. I just would love a good wine evening and a bit of dancing

Tx

A bit of Christmas Baking

A lot of fun this Christmas baking, but not so good for losing baby weight. No worries, the guilt only lasts until the next mouth full.

So yesterday Adele and I did our batch of Christmas tree cookies and of course stars. We invited one of her little friends over and I set up a decorating station for the girls and they had free decorating licence to their own cookies. Then they sat down, ate a couple of their art pieces and had hot chocolate. Then once they had played set her home with a bundle of cookies. Was rather fun. So Adele's cookies are all gone now, tasted pretty good. I think last year I cooked them for a little bit too long. This year I think is good!

http://www.thecraftycroall.blogspot.co.nz/2011/12/christmas-tree-cookies.html

Above is the recipe I used.

I did my decorating last night. I know the girls did a great job but some times mummy wants to be able to have a go too.

Since the girls were busy playing I made my coffee group cake as well. Very productive. I usually stay away from making brownie because one of the other girls is amazing at it and so far I have never made one that has tasted any good. But this one, OMG!!!!! Instead of chocolate it has a cup of Nutella. Yum yum yum!!!!!!!! It looks pretty ugly, but I am sure I could eat the whole thing by myself!. And of course I have lost the recipe.... I think my husband has been closing windows on the laptop. I will find it though!!!!

So there is my coffee group offerings, I think I will get a big tick today!

Also, Ryan had his Christmas dress up day at school. He went as Santa complete with a Santa sack. The kids put on a super cute Nativity play and we had a family picnic after. It really was super cute.

Righty, almost coffee time, I brought a pack of Christmas coffee from Starbucks so we can have nice Christmas plunger coffee. Yeah, I may just love a themed coffee group

Txx

A little bit of Hope this year

Christmas really is in full swing here. We got our tree sorted. Every year we get a "Real Live Christmas Tree". Once Christmas is over we plant it on our section somewhere. So our trees tend to be very small, but alive and overwhelmed with decorations. I like it that way, means we can make new things to make the rest of the house festive.

I really wanted to make a wreath I had seen on Pinterest but when I went to Spotlight this morning all the wreaths are sold out. So I remembered another pinned thingee and made that instead. I chose the word HOPE, mainly because the J was all sold as well and well I am hoping a little bit at the moment.

Please ignore the crumbs, I believe they are from breakfast. It is just wool wrapped round wooden letters. I used a bit if hot glue to stick the start and ends of the wool on the back and a bit of glue on the bits I thought might lose their tension.

The fluffy bit is a white and sparkly gold, not that you can tell from the photo.

End of the school year is fast approaching, a week for Ryan to go. I am quite looking forward to the break, just need to train the kids to sleep in

Tx