The Local Wildlife

We were sitting inside today when we heard a loud bang. A lovely young kookaburra had flown into the front window and fallen down on the driveway below. As soon as we checked it was OK it flew into the tree across the road. We often hear kookaburras laughing in the gum trees at the top of our street.

Kimono

I almost forgot that Kimono came third in the contest at Spoonflower last week. The theme was fashion and I used the designs from my Japanese Cameo Warm collection in the kimonos. Thanks to Spoonflower for the great photos, you can see the top ten in the fat quarter bundle below.

Ellie Pencil Case with Jungle Friends

I was so excited when this fabric arrived yesterday and I can't wait to sew them up. It is a cut and sew pattern for four different pencil cases and coin purses on a yard. If the lining is used on the back you can actually make eight pencil cases and eight coin purses to the yard. The colours came up really well and I have contrasting zips and ribbon for zip pulls. Fingers crossed they may be finished tomorrow.

I think Colin the crocodile looks more like a Kevin.

Don't look at the creases.

Hilda is a very happy hippo.

Geek Chic Fabric Swatches

It has been a few weeks since I got these swatches but I will be making them available for sale at Spoonflower in the next few days. There is a boys and a girls range and I am hoping to make a few things for my boys, maybe pyjama pants and possibly bean bag covers.

Geek Chic Dolls

A while back I designed these Geek Chic dolls to co-ordinate back to a Geek Chic collection. Now that they are finally all sewn up they will be available for sale at Spoonflower along with the collection. They have there own lab coats and a few little extras all on one yard of fabric. These are printed on cotton poplin, I have found it is great for toys and washes well. I accidently put Scary Kitty (a little friend to Zombie Dolly) also made on cotton poplin, through the wash with my son's clothes one day and it didn't fade at all.

Tailem Town

Alex had a school excursion to Tailem Town today and I was lucky enough to go along as a parent helper. It is a wonderful pioneer village of around 100 buildings including a church, school, garage, fire and police station, theatre, blacksmiths and many stores and other businesses from around 100 years ago. The kids loved it and I think it will be well worth another visit one day.

My First Zip

At last I have sewn my first zip, after putting it off so long it wasn't that hard. I have designed some pencil cases for a contest coming up at Spoonflower and I wanted to test how a curved zip would work. For the test pencil case I used some camo and army fabric, which the boys love.

Fabulous Finds - Strathalbyn Antique Fair

It was the Strathalbyn Antique Fair on the weekend, an event I look forward to every year for the trash and treasure market that takes place at the show grounds on the Sunday morning. Unfortunately this year the weather was so incredibly bad that by the time I got there at 8.15 am there were only 25 or so stall holders and most of these were packing up. Usually the stalls go all the way around the oval and it takes two or three hours to see everything. Fortunately the stalls that were left had the best finds and people were even willing to drop the prices a little.

This was my first sewing box for the day.

 All of this a bargain at only $20 especially considering the sewing basket was full of sewing treasures.

Treasures from the sewing box.

I love these old needle books.

I fell in love with this large orange picnic case and round sewing basket as soon as I saw them, the canisters were packed inside the case, I thought the whole lot was a bargain at $40.

Close up of the pretty sewing basket.

Inside the basket was a little plastic tray that had blown across the car park earlier in the morning but the nice stall holder went and found it for me.

Treasures from the round sewing basket.

The last stall I went two had these lovely little sewing baskets and the retro container below (maybe a recipe card holder or salt box)  all came to the total of $15.

Night Garden

Night Garden was in the top ten of the fireflies contest at Spoonflower last week. Once I started on this design I really enjoyed it especially working on the translucent flowers. The designs in the fat quarter bundle this week are so pretty, as were many of the designs in the contest. Fireflies was a great theme. Thanks to Spoonflower for the great photos.

Banksia

A few close up photos I have taken recently of an old banksia flower spike with seed pods. The structure and texture of the seed pods and leaves are so interesting and beautiful. They are definitely one of my favourite Australian wildflowers.

Are We There Yet?

It was lovely to come second in the Highways and Byways contest at Spoonflower last week. As you can see my design was all about fun family holidays on the road around the coast and countryside in Australia. The great photos are from Spoonflower and including the top ten fabric bundle.