Garage Sale Score: Before / After

So I went garage sale-ing on the weekend... haven't been in a while and to be honest it wasn't as exhilarating as it can be. Anyway I managed to find a few things, including this gold mirror....

Yes i managed to see potential and decided it might be a quick DIY challenge. Heres what I did:

First I took it apart, screwing the back off and taking out the mirror.

 Then I gave it 2 coats of white pant (using a finer paintbrush for the final coat)

And thats it - easy! Put it all back together...

.... e finito!

Vintage Sprinkle Skirt

I found a little beaut at The Sally's on Friday - this cute skirt. It reminds me of cupcake sprinkles! Love the colour too! Here are a few pics...

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We had an awesome day at the beach yesterday, it was beautifully sunny then a big black cloud came rolling in and created a magical light. It was crazy for me to think I grew up in Gisborne, yet only been to this particular beach a handful of times.. We will definitely be going back soon. 

 Summer is here finally, the boys have swam in the sea twice this week, I might even get in next time. Better work on my pasty complexion with some fake tan first though!  

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Another weekend gone. Next weekend we're off camping! Yay! Any tips for camping with two littlies! EEEEK....

Christmas Ornament Swap - Come on lets get registered

I can't believe I'm even thinking of Xmas - but I suppose I should be because it's not far away at all! Yikes!
a couple of years ago I entered a xmas ornament swap that twenty cent mixture held. My cousin Sara, a friend of hers Susan and I thought we would organise one this year.... well actually Sara is doing all the organising I'm just telling you about it! So here's how it works:


Participants will be put into groups of 6 people, and you will "swap" ornaments. That means making 6 handmade ornaments, one for yourself, and one for each of the other members of your group. You will be given the postage details of the others in your group and be expected to post them an ornament by the end of November. You should end up with 6 beautiful handmade ornaments for your tree!

How to register:

Email Sara at sarajspeight(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)nz. Give her your name, email address and postage details. You will need to register by the 1st of November. 


Here are a few pictures that are inspiring me....

Stamped calico.

Sweet little felted decorations.

Cute colours...

Made from an old sweater!

Simple but sweet..

So get on board - I'm in for sure!

Enjoy your weekend :)

Elsie Marley KCWC Fall 2011 Mention

I'm pretty new to blogging and still only have a few followers...  but I was super stoked to be mentioned by one of my Favourite fellow bloggers Elsie Marley! You can see the post here KCWC Fall 2011: Wrap up

Yes those ARE the Crazy Crawler Pants I made!!

I am buzzing to be recognised for my sewing/designs :) It's a real motivator to keep doing what I'm doing.... 
Right now we're off to the park to feed the ducks, I will do it with a new spring in my step ;-)

Tutorial: Play Shorts from Business Shirt

So I actually made these to be apart of KCWC but I got a bit busy with family towards the end of the week and didn't end up posting them..

I love recycling and repurposing clothes. Its so easy to do and makes me feel good that I'm throwing less away or reusing something that someone else has thrown away..

First find yourself an old Shirt....

I bought this one for Matt at a secondhand store for a dollar but got it home and realised it was a womans shirt, so into the fabric pile it went...

Next, get your pattern pieces, I have used a Burda kids pants pattern folded up to make shorts, Cut you pattern pieces from the shirt.... 

I placed the pattern right down on the hem so I didn't have to hem the shorts (: Lazy I know. But anything to make it faster! 

I cut my pockets out of an old pillow case just to add a bit more colour and detail. 

Next, Sew your pockets on to each front panel. and topstitch them to make a tidy finish.

Now place your two front pieces right side together and pin. Overlock and sew seem.

If you have a pockets on the old shirt your using, cut one (or both!) off and sew it on to one of the back panels. 

Next, place back panels together, right sides together and pin. Overlock then sew seem. 

Now your almost ready to sew both sides together, but first, if you have pockets you will need to pin them in place and top stitch the pockets so they don't move. 

Next, place front and back panels together right sides facing and pin in place. Overlock and sew seems together.

Now you will need to cut a piece of ribbing for the waistband. Measure it around you  boys waist to get a firm fit. Sew the waist band in a loop and fold it over so the seem is hidden.

Now pin the waistband to the shorts, line up the waistbands seem and the back seem to begin with then pin from there in even intervals. Overlock and sew waistband onto shorts stretching the ribbing as you sew.

Finally topstitch the waistband in place. Tidy up all excess tread and your done :)

Thanks for viewing :) Hope I made sense!

KCWC day 4: Kite top

We are in Spring here in NZ and today is the AMP show, I always remember as a kid getting dressed up to go to the show... I remember smocked dresses that mum had made us, and sun hats with those neck flaps on them ;-) This is the first year Ollie will be able to really get involved with what the show has to offer, rides, animals, big tractors, hotdogs, candy floss, side shows etc! Its going to be great! I decided I would make them little show outfits... the weather better be kind so they can wear them. To go with yesterdays minty stripe bloomers todays challenge was a top. I cheated a bit with this one... not much sewing involved just a second hand T from the salvation Army and a Kite applique. Super easy :)

Photos to come of the whole outfit. 

KCWC Day 3: Minty Stripe Bloomers for Luca

A nice easy one... Found the fabric for a couple of $ at The Salvation Army this week and unlike most fabric I buy this didn't sit around in a box... Perfect for little spring shorts for my little Luie Luca :) I used a Burda pattern from a Burda Mag. So easy. This didn't take me an hour... more like 20 mins.

This boy just loves getting his photo taken :)

Brothers :)

KCWC Day 2, Crazy Crawler Pants

Day two for me. I had a look in my pile of fabric and decided I liked the look of this black and white knit fabric. Its lovely and thick and stretchy. I was to impatient to use a pattern today, probably should have  but they seemed to work ok in the end. I just cut around an old pair of little tights I made a few years ago when Ollie was little. Because we use cloth nappies, stretchy pants or pants with a lot of bum room are essential... I find pants bought in shops aren't don't fit too well over a big padded bottom!  Anyway here's what I came up with today. Not perfect - by any stretch!

I'm really enjoying KCWC so far. As long as the kids sleep for at least an hour (at the same time) everyday this week it can work.... I won't hold my breath!

Tomorrow I'm gong to try out this wee kite design on a t-shirt I found for $1 at a second hand shop today. See you then :)

KCWC Day 1

Ciao Amici, today I started KCWC (I was stuck on the couch with a cold yesterday!) Although I'm ashamed to say my first project was a bit of a dud :(  I was so excited to begin with, I was inspired by Sophie's gorgeous blog  Cirque du Bebe, where she has a picture on her header of a stripy top with a mustache - its just gorgeous! So I thought I'd do my own version... But unfortunately things didn't quite work out. Oh yes it looks fine on the hanger.... but the neck hole is a bit small (meaning I almost take off poor Ollie's ears while taking it on and off!) and when on the mustache actually looks more like a bikini top rather than a facial hair! Oh well at least it provided some laughter in our household this arvo :)
Here are the pics anyway, They are also on the KCWC Elsie Marley flickr group.

I used a blue cotton with a fine grey stripe, the fabric was sold with the stripes on a slight angle which I kind of like - even though I'm sure this was not the intention.

The Mustache is black velvet, that I backed with fusible web, then ironed on to the singlet and zigzag stitched around it.

I'm thinking of trying again with the mustache idea... next time I will down size the mustache and move it down a bit to avoid mistaking it as a bikini! 

Flowers for a Friends Wedding

I'm still buzzing from my friends beautiful wedding yesterday. Chelsea (who is an amazing clothes designer and once had a very successful clothing label Chelsea Thorpe and more recently has been the designer for Never Black) made her own dress, not to mention 3 bridesmaids dresses and 3 flower girl dresses, oh and wait her sisters dress too! They were all absolutely gorgeous - of course!
On Friday arvo I spent most of the morning picking flowers out at my parents organic orchard and then spent the arvo at the wedding reception venue arranging the flowers for the big day. The reception was held in an art gallery upstairs of Gisborne's main street. It's a fantastic space actually - white walls with the odd bit of raw concrete exposed, big windows looking out to the street below and a lovely wide balcony. The "theme" for the wedding was slightly eclectic, with vintage mismatched cotton napkins and tons of vintage bottles and vases in all different shapes and sizes - rallied together from family and friends. So I had lots of fun filling these little treasures with gorgeous flowers! Here are a few shots from Friday....

And Saturday - Yes the flowers did last... even though I had nightmares on Friday night that they had all wilted!!

What a gorgeous day it was...