Cherry Hexagons

I started stitching these at ballet then finished off the rest at homework time yesterday.  Joey entertained himself arranging them and last night in front of the TV, I stitched them together!

Now what to do with this!

...

My Nanny would have turned 80 today. xxx

What we did on Mothers Day...

We took some photos of Granma's presents after breakfast in bed.

We (me) are now addicted to making hexagons and don't know what to do with them all!  Click here to check out my gorgeous dolls quilt that Nanny made me when I was little out of scraps and hexagons.  It is very very special.

Back of the bag. 

These are all Nanny's scraps and some of the pieces were already put together.  I made some mini log cabin pieces and chopped up some more white and joined them all together to make the back piece of the bag.  Cousins and Aunties who read this will recognise some of the fabric from items that Nanny has made into beautiful items for them.  I think Nanny would be pretty happy that I am still using her fabric, esp to make something so special for my Mum who misses Nanny so much. (me too)

Inside of the bag with a special zippered pocket so Mum doesn't lose her stuff and a key loop.  Here is a link to how to make that pocket, it was easy Mum!

We tried out Mum's other gift, a tea cup bird feeder.

We admired the only flower on my Just Joey rose and admired the blue hyacinth for Mum as well.

We went to the beach, gave Granma presents, cards and chocolate.

We did my most favourite thing: collect shells. 

We had a Mothers Day photo, I love you both so much!

After lunch, we fitted in a slice of Mum's sponge, it was good as usual.

We came home, sorted shells, threaded shells and tied another string of shells and threw the ones with no hole in the shell garden.

The boys did some mowing.

We put the other teacup bird feeders in our garden to try out.

They don't match, but aren't they cute anyway.

And lastly, my little boy, found a bird ornament try it out.  Looks like a nice sturdy perch Joe boy. 

Mothers Day Creations

This is what I am working on at the moment.  A bag for Mum for Mothers Day.  I got inspired to make hexagons after checking out Lisa's.  I planned on using more of Nanny's scrap fabrics to make this bag so a few pieces became this hexagon.  Hexagon tutorial from here.  The reverse of the bag is patchworked scraps and you can see the handles below. 

Now lets hope the sewing machine is in a mood for sewing plastic this afternoon.

And my other project are these vintage tea cup bird feeders, seen here.  A great way to recycle old teacups.

Lastly, my 2 finds at the Antique Fair recently.  This teacup would make a super duper bird feeder but I am a bit partial to yellow teacups at the moment so it will stay unglued for now.

Have a Happy Mothers Day!

xxx

Birthday Sewing

A couple of smocks I made for two little birthday girl friends this month.

This pattern comes from the stash of patterns in my Nanny's sewing treasures, it may have even been one Mum used to make up for me when I was little.

This pink one is reversible in soft pink cord and green polka dots for Eleni. The white applique piece on the front is vintage (op shopped!), I've got another ready to be chopped up. The green buttons on the front are not doing much for me, so I am changing them, yet another trip to Spotlight!

And this Sesame Street number was given to Kirsten, our adorable little 4 year old friend. The Sesame Street fabric (an old sheet I think or maybe even curtain) was given to me by Kirsten's Mum, she's a good girl. I made these shorts first up when she first gave it to me, thanks Mel!
The lining of this one is hot pink cord, it looks great over jeans with a long sleeve white top for winter.

Mothers Day Crochet

Nanny taught me how to crochet when I was 12 and that is probably why I can still do it, unlike knitting (another recent failure confirms that!) I love crocheting, I have never really done anything besides round and round blankets and granny squares blankets and those handy teatowels you hang in your kitchen. I saw a pattern recently in Better Homes and Gardens for crocheted flowers and got inspired to make some flower corsages, since Mothers Day is this week and I always try and make Mum something hand made to go in her present. This year she got a Pandora Bracelet, the I LOVE YOU charm, some blue tea towels and this gorgeous thing...

This pattern is from here, a new favourite blog to keep track of and the most gorgeous crochet. I added an extra row of petals (the darker purple around the outer edge). I also made one for Lilly's lovely teacher.

And since I am jumping ship this weekend and missing Mothers Day (don't worry I am sick to the core about it, truly I am) to attend a Conference in Sydney with my second best friend, I had an early Mothers Day with my little treasures.

This little boy couldn't wait to give me the present he made at Kindy, a gorgeous card with a photo of us on the front and a bag of homemade Coconut Ice! It was yum, we scoffed it down together, thanks Liza! I love the way Joey says Liza....Wyiza!


And today at Grade 1 the Mum's had a very special pampering complete with massage, manicures (my pink polish is still gleaming and its staying there for the trip to Sydney!) hair brushing, jewellery making, fruit kebab feeding, puzzles, singing, poems and lots and lots of love and hugs!

Happy Mothers Day to all my friends and family who are Mothers, Grandmothers etc, I will be enjoying this on the day with Kimmy and no doubt very very homesick for those 2 little people pictured above, and my husband of course!

Quick Skirt

This is a Burda skirt I quickly made for myself using Spotlight $3.99/m fabric! So for $6 plus the cost of the zip (the doily is from my stash and the buttons thanks to Nanny's stash of which I've got a few things and treasure sooo much) its a pretty cheap skirt, and very comfortable I might add. Unfortunately this fabric is fairly see through, whoops, so I either add a lining or save it for round the house!!! I quite like it, so I might line it...

And here is the cutest little Royal Doulton teacup in the pattern of 'June'.

My second best friend Kimmy found it down near Iluka during her week long family beach holiday, she is so good to me, she loves teacups as much as me, but she chose to give it to me!!! It is so tiny and very old, I love it Kimbo! What am I going to give you for your birthday next week old girl!!??

Handy Kitchen Towel

I made a couple of these kitchen towels for a friend's birthday recently. They are just a tea towel folded in half, gathered at the fold and then a piece of fabric attached with a loop to hang. Nanny used to make these all the time, and I mean all the time! Except hers were the proper crocheted ones with a button. She taught me to crochet when I was 12 and not long before she passed away I got her to show me how to do the crocheted tea towels. We did one together and I've got a heap more to do, but they are pretty time consuming, the main thing is I know how to do them, thanks Nanny.

Oh, the background aqua spot is my new ironing board cover I made last week. I've got one more to do, sometime.

Pink Cupcakes

Cupcakes on a white background and hot pink with white spots lining. Our friendly chooks in the background: Henny Penny, Chicken Little, Thomas and Percy...don't ask me which one is which, but apparently you can tell!

And the sad news is...my sewing machine seems to have died after this one was made! So it looks like Nanny's machine will be coming out till its fixed, thanks Nanny.

...all those hours of work to end up...

...in an op shop for sale for $2!!!!! Are you serious?! I came across these beautifully embroidered doilies the other day and couldn't leave them in the stinky op shop, some lovely person has stitched for hours on these, possibly from a few different homes. I especially love the violets...my Nanny's favourite flower in fabrics and embroidery by far! Although her most favourite real life flowers I'd say would be pansies, yellow roses and Just Joey rose for sure.

These are almost too good to turn into something else (a pretty skirt or dress for Lill...) so I will hang onto them and just look at them!

Cute stuff

Here is the most gorgeous doll's quilt ever ever. My Nanny made it for me when I was little and now it belongs to my daughter. It is mostly hand stitched, I can see so many fabrics that were from clothing of mine, my Mum's and even some of my Poppy's old PJ's. My Nanny was so clever and still is. She is the one that taught me, you should always have a handicraft that you are working on!