Handmade tutorial collection #1 ~ For her

Well, I can't believe it has been four months since I last blogged. Far too long. I do have an excuse though.
We found out in the Summer that we are expecting our third child - due in March, so I decided to take a little time out.
The sickness has pretty much gone now and I'm just over halfway through so I thought it was a good time to get back to blogging.
I have so many posts stored in my brain - things I've been mentally filing away, just waiting for the right moment to write it all down.

This is one of the things I've been itching to do. I've been trawling the web and lots of fantastic crafty blogs looking for handmade gift inspiration. I'm determined to make as many Christmas gifts as I can this year, and as I am currently obsessed with fabric I have been searching with a sewing head on. I'm not a brilliant sewer - I'm still a novice, so I've been particularly looking for items that are simple to make but look amazing.
Here is my round-up for the ladies

Beaded Fabric Flower Necklace

Knotted Fabric Necklace

Simple Fabric Scarf/Shawl

Fabric Flower Ring

Round Fabric Pinwheel Necklace

Poppy Boutonniere

Chic Wrist Cuff

Rice Heat Therapy Bag

Patchwork Belt

My aim is to post a list every other day over the coming week - look out for: Gifts For Kids, Gifts For Him and For the home. I'm also planning on finding some gorgeous crochet ideas as well as gifts for kids to make (or help make!)themselves.
If nothing else, I hope to introduce you to some fantastic blogs that you may be yet to discover.

Things I love today

This song - it makes me cry for some reason. I love his voice.


This blog - what a fantastic imagination.

These prints - i love them all.

This book of poetry - my son recently found out that his new teacher in September will be Mrs Butler, I immediatley thought of this book and then, hey presto a few days later I found it in a charity shop for a £1! Brings back lots of good memories.

This book - another charity shop find, Patrick Gale is one of my favourite authors - loved this one.

Puff the magic dragon

My littlest boy and I love this song, but my eldest leaves the room when it comes on because it makes him sad.
We particularly love this version by Bonnie Prince Billy and Red.



This track and lots of other lovely songs are on the album Songs for the Young at Heart, it's a fantastic album of well-known and especially written children's songs for grown ups (and kids of course) who like something a little bit different.

Resisting

I do love bags I have to say - my husband really can't understand why i need more than one at any time!

Last Summer I had a bit of extra money from marking exam papers and decided to treat myself to a new bag. I searched and searched but could not find a bag I liked until I stumbled upon the Ollie and Nic website. I ended up buying three bags for £50 as they had a half-price sale on at the time, and I was gobsmacked at the quality of them when they arrived.
I love attention to detail and Ollie and Nic bags always have it - whether its the funky print lining or the zipper purse included inside. I use all three bags all the time and they are so well made they still look like new.
They're new summer sale started today so I am desparately trying not to look - but it's very hard.

Trousers (take two)

I've definitely got the bug - have just finished my second pair of trousers, this time for my eldest (5 and a half).

The actual trousers were just as easy to make as the previous pair (the gingham cotton was actually easier to work with), however I did run into problems with the patch and back-pocket.

I wanted to add something (mainly to stop them looking like a pair of pyjama bottoms) and had some brown corduroy scraps from a ruined pair of the boys trousers hanging around. It was an experiment really and I made quite a few mistakes - the main one being not realising that I should have attached the patch before I had sewn up the trousers. I also managed to stitch the front part of oneleg to the back part of the leg (twice!), had to unpick stitches several times and had to dismantle my sewing machine three times due to stuck thread (I think this might have been because of the bulkiness of the corduroy). The zigzag stitches on the patch and pocket are far from perfect but I like the way they look - and they suit my boy down to the ground.








I have to apologise for the grubby grey socks - this boy does not like to have bare feet for some reason.

My first attempt

*Take one complete sewing novice
*Add a basic sewing machine
*This fab tutorial
*Some cute fabric

And this is the result ........................................
.......................................some very cool trousers!






I love them and so does he.
They are a bit shorter than I intended (but I actually like them that way) and the seams are on the wonky side but luckily the fabric is very forgiving.
I really love my new sewing machine - it's so easy to use, I feel like a whole new world of possibilities has opened up.
Have already bought some brown gingham to make my bigger boy a pair of trousers too.
And now I've discovered the wonder of fabric shops I am definitely hooked.

I have just ordered a sewing machine and am very excited. It's only a basic one but I have had an urge for a while to try my hand at making some clothes for my boys. I've been inspired by all the wonderful handmade clothes I've seen on other blogs especially on the fabulous Elsie Marley blog where Meg has been hosting Kids Clothes Week.
I've also become very frustrated recently at the lack of affordable but cool (and a little bit different) clothing available for boys on the high street.

I am particularly loving these trousers and this top.
Both from Dana at Made - I've only just discovered her wonderful blog, so inspiring.
No doubt I will be showing you my creations, although I'm not promising great things to start with being a complete novice to sewing. I'm looking forward to the challenge and the prospect of creating some lovely clothes for my kiddlywinks - and maybe for myself in the future if all goes to plan. Watch this space!

Colour inspiration challenge

I thought I would have a go at the Colour inspiration challenge on Kristina Werner's blog - really struggled to decide on a photo.

But decided on this one.

Kissed by the rain

We have just got back home (from picking Big Son up from school) absolutely soaking wet. The heavens opened just at the wrong time and we were ill prepared. But it was lovely - i love rain when it's warm outside, it's refreshing and reviving.
The boys got very excited and my youngest came out with this little gem.

His theory is that the rain was kissing us all over because it loves us - and that explains why it stopped as soon as we got inside!

My favourite room

I had an urge to take some photos around our house this morning and ending up focusing on the dining room.

Its more of a family room and we spend a lot of time in here, it's also the centre of the house and nicely cluttered in the way I like (my husband doesn't approve - he hates mess!).

This is our picture wall - including photos of my boys when they were a few hours old. We made the patchwork background ourselves using pages from a William Morris calendar and scraps of wallpaper - it was an experiment really but we love it.


We have hundreds and hundreds of books in our house and many bookcases - this is a recent addition (cheap pine painted white) and holds mostly my books, as well as one of my jugs (I have a bit of a jug obsession!)

This is my favourite print in our house - its by Ashley G and says 'Every boy is a superhero sometimes'. We have several of hers now but this was the first and my favourite.

We were given this peg rack as a wedding present and it is perfect in this room (as well as being extremely functional).

More books, photos, kids art, toys etc........

Love this ........

We universally love Yo Gabba Gabba in this house (please bring it back Channel 4!) - and this is one of our favourite 'jingles'.

So cute.

Skater-boy

Son 1 trying out his new skateboard bought with his Easter money.

Look at those skills!

Simon James

Easter bunny happened to leave us two picture books by Simon James this Easter - The Wild Woods and Leon and Bob .

We have actually borrowed most of his books from the library over the last few years but had never read these particular two.

These are definitely my kind of books - gorgeous illustrations, reminiscent of Quentin Blake (another big favourite of ours), the double page spreads are stunning and the stories are sweet and touching.

Most of his books seem to revolve around nature and have a lovely message for children.

If you haven't come across him, he comes highly recommended from this household.

Long time no see

Well, it's been such a long time - I have completly neglected this little blog for four long months now.

But I am back - with a vengeance! With lots more of our favourite things and little stories about our family life.

I've also started a new blog - dedicated to my cardmaking and general crafty adventures.

Anyway, it's good to be back and Happy Easter!