Small Things for Small Feet

It has been a while... but I have been very busy, making, sewing, mending, schooling, kinder-ing packing, moving, unpacking, tidying.

These are my newest and cutest sewn things to show they come in new born, 3-6 month and 6-12 month sizing.

 I have been experimenting with different fabrics and textures for a soft soled 'just starting to walk' shoe too. 

I have sold a few and have some orders for some to be made! Which is fantastic.

I hope to make and sell more.

Wardrobe Re-Worked!

I saw an advertisement from my local neighbourhood house for this "the Sustainable stylist Re-Work You Wardrobe" and I was compelled to go.

I went along to the 5 hour class with my back pack full of old clothes, clothes that I no longer wore but did not want to throw away. Clothes that I knew had the potential to become something else but also needed someone with more vision than me.

Kim Kneipp's class was a wonderful way to spend the day.

I met three really lovely women who were all of like mind when it came to their clothes - that is, we needed help with re-working them into something ace, something we would wear a lot and something we saw no point in adding to the masses of clothing that become landfill when no longer fashionable-fitting well-or longer our style.

We were all welcomed into Kim's studio, warmed by the burning fire and shared enthusiasm of each-others soon to be 'new' clothes'.

Last year I found this gorgeous pure wool pale green/grey winter coat at a market for $6!!!!!

It was too big, too short in the sleeve and had no shape - or rather it did not suit my shape.

I had moved up into the hills where it gets ridiculously cold I knew I could use a coat like this.

I required some 'help' and this is where Kim's class fitted in nicely to the mysterious ways of the world.

After much trying on , draping pinning, tucking, and wonderful tips and style help from Kim and the girls, I came away with these.

I still need to do a bit more work on them but I am so inspired to more to other items.

I absolutlely love the idea of shopping within my own wardrobe and re-working wat I already own.

Thanks Kim and thanks also to Claire, Louise and Sue.

I can't wait for the next sewing day.

See who else has things to show and tell today over here.

Cheers.

Breathe

Occasionally I am reminded about keeping 'it' simple, appreciating the moment. Breathe.

I am realising that all of the worries, stresses and anxieties that can overwhelm and cloud my spirit are given more of my power, my energy and my time than they are worthy of. Breathe.

I have found myself getting quite lost in these feelings of late - and frankly, I am just bloody tired of it. I do not like the shroud of fear, worry and angst that has settled over my world due to a situation I did not create and can not control. Breathe. Slowly-Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

I have given myself over more to these feelings than I have to my family, to my friends and to those that make my heart sing and soar - the very people who have always been around, available and ready to catch me when I was ready to let it all go. Breathe. Slowly-Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

My beautiful friend had her first baby last week - a delicious bundle of loveliness - 'Ella Rose'.

I went to visit them yesterday and I spent what felt like an age just having her resting on my legs sleeping and finding myself once again lost.

Mercifully lost in the wonder and the magnitude of the new born baby.

Lost in the stark reality and simplicity of life.

Lost in the beauty and perfection of new life.

Lost in the vision of my dear friends look of absolute love and devotion to her new baby illustrated throughout her body and face.

Lost in the new identity that my friend now has - Mother.

Amazing little reality check, really. Breathe. Slowly-Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

For the wonderful new human who now has the title of "fairy god-daughter", I have made these

from found fabric.

The top (embroidered) side of the shoe is cut from the edge of a table cloth and the back and sole from some printed pink corduroy discovered in 'the stash'.

I loved making these - it's been ages since my last sewing session (dear Father) and I am feeling energised and excited to start again.

My sister's 'bestie' also had a baby last week - a boy, so I will make another pair for him - 'Samuel'.

Feeling crappy is so insidious - I have felt like I am carrying a satchel of worry and broken-ness. At times it has felt too hard to be near other people for fear of weighing them down with my negative energy.

Breathe. Slowly-Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Thankfully, mercifully, there are some amazing people out there who inspire, love, support, care, encourage and share with you. Lift you, help you to remember 'you'.

There are also baby shaped bundles of pure bliss, child sized bundles too - that look up to you with outstretched arms and call you 'Mummy'.

There are the great strong arms, broad shoulders and the gentle soul of a man so beautiful thinking about him can make me weep with the knowing that he is mine and I am his.

There are some simply wonderful people out there and I am so very grateful.

To the super fun, clever, warm and welcoming women in town who create loveliness and inspire me - I thank you.

To the family who loves me - I thank you.

To the friends from 'home' - I thank you - and I miss you!

Breathe. Slowly-Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

To the crappy shitty energy and those who wouldst revel in ugly ugly behaviour - you can sod off!

Exhale and let go.......

And now go see who else has stuff to show and tell over here

Cheers.

The View From Here

It's hard to go out side and play when your world is looking like this.

I dont want to be in the garden today.

I want to be in bed with a great book, snoozing, all warm and toasty and relaxed.

The reality is that I am very much awake, inside and house bound with two small people and one large man and a wet Labrador named 'Graeme'.

We are not visiting the Daylesford show as planned.

We are not planting new things in the vege patch.

We are not going for the family walk or bike ride as we had thought..

The small people are not carrying out their favourite "I'm bored activity" - which is to paint my garden shed - however they choose.

We are inside.

Trapped by the relentless onslaught of heavy 'Im here for the week - so perish any thought of drying your washing, being outside, feeling the sun on your face.. kind of rain

We are inside.

Watching a window leak.

Watching to two small people swing from polar opposites of behaviour - friendly, happy, confident co-operative play one minute to rolling on the floor, a tangled mess of leg and arm spaghetti punctuated by squeals and yelling 'give it back' /'that's mine' /"MUMMY-DADDY".

I have got to read some of my favourite blogs - between refereeing the small people.

I have got to 'window shop-online' for some Christmas things.

I want my daydream to become reality - just for a while.

Perhaps until the rain stops.

How do you deal with this kind of rain when you have small people inside? I'd love some ideas.

Cheers

P

My (Damaged and Serviced) Creative Space

I haven't been doing much sewing (the machine kind) of late.

Poor Basil (the machine), each and every time I would put my foot to the pedal he would emit a sound akin to an 'old school' steam engine busting it's chops to get up a hill " I think I can, I think I can, I think I can and then one day - he couldn't.

Neither forward or back would Basil go.

So after some consultation with some local ladies in the know I took him off to the fixer-uperer of the sewing machine kind.

And now he is back!

He runs smoothly, emitting only the sound that a sewing machine should make (this is so entirely foreign to me as Basil has sounded so poorly for so long I forgot what a sewing machine should sound like).

So, with a new one of these I can now see what I am doing .

And a new one of these...(check out the damage to the plate that 'someone' has caused)

I have been severely reprimanded by the sewing machine fixer-uperer's and advised not to push or pull when sewing.

Hmmmmmm could be something in that 'pearl of wisdom'.

Head over to Kirsty's to see who else has stuff to show and tell today.

Happy sewing to you.

Cheers

Some Kinda Wonderful

Sometimes the world smiles at you, the planets align and all is ace.

Sometimes the planets are definitely not aligned and the world around me turns to mud, which is a substance I find very hard to swim in let alone wave my arm high in the air whilst simultaneously shouting "help".

During one of my brief visits to my home last week I had some time to do a bit of blog reading - I got to reading this one and thought I'd leave a comment - not to 'win' a/the prize but, because I wanted to share my small girl's funny habit that makes me smile.

The small girl's funny habit obviously appealed to the powers that be as this week I have received this package of goodness in the mail box.

Not only did Jodie send me this ace T-shirt by 'ARK' but she also and oh so generously included these patterns!

I love the idea behind the T-shirts and am really thrilled to be wearing one. And I do promise to undertake Acts of Random Kindness as often as I can.

I also promise to slow down, stop being so grown up and wrapped up in my world of 'lists of things to do' to enable me to see the beauty behind the things my small girl says and does.

So thanks a million Jodie and ARK for sharing the good humour and good vibes.

Please take a minute a have a look at the ARK website to see the great stuff they make and have for sale. Whilst you're surfing...go to Jodie's blog or shop and see what super clever aceness she has dreamed up and made for us to see and buy.

Cheers.

No Dodo's

My small girl started Kinder this year, and is loving it.

Which was quite a relief as I had envisaged weeks of unsettled-ness, and masses of anxiety for all of us at drop off time....Nope, the only tears were mine on the first day at drop off time.

Kinder is a learning curve for us all.

We are completely new to the area and it seemed (then) that most of the other Mums/Dads knew each other well and were happily milling about chatting and quietly spying on their kids through the artwork peppered windows.

Whilst my daughter had found several new friends to chat to about entirely important 4 yr. old stuff, I stood there all on my own..with my sun glasses on , tears rolling down my face and listening to the other parents arrange to meet down the road for coffee...I drove home all sad wondering how long it would take me to make some friends too.

Not long!

This is a great town with such a strong sense of community, we have been welcomed entirely.

I no longer feel sad or lonely or friend-less at drop off time. Or any other time for that matter and I have learnt things about me during this process too.

So, I kept that Kinder' /community spirit in mind when the kinder teacher asked if I would make some teaching aids for the kinder I said "sure".

I was given this book,

Which, is a 'counting up to ten book'.

Each number has a picture of a specific species of an endangered animal.

For example, there are nine dolphins. - So I made nine Dolphins from felt.

On the last page of the book (as the title suggests) there is no picture, as there are now no Dodo's on the planet.

I was asked to make the required amount of animals for each number.

The teaching idea being that when counting with the class the teacher would stick each animal up onto a felt board.

I loved this little project on two levels.

1. I was helping the Kinder and enjoyed the process of making these felt animals.

2. The teacher was able to gently impart a really important message to the kids about our planet and its animals, our environment and the effect we people are having on them.

Go see who else has been playing show and tell in their creative spaces today over at Kirsty's.

Have a great day.

Cheers