Grateful for....Autumn Sunshine & Cosy Hats

Jude & Me - Photo by DQ

Playing along with Maxabella's 'Grateful for' this week...

Autumn sunshine - lovely crisp but sunny mornings, perfect for walking my two big ones to school, chatting about the leaves, the day and anything else that springs to mind. Just such a nice way to ease into the day.

Cosy hats & cosy hat weather - I am a huge hat person...used to be shoes but who wears gorgeous peep toe heels to pick the kids up from school (I live in the hills, so I think I'd get some very odd looks and cold toes), so my obsession has turned to hats - beanies, slouchies, fedora, caps - I love them (I still get a few odd looks :-P and apparently it has turned into 'my trademark' so I've been told...I have a trademark!?!) and I get a lot more wear out of them, then I would if I was still shoe obsessed.

A quiet hour - ah, bliss. School holidays finished up on Tuesday, so on Wednesday I came home from school drop off, put the little one down for a nap, and had a coffee in complete silence...so nice.

More grateful lovelies over here......

xx

New Project

This is my current creative project...


What do you think? I think it has potential. Real potential.

I picked this up on ebay for the bargain price of $27 (which nearly never happens to me :-P)...one very happy chickie here...and now I need to re-vamp it. It's for my little creative corner, to go against my soon-to-be wall-papered feature wall, with an awesome painting that my mum did for me, Matisse inspired.

Can't wait to get my space working and looking fab!

More creative lovelies sharing their makings over here.

xx

Urban Hoodie Love

Last week I finished up this Urban Hoodie for Cedar. Isn't he a little spunk? :-P




And in making it, I learnt a few lessons in working with jersey, but this style is just so cute, I think it was all worth it.

So worth it, in fact, that I have licensed the pattern from Heidi and Finn and I have plans to make some up for Polkadot Lane - yay - fun, fun!!

Photos taken by my super talented photographer sister

xx

So, So Naughty...but So, So Yummy - Homemade Fudge

I have a sweet tooth.

I don't deny it, but I do try and bury it as much as possible (you know, watching my weight, and all that jazz :-P) but when my Dad emailed me this fudge recipe he'd found, I just had to try it out...


And....oh my goodness....was it scrumptious!

And just so I'm not alone in my indulgence, here is the recipe...

125g butter
1 1/2 cups rich brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
395g can condensed milk
180g white cooking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts (optional)

* Line a 28cm x 18cm x 3cm pan with foil.
* Melt butter in large saucepan.
* Add brown sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk, stir over medium heat until boiling.
* Lower heat and cook, stirring for 10 minutes.
* Remove from heat and add chocolate, stir until smooth.
* The fudge will start to set quite quickly, so immediately stir in the nuts and pour into prepared
pan, then spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
* Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 mins, then refrigerate until firm.
* Cut into small pieces - makes about 40 pieces.

Other variations :
* Swap white chocolate for milk chocolate, and add some Kahlua (or a liquer of your choice)
* Swap white chocolate for dark chocolate, and add some peppermint or orange essence

Recipe from Bundaberg Sugar.

A Time for Cord

I love cord - it's just so cosy and warm looking and I love it's texture too...so yes, I love cord!

Which is why, the new range of girls skirts at Polkadot Lane, are a mixture of cord & cotton - great for the cooler weather, worn either as is, or layered up with tights, cardi and boots.

Sienna did a impromptu little photo shoot for me (photos by DQ) modeling one of the new cord wrap skirts which are now available in my Made It store ...




Isn't she a sweetheart? x

Currently there are cord skirts in this teal colour, vintage pink glitter cord and red cord. On my 'to-make' pile I have black, hot pink and rust orange cord waiting to be paired up with some cotton.

Are there any colours you would like for your little girls that I've not mentioned? I was thinking some apple green might be nice.

I have also had a request for ladies sizes in this style, so I'm currently playing around with one for me and will make some more if it all looks good.
What do you think ladies? Would you wear a cord wrap skirt? Would your preference be for black cord with a splash of colour, or a coloured cord base?

So lots of questions this post, any responses would be much appreciated, kind readers.

xx

A Year of Levi

"All your dreams are just beginning.
May you touch fireflies and stars,
dance with fairies,
and talk to the man in the moon.
May you grow up with love and gracious hearts and people who care."

xxx

My Creative Space : Need Buttons

Doesn't it just frustrate you when you are zooming along creating something, and you get to a certain point and then realise you have no buttons/zips/clasps/ribbon to finish it off?

Well, that's where I am at with this little jacket for my nephew Cedar. Now, I have quite a stash of buttons so in no way did I think I needed to buy any, but alas, I do :-P

So until I get back to the shops, this is where it's at...

Pattern : Heidi & Finn Urban Unisex Hoodie

But in other creative endeavours, I have managed to finish off this little beanie for my friend's little girl...


I really love the over-sized flower on the beanie - it reminds me of the 1920's flapper style which I find beautiful.

Hopefully I will have something more to show after the school holidays, with a stack of WIP's I really should finish, as well as a couple of custom orders.

Happy creating, wherever you are!

xx

For more creative spaces, jump over here.

A Little Lego Madness..

madness...ok, maybe not..but after baking, icing, pizza-ing and creating all food things lego, madness is the word most working for me :-P

Here's a recap of my lego theme craziness in pictures...

cupcakes...

lego cake, using marshmallows as the bumps. I think I've figured out an easier way to ice this cake...live and learn, hey?


lego man cookies...


marshmallow lego men pops..


a few more cupcakes...


And my sis, Dan, put together this fruit platter...clever chic...


And other than the usual balloons and streamers, we also had this hanging in the doorway...


And even though it's not remotely related to lego, Rohan dressed up in his transformer costume, and gave the kids some 'robot' dancing lessons. We have it on video, and it's very amusing (I think he freaked at least one kid out..well, at least for the first song :-P).


So that pretty much sums up our party creations. From the feedback I've received, all the kids had fun, which is, of course, the main thing.

Things I learnt :
1) I really suck at icing biscuits (notice the iced versions of the lego men cookies are nowhere to be seen :-P)
2) A cake decorating course is in my near future - I'm sure there are techniques to working with fondant, that would just make it all a lot smoother and more 'finished' looking
3) That the song 'Blue Monday' by New Order is not a song to get a group of 5 & 6 year old boys dancing (sorry honey x)

Happy to have made Judes week with this party, but am so glad that no parties are in my foreseeable future.

Now, back to the sewing machine!

xx

On The Go...toddler style

With only a couple of days before Levi turns 1, he's decided that walking is a bit of fun...although still random and wobbly.

It really marks the end of babyness, doesn't it, when they start walking? It still amazes me how much happens in just one year, the first year, of life.

Back soon with lego party photos, some crafting and a little more reflection on Levi's first year.

xx