.The new house - ENTRY/LOUNGE!.

(Thanks for the GREAT feedback in the last blog post and lots of emails that I have received regarding pattern sizing...I've got lots to think about now and need to make some decisions. Will let you know when I have worked it all out, I am excited about catering for older children though!)

Getting there with the house pics! Looking at these photos makes me realise how bare our walls are! I didn't mind so much when we first moved in, but am ready to start some serious decorating now :)

Starting at the front door...it opens into a loooong hallway that goes all the way to the other end of the house. (Check out how dirty the grey weather boards are - that's what happens when you have no grass outside! We should be getting topsoil down and start planting some grass in the next couple of weeks and then we can give the outside of the house a good clean.)


And looking back down the hallway from the dining room. We contemplated painting the inside of the door pink too but thought it would make the end of the hallway too dark. The door to the left goes into the garage/laundry and the break in the wall to the right to the lounge room. What to hang on the green wall? I've been thinking of a collection of fabric covered canvases all in different dark brown prints...any other thoughts?


Just as you walk through the front door there is an alcove in the wall with a built in bench. This is going to be a "pretty" area :) I am on the look out for a BIG ornate frame that I can paint a solid colour and hang on the wall. Also going to find some nice baskets to sit on the floor to hold shoes.


Into the lounge room...see what I mean about being able to keep an eye on the kids playing on the deck from here?!



And this is our little computer nook. It sits in the wall between the loungeroom and the dining room. We installed a built in bench here too (same as in the front entry) so that we didn't have to worry about a computer desk. Currently on the lookout for a little filing cabinet or drawer system to pop underneath and hide the cords - this is Tommy's FAVOURITE place to play at the moment so we need to hurry up and find something that we like!



And there you have it! I think all I have to share now is the studio...might be awhile because it is NEVER clean ;)

.Pattern sizes.

I've been thinking about Make It Perfect kids pattern sizes. Currently my kids patterns come in sizes 6 months - 5 years. From time to time I get requests from people to make the pattern sizes bigger and I'm trying to decide what to do about this.


The best way for me to do this would be to release a second series of the pattern, with sizes 6 years - 9 years. I'm more than happy to explore this option further, but want to know what YOU want.


If I were to release larger sized kids patterns, what size would you like to see the patterns go up to and which patterns would you like to see in larger sizes? Leave a comment or send me an email if you have any feedback to share!

.Recipe Monday.

We had friends over for dinner on the weekend and I made this pudding which I haven't made for years...forgot how good it tastes and simple it is to make. The pic shows the remains of the pudding after everyone had gone home (I think they would have thought I was a little weird if I started snapping photos of dessert while they were trying to dish up!!)

Butterscotch Self-Saucing Pudding

1 1/4 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
100g butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
Extra 1 cup loosley packed brown sugar
1/3 cup malted milk drinking powder
1 Tbs cornflour
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup cream

Place flour and brown sugar into a mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Pour butter, milk, egg and vanilla essence into a jug and beat with a fork until combined.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in the combined milk mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Spoon the mixture into a greased 1.25L ovenproof dish.
Put extra brown sugar, malted milk powder and cornflour in a small bowl and mix with a fork until well combined. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the pudding mixture.
Place the boiling water in a jug, add the cream and stir to combine. Carefully pour the cream mixture over the back of a large metal spoon onto the brown sugar mixture. Bake in moderate oven for 45-50 minutes.

.Sunday dresses.

I said I made two skirts for myself on Friday night...here is the second one.

Have you seen Riley Blake's Rainy Days & Mondays line? I saw it and then was smitten, imagining cute little Uptown Girl jackets for rainy winter days! So I ordered some (maybe more than some) and when it arrived I decided that Mum's can wear green umbrellas too so settled on a new skirt for myself :) I think its about time little girls start sharing the fun prints with grown ups!


When we were getting ready for church this morning I was feeling over Lil's current skirts and dresses so headed to the samples cupboard (yes, I have a whole cupboard full of Make It Perfect samples...thinking of opening an Etsy store and selling some of them off soon - would anyone be interested in purchasing?) and we chose this Party Girl Dress made from the Fab Frocks pattern.


She put it on and declared that I needed to take a photo of her...how could I resist??!


Gotta love a new dress and skirt!!

SUPPLIES:
Riley Blake, Rainy Days & Mondays, Retro Umbrellas in Green
Heather Bailey, Nicey Jane, Swing Toss in Pink
Heather Bailey, Pop Garden, Peonies in Rose
Heather Bailey, Bijoux, Tiled Primrose in Yellow

.saffron skirt.

Last night I stayed up waaaaaay too late (the story of my life!). Sewing was on the agenda and I made not one, but two, skirts for myself! I think I am safe to officially declare that I have more than enough skirts. But I love fabric too much and have been wanting to make myself skirts out of two of my favourite prints at the moment.

Here is skirt number one...this fabric is designed by an Aussie - Saffron Craig. Her designs are lovely and this one in particular has a very Australian feel to it. I love the colours, I love the parrots and I love wearing it!

What pattern did I use to make the skirt, you may ask? I might just tell you about that a bit later on ;)


SUPPLIES:
Saffron Craig, Fields, Parrot
Patty Young, Flora and Fauna, Dandelion in Turquoise
Sandy Henderson, Farmers Market, Geometric in Fuschia

.Rockin' Baby.

When I was 19 I felt the need for a change. I had just finished my first year at uni studying education and had been in school since I was 5. I needed a breather year to go and do some exploring and adventuring and decided to move to Queensland. Carli and I traveled and stayed with a family friend on the Sunshine Coast for a couple of weeks. During that time Carli decided to move to Sydney closer to family and get on with her studies and I made friends with a beautiful family who lived closer to Brisbane and started boarding with them. It was SO much fun - 3 teenage girls and a beautiful Mama living together. They treated me like one of the family and I have never felt more loved or included in a family outside my own than in theirs.

After almost a year of living with them my heart lead me to Sydney where I embarked upon a new adventure (this time, more of an eternal significance!) but I still keep in contact with this special family in Queensland.

A few months ago, one of my little "sisters" had her first baby. It took me a long time, but I finally sent of this pressie last week.

I was so happy with the way it turned out - what baby boy wouldn't love a funky rockin' guitar onesie? I'm thinking Tommy also needs one pronto...it would only be fitting, considering his name sake :)

SUPPLIES:
Heather Bailey, Nicey Jane, Hop Dot in Olive
Grey felt

.Do you need a rug?.

I do. In fact, it was only a week ago that I said to Jaron that we needed to look out for a smallish rug to sit under the computer chair so that the chair legs don't wreck the carpet.

A couple of days later I received an email from Buyster Rugs asking me if I would like to choose a rug from their online store to do a review about on my blog...um, yes!!! I didn't know there were so many different kinds of rugs...oriental rugs, shaggy rugs, contemporary rugs, kids rugs!!

After searching through the store for the perfect under-computer-chair-rug, I think I have settled on this one.

I'll let you know what I think of it when it arrives - thanks Buyster Rugs!

.leather schmeather.

If you are into sewing you are bound to have a lot of bags. I have made myself many a bag over the years, mostly using Amy Butler bag patterns because they always suit my needs (big, easy access, slip over the pram, etc.) I have reached the point where I am ready for a change though...I still want to make myself a bag, but I want something a bit different. Something unique and not so much fabric.

I've had a design in my head for the last couple of months for a funky LEATHER bag. I have never sewn with leather before but I do have a leather foot for my sewing machine so I figure that I should just give it a go! Had no idea where to buy leather from though and sent out a few SOS emails and hunting online with not much luck, then a friend of my brother's and I were talking (she's that stunner on the front of the Shearwater Kaftan pattern) and she told me about a local leather store she bought some from recently to make a lampshade (sounds funky!). I finally got there yesterday and was so excited to find EXACTLY what I wanted. It is dark brown, thin and super soft and will get that nice crumpled look after a bit of wear. It is going to be lined with a cotton fabric and I sorted through my stash this morning and settled on this print from Amy Butler's Love collection. I'm thinking I'll need some kind of bag hardware to give it a bit of spunk so might pay a visit to this store...

I'll keep you updated...excited to be sewing something out of the ordinary!

.The new house - BEDROOMS!.

I haven't forgotten about new house pics...sharing the bedrooms today!

Everything in the house is still quite minimalist. I like the "clean" look but am dying to create some pretty spaces and wall displays. The problem is, I can't decide what to do!! We will get there, I want to have it all thought through before I make any firm decorating decisions though.

Bedrooms are hard to photograph! Actually, all room pics are hard (for me) to take. This is Oscar and Lil's room. Because we have the studio (sewing/playroom) then we thought we would take advantage of storing no toys in the kids bedroom. Just books and a few cute Melly & Me softies that I have made over the years. It works really well. They spend quite a bit of time in their bedroom during the day sitting together reading stories - I love it!

Tommy's room is very sparse at the moment. I bought some new fabric last week to re-cover the fabric panels in his cot and it desperately needs a fresh coat of paint. We were thinking orange, but now I'm leaning towards keeping it white. I want to do something on the walls with the left over fabric from the cot panels - maybe canvases or framed or what??

Peek-a-boo!

And I almost wasn't going to show pics of our bedroom. It is really boring at the moment. We have never decorated our bedroom and now that we aren't renting I really want to put some effort into making it more of a sanctuary! We don't even have bedside tables!! But here it is anyway - and its clean!

.About A Boy cap.

I totally forgot I took these photos until I came across them on my computer last night! I made this About A Boy cap last month for my nephew, Mason, before I had released the pattern and took some pics before sending it off.


I love that it is becoming less difficult to find boy-friendly fabric...the market could definitely do with a few more, but it's nice to know that you can find something suitable for most projects. I made a size medium so that it will fit him for a long time...it fits both Oscar and I! That's one thing I really love about this cap, it has adjustable tabs at the back, ensuring a snug fit all the time!



And while I am talking About A Boy caps...this is my latest production line! I figured that while my sewing machine is being repaired (I should get it back today!) I would busy myself with cutting a project or two (okay, FOUR!) ready to sew up when I get it back!! These caps are really easy to make - trust me! One of those things that looks tricky but is really straight forward :)


SUPPLIES:
Echnio, Scooter in Turquoise
Monaluna, Circa 50, Cars in Multi
Valori Wells, Del Hi, Stones in Cinnamon
Heather Bailey, Nicey Jane, Hop Dot in Olive
Alexander Henry, Harlequin

.Randoms.

Whilst Aunty Carli was in labour, Lil was having sympathy pains (although I don't think Aunty Carli was picking her nose in labour - but you never know). Oh, have you seen the sweetness of baby Micah...A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!! I can't wait for my turn to rub my cheek on his fresh baby skin.

Other random bits and pieces...

I have A LOT to blog about. It is just not happening. This week has seemed busy but I don't feel that I have accomplished much...something that drives me insane, but I am working on :)

My sewing machine broke down on Thursday night. Bad, bad news. This weekend was going to be sewing weekend. The sewing machine fixer guy thought he would have it ready in an hour or so, then decided that something is badly seized and had to keep it in over the weekend. Fingers crossed it will be up and running on Monday. I have hardly used it all week but now that it is not here I REALLY want to sew again!

The deck is finished!

I am still eating easter eggs and just want them to be over.

On Jaron's last day home from work we were going to take the kids to the movies. In the morning Oscar declared that "I don't like the movies, they are dark, go for a long time and give me a headache. Plus I have too much work to do like fixing up stuff around the house and building lego." SERIOUSLY!!! What kid wouldn't jump at the chance to go to the movies! We couldn't convince him so stayed home and saved ourselves $50!

We just watched The Princess & The Frog. Awesome. I think I may have forgotten how much I love the old school musical animated Disney movies. Am on the look out for copies of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty & The Beast now!

.Gone for 2 years.

What a weekend!!! Easter festivities, a new baby in the family (but I'll let her tell you all about that!) and the baby of my family leaving for two years to serve a mission for our church! (You know, the one I made Oishii for).

Missions are happy/sad times. Happy because the missionaries learn and grow SOOO much and I know that there isn't a better, more worthwhile thing that they could be doing in their lives right now than this but sad because it means that we won't see them for two whole years! Tommy will be a little older than Lil is now when Cade returns!!!

He is going to the Japan Fukuoka Mission, but first stop...Provo, Utah to the Missionary Training Centre for 3 months. This weekend were spent enjoying last moments together with Cade before he left on Monday morning.

My brother in law, Chris, requested that I make him a "man bag" for Christmas a few years ago. It had to be out of linen and just the right size to fit his scriptures and other bits and pieces he liked to take to church in it. I seriously thought it was a bit daggy to start with, but the trend has obviously caught on with Ty and Cade and our friend Paul requesting them! Ty and Cade got theirs for Christmas last year and I made Paul's last week...his is black and looks pretty swish. (And also camouflages into his suit in this photo!) Boys in suits with man-bags...cracks me up!

We had to leave for the airport at 5:30am on Monday morning. That is just wrong. But good because everyone is too tired to cry and get all emotional!!! Actually Cade was so ready to go that I don't think that we could have been all soppy about the whole departure. He was glowing and was just excited to be off.


I think I have a giraffe neck in this photo ;) and I went to bed at 8:30pm the night before so was feeling extremely chipper at the airport!


We are so proud of him and can't wait to hear about his missionary adventures in Japan. If only he could go shopping and buy me some special Japanese fabric...but unfortunately there won't be a lot of spare time and in the little that he has I think he will rather be working out than fabric shopping!

.Easter =.

I loooove Easter...extra, extra long-weekend, lots of chocolate, sunny days, everyone home to chill out together.

Our Easter weekend has looked a little like this so far:

Hunting for little eggs left by Easter Bunny (he is rather unpredictable in this family...appearing late in the morning while the kids are getting dressed in their bedroom, after dinner while they are in the bath...always at an appropriate time to deliver his chocolate and non-chocolate gifts ensuring that adequate breakfast has been eaten before devouring the chocolate ;) )


Homemade hot cross buns...oh my, these were insanely delicious. So good that we had to share a few with our neighbours to stop us from gulping them all down. Will definitely be making these all year 'round!


Non-chocolate Easter surprises...new PJs made using my Slumber Party Jammies pattern. Cute, cute, cute! The kids love them and I have decided that I REALLY need a pair in my size ;)





ALMOST finishing the deck! And it is looking great...Jaron has been spending every spare moment on outside jobs around the house for the last 4 months, will be so good when they are all done!


Reading special Easter stories that belonged to me (although Carli will debate that it is HER book!) when I was a little girl. The kids love this one, I wish we had kept more books from when we were little.


As well as lots of house cleaning, too many late nights, watching Ty play his first footy game for the season, a big breakfast to farewell Cade and Paul who are both leaving on their missions this week, boating, sewing, waiting for a new baby boy to make his arrival...and who knows what the rest of the weekend will bring? Jaron doesn't have to go back to work until Wednesday - yippee!!

PJs SUPPLIES:
Oscar's PJs -
David Walker, Robots, Painted Rockets in Ivory
David Walker, Robots, Linework Robots in Red
Lil's PJs -
Lizzy House, Red Letter Day, Ugly Duckling in Feather
Sandi Henderson, Ginger Blossom, Vintage Cherries in Spring

.Good Saturday?.

Word on the street is...it could be a Good Saturday today. (Updated...maybe it will end up being a Good Sunday or Monday!)

I'm pacing with her...wish I was there ;)