Sunday Stash

I have been keeping my eye out for some great boy fabric, so you might see a bit over the next month. I or should I say we hit Amitie on Saturday for the first time, oohh, it was good, even if my kids were running around like a full moon and red cordial combo. I pondered if this one was boyish enough, but I do love it - Cosmo ROCK! More Stashy goodness at Tamara's house.

Eye Spy ... What I want for Christmas

I am so glad so many people are joining in - I am so excited! And you have to check out the button Flossy-P has made, it is worth joining in just to get that little gem on your blog. For all the technical stuff you can go see her. For future reference though, I think I should only pick topics I have good answers for, I did the same thing with This is, anyway back to topic.

I have no idea what I want for Chrissy so I have gone with the Potty Mama approach (no that is not my formal photo below, dare you to show us yours) and aim big. So don't sweat the small stuff, I have been good this year Santa so I think a holiday would be great. I think it has been 6 years since my last trip and I would love to crack the northern hemisphere. I am thinking a trip to Japan to come back with bolts of gorgeous fabric, (Can I call that a business trip) and stop over in Cali for a great tattoo from Tim Hendricks (sorry Dad I know you read it).

In actual fact a kiss from my beautiful babies, and a nice day with the family will do just fine too.

Next week's Eye spy I would be honoured if Miss Curly Pop's would give us her suggestion, the first one to say she would love to play and the first one to post this morning. Remember to sign up, just comment anywhere, I will find it.

It's Not What you know

It is who, and if you want to put in your order you gotta go to the source. This is our first photo with Santa ever for Caleb. We convinced him that if he didn't let Santa know that he needed a pink donut maker and the cars where they fly through the sign board and a Ben10 book, how would Santa know and for once it worked. Poppy looks like she is 30 seconds away from tears, but I love it, even if they both are looking so grown up. Goodness how did December get to be just around the corner!

See I do Sew

A custom pair of pants for a Mathilda's market customer who had a little girl with a dress aversion. I think these are still super cute, even in the pant variety. The cute little russian dolls, met with cute red with white dots, and a heart pocket bottom and matching applique.

So glad to hear the positive response to Eye Spy too, I hope it is a goodie. I will whip into side bar action by the week-end.

Hey, Does Anyone Else Need a Date for Sunday Night

Lovely Prom Couple
Originally uploaded by foundphotoslj

Since the end of This is and On My Desk, I am feeling a littleis missing from my week. I found so many great blog and great topics in the short time that I have been in them and grateful to the hosts. I also found it a great way to get into blogging as a newbie. Miss Three Buttons was the first person to leave a comment on my blog and I remember it was so exciting.
In keeping I am thinking of starting "Eye Spy" every Sunday in the same theme as This is where each week someone can nominate a theme, but with eye spy it can be as simple as finding something begining with an initial, or a colour, or a feeling or a question. What do you reckon? Wanna join in? Just leave a comment if anyone is interested, I wanted to make it a little different but still kind of the same.

I am thinking "Eye Spy what I want for Christmas" might be a good one to start with.

Hair Today, Gone tomorrow

So I guess this counts as craft, it involved scissors and some amount of creativity. So you may remember that I had a shot at cutting the fringe of my innocent prodigy, well it was going from cute surfy to Billy Ray. So instead of getting him a pair of cowboy boots to go with his Achy Breaky Heart I graduated to the all over trim. He is also sporting the Freddo he got as reward, they are the big thing in Paris this year, don't you know darlings. Thank god he has a bit of curl in there, hides all sorts of sins. I even got a trim too, he wasn't going to trust those scissors unless he had a go at mine first.

I also have to say a great big heart felt thanks to everyone that had such lovely things to say in the post. It really, REALLY means a lot to me.

I Never Know If I should Write These

I always feel a bit funny whenever I do a post about Asperger's Autism and Caleb, I don't know why, maybe it is that I don't want to feel like he is being labeled or if it is because I deal with it everyday so I don't need to share anything but the positive side of it here - Anyway I digress.

I was talking with a friend the other day who was saying that she thought one of her friends son's may be autistic, and even though his parents were in denial that she felt she shouldn't say anything. Caleb's Asperger's is fairly mild on the spectrum scale and I had to fight long and hard when it came to finding professionals that would listen that there was something in my little boy that wasn't coping. Even now I get people saying that "you wouldn't know", "am I sure", or my all time favourite verse "All boys do that". I have got to say though a lot of the symptoms of Asperger's are normal toddler behaviour, just in the extreme. At the primary school we are sending him too eventually they had 12 boys with Asperger's this year, a friend commented "That can't be right, they must just over diagnos it". I digress again.

The photo above is of Caleb's trains all lined up, a really common coping technique. We have a lot of repetitive play and not too much imaginative, compulsive moments. He also manages really well in social situations and then tantrums once we get home as he works so hard to keep it together for outside people. At his peak, we couldn't leave the house, new places were just too hard, and we have slowly built that up over time to where most of it can be enjoying, even if 2 hours is about his limit. I have got to tell you I too have some great stories from snide people as I tried to calm him down, but that is for another time.

I guess the point I am trying to make, even if it is long winded, is if you think that there is something with your child you are concerned about, to search until you are satisfied with the response (not in an over-the-top ER kind of way). Caleb was at his peak of behaviors at the beginning of the year, and now after lots of work he is doing great. There is light and relief if you know what you are dealing with and you can give your child the tools to cope. I also discovered the best solutions for our major problems, (getting in the car seat, toilet training, showering, etc) were the ones that I came up with. I know him best, it too a long time though for me to trust those instincts. Blah - I hope this made some kind of sense, I promise more sewing tomorrow.

Scale is a Faboulous Thing

These are some completed orders from Mathilda's market. I love them as they are all size 'O' and extra cute just for the sheer size of them (being a draftsman, scale is something I work with everyday) and I love how the matching singlets look. I can see more applique in my future, and more little hatchlet sizing.

Oh American Dollar,why do you Forsake me!

I tell you this fall in the Aussie dollar is doing nothing good for my Etsy itch that I NEED to scratch. Look at all these lovelies. I am trying to be good, but is good over-rated? I don't even bother going to the shops anymore, I will never find anything as lovely as these babies!

I have just found this new seller of Japanese fabricy goodness, I don't know where they have been all my life but at least we have each other now - So good it should come with a health warning.

Skunk boy have the cutest tree decorations ever, this mouse speaks to me.

Imagine how happy my change could be in one of these bunnies, not that I would have any change left after all my Etsy shopping, but you know in theory.

And these 2 girls, give me strength, A little sprout's blue haired sweetie makes my heart melt everytime and 13mimosa (Yeah the local girl) has these almost retro inspired faces.

It appears I may also need to buy a bib to soak up the drool. I couldn't let PottyMouthMama have all the fun sharing her latest Etsy loves.

So I Just Jumped Right In

And I got to tell you, it was ok. I didn't even throw up!

How is that for an intro? The market went really well. I was really happy with how the stand looked. Mum painted the sign up for me and did a great job. I had the stuff on the table as my samples and the stuff on the stand was for sale. I think considering that I had the least stock there that I did really well. I sold most of the stuff on the stand and got quite a few orders too. The Russian doll dress and red capes were hot item as were the fish pants. I discovered the brighter stuff wasn't really a seller for the boys so I know for next time. The customers were just lovely too, which was great. The fantastic Lynda bought me caffeine at just the right time, and Liesl came to see us too and even bought some pants for Argy and Bargy. All in all, a great day. The next one is in March, just enough time to recover I think. I am hoping to have a few more items for sale next time, especially for the little munchkins. So I have lots of sewing to do now so Glen is being roped in as my assistant since Mum went back home today. He also did a great job helping me out on the day and is also my chief stamper. It is a bit of a team sport here.

Good Morning Miss Kootoyoo

Lets hope this works, I think with the cute colours and flowers that it is the lovely Curly Pops. Don't worry if this post doesn't make any sense, go visit Kirtsy if you feel the need for clarity. She is an interesting read while you are there too.

Ho HO HO - Oh Dear

So apparently there is only 7 weeks until Christmas, where did that year go? Anyway Santa is looking for some equally stylish places to put his bounty this year so I have done some Santa sacks. The green one is yet to reach it's full Christmassy goodness, but you get the idea.

Also some robot shorts for the fellas and cute little brown pirate style shorts too.

So you have heard me banging on about the Mathilda's Market enough, so please come down this Sunday at Malvern Town Hall and say hi. (I have to admit I am normally too shy when people say that, but PLEASE do.) There are lots of other fabulous people there too with great kiddy goodies, toys and clothes and activities for the littlies. And not in Melbourne, don't forget Brissy, Perth and Sydney have some great stuff on offer too.

I need Some Better Cape Puns

So I can't come up with a witty title for this post, so you know if someone wants to do my homework feel free. I finally got back to my beloved super hero/ princess capes in the white so there is lots of room for little maestros to put their own flavour on it with paint or food, whatever yours like to express themselves with. I am hoping to get them in the shop next week, love to know what you think about the logos.

Girls have love heart, fairy wand, unicorn or angel wings.

Boys options bulldozer, space ship, train, skull and cross bones or pirate ship.

They come with initials in felt too as per the train. I am a bit fond of them!

On My Desk

I thought perhaps showing you the state of my desk would be the best indicator of what is happening. I don't even know if my last few posts have even made sense, there is so much swirling around in my little space limited mind. I sound like such a whoose since there seem to be so many talented young ladies doing the market in a smooth no fuss manner.

More desky goodness at the ever lovely Kotoyoo.

Anyway back to the subject, here are my red babies to even out the pink. Now for some sugar and tea.

This is .. My Favourite Quote - and More Sewing

"Go Where There is No Path and Leave a Trail" - I loved it through my adolescence and I still love it to this day, feeling a little like that as I venture off to the Market.

Hip Hip to Strawberry Kisses for this weeks theme and Hooray for Three Buttons for more.

Sewing, Sewing, Sewing. Here are some more creations and I have been working on my beloved super hero capes too - more of that tomorrow. All this makes me HAPPY too, Mum's invaluable help makes me happy, Glen taking next Sunday off to join me at the market = Super Happy. Everyones lovely and supportive comments = SUPER DUPER HAPPY. I find blogging connects me with so many great ideas. These are a few inspired ones.

After I did the girl bloomer set I was deciding to do a boy one and wasn't sure if the fellas were into that sort of thing, until I read this. So this is the funky cars inspired one, but I think the boys like to call them nappy covers not bloomers, for street cred - you know.

When I first started looking at all the girl designs together I realised I had no pink so I have this box pleat now in pink and reversable cape with button, the other side is shimmery pink - so I am calling this one the Elliboo collection.

Week O' Happy

The Queen of Happy, effervesent Pip has asked us for a week of happy, and why not. Life is full of lots of good bits.

It makes me super happy when my littlies interact on a friendship, personal level. This is slight false advertising as it doesn't happen often, but gold when it does! (Or Golf as Caleb would say, I think he means goal, but when he is excited he shouts Golf !?!)

On My Desk

So just to prove to you that I have been busy and there is a reason for my tardiness, Ta Dah (perhaps I shouldn't build it up too much) this is what is hot off my desk for the Mathilda's markets, on Sunday week. Hope you are in a comfy seat as I have gone piccy crazy today.

Here is my gaggle of pants, some old faithfuls and some new ones too.

Some more of these popular fish pants, I decided to get all artistic and take some photos in the sand - swish delish I know.

And continuing in my summer beachy theme I have boat trims with this gorgeous blue linen.

You can't beat a good pair of train pants for the fellas either, All Aboard I say.

And some airplane and rocket ship shorts to finish the boys off.And don't feel left out ladies I have this butterfly dress, bling and all. I really like how this one came out too.Hope it is all looking as good as I hope it is. Getting increasingly nervous as the days pass. More desky goodness at the ever lovely Kootoyoo. Off to do some more sewing, I am working on a new box pleat one.

Sunday Stash

I know I am late for my Sunday stash too, sorry Tamara - and not only that but I think I am cheating too. So I got this stash of buttons from my local fabric shop on the morning that it shut down for 10 cents a card and then the trainee charged me for 20 instead of 30 - Love a bargain. I got some iron on sticky stuff too, you only get the technical terms here, for $1 for whatever was left on the roll. Not so fabricy but good all the same!

This is .. A Recipe I would like to share

So I am running a bit late this week, and I haven't been my normal commenty self but I have been sewing up a storm. I hope to show the fruits of my labour later today, models willing. So as we all know, not much of a cook though for Poppy's first birthday this year it was all about the cupcake, and if you are looking for some good cuppie recipes, then this is the place you NEED to be. The raspberry mouse icing is divine, heck it is all GOOD!! You may be able to see that I attempted to make little hedgehogs and ladybirds, the great mum ideas.

A Hip Hip and Hooray to Miss Three Buttons for last weeks theme.

Week O'Nan - I have Been Slack

I LOVE this bracelet, I can just imagine Nan all dressed up to the nines, going out with her special flower bracelet to head off to the dance.

I have been a bit slack over the last few days, but since Mum has been down I have got my fabric out to sort out what collection of clothes (that makes it sound a bit more professional than I intend, I feel a bit Project Runway, but you know what I mean) Anyway there is ALOT of sewing that needs to be done before the markets WHICH IS 2 WEEKS AWAY TODAY, so there might be bit less talking but I have so totally enjoyed Blogtoberfest and the hard work that so many people have put into it! Here is a little bloomer set that I have managed to finish, don't you just love my model, but it was the best shot of the outfit.