hello to the teenies!

Well can you believe its all over! Months of preparation and anxiety, weeks of late nights glued to the sewing machine ( OK so in my case 3 evenings up till gone 2am, as i left everything till the last minute!) and that's it....Christmas come and gone in the blink of an eye!

I just want to share with you this 'very' last minute make ....
A new camera case to go with the new camera we got my mother in-law. This bad boy took me from 10pm till 2.30 am the night before Xmas eve to put together ( In-laws went away early Xmas eve morning). I broke 3 needles stitching the x2 layers of cotton, 3mm thick quilt batting, and interfacing so stiff, it is practically corrugated iron! I can honestly say it was the most challenging thing i have made so far, especially as i made it up as i went along! But it is bloody brilliant if i do say so myself! And even though i also received a lovely new camera for Christmas, i am in absolutely no hurry to make another one for myself!

Well i hope everyone else enjoyed the festive celebrations as much as we in the Conner/Gentle household did. It didn't take long for the Whirlwind to get a hang of all the unwrapping and was soon turning her hand to opening everyone else's presents.
So now here we are on the eve of not only a new year but a new decade. (I heard that this one will be known as the teenies!) and in keeping with tradition i have a list of New Year resolutions that i want to 'put out there'.(and in keeping with tradition i will no doubt have abandoned half of them by the end of January!)

1. Blog at least 3 times a week....I really do enjoy blogging and now my computer is fixed and i have a camera that works and takes excellent pics, i have no excuse. And create a bit of interest with monthly giveaways, and themed posts!...watch this space!
2. Get serious about my little online shops, this means adding new stock and better self promotion....activate my sugarmouse page on face book (which i set up about 9months ago!)
3. Do at least 1 craft fair...i chickened out on the one i was supposed to before Christmas!
4. learn to love my overlocker!!!!!!!!
5. Join the gym......DONE! (Last minute New Years eve offer!).......go to the gym, ( induction on Monday!) and take the Whirlwind swimming at least once a week....twice in the summer months!
6. Become a better housewife. i.e move the sofa to hoover under it ,instead of just round it! Don't leave the clean washing in the washing machine for 2 days so that it smells....( admittedly i only ever seem to do this when it is full of Neils clothes! never mine or Roos!)
7. Stop hording all of The Whirlwinds outgrown clothes and put them on e-bay. By the time babbie no.2 makes an appearance, He WILL be a boy, and so well behaved that he will allow me to whip him up a new outfit every nap time!!!!! ( and NO im not pregnant for those whose ears suddenly pricked up!)

Well i think that's enough to keep me going for the time being. And to kick things off, check back tomorrow* for my first sugarmouse giveaway!
Me and my bottle of Cava wish you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

*Giveaway will now launch on Sat.


xK

A game of Cat & Mouse

Remember this book! I got it for my birthday a few months back...


It is packed full of loads of fun, cute and most importantly, easy projects! There are about 4 of the projects on my Christmas makes list , time will tell if i actually finish them ready for the big day! But at least one is done......

As you may remember from a previous post ,The Whirlwind is obsessed with playing skittles and we have been using empty water bottles which always looks like someone emptied the recycling in the middle of my living room floor! So this was just perfect to make for my little monkey!
I have to say i really enjoyed making up this little project, it was about 90% hand stitching so i was able to do it whilst i was at work, (it really helped to pass the time when things in the shop were quiet.)


I'm really pleased with how it has turned out, There are 6 mice and I'm amazed how round i managed to get my little cat ball .....Roo is going to love it!

I do have just one little thing to finish for this....a bag to store them all in!


x K

Lady Gaga

I couldn't help it!
I got my little computer back from the fixit man this week ( its been M.I.A since Sept!) and the first thing i did was look in my bookmarks, find all the fabric shops i had saved and spend money i should be using to buy Christmas presents! This is the first batch of quarters which arrived this morning from Gaga fabrics. Yummy!


So instead of finishing off my Christmas makes i decided to have a play.

Now look at the case for my laptop.....How boring!


Dull, black, faux leather sleeve........Snooze!


1/2 an hour after the postman arrived.......... Pink, red , Apples and ribbon!


Now that's much better!......... Hello my little friend!....Welcome home!


My how I've missed you!

x K

snazzy new phone!

I got a new phone the other day, It's an all singing and all dancing kinda phone! So what better excuse to play with some scraps and make a case for it!

I do love my new little gadget (Nokia N97).......and I'm sure i will love it even more when i figure out how to use all the funky apps, other than just make phone calls!

My o/h got an iPhone the same day, so not that we are competitive!!!!!! But were both on a mission to make the other regret their choice and wish they'd picked the same! He is currently feeling smugly in the lead having downloaded all his music from his iPod. I haven't quiet figured out how to do that yet!.......but I now have a funky case whilst his will get all scratched up in his pocket!

x K

Helping Hands!

Today was The Whirlwinds Nanny's birthday. The lucky lady received a cozy pair of Cath Kidston P.J's and a hand/kitchen towel with Ruby'roos hand prints appliqued on them. This one pictured was not the one given to nanny, hers was done in a Midwest modern print and a blue bias trim, and i embroidered 'Ruby 20mths' underneath the hand prints. but in my haste to wrap all the pressies up this afternoon i forgot to photograph it ( and the P.J's!) This pink one here is going to be a Christmas pressie for the other Nanny (my mum) and will also have embroidery.

Just look how diddy Whirlwinds hands are!
We went out for a little lunch with Nanny and daddy's sister-in-law, where Roo provided the birthday entertainment, by literally redecorating the nice posh restaurant in Neapolitan pasta sauce! (Note to self...... NEVER order a sauce dish for her in a restaurant EVER AGAIN!)

I have been a fair bit busy on the sewing front the last few weeks, (hence the lack of blogging!) To start with i have sold 15 pairs of baby shoes, since last we spoke, both online and through friends including my very first folksy sale on tue! Yay me!
And i have started on my list of Handmade Christmas pressies, which are all works in progress, but some are very nearly now at completion, so will have lots off piccies to show you over the coming week!!!!!!
I cant believe Christmas is only 3 wks away!!!!!!
Looking forward to putting the tree up this weekend, I wonder how long it will take for the Whirlwind to knock it over?
Sweep stake anyone?
x K