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Designed by Zoe…sewn by Mum

Annabel — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:13:36 +0000

Zoe has been telling me about a fairy dress I was to make her for many months now. To start with I would just nod and mutter ‘yes – yes’ whenever she started to talk about what this dress would look like, or when she would draw or paint pictures of it to help illustrate her point. But as her birthday approached I became gripped with fear as I realised Zoe expected me to make this dress to wear to her party – and although Zoe had a crystal clear concept of what it should look like, I wasn’t altogether clear about what I’d committed myself to.

So one Saturday afternoon when the boys were at the footy, I brought out my ample supply of pink slithery and sparkly fabric, and together we created this dress. And, unlike all the previous dress-ups I have made for Zoe using my idea of beautiful – she really loves this one and hasn’t taken it off since it was finished (take that Sparty’s dress!!!!).

Less than two weeks to the party now – but at least one major job is behind us!

My attempt at quick and easy…

Annabel — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:08:52 +0000

Ok, this didn’t exactly turn into the quick and easy project I was yearning for. Well, it wasn’t exactly difficult, but it was fiddly and time consuming. I think it’s turned out nicely though. The skirt is made of grey chambray.

Check out the adjustable waist!

I’m not sure what to start on next. With only 3 weeks until the end of term I think it might be time to try to wrap up a few unfinished projects. Then I can start fresh next term. I’m looking forward to it!

A special present for Miss Zoe

Annabel — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:42:53 +0000

My Miss Zoe got a very special surprise in the post on Friday. Her friend Tina made her a stunning dress, and I did not have to ask twice if she’d put this one on. Pink enough? Oh yeah!

I took the kids into the city today to see performances at Federation Square as part of the Australian Dance Awards. I brought my camera to get a photo of Zoe in the dress. I don’t know know if it was all that dancing we’d been watching, but Zoe just would not stand still. See what I mean?

AHA – got her here, as she and her brother paused briefly to contemplate their next move.

Thanks Tina – the dress is a stunner and we love it!

Give away!

Annabel — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:08:26 +0000

I am very pleased to be participating in the Sew Mama Sew May Giveaway Day If you’re visiting here from the Sew Mama Sew blog, then you’re probably skimming over the text looking for the prize (and you can skip this next bit and head straight for the photo below!). But for those who don’t know, Sew Mama Sew (that’s a blog) have organised a day when bloggers around the world offer a free prize to one of their lucky readers. The idea is that you surf the list of participating blogs, enter your name to try to win things, and enjoy a host of new blogs in the process.

Here is my offering:

Well, actually I’m just offering one of the bibs:

The bib has a towelling back and 3 snaps around the neck to cater for growing girls. Oh and it’s super gorgeous!

Competition details: Anyone from anywhere in the world can enter – all you have to do is leave a comment. Don’t spend too long thinking about what to say (does anybody else have this problem?) because I will pick the winner randomly on the 1st of June. Oh and make sure you leave me some way of finding you so that I can send you your prize.

Now…before you run off, I’m also doing a giveaway on my Earthgirl Fabrics blog. So, if you also want a chance to win this stunning bag :

then hotfoot it over to my other blog and leave another comment

(P.S. – if you don’t win the bib, but you really feel like you need one in your life – then you can buy one here).

Happy Mother’s Day to me

Annabel — Sun, 10 May 2009 12:08:27 +0000

Scenes from my lovely day:

Pressies for my lovely mum:

A card from my lovely Zoe:

My lovely people playing happily outside:

and some lovely pressies for me, the most special of which I have used to take the above photos.

We don’t normally make a big deal out of Mother’s Day in this house. I’m so glad today was an exception.

I didn’t sew this…

Annabel — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:23:04 +0000

…but if I could have I would have!

It is a present from Zoe’s Aunty Jane, bought from her favourite shop Du Pareil au Meme. I think I’m onto a good thing here – I send her girls home made elastic waisted skirts, and she sends my daughter miniature French trench coats. Thanks Jane

Whose legs?

Annabel — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:46:15 +0000

Zoe’s legs

I bought these stockings at the Melbourne Stitches & Craft show. They look pretty spiffy with Zoe’s shiny new shoes!

I figure if a girl is going to wear clothes made by her mum, then she needs to be allowed to indulge with the accessories.

Stockings made by Textile Allsorts.

Dress made not by Zoe’s mum, but by Tina from Purple Happy Tree

School holiday fun…

Annabel — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:38:18 +0000

Well to let you in on a little secret – school holidays haven’t been so much fun so far. Let’s see – there was the bike riding ‘adventure’ that consisted of short bursts of riding followed by prolonged episodes of shouting and kicking the bike. Then there was the biscuit making which also involved lots of shouting (although that was mostly from me). And then there’s the general day to day whinging and bickering that forms the soundtrack to our school holiday existence. Honestly yesterday I was contemplating how I hadn’t seen the dentist for a while and how peaceful his lovely chair would be compared to the mess and chaos that is life at home right now.

BUT I did manage to squeeze in a little bit of fun after Zoe’s shower last night. Who used to do this as a child?

Of course as much as Zoe loved her rags she woke several times complaining about them and then screamed at me today on more than one occasion that she DIDN’T WANT CURLS SHE WANTED PLAITS and to TAKE THEM OUT. Just quietly I think she did enjoy the ringlets – and I certainly enjoyed them more than bike riding or cooking biscuits. Here’s a late afternoon shot of the ringlets still looking pretty damn cute.

Here’s hoping the Easter Bunny brings us lots of chocolate and good humour for the next week ahead

Crafting for Europe Part 2

Annabel — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:15:53 +0000

In between packing and cleaning and booking and homeschooling I decided that now was a good time to learn to crochet. Well technically I am re-learning to crochet, since I was quite good at it when I was 8. And what better time to do it than at 2am using the light from my computer screen to help me crochet along with some You-tube tutorials?

Here is my progress so far:

Those little lumps on the bottom left are supposed to be balls (I don’t seem to have quite re-mastered decreasing yet), and the rather amorphous shape in the right corner is my first try at a flower. The large circle is a, well it’s a large circle really. I seemed to finally be onto a good thing so I just kept doing what I was doing. I like it!

If you’re impressed by my crochet and want to see some more fabulous work then have a quick look at What Not to Crochet. Make sure though you’re not anywhere where you can’t giggle out loud as you read!

Getting things done

Annabel — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:39:30 +0000

When I was a kid we used to stay at an Uncle’s holiday house every year after Christmas. After my mum had single handedly prepared Christmas lunch for up to 15 people she would then clean it all up and prepare to leave the very next day for two weeks holiday. It always made me angry that she would be stressed out trying to clean up the house before we left. It was a holiday after all – we should just walk out of the house and enjoy ourselves.

Now that I’m getting ready to leave for Europe in just three weeks time what am I doing to get ready? Getting through jobs that have been waiting to be done for the last 6 to 12 months of course. As an adult I now understand that coming back from a holiday always involves mixed emotions. Sometimes I’m relieved to be home – sometimes I’m not. But coming home to a house that is a shambles is never a good feeling. And whilst I have coped with walking past the painting that is hung 20cm too far to the right for the last 10 months, I couldn’t cope with the idea of walking in the front door in 5 months time and seeing that painting still there. So today I moved it. It took 5 minutes of course. Holidays are a great motivation for getting things done. Now to book that accommodation…