Handmade Helps - how you can help too

You may have already heard about the great community of people who have put together Handmade Helps for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.  If you haven't then go see all the ways you can be involved - buy, donate, make, you name it they have it going on.  Yesterday I reopened my dusty little etsy store and listed two fabric tote bags with all proceeds going to Wildlife Victoria.  Check them out, and other people's goods you can buy here.

dispelling the myth

It has been quite humorous to hear from some of you about how I must have extra hours available to me because we seem to do so much. Ha! I am surprised you couldn't hear my mother laughing heartily at that suggestion!  For one thing; it is quite well known that I enjoy my sleep, specially in the morning.  I prefer to stay up late and watch crappy tv while I fluff around doing god knows what and then grumble that I have to rise before 9.  The other thing is, well, it all boils down to priorities.  This picture of our dining table, or should I say the table previously known as the dining table should enlighten you.

You see it became quite clear to me on the first day of school holidays (which also happened to be Good Friday) that having Mr Whizzme and Miss Whizzme at home together for days on end was only going to produce a riot of chaos.  My choice? fight it or ignore it.  I chose to ignore it.  There have been days when I have severely regretted this decision.  

I am happy to admit that I am quite the clutter queen with my collections of china and books and knick knacky things, but I do like them to be in. their. place.  I am a what I like to refer to as a pack stylist.  I live by packs.  Packs mean that things can be found - no matter what the occasion. Take my hand bag for example (I use this example as this seems to be quite the in thing in the blog world of late!)

Packs. Emergency pack, pack of wipes, pack of tissues, pack of pencils, small pack with meter change.  Easy to find.

Another example is the boot of my car:

Again packs. Medical pack, art pack, swimming pack, towel pack, shopping pack, beach pack, rain jacket pack*.  I'm sure you are getting the picture.

Anyway, back to the ignoring the chaos challenge.  By the end of Easter I was seriously fighting my urge to pack things away, but I held firm.  Well, I reasoned, Miss Whizzme and I were going to be away for a week anyway, it could wait.  Of course leaving a husband alone in a home with no supervision is just asking for trouble!  And then, we returned with a 5 day count down to Miss Whizzme's birthday party.  Therefore, I must confess that I then not only ignored the mess, I added quite liberally to it.  So, while maybe we might have benefited from having somewhere comfortable to eat our meals, and it would be nice not to have to leap over the washing to get into bed at night, overall I have really, really enjoyed these holidays.  

Tomorrow though, I clean!

Psst! if you want further details click on the photos to see the notes in flickr.

*sometimes the car boot also has an extra

a pattern review of sorts

I have a back log of posts to share, so instead of swamping you with information I have resolved to keep it to single bite-sized reading. I'm nice like that :)

I recently purchased 'simple gifts to stitch by Jocelyn Worrall'. I had seen it reviewed somewhere but for the life of me can't remember which blog it was (if I find it, I'll let you know). You may remember that I used this book recently to make my own version of the Accordion Wallet. I was impressed with how easy this came to gather, so decided to try another pattern. Next up the Tri Pocket Ticking Tote, which is featured on the front cover. As I'm trying to be a little more efficient in my craftiness I cut out two bags - one in oil cloth and one in some cool fabric from aunty cookie and that nifty measuring tape fabric. Once again the instructions were extremely easy to follow, and the bag itself was whipped up in a 1/2 hour.
Ta da, Miss L's new ballet bag.

This oilcloth was much easier to sew with than the version I used for the accordion wallet. I bought it ages ago at one of those craft fairs, and I haven't been able to find it any where else. The only issue I had with the finished bag, is it is quite deep which I didn't think would be ideal for a knitting bag. Thinking cap on (doesn't happen often) I decided that instead I would cut each of my pre-cut fabrics for the second bag in half (even the handles) and make two from one. Thrifty!!

So, here is the Aunty Cookie knitting bag, which got some very positive feed back at the market. It is a great size for carrying around a project or two and some bits and bobs.

The down side - I don't like the unfinished look inside - so I have decided to line the inside of both knitting bags. It doesn't bother me so much with the oilcloth version (?!) but it really bugs me every time I open it and see all those nasty seams.

Final results - a biga - two from two for this book.
Details
Pattern: Tri Pocket Ticking Tote
Bag One Fabric: Polka dot oilcloth
Bag Two Fabric: Aunty Cookie Knit One(now available) and American Jane Building Blocks Measure Dark (available here)


P.s. Reprodepot have the book on sale.

Finished... well some things

Okay so the weekend wasn't quite as productive as planned, and I didn't get to the post office, but then I often think I'm going to get so much more done than I can. However, I am now ready for the post office tomorrow.

Swap packages ready for posting, fabric pouches sewn and tags made. I have a few more swaps scheduled for later and I'm sure to arrange more (as I'm kinda addicted) so I wanted to be better prepared.

And those other bags I was talking about....

4 more done. Yay! can't say who they are for yet, but I am pleased with how they look. More labels to finish with now too!

(pockets inside)
But I also have severe bag envy after seeing this today made by Anna.

However, I'm now off to do some knitting and finish the little holder for my scissors I started today. Yeah, I know another project!! Actually I should be cleaning ready for my sister and her family who arrive Tuesday. We can't wait, but for now the cleaning can.

a superhero, a fairy princess and a handbag

Today was all about a care package for my best friend who is having a horrible week, or even month. Tomorrow is going to be a chaotic, horrid day, so I thought a care package might bring her and her two beautiful munchkins some sunshine. Of course this being me, I left it to today to pull the whole thing together!

I bought a t-shirt weeks ago to make H a superhero shirt with cape and this time I wanted to try that freezer paper thing that did a great tutorial for. But leaving it for posting today sort of canned that idea, so I quickly printed out an iron transfer, which actually came up okay.


Next a little fairy dress for E. Again I've had the tulle and tank top hanging around for a few weeks. So first I sewed on the tulle, sleeve ruffles and ironed on some flowers. Okay done. Until I held it up and you could see right through the tulle - not every little fairy wants to show off her underpants! So I hunted through the fabric stash and found some lilac chiffon to add a little modesty skirt!! A few quick sequin addtions and da dah.
And thankfully about a month ago I had a spurt of making handbags, so J's bag just needed a few final stitches and an iron.


I really like these bags, so must get to and finish the other 6!!
So after a solid afternoon I managed to get the whole thing posted before 6 pm in an express bag, so it will reach them tomorrow. I hope it does bring some sunshine for them.
Now off to do several swaps I've organised this week. Hoping to make the post office tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes....