So late I know - Elsie Marley Kids Clothes week challenge day 4 & 5

I've finally got around to blogging about this little top I made as part of the Elsie Marley Kids Clothes week challenge. It's a size 3-4. I need your help. Do you think that it should have the bear peeping out of the pocket....

Or no bear?

Let me know what you think.

Kids Clothes Week Challenge - Day one

Here's today's finished piece for the Elsie Marley Kids Clothes week challenge. I love this dress. It's so adorable.

 I have just managed to squeeze E into it to show you what it looks like. It's a generous size 2 (E is 4 and the dress is pretty snug around her arms) but it would definitely be a great fit for most kids aged 2 and 3 and if you got it for a 2 year old, it would probably do 2 winters.

The little teacup pocket is made from pink wool felt and has a floral ribbon trim on the edge of it. The same trim is along the bottom of the dress.

The little mouse is a finger puppet!

The dress is partly lined with a teacup print fabric and there are hard wearing nappy snap buttons on the shoulders for easy dressing. I'll be popping this dress into my Felt shop as soon as I have played a game of Monopoly with the model!

Kids Clothing Week Challenge

Oh hello. Yes, I'm still here. Yes I know I have been really really rubbish at blogging lately but I'm going to make it up to you this coming week. It's Elsie Marley's Kids Clothes Week Challenge (KCWC) this coming week and I can't wait.

To join in, you need to commit to sewing for kids one hour a day for a week. This is great for me because I've been avoiding the sewing room lately and I need a great big boot up the backside to get myself in there again.

My girls have enough clothes to last them for several winters so I probably won't be making any for them. Instead, I'll be making things for my market stalls and Felt shop. I have so much beautiful fabric that needs using and my addiction to sewing patterns and craft books means that I won't be short of inspiration.

E's fairy wand dress made during last year's challenge

I nearly lost large amounts of my patterns and books (not to mention my machines) on Friday night. Luckily, Mr Cotton Kiwi was wide awake and checking our basement for signs of flooding at 3am and managed to save them all when a huge wave of water came through my sewing room. It's not the first time our basement has flooded but my sewing room rarely gets wet. This time, a few leaves had got stuck in a drain which meant the drains backed up and the water came through the door. Ugh! 

M's reversible dress from last year's challenge

My poor husband was out there in the pouring rain creating a water diversion system that Macguiver would have been proud of. It turns out the roots from a tree next door have grown through the stormwater drain and almost completely blocked it so fingers crossed our new neighbours will be happy to remove the tree.

I've been in my sewing room today giving it a good tidy so I'm all set for next week. Can't wait!

Clever-clogs

My clever Mum has been doing a cake decorating course over the last couple of weeks.

Inside this incredible cinderella cake are 3 different flavours of cake (chocolate, caramel and vanilla - all delicious)

Cinderella holds the tiniest bluebird in her hands and there are a couple of sparkly mice and a pumpkin at her feet. Beautiful. Sadly none of the little girls in our family are having birthday's anytime soon so we just had to eat the cake. I did manage to bring Cinderella's head and body home with me in the hope that I can reincarnate her as a mermaid for E's birthday in August. Hopefully I will be able to keep her ant free for that time!!

This fabulous cake on the other hand, does have a home to go to. My nephew is turning 6 next month and this is his birthday cake. 

He loves wildlife and is having a blue tongue lizard at his birthday party so I think this guy will fit right in!

And here's another photo of the incredible 40 chocolate rose 40th wedding anniversary cake that she made the other week.

What a clever Mummy I have!

Cutting corners

Today I am saving myself a trip into the village by liberating buttons from an op-shopped cardi.

And giving them new life on a cardi for someone little and very precious. He arrived a couple of weeks ago but life has been so hectic that it has taken me until now to finish his welcome gift. 

This cardigan may look simple and in fact the first time I knitted it, it was. This time, it has taken me forever to do because I've had to pull it out and start again 3 times due to lack of concentration.

Concentration has been a bit tricky lately. It's the end of term this Friday and it's been a long one. The kids are exhausted and definately ready for a break (and so am I!) so I'm going to take a couple of weeks away from the blog to have fun with them. I'm going to try and resist making stuff too but frankly, I think that maybe too much of a promise to make to the family! 

Have a great Easter and see you in a couple of weeks.

My Creative Space - I bribed her with marshmallows to get this photograph.

I'm trying out new ideas for applique t-shirts for winter today.

 I've made this little owl one, baby deers and cupcakes for the girls.

I'll show you the boys ones' when I get around to doing those.

For more Creative Spaces, visit Kootoyoo.

It's Market time again!

I'll be at The Devonport Craft Market tomorrow (Sunday 3rd April) from 10am-3pm.

It's at 32 Clarence Street Devonport.

You can't miss it. Head for the supermarket and you'll see the enormous sign my lovely and long-suffering other half puts up for us every month.

 I've been making stuff.

 Lots of stuff.

 And my t-shirts are on sale.

 I've gone a bit crazy with the flower filled fairy skirt making.

 And I've managed to make a few more of these Tape Measure Rose Brooches (once I regained control of the kitchen table from the kids).

 And I've got some very cute softies that I don't really want to sell but I'm worried that people will think I'm a little strange if I keep making softies and keeping them for myself so you should come and save me from being locked up. Please.

I've particularly got lots of Easter type bunnies like these ones. They are very cute and totally baby safe (double stitched seams and hand embroidered faces.

Hope to see some of you tomorrow. Not to early (don't forget the clocks go back an hour tonight so you get an extra hour in bed... woohoo!!