Popping In

To say hi to anyone who is out there. I am so sorry I am not very good at blogging anymore. I have tried to sew a little , but working has taken up so much of my time now. Most of what I have sewn has gone out to the Eumundi Markets & I so often forget to take pics before I take it out.

These are some little singlets that i have appliqued recently. I call this therapeutic sewing - simple, quick & quite effective. No stress invovlved at all!

These 2 little sets went to 2 little men who aren't very old. New siblings to Em's school mates.

Although not at all exciting & super simple, here is a pillowcase style top I made for Em for summer. I am also in the process of trying to make Em some summer vintage jumpsuits, so here's hoping in another month (as that seems to be how regular I blog now) I may have some pics.

I am alive!

I am alive and well - although a wee bit busy.

I had quite a long break from sewing - not by choice, but life was crazy & I really had lost my sew jo. But it has returned & I have just sewn up a load of items for a lady who is now stocking my "spunkymonkies" creations at her stall at Eumundi Markets - ekkk - very exciting actually!

So if you are at the Eumundi markets search out for the "Yellow Canary". It is at the back permanent section of the markets. I forgot to take pics of the stock before I took it out there, but did get some pics of Del in the store & she is even wearing one of my halter tops made from vintage fabrics.

Together with this I have just started a new job, so this blog may become only a monthly thing (more often if I can) as I am going to be one busy mama from now on.

Yikes a month...

Has gone by since I have last posted. I really am slack!

In that time Mr Spunky was away for 4 weeks in Vietnam - lucky duck! I managed to have 2 market stalls - one just with bags & the other with all my crafty creations. Great days - if ever you get up to Montville - they have a lovely farmers Market in the hall once a month.

I have also moved my mum - so life has been a wee bit hectic.

This is the only pic I have to show - it is of my new favourite craft book. Loads of great patterns.

Some Treasures Found!

One which I thought was lost & the other a lovely surprise at my local op shop.

This Noddy book along with a Raggedy Ann book were my favourites as a little girl. I knew Mum still had the Raggedy Ann one, but I though that this Noddy Book was long gone. So I was so very excited when going through some boxes under her house I found it!!

This fabric is a table cloth which I found at my local thrift store - it is lovely heavy drill & most likely destined to become a bag or two. It made my day & this type of fabric is as rare as hens teeth around here!

Just because I don't have anything else to write..

I tend to be a brown thumb, but these guys are blooming beautifully at the moment (most likely because my mum always waters them for me when she come over).

FABULOUS Weekend!

Is truely what I have just had. Mum & I flew down to Melbourne for the weekend. No Husband or Children!!! Which in itself was a treat, but to add to that the Stitches & Craft Show was on. I had never been to one before so I had lots of fun.

Super cute hedgehogs kit which was purchased from the lovely Jodie of ricrac . I am planning to have these made for Em for her birthday - I have at least till October to get this done!

The kaftan is a pattern I have been wanting to get for me - It looks super comfy & hopefully easy to make!

The Elephant was just too cute to resist, even though I have another elephant pattern I thought this one would be cute to try in chenille.

(Sorry the pic is sideways - not sure what happened there - had to be the computers fault - surely not mine ;) )

And well no excuse needed for cute fabrics like this - Although I am planning to use the russian dolls for self covered buttons which I will make into hair ties I think.

Sew long since blogging, but I have done a little sewing

Oh do find you blog in dribs & drabs sometimes??

Thats me - I tend to blog regularly then stop all together, until I feel terribly slack & start over again.

I don't have much of an excuse - we have been away, but that only took about a week.

I have being sewing quite a lot & teaching a friend to sew too. Unfortunately I forget to photograph our finished products before she takes them home. I am really enjoying it though - not only the good company, but sharing a passion with someone who is so eager to learn & who understands my love of fabric. She agrees that she could spend a whole afternoon just looking & touching lovely fabric. Ahh a girl after my own heart there!

These however are a few items I have finished recently.

The 2 skirts are based around a pattern from a Japanese sewing book my lovley sister in law Noriko brought back from Japan for me. The pattern is quite simple, but oh so pretty - I will certainly make more of these.

The 3 bags are ones I just whipped up because I was in the mood. The blue one I am certainly keeping - it was made from a vintage tablecloth which I loved - I have lined it with some vintage cotton sheet fabric. The other 2 are made from vintage fabrics also.

UPCYCLE for Princess & Pirate Party

In need of a princess dress 1 day before the party I started to think I better do something. As a last resort I would have begrudgingly purchased an overpriced & not so good quality princess dress., thankfully the local op shop had this womens 90's dress.

Perfect for a very quick & simple upcycle into a wearable princess dress. Em was delighted & so was mummy as it came home covered in cake which didn't matter as it had only cost $6 (which went to a great cause anyway!)

As much as I was going to make Liam's pirate outfit, I couldn't go past this set on sale for only $6 also at Target.

Shorts, shorts & more shorts....

Em has decided to be my model - only with bribing - some easter eggs - honestly I would have thought she'd have had enough. I have made all these in 2 smaller sizes too so I have a cupboard full of shorts which I must list on madeit......

All created with recycled vintage fabrics, most aquired from op shops

I am sure Liam however will want to claim a few pairs when he sees them.

Sewing again at last

I feel as though I have done no sewing of late, nor have I felt like it....I was getting a little worried. But over the last few days I have managed to finish a few things.

This is a very very quick set I whipped up on Friday night when i found out we were going to visit a new bubby. It was just an extra to put in with a few other gifts I already had.

The bag & skirt are orders from a lady - her daughter wanted the sesame street fabric for the bag & I wasn't sure how it would go - but it turned out better than expected. Both the skirt & the sesame street bag are made from vintage recycled fabrics. Sorry about the pics - as I have mentioned before Photography is not my forte & I haven't ironed the orders yet either - they are just some quick snapshops.

Lunch?? And a link to a great Giveaway!!

That's if I could fit another ounce of chocolate in....

Apart from overindulgence of chocolate, here's hoping we can all remember the true meaning of Easter.

Oh yes the giveaway..check out the lovely blog by Ashleigh from www.dashesoflove.blogspot.com she has a wonderful giveaway at the moment!

Anyone for pumpkin???

I LOVE pumpkin , apart from potato it is the one vegie mum never had to force me to eat. I always was happy to swap with my siblings if they didn't want theirs. Well if you like pumpkin like me & want a super quick meal to whizz up when you are short on time or just too lazy to put in too much effort, then my Pumpkin & ricotta triangles are for you...

Ingredients - Pumpkin, ricotta (I like fresh, but tub would be fine) cheese, garlic & puff pastry.

Cut up pumpkin into small cubes & either boil or steam till soft, but still with some shape. Drain & mix in ricotta cheese & loads of garlic (or not so much if you are going to be smooching someone soon ). Cut a puff pastry sheet diagonal into 2 large triangles & pop mixture in middle & fold over. Brush top with egg . Pop in the oven till pastry is nice & golden brown. Snuggle down in cosy chair & enjoy...think nothing of how fattening pastry is - only of how good the filling is :)

My kids are a little fussy, so they probably would not eat these, but they do like sausage rolls. To be sneaky & get the pumpkin into them I did this & they loved them....First I had 4 beef sausages which I removed the skin off. I mashed some of the cooked pumpkin in with the sausage meat & then added some fresh parmesan cheese. Wrapped it in puff pasrty in the shape of a sausage roll...easy peasy! They went down a treat.

Don't you love the Postman....

When they bring you treasures like these???

Thank you so much to Lisa at CRAFTY MAMAS for this fab pattern - I am itching to try it out, but Em needs to select her fabric. If you have never visited CRAFTY MAMAS before it is well worth it - not only does she stock gorgeous european patterns, sewing mags & delicious fabric, but her service is second to none!!

I just love what is written on the card of this parcel & this is what was inside.......


These 2 from Amy Butler's LOVE range are destined to be skirts for me....I think....

And I have eyed off both of these fabrics lately - I love the colour & print of the top one - from ALEXANDER HENRY'S "Willow Farm" range & the other is just too cute - from MICHAEL MILLER'S "Gnoming Around"

This Kaffe fassett red is going to be made into another skirt for me....I think I have a thing for Kaffe at the moment & the Amy Butler dots are just because - a girl doesn't need an excuse to buy beautiful fabric does she :) ????

A break in the Weather...

Meant stealing the few hours of opportunity & going to the beach - we headed down to Bulcock Beach.

We forgot the togs, but children are good at improvising so it was clothes & all.

It was a bit windy, but it meant that there were alot of kite surfers which were fantastic to watch.

Me First... NO ME FIRST!!!

Even though as a mum we tend to get worn out by moments like this...

I must remember how truely blessed I am have to have these 2 monkies in my life!

More Vintage Favourites....

I apologise - photography is not my forte, at least the pictures aren't blurred I suppose... Here are some more of my favourite non fabric vintage items....these actually are used on a regular basis - my daughters favourite puzzles at present.

I just love the pictures. I am unsure as to how old they are - most likely not too much older than me (so hopefully not that vintage), but the illustrations are beautiful. And their little boxes are so cute - so easy to store. They are made in England, and yes like the majority of my vintage bits n pieces I found them at the thrift store...25c a pop!!

What are your favourite Vintage bits 'n' pieces??

Apart from fabric that is!!

I have so many so I thought I would share some with you over the next little while.

I think I love these vintage WILLOW tins because they remind me of my Grandma - I am sure she had some just like this. And of course because they are just beautiful & hopefully soon home to my buttons & other sewing treasures.

I was very lucky & picked them up from a garage sale for only $2 for the set!!

I also have the large rectangle in the same print - I think it was the bread box, but it is currently hiding from the camera under a pile of fabric!

Do you love Kaffe Fassett??

I do - well a good deal of his fabrics anyway- I admit I have come across a few that aren't my cup of tea, but in general I love his fabric. I love the vibrant colour & so when I came across this fabric when I was visiting my dad I couldn't resist. I knew I wanted to make a skirt & I finally have - yay! I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it is very me. Mr Spunky said to me when I put it on today "You aren't going out in public in that are you?"

It has been so long & what have I achieved???

Not a great deal actually. I did get around to making these tags for clothes.

This is where I found the tutorial to make them up if you are interested.... http://patchworkpottery.blogspot.com/2008/09/fabric-labels-tutorial.html

But otherwise I have made only shorts, shorts & more shorts. They are knee length boys shorts for a market I am doing soon. I will try & get an image up soon. Most are made out of funky vintage/recycled fabrics & are something a little different to what you find in the stores.