Ole - Part Three

Winner of Best Dressed Person

Winner of Best Pinata

Winner of Bext Dressed Oxygen Bottle

Silly Stuff

Can you believe there were actually three people dressed as Tequila bottles?

There was a huge mexican feast for dinner. One of my brother and SIL's friends parents (does that make sense) used to own a mexican restaurant, so their friend cooked everything from scratch - nachos, guacamole, bean dip, salsa, tacos. burritos, rice etc etc etc etc. OMG Delicious!

He also managed to set off the fire alarms...

It was all too much for this little mexican. I needed a siesta!

The End.

Ole - Part Two

It's party night tonight for my SIL's Mexican Themed Birthday bash!

Earlier in the week I had a chance to refashion the giant pink oppy skirt for my sister to wear as part of her costume..... but then she went and got herself admitted to hospital.

Sheesh! Some people will do anything to avoid dressing up in a silly costume....

Anyhow, I'd better go and search for some thermal undies to wear under mine. It's going to be bloody freezing. Brrrrrr!

Be Still My Beating Cheating Heart Skirt

Panel is off centre on purpose (just in case you were wondering)

I know I promised some behind the scenes printing photos today, but I just can't resist showing you the skirt that I whipped up yesterday!

It's a total Cheaty McCheaterson skirt which was really easy to make.

Of course, I must preface this by warning you that I assumed that this would be less time consuming than making a skirt from scratch. Ha! I was completely wrong.

Also, if you really really don't like unpicking, then this is most definitely NOT the project for you.

I'm kicking myself that I didn't take a before photo, but this was originally a plain corduroy skirt that I bought from the oppy well over a year ago. It was on the $1 rack as it was missing a button at the back, and at that stage it wasn't my size, but I bought it just for the fabric.

Fast forward a year and add a few kilos and voila - it fits!

It was soooo plain, and it had no pockets, so it was never ever going to be worn.... until now.

I unpicked the bottom hem, side seams and the facing, and separated the back and front halves. I then cut a section out of the front half and inserted a lovely panel of my Go Granny fabric. 

I then added the pocket pieces to the both halves of the skirt and sewed all the pieces back together again.

I even worked out how to top-stitch the pockets this time so that they sit nicely (happy dance).

I'm just wishing that I could wear it today... but it's not really appropriate for the gym. Maybe tomorrow!

Granny is Go!

I had such an exciting day yesterday.

It was spent at the Frankie and Swiss studio finalising the colour and design of my Go Granny fabric.... and I even pressed the GO button on my very first commercial print run for this range!

It's printed on a 100% natural fibre 295gsm cotton canvas using water based, non-toxic solvent free inks.

It's perfect for all sorts of projects from purses, to bags, to skirts. I'm even going to use it to make myself some new curtains.

I have lots of lovely 'behind the scenes' pics to share tomorrow, but for now I just wanted to share the fabric and let everyone know that it's available for purchase in the shop.

Wildflowers

I had a little bit of spare stitching time on the weekend, so I finally had a chance to whip up this lovely bag.

The colours are amazingly beautiful....

I'd pre-prepared the teatowel over a month ago when I made the 'shrooms bag. it's been hanging around keeping the ironing press warm, and mocking me from the corner of the room.

But, mocking me and my lack of time no more..... it's now in the shop!

Delivering Chooks

Nooooo, not those sort of chooks!

I headed off to the country with my big sister in tow yesterday to deliver a Technicolour Chook for my Mum's birthday.

I remembered the leftover bread from my freezer for the chooks, her birthday pressies, and her poor old forgotten puppy dog (under the table above) that I've been fostering (long story), but I managed to forget my camera, so the little late adopter Sony Ericsson phone had to suffice.

We were early getting into town to take my Mum out for lunch, so I suggested a spot of op-shopping.... when suprise suprise we just happened to run into the very famous Chook Artiste herself , along with Punky & Suspence (who are just as uber-cute in real life by the way)!

We couldn't have timed it better if we'd planned to meet up!

After a spot of Op Shopping, it was time for a nice long leisurely lunch by the lake.....

.... and I picked up some yummy tomato and chilli relish to bring home.

For old times sake, we took a drive through the Botanic Gardens. I remember having picnics here as a young kiddie with all of our Aunties and Uncles and Cousins.

Time was pressing on and we had to back in time for the school bus, so we took Mum back home, bid farewell to Mr Limpy Turkey....

.. and Gypsy the Shetland Pony and No Name the Goat (he's a recent acquisition so I really have no idea what his name is), but you may notice that he's sporting a very spiffy goat coat. It's all the rage in goat couture apparently.

The End!

The Technicolour Chook Strikes Back

Well it seems like an eon ago, but today the technicolour chook is finally making a return.

He's been waiting in the wings (very bad pun intended) for the loooooongest time.

You see, after Vic drew him for me waaaaaay back in March, I ordered a fabric version, with the intention of making my mum a cushion for Mothers Day.

I waited and I waited and I waited...... and after about 8 weeks, he arrived. Two whole weeks after Mothers Day.

Never one to be defeated, I hatched (another very bad pun intended) an alternative plan to make him into a cushion for my mums birthday (which is today).

Somewhere between mid-May and last week, he got completely lost in the fabric jungle known as 'my stash'.

But then luckily on Friday, I had a massive clean up and he magically re-appeared.

Talk about perfect timing...

Original Chook Drawing courtesy of Vic
Green Spotty fabric courtesy of Liz
Perfectly sized zip in Tomato Sauce Red courtesy of the Op Shop Gods
Happy Birthday Mum

Sunday Snippets

Playing Sunday Snippets.... with Tinniegirl

While We Wait

My new granny square fabric is not quite ready to go just yet....

So in the meantime, to whet your appetite for granny squares, I've added some new cards to the shop.

Have a super fabulous day!

My Creative Space

I have a tonne of things to finish off at the moment..... including this latest batch of brooches.

It's time to get my skates on and start creating.

The home of My Creative Space

The Transplant Waiting List

So today is the official day.

31st August 2011 - the day that I join the active waiting list for a double lung transplant.

I was diagnosed with my lung disease nearly 22 years ago now, and around 10 years ago I was told that I would eventually need a lung transplant.

I guess that now is my eventually.

If you've never discussed organ donation with your family, then I hope that this post just might be a catalyst to sit down with your loved ones and have that discussion, and then join the official organ donor register via Medicare.


From the Donate Life website:

Organ & tissue donation facts

• One organ and tissue donor can save the lives of up to ten people and significantly improve the lives of dozens more.

• Australia has a world class reputation for successful transplant outcomes.

•  Australia also has one of the lowest donation rates in the developed world. 

• 98% of Australians agree that organ and tissue donation has the potential to save and improve lives.

•  40% of Australians do not know the donation wishes of their loved ones. 

• Less than 1 in 5 Australians (only 17%) have had a memorable discussion with their loved ones about their donation wishes.

•  The most important thing that helps a family's decision is their knowing the wishes of their loved one. 

• Australia's family consent rate is low with less than 60% of families giving consent for organ and tissue donation to proceed.

•  Around 1700 people are on Australian organ transplant waiting lists at any one time. 

• On average, people on the transplant list must wait between 6 months and 4 years.

•  In 2010, 309 organ donors gave 931 Australians a new chance in life. 

• The number of organ donations in 2010 was the highest in any year in the past decade.

•  Australia's improvement in the first full year of reforms (increased by 2.5 donors per million people) compares favourably with that achieved following other countries' reforms. UK achieved an increase of 1.5 dpmp in its first full year of reforms; and Spain, descirbed as the world leader in this sector, also achieved an increase of 2.5 dpmp. 

• In 2010, the Australian population had 13.8 donors per million people. This exceeds the 2008 (12.2 dpmp), 2009 (11.3 dpmp) and the 9 year baseline average (10.2 dpmp).

•  Australia's rate of cornea donation puts it in the top five countries for corneal donation rates. 

• In 2008, 1096 people donated their corneas. As a result, 1696 people had their sight restored.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the Donate Life website.... and keep your fingers crossed for me!

In a while crocodile....

Things sometimes happen at a snails pace around here.

The best laid plans are often thrown out the window on a whim.....

.....but eventually, I end up with something special.

Ole - Part One

My SIL is having a mexican themed birthday bash in a couple of weeks time and all the guests are required to dress up (eeeek)!

My first port of call for dress up occassions is always the oppy...

I was in search of something for myself, and also for my sister.
I found this bright stripey dress / tunic thingie, but looking at it on Frances, I have a feeling it may be a bit too small.

Luckily I also found this ginormous skirt.

It's long and wide with heaps of fabric, so I can quite easily transform it into a simple tiered skirt - a la mexican style (or so I'm hoping).

Stay tuned for Ole - Part Two... coming soon

Sunday (Saturday) Snippets

Sunday Snippets via Tinniegirl

A long lost twin

It seems that one cloth dolly just isn't enough when then are two little sisters enamoured with her.

So of course, the solution was to make another cloth dolly.....

..... with a lacy pettiskirt

.... and halter dress.

I'm hoping that peace will be restored in the household very soon.

My Creative Space...

In my creative space today...

Some more fabric samples that I picked up from Frankie and Swiss yesterday. I haven't managed to get the colours just as I like them yet, so there's still a bit if tweaking and testing to go.

The home of our creative spaces.