Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This will be short as i have my family over (from a very cold and snowy Sweden) for the holidays. I hope you will have a wonderful Christmas/holiday time with loved ones. As I will have lots to do in the next week or so, I am not sure if I will have time to post again before the new year... so I would love to take the opportunity now and thank all of you who love my stuff. My year has been so wonderful and above expectation - I am loving it!

Thank you very much
Jen xxx

The weekend

On Saturday I traded at Allie's Attic in Paddington. It seems like not a lot of people knew that we were there and it was a real shame as there were so many wonderful stalls (including mine of course, lol). I guess you can get that with new markets and fingers x that it will pick up in the future. I did feel a little miserable I must admit but the highlight of my day was going home with these two gorgeous pillows/dolls? Aren't they sooooooooooooooo adorable? I got them from the lovely Lisa from The Read Thread and my daughter loves them as much as I do :)


One good thing though is that I had a chance to talk to so many wonderful stallholders and I hope I will see you all again soon.

Sunday was Bondi Markets day and it was amazing. This time I felt it was the real first Christmas shopping day (for me anyway) and had a few repeat customers from last Christmas which was great - I love repeat customers!

My fab new dresses :)

I road tested my new dresses today. I initially wanted to have some ready for the next Allie's Attic in Paddington on 12 December but I had some ready to come to Bondi with me today. It seemed quite a few people liked them as much as I do! (It's not wrong to love your own stuff is it?)


Here are a few snapshots of some of my newies.

Allie's Attic

As always I want to start by saying thank you to everyone that came and said hi. I had a great day but it was a little slow at times. The time went a little quicker by having great neighbours to chat to. My immediate neighbour was Sarah from rosebarnett, I would recommend to check our her blog as she has so many fabulous things. I also caught up with another equally talented Sarah from Gifts Created. Love her mushrooms!

This time I didn't take my camera when I walked around checking the other stalls so you will have to make do with photos of my stall :) If I don't see you at Bondi, hopefully I will catch up with some of you at the next Allie's Attic on Saturday 12 December.

And the winner is...

I know that you all just want to know if you've won (don't scroll down yet) but I first want to say thank you to everyone who left a comment for me. I am really going to take your suggestions on board. In fact, some of them I already have in the pipeline. Apart from the comments left here I also received a few emails (via Allie's Attic Facebook page) and they were of course also in the draw. My son picked the winners and...

Winner of the 1st prize is...

Winner of the 2nd prize is...

Winner of the 3rd prize is...

Congratulations to the winners. For those of you who didn't win please don't despair as I will have more giveaways in the future. Apart from Cori as I already have your email, would patg_au and mum/toddler/babe please email me (meleifashion@optusnet.com.au) so we can arrange the best way of getting the prizes to you.

Allie's Attic Launch Giveaway

I am thrilled to announce my very first giveaway on my own blog (had one over at Badskirt a while back). This one is in honour of the launch of Allie's Attic. They will have their first market at Hunters Hill on Saturday 14 November. I will be there and would love you to come and say hi.

I have three prizes so the odds of winning something should hopefully be a little better!

Prize one:
2 bracelets
2 rings
2 bobby pins
1 set of hair ties

Value $61

Prize two:

bracelet

hair clip

hair ties

Value $34

Prize three:

hair ties

bobby pin

ring

Value $14

Shipping is of course also included in the prize. All I would love you to do is to leave a comment telling me what you feel is missing in children's clothing at the moment.

The draw will be on Wednesday 11 November at 8pm (sydney time) so that if you come to Allie's Attic I can bring your prize with me :)

Mathilda's wrap up

Ok, I am going to start by saying thank you to everyone who came by my stall yesterday, I had an amazing morning. From the moment the doors opened to closing time it was full on and a lot of fun (the hall was boiling so that wasn't as great). Blogless Jasperboy Jen came all the way from Melbourne to say hi which was a huge surprise. Thank you so much for your help Jen during the morning, fixing my racks making sure sizes were in their right spots etc - you were great! For those of you who haven't met me you can now see what i look like as well (when i am hot and grinning). I am the blonde one.

My darling husband came along and helped me set up in the morning. Having an extra pair of hands was great and we were done at 8.30am. He took off and i had time to wander around and check out the other stall holders and their wonderful things. I ran into Mel from Skye Rocket Sews and checked out her beautiful Kokeshi dolls. Badskirt Amy was also there with her fab animals. You can see I just want to get in on every photo op!

Here's my new little set up for rings, bracelets etc. I was just so keen to use it. My husband told me it would just get trashed and I of course I knew he was right but I still wanted to give my little bedroom set a go. I was constantly there trying to fix it up but I lost in the end.

Before

After

Thank you again and hopefully I will see some of you at Allie's Attic in two weeks time.

Trick or Treat

On Saturday night we went out trick or treating with our children and a couple of friends. They were so super excited about the whole thing. They love dressing up but they also love eating lollies (funny that). We walked around for about 1 1/2 hours and even though they wanted to continue I was pretty exhausted. I also knew I had to go home and finish a few things before Mathilda's market the next day. When we got home they were eating their loot for a little while before going to bed. It's the perfect bedtime snack don't you think ;)

Normally i would get rid of the red eyes in photos but thought it was fitting to leave them this time, lol

My little elf

This weekend was the big premiere for my son's school musical - The Elves and the Shoemaker. My son was the boss elf and he took his job very seriously. It was his first musical and he loved the whole experience, so of course now he wants to become an actor!

All the children were wonderful and did an amazing job. We saw two of the three performances and loved them both. Our son made three appearances on stage during the show and in both shows we saw, he forgot his hat in the first act. To top it all off he got to take an individual bow at the end of the show - he probably enjoyed that most of all :)

More dresses

Here are another bunch of photos from the photo shoot last week. My little models are so adorable!

It was a horrible day at Bondi Markets today with the rain pouring down. Packed up early and headed home. I have gotten heaps done this afternoon though for Mathilda's Market next Sunday. At least Mathilda's is indoors :)

Boys Shorts

Bracelets

Mathilda's Market

Mathilda's Market is just around the corner and I thought I'd share some of my stuff with you. I had a quick little photo shoot today with my daughter and my niece. You can see the results below.

I will have some more to show you in the next few days so stay tuned.

The flower and the animals

I love my two children to bits, but if there was some way we could all live together without them actually having to come into contact with each other - ever - then life would be much easier. To say they're apples and oranges isn't even close. Apples and oranges are at least part of the same food group. My little angels are more like ice-cream and steak. They honestly seem to delight in their conflict with each other. Things like 'Mum, he's putting his foot on my side of the couch' and 'She's touching the door to my room' are delivered with a look of smug satisfaction that says 'I know I'm a whinging little dibber-dobber, but you usually side with whoever comes whining to you, so feel free to punish my brother/sister.'

Anyway, last sunday, they miraculously decided to collaborate on a 'secret craft project' while my husband and I watched the rugby league grand final on tv. Every time I heard a noise from the room where they were working, I found myself tensing in anticipation of the resumption of hostilities that was sure to follow. To my great relief and surprise, the project continued without incident. Finally the door opened, and out they came, smiles on their faces, and not a bruise, cut or scratch to be seen.

This was the fruit of their labours. As you can see below, it was imaginatively titled 'The flower and the animals'. Isn't it beautiful?

It might just be some cardboard and material stuck on butcher's paper to you, but to me it's a symbol of hope that the fragile, hour-long sibling alliance that produced it, could one day grow into something more. Even apples and oranges would be a start...

Melei - One year old-ish

It's been about a year since i started Melei. I don't have an exact date but it was mid October that i first sold at Bondi Markets. Before then i sold some things to friends' friends. It's been such a fun ride. I really had no expectations but thought i'd give it a go. Even though I have been crazy busy it has definitely been worth it. Here are a few of the things I've made through the year. The cherry and mocca fabrics were two of the first fabrics that I bought and I still love them.

No Bondi this weekend either

I will have to miss the market again this week. I am getting better so I will definitely be there next week on 18 October (unless it's crazy windy and raining).

I am also trying to get ready for Mathilda's Market and will share some stuff with you soon.

Good night :)

No Bondi this weekend

Sorry to anyone who said they were coming to see me at Bondi this weekend, but due to my continuing bad back, I won't be able to make it. I'll try and make it for next weekend, but please check back here as it all depends on how my recovery goes.

The shop is empty at the moment, but if there's something in particular you're after, please email me or give me a call.

Hopefully I'll be back on my feet sooner rather than later and will see you then.

HELP!

I am a bit overwhelmed...with my new purchase of a second hand overlock machine. In the past I have been able to borrow one from a friend from time to time but the thread has always been done already. I caught up with my darling neighbour the other day and she said i could buy her second hand one as she has only used it for about 4 hours. I bought a downloadable manual from the net and here we are. 8!!! pages for the instructions on how to thread the thing (i kid you not, eight pages!). Ok wish me luck. I will time it...

Tadaa...

...and to think that it 'only' took me 32 minutes to do it, lol! After working on the thread tension it was close to an hour. The thread is old and brittle so tomorrow, after buying new thread, I have to do it all again. Hoping to shave 2 minutes off the time, hehe

Freya's room

Ok, I thought that I should show you the rest of my daughter's room. I just showed you the bed etc before because they were all new then I thought that even though the rest is old, it's new to you. I'll start with the pictures over her bed. When I was little (back in Sweden) I used to collect paper bookmarks. The two angels in the frames are bookmarks that I was given when I was 6-7 years old. Initially I was hunting for a more ornate frame but I think that the plain frame works really well.

This is an old shelf thing that I got from ? I can't remember but it may have been ebay. I just painted it white and put the wooden letters in it (FREYA). I also have a confession to make, I am a bit of a figure geek. I love all sorts of plastic figures, mostly ones of cartoons that I grew up with. The ones displayed here are Barbapapa. I used to watch it as a child so naturally I try to force my taste on to my children :) I also love Smurfs but they are safely tucked away and not on display in any of their rooms. Maybe I should loosen up a bit, lol

Ok, this is just a plain wardrobe that I bought through the Trading Post and painted white in the garage. I will get back to the wardrobe shortly. The little desk was a birthday present a couple of years ago, she loves sitting there pretending to write letters to friends. If you are wondering what the curious little figures are, please see below.

Ok, here is another example of my geeky figure collecting mania. These are called Marsupilami and they are from a cartoon with the same name. Another one that I grew up with. Lucky for me my daughter actually likes what I force on her.

This is a coat rack that I bought from Freedom years ago and I use it for her dress-ups and hats etc. Apart from that I like how it looks it is also really practical as it is easy to tidy up afterwards, they all have a spot to hang. (yes, you are correct in thinking there are four little Telly tubbie figures at the top of the bookshelf - they are velour covered, supercute)

Ok, back to the wardrobe. I would really like to do something with it but not sure what to do. I am thinking of the obvious at this stage, changing the door knobs but I would like to do something more. Please let me know if you have any suggestions and once I am finished doing something I will post a picture.


Back soon :)

Sakura attack!

I recently bought a bunch of sakura fabric to make some cushions for Freya's bed. Think I went overboard?! She was thrilled though so all is good. Freya was in desperate need for a new bed (remember old bed not that long ago?) and I bought some new lovely white pin tuck bedlinen at the same time. I needed some colour to brighten things up a little and ... here we are.

There are just a few easy steps

Step one: Buy cheap and ugly cushions from Kmart (on sale $2.50)

Step two: Take out the inserts and discard covers, cut in half if you need a smaller cushion

Step three: Get super talented Amy from Badskirt to make custom hippos to match decor

Step four: Get daughter to name said hippos. Blue is Charlie (girl) and black is Sarah

Step five: Get another super talented gal - Alicia from Stockholm Moose - to make a custom lamp.

Step six: Buy a fab bedside table at Bondi Markets to go with the new bed

Step seven: Show your daughter who is delighted but immediately re-arranges the pillows to the end of the bed and declares that she has made "a celebration!"

Alive (but not well)

I'm bored! I have been in bed for 10 days straight now and it's not over yet. I have a pinched nerve in my back (some people call it a slipped disc) and haven't been able to sit, walk or stand for very long periods of time. I can now sit for about 4-5 minutes without being in absolute agony so I thought i'd let you all know why I have been AWOL. As soon as I am well enough to sit for longer I have several things to share with you so there will be a blog post bonanza here soon.

Take care and spare a minute to feel sorry for me :)

AAAAAARRRRG!

I just need to scream... Four of the fabrics that I use for my clothes have been discontinued. I knew that since a while back but I didn't think it would be this quick before they were hard to get hold of. Anyway, I have a little bit left and that's it. Once it's gone it's gone. I now have to find new fabrics that I love. I know that is not hard as there are sooooo many gorgeous fabrics out there but the fabric that I just found and totally fell in love with, is sold out everywhere.

Seems like i'm not the only one that loves it :(

The fabric has arrived! Sort of...

This is the fabric that I was waiting for about a month or so ago. The parcel never turned up but the lovely seller sent me another batch. Both of the fabrics are from Timeless Treasures Bamboo collection. I just love this kind of green together with pink. I also love the little dragonflies on the pink fabric. I made a dress for the market on Sunday and even though it was a pretty bad day in terms of sales (not many shoppers around) it was the first thing i sold while I was still setting up!




And here are a couple of orders going out tomorrow :)

Good night!

I must be in some sort of a twilight zone...

After the last post and complaining that cooking is not my thing, I have been very energetic with the children in the kitchen. The truth is they absolutely love everything that has to do with cooking, but I always feel so stressed about it. When I get home from work they immediately ask me what's for dinner and I have to get started straight away. The last thing i want to do then is to be teaching them things - it has to be quick and easy with minimal mess.

Yes, some of you are thinking that my approach is rubbish, they can't possibly learn anything if i don't teach them. You are absolutely right! I have come to that realisation as well and have decied to take some time to cook with them. You know, they really prefer cooking compared to some expensive outing so it could be a money saver as well.

Last week we made cupcakes - yes, they were from a packet but it's a start! They couldn't agree if they were to be vanilla or chocolate so we did both and after some serious decorating we have the fantastic results below.

Today when i asked if they wanted to cook dinner they just screamed with happiness (made me feel a bit guilty for not doing it more). I told them it had to be something that they would eat. They decided on Indian chicken with rice and corn on the cob. With a fancy chocolate dessert.

Unfortunately i forgot to take a photo and it looked pretty impressive as well. They used a small rectangular container to shape the rice to create a 'fancy' sort of look. They were so proud of their efforts - and rightly so, it was great! We made chocolate mousse - from scratch! No premade stuff in sight. It was delish! This is the recipe that I followed. (I agree with comments that you can leave sugar out, even though I hadn't made it before I decided to only use half of the sugar. I could have added no sugar and it would have been perfect.)

I have done very little sewing this week, I am so behind on certain things. I think when you just go go go you can't keep it up forever. I'll get back to it though (in about 30 minutes actually) I have to finish a couple of orders.