Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I am a Naughty Girl!

Time is moving on and the tax return deadline is only a few nights away and what am I doing?




A green "Pleated Beauty Handbag" from the Bend the Rules Sewing book. Making this bag has been heaps of fun. Selecting fabric and matching contrast fabric, embroidery, and slowing seeing it come together has been an oasis in a boring life of work and tax. And as you can see I am nowhere near finished.





Its very easy to make but for the pleats ( I'm embarrassed to say). Firstly I couldn't decide which side I should press the seam allowances and I think this would make a world of difference in lining up the pleats.(maybe). I will try it differently next time. (I pressed the seam allowance toward outer plain green fabric).

Friday, October 23, 2009

Op Shopping Therapy






My car drove me crazy today so I made it also drive me to my favourite op shop, the "Salvo's". And I found some beautiful fabric, two fantastic pillow cases and some brown felt. The green I have already started cutting out the pattern pieces for the "Pleated Beauty Handbag" from Amy Karol's "Bend the Rules Sewing". It wont be the first thing I have made from this great book. I have done the No Cash Wallet, which fits my cards perfectly and is always in use, and made the "Charming Handbag". I'll get some pics of them soon.

What a day!


When your already have a day full of "tasks that need doing" like taking a kid to the doctor, bills to pay, shopping etc, you don't need your car to play up!!!

Everything was fine until some tough looking fellows approached me and asked for help. Their car had a flat battery. I drove my car over to where they were parked and opened the bonnet. They had jumper leads and were men so I let them get on with it. No action from their car.  One guy scratches his head and says he's sure its the battery. I get out of my car and look under my bonnet. And politely ask if they would mind me putting the leads on the battery and not on the plastic casing they had it on. Voila! cars start, battery's charge and away everyone goes.

Well!.... my car gives me grief down the road and stalls all the way to drop off daughter and then all the way home. I give up on registering hubby's car (got until Monday anyway).

I told my husband about the problem with the car and he is puzzled until later I tell him about helping some strangers. He said jump starting cars nowadays can upset the computers in them. Power surge kind of thing.

Morale of story is not to jump start a car unless 1) you have the modern leads with a surge protector, or 2) you don't connect the negative to the flat cars battery.  You clamp it onto the engine somewhere and the positive onto battery terminal.
Both clamps can be attached to good car. Both cars must be off completely when attaching jumper leads. This post should be "How to be a good Samaritan".

I hope hubby didn't want to rest this weekend. ha ha

Monday, October 19, 2009

Too busy to sew.



My boss is going on holidays, so I have extra work days to do. Which means busy, busy, busy and no time for sewing! Well sewing my stuff that I like sewing. I still have to fit in my time schedule a witches costume for a niece (who wants it in like two to three weeks), a xmas stocking for a work colleague, and do my tax and assist with my partners complicated tax.

So no fun sewing for me. I am contenting myself with some pics of a recently finished project. This purple bear I made for my daughter who took it home with her as soon as she saw it and before I got a photo of it. Today she came over with it and I took some quick crap shots as you will be able to tell from above pics.

Its from a Australian "Handmade" sewing magazine. The designer is Jhoanna Monte Aranez. Made of polar fleece and cotton scraps for the dress. Flower is made of felt.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Blue Flower




















 
Here is a Blue Flower I made recently. Its from the book "Kanzashi In Bloom" by Diane Gilleland. I have been trying to work out how to make this flower for years until I got the above mentioned book. It gives very easy to understand instructions and lots of pics.

I am currently trying to master making these in a small size. I want them tiny enough to fit in some studs for little earrings. Small sizes are fiddly and frustrating.

A New Adventure

I have finally started a blog that I have been meaning to create for about two years now. I started reading others blogs in 2006 and felt I should contribute. Its my thank you to all other bloggers out there for years of inspiration and help. (Even though you never knew you were).

I have a lot to learn about this blogging business. Adding photos and linking and heaps of other things. First will be how to turn bold type off! Instead of having to highlight the text all the time.

This blog will mainly be about my sewing adventures and other crafts.
I will try to add a pic of a little blue flower I made recently. If you see it I have succeeded, if not well...........