Tiny new friends

As soon as I saw this tutorial for travelling matchbox houses, by Trixi over at Coloured Buttons, I knew that I had to make the 'big' girls one each.

It was one of those things that you see and just know they will love.

And I was right.

I completed the little houses using craft glue and some gorgeous rainbow coloured wool felt that I bought from Shelley as well as various bits and pieces from my ribbon box for some of the details.

Mine are in no way as lovely as the one made by Trixi, with her tiny button flowers, but my girls don't seem to mind.

I was a little heavy-handed with the glue - but using craft glue meant I had to be to get the felt to stick together. I think Trixi uses a hot glue gun - which I may have to invest in if I am to make more of these.

Once the houses were complete, with Shelley's help I made up little pipe cleaner/bead people to go into them and stitched on their tiny felt clothes.

The girls then had to wait a week til I was at handwork circle the following Thursday for their dolls to get hair.

By that time I had been given very strict instructions about what they both needed.

The person in the purple jumpsuit with a pink heart on front was (apparently) a boy, called Joshua. He was to have orange short hair.

The person wearing the yellow shift with the purple heart on the front was a girl called Madi who needed long pink hair (which is tied in a ponytail down her back)

Coincidentally they have cousins with these same names. (who would have guessed!).

So I dutifully put the requested hair on and left them by their beds ready for play.

No amount of cajoling would convince the girls the dolls looked lovely without faces, they could then be happy or sad and who would know except the person playing with them.

So I reluctantly added a smiley mouth and eyes.

I should let it go I know.

They are, after all , not really mine!

I can't tell you the adventures these two little people have had already in osteopath waiting rooms, across the loungeroom at Grandma's house and in the back yard at home.

They hang around the girls' necks on their ribbon and are always there ready for play.

Thanks Trixi - for this great tutorial.

If you haven't checked out Trixi's blog then do yourself a favour. As a long-time craft/sewing teacher to kids she has an adundance of great ideas for keeping kids entertained or things you can make for them.

Hello Kyoko

I'm back!!

With new camera in hand and stacks of new sewing to show you.
Firstly, the sewing.

I have a couple of new patterns to play with. These two from Modkid's Patty Young.
I love her stuff.

These struck me as versatile pieces that could be adapted for summer or winter wear.

So here's the first, a Kyoko made in lightweight denim and my favourite red pinspot with navy grosgrain ribbon on the obi-style sash.



I chose to keep it pretty simple with regard to fabric combinations and I am really happy with the result.

Despite there being a decent amount of binding to make, doing it was really not as 'bad' as I had expected - in fact I cut way too much and have enough for another top.

The instructions are clear and easy to understand and I will let you know about the fit tomorrow when my model has a chance to try it on.

Check out other Kyoko designs here - including the dress length version.

Now, the camera.

I know for all you serious photography chicks that DSLR is the way to go, but at this stage of my life I don't feel that I have time to develop the skills that would justify a fancy (and let's face it, expensive!) camera like one of those.

So this is an 'in-between' model.
Many more features than our old camera, but not a DSLR.

I found out tonight, while taking a few practice snaps that I can fix red eye on the screen before even downloading the pics.

Which is great as red eye seems to be a problem in this household.
(Can someone tell me is it a blue-eyed person thing as our bluest eyed child seems to be the worst??).

It also has a fabulous 20x zoom, perfect for sneaking up on unsuspecting kids doing cute stuff without allowing them to see me and get all 'posey'.

And of course you can take 'movies' on it, and stills as you are recording a 'movie'
I'm pretty happy - can you tell??