Fairy Tutu's

These are some additions I am adding into Christmas presents this year for my niece's and Ada.  They are so easy to make, and I whipped these up in just over an hour - no sewing involved!

This is the tutorial I followed to make my first fairy skirt at the beginning of the year - http://lazymamadesigns.blogspot.com/2007/12/free-pattern-almost-no-sew-fairy-skirt.html

I want to make a big one for me now!!

Christmas Stocking Advent Calender

I saw a picture of these small stockings in a magazine a few years ago, and its another one of those projects that I have finally gotten around to making.  I love the idea of this as I can fill each stocking with whatever I like, including balloons, stickers, diecast cars etc and steer away from lollies if I choose. 

I originally picked some beautiful black, green and red fat quarters but decided I needed something more cheery and appealing to the children so picked 6 bright fat quarters (24 stockings, 4 of each pattern).

Then made a stocking template to the size I wanted (allowing for a 1/4 inch hem).

I then ironed and folded each fat quarter in half, with right sides facing, and traced four stocking outlines onto the wrong side of the fabric.  I then pined them together inside the lines to hold them together when I cut them out.

I had some poplin in my fabric stash that I decided to use to line the stockings with, and cut the linings out the same way as above.  This gave me 24 patterned stocking cut outs and 24 linings.

I then embellished the front of each stocking (not on the back), sewing ribbon etc into place.

Then, as pairs, I matched an outer to a lining, right sides together, and pined along the top (opening) of each stocking, and sewed across the top only.

I then opened the front and back of each stocking out (as below) and ironed the seams flat.  Then right sides facing, joined together the front and back of the stocking and pined together.  It took me quite a while to work out how I was going to sew these together with the lining, so all my seams were clean, but with a small headache I finally worked it out!!

I sewed around the whole stocking, joining front to back, leaving a small opening in the heel where I could turn the stocking the right way out.

This is what it looks like turned out the right way.

I ironed it (avoiding the ribbon), then pinned and sewed shut the small opening.  I didn't bother slip stitching here to hide it, I just closed it with the sewing machine.  I figure no-one will see it!

Then I pushed the lining down into the stocking, ironed it out (being careful not to iron the ribbon) and a mini stocking was born!

This was a time consuming project, not really something you can make overnight.  I am so glad I took the time to make it though as I think it looks really effective and I can't wait to fill it with small goodies and start the countdown to Christmas with the children. 

I Am Still Here!

I am still here!  Its been an extremely busy couple of months between the children, business and a much needed holiday with the hubby!  So there hasn't been much time left for any creation or new baking.  With Christmas coming up though there will be lots of goodies being created, so I will start posting again very shortly.  I am very close to finishing a great Advent Calander for Christmas - my sewing machine is at the shop being serviced, so the minute it is back I'll be finishing this.

The hubby and I just spent a week, childfree, in Bali.  It was amazing and I indulged in some beautiful Indonesian food.  Im feeling very inspired to start experimenting with my evening meals, especially with some of the delish desserts I tried!  Here are a few pics of some of the amazing food we ate:

Jumbo Prawns and Red Snapper, hand-picked and cooked on the grill, at Jimbaran

Chicken Curry and Satay (ignore the hubby's rude gesture at the top of the photo!!)



A mixture of beef and chicken curry, pork slow cooked in soy, corn and coconut, beans and water spinach, tuna and chicken pieces served with rice and a cracker

We were lucky to be invited into a family compound just outside of Ubud during a bike ride, and this is the hubby enjoying some true Balinese coffee and snacks.

Snake Fruit - have never come across this before during my Asia trips.  The hubby called it a 100 year old strawberry.  It had an almost black thick outer skin, and the inner was similar to lychee, but hard and dryer, with a taste of sweet and sour.

I made a point of trying as many different drinks and foods as possible.  This one unfortunately went down the sink!  It was a bit bland tasting, but it was the chunks of jelly in it that I couldn't handle!