Bend the Rules Sewing Swap

I joined another swap! For this one I had to make a Charming Handbag from the Bend the Rules Sewing book. I included some home made bias tape, made using a super fun bias tape maker. I hate sewing bias tape but making it sure is fun! I also included a little jewelry pouch with one of Lara's sticky beads inside. My swap bag is headed to Gabriola Island, BC. I'm not sure who is making me one but they have to be in the mail by March 31st. I was uncharacteristically ahead of the game and mailed mine on Monday! A phenomenon of the internet and craft books nowadays is that people that buy the books create Groups on Flickr where we post photos of our projects, for example the Bend the Rules Sewing group here. This is a great way to see how the projects turn out and to get ispired to make them. People also swap tips and hints for the patterns.
I've made these little Charming Handbags before, here, here, and here.

Birthday Shirt

 

Happy Birthday to our little man. Time sure flies! This was a last minute idea (like most of my birthday present ideas seem to be, last minute and late!). This font is great fun, it's called Joint by Pizza Dude. We had a lovely birthday brunch, more girls than boys and no cake at the birthday boy's request.

Thanks Mom

I am one of those lucky children of the seventies whose Mom saved LOTS of things. Some I don't even remember and secretly think that she hid these toys away so we wouldn't wreck them! Like this snow mobile for example. I don't really remember it but judging by the wear, it must have been my brother's and he probably loved it and I probably wasn't much interested. The blue and yellow doll house with the ringing door bell however, now that I remember! The snowmobile was accompanied by the "Snow" book by Roy McKie and P.D. Eastman, 1962. It is from the Cat in the Hat beginner reader series. My mom was a primary school teacher until my brother and I came along and I now realize why we had all these great books! This Snow book has been very popular since Mom sent it and inspired my little guy to stick his tongue out to taste snowflakes. So for all you folks celebrating Spring - we're trying to make the best of our snow, since it will be here for at least another month - Happy First Day of Spring!

Birthday Bunting

Our little guy turns 3 this Sunday and we're having a brunch party! No cake (his request!) but we do have treats for each friend to take home. Instead of a loot bag I usually (ok, this is only the second party we've had, I know!) make something. Last year it was a Kidlet wall pocket from jcasa jcasa. Poor Finn didn't even end up with one (I mis-counted!). They are great - especially for door knobs to put pj's or toys or books in, er... or so I've heard...! This year it's a little strip of bunting flags as seen on here on Sew Mama Sew. I'm always looking for fun ways to decorate Finn's room and this seemed like a good idea. It can also be used to decorate a play room, a tent or a fort - or the garden, if spring ever comes!
Here are last year's Kidlet's - just because I really loved the photo!

The Wrap Skirts

I've been having a great time with these cotton/linen skirts and coordinating Denyse Schmidt prints and a bit of Heather Bailey print too! They're really fun to wear (the brown one is already wrinkled in the photo since I couldn't resist wearing right away!). The plan is to make a bunch in 3 sizes for The Mother's Day Trunk Sale that we're going to have on May 2nd. Ever since I saw The Workroom's trunk shows I've been wanting to have one of our own! So over the next few months there will be a few projects here that will go towards that Sale.

The Handmade Toy Swap

A few weeks ago I joined a Toy Swap! Bird and Little Bird organized to bring awareness to new legislation that could potentially make life difficult in the US for handmade toy makers (law makers response to hazardous toy materials coming out of China). Annie invited people to make a toy and send it to their swap partner. As it turned out, Annie was my partner, and vice versa. She sent me this lovely Blue Fox from sunny California and I sent her this sunny yellow house with front flower bed that can't wait to be in it's new warmer climate! I've seen swaps on line before and have always wanted to do one (I've since signed up for 2 more, stay tuned!). It was a lot of fun as it also involves sharing photos of the construction process and final product on a Flickr group. A great way to get new sewing ideas or just to get inspired. Thanks Annie for a great first swap experience!

2 Bears, 2 scarves, 2 dresses for 2 Birthday Girls...!

2 Bears, 2 scarves, 2 dresses for 2 Birthday Girls...!, originally uploaded by Georgi Pearson.

Hello again! We've been away getting some sun and snorkelling! Now that I'm back I'm late for 2 birthday girls' gifts. So there's been a flurry of pattern drafting, cutting and sewing, knitting and bear face making! This was fun to put together. The bears are Yukon Alpaca wool, from Alpaca's right here in the Yukon! The fabric I found on our way back north in Vancouver and I LOVE it! Very cute bears and bunnies and houses. And then there are the hangers that I found in a thrift store - if you ever see any please grab them for me! I'd like to have a bunch for the day in the future when I make and sell children's clothing in an actual shop!

The house that love built

valentines birdhouse, originally uploaded by wishfactory.

I'm stealing this lovely photo from the wishfactory and friend Tara. Go take a look (both links!), I suspect the show is for the local flower shop that she works at part time - thank goodness it's only part time or we wouldn't get to see her awesome works!

Sewing in Japanese

When I was in Singapore in 2005 I'm sure I saw these lovely Japanese dress pattern books but thought - don't even look, you'll never be able to read the patterns! Well, thanks to blogs, I can now see that there are many brave women out there who have jumped right in and tried these patterns any way! Who knew?! So here is Number 21 (in the largest size published - of course!). It's a blousy top for keeping the sun off me while on holiday next week - a well deserved one I might add, as we've been enduring minus 35 for atleast a month now...! These books came from here and the guts to do it came from the blog at the workroom.

Number 21, originally uploaded by Georgi Pearson.

Our "Craft in the Mail Club"!!

Our "Craft in the Mail Club"!!, originally uploaded by Georgi Pearson.

Sam and Sarah's mom has graciously started up a Craft a month Club! Each Mom prepares 12 identical crafts that can fit in an envelope, with postage. Every month each participating pre-school child receives one craft in the mail! Our first craft arrived last week. In celebration of the Year of the Ox, a paper lantern with stickers for decorating, and a Chinese fan (see circle in foreground for cutting out and colouring, also came with a tongue depressor for the fan handle!). Finn had a great time and did really well (Mom actually had to sit on her hands to not jump in and do the craft for him - naughty Mom!). For Finn's birthday we always hang our Chinese paper lanterns from the ceiling so he kept asking if it was his birthday when this lantern was under construction!
Stay tuned and I'll try to post each month's craft - I wonder when our craft will arrive...