Sofa Day beds

When we moved to our new house in September 2008 we didn't have any sofas and spent 3 months sitting on giant bean bags and being strapped for cash meant we couldn't buy any decent sofas either so what did we do? Made them ourselves.

Indy designed and hand built them both from scratch based on a traditional Indian day bed, they both have single mattresses so they can be used as guests beds (plus you get to sleep by the cosy warm fire whilst everyone upstairs shivers).

We have painted one gold but can't decide if we like it or not so have left the other one until inspiration hits us.....

Simple Summer Dresses

This design looks very similar to a 'pillow case dress' whereby a dress is made from a pillow case and a ribbon is run through a casing around the front and back necklines to make drawstring straps. This version is slightly more elaborate with a contrasting bodice, rick rack and fixed straps (which I made out of bias binding instead of buying another yard of fabric just to make to thins straps!!)

Linen Summer Dress & Jacket

These were both Prima patterns I believe, I made them last summer from a designer linen I bought in Forest Gate for an absolute knock down price, I paid about £7 a yard for it and then saw it for sale in John Lewis for £20 a yard!!!

I do like a bargain :)

Robin Hood Boy In Tights

My son had to play the Town Crier in his school play about Robin Hood, he only had a 30 second slot out of an hour long play but I was determined to make him the best costume I could and this is what I came up with.....

Holidays Dress

I used the same vintage pattern to make a Halloween dress and a Christmas dress in novelty print fabric, I adore this style, it looks so sweet and innocent on toddlers.

Summer Playsuit

Another great vintage pattern, a fabulous little shorts playsuit, this time I used the good old Ikea children's fabric, I still need to put 2 big red buttons on this.

Secret Santa

I made my presents for my Secret Santa this year (I always seem tio make things for other people and rarely for myself!), I made a hot water bottle cover, a little handbag and a crayon roll.



 



 



 

Cardboard Gingerbread Men

I saw a wonderful wreath on Martha Stewart's website made out of real Gingerbread Men but I didn't want to hang real edible decorations on the door, not with MY kids (and dog) around so I made it out of cardboard instead and used 3D paint for the icing and raisins.

I will get a proper, nice red tartan ribbon for it, that is all I have to hang it with at the moment.

The Tree

If we were hamsters, and our house was their cage, the RSPCA would come round and rescue us for being overcrowded. Seeing as we are just humans however we just have to lump it.

So, lack of space means no space for a tree, not even our usual slimline artificial one so I decided to make one instead.

Its made from MDF, it's painted BRIGHT green, the baubles hang inside sawn out holes and it looks fabulous and I LOVE it!!!

Where has my baby gone?

My wickle baby waby Pops Pops has started playgroup, it's 3 hours a morning for 3 mornings a week, sob,sob.

Of course she doesn't HAVE to go but she is getting bored at home and absolutely loves it there, on her first day (Tues) she didn't want to come home and today she cried after her nap as she wanted to go back.

She has to take a  spare set of clothes with her so I thought what better way to mark the occassion than by making her her very own bag, I'm very pleased with this one as I made it up as I went along and even lined it!!! It took me about an hour, maybe less.

Busy Bee

Yes, I have been very busy, Poppy's band new and rather expensive (especially when you have just lost your job) scooter was stolen from the park less than 2 weeks after I bought it for her 2nd birthday but a wonderful cyber buddy of mine emailed me and asked (begged) if she could could buy Poppy a replacement.

I didn't know whether to accept or not, I didn't want to say no in case I looked rude and offended her by snubbing her very generous offer but I was worried it was far too expensive for her to buy, and I didn't want to say yes in case it looked like I was taking advantage or something, arrrgh, you know how it is, situations like that are difficult!

Anyway, I discussed it with dh and we decided to accept, I was very emotional about it, I mean just how kind and generous was that?????

I came up with the idea that I would make her some dresses for her daughter who is the same age as Poppy as a thank you and it's taken me a while because I had to wait until I had a bit of cash for the fabric and then finding time to make them has been hard but at last I have finished them !!!!!!!

I would have completey finished them if I could find the tiny red button for the Christmas dress, I am sooooo annoyed, I wanted to post them off tomorrow but I'll have to go to the haberdashers first, Isaw that button the other day too, grrrrrrr

So here they are, a cup cake dress, a Christmas dress (for wearing at Christmas, it will look great with a red jumper and red tights) and a bag  for the wonderful Mama herself.








And I actually made something for myself yesterday too, I managed to make it in an afternoon with constant kid interruptions so it would proably take an hour in all.
I bought the fabric and the lining from Husseins Fabrics in Forrest Gate for £2 a yard and it was a double fold yard so huge, I can get several bags out of it.
I just need to buy a button for it tomorrow and it's finished!