Monster PJ Eater

I LOVE the PJ eater's that are getting around lately, so I decided to make one for a birthday gift.

I used the pattern from Sew Fearless, but made it slightly larger so I could just insert a cushion insert rather the stuffing and risk lumpiness.

And felt it needed a cute little poem to go with it (just in case the new owner didn't quite understand what it was for)

I am a friendly monster,

who loves to sit on your bed,

and every morning as you wake,

I get grumpy if I'm not fed.

I love to eat fabric,
It's my favourite food,
Just one pair of PJ's in my tummy,
It will keep me in a very good mood.

Nothing like making it personalised either.

Kids Week: Day 5

Opps a little late in posting this...but here is what I created for my eldest son on the last day of the challenge.

I have no been requested by my eldest 2 to make all of the colour ninjas EACH!
thats 5 each (minus this one)

At least that means it is liked I suppose....

 

A big thank you to Crazy Little Projects, for the printable template.

Seasonal Cushion Covers

I have been admiring these cushion for a while now, and with Christmas fast approaching I thought I better get to work on my Christmas "to make" list.

I made these covers removable so they could 1) fit over existing cushions, 2) not have to try and store a filled cushion during the rest of the year and 3) not have to worry what cushion filling would actually store like.

Cant wait until Christmas time and have these on display! (First I need to finish the other 2 cushions)

This is the tutorial I used, from Sparkle Power!, to make the removable cover.

Thumbs Up Approval

Last year my youngest wore one of my monkey beanies that I have available in my store.
But this year I thought he might be getting a little too old to get away with being "cute".

After hunting for the right ear flap crochet pattern I found this one from Alli Crafts.

And I think the photos speak for themself and show just how much my son loves his new head wear!

Winter AND summer skirt!

When I saw this piece of fabric in the remnant bin at Spotlight, I knew it would be fantastic for a skirt!
So at $2 a metre I grabbed the piece that was there (and wouldn't have been much more then a metre, however I can't remember exactly now)

I wasn't sure WHAT type of skirt I wanted to make out of it.

But as soon as I found this tutorial on Sweet Verbana, I KNEW it was perfect, and got to work the next day!
(only difference with mine is I wouldn't just fold and sew, I had to cut and make sure both piece has the right side facing out as my fabric had a very clear front and back)

I think it is perfect over tights with boots for winter, and I am sure I will wear it in summer as it is a lovely weight fabric.


I am now on the look out for some more fabric to make this style skirt from.

Wallet/Clutch

I knew this fabric would look great as a wallet or clutch, as I think it is very stylish and also easy to match with any outfit.

So when I was told this wallet from Very Purple Person fits an iPhone in it, I thought it would be a great wallet-clutch, and since making it I know I will be making many more in different fabrics for myself and as adult gifts (watch out friends and family).

ETA: Here is another I have made for myself... just wait until Christmas and you will see just how much I love the pattern/tutorial... many more will be made!

!

Easter Gift

Our Christmas M&M tubes were a great hit at Christmas time, so thought the kids would enjoy giving some Easter themed gifts.
At first I thought of doing jelly beans- especially if I could find some pastel coloured ones.
But as soon as I got to the lolly isle and saw the mini marshmallows I knew that would be perfect!


So here they are..... All 40 of them!!!!!
What am I going to do when my third son is at school??


And for the teachers, thanks to Kelli One's blog for the idea, they all received a vase full of flowers!

These were well received, I even had other teachers and students looking at them and asking about them.
And the teachers were even talking after them for weeks to come :)

Electronic Reader Cover and Stand

With the help of Made by Marzipan's I adapted this tutorial to fit my mum Ereader.

Art Journal

A BIG thank you to LBG Studio for my new favourite tutorial that has become my main gift drawer stocking, the Art Journal.

I have made 4 of these so far, with many more planned as the stock gets low.

I have filled them with a mixture of sketch books, notepads, colouring in books, and stickers.
Plus the essential colouring in pencils and lead pencils.

Mini Organiser

I am a BIG fan of note books, stationary and all things drawing and writing... always have! (I think it drove my mum crazy when I was younger to be honest)

So I couldn't help but make one of these "organiser wallets" for myself.

And while I was at it... whats another 7 more to add to the gift drawer!

(Usually this drawer consists of items I have found on special for the kids friends birthday parties that often spring up suddenly, but this year I hope to have more handmade items in this drawer ready for Birthdays or Christmas. This particular item may be more suited to adults, but I’m sure there will be some little girls out there that like notes and drawing also)

some other versions i have done, is remove the curved pocket, and make the large on in to a mini pencil holder

DS Cover/Case

Shhh... My older two boys are getting DS's for Christmas.
And as you may know they are expensive, especially with all the accessories and games etc.

So I got creative, not only did I manage to get 2 pre-owned DS from a games shop at a fraction of the price, and they still come with a 12 month warranty on them.
Plus a bunch of pre-owned games from forums and classifieds.

But I decided to make them covers each for storage rather than buying them.
Plus I don’t think store bough ones have this much storage.
These have storage for 12 games, the stylus, the DS, and games instruction (and I added another pocket because I had a bit of extra fabric because I managed to cut one pattern piece twice for both cases)

This is the tutorial I used.

And if they fill up the 12 game slots, I have intensions of making something like this.

Please Stay and Have a Cuppa

Every year, I try to make at least half of the Christmas gifts.

Especially to school teachers, friends, some family members, and the lovely ladies who organise the playgroup I attend.

Admittedly, it does work out cheaper for me, but I think that also has a lot to do with making the same item for everyone, so I can buy supplies in bulk.
But I do also prefer doing it because I love to sew, therefore I am giving a gift that I am putting as much love and care in to as possible!


This year, I stumbled upon a "Tea Bag Wallet" and thought that was a fantastic gift idea!

Octonauts To The Rescue!

I had never heard of this show before, but in one of the many craft/gift swaps I am involved in the mother had mentioned it as one of her son's favourite shows and book.

I first had plans to look up what the characters looked like, and see if I could create a soft doll type of concept for the characters, but I was super excited when I was able to find a couple of crochet patterns!

Not all of the main characters had patterns available for them, (I believe there is about 4 of them?) and I'm sure I could have changed the colours and altered their features to create the others.

Here are the patterns I used, save you hunting for them also :)

Captain Barnacles
Kwazii

Hankerchief Infinity Dress

This isn’t the first infinity dress I have made, and I am sure it won’t be the last either.

It is such an easy dress to make, and so versatile with how you can wear it, and even more so when it is so easy for you have one in every colour!!!

I had visioned this dress after an episode of Winners and Losers, I knew I wanted a dress similar to Sophie’s (second from left in case you don’t watch the show ;)), with a colourful print as the skirt part, with a handkerchief hemline, and a black top/strap area.

I was even more thrilled when I found the floral print fabric for $2 a metre at Spotlight.
The black stretch fabric was found in the remnant bin for something ridiculous like 60c!
The most expensive part of this dress was the lining, which was $7 a metre.

In total this dress cost me less than $10, and no more than an hour or so to make!

The flower, made from left over scraps cut from the waist circle hole, has both a safety pin attached so it can be worn as a brooch on the dress, or cardi when needed, and also a bobby pin, so it can be worn in my hair, depending on my mood.

Cheeky Monkey Duo

I was approached through my business about donating an item to an upcoming charity auction, and if possible an item for a girl and an item for a boy.

I knew exactly what I wanted to make, as it has been in my "I'd-like-to-make-one-day" list.

After checking with, Larissa at mmmcrafts, if I could use her free pattern for the auction item.(As I wasn’t sure on rules about selling an item made from someone else’s pattern, even if I'm not making a profit myself, always best to check.)

I made my version of Molly Monkey and adapted the pattern to make a boy monkey (however a Mike Monkey pattern can be purchased here)

I drafted his removable shorts myself (including a hole for his tail, LOL)

And I was thinking, once auction bids reach a certain amount, I will be including extra skirts and shorts so both monkeys can be dressed during playtime.

Once the auction goes ahead, I will post further details to let you know when it has started.

Giddy Up Cowboy!

Hobby horses are FANTASTIC! And nothing better then a handmade one I believe :)

I finally got around to making this hobby horse for my two year old son. Now he can stop riding his toy broom around the house.

I found a very easy to understand tutorial and printable pattern at Designs By Kasia

I HAD to include the "Wanna be a Cowboy by Riley Blake" fabric, but I only had scraps left, so I sewed them together to make the reins.
For the head I used soft denim, I think of Cowboys wearing denim so seems fitting to me (plus I didn’t have a brown fabric to match the Riley Blake fabric).... Goes together much better, I think!

Sock Animals

Who knew there were so many animals you could create from a pair of SOCKS!
And many of the tutorials are free and easy to find online.

Here are just a few of the animals I have completed lately:

Who wouldn't love a rainbow monkey in a tutu?

The tutorial I used for this can be found at Web-Goddess, I love its step-per-page layout.

This mummy and baby dogs were made from this tutorial, found on Create Studio

The mummy dog only requires one of the socks in the pair, so I HAD to make a baby dog to go with it :)
I just used the same concept, making everything smaller scale, including cutting the body in half, along the length of the dog.



Next on my "Sock To Do List" is:
Dragon
Zebra
bunny
Hobby Horse
Owl
(Just to name a few other tutorials I have already come across)

So keep your eye out for those in future entries....