Here is one of those bags that I was talking about the other day! I completed this last night. I will be working on the other one when I get a couple of other projects completed!! I have WAY too many 1/2 done that need attention, so will stop ALL new projects until they are finished!!

Front:

I did blanket stitch around the outside and straight stitch around the star, crown and flowers...all in similar colours. The bottem of the skirt I stitch with a reddish colour. After doing that, I decided that the frog could stay the way that it was.......got a little impatient and just wanted to finish the job off, I spose!!!

Back:


These are a little too skinny for my liking, but, since they are for little girls, I dont think they will mind too much at all!! There will always be something to put in them, hey?
My "baby" turned 12 today! I just cant believe it!! 12? Where DOES the time go? i know that is a question that ALL parents ask, eventually, but it is one that just HAS to be asked, hey?

He woke this morning and promptly counted how many punches he was expecting he would get from his friends (yes, I sent him off to school) - 72 in total! I did not have the heart to add in a couple more, for old times' sake!

So, tonight will be spent with him cooking his fave meal. We dont have any sweets in this house, so there wont be a cake of any sort, but I DID make some very small cupcakes this morning with the little ones.

I started a new sewing project yesterday! Well, 2, actually. I found some rubber backed curtain fabric at the op shop on Friday and planned on using one of the designs on a little tote bag for Weez for Chrissy. I measured up the design and worked out what size the little bag should be and decided to cut it out and applique it on the front and back (when I get some photos, this will all become clearer, I promise). So, I measured out the bag on the material (doubling the width AND the length and adding on seam allowances) and cut it all out......only to realise that there were TWO bags in those measurements!! So, I cut the piece in half and halved the seam allowances and now I have to make 2 bags from it! They will be slightly different, but only by the design being placed a little differently on the front and back.....and maybe different stitching for the applique. Hopefully, I will get at least ONE finished by Thursday - that is when I have planned on going over to my friend's place to give her the pressies that I made her......I have decided that one will be for her daughter. The curtain material has both a girl and a boy on it, so I might make up a little bag for the boys each, too! Then I might not find cars all over the place!
When you have HUGE deigns and inspiration to do something and actually follow through with it and complete it, but it just doesnt happen, because you get sidetracked by something else?

My crafting for the week was sposed to be dictated by the list to the left, but I havent completed ONE single thing!! I ran out of material or time or.........you know the drill! Not happy, Jan (I wonder who, exactly, Jan is. People just dont seem to be happy with her AT ALL)!

My friend FINALLY had her baby girl on Monday, so I have been busy making things for her and her big sister.

There are some burp cloths (based on the tutorial found here, but made with towelling nappies with some extra padding in between the decorative fabric and the towelling).



And a crayon holder for big sis. I WAS going to give her the one I made the other week, but was not completely happy with it, so it will now go to Weez for Chrissy. Yes, this one IS much like the last one....same fabric and tutorial, just different uses.....but I like the combo so much, that I just HAD to try it another way!



D's placemats are coming along well. I have made the two layers....just have to get some thin batting for between the layers and some bias binding for around the outside and they will be ready - well in time for Chrissy!

I went through my stash this morning!! I cleaned it up and sorted it all out, folding the fabric and working out just how much I had of each and exactly WHAT (and just what I didnt think that I would USE!). I found quite a few from Big W that still have the cardboard around them, so they are now in the wash (I have probably had them for YEARS!). Also, I can now see what I want, when I want it - the joys of see-through boxes! No more rummaging through the boxes until I find out what I can use and what I cant!

This is my tea towel that I made for Karma! She received it last week and says that she loves it! I am soooo glad! I had nerves about it, the whole time it was in transit...you know....as you get with all swaps!

I forgot to take an up close photo of the redwork that I did! So, I tried to cut out and enlarge the photo that I took and it didnt turn out too good, so I scrapped that idea - sorry!

Glad you like it, Lisa!

The way I made this -

Materials
1 piece of 100% cotton fabric (mine was actually an old curtain)
2 pieces of contrasting fabric (for the trim)
Thread to match the trim (or any other colour you like - I used red)
Embroidery thread for the redwork (of course, redwork does not actually have to be red - you can make it any colour you like!)
Embroidery pattern (I used 2....one for the girl and one for the flowers and bee and mixed them together)

NOTE: The embroidery is completely up to you! You can embellish the towel in any way you like - applique, embroidery, whatever tickles your fancy!

To Make
Decide what size you want your towel to be. I wanted something big, but not too big to be encumbersome (is that a word?), so I took an already used towel and measured that. Measure out your fabric and cut it to size. Remember the seam allowances! You need one on each side and one on each end!

Take your trim fabric and decide what you would like to do to it - you could just add it to the bottem of the towel, like I did, or completely encase the bottem, making the towel 3 times as thick on the end (if you get what I mean!). This is what I originally wanted to do, but forgot all about doing, so mine just got added on! You could also make it as small OR big as you would like!

After you decide this, measure and cut the trim to these measurements - make sure that it is the same width as the towel fabric and twice as long as the trim.

Fold over the seam allowances on the long side of the trim fabric, pin and iron. Then fold this whole thing in half (wrong sides facing) and iron.

Place the trim on the end/s where you decided that you would like to put it and sew a line just inside the trim edge. This can be a decorative stitch or you may decide to just straight stitch. If you straight stitch, I recommend you put two lines....just for extra stability!

Trim off the threads and hem the sides of the towel (I just folded mine and stitched with a straight stitch, but do yours whatever way you like!) and there you have it!! A blank canvas to work from! Now you can embroider, applique, paint or whatever and you have a unique, handmade gift for anyone!

AH! My first EVER sewing tutorial!! I hope that it is easy to understand! If not, feel free to leave a question in the comment area and I will try to answer it the best and most honest way I can!
I have finally finished a sewing project and can post up pictures!! The first 3 photos are of a crayon roll that I have made for a friend's daughter (the pattern is taken from here). My friend is due to have a baby very, very soon....like, she was due Monday just gone!! I havent heard anything, yet, so I am guessing she is still crossing her legs, the silly woman!! LOL. The material is from my stash. I do not know where I got the material from, originally, but the pink floral, *I think*, is from Big W and one of their remnants that I purchased AGES ago! The hearts on the outside are yo-yo hearts and I blanket stitched around the outside by hand (yep - took me ages....longer than actually making it...because of the thick layers of material!!).


These ones are a frog. I have made 2 of these, but have only stuffed one....just to see how he would go. This one is completely stuffed with poly stuffing. I might make the next one/s with the wheat that is just begging to be used.....just to make him a little more floppy. This pattern was taken from here. I used some old material of my Mum's. The top was actually a dress (I dont know whether she cut it out, ready to sew and she just didnt get to it or if she actually cut up a dress, planning on using the fabric for something else) and the bottem is from a skirt (yep...a lime/fluorescent green skirt....with a white satin lining underneath...geez my Mum had great taste!! LOL).


About the patterns:
The crayon roll is really, REALLY simple! It took me only a couple of hours to make it up......if my sewing skills were a little better, then it probably would have only taken me 1/2 as long, I reckon! The tutorial that I took it from (here) has really simple and easy to follow steps and photos......which is really good, considering my sewing abilities are not all that great, just yet!

Mr Frog turned out WAY different to the photos (go here), but I am still very happy with the way he turned out!! He only took me a couple of hours to make......again, if my sewing skills were a little better, then he would have taken me 1/2 the time.
Since I have decided to actually POST more and more on here, I have decided to make this blog MINE. I upgraded my template to make adding things easier (like the "Work in Progress" bars). Now, instead of going to my template and changing things around (and, maybe, stuffing things up!), all I have to do is edit STRAIGHT from my "Template" tag up top!

I had a little play around, this morning, also and made up a new banner! What do ya reckon? They are a selection of photos that are currently my faves.

Yeh, I know.....all this time and I could have been doing the housework or something, but........like I keep on saying -"Procrastination is my middle name!"
At the beginning of every month, there is a new SWAP beginning! Last months (October) was a Tea Towel SWAP. This tea towel could be bought and embellished or made from scratch. My SWAP partner was Karma! She made me this beautiful tea towel!

Isnt it gorgeous? "Fresh is the bloom of a bright spring day" is what she wrote on it. it is HUGE, with a chocheted top! Just perfect for hanging!

As she hasnt yet received mine, here is a sneak peak of what I made:

LMAO!! Not much of a peek, but there it is...without giving away too much of it! I made it completely from scratch. I had and old 100% cotton curtain with tab tops and cut out the tea towel from that. I put a trim on the bottem and embroidered a small design on the bottem, left hand corner. Honestly, it doesnt look like much, compared to hers! I hope she likes it!!

I had soooo much fun making hers, that I have plans on making a few more as Chrissy pressies (from the same curtain). I have also cut out a couple of other things from the same curtain, so keep your eyes peeled here for the results!!
I recently had the unpleasant experience of saying goodbye to my dearly beloved Nanna. She was 86 years of age and died peacefully in our local hospital on 23rd October.

Her and I were pretty close. I could talk to her about anything and she would tell me all about her life, loves and passions. More so in the last couple of months, because she was a little house bound and basically confined to her bed most days.

She loved all things yarn crafty - crocheting, knitting and weaving. She was a damn fine sewer, too. I often admired a picture of her that stood on the sideboard in the dining room. It showed her in a dress that she had made herself.

Her love for her family shined through when she talked. She also loved hearing all about everyone and how they were growing up, developing and living.

Nanna's passion for food was a little on the expensive side - she loved the seasonal fruit....Mangoes, Pineapple and Passionfruit....she also LOVED her seafood! Mud Crabs and Prawns (any sort....she didnt discriminate), fish (and chips - every Thursday night)...you name it, she loved it.....especially if it was free! We have prawns and oysters quite often, Pete and I (basically our one and only treat once a fortnight), so I would save her some just about every time and take them into her next time I was to see her.

At Nannas funeral, many, many people showed up. She had a lot to do with the community when she was able and touched many peoples lives. Here are some extracts from her eulogy (written and read by my Uncle Ian and my Dad):

Joseph and Sarah Duggan had a large family of which Mum was the second eldest. Mavis was born on the 28th June 1921 at Parson’s Point Gladstone.

Due to Pop’s work commitments the ever-growing family moved between Brisbane and Gladstone. Since 1940 lived in Gladstone at her present address.

Wherever she went Mum increased her repertoire for learning the necessary skills for later life. (This was done by) working in with sisters and brothers, Jean, Joseph, frank, Betty, Bill, George, Alice, Hilda, and Josephine.

Whilst at Parson’s Point Mum recalls visiting her grandmother, Grandma Buck, who flew a parcel delivery aeroplane to and from Brisbane, Auntie Phoebe and Uncle Sam Millward, playing at school with the local kids and the annual Christmas break-up with the homemade ginger-beer and horehound.

After the many moves, it was around 1940 that Mum returned to Gladstone on a permanent basis.

Pop bought a property at 155 Off St. from Mr Corr next door, and later sold the house which was built with team effort to Mum and Dad.

During the War many Yanks camped on the Barney Point Golf Course. Mrs. Eggstein used to hold parties and invite everyone but mum had eyes for my future Dad, Harry Watts. He was living close by and was working for Bill Golding.

Due to rules at the time regarding marriages, Mum and Dad were married on the 23rd June 1943 at the Presbyterian Church at Norman Park.

Another page finishes and a new one begins.

Harold was born in 1944,

Joe in 1947,

David in 1950 (my Dad),

Yvonne in 1952,

myself (Uncle Ian) in 1953,

and Stephen in 1960.

As each grew Mum became involved in the local South Gladstone State School Committee and to the St.Saviours Church of England Boys Club. (She was) always providing a guiding hand and love.

At the beginning of 1965 a tragic turn of events altered Mum’s life forever.

A car accident on top of the Gin Gin range saw her eldest son killed, me in a coma for 6 weeks, Stephen thrown clear with minor injuries and her being constantly hospitalised.

The beauty of all this was that the whole Watts and Duggan families pulled together and each assisted us through this crisis.

Yet another page of the book of life is turned.


Mum was there for all our ups and downs.

Stephen recalls how mum and he used to ride the steam train to Rockhampton when they used to visit the eye doctor. She really enjoyed all the trips with us wherever we went.

In the 70’s Mum saw her flock marry and begin to move on to raising their families.

The first to start the next generation was only daughter, Yvonne and Keith Gilmore with Lois. Mum really enjoyed the added company. This family went on to produce 2 more grandchildren for her and 3 great grandchildren.

David and Linda gave Mum 2 Grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Janine and I between us gave Mum 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Between Joe and Julie they gave her 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, whilst Stephen and Kathy gave her 3 grandchildren.

Believe me; Mum adored each and every one of them.

Through her love and tireless efforts, I think our family now knows the meaning of “Life hereafter.”

We were brought up to love and respect all mankind no matter what their station is in life.

We understand religious beliefs and without piety for those whose beliefs are different and affect each of us.

- No more suffering and no more pain –

May you enjoy your restful sleep.

I know you and Dad are together again and you are watching over us, always.

Thank you Mum --- Goodbye for now.

Hmm....seems the running theme for me having a blog is to neglect it! Since I have never been one for keeping a diary (although I have had heaps, I never keep them up), this doesnt surprise me one little bit!

Lots has happened in the last couple of months, though. As you would expect, the kids have grown up sooooooo much and I just cant keep up! I have been bitten by the crafty bug and have many, many plans to make HEAPS of stuff for Chrissy pressies, this year! This will be my first handmade Christmas, so it will probably be a little interesting, to say the least!

I have also found out that I am pregnant.....again!! So excited! And, of course, we are hoping for a little girl, this time, to even out the numbers. I am due March 31st.....one day over and I could have myself an April Fool! Seems the time to have a baby, though - a couple of my friends are pregnant, too! It is a weird feeling, being preggers with friends.....I am not used to it! But, I find that I am able to keep a track of them as well as myself (one friend is due in a couple of days and I will be 1/2 way in a couple of days - weird, hey?).

Pete has started a job out at the Smelter (Alumina plant) and is doing shift work (4 days on, 4 days off). He is still running his own business, just in his days off. Yes, it is a little more stressful, but at least we dont have to rely on clients money coming in to pay the bills!

That is about it, for the moment - well, enough that I can catch this up, anyway. I will be on a little later to catch up a little more and share some photos!