Favourite Things

Things. These are some of my treasures that were accidentally placed together, away from little mischievous hands. Funnily enough, I like them all together. Perle cottons and coral, chandelier drops and little red car, matryoshka doll from when I was little - split and only one half of a piece inside and a wee wonderful postcard. A little bit of whimsy, carefree placements that make me happy.

And then, just when you least expect it ........a new fabric to add to my "most favourite fabric of all time"collection. This is one of Kaffe's Big Bloom fabrics - I used the soft pink to make up the squares in my last quilt. This one my friends, is the pièce de résistance, the fabric to rival all fabric, this fabric is the bomb! I have 1 metre, but I'm beginning to think that this could be one versatile baby and maybe more is best. Yes, no, anyone? Being greedy? It comes in a couple of other colours too, check them out here.

Girly Spiderswebs

Today I managed to finish my spiderweb quilt. After a few tense moments I decided it wasn't the end of the world if my triangles and squares in the centres of the blocks were not going to be perfect. So, I got over it, moved forward and finished the top.

I used one of Kaffe's newer fabrics - Big Blooms -as the centre fabric. Big decision that one, I tried to audition a non pink variety, but, alas, this quilt just asked to be pink.

Vintage Treasure

Full of feedsack delights, one of my vintage treasures. This little quilt top is hand pieced 1 1/2 " squares. A little tatty around the edges, but that's all part and parcel of a vintage piece that has so many never to be answered questions I have for the unknown stitcher of this gem. Like, what was your life like? Were you loved warmly, tenderly, honestly? Did you provide warm hugs for your Grandchildren and wipe your hands on your apron when you placed that homemade cake into the oven? Did you chop the wood for your fire and pick the roses from your garden? Did you stitch at night with your loved ones beside you? I hope, dear stitcher, that you had a good, full life, as happy as this quilt sitting on my lap today.

Tiger, Tiger

Tiger, tiger is a really cool coffee bar in Perth. Really cool and eclectic and serves really good coffee, not that I drink coffee, but my husband is into seriously good coffee, so he knows! So when in the city check out Tiger, Tiger.

Onto tigers closer to home, Oliver drew this a year or so ago (sister added the scribble recently) and I liked it so much that I turned it into..............

this! Not quite finished - unusual I know - but nearly. How cool are those sharp, sharp claws on his tiger, tiger.

Frida!

photos: Cees Van Gelderen. Taken from Marie Claire Idees No69 - Juin 2008

photo : me. Taken today - poor lighting and all! Just wrote that to see if you read this.

photos: Grant Cornett, styling: Olivia Pintos-Lopez, flower design: Nicolette Owen. http://www.smallmagazine.net/

The online mag Small Magazinehas done the most gorgeous photo shoot, all Frida Kahlo - esque. I don't quite know that Phoebe is up for one of those upstyles just yet.........but I am! Now Jenny from Allsorts has already blogged about it, but I just couldn't let it go without doing my own, especially given the latest issue of Marie Claire Idees has a gorgeous Mexicano extravaganza happening on their pages too. And I am so loving that smock top up the top of the page and wishing that my hands could/would work a whole lot faster on the gazillion projects I have going, so I could embark on this little beauty. Alternatively, I dream of being able to just dream up projects, start them and then pass them onto some fabulously quick handed person for finishing. Maybe I could teach my hubby to sew. Marathons/sewing? Marathons/sewing? Mmmm....maybe he might to embark on a marathon of sewing with me. Note: He did a marvellous effort in a marathon on Sunday! Nothing to do with sewing.

The middle top is a gift from Pete's parents - all the way from Switzerland. It is super sweet and I can't wait for Phoebe to love it. And she will!

Thanks to my sister and her hilarious post about my foray into boot scooting in the name of being famous one day. Kidding.

Garden Party

These are two fabrics from Anna Maria Horner's new range of fabrics, "Garden Party". It is such a beautiful range.

I was busy over the weekend sewing up an Oliver+S pattern for the latest window at Calico and Ivy. It's the Puppet Show Tunic up the top with the little shorts. Tres cute! The shop front of Calico and Ivy is so beautiful and just perfect for dressing up. Here is the last window, filled with Amy Butler wholesomeness. A little too reflective, so I'll try and get a snap of the latest window in the evening. If in Perth, come and check it out. Debbie has done a gorgeous new quilt to inspire.

Hello Again, Hello

....I know I've been absent. But I'm back, with a little post.

I'm loving this vintage dress pattern! I'm thinking it's going to become a favourite dress of the future. I'm sure the possibilities of which fabric to use are endless.