A Pink Peony

 Presenting my latest adventure in Couture Pour Moi ... Colette Patterns' Peony.  This is my wearable muslin.  Despite being between a few sizes ... I ran it up in the Size 8 ... I am really happy with the fit ... Next dress (oh I've already got the fabric out, ready to be cut!) I think I will add a little in the length - I feel I am feeling a little bit breezy when I bend to pick up smalls, if you know what I mean ...

 The fabric is a linen look fabric I picked up from the op shop last week.  I dare say it has some poly in there - hell it might all be poly - but it was perfect for my first go.  I don't own anything pink.  But I am actually pretty happy with how it looks.

 The bateau neck is so lovely and just a little bit classy, methinks.  It's important to be a little bit classy.  Rise above your station, I say.  Like having a cheeky vino with your chips and gravy.  I may have made the darts a little pert (if you know what I mean) but I only think you would notice if you where staring at my chest ... and really I don't think there is any danger there.

I omitted the pockets this time - only because I was impatient to get the dress finished so I could see if it had worked. The only change I made was that I put in a conventional zip in lieu of an invisible - I haven't been able to get my hands on an invisible zipper foot for my machine - although it has turned out OK - an invisible zip would definately be a much nicer finish.

Oh and I didn't make the belt ... I'm not good with belts!

This is an awesome dress.  I have a feeling I'm going to be whipping up a few of these as my go to dress!  Colette Patterns are available at Milkbar if you live on the Apple Isle x

Ideas Man

I used to be the world's best present buyer.  OK.  So that is not exactly quantifiable, but let's just say I used to get a large amount of joy and satisfaction out of searching for and acquiring the choice present.  Fast forward a few years ... and I suck.  Some people are easy to buy for, but most are just plain impossible to think up a good gift for. I just hate buying something that I know is not going to hit the mark.  I know people apprecriate the thought and all that ... but they don't appreciate having to display/wear/ serve on/ hang up/ use a crap present only when you come over.  I know people.  Most hate to offend.

Without a doubt the men in my life are the hardest. My brother-in-laws are the top of the list of dreaded birthdays.  I try to get my Man to do the choosing - but even he struggles. So since I love making gifts, I've gone all out.  This year the brother-in-law is getting this.  It's so belated, I almost kept it for Xmas.  But what is it? Well, it's a hard covered lecture pad, and I made the cover from vinyl.  He may hate it.... but I am appealing to his sense of humour.  He will get the reference.  Plus he's doing his MBA, so it's not like he doesn't need something to take notes in ... who doesn't need a little humour injection in some of those lectures?

I made one just like it at Xmas time for another dear man.  His may be hidden at the back of a drawer as we speak... but I have to get points for trying, non? And I made a different version way back when for my man's birthday.  He still uses it.  He's OK with it.  SO I've decided.  This is this year's pressie.  Done.  No more said.

Entally

 Sunday was the Colonial Fair at Entally House.  It was optional dress up. This was the best I could come up with on short notice.  I think they look all jaunty and tres colonial, non?  Just in case you are wondering... the third guy is not mine.  He's my very cute nephew.  He's a ring in.  The lads follow him around chanting his name, "Carter" ... but the way they say it sounds more like "Kotter" as in Mr Kotter, as in Welcome Back.

 This guy looks as if he would fly a magnificent flying machine.

The other two just look as if they are involved in a swindle.

The Crowded Three

In a couple of months I will have been a mother for five years.  In a couple of months + 1 day,  a mother of two for two years.  In a couple of months + 2 days a mother of three for two years.  I like being a mother of three.  I like that I no longer have to feel guilty about not picking up hitchhikers ... the three seats in the back are taken.

I like that I mostly go and do the supermarket shopping alone because I am yet to find that elusive trolley that has room for two toddlers up front.  I know they exist.  So do the yeti and the tasmanian tiger. I like supermarket shopping.  Soooo rock and roll.  I know.

But what I find grinds me down about this mother of three under 5 caper is the constant and repetitious malarky of trying to encourage the less small one to be in the same room as the other two smaller ones without Oscar winning, highly dramatic meltdowns.  I know it's a phase.  I know it's a personality thing.  I know it will pass.  I know that as they get bigger they will be less inclined to annoy the hell out of her. But, it's been two years.  I'm over it. I'm running out of patient voice.  I'm low on understanding.  I'm silent screaming in my bathroom.  I'm perusing the chocolate aisle with greater regularity.  I'm making whatever signs behind backs.  I'm so freaking mature.

So as a reminder to myself, I present two very recent moments, captured, recorded and aahed over - where my smalls coexisted and had a good time.  Just in case.

Peony with Dahlia

Hot of the back of my lisette sewalong effort, I am in the zone.  Keen to go back to back on the couture for moi.  So after delivering the wee girl to kindergarden this morning, all packaged up so cute in her school uniform and topped with a red satin ribbon, the boys and I perused the op shops on the way home.  How convenient that they just happen to be at the end of my street?  Stop one ... two lovely books that sparked a cheeky wee idea for this round of birthdays coming up in May (my smalls birthdays are the 23,24,25 of May - madness or rather genius if you consider that two of them are twins)... oh and I put an ACE sewing desk on hold .. to pick up tomorrow!! Stop two ... just the gear I needed for the practice run of Colette's Peony dress.

After hankering after one of her patterns for a while, I was a little bit stoked to find them stocked at Milkbar.  Not just coffee there, my friends.  I found this linen-look pink fabric (near on 5m!) this morning.  Perfect for my first whirl.  I suspect it's a cotton/poly ... but it is super soft and has a nice drape which will allow me to see how I go.

Plus, it's pink.  Not my thang exactly, but the wee girl will wet her pants.

Oh, and I grew that dahlia.  Not the roses.  I stole those out of Loz's garden.  If you know me you know that THAT is my thang.

Lisette Sewalong

A little while ago I joined Cam's Lisette Sewalong to give myself a kick to my derriere to get a dress sewn for myself.  OK ... so officially it was a Lisette Continental Dress ... but I got the green light to take part with the Lisette Passport Dress.  Mainly because I already had this pattern but also because I can't work a belt on a dress ... I just can't seem to tie the thing right.  I missed the dress belt tying gene. But oh how I love this dress.  It has some cute dart work on the front to give a fitted bodice ... and just enough skirt to give a little hat dip to the fifties.

Last time I sewed this dress I ran it up in size 16 ... and ended up having to run it in at the side seams.  This time I had a go at the 14 ... no adjustments required - snug but wearable.

I got the cotton fabric months ago with the express purpose of making this dress.  I have a penchant for the polka dot and I love the cheeky wee red polka dot just peeking out in the mix. I even found some beaut cotton bias binding for the arm holes in the stash that matched a treat ... further confirmation that you can never have too much op shop sourced bias binding!

 The back gapes a little at the neck if I had to be super picky - but I can live with that sort of carry on.  I love how it comes in at the waist but the full skirt hides all your daggy, hangy-outy, origami-me-up-and-tuck-me-in-somewhere bits ... with big pants I reckon I would even pull off this smoke screen when seated.

 This is bloody ace pattern ... and super easy. I'm definately going to whip a few more of these babies up.  I love a good frock.  Now I can feel all inner glowy and smug when I say 'I made it myself'. Simplicity Pattern 2209 if you care to get amongst it.

Thanks so much Cam for the sewalong!  You are a gem of this crafty bloggy world x

PS ...I'm standing on our super-cool reclaimed pallet deck that my man made this summer ... I whip up dresses ... he rocks the DIY 

Our Sunday in Pictures

Milkbar Launceston

There are few greater pleasures in life than coffee.  OK food is one. And vintage stuff. Oh and cake ... did I forget cake?  Oh and sewing and crafty stuff. And friends.  Friends should be above coffee?  Just go to Milkbar ... it's got it all there - and even a beautiful space out the back for workshops and stuff - and I can see myself there - sans enfants - hiding with all of the aforementioned.  But today we were invited to 'assist' in the dummy run.  To lend our tastebuds, our chops and our eating and drinking ablities so that Isis could have a practise run. Get a feel for her beautiful space.  It's a dirty job.  Someone had to help her out, non?  And I loved it.  It is all gorgeous. It opens on Tuesday. Milkbar: 139 St John Street, Launceston. Get there first.  Then you can use the expression 'I just discovered the most delightful, cheeky wee cafe'.  It's not copyrighted.  Go ahead. Until then - indulge your peepers. (and like them here on facebook)

Not Heidi

I have a friend who I call my 'Real Living Sugar Mama'.  She knows the reason why.  She is my long standing, uber-creative, op shopping, thrifty, kerb side chuck out trawling, artisitically leaning, house decorating, renovating, handy woman, who I call stylist.  She is just a little bit of an inspiration.  I feel she spoils me to the point of embarassment.  Today is no different.  Today this arrived in the post.  Not Heidi is her new venture. She makes these beautifully handmade necklaces.  Pom Pom necklaces.  She combines pom poms made by the hill tribes of Thailand with all other trinkets, shells and goodies - and I'm in love. This is me in the necklace.  Clearly I'm no Frieda Kahlo in the self portraiture department ... so here is a better shot ...

Want one?  Contact her via here (tell her I said hi!)  Or more an online shopper?  Go here.  Live in Sydney?  Happen to be around Coogee?  Drop into Lived in Coogee.

Ps Yes, my friend ... that is the couch I have almost finished recovering.  I promise I will send a better photo when I am finished x