STATE FAIR OF TEXAS 2013 ....

Today's post is a little braggy post ....... please excuse me, but I'm a little excited !!!

Do you remember these ...

Well, this is where they were headed ...... hence the deadline I mentioned I had to meet ...

Today, our sweet mail lady dropped this in our mailbox ....

Needless to say I am VERY excited by these results :-)
This is the 3rd year I've entered goodies ..... I've been lucky to place with something I created each year.
We'll definately be having a Family Day at The Fair ....... it is SO exciting to see something you made pinned up  (with its ribbon attached) on display for all the fair goers to see. It's kind of a proud moment.

If you've ever considered entering items into your local State Fair, I'd strongly encourage you to do so ...... it's so much fun !!!!

TIWIT .... TE .... WHOO ...

I've been playing again, with the freezer paper !!!
This time I used Tulip Fabric Spray Paints ..... I purchased a little tester pack a while back, when I had a 50% off coupon. The pack has seven 4oz spray bottles of basic colors ...... they are a lot of fun to use :-)

As Halloween is not too far away, and I have a great love of all things owl (and you can NEVER have too many tote bags), I decided to go with this design. Once again, I embellished the design with a little embroidery, and some bling. I couldn't find the crown I wanted, but it turns out that I really do like this alternative. It was a pendant, that I disassembled a bit, and turned upside down.
I lined this bag too ...... they just seem unfinished to me if I don't.  It's a five minute job to do it, so no excuses really. I went with a funky, fun Halloween print this time.

I love labels, and would really like to get into the habit of using them more often. I found this cool stamp in the dollar bins at Michaels, marked down a further 50% !!!! Who can resist .... I know !!!
I had a scrap square of muslin, that was headed to the dustbin. Instead, I ironed some applique paper onto the back of it, and stamped the image onto the fabric, using Staz On Ink ....... that ensures the ink doesn't do odd things when it touches the fabric. I then took my little alphabet stamps (also a dollar bin find), and stamped my name .... Voila, a cute label. Once I finished stamping it, I cut it out using pinking sheers, and ironed it onto the bag lining. The best bit ..... I still have some of the fabric left ..... backed and ready to go, when I need it :-)

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely, long Labor Day Weekend ..... Ughhh, I guess we'll be answering to the alarm clock again tomorrow morning !!!

BAR ONE CHOCOLATE SAUCE .....

What's a girl to do, when the homesickness just wont go away .... make something that tastes of home !!!
Bar One Chocolate Sauce ...... it is EVERYTHING a chocolate sauce should be .... warm, rich (very rich), sweet and just altogether out of this world delicious !!!!

We buy our Bar Ones (a South African chocolate bar), at The British Emporium in Grapevine. Any shop that sells international food stuffs would most probably have them.

You chop them (about 4 bars) up into small pieces, pop them in a pan on low heat, and add some cream ...... I just eye balled the amount of cream. Stir it all up, until it melts ..... I had to whisk it a little, to mix in the nougat bit of the chocolate.
The result ......

Heaven In A Bowl !!! I could drink this stuff up through a straw, it's that good !!!!

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend.

OWL SEWING BUDDY ....

Never again will I need to buy another seam ripper, measuring gadget or pair of little scissors ...... well, here's hoping anyway !!!!
Isn't this owl just THE cutest sewing buddy ever ..... loyally she stands by, holding all your "Have To Haves".
She's weighted down with a cup of rice in her bottom, so she sits exactly where you want her, and wont tip over. I found the pattern and tutorial HERE. It's a great tutorial, that takes you step by step through your creation .... the best bit - it's a free tutorial !!! Now who doesn't like free !!!
She gives you two options - a single color body, or a two tone body (like mine). Just something I found, and I thought I'd mention it, should you wish to make your own friend ...
- If you make the two tone owl (like the one I made), before you cut the pattern piece apart, cut a back piece using that pattern piece (I had to cut away at the back piece, used for the single fabric owl).
- When you cut your pattern piece apart, don't forget to add 1/4" seam allowance to each edge.

I am always very grateful to people who put a lot of hard work into producing a tutorial, and then offering it very generously for free.

I'm certain this will not be the last one I make of these .... they're useful, rate very highly on the cute scale, quick, easy, and a great way to use up little bits of fabric you have lying around.

Go ahead, give this cutie a try ....... you know you want too ...

A CANVAS BAG, FREEZER PAPER, FABRIC PAINT .... AND SOME CREATIVITY ...

Freezer paper - I've had a roll of it lying in my craft room for years. I've seen so many wonderful projects where it's been used to create a stencil, but truth be told, I've always been a bit skeptical .... it's only plastic coated paper after all !!!
I had seen THESE on Pinterest, and thought they were very cute. I had a little time on my hands yesterday, so decided to give the idea a try ...... and I'm very pleased I did. I for see lots of freezer paper stencil projects ahead !!! That stuff, when ironed onto your fabric, sticks like crazy .... no color bleeding goes on that's for sure. It does peel off with no problem too.

The color in reality is a bit bolder than what it's showing in the photos. I used  SEI TUMBLE DYE to spray my bag. I knew I kept them for a reason, all of those projects ago :-) I pulled the bird template off the internet and used a little scrap of fabric I had for him. I couldn't resist the little, blingy crown. I made the organza flowers, by ruffling up a length of organza ribbon, and secured them to the bag with little white seed beads.
I did sew together a quick lining for the bag ...... seeing the embroidery thread when I opened it, bugged me. I used a cheerful bird print for the lining.

I know we're not ready to think about it just yet, but for those of us who like to hand make as many of our gifts as possible ....... Christmas will be here before we know it !!! My kids head back to school next Monday, and I always find, that from that point on busyness reigns, so my plan is to be way more organized and on top of gift making this year, than I have been in previous years. This bag would make a great gift .... think teachers, babysitters ....

Until next time, take care ...

TIME TO PUT NEEDLE AND THREAD TO FABRIC ...

My inclination to create anything, really hasn't returned yet. That being said, I had a deadline to meet, and had to get going on 3 projects ......I'm really glad I did :-) It definately reignited my love of sewing. I don't do nearly as much as I'd like to ...... my promise to myself - once the kids head back to school a week from now, I'm going to dig out some patterns and fabric, and I'm going to get creating :-)

Item number 1 ..... I love Daisy Kingdom sewing patterns. I wish I had discovered them, before Girl Child grew to big to wear them. Thankfully I have a little niece !!! This is Simplicity pattern 2716. It looks a whole lot more fiddly than it really was.

So very cute. The underskirt has little black dots on the red fabric ..... works perfectly with the ladybird fabric. The skirt has a handkerchief look to it. I like the tie detail at the shoulder too - it's a drawstring fed through casings in the back and front bodice pieces - very clever.

Item number 2 .... Who doesn't love an apron, and these colors are just so gorgeous !!!

I bought this pattern off Etsy - I was drawn to the pointed skirt. Again, a very easy, well written pattern, that makes use of 8 fat quarters. The pattern didn't call for the flower, but I just felt it needed something on the bib. I found this beauty to enhance it. I put the flower on a pin back, so that it can be removed before the apron is laundered. The perfect apron to throw on and bake up a batch of something yummy !!!

Last, but not least, item number 3 ..... this tote bag !!!

This is my own pattern, one I created a while back, and change up by adding a little here or there, depending on how I feel. This fabric, makes this bag. It was a remnant of duck cloth I found at Hobby Lobby, teamed with plain black duck cloth, and a sunflower yellow cotton lining, it's just perfect !!! I use webbing for the handles, and I used a chunky, metal zip for the pocket. It also has a welt pocket in the lining.

My urge to create will return in full force I know ...... let's just hope that it's REALLY soon, because I have a long Christmas gift list, that needs to be completed well ahead of time !!!!

SOUTH AFRICA ... PART 3

We've visited the bush, and we've visited the sea, all of which were wonderful. We loved every minute of being in those places ..... the fun we had, the memories we made, being in places that were just simply familiar. There's much to be said for being somewhere, that just feels comfortable and right .... the sounds, the smells, the food, the way things work ..... you know them all.
Today's post is all about the reason for visits like this one ........ it really is plain and simple ..... FAMILY !!!

I am a family orientated girl to my core ........... it's THE most important thing in the world to me. I firmly believe that if we were to set aside all of life's trappings, the things that us as a human race spend a lifetime chasing after ..... wealth, recognition, the next best thing, and made our families central in everything, the world would be a much happier and better place.

On our way home to South Africa, we stopped over for 12 hours in London, to spend a little time (we'd have loved for it to have been longer), with my sister, her hubby and my niece and nephew. An extra special, cherry on the top surprise, was that my cousin (who currently lives in Vienna), was there spending time with my sister, before leaving on an adventure of her own ..... a trip to The Galapagos Islands !!!!

 The oldest and the youngest cousins !!! This was the first time that Girl Child and Boy Child had got to meet my nephew. I adore these little people .... nothing beats 2 little people jumping into your arms for kisses and cuddles as you arrive at the front door :-)

 My sister and brother in law, with all of the kids.

 My cousin joins in the photo shoot.

We made the most of the time we had with them ..... we were shown every plant in the garden by my niece (definately learning from her daddy). We were introduced to the chickens, and were given a quick lesson on how best to catch them ..... not bad, to say she's only 4!!! Boy Child and my nephew collected snails .... and more snails .... and more snails :-)

 On arriving home, we went to lunch with my folks, brother, sister in law and my one nephew (the kids in SA, were not on school holidays while we were there). Within the first 10 mins, my nephew and Boy Child, had decided that Craig was going to come and spend the weekend with us. The boys had a blast ..... they fished, they shot pellet guns, and just had a great time.

 Dinner ... the boys were happy to get their own table.

My oldest nephew is 2 years older than Girl Child ..... they got on so well.
My only regret, is that the cousins didn't get to spend more time together (they all said they had wished this too). I can only imagine how much fun they'd have all had at the beach together ........ there's that small issue, called school though, that got in the way :-)

 We had a family lunch, on our first weekend home. My Aunt (affectionately known as "Aunty") was there. My other cousin (brother of the cousin we saw in London), as well as my brother and his family were also there. I love, love loved it !!! The chatter at the table, the laughter, stories being retold, plans being made ...

 Lunch break in the Kruger National Park .... there were some very cheeky Vervet Monkeys, that were not shy to steal the food out of your hands !!! We sat quite entertained (I'm sure the owner of the Kit Kat didn't find it as funny), watching one of the monkey's unwrap a Kit Kat (that he had snatched), just as we would, and eat it finger by finger (he broke off a finger at a time) .... quite amazing really.
The monkeys are a problem though at the rest stops ...... unfortunately the problems came about, after people started feeding them, thinking it was entertaining.

Granny and the kids ...

 Sharing experiences ..... (at our campsite in Kruger)

 Spending time together ...

 Walking and talking along the beach ...

Mom and Dad ...

 Grannies are great for passing on culinary skills !!! Granny teaching Girl Child how to make crepes. The laughter and giggles that eminated from the kitchen, were just precious.

 Pappie needed to add his bit of advice ...

 They were delicious, and made the perfect Farewell Dinner Dessert.

I believe each generation benefits from the teaching, experiences and presence of previous generations. I cannot teach my kids from the experiences of my parents - only they can. Cousins share unique bonds and commonalities, that are special only to that relationship.  Aunts and Uncles are extensions of us as parents, to our kids ....
I think that "Scattered Families" - and lets face it, there are many of them, more so than at any other time in history - are a sad part of life today. Thankfully though, modern technology, has made it easier to stay connected ..... what would we do without Skype !!!

Thank you Mom and Dad for THE most amazing holiday.... For everything you did and continue to do for us. We love and miss you so very, very much.