Goodbye 2011 (and a Taali quilt)

What a year it has been. It has gone ridiculously fast, especially the last couple of months, I guess that's because we are all so busy.
I hope 2012 is a great year for everyone (and me) and I'm looking forward to seeing what it brings.
Tonight we are having a quiet night with the pizza oven going and Ben's dad and step mum. Samuel is already in bed, Ben and William are feeding horses and the house is quiet for the first time in ages!
I think a few homemade pizzas, a glass of wine, maybe some bubbles out the back will be a great way to relax and reflect on the year and hopefully some make some plans for the new one.
I might even finish my Taali quilt I started on Thursday.

 All I have to do is stitch the binding down. I just couldn't help myself when my half yard bundle arrived in the mail. I have four quilts on the go at the moment and the minute I opened the package I took it into my sewing room and started cutting. I adore the little sheep. I'm totally in love with Monaluna's organics at the moment, I think Anika and Taali are my favorites. The little foxes are great, I'm thinking of combining the two lines for another spur of the moment quilt (maybe my first for 2012 - who know's!).
I'm off to get the pizza dough ready, see you next year! xxxx

Fun Shorts

I found this fun fish fabric by Timeless Treasures called Fish Fiesta at Hawthorne Treads a while ago. Yesterday I decided that I would whip up some shorts for my Madeit store seeing as it was empty!

Alas, I decided they were too cute and Samuel needed a pair too.

I think he could be my new quality control tester judging by how dirty they are now! They will wash well I'm sure of it! I think he may need a new hat too....

And Yes, my floors are that dirty - I have a husband who never takes his boots off, a 3yo who brings bucket loads of sand in coz it is either too hot or too cold to play in the sandpit, and a never ending supply of Christmas visitor traffic. I'll mop later.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a great Christmas with their family and friends. I know we did.

Today everyone is just a little bit cranky, a little bit tired and still not really hungry after stuffing ourselves within millimeters of bursting point yesterday!

Christmas Stockings Galore!

This is what I've been busy making

They were super fun to make, probably because they came together so quickly. One fat quarter for the main part of the stocking, a coordinating top, some batting left overs and calico for the inside lining. Easy peasy and super effective. Now for Santa to fill them....
Here's a close up of them

(p.s. yes they look a bit wrinkled - a certain 3yo who shall remain nameless has been using them to play 'Christmas Presents!)

A fun Christmas cushion

A fun Christmas cushion, a photo by monkeysinmypocket on Flickr.

I whipped this up last night. Our couch cushions are pretty grotty and gross with unidentified stains.
So in the spirit of Christmas I sewed up one of Laurie's cute Christmas Donkey in Wellies cushion panels I had stashed for gifts. (I ordered a couple of extra for me too!)
There was a squeal of glee from the lounge this morning when William discovered it!
I sewed around the donkey and his hat and boots and a few of the snow flakes just to give it a bit of texture. I also trimmed some of the panel and added some cute red and white (spotlight) dots for a border and extra fun. I think he needs a few matching friends!

A tree skirt

William loves trains. This year he is also loving the lead up to Christmas. While out shopping we came across a Christmas train that went around the bottom of the Christmas tree. Of course he wanted it. Unfortunately I reminded him that Samuel would probably break it and so maybe we should wait a year or two. Then I had an amazing brain wave! I could make a tree skirt with a train on it! YES! William agreed!

I used scraps from the box and just raw edge appliqued them on. It isn't a perfect circle - seems I'm not brilliant at making circles even with the pen and string method! But, we are pretty happy with it and it looks great under our tree!