A bit of DYI

The area near my sewing machine generally looks like this. I was sick of never finding the bobbin that went with the thread I was using. Like most things in my life an idea floats around my head for a while then it pops out into reality.

this was the solution to my problem.
some wood some dowel some fabric some paint and some modge podge
problem solved.

one would never have fixed the problem
the colours in these are not great but I am sure you may have seen this fabric around.

On Saturday night after an extremely hot and humid day this storm blew in
sunshine on one side of the house and grey clouds the other
the wind blew and the rain came from a different direction - straight in our front door something that rarely happens.

A quilt and the birds

I have finished Tony's quilt and have loved every minute of the process.
It is paper pieced and hand quilted although hand quilting a quilt in Australia in the summer is not pleasant. Here is a mental picture you might want to forget me in my underwear quilting the alternative is me dressed normally with the air conditioner on full blast and the family dressed in winter clothes.

and the label



It has been hot here and the birds in the neighbourhood have been enjoying every bodies sprinklers and bird baths here are some shots I took the other morning.

missed the bird got the water droplets LOL.

Our neighbours bird bath is quite the place to be there is much splashing and quite a lot of bullying.

and then it is up in the tree to dry.

You may have guessed I'm on holidays

This productivity will dry up next week as I am back to work.
These have been such fun projects, they are samples for the shop.
The patterns are by Annie Smith of Country Keepsakes and there are about 5 different hand puppet patterns all with 2 different puppets in each pattern.
Lorraine has all the patterns along with some of Annie's dolls patters which are so very cute.

My 2 had hand puppets and loved playing with them Gemma instantly said when she saw these were are Sooty and Sweep.
They are in a box in the roof waiting patiently for grandchildren LOL.
Shame there isn't more creative childrens play and less TV and computer games.
This is Victor and the other puppet in the pattern is Frankie(Frankenstein).

Meet Marmalade she has Chuckles the clown with her.

The baby is growing and we are having weekly visits with my girls who are not that fond of other dogs.

41C = time in the sewing room 2

This idea has been in my head for quite a while it took our recent hot weather to get it out. I wanted a strap for my camera where I could could wear it over my shoulder and it be wide enough to make it comfortable and have my camera sit on my hip. I also wanted 3 pockets one for my lens cap, another for my phone and another for my keys and some money.
The wonderful Amy modeling the strap.

phone pocket and lens cap pocket.

phone pocket

zipped key/money pocket

I am now set for camera walking in comfort.

41C = time in the sewing room

It has been hot here in SA which means time in the sewing room. I THINK I saw something like these in a Mollie Makes Mag some time ago. I went to the op shop and bought the jumpers a while a go and they have been sitting folded in a draw patiently waiting.
I am really pleased with how they turned out better than I had expected. The first one took a little fiddling getting the top right and the second one was super quick. The jumpers cost $3.00 each and I used buttons from my tin, some of which came from my Gran.
I did buy 2 buttons from Hettie the lovely red rose buttons they were the big spend at $5.00.