My recent makes: Birthday presents, dresses to sell, and a potholder mat!

I've been busy sewing and making things lately. I haven't even looked at what Im making for christmas yet, as Ive had birthdays to think about and my shop to keep well stocked. I'm pretty over the moon about the love and encouragment ive been getting about my shop, and some of my handmade wares are even sold out!!! If you didn't know I had a shop, have a browse here.

It was my sisters birthday yesterday and as usual I like to try make her something, as well as get her bits and pieces from the opshop. I found her some cuuuute vintage ribbon and gave her a set of colourful paper balls that I bought from Ballarat to string into a garland. I decided to make her a set of embroidery hoop framed fabric, as she loves colour and loves hanging things on her wall.

 

I used a vintage sheet for one, a plastic doily for another and a vintage napkin for the third.

 

I also wanted to make her a dress, as I am in a dress making frenzy, and knew she would really love and appreciate it. My sister has a very good eye for vintage and cute dresses,as you can see here in her shop Lola and Joy,  so I thought really hard about what fabric to use and how to make it extra cute..(thankyou opshopped collar).

 

 

 

I loved this fabric and it looked really lovely on her.

 

I've also been making dresses for my shop. I have two available at the moment, both made from vintage sheets. I love them both, and would happily wear them myself, but I also like the idea of someone else out there wearing it, which is why I am selling them. My dresses are $35 each except the bottom one is $25 as some of the sheet is pale in a section which I only noticed after I made it. Still lovely though, but Id wear a petticote, which is lovely anyway!

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

I also made this upcycled mat for Percys room this week. Its made from vintage and cute pot holders. I have been collecting them for a while now, and decided to make it, but with the plan to add onto it as I find more.

 

 

 

 

Have you been busy making things? Hows your christmas plans coming along?

 

See you soon, and hope you all have a relaxing weekend!

 

Taz xx



Shop Update: doily bags, vintage linen cushions and granny square garlands

I wanted to share with you some of the latest things I have been making, that are also now available in my  online shop.

 

I made these bags from opshopped crochet and knitted squares, vintage doileys and buttons. I really love them. They are $6.00 I made one for myself too..

 

 

 

There are also 4 of these cushion covers available for $5. They are made from a vintage tablecloth.

 

 

 

Below is a granny sqaure garland I made that has been bought already but more will be added, so keep you eyes on the shop. They are $5.00

 

 

Hope your having a wonderful week and being creative.

 

Thankyou so much to everyone who left comments on my swimwear post, I really appreciate your encouragement. Now for some sunny weather...

 

 

Taz

I made myself vintage inspired swimwear!!

Yesterday was hot and sunny. I've been dreading but also getting excited about the warm weather hitting melbourne. Yesterday was great. I didn't overheat. I felt excited about the sunshine, about our seaside holiday coming up, about picnics and about swimming. I got so excited I decided to make myself some bathers. Vintage inspired from a picture of a cute pattern I found online. Material was opshopped and away I went. I am soooo happy with these. Nothing went wrong, and I just hope nothing goes wrong...bursting open whilst at the beach...and they fit and suit my body so yeehaa!!

I referred back to this image as I went along, leaving out the technical bow detail..

 

this image of my Narmie has inspired me too, I just love these bathers!

 

I love this image too!

 

they dont suit mannequins..so baggy!

 

 

I attatched pretty black elastic around the edges of the waist and legs 

 

I made the stripy part of the top but attatched it to an old strap with a buckle. I just gathered the sides to fit the size of the strap

 

Elastic to hopefully prevent boob exposure. I also lined the top and bottoms for extra protection!!

 

Below are images of me wearing them. I debated showing you this, but as I will wear them at the beach theres no difference I guess. But as I am not comfy with a almost nude body on the internet, I took them of me in the mirror, just showing what needs to be seen for the bathers!



 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you made your own bathers before? I'd love you to show me! Im feeling pretty proud of my sewing skills. My Narmie would be proud, she made my bathers as a kid, lovely purple leopard print ones!!

 

Enjoy todays sunshine if you are in melbourne, it's leaving us already this afternoon!

 

Taz xx

Latest finds..from ballarat to melbourne

I thought I would share with you some of my favourite second hand finds from the past month or so. I recently went to Ballarat and found some pretty great things there, and over the past few weeks, have gone to numerous school and church fairs, and opshops and found some pretty things too. Here are my favourites. Perhaps I can encourage you to hit a local fete or opshop and see what you might find!

This wonderful cake stand

 

a much needed sieve

vintage dress

 

an old advent calender, no chocolates under the squares, just jolly christmas images!

 

another cute, handmade vintage dress with matching head band

 

cute wedges

 

this tintin picture

 

 this pretty handmade skirt

 

 fabric

 

vintage tablecloth, perfect for a Kitchen Linen Skirt

 

 Found 3 pairs of brand new love heart socks

 

 cute shorts for percy

 

 this cute book of cross stitch designs 

 

 christmas candles and an un used note book

 

 this wonderful childrens book

 

this very sweet handmade jumper for percy

 

found this rain hood for 10c. its got yellow polka dots.

 

 this vintage skirt

 

I also bought these bright and colourful paper balls from a wonderful shop in Ballarat called Cake

 

 

While in ballarat, we also found a wonderful handmade market in Maldon. It was full of clothing, bunting, handmade toys, fresh produce and baked goods. We bought homemade raspberry nougat, cheesy biscuits, lemon cream biscuits and some liquorice tea.

 

Have you been to any cute little country towns? Any you can recommened for a visit?

 

See you soon, with a recipe for homemade hedgehog!

 

Taz 

Our stay in Ballarat.

This weekend just gone, we packed up our car, and took my mum to Ballarat for the weekend. Ballarat is an old mining town, about a 2 hour drive from melbourne. I'm not going to try give you the history of the place because I actually don't know it, but it's away from the city and a good place for a weekend away. I booked a little cottage and it was only when we opened the front door was I really really really excited about our stay. I was excited, but this cottage took it to a whole new level. Yes I am going on about a cottage, simple things make me rather happy! I highly recommend this place and thought I would show you the photos. It was an old miners cottage and you couldn't help but feel all happy, warm and cosy when inside.

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for somewhere to stay, give this place a ring. There was plenty to see and eat in ballarat, loads of opshops, cafes, antique warehouses, craft shops and parks. On our way home on sunday we drove to Maldon(near Castlemaine),another old mining town, and browsed a very lovely handmade market and had lunch in the sun before slowly driving back home.

 

I am going to do a part 2 of our stay in ballarat, with the opshop finds!

 

Here is the website for this accomodation, Lalor Cottage Ballarat

 

 

Ok, well see you soon.

 

Taz