Birthday wishes...

I am busily preparing for the big kiddies birthday this week. Party dress making is in full swing. A quick try on and she was in love yay! After leaving her in her room to get dressed I ran back in to her crying. "What is the matter?" I said...."Look mum, look at all these clothes, none of them fit" she replied. I looked her up and down to see her attempting to squeeze her arm through the hole of a dress that was barely long enough to cover her bottom. I was sure that dress fit her the other day.

I think I have taken my mini child for granted, she has remained pretty much the same size since she was 3 (she is now turning 5). Gentle growth spurts in height just meant that clothes gradually got shorter, but most things I made her were quite long originally, all was good in the world - til now that is. I swear she has grown a foot in the last few months.

On a side note, I have been struggling in the lead up to her birthday for what to buy her. She isn't into anything other than Frozen and an international shortage of their paraphernalia quickly put a dead end there. I have been racking my brain and scouring the toy catalogues looking for inspiration, but nothing - til now that is.

My daughter turned to me whilst attempting to climb out of her very stuck, mum made dress and said "Mum, how come you have all that pretty fabric and you never make me any dresses or skirts anymore. I wish you would make me some again, some that fit me". My heart sunk, thinking of all the hours I have been pouring over the sewing machine creating for others - knowing full well that she had laid claim to certain fabrics for a dress or a skirt. Then I quickly saw the opportunity in front of me...mum made clothes for her birthday. Why had I ignored this golden opportunity up until now. I know that these requests could disappear in the near future when I will create for her, to which she will turn up her nose and request something bought from the store.

So a couple of busy nights and we have a full circle skirt. There is a great tutorial for these by Dana of MADE (sorry I don't know how to do the fancy links) http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-the-circle-skirt.html I used to just use the equation and throw it together before discovering her easy to follow tutorial.

Then I created a T-Shirt twirly dress which follows the same principle as the circle skirt.

Then a simple, yet sweet little gathered skirt.

Nothing particularly hard, but they will all put a big smile on that kiddies dial when she sees them this week. I just hope I have left enough room in these for any more growth spurts that maybe around the corner.

Super hero style...

I was asked by my big kiddy's teacher to make a cape the other day for the 'Paths' school programme. A cape! I have two girls and superheroes were never top of the 'sewing to do' list. A quick Google search and a myriad of options later, we have a cape. I chose the simplest, quickest option but I think it still turned out great and so did she.

 I can see requests for pink ones and 'Frozen' inspired ones in the very near future.

In the pink...

Some people say having kids changes you. I am wondering if they merely bring out stuff that was always there, that you kept hidden away, deep within the cobwebs.

I have been so bold as to make statements like; I dislike pink (and purple for that matter) and I will never dress my girls in matching outfits.

I got my littlest dressed this morning and then proceeded to pull out the clothes for my eldest. We went for a stroll to the beach, I then started taking photos of them prancing and collecting. I stood back admiring these two amazing creations and gasped. They were covered head to toe in pink and they also had outfits with matching fabrics! Who am I? Was it always in me? 

I didn't put any conscious thought into their outfits. Independently I looked at both of them and thought how sweet they looked, but that bubble burst when I had flashbacks. Visions of my sister and I wearing matching fluorescent, polka dot jumpers came flooding back - aaah the 80's.

Look, it's not the end of the world. Sometimes it is confronting however when you are staring at and admiring something you thought was everything you weren't.

Who knows, maybe deep down I am a fairy loving princess who has dreams of a family photo shoot in matching attire. What I do know now is that I have to learn to not make such bold statements before considering what may lurke behind those cobwebs.

:-) 

Some days you just need to take a walk...

I am on a roll, I am ticking all the boxes, I should be over the moon- so why am I questioning my hand made venture? 

I like to portray a fun, vibrant, cheerful disposition through my work. Making little things for little people just naturally puts a smile on my dial. It is so rewarding and I am continually boosted in confidence by friends who show amazing support and strangers that buy my wares and share such wonderful pictures and stories. 

But I have been shaken, my confidence has a massive dent and I am just not sure how to repair it. I would like to keep moving forward and spread the Hoodie Vest joy everywhere (amongst other things i like to create) but as a result of bumps and bruises over the past month, my onward and upward goal is feeling slightly fractured.

I am asking myself, why I am pursuing all this - the time, the hardwork, time less spent with kidlets - in a very competitive world of handmade amazingness? 

I started this journey years ago out of the satisfaction of being able to create unique and fun stuff for my girls. So I decided to revisit that last night. Since some dusty pink bear fur was donated to me, my daughter has wanted a fluffy vest. Fake fur vests are everywhere at the moment and I am not particularly partial to them - but she asked and so I made it and she loves it (as she does everything her mum makes her).

As for the confidence, maybe i just need to step back and get some fresh air & get my head out of all the fog. Maybe it's hormones (I am only woman), maybe it's the school holidays exhaustion or maybe even due to the very quick catchup with some friends and family in our former home town which has left me with a bucket of emotion.

Who knows.

So we're taking a walk.

What a challenge...

I can not believe I managed to finish all these beautiful Hoodie Vests with a few days to spare. Each one is unique, fun, fluffy & just adorable. Something to spruce up any little outfit. But like a bag of lollies, you may not be able to just have one. Visit byreneehall.bigcartel.com for details.

I have a confession to make...

I found being a mum super hard. I found being a second time mum even harder. Second time round I wasn't able to just order in shopping and remain in the confines of home. I had places I now had to be - kindergarten and playgroup. I had to be organised, have kids organised.

Being ready on time often meant the littlest would often remain in her plain old Bonds onesie, sometimes for numerous days. How could I face up to kindy with my child still in the onesie she had worn the previous day, with weetbix firmly entrenched into the fibres.

My sewing all of a sudden took a drastic turn and became developing the 'cover up'. Clothing items that distracted and could easily be placed over these horrid onesies (which I adored so much). Clothes that were fun, bright, bold - screamed "I have an extensive kiddy wardrobe".

So I developed a range of reversible pinafores and vests with snaps. You could have just one, turn it to the reverse the next day and you looked like a mum who not only had style but was so together in the morning.

My bub was a winter babe and so my Hoodie Vest become my instant go to item. It did all of the above and kept her super toasty at the same time. I was in love.

I have since made these into a range of sizes, all with the cute pixie style hood. This week i returned to where it all started. Whilst building up stock for an upcoming online Hoodie market night, i started cutting out the tiny size 0 vests and all those memories came flooding back. 

It is funny the memories that pour from a tiny piece of butchers paper created with so much intent.

summer clothes

Both my girls are in desperate need of summer clothes after a couple of major growth spurts. So a quick trip to the major department store &....oh that's right we don't have one in town.

So a quick flick through some of the blogs i occasionally get to peruse and I stumble across a couple of people making beautiful peasant style tops. This style is very easy & there are even plenty of tutorials on how to construct a pattern yourself but I was feeling very lazy & wanted something fast - that didn't require a whole lot of thinking. 

I used the Leila & Ben 'Sweet Little Dress Pattern' & whipped up a couple out of upcycled op shop find clothes & some other fabric I had in my stash. 

My eldest loved hers & threw it on the moment she got home from school but then ripped it straight off complaining it was uncomfortable under the arms. So a quick alteration to make the elastic in the cuff only go over the top of the arm & we have a winner.

Now to make a few more :-)