What I've been making...

I seem to have more hours in the day for planning sewing projects than I do for sewing them! I have hurt my neck recently and can't spend long periods sewing or typing or sitting really so I have just been planning mostly! As soon as I'm better I'll be blogging my sewing efforts!

Here are a couple of things I have made in the last couple of months that I've been meaning to post!

Baby Blankets

Babies everywhere at the moment and I have been stitching away with some polar fleece blankies.

Patchwork fleecy for baby Ryan, wrapped up (above) and unwrapped (below)

This print was too cute to cut up, so I just stitched the edges (after a very unsuccessful attempt to sew blanket binding around the edge, Awesome said "Just do that stitchy thing you do, it'll be quicker", and it was, only an hour and a half in front of the TV!). This was a remnant that I found at Lincraft in the remnant box, (love that!) and only needed 1/2 for the blanket - all up it cost me about $2.50!

A close up of the stitching around the edges

With Mothers' Day here I thought I'd show you the little purse I made for my Granny.

This is a purse from a pattern in Pip Lincolm's book Meet Me At Mike's. I love this book and have been busy making things from it (I sadly lost the photos of the bird and flower coasters and another purse like this I made for a friend). The fabric was left over from other projects and the button was from a bag of thrifted vintage buttons I bought at a church fete in bowral (bargain - about 50 buttons for 50c!). All up it probably cost less than $2!

There are still many, many things on my to make list.. and I seem to be adding them faster than I am making them. I am getting a little faster at sewing though (although I have to be careful not to go too fast and cut corners!). Here is a skirt I made by adapting this pattern (which I love and will make a shorter version of soon), while Stu was taking a shower before we went out for dinner. Yep, a new skirt in less time than it would take for me to park at the shops!

(sorry about the photo - Awesome was sleeping). The fabric was given to my by my Mum as an off cut of something she was making, the bias binding was also a find in a bag she was getting rid off and the elastic was from the Lincraft remnant box again ($4 for a bag of about 20 pieces of various elastic!) so all up it cost me practically nothing to make! Even if I had bought all the bits myself the skirt probably comes in at under $10. Bargain!

Lovin' my sewing machine! What are you making?

Two Kinds of Wisdom

I'm having trouble with my goals. I have intentions, I have the desire,

I am missing the drive.

And I figured out why... Selfish ambition. I want these things for me.

Not for the glory of God.

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

¹⁴But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

¹⁵Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

¹⁶For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.~ James 3:13-18

Time to go back, to refocus. Time to run for God.

Photo: My Father-in-law racing Triathlon at the World Masters Games.

How to cook your own meal when I'm out....

And he ended up having toast for dinner...!

January Wrap Up

The first month of the year has flown by already and I am still just nutting out the details of my goals ...!

I have finished the first of my books on the 30 excellent books list.

Guidance and the Voice of God by Phillip Jensen and Tony Payne is a simple and easy to read overview of the way the Bible outlines God's guidance for us. I was particularly encouraged to read about the way God examines our choices. When we are faced with two 'right' choices (for example, choosing between two great churches) we need not fear that we will miss the 'path' that God has set for us. Already I have had the opportunity to discuss this very subject with friends, and I was thankful to have read such a clear outline on the topic. The book also examines cases studies of church, work and marriage as models for the way God guides us and speaks to us.

I recommend this book highly!

In the sewing realm I have started on some of the sewing projects I had lined up for Kindy. There are more to do, but I really need to find a more permanent place for my sewing machine! I wonder if I can angle for the spare desk that hubby is using for his models? We'll see! I was given a beautiful book called Meet Me at Mike's for Christmas and it has me thinking about several more projects to be added to my list! All in good time though!

I have recently found a friend who is willing to be my accountability partner in my 2010 goals. I will be hers also! We have emailed each other a list of our goals, measurable, specific and achievable, and will be writing out a timeline (this was her idea, and a wonderful one - it will help keep me on track). Then each week we will meet up briefly before bible study or call each other and check on each other's progress, update prayer points and encourage one another. We start next week and I am all ready looking forward to it!

This week I am aiming to get my house under control after a week in Fiji and organise a healthier fridge and meal plan for the week. I'll keep you posted!

Sewing Projects I have Lined Up

I have quite a few projects lined up for my sewing machine this year. Here is my get-started list:

• Playsilks for kindy
• I have purchased patterns for projects from here - flirty skirt, fling top, the versatile wrap and discovery bags (that one is for kindy too)
• Aprons and book bags for gifts
• Alter a tablecloth we were given for our wedding to fit our much smaller table and use the off-cut for napkins
• Love this pattern for a halter top but will have to save up I think!

Just a few things to get me started!

Creative Play for Little Hands

I have been searching for ideas for open-ended toys for the children at Kindy. We have a lot of equipment that needs replacing in the next 3 years and I want to make good - lasting choices about the kinds of things that we can choose to give the children.

My criteria are the following;

- must be durable and long lasting - 45 children a day, 52 weeks a year

- preferably open-ended or multi-purpose

- cover a range of developmental areas

- no small parts - most toys in the center are used by children from 6 months to 6 years

- easy to clean and meeting Australian standards where required

- low environmental impact where possible

- cost-effective or low cost

Gee! I don't ask for much do I!

This is what I have come up with so far:

• Playsilks
• Discovery Bags - will have to alter the pattern as the plastic beads would be a choking hazard
• Bilibo - I love this idea, but I think it is financially too expensive for the centre (we would ideally need 6-8 of these)
• Home-made Dollhouse furniture that we could make ourselves with the children
• Tyre Garden Bed (see below) we already have tyres for free from a local tyre store. We just need to organise soil and plants!
• 

Do you have any other ideas of things that we could make or provide for the children?