Happy New Year!

I hope you all have a lovely time tonight and I wish you all the best for a great 2016!

I shall be having a wonderful evening with beautiful friends and a pile of boardgames, so I will leave you with a cute pic of Small Bean stopping to investigate things on our way tot he fabric shop last week (she loved the fabric shop as well but no photos of her in there...)

Colour changing lights are where it's at apparently!

Reuseable Shopping Bag

I'm so glad to be able to show this off!  I made it what feels like ages ago, but I've had to hide it til now because I gave the same kit (with a different design) to Ruthwhoisnotablogger as a Christmas present!

It's a simple calico tote, with the design printed on it, ready for you to embroider.  I'm afraid I totally forgot to take pre-embroidery photos.  I was just enjoying the sewing!  I took the decision to use some of my embriodery threads rather than just the ones in the kit.

I adore the mushrooms and blackberries though and I use this bag all the time, so it's been a great purchase!

Happy Christmas!

I hope you are having the loveliest of days, full of fun and laughter and love! 

Here's a celebratory picture of Lizard in a stocking!

Lizard was unsure about this!

New Top and Shrug

As it's the festive season I've been out quite a bit, to various meals and parties.  So clearly I needed a new top!

You can't really tell in these photos, but there's a gold glittery pattern all over the fabric.  It's very pretty!

 The patterns are the vest top and shrug pattern from my much loved and ever trusty Alabama Chanin book!  When I was out I wore them with my black silk skirt, but totally forgot to take photos.  So theses were taken quickly this morning by my Lil Sis who is visiting for Christmas.  Thanks Lil Sis!

Incidentally, I'm not the only one who likes this fabric....

Tiny Bean attempted to make off with the fabric when I was making the top!

 Mostly because she thought it looked good to eat, but luckily we were able to dissuade her!

Sketchbook Cover

Another early Christmas gift given meaning I can show it off on here!

I choose to make a sketch book cover as my friend is a talented artist and I thought he might appreciate a pretty book to sketch in.

I embroidered his name in an orange and yellow varigated thread and then crazy patchworked the front.  On the back I did straight strips of fabric, then hemmed it and made turn overs for the book to slip in.

I confess to sneakily finding out what colours he might like by pretending to need inspiration for a different project.  He seems pleased with it so I think it's a success!

Mince Pies

In between the mad sewing sessions I have been baking.  Because it's December the cake of choice has been mince pies!

I like making star tops because they look so pretty, but also because they use less pastry so you can make more mince pies.  This can only be good, right?

I went to the Zoo!

Well, actually to Avon Valley Wildlife and Country Park.  But while I'm busy frantically putting the finishing touches to my Christmas sewing why don't you all enjoy some cute animal pics?

I saw some pigs, with one trying to convince it's sibling to get up and play!

These donkeys were really shy but so fluffy!

The alpaca's were really friendly and loved being fed from my hand.  Quite slobbery though...

This Shire horse was huge and totally uninterested in me once he realised I wasn't going to feed him.

The reindeer were really shy, but given I'm playing a deer druid this year I was especially pleased to see them!

This tiny shetland was so unimpressed with the rain.  Can't really say I blame it poor thing!

Introducing Valentina Audley

Another Bath Camarilla post!

This is my NPC outift.  It took forever to sew and I am incredibly grateful to all my lovely craft night gang for helping me with the fitting!

Photo by the talented and kindly Chris Smith

 I am playing Valentina Audley, Ancilla and Master Seamstress.

 The pattern is McCalls 6097.  I used navy blue satin and cream faux brocade.  I know you can't really see it in these pictures, but it's got the prettiest pattern!

The top is laced with navy sating ribbon and the dress is trimmed with a floral lace.  Due to the shape of my petticoat I made the train and the bustle.

 The above pictures are in case anyone is wondering how I achieve the dress shape! Many thanks to Lamoriel for lending me her petticoat until I get my own!

This took me about two and a half weeks to sew and was a labour of love.  I love this dress!

New Baby Gift

My best friend and her husband have welcomed a new little one into the world so obviously I had to send a little gift!

My current favourite baby girl peasant dress and a cute little pair of leggings to go under because it's chilly now!

The dress is white linen and trimmed with white lace and purple satin ribbon.

The leggings are a lovely lilac with white roses print in t-shirting.

I really hope my best friend likes the outfit and that she's loving life as a new mum!

Reticule

This is actually a Christmas gift, but since I knew it was wanted for Bath Camarilla I gifted it early and hence can show it off now!

It's a drawstring bag made from plush velvet and hand embroidered and beaded.

I was working with the colour scheme of white, black and gold with the option to add in a colour if I wanted, hence the red.  The rest was me playing with some of my favourite embroidery stitches and then adding beads to enhance the effect.

Sorry I'm Late!

The internet was down here yesterday.  However, it's finally picked up again and so, lo and behold a wild blog post!

So, this is a super quick accessory I put together last minute for Bath Camarilla, our new local vampire larp.

My inspiration loosely comes from the Downton Abbey maid headresses.  This is a covered Alice band.

I used my glue gun to add two lengths of broderie anglaise and a ribbon over the top to hide the join.  It is possibly the quickest make I've ever done but I love the end result!

The Beans

I figured, I haven't shown any Bean pics recently, so here have a few gratuitous pics!

Tiny Bean, crashed out on my living room floor after a strenuous nearly rolling session!

Small Bean, deciding that toy boxes are for people, not toys!

Small Bean investigating the contents of the washing machine.

 

 

Sewing is still happening, but it's either frantic kit making or Christmas Present sewing so I have less to show than normal!

Winter Spice Cake

I made a cake for my table top group again!

This is a Winter Spice Cake and is billed as Christmas cake for those who don't like fruit cake.  I can confirm it is seriously tasty and Hubby liked it so much he's asked for it as a birthday cake so it will be made again!  Recipe taken from one of my lovely employers recipe book so I don't have a link to share I'm afraid.

Kit Challenge

I didn't really make this outfit, but I did have an awful lot of fun dressing cybergoth for the day so I thought I'd show off the outfit!

I own the green wool dreads (epic Christmas present from Xanthipe a couple of years ago), the petticoat (epic Christmas present from lovely husband), the corset and the coat.  The rest of the gear (goggles, bracers, cyber loxs, muff and belt) were provided by the awesome Shaunasassie.

She also helped with my makeup, because I fail at eyeliner!  It was a great game and I really enjoyed the day!

Spats

Knee deep in 1880's sewing here, so have a picture of some spats I've made recently!

Tutorial can be found here.

Welcome Lizard!

Katy and Greg have welcomed a little one (hereby known as Lizard on this blog) into the world! I made a coupled of tiny dresses for her.

Both in the same pattern, the green one is cotton and the yellow one is linen.  The pattern can be found here.  I knew the yellow dress should be trimmed with blue and I couldn't resist the little touch of pink on the green dress.  Pale pink and mint green look so lovely together, I wish I could wear them!

I found it a very lovely sew and not even the little elastic channels fazed me. I have to say, I think Lizard looks great in them!

Isn't she gorgeous?   She gives lovely snuggly cuddles as well!

Many congratulations to her parents!