Fence Painting With Water, Kids Activity - Summer Fun Series

Hey Guys,

Today I am teaming up with the always lovely Emily from Nap-Time Creations as part of her Summer Series, even though it's wet, windy and the middle of Winter here, I can pretend I'm sipping ice cold wine in the Sunshine.

Fence Painting, when my older kids were little this was one of their favourite activities.

WYPW

Hey Guys,

Well Jules is still away let's see if you can figure out what has been the theme of this week.

This kid has been taking lessons from mine!

Hell yeah!!

Because this is how much I want in my glass this week.

I'm lucky, I have other kids that can turn on the telly, god bless ABC for kids!

Every Freaking Day! Not always milk but bread, butter, cereal and the worst part is often it's right after I have been to the shops because they've either a) not told me we were out or b) put the empty box away.

Theme of the week, I really miss Jules and can't wait for him to get home, 2 weeks is a long time when the kids are driving you crazy, so to my single Mum readers, you guys ROCK!!!!

Mel xo

Sewing Machine Cover Makeover

I love all those gorgeous quilted sewing machine covers out there, especially the one made by my friend Ros over at Sew Delicious see it here. However I do like that I have a hard cover, since I am banging things around all the time.

So I decided to give mine a little washi treatment.

Tri Coloured Knitted Bed Socks

As you know those concrete floors we painted in the lounge room have been a freezing cold nightmare. So much so that it was time to knit some nice warm woolly socks. These are so toasty on the feet and you can use your scraps.

These socks are great for the beginner who is ready to learn a few shaping techniques. They will fit both Elizabeth and I her being a ladies size 9/10 and I'm an 11 Aus and US sizes are the same for shoes. However they would fit most average feet, there is a lot of give in the wool.


You'll need

3 different coloured balls of 8 ply
5mm (US Size 8) knitting needles
4.5mm (US size 7) knitting needles
darning needle to sew the seams
Row counter

Using the 5mm (size 8) needles and the pink wool cast on 40 stitches and work in k1,P1 rib until it measures 12.5 cm (5 inches).

Change to 4.5mm (size 7) and change to black wool and knit 10 rows stocking stitch starting with a knit row (right side) ending with a purl line
Change to white cont in stocking st knit 6 rows end with a purl row
change to black knit 10 rows stocking stitch
Change to pink continue in stocking stitch for a further 6 rows
change to black knit 10 rows stocking stitch
Change to pink continue in stocking stitch for a further 6 rows
change to black knit 10 rows stocking stitch
Change to white cont in stocking st knit 6 rows
change to black knit 10 rows stocking stitch

Shape heel
Row 1(RS) K13 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 2 and all foll (WS) purl
Row 3 K12 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 5 K11 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 7 K10 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 9 K9 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 11 K8 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 13 K7 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 15 K6 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 17 K5 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 19 K6 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 21 K7 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 23 K8 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 25 K9 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 27 K10 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 29 K11 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 31 K12Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 33 K13 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 35 Knit across ALL Stitches

Row 36 P13 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 37 and all foll (RS) knit
Row 38 P12 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 40 P11 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 42 P10 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 44 P9 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 46 P8 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 48 P7 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 50 P6 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 52 P5 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 54 P6 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 56 P7 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 58 P8 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 60 P9 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 62 P10 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 64 P11 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 66 P12Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 68 P13 Wrap Next Stitch and turn
Row 70 Purl Across ALL Stitches

Beg with a knit row, working in stocking stitch and Black wool knit 10 rows ending with a purl
Change to white cont in stocking st knit 6 rows
Change to black knit 10 rows stocking stitch

Shape Toe
With the Pink wool
Row 1 (RS) K7, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K14, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K7
Row 2  and all following WS purl
Row 3 K6, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K12, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K6
Row 5 K5, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K10, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K5
Row 7 K4, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K8, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K4
Row 9 K3, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K6, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K3
Row 11 K2, K2tog,K2, K2tog tbl, K4, K2tog, K2, K2tog tbl, K2
Row 12 Purl
Cast Off

Obviously it's socks peeps so you need to do that all over again, unless you only have one foot.

To finish
Weave in your loose ends
You can steam it flat, I'm kind of lazy when t comes to socks and just sew the seam. Start at the toe and sew the leg seam using mattress stitch. Then finish it off by sewing the toe with an overcast stitch.

Then start modelling your latest socks like Elizabeth did.

Some out takes, she's such a dag! She's wearing her religious pj's not the holes, we call them her holy pants. I keep tossing them into the rag bag but she keeps rescuing them, apparently they're "the best".

DIY Delight or Disaster? You'll feel like Jo and the girls from Little Women when you start making socks. Even though you will love it, you can't help but throw your knitting needles down in a huff just to be like Jo, total delight! Also for me, this is the first sock pattern I have designed myself so if you knit them, please send me a pic or give me some feedback.

Mel xo

Look What My Thrifting Fairy Godmother Brought Me!

My thirfting fairy godmother was clearly showing me lots of love in June.

First my local place was having a 50% of sale so when I saw this pillow, clearly hand made with all of that cross stitch I just couldn't help but buy it, and for a $1 someone spent way too much time for her to get all dusty.

This plate was too much at $6 but for $3 I have just the thing I want to make with it, fingers crossed it doesn't break!

I love these old fashioned alarm clocks score at $3

Elizabeth has a bit of a bird thing for $1 each I thought these would be perfect in her new room.

I nearly had a heart attack when I saw these, I truly believed that I did have a fairy godmother, $5 how freaking fantastic are these going to be with a little paint. Seriously why would you get rid of these LOVE!!!

But the item that had me hugging it and whispering to Elizabeth in an excited voice was this OROTON bag for $3.50, for those of you not into bags or aware of this brand, this bag, when in store was $350 dollars. Ask me how I know, back 3 kids ago I bought the exact same bag in white which was lost in a move. I also had previously purchased the larger bag in this range in black and the matching wallet 12 years ago which I still have to this day. There was not a mark on the bag I could not believe my eyes.

See miracles can and do happen!

Mel xo

My Boob Job - I Love it!

Sometimes I think we really need to give our boobs a little makeover....

Obviously a) I personally didn't have a boob job and b) if I did I certainly wouldn't be blogging it.

But remember my boob key holder I had in the entry, I decided I wanted her to have a makeover in black.

So easy I just coloured it in with a black sharpie, and now my boobs are proudly on display in my new craft area.

DIY Delight or disaster? Delight I just love it and I might still be a little high from Sharpie fumes. Plus the look on my kids faces when I told them to check out my boob makeover...priceless. Horror, like I have never before seen on their faces and relief when they realised I was talking about my key holder, seriously as if I meant anything else, I am beyond prude LOL

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

WYPW

G'day, ready for WYPW? Good.

I need a cool yarn buddy.

I've also been cooking and cleaning for about that long and the place is still a mess and they're always asking for dinner.

Can I add chevron to that list too!

Jules is away on business for the next couple of weeks, seriously I don't even need to walk far at present.

I got sick of telling the boys to do their homework, so I emailed them this, nothing cool about not having an education!

Keep on grinning!

Mel xo

Fold Out Craft Desk

If there was one thing I knew I wanted in my new craft room, it was a high workbench where I could comfortable work standing up. However, I also knew it wasn't something I would be using every day and I really didn't want to sacrifice a huge amount of space.

So I decided to try my hand at building a fold out desk.

I already had the wood for the desk top out in the garage which was 120cm x 90cm so I bought some wood for the legs and the fold out bit and cut them to size.

First I made the swing out leg, it needs to be as wide as the table top.

I added two legs to the board that is mounted to the wall for extra stability

Then with hinges I attached the the swing out leg to the leg that sits against the wall.

Then with another two hinges I attached the table top to the board that attaches to the wall.

Using L brackets I attached the board and the legs to the wall.

Swing out the leg and lift the top when you need a desk

And swing it back in against the wall when you want your floor space back

This took all of about 4 hours to make, and that's from me, all by myself, who really doesn't know anything much about woodworking. It's sturdy and stable.

DIY Delight or Disaster? DELIGHT!!!! This is now the best thing I have ever done. I love that the kids can come in here and play on the floor if I am knitting or working on the computer, but when they're not around and I want to craft, up it goes it a couple of seconds. DELIGHT, DELIGHT, DELIGHT! Also it cost me less than $30 to make, how awesome is that!!!! Also did you notice the carpet, god bless my neighbour, the carpet layer, he gave me some carpet he had taken up at a job he was doing, slightly too small to lay in this room but pretty much covers the floor, looks nice and is soft and warm for the kids to play on.

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo Linking here

Meet My Mates - Amy from Sews & Bows

When I started blogging almost two years ago I had almost no expectations as to what would come of it.

Did I find fame, fortune and glory....umm no! However I did get something even better than that, I "met" the most wonderful people and while I may never get to meet them in person, they will be mates for life.

So I thought I would introduce you to these wonderful bloggers and their blogs.

This week I want you to meet Amy from Sews & Bows, the only way I could describe Amy is one cool, crazy and fun chick, not to mention talented. She makes me laugh so much and that's always a winner in my book!

She makes the coolest hair bows! I love the ones in this post here.

She's not afraid to share what she calls her epic fails. I also love that she points out every single thing wrong, you know I love me a disaster and it's a relief when it's someone else's for a change. Read about her hair bow holder fail here, this post really appealed to me, mainly because I have shared hair bow holder shame. (remember the abby hairbow holder)

She's always making beautiful clothes for her daughter, nieces and nephew, whose name I love, okay mainly because his name is Julian. This isn't one of her many sewing items but a fun summer craft she made with her daughter. Easy stencilled t shirts.

The only thing wrong with her many, many dolls clothes posts is I actually have wardrobe envy, of a doll. Sad for me but how cool is this cowgirl doll outfit? If you have an American Girl doll you will die over her posts, see the Liberty Jane Button Up Shirt here

Last and certainly not least, if you're sewing for tweens she has a master list of tried and true patterns for you. With real feedback, when she reviews a pattern she is very clear on what did and didn't work well, so when you sew one of her recommended patterns, you know it will work. Check them out here.

So what are you waiting for, go meet Amy now, seriously she is one top chick, you will not be disappointed and I am so happy to have her as a mate!

You can follow Amy at any and all of these places.

Mel xo

The Great Wall of Storage

Without a doubt, the hardest thing about being a crafter/diyer/hoarder is having enough storage. So in my new craft room I knew without a doubt I had to have a lot of it.

In my old craft room, I loved the peg board door, so when we put up the wall dividing the lounge into two rooms, I told Julian on this side I wanted pegboard instead of wood panneling. Lucky for me, I recieved gift cards for the hardware store and it covered the price.

I wanted houndstooth but wasn't prepared to paint it. I had all that cheap vinyl that I got a couple of years ago. It's really see through and only good against a white background I started using my cutter to cut them out but found it was quicker to just draw the pattern and cut it out with scissors.

Here are my "helpers" Yes Max had just finished lunch which he wears so well over his face.

I didn't have enough of the one pink so I decide to go with two tones of pink. then the boxes from my old room on the floor. The tops looked terrible.

So I bought 10 wooden fence pailings at 90 cents each and made a wooden bench. It gave me more space and looks better.

So much storage and plenty of room for more....that grumble you just heard was Jules, apparently he doesn't think I need more supplies or tools.


DIY Delight or Disaster? Total delight, I love that all my sewing and dies for the bigshot are in reach and I can see them without having to dig through. Plus check out the mitred corners on that frame, I totally kicked mitre saw butt!This is awesome, delight!

Thanks for reading,

Mel xo

Stencilled Clipboards

Once again in an attempted to be the organised person I want to be, I thought I would make something to keep all my craft manuals together. Enter the stencilled clipboards

WYPW

 The Winter holidays are always the hardest, it's wet or it's cold or it's both and it means the kids spend a lot of time inside.


In case you're wondering number 5 feels like being pushed back under just as you took a breath.

Sometimes I think arranged marriages aren't a bad idea, my boys will need to have the controllers surgically removed before the big day.

This is so true it's not even funny!

Still I just need to get on with it and do some laundry!

If I had extra cash I would hire a maid, but due to the following facts my employment opportunities at night around the kids schedule are limited.

thanks for reading,

Mel xo