On Saturday morning I was informed by my love that Zavian had a birthday party to attend that day. He had known all week but had forgotten to mention anything to me! I am not a great baker, but I can whip up a nice vanilla cupcake without much of problem.

I was just thinking how could I make them look a little more snazzy - then it occurred to me that I could easily make little flags using just washi tape and a hand-full of toothpicks... Super quick and too easy! Just wrap the washi tape around your toothpick and cut out the decorative ribbon shapes at the end. 

It could be a handy trick to have up your sleeve for your next cupcake decorating dilemma...

Bec x

This morning is all about lounging around in my pj's, drinking coffee, watching rage and browsing through the latest country style magazine. After a week full of emotional stress I think I need a weekend of relaxation and self indulgence. 

Because of the week's events I have managed to miss heaps of emails and I didn't get as much sewing done as I planned. I have decided to try to stay away from the laptop this weekend, but I will get onto answering emails on Tuesday. If anyone is waiting to hear from me, I am just taking a tiny r&r break and I will get back to you as soon as my brain is back on track. If you think I have missed you (it is possible) please feel free to send through your email again.

I have a whole stack of half finished dresses ready for a bumper show and tell next week. And I also received my brand new staple gun in the mail which I plan on playing with tomorrow. Fun!

I hope you have a fantastic weekend lined up.

Bec x

from my living room...

During the heat of the day we spend a lot of time in this room, watching movies or cutting out shapes...
My dream home has concrete floors or hardwood floorboards and I think that these would make a much better base for my style of decorating... Tiles will have to do for now.

That is my small person sprawled out watching the jungle book.

The paintings are mainly by my mum. The magpies are painted on a raw linen canvas and they are absolutely my favourite. She gave them to me before we left for Panna, in exchange for a pair of patchwork car seat covers (which I haven't made yet... Soon mum, promise xo)

Speaking of patchwork, I am thinking of covering the couches. In the photo's I have laid out blocks of patchwork that I have been sewing to get an idea of how it will look. What do you think??

Bec x

Happy parcel days!!

Oh joy - to go to the post office and discover bundles of goodness awaiting you!! My package from the package project swap arrived from Durban in South Africa. Wrapped beautifully with doilies and fun bright coloured shoe laces, gorgeous origami hearts and woodcut babushka dolls. Miss Nats! You spoil us. Thank you so much for such a happy collection of goodies. I hope your package gets to you soon!!

THEN!! AS if I wasn't spoiled enough already, I also received a package from my best pal Lou. All the way from San Clemente in the US of A. I have told you about Lou and her business Savilles Row before. She is so talented she would make me sick if I didn't love her so much. Lou's first love is painting and being a savvy entrepreneur she has started a few different ventures to bring in some cash while her painting career takes off. First the dresses, now an incredibly luxe soap shop full of organic balms and concoctions. Is there nothing this lady can't do?? My beautiful gift was just what I needed to scrub away the woes of the day before. She also made me a gorgeous dress which has been infused with the delicious smells of the oils and spices in my soaps. Thank you my lady. I love you, I miss you!

Yes I am a lucky girl to have such a beautiful friend. And such a beautiful family. There is nothing like being scared out of your wits to remind you of how much you love the people you share your life with.

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Tuesday. I am ready for bed.

Bec x

Ok, moving on from my dramatic bushfire experience - here are a few snaps of my latest dress creation. Awkward as ever, I propped up my camera on the ironing board,  set the timer, and proceeded to take numerous photos of me pretending to reach for stuff, cut things and try my hardest to look like Zooey Deschanel.

I have been a bit camera shy of late, since I stopped breast feeding my baby I have managed to out-grow all of my clothes. It was hard work finding a few pictures without multiple chins so please be kind... *wink*

The new style features 3/4 length sleeves and an a-line silhouette. It zips up the back with a 20 inch invisible zipper. So neat and tidy! I am going to stick some big pockets on the front. What do you think? I am so pleased with the fit.

FYI - Once again I made this dress by mixing and matching a whole heap of existing pattern pieces and altering them to fit my design. This dress fits me like a glove! I will definitely make more, but it will take some experimenting to make different sizes... If you are a size 10 - 12 then keep an eye on the shop for a few cheeky additions...

Here are a few finer details...

Seriously. I think after all the excitement of last night I just need to relax. So I am taking the rest of the day off.

I hope you are all well and happy and SAFE! Wherever you may be!

Bec x

the scariest night of my life...

I have often wondered what I would do if I was faced with a situation where I had to evacuate my home. How would I react, would I panic? If we had to leave the house in a hurry what would I save? Would I save any of my fabric? My precious fabric...

Last night I was faced with the fearsome reality of a bush fire. I was putting Zavian to bed about 7.30. I had turned all of the lights out in the house and I was pretending to go to bed too (extravagant but sometimes necessary) when I heard sirens. I looked out the front window and noticed a lot of action on the street. it was really very spooky. Then I smelt the smoke, actually saw the smoke in my living room, noticed the heat in my tiles, and then I looked up through the back window and was faced with the red glowing sky and the fire.

My heart was in my throat and my hands instantly began to tremble. From the look of it this morning the flames reached about 400 meters away from the back of my house. Last night the flames looked as though they were about to leap over my back fence! I grabbed Zavian, jumped in the car and drove to my friends house. From there I could see that the lightening had started fires in every direction around the town.  My friend was not home as she had raced to another locals house to help her evacuate her children. I felt so lost and I genuinely feared that the town might be completely engulfed by flames in an apocalyptic fashion and that I might never see my family again. It was at this point that my friends husband found me breaking down in the middle of their driveway and invited us in.

I know this sounds incredibly dramatic. The more experienced Pannawonican's seemed to maintain their calm much more than me. I have never experienced fire before and although I was being told that it was under control, it was hard to believe. I had already fled by the time they came to evacuate my street. I tried my hardest to remain rational and cool for my babe, but she really was my little rock through the whole ordeal. I clung to her warm little body and covered her happy little face with kisses and I really didn't want to let her go. She did not freak out despite my panic. Thank goodness.

Once we returned to the house I couldn't stop checking over the back fence to check out the distant glow of the embers. Before I went to bed I made sure that everything was ready to go, just in case for some reason we had to flee. I slept fully clothed.

Levi was on site at work and they were not allowed to travel because of the lightening. The crew out there catch a bus on and off site each day, so he was stuck out at the mine. They were being told that everything was under control, so I don't think he comprehends how scary it was being right here among the flames.

I am still a bit shaken. I have never associated lightening with fire before and I have always enjoyed electrical storms, but I have the feeling that from now on lightening will make me nervous. Another experience under the belt. This is one that I will be happy to never encounter again.

It is business as usual today. Sort of. I am going to try to calm my nerves and get some sewing done... Over the weekend I made some really awesome dresses and I can't wait to show you...

Time for a cuppa!

shop news - farewell to the tea dress...

Lovely friends, loyal supporters, I have news that may shock... I have decided to temporarily retire the tea dress from my collection.

Since February of last year, I have made more than 300 of this particular style. You know what they say, practise makes perfect and, well, 300 dresses is a lot of practise and I am feeling like my skills have perhaps out-grown the basic style of the dress...

BUT!! do not fear!! I plan to return the tea dress soon!! With a nip here, a tuck there... I promise that all of the features that we love about the tea dress will remain the same. The vintage inspired silhouette, the full skirt and the modest neckline. I promise that the tea dress will remain unpretentious and comfortable, and that I won't let fancy details get in the way of the tea dress being a favourite everyday kind of frock....

I will be making three (3) Annie dresses available for purchase in the etsy shop tomorrow morning at 9am PERTH time. Only three custom listings will be made available each week, to allow ample time for me to get creative and to develop new designs.

So there you have it. I am so sorry if you have had your heart set on a tea dress. It won't be long till it is available again and better than ever....

Bec x

Hello lovers!

Valentines day?  I have to confess that we are doing absolutely n.o.t.h.i.n.g to celebrate this grand occasion. Whilst I am in a relationship it is currently lacking in the 'romance' department and it has been since we both stopped sleeping and enjoying ourselves to look after our precious small person...*

But do not feel sorrow for me! I still have passion in my life but it has taken a different shape, is all. My passion?? Is fabric. Be still my heart. Despite project D-stash, last night I trawled the Internet in search of a fabric fix, which I found in the form of musty coloured, nubbly textured barkcloth... I bought up big. It is my opinion that no patch-work project is complete without a little texture, and indeed I have patchy plans for what I have purchased...

I do have a fair stash of barkcloth already, so in the spirit of reconnecting with my fabric I thought that I might share with you my existing collection...

So no. I am not creating any cute 'vignettes' of hearts and cupids etc. (although you could see a really lovely one over here)... Rather I am wrapping parcels, cutting dresses and planning for the week ahead. Tonight we will be eating the left over Lamb roast from Sunday night and we will probably fall asleep on the couch watching the box...

I hope you are having a fabulously loved up day though...

Rebecca x

* Please note that I thoroughly enjoy looking after my family very much and this is an attempt at being humorous... 

dreaming in colour...

last night I dreamt that I was in an op-shop. I unearthed a box, covered in dust and piled high with junk. I  dug that little bit deeper and discovered an array of forgotten wallpaper rolls. I asked the lady behind the counter how much she wanted for them, to which she replied... that old stuff, just a couple of bucks each maybe... 

When I woke up it almost literally hurt to realise that it was just a dream!! Then it dawned on me - I am suffering huge thrift withdrawals... I am barely functioning without the thrill of discovering treasures on a regular basis. I am a little bit melancholy and a tad lethargic. 

This morning I jumped on the internet and found myself a little stash of wallpaper sold by the yard to keep me going until I get the chance to thrift-in-real-life again... 

I have also decided to reacquaint myself with past treasures that are hidden away in suitcases and boxes... I have a fabulous stash of gorgeous old tablecloths and a ridiculous number of linen tea-towels and doilies... Yes I am addicted. Not just to the beauty of the items it seems, 

but also to the thrill of the chase.

BTW - I completely forgot to draw a winner for my last scrap give-away...

The random winner was number 30... 

Ang!! Please drop me an email so that I can get your postal address... 

I have two more scrap packs to give away, so stay tuned next week if you would like to enter. I might do something a little different...

Happy Sunday!

my latest dresses...

Happy Friday-evening friends! I hope you have had a productive week and are looking forward to a relaxing and frivolous weekend...

I have been tres busy, cutting and sewing my latest custom orders. This week I have two dresses in particular that made me swoon. It will truly be bitter-sweet to see them go, as the fabric is simply divine and I do not have enough fabric to make my own... 

I have others that are ready and will be shipped on Monday. Hopefully I will get the chance to photograph them over the weekend...

I have decided to limit my custom orders to only three each week, so that I have time to develop some new ideas. Hopefully this will mean that there will always be something new available in the shop.

So what about you? Any mischief on the cards this weekend??

Rebecca xoxo

it's that time of week again... stash giveaway #2

We have had another successful sewing day here at naughty HQ, resulting in a trashed studio and a need for rest. Every night I tidy my studio, ready for work the next day, and every day it looks like this once I am finished. I may not be tidy, but what I lack in organisational skills I make up for in enthusiasm... 

I did undertake the fun task of bundling up some scrap packs for my weekly project d-stash giveaway... The first bundle is winging it's way to Whiskers Lane as we speak... If you would like to get your hands on some scrappy goodness, just leave me a comment letting me know and I will randomly generate a winner in a couple of days...  

I can't wait to show you the latest dresses. They are almost finished...

have a fabulous night! 

Bec x

today I am happy...

Today I have been moving with a bit of spring to my step. An early night and only one mid-night awakening meant I enjoyed some much needed Zzzz's. I woke early to shuffle my little lady off to daycare, and with minimal procrastination and a large mug of coffee, I set up in my studio to work on my latest orders. I am quite certain that at this rate I will have a full line-up of delectable dresses ready to show off at the end of the week!

Things making me happy today are the arrival of some much anticipated parcels. A stack of moleskine journals ready for me to personalise, a brand spanking new self healing mat (boring but badly needed) AND a package from my mumma, with the new Country Style and some deliriously amazing antique lace. The lace was a gift courtesy of my Aunty's friend who lives in a tiny French village. My family was holidaying with her there last year (without me) but they made a point of riding old bicycles around the village wearing my dresses. She also sent me some vintage sheets via my Aunty, but my  Aunty decided to keep them! Ha. That's ok Aunty Sarah I still love you...

I have quite a bit of this antique French lace, now I just need to dream about what I will make with it...

Suggestions? 

I hope you have a beautiful evening ahead of you...

Rebecca x

P.s the hearts are from Sunday nights craft session with gorgeous new crafty friend... If you want to make your own head over to this beautiful blog to get the details...