naughty shorts!

hodge podge...

2012-03-09T17:42:00.001+08:00

1. bridesmaids dresses in the post...

2. citrus colours all in a row

3. experimenting with branding. Opinions??

4. ready to ship, size 14, $160.00 (deluxe fabric!!)
Just a teeny bit too big for me, otherwise I think I would have kept it!!

5. Instagram Shots. If you want to look me up I operate under the name of naughtyshorts! haha

6. My favourite person, wrapped up in my favourite new fabric...

7. The amazing storm from last night. This silent electrical cloud was hovering above our house for about an hour. It was amazing.

Just a few random snaps from the week so far. Hope you are ready for a restful and enjoyable weekend.

Bec x

just add pockets!!

2012-03-08T11:34:00.000+08:00

Hooray! we have success!! Remember I told you I wanted to add pockets to this dress?? Well I had a very particular pocket in mind. So late one night last week I stayed up watching you-tube tutorials on this style and I am happy to say that I think I have the technique down pat!

FYI - This version is Fully lined in hot pink voile! This particular purple check is a heavier weight cotton that used to be a tablecloth. This is SO so incredibly comfy and perfect for cooler days. The unlined version would be great in summer for protecting shoulders and arms from the sun. It has a 20 inch invisible zipper that runs down the back. The pocket style is called a 'welt pocket'. They are a bit tricky.

Before I leave for Perth I hope I have a couple more of these in my suitcase. I want one in a yummy barkcloth, one in a pretty awesome mustard horse fabric I have been saving, and one in the most vibrant INCREDIBLE pink check and brown daisy pattern I HAVE EVER LAID EYES ON!!!

I know that gorgeous miss Laura from Kit & Nancy has had her eye on that horse fabric. Miss L, if there is any left over I promise I will save it for you.

Have an awesome day!!

Bec x

Hello lovers!

2012-03-07T14:48:00.001+08:00

Hi gorgeous friends! I know my updates are a bit irregular at the moment, a bit like my moods! I feel like I haven't achieved much but then looking at all the dresses hanging around my studio I can see that this is obviously not the case! I have been busy busy busy!

Tomorrow I will have about nine dresses to show you, including a pretty pink wedding party that I have had the pleasure of working on. I have also been making practise versions of the new 3/4 length sleeve dress which I am tres happy with.

Just when I thought I couldn't handle the heat of this place any more, the weather has done a 180 and brought about a (somewhat) cool change. While the Southern parts of Australia will be gearing up for a chilly winter, us in the Northern parts will be enjoying a gorgeous mild summer-like climate.

I have exciting news. I booked a trip down to the city to visit my mumma. I will be leaving in two weeks and all existing custom orders will be posted before I leave. I will be working hard and late to get it done in time but there will be a glorious 10 day break to reward my efforts. I have been drinking a lot of coffee to keep me going. Lucky for me, years of working as a barista means that I can make a pretty mean flat white at home.

I plan to spend all of my time in Perth op-shopping, visiting friends, eating yummy lunches in cafes and hugging my mum. I can't wait!

I hope you are enjoying your week so far!!

Bec x

zonked!

2012-03-02T18:11:00.000+08:00

I have almost completed the mother of all fabric updates! you can check out the new deluxe fabrics here and the new standard/premium fabrics here

It has been a long FABULOUS day! I woke before the sun to get a head start on the day. Coffee in hand and no-one else awake I enjoyed my morning blog reads without interruptions. Lovely!

Once the small person woke up we had a couple of hours of cuddles and play

before I sent her off to daycare. Gorgeous!

THEN my lovely crafty lady friend joined me for a bit of a dress-making 101. I am happy to say that despite my mad teaching style, she left my house this afternoon with a finished dress in the new 3/4 length sleeve style AND a with the enthusiasm to get home and try her hand at another, without supervision. Yay!!

All in all, a successful day methinks.

Hope you have a wonderful Friday evening planned and a restful weekend!

Bec x

the time has come....

2012-03-01T14:12:00.000+08:00

I am the first to admit that I have a fabric addiction.

In fact I made a rather public vow to not buy any more fabric just recently.

NOW, I think that making public declarations of abstinence from purchase of vintage floral is a bad idea. Especially when days after making such bold pledges you go on a vintage floral 'binge' and buy more than you ever would have normally... probably because you felt deprived.... I liken this to vowing you are on a diet, only to go and consume an entire cake, a block of chocolate and.... you see where I am going with this.

Today was a joyous day with the arrival of a whole load of new fabrics. So many new fabrics that I have decided there is no better time than right now to update my fabric library. I am starting fresh!! Starting tomorrow I will photograph every piece of fabric that is available in my stash and over the weekend I will upload it to a NEW fabric page.

It is such a huge task... lots of ironing and snapping and editing and uploading... Wish me luck!

Bec x

2012-02-27T08:18:00.000+08:00

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

2012-02-25T10:06:00.000+08:00

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...

2012-02-23T12:23:00.001+08:00

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!!

2012-02-21T18:59:00.003+08:00

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

2012-02-20T12:45:00.001+08:00

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...

2012-02-20T11:12:00.000+08:00

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...

2012-02-15T15:29:00.000+08:00

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!

2012-02-14T13:33:00.000+08:00

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...

2012-02-12T15:23:00.002+08:00

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...

2012-02-10T16:55:00.000+08:00

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

2012-02-08T14:31:00.000+08:00

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...

2012-02-07T15:39:00.000+08:00

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...

Sunday...

2012-02-05T10:42:00.002+08:00

Yesterday I found out that the latest twilight movie was playing at the open air cinema. I missed out on watching it while it was at the cinemas in the big smoke, so I rescheduled my crafty date with my crafty friend for tonight so that I could make it...

I love everything about drive in. The echo of the speakers, the grainy quality of the picture and the romance of the notion. The Panna drive in is particularly special. I imagine that it's unchanged since the 70's. Perched on the edge of town, with views of a red dirt landscape and a starry sky untainted by city lights. A hot breeze floating off the desert and a not a mozzie in sight makes for a magical evening...

We have already been out to play this morning and the temperature is soaring. Another day of drawing pictures and watching movie's and taking it easy in the air-con. Seeing as we are spending another lazy day around the house I thought I would share a few the links I have been enjoying this week...

Loving this pretty valentines day D.I.Y

This freebie desktop calendar on this truly beautiful and new-to-me blog

A tasty recipe for Zucchini bread
AND

this fun print is currently at the top of my wishlist...
(a wish list that is growing with every second I stay on the computer...)

have a wonderful Sunday xoxoxo

Good morning!!

2012-02-04T07:01:00.001+08:00

Last night I chose a hot bath and an early night over crafty pursuits (and the dishes for that matter). The promise of a fresh bed made up with my finest sheets was to good to pass up on.

I fell asleep after a flurry of writing down thoughts in my notebook. Lately my brain has been in overdrive, thinking about the future of my business, my blog and plans for my home. I am constantly reaching for pen and paper to capture my latest thoughts. It must be rubbing off on the small person. The other day after I caught her scribbling over the pages of my journal she looked at me triumphantly and proclaimed that 'she had an idea in mummy's book...' A future list maker, me thinks...

well, once again I have no huge plans for the weekend. Being up here means that there are no markets to visit or cafes to enjoy a lazy sunday breakfast. BUT not all is lost as I can make my own coffee with my fabulous stove-top espresso maker and I do have a crafty date with a rather lovely crafty lady who is coming over to play tonight.... lucky for me crafty lady is also a little bit gorgeous and has agreed to have a go at modelling some dresses for me eventually, so an awesome desert photoshoot is on the cards!

I will leave you with a few random pictures from my week... Have a good one xo

1. A storm rolling in, this is my incredible view from the edge of town...
2. Miracle brand play equipment at the park with gorgeous patina and texture...
3. A sneaky peak at a work-in-progress made from the pink and purple FQ's from Kel's last swap...
4. peachy owl friend with a dodgy paint job...

happenings...

2012-02-02T17:01:00.001+08:00

Today I was able to get stuck into my latest orders. I am taking it slow and steady, easing my way back into production. It makes my task so much more enjoyable when I am sewing with exquisite fabrics, so I am lucky to have customers with such fabulous taste...

On the home front, Zavian has just started sleeping in her own bed, and although I am still waking to tuck her back in a couple of times a night, I am sleeping better than ever. It must be not having to keep my arms high above my head or maybe it's having more than 15cm of mattress... Now that I am getting this deep sleep I feel more tired than ever! It's like I am catching up on three years of lost slumber.

I have decided to take the pressure off myself and not release any more custom orders for another week, so I can enjoy a few lazy days and early nights...

Thank-you all so much for entering my giveaway. Such a huge response!! I will be offering another scrap bag next week, so don't be shy to enter again if you didn't win. From 59 comments the winner by random.org is............... Whiskers Lane!!

Shoot me an email to naughtyshorts@y7mail.com so I can grab your postal address.

Have a good evening beautiful people.

Project d-stash and a scrap-stash GIVEAWAY...

2012-02-01T15:53:00.000+08:00

You may have heard me mention project d-stash a few times now. This is what its all about! It's no secret that I have a fabric addiction. I collect more than I can store and I hoard my scraps, dreaming of the amazing quilts and projects that I will one day make.... Now that we have moved into a smaller house, and I no longer have a spare room to house part of my collection, a cull is in order.

Here is my plan of attack....

If I don't love it, it has to go! There are a few prints in my collection that I have been keeping in-case someone might fancy them for custom orders. I have decided that if I don't love it, I don't want it out there representing me and my business.

Reconnect with my fabric and simply use what I have. I will spend time playing with my piles of fabric, mixing and matching, new with old and linen with cotton. Sometimes I think that the fabric will tell you what it wants to be, and once I have a gorgeous stack of fabric ready to be sewn, nothing will hold me back.

Stop being so precious!!. Do you ever hold back from using a special fabric just in case you might ruin it?? Or you think that you are saving it for something else? I do that all the time! I end up using a fabric that is 'just OK' and not loving what I made. And the truth is that I end up with these piles of incredible fabric just sitting there, gathering dust. Eventually I might be bored of the print and not want to use it any more. Wouldn't that be a shame! Time to hack into that amazing print and make something super snazzy!

That's it! So I am sure that after 3 months of this behaviour, I will hopefully of emptied one of our linen cupboards. And then we can put towels and stuff in there. That would be awesome...

Anyway! in celebration of project d-stash, and to help me get things going, I am going to offer a regular scrap-stash give-away. A pretty pile of vintage linen scraps to add to your collection and to make with whatever your heart desires... Sound good? Leave a comment if you wish to be in the draw. (Australian residents only for this give-away, sorry international friends...) I will draw a winner in a couple of days... easy.

art journal project...

2012-01-30T20:47:00.000+08:00

Hey all! I have signed up for the new e-course available over at a beautiful mess. It is an art journal creating course, with 52 different projects to complete over a year.

My plan is to photograph my finished projects to share here and make a small book once I am finished... The pictures above are snippets of what I was playing with this afternoon. I figure that if I am photographing the end result, it wont matter so much if I use bits and pieces that can't be glued down...

I'm really looking forward to dedicating a couple of hours a week to getting creative with a glue stick and a pair of scissors...

Keen to join me?

my new man...

2012-01-29T12:19:00.002+08:00

Last week I was cruising around blogland, checking up on all of my favourite reads, when I stumbled across a little inspiration in the form of a 'Graeme' doll, made by the totally fabulous Michelle over at rockmyroll blog... I realised that the men are totally under represented in Zavian's toy box, and something had to be done about it...

So last week I had a late night sewing sesh to make up this guy - as yet still unnamed which seems to be the case with most things around here. He is being referred to as 'man doll' which works well seeing as his best friends are 'lady doll', 'long person', 'frog' and 'bear'...

FYI - I did not use a pattern- I drew simple rectangular shapes for all of his body parts and no mum, his pant's do not come off... If you wanted to make your own and you are not an experienced doll maker, I have discovered that leaving a small opening in the seams of the leg's and arm's, then stuffing them after you have sewn them into the body, using a slip-stitch to close the holes in the limbs - is a lot easier than trying to sew up the body with fat arms and legs stuffed inside, and then turning out the right way... if that makes any sense at all??

In other news - Zavian has ripped all of the keys off my laptop, and this time I have had a real problem getting them back on again. This is making typing slow and frustrating...

Yesterday we brought the outdoors in to prepare for cyclone iggy (great name!!), but this one too has passed us and I will now spend the rest of today getting my house back in order and re-arranging my pot plants...

On the shop front, the re-opening was a fabulous success (thank you so much ladies) and I sold out of custom orders within a few hours. There will be a few more available next week if you missed out this time.

I hope you have had the most fabulous weekend.

Bec x

We are OPEN...

2012-01-26T12:53:00.001+08:00

What does Australia Day mean to you? Do you have special plans. Are you the type to hang flags from your car and don a cork hat and some thongs to slug back a few cold ones on the beach?? ha ha. Don't lie, I bet there are a few closet bogan's amongst us!

How have I spent my Australia day so far??

enjoying the highs and lows of the triple j hottest 100...
eating damper which we have been slathering with golden syrup....
giving the house a much needed spruce....
re-opening the etsy shop...
digging out a few treasures to make a plate wall in my studio...
sitting around drinking coffee and wearing my nightie with a flower wreath in my hair, for good measure...

Eventually I might get dressed and head over to the sports club where they are having a slip'n'slide for the kids and a band is playing...

Happy Australia Day! Lets all hope that this year is safe and happy for EVERYONE, and that no yucky racism or violence ruins what should be a fun day for all.

Much love.

Bec x

Shop Update...

2012-01-24T14:03:00.000+08:00

I have made a decision! The etsy shop will re-open on Thursday morning. Ready or not!! I have a few new dresses, ready to ship, that will be available. They will be added through-out Thursday morning. I will also list 10 custom dress listings... Eeeeep. Its been so long I am a little bit nervous!

In other news... Tonight we are heading to the coast!! We are making the 2 hour trip to spend the night in Dampier. If you have seen red dog then you will know where I am talking about. Tomorrow we will drive into Karratha for a shopping trip. Where we live now has very limited shopping. A Supermarket (that, by the way, is not very super...) and a deli that sells hot chips and a brief selection of magazines... Karratha is hardly the 'big smoke' but I am so excited about hitting the hardware shop and there is even a thrift store! Hurrah!!

I am packing lightly so that we can fit lots of stuff in the car on the way home. Just two dresses and two pairs of shoes...

There are a few tasks to tend to before we leave... I am wrapping bits and pieces in preparation for my post-date for the package project (I am so excited miss Nat's!!) and trying to get my studio in some sort of order so that I don't lose my mind when the orders start coming in...

two of the new style dress (I have hardly taken these off since I made them!)

My AMAZING new tan, highwood clogs from lovely Lotta and my favourite salties...

Gift wrapping for the package project...

A barely functioning studio.... But lots of pretty colours!

See you when we get back!! Hope you have a great night lined up...

Bec x

Fun DIY - Peg wall display

2012-01-23T13:02:00.001+08:00

Being a renter I am always looking for ways to decorate my walls without upsetting the landlord! Over the last few years I have come up with a few tricks for displaying art and favourite items/images and this is my latest.

1. You will need wooden clothes pegs, a packet of the smallest 3M poster stickers you can find (look at the hardware section in the supermarket) and whatever pictures/photographs or ephemera you wish to adorn your walls with...

2. Attach the 3M sticky tabs to your pegs just a little bit lower than the metal spring-part-thingy. This ensures that the tab will be hidden from sight once your picture is displayed. Make sure you follow the directions on the label to protect your wall!!

3. find a spot on your wall and stick it!

I have gone a bit nuts around my house, with peg displays every where. The great thing about these displays is that they can easily change with your mood, are inexpensive to create and the possibilities are endless...

Have fun. If you make a peg display I would love for you to show me!

Bec x

I'm on a roll...

2012-01-22T12:19:00.000+08:00

I have been staying up late making things for my small person. I am making the most of this time I have before re-opening the shop and taking on new custom orders.

Last year I bought Zavian an amazing little eskimo coat made from a recycled wooly blanket from wendy over at the textured leaf. I loved it so much! and after the success I had making Zavian that swing coat, I have always wanted to try my hand at making my own recycled blanket coat. I found the most amazing vibrant pink checked wooly blanket, and I have had it stashed away for nearly a year especially for this purpose. Finally, as a part of my project - destash I wrangled that blanket out from the bottom of the cupboard and got stuck into it.

I am so happy with how it turned out. Now I think we had better book a holiday somewhere cold - because there is no-way she will get a chance to wear it up here! FYI - I used the same swing coat pattern from Heidi and Finn to make the coat body, but substituted the collar for a hood. I have made up a few of the heidi and finn patterns, and they have always worked out a treat. The instructions are easy to follow and the designs are gorgeous!

I also whipped up a satin cape as part of project - dress up's box. This has actually not been well received. I don't think my small likes having things tied around her neck. Fair enough. At least its there in case she changes her mind.

On the shop front - next week Zavian will have her first two full days back at daycare. I am planning on primping and preening the shop and its contents to re-open on Thursday morning! Yay!! Exciting! Back to business! I can't wait.

Hope you are enjoying a marvellous weekend. Talk to you soon.

Bec x

Vintage sheet FQ swap

2012-01-20T09:32:00.001+08:00

The gorgeous Kel at green tea and red nails is hosting another FQ swap - the first for 2012!!

I am serious vintage sheet collector. I think I have more than 500 sheets in my stash. A fq swap might seem pointless for someone like me - But I LOVE playing along with Kellie's swaps. Because even when I think I have seen every vintage sheet pattern/colour/style possible there is ALWAYS a few new prints to delight and surprise me amongst my folded bundle of sheety goodness.

Head over here to sign up!

Bec x

donked on the head!

2012-01-18T10:45:00.001+08:00

Late yesterday my small person took a dive off the stool that I bought her for Christmas.

It was very sad. She has a huge bump and grazes and a black eye.

the first thing she said to Levi as he walked in the door after work was 'mummy broke my head'

What!

Anyway, the polar bear ears were whipped up last night as part of my 'Project dress-ups basket'. I followed a pattern from the beautiful oliver + s sewing book.

Lots of love,

Bec x

hello!

2012-01-15T14:33:00.002+08:00

I am afraid that this weekend has been lost! Friday night was looking promising until I was suddenly hit by what I am guessing was food poisoning. Today I am feeling so much better. But a little weak nonetheless...

I have managed a small spruce of the small persons new bedroom. I labelled a few tins with the dymo for her very own sugar/coffee/tea canisters. Snazzy! I have plans for a few comfy floor pillows and also a wallpapered bit of board to stand next to her kitchenette, with hooks for an apron. And maybe even a trio of flying ducks! And a starburst clock! so much fun...

I think I will be back to myself tomorrow...

Hope you had a really wonderful weekend!

Scenes from around here...

2012-01-12T14:21:00.000+08:00

Well the threat of cyclone Heidi has passed with nothing more than some rather unimpressive drizzle. I think that everyone in town was hoping for a bit of a show so most people I have spoken to are rather disappointed that it has headed back out to sea.

I have been spending my time playing photographer, styling my house and making a few bits and pieces. The dress Zavian is wearing was a success! However the hat I was making to match it was an epic failure. I will make a second attempt this afternoon.

Other props include my beautiful new typewriter that was a Christmas present from my love and my Lotta from Stockholm clogs. I also have a whole stack of new fabrics to add to my stash - but that is a whole other post...

Hope you are well and happy!! Bec x

first rain...

2012-01-09T21:18:00.000+08:00

The wet season is finally here and it was met with shrieks of joy and whirl-winding in the backyard and beautiful scenes of my small person lying on her back in a puddle, looking at the sky while the rain fell on her face.

It has rained all afternoon and every now and then I hear a whisper of thunder. Still no lightning that I have seen. Come on Pilbara - bring on those amazing light shows you are so famous for!!

I love this weather and the smell of the hot rain. It reminds me of my childhood growing up in Cairns and of all the magical tropical places I have travelled to in my life so far. Once I visited a tea plantation in Sabah. There was no refrigeration so they served the pots of tea with sweetened condensed milk. It has been a favourite treat of mine ever since and I am in fact indulging right now. As I write this I am transported.

Once the rain started everyone emerged form their homes to enjoy the cool change. All of a sudden there were people walking/running/skipping along the streets, heading to the parks and probably to the sports club to enjoy a cold beer.

So I am enjoying the rain with a pot of tea and a soundtrack of frogs and distant thunder. I am going to bring out the radio and get stuck into some studio pottering. I need to get that space functioning!

I hope you are having a beautiful relaxing Monday night, and that all is well in your world at this moment.

Bec x

run around town...

2012-01-08T20:39:00.000+08:00

I have just returned from my first evening stroll around the new neighbourhood. My new town is so tiny, you can lap it in less than 20 minutes - that is if you don't have to stop and run around the park with your small person for half an hour... BUT! Let me tell you! This place is amazing!! a brief sunset walk on the footpath that runs around the edge of the town has confirmed that I do indeed need to invest in some REAL equipment of the photographing variety.

I don't think I have the words to describe how it feels to live in the middle of such an incredibly vast and quintessentially Australian landscape. Red dirt, white cockatoos, blue skies, the silver bark of the gumtrees and the golden glow of the sun. The coast is a good 200km's away from here. Yesterday a tumble-weed rolled down my street! Occasionally stray cattle wander through the town! I am living on the frontier people! This place is hot and unforgiving, but incredibly beautiful. I am feeling happy, welcome and best of all, I am feeling inspired.

My home is my little air-conditioned oasis, away from the heat!

I have lots of the new style of dress cut and half finished!

My eyes!

My small!

My new land - Pretty amazing views - Photos from my new local tip!

On the business front - I have been busy sewing, but I will tell you more about that later. I have arranged a bit of a naughty shorts make-over and I am so excited to cut the ribbon and unveil the new look. Soon!

I hope you are well and happy, wherever you may be!!

Bec x

a new design...

2012-01-05T14:55:00.001+08:00

After my big old whine the other day, I sat down with a pot of tea, and slowly I was revived. Tea really does work wonders. I put both of my people to bed (the big one and the little one) and stayed up late making a new creation. An idea that has been lurking in my mind for a while now. I am happy to report that it has turned out exactly as I had dreamt and I couldn't be happier with the result...

I am still toying with a few different name ideas, but so far the 'tessy two-shoes tunic' is my favourite. I made this dress with the hot australian summers in mind. Something completely non-restrictive. It hangs low under the arms and has a slight racer-style back. The fabric is 100% cotton and lightweight. I cut the fabric on the bias so that it would drape beautifully. Even though it is a tent style design, it still sits beautifully across the bust - hanging onto just the right curves. I have made the ruffles with unfinished edges so that they will fray and have a relaxed, sexy and bohemian feel.

I have also added a detachable bow to the front, but if that is not your style then you could wear the bow on the skirt, in your hair, or you could pin it on a cardi. For a little more shape you could easily add a belt.

I love this dress so much that I have been wearing it for two days straight. these photos have been taken of the dress worn in and unwashed! It is perfect for the hot conditions I am now living in.

What do you think? I would love to hear your feedback. I have three more of these pretties cut and ready to sew. I hope to have them available in the shop upon re-opening.

Bec x

today...

2012-01-03T17:08:00.001+08:00

Well today, I am deflated. Exhausted and weary. A lousy night of sleep has left me feeling unable to cope with the smallest things and today there have been a few small things. Certainly not a horror day, but I am not at my finest. It is always the days like these when I lose my temper a little too easily and I feel like I have let my small person down.

It must be the culmination of weeks of being unsettled, on the road and unpacking. With the final box unpacked late last night, we now have the opportunity to adjust and settle. My studio looks ok, but everything appeared to be packed without rhyme or reason. I have simply unloaded boxes onto shelves as I opened them. It will take me some time to reacquaint myself with my fabric and get them into order. I am thinking about starting from square one and redoing my entire fabric library.

I can't wait to get back to work. My plan, however, is to ease into it slowly and definitely only take limited orders until I find my groove again. The day-care up here re-opens on the 16th of January, so I will get the shop going around that time I suppose. I also plan to indulge in some personal sewing and a few projects for Zavian and the house before before the virtual doors are open... I might even have a surprise in store for you...

I have #32 to add to the list - Once a week I want to cook a meal from a recipe I have never tried before. I used to love cooking, but since cooking meals became part of my job description I have lost that joy. I am hoping to recapture the fun and sense of pride gained from making something delicious. And I will make lots of it so that we have leftovers. Left overs are my speciality.

Tonight we are having San Choy Bow and for dessert I have mango pannacotta setting in the fridge... Both easy recipes, but yummy! I will be sure to let you know how they turn out.

Bec x

The list...

2012-01-02T12:48:00.000+08:00

Last night I tried to write a blog saying farewell to 2011 and looking back over the year that was. I can honestly say that last year was one of the best of my life and it was full of happiness and achievements. However I was too hungover to get my head around the wording. So I scrapped that idea. Instead I thought I would share with you the plans I have for the future.

While I was on the road, without internet and with plenty of time to think, I started compiling a list of the things I want to achieve in my life. This is like a bucket list, a goal list and a to do list - all rolled into one. So that I did not stifle the flow of thoughts, I tried not to think too much about categorising or splitting up my thoughts. Many of these things I may not achieve until I am much older, and I might knock a few of these things of the list tomorrow. I plan to record my progress here! I will surely borrow a few of the fabulous ideas that I have seen floating around on other amazing ladies lists, and I hope you will feel most welcome to adopt any of my list items into your own - if they take your fancy!! This list will be constantly evolving!

Without further ado - here is my list!

live overseas with my family for a year - maybe in Amsterdam or Berlin...
improve my dressmaking skills - learn more - from a skilled proffesional maybe....
take my baby on safari
go glamping in the Kimberly
learn how to use my computer properly for the purpose of graphic design and photoshop...
live in a studio apartment (all by myself!)
write my own crafty book
make zavian a tee-pee
get some chickens
and a vege patch...
renovate a home to sell
A proper op-shopping adventure with a like minded comrade
expand my business
build my dream house in Bali without having to gain any council approval for any of my creative/crazy ideas
live in bali for a year working with a village to create fair trade opportunities and learn local crafts
explore a trade show
spend a little more time with pen and paper and a little less time tapping away on my keyboard
put beautiful hooks on my walls
make zavian a cape for dress ups
and an art smock
and an apron for playing with her new kitchen...
and perhaps a doctors coat...
make my own rustic bed frame from recycled timber...
Stencil a hardwood floor
Create a bed head for our new room and a bed skirt to hide the ugly ensemble base...
Make some awesome playdoh
live in an apartment with a roof-top courtyard (preferably with views of the Paris skyline)
Go shopping in New York sans baby and husband
Eat Churros in Spain
dedicate more time to making for myself and my family...
have a regular date night with my love...

And that is about it right now....

If you have a list please leave a link in the comments - I would love to come and visit you!!

Hope your new year is off to a sensational start!!

Love bec x

hello old friends!

2011-12-30T21:38:00.002+08:00

We made it! Here we are in Sunny Pannawonica. It was a warm welcome, literally, as it reached over 48 degrees for the first three days in a row. Nothing could have prepared me for that sort of dry heat. Our last stop before we reached Panna was Nanutarra road house, about 140km away. The themometer read 50 degrees! As soon as I stepped out of the car I felt my eyes sting with the heat, and I actually felt feint. I used the restrooms there, and I can honestly tell you that the toilet paper was hot on my bum. HOT TOILET PAPER!! Seriously!

I was so relieved to reach the township and unpack into our transit house. This would be home for one week until our stuff arrived. The house was a cute renovated fibro and it suited me perfectly! Unfortunately after a power outage our air conditioner stopped working. It was so hot that Levi spent the first night sleeping on the floor next to the open front door, trying to catch anything that resembled a cool breeze.

The days since then have been around a mild (in comparison) 38 degrees. And with the air-con working the heat really is not a problem. One problem, perhaps, will be the warm balmy evenings, and the temptation to spend the late afternoon indulging in a few cold drinks... It seems lately I am easily persuaded... I am sure that once my sewing machine is set up again and the silly season has past us by, things will return back to normal.

Anyway, I have a few instagram pics of my new town, the drive up here and our twiggy Christmas tree.... I hope you enjoy them and I look forward to bringing you a few pictures of my new home in the days to come.

BY THE WAY - I am very much looking forward to spending a few hours checking in with all of my favourite blogs and saying hello. So happy to have the Internet back!! I hope you all had a splendid Christmas!! Mwah!

we are going on an adventure...

2011-12-18T15:38:00.002+08:00

Eeeeep! The countdown is over. Tomorrow we leave our Southwest home and we head North to our new life in the area unofficially nicknamed cyclone alley. We will be spending 2 nights in Perth before an early morning start and a 5 hour drive to Geraldton. The next night will be spent in Carnarvon and the night after that we will be in a transit house in Pannawonica. Our furniture and belongings will be a week or more behind us, so we wont be moving into our new home until the 29th.

To keep me going I have packed a crafty bag of tricks full of hand sewing projects for while I wait for my sewing machines to arrive. I have a stockpile of magazines (refraining from opening the latest frankie till we hit the road) and a pile of goodness waiting for me (hopefully) at the Pannawonica post office. I Can't wait! It really will be like Christmas!!

Farewell house. So long studio. Goodbye coast.

Speak to you soon!!

Bec x

Giveaway announcement!

2011-12-15T06:49:00.001+08:00

I am thrilled and pleased and happy and all that stuff to announce that Miss betty jo of the lino forest blog is the winner of my end of year giveaway.

Betty jo makes the most incredible creations from old lino floors. I have been a reader of her blog for a while now. This woman is seriously talented and quirky to boot. Her version of the classic three flying ducks has been on my wishlist for ages now!
Definitely check her out.

Thanks so much to everyone for entering and spreading the word. We had such a great response! Just to let you know that I used Random.org to generate the winner as I am no good at choosing a favourite and I wish so much that I could make you all a dress.

Ok, have a fabulous day! Miss Betty Jo please email me at naughtyshorts@y7mail.com so that we can get the ball rolling on your prize. Yay!!

Bec x

today was....

2011-12-14T17:13:00.000+08:00

Today was spent sewing together the last 6 dresses needed to bring me right up to date with my orders. I know I said 27 dresses - but it ended up being more like 37 dresses. In my haste to get things done I made some silly mistakes on a few orders. Wrong sizes, wrong fabric, a little snip, a missed stain... It has meant that I had to sew a few orders twice. A good lesson to slow down and make sure that things are done right the first time. Not all is lost, as I will have a few extra dresses ready to ship when I re-open the shop.

Today I received a gorgeous package from a gorgeous customer. It was completely unexpected and such a delight. An illustrated 2012 calendar to keep me on track and some divine little love-bird salt and pepper shakers. Too cute!! This lovely lady was one of my first supporters and she has an ever growing collection of my dresses. She was the recipient of my first ever Annie dress! I have to pinch myself sometimes. It is such a dream come true to be able to do what I love every day, and sensational clients are just the icing on the cake!! I am so lucky.

Well I must away. I have a snotty small person to cuddle.

P.s - TODAY is the last day to enter my giveaway. Winner drawn TOMORROW!!!

Good luck x

I can not help myself!

2011-12-11T15:14:00.001+08:00

On the drive to Perth yesterday I couldn't help but stop off at one my favourite op-shopping spots. It never fails to deliver the good stuff and this occasion was certainly no different. A splendid selection of floral sheets, a gorgeous oriental rice-warmer-thingo, a happy sunflower tapestry AND a lovely mid century stool that will undergo a dottie angel inspired make-over once I get home... You wouldn't believe that I got the lot for less than 10 smackers! I must have looked pitiful as when I asked the the lady at the counter how much I owed her she said something along the lines of "well it is Christmas and you have a child..."

What about the culling?? Hmmm, yes. I am sure that these pretties will have a place in my new home... Fingers crossed.

I hope you are having a sensational weekend so far.

Much love,

Bec x

P.s - I found four (4!!!) vintage typewriters in the one oppy. All priced at $10.00 each. I was so tempted to buy them all, but I recently purchased one online (it will be waiting for me at the panna house) and I thought I would leave them there to share the love. If you are a Southwest lady (or gentleman) on the hunt for a typewriter give me an message with your email and I will send you the details... I am not sure if they worked but they looked in good condition. x

our days are numbered....

2011-12-09T18:31:00.000+08:00

This weekend I am heading to Perth to spend some time with family and close friends before we start the drive to Pannawonica. Planned is a Sunday breakfast with my besties, a family dinner on Monday night, and a date with ikea to pick up a few essentials for the new pad.

This week I have been finishing the last of my outstanding orders and conducting the final edit of our belongings. I am no longer stressed about storage and it has indeed been liberating and cleansing culling the less important clutter from around my home... I have culled some fabric, but not much, they are way too important to me and my business...(you might be interested to know that my sheets have been insured for nearly $13000.00 WTF!).

As they say, out with the old and in with the new. Today I treated myself to an extremely gorgeous floor pillow from Bonnie and Neil. It might seem ridiculous to be nesting just days before we move, but knowing that everything has its place is making the culling easier and the move seem less daunting. The pillow is just what I needed to pull my lounge together. It makes the space feel comfy and inviting without being warm and cosy... (which I am trying to avoid seeing as we are moving to one of the hottest places in Australia!!)

Well I am not sure how often I will be in touch between now and the road trip. There are only 5 days left to enter my end of year giveaway. If you haven't entered yet please take a look. Remember that spreading the word via your blog will gain you two extra entries - Your help sharing the love will be so much appreciated!!

That's it! I'm off!! I hope you have a great weekend. The best weekend ever even!

Much love, Bec x

Freakin out....

2011-12-06T21:52:00.000+08:00

I have spent the day with my mum, going through every box/drawer/shelf/cupboard/nook in my house. Eliminating the junk and finding homes for the stuff I plan to keep. I thought we were doing really well. I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we would manage to fit all of our belongings from our 4x2 plus studio into an older style 3x1 home.... That was until Levi sent me a pxt of the built in robes in our new house... Excuse me while I hyperventilate.

There is no freakin way it's going to fit...

Oh, and did I tell you we might be moving next week??

I am going to have to make a few tough decisions, me thinks. I know its just stuff, but I am a collector. I have been gathering these precious things, imagining them one day in my 'forever home'... It's going to be sad but I have to let go of some pretty awesome stuff. If you live around the Dunsborough area and you are partial to op-shopping, keep your eyes peeled for some treasures...

In other news, I have made another dottie angel inspired wall hanging. I gave a pink cardigan a 'green button' make-over & tomorrow and Friday will be my last days sewing before we move...

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Should probably get myself into bed to catch some crucial Zzzzz's. I hope I don't have nightmares about storage or suffocating in a mountain of vintage bed sheets...

Bec x

joy to the world...

2011-12-03T16:54:00.000+08:00

This morning I found my Christmas mojo, after gazing upon a most beautiful project from none-other than the sublime 'dottie angel'....

I have to confess that last year I did not bother with Christmas at all. No tree, decorations or presents. This year we will have just moved into our new home in Panna, so I want to make the Christmas day special for the three of us and start a few new traditions. Especially as miss Zavian is two now, and I want to create special memories for her.

Now, dottie angels project is for a 'terribly nice table runner' but I decided to make a wall hanging instead. It is still a work in progress, a few finishing touches are needed, but since making it I have gone back to gaze upon it a few times and I am quite chuffed with how it has turned out. I think I will be making a few others to be its friend...

This morning we headed to the beach so Levi could catch some abalone. Tonight we will enjoy a seafood feast with friends on the back porch. Summer has arrived!

Bec x

27 dresses: part 2

2011-12-02T19:57:00.001+08:00

Good evening friends!! Sorry to bombard you with so many pictures. These are just some of the dresses I have been working on this week. I posted off about 15 packages today, and the rest will be posted next week. It feels so good to know that I have all of my orders under control before the move.

In other news, you may have noticed that I am playing around with the layout of my blog. I am going to keep playing around with it all till I find something that I love...

The weather is all of a sudden very summery. Today after picking up Zavian from daycare we enjoyed a late afternoon swim at the beach. My first for the season. I love crispy, salty beach hair. Tonight we have all the windows open and there is a delicate warm breeze wafting through the house. I love the sound of the crickets and the frogs outside. The plan for the evening is to enjoy a movie and veg-out. Just what the doctor ordered!! We need to make the most of our last days here on the coast.

I hope your weekend is off to a good start!

Bec x

27 dresses

2011-11-30T17:25:00.000+08:00

Well if you count them there are actually only 19 dresses in the shot, but there are another four ready to finish hanging in my studio, and then another four to cut and sew before the big move... and then I will be finished for the year. I did not think that I would make it. But now I am certain that I will.

After 5 days of hardcore non-stop dressmaking I am ready for a rest. Tomorrow will be devoted to yummy food, beach time and naps taken with my small person.

Once again, I have so much goodness to share with you. Pretty dresses, thrifted finds, new friends and exciting news - but it all has to wait for my brain to return....

I hope you are enjoying a lovely week so far.

Bec x

window shopping...

2011-11-27T22:57:00.001+08:00

Recyclyed locker from wesben on etsy

Amazing sideboard from benjaminmangholz on etsy

I found these clever things on etsy while I was ~~procrastinating~~ planning our new living room in the Panna house...

I did have a plan to acquire a few new bits and pieces to make our new home in Pannawonica more comfortable. My list grew very long, very quickly. The reality of the situation is that although I would love a new couch/rugs/bed/bookshelf etc; we really can't afford to just go out and buy these things on a whim. We are going to be taking most of our existing furniture with us, all of which has been picked up from op-shops, friends and hard rubbish.

NOW please don't get me wrong... I love my stuff. I love that not having a lot of cash forces you to find creative solutions to furnishing and decorating. Finding abandoned treasures at the tip makes my heart race and brings me immeasurable joy!! I also love houses that are real. Lived in and mismatched. I don't love houses that look like display homes... Boring!

BUT if money were no object, then there are a few things that I would be happy to bring home...

Random stuff...

*I have decide that I am the beehive type. I found this tutorial and have been practising all weekend. I suggest you give it a try... I love it so much, I may even arrange for some pictures of me rockin' the new do soon.
*I was watching something that made me cry on the telly, and Zavian came up and held my face and said, 'don't worry mummy, I make you feel better' and gave me a kiss. Melt. heart explosion.
* I have my niece camping in the back yard with her friends for her end of school leavers...

So random. I shouldn't even be trying to blog right now...

Off to bed.

Bec x

P.s - there is still time to enter the giveaway

Gift certificates...

2011-11-26T07:29:00.000+08:00

I have been told by a few ladies that a Naughty shorts dress is at the top of the Christmas list.... Now of course I am super busy with the relocation and finishing up existing orders by the end of the year, but I thought that I would make some gift certificates for the etsy shop so that you can still get some naughtiness in your Christmas stocking...

The certificates will be valid from January for custom dress listings and ready to ship pieces. Every certificate will come with a unique code that can be used at the checkout toward items in the naughty shorts shop.

For more info you can email me at naughtyshorts@y7mail.com or via etsy

Bec x

Bigger than Texas!

2011-11-24T20:10:00.001+08:00

I awoke to this gorgeous message with a link to some photos of a wedding all the way over in Texas, featuring bridesmaids dresses by me! (how cool is that!!) All photos are courtesy of Michelle Edmonds photography and the Style me pretty blog. Thanks miss Melanie, you were a joy to work with. It was such a great way to kick off my day, especially after three nights of hardly any sleep...

I am currently trying to get my small person to sleep in her own bed. I have moved a mattress onto the floor of her bedroom and have been sleeping there, hoping that having me nearby will be enough to get her through the night on her own... This isn't really working. Anticipating her waking up is keeping me from falling asleep and the mattress is so uncomfortable and small... And then when I DO finally fall asleep she wakes me up climbing into bed with me anyway!! By then I am too tired to get up and put her back in her own bed. Not to mention that she is waking up at 5.30 am every morning anyway...

Bah. Tonight we are both moving back into my bedroom. I have too much to do to miss out on much needed sleep...

It looks as though the current plan is for the movers to pack up the house on the 14th of December. We will spend a couple of nights in Perth, flying to Panna around the 17th of December...

I have worked out that I have 23 orders outstanding that I would like to complete before we take off... It's a tall order, but tonight I will finish cutting all of those orders out and just take it one step at a time.

Wish me luck...

Bec x

So much happening!!

2011-11-23T19:06:00.001+08:00

My life is a bit chaotic at the moment.

Packing, sorting, editing my collections, parting with treasures....

Cutting, sewing, planning and dreaming.

Weeding, cleaning, painting....

It is a bit stressful, but I am feeling so excited to be taking naughty shorts into its second year. The fact that I will be operating from the middle of the desert, just makes it all the more of an adventure!

Change is good.

Bec x

her library adventures...

2011-11-21T10:20:00.000+08:00

While browsing this morning I discovered these pretty pictures of miss Sophie from 'her library adventures', playing by the banks of the river in an 'Annie dress' made by me...

Thanks miss Sophie! For taking the time to take such pretty pictures and share them with the world!!

Remember that if you would like to win a custom 'Annie' dress of your own, and a sweet pair of Swedish clogs to match, you can still enter the give-away here !!!

I have had such a lovely weekend. My dad and Judy (aka poppy & nanna jude) came to stay with us. They spent a heap of time doting on my small person, playing in the backyard and going for walks to the park. We all spent time in the garden pulling out weeds and getting ready to move out. There was a spot of thrifting and some great finds to share with you. Although don't tell Levi because I am not meant to be accumulating any more ~~stuff~~ treasures before the move...

I spent some time painting frames and went a bit nuts painting lots of stuff actually... Photos to come...

The house is feeling organised, the weather is summery...

We are off to a good start!!

Happy Monday!

Bec x

The best give-away EVER!! ** COMPETITION CLOSED*

2011-11-18T13:54:00.006+08:00

I am thrilled and excited to announce that I have teamed up with the most Fabulous Lotta from Stockholm to bring to you my end of year celebratory give-away...

Lotta and I are going to give you the chance to win a Custom made 'Annie dress' from a fabric of your choosing AND you will also receive a pair of Lotta's gorgeous Swedish clogs in your choice of style, size and colour to wear with your dress. SERIOUSLY!! A match made in heaven!!

To enter, simply take a browse through Lotta's scrumptious cloggy range and my many vintage fabrics, and tell us in the comments below what your perfect combo would be!! (Do not worry if the fabric is reserved or in the deluxe range - it is your dream combination. If you win, we can work out your fabric choice later...) Then head on over to the naughty shorts facebook page and the Lotta from stockholm facebook page and LIKE US!!

An extra 2 (two) entries will be offered for writing about this giveaway ON YOUR OWN BLOG and include on your blog page a picture of my awesome 'give-away banner' with a link back here for the duration of the competition.

Entries will close on the 14th of December, with the winner drawn before Christmas!! How exciting!

Conditions of entry...

1. You must be a member of my blog. If you have not got a google account, what better time to make one and join up!!

2. Only one entry per person BUT please leave an extra two comments if you do write about us on your blog and leave a link so that we can check it out...

3. INTERNATIONAL entries are WELCOME!!

4. Entries close on the 14th of DECEMBER with the winner drawn within the next week. The winner will be announced on the blog and must make contact within one week to claim their prize.

5. The winner may choose classic, peep-toe, or braided clogs - boots are not included.

6. The deluxe and premium fabrics are also excluded from the give-away.

THANK YOU!!!!

Good luck!!

Love Bec and Lotta x

Good morning!!

2011-11-17T08:14:00.001+08:00

I love this time of year. The fresh cool mornings, the sun gently shining through my windows with the promise of a beautiful day ahead. I love that my bed is the perfect combination of cool sheets and a warm doona. Spring is the perfect time of year to hit the snooze button... Unfortunately I don't really get the chance to sleep in. I am rudely awoken by my toddler, ripping my eyes open by the lashes, usually somewhere between 5 and 5.30 am.... 'WAKE UP' she yells into my face... Mornings really are glorious where I live. Our house backs onto an inlet, so there are water birds nesting in our backyard. The water is always so sparkly in the afternoon sun. This is the view from my kitchen, lounge and also from my studio windows...

You know what they say, be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true... WELL it looks as though our accommodation crisis has resolved itself, and we will be celebrating Christmas and New Year's eve in our new home in Panna. Don't get me wrong, this is fabulous news and I couldn't be more excited. Its just hat we now have so much to organise, with only about 4 weeks to get it done...

Farewell to the cool climate and glistening beaches of the South-west, hello to the red dirt and retail isolation of the Pilbara! Very exciting indeed.

In other news, I have been allocated my partner for the package project currently being hosted by cupcake couture. I have been having a very good snoop around my lovely partners blog, She seems to have quite stylish taste, so I know that I am in most capable hands.

Her name is Natalie. You can check out her blog here. Especially check it out if you are a dog lover as miss Natalie has the most gorgeous puppy I have ever seen. His name is Winston, and he is my inspiration for Natalie's gift. I won't say anything else so that I don't ruin her surprise...

I have so much work to do!!! Must go.

Bec x

style my space...

2011-11-14T18:04:00.001+08:00

A nook for my small person...

My antique dummy, found at a garage sale for the grand sum of $5

I've got the nesting bug and it couldn't have come at a worse time...

With the lease on our house running out and with no date in sight for the move to Pannawonica, it looks like we might be living in limbo by the 27th of December. Merry Christmas!

I believe the owner of our house is planning to use the house over the summer as a holiday home. It really is not as bad as I make out, I am sure that we can renew our lease and just just break contract once we are given a date to pack our bags and take up our dwelling in the Pilbara. We might be here another six months or so yet...

Anyway, so I am moving things around, culling, clearing, styling. Heaps of stuff will be going. Anyone in the South-west need an antique hospital bed?

Hope you are having the most lovely Monday, and that your week is off to an energetic and productive start.

Bec x

I miss my chubby bubby...

2011-11-14T10:10:00.001+08:00

I have just re-discovered this precious photo of my bub's chubby little hands...

Taken last summer, from the weekend I pulled this cupboard out of hard rubbish....

Bec x

Savilles Rowe Competition details...

2011-11-13T19:30:00.001+08:00

Introducing Savilles Row. The lady behind these sassy dresses is the incredibly talented and gorgeous Miss Lou.

Lou is a Londoner, but currently resides in San Clemente in the Sunny State of California. She is an artist, stylist, published author, and handmade artisan. She really is a creative force unlike any one else I know.

Savilles Row is only in its infant stages, but I know that this will be one etsy shop to keep an eye on. Lou is running a fantastic competition over on her blog to win a custom dress in a style and fabric of your choice. Please head on over to the Savilles Row blog for details.

Lovely Miss Lou is a very close friend of mine. The story of how we met unfolds like a bit of an old-fashioned romance.. Two strangers at a party who got talking and discovered that we had a connection. There was the nervous first date, then a second, then by the third rendezvous we were already old friends, by the fourth I think it was decided that perhaps we were soul mates!

Next year the family plan is to head over to the States, where I will leave the small person with the Mr for a few nights so that Lou and I can go nuts in New York, New York!! I can not wait to see her!!!

Much love! Bec x

cake and craft day...

2011-11-13T16:14:00.002+08:00

What a marvellous morning I have had! A couple of clever girlfriends, cake, a bit of hand stitching, comparing notes, talking about ideas, sharing inspiration, yummy coffee, pots of tea, a fresh studio, my beautiful mumma and a gorgeous toddler who decided to sleep for 3 hours so that I could enjoy it all stress free!! Seriously, a 3 hour nap - unheard of!

I have pretty much finished loading up my shelves and I am very happy with how they look in my space.

Thanks beautiful ladies for sharing such a lovely morning with me. Lets do it again soon.

Bec x

Making space...

2011-11-12T17:45:00.002+08:00

CLICK ON ME!!!!

Good afternoon fabulous people! How do you like my animated gif. I thought that my new bookcase deserved the effort. This is the first gif that I have ever attempted so please excuse the wonkiness of it all. Halfway through forgot to take pictures, so it fills up very quickly!!

Click on the picture to view in all of its wonky glory!!

I bought this a few months ago from ikea in preparation for our move to Pannawonica. We will be downsizing from a 4 x 2 + studio space, into a 3 x 1 with a small combined living area. Fabulous and practical storage will be the key to squeezing my fabric stash and precious treasures

into a much smaller bedroom space. I planned to leave the bookshelf in it's flat-packed state until we made the move. It looks like we might be waiting a fair bit longer for our house so I didn't

want to wait any longer.

The idea was to get as much of my stuff onto the bookshelf as possible. I can highly recommend this unit for housing fabric, as far as storage goes, this is the cats meow. Until I can afford Mark Tuckey pigeon holes, or develop the mad skills to make my own furniture, this ikea version is an affordable and practical solution.

Now that I have finally set them up we will probably get the call that our new house is ready and we are moving in two weeks....

I am still setting them up. You know when you move one thing, it leads to another, and another. The studio is a mess and I have guests tomorrow morning! I will probably be fixing it up till late into the night, but at least it will look beautiful for my crafty morning with friends.

Have a great Saturday night!! Speak to you tomorrow!

Bec x

My day in pictures....

2011-11-11T21:28:00.000+08:00

Just a few snaps from my day. My studio. The dresses I am working on...

My work day was cut short today, as I had to spend a couple of hours clearing out the spare bedroom so that my mum and her husband had somewhere to stay this weekend. But I made good progress and will have about ten dresses ready to ship on Monday.

Weekend plans are looking sweet. Studio upgrade tomorrow. Crafty morning with a couple of girlfriends on Sunday. Evening walks along the Meelup coastal path. Mumma cooked meals. And maybe a bit of a rest...

Hope you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

Bec x

What day is it again?

2011-11-10T17:02:00.001+08:00

This afternoon has been spent pottering around my house. My studio is once again a rainbow of half finished dresses. I have about thirteen dresses on the go this week. It looks so beautiful, I love being surrounded by so much prettiness. Unfortunately I have misplaced the camera again, so I have no pictures to show you. After a clean-up effort tonight I'm sure it will turn up. So I will have some dress photos tomorrow.

Today's effort has included the hanging of my Mona Lisa tapestry, and a battered vintage heart shaped cake tin. I plan to collect a few of these and make a display in my future dream home...

Zavian and I dropped past the Yallingup bakery to pick up a loaf of their organic, wood-fired fruit toast. Unfortunately they were sold out, but we took the time to stop and pick a few pretty branches from the nearby bushland, and they now sit prettily alongside my cake tin. If you know what the branches are called I would love to know...

I managed to snap a few instagram shots to share with you, so I will leave you with pics and wish you all a lovely evening...

Bec x

Sister Suffragette Sing Along

2011-11-09T11:37:00.000+08:00

Hot topic...

2011-11-09T11:16:00.001+08:00

I've got a lot on my mind, it seems. And I hope you don't mind but I need to get a bit of this out.

Breastfeeding. The other night I stumbled upon a blog post bagging out the Character Rose from 'the slap' for breastfeeding her 4 year old son. She used the words disgusting and 'all types of wrong' and other such terms to describe what she saw. The post has sparked a lot of conversation.

I have just finished breastfeeding my bub at the age of 22 months. I have to admit that I was already starting to feel a bit uncomfortable and over it. I personally would not feed my baby after the age of 2 years. I admit that seeing someone else feed a four year old child would probably make me a bit uneasy, but that's my problem right? Not the problem of the women who is feeding her child.

Only Western cultures frown upon such practise, and world wide, statistically the average age to stop breastfeeding is 4 years old.

We have to remember that we are being groomed by the media to believe certain things about the world we live in, and the sexualisation of women and their bodies sells products. So the media will have us believe that a women's purpose is to be sexy and gorgeous and that our mammaries exist solely to be looked at by men. I posted this link on my fb page a few weeks ago, it's worth checking out.

Now I believe that everyone is entitled to an opinion. But the sooner we realise that we have 'learned behaviour' and that our opinions might not be as much our own as we originally thought, we will surely be empowered by this.

Becoming a mum is hard enough as it is. We need to stop bagging out women for the decisions they make and start supporting one-another. Whether it's the decision to not breastfeed at all, or to whip em out on the train whenever needed, or whatever!

What do you think?

Good Stuff!

2011-11-07T20:45:00.001+08:00

Yay!! it's here! The meet me at mikes Good Stuff online mag is now ready to view. It is an awesome handmade holiday and gift guide...Pip and friends have done such a fantastic job of putting this together. Make sure you have a fresh pot of tea and a little snack before you settle in to read it, as there are heaps of amazing people to discover and pretty things to think about buying. Much more than a gift guide, it has recipes and projects to enjoy also.

I do have a little add in there for my own shop, which still has a few custom spots and ready-to-ship pieces available!! You can check me out about mid way through.

In other exciting news, last night I dug out a few dresses that have been at different stages of completion for a long time now. Some are failed experiments, others had mistakes in the details. I picked up one dress with a dodgy neckline and decided to try to re-style. I wont give too much away now, but lets just say that I am so glad I did, and a sexy new style might be worming it's way into my collection really soon.

I am so inspired right now. There are just not enough hours in a day!!

Stay tuned!

Bec x

flea market find of the year!!

2011-11-06T13:46:00.001+08:00

Yes that's right...I found the Mona Lisa in a thrift store!

She will be my entry into the 'flea market find of the year' hosted by miss Sophie over at 'her library adventures'.

Being such an avid thrifter, it really is so hard to pin point just one special find as the 'find of the year' but this tapestry of da Vinci's mysterious lady is certainly amongst the most interesting and kitsch.

I can't believe I found her just yesterday. Just in the nick of time!

To see many more 'flea market find's of the year' or even to enter your own (there is a lovely prize on offer) visit miss Sophie :)

* this has been edited so that 'flea market' is spelled correctly ........

Shop update...

2011-11-06T08:51:00.000+08:00

For the first time in FOREVER I finally have a few 'ready to ship' goodies uploaded in the etsy shop.

I planned for today to be the day that I restocked the shop, as I believe the meet me at mikes good stuff catalogue is due out today!! It is going to be jam-packed full of lovely makers and handmade gift options for Christmas. How exciting!

I am hoping that the catalogue will bring me some new bloggy friends and customers. Welcome if you are new around here. Glad you could make it :)

I am trying really hard to find that balance between keeping up with custom orders, and finding the time to be creative and make ready to ship pieces...

I thought that I had about 15 dresses ready to ship, turns out that I only have 5 that are actually ready to ship, but others will be listed for sale as I get them finished... Keep your eyes on my facebook page and the shop for details.

Okie dokie. We are off. It's Sunday morning and the park is beckoning...

Bec x

package full of goodness!

2011-11-04T20:06:00.001+08:00

Today a package arrived that was so jam packed full of sweetness and surprise that my eyes welled with tears, and my heart swelled with happiness!

The parcel was from the gorgeous miss Kel over at green tea and red nails, the gracious host of the best fat quarter swap in ALL of AUSTRALIA!!! It was so beautifully wrapped, but I have no photos to show you, because at times like that I don't stop and think 'where's my camera??'

Wanna' see what was inside??

vintage floral...

little golden books...

vintage threads for my small person...

seriously too cute!

& gorgeous handmade envelopes!

I have already earmarked this fabric as a keeper. A new sundress to match my navy salties??
Snap!

Seriously miss Kel!! You spoil me! Sending much love your way tonight.

Bec x

I'm home...

2011-11-03T17:20:00.001+08:00

I decided to make the 'worlds biggest pin-cushion' with my scraps...

...now that its finished I realise that it looks just like a 'couch cushion' but I have still stuck
my pins in it...

My gorgeous rug from Azerbaijan...

Good evening wonderful friends! I hope this post finds you well and happy!

Sorry to bombard you with six posts worth of photos all at once. I have been playing stylist, trying to figure out how best to photograph my dresses before I ship them off. Any suggestions? Which pictures do you like best? My blog posts used to be jam-packed with photos of finished custom orders, but I have had such a hard time photographing the Annie dresses - the pics just don't do them justice. Of course Miss Katie Mitchell did an exceptional job, but unfortunately I don't have her or her stunning sister on-call to help me out on a day to day basis...

Anyway, I am happy to report that we are home sweet home' after a wonderful five days of catching up with my family in Perth. There was a birthday reunion with Aunty at the Indi bar in Scarborough - which was fabulous as the Indi bar was my old 'haunt' back before I became a responsible parent... We listened to great music and drank Pints of Fat Yak.

The rest of the trip was unplanned and uneventful. Which was perfect. You might be surprised to hear that I left the op-shops alone on this particular trip (WHAT! Seriously!) But I did manage to score a pair of Saltwater sandals... I know that I had a pair of these as a kid and I didn't love them back then, but I saw a pair on Alana's blog and it was love at first sight... I needed a pair of summer shoes to wear with my dresses, and I am just not a 'high heel' kinda girl, and a pair of thongs just don't measure up.

The sandals are perfect. Straight after I bought them (I wore them out of the shop) I headed to the park where my small person was with my sister. I ran up to this fabulous looking 'windsurfer on springs' thingo and jumped on it. I then smashed the tin sail straight into my head and fell off, laughing so hard that I may of wet my pants a little...

Well on that note, It's time to love you and leave you. Tomorrow is a sewing day, and I have a massive pile of parcels to send. All very exciting!!

Bec x

fabric updates...

2011-10-28T20:22:00.000+08:00

I have spent the day snapping the latest fabrics to add to my ever-growing collection...

You can check out the rest of the new fabrics here and here... You will have to excuse the fact that the numbers are all out of order, and the fact that some have round edges and some are straight. When it comes to all this photo editing business, I am still a novice!

Still to go are the new secret garden fabrics, maybe I will get that finished tonight.

First thing tomorrow I will be driving to Perth to visit the family and I won't be home until Thursday. It's a bit of a bummer because I stayed up late finishing a rack full of dresses so that I could post them today. NO one told me it was a public holiday and that the post office was shut. Sadly these pretties will have to wait until I return to get posted. Sorry ladies!! Bad organisation on my part.

Anyway, I plan to enjoy myself in Perth nonetheless, and not think about anything that might stress me out. I have a beautiful mess waiting for me when I return.

I will leave you with just a few snaps from the week so far.

Have a fabulous weekend lovely peeps!

Bec x

P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.I.O.N!!!

2011-10-26T16:17:00.000+08:00

This morning I was off like a shot! And I actually achieved quite a bit...

Twelve dresses on hangers - ready to finish...

This afternoon, however, seems to be a different story...

It started with a cup of tea.

Chocolate.

Ebay.

Fruit toast.

Facebook.

Labelling.

BLOGGING!

Sheesh!

Get back to work!!

Bec x

Like sisters...

2011-10-25T18:05:00.000+08:00

My little sister surprised me on Sunday afternoon, when she arrived on my doorstep with the plan to stay for a couple of nights. She has been living overseas for the last two years, and apart from when I picked her up from the airport, we have yet to spend any time together...

We had the best time catching up.

We drank lots of tea and did a little bit of crafting...

We ate yummy dinners, and had pancakes for breakfast.

We hung out at the Yallingup bakery, waiting for the woodfired bread to come out of the ovens...

We took Zavian for a bush walk, and talked to the Kangaroos...

And raided every op-shop in the area!

Her visit was short and sweet.

A wonderful new tablecloth, without any stains!!

Another new tea-cup...

Our crafty spoils... I made the doll, and Tess made the cat...

Her bunny did not turn out as she had planned...

And I put her to work stamping my swing tags...

Thank you my sister!! I had the best time with you. Lets do it again soon!!

Bec x

A few last pictures from Bali...

2011-10-24T22:28:00.000+08:00

A beautiful local preparing prayer offerings in the village...

A road leading to a sandy paradise.
That fence is my new favourite colour. The closest I have found to it is called 'celery'

Cheeky littles, hiding under their mumma's market table...

My cheeky little, enjoying some icecream...

Sandy paradise and techni-colour boats...

Runaway toddler!!

A gorgeous wall in a restaurant bathroom...

With cute cross-stitch art!!

and a fabulous mirror...

I find myself up late and on the computer. Re-discovering a few of the pictures taken on our trip to Bali last month... Was it really only last month? It feels like a million years ago already!

I hope your week is off to a good start.

Bec x

Happiness is a weekend full of vintage floral...

2011-10-23T11:42:00.004+08:00

Hello beautiful people!!

I am feeling most fortunate this weekend, as I finally seem to be back to my old self. I broke my own rule last night and stayed up late working on some orders. I know I vowed to leave weekends free for recreational crafting only, but I just felt the urge to get some work done. After being sick and uncoordinated for 3 weeks (THREE FLIPPIN' WEEKS!) I am just over-joyed to even WANT to stay up late sewing! It is good news!

The sunny weather also brought the first local markets for the season. I found a gorgeous little duo of tea cups that I snatched up for the grand sum of $3.00. My small person walked away with a new scotty dog made by a cute (but rather grumpy) old granny, and a spunky pair of leggings that appear to have been imported from China...You know the ones, with funny animals printed on the bum.

There was a local girl selling original artworks for about $40.00. They were so beautiful and I would have loved to have chosen one. Unfortunately I had an arm full of King Protea's and it turns out that Miss Zavian's new game is 'lets run away from mum as fast as possible' So I had to restrain her until we were safely back in the car...

The weekend also saw me re-piling fabrics and giving my sewing room a spruce. The rest of the house has not been so lucky...

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend too! Ready to start the new week?? Yipee!

Bec x

P.s - Seeing as this is my first genuine flee-market find of the season, I have linked up with 'her library adventures' . Head over if you wish to see some other lovely market goodies or even to add your own link!

DIY day spa - Sea Salt Body Scrub

2011-10-22T19:49:00.000+08:00

You might find this interesting (you might not too, that's fine) BUT before I found my feet making lovely frocks for fabulous ladies, I had thought that I would base my business around the making of yummy potions and balms. Mainly a yummy bees wax bottom balm for babies - hence the name 'naughty shorts'. TRUE STORY!!

ANYWAY, I thought that I would take the time to share a few of my favourite recipes with you. The first being an indulgent sea salt body scrub. The body scrub is not the most relaxing ritual, but it is one of the most beneficial for removing dry dull skin and leaving your body smooth and moisturised.

This is EASY peasy to make and the ingredients wont cost you a fortune. Sea salt is the perfect ingredient for an oily scrub, as it makes your skin super thirsty and it will absorb all of the goodness in the oil.

YOU WILL NEED -

500ml of oil - Please use a nice quality Extra Virgin Oil... Olive Oil, Macadamia nut oil, Almond Oil, Castor oil or a yummo combination of your choosing....
500 grms of rock sea salt
Essential oils of your choosing - I used peppermint essential oil, and a few drops of a vanilla perfume oil - It made me smell like an after dinner mint!!
A pestle and Mortar
Clean dry glass jars with lids

METHOD -

Pulverise your rock salt. I mean really Smash it!! You want the salt in a fine powder. I would recommend breaking it down in small quantities. If you don't pound your salt fine enough, you won't enjoy using your scrub. Don't rush this step...
Spoon your salt mix into your clean glass jars, about 1/3 full...
Top up your jars with your mix of carrier oils,
Add about ten drops of your essential oil, and that's it!

HANDY HINTS -

Use your scrub on dry skin for best results
Use a spoon to take your mixture from the jar - any moisture in the jar will dissolve your salts making the mix useless...
If you are making the scrub as a gift, make sure it looks the part! Package it up with a beautiful spoon and a handmade tag, all tied up with jute twine.

Voila! I hope you enjoy.

Bec x

Swamp thing...

2011-10-20T14:40:00.001+08:00

Yesterday I dedicated a few hours to the ritual of self maintenance. My ritual involves gooping black dyes into my eyelashes and eyebrows. A dark brown dye for my head of hair. A bit of scrubbing. Some toe-nail painting....

Most of these things I used to trust to the beautician. But after becoming a family, and realising that the cost of beautifying ones-self is no longer a priority, I became pretty snappy in the ways of the DIY day spa....

Being quite fair naturally and preferring my hair dark, I have learnt that you must cover all of the light hairs around your face thoroughly! It is better that you have a dark stain around your face for a day or two, than you have a halo of baby blonde hairs around your face for a month!! My sister taught me that!!

I was also rather chuffed with the arrival of a few pairs of lovely coloured socks!! Not exactly the most exciting news, but as I have decided to jump on the socky bandwagon, these really made my day!!

I did manage to sew yesterday, but it was hard work... I was clumsy and my head felt like it was going to explode again. It has dawned on me that perhaps the pain in my head could be explained by hay-fever! I have never had it before, but I am off to the chemist to get my hands on some claratyne. I hope its works!! I will keep you posted.

Hope you are enjoying some delicious weather in your neck of the woods.

Bec x

A weekend of 'not much'

2011-10-16T17:11:00.000+08:00

snacking...

have you met my person before? She is 2 now!! And her favourite place is always right
in the middle of whatever quilt I have just made...

I made this random summer blanket this morning...

It is backed in some lovely blue sheeting...

...and made up of a few old tablecloths, barkcloths and scraps.

This does not have any batting, and it is constructed with the front and back sewn
right-sides facing and turned the right way round.

It was nice and easy to make! Only took a couple of hours. I think I will add
a crochet edge....

Twitter birds all cut and ready for sewing...

Speaking of birdies.... look what my little sister brought back from London for me!! I have always loved this particular piece by Rob Ryan, and I guess she knew it. very spoilt I am. My mum in law took one look at it and said 'oh that's perfect
for you'... Ha ha, thanks a lot yaya!

On Friday I managed to start a few twitter dresses. I was still feeling pretty crappy, but after a couple of 'cold and flu' tablets I was pretty much off my face - doped up on pseudoephedrine. No wonder you need to show your drivers license when you buy these over the counter!! I haven't taken these tablets for a few years now, and I don't remember them having such a strong effect. I must be more sensitive than I used to be...

I am still feeling pretty pathetic now - I am sure your all sick of me complaining! My mumma has come to stay with me for a few nights. My beautiful, gentle mum!! She has the magic touch of an experienced home maker. She floats around my house collecting things and re-arranging. My house always looks so beautiful when she has been to stay. She is like a disney princess with a little singing bird on her shoulder. Having her here is definitely making me feel better. Thank you my mum!!

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend!!

Bec x

Scrap-tastic give away announcement...

2011-10-14T10:41:00.000+08:00

Yummo scraps....

A rainbow of scrappy goodness....

All wrapped up and ready to go to miss Belinda!! Yay!

I would like to say a huge big thank-you, for all of your lovely 'get-well' comments. An especially big thank-you to miss Tracey B for taking the time to include a chicken soup recipe!! I have not tried it yet, but I certainly will.

I am so pleased to announce that miss Belinda, comment # 43 as chosen by the random.org number generator this morning, will be the receiver of this yummy parcel of scraps!! I am quite chuffed with this bundle. It is a bundle that I would certainly be happy to receive, so I hope that you will enjoy it too!!

To all of my international friends, YES you certainly would be eligible for my give-away, alas your numbers did not come up this time, BUT I would like to say thank you nonetheless, as while I have been sick, your beautiful pictures and crafty inspirations have been making me tres happy! My favourites, if you wish to check them out, are Silly Old Suitcase, Tea Wagon Tales and a new favourite is miss Dee over at Dee-Construction...

Now, I am happy to say that I am feeling better... Still not 100 percent, but the post-sickness clean up in under way. After a week of everyone camping in the lounge-room, the carpet has its own ecosystem going on. The dishes haven't been done for a week, but surprisingly there is not much there, as no-one has really been eating anyway.

My love has gone back to work, my small person is at daycare, so I plan to dose myself up on cold and flu tablets and get things back in order...

I hope that you are well and happy wherever you may be.

Mwah!!

the yuckness has taken over.... And a give-away!!

2011-10-12T16:09:00.002+08:00

Hi you guys. I am sick as a dog! My love shared his man flu with me, and now I am every bit as sooky as he was!! I shouldn't have made fun of him! Drats! Luckily I looked after him pretty well, so now he is reciprocating. In fact, my sweetheart has just gone to the shops to get me some jelly...

So I thought that I might do something a bit fun, in the form of a 'scrap-tastic' give away!! Yay!!

Its time for me to face facts. I HAVE TOO MANY SCRAPS. So I want to share with you... Not just crappy scraps either... YUMMO scraps! If you are a fabric addict, as I am , then you will probably understand that making the decision to part with even morsels of fabric - was a BIG one! ha ha.

Leave a comment below if you are interested, and I will randomly draw a winner when I get around to it - hopefully tomorrow but I am sick so you just have to go easy on me... People can keep entering until I call the give-away as closed...

You know what else I have noticed is my page-views are nearing 80'000!! Surely that will be cause for celebration soon! If you are a silent reader - please say hello!! I would love to meet you! Please don't be shy!

The lucky winner will receive a pretty bundle of scraps - as many as I can stuff into a prepaid post-bag!!

There will be PLENTY of delicious scraps for your crafty endeavours.

So yay! Go on! Do it!!

2011-10-10T22:54:00.001+08:00

Scrap management, before and after...

Sneaky peek of un-packed bags of thrifty goodness...

Hello fabric!!

...new DELUXE fabrics!! They are Divine!

Big plans....

New books to enjoy....

Hi lovely peeps. It feels like forever since I last said hello, but it has really only been a few nights, I think...

Anyway, I have been sick! We all have been. We have all had varying degrees of yuckness over the last few days. Luckily mine seems to have come and gone already, and I am looking forward to a sewing day tomorrow. My love, on the other hand has been the worst affected, and sadly it looks as though he might not make it. Seriously. He is THAT sick....

Little Z has been showing all symptoms of the yuckness, but unless you had to deal with the 10 loads of washing that she has created over the weekend, you probably wouldn't know it for the smile on her face as she continues to skip around the house. She is amazing.

So, whilst I have been lolling around in my pj's, feeling a bit weak and sorry for myself, I have not managed much aside from a little bit of scrap folding. I have more scraps than I know what to do with, they are actually taking over my studio... More about that another time.

I also managed a bit of package opening, a little bit of reading, a few hot baths and lots of sleeping...

So I am forcing myself to stay awake now, at least until the washing machine has finished its cycle, so that the fabric that's in there might be ready to sew in the morning... I have plans.

I hope you all had the most wonderful weekend!!

P.S - Thanks so much for your opinions on the add! You guys are the best and I love you xoxox

PPS - I just discovered that it is a very special and talented ladies birthday! So 'happy happy day' miss Katie Mitchell. Go and visit her blog over here and while your there you will get to see a few of my favourite photos.... tee hee!!

Please! I need your help!

2011-10-08T14:39:00.000+08:00

Hello!! I am desperately trying to come up with an add to put in the Meet Me at Mikes 'Good Stuff' catalogue... This is what I have come up with so far. What do you think. Enough info? Too many pictures??

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!

Hope you are having the most fabulous weekend.

Mwah!

Happening's around here...

2011-10-05T17:03:00.000+08:00

Another fabulous op-shop haul. I'm on a roll people!!

Planning a special dinner for my love who arrives home tomorrow night...

Signing up for this and for this...

Designing a special 'boy themed' hanky blankie for a 'soon to be here' new arrival...

Playing with a vintage 1956 singer 99k...

Sewing, sewing, sewing - but I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Hope you are having a wonderful week so far!

Bec x

naughty shorts!

hodge podge...

just add pockets!!

Hello lovers!

zonked!

the time has come....

from my living room...

Happy parcel days!!

the scariest night of my life...

shop news - farewell to the tea dress...

Hello lovers!

dreaming in colour...

my latest dresses...

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

today I am happy...

Sunday...

Good morning!!

happenings...

Project d-stash and a scrap-stash GIVEAWAY...

art journal project...

my new man...

We are OPEN...

Shop Update...

Fun DIY - Peg wall display

I'm on a roll...

Vintage sheet FQ swap

donked on the head!

hello!

Scenes from around here...

first rain...

run around town...

a new design...

today...

The list...

hello old friends!

we are going on an adventure...

Giveaway announcement!

today was....

I can not help myself!

our days are numbered....

Freakin out....

joy to the world...

27 dresses: part 2

27 dresses

window shopping...

Gift certificates...

Bigger than Texas!

So much happening!!

her library adventures...

The best give-away EVER!! ****** COMPETITION CLOSED*****

Good morning!!

style my space...

I miss my chubby bubby...

Savilles Rowe Competition details...

cake and craft day...

Making space...

My day in pictures....

What day is it again?

Sister Suffragette Sing Along

Hot topic...

Good Stuff!

flea market find of the year!!

Shop update...

package full of goodness!

I'm home...

fabric updates...

P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.I.O.N!!!

Like sisters...

A few last pictures from Bali...

Happiness is a weekend full of vintage floral...

DIY day spa - Sea Salt Body Scrub

Swamp thing...

A weekend of 'not much'

Scrap-tastic give away announcement...

the yuckness has taken over.... And a give-away!!

Please! I need your help!

Happening's around here...

The best give-away EVER!! ** COMPETITION CLOSED*