Dancing on the ceiling........

Besides going crazy on the weekend at the house madly trying to finish every little job before the plastering started (yesterday!!!) I haven't done much sewing at all. I just have not had the time. Although I did manage to finish a bag for one of my best customers, who requested a bag for her wheelchair. She suffers from MS, besides a lot of other things, and is having a rough time of it all lately. It is to fit over her armrests. I hope she will be happy with it and I hope it fits!The plasterers began yesterday and they completed the whole ceiling on the ground floor. Amazing! I shall be back up there with them today putting in more insulation as they plaster....that should be intersting!!!!

I shall get around to visiting you all soon.

Kathryn. XX

All work and no play makes "Shabby" a very dull girl.....

This is what hours of "isulation istallation" looks like.....yep, pretty dull isn't it? And that little bit is only about a 10th of what we have done over the last few days. I am very pleased to say that the bottom of the house is complete and the upstairs two rooms about 40% done. But I have done all I can now, so it's up to Hubs to finish off - Yeah!!!

So it's time to play.....back to the sewing room for me.......

(let's just ignore the 4 loads of washing strewn all over the lounge room floor, the dusting, the bathrooms and the toilets, blah, blah, blah...)

More Matryoshka's in the making.....

And some pretty bags! I need to find the time to list them on the website....who knows when that will be.

Kathryn. XX

Hands Free and a Winner!!!

Inspired from here and here I decided to make my own "Hands Free" handbag.

I bought this "London newspaper" fabric (from here) a couple of weeks ago and thought it perfect for the accent fabric. I used lightweight clear PVC over the top with a quilt style binding so I didn't need a teflon foot for the machine to sew with it. Also used was denim, red and white polka dots and a luggage strap - adjustable.

It isn't quite finished: "Blog Finished" as a few would say!

I shall stitch down the binding at craft tonight.

I think I'm going to love being hands free now!

Now, let's get on to the giveaway winner, I know you are all dying to find out!!

Firstly thank you to those that entered. Your comments keep me motivated to keep going!

We had 55 comments. The pic is a little hard to read but....

the winner is comment number 35 and by my reckoning it is Deb from

"The Angel and the Pukeko"

Congratulations Deb. Please contact me to arrange your prize!!!

Thanks again everyone, Kathryn. XX

Busy....

Busy...

making this very "big" bag for a lady in the US.

And some more Lavender Strawberries for Our Shabby Cottage and My Shabby Cottage.

Pin cushions are also in the making as well as a few other goodies.

Etsy seems to be going really well at the moment, anyone else experiencing a busy spell?

I thought it would never pick up after the Christmas/New Year lull.

I'm off to the "Stitches and Craft Show" tomorrow with Mum.

We always enjoy it and one another's company.

It's not often we spend the day together, just the two of us.

If you happen to be going tomorrow and somehow recognise me, please come and say

"Hi Shabby!"

Now, I have my list and my credit card at the ready......only one more sleep.

Kathryn. XX

Kris Kringle....

Well, it is getting closer and closer to Christmas Day and I am finishing off a few presents for family and friends. Last year I made 19 gifts! I went a bit crazy really - aprons, oven mits, name cushions for kids, doorstops, cushions, hairclips tidy's etc...... This year I am being a little more restrained and have scaled it down a little. I am still making things - just things that aren't so time consuming!

On Hubby's side we do a Kris Kringle and this year I am "buying" for my sister in law - (I'm pretty sure she doesn't read my blog).

We have a $25 limit so I thought I would buy some fabric in her favourite colour (burgandy - it looks a bit on the brown side in the photos) and see what I could make for $25.

She has made comments on the bags I make for a while now, so I thought it a good idea to make her one of her own... and a brooch (which I have pinned to the bag) ...and a zipper purse...and a tissue case...and a notepad and pen folder....

...and her very own Matryoshka Doll. I still have some fabric left over so I may make something else... I'll see how much time I have left over!
Not a bad present really for $25, when I'll probably get a vase....
Oh well, it is the joy of giving that is best!
Kathryn. XX

A great swap and more bags.....

I haven't joined a swap for a while and thought I would give another one a go as I really enjoyed my first swap (LInda's bag/bucket swap).

They are lots of fun and you get to meet some wonderful bloggers with similar interests. Anyway, I have just joined "The Challenge in a bag mini quilt swap".

It sounds like fun. You organise a bag of fabric and embellishments, send it to your partner, then they have to create a mini quilt for you using at least a bit of every piece you put in the bag!!

Signups end on Saturday the 1st November and you have until January to mail it out.

Go on join in!!!

I thought I had better restock my supply of tote/bag sets in Our Shabby Cottage this week.

I was inspired by Hen recently when she made some gorgeous bags with her Cath Kidston fabric.

I love the red one at the back - it is made with Cath Kidston's "Classic Rose".

I think I will have to make one for myself for Christmas!! Perfect for the party season!!!

Anyway, I'm off to see a lady about a horse today - more on that tomorrow.....

Kathryn. XX

Finished Yesterday!!!

What a dreary old weekend. Stuck indoors with two boys going crazy with cabin fever! No outings to the park to play "footy", no Auskick - only pretend "footy" inside with a balloon (that's the only thing I let them kick, handball, mark, bounce, and tackle with, inside. Can you pick up the fact that my boys love "footy"? Yep, crazy about it....

Anyway, suprisingly enough, I had a very productive day yesterday. We bribed the boys to watch "Harry Potter" once again so I was able to finish off some priojects.

I have this pile of stuff - either cut out ready to sew, half sewn and just about finished but never seem to get around to it - I call it "My can't be bothered pile". You can see the pile in the last photo on the front of the table. It has decreased in size a bit since my crazy whirl wind sewing bonanza yesterday but I still have loads to finish off.

Does anyone else have this problem???

I managed to finish off the girls. I have called them "Katiya".

Mischief in a bag!!! Finished yesterday.... Find them in my website shop

Barkcloth Roses Tote bag - finished yesterday! Find it on Ebay soon..

Ballet bag - finished yesterday!! Find it in my Website shop

"The Princess Cushion - Emma" finished yesterday! Find it in my website shop

Not wanting to brag, but I finished another "Princess Cushion" ("Isabelle") too, along with two girls aprons and a wristlet! Bear in mind that these had been started and then neglected! So, I'm not the whizz you may think. :)

The mess where I "work"

See the big pile of unfinished business??? Mmm, can't be bothered...

Kathryn

So Close...

Well, the website is so close to being finished. I'm hoping it will be ready this weekend but don't panic if it isn't! It will be very soon.

I just have to take some more photos of "stuff" then lable them, code them, describe them, thumbnail them, shuffle them around a bit, then hey presto! Yep, this website stuff is very time consuming but I hope it will be worth the wait.

I have included some photos here of some of my goodies so you can wait in anticipation....

The girls are ready to go to new homes...

Quilted durham roses tote bag..

Mary Rose, Yuwa & chenille tote...

Lots of new Handbag Doorstops...

My adorable "Pussikins"....softies

And of course a lot more..... Stay tuned and pop in this weekend to see if it's all a Go Go!