Craft Fair #1 !!

Im back. I'm knackered, and I'm delighted to tell you all about my first experience at todays craft fair.

It started when I bounced out of bed at 6am. Nothing out of the ordinary, Im usually up at 6am, albeit without the bounce. More of a nudge to the body that lay aside me, "you get up", "no you", "you"... and so on until I lose. The only difference this morning was we both bounced (yes BOTH) out of bed. I'd like to think Hubby had the bounce out of sheer shared excitement, but it was more of an "have I got a busy day today and all I need is to shlap around after you today" bounce. Nevertheless, a bounce.

The Fair: Was it good? Was it bad? I'd say good and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My surrounding exhibitors, on the other hand, were quite disappointed and said it was the worst fair they'd ever exhibited at. Oh. :| My stall was a hit and was constantly buzzy (and busy), I did well. I had jewellery to my right and incense burners to my left, which I have to say if it wasn't for the Bubela knocking my rail over with it falling on her and leaving me everso sorry and embarrassed, I'd have told her to extinguish her incense sticks. I wasn't coming down with the cold she kept insisting!

My biggest hit were the t-shirts, especially the "Mummy's little Martian", I ran out and had to take orders!! I also took orders on my dresses which I shall be uploading to Etsy for sale shortly.

Oh, do you notice in the photo my "other" mannequin. I'm like a secret smoker, except a secret buyer of mannequins. When it came out this morning I managed to convince hubby she'd been around for... like ever!!

Do I publicly embarrass the Bubela and introduce you to his girlfriend? This little lovely was my first buyer of the day!

**Hubby, I love you, and thank you, thank you, thank you for packing up the car, dropping me off, helping me set up today... and every other amazing thing you did today ;) **.

#2 Here I come!

I've been featured...

This beautiful website dedicated to boutique kids clothes has me featured. Go have a look... here

Hope you're all having a good week and I hope to see those (that globally can) on Saturday at the Fair. Details in my sidebar.

Estee x

**Edited to state that this feature is in the Global Finds... I'll let you know when I really get FEATURED**

Zips, buttons and poopsies, oh vey

Zips... like riding a bike. Do it once, then its a ride in the park.

This white linen look dress teamed with every girls best friend - needs another press and a proper shoot - I'm hoping this one will be popular. I loved making this dress, it was a nights work to sew up. And that... its a heart shaped pocket. Age 5.

I'm making a sister one, replacing this print for the cherry's fabric.

And... in the real life goings on of half term, the Nosh has been unwell. Poor little thing. Three days went by this week without me sewing as I was just too knackered to get on the machine after sleepless nights. And, last night, I just wanted to watch the Brits!

Yesterday, we went to the park. Muddy park. My clutz of a child, the bigger one, My Bubela, managed to step in dog poop. Ooops, I hear you say. Ooops, my arse, it managed to get onto the sole of his sock INSIDE his welly... have you ever!! Only my clutz of a son. Obviously, I did not attempt to wash the sock... we now have a spare white sports sock, brand new on, going in the spares pile.

*Wondering* Do you ever do that... get a hole in one sock and chuck it and keep the other one just in case you could team it with the partner of a potential sock with a hole in? *hmm, just wondering whether its just me that has a pointless sock collection going on*

Photos are in...

Join me for tea and biscuits whilst you view the gallery. I'm muching on M&S Jaffa cakes (they're low in fat). Whats your favourite munch?

Here is just a taster of the halternecks... I just love the cherry's top, the fabric is delicious. Whats your favourite?

Zip and button up dresses to follow...

Keep watching!

As usual, I missed the bus again (metaphorically speaking). One step behind as usual. Snow fell last week and Mummy Sweetpea goes out and buys wellies this week. Arn't they cute though, those little shark ones. I did ask the Bubela if he wanted shark ones too and I got an "Oh Mummy please, do I look like I'm 2". Oh my goodness my little Bubela, would you slow down growing up, your only 7.

I'm running VERY low on fabric with just two weeks to go. So, today I ordered 5 more meters of solids in order to co-ordinate with my half yard reminants and my japanese fabrics. I've been cutting halternecks all morning!! To be photographed later this week.

Revealing the flouncy puff sleeve

I'm sorry that I didn't manage to get on here yesterday and reveal the finished dress, as promised. Blame the Old Singer!!

Now, I don't mean to talk poopy potty talk here, but every mother can understand the proud moment when her baby hits the potty... and yes, it was my proud moment yesterday when poopy hit the potty. OK, again I'm sorry about the toilet talk, but my little Noshy is growing up all in a week!!!! He went from babygrows to proper PJs on Tuesday. Yes, I know he's a bit old for babygrows, but bless, he still fits into them and they keep his toes warm. I would have waited for him to grow out of the sizes, but I figured that was cruel seeing as he is at nursery now and needs to be PJ-ing like his peers. I love his little feet, mwah.

So, Sleeves. Voila, I went for a flouncy puff. I hope you like it. I'll bind the neckline (chocolate brown), zip the back and label it. And it will go on the rack with its sisters tonight.

Next up is its (unfinished) big sister dress. I love this dress and I think the fabrics go much better this way around, dontcha think? Same goes with this dress, I'll bind neckline and armholes, zip the back and hem and label. And this will also hopefully be finished tonight. Age 7.

**Craft Fair details in my sidebar**

Things keep disappearing in the house. First my ruler, now my puff sleeve template, oy! During my course, one of the first things we did was trace around a model woman, man and childs template. Actually, the male and child templates were optional, but I decided to get the most out of the course as possible. I drew up templates and glued them onto card for ease... and so they don't get lost. Oy vey!

Anyway, as promised here is the dress. I'm not a great lover of this fabric I will admit. I think its the colour, its too beige for me and I'm just not a beige person. But, there might be shoppers out there that love beige. I tried to jazz it up with some wine satin ribbon and I was going to add an applique pear or bear to the bottom of the dress, but my worst (turned best) critique said there was too much going on and to leave it off. Age 2.

As for the sleeves, I may just puff another sleeve I think it looked ok. What do you think I should do with this sleeve?

*Edited to add* I found it, I found it. My sleeve template. Tucked up in my bag of scraps. Someone nearly got blamed for that!!

**Edited it add** Found my ruler too, but I swear it wasn't there last night!!

Beautiful scenes of a day off.

So picturesque, so quiet and so white... hey, that's Hubby and the Bubela walking back from the shops.

This day in February marked a day of fun in the snow for us. Whilst the Nosh experienced his first steps in the snow and the Bubela, with laughter and mischief, as they both dug, threw and played in the snow. I loved today.

Apart from fooling around in the snow, I had a very productive day with the Old Singer. I adapted the pattern I'd used for the pink puff sleeve dress by straightening the waist slightly and tapering in the flair and a few embellisments here and there. I have't decided what to do with the sleeves yet. I'll post photos tomorrow of progress and maybe you can help me decide what to do with the sleeves.

I went with a puff sleeve

I decided to go with the red binding, the brown just did nothing for the dress. Its a really nice linen mix binding and its lovely to work with, especially around curves. I did wonder about putting a collar in, but after much deliberation and even sketching it out (EVEN muttering to oneself at the table and raising all sorts of eyebrows??) I decided against it as what I had in mind just didn't work for that dress. I did however re-think the sleeves and decided to put in a puff sleeve with with an elasticated cased cuff. What do you think?

*I really need to buy another mannequin, this one is only 6 months and is not holding my clothes nicely*

Buttons: I bought some of those cover your own button thingys. Oy vey, the packet said they were easy to make, well, let me tell you they're not! I broke my nails, tore my cuticles, chipped my polish and found a whole new vocabulary whilst trying to get the fabric to grip the teeth... or teeth grip fabric. Grrrr. I only managed to cover one button. Sodding button! I wont be using it, I'll be framing it what it only put me through. Thank goodness I didn't like the look. I'll have a dig around in my button jars for something suitable.


Made up in a Age 4. I'm going to make this in a couple more sizes, any modifications you think I should make? Especially with regards to the sleeves.





Here's my little Bubela doing a great job modelling this alien t-shirt (which has now somehow worked its way into his wardrobe). *OK Bubela, I will make you a Mario Bros t-shirt*

I've been a naughty naughty WW. Far too many biscuits that didn't get pointed. So long to that initial 2 pount loss. OK. Back on track with a great start... a 2 point brekkie porridge. Lets shed this half a stone, come on!