Featured....on Shop Handmade UK.

Read my interview here.

Appreciation photo

I love it when you mummy's let me have photos of your gorgeous children in Sweetpea4kids clothing.

Thank you!!!

Dusting down the quilting foot

I've take out my 1/4" foot and attached it to the Old Singer. Yes, Im finally quilting.

I bought the quilting foot months ago, (who am I kidding, I bought it over a year ago) and it has remained in the packet since it dropped through my letterbox. I had always had good intentions, however the Sweetpea4kids clothing range just got in the way and I didn't get the chance to make the intended quilt.

Now, with things slowing down in the shop, and before I release my new Autumn/Winter range, I thought I'd slip in a little "me" project and try a quilt. I didn't realise how quickly it would come together.

Take a look at this fabulous value quilt tutorial.

Happy Fathers day

Ubba. Everyday remembered.

This is me and my father on an obvious day! One of my many fonder memories. "I love you, Ubba"

My father passed away 2 years ago this summer. It was a deeply painful time to remember. Fortunately, the fonder memories are able to cloud over the pain, yet a tear somehow always escapes. I often wonder whether he can hear me, or see me. I have so much to show and tell. I hope you can see and be proud of the family I have created.

Your guiding hand on my shoulder will be with me forever.

Here is Hubby and the boys. The photo was taken yesterday on a breezy, grey and cold summer's day.

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
- Sigmund Freud

They say the cutest little things

When the Bubela was a little shnippet, just months short of turning 2, he would always talk about the Dugaloo. Raised eyebrows and smiles, Hubby and I would of course agree "yeesss, dugaloo..." as one does when engaging in conversation with a toddler. "Haven't a clue what your talking about but I love you... dugaloo, yay".

The Dugaloo became a regular word in the Bubela's everyday vocabulary and considering the Bubela's vocabulary was vast at his pitzeler little age, we still had no clue what the Dugaloo was. The Dugaloo had a house. The Dugaloo, at times, was scary. The Dugaloo ate. And, the Dugaloo was ween*?? It wasn't until after having his room decorated to the animal print wall paper that it became apparent what the Dugaloo was.

A crocodile of course!

Please check out the website of DJ Emma B, youshouldwriteitdown, a place for parents to record the cutsie things their kids say.

What cute words does your little one have?

*green

Go Handmade

Open publication - Free publishing - More sewing

Leanne of Seethewoods is the amazing brain behind Go Handmade magazine. Have a flick through the talent you will find on Folksy. My very own Sweetpea4kids has a feature too!

Wordless Wednesday

The Bubela - most mornings before school.

What's for dessert

The boys made their own desserts today (because naughty mummy has been so busy sewing she didn't buy any for the fridge).

But, this is so much more fun than a chocolate pot from Cadbury's.

I love my store cupboard. Amongst my ingredients are a few packets of Angel Delight for such emergencies, A packet of cake mixture for those "I've got no time to bake a Victoria Sponge" moments, carton of custard and a box of trifle mix.

Angel Delight whips up with milk into a dessert in 5 minutes.

Kids.

One.

Two.

Three.

Let those sprinkles go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Incy Wincy

I started my morning with a startling tap on my shoulder at 5.10am. It was the Nosh. He'd just waltzed outta bed and into my room.

Yes, a startling shock to awake to 5.10am, but a melting moment too to see the Nosh's puppy eyes looking up and silently asking is it morning.

Hop in!

I know you mummy's are screaming out there not to have put him into my bed and yes the thought crossed my mind to get up and march him back to his bed and give him a lecture about the whole this is your room, that is our room, this is the middle of the night, but 'twas exactly that. The middle of the night and I couldn't find my voice. So, I hoisted him up and plopped him in between Hubby and I and closed my eyes.

Naughty Mummy!

Nope. I couldn't return to sloom nor slumber, so I turned and we played tickle and toes and incy wincy spiders and peep bo's and oh so much more until I left him in bed with Hubby to go take a shower.

My second shock of the day (at only 6am) was sharing the bathroom with a big black hairy ugly spider... and it was moving... along the ceiling. Argh. Anything could happen. So, I prepared myself for the worst and I left the shower door open in aid of having to jump out quickly should the intruder jump and tackle me.

Quick shower and hair wash - no time for condition - in and out.

Fortunately, there was no attack and moments later when I'd returned to the bathroom to hang my towel he had disappeared. Yes I admit, he could be on the loose around the house however, out of sight out of mind.

Oh, where has the beautiful sunshine of the weekend gone :0(

Kokeshi Girl

Available now at Folksy

Its been a designing week here at the Sweetpea household. I've been getting ready for the winter and christmas season. Oh, have I got some treats for you!

However, in the meantime I have brought out the last design of the season, my "Kokeshi Girl"... isn't she a beauty, my model!

Who stole these years?

We bought the Nosh a bed.

I feel like my life is on fast forward. Just stop! Im enjoying life and I dont want it to run on fast anymore. Your stealing my fondest years.

I know every mother will agree that the moment you are in the delivery room holding your baby in your arms, thanking god up above and sharing a tear with your Husband, someone somewhere presses the fast forward on your life.

Seriously, I remember seeing that little Nosh as a 6 cell in a petri dish now he's ready for a bed!

A George Pig the Pirate bed. Of course!

In other news, I've got a new t-shirt design to showcase this week. This will be the last in the summer collection.

There is currently an offer in the Folksy shop on t-shirts. BUY ONE GET ONE FREE for a limited period only.

Appreciation photo

There is nothing better than receiving an appreciation photo accompanying an uplifting email of thanks.

This lovely little girl is pictured in one of my designs. This dress can be found here.

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE

Everyone loves an offer, so with the sun out and shinning I'm offering you a free t-shirt with every purchased t-shirt for a limited period only.

For all t-shirt designs please take a look here

We've arrived home!

The Sweetpea Family.

Yes, home and dry from a very relaxing and fun filled holiday. The boys had a great time at the beach snorkling, surfing and swimming whilst I sat with a Jodi Picoult under the shade. Dontcha just love getting away?



Thankfully, I've still got the weekend to recover before I dust off the Old Singer. Monday morning (after the weight watchers meeting that I'll be returning to) we'll rekindle our love as I've another clothes party to prepare for and stock has reduced considerably.

Before I went away I drew a few new designs for the applique t-shirts which I'll be showcasing here very soon.

The brand new Sew magazine has arrived and its one of the better magazines I've seen in a long time. Its outlay is that of Crafts Beautiful and Simply Knitting, it features lovely patterns, has great articles and best of all... a little snippet of Sweetpea4kids. Yes!! Can you believe they have featured Sweetpea4kids in their magazine. Im delighted, I hope it attracts new custom. For a closer peek, look here.

Dancing Queen, you are my...

I have various decades that I'm fond of for various reasons. The forties for their fashion, the fifties for their movies, the sixties for Elvis and the seventies for almost everything.

As a seventies baby, I was lucky enough to be amongst the best dressed trend (IMO). I started school singing to Brotherhood of Man's "Save all your kisses for me..." and sucked the sherbet out of flying saucers. I sipped milk through a straw at school before Margaret Thatcher became the milk snatcher. My dolls were all called Lulu and my mum read me bedtime stories from the big yellow Fairy Tales books.

As an eighties kid, I was taken to my first disco by my first boyfriend, Adam Finn. I wore a little black dress with a glitter stripe running through. He bought me a squash which was poured into a white plastic cup and we hung around chatting. To be honest, thats all I remember of the date. Sorry Adam Finn. My hair was permed and I wore blue eyeshadow and pink lipstick. Baggy jumpers worn with brightly coloured leggings. My ears were decorated with co-ordinating large plastic earrings and my arms with the same plastic bangles. Judy Blume's "Are you there god, its me Margaret"'s book was my bible, as were most of Blumes's.

My nineties were amongst my best. A Chippendale groupie that partied with the best. Picking mango's on a kibbutz and waiting tables in Jerusalem. A kiss on the doorstep and falling in love ended my nineties under a chuppah.

My noughties rollercoastered, more ups than downs. Yet the best thing to come out of them so far are my two best[est] boys. My Bubela and My Nosh.

What are your best decades (those obviously old enough to have a selection to chose from)?

p.s. Photo 1. is me 1975 with Lulu. Photo 2. is me (lower left) 1992 just before a Chippendale bash.

I picked up some vintage childrens stories at the charity shop. I'll show you what I've done with them in my next post.

Welcome to the new face

Hows the makeover?

I know its long and overdue, but its finally here after all these years of blogging. What do you think? I love it. It was either this or start a fresh blog but, I like the fact that my regular visitors are reading what I've been up to ;0) and, how would you find me if I started afresh ;0)

Have you heard about the Babushka? She's the new black.

She's my favourite. Always has been.

Sweetpea4kids will shortly be releasing t-shirts in a variety of colours. To be amongst the first for updates in the shop, become a Facebook Fan (details in the sidebar).

I close for now, au revoir.

Meet my cheif button sorter...

My regular source of providing me buttons did not fail me when I picked up this huge box of buttons. I don't think I'll need to buy another button for years. Seriously, I have this new fetish with buttons. I see lots of kids crafts coming into light with the use of these :). Now, what glue would be strong enough to hold and mild enough for kids to use? Hmmmm.

Hi *waves*

I thought I'd pop in and say hi. The absence is long, its overdue and its because I've been tied up with the dress making. Not a moment for the blog. Sorry.

The featured dress has already been sent to its new owner. Age 3. Its what I call "design your own dress" option, where you can pick your own fabrics for this style dress. I offer this at the house parties I am now attending. And, this is the result of one of the dresses. What a pretty combination and a great seller.

I received my first order from Folksy last week, and I was chuffed at the testimonial she left me...

I am absolutely thrilled with the dress I received today for my 2-year-old daughter. Estee went out of her way to make it for me quickly in time for a special party; from payment to receipt of the dress it took 3.5 days in total! I am so impressed with Estee's service. I won't hesitate to recommend Sweetpea4Kids to all my mum friends, and will be back myself as soon as I can.

I made her the Yellow Sunflower dress and trimmed it with navy bias binding around the neckline and armholes. It did look pretty.

Im now live!

Sweetpea4Kids are not on the high street

Look who want to stock my designs!!

I'm chuffed to bits that I've been given the opportunity to sell my tee shirts and dresses through notonthehighstreet.com. My products actually go live in a couple of weeks time, but I'll give you all plenty of notice.

In the meantime, I've been photoshop-ing my images, and seeking models and new designs.

This is Tamar modelling the new "Olivia Octopus" Tee. "Olivia Octopus" has twinkly sequin eyes and has already been a huge hit.

My house party went really well and my designs were well received. Its an amazing compliment to see people flicking through your makes as if they were in a real life store. Even more amazing when people actually buy and order from me.

Thank you!

Another glimpse...

Here's a work in progress to take a glimpse at. I've made this in two colourways now, both age 3. I will be stocking these shortly in the shop.

I'm almost done sewing up for Thursday's clothes party. I'm sewing up my last three dresses. I've just hemmed and button-holed, I've just got to sew on the buttons and label.

In fact, [WARNING: rant ahead] I'm slightly pissed off annoyed at my label supplier. His delivery timing is way too slow to be acceptable. My labels are still not here after being ordered over a week ago. I'm only hoping they arrive tomorrow. I print my own labels using the ink jet - iron on method, so it isn't leaving me a lot of preparation time. I foresee me frantically ironing and sewing late Wednesday night.

Oy vey.

[RANT OVER]

Glorious additions to my collection!


Is there a shop that you cannot walk past? Or a shop that you must come out of with something? I have that very shop an hour away from home, where my MIL lives. Its her local charity shop. A haven for good vintage sewing patterns at a steal of 20p. Every time we visit, well, not every time, but every time we visit on a Saturday when the shops are open, its a must that I visit. I don't think there has been a time when I haven't left that shop with a buy. Be it a good saga book, or a vintage sewing pattern or a bunch of knitting/crochet needles.

Hubby waits outside. He has some sort of smell phobia about charity shops. He has been known to pop his head through the door and give me the "eyes", you know, those hurry up it stinks, eyes.

And, this a selection of the few patterns I manage to scoop when we last visited.

These patterns do not get used. Oh, Heavens forbid. I leave them in the condition that I buy them in and preserve them in ziplock bags. I only collect 1960-70's patterns, focusing mainly on the 1970's and I just think they are wonderful to look at.