Up Close and Personal

For those family members who don't have access to Facebook, here is the video of our lion encounter. Just incase you wanted to see how close we came to being lunch :)

Baking Girls Annual

I bought this Cherry Ames annual at a second-hand market months back. A few weeks later, I picked up a pile of food magazine at a charity shop and decided I would make a recipe book since all our bought ones are sitting in a box thousands of miles away. When I found the annual and mags together when unpacking in our new flat, I thought I would combine the two to make this charming vintage baking book. It now comes complete with butter smudges and chocolate splashes, just like an authentic old baking book should!

Thrifty Decoration

My Best Ever Find - Cottage Tissue Dispenser

A little porcelain pot to keep our laundry coins in

Twin Frame with Cats in Clothes

Sagittarius Bedside Bowl to plop my earrings in at bedtime

Assorted Egg-Cups

Our Mantle Piece

Our little apartment needed some life breathing into in when we first moved in about a month ago. I had a few op-shop finds that I quickly spread around the flat in an attempt to cheer it up a bit and after several more rounds of the second-hand shops, I'd rounded up a few extra things to make this house feel more like a home. I'm also waiting on some Marimekko fabric I've ordered from work to make into a canvas and some Alexander Henry fabrics for new cushion covers; pics of those coming soon!

Blue Bird Blouse

I posted a picture of the pussy-bow blouse I made last month a few weeks ago but since I didn't have much access to the internet then and could only upload one photo, I thought you might like to see a few more with details. I love this pattern and have already begun eyeing-up new fabrics to make peter pan collared, short sleeved versions for the start of Spring here in September. Can't wait to start wearing thinner tights and shorter skirts again! Having said that, I haven't had to wear a coat much in the last few weeks and its the middle of Winter here. But it is getting colder...brrr.

My First Dress

I have been working on my first dress over the last few weeks at my sewing class and was wanting ideally to finish it in time for the Mid-Winter meal but it needed a few adjustments. I'm pretty pleased since it's my first garment for myself (excluding the blouse I made). Plus, the fabric is the exact same print as shown in the example photo on the pattern itself and I got it in a sale; win!

Love City Shirt

We attended a Mid-Winter meal with Martin's work on Saturday and he asked me to make him a shirt to wear. During work on Sunday, he came and chose fabric for the main shirt and a contrast for inside the collar, the pockets and the inner cuff. The main fabric is Heath in Chocolate and for the contrast he chose Love City in Smoke, both by our favourite US designer, Alexander Henry.

I worked on it during my two days off and we had a fitting Thursday afternoon. It fit perfectly, to my immense relief, and he is really happy with it. It got lots of attention on the night too!

With the remaining fabric, I bought an embroidery hoop from work and turned it into a piece of wall art to decorate our hole covered walls!

To The Lady in My Life

The day we moved into our new place, it was my best friend's 21st birthday back home. She is a bit of a tricky character to buy/make for and both our tastes have changed a lot since we first met. I decided to play it safe and make her something to use rather than wear and opted for this little travel purse to keep all those easily forgetable things in whilst she is dashing around being a globe-trotter. It's my first attempt at making a purse and I'm so chuffed my friend liked it :) Miss you dearest!