My Poppet - kids | craft | vintage | fun

How To: Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet

2012-01-22T20:48:00.003+11:00

Have some fun this Chinese New Year of the Dragon by making a colourful dragon puppet.
So easy to make with basic items you may already have in your craft box.
Get the kid to have fun painting the dragon in bright colours - a red dragon red is especially lucky. You can find the full instructions for the project in the current edition of tiny & little magazine.

Here is some behind the scenes action of Emma's puppet making style.

2011 The Roundup - What a Busy Year!

2012-01-01T22:52:00.004+11:00

Wow 2011, you have been a busy year! I thought it would be fun to look back and pick my favourite photo/post from each month and share the year in review. These are my highlights, I hope you enjoy them too. If you are new to My Poppet, this is a great place to start... Grab a cup of tea and have fun exploring.

In January I decided it was time to get the house looking pretty and more organised. It's something that I only partly achieved, but you can see my progress here on the Home Tour Page. This is my Kitchen Wall...
In February, just before my niece Eva was born, I took some photos of her pretty nursery. You can see more Nursery tours here.

In March, I finally revealed Emma's room to the world! It was even featured in Ohdeedoh.

April was Emma's birthday month, she turned 2. Read all about her Vintage Floral Birthday Party. And there is heaps more kids party fun over here too.

In May a visit from an interiors photographer was the catalyst to finally tidy up my sewing room. It was 3 days work, not bad for 2 years of mess! You can see how the feature turned out here.

June was a pretty stripey month! I went to Japan, so some fabulous guest bloggers took over the reins for 2 weeks. Here is baby Eva looking oh so adorable in her stripes.
July! What can I say. I was on a high from my trip to Japan. So many amazing experiences which I couldn't sum up in just one post. Read about my experiences with Japanese Toilets, Japanese Food, Japanese Socks, Japanese Fleamarket, Tradition in Kyoto, and People watching. If that wasn't enough for you check out the Japan tag for every Japanese related post I've written.

In August Emma and I took the tram into town for a Big Day Out. She was particularly well behaved in August. Unfortunately it was a bit short lived, behavior-wise, it all went down hill from there...humph!
September was time to get the passport out again. This time Emma and I headed to Argentina to see some of my family. It was a very long and challenging journey, full of nostalgia and much frustration. We were glad to be there but so, so glad to get home. My favourite purchase was this vintage lion brooch I picked up at a local fleamarket. You can see more posts from Argentina here.

Lots of sewing in October, including this dress I made for me! The very first one I've attempted. I love it and wear it constantly...I even made a blythe sized one for Perty. Check out some more Blythe Doll Style here.
In November I threw some fabric remnants together and made Emma the best skirt EVER! Probably the coolest thing I've made for her in a while. She loves wearing it and we always get so many comments. It's so much fun.

Where did the year go? December already. We made an attempt at getting into the festive spirit with lots of fun decorations, a pretty tree and Christmas themed craft tutorials.

I thing you'll agree, 2011 was pretty full on. I wonder how 2012 will shape up? Oh and yes, I do realize I'm meant to be on a blogging holiday, but it turns out winding down is a little hard for me...

We Wish you a Merry Christmas...

2011-12-22T21:04:00.002+11:00

Wow, it's been a crazy year! Two overseas trips, 244 blog posts, 34 tutorials, a sassy 2 year old...and I'm spent.
I've pushed myself really hard this year, blog wise, mainly to challenge myself and see what can happen if I really put my back into something. I've tried lots of new approaches and have learnt so much, hopefully you have enjoyed the journey as well. Now I need a rest.

I'd like to thank you all for reading, liking, following, commenting, especially those of you that have been with us from the start, I hope I'm still relevant. Those of you that have joined us this year, welcome. It's great to be part of your day.

A really special thanks to all my sponsors and shop customers this year, nothing says 'I believe in you' more than handing over your hard earned cash. I don't really do any of this for the money (or I'd starve), but it's funny how validating just a little financial reward can be. I hope your My Poppet experiences this year have been amazing, I know you've all been really great.

Next year is going to be an interesting one. There are changes afoot! Lots of upheaval here at home (no, I'm not pregnant), so I'm taking all of January off to recharge and re-inspire. I'm excited to see how it all pans out.

So now it's time for me to sign off.

Have a Safe and Happy Christmas and holiday period. Laugh, eat and enjoy your loved ones.
See you in the new year
xx Cinti

Guest Blogger: Cherry and Me - My first ever Chrismukkah Tree

2011-12-20T07:35:00.000+11:00

Today I'm handing the blog over to Elle from Cherry and Me, who has written this festive tutorial on a fun twist to her holiday decorating. Today is the first day of Chanukah a Jewish Festival also known as the Festival of Lights. Take it away Elle...

I come from a Jewish family but this year I thought I'd celebrate my first festive season as a new mummy by decorating a tree!

I bought a "Joost" baby Christmas tree from The Design Files Open House. Joost grows all his own plants and creates the most amazing and innovative contemporary installations around Melbourne.

There's no glitzy tinsel and not one bauble in site on my tree! Nope! I'm decorating my tree with Chanukah ornaments!
These are Chanukah 'dradles'. They are kind of like spinning tops with Hebrew letters on each side.My sister and I tied strings around each dradle to hang all over the tree. We even made a Star of David for the top! Keeping things a little kosher ;)

Ta-da! The finished product! Isn't is cute?
I think I'll plant the tree in a terra-cotta pot after the silly season is over and hopefully we can do it all again next year!

Thanks Elle, and Happy Chanukah to you, and to all my Jewish friends and readers!
x Cinti

Sponsor Profile - Shiny Happy Art

2011-12-19T07:11:00.000+11:00

Today I'm interviewing Anna Bartlett of Shiny Happy Art. Anna has been a longtime reader and supporter of the My Poppet blog. I was delighted when she approached me to sponsor the blog, and I thought this would be a great way to get to know her a little better.
I love finding out what makes other creative folk tick, and I'm often interested in how others run their businesses and manage the other aspects of their lives.
Anna's work is very colourful and she has her own unique style. Let's get to know Anna a little better...

What do you create?
I create original paintings and drawings, some of which I have printed onto fabric which I then sell as is, or sew into cushions, bags, tea towels and other lovely things.

Why do you create?
My Mum's an artist and my grandfather was a professional photographer, so there's always been art in my life. I have memories of being about 4 or 5, and Mum would give me a bucket of water and a paintbrush and I'd start at one end of our cement driveway, paint all the way up to the end, and then come back and start again.
Now, as an adult, and with four children of my own, I create to make our life better, full of colourful, interesting and unique memories. I've tried to harness this drive to build a business that artistically enhances the lives of others, and hopefully I'll never have to have another 'proper job'.
Actually, I have a goal to never have to write a resume again - we'll see how that pans out! Apart from making art, I really enjoy sewing and baking... pretty much everything I enjoy doing makes a lot of mess. I'm very lucky to have a very understanding husband. Where do we buy your creations?
From my website www.shinyhappyart.com , or from my studio in Toowoomba, Queensland. I'm very lucky to have a studio that is right on the highway (it used to be a strawberry packing shed) with plenty of light and space. I open to the public on the occasional Sunday, and by appointment. I also go to a couple of local markets, but only when it fits in with the family. What do you enjoy most about what you do and why?
The wonder and amazement that you start with nothing, think a bit, draw a bit, do a bit and then, suddenly, it's 'something'! Most of the time that 'something' is not that close to what I originally saw in my head, so I keep on reading books and taking classes to bring my skill level closer to what my imagination requires.
I also really like being my own boss, although a regular pay packet would be nice sometimes! Another thing I really enjoy is blogging. Since I started my own blog in 2006 I have connected online with many artists and crafters, and I hope to meet some of them in real life one day.

What is your background?
I've always loved art and done well at it, but I studied marketing and business because it was a 'safer' path to take at uni. Through my marketing jobs, I learned a lot about graphic design and was a self employed graphic designer for many years. I was also in the army reserve for eight years, spending one year doing full time service. THAT certainly seems like a whole other lifetime ago!
Shiny Happy Art has been going for almost ten years in one form or another, and I'm delighted with the direction we're heading now. What, to you, is success?
To actually feel 'successful', I would like to be able to do what I do in daylight hours, but I honestly can't see that I'll be even close to that happening at least until my youngest starts school in 2014. (That's going to be a really great year!)
My first financial goal is to earn an income that covers my kid's school fees and I'm working towards that now. There's a strong link for me between my desire for 'creative success' and 'financial success' because if I'm not making this work for us financially, I really should be doing something else that lets me spend more time with the kids.
The whole myth of work/life balance annoys me really. I'm always going to be the type of person that jumps into opportunities and ideas feet first, and while my top priority is always my family, I honestly can't imagine that the illusive concept of 'balance' would make me happy. So I've just let go of it.
I've got plans of course, but I just do what I can do in the time that I've got. Really, success would be to make art that I'm proud of, turn it into useful and desirable things, sell enough of them to have a regular cash flow going, and still have enough time to do other things I want to do that don't earn me money - like volunteer work for school and for SANDS (the stillbirth charity that is close to my heart), and simply making things for and with my own family and friends.

So what's next?
I plan to work a lot 'smarter' in 2012. I've made plenty of mistakes this year, so over Christmas I'll be working on a proper business plan. In 2012 Shiny Happy Art will be releasing a limited number of cushions and teatowels each season, and I'll expand on some other ideas that have been percolating, like collaborations with other creative people and totally new products. Quite simply, I want to make a lot of people smile - when they discover Shiny Happy Art, when they choose something for themselves or a friend, when they receive their order in their letterbox, and when they hang it on their wall or pop it on the couch. There'll be a lot more 'Shiny Happy' in a lot more lives next year, and that's got to be a good thing!

Thanks for sharing Anna.
Shiny Happy Art Shop
Shiny Happy Art facebook page

Belle Magazine - Indulge someone this Christmas

2011-12-16T06:34:00.001+11:00

{ Sponsored by Nuffnang }
The other day I told you about how my sister is really into fashion magazines, buys them all and has kept every one she has bought in near mint condition. My magazine style is a little different. I'm more into Home and decor mags, they have to have amazing photography and be totally inspiring so I can rip out all the pictures and paste them into inspiration notebooks.
In fact the first magazine I ever bought when I moved into my own place was Belle.

In the days before blogs and Pinterest, a girl had to get her visual inspiration from somewhere. For me Belle was, and still is one of my favorites. With beautiful styling, stunning photography and so many amazing homes featured, one can't help being inspired.
There is nothing so indulgent as sitting down during a quiet moment with a cup of tea and a really beautiful glossy. Yes and now finding the afore mentioned quiet time is a little harder now than it used to be.So if you are looking for a last minute gift for a friend with really great taste, you can stop your panicking and head straight over to Magshop to get them a Belle Subscription with one easy click. A whole years worth of Belle is under $40, and think of how much your friend will love you every time a new issue arrives in their letter box. Come to mention it, I wouldn't mind a yearly subscription myself. Now I'm off to drop a few hints, because frankly I could do with a little more quiet time with a cup of tea and a beautiful magazine. Maybe I'll indulge myself with a subscription and maybe win a trip to Hawaii at the same time.

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas present? Give your loved ones a magazine subscription this year and you can win a tropical escape to Hawaii with Magshop’s Christmas competition. Treat your family and friends to a magazine subscription today - it’s the gift that keeps on giving all year round!

Have fun with Gift Wrapping this Christmas - Beyond the Box

2011-12-15T07:47:00.000+11:00

My favorite part of the gift giving season is the gift wrapping of course! I just wanted to share a few of the gifts I wrapped up the other day and hope that it will inspire you to 'think outside the box'!
Yes it's easy to make a boxed gift look pretty, but what happens when you have squishy irregular shaped gifts to wrap?My suggestion is a sturdy brown paper bag.

Now where the fun really starts is gathering lots of little things that are laying about in drawers and cupboards around your home already, and thinking of ways to pretty up your parcel.

Some fun things you can use are:
❅ Yarn or string - make pom poms, tassels, or use instead of ribbon
❆ Your children's artwork - get the kids involved in making some unique wrapping paper, cut it into strips to use as ribbon
❄ Assorted stickers - spots, stars, novelty
✼ Washi Tape or Fabric tape
❆ Vintage Christmas ornaments
❄ Pages or Photocopies of illustrations or maps out of books
❅ Paper doilies
❉ Newspaper
❄ Confetti
❅ Fabric as wrapping - Furoshiki - Japanese Wrapping cloth
❉Vintage wallpaper or vinyl adhesive (contact)
❆Leaves, gum nuts or flowers from your garden

Would love to hear some more suggestions in the comments

As you can see this is just the tip of the iceberg. My point is you don't have to spend big $$ on expensive ribbon and shiny paper to get a fun interesting result. Save your money for what's inside the parcel.

I hope you have some fun with your gift wrapping this Christmas.

Here are some related posts that you may enjoy:
Make your own fabric Deco Tape
Make a pretty gift bow (video)
Vintage storybook gift soap

How To: Handmade Fabric Deco Tape

2011-12-14T14:44:00.000+11:00

This handmade fabric tape is easy to make with just a few scraps of pretty fabric. Use it to embellish scrapbook projects, gift wrapping or anything else you would use normal adhesive tape for. We've even been known to use small pieces as doll band-aids.

You will need:
-fabric scraps
-double sided adhesive tape
-scissors
-iron (optional)
How to:
- Iron your fabric if it is very creased
- Stick one side of your double sided tape onto fabric and press firmly
- With scissors cut closely around sides of double sided tape
- You're done! To use, cut required length and just peel off backing tape

Tune in tomorrow to see how I've used the tape to embellish my Christmas gifts.

It's officially time to get festive...

2011-12-13T07:42:00.003+11:00

It's been 12 years since I've had a Christmas tree. Yes I'm the original Christmas grinch. I'm a December baby so I've always found it a little irritating that my birthday celebrations get lost amongst all the hoopla. I find it hard to put up any decorations till after my birthday. Before Emma was born Christmas used to come an go with just the faintest acknowledgement decor wise. Maybe some branches with an odd bauble or two, sometimes lights. But it seems Emma is now old enough to start to 'get it' so I thought it was time to get crazy and go super festive.

I was originally just going to make some pom poms and do the branch thing again this year, but I was stopped in my tracks by this sparkly tree. Then I found these cute flocked baubles and I was sold!
I used my Pom Pom Wreath as a tree skirt, looks great doesn't it?

No tree topper? No worries. I've got a festive pineapple, picked it up in Tokyo.
Oh and did I mention it's my birthday today? Emma will be super excited when she finds out. The one thing she likes more than Christmas trees is a nice big Birthday cake.

Related Posts - How To: Pom Pom Wreath

How To: Pom Pom Wreath

2011-12-12T07:45:00.000+11:00

This Pom Pom Wreath is a fun to make alternative to the traditional Christmas wreath. You can make it with materials you may already have laying about the house. Get the kids involved in making the Pom Poms and you'll have this cheerful Christmas decoration made in no time at all.

There are lots of similar versions of this project out there, but here is how I made mine.

You will need:
-Lots of yarn in your favourite colour combination
-Large piece of stiff cardboard
-scissors
-marker
-hot glue gun and glue sticks
-large and small plate or something to draw circles with
-Pom Pom maker or extra cardboard to make pom poms with
How to:
1. Gather your materials
2. Mark a large circle on your cardboard by tracing around the edge of your plate, and do the same with the smaller plate. Cut out your ring. This will be the base of your wreath.
3. Make a couple of small holes and thread a double loop of yarn through for hanging.
4. Make a truck load of pom poms! Ok now make a few more. You can use a pom pom maker or make them the old fashioned way. Arrange your pom poms on the ring and glue them down firmly. Trim to neaten and you are done!
Hang on a door to for a festive welcome. Would also be fun as part of a table centerpiece (although maybe keep away from candles).
Tune in tomorrow to see how I've used it in my festive decorations.

Blythe Stylin' - Pretty in Pink

2011-12-11T14:49:00.003+11:00

Poor Perty has been a little bit neglected of late, so I thought a new outfit was in order. I decided to try something a little more ambitious, although I don't know how successful I was.
Here she is in a little 60's style skirt and blouse combo that I made using a vintage barbie doll pattern. Barbie dolls have different proportions so I had to shorten the sleeves and tighten the waist. Putting the collar in was really tricky and the whole outfit probably took me just under 2 hours. I could have made Emma a dress in the same time!I think it turned out cute, although I'd really like to get my hands on some vintage Skipper doll patterns, as apparently they fit really well.
I am really struggling to make anything for Perty that fits properly, even the patterns that I download off the internet are too small as I cant get the print settings right.
Any hints and tips are appreciated.

Some behind the scenes action for you...

What to get a fashion lover for Christmas?

2011-12-08T21:34:00.000+11:00

Sponsored by Nuffnang

Have you started your Christmas gift shopping yet or even made a list? What’s your shopping style? Some people I know make or pick up gifts right through the year. Me, I’m a December shopping sort of gal. I try and avoid the maddening shopping center crowds by hitting the internet for some gifts, and make a few myself too. We normally have a Kris Kringle kind of arrangement in my family, so gift shopping is a lot less stressful. I’ll be making all the kids gifts, but for the adults I’m thinking of getting Magazines subscriptions.

It’s a great option for those really hard to buy for folks...

...like my sister for example. She has everything a gal could ever want, so finding the right gift for her is not always easy, but the one thing she can’t get enough of is glossy fashion and interiors magazines. There was always an unwritten rule between us, I wasn’t allowed to look through one of her magazines until she had at least flicked through it first, and if I dog eared a page, well, I copped an earful. She has kept every single issue she has ever bought, and I’m sure she is single handedly keeping the Magazines Australia publishing industry afloat.

So Janet if you are reading this, a Harper’s Bazaar or Real Living subscription may be coming your way. (She’ll hold me to it now!)

But it’s a win-win for me too. I get to avoid the maddening shopping center crowds and get the chance to win a tropical escape to Hawaii. You know how much I love to travel, and a luxurious holiday in Hawaii sounds perfect to me.

Are you looking for the perfect Christmas present? Give your loved ones a magazine subscription this year and you can win a tropical escape to Hawaii with Magshop’s Christmas competition. Treat your family and friends to a magazine subscription today - it’s the gift that keeps on giving all year round!

My Poppet at Modern Times Pop-Up

2011-12-08T08:00:00.001+11:00

It's on again, the Modern Times Pop-Up shop. This year I will have some of my vintage fabric goodies there which were especially commissioned for the pop-up event to compliment the mid-century furniture pieces.

Here's the throw quilt that I made......and of course the retro cushions.I'll have some owls there too.

Make sure you stop by for a look see if you are in the area

The Modern Times Pop-Up Shop2
opens December 10th – Dec 31st, 3 weeks only
260 Smith St, Collingwood.

Step Back in Time - One Year & One Month Ago

2011-12-07T08:11:00.001+11:00

Turns out November 2010 was quite a colourful month...
-I made a felted alphabet which you can download in poster form. Pop over and get your Free Alphabet Poster.
-Uncovered an awesome vintage book at the Op-shop.
-Made a Christmas Pudding and met an amazing gal who I'm very proud to call one of my bestest friends.
-Sewed up some giant cushions for Emma's reading nook, for instructions on how to make them visit the Fringed Cushion tutorial.

Yes, it was a very good month

Sponsor Profile - Mini Mecca

2011-12-06T08:35:00.001+11:00

I was so excited when Anna from Mini Mecca became a blog sponsor because I think she has one of the cutest online shops around.
Mini Mecca is choc full of unique wares from Australian and International designers with a focus on wall art, decor and creative finds. I was hard pressed to pick my favourites because everything is fun and colourful, so I thought a festive inspired selection would be appropriate at this time of year.
I'm especially loving the apple place mats by engel and the mushroom clock by decoylab, but I think my favourite thing in the whole store is the Lion clock by decoylab (pop over and check it out).

Shipping is really affordable too, only $7.95 in Australia with free shipping for orders over $125

Find them on facebook here

Mini Mecca ♥ Creative finds for growing minds ♥

NEWSFLASH! Mini Mecca are offering free shipping up until 11th Dec on orders over $50 with the code MERRYXMAS

How To: Vintage Storybook Coin Purse

2011-12-05T08:21:00.001+11:00

This is a quick little project that can be made with off-cuts of a clear PVC (vinyl) tablecloth. A pretty and practical little coin purse that is ideal for spare change and business cards. It would make a great gift or party favour.

You will need:
-2 pieces of clear PVC vinyl, 10 x 4.5 inches (25 x 11.5cm)
-A scanned and printed image out of a vintage story book. I've just used normal office paper to print on, some pretty gift wrap or piece of fabric would work well too.
-scissors
-sewing machine and thread
-Metal press studs, tool and hammer or adhesive velcro dots

How to:
Cut out your pieces of PVC using the measurements as a guide. Round the top corners. Both pieces should be exactly the same.
Cut out your illustrated paper about the same shape but a little smaller (1/4 inch or 0.5cm on each edge).
a. Sandwich your paper in between the 2 pieces of PVC and fold the bottom third up as pictured. Sew the top seam.
b. Now sew the side seam right around and back down the other side.
c. Mark where the studs need to go and using your tool and hammer insert as per instructions on pack. (hint when adding the lower one, slide a piece of cardboard in the pocket to protect the underside as you hammer or even better, add it before you sew the side seams up)
or use adhesive velcro dots instead.

Some hints on sewing with PVC - A walking foot or teflon foot helps. Sew slowly, you may need to turn the flywheel by hand to start and finish. If you have any extra hints, feel free to leave them in the comments.

All done! Make one for yourself and a few for your friends.

Here's another easy project using vintage storybook pages - Vintage Storybook Soap

My dream Christmas involves food and travel...

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000+11:00

Sponsored by Nuffnang I really can’t believe how quickly this year has flown! Christmas decorations were already appearing on the supermarket shelves months ago and I think we often start feeling a little anxious about everything we have to squeeze in before Christmas. I know some people really love this time of year, the parties, the gift giving, it all sounds so happy. But it can be pretty stressful too. Especially trying to think of Christmas gifts for all you friends and family. This year, I am thinking of having a Magshop Christmas and giving magazine subscriptions as gifts.

At this time of year I usually get itchy feet and long to be on my way to an exotic destination, far away from the festive season chaos. It’s not always possible, but a few years ago, way before Emma was born, Mr Man and I were living and working in the UK. Rather than spend Christmas working, and without our family there, we decided to take the opportunity to have a proper ‘White Christmas’. I think it’s something that as kids growing up in Australia you always dream about. Sure beach and a barbie for Christmas day is nice, but real snow on Christmas day is something out of a dream! So we booked a chalet holiday in France and spent the week skiing, eating fondue and enjoying the views. It was like a feature out of the magazines Australia Gourmet Traveller. My knees aren’t really what they used to be so there was more sitting around in cafes than skiing. But you get the idea. No cooking, battling for car parking, wearing silly paper hats, just tranquility.

And now I look back and think how nice it would be to occasionally have a time out during the holidays, and every year on boxing day Mr Man says “Next year we are going away!”. But we are never that organized and flights at that time of year cost a fortune.
The only way one could get away would be if I won the lotto OR this awesome Hawaii Holiday Competition offering the chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii thanks to Magshop. Sure the grandparents will be heartbroken if they didn’t see Emma’s little face light up when Santa (who I think this year will look remarkably like my Dad) gives out the presents, but hey, I’m sure Santa gets to Hawaii too.
So if you think that you could do with a little rest and relaxation during this crazy holiday season, I’d suggest entering this great competition. What have you got to lose?

Eva's Christening Day

2011-12-01T07:48:00.001+11:00

I wanted to share some of the pretty photos from baby Eva's Christening last month. My sister hosted the Afternoon Tea Garden Party in her back yard after the church ceremony, and did such a great job of making everything so pretty.
The sweet treats were delish. Emma helped herself to SO many cakes, she was bouncing off the walls!
A great time was had all round.
You can see a close up of the christening dress I made her here.

Thanks to From Genevieve Photography for the lovely photos, there are more photos of the day on her blog here.

Sponsor Profile - Little Shop of...

2011-11-30T07:52:00.001+11:00

If you live in Melbourne and haven't been to Little Shop Of...what are you waiting for? It's a treasure trove of local handmade goodness by amazing Victorian craftisans.
Bec, manages to fill every little nook and cranny of the tiny space with all manner of desirable objects (including some of mine, yay!), and I challenge you to walk out of there empty handed. Most items are under $50 which makes it a great place to find the perfect gift on a budget. But don't be to sad if you can't make it into the store, the online store is just as pretty as the shop with convenient shipping right to your very door!

Pop over and Like their facebook page

8 Woorayl St Carnegie
Melbourne, Australia, 3163
Opposite Carnegie train station

Now with new extended Christmas trading hours
starting from Mon 12th Dec all the way to Christmas Eve

Monday 11- 5.30pm
Tuesday 11- 5.30pm
Wednesday 11- 6pm
Thursday 10 - 6pm
Friday 11 - 5.30pm
Saturday 10 - 4.30

Shop Local
Shop Indie
Shop Australian

Christmas Stocking Fillers for Under $10

2011-11-29T07:42:00.000+11:00

The shop is full of little gift ideas under $10 each that would make great stocking fillers this Christmas. There are little knitted animals from Peru, lots of lovely paper goods from Japan and even some bits and pieces I've made myself here in Melbourne town.

Oh and if facebook is your thing, pop over and Like the My Poppet page, I'll be having random 'Happy Hours' with free shipping on offer in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

How To: Vintage Storybook Gift Soap

2011-11-28T07:58:00.003+11:00

This pretty storybook soap is an easy and inexpensive gift idea or party favour. You can use this wrapping technique to make any small gift look extra special.

You will need:
-A lovely bar of soap, the handmade kind would be even better.
-A scanned and printed image out of a vintage story book. I've just used normal office paper to print on, some pretty gift wrap would work well too.
-Double sided tape
-Scissors
-2 x metal eyelets
-eyelet tool (usually comes in pack of eyelets) or eyelet pliers
How to:
-gather your supplies
-trim your paper to size so the edges overlap when wrapped around the soap, affix with a piece of double sided tape.
-with the ends (about 2 inches on each side), flatten them out and fold over twice as pictured.
-With your eyelet tool, insert eyelets as per instructions on packet. Try to keep them centered.

All done!
Now you have a pretty and unique gift that you'll want to keep for yourself.

You may also like to make a Vintage Storybook Coin Purse

Emma Stylin' - Retro Rainbow

2011-11-25T23:21:00.002+11:00

I made Emma this skirt yesterday from some of the remnants left over from the latest batch of Retro cushions (yes some new designs coming soon). There was no rhyme or reason to the fabric combination, but I think that's what makes it so special. Emma seems to like it.
Just like most of my sewing projects, this one started with some scraps and remnants. I have a sewing hierarchy: scraps, remnants, small pieces, then as a last resort, yardage. Waste not want not, is my motto when it comes to fabric.
Did you notice Emma's 'bandaid'? She had an 'injury' and hurt her arm. Because real bandaids are reserved for blood only (yes I'm a hard ass like that), we improvised and I whipped up a sewing room special. I feel a faux first aid tutorial coming on...

Doll Quilt No.3 & 4

2011-11-24T07:57:00.001+11:00

Since I started teaching my freestyle quilting classes I've become a little addicted to making mini/doll quilts. I can't bare to throw even the tiniest fabric scraps away, so I love the idea of making something pretty out of them all. Here are number 3 and 4.
The bright purple one has some of my all time fave fabrics in it.
Don't have a dolly? These also make great place mats or table centerpieces.

Want to buy them? Yes? Head over to the shop and start your Christmas shopping now.

Two weeks in pictures...

2011-11-23T07:54:00.001+11:00

I've felt a little absent from the blog of late, I was getting a little overwhelmed and needed a break. I know I have been blogging, but I haven't felt like really talking. Sometimes its hard to keep sharing when your real life is sapping all the energy you have, and the truth is, a little time to 'just be' is good for all involved. Emma went/has been going through a super challenging defiant stage a the moment, which had me pulling out my hair. But I think I can see a glimpse of light at the end of the dark tunnel, which is giving me hope that she may not need to be sent to boarding school after all, phew! We have actually been having lots of fun in the last few days...
So here is a recap of what you may have missed:
-giant strawberry season, from the shop, not my garden
-new viking softies for Little Sparrow
-Emma and her love of markers, a tiger apparently
-New shoes from here
-Oh dear, broken nail!
-Quilting classes at Little Sparrow
-just having fun
-cute vintage spec frames from the op-shop
-Yay! new nails
-Street art outside Modern Times
-Architect's model of our upcoming build. Yes there will be demolition here soon, no walls, no kitchen...I'm in for a world of pain.

So add all that to shop orders and other boring stuff, and you can see why I needed to crawl under a virtual digital rock.

x Cinti

How To: Needle felt Heart Garland

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000+11:00

This is a very easy and pretty project for those new to needle felting. Make as many hearts as you like to decorate with love this festive season.
For a beginners guide to needle felting you should check out my previous post: Needle Felting Basics

You will need:
Wool roving (assorted colors)
felting needle and pad
Heart shaped cookie cutter (metal or plastic)
embroidery thread in a complementary colour
Tapestry (long) needle
scissors
How to:
1. Gather your supplies, we will be using the cookie cutter as a mould for our felt shape.
2. Stuff the mould with some wool, to avoid the risk of needle breaking make sure the thicker lip of the cutter is up most.
3&4. Start needling the wool to flatten and compact, add more wool if required. To avoid felting the shape into pad, lift it out of the mould and turn over regularly as you needle. Remember to keep your needle at a 90 degree angle to the pad so there is no risk of breaking the needle against the metal cutter.
5&6. Once you are happy with the thickness you can remove the mould and do some surface needling to tidy up the fuzzy stray wool fibers.
7. Repeat in assorted colours until you have as many hearts as you like. I've made seven.
8. Arrange your coloured hearts. Don't they look pretty? Take a long strand of embroidery thread and thread your needle. Make a big knot in the end
9. Thread on your hearts.
10. Space your hearts out on the thread and make a loop for hanging at the top. All done!

This garland looks lovely hanging from a door knob, or make a long one and string around your Christmas tree. You could even try using different shaped cutters for a fun assortment of different themed garlands, stars, spots, or even little gingerbread men maybe?

I'm sure you will enjoy this project. Please feel free to leave any question in the comments.

Learn to make a Christmas Stocking class...

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000+11:00

This 2hr class will be a heap of fun. We will be designing and making a colourful Christmas stocking using assorted vintage fabric scraps and trims. Learn some handy techniques like patchwork piecing, machine applique and trim application in the process and take home your unique creation.

Only basic sewing machine skills are required.

You can take home your pattern too and make lots of stockings for gifts.

This class will run for 2 hrs at Little Sparrow in Balaclava (Melbourne) Thursday 1st Dec 2011 between 1pm and 3pm

Fabric, assorted trims, stocking pattern, sewing machines and white cotton thread will be provided. You will need to supply your own scissors and any special fabric you may like to use.

There is a maximum limit of 6 students for this class, the class will run with even one student.

Book your place HERE

Custom order ♥

2011-11-18T08:02:00.004+11:00

I just wanted to share some custom orders I recently finished for a lovely customer. Six very lucky kids are getting some awesome Christmas presents...
It's been a while since I made some skirts and shorts, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoy it. My favourite part is diving into my stash and mixing and matching the fabrics and trims. I tried a couple of the skirts on Emma to check for sizing and she loved them. I think I'll make her a couple this weekend, the weather is certainly getting warmer.

If you want me to make something for you, you can order the skirts here and the shorts here.

Vintage Book Lovin' - The Grey Kitten

2011-11-16T08:00:00.003+11:00

Our lovely neighbor in Argentina lent Emma a pile of old books to read whilst we were there, amongst them all was this little treasure about a grey kitten. I can't even tell you if the story was any good as I was immediately memorized by the collaged illustrations. The pictures are all created with images of textiles and objects, and in the days before digital collaging with photoshop, I'm assuming it was all literally cut and paste.
I'm hoping it will inspire you to get out some old magazines and fabrics scraps and make a collaged picture of your own, I'm sure the kids will love it.
If I can get Emma to sit still long enough, we may give it a go too.

A fine vintage...

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000+11:00

Just like wine lovers cellar their premium bottles for a special occasion, I have a special stash of fabric that I'm saving for just the right projects.
So when Amy from Modern Times Pop-Up Shop asked me to make some cushions for the event, I knew that it was time to open the vault. The Pop-up doesn't open till the 9th of December so I thought I'd offer some of my favorite ones in my shop so you, my very favorite people could have first pick. These are very limited edition as some of the fabric pieces were just small samples. Once Modern Times opens, they wont be available online any longer.

So far I've had a great response to the designs. Is this the kind of thing you'd like to see in the shop permanently?

An Experiment in Screen Printing...

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000+11:00

When I saw that my friend Leslie of Maze & Vale (formally Onegirl) was doing a handprinted fabric swap, I couldn't resist joining in. I have been wanting to experiment with the whole screen printing thing for quite a while now and this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try. My last hands on experience with screen printing was in high school, so I'm hardly an expert. This is not a tutorial but just a little guide as to how I went about it all and what I could improve on.

Equipment & Materials: I was lucky enough to pick up some printing ink from my local art shop very cheaply as they were clearing out this range. The only colour choice was silver, so silver it was! Fabric I have plenty of, and my very lovely friend Pilgrim lent me her screen and squeegee.

Design: Rather than burning onto the screen with emulsion (which I have no idea how to do), I thought making a stencil with vinyl adhesive (Contact) would be a good alternative. Little silver clouds seemed appropriate so I had drew the design and cut it out with a craft scalpel, then stuck it to the underside of the frame.
Looking back I should have drawn the clouds horizontal to the frame which would have made repeat prints a lot easier with less negative space. The next part was all a bit clumsy as I was on my own. Trying to deal with ink, hold a frame down, squeegee and then relocate the fabric was not impossible but would have been a whole lot simpler with another set of hands. I think most screen printers use a hinged frame so things don't shift around. Probably used way too much ink and ended up with silver hands!All in all, I think I did ok. I found the quality of my prints erratic and consistency was a problem. I only had a couple of perfect prints and the rest had patchy areas (see bottom left, below), I'm sure this was down to my technique, or lack thereof.
I also suspect towards the end some of the ink may have started to dry in the screen silk because I wasn't working quickly enough? Would love to hear from anyone that can give me some pointers. So hung out the fabric to dry, then ironed to heat set.
My fat quarters are all cut up and ready to ship around the world to my swap partners, I'm excited to see what they'll send me.
I'm not sure if this whole screen printing thing is for me though, it was quite enjoyable but the clean up was a real pain. I really need an assistant to do all the dirty work.

Have you tried screen printing before?

Sponsor Profile - Diddi

2011-11-11T08:34:00.000+11:00

Today I'd like to introduce you yo Lizzie of diddi who produces a colourful range of wall art and wall stickers right here in Melbourne's bayside suburb of Elwood.How was the whole concept of Diddi born?
I studied graphic design at Monash University, and have worked in Melbourne design studios since graduating in 2003.
In 2006, illness required me to take a year long break from work. During that time of recovery (and extreme boredom) I was introduced to quilting. The fabric colours and patterns, and graphic nature of the process really appealed.
Finally the birth of my niece two years ago, and a baby boom amongst friends and acquaintances, led to the creation of diddi. My aim was to create a series of user-friendly simple designs that would make a big statement in a room with minimum effort.
And the name diddi?
It's what my niece first called me (Lizzie in baby-speak).

diddi’s range includes personalised framed prints and wall decals for kids. Everything including the frames are made to order locally in Melbourne and can be personalised with the child's initial for a really personal gift.
The fabric wall decals are great as they can be applied, removed and repositioned, without damaging paintwork. Ideal for renters or those that like to change their mind frequently.

You can view the full range of designs available on diddi's website, they ship all over Australia and even have gift vouchers available for those little ones that may not even be born yet.

Nice Nails!

2011-11-09T08:42:00.001+11:00

I get a lot of comments on my nails, probably because they are always colourful and look reasonably well kept. Turns out, it's my 'thing'.
For some it may be all about their hair or lippy, I like to have nice nails.
It was never started as a conscious thing, I blame my sister for starting me on the nail vanity journey. You see, she made me get mine done for her wedding (I was in the bridal party), and then I was hooked.

Oh, and did I mention they are faux? Yes gels to be exact. My real nails are so thin and brittle, I could literately peel layers off them, ick! So you can understand why I was enamored almost immediately.

But how do you find the time to maintain them, I hear you ask. Well yes, I do have to get them refilled about every 3 weeks (an hour sans toddler, bliss!). It's my 'me' time. I don't wear make-up or hair product, so I figure I can lash out on the nails every once in a while. My favorite thing is choosing a new colour every time, although I have been quite partial to blue of late. I've just started a Pinterest Board for nail inspiration, it's pretty.

It's amazing how well manicured nails can give you that extra bit of confidence when you just don't feel that great. One can't always guarantee a good hair day, or even managing to pull a good looking outfit together when you are rushing out the door, but my nails I can control, it's worth the investment for me.

Do you have a beauty or fashion 'thing'?

Doll Quilt No.2 and other shop news...

2011-11-08T08:50:00.000+11:00

I never got around to sharing the first doll quilt I made for the shop a couple of weeks ago. Well it's a bit late now, it's already sold. So today, whilst Emma was off with mum checking out the Myer Christmas windows, I made another little Doll quilt.
I was really meant to be tidying up my sewing room, but that always seems to be when inspiration strikes. So as I was picking up these scraps from the floor, I just couldn't help but sew them together, and a little bit of quilting and binding later, a mini doll quilt is born.

If this is the kind of thing you would like to learn to make, on a small scale or large, there is still a few spots left for my quilt making classes. They start this Thursday - more details over here.

If sewing isn't your thing but you have a dolly that is in dire need of a quilt. You can buy this one here. It would also make a lovely place mat.

Also in other shop news. Mum's handmade bias binding is back in stock with lots of new designs available. I particularly like the stripey ones for quilt binding.
Get your fix here.

How To: Add Knee Patches to Jeans

2011-11-07T08:28:00.000+11:00

If your kids are constantly wearing the knees out of their pants or jeans, you are going to love this easy to follow tutorial. This patching technique is useful for all trousers, big or small, but especially small.

You will need:
The Jeans or pants you need to patch
Fabric for the patches - I used a piece of denim from an old pair of Mr Man's jean
Sewing machine
Seam ripper/un-picker
Thread, Scissors, Pins
1. Iron the jeans (these don't have holes but they are very thin in the knees).
2. Cut out two matching patches, they can be any shape you like.
3. Lay them over the knees to check size and position.
4. (optional) You may like to machine stitch a criss cross pattern on the patches to add interest.5. Now this the secret trick to make everything a whole lot easier, even on the smallest of garments. You need to unpick the side seam of the leg. On jeans choose the seam that isn't double stitched. Unpick as far as you can without unpicking cuff. This means you can open the leg out flat to comfortably use the sewing machine.6. Pin patches into place.
7 & 8. Now with a thread that matches the colour of the patch use a wide zig zag stitch (satin stitch) to sew the patch onto the leg.
9. Turn jeans inside out and resew the seam that you previously unpicked. Zig Zag or serge raw edge if desired.
10. All done! Check out how groovy these old jeans look.

Don't limit yourself to making patches solely out of denim, why not try patches in prints or fun shapes like a heart or star?

Thank you to Heidi, a fabulous facebook Liker who requested this tutorial on the My Poppet fan page:

'Cintia, I have a request. My little boys jeans ALWAYS end up with holes in the knees.....I'd love to patch them up but know they wouldn't end up looking the way I wanted them too. Seeing as you are a jeanious (ha!) I was hoping maybe you could do a tutorial on it?!
I'd love you forever....'

I'm glad I could help Heidi out.

If you have any tutorial requests, feel free to leave a comment here or over on the facebook page and I'll see what I can do :)

Paper Balloon Inspiration...

2011-11-05T08:44:00.001+11:00

I couldn't resist sharing these amazing images taken by Ebony of Hello Sandwich, of the paper balloon installation at the mt Expo in Tokyo. Is your mind blown?
You can see more photos over here on the Hello Sandwich blog.
And if you want to recreate this installation (on a smaller scale) you can get your Japanese paper balloons here...

All images used with permission from Hello Sandwich

Sponsor Profile - Green Nous by Scruffy Dog

2011-11-04T08:15:00.000+11:00

We often hear a lot about how big companies are doing their bit to be more earth friendly, "carbon offset this, greener strategy that..." But sometimes I think the big boys should learn a little bit from the little guys like Scruffy Dog, who have used their common sense and started Green Nous.

GreenNous is an initiative founded by the people at Scruffy Dog shoes, with the aim of doing a little bit for the environment by recycling material that would otherwise likely be discarded. They encourage others to think about how the apparently useless stuff they come across on a daily basis might be reused or put to some good use and then turn those thoughts into action. It's all about green nous: commonsense recycling.

GreenNous in action:
Local "Reverse Garbage" is their office supplier where they get: arch files, filing cabinet, work benches and some very comfy office chairs. Local shops and post office give them their discarded cardboard boxes which they reuse for shipping Scruffy Dog shoes to retailers.
An old bicycle found by the roadside has become their vehicle for the daily small parcel run to the post office. Pedal Power Yay!

Not only do these common sense initiatives save the environment, it saves them money too.
I really like the idea of teaming up with other local businesses to help them reduce their waste output. Re-using materials uses up no energy compared to the whole recycling process, there by saving other businesses money on recycling and waste disposal services as well.

Good one Scruffy Dog.

Go and check out the great kids shoes Scruffy Dog make over on their website. There is no online shop, but Leila will be happy to organize your order, just email them.

Breaking News: Scruffy Dog is now on facebook, pop over and LIKE their page and tell them My Poppet sent you :)

Crafty Christmas fun...

2011-11-03T08:22:00.000+11:00

I know November has only just begun, but if you intend on hand making some gifts or decor for your home this Christmas, now is the time to start.
So to make your life a little easier I'll be putting together a few crafty kits in the coming weeks.
Today whilst Emma was napping I had a brainwave - Vintage Christmas Stocking Kits. The stockings I made last year sold really well but unfortunately I really haven't got time to sit at the sewing machine for several hours any more, so this kit has all the materials and instructions for you to make your own.
You can choose from a selection or fabrics or let me surprise you if you are feeling adventurous.

I'll also be writing some fun tutorials for projects that would make great Christmas gifts, so stay tuned.
If you have any special tutorial or Craft Kit requests, just leave a comment with your suggestion and I'll give it a shot.

Do you plan on making any Christmas gifts this year?

Instagram Sew Along...

2011-11-02T08:30:00.001+11:00

I have a new social media obsession, it's a humble little iPhone app called Instagram. You may have heard of it? It took me a little while to warm up to the idea of sharing my photos, but I have found the little Instagram community to be friendly and supportive.
Of late, my favourite thing has been to share the various stages of my sewing projects, just like a virtual sew along. I like the idea of documenting parts of the process for myself, and because I am a social person, I love that people leave comments for me along the way. It's like blogging but super immediate. Here are the photos I've shared...above, a quilt for a very special pop up shop (more about that soon).
Below, the dress I made a few weeks ago, it was the first sew along I shared......and of course Eva's Christening gown.
So if you are on Instagram and would like to follow my image stream, you can find me under @mypoppetshop (same as my twitter handle). It's not always sewing, sometimes it's photos of my feet or new manicure, lol.

Brainwave! Ok from now on I will tag all sew along photos with #sewalong, go ahead and join in too. The search function on Instagram will bring up everyone's photos tagged with #sewalong, this is going to be fun!

Eva's Christening Gown

2011-11-01T08:30:00.001+11:00

This weekend I made a christening gown for my adorable niece, baby Eva. My sister didn't want anything too over the top so she picked an embroidered vintage sheet to use for the fabric.
I've never made anything this complicated or important before, but after making the dress for myself a few weeks ago, I was feeling confident that my attempt wouldn't end in disaster.
I just used a basic dress pattern with a few modifications. The original pattern was a romper dress so I left out the romper pants, lengthened the skirt and fully lined the bodice and skirt. The zip was a little tricky but its in and looks ok from the outside (don't look inside!).
My sister also picked a scalloped edged bonnet from a vintage pattern I had but it was way too small so I enlarged it. The bonnet is unfinished and still needs to have to ribbon ties added.
Eva is coming around today for the fitting, fingers crossed it fits. I think it came out really beautiful, I can't wait to see how adorable she looks in it.
Will share photos of the Christening soon...

Breaking news: The dress fits perfectly, I'm so relieved.

Time to clear the clutter...

2011-10-31T08:53:00.001+11:00

I've spent the last couple of days virtually locked in my sewing room, I have a list of things that needs making which involves riffling through my fabric stash. Luckily for you I was feeling in the mood to de-clutter and have decided to let go of a handful of some really nice pieces that are getting lost in the hubbub. I can only let go of a few bits at a time because as you can understand, I'm a little bit attached.

So my loss is your gain because this cute pile is now in the shop for sale as Fat Quarters. The pieces are uncut so if you order 2 units you will get 0.5m, 3 units 0.75m etc.

Get them over here before I change my mind - Fabric shoppe here

Oh and whilst I'm here, some peeps have suggested I put together some Vintage fabric quilt kits, is that something that would interest you? Probably just the top and binding, you provide batting and backing...

I don't know how she does it?

2011-10-30T23:32:00.004+11:00

You know, I get asked all the time..."I don't know how you do it? You have a toddler and yet you are always so productive and creative, where do you find the time?"

Haha, I respond, you haven't seen the state of my house, kitchen, ironing pile...Something's got to give. The truth is I can't have it all, and I can't do it all. Some days I barely manage to cross a teeny tiny task off the to do list, other days things get done a little more efficiently. Often I prioritize the things I enjoy doing over the things that need doing because it makes me happy. And a happy mummy makes for a happy family.

I will always choose to go to the park with Emma over mopping the floor, writing a blog post over doing the ironing, and I hardly ever make a cake from scratch. Mr Man isn't always cool with that, but hey, a wrinkled t-shirt never hurt anyone.

So that's my secret. I try not to be so hard on myself. I've always got a million creative ideas floating around in my head like a never ending 'to do' list, but I just tackle one little task at a time whenever the opportunity arises and things just seem to happen.

As a mother now, I don't wonder 'How do I do it?', I wonder 'How did I not manage to do it when I was child free and really had all the time in the world?'

A conversation with The Haby Goddess - How Building Creative Relationships can help your Business

2011-10-29T08:22:00.004+11:00

This video is an impromptu conversation with Jodie from The Haby Goddess who has been a long time friend of mine. In this video we talk about how we met, our creative business styles and how the relationship we have formed has helped improve our crafty businesses. We also talk about the importance of creative collaboration and how working together can make great things happen. Essentially, How Building Creative relationships can help your business.

I hope you enjoy the video. It's a little bit long, and thanks to Emma's many interruptions we may have repeated ourselves once or twice.

There are lots of take away points that may benefit you in whatever field you are in:
- Get to know people in your industry
- Build relationships based on friendship and trust
- Share your knowledge and talk about your ideas
- Collaborate on projects
- Identify your skills and share workload accordingly
- Motivate and be accountable to keep the project moving along.
- Don't try to film a vlog post with a 2 yo around!

I would like to thank Jodie for taking part in this vlog post with me, she was a really good sport.
You can check out Jodie's blog here and her shop here.

The Haby Goddess is a sponsor of the My Poppet blog but in the interest of full disclosure I need to point out that this was NOT a sponsored post. I just thought it would be fun to share.

Do you have a friend like Jodie that you've worked together with to 'get things done'?

This time last year...October

2011-10-28T07:50:00.001+11:00

Well time really does fly when you are having fun. It felt like only yesterday that Emma started going through her 'tantrum stage'. She is at the 'bossy stage' now, but that's a whole separate post.

So in October last year:
-I showed you how to dye your own wool
-how to make some tossing bean bags, (a great Christmas gift idea)
and
-shared my frustration with Emma's little temper turns, and had some really lovely reader comments that helped me get through the challenge of it all (Thank you!)

Reader Project - Monique's Magical Felt Mushroom House

2011-10-26T17:36:00.004+11:00

I was really excited to see this project from friend and blog reader Monique in my inbox this week. Monique, who I originally met as a customer in my store, was inspired to start needle felting after she saw this post about my needle felting obsession way back when. After making some small bits and pieces to perfect her technique, she was inspired to tackle something bigger.

And look at how magnificently her Magical Mushroom House has turned out.
I asked her some questions about some of the materials and techniques she used, and she was kind enough to let me share her answers with you.
I know you needle felted the top/roof but did you stuff it with anything?
Yes, the top is needle felted but I didn't stuff it with anything but lots and lots of felt (wool roving). I started with a circle base and basically just built it up from there adding more to the middle than the sides.

What kind of felt did you use for the sides?
The felt for the sides was a 5 mm industrial felt. there is a place in Blackburn and also in Huntingdale (both Melbourne suburbs) that sells all types of felt.

Who made the door and floor for you?
I actually made the door and floor. I drew it out on the thinnest ply and got my brother to jigsaw it out. Then varnished it and used hinges from spotlight and a button for the handle.

How did you stick the the wood to the felt?
Lastly, I stuck the wood to the felt using a hot glue gun, but the base I drilled little holes into and actually sewed the base to the felt.

How long did it take you?
It has been on my table for 2 months but only did a little bit every few days. usually tried to do one thing at a time eg: blanket stitch the top, make the door, etc

What next?
I won't be making another one any time soon but may be thinking about making some little people but no ideas are coming to mind as yet. Will have to do some internet surfing.

I think you will all agree that Monique has done an incredible job and is very generous to share some of her photos and information will us all.

If you want to try your hand at Needle felting, my post on Needle Felting Basics will be very helpful.

I would love to see pictures of projects that you've made using My Poppet tutorials. Why not post them to the My Poppet facebook page with a link to the relevant tutorial so others may be inspired too.

Kids Parties - Charlotte's Western Hoedown

2011-10-25T08:08:00.006+11:00

I couldn't resist sharing some photos from a super fun Western themed birthday party the family went to a couple of weeks ago. Charlotte, the most adorable little red head I know was turning 3. She loves Jessie from Toy Story (who was there by the way, top left), so her mum Sharon decided to go all out with a Cowgirl theme.
The western theme was carried through to the food which included chilli con carne and nachos, and the party favors, bandanas, sheriff badges and mini cowboy hats filled with treats. The hats are perfect Blythe doll size so Perty is wearing it now.
We love to dress up so I pulled out the old cowboy boots for me. For Emma, a neckerchief, some jeans and a checked shirt and she was the cutest cowpoke in town. She insisted on being a cowboy so the mustache completed the look.
Doesn't the photo top right look like it should be on a Wanted poster? It's adorable.

Photo credit: Photography by Michele, Top (all images), bottom (lower right)

Poppet show - My Poppet in the media this weekend

2011-10-24T08:14:00.000+11:00

As you all know I am becoming a fan of blatant self promotion, so for those of you that haven't seen the feature on My Poppet/me in the Herald Sun Home mag yesterday, here it is for your reading pleasure...
I love the tagline that they have used under the heading "Crafty creations that boldly go where no beige has gone before". I'm a bit of a closet Trekkie (Next Gen not Original series), so I really got a chuckle out of that one.

If you are new to the blog having discovered it through said article, I sometimes talk about things other than myself, although not lately. I hope you stick around, leave a comment to introduce yourself so we can all get to know each other a little better.

And if you actually want to read the article just click on the link here which will take you to some bigger images of the text.

Blythe Stylin' - Perty gets a matching dress

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000+11:00

Ok, it's official, I've turned it's one of those crazy Blythe doll people. Not a bad thing considering Blythe dolls are ace and every Blythe mummy I've met is super cool and fun to hang with. Yay, go us.
So I thought it would be cute for Perty and I to have matching outfits...do you agree or have I gone totally lala? Perty seems to like it, and I'm betting Emma will want her own matching dress when she gets home too.

I made a dress...for me!

2011-10-20T13:29:00.003+11:00

I'm seriously excited (as mentioned in the vlog post yesterday) to show off the new dress I made for myself. It's the first time I have tried anything so complex, and I'm so pleased that I took the time to treat myself.
I love how it turned out. I used a vintage pattern Butterick 4835 which just happened to be my size, win!I was motivated, partly because I had some time up my sleeve whist Emma was on holidays at the farm, and partly through the frustration of not being able to find anything in stores that I liked and suited me. So when I came home from a visit to some pretty boutiques last week, I dove into my pattern stash with the intention of creating something great!

The hardest part was finding the right fabric in my vintage stash. It's ironic, I probably have hundreds of meters but it was hard to find something suitable, for the following reasons:
-width + length, vintage fabrics are narrow so you need quite a lot for a dress length (about 3m) which is not always possible when you buy thrifted pieces.
-stains, I had my heart set on a couple of beautiful prints but they had stains from age/rust/water damage that I just couldn't cut around.
-fear, the fact is a couple of super special fabrics were too good to cut into for a first attempt, if I stuffed up I couldn't just nick down to the shop for some more.

So I rummaged and found a ton of this chambray (which I'd forgotten I had) in a suitcase. I thought the red contrast would make it extra special, which I think it has.
See how neat the collar and top stitching is? And did I mention it has pockets? I love a dress with pockets.
I took extra special care, and even basted where the pattern told me to. I never baste or hardly even use pins, so this was like sewing 101.
The only part I did modify were the sleeves. If you follow me on instagram (@mypoppetshop) you would have seen a stage by stage update including the original sleeves. But they looked a bit star trekkie on, so I decided to give them the flick and just drafted some simple facing pieces for the sleeves.
No other adjustments were necessary. I look forward to making this pattern in another fabric really soon.

So what do you think? Do you love it? Say you love it. I love it!

Oh and because I'm avoiding doing my bookkeeping, I made a matching dress for Perty too. Tune in tomorrow to see how cute it turned out.

The longest Vlog post ever...

2011-10-19T16:14:00.002+11:00

Just like having a conversation with me in real life. I don't stop talking! Hope you enjoy the vlog post, it was lots of fun to make.

Clothes Lime Giveaway winner...

2011-10-19T07:46:00.001+11:00

And the lucky winner of a $40 shopping credit giveaway to Clothes Lime boutique is... drum roll please...

Jessie Boan

Thanks to everyone that left a comment and congratulations to Jessie (I will be in touch shortly).

If you have a business that you would like to promote through a giveaway or sponsorship, I am now taking bookings for Nov and Dec. I have lots of lovely readers that would love to find out about you. Just email me - cinti (at) mypoppet.com.au

x cinti

How To: Make a Toddler size Duvet from a single bed Duvet

2011-10-18T08:16:00.000+11:00

I have never enjoyed sleeping with sheets and blankets, I'm a doona/duvet girl all the way. So now that Emma has graduated to a toddler bed I thought it was time she had a duvet of her own. I have quite bad dust mite allergies which improved once I started using a wool filled duvet, but I really struggled finding a toddler duvet for Emma that wasn't feather or cheap polyfill. What to do?

Then I had a brain wave...make my own.
I purchased a single bed Aussie wool filled duvet (on sale, yay!) and here's what I did:
(please excuse the quality of the photos - night time sewing)

Note - This project although looking quite straight forward was a bit challenging to finish to my very high standard. I would recommend it only to confident sewers as the sheer bulk of the quilt made it difficult to handle.

Step 1: Decide on the size you need the finished duvet to be and mark these out on your large duvet with a tailors marker or pencil. The size to fit Emma's bed is 100cm x 140cmStep 2: Rather than cutting the duvet, which would let some of the filling out making a big mess, I decided to use my overlocker (serger) to cut and finish the edges at the same time. Sew along the marked lines. Also cut/serge away the current binding to reduce the bulk on the existing edges.

My overlocker managed to (just) get through ok but I had to pull it through as it was a little bulky, this caused me to break a needle, so take it slow.

You can stop at this stage if you don't mind an overlocked/serged edge as a finish. I chose to bind the edges to make it neater.
Step 3: Mark a small curve on the corners and cut.

Step 4: Bind edges with bias binding. I used the technique explained in yesterdays tutorial, although the finish was not to my usual high standard (I'm really anal with my binding). The bulk of the duvet made it difficult but I think it looks pretty neat considering.
Now I'm off to make a couple of custom sized duvet covers...

How To: Enlarge Arm Holes & Add Bias Binding - Two Tutes in One

2011-10-17T08:43:00.001+11:00

Emma has been growing out of all her really nice clothes lately. I really love this dress by Little Tree Kids, but the arm holes were getting too tight so it was time to get the scissors out and make some adjustments.

Here, I'll share with you how to enlarge arm holes and add (or replace) a bias binding trim. For a great tutorial on how to make your own bias binding check out the Made blog, but if you can't be bothered with all the fuss, you can by some from my shop.
How to:
1. The before shot.
2. Cut off the bias trim, this will enlarge the arm holes by at least 1cm all around. I removed the neck trim so I could replace it to match the sleeves.
3. Neck trim...Measure the length of bias required to replace the binding removed and position in place for ties if required. Open up the binding and on the wrong side of fabric line up the edge of binding print down and sew along the press line (of the binding).
4. To finish, fold the binding over the raw edge and sew in place. No need to worry about catching the back.
(The style of this dress was a cross over wrap around and the bias extended and tied off as a belt, I finished the ends of the bias tape with a small knot)5. To bind the armholes...Using the same technique as before but to start fold over the bias tape about 1.5cm near the under arm seam.
6. Sew around. When you arrive at the beginning overlap the binding about 1cm
7 & 8. Fold over and stitch to finish, taking extra care to tuck the end of the binding in and securely finish.

I hope the pictures were helpful. This is the technique I use to sew on all my bias binding. It takes a little longer as you have to sew twice but it guarantees that you have caught both sides and gives a super neat finish.
Once I finished Emma's dress I remembered I had the same small armhole problem on a pretty dress that was bound for the Op-shop because it was too uncomfortable to wear.
I used the same technique of cutting away the seam and adding bias tape. This time it was a narrow black commercial bias tape that I picked up at the Op-shop for only a few cents.

So now, thanks to a little bit of bias tape and a nap time sewing session, both Emma and I have pretty dresses to wear this summer.

How To: Look after your Swedish Clogs

2011-10-14T08:30:00.001+11:00

The sun was shining yesterday so I was excited to wear my favorite sandals, these cute pair of handmade wooden soled Swedish clogs. But after a winter of wear (with socks), they needed a little bit of TLC.
So I got to work...

You will need:
Some medium/fine grade sandpaper
Olive oil
Cotton rag
How to:
Sand any marks off the wooden sole, then wipe away any dust. Dab your cloth in olive oil and gently rub into the wood and the leather. The olive oil will nourish and darken the wood and leather and help protect from damp.All done!

Now my sandals look brand new, and with regular care, will last for many years to come. Bring on summer!

Craft Classes...Finally!

2011-10-13T08:16:00.000+11:00

I have been talking about running crafty classes for such a long time now with nothing actually planned, I'd almost convinced myself it was never going to happen!

But hurrah! The stars aligned and dates are locked in. It's actually happening people!
So many exclamation points, can you tell I'm excited!!

So the first course 'Freestyle Piecing and Quilting' will be happening in November at Little Sparrow in Balaclava (Melbourne).

If you can answer yes to these questions, this is the class for you...
Ever wanted to have a go at patchwork and quilting but didn't know where to begin? Can you sew in a straight line? Don't like the idea of traditional quilting styles with strict rules and perfectly matching corners? Love re-purposing textiles?

No fussy cutting, following patterns, specialized equipment or complex fabric calculations required.

In this series of 3 x 2hr classes I will teach you simple piecing and quilting techniques, tips and tricks that will get you started on your creative quilting journey. We will work on small projects like pram or doll quilts/placemats, then you can use the techniques you learn here to make bigger projects at home. Check out the details of each class here.

These classes will run for 3 consecutive weeks at Little Sparrow in Balaclava (Melbourne) on Thursday 10th, 17th & 24th of November 2011 between 1pm and 3pm

Cost will be $90 + materials

Sewing machines and white cotton thread will be provided. You will need to supply your own materials and scissors. A list of requirements will be e-mailed once you have enrolled.

Having a sewing machine at home isn't essential but would be helpful for completing unfinished course work before the next class/stage.

There are only 6 places available so book early if you are interested. I'm taking bookings through the shop.

If you have any questions or suggestions for other classes, leave a comment and I'll get back to you quick sticks!

October Sponsors and Giveaway...

2011-10-12T08:18:00.001+11:00

I'm so happy to have some new sponsors to introduce to you this month:

First of all I present Diddi, a Melbourne based company that specializes in framed art and wall stickers. I'll have a whole blog post about them soon, in the mean time why don't you check out their lovely designs.
Next up is Angela and the Yes, Dear! blog. Angela writes a frank and entertaining account of life as mother and business woman, and more importantly as a real woman. You know the stuff you think in your head? Angela blogs it. So go and add Yes, Dear! to your reading list, you won't be disappointed. Oh and don't let all the talk about Poo and Big Knickers put you off! Lol.

And last but not least is Clothes Lime Recycled Children's Clothing Boutique who are generously offering a GIVEAWAY this month.
Clothes Lime is the brain child of mum of 3, Katrina, who was sick of paying top dollar for her kids clothes that was grown out of in only a few months.

Emma and I wear a lot of pre-loved clothing because I like the idea of reducing your footprint, saving money & reducing landfill. Thanks to Clothes Lime we can work together to save the planet and some $$... one outfit at at time. And only $8 flat rate shipping in Australia is great too.

Clothes Lime is offering a $40 shopping credit to use in their online store: Thanks Katrina!

Just leave a comment on this blog entry, telling me what 1 item in their current stock would be a well enjoyed piece at your house and why. If you win you can use your voucher for this or anything else that tickles your fancy...Good luck!

If you are reading this post on Google reader (or similar) be nice and click over to the blog. I have a heap of lovely independent businesses that have been kind enough to help me do what I do. All their cute buttons are over there <------- and they would love a visit from you. Who knows, it might be the start of a beautiful relationship...

The fine print: Giveaway closes Tuesday 18th October 7pm EST. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on the blog on October 19th. Winner will also be notified via email so please make sure you have e-mail enabled on your comments or leave an e-mail address in your comment (entries with no e-mail contact will be void). Giveaway is open to the whole world. Even though we'd love you to become a 'Liker' of our facebook page, entry is NOT conditional on becoming a 'liker' of the My Poppet or Clothes Lime business pages. This giveaway is not affiliated with facebook in any way.

How To: Easy Bat Wings for Halloween or Dress Ups

2011-10-11T08:08:00.000+11:00

These bat wings are a fun and really easy to make addition to any dress up box. They only took me around ten minutes to whip up with some black lycra fabric I had laying about in m sewing room. Only one seam is required which you can do by hand if you don't have a sewing machine.

These wings can be made for a child or adult if you adjust your measurements accordingly. Only a little maths is required to work out how much fabric you will need to start off with.

How To:
1. You will need, black stretchy fabric (lycra/spandex is best as it doesn't fray), scissors, measuring tape, needle and black thread or sewing machine.

Amount of fabric required:
Width = arm span from wrist to wrist (or Ax2)
Length = back of neck to waist (B) + half circumference around widest part of arm(C)2. fold fabric in half to halve the width, (folded over sleeve allowance C is just to give you an idea of what to measure) .
3. Cut out semicircle, D is the measurement from center back to shoulders. ( the bottom of the semicircle should be the length B.
4. Fold over your sleeve again and cut out scallops for edges.
5. This is how it should look when the whole thing is unfolded
6 + 6a. Fold over the sleeve allowance C and sew where indicated. If machine sewing I recommend zig zag stitch to allow the fabric to stretch.

Wear the wings like a shrug over some black clothing and get ready to scare the neighbours. Boo!

Making something from nothing...

2011-10-10T07:59:00.000+11:00

I can finally reveal the fruits of my labor during Emma's nap times last week, (the little quilt above was gifted yesterday).
I've been sewing a lot...because...Emma's behavior has been a little challenging of late and I have lost my cool on numerous occasions. To calm my frayed nerves I have let my 'domestic duties' and online commitments take a back seat and retreated to my sewing room. Yes, I've been sewing my little heart out.

It's been a little while since I've felt so satisfied with something I've made, I used only materials from my stash and just scraps for the tops. The blue quilt was made primarily from the business shirts that Mr Man 'explodes' Incredible Hulk style.I like the idea that quilts should be made from unwanted pieces of clothing and scraps that would have gone into landfill. I mean isn't that the original idea behind patchwork and quilting, to make something out of nothing? Both the Jungle quilt and floral quilt are in the shop now.

Feelin' quilty...

2011-10-07T08:09:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I had an overwhelming urge to do some freestyle piecing and quilting. Here is a sneak peek of what I am working on, it's a pram blanket made with vintage sheet remnants. I'll finish binding it today and then list it for sale soon. I hope someone out there likes it enough to buy it because I'm feeling a little bit quilty...and there are a few more quilts to come I think?

Having fun with Hama beads...

2011-10-06T08:28:00.001+11:00

One Japanese cross stitch book + a giant jar of Hama beads = a whole lotta fun!

I had a ball creating some really cool brooches yesterday based on some patterns out of my Japanese cross stitch book. Why don't you have a go at something similar yourself.
Or if melting plastic isn't your thing, you can buy the ones I made here in the shop.

iPad Apps we love...

2011-10-05T08:12:00.000+11:00

I took my iPad on our recent trip to Argentina primarily to keep Emma entertained on the long flights and transit waits, and boy did I make the right decision. I must admit the iPad saved the day!
It was a challenge to find some kid sized headphones with volume restriction on them, but I persisted and managed to get them at the Apple store.
I had a friend load quite a few films on it, and between those and a few free apps we managed to get through.

Emma's favorite apps were:
Toca Doctor, a fun puzzle game with awesome graphics
Mee Genius, which is like a e-reader for kids books that will read illustrated stories
&
Miss Spider, which had a story, puzzles a colouring page function.

My other personal favorite which Emma is a little bit scared of is this one below:

Toca Hair Salon. It's a blast!
Emma is scared of the lion and the hairdryer noise so I don't get to play it often :(
She even managed to delete the app off my phone (that girl is too clever!)

Because I didn't have WiFi access where we were, most of my favorite apps were useless, but I did get a lot of use from my Kobo eReader app. Luckily I had filled my library with lots of free classic books before I left so I read Anne Of Green Gables and Gulliver's Travels when Emma was napping.
I also love to listen to podcasts so my iPod app was full of episodes from How Stuff Works.

No TV in the apartment meant the iPad got a real work out. Emma is now a super wizz at getting to her apps and replaying her fave scenes of her movies over and over.
I think I must have seen Captain Hook and Peter Pan fighting about 100 times over!

Now we are home the iPad has 'gone to sleep' for a while. I was worried she would get too attached to it, but as soon as we got home and she had all her toys and books, she seems to have forgotten about it and not asked for it once.

Do you or your little one have any favorite apps or podcasts to recommended?

Flea Market Finds - Shop Update

2011-10-04T08:53:00.000+11:00

Took advantage of the sunshine yesterday to take some photos of a few Flea Market finds I've had laying about for a bit. Some have already sold (sorry, gotta get in quick), but I'll be tidying up around the place soon, so I'm sure there will be more good stuff listed soon.

Pop over to the shop and check out my Flea Market Finds HERE

How to: Fringe Cushion Cover

2011-10-03T08:01:00.000+11:00

Here is a tutorial I wrote for my other (much neglected) blog MADE OF CLOTH, I thought it would be nice to share it again in case you missed it. You can see a little pic of Emma enjoying her reading nook here.
Easy to make fringed floor cushions
A step-by-step tutorial (with some easy short-cuts)

Emma (and I) needed something to sit on when reading her books...on a quick trip to Ikea I picked up some super squishy euro sized pillows that made the perfect inserts. I had the fabric (also Ikea) and the fringe was an Op-shop find.

You will need:
Materials
A cushion insert or pillow
2 squares of fabric cut to the size of the pillow plus 1cm seam allowance
fringe

1. Pin the fringe on the right side of the fabric, fringe facing in. Take extra care around corners to keep fringes neat so they don't get stitched into seam.

2. Lay second piece of fabric on top of the fringe, right side in, like a sandwich. Pin to place.

3. Sew around edge with a 1cm seam allowance, leave about a 30cm opening on one side for turning and stuffing.

2a. (short cut) I was a bit lazy with the second cushion and didn't do the pinning, I just sandwiched the two pieces and fringe as I went along...I'd only recommend this technique for more confident sewers.

4. Turn inside out and insert cushion

5. Pin opening closed, taking special care to keep the edges straight and fringe neat

6a & 6b. Either machine stitch or hand stitch opening closed.

You're done!

I Can Fly...

2011-10-01T00:30:00.003+10:00

What was meant to be a 'this is what I wore today' post has turned in to a 'Look, I can fly' post. It's obvious that I have a small crush on animated GIFs, especially when they let me levitate.

We had a very small window of spring sunshine here in Melbourne that was too good to waste on a boring 'look at me, I'm so stylish' pose, so here is a little bit of silliness.

Oh, so did you really want to know what I'm wearing?

Cardigan - Lowrys Farm (bought in Tokyo)
Skirt - Vintage Fletcher Jones from Hunter Gatherer
Sandals - Swedish Hasbeens

The Long and Short of it...

2011-09-30T09:02:00.001+10:00

Remember this vintage book find from way back when? I've been looking for some more in the series at every Op Shop I go to for nearly a year now without much luck. After seeing the original blog post a lovely reader (thank you, I don't know who you were as the package was thrown away) sent me one she had found bringing our collection to two , until now...

In the place I least expected it, one came to me. Mums elderly neighbor in Argentina (Emma called her Granny like in Totoro) popped over with a big bag of books that she had kept from when her children were young. In it was this beauty, Largo y Corto (Long and Short), in Spanish from the same series by a different publisher. Trippy!
The books were on loan whilst we were there but she let us have this one after she saw how excited I was about it. Aren't the illustrations just the best?
And there are those heart knee patches again.I wonder where the next one will turn up?

More colour!

2011-09-29T10:59:00.003+10:00

After spying the home of talented Kiwi interior designer and all round cool gal Alex Fulton on the Li'l Magoolie blog and Apartment Therapy, it has gotten me thinking about introducing some more colour to my living space.
My living and dining areas are looking a bit 'brown' so this spring I'm going to inject some big time COLOUR!

I really love how Alex has displayed this collection of vintage ceramics...
And get a load of that staircase!Photography by Maddie of Li'l Magoolie who has just moved to Oz from NZ...I'm hoping we will get to meet for realz one day.

Iron-ons...a crafty good time

2011-09-28T08:30:00.002+10:00

A lovely facebook liker suggested I add some iron-on appliques to the shop after I'd put out a call-out for your suggestions. Coincidentally I bought these cute appliques in Japan and had never gotten around to listing them until now.

So yes this is a blatant product flog. Go and buy some cuteness now (over here), there are only 3 of each design available.

What would you put them on?

Oh and I thought I might mention that you can now get free domestic shipping for all orders over $150 when you use the code SHIP4FREE150 at the checkout.

Postcards from Mar del Plata - Instagram love

2011-09-27T08:00:00.002+10:00

If you follow me on twitter you would have caught some of my Instagram photos from the trip. I didn't have a data roaming service on my phone in Argentina, but most cafes had WiFi so I tweeted pics at every opportunity.

Some of the highlights:

Some vintage goodness:

FYI: My Instagram feed is set to private, apologies to those of you that have sent requests without a response, I'm a bit funny about photo privacy.

I'm Back - a vlog post

2011-09-26T15:19:00.003+10:00

My first vlog post...it's just a quick one till I get the hang of being in front of the camera.

Hope my crazy eyes weren't too distracting?

Sponsor Profile - Scruffy Dog: New Season

2011-09-23T09:02:00.000+10:00

Scruffy Dog one of our favourite brand of kids shoes has Just released their new season range. Introducing two great new styles, Giselle and Juliette.I'll let Leila from Scruffy Dog tell you all about them...

"Giselle is such a superbly elegant and versatile shoe that can go straight from school to a party. Dance with confidence to your hearts content in these flexible soles and secure foot hugging elasticated fastenings. With a full leather upper and lining of stunning soft red leather your feet will be comfortable and healthy with or without socks. In black or distressed white. Rrp $79.95.

For versatile party shoes with a bit more glitz, you simply can't go past Juliette. A strong well fitted shoe with full leather upper and lining and that irresistible flash of glamour in silver, pink or blue. Now on special at $64.95."

Pop over to their website now and check out the stockist page to find a retailer near you. You can also purchase directly from Scruffy Dog, just ring or send an email to check size and colour availability. Their Gallery Page has pictures of all the styles.

Thank you to Scruffy Dog for their continued support of the blog, it's great to have such an awesome sponsor!

Merry-go-round...

2011-09-19T08:03:00.001+10:00

In Mar del Plata nearly every little plaza has it's own Merry-go-round. They are all quite old and charming, and probably being held together by many coats of paint. Mum tells me I rode some of them when I was Emma's age, some have even been there since mum was little.

As soon as she saw her first one she was hooked. It takes an average of 3 rides before she loses interest although the other day she had to be forcefully removed before I went broke.
This one was particularly pretty...

Postcards from Mar del Plata: Flea Market Finds

2011-09-16T08:58:00.002+10:00

Just around the corner, and one block away from mum's apartment, is a little plaza that on Friday, Saturday and Sunday attracts a few vendors of randomness and tat. I've had a little fun treasure hunting there but the pickings are slim as most of the wares are not what I'm after. It's mostly architectural fittings, old tools and tacky jewelry from the 90's. I did find this cute enameled lion brooch for me (I love him, his head moves), and some lovely woodland themed wooden knick knacks for the shop maybe? Emma has been eying the little fawns off with great interest...

Sponsor Profile - Mon*star Kids

2011-09-14T08:47:00.001+10:00

I have been a fan of the Mon*star Kids clothing label for a long time now. When I opened the shop it was my number one 'must have' range. Monstar was a big hit with my customers too, I often had a waiting list of savvy mums wanting to snaffle up new stock. I know a lot of you out there are big fans and were quite sad to see the store close because you wouldn't be able to get your Monstar fix any more. Well fear not, Monstar now has an online store and the new season range does not disappoint. Fiona the creative talent behind Monstar has been nice enough to share a sneak peek of the new Summer range about to hit the stores very soon and available online now.

As usual the range has been made in Australia, and this season Fiona has designed some exclusive fabrics for the collection which have been printed in Melbourne. Monstar has always been about a hands on approach, with all the screen prints, embellishments and even button details finished by Fiona herself. Pop over and check out their new range. It's very reasonable priced and the quality is excellent.
You can also pick up a last season bargain on the Specials Page.

Find them here:
WEB SHOP : FACEBOOK

Time Capsule...

2011-09-13T07:58:00.005+10:00

We are staying in Mum and Dad's apartment in Mar del Plata, the home where I spent the first 3 years of my life. For about 33 years no one has really lived in it as it has been used as consulting rooms for a psychology practice so it has remained relatively untouched for that time.

It's been furnished pretty randomly now but the kitchen is still pretty cute.

Blythe 10th Anniversary Exhibition

2011-09-12T09:53:00.002+10:00

Yes, I'm still talking about Japan, bear with me...

Pilgrim and I were so lucky to catch this amazing Blythe Doll exhibition during our last few days in Tokyo, it was in the Parco Department store gallery space.
Called '10 Happy Memories' it's a collection of every Blythe doll that has ever been released in Japan. WoW!
I believe it is touring some of the Parco stores in Japan till the spring of 2012 so if you are a Blythe lover and are going to be in Japan around that time, pop it on your to-do list.
Some of these gals are super stylin' and probably so hard to get now. I wonder if there is a 'Blythe HQ' with a giant vault full of rare Blythe dolls?

Here is a link I found with more information about the tour and a few bits of interesting Blythe trivia.

Postcards from Buenos Aires: Sopa del Principe

2011-09-09T07:17:00.001+10:00

Stumbled across the cutest shop ever in Buenos Aires. Called Sopa del Principe (translates to 'Prince's Soup'), it's a softies workshop full of whimsical handmade animals, dolls and monsters waiting patiently in fruit crates for new owners. You have to check out their website, it's super cute.
As you can imagine, Emma loved it, especially the corner with giant soft pebbles and blades of grass. The shop fit was so quirky and colourful, I couldn't wait to share it with you.The store and designer Verónica Longoni, are quite well known and have even exhibited some of the creations at MOMA in New York.

FYI the prices are in Argentinian Pesos, divide by about 4 for US/AUS dollars.

Postcards from Buenos Aires...

2011-09-06T07:05:00.001+10:00

We spent two nights in Buenos Aires before moving onto the next leg of our journey to recover from the flight and adjust our body clocks a little.
With a 13 hour time difference it takes a little while.

Buenos Aires is a big noisy (and not always safe) city so rather than staying right in town we thought it would be quieter and safer to stay in one of the more residential areas of Palermo Soho. I found a cute little B&B on the internet called Soho Rooms which was owned by an artist couple and had a really chillaxed retro vibe. I liked it, and any bed after a 24hr journey is so comfortable.
Check out the awesome wall art in the breakfast room made from vintage wall paper.We took a walk around the area in the morning on our day there, it was a mix of grand old buildings, trendy boutiques and historic businesses. Sadly most of the beautiful turn of the century buildings in Buenos Aires have been razed to make way for apartment blocks, this area still has some of the character remaining, but may of the buildings are in a sad state of disrepair or have been marked for developments.
I was planning on returning to some of the cute boutiques that were closed that morning (most didn't open till lunchtime), but unfortunately we couldn't keep our eyes open and went to have a snoozzze...

Room Tour - Cherry's Nursery

2011-09-05T08:05:00.001+10:00

The thing I love most about blogging is sharing ideas, stories and inspiration, that's why today, I feel privileged to share a peek inside Cherry's beautiful room. These gorgeous images were taken by Elle, a creative and beautiful new mama, who has just started writing a blog of her own called Cherry and Me. Elle is a graphic designer with a background in the arts industry, so as you can imagine, she has a great eye for colour and design. Cherry is one lucky baby girl. I'm sure you will all agree that this room was just too pretty not to share.I asked Elle a few questions about the space:

Cherry's room is filled with a lovely collection or vintage pieces, where did you acquire them from?

Most of my vintage things have been collected overtime from childhood and from my grandparents house after they passed away. I was very, very close to them. My grandfathers name was Jerry and that's where the name Cherry comes from. My blog is dedicated to Nana Nina and I've featured the photography by Papa Jerry as my first ever blog post. Back in the day they ran a business where papa would shoot portraits for families and nana would hand colour the black and white developed prints. My twitter image is the most gorgeous photo of nana eating a cherry wearing a straw sunhat. I love it!

What's your favourite piece in Cherry's room?

My favourite piece in Cherry's room is an oil painting by my mum Natalia, above Cherry's feeding chair. It's a pretty babushka doll on a candy pink background, coated in high gloss enamel. She is an incredible artist, trained in Russia, with a passion for nudes and nature. I'm an art lover and collector, so this is the first piece in my daughter's art collection.
What does Cherry enjoy most about her room?

Cherry's favourite piece in her room is the hand made butterfly mobile (Made by Mosey), a gift from 'aunty' Lauren. She gets totally mesmerized by the spinning black and white butterflies! Every night, just before bed, we talk to the the butterflies and tell them all about our day. we also ask them for nice dreams, blow them a kiss and wish them good night. It's our little secret ritual.

You can see the full room tour here on Cherry and Me.

Thank you Elle and Cherry for letting us take a peek into your beautiful home.

Sponsor Profile - Little Sparrow

2011-09-02T09:52:00.000+10:00

Have you heard of Little Sparrow? It's a pretty awesome place to spend some time. It is owned by my friend Shelly who is an amazingly creative and crafty lady. Not only is Little Sparrow a Steiner inspired toy store, it is choc full of beautiful organic yarn, craft and specialist Steiner books and lots of hard to get habby supplies. My idea of heaven really.
Little Sparrow has recently moved to a bigger space in Balaclava, Melbourne, with a dedicated class room for craft workshops. Check out their website for class timetables. You may even find me holding some classes there soon...

Shelly loves to support local artisans, and stocks some amazing handmade products as well as beautiful German and fair trade wooden toys. I visit a quite regularly to catch up with the lovely Pilgrim who also works there, and Emma is kept entertained in the kids play corner. Isn't that toadstool table so cute?

My most recent purchase there were a few of these amazing painted beads. I'm hoping to make a few little dolls with some pipe cleaners and fabric scraps. Watch this space.

If you are in Melbourne's south, make sure you visit them at
324a Carlisle St, Balaclava, 3163, Vic, Australia. Telephone 03 90410103
Open 7 days
Mon to Fri 9.30-5
Sat & Sun 11-4

Or you can shop online here

*In the interest of full disclosure I have categorized this as a sponsor post because Little Sparrow has an ad on my side bar, but really I've been meaning to write about Little Sparrow for well over a year now. Shelly is really an amazing person who I am lucky to call a friend. She is very generous with her time and knowledge (she helped me make my first Christmas pudding) and I am embarrassed I haven't got around to telling you all about the store until now.

Cinti & Emma hit the skies...

2011-09-01T04:17:00.005+10:00

Wow, what a long trip it's been to get to Argentina. I don't think mum realised what she was getting into when she suggested this 'holiday'. It all started with a 2.30am wake up to catch a 6am flight. First stop Auckland NZ. The Qantas flight was great, Emma got her own little breakfast tray and a window seat with this gorgeous view. I was already tired by this stage, Emma full of beans. Mum dozed.Then came the first hard bit, waiting in Auckland for 4 hours for the connecting flight. Our pram had been checked all the way through because the Qantas check in staff insisted that it wasn't possible to unload at either Auckland or Santiago, and there would be strollers there to use, yadda yadda. Of course the were no strollers and a huge walk carrying bags and a toddler was crappy. Emma may have slept in a pram, instead she ran around for 4 hours straight, introduced herself to everybody and kept me on my toes.

Then it was time to board again. This time it was a LAN (Chile) flight to Santiago, 11.5 hours.
We were so lucky the plane wasn't full and we were allocated 4 seats for the 3 of us. Emma nodded off during take off for about 2 hours which meant we could eat in peace and recharge our batteries.

The flight was really pleasant, food was nice, plenty of leg room and the staff on LAN super helpful, I couldn't fault them.

Emma woke and didn't go back to sleep for the rest of the flight, but really she was quite good. Not too cranky, watched a bit of telly and introduced herself to most of the passangers. Everybody knew Emma. I managed to get a little sleep and stetch out whilst Emma entertained herself.

The only funny/annoying bit was that Emma is terrified of the toilets on the plane. She became hysterical when you tried to get her in to change her. It was all a bit distressing. I think it was the flushing noise, it's pretty loud.

Luckily I took some spare clothes for her because her nappy leaked. By this stage Emma was saying "I want to go home." She didn't want to lie down because according to her her cot was at home and she wanted to sleep in her cot. Bless. Landing in Santiago was the start of the next difficult stage. We had a 7 hr wait scheduled and Emma was starting to get really exhausted. She only wanted to be carried and we really struggled with our hand luggage. Without a pram for her to sleep in, this was going to be hard. Luckily mum sorted an earlier flight so we saved 4 hours waiting/travel time. I was pleased!Emma was distracted with some snacks that I'd packed for the trip, she was still going strong.

In the final leg to Buenos Aires Emma finally sucommed to the sleep fairy (yay!)
We were all pretty exhausted, luckily there was a special express immigration queue in Buenos Aires for Diplomats and Pregnant women and families. How good is that?

Of course not everything could go super smoothly. Our bags and stroller never arrived as they hadn't been put on our new flight, I suspected it was a possibility. So more paperwork to do for the baggage claim. The guy was really helpful, I had to deal with it as mum was getting super dramatic in a non-helpful way. Mum feared the worst! Bags just arrived now to where we are staying, about 24 hrs later. No drama for us because I always have an extra change of clothes in my hand luggage.

So all in all, it was not terrible. Emma was really quite good considering. A pram at the gates and our luggage not being delayed would have made it the perfect journey (well as perfect as it can get with a toddler).

Everyone is napping now. I'm off to join them.

I'll share some photos of Buenos Aires soon...

Emma Stylin' - Stripes Ahoy!

2011-08-31T09:11:00.000+10:00

Yes I know I'm half way around the world at the moment, but I just had to share these beautiful photos of Emma modeling her new stripey top. The sunshine in Melbourne last week was just too gorgeous to waste, so I thought a trip to the seaside would fit the nautical attire perfectly.
Emma had been hassling me for weeks about going to the beach, so we headed for Williamstown and had a lovely day in the sun. Even dipped our toes in the water a little bit too, it was cold!
Did I mention I made the top from some fabric remnants, you can read about how I made it here on MADE OF CLOTH.
I'm really pleased at how it turned out. I think I'll be making more tops for her when I get home, it's so hard to find a good striped tops for kids without logos or wacky over printing.
Yes those are my toes, I have since painted my toe nails Navy blue...

Cinti's Top Travel Tips...

2011-08-29T08:44:00.000+10:00

As I'm busily packing today, I thought it would be fun to share some of my travel hints. It is not an exhaustive list and some are quite obvious but here is what I know:
(I've added some Japan specific tips towards the end)

Planning your trip:
- Make sure you know in advance any visa/documentation requirements you need to travel. Don't assume your travel agent will know everything, especially if you are not traveling on an Australian passport. Visa requirements may differ for different nationalities. If you are traveling with kids and without both parents, you may require extra documentation/permissions for some countries.

- Check your passports are in date. They will need to be valid for at least 6 months after your planned return.

-Think about the currency you will take and what you will do for money whilst you are there. Don't assume you will be able to access your bank account in some places. I had a really hard time withdrawing cash in Japan. Australian dollars may not get the best exchange rates in some countries, I like to carry some US dollars and Euros as backups. If I can, I purchase some local currency before I leave so I don't have issues with currency exchange when I arrive. The exception to this rule is where the currency is unstable due to inflation etc...

- Your local post office can order currency for you at quite a good exchange rate.

- Never travel overseas without TRAVEL INSURANCE. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. (Shop around online to save $$)

- Contact your bank to tell them you will be overseas, you don't want your accounts frozen when you are away.

- Make copies of all your travel documents including your passport and credit cards. Leave a copy with some one you trust and take a copy with you in a safe place away from your original documents.
TOP TIP - scan your documents and e-mail them to an e-mail account you can access whilst you are away.

Keep Handy:
- Know where your passport is at all times. It is the most important piece of paper you will own. Keep your boarding passes in a handy place too, you will need to show these and your passport to lots of people.

- I always like to have a couple of pens in my bag, there are never any on the end of those little chains when you need them.

Packing:
- I love zip lock bags! Due to liquid restrictions on international flights all your gels and liquids will need to fit into a sandwich size zip lock. Liquids include, lip balm, hand cream and toothpaste. I use my zip lock as a mini toiletry bag and use small product samples (like mini toothpaste and hand cream) for the flight.

- Pack your chargers, cables and adapters in zip lock bags to keep them all accessible and dry if your luggage gets wet.

- I also like taking a few spare bags to seal up wet/dirty clothes or shoes. Great for keeping paperwork in order and small items like jewelry and accessories organized.

- I never leave home without my laundry kit. It consists of a small bag of washing powder (equivalent to 2-3 loads, double bagged to prevent spillage), a universal sink plug, and a travel washing line (like a bungee cord with hooks on the end). All of this goes inside a mesh/delicates wash bag.

- First aid kit is really important and will save you from miming out embarrassing conditions at a pharmacy where they may not speak English. I tend to pack: Painkillers (without codeine), anti-diarrhoea tablets, rehydration powder sachets, allergy tablets, cortisone cream for rashes and bites, bandaids, alcohol swabs, adhesive fabric tape (for blisters), and of course any other medication you may be required to take regularly.
Don't forget travel sickness prevention tabs if you are prone to motion sickness.
Depending on your destination you may also want to think about travel vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis.
Also sunscreen, insect repellent and anti-fungal cream.

- You won't really need as much clothing as you think you will need, especially in warmer weather. Lugging around heavy luggage is no fun and there won't be any room for shopping. Minimize the size of toiletries, on shorter trips a few sample sachets of shampoo may just be enough to get you through.

TOP TIP- If you are going away for 2 weeks, before you go make a mark on your shampoo/moisturizer etc.. then measure how much you have used at home in 2 weeks. Now you can decant a similar amount into a smaller container and not worry about running short or taking too much.

- make sure your luggage is labeled on the inside just in case the tags on the outside are lost. And of course ensure you have luggage tags with current contact details including a phone no and email address as well as your name and address.

-If you have a nondescript piece of luggage, invest in a brightly coloured luggage strap. You will spot your bag on the conveyor belt from a distance and it will prevent others picking it up by accident.

Check In:
TOP TIP - Take a photo of your check in bags before you check them in. That way, if they are lost it's much easier to show a photo of your missing bag than trying to describe it from memory.

- Be nice to the check in staff, they don't need your attitude and they can tee you up with some extra leg room if you are lucky (or the holy grail, an upgrade!! It's never happened to me).

- Tell the staff if you prefer an aisle or window early on, it holds up the line if they have to re-do your seating.

On the Plane:
- I like to get myself set up early on. In the pocket in front of me I have my lip balm, ear plugs, eye mask and inflatable pillow. I always travel with a small bag that I keep on me with my passport and valuables.

- Best not to leave money and passports in overhead lockers, you don't know who is accessing bags whilst you may be sleeping.

- Enjoy your flight and catch up on movies you may have missed.

I could go on forever...

Japan specific TIPS

Money was a big issue in Japan. Most ATM machines don't accept foreign issued cards. The post office machines wouldn't accept my Maestro EFTPOS card, luckily I had a Master Card debit card and Visa credit card with me as a back up.
Most shops are cash only.

I took Yen and US dollars with me with the intention of changing my US over there but never came across any exchange offices.

Narita airport is quite a way out of town. Best to catch the Limousine Bus to the general area in Tokyo where you need to go.

We purchased a PASMO card for public transport which one can load up and use on any train and bus service, it saves heaps of time and stops you fumbling around for the right money at ticket machines.

If you have any general or specific questions, please leave a comment and I'll answer them in a comment so everyone can see. I may even write another post if the answer is complex.

Bon Voyage...

Marimekko e-Mook

2011-08-26T08:25:00.004+10:00

I almost forgot to tell you about one of my last book purchases in Tokyo. It's a Marimekko e-Mook. An e-Mook is all the rage in Japan apparently, a cross between a magazine and a book, with the kicker being a premium gift all for around $15. There were a heap of fashion labels doing them with some worthwhile gifts, but I liked the cheerful bag included in this one. We accidentally stumbled on the Marimekko store in OMOTESANDO, it was all gorgeous but a little expensive for my budget, so a $15 bag was a special treat!
The book is essentially a product cataloug with some lovely interiors and a free dress pattern. Here I am having some fun modeling my bag. It's super fun, perfect for this spring and summer.
Have you ever bought a product just because of the 'Gift with Purchase'?

Off to the airport again...

2011-08-25T08:19:00.000+10:00

You may have noticed lots of travel talk on the blog of late, that's because it's at the front of my mind...
Emma and I are off to Argentina on Tuesday morning for several weeks. We will be visiting family I have there, they are all so excited to meet Emma.

So my shop will be on holidays whilst I'm away. My last postal run will be tomorrow morning, so if you need anything order it now! If you are on my mailing list you would have received a nice 20% discount code you can use to shop while the shop is 'resting'.

If you would like to sign up to the mailing list to receive your code, you can sign up here and I'll email it to you tonight.

I haven't started packing yet, just sorting out an excessive amount of paperwork that needed Notarizing and several visits to government departments to get stamps and seals. Red tape and big dollars just for documents that may not even be looked at. Grrr!
It's a really long trip so I'm hoping my iPad will keep Emma entertained for most of the long transit waits. I'd love some suggestions for great apps that don't need wi-fi.

I'm hoping to keep blogging whilst I'm away and will be taking my Dad's mini laptop to keep you all up to date on our experiences. There are also heaps of scheduled posts planned to ensure you don't miss me too much while I'm away.

So what are your best tips to keep kids entertained on a 20 hour journey? I'll need all the help I can get!

1234 Cake - The easiest cake you'll ever bake!

2011-08-24T08:03:00.000+10:00

Yes it's true! The easiest cake you'll ever bake. No need for fussy measurements or recipe books, if you can count to four you can make this cake.
It was the first recipe I ever baked as a kid, and still make it occasionally now and then when unexpected visitors pop in.
It differs slightly than other 1234 cake recipes I've seen, as this one uses cream not butter.
A 300ml tub of thickened cream is the key! You just use the tub to measure out the other ingredients:
1 (300ml/10 oz) tub of thickened cream
2 tubs of sugar
3 tubs of SR flour
4 eggs

Wizz it all up in your mixer, it will make a large amount of quite a thick batter. Pour into a greased cake tin (2 regular sized ones or one roasting size tray)
In the oven at 180 ℃ (350℉). The time will depend on the size and shape of the tin, maybe 30-45 min or until a skewer comes out clean.

The lovely thing about this cake is you can get a little bit creative depending on what other ingredients you have on hand. I usually add a dash of vanilla extract for extra flavour and often I reduce the amount of sugar (it's pretty sweet).
I've made two examples here, the top one had some apple slices laid on top, the bottom one was an attempt at a choc marble cake with cocoa mixed into half of the batter (left this one in the oven a little too long so it's a tad brown).
Some other suggestions: add sultanas or candied fruit, add a mashed banana, some food colouring to make rainbow cake...I'd love to hear your ideas.

Now I can't say this cake will win any awards. The recipe tends to result in a slightly crumbly cake that won't win a purist over, but it's tasty and easy and lots of fun to make.

Try it with the kids, I'm sure they'll come up with a few interesting variations.

I ♥ Japanese Bookshops

2011-08-23T08:05:00.000+10:00

I came back with only a handful of books from my trip to Japan, not because they were expensive or the choice was poor, on the contrary. The selection and prices were amazingly good, but unfortunately books are heavy, so I had to control myself. Our hotel was next door to a massive bookshop, so I spent plenty of time browsing.
This is what I cam home with:
Felt Goods by Tabatha Naomi, full of cute characters to make out of felt with instructions and patterns.
Mini Cross stitch book. Great for buttons and brooches
A couple of cute needle felting books
And this book about Cute Tokyo Shops which was really nice to look through to get an idea on places and areas to visit. It was all in Japanese so we had the concierge point out areas on a map. Google maps helped too. Both A-materials and pin'ups were in Kichijoji, a really great area to visit for quirky shops and vintage goodness.

Pop over to Pilgrim's blog to check out the books she bought in Tokyo...

Sponsor Profile - Baby goes Retro introduces Alba Baby!

2011-08-22T08:20:00.001+10:00

You all know how much I adore the Scandinavian clothing ranges stocked by Baby goes Retro, now they have a New and Exclusive Range - adorable Danish baby and kids label, AlbaBaby!

AlbaBaby is designed with inspiration from the designer Majken Banke's own childhood, hence the hint of a cool retro vibe and the vibrant colours. The use of clever and funky details makes for garments that are easy to use, flexible and above all, comfy for children to wear.

The fabrics are strong and long lasting so the clothes are perfect for active kids that love to run, play and climb to their hearts content! All styles are made in small batches, which make them unique products.
In stock now - HotPants suit, dresses, overalls, waistcoats, hoodies and baggy pants. AlbaBaby offers great trans - seasonal pieces to affordable prices. I personally really like the overalls with the double buttons on the straps and roll up cuffs. Apart from the super awesome retro styling, this really clever design allows growing kids to wear these for several years, just button a little higher and off you go.
If you want to check out the full range, pop over and visit Baby goes Retro and make sure you like them on facebook too. Tell them Cinti sent you.

Oh and before I forget. The Baby goes Retro gals have just opened up a bricks and mortar store in Mooloolaba QLD, so if you are lucky enough to live on the Sunshine Coast, make sure you pop in to the new shop. It looks so colourful, choc full of scandy goodness...

Flea Market Finds ♥ Camberwell market ♥

2011-08-21T20:30:00.004+10:00

'Twas a beautifully sunny today, perfect for a bit of flea market fun. Camberwell market was our destination of choice, along with the rest of Melbourne it seemed.
Ran into my pals Nat and Estelle who had stalls selling some pretty nice vintage wares, Emma just wanted doughnuts and Mr Man was in charge of toddler wrangling.

I wasn't looking for anything in particular, although I couldn't resist these Dutch clogs at $5 a pair. They will be added to my accidental clog collection
And probably my most favourite find for a long long time is this mosaic plate. It was just $5 too. I think I may start a plate wall soon, although a single plate may look a bit lonely.
The lady that sold it to me told me that she had quite a few at home and they were really well made. She knew this because when she smashed them up to get the tiles out, it was almost impossible to pry them out!
I was speechless. So I've rescued this vintage find from a possible tragic end, my good deed for the day is done.

I'm joining in with Her Library Adventures today...lots more flea market finds over there...

How To: Make a Pretty Gift Bow

2011-08-18T22:01:00.003+10:00

You're gifts will always look professionally wrapped when you add this pretty gift bow to it. I used to do a lot of gift wrapping when I had the store, and customers would always appreciate the extra effort I went to, but really it was not much effort at all. I'd make the bows up in advance between customers, then whip them out at a moments notice.

My video tutorial explains the process really clearly, all you need to have on hand is a roll of Poly Ribbon (Florist Ribbon) and a pair of scissors.

Hope you enjoyed the video, please leave any questions you have in the comment section below.

This time last year...

2011-08-18T07:50:00.000+10:00

Occasionally it's nice to look back on ones blog archives and reminisce. If you are new to My Poppet, I urge you to step back in time and have a poke around some of the older posts, there is lots of inspiration to be had.

Here are a few things that may interest you from this time last year.
1. One of my super popular tutorials How to Create an Animated GIF image
2. I made some cute retro waistcoats from some vintage fabric
3. Found some crazy cool wall paper in my bedroom

Little Sunshine's Skincare Winners

2011-08-17T15:00:00.003+10:00

Congratulations to the winners of the Little Sunshine's Prize Packs, and thanks to everyone who entered and left comments.
The winners were:
Large prize pack winners : Jessie, Rach
Small prize pack winners: Erin Gray, vancybec

You will be getting an email form me shortly.
Enjoy your bubbles...

It's Dancey Dance Time!

2011-08-17T08:38:00.000+10:00

What better way to show off my new Vintage Vest than by flailing my arms around wildly?
I love everything about it. It's quiltiness, the wooden toggles and especially the yellow binding.
Its the perfect weight for spring, and leaves my arms free for interpretative dance.
As Emma would say "I love it, I love it, I really really love it"

We had lots of fun taking these photos of my disappearing arms with a long exposure time on the camera. I made this animated gif as my first ever project in photoshop, it almost drove me insane, but I'm trying to learn to use it, so I have to start somewhere.

If you want to make your own animated gif you can do it the easy way using my tutorial here, no photoshop required.

I hope I haven't made you too dizzy...

Can you afford to travel with Kids?

2011-08-16T08:41:00.000+10:00

Image credit

Now if you read my post the other day '37 countries in 37 years' you'd probably think I was the child of a diplomat or came from a wealthy family, both untrue. I wanted to clarify these points because I think many people/families believe traveling overseas is beyond their budget when the opposite may be possible. It all depends on HOW and WHEN you travel.
I have never flown business class, and unless I am upgraded for free (which is always something I dream about), I doubt I ever will. Even if I could afford it I'd probably save that money and spend it at my destination and/or choose to stay longer.
My Point is: Some times you have to give up comfort for the experience.

I was very lucky as a child to have parents that loved to travel. My sister and I went on a couple of round the world trips, which looking back on, were a real epic achievement. Firstly I suppose my parents sacrificed a fair bit to save for our travels, they were both public servants on modest incomes with a mortgage. We went to state school and didn't really 'buy' a lot of stuff, wore hand me downs but I really never noticed, although I did want a Barbie. I clearly remember having a family meeting where my parents gave me a choice of going to Private school or going to Europe, guess which one I chose?

Most trips were taken during the cheapest travel season, usually winter, and our accommodation was often in Hostels or family run pensions. Meals were often at cheap eateries, bars, cafes or a picnic bought at a local market. Our days were filled with free activities like museum and church visits. Mum and Dad would never hesitate to take us out of school during term (to take advantage of cheaper flights). I mean really, what were we going to miss in class that could top visiting the Louvre or an archaeological site?

Sometimes it was a bit crappy, these were the days before Internet so usually we would arrive somewhere and mum would go off to find accommodation within our budget. We were never left without a bed but there would often be a lot of schlepping bags around on public transport etc...

Our trip to china was an all inclusive tour which included all our meals and sightseeing, I think this was a last minute special which my parents couldn't pass up (luckily they had flexible jobs). We were the only children on the trip, I was 12 my sister 9, and because we were mature and well behaved, no one was bothered. In fact I remember always receiving lots of little gifts from the other members of the tour.

So has that changed your perspective on traveling with kids?

I can't wait till Emma is a little bit older, I still have lots of must visit places on my bucket list...

Blythe Stylin' - Bellbottoms a gogo...

2011-08-15T11:29:00.003+10:00

This weekend was a total write off for me. I had a really rich meal at lunchtime on Saturday and was struck down with stomach pains and headache till this morning. In Tudor times it would have called for a little bloodletting, maybe with leeches? But a day and a half on the couch seems to have worked and my headache is bearable now. So in lieu of a real blog post here are some nice pictures of Perty that I took last week wearing a new outfit I made for her.
I couldn't resist making her some yellow terry toweling bell bottoms, they are a must have in any gals wardrobe.

So now i will get out of my jammies and try to make myself look half decent to I don't scare the staff at the post office.

x Cinti