Recycled Paper Christmas Garland

recycled paper christmas garland, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I saved the paper that was used for our crackers at the early family christmas lunch yesterday. I punched some circles out of it and now I am sewing through them to make a lovely garland!

Our Handmade Christmas Tree.

Having an almost 2 year old and not a huge amount of space meant that this year's tree is a bit of paper stuck to the window. It's up high enough that little E is not going to pull it down. We have used sticky tape to attach many of the sentimental Christmas decorations. I'm looking forward to next year when E should hopefully have a bit more respect for a real tree.

A few finds from the World's Biggest Car Boot Sale!

Although it's a few weeks late, I just thought that I would share with you some of my treasures from the World's Biggest Car Boot Sale! I believe this event needs an exclamation mark! I'm not 100% sure if it is officially the "World's Biggest" but it did have around 400 stalls and is definitely one of my most looked forward to events of the year.

This year particular year it was stinking hot and I had a tired and cranky almost 2 year old toddler on my hands. She did finally fall asleep in the pram which gave me about an hour to myself to race around and look for goodies.

• I bought this sweet Minolta SLR to replace my old Minolta that is now filled with mould after it experienced the 2007 floods. I haven't had a real close look at it yet but I would like to throw a roll of film in it over the Christmas break.

• I grabbed this roll of retro wallpaper with the intention of using as a bit of a backing on Eliza's toy kitchen, which is a work in progress.

• And this gorgeous kids book for 20 cents, it is falling apart, but I am probably only going to cut it up anyway!
  
  
  

I forgot to take photos of the safari beige old school telephone I grabbed too. I didn't tell the collector that I wanted to give it to my daughter as a play toy. Hehe.

UPDATE : Here is the photo of the phone -->

Smocking, the cheat's way.

I have been wanting to give this technique a try for ages. To create a smocked look by sewing straight lines with your sewing machine and some shirring elastic . Lucky I didn't attempt this on my own. I originally thought that you put the shirring elastic on the spool AND in the bobbin! You basically just have to hand wind the elastic onto your bobbin, not too tight and not too loose.

This dress that I started last night is made from old t-shirt that I scored at an op shop in Mullumbimby whilst holidaying a few months back. It was only $1. The print is on both the back and the front.

I tried it on Eliza and I am going to have a lot of trouble parting with this one. The colours are just so gorgeous. I really need to keep all my stock for my upcoming markets at the Red Lantern Night Markets. I am doing 3 markets in a row and currently don't have a huge amount of things made. I haven't been putting much on my Etsy because I just want to concentrate on the market for now.

:)

Upcycled bottom!

Upcycled bottom!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

This is yesterdays creation. Made from 2 old t-shirts and is now 1 cute pair of bloomers!

This is the first time I have worked with stretch fabric. Having the ballpoint needle makes such a difference.

Looking forward to making a few more of these :)

tied up with string...

tied up with string..., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I made a couple of sales on etsy last night and I had so much fun today packaging the items up to send. I used a page from the index of an old atlas to wrap the purchases in, topped with some thrifted ribbon and a homemade gift tag punced from a vintage storybook.

I also created the envelope that is being sent in with an old calender page that has a photograph of Melbourne on it and I used the sewing machine to zig zag down the edges to seal it.

Now all I need is a few more sales so I can have more fun packaging!! Hint, hint, nudge, nudge! :P

Succumbed to the Facebook Fan Page.

Just a quick post to let you know that I ended up going all out and getting myself a Facebook Fan Page.

Here is the URL for you to add me if you wish! http://facebook.com/encircled

Off to pick my bro up from the airport now, we have only seen him twice over the last 2 years as he has been off gallivanting. We are super excited.

:)

My first Etsy listing in awhile!

My first Etsy listing in awhile!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Eliza is having a big nap and I managed to do some quiet work and got some of my new heart shaped button clips listed in my Etsy shop. The Down Under Street Team have a November Sale for Stocking Stuffers (these clips are perfect fillers!), so I am offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING and to all the Aussies (in Australia) pay only $6AUD with free shipping included if you pay by Direct Debit.

Update: Eliza ended up having a 3 hour nap. I had to wake her up so that we could go do some grocery shopping! I'm just hoping that she can still sleep in in the morning!

Oh so professional...

oh so professional..., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I have moved up in the world and now am the owner of some personalized embroidered ribbon.

I also started working on some more clips last night and got myself a little production line going. I am really happy with the way the heart clips turned out.

Thanks tillytom for a beautiful skirt!

Thanks tillytom for a beautiful skirt!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Thank you to tillytom designs for sending us out this gorgeous skirt. We were lucky enough to win a $20 voucher for becoming a fan on her facebook page. I had so much trouble deciding which skirt or dress to choose. The fabrics are just beautiful. Thanks again!

I also appliqued this little singlet last night. It's hard to see the detail but I accidently sewed it under the sleeve (I was too lazy to use any iron on stuff), the outcome actually looked quite cute. It made it look a little bit different from everything else that is out there. Don't you just love some things that come from mistakes!

Hat.

Hat., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I whipped up this hat the other night. I cut a pattern from an old hat of Eliza's. It didn't turn out quite right.

I got impatient and ended up going to Spotlight to buy a bucket hat pattern so I could hurry up make some more!

A plan.

A plan., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

After many months of searching for the "right" toy kitchen for Eliza's Christmas present I have come to the decision to make it myself. I was completely obsessed with buying a second hand kitchen and they seem to be hard to come by. When the do appear, they are never quite right. Too plastic, too faded, too dirty, too toxic.

So here we have my little plan for a toy kitchen. We have a scrap yard not too far from ours where I should be able to salvage most of the materials.

Now let's see if I can get this all done by Christmas...

My favourite one so far!

My favourite one so far!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I like this one because it's a bit more bright and cheerful than the other ones I have done. This was once a ladies shirt and the sleeves were once old curtains! Ha, I'm having fun!