Little Choopie Secret Santa

I received a lovely little parcel in the mail today from Little Choopie. I was lucky enough to find one of the Secret Santa presents on the Little Choopie website a couple of days ago and was very excited to open the parcel. This is what I found.

A lovely card and parcel wrapped with a beautiful red ribbon, and a hand written note - "Merry Christmas from Little Choopie Secret Santa".

And this was the present, a lovely set of spotty hair clips. What a lovely surprise, thanks Amanda.

Another busy day

After a late night out (got home at 1am - catch up and some "Guitar Hero" with good friends!), we headed off to Kidz Bizzzz Playcentre in Kingston for my daughter's 6th birthday party.

It was a great day, as the kids ran around had a lot of fun, followed by food and cake. Emma received a lot of lovely gifts - creative crafty kits, books, jewellery and a lovely summer dress. I've spent the afternoon doing some of the activities with her - rubber stamp kit, bracelet making and stain glass window decorations.

I've also cooked some cupcakes for her to take to school tomorrow. I still need to ice & decorate them though. I am not sure if they will be any good though, as I have used an "egg free, dairy free" recipe (due to allergies in her class). I've never cooked with this recipe before and the consistency was quite different to a normal cake batter. I'm sure the kids will like them all the same.

On a different note I had to post a picture of the reversible cross-over pinafore top I made again. I had a lovely phone call this afternoon from a friend who saw this top today, being worn by little Ruby. She liked it so much she rang to order one as a Christmas gift for her great niece. I am very excited because this is my first sale and custom order. It's lovely to know that others like my creations.

Today I .....

.... made my daughter's birthday cake - the Number "6". I am really happy with how this turned out, especially the vine, leaves and the chocolate lady bugs. This icing is a lovely rose pink, but the cake also looks rather Christmassy with it's red & green decorations.

I'm looking forward to the party tomorrow, as this is the only bit of organising I have had to do. We are going to an indoor play centre which will keep the kids entertained and they provide all the catering & lolly bags as well. A great idea for this busy time of year. The best part of all is there is no cleaning up!

Last Night I .....

.... made these button hair ties as gifts for all the girls who are coming to my daughter's 6th birthday party tomorrow. I hope they like them. It will also serve as some advertising about my business as I haven't really told many people yet, so it will be a good talking point.

Christmas Rocky Road - yum!

I made 2 trays of Rocky Road last night which was enough for 12 bags. These will go to Emma's school teachers, Sophie's carers at childcare and other family & friends. I will have to make more though, as we have already eaten a bag ourselves! I also intend to make some star biscuits.

This weekend is "busy baking weekend" (apart from other things), tomorrow I will be baking Emma's birthday cake - the "Number 6" and cupcakes for her to take to school on Monday. A busy weekend ahead indeed :)

Here's the Rocky Road recipe if you'd like to make your own - very easy!

500g Chocolate, melted (I used Cadbury's Dairy Milk)

200g Marshmallows, chopped (I actually used about 100g of Mini mallows)

2 x 55g bars of Turkish Delight, chopped

1/2 cup Unsalted Peanuts, chopped

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Pour mixture into a lined slice tin and refrigerate until set.

3. Use a warm knife to cut the slice into small squares.

You can substitute the turkish delight with glace cherries, red jubes or raspberry lollies. You can also substitute the peanuts with rice bubbles for crunch if you are allergic to nuts.

Enjoy!

Little Choopie Made with Love - Secret Santa

"Little Choopie Made with Love" is running a Secret Santa Giveaway for the 12 days of Christmas. Today is day 10 and to be the lucky winner of a secret item from their range, all you have to do is head over to the website, sign up as a new customer, then search through all the lovely products until you find the "Secret Santa" logo (as below). You don't even pay for postage, it's all FREE!

And guess what - I found today's Secret Santa - yeh! I am very excited and will post a photo of my present when it arrives. Thanks Little Choopie.

Special Birthday Present - Reversible Cross-Over Pinafore Top

This is the latest addition to my collection, and I think it's the best yet! This particular pinafore top has actually gone to a little girl who just turned "1" - Happy Birthday Ruby. I will be making more however.

I decided to have one side in a neutral tone and the other a lovely red and white print - quite Christmassy but can be worn any time of the year. Ruby's mum loved the red fabric (it's her favourite colour and her daughter's name is "Ruby"). I love the way the applique bird turned out and I even made a matching birthday card with fabric balloons. I added one of my new swing tags and wrapped it in lovely brown paper with a beautiful red ribbon.

Ruby's mum was very impressed and just loved it and I can't wait to see little Ruby in the top.

Oh, I almost forgot....

I almost forgot... whilst looking through my recent photos I realised I hadn't posted a picture of these lovelies.

I purchased these cute "Babushka Doll" decorations from Notions at the recent Homemade Market in November. I realised I hadn't put them on the Christmas tree, so I have fixed that, as of today.

Don't you just love the packaging - just like a Christmas Bon Bon!

Christmas is Here

I finally got the Christmas Tree and other decorations up around the house this afternoon. I know it's a week late, but better late than never right?!

It now definitely feels like Christmas is upon us. I especially love sitting at night with all the lights down, looking at the lovely coloured lights on the tree. We only have a small tree (about 1 metre tall), because when I bought it a few years ago I had a tiny house, no floor space in the lounge room and a toddler. Now we live in a much more spacious home and both my girls are older now so they don't tend to want to pull the decorations off.

I would love to have a larger tree but it's a want not a need at the moment, so I will probably wait until next year to upgrade.

I started my Christmas cards today and hope to get them all mailed out by the end of the week. I have also wrapped all but 3 Christmas Presents & the girls "Santa gifts", so I feel pretty organised.

I am trying to get as much done as possible, because this weekend will be taken up with cake making on Saturday, my daughter's 6th Birthday Party on Sunday, followed by her actual birthday on Monday. It's then my mum's birthday on Tuesday (15th) and then my sister-in-law's the following Monday (21st). It's a crazy time of year, but lots of fun.

I have some more photos of items I have been sewing (will post soon), which I am really happy with especially one item that I made as a birthday gift which was very well received.

That's all for now :)

Saturday at Handmade Hobart

Well we braved the wet & windy weather yesterday to visit Hobart's newest designer handmade market - Handmade Hobart, and we weren't disappointed. I must admit I did bribe the children into coming by promising to buy them a cupcake each from Maddie's Cupcake Creations. Maddie makes the most intricate decorations on her cupcakes and they are just works of art. Sadly the girls were that excited about them that I didn't get a chance to take any photos. She had an array of different animals and the girls chose the "butterfly" & the "sheep".

After cupcakes they also enjoyed a babycino from "Barista Sista". I took a photo of the market in action from the stage, which was nicely set up with tables & chairs to enjoy a coffee.

It is a great location at St Peter's Hall, cnr Harrington & Brisbane Sts, and the hall was full of lovely stalls and a bustling crowd. There was an array of stalls from jewellery, children & baby's wear & accessories, stationery, felt scarves, hand dyed/spun wool and of course cupcakes and coffee.

I definitely give it the thumbs up and congratulate the organisers. The next market is scheduled for 23rd & 24th January 2010.

Button Hair Ties

My self cover button supplies arrived and using some off cuts form the fabrics I made the reversible tops from, I have created some large button hair ties. I whipped these up really quickly and am very happy with them. I think I'll get the next size down also for some smaller hair ties. I also like the way they look on my new cards (photo taken with iphone again - not great quality).

Sunday's Child Business Cards

Well yes they have finally arrived - my business cards. They will serve as not only business cards, but garment tags and cards for my hair ties & clips. The colour of the red is more of a cranberry red but the photo doesn't show it that well (am using my iphone at the moment). The quality of the cards was not quite what I was looking for but they will be fine for now.

I was actually in the process of having a logo designed but have had to put that on hold due to financial constraints, but hope to get that happening again in the new year. So for now these will grace my designs.

Handmade Hobart

Yet another market has popped onto the scene here in Hobart, the aptly named Handmade Hobart. The market is at St Peter's Hall, Cnr Harrington & Brisbane Sts and runs Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th from 11am to 4pm.

I look forward to dropping by tomorrow and checking out all the goodies on offer. I have already promised my daughters' a cupcake each from Maddie's Cupcake Creations - yum!

Images courtesy of Handmade Hobart

Recent Creations

I have not been as fast with the creating/sewing as I would have liked due to some personal issues and unfortunately have missed all the lovely Christmas markets here in Hobart.

Not to worry, I have decided to just put my head down and get stuck into it and work towards a new year market. So here are my first creations.

I have tested out a pattern for a reversible pop over top and am really happy with the results. I made two of them with the same fabrics and the great thing is that these can start as dresses and then become tops as the child grows.

I then made some applique bird tees with the left over fabric. The fabric is fused & top stitched, the legs are a zig zag stitch, there is a small wing in contrasting fabric and a button eye. My inspiration for this design was the lovely metal bird which I bought from a stall at Salamanca Markets earlier in the year. I also intend to create some hair ties/clips with the same fabric.

I know it's not much but it's a great start and I am very excited.

I am also waiting on some self cover button accessories & my business cards to arrive, so it's all happening. Never mind that it's my daughter's birthday in just over 2 weeks and then Christmas 11 days after that - yikes!

So many shoes ..... so little time!

I'm sure you'll agree, a girl can never have too many shoes. My youngest daughter just loves them (like her mum), and even wears her older sisters shoes for fun. Yesterday we went to town and I needed to replace her old pair of "sparkly pink shoes", which have seen better days. We found a lovely pair of shoes in Target which were also on sale and we couldn't decide on the pink or the silver - so we got both. On the way home in the car she wanted her shoes but couldn't decide which pair to wear, got very frustrated, started screaming and getting very upset, and then promptly fell asleep holding both pairs of shoes.

I think several hours shopping had taken it's toll on her, poor little thing and it was all too much. I just had to take this photo of her though - so cute!

Happy Birthday Bro

Today I am sending out birthday wishes to my little brother Tim (turning 32 today). I won't get to see him or probably even speak to him this year unfortunately, as he is currently on deployment in the Middle East with the Air Force. He has been working 10-12 hr days, 7 days straight for almost 4 mths now. He will be getting a 2 week break at the end of this month and then he is due home in Feb 2010. So "Happy Birthday Tim", I hope you don't have to work too hard today!

Wishes & Dreams for Baby Lily

I have been meaning to visit a certain baby & children's shop in Hobart for several months and today I finally got there. After Kindermusik with Sophie we headed to "Wishes & Dreams" in Moonah. I also had a good reason to go there as a friend of mine in Canberra has just had a beautiful baby girl last week - "Lily ALexandra", and I thought I might find an appropriate gift.

I bought a lovely "Oobi" shoe string strap tunic top & matching bloomers. They were really helpful and friendly and even gift wrapped my purchase.

If you're in the area drop on by and check out "Wishes & Dreams" at 57A Hopkins St, Moonah. Also just around the corner is another lovely children's wear shop - "BellaMac" on Main Road. Both the stores also have a play area for the kids, to keep them occupied whilst you are shopping - always a bonus!

Baby Lily born 20th October, 2009.

Present beautifully gift wrapped from "Wishes & Dreams".

Cauliflower & Bacon Soup

Allison over at The Lark has just unearthed the world's biggest cauliflower and is calling for "cauliflower recipes". So here is my contribution - "Cauliflower & Bacon Soup" from Better Homes & Gardens.

Cauliflower & Bacon Soup

1 brown onion - diced

2 garlic cloves - crushes

4 rashers diced bacon

Olive oil

6 x thyme leaves

1 litre of vegetable stock

300ml cream

Salt & parsley to taste

Fry off in large pot

Add half dozen thyme leaves (or dried thyme as substitute), keep frying until all softened

Add full size cauliflower - approx 750grms, cut up into small florets and add to pot.

Then add 1 litre vegetable stock

and 300ml cream, bring to the boil and simmer for 10mins

once tender, blend as coarse or smooth as desired

Add salt & parsley to taste

Mum's The Word

There are certainly no shortage of very clever "crafty" business women here in Tassie and the Tasmanian Business Magazine "Enterprise" has recently done a story on 3 of them - Gemma from Loz & Dinny also graces the cover. The other case studies are on Georgina Freeman of Baby Hoot who has now partnered with Harriet Bullard from Dick & Dora in a new venture - The Adventures of Dick & Dora. Susan Dryburgh of Black Eyed Susie is the 3rd case study and states that her aim is "to follow her desire to be creative whilst having the ability to be there for her family". It certainly is a juggle being a mum especially when you are running a business from home. My hats off to you ladies - well done!

You can check out the article online HERE.

A Big Bed!

My youngest daughter turned 3 in August and up until now has still been in a cot, partly because we have not had the money to buy a Tas Oak King Single bed like my other daughter's and partly because she is "my baby"! We have been getting a little visitor in our bed most nights (followed by her older sister), we are waking up stiff & sore and have just about had enough.

Today I mentioned this in conversation to my hairdresser who very kindly offered me her daughter's old bed. It is not quite my style however it may be sometime before we are able to purchase one so I accepted her offer. So tonight Sophie has gone to bed in her very own "Big Bed" - just like her sister. Hopefully we will all get a good nights sleep!

Here she is looking very proud in her new bed.