Blogtoberfest Day #31 ~ And the winner is . . .

Giveaway Winner Announcement Time!
Using the Random Number Generator thingy, the winner is comment number 36!
True Random Number Generator
Min: 1 Max: 73
Result: 36
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations to;

bubbachenille said...
ooooooh I love surprises !
October 8, 2009 8:47 AM

The winner has he choice between the pile of loot I put together and showed off in this post here OR one of my Tilda dresses as listed in my madeit shop. Please contact me via email (addy over there on the sidebar) with your choice and details : )

Thankyou everyone who stopped by and visited me during Blogtoberfest.

I have lots of new followers and readers and hope that you all continue to pop in now and again and see what craftyness I am up too. I can't wait for October next year!

Blogtoberfest Day #29 ~ Recipe: Pizza Pinwheels

The kids and I did some cooking today and made some Pizza Pinwheels. These are a great little snack and they also freeze well : )

Pizza Pinwheels

(makes approx. 20)

Ingredients:

2 x Puff Pastry sheets

Tomato Paste

Oregano

Shredded Ham

Grated Cheese

What to do:

Lay your thawed puff pastry sheets on the bench and spread your tomato paste across the entire sheet (like making a pizza). Sprinkle with oregano, ham and cheese and slowly roll up your sheet into a long roll. Pinch the end to the to to stop it unrolling. Glaze with a little egg if desired. Slice up your roll into approx. 1 - 2 cm slices. Lay flat on a prepared baking tray and bake in a mod-hot oven for approx 10 - 20 minutes depending on your oven. Cool on a wire rack and serve up. A great appetizer for summer bbq's!

Keep an eye on them in the oven and don't get distracted like I did playing with the kids - mine were in for a few minutes too long . . .

You can of course put whatever you like in your pinwheels. Some pineapple, fresh diced tomato, mushrooms, whatever your like on a pizza.

Blogtoberfest is nearly over! Don't forget to enter my giveaway from way back at the start of the month (last post of September I think) and I'll be drawing a winner some time on the last day of the month : )

Blogtoberfest Day #27 ~ Giveaway prizes

Here's a peak of what I will be offering the winner of my Blogtoberfest giveway. A selection of magazines, some gorgeous Joel Dewberry fabrics, bag handles, quilt and sewing pattern, some haby items and some tillytom goodies. I'll probably throw in some more extras as I go through my haby and fabric stash this week. Alternatively if the winner would prefer one of my 'Tilda' dresses they may choose one dress instead of this prize pack : )

Winner announced last day of the month - see previous post for link to enter!

Blogtoberfest Day #25 ~ EB DQS Final Sneak Peaks

Final sneak peaks of the Dolls Quilt that I have completed as part of the EB Dolls Quilt Swap for 2009. It is going to be very hard to part with this quilt, I really pushed myself with learning some new quilting techniques with this little quilt and just hope my partner loves it as much as I do : ) I am looking forward to seeing what someone as made for me, I am sure I will love whatever I receive!

Label on the back of the quilt - I have blocked out who it is for as its a secret until opening day on the 7th November! This is the first time I have done a label for a quilt so hopefully I have got it right - just needs stitching down.

Blogtoberfest Day #24 ~ Another for the ready to bind pile

This is the little cot size quilt from earlier in the week that I was putting together made with jelly roll strips. I FMQ'd this one yesterday and now it is in the ready to bind pile.

Blogtoberfest Day #23 ~ Madeit Five Friday Favourites

Here's my five friday favourites from Madeit -

some fabulous ways to dress up your walls!

Don't forget to check out there fabulous new blog -

with some fantastic Christmas Gift Ideas!

Mae

Vinyl Wall Design

Mooza Designs

Little Bird Decor

What Katy Did

Blogtoberfest Day #22 ~ A quilt in a day

Here is a quilt I started and finished yesterday for my friends little baby boy that was born on Monday night. When I put the kids to bed at lunchtime I cut out some random sized strips of fabric, put them together to form two quilt tops (this is a double sided quilt) of about cot quilt size, pressed, sandwiched and began the quilting. My very first attempt at quilting straight lines - I usually just FMQ all my quilts. My straight lines started off well in the middle but as I got to the edges it was obvious i hadn't squared up my fabrics so the lines are a little wonky there but oh well, its handmade with love : )

The better - not so wonky side

Close up of quilting & some of the fabrics used

The wonky side - definitely a lesson learnt in squaring up fabrics BEFORE piecing together

I finshed off the quilting between hubby getting home and the kids going to bed and then sat down in front of the tv to handstitch the binding down after dinner. It just needs a label before giving to little baby Jaxon.

Blogtoberfest Day #21 ~ Hooray, I won something!

I am excited because I have seriously never won anything. Hubby however continues to win division 5 in tattslotto every time he gets a ticket, one day we can only hope it will be division 1.

Anyway, this gorgeous little package I won from Bec over at little wise owl in her recent blog giveway. A cute little covered diary for next year, perfect size for my handbag and a super cute little brooch. Check out Bec's madeit shop for more of her fabulous crafty creations. Thanks Bec!

On the quilting front I managed to put together the quilt top from my post yesterday and did a quick trip into town today to pick up some backing and binding fabrics. Hoping to get this one sandwiched and quilted maybe tonight.

A close friend of ours also had a baby boy last night - hooray! So I am also busy whipping up another quilt for her - I am not very organised am I! I had a dream Sunday night she was having a boy and now 4 days overdue little Jaxon has finally arrived.

Blogtoberfest Day #18 ~ In the Vegie Patch

Our vegie patch is going quite well at the moment

(although could do with a soil top up and some new mulch).

The lettuce has gone crazy, and we can't seem to eat it faster than what it is growing! Mum's chooks are doing quite well with the extra fresh lettuce in exchange for eggs : )

Peas which are probably almost ready to be picked!

And the potatoes are also doing quite nicely and we are going to have a bumper crop of potatoes shortly (this is just one section of potatoes).

My wander about the local markets today was fun with mum. We stopped by a couple of antique shops (although the favourite one was closed due to a family bereavement and wont reopen til early November). I picked up some old Golden books, homemade lamingtons and jelly cakes - who could resist!, and some fresh mandarins which the kids love!

One of the antique shops has around 10 - 15 old singer sewing machines in store, a huge variety from the old hand wheel sort to the plug in wall variety both with and without beautiful old cabinets. Very tempting . . .

Blogtoberfest Day #17 ~ Old Photos

Nothing crafty today. I have been going through old photos and found this great shot from a road trip hubby I and took back home to meet his parents in Tasmania before we got married. This was on top of Mt Wellington - it was absolutely freezing!

I'm off to one of the local markets tomorrow with my mum to check out the antique shops that open up on a Sunday for this particular market. I don't have a stall at this one, but like to potter about on the odd occasion when hubby offers to have both the kids - as prams are a definite no go at the antique shops! Maybe I can find some bargains : )

Giveaway Winner!

Giveaway Winner Announcement Time!

Using the Random Number Generator thingy, the winner is comment number 45!

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1 Max: 48

Result: 45

Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations to;

Nic Wood said...
Im follow your blog, love your fabric covered butons, and dresses, and button bracelets LOL
October 16, 2009 9:56 AM

Congratulations Nic! Send me an email and I'll send you a special voucher code to use in the store to the value of $20 between now and Christmas Eve!

Thankyou everyone for entering the giveaway! Don't forget the other one that closes on the last day of October. I am still working on the prize, but its definitely going to be lots of handmade goodness and some little extra bits and pieces.

Blogtoberfest Day #16 ~ Madeit Five Friday Favourites

Here's some favourites for today from Madeit. Madeit has a new blog with a fantastic Christmas gift guide of all your favourite handmade goodies. Buy Australian handmade this Christmas!

Hair Fairy Clips

Shelbyville

TildaBellaMonkey

Cha Cha Rose

pinky pig

I'll announce the winner of the Giveaway ending tonight either very late tonight or first thing tomorrow morning (Aussie time). There is still time to enter to win yourself a $20 gift voucher to my own madeit store.

Blogtoberfest Day #14 ~ A knitting day or not?

The weather here seems to be very unpredictable at the moment and today it feels like winter again with horrible winds and lots of rain. I thought about getting the wool out and making a start on something but got sidetracked by the internet and shopping for fabric.

So far I have only bought 24 yards, but really NEED more! I am just terrible at decision making and there is just too much gorgeous fabric on offer at the moment! And then I can't decide how much to buy of each designs, too little and I am sure to run out and wish I had more, too much and I am sure to not like and have it sitting in my stash growing old. I'll blog all my new pretties next week when they arrive.

Don't forget to enter my giveaways from previous blogtober posts, including the one that closed tomorrow night!

Blogtoberfest Day #14 ~ DQS Sneak Peak

I am working on my EB Dolls Quilt Swap (DQS) today. I have the quilt top finished and have cut out all my applique pieces and ironed them on this morning. Once the little ones are in bed for their sleep I am going to get busy sewing down all my appliques. This is just a little peak at one of my appliques pictures around the border of the quilt.

I am really looking forward to getting this little quilt finished and posted off by the end of the month - I just hope my recipient likes it : )

Blogtoberfest Day #13 ~ My Creative Space

I recently sold my business that I had be running from home for the past 3 years to focus on my new sewing adventures and also because 3 years of doing what I had been doing was long enough for me.

So I now have a huge room I can dedicate to my creativity, approx 4 x 4 metres which at this stage, this is how it is set up across one wall (all the rest of the room is empty).

My sewing machine on a dodgy little card table with a moutain load of WIP's and design ideas sitting on top of the filing cabinet And a trestle table housing my books, pattern, magazines, odds and bobs . . . and yes that is my ironing area on the right, lol - plus containers of fabrics underneath We are off on a family holiday in a few weeks to Adelaide to coincide with the Adelaide Quilt and Craft Fair and also to do a huge shop at Ikea. I have lots of items picked out to fit out my new sewing space including;

new storage for fabric

And a new table to house both my sewing machine and overlocker. This fantastic desk is 2 metres long and has a range of storage/leg options for each end.

Blogtoberfest Day #11 & 12 ~ List takers & a snappy start

I missed a day yesterday, whoops. Quite a few times I sat at the computer and clicked into my blog but couldn't really think of anything crafty to write about, so instead went for a drive to Spotlight while hubby watched the kids to see if I could find a bargain.

I picked up some pretty quilters cottons and cotton drill fabrics on sale plus some calico to make a start on a new project. I have been wanting to make some little list takers for my market stall but have been having trouble finding the size lists I actually want. Finally found them yesterday, some long skinny ones.

Anyway, here's is what I came up with yesterday, a very rough first go, but a handy little wallet to have in your bag with a list pad, pen and pocket for receipts/cards.

I also used my new snap press for the first time, what a fantastic invention!

Hopefully these little wallets are a hit at the next few markets!

Don't forget to enter my giveaways I have going at the moment here and here : )

Blogtoberfest Day #10 ~ Store Stocked & an Extra Giveaway!

Unfortunately last nights market was a very quiet affair, most definitely the quietest market I have ever done. But, as a result I have lots of stock sitting here that I have just loaded up into my Madeit Shop.

So pop on over, tell me what your favourite item in the shop is and next Friday night i'll draw a winner for a $20 voucher to spend in store, valid until Christmas.

How can you get some extra entries into the draw? 1. Become a follower of the blog if you aren't already, 2. Become a fan of my facebook page - the link is over there on the left and 3. Blog about this on your own blog. Please leave a seperate comment for each extra entry so that I can just do the random number thingy to get a winner.

Good luck everyone!

Blogtoberfest Day #4 ~ Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

125g butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

2 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup milk

Chocolate chips (milk, dark or white or a mixture) - as many as you would like (i usually add about a cup depending on how many get eaten by my two little helpers in the process!)

Make & Cook:

Preheat oven to moderate (180 C/160 C fan-forced). Line two 12 hole patty pans (or one 12 hole paper pan for 12 giant muffins!) with paper cases or baking paper. Combine all ingredients in a bown and mix together, by hand, or with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into the patty pans and bake for about 20 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool.

Eat:

I usually make 12 giant ones and hubby takes these for a snack at work. They freeze well too.

Had another lovely day today at the Red Cliffs Country Markets. A fairly quiet event, but lots of people about and next month the Jazz & Wine Festival will be on as well as it being the 1st birthday of the market running so they are going to have some extra festivities planned - and cake of course!

And some answers to a few comments from my lovely blog readers : )

1. When do I find the time to sew??? Hmmm . . . basically whenever I get a chance. I am definitely not a night time sewer though (at least not late into the night). Both of my little ones both have a fairly good day sleep during the day - and at the same time - so most days I get about 1-2 hours of solid sewing time. I also sneak in a bit of sewing here and there when the kids are awake and happy to amuse themselves for half and hour or so. I also tend to run myself like a little production line. I might spend some time after dinner at night just doing cutting out of bits and pieces - like 10-20 dresses at once - all ready to sew. Then I sew them up in stages so that they are all at the same stage together. I can usually get this many done over a couple of days if I work this way.

2. Markets??? At the moment I am only doing markets that are local to me. We are in country Victoria on the border of VIC and NSW (about 6 hours from Melbourne / 3-4 hours from Adelaide). I am seriously considering a few Melbourne area markets though - Mathilda's, Sisters and Daylesford - are three that are on my mind at present. Would love to hear from others that have done these and their thoughts on how I might go, whether if would be worth the trip down Melbourne way?

Thanks for reading if you got this far! Phew - that was a long post. Promise something short and sweet tomorrow!

Blogtoberfest Day #2 ~ 3 in 7

Do you think I am ready for 3 markets over the next 7 days?

27 dresses, 29 skirts, a mountain load of fabric covered buttons goodies including hair accessories, bracelets, earrings and badges, plus crayon rolls and bunting, nappy wallets and coin purses and quilts galore. I really hope I don't run out of dresses as I did at the last two day show I did!

I have a market tomorrow morning at the local Inland Botanical Gardens. A great market for handmade only stalls inside an old woolshed. Then Sunday morning one of the local country street markets and next Friday night an indoor market as a fundraiser for one of the local schools. I love doing the markets : )

And on another note, we announced some pretty exciting news to family last night that I am happy to share with my fellow bloggy friends - I'm 12 weeks pregnant!!! Oh my goodness!!! Final addition due to arrive mid April 2010 - Master T has requested another little sister, I'll see what I can do, lol.

Blogtoberfest Day #1 ~ A Raggy Start

Welcome to day one of the Blogtoberfest! I am very excited to be a part of the celebrations and hope that you continue to follow me each day with new and exciting projects and happenings here at Sew!Busy!Mama!

This little raggy quilt I made yesterday afternoon with the help of my two very best little helpers, Master T and Miss M, who love to sit on mummy's lap at the sewing machine - which does get a little awkward at times, lol

Anyway, this is my first go at making a raggy quilt and I am very happy with the result. I find it so hard to find great boyish fabrics and these ones are just fabulous - the colours so bright and happy. Mixed with a dark blue flannelette backing this is going to make a lovely present.

Til tomorrow - don't forget to enter my giveaway below. I am still working on the prize but will reveal bits and pieces of that over the next few weeks : )