Back in Action

The 2011-2012 range of MonetPaisley Swimwear is now in production.  Fabric choices are being made and sewing is not far off...

I am currently taking wholesale orders.  If you are interested in stocking MonetPaisley Swimwear please email me.

monetpaisley(at)hotmail(dot)com

I will send you information regarding prices and quantities.

Hopefully the etsy store will be stocked again in the not-too-distant future.  If you were wanting a pair of swimmers sooner, let me know via email and maybe we can work something out.

Here are some pictures of last years range.

Late Night Sewing

Tomorrow swimming starts as part of my little preppy's school day.

She had grown out of last summer's swimmers, so some new ones were in order.

I had to borrow my MIL's machine because my poor machine is still not working. My last chance is a new bobbin casing  if that doesn't work it's sewing machine heaven for the old girl (actually, she's not that old).

So I sewed Pais a bikini. Made from Amy Butler Twilight Peony fabric. It's quite delightful and I truly enjoyed sewing again.

The only think is that my MIL's machine is rather unreliable in the stitching department.  Ok for homemade, but not good enough to sell.

Maybe there will be some more bikini's in the etsy store soon.... if my dear sewing machine pulls through...

A little update on the excercise front... I walked 3 k's this morning, I was so energised I washed the car, posted some long overdue paperwork and then decided to walk to the supermarket to pick up a few things for tea.  Another 3 k's. I walked as hard as I could, you may be happy to know I broke a sweat.... Or perhaps that was too much information.

I think I have finally been bitten by the excercise bug, I can't get enough.... what's next?

We had a sleepover here this weekend.  My girls had a friend stay over.  It's the first time we've done the two-night-sleep-over thing.

That's right! Their friend stayed for two nights.  I remember doing.this when I was young.  I remember it would be the best weekend ever....

I haven't had to do much to keep them happy, just keep the refreshments coming.

Hot chocolate in a teapot has been a favourite. With fairy bread fingers and fruit.

I feel all grown up when I am responsible for other peoples kids.  The rest of  the time I still feel 19.

Unfortunatley... I no longer look like I am 19.

Fortunatley... I no longer dress like I am 19.

How old do you feel?

Have you had any sleepovers lately?

I have no idea how to workout where this image came from, I just used google to find it. Thank you if its yours. I love the hot water bottle cover...

A Weighty Issue

I want to talk about diet and excercise.

Some of us are good at these and others prefer a more relaxed approach.

I am usually one for the more relaxed approach.... Eat what ever I fancy and write off housework as excercise.

This morning I have started a new diet and excercise regime.  I am trying to eat lots of healthy food and I went for an half an hour walk this morning.

In order to stick to something like this I have to obsess over what I am going to eat and how I am going to fit in my excercise.

This time I want it to be a lifestyle change. Something I do without thinking, without obsessing...

This morning when I woke up I had a shower and put on track pants and runners.  This made it easier to go for a walk when it was time.

I am keeping a diary. Not just a food diary, a diary of how I feel and why I need to keep doing this. Why am I doing this?

I want my children to grow up healthy. I want to be healthy. I want more energy (i already have more energy after half a day). There of course is the added bonus of looking good, but that is not the main reason.

What do you do to keep healthy? Do you watch what you eat, or excercise?

Do you have any tips for me? I would love to hear your views....

Teacup Candle

I have always kept this teaset out of the reach of little hands.

It is something that is precious to me.

During our last move I smashed one cup and broke the handle of this one whilst trying to put them on a high shelf.

I have glued the handle back on. While the cup can no longer be used for tea, it makes quite a pretty tea cup candle.

The instructions I found in 'The Little Tea Zine'.  I bought 'The Little Tea Zine' from here on Etsy.  Difinitely worth the small amount I paid for it.  They are no longer in stock but perhaps if enough people ask she might make some more.

Oh, I am still kmitting too.  My hair really shows up where I have knitted it into the cream stripes.  Ohwell...

Progress

The dress is coming along nicely.... Slowly, but nicely.

I have a few friends expexting so I think some more of these booties are in order.

Pattern and photo from here

I picked up my sewing machine from the sewing machine hospital.  She wad all shiny and sparkly, there were no coughs or splutters so we sewed together.  The bliss only lasted half an hour and then she was kaput again.  So back to hospital she goes.  I am afraid the affliction may be terminal.  So sad....

No sewing for now, only knitting and crochet.... Oh, I have been trying my hand at hexies... But thats a story for another day...

Knitting Up A Storm

I have good news on most fronts today....
My sewing machine has been repaired and I am off to pick her up on Tuesday. Planning a little alone time for me and her....
Tax return is lodged so I should be able to get a new computer within the next couple of weeks. Perhaps this time I need accidental damage insurance, any advice?
I have tried the dress I am knitting on Monet and it fits really  well.  I am thinking about translating it into other sizes, and making one for Paisley too.  Different colours of course.
Hopefully with my ragamuffins back at school tomorrow I will be able to find the time to finish the dress by the end of the week.
Have you got any good news to share?
Love you all.... xx

Some More Knitting...

So what do you do when you see something in the shop and you want to make it, but the only pattern that is even remotely similar is written in a language of unknown origin???
Answer: I try to make it up as I go along.
This is the third time I have cast on and this is going to be the last. If this attempt doesn't work I will give up.
I spotted this gorgeous striped dress in a brochure from Country Road.  So gorgeous, but so simple, I could make that.... or so I thought....
Hopefully I will be back with a gorgeous dress to show you all, maybe not.....
In other news, the laptop is too far gone to fix, it will be cheaper to buy a new one.  It seems computers are a disposable item now and therefore I will be buying the cheapest one I can find..... It seems as if the average lifespan of a computer is only 12 months in our house.  Any advice on the technology front would be greatly appreciated.
The work-horse that is my sewing machine is still in the hospital and I am yet to hear what her prognosis is.... Hopefully I wont have to fork out for another sewing machine as well, that will push the dream of an overlocker even further away...
Till next time...

Questions for knitters...

I have some questions for those of you who knit....
I will keep it brief cause it's a killer typing on this phone.
Is it advisable to wear some form of protective headwear while knitting???
The reason I ask is because I find myself regularly adding human hair to the composition of my knitted item.  Is that just too gross?
If you purchased a hand-knitted item and found a stray hair, would you send it back... A la cafe meal?
Should knitted items be labelled 99.9% wool 0.1% human hair?
That's it for now, just some random thoughts buzzing around in my head while I knit my husbands jumper... More about that next time...
P.S. That is Monet in the picture, she has learned to knit and is quite the little trooper.  Good rainy day activity for the school holidays me thinks!

One Step Foward....

Two steps back!

My computer is broken again! The loveliest of lovely young-uns of mine has dropped the laptop and the power socket has been knocked out of place.

So it's back to phone blogging for me.  It seems there have been some improvements to the android blogging app and now I can add links to my posts.

In other news my sewing machine has cracked the sads too....

Little does it know it is going off to sewing machine hospital next week.

So with no computer and no sewing machine life has been very boring indeed (only joking, there was that vile gastro bug that kept me busy for a week or more...).

It has got me thinking... what did we do before the internet?  Who did we turn to for information before Mr Google came along? Are people smarter now we have the Information Super-Highway.

I have also been knitting, that got me thinking also.... What else can you do while knitting... but think?

I will be back later with some knitting inspired questions for you....

Stay tuned...

P.S. There is no spell checker in this version of blogger.... My apologies!