I have Super kids... really

As crafters, you all know the feeling.... "Mum, its (insert event here) tomorrow and I need a costume"

A feeling of dread overcomes you.  You are the Mum who makes stuff.... your child is the one in the handmade outfit.... you've had a migraine all day....the kids give you the big puppy eyes "PLEEEEASE".

That was me a couple of weeks ago on the eve of the school Cross Country.

I had been flat on my back with a migraine for the greater part of the day, I just wanted to curl up in a dark hole.

My response to the eldest son (12) was "I will make capes but you have to  help."

Why did I suggest this when feeling unwell????

I set him up on the over locker to edge the green rectangles - one of them is no longer rectangular and the other had an artistic hole in the middle.

enter the vsleiofix, pinking shears and fabric offcuts to mend the hole.

Applique on some giant letters and we have.....

Arcadia Capes.

 and masks

 

The Arcadia Avengers are ready to head off to school.

 The capes even flutter in the breeze when scootering.

 By all accounts they had a good day.  The capes & masks did not enhance their performance, but they looked good doing it.

It is Show Time

May is show month here in Roma.

I had a few items to enter and decided at the last minute to make a 'novelty pincushion'.

Bee flower was the result.  I chopped up the base of an enviro shopper to make sure the pins don't stab me in the wrist - it is inserted in the base of the flower under the felt.

 Bee hive fabric with a cute beehive button.

 adjustable elastic with a cute bee button to keep it on my wrist.

It does it's job and I don't get stabbed.

The entries at our show were a little light on this year but there were some lovely exhibits.

 Hubby entered a leather belt and pocket knife holder

 My pincushion and the other two in the pincushion section.  I came 2nd.

 Some of the lovely exhibits.

 These 2 quilts were made by my UFO craft group. 

They placed 1st (left) and 2nd (right) n the collaborative quilt section.

 My pinwheel quilt came 1st in the 'quilt' category.

Second was this beautiful bright scrappy quilt by my friend Gayle.  

 

The boys entered some woodwork

 

 

and some LEGO.

 

This amazing cross stitch of a photograph won the Grand Champion handicraft exhibit.  I have no idea how many stitches it was, but it was stunning.

 

 

We entered photos

 and a scarecrow (middle one)

 

checked out the school display

 and rode the bumper cars.

All in all, a good show.

An Alien, A UFO and a finish??

This is one of those finishes that you just want to slap your forehead and say Durrh - why did you wait to do that??

Back in October we visited "The Dish" in Parkes NSW as part of our school holiday excursion.

While we were there we found these adorable shirts with aliens on them and both boys wanted one.

Unfortunately for T, he does not fit 'kid' clothes anymore, so I promised him I would cut up his alien shirt and stitch it onto a shirt that did fit properly.

So after 5 months of sitting on the table I cut, I sewed, I finished.

 (And it took only 5 MINUTES, only 5 minutes, arrrgh)

 

I have one EXCITED boy with a unique shirt.

 Durrh - why did I wait so long to do finish this??

ANZAC Day

Now it is not often I post about something other than craft, but today is special.

Today is ANZAC day & I was lucky enough to have Mum & Dad visiting us in Roma.

The boys marched with Dad in the ANZAC Day parade.

Look how proud they are. (Dad is beside E)

 I never thought I'd see the day we would all be in the same place to see Dad march & for the boys to march with him.  

It was awesome & Mum  and I shed a tear or two.

The boys were able to wear the medals of their Great-Great Grandfathers who both fought in WWI and WWII.  E wore GG Grandfather Richer's medals & T wore GG Grandfather Blakey's medals. 

 They were proud and honoured to be permitted to march with these medals.

To all our service people.  THANK YOU!!

The Big Reveal - what the boys were up to

You may recall a couple of weeks ago I blogged about my boys being up to 'secret' business.

Well, now that the recipients of the gifts have received them, I can reveal the secret.

They were making key rings for their Granddad and Grandpop.  The boys were so excited about this.

Here is T with the keyring for Grandpop.

 And E with his keyring for Granddad.

 

Now for a few close ups.

This is the front of E's design.  He drew/carved a submarine under the water.

 and on the back, stamped Granddad's initials.

 

Grandpops' design by T, has initials and some stamped images.

We hope the granddads like these, as the boys had a great time creating them.

My boys have been up to 'secret' business

I was so very excited on Sunday when my hubby took the boys outside to do some 'bloke' craft.  

I am not permitted to say what they were making as it is a "secret" but they were so proud of their efforts and have be asking to go & do some more.

The hammered, scratched, banged, polished, got excited, got upset, told each other what to do, listened very attentively to Daddy's instructions (for the 1st minute) and all in all had a good time.

I will reveal the finishes when I am given permission.

New life to discarded clothing

While cleaning my sewing space the other day (that is another post all together) I came across a RM Williams shirt I had inherited for my oldest boy.  It had been used by an embroiderer who had stuffed up the design & unpicked the design leaving a series of holes.  As it was a really good quality shirt, I couldn't let it go in the scrap bag so I dug around & found a picture to spunk it up for T.  

Here is McQueen in all his raw edge & free form stitching glory.

 And a really excited T as he models his newest shirt.  I have regained super Mummy status.

This remodel qualifies as my first OPAM for 2011.  Yeah,  I am on my way.

25 Children taught to blanket stitch

I am so very proud of this project & very proud of the children involved.

My son's grade 2/3 teacher is currently on marriage leave & during this 2 weeks of her absence a few other mums & I have taught them to blanket stitch.

So in roughly 8 hours, 25 non sewers have become very proud blanket stitchers.

This is T showing off his sewing

Once the children had sewn their blocks I took my machine into school & showed them how I would quilt each heart (outline quilting) and joined the blocks together to make a shaggy quilt.

I love it & I know it will make Miss Price cry.
Congratulations 2/3H.

My First OPAM

Yes, I did it. I have completed an opam. WHOO WHO!!.

Well I would like to claim 2 projects actually. As I stated last post I had books to cover, well the boys were off to school on Wed & they had books. I forgot to photograph the covering, but it was great & the boys were involved in their decoration scheme, so that is even better. Don't they look cute walking out our driveway. (No they didn't walk to school, but they were off to show the neighbours their school bags. Oh the joys of childhood.