Pencil Tubs (made from a collection of bits and pieces)

A note was sent home from school after a few days, asking the children to please bring in 2 tubs/cups for their pencils to live in on their desk (this is for DD's class). I could've driven to the shops and bought some, but then they would've been like the other kids ones. Can't have that now, can we?

A chat with DH on what sort of size we needed, and dig in the recycling box for some tins..... Then DH comes up with the idea using PVC pipe. He even had some in the right diameter. So I left him to it and went back inside to cook tea. Not long after he brought 2 inside, complete with an MDF base - nice and sturdy!

So as we sat watching TV after the kids were in bed, I was armed with the fabric, and DH had the hot glue gun (because I am not very good at it, and managed to have the first attempt go hard before I even stuck the fabric to it, and then burnt myself when I tried again - some things are best left to husbands), and between us we managed to get them prettified :) Not perfect, but DD certainly thought they were wonderful.

Cheers!

Back To School Roundup

School starts back this week - just 2 more sleeps.

DD is in year 1 this year, so needed a few extra items - an art shirt/smock, and a pencil case. I looked quickly online for a pattern for an art smock, but couldn't find one that I was happy with, so I pulled out my Enid Gilchrist books and flicked through. I found one that was roughly the right size, so using DDs measurements, drafted up a rough pattern. I didn't get it quite right, as when I sewed the sleeves on the neckline was rather uneven, so the casing for the elastic is far from perfect. But it will work and that is all that matters.

It is sewn from an op-shop bed sheet - a lovely thick cotton. The sleeve bottoms and neckline are gathered with elastic to make it easy for her to get on and off herself.
I think by the thumbs up it is satisfactory :)

Listed on the year 1 booklist is a pencil case, but I didn't want to buy one as they are not very nice quality at all. I also wasn't sure if she would use it, as DS didn't when he was in year 1. So I delved in the stash to see what we could come up with. This fabric was a remnant from SL, and the zip is a very old one that was given to me. I like that it matches almost exactly to the green :)

Packing the school supplies in bags to take to school, I noticed DS's pencil case from last year had started to get holes in it. He asked very nicely if I could make him a new one. So we picked some red corduroy (from the op-shop) and a bright blue zip from the stash.

Nice and shiny and new, all ready for school.

Cheers!

Back to School We Go

The kids headed back to school this week just gone. My DS is now in year 2 and DD is in pre-primary. So they are both at school 5 days a week this year! OMG! DD had a settling in period this week, just 2 half days and one full. Next week she has 4 full days and Wednesday off. The following week is 5 full days - along with her 5th birthday! But more on the birthday another time.

So to get them ready for school DS needed a pencil case, as they don't have them in year 1. So I had some great space fabric and DS chose the positioning as to what was showing where. I also embroidered his name on a scrap of fabric and sewed it on the back.




This was also the year that DD needed a library bag - some leftover denim and gorgeous cherry fabric were perfect! I added a unicorn embroidery and her name on the front to make it a bit prettier for her.




They both look so grown up in their school uniforms this year :)



Cheers!

What will you do?

Today was the Christmas picnic for my son's preschool class. So we went down to the school with a picnic lunch and to see Father Christmas and watch the kids get their present. The end of another school year. Who would've thought that me, the one who never wanted kids, would have a son heading up to the big school next year! And my baby off to kindy as well! DS has had a great year, he has made friends and even has a best friend now, which is great, as he can be a bit shy.


The main question I get asked when people hear that I will have no kids for 2 days a week is "What will you do with yourself? Two days without kids!" Well.........some peace and quiet is on the agenda lol
I will also attempt (I say attempt, as I am prone to procrastination and getting nothing done!) to do:
* more sewing for the kids.
* organising the house so that it is easier to keep clean.
* delve more into the world of soap making.
* help out more at the kindy - I enjoyed helping out at pre-primary this year, and should be able to do it more often next year.
* get back into comping, I haven't been doing much over the last 2 years and I want more exciting mail! lol


Now some piccies of the latest Christmas presents I have completed. Mum, don't look ok! At least until after Christmas lol

For my younger cousins, I made a pencil roll each, a bag from Ottobre 3/2008 (#28) - such a great little pattern, and a crochet purse. I asked their mums for their two favourite colours, but giving no hints as to what I was doing. The colours I had to work with were: pink/green, blue/purple and yellow/orange. Here is the one in yellow/orange.


I just loved looking at all of these hanging on my wall. I will miss them.



I also finished up a top for my daughter for Christmas - Ottobre 3/2008 (#2 - Puffis Tee), this is a great issue - I also have a pair of shorts I am finishing for my son for Christmas from this issue. I am not entirely happy with the bindings on this top, I used FOE (fold-over elastic) instead of rib binding. I think I need more practice though. This is to go with the misty skirt (Ottobre 1/2008 #13), which I have just realised I haven't blogged about. So I will add it here.





I also made some pot mitts to go with the apron I made for my Grandma. It is my first try at any sort of quilting (well I think you could call it that). I really like these and want to find some fabric and make some for myself. They have Insul-Brite in between the fabric layers.







And finally (because it has taken me 45 minutes to write this post), some Coffee Spice Sugar Scrub for some ladies in my family at Christmas. It smells delightful, and coffee is supposed to help remove the kitchen smells from your hands.



So that is what I have been busy doing for the last 9 days. Now Christmas is fast approaching and I am nearly ready lol Just some cooking and finishing the shorts to do now.

Cheers!