miffys world

And what's not to love about a giveaway?

... especially when it is cute and made from some vintage  Amy Butler fabric that is now all gone! It is still my all time favourite line from the divine Ms AB. Pretty don't you think?

And to celebrate a New Year, I am offering this last ever Ginger Bliss Frenchy bag as a giveaway.  All you have to do is to sign up for my Made By Miffy store newsletter.  You can do that from any page of the store - or from right here on the blog.  You get 2 entries for leaving a nice comment on the blog too! *wink* Competition will run until Australia Day which is 26 January. 

Before Christmas, I was sewing up a storm.  And instead of being the usual summery 'Sweaty Betty' - I morphed into 'Sweatshop Betty'.  Scarier than any alien that Ben 10 morphs to(BEn 10 is on the highest possible rotation on our Foxtel IQ - by the way - can you wear out a show on the hard drive - like in those VCR olden days when you could wear out a tape??  Cause if you can - my hard drive is in serious trouble!)  I digress....  Yeah that's right - Sweatshop Betty - that was moi!  And I sewed some beautiful aprons - and I was so whacked - I didn't even photograph them... All except this one.  An order for the lovely Liesa. 

  Some lovely pocket action here.  I love a stretchy ruffle trim. Extra long sashes too.  And doesn't the Flea Market Fancy fabric neckties look cute tied on the side?  I might even do the neckties different lengths next time for a little cute bow feature on the front?
 

It is about 100 degrees today and a real stinker.  Will be a great New Years Eve tonight in the pool.  Do you think I will be able to convince my kids that midnight on NYE is actually at 9 pm?  I am so not a midnight reveller.  Hate a kiss from a merry stranger. Yuk!  Even in my wilder days - I would do the Cinderella trick and vanish before 12.  Now I can just blame motherhood, early risers and age... Happy New Year!

Happy & Beautiful

Cleo has always been a supermodel.  She isn't the brightest puss - but she sure is pretty.  And she is now 11.  I hope I am doing this well at 77 or whatever the cat year to people year ratio is... 

A recent snap of her - posing in the sun with Darcy's feather boa - and the right descriptions on the Drawers.  Perfect.

But the reason for this post is not to discuss Ms Cleo, but to tell you about my tutorial. After I wrote about the background to the project -  got heaps of questions about what I did and what I used to decorate them.  So, finally, In the right column - I have created a little Tutorial!  Now bear in mind - I didn't take snaps throughout the process - but I have included a list of supplies, some technique information and tips so you too can transfom a very ordinary pine chest into a lovely yet still practical piece of furniture.  Just make sure you have a lazy month or two that you need to fill!  This took a whole lot longer than I anticipated.  But then that is how most of my projects tend to go!

Oh - it won an honourable mention on Blue Yonder too!  Cool eh?!

Oh - I will be doing more tutorials soon - sewing related.  Plus an exciting giveaway - a vintage AMy Butler print Frenchy Bag!!  More news on that next week.....

But if you have any specific questions for decorating your own furniture ala Darcy's Drawers - I will be happy to help!

Back to the pool...

Summer with the Stuarts

It's all about the pool. There isn't much more than that!

A merry Christmas...

Remember my Handmade Christmas Ideas post? The one about how to make slippers from Sanitary pads?!  Well, I received 2 pairs for Christmas. Em from EmBeliSH made some and then Christmas Eve, Mihaela presented another pair (not knowing I had already been gifted so well!).  Remember Mihaela AKA Dr Petrou - she who made our Dental Floss sewn Jamaican Bobsled  back in June?  Or she who makes Balloon faces from her latex gloves for Darcy? 

Em's are on the right - repurposed Maternity pads!  Mihaela's - stitched and lined - and not unlike Japanese hotel slippers!  We all decided that I could have a pair for everyday and a good pair!  I especially like that extra touch - a gift box.  Nice touch girls.

  I think a pedi is in need - much like when you get a new pair of special summery sandals and when you try them on - your nails need some special loveliness to really do them justice.  Who would have thought that Pad Slippers would require the same efforts?

Back to Christmas.  Jen, James, Morgan and Joe spent the day here.  As did Mihaela and Maxi too.  Together with the Stuarts and my Mum and brother AKA Uncle Craigo.  As usual - a dress up present for Darryl and James.  Remeber the Fat Santas of 2006?


Or the Christmas Elves of 2007?

Well this year was always going to be tough. I thought hard and came up with ....
Borat costumes - Mankinis.  Teamed with a slavic looking moustache.  Nice.

Darryl did wear his in the pool.  No little children were present thankfully.

As I had bought these months ago and every friend of mine was in on the joke - I was kept busy sending phone pics.  Not nice!  But heaps of fun.

Mihalea enjoyed a big day and caught a little nap on Jack's bed.

She is so thrilled that if her name is googled - not only are there medical references but a multitude of blog references courtesy of Miffy's World.  I say Dr M - if you are gonna do the crime baby - you gotta do the Blog Time!

Some more merriment in review...

  Now Mum didn't step over the boys - Maxi (featuring Made by Miffy boardies!) just started playing under her legs - Jackie in front - and happy as...
 

There is no photographic evidence of mine and Mihaela's Singstar efforts.  Or a video of us singing the Proclaimers 500 miles with very bad scottish accents on my camera.  Jen has all those.  So sorry - can't show you that silliness. 

I hope you are all having a fabulous festive season and celebrating your special times with friends and family.  Janice - special wishes to you my bloggy friend!

Edited to add some sneaky Singstar pics courtesy of Jen who couldn't let a chance for me to expose myself as the complete idiot that I am.  Here I am gangsta rapping with Mihaela. I was quite comfy in the role (albeit looking like a complete tool - but Mihaela - she was more your Spandau Ballet power ballad kinda gal and wouldn't even do one "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" with me - which as a matter of fact I think I am...