Book Week Costumes

International Book Week was back in August, the theme for 2013 - was - "Read across the Universe" .

Our younger children had no hesitation  in choosing their character - to dress up as. Both characters were based on the books from the compete series that they were currently reading. It was only after the event, that I realized they possibly had characters that were 'Read across the Universe!

 

 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling seemed to be popular at school this year. The middle 5BN has systematically read all the books in order, and watched each DVD on completion of each book.

Low key effort with Harry Potter; --- cape, wand and glasses purchased from a local chain store.

 

 

Miss 5BN has read her way through  Lily Quench - The Dragon Slayer  series, and loved them all;  after discovering them in the school library.

A Brisbane / Aussie author --Natalie Prior has written these books, aimed at the middle to upper primary school years.

 

Lily Quench the Dragon Slayer.

 

Miss5BN knew exactly how she wanted the costume made. Luckily the current Spotlight had costume mesh featured in that current week's catalogue. Unfortunately for us, our local Spotlight received a limited range of the product - and none of the silver that we needed. Many phone calls and hours later, we located 1.6 metres left of the silver costume mesh in Frankston.

A telephone order was arranged, and we awaited the postie to deliver.

$9.99 / metre

 

I was surprised at the price variance, price in the current catalogue was listed at $7.95 metre.

VIP Price was also listed as $6.50 metre, and we were charged $9.99 metre, despite giving my VIP number to the staff member on the phone.

Anyhow despite this --we needed this last 1.6metres for Lily Quench to wear to school in  less than 48 hours!

Pattern drafting a la very rudimentary style!

 I measured up a t shirt that Miss 5BN was wearing, and cut into the mesh quickly, I used some bias tape around the neck to help hold the shape, and to stop the mesh unfurling.

Bemsilk was used for the cape, as well as the skirt.

Miss 5BN concentrating on sewing the hem of the cape.

Lily Quench the Dragon Slayer

The hat was found in the local $2 shop, from memory it was labeled as a gnome hat!  Miss 5BN found some yellow feathers in the craft department and inserted them into the hat.

Only a couple more years of costumes to be chosen and made at the 11th hour!


In the next week, her class re-enacted for the school - the arrival of the First Fleet to Australia.
Miss 5BN was to be a convict. Her outfit was hastily borrowed from another school family the night before. Oh thank goodness for the class curriculum that is repeated from year to year, just ask a child in the class above, can you beg, borrow or steal their outfit---it may ensure that your child has convict entry into Australia.

Eggsellent outcome

The older 5BN child has an industrious business selling chook eggs locally.

 

He was very surprised to weigh this egg at 102 grams, most eggs are sold at the 55 - 65 gram weight.  It must have been a relief to the chook to have this egg finally out. There must have been much clucking after this effort.

 

He has his chook book - whereby he documents all purchases, sales and other unnatural demises of the chooks ( ie the sheep dog is the culprit).

Several locals laugh and say his phone number is programmed into their phone as the Egg Man, or the Chook Man, any extras / eggtras, I take to my work place, and they sell quickly.

Chook Zippered Hold All / Pouch / Purse

This zip pouch holds very important information!!

Receipt from an eggscellent customer
Money is often left under the door mat or a pot plant for him to collect!

 

Each Sunday evening, the eggs are washed, and packaged by hand --accordingly to size and colour before being delivered locally, or the eggstras are handed to me to take to work to sell to fellow staff members.

 

With his Egg money, he has researched and bought a solar panel controlled "Chook  Door".  This door opens and closes at set and pre programmed times to allow the chooks to be free range and forage about the paddock.
He is making eggcellent savings with his egg money. We have been eating many eggs as well in our household of recent weeks.

Warm and Cosy Winter Smocked Dress

Pretty in Pink

 Another baby to sew for, this little girl will need to stay warm in the coming winter months.

 I found that dressing Miss 5BN in her featherwale cord dresses, I was ensured she stayed so much warmer than if I had her in pants and jumpers.
The lined bodice of the dress added another layer, the warm stockings pulled up to Harry High Pants height --added another warming layer as well.  No bare midriff or mutton top was ever visible in the midst of winter on little Miss 5BN.
 Button through singlets/ onesies were wonderful --until the toilet training began, and then singlets made an appearance on our children.

 The tucked hem added weight to the dress itself, and together with gravity - ensured the hem stayed in a southerly direction --not blown up about the ears!

Self covered buttons add detail to this smocked dress.

Below are some photos of Miss 5BN in her warm winter dresses; or some of her well worn warm winter dresses!

Miss 5BN in a warm winter twill smocked dress, posing aptly for her kinder photos.  A lefty way back when!  That lefty preference was quite evident at her 1st birthday!

 Little Bo Peep,  Issue 74, Australian Smocking & Embroidery; Page  42

 

Below is a smocked dress  I have made countless times

AS&E  Issue 54, P 46  Madeline
the collar, cuffs and piping were made from a  Liberty of London Berries fabric

Madeline  below in a summer soft chambray blue just gorgeous. This blue suited our russet haired Miss 5BN so well, this has been sewn often for the princess in our house!

 

 

 

 

 

A variation of  Sunday Best; AS&E   Issue  53,  page 6

Another smocked dress that Miss 5BN wore often, made from a very warm heavy flannel fabric.
No bare midriffs for Miss 5BN in this household!

Embacing all that is Aqua

Miss 5BN celebrated a birthday in recent months, she had been hoping, requesting and desiring to have the ears pierced --oh for at least the last 12 months. This was agreed upon, - BUT the request being --Aqua earrings to be used for the initial ear piercing. 

 This required a change of venue at the 11th hour, as the initial salon I had booked - did not have a large choice of earrings. My decision was cemented, when the staff member commented--"Oh we do not pierce many ears at all".  Time for me to look elsewhere. All went well, no tears, and the piercings were performed by two super fast staff who do this on a regular basis.

 

triple layered birthday cake

delicious, but heavy handed with the Aqua colouring!



Nail polish + skinny jeans

Aqua jelly slice

 The aqua jelly slice was a hit at home with the birthday girl, in fact I have taken it to different work Morning Tea's since, with the aqua jelly --whoosh it disappears quickly.  I must have some aqua loving work colleagues!  - it makes a fresh change from red jelly, I seem to use often.

Aqua and red stitched scarf

The above stitching will be made into Aneela's Wash Day Zip Pouch, featured below in a display with Aneela at a recent Quilt Market.

Just prior to the birthday, we headed north for a winter sojourn .It was lovely to warm the bones - we all had a wonderful time.

More aqua colours and opportunities were presented to us.

Clear blue sky and fluffy clouds

Aqua bathers

All home, back to life and reality, the holiday a distant reminder of warmth, water and the wow factor.

  All that will come our way again once Summer is here with us shortly.

Polaroid Blocks

Reading Sharon's blog recently, I admired her blog post requesting Polaroid blocks for a special boy.

I was inspired by the strength that young Blake has, and the ongoing care that is provided so well by his family, community and the nursing / medical team.

Let's hope that Blake is able to have some time home with his family and enjoy this special quilt that Sharon will piece together --Polaroid Blocks provided with love and large hearts by the crafting community.

It was fun finding some fabrics with interesting detail to be framed by these blocks.

 

cutting detail

making the frame for the block



Washi tape as a guide
Miss 5BN using the Rotary Cutter for the first time, under careful surveillance.

wrapped and posted

Those who sent blocks, were requested to include a postcard from where they live - to pass onto Blake's parents. Sharon has posted more pictures to Instagram of Polaroid Blocks she has received, there is a lovely and mixed variety.