So. Much. Frustration. Gah!

On Tuesday I got a slip in the mail telling me I had a parcel to collect at my usual pick-up place.

It's from someone whose name I recognise and I know almost exactly what's in the parcel.(TimTams!!)

So yesterday I drove to the grocery store to do the shopping and to pick up the package - can't let Timtams lie around uneaten like that!

Only - the parcel wasn't at the store! It hadn't "arrived yet"!

"But I got the slip yesterday" I said.

"Uhm, no - Uhm, let me see. No it's not here. It's not been registered in the computer."

So no TimTams for me.

This morning I called and there was still no package and I was advised to call again this afternoon. Sigh.

Fingers crossed it turns up, please.

It's completely possible that the package is there, at the store, only it was missed in registration. So if it's not turned up this afternoon I'm going to have them search the mail room.

You don't dangle Timtams in front of a person's face like that!

Party plans

So, my little one had a birthday a few weeks ago and on Saturday we're having a party for her little friends.

I try not to go over board on the planning, but I do admit to having a bit of an Amy Atlas-moment now and then.



Last year I went a bit over board and we had leftover candy for months. This time I'm going to go easy and not over-do it.
There will be lots of cake, but we're going to my parents in the afternoon so maybe I can bring it there.

I have a few crafts I want to do before the party and I hope to find the time tonight so I don't have to do it last minute.
I'm picking up flowers on Friday afternoon and maybe the girls can help me dress one or two embroidery hoops with ribbons to hang over the table.

So wish me luck and I'll post pictures after the fact.

Do Not Disturb the Creative Process

Both Isabel and Sofia got very invested in me painting the board I started using as a background.

They kept asking me when I would do the painting and wanted to be a part of it.

I wasn't very keen on letting them loose on my board so I told them they could paint once I was done.



The weather was very nice on Sunday and I gave Sofia the left over paint after I was done with my pink (Honeysuckle) side and she got an old door from a cabinet of some sort to paint on.



She took it very seriously.

Picture background

A while ago I read a photo tip on one of my favourite sewing and fabric blogs that in order to get pretty pictures you could use a piece of MDF board painted in a cool, kitschy colour as a background.



It gives the pictures a uniform look and I think even though the background in my case is a pretty loud colour it calms the picture when you don't have to look at a cluttered background.

It's also possible to move the board around in search of the best lighting. Something I could benefit from 50 % of the year.

We picked up a board cut to size at the hardware store last week and I picked out three colours I liked and had them mixed. I only bout 1/2 litres so it was fairly inexpensive.



This particular colour is one I have in mind to use for our kitchen so it served a dual purpose. The leftovers will be used to paint some samples on our walls to see if it will work.
This particular shade of yellow/green matches my green Kitchen Aid mixer perfectly - what? You have to pick inspiration from somewhere! ;-)



I decided to paint the other side of the board in a complementary colour - figuring if one side didn't work with the garment I put on it the other side would.
For the other side I took inspiration from Pantone's colour of the year - Honeysuckle.

So far it's working out very well.

I do have one regret, I should have made the board slightly smaller since it is a bit awkward to move around. I took it upstairs thinking I could house it in my sewing room, but I think it needs to find a home downstairs as the lighting is usually better there.

I need to work on my light finding skills. Even though I love these pictures - I do realise they could have utilised the light better.

So the search goes on.

A Skip in the Hopscotch.

I made Sofia a new skirt a few days ago.

One night a few weeks ago she woke up early in the evening before I had gone to bed and she was a bit agitated. So to calm her and cool her down (her room faces south and gets really warm in summer) I took her to my sewing room and she had a look through the pile of pattern descriptions I have.

She likes to look at the paper dolls.

So together we decided I would make her a skirt and a dress.

I have made this once before for Isabel. I used cord that time, which is not an ideal fabric for this pattern.
The quilting cotton from Moda was perfect though. It's designed by Oliver + S and called Modern Workshop.
I think the scale is perfect for little girl's clothes.



She was very happy with it and even got to help pick out the buttons for it. Although I admit I did prod her in a certain direction and she ended up picking the same ones I would have.

Nature Walk for Midsummer

We celebrated Midsummer's Eve in Sweden on Friday, and even though it's the start of summer it does get a bit chilly in the evenings and I wanted to make a sweater for the girls to wear.
I've been eyeing the Nature Walk Pullovers for a while (I love the pants that come with that pattern!) and decided to give it a try.

I bought green and red fleece at my local fabric store, dotted and with penguins. I love how they look so surprised!

Isabel was away at camp for 5 days when I started them so Sofia got first pick, and she wanted the greens.



I used white broadcloth to line the pullovers. I feared if I lined it with fleece they would turn out too warm to wear now. I also used the same broadcloth for all facings.

I'm actually glad Sofia picked the green as I believe Isabel fits better in the red one. She was very pleased with it when she saw it as she came home from camp.



I made the two pullovers in tandem - it made it a bit more productive. And I finished them both in two nights.

I will definitely make them again, but I will add some width to the body as they turned out to be a bit slim for my girls. I will also do them in a different fabric. The fleece was a bit thick. I think I'll try them in some sweatshirt fabric or jersey.

I also want to experiment with the pattern and make them in one piece - maybe omitting the pockets. I'll bet they are a really quick sew that way.

Ready for an Ice Cream Social

Last night after the girls were in bed I sat down to make Sofia a new dress.

I had the Ice Cream Dress in size 6 cut out and it was all ready to go.

I had hoped to get the yoke done before Sofia fell asleep, but no such luck.

In all it took a little over 2 hours and 40 minutes to get it done.



Sofia picked the fabrics herself from my stash of Modern Workshop by Oliver + S (with a little help from me) and I think it turned out very well.



I made this as a blouse once before an I remember having problems getting the back of the yoke look neat. I think I fiddled with it that time and made it work, but this time I wanted it too look more than ok.
So when I still couldn't get it to work I put a bird label on it.



I brought the dress with me to work to show my co-worker and when I came home I told Sofia to go look in my purse for something that was hers and she came back unfolding the dress with a sweet smile on her face.



I think she was very happy with it.