.More Summer Carnival.

I'm back with a few more versions of Summer Carnival to share with you. I really like how this pattern can be made to suit a boy just as much as it can be for a girl.  

Here is little Nancy (who is very much a girl!) wearing the boy version - and if you aren't into frills and ruffles for your little girl, then this version would be equally cute for her too.

                       

                 

                 

And because I'm still crazy about this beautiful lightweight denim, I had to sew up a denim version too...with ruffles, but looking a little less fussy in a plain fabric. (Oh, Nancy Noo - you are super cuuuuute!)

You've still got a day to enter the Summer Carnival pattern giveaway here - pop on over and leave a comment for your chance to win!

SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect, Summer Carnival pattern
Umbrella Prints, Oasis, Elephants in Olive
Texan Light Weight Denim

.Summer Carnival.

I have a brand new pattern to share with you today! One for the babies...

Summer Carnival

Being sun-safe is especially important for baby's sensitive skin. The Summer Carnival sun-hat is an essential baby wardrobe item - make sure you pop it on before heading out to the beach, pool or park this Summer to keep your baby cool and give you peace of mind.

                  

                        

Featuring a wide, floppy brim and essential chin-ties, your baby will be the cutest thing around!

Matching bloomers makes an adorable way to dress up any outfit, and with loads of room for the nappy they are super comfortable to wear. You can easily make this entire set boy-friendly by leaving off all the frills and ruffles.   

 

I'm in baby-sewing mode lately! Although I have a couple of other hat sewing patterns, I felt that I needed one that was geared explicitly toward babies. Baby hats need to provide great shade, fit snugly on the head and (most importantly) be impossible to pull off! And try as she might, my adorable niece Nancy couldn't get the thing off her head!

With the addition of some fun and easy to sew baby bloomers to cover the nappy, Summer Carnival makes a great baby shower or first birthday gift. And if you don't have little girls to sew for, never fear! This set looks just as gorgeous sewn up for a boy without any frills or ruffles, I'll share that variation with you later in the week to avoid photo overload here!

Summer Carnival fits sizes newborn to 24 months, all sizes are in the one pattern. You'll find more information about Summer Carnival on the Make It Perfect website. If you are looking for a place to purchase a copy of the pattern for yourself, take a look at our stockist or ask your favourite store to order one in for you.

We can't have a new pattern without a giveaway...to win a copy of Summer Carnival, simply leave a comment on this blog post!
(Please make sure you leave an email address with your comment. Giveaway will close Friday 1st March and winner will be drawn at random).

SUPPLIES:
Make It Perfect, Summer Carnival pattern
Michael Miller, Nordic Holiday, Swirly Gig in Aqua

And she's off! Can you believe Nancy is only 9 months old and is already toddling around?!!! Way to go little girl!

.Sewing for baby: Supa & Stars.

Still at it...I think I might have to have another 3 babies to get all of this baby sewing out of my system! Wish I was onto it at the beginning!!

A couple more familiar outfits, new fabrics, cute stuff... 

 

Another "Villikko Romper" from the Spring 1/2013 issue of Ottobre. Size 56. This fabric is up there with the Vikings as being a favourite. I'm loving it.

And another of my favourite bodysuit/pants sets:

The bodysuit pattern comes from Ottobre Winter 6/2012. "Kisuliini Raglan-Sleeve Bodysuit."

And the pants again, from Ottobre Spring 1/2012 called "Little Houses Knit Pants." In size 56 again (which I'm guessing is going to be 00).

I've blogged about these two patterns so much, that I don't have much else to say about them except I can't wait to put them on our little man!
 
All fabrics Eurpoean knits from Crafty Mamas Fabrics.

.Weekly portraits #1.

Tommy: We have FINALLY had toilet training success with this cheeky boy this week! I've been waiting for the time when he is "ready" to start toilet training, but I don't think he would ever have been ready on his own. He was totally happy to keep wearing a nappy and being changed all day, every day. So, it started with a few tears and a lot of bribing (in the form of chocolate chips!) and slowly buy surely we are getting there. He is now happy to wear undies and we are down to only one or two accidents a day and him happily sitting on the toilet most of the time. Since starting toilet training, he has even woken up with a dry nappy most mornings and a couple of nights he has woken in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, which sounds great in theory but not when it means he is up and ready to party at 3am! This means that we are going to have our first break from nappies in 7 1/2 years! Enjoying the next 3 months of nappy-less kids while it lasts!

Oscar: I think photographing Oscar is going to be my weekly challenge...hopefully he will become more obliging as the weeks go on as he is never too impressed about having his photo taken! This week has seen Oscar obsessed with duplo. He goes from lego to duplo and back again and never ceases to amaze us with his creations.

Lil: Drawing is her favourite pastime. When we wake up in the morning she is already settled at the table with her big pieces of paper and tub of textas and pencils creating masterpieces. After three weeks of full-time school, she is well and truly ready for the weekend and is totally exhausted by the time Friday rolls around. Lil is our little social butterfly though and loves hanging out with her friends at school and thinks she is very clever learning more about reading and the alphabet this year.

.Ripple Cakes.

I'm sure that ripple cakes (log cakes) aren't news to you. They're such a popular and easy to make dessert, we had them a lot when we were kids. It's been forever since I last had some though so I made them for dessert at family dinner last Sunday night. Favourites in our house are the chocolate version and caramel/apple version - I'm not sure if there are any other variations around? I'd love to hear about them if there are! There may be someone out there who hasn't eaten them or doesn't know how to make them though, so I thought I'd share the simple recipes anyway!

 Chocolate Ripple Cake

2 packets Arnott's Choc Ripple Biscuits

600ml cream

Beat cream using electric beater until whipped.

Spread a small amount of cream down the center of your serving plate (where you want the log to sit.)

Sandwich biscuits together using thin amounts of cream between each biscuit. Sit biscuit log on top of cream strip on the plate - this cream will help the biscuits stand upright.

When finished making log(s), cover entire log with whipped cream**.

Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 or 5 hours before serving.

  

**P.S. I like to make the first covering of cream fairly thin (so you can just see the biscuits underneath) because the cream tends to discolour and look a little tired after soaking into the biscuits overnight. Before serving, I spread a bit more freshly whipped cream over the entire log to freshen it up.

Caramel Apple Ripple Cake 

 2 packets Arnott's Butternut Snap Cookies 
Sliced stewed apple 

600ml cream

Beat cream using electric beater until whipped.

Sread a small amount of cream down the center of your serving plate (where you want the log to sit.)

Sandwich biscuits together using a stewed apple between each biscuit. If your apple pieces are too thick, cut them down of squash them flat between each layer. Sit biscuit log on top of cream strip on the plate - this cream will help the biscuits stand upright.

When finished making log(s), cover entire log with whipped cream**.

Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 or 5 hours before serving.

  

**P.S. I like to make the first covering of cream fairly thin (so you can just see the biscuits underneath) because the cream tends to discolour and look a little tired after soaking into the biscuits overnight. Before serving, I spread a bit more freshly whipped cream over the entire log to freshen it up.

.Spotty top & some goals for 2013.

I'm officially into maternity clothes. I've been putting it off for as long as I can, but I've finally had to delve into the old maternity clothes bags that have been circulating between my sisters, our friends and myself for the last 10 years. There are still a few items in my "regular" wardrobe that are maternity-friendly (stretchy skirts, loose tops and of course, the trackies!) but my clothing choices are starting to feel restricted.

And those maternity clothes bags...talk about more than 2/3 of the items being badly dated and daggy now! I had the widest bell-bottom leg jeans that were super cool when I was pregnant with Oscar - a few months ago I cut them off and made them into some comfy denim shorts!

I could go to the shops and buy some maternity clothes...but for 13 weeks of wearing I can't really be bothered or justify spending the money. So, last night I took a good-fitting top that I like wearing at the moment (see the end of this post) and drafted a simple pattern from it. I had a heap of this navy spotty knit fabric in my stash - I bought a few meters of it last year on clearance (for $4 a metre) from Spotlight. The quality actually isn't too bad, we'll see how well it washes and wears after awhile though. A couple of hours later, I had a brand new, comfy top that I can wear for the next few months (and what ever time I need to after the baby is born!)

I do love the white spot on navy - if I was game, I would sew myself a pair of leggings out of it but I'm not sure that I could pull them off! Lil could though, so one of us will end up with spotty leggings soon enough!!

 

I've finally decided on some goals for 2013 (who cares that we're already 1/6 into the year!) They are photography-related this year. I have no intentions of becoming a pro photographer, but I do want to get more comfortable with using my camera and taking better photos of the family. Recently I've changed the screensaver to flash through photos from my computer and way too many of them are things that I've made or cooked (which isn't bad) but I do realise that I need to pick up the camera more spontaneously and take photos of the people who actually live in this house too! Last year I did a course through ClickinMoms to learn how to use my camera in manual mode. It was brilliant and I learned so much. Next week I start another course learning how to use Lightroom properly for my editing. I've had Lightroom for about 6 months and I'm just winging it at the moment so I'm really looking forward to learning how to use it properly. 

So, my photography goals for 2013...inspired by this lady, I am going to take a decent portrait of each of my children each week for the year. I figure this will be motivation enough to help me pick up the camera and take a few more photos than I already week. My second goal is to capture moments from my day-to-day life. Inspired by this cool blog, I am going to participate in the 12 on 12 challenge - to take 12 photos documenting your day on the 12th day of every month. Sounds easy now...I'm going to have to set myself some reminders so that I don't forget!

.Bibs, labels and belly.

The first batch of Make It Perfect labels I bought back in 2008! 600 labels lasted me 5 years, I'm sure I haven't used them all yet but one day they all went missing so I ordered some more! Last time I bought the folded labels that are sewn into a side seam. This time I went for a flat option, so that I could have more options as to where to sew them into the garment. I can even sew them into the inside of the garment to use as a tag to mark the back now if I want. I bought these ones from here and still highly recommend their service and product.

I have a habit of keeping my present box stocked with baby bibs ready for a quick gift when the need arises (which happens to be very often!) and quickly got to work testing out the new labels on this batch of bibs once they arrived.

And while we're talking babies, here are my latest belly shots - almost 27 weeks...we're on the home stretch now, I can't believe there are only 13 weeks to go - so much to do before he arrives!

.Insta-life.

My life lately through the eyes of Instagram (join me here)...

1 & 2. I turned 31 and celebrated with the fam, a yummy dinner cooked by Mum & Dad, cutest cake ever by Sam and marshmallow salad for desserst (my special request, cream is important to me during this pregnancy!) ** 3. We bought a new car and are now officially ready to have 4 children - eek! I'm slowly getting used to driving a big car and changing my mindset to automatic after driving a manual for my whole life. The kids are loving the extra room. Oh, and we need to sell our old car - anyone want it? ** 4. We are having the most beautiful weather this Summer and making the most of lots of picnics, BBQs and swims at the beach.

 1. Trampolining is becoming a regular after-dinner event. ** 2. We had a good laugh when we discovered that Dad was tucking his guitar into bed while Mum was away on holidays! ** 3 & 4. Lots of demolition, re-modelling and hard yakka takes place as my brother-in-law gets ready to open a new gym in town.

 1. 2. & 3. I joined in on the scrappy-trip along craze and started sewing a few blocks just for fun - it will be ages until I have finished but I'm enjoying a quiet little project on the side. ** 4. Lil gives me amazing pedicures which involves opening at least 10 bottles of nail polish and takes over half an hour!

And the biggest hit of the week was this fun, impulse Family Home Evening activity - The Great Malteaser Slide Roll...catching it in your mouth is not as easy as it looks and those little malteasers can build up a lot of speed their way down, resulting in a cut lip for Oscar!