TOP 5 of 2014 |day 4: Reflections|

Everytime another year comes to an end, we all tend to think of what we've done those last 365 days that passed. I usually think more of the think I have created than the things that happened to me, to us. It was a good year, either way. We've welcomed a new baby in our family and nothing could be better than that. 

Just like last year, I will share 5 reflections of my own, about this lastest year - sewing related, of course. In between one and another, I will leave you with photos from the projects I did. 

#1 - Sewing from my stash 

Just like last year, I commited to buy as little as I could (fabric or ready made clothes). And I did pretty well through the year. Until the very last couple of months. I guess, I used so much from my stash, I had so little comparing to when I started two years ago, it began to be really hard to find approriate fabrics to make whatever I needed. I especially noticed I needed more knits and boy fabric. 

It's easy to see who I sew the most for, right? When there is an only princess in the house it is hard not to sew so much for her. Especially when most of the pattern tours and tests I've been on were girly inspired. I count 36 items made this year in the collage above. 24 of them are refashions.

#2. Refashions

When I started refashioning, I never thought that I would be mentioned as the "refashion queen" as often as I have been. Which I still find funny. Really, I don't think I am a queen of anything, but I agree I do love a good refashion, for all the reasons you can think of, but growing with so little, I've always enjoyed making the things I wanted from pre existing items, so it is just a part of me, something I've always done with different materials and that has, eventually passed into my sewing too. My pile of clothes to refashion keeps growing. Family and friends that know that I sew, keep donating me clothes (thanks and keep them coming) to select from because they are always so amazed at what those pieces turn into after I "work them out". And that makes me feel good. I plan to keep on refashioning, that's for sure. 

Here's everything I made for myself in 2014. I guess I did pretty good. I spent half the year pregnant and it felt so great. Apart from the nightgown and the two fixing projects (the two latest photos in the collage), those things were created because I was either challenge for a tour or a sewing challenge. Only two pieces were made after S. was born, which means I did a lot of clothes during pregnancy. The are 14 items that I've sewn from sketch, refashioned or fixed in here.
 

#3. Blogging

After my second child was born, I found myself thinking about quitting blogging a few times. Or at least slow down. And I actually have, I was forced to. I couldn't keep blogging as much as I did before. He's too little and he needs me more and more. I decided to keep blogging, but I might cut a little on a few things I love deeply, but I will mention that in a second. 

While expecting S.'s arrival, I sewed a lot for him. There are 16 items above - one is not sewing related, but oh well, it's a refashion. There are 11 refashions here, and only two outfits were done after he was born (two first top photos). I guess there will be a few more boyish clothes next. He needs them.

#4. Sewing Competitions, Sewalongs Guest Posting, Pattern Testing and Pattern Tours

Here's something I love deeply, but I might have to say "no" a little more often from now on. I was so happy that so many bloggers thought of me for a few of their tours, and so glad that a lot of designers picked me to test their patterns, I have to apologise to two of them - I failed the deadlines and I felt terrible about it, which is also one of the reasons that made me think I should slow down a little. Also, it was great to apply to some tours and find out that I was part of them after all. Thank you all! I do want to keep doing that as long as you want me, but I just can't say yes all the time. I am sorry, but I want 2015 to be more about my family. I feel like I've failed so many times in 2014 in this field, just because there was a deadline on the corner, and I don't want that anymore. 

Apart from my own kids, I have also been sewing for other kids. In the collage above, there are 5 items for my older niece, 4 for my younger niece, 3 for a costumer, 2 for a friend and one for my nephew. 15 items total here, 8 of them are refashions. 

#5. Sewing as a business

I've been thinking about that for a while. I have always wanted to have my sewing business but can't quite decide on what I want to do. This year though, I've been thinking a little harder on what to do, and while I don't, I have been accepting small orders to fix or alter some pieces. I have always been selling baby slings and breastfeeding pillows again. 

But sewing clothes isn't all that I have done this year. I even did some other crafts. I sewed for my home, with 3 pillows and a duvet, and a costumers house too with a bag dispenser. I sewed wallets for my nephew, a breastfeeding pillow for a friend, a maternity bag to take to the hospital an then I made a Santa wraping gift for G. to take to school, a Xmas wreath and an advent calendar. 

What a year. AND these are only the things that got to the blog in 2014. Many other were made but haven't shown here yet, especially in these latest weeks. There were presents made, patterns tested, and so on. Some, I guess will never be blogged, because sometimes things fall into forgetness, other will be up as soon as I can edit and post them. I hope you had a great year. That you've created, and if somehow I was able to inspire you, thank you for being there. It wouldn't be as fun to do all this if I didn't know, that you are there, on the other side - sometimes worlds apart - reading, and commenting and supporting. HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! 

TOP 5 of 2014 |day 3: Most Seen Posts|

Today's time to show you my most visited posts from 2014. Refashion Month posts are always on top, and some of them are from a couple of dear guests I had over. Thank you ladies (all of you that have participated!). Here's the top five. Enjoy!

#5 - Refashion Month Series - 2014 July Edition

#4 - Bringing home a guest post

#3 - January Refashion Month with Carissa from Carissa Knits

#2 - January Refashion Month with Heather from Feather's Flights

#1 - My Weekly Refashion Share #1 |FREE pattern & tutorial|

TOP 5 of 2014 |day 2: the MISSES|

#5 - Wallet for my nephew

I made this one in a hurry. The sewing isn't perfect, but the thing that makes me think of it as a fail is the fact that I added the appliques in the back instead of doing it to the front. 

#4 - Shorts for my niece

This was a perfect one if it wasn't for the fact that it didn't really fit my niece. It was too tight and therefore she didn't like it and sent it back to me after a few days. We are now waiting for it to fit my daughter instead. 

#3 - Bubblelicious Romper

The idea sounded perfect in my head before I made it. I loved the two separate pieces so I tried the mashup. The bad part? Well, somehow I left the tights too short and it is so hard for her to put in on and off that it turned out to be little functional and she might have put it on like twice. 

#2 - boy shirt

Getting closer to the top of this list, which is not a good thing. I was pretty happy about this shirt I printed for my baby boy until I added the collar and it went terrible wrong. It is a 6-9M size and he hasn't wore it yet. I don't know how it looks but I hope it's wearable at all. 

#1 - Baby boy pants

On top of this list, this pants. Just look at the photo above. Do I have to explain what happened here? Way-too-tight pants for my chubby boy. he only wore it this time and that's it, it was put aside. The good thing? They didn't take too long to sew, luckily for me. Can you image this happening with something that'd take hours and hours to make?!

Next on the line: my 2014 most seen posts!

TOP 5 of 2014 |day 1: the HITS|

Last year I participated in the Top 5 of 2013, and I don't know if anyone is organizing that again this year, but I am doing my own here this year too. Between today and the end of the month/year, I will be posting about my top 5: hits, misses, reflections, most seen and on the 1st of January, I will post my top 5 goals. And I am starting today with the hits.

#5 |Newborn Onesie|

I made this long sleeved and a short sleeved version of these. They are newborn sized and this particularly one was the first piece of clothe my baby boy wore. He looked just too cute in it. It didn't fit for too long, of course. 

#4 |Red Velvet Jacket|

This jacket was one of the first pieces of 2014. I refashioned a pair of woman's red velvet pants into it and it is warm, cute and stylish. My daughter wears this often and everybody feels jealous about it. A true hit. 

#3 |Paris Outfit & Spring Showers Jacket|

This might be one of my favourite outfits ever. In these pictures my daughter is wearing three of the cutest pieces I made her. An Izzy top, small fry skinny jeans and spring showers jacket. She wears all pieces often, which is great!

#2 |Maternity Shirt|

Number 2 on my top 5 is something for me. I made this shirt while competing in Challenge Create. It is a maternity shirt, that became a  nursing shirt for a white and now it's just a cute tunic waiting for summer to be used again. I love all about it. One of my favourite pieces from all the ones I made myself in years. 

#1 |Duvet Cover|

My absolutely number one is my new duvet. I started making it in 2013 and only finished it over a year later, but it was so worth it. I haven't really put a blog post about it yet, but I really had to include it as my number one in this list. I had never done such a huge patchwork work, and it's not perfect, but I love it so much!

Come back tomorrow for my 5 misses of 2015. 

We wish you all a...

Glimpse of our last week #24

This is where I show you bits and parts of our week behind the scenes.

not much going on this week. We had G.'s school Christmas party, where she fell terrible shy when Santa called her to give her a gift. A doll. she enjoyed the balloons, food and music though. It's funny how over all the teacher's, she wanted the one from last year's only. Little S. slept most of the time while there but he enjoyed it a little too, by the end of it. My parents were here for the arty too, and once at home, my mom started knitting a dress for G.'s baby doll and she wanted to knit too, we had a blast with her. They both recieved gifts from an online friend, she absolutely loved her new words game, and they also got a surprise from another online friend (but pictures are missing). I have been inventoring the fabrics I bought this year (I broke badly my commitment of not buying any fabrics!). I have also inventoring my threads to see what colours do I need. To finish of, we have our own little Santa!!!

Preparing Christmas III: advent calendar

After last year's calendar - which we loved and was fun - I wanted to make a new one that would last longer and probably use it for a few years. I had the idea in mind for a while, and I have actually been collecting matchboxes for years. First, I had to figure out how to arrange the 24 boxes in order to get a Christmas tree shape, that was the hardest part.

Once I was happy with it, I started wrapping boxes in a gold paper. Three for the top, then two rows of 2, three rows of 3 and then two rows of 4. I was ready to glue each block on top of the other. I realised the white from the boxes was stained and just old, so with a blue shinny deco tape I covered them. Easy peasy! And how would I pull them out? A solution was needed and I covered that with ribbon. I make holes in each box, I've put a knotted piece of ribbon through it and secure in place with tape on the inside.

To finish I painted the numbers with a red ink but it faded a bit and they look rather pink... blhaaaac. It is even harder to see in the photos. And there, a new advent calendar for the family. Instead of  the activities/actions to make together this year, I was a bit lazy and just put sweets in each box/day. =/

Preparing Christmas II: Santa Wraping Box

At G.'s kindergarden, we were asked to have her picking one of her toys for a gift exchange with the other kids. It had to be hers (we couldn't buy a new one) and it had to be wrapped by us. And we could use our creativity to do so. She picked a huge Garfield shaped back pack that she never wore in her life, but it was too big to fit a shoe cardbox, so I had to use a slightly bigger one from a plastic swimming pool. I had the idea in my mind of using a Santa hat, somehow, to make it. I then did a quick search on google and the idea was finished and turned into something real. Using different paper colours, I cut the shapes, add the glue and she glued it to the box (with some help of course). When we were finished we had a cute Santa as the wrapping to her gift. I was really proud of it. And I loved making it with her!

Oh, and if you don't get it why it is the second post of preparing Christmas, you can see the first thing I made HERE. 

Glimpse of our last week #23

This is where I show you bits and parts of our week behind the scenes.

We're on the countdown to Christmas and it is going faster than I hoped for. Why is it that there's always so much to do around this time of the year? And I just keep adding things to the list! It was a good week. Again. Me and the kids met some online friends for the first time, we spent a short but nice time together as our girls played together. I made a Christmas wreath for the first time. I had both the kids doing inhalations - they so love it!!! I was given more clothes for refashion and had to re-organize my refashion closet. I made the first Christmas gifts (it was about time). Finished another pattern test (can I say my favourite thing  from the latest months?!!!). I recieved a copy of Constança's book from my bloggy friend Patrícia. Santa was homework from G. and last but not least, I was on a secret friend gift exchange and I got my present... way too cool I can tell you! Best Christmas gift ever (after my sewing machine *hehe*). 

Mãos à Obra

Note: I usually don't write any posts in portuguese here, but I will open an exception today because I will be talking about a book, and so far, it has only been published in portuguese. Scroll down for the english how to... to my craft. 

Eu, juntamente com outras amigas bloggers, decidimos fazer uma surpresa à autora do livro Mãos à Obra, a Constança Cabral. Sim, a Concha, do blogue Saídos da Concha. O livro saiu no passado mês de Outubro e para já, foi apenas editado em português. Assim que hoje, algumas de nós vamos falar-vos de projetos do livro que nos inspiraram. A minha cópia, foi uma prenda de uma querida amiga e no mesmo instante em que o recebi, andei a ver atentamente, projeto atrás de projeto. A apresentação está muito bonita, as fotografias ao nível daquilo que a autora/blogger nos tem habituado ao longo do seu percurso no blog. Todo ele é inspiração, desde receitas, bricolage, jardinagem, costura... tem um pouco de tudo para quem gosta de fazer as coisas à sua medida, ao seu gosto. Para quem gosta de dar um toque especial à casa ou preparar uma prenda especial para alguém, a partir das suas próprias mãos.  

O livro encontra-se organizado pelas quatro estações do ano, com crafts para cada uma delas. Quando tive que escolher a minha, fui direitinha à parte do Outono, mas a verdade é que esta estação está a ficar para trás e daqui a nada estamos no Inverno. Espreitei então com mais atenção os projetos de Inverno. Inspirei-me na Coroa de Natal. 

A minha porém, não é natural como a da Constança (pelo menos não a 100%). A verdade é que andava com vontade de fazer uma coroa para a nossa porta há muito tempo. Todos os anos vou adicionando uma coisa (ou muitas) à lista de coisas que quero fazer para esta altura do ano, que para mim, ganhou novo significado a partir do dia que fui mãe. A coroa, fazia parte da lista há um par de anos, no mínimo. E foi pensando nisso, que, quando desmontei a nossa árvore de natal pequenina do ano passado, joguei os pés fora e guardei o resto. Levei o ano todo a pensar que tinha de fazer a coroa, para não deixar passar quando Dezembro chegasse. Só há uns dias é que realmente meti mãos à obra, e inspirada pela coroa do livro, fiz finalmente, uma para a nossa casa. 

Querem saber como fiz a minha? Aqui vai... Comecei por cortar os ramos mais compridos da árvore com a ajuda de um alicate. Como já têm arame incluído, foi bastante fácil juntas vários ramos, formando uma coroa. Para isso, bastou-me ir enrolando uns nos outros. Poderia ter feito mais, mas os arames eram duros de roer e eu não tive paciência para mais. 

Depois, fui espreitar a minha caixa das fitas e tinha uma fita dourada que salvei há tempos de outra coisa qualquer - talvez alguma prenda que tenha recebido, e fiquei super feliz, por me aperceber que era suficiente, aliás, perfeita para a minha coroa. Fui enrolando À volta da coroa, procurando que ficasse uniforme. Dei um nó. Procurei mais um pouco e encontrei a fita vermelha, que tinha comprado para um outro projeto qualquer. Fiz um laço duplo e juntei-a à coroa, atando-a com uma fina linha (de coser) vermelha. Por fim, lembrei-me que tinha um saco cheio de pequenas pinhas que a minha rica filha apanhou o ano passado em casa da tia. Guardei-as porque, achei-as perfeitas para projetos de Natal. Como tinha comprado há pouco tinta dourada em spay, usei-a para as pinhas. Deixei secar durante a noite, mas penso que um par de horas é suficiente. 

Para finalizar a coroa, só tive que atar as pinhas à mesma. Mais uma vez, com a ajuda da linha vermelha, adicionei uma pinha de cada vez, cada uma delas,  a uma altura diferente. O marido sugeriu colar as pinhas na coroa, várias, mas assim pareceu-me mais clean, mais bonito e leve. 

E foi assim que, passados alguns anos, temos coroa na nossa porta, para receber quem nos vier visitar. A melhor parte foi ter ido buscar a miúda à escola e ver o seu entusiasmo e alegria quando viu a coroa "mamã, o pai natal passou aqui?". 

Se gostaram do nosso post, de certeza que também irão gostar dos posts que as minhas amigas têm preparados para vocês. Não se esqueçam de visitar os seus blogues, têm os links abaixo. A Sara, do blog Made by Sara, está a oferecer uma cópia do livro, por isso, se quiserem arriscar a vossa sorte corram até lá. 

Conversas de Hermanas

Fairies, Bubbles & Co

Made by Sara
Pequeno Mundo a 3
Rita Pirolita

S is for sewing 

[o livro encontra-se à venda em livrarias e hipermercados de Portugal, e online aqui]

Me and some friends (visit their links above!) are surprising Constança today, with a few projects inspired by her first book. It is all about crafts and home making. I was inspired by a wreath. It's been years since I wanted to make one myself, and this was just the perfect timing. However I didn't quite copy the book's, I just followed my own ideas. I saved an old faux Christmas tree from last year to make this. I think photos above are clear to understand how I made it, but here is goes. I cut the bigger branches from the tree, rolled them into each others and created the wreath. Then I just embellished it with things I already had at home. Golden ribbon all arounf, red ribbon for a dobble bow, and then I just spray painted a few pinecones, and attached them to the wreath with red sewing thread. Voila, it was done and ready to hang in our door. My daughter was so impressed with it. 

[the book is written in Portuguese but if you'd like to buy it and have it shipped internationally, you can do sohere]

Glimpse of our last week #22

This is where I show you bits and parts of our week behind the scenes.

Phew another week gone by. We're so close to the end of the year. The princess has a hear infeccion so she skipped school for a couple of days this past week. It shortened my sewing time and I was so tired when I put the kids to bed that I just couldn't stand up and would fall asleep too. I managed to finish a few things though... some aren't pictured here, like a pattern test. A friend had a baby boy (two weeks ago) and we visited themr (I usually visit babies when they are a little older, but she -mom- had ordered me a breastfeeding pillow and a sling so I visited them sooner than usual). S. had an appointment, and the next day he had his first soup. We've up our Christmas tree up on the first as tradition tells us to, G. and I did so, while S. sat at daddy's lap and dad would take photos of us. Us girls made our special cake, she was just so happy. I had her little hands helping me as I prepared some cards to be sent. And I made us a new advent calendar... I didn't post anything the last week... and I just realised that now. 

November Wrap Up

November was mostly a month of pattern blog tours around here. It started with Serger Peppers Everyday Tank top, which I made for myself. After testing the Rowan Tee I was also, so happy to be on Titchy Threads pattern tour with an Autumn version of the shirt for G. I was also in the pattern tour for the Uptown/Downtown dress and made G. her Christmas dress - and I can't help mentioning again how much I love it! The last pattern tour I joined was Sofilantjes' Omni Tempore shirt, with two of these: one for G. and Oh look! another one for me, within the same month!!! Between pattern tours I shared the new wallet I made for my nephew. And, last but not least, I was also in the new Sewing Series hosted by While She Was Sleeping & Nearest the Pin, Constant: Change, with two family inspired cushions. If you missed any of these and would like to check it out, just click on the images below and it will take you there. 

  

    

 

There were also some glimpses of our weeks between all the posts above mentioned. I missed one of the weeks, but there weren't really many photos to share. Again click on image if you want to check it! Thanks for being around.