Happy, Happy Christmas....

Have a lovely Christmas everyone! I am going on a little blogging/Christmas break and will be back in the New Year :-) This isn't our place but a lovely little home in New Zealand, near Auckland where we went Christmas light viewing in 2006 with my brother and his wife. Such happy memories :-) Have a really special Christmas with your families and friends as we celebrate the birth of Christ and have a very safe New Years!

My Etsy and Madeit stores will be open over the holiday break but SHIPPING won't resume until Tuesday 12th January 2010.

Customer Appreciation Photos

So cute - Miss E likes her clip! These are available in my madeit.com.au shop.

Christmas wish list...

Designer Bodo Sperlein from London creates some stunning pieces, these Red Berry beauties are divine - love! I found out he designed the butterfly chandelier for Lladro that I posted on a while back. It is in fact called the Niagara chandelier!

Christmas Brownies

{brownie photo - flickr}

I don't have a photo of my actual brownies, but these come pretty close! This is the best brownie recipe which came from my friend in Brisbane via Israel where they spent some time!!! They are full of sugar and butter of course but soooooo good. I also tried cutting some into Christmas shapes with my cookie cutters but found it wasted too much brownie and they didn't hold their shape as well as hoped :-) Squares it is - enjoy!

• Melt 200g butter or marg (I use butter)
• Add 3/4 cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup choc chips (optional)
• 1 tspn flavouring (peppermint etc..) also optional
• Mix well and bake in lamington tin at 160 degrees for approx 30-40 mins

I have also added pecans or walnuts before which are nice too. I don't usually add flavouring.

Kreativ Blogger award

Mara from Piquant Jewellery rewarded me with the Kreativ Blogger award back in November - Thank you! Oooops - finally I am fulfilling my part of the deal to receive the award (sorry it took so long Mara):

7 rules to keep it growing:

1) Copy picture and post on your blog

2) Thank the person who gave it to you and link to their blog

3) Write 7 things about yourself we don't know:

1. I lived in Africa for 2.5yrs when I was very little, my parents were missionaries in Tanzania
2. I got my navel pierced in 1996 before it was 'the norm' - I only took it out when pregnant with Anya in 2007
   
3. My husband is 6.5yrs younger than me
4. I have been skydiving in New Zealand
   
5. I have two African sponsor children and would love to see Poverty made History in my lifetime
   
6. Mangoes are my favourite fruit
   
7. I can wakeboard
   

4) choose 7 other bloggers to pass the award to, and

5) link to those 7 other bloggers

I've chosen some Aussie blogs to award :-)

1. Jordan from Polkadot prints
2. Yana from White Mouse Creations
3. Natalie from Claire Rose
4. Jennifer from Vividity
5. Rachel from Little Angel Little Devil
6. Vicki from Rockstars and Royalty
7. Penny from So Sew Poppy
   

Next thing on the list...

6) Notify your 7 bloggers

Posie Patchwork Pencil Roll - product review

Jen from Posie Patchwork gave Anya the most delightful pencil roll for her 2nd birthday. Anya absolutely loves it! She loves putting the pencils back in the 'right place' - which is their colour co-ordinated compartments. She loves to draw and takes special care with these pencils which are also lovely thick and easy to hold for children. A really unique birthday or Christmas gift for someone you love.

Rock Candy Chandelier - Once Wed

How cool! I came across this cool DIY project on a wedding website called Once Wed - Designer weddings for less. I wish there was stuff like this around when I got married!! They would make beautiful christmas Decorations also!

Barnyard Birthday fun

What a great idea for a themed birthday party! This was a birthday party for my lovely friend Cilla's niece who turned two. How cute are the animal biscuits especially! I'll have to save this one for down the track :-)

Christmas projects - wreath

Here is a lovely Christmas project for those of you who were sitting around twiddling your thumbs wondering what else you had to do for Christmas!! It's a technique that has done the rounds from headbands to belts etc.. but always comes up trumps. The ruffly felt wreath came from Kristen at Domestifluff via Design Sponge.

Monday Musings - Ultrasound

I have had the pleasure of enjoying a live-in-nanny for an entire week_read_ sister-in-law visiting... but that all ends today when she flies back up north! Here is my 20 week ultrasound pic - I just had to share it because it is so amazing and clear - I love the waving! It cost a fortune - I think I was helping to pay the new machine off. Thank goodness for Medicare in this great country we live in - where I could claim part of the expense back. My sister-in-law babysat Anya while Gordon and I got to go off and have lunch, ultrasound and finish our Christmas shopping! Hurray. We had a lovely weekend too - how about you?

Friday favourites - GOOP

My sister-in-law is visiting from out of town and showed me how to make Goop with Anya yesterday! Cornflour and water folks... apparently you can add food colouring or glitter etc.. but I like hosing just the natural products onto the lawn without any extras. Anya had a ball! What an easy, in-expensive activity. Great for tactile stimulation as it is hard and soft all at the same time... Try it and you will know what I mean. Very cool.

Cushion - with Ink and Spindle fabric

I have never made a cushion cover before but wanted to use my lovely Ink and Spindle fabric (on the left - Bloem in white) for something around my home. I have two old brown suede-like cushions that needed freshening up - so this is the first cover I made. I did use a mis-matched weighted linen (because that is all I had) and it probably should have been the same weight but it turned out ok. I used Lara's tutorial (from I&S) on invisible zips as a quick tut for the cushion cover itself. The plain linen kept catching the little slubs as I sewed a straight line :-( Has anyone else had that problem? I did a quick search on Wiki and it did mention that slubs are actually defects associated with low quality linen (good to know) next time I buy some linen!!

All he wants for Christmas

How I would dearly love to send my gorgeous husband to Italy for this course (with me, pregnant belly and 2yr old in tow of course). My husband loves design and typography and we have lots of lovely old books on the subject, some belonging to my grandfather who was a commercial artist. I was fortunate enough to go to Europe in 2000 but didn't make it to Italy. Gordon has never been - so there is plenty of Europe left for both of us to explore... one day.
Image

Grace Designs on Pascale Wowak Photography blog

Pascale takes amazing photos and was lovely enough to include a couple of my white felt hair clip on a recent outing/photo shoot for Courtney Courtney. I love seeing my pieces in real life! On real little people :-) Mind you I would happily wear this one too.

And the winner is..... Jessie La Throum

Jessie from Inside the Paper Box has won my giveaway through Sew Mama Sew!! Hoorah! Please contact me so I can send off your goodies. Thank you :-)

Monday Musings - Christmas prep

The start of the "Christmas party/wrapping up the year" season has begun for us! We had our first party on Saturday night. Our tree went up at the end of November but unfortunately I didn't take any photos of us putting it up - it was so nice to see Anya so excited! We have even been playing carols. I always swore I would have a "mummy tree" and a "kiddie tree" but I was very self controlled and let Anya decorate, including one of her decorations we made together and I didn't even move any after she went to bed! ha ha .....I may have directed the placements just a little ;) My Christmas shopping is 3/4 done! yipeeeeee. I hope you had a lovely weekend.

***Last day to enter the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway***

Finally a Kokeshi to call my own

Oh I love her - not enough to name her mind you! I found 'her' in a news agency in the city! I was buying a card walked past this stand and did a double take - the prices were amazingly CHEAP! I had to do a tug of war with my two year old! This is Mummy's doll - you have your Babushkas *giggle* - how old am I?! Happy weekend.

Polka Luka - Exhibition & Sale 10th Dec 09

Polka Luka has lovely things - you won't be disappointed!! So come on over to the Front cafe @Lyneham and do some Christmas shopping. I lurve her jewellery.

December Giveaway Day - Sew Mama Sew: CLOSED

Fabulous time of the year for a giveaway don't you think?!?! I am finally participating in a Sew Mama Sew giveaway day - huzzah. I am giving away not one but three pieces of hair candy (colours vary slightly than the ones pictured)!

1. African Violet felt headband in pale pink
2. Rose felt headband in lolly pink
   
3. Red felt hair clip

For your chance to go in the draw to win, simply:

1. Become a fan of Grace Designs on Facebook then leave a comment on this post letting me know what your facebook name is
   
2. Comment on this blog post and tell me what your favourite item is - in my etsy or madeit store (you can choose from either the sold or for sale sections) or what you would like to see more of!
   

Be sure to go also to the Sew Mama Sew blog and check out the fabulous list of contributors for more chances to win some super prizes! The winner will be drawn by the random generator then I will contact the winner for a postal address.

Giveaway opens Dec 2nd - closes Dec 6th (USA time). Your items will be shipped by Dec 12th.

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS if you have 'noreply blogger' status set - otherwise I can't contact you if you win! thanks x

International participants are very welcome!

Child-free weekend in Sydney

@Doyles

Hubby turned a significant number in Nov so we swanned off to Sydney to celebrate in style. First stop: dropping Anya off at my parents place :-) We stayed at the Amora hotel which I had never heard of but it was a lovely 5 star hotel in a great location - walking distance to every where we wanted to go. I am obsessed with a good bath - this was lovely and deep!! We walked into the rocks for a browse and then off to Doyles for dinner. Doyles is the most expensive fish and chip place you will eat at - but the view was fabulous - the opera House in front and Harbor Bridge off to the side - it was a lovely balmy night - just perfect! You can just see the Opera House behind the crowd of people that came into my shot of dinner!!!! We strolled around the harbour until it was time to see our movie - An Education at the Dendy. It was an excellent watch - a well told story and the lead Carey Mulligan was superb.

QVB

The Strand Arcade

The next day we spent shopping and playing tourists. We had breakfast at the QVB (Queen Victoria Building) where Gordon also tried on a $2,500 Versace suit! Sorry Mr Versace - a little out of our price range :-) We did end up getting a lovely suit from Oxford with birthday money (hurray for family). The christmas decorations were lovely in the CBD!! I didn't get any decent photos of the Swarovski Christmas tree in the QVB but you can see some here - they were stunning. It took 40 hours to construct with 72 people - impressive! We had such a fabulous time away doing our own thing, missed the little one a smidge but thoroughly enjoyed our adult only time. Excuse the poor quality of my mobile phone pictures!!!

Grace Designs on Madeit newsletter

This was a lovely surprise in my inbox today! My African Violet headband featured on today's email from madeit.com.au It's the Aussie equivalent of Etsy :-) Visit my store here. More about my lovely weekend adventures tomorrow.

Friday favourites - Element Clay Studio

How divine are these! Element Clay Studio has some truly beautiful things in their Etsy store. As you know I love macro photos and I also love nature and artists who reflect this in their creations and Heather Knight does just that, really really well!! I am also really appreciation clay work at the moment. I'd love one of these tiles on my wall!

1. Fungi Micro Tile
   
2. Split leaf bowl

Amy Butler Barcelona Skirt - pattern review

Finally I have finally finished my Amy Butler Barcelona skirt! I received that pattern back in May and bought my material in July.... here we are November and I wore it today for the first time. Sooo comfortable, I love things that sit on my hips low. This skirt is truly so QUICK and EASY! I will probably make a layered one too (on the pattern cover) but that may take another 6 months ;) If you have the pattern sitting in your cupboard, get it out and make it this weekend! You could definitely do it in an afternoon. If you have any doubts about what an invisible zipper foot looks like (for the invisible zip) then hop on over to Lara's blog Kirin Notebook for a fabulous tutorial on invisible zips (on a pillow - but it's all the same principal). Happy sewing and YAY for finishing projects. PS: If you are new to my blog that is a baby - not beer belly!!! 4.5months along.

One of my brides..

This is the lovely Melanie from the States who wore one of my satin rosette hair combs with her birdcage veil. Melanie added the feathers. What a gorgeous photo and couple! I loved getting this photo - it's always nice to see your handy work in action. Thanks Melanie :-)
{Photo courtesy of - Susie Linquist}

New Listings in my Etsy shop

I have listed some new items in my etsy and madeit stores including these darling rose bloom headbands. Great for Christmas - summery and cheery :-) I can make smaller ones for the little ones too!