A new year clean up

This year one of my resolutions is to be more organized, instead of organized kaos.  The start of school will be the real test when Alby starts prep, as well as Stella going to school and Ginger toilet raining and all that other mummy stuff that spins my brain.  I thought I would start in my studio area.  Here is some pictures of my clean space.

Last year I bought some zip lock bags for the conservation of my patterns, however it was impossible to get the air out of the bags and they just did not sit still.  After some online research I found you could buy comic book bags from amazon, 99 for about $10.  Being impatient though, I went to the local plastic bag supplier and bought 500 for $10.

This rainy weather is perfect for a spring clean in summer.  I just finished bagging my patterns and it took a while because I kept stopping to study them.  But I'm cream crackered now and will find a good storage spot tomorrow.  Oh, and I am missing a few, so I will have to search for them.  They are somewhere in this room, which is meant to be my screenprinting exposure room!

Another resolution I made was to find a way to combine sewing and art.  A collaboration of the 2.  Like Salvidor Dali's and the House of Schiaparell's  Lobster Dress. I do love a quirky print and a fab frock!

Lobster Dress

Arabian Nights

We went on a family holiday To Sunny Sawtell, which was lovely, and out of the hundreds of photos I took, these few are my favourite.  Little Ginger is such a beauty.

Aw, sigh.

What a Fabulous Pattern

At The Long and Winding Bobbin this pattern is being given away.  Can I be so lucky?

If I could paint, I'd paint a picture of you.

Not sure if I love that song by 1927, but it is definitely etched on my brain!!!

Stella has really outdone herself with her portrait painting and I am so super proud of her.  Everyone loved their portraits. Here they are, with their subjects.

Nanny Niecy and Kev

Nanny Sandra and Grandad ( sitting in opposite places to the portrait)

Ga Ga (Grandad Guy)

Kelly, Lili and Ryuji (friends in Japan)

Peter Pooh Pooh

 She is getting orders from other family members.  Next week I have booked Stella in for a face and body drawing workshop, she is going to be all over it.

Not only does she paint beautifully, she takes a mean photo.  Here is a photos Stella took of moi on Christmas day, in my pineapple dress.  Tres Glamorous!

Pineapple, yummy yummy.

I have attempted recently to make a fruity summery dress for this festive season.
I tried the infamous Butterick  4790 walkaway dress, but the waist was way too long and all that bias binding is Way to time consuming to remove.  I looked alot like a picnic blanket, eek. It's been filed in the LATER basket.
I also attempted a 90's version of the vogue 6478, in a very fruity lime print, except with a very full skirt.  The style 4337 pattern, made me look like Christmas ham, flavoured with limes.  I may be able to salvage a skirt from it, but for now it's been put in my LATER basket.

After searching Ebay and paying only $5, I found Vogue 6478, the envelope is tatty, but the pattern was unused in factory folds.  I am in love with this pattern.  It was pretty easy to make, once I ignored the unclear instructions.  I even fully lined it.  I spent some time hand stitching openings, the zip and the hem.  I am as pleased as a pineapple punch.  No alteration needed.  I really ought to stop buying prints though, it was tricky to line the pineapple up so my but wasn't ginormous!  Oh and I had to buy a new bra and wear in in a crazy way.  If I hadn't had 3 babies and breastfed them for a total of 4 years combined, I may have got a way with no bra. 
Anyhoo here are a couple of picks of my Fruity festive frock!

And here are my options for my next project.  Hmm, a skirt or a dress.....

Crying Boy

What a find. A few months ago, I found this print, unframed at a garage sale for $8.  Recently I sold some handmade treassure at a market and decide to frame my little darling.  While at the frame shop I walked into an op shop and found a girl version, for $12.  I couldn't leave her there, she needed a home, so I now ave 2 crying children. 

Why do they cry?  I don't know, but they are so lovely.  My kids are fascinated by them, as I am, but I can't keep collecting them can I?  That's a bit morbid, a house filled with crying children.
The girl print has some water damage at the bottom.  I am reluctant to change the dimensions of the print, but am unsure if I can remove the water marks, Tut!
They are both by an Artist called G or J Bragolin.  He has done numerous crying children.  But my little boy is by far the most beautiful. 
The crying boy looks a lot like Alby, except with brown eyes. 

Stella the Artist

What do you buy people who have everything?  You get your almost 7 year old to paint portraits of them.  Stella lives with a pencil in her hand and is always leaving paper everywhere, so she rose to the challenge of painting portraits.  I can't show them all, for fear of certain people seeing them, but here is a sneak peak.

Hard at work

Ginger having a go

One of the finished portraits