Sunday, 26 February 2012

FAMILY TRADITIONS

Every Sunday my Mum, her best friend and my beautiful Aunty set out at 5am to go shopping.  They start with a local market that has local produce and 2nd hand gear.  My mum takes her time to make sure she doesn’t miss anything good, so she never makes it from the 2nd hand bit to the fruit & veg bit before her partner’s in crime hunt her down and tell her it is time to move on to the next activity. 

The next activity is garage saleing.  It is a very carefully planned event where mum’s friend, Carole, sits down the night before to plan out what is the most logical order to hit them and puts big stars on the ‘best’ ones (no bric-a-brac – very bad word!).  Before the days of the GPS, she would also look up the UBD to get all the navigation from one to the next as write it all down as well.  Now there is a GPS, they take great pride in going different ways to the poor navigator and listening to her say “wrong way, do a u-turn, GO BACK”.  In addition to completely ignoring the navigator, they usually debate over the best way to get to the next destination.  On the way home, they hit any fete’s that might be on, which usually results in a couple of yummy home made cakes or biscuits.  I know all this because I used to go, before the kids and before the sewing, but now I get to sleep in til 6am instead!  I could usually be found in the backseat of the car with a sandpit, matress, trampoline or similar on my head.
You would think that all sounded like a pretty big day, but when they get home, the real party starts.  Mum and Dad’s place is a hive of activity on a Sunday.  The extended family and friends all come for a visit to see what garage sale find they can fight over.  Dad cooks up a Sunday brunch of scrambled eggs, pizza, frittatas or sausages on the BBQ for all to enjoy.  There can be anywhere between 5 and 35 people show up throughout the day.  I take the kids and give my husband some ‘alone time’ and usually take any sewing I have got done that week to show off before it gets listed and sent off to new homes.

Sadly this week, Mum and Dad are on holiday’s, which is very inconsiderate of them, there was no Sunday get together and everyone was responsible for arranging their own breakfast... oh well, there is always next week!

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

A VALENTINE'S TO REMEMBER...

Last night my friend Fiona and had dinner together and then went to the Roxette concert who were more than adequately supported by 1927.  With the audience basically screaming the first few songs, I started to wonder whether we would actually get to hear Roxette themselves sing at all!  The atmosphere was awesome.  Lots of singing, lots of standing and dancing (which I don't normally do, but it is a little hard not to when everyone in the entire place is doing exactly that)!  A big fat boo goes out to the party poopers who grabbed onto the beach balls that were intended to be hit around and kept them as collectables.   Today I had the Roxette album in the car and the kids were dancing on the way to kindy.  Jesse didn't even mind Aaron and I singing or dancing when normally we get told very clearly "STOP that, I don't like it!".


I couldn't help but admire the europeaness of Per's outfit and started daydreaming about a new euro style dress and by the end of the concert had a lovely little image of a dress in my head which I really need to sketch before I forget it... might even get time to make it one day... if you see a 'concert dress' sometime, that is where it comes from! ha!!
I had planned to release my Splash of Colour Collection before now, which will be my 2nd official collection, but the handmade market has been a bit inundated with market nights around Valentine's Day, so I thought I would hold off for a few weeks and try to get a few rainbow dresses made to pop in the collection as well.  I have had a lot of requests for matching shirts, so the collection includes some lovely mix and match separates and so far 13 pairs of frequently requested shorts!

I have been working on a new little mission with a friend too, so keep your eyes peeled for some clues to that soon!  So exciting!

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

FOR THE LOVE OF SPLAT...

A few seasons ago on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance, one of the girls had this cute little costume which was covered in paint splats and I LOVED it.  I couldn’t quite remember what it looked like and looked online but never found a picture of it.  Since then I have had a image in my head of what it looked like and decided that I needed some like it.  

Every time I went fabric shopping, I would look for it or ask the sales assistant’s if they had anything like it (which was met with some very puzzled expressions).  I searched high and low in shops and online, but always came up with nothing.  I had gotten to the point where I didn’t think it existed... then I found SPLAT!  I nearly fell off my chair when I found it while doing random searches. 
I showed Mum and she looked at me as though I was mad and said
“YUK, it is revolting, just ask your fans!”
So I did!

Only 40% liked it, so sadly, I lost.  This did not discourage me one bit, in fact it made me want to do something awesome with it, however, when I went to buy it, it was GONE.  I looked everywhere and asked a bunch of places, but couldn’t find any more of it until someone kindly offered to order more in for me.  Phew!
So, I got it and I loved it more than any other fabric on my shelf.  I was a bit scared of it as I wanted to do something different with it and make it rock, so it sat on my shelf looking at me for some time.
My 11 year old niece flew in from Darwin for Christms and I offered to make her a dress out of any fabric on my bulging shelves and she picked this one!   I told her that her Grandma HATED it and that made her love it more as well! 
My beautiful niece, Kirralee
My niece said to me that since Grandma hated it so much, it would be soooo funny if I made something for Holly out of it too... so I did!
 
My baby girl, Holly
Here is a dress I made in an alternate colour way as well... oh splat, how I love thee!

Sunday, 6 November 2011

WHY I LOST MY SEWJO

I was totally excited about doing a fabulous Christmas Collection.  I was using a fabric that I had not seen anywhere else that I just LOVED, and yet, I couldn't finish it.
The reason why?

THIS 2 INCH PIECE OF FABRIC



Yep, I am not kidding... I have had this top sitting on the back of my couch for 3 weeks unfinished because I simply don't want to sew on this piece of fabric! I have 3 tunics waiting on belt loops like this but I just can't bring myself to finish them. I have another 10 dresses sitting 80% finished on the back of my couch too, because I don't want to make the binding.


This week, I hit my fabric shelves to make something else because I just couldn't stand the thought of sewing on those belt loops!

I am even updating my blog so I don't have to sew them on!!!

This is actually the first time I have done any assembly line type sewing... i.e. cut out all the things you want to make... and sew them in a logical way to save time.

My conclusion is that it doesn't work for me!  I love to make one dress at a time until it is finished.  I think it has so much more love in it by doing it that way and that is the way I will do it again from now on... as soon as I finish these Christmas things that is... maybe not tonight... maybe not tomorrow... but hopefully before Christmas!

Rather than a big market night, you will see things released as I finish them, listed randomly.  I think that gives everyone the best chance of getting something!

Keep your eyes peeled for
'I'm Dreaming of a Blue Christmas'


Monday, 26 September 2011

SPOOKY CUSTOM SPOTS

Random org custom spot winner is Kristy Mansfield
Creative entry custom spot winner is Karen Patterson

Karen's story appealed to me because it is amazing what a difference the internet has made in this world.  Without the internet, Karen possibly wouldn't have her little girl and I certainly wouldn't have BOO! Designs.  Thanks for sharing your beautiful story Karen.


After being single for close to 20 years, I finally found my Mr Right online. Only problem was that he lived on the other side of the world in USA. So after going to meet him (on my first ever overseas trip) we decided we wanted to be together. He loved me so much that he agreed to move here, and after telling him I was too old to have children, he still wanted me to be his wife. So we got married, and  1 month into the marriage I decided that perhaps I was not too old,  and we decided to try to have a baby. I gave ourselves the year 2010 to achieve this, and surprise surprise I was pregnant after only 2 months. And our little baby Isabella Brooklyn arrived in February this year. The most cherished of gifts that I never thought I would ever have, considering I had been single for all of my adult life. So after hearing our fairystory beginning, you might ask yourself why I deserve to have a SPOOKY outfit made by BOO DESIGNS, and the answer is simple. I want a beautiful (yet SPOOKY) outfit for Isabella to wear when we go trick-or-treating for Halloween. Because she lives here, she is going to miss out on many of the big celebrations that the other half of her extended family celebrate, like thanksgiving, 4th of July, and of course Halloween. So I really am wanting her to experience these USA celebrations in her life, despite not living there. And I also want my husband to be able to share these celebrations with his daughter, as I know it is so difficult for him to be away from his family, and to be missing out on these moments.

Fingers crossed my story moves your heart...and I am lucky to get one of these amazing outfits!!!



I would also like to share a really great entry from Shelley of Pink and Blue Nappy Cakes (she did ask to be excluded however as her husband would not be happy with her if she purchased any more things!!)


Oh there be a little girl with a heart as good as gold
And though she be quite tall, she's really not that old.
Her young life so far has been one of love and laugh and fun
But she has a goulish temper despite only being one! 

So a goulish little dress would suit her to a tee
And when she puts it on I can simply explain to thee
That she is no longer throwing tantrums, and she never ever maligns,
She's just channeling the goulishness of her dress by Boo Designs!

Thanks for playing everyone!  I will do a few more random listings with any fabric that I have left over, so feel free to drop me an expression of interest if you are interested in a particular size or style and I will see what I can do.

Thursday, 22 September 2011

SPOOKY CUSTOM SPOT



Since I have a little more Spooky in the house, I thought I would offer 
TWO paid custom spots.

This basically means, patterns and fabric permitting (depending on size), you can order what you like out of the grey Spooky fabrics. 
It will take me approx 2-3 weeks (hopefully less) to make them.

One spot will be drawn randomly
All submissions will be numbered and drawn using random.org

One spot will be drawn creatively
Be creative and submit a paragraph on why I should select you for a custom.  It can be heartfelt or funny, whatever you decide!  I will pick the winner based on the story I like the best!  The winning entry will be published here on my blog.

(If you are not feeling creative, you are welcome to just enter the random draw!!)

To submit your interest, email boodesigns@bigpond.com with the subject line 'SPOOKY'

Submissions close Monday 26 September 7PM QLD time.

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

CITY OF INSPIRATION AND DISASTERS

I recently started a new job.  I was in my old job for 13 years and although my head office was in the city, it was very rare that I would find myself there.  My job involves being contracted out to clients and I have spent time working in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Dublin, London and the lovely Blackpool, city of lights!  Whenever working locally, I would not usually work for clients based in the city.   

The first few weeks of my new job means working in head office in the city.  I am making sure I take advantage of my location, catching the train and going for lunch time walks around town. I have been having dates with my husband and it is lovely to have a hot meal together without kids screaming or sitting on our laps. It is such a hive of activity with people everywhere, crazy performers blowing whistles to get attention and bars with Samoan's dressed in blue spilling out screaming at tv screens (I guess there was a game on today and this is not a regular occurance).  All the shops and food places have changed since I last went wandering too, it almost feels like I am in another city.  Lincraft is still there though, standing strong and still carrying uninspiring, boring fabrics... I had to double check didn't I? 

I am a big fan of people watching and there
are certainly some people worth watching!

The thing I notice the most is the fashion though. 

For guys, it is all about checked shirts and pointy shoes.  I know it has been cold, but that is no reason to mistake Brisbane for Melbourne... when did Brisbane go and get so trendy?  Pink shirts, pin stripes and mixing and matching spots, stripes and checks seem very popular again, and skinny ties... SKINNY TIES, really??

For girls, there are ruffles as far as the eye can see... seems that no outfit is complete without a ruffle.  Dresses, pencil skirts and tops, they all have ruffles, mostly asymmetrical and black/charcoal, 2 of my favourite things! 






And for the disasters...

1st place: High waisted shorts with massive circle ruffles on the sides (it looked like someone took some cheap paper dinner plates and stuck them on her shorts)! 

2nd place: Denim short shorts with bum cheeks and cellulite sticking out, fabulously teamed with muffin tops and mid drift t-shirts... and what is it with the pocket lining hanging out the bottom of those shorts? 

3rd place: My husband pointed out a grown woman wearing a pair of ruffle pants! 

The city is a great place for inspiration!