There's a first for everything....

...and today I dyed some clothes!  I've never tried it before, but had a denim skirt that was too faded and an white kid's t-shirt that was stained a little.  So, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some RIT dye (I know there are much better out there, but it was readily available!), and did it in the washing machine!  Scary I know...it' looks like they have turned out great though, and before I bleach the washing machine, I'm going to throw in some bamboo diapers and dye them purple! 

To clean the machine, I'm going to run a load of white towels and bleach through...if they come out white, we should be safe!  (Just to make sure, I'll likely run dark loads through first after the whites)

I did cheat a little...it said to dissolve the dye in 2 cups of water first, then add...I just filled 2 inches of hot water in the machine then stirred in the dye, wet the shirt under the hot water filling the machine, and let it go.  I did wet the skirt in the sink as the washing machine quit filling before I was ready ;).  I also was supposed to let it agitate for 30 mins, but my sweet daughter turned off my timer for me, and I forgot to reset the machine before it drained and rinsed...OOPS!  My fault.  But I had dumped in the whole package of dye so I think it still worked!

Fun experiment, hope the diapers are just as fun!

G'day!

Well, today I feel like, well...JUNK!  Combine the last two nights of getting about 4 or 5 hrs. of sleep, with 3 or 4 out of my 5 kiddos paying me visits throughout the night, and throw in a head cold...let's just say I don't have much to give today.  Which means???  You pull out the big guns and offer to pay your kids to clean the house, and wash the dirty clothes, and mop the floors and well, just do EVERYTHING!!!!  It helps that they are all madly saving for Ipods ;)....so they can earn, and I can rest...sort of...in theory anyway...

Funnily enough, it makes me want to be creative...which makes me want to organise my sewing corner...  I would love to totally redo it one day.  Right now, it is just a corner in my bedroom....  I'd love to do a giant armoir look along one wall of my room where I can hide it away when it's a mess, but go crazy when creativity strikes :)...right now it's just a mess LOL  Maybe I'll post pics when I start organising?

I have been somewhat creative lately, I bought a pattern for Ellie, to make her some dresses...speaking of her, she needs a diaper change...anyone want to earn 25 cents????  rofl...

Wow, so long...

...since I have posted!  I had no idea it had been so long!  I guess that's what happens when life is busy!  We had a sickly winter with literally 2 - 3 days between illnesses...so thankful that we've now had a couple of healthy weeks...it has been great! 

The weather here has been absolutely beautiful lately, so we have made sure to get outside often...trying to kill of some germs and strengthen little bodies!  The peach trees are budding, as are the cherry bushes!  Can't wait to have homegrown fruit again...sooooo much better than what you can buy in a store.  I think everyone should plant fruit trees...little work, but huge benefits!  My hyacinths are also blooming...they are such a gorgeous flower, although the youngest DD likes to pick off each little flower :)

I have been sewing, although not near as much as I would have liked!  Here's a dress/hat that I made yesterday

I had purchased the fabric through a coop, it is designed by one of the mommas, and when I went to the Goodwill thrift store, they had someone donate a bunch of NEW baby t-shirts and were selling them for .49 cents each...ummm I grabbed about a dozen LOL  So, I used top half of one of them for the bodice of this dress, and the bottom half of the t-shirt I refashioned into a newsboy-style hat!  I still need to tweak the hat a little for a better fit, and add a little embellishment to the bodice, but am happy with it! 

I also made a few Newborn cloth diapers for my sweet sister in Australia who is expecting her first baby!!!!  Was so much fun to make...almost hard to mail them off!  Here they are...

 

And I know there is more, but can't think what off the top of my head!  

Anyway, that's enough for now, hope to be back soon!

Proof...

That I have actually been sewing...just not blogging...oops!  I am part of a Facebook group that is attempting to sew 1 hr. a day/7 hrs. a week for our kids...I don't always meet the goal, but it's helping me stay on track. :)  Here's what I've been up to...well, I'll have to link to the FB pictures as Blogger is messed up right now!

Here, here, here, and here, oh, and here :) And I would upload a picture of THE shoe, but Blogger is mean!

Sewing challenge...

...just to let you know I have made one itty-bitty shoe :), although not quite managing the "one a week" yet!  I am hoping I'll have a chance this weekend to cut out several projects so that they are ready whenever I get a minute to sew! 

Home again :)

Last Wednesday we headed out for a last camping trip before we started school for the year...it was great!  It was also nice because we went the week after the public schools started back, so we had the cream of the crop to choose from for camp sites. :)  One of the benefits of home-schooling...  We had the river just down some steps with a great spot for the kids to fish and swim.  We had Grandma along with the cousins and Aunt Dandi, we had a blast!  I think that one of the best family activities you can do is to go camping!  You work together setting up camp, then you play together enjoying the outdoors, cook together, sing together, and eat together!  Your husband gets up during the night to take the kids to the bathroom, sees skunks around the campsite, so you decide that you are NOT going to the bathroom during the night, no matter what! ;)  That would be one way to ruin a camping trip...  You get to see deer, pet deer, black squirrels, brown squirrels, skunks, armadillos, frogs, what fun!  You get to ride bikes, climb mountains (big hills in my opinion lol), swim the river, tube the river, swing off rope swings....lots to do together, we love it!  I don't get outside much at home, so camping for me is wonderful!  I miss being able to walk around the neighbourhood at night (due to lots of dogs on the loose) like we do a lot in Australia, also riding bikes is hard due to the same reason!  Although we have now invested in bottle clips for our bikes, and have started carrying wasp/hornet spray!  Not only does it kill wasps (which we found out the hard way that our son is allergic to...) it can also blind dogs or attackers from 20 feet away apparently, so maybe we can get out and about more now.

More mail!

Lookee!!!  See what I got?  Ain't it purty?   Here's some diaper fabric (PUL)...

And some oh-so-cute flannel/flannelette material!!!  I purchased it from Stephanie at IttybittyFabric on etsy.  I absolutely L-O-V-E-D it when I saw it!  :)  Not sure what I'll make from it, but am leaning towards maybe a little nightie/pj pant set for Ellie maybe?  Any ideas?  It is just sooooo stinkin' cute!

I absolutely loved doing business with Stephanie, she was so sweet and a lot of fun.  AND she's a mom to 9 kids!  So check her fabric store out, and while you're at it she also sells cloth diapers here, and here which is actually how I "found" her.  :)  Her diapers are so cute, and her prices are awesome.  So if you need any cloth diapers, and don't want to sew your own, send her your business....she's great to work with :)  If you go to her Facebook page, you can check out her fabrics.  I never liked minky till I saw hers...LOL...one day....