finding time

Auckland Art & Craft Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:35:00 +0000

Next week I'll be taking Made Time to the Auckland Art & Craft Fair. It's a fantastic fair held in the foyer of the Aotea Centre in Auckland.

There will be nearly 100 artists and crafters showing their wares, and is a wonderful shopping experience.

You can read about me in an interview on the Fair blog.

Nearby Aotea Square will have the ice rink up - a fun day out in Auckland City perhaps?

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:57:00 +0000

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Have heard a bit about Bloglovin' recently, so am in the process of moving my reading list... liking the daily updates, and the interface...

a good start

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:43:00 +0000

The last month has just flown by in this house - it's been a never-ending run of tummy-bugs, viruses and other ailments along with the usual frenzy of activity that comes at the year draws to a close.

My mind has been largely occupied with stocking up the Made Time shop. I'm not talking dozens of sets, but just a nice mix and a few different sizes to get things going.

I was rewarded with several sales in the first two weeks which for me was hugely encouraging... one order led to some custom made mattresses too, so here's hoping for more like that with Christmas coming.

The range has expanded with sheets, custom made mattresses, and a fashion doll size, which has all been an enjoyable process...

... and you can now visit me on Facebook too!

perambulator

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 06:19:00 +0000

In a moment of madness this week I rescued this old pram from the bonfire pile at my mum-in-laws. It's the family pram - my husband and his siblings rode in this in the early 70's.

"Pedigree" Pram - probably 1960's

I thought I might try to "fix it up a bit" and use it as a prop. Or sell it on. Or give it away. Or something....

But I couldn't let it go on the Guy Fawkes bonfire, could I?

made time - finally

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:09:00 +0000

The last few weeks have seen me officially "launch" (if you could call it that!) my little venture - "made time".

As I mentioned back in March (!) I've made time to make some sweet bedding sets for all those beloved dolls and softies out there. Put them to bed in style... I use quality cottons, ginghams and modern prints from popular designers to create these quilt and pillow sets.

I had a bit of a false start earlier this year - my plans all went on hold while we packed up and moved house. I thought I should get it all sorted and hopefully capture some Christmas shoppers.

I have started a Facebook page - which I will keep updated with all my current designs and sets. I'll be doing sheet sets and even some little refurbished beds complete with bedding too.

I have a some styles listed on HERE on Trade Me, and this is a little showcase of my current wares on Felt:

$35.00

$35.00

$35.00

$35.00

$35.00

friday

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:28:00 +0000

It's Friday at last. It's sunny, at last, after a damp, couch-sitting Olympic-watching week.

I've been outside today, into the garden to cut some flowers. Our new garden has revealed these beautiful camellias.

I went to check the mail, and saw that there is a magnolia with fat, furry buds ready to bloom near the driveway.

I am looking forward to what else this garden will offer up in the coming moths.

I visited the hens. Many eggs being laid by the girls lately - spot the double-yolker!

I decided to bake myself something delicious - a batch of these lovely buttermilk scones - filled with apricots, cranberries and currants. The recipe, by Annabelle White, can be found here.

(and I am sneaking in a bit of knitting before I start some work!)

book bag

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:33:00 +0000

If you have kids in junior classes in NZ you'll know all about those "book bags" that they take to school, to bring home their readers and work in.

The standard issue bags from the school office or stationers are made of a plastic backed rip-stop type fabric. After a few months of being squashed into a school bag, the plastic backing starts to crumble and ends up through everything.

I knew the time had come to sort this out and make something more durable and personal. A few months back I went to Handmade 2012 in Wellington and did an applique workshop with Nin McKay. I asked Carly to draw me a picture, and I would applique it for her. She drew a lovely simple little butterfly, which I traced and made a pattern from. Carly chose some fabric scraps for the design.

I had an old pair of Lee jeans saved (I had worn through the knee in one leg). I thought the denim would make a great backing for the applique, and also a good strong and washable bag.

The legs of the jeans yielded enough fabric to make the book bag, and I used left over fabric scraps for the binding and a lining inside the top flap. The velcro was snipped from the original book bag.

We're pleased with the result, and it's all packed ready for the start of Term 3 tomorrow.

this is why...

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:39:00 +0000

... there has been such an absence lately: We have moved. Not far, but moved all the same.

A chunk of our recent lives has been spent sorting out, packing up, moving, unpacking, sorting out etc. I have been living somewhat under a rock for the past 3 months or so.

But it's behind us, the dust is settling, and when school and kindy goes back in a couple of weeks, I might even find some time to get back to the things I love.

made time

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:31:00 +0000

I've been busy lately - making time to make some sweet things.

For all those beloved dolls and softies out there - I've made some stylish bedding to tuck them up in at night.

Making these has been lovely work for me... playing with some gorgeous fabrics and thinking about what might make little girls (and their mums) happy.

I also wasn't very happy with what I'd seen around to buy, which wasn't much. I know that crafty mums will have it covered, but my sets will make great gifts.

I've been using a range of cottons, ginghams and lovely prints from the "Walk in the Woods" range by Aneela Hoey, and "Cape Ann" by Oliver+S. Ruffles and ric rac add the finishing touches.

Visit my Felt shop to see more...

http://felt.co.nz/shop/madetime

eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:36:00 +0000

Recently we got some new hens. Lovely Black Leghorns, three of them.

Today I discovered these beauties tucked in the back of a nest. There's been no laying whilst they've been settling in. Fern's comb is bright red and floppy again, so she's the one. Aren't they lovely milky white eggs?

Here are the girls. Fern, Oprah and Emerald. (Emerald is in front there, with the lovely green feathers on her back - she reminds me of a Tui.)

holiday efforts

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:55:00 +0000

The top of my list of "things to do in the holidays" was "do some sewing". I did some sewing, but not nearly enough. By the time I'd gotten through the enormous pile of mending, hemming, re-buttoning and the like*, actual project time was minimal.

And summer holidays are just that - holidays - which meant time away, time out doing things, working round our house/property, and generally making the most of our time together as a family.

Luckily though, I did squeeze in a couple of things...

I finally made Adam's bath robe - I made Carly's last year.

Pattern: Beach Robe by Dana @ Made

I finally replaced all our sad old kitchen face-wipers with a stack of bright new ones (after making 6 I got sick of them).

Towelling squares backed with printed cotton.

I finally finished this laptop sleeve - I started it last winter and it lay in a half-done state after much unpicking of seams.

Pattern: Simple Laptop Sleeve by Elizabeth Hartman @ Sew Mama Sew

Tomorrow I will be sorting through all the stacked up projects - both yarn and fabric - and do some prioritising.

*Why do I always put off the mending? I was in the mood one day and whipped through the whole lot and it took about a quarter of the time I had expected.

merry Christmas to me, from me.

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:24:00 +0000

The Christmas shopping is finished. I love it when I can say that. I'm looking at all the wrapped up parcels and the few that still need doing, feeling all smug and satisfied. Ah, the joy of giving. Where's my list again? Better check it twice.

All that retail therapy. It's dangerous. I go out to get a specific something and spend a whole lot of time window shopping with myself in mind.

Last weekend was the Auckland Art & Craft Fair at the Aotea Centre, and what a great dose of therapy that was. Could not resist these lovely things - merry Christmas to me, from me...

Lovely new bag by Jacolily Design (I spent way too long choosing this - all the designs are fantastic) - the workmanship is just beautiful too.

Lovely new necklace by Reignbow

Lovely star for the Christmas tree by The Little White Box

And Santa, if you're listening, I'd like a pair of these in a 7 please!

Christmas mail - or lack thereof

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 01:27:00 +0000

Comments by a few people on Facebook yesterday have left me feeling disgruntled with the way social media has destroyed some of the traditions that we all grew up with.

With a lot of my family overseas, sending Christmas cards with a letter and photographs each December was essential communication, as well as the season's greeting.

These days with Facebook everyone can communicate across the miles in a click. Photos uploaded and the perpetual 'status update' keep everyone informed of the goings-on. No need for that Christmas card or letter anymore! Sorry, but I refuse to let social media steal this one tradition from me.

Writing the cards does take some time and effort. This year, Carly and I sat down on a rainy Sunday afternoon and worked away at it. Carly took her time, writing the names of a few special friends on some little cards. I liked that she wanted to do it, and it was a nice time for us together.

So, back to those comments - one person laughed and said they didn't know anyone who wrote cards anymore, let alone received them. And another "couldn't be bothered". I'd like to believe that these people are in the minority. Am I right?

When we're done with last year's received cards - we get out the circle punch and make a whole lot of circles - these come in handy for gift tags, and making your own Christmas cards - you can see the ones I made a few years ago in this photo. There are many things to do with a 50mm circular punch - an essential piece of a equipment I think!

tree house

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:17:00 +0000

After reading about Heleen's lovely plastic bag bunting (shown on her boys' play hut) - I wanted to share something that Grant found time to make recently.

A tree house is something Grant has always talked about building - and after purchasing a nail gun to do some roofing this year - all kinds of wooden construction possibilities opened up.

The tree was selected, the materials assembled - all sorts of offcuts and left overs, bits of our old deck. It took shape surprisingly quickly - thanks to the nail gun.

Needless to say the kids like it a lot, and now that summer is here will certainly spend some more time in it. It will get used more in years to come, as they get older and more confident playing away in our garden by themselves.

And now, it needs some colour! Perhaps some plastic bag bunting....

turning five

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:52:00 +0000

My recent absence from this space is largely due to this fact. I had no idea that such an occasion would consume us as a family, for such a period of time.

Yes, Carly has seen her fifth birthday come and go. Now she is a big school girl, enjoying every moment of her new life. (This was not true of the build-up however, clinging onto us, kindergarten, being four - but that's another story.)

Hard to believe that 5 years ago we were new parents, with all of this ahead - all those moments when we chuckled about the future, wondering what this little baby would be like when she started school. Well, here we are.

I thought I'd share here a little of this time. Such a time of change for our family - with a new routine, and also with Adam starting kindy too.

But we did have a lot of fun celebrating! We settled on a Woodland Fairy theme for the birthday party - you can see some of the things that inspired us over on my Pinterest board.

We made number "5" biscuits as treats for the kindy kids.

I sewed 11 metres of fabric bunting in reds/white - which is great as we'll be able to use this so much in the future. The most fun we had though, was making a "birthday tree". We concreted a big old oak branch into a bucket and decorated it with fairy lights and glass baubles. We pegged Carly's birthday cards to it as she was opening her presents.

We set up the garage for the kids, with tables and chairs - also a mat for a few of the obligatory party games. In a moment of madness I decided to make these felt toadstools - used for a game of "musical toadstools" and also for sitting on during pass the parcel.

We found some lovely little concrete garden ornaments on Trade Me - toadstools, and a fairy door. The cake was made by my wonderful friend Vanessa, and was almost too good to eat.

Fun with fake flowers and butterflies in pots. Toadstool pinata debris on the lawn.
Fairy nectar to drink. Lovely birthday cards.

Excited on her first day of school.

last days

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Sunshine this afternoon had Adam asking to go to the beach. Sure, I said. So we did.

O'Neill Bay (via Bethells Beach)

These are the last days of our little weekly routine - next week is Carly's last at kindy. I'm trying to make the most of it... hard to believe that in a few short weeks my baby will be five.

tunes

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 02:02:00 +0000

I have a new song doing loops in my head... don't you hate that? A song stuck on repeat, but the same short section, over and over. Fortunately, the song is a good one. This one in fact:

Josh Pyke - The Summer sweet, sentimental, slightly melancholic... I would have loved this song as a teenager.

If I could bottle up the sea breeze I would take it over to your house
And pour it loose through your garden
So the hinges on your windows would rust and colour
Like the boats pulled up on the sand for the summer
And your sweet clean clothes would go stiff on the line
And there’d be sand in your pockets and nothing on your mind

I don't spend a lot of time with new music - but I am loving this feature in the iTunes store - preview all.

A generous one minute and thirty seconds of every track. A great way to take in a new artist or an old favourite.

am I a.... housewife?

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:49:00 +0000

I suppose I am. Why is that not good enough? For me, I mean. By today's standards it's just not enough is it, to stay at home, raise your children, make a comfortable, clean and loving home. Are you really "contributing"?

I've caught myself talking-up my contract work, making out that I'm not just a housewife. I get annoyed with myself when I forget to pay a bill, or leave some seemingly simple task undone for days because I forgot, or got distracted. Surely with all that time on my hands I should be super-organised and on top of it all?

Well, you do what you can don't you.

For those of you at the domestic coal-face 24-7 - this post at The Quiet Home via Attic24 is highly recommended.

Slowly I am reconciling myself to my present occupation - accepting it - embracing it. I've had five years. So here's to another five. May I be a proud card-carrying housewife (with a splash of paid work thrown in).

I don't know how lucky I am really. I get to take the kids to kindy and hang out there for a while and produce masterpieces like this.
"Still Life with Fruit" by Lesley Webb, age 36, Waitakere Kindergarten.

drawstring Lego mat

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:32:00 +0000

Home alone with the kids, and only the rugby to keep me company, meant a night with my sewing machine here in the lounge.

The kids have a growing Lego collection. It frequently needs to be shovelled back into the large container it occupies - any parent of a Lego kid knows just how far that stuff spreads out.

I've seen this drawstring bag / mat around the internet (just search "Lego playmat"), so I put one together on Saturday night. I used my round mat in the conservatory as a template (about 110mm diameter). It's a heavy printed cotton on the outside, and red polar fleece on the inside.

I didn't follow any particular pattern - made a simple half-inch hem on the outer fabric with a buttonhole opening on the fold for the drawstring. The fleece lining was cut ever so slightly smaller with pinking shears, and zigzagged onto the outer piece.

I have to admit my design is flawed, as it doesn't gather up completely closed due to the bulk of the fabric. I could create a channel for the string further down the bag, but it will do for the time being.

EDIT - I have recently found a great tutorial for this kind of Lego sack - click through to Make it Perfect's Lego Sack Tutorial

a robe for Carly

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:14:00 +0000

After seeing Heleen's post about Dana's beach robes, I felt all inspired to have a go.

The recent purchase of this oldie (but goodie) Babylock also had me looking for an article of clothing to test it out on - something practical, and forgiving.

And here's my effort... I'm pleased! Carly is too.

My bias binding technique improved as I went along, and despite all the making of that tape, it's completely worth it. I also added a patch pocket to the front.

This is the large size, and I think it's fine for my nearly 5 year old. I used two bath sized towels bought from a clearance store. I did add plenty of extra length - a kind of patchwork of strips of toweling left over from cutting the pieces, all serged together. It's fine though.

So now to make one for the boy - in red!

middle class?

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:21:00 +0000

So, how do you define middle-class? Do you think you are?

"In the middle class - we aspire to be the same" - read the article here. If you're a Crown Lynn collecting, natural product loving, Home & Garden magazine reading person, take a look.

A friend of mine posted this link up on Facebook yesterday - it's from the Sunday Star Times, and it's really quite confronting, and on some levels - perhaps a little close to home.

It certainly provoked some discussion in my house.

The kids enjoying an elevated view of Auckland in the sunshine last week - Scenic Drive, Waitakere Ranges.

road to colour

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 09:42:00 +0000

The "Road to Colour" quilt exhibition was held last weekend in Waimauku. The exhibition was run by All Things Patchwork, and was a showcase of quilts made using predominantly Westminster Fabrics (Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler).

It really was a sight to behold, row upon row of incredible quilts, bursting with colour and confidence. This is certainly the kind of patchwork/quilting that inspires me.... I took some photos of the ones that I really liked - but there were a lot of Kaffe quilts which were equally amazing.

I really love this one.

A huge amount of work in this.

This was so beautiful, made with scraps.

This is my favourite, I'd love something like this on my bed.

adam's quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 22:17:00 +0000

So, here's something I haven't talked much about here, that occupied several weeks of my recent life.

I finished my first ever quilt - for Adam. I managed to get it all finished in time for his third birthday a few weeks ago.

Planning the blocks - this was a "Sixes and Twelves" pattern by Cheryl Houston, made with 9 fat quarters.

I did a Beginner's Patchwork class up at All Things Patchwork, with Cheryl Houston. The class was great with just three of us and Cheryl. Over 4 evenings we learned to cut, piece our blocks, sash and bind.

The front.

Adam chose most of the boyish prints - and I added the greys, orange and lime. I had to restrain myself from not taking over when it came to the fabrics - after all, this is his quilt.

The quilting itself was done by a professional long-arm quilter (Sandy/Quilt Me Creations) - my small machine would certainly not handle it, and I would be terrified to mess it up after all my hard work on this first quilt. Sandy had loads of pantograms to choose from, so I chose this swirling pattern which I think works well with the fabrics.

The back - should have ironed it shouldn't I?!

It was all and incredibly enjoyable experience, and a learning curve too. I am now planning a quilt for Carly - to be finished for her fifth birthday late October. (It will feature the famous "Sherbert Pips" which I for one cannot resist).

liberation

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:41:00 +0000

Recently I've enjoyed a short, deliberate absence from the internet.

One day I just decided, on the spot, to liberate our lounge room from computers. Right there and then I shifted my computer, and related clutter back out to it's original home in my office/workroom out in our sleepout. Our china cabinet went back to it's place against the wall and suddenly we could see the floor and the room felt all relaxing and spacious.

All this clutter built up when the kids were babies - when convenient use of the computer meant rearranging furniture and accommodating it in our lounge.

But, over the past year, I've been enjoying this convenience a little too much. Having the computer at my fingertips meant checking out facts, general browsing, email checking and blog-reading happenned on a whim and multiple times a day. The small amounts of actual work I did were also seeping into family time. It was a permanent distraction.

I didn't think the kids were getting the best of me. And with Carly off to school later this year and Adam to kindy soon after, I realised time is very, very precious right now.

And I can report, a few months on, that it is working. I'm finding a balance again (thanks to the resurrection of an old laptop that can be put away when I'm finished). By separating my computer life from my family life, I think I'm enjoying better productivity too.

Here's a sneak peek of something has kept me busy during my absence... my first ever quilt is back from the quilters and I will show if off proper when it's all bound and lovely. So exciting. It's for Adam. Next one is planned and ready to start. It's for Carly.

a hint of spring

noreply@blogger.com (Lesley) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:59:00 +0000

Well it wouldn't be me if I didn't start something else when I have a heap of other, more important projects on the go.

I've had these yarns stashed in my cupboard for a while now, and have been planning a crochet blanket for Carly - the colours are perfect in her room. I thought about doing a ripple, but since working on my Vintage Vertical Stripe throw, I don't think I can face another row by row design.

Attic24's Summer Garden Granny Square pattern came to mind, and I decided the other night to have a play and see how they looked (tutorial here). I'm really pleased, and they're so satisfying to make.

I must say I'm daunted by the amount I'll have to make, but I think mixing in some large squares, and adding another round of the outer colour will help things along.

And speaking of flowery things, what the heck is going on in the garden? Recent weather is wreaking havoc... but with the winter solstice this past week, I think we will finally feel the grip of winter. Look at this...

.... and.... there are daffodils out at my mum's place (two months early)! Does this mean spring will come and go with no flowers?