Sweet Striped French Canvas Shoes

I was given a small strip of this lovely striped deck chair canvas from our old neighbor and landlord  in Wellington. It's from a gorgeous shop called Madder and Rouge this is the fabric here. It's crazily expensive fabric... like $155 per meter! Anyway this gorgeous fabric sat in my stash for sometime and I thought I would eventually use it to cover an old chair I had. Then looking for baby shoe inspiration, I saw this gorgeous pair of shoes on pinterest and bingo I married the shoe pattern I've had forever and the canvas up to make a pile of shoes good enough to eat! I love how every pair is different to the next yet it's all out of one piece of fabric. These are part of my new Oli e Lui collection.

These are my fav.

Currently selling for NZ$25 per pair :) To View the others see here. You could even "like" Oli e Lui on Facebook. 

Hope you all have a lovely weekend. xx

Say Hi to "Oli e Lui"

I haven't blogged much lately... not for lack of things to blog about but we didn't have a computer for over 2 weeks and since then I have been madly trying to sew for my NEW label. I have decided to bite the bullet and start a kids clothing design business for real. I'm calling it Oli e Lui. And I have even ordered labels... feeling flash! Here are a few things I have made in the last few weeks to start with....

 100% cotton long sleeve top. sizes 1-5 years.

 100% Organic Cotton tights, great for cloth nappies.

Floral Bib.

I have started to create an Etsy shop so I can sell my things on there, but it's quite full on to set one up... shop policy, paypal accounts, design...  

I have started a Facebook Page just to get it out there... Now I just need to find more time to sew!

Oh No Not Another Doily Idea! (oh but this ones a goodie!)

I'm sick in bed today, this is day 3 of an awful flu type thing. Hot and cold sweats are so much worse in 27 degree heat! I always seem to get sick after a crazy busy spell. I can almost pinpoint when it will happen. And what a crazy busy spell its been! Two (very last minute) craft fairs in which I had no time to plan, Luca's First Birthday, family staying, Christmas presents to make and then Christmas! Cleaning our house to rent it out over New Year, packing up and staying with my parents, 3 nights at Gisborne's New Year festival Rhythm and Vines (this has been going for 9 years in Gisborne) this year had a sell out crowd of 29,000. I have gone to all but 2 of them. We were given VIP tickets this year and I have to say I will not be going cattle class again. I am getting too old. Anyway so it has been a very very very busy couple of weeks and I am now utterly exhausted. Lucky I have a few creations up my sleeve to blog about, and keep me from feeling totally useless while I am stuck in bed!

Yes, another Doily Idea! Organic Cotton Stretch with Doily Knee patches. I had these little doily circles left over from my DIY Doily Dress and came up with idea for my Cousins newest addition, a little girl who was born in December.

Just simple Organic Cotton Stretch with a doily circle on each knee

Girls clothes a so much fun :)

Happy New Year Everyone.

Christmas Ornament Swap: Made.

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I have entered into a Christmas Ornament Swap. We have been put into groups of 5 or 6 and by the 1st of December we have to send a home made ornament to each of the members in the group. Basically you end up with 6 different home made ornament at the end - lots of fun... and how doesn't love getting presents in the mail :)
What to make!? There seemed to be too many options I just could't commit to one... but I just got on with it today.. and I'm pleased I did!
One of my first ideas was to make mini bunting flags so I rummaged through my fabric stash and found a bunch of things that seemed to marry together well. Here's how I went:

 All the items I used were from second hand shops, isn't it so satisfying when you can make something entirely out of thrifted materials! Nothing bought new. 

I cut long strips of both fabric

using pinking scissors to avoid having to hem the flags... 

6 bunting ready to sew..

probably should have ironed them..

Ta-da!

had to take a shot with my hand in there so you can get an idea of how tini tiny they are :)

I'm feeling a little more christmas-y after this little project... must start on actual christmas pressies next.

Ci Vediamo!

Easy Ottobre Crawler Pants

My cousin (whilethechildrensleep.blogspot.com) and I have been getting Ottobre sewing magazines for well over a year now, I have made quite a few of the boys clothes from them. Although I find a lot of the designs "too busy" there are a lot of simple designs in them too. I often adapt/tone down the more "busy" designs to suit my style. This simple pants pattern is one I have used again and again. They are super easy and super practical. Yesterday I made a pair for Luca and a pair for my brothers baby who was born a few weeks ago. I used the same pattern for both but just lengthened the legs for Luca's pair. Easy.

More Owls...

I have made a few more owls.. not quite finished yet as they need buttons for eyes.

It's good to have a stash of pressies for any new babies born.

Yay! it's the weekend - I'm off to bed early tonight so I have energy to enjoy it. Night!

Little Owl

We are having a Baby Shower for a friend tomorrow and I decided I would make something. Here is what I have whipped up this arvo. I really like the colours together. I might make a few more as I have so much of this blue/green fabric.... 

Made with 100% natural fabrics. Cotton, silk and wool, recycled buttons and stuffed with the fabric offcuts :)

x

It's been a while.... I'm back, I think...

It's been some time since I last blogged - actually you could hardly say I started with all of 3 posts! Anyway I'm motivating myself to get back to it, creating I mean. Two boys, not much time, but I'm going to give it a go. 

I've made a few things lately (posts to come), but today I made (of all things) a peg bag. Why? because I need one ;-)

The fabric was from a little shop in Bali. Handmade. 

and..

it does the job!

Xmas Ornament Swap

This year I entered a xmas ornament swap - so glad I did!
Here is what I made for my group.

Soft wee shoes....

I found this awesome pattern online and gave it a go. So easy! I'm thinking xmas gifts...

These ones are made with old vintage cord fabric

and these I have made with some white cord and scraps from a nappy bag I made a while back :)

It's a great pattern as it's easy adjust the size and also you can use absolutely any fabric.

Ciao!