"We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Costume ideas

Well the sewing has been put on hold for a little while- it's report writing time and I must focus!

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some costume ideas for those dress-up days that school springs on us from time to time. I quite enjoy the creating of costumes at the moment but ask me again in another couple of years when I have kids at school and I may not feel the same way. Ha!

Maybe you could use one of these ideas?


Jonah dresses as Mr Strong for a book character parade. We just got a big cardboard box from the local supermarket, cut out holes for head and arms, spray-painted it red and drew the face on with texta. The hat was from Big W and the leg-warmers from a little sock and hat shop in Penrith. Jonah can be a bit shy and sensitive and can get overwhelmed in dress-up situations so I drew Mr Strong's face onto the T-shirt he was wearing underneath the box. Good thing I did because he refused to wear the box in the parade! We have since made a Mr Skinny costume with a long, skinny box painted yellow with red hat.



This costume was for a day at school where all the kids had to dress as something beginning with 'f'. Jonah insisted on being a fly- ewww! I cut a foam ball in half, covered both halves in glue and rolled it in really fine red glitter. I then glued these onto a black beanie and added a headband with pipe cleaners for the antennae. The wings were made out of wire coathangers and sheer black stockings attached to some elastic so he could strap them over his shoulders. I used silver glitter glue to add the pattern onto the wings. Jonah LOVED this costume!



Jonah has been doing a unit at school called, 'The way we were'. He has really enjoyed all his teacher's stories about when she was a little girl. He can't believe it when I tell him I didn't have a computer when I was his age. Today, they had to dress up as a kid in the olden days. He wore his school shorts and a shirt we already owned. I searched the local op-shops and found some cute ones. The hat and socks were from little shop in Penrith Westfields- the best place to find socks and hats of all varieties. Jonah had a fabulous day playing 'olden day games' like marbles, jacks and pick-up sticks. What fun!

Anyway, I'm sure there will be plenty more dress-up opportunities in the near future. I'd love to see other people's costume ideas!



Friday, May 6, 2011

Handmade gift for Mothers Day

Do you need a quick, easy and funky idea for a handmade mothers day gift? How about these fun fabric covered necklaces?




I bought the twine necklaces from Spotlight (pack of 3 for $3). Thread wooden beads onto the twine necklace. Make a tube of fabric to fit your beads snugly. You do this by folding your strip of fabric (about 3.5'' wide) lengthwise and sewing along the raw edge before turning right side out. Slip the beads and necklace into fabric tube. Tie embroidery floss tightly in between each bead. Cut each end of the fabric so there is just enough to stuff into the hole of the beads on the end. Secure with a bit of hot glue. And there you have it!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL THE MUMS! (especially mine!!)


My mum with 5/6 grandchildren