Me Made May Update 5

Well here we are at the last day of Me Made May.  How did you all do?  I managed to hit my goal of wearing one item each day but I must admit I was getting a bit bored by the end of the month.  The crazy weather here on the GC didn't help much either.  It made me want to rug up but I don't have many winter appropriate me mades.  Here is what I wore in the last week.

Day 25

Tessuti Gridlock Competition Dress

Blogged here

Today we had a family barbecue and the sun was out in the morning so I decided to crack out my tessuti competition dress for it's first wear of the month.  Unfortunately the rain came in the afternoon so I did end up being a little chilly.

Day 26

Red Lace Dress

Blogged here

On Sunday we had my work friends engagement party so I took my red lace dress for another spin.  I tried to keep it a bit more casual then my first wear.  I really love this dress! I think it would have to be one of my favourite makes to date.

Day 27

Tie Waist Shorts

Blogged here

Monday was a hang around home day so it was comfy and casual all the way.  These tie waist shorts are so comfortable! I think I need to give the longer version of this pattern a go for winter.  I find it hard though to find a pattern for longer print pants that doesn't make you look like your wearing pyjamas.

Day 28

Quick & Easy Kimono Jacket

Blogged here

I think every woman needs a kimono jacket in their wardobe.  They are the easiest way to dress up a simple jeans & singlet combo.  And they are a cinch to make! I can see a few more of these entering my wardrobe in the future.

Day 29

Lemon Gathered Skirt

Blogged here

My lemon gathered skirt made its second appearance of the month this week.  I really love this skirt!  I bought this fabric on a whim off the sale table ($5/metre) and I am so glad I grabbed it.  I love wearing colour in winter and this outfit certainly brightened up a rainy day.

Day 30

Vintage Ladies Dress

Blogged here

My second goal for Me Made May was to sew three of the projects that I had cut out on my sewing desk.  I finished the third with one day to spare.  I literally sat in my pyjamas all day until I finished so I could wear my new dress.  I am so happy with how it turned out! I just blogged it this morning so if you missed it be sure to pop over here for a better look.

Day 31

Sew Weekly Buttons Dress

Blogged here

I have been trying to wear this dress all month but given that it is strapless it hasn't really been weather appropriate.  I totally forgot that I owned this cardigan though that is the perfect colour match.  Luckily I discovered it while doing some searching this morning so I finally got to wear the dress.  It only took me all month!

I have really enjoyed Me Made May this year and I have learned a lot about my sewing but I'll be back on Monday with a bit of a recap so stay tuned for that.

Vintage Ladies Dress

To say that I am excited to have made this dress would be the understatement of the century.  This dress has been a long time coming.  When I was pregnant we stumbled across this fabric in Spotlight.  I say we because Corey is actually the one who saw it.  When he showed it to me I got just a tiny bit excited and immediately had to buy it.


As I was pregnant at the time I didn't really want to make something that I was only going to be able to wear for a short amount of time.  So I popped the fabric in my stash with a view to making something once Imogen was born.  In actual fact it sat in the stash for another 6 months after Imogen was born.


I actually cut this dress out at the same time as my red lace dress.  This was because I used the exact same pattern combination for this dress as well.  The bodice comes from vintage simplicity 5343 and the skirt from New Look 6723.  I think this is going to become my go to pattern combo for dresses!  The great part about it is while the skirt looks full it doesn't actually use that much fabric.


My favourite part of the dress is the vintage zipper I used.  How cool is the metal zipper pull?! I didn't really worry to much about matching the pattern of the fabric because it is quite busy and random anyway.  I am so happy with how it turned out and I will no doubt get a lot of wear out of it.  I am thinking that I need to get a few more novelty prints into my wardrobe.  They are so much fun!

52 Weeks Happy (21/52)

Tuesday, tuesdays here again! May is nearly over and this year is just disappearing.  Before I know it I am going to be heading back to work. What the! Oh well, that just means I better make the most of my maternity leave while it still lasts.

1 - This past week I was a bit rundown so I spent a lot of time relaxing.  This afternoon with a new magazine, a cup of tea & a some raw vegan lemon bars was delightful.  It's really nice to take some time to relax and rejuvenate!

2 - I tried out some stranded colourwork this week.  This was a little test run for a project I am knitting at the moment.  I am up to the point of starting the colour work but haven't been game enough to start yet.  I think I need a decent block of quiet time to tackle it.

3 - Healthy eating has been a big focus for me this past week.  I have been starting my days with a nice big smoothie.  My favourite combo is apple, watermelon and ginger. Yum!

4 & 5 - I tried out a couple of new recipes this week.  The first was Roasted Capsicum Soup & Finnish Scones from Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar.  The second was a delicious pinterest find - Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad.  This salad was amazing!!! Seriously people, get on it.

6 - To compliment my healthy eating this week I headed to the farmers markets bright and early with my parents & sister to stock up on some fresh fruit & veggies.  I love the farmers markets but we don't go as often as we should.  We really need to start making it more or a Sunday ritual.

7 - On Sunday I was lucky enough to get to celebrate the engagement of one of my lovely work friends.  It was so nice to see everyone from work.  I have missed them all while being on maternity leave and it's always nice to catch up with them.  They are all so keen for me to come back to which is nice to hear.

8 - Have you tried acai? I gave it a try for the first time this week and I must say....yum! I made it into a smoothie with banana and almond milk.  I have been told by a reliable source that it is really nice blended with frozen banana and watermelon and eaten like ice cream.

9 - I couldn't resist putting this on instagram last night.  I stole this magazine from my sister on the weekend to read and when I went to read it I found Corey had snaked it from me.  Real men read Cosmo!

So what has been happening to make you happy this week?

Me Made May Update 4

I slowly feel like I am running out of clothes to wear.  There are still a few things I haven't worn but this cooler weather is not making them easy to wear.  Also, I naturally rebel against limitations so I instantly want to wear anything not me made the minute I look at my wardrobe.  You would think given that I set these limitations myself I wouldn't mind them but apparently I don't even like bossing myself around.  So here is what I wore last week...

Day 18

Quick & Easy Kimono Jacket

Blogged here

I really just wanted to wear jeans this day so I made myself a quick & easy kimono jacket to wear with them.

Day 19

Mustard Floral Blouse

Blogged here

Another jeans day and another repeat of my mustard floral blouse. I love this top so much! I have plans for a second version soon.

Day 20

Sew For Victory Blouse

Blogged here

I totally forgot about this top. When I discovered it in my drawer I realised it would go perfect with my Freddie's of Pinewood dungarees.

Day 21

Shapely Boyfriend Cardigan 

Blogged here

I caught a bit of a cold over the weekend and was feeling hideous this day.  All I could manage to throw on were some leggings and my cardigan for a day recuperating on the couch.

Day 22

Red & White Check Skirt

Blogged here

Corey had a really early soccer game and basically had to leave home the minute he got back from work.  So needless to say in the rush we totally forgot about my me made may photo.  I did a little recreation of the outfit on instagram instead!

Day 23

24th Birthday Dress

Blogged here

I felt so much like Minnie Mouse in this outfit.  I quite like the shape of the skirt of this dress but not so much the dress itself.  I think I might take it apart and make it into a skirt instead.

Day 24

Sew for Victory Pinafore

Blogged here

It was another chilly day yesterday but luckily I didn't have to leave the house because this outfit wouldn't have kept me warm at all. I really like the shape of this skirt as well.  I think I might need to make myself a couple more but without the pinafore straps.

Can you believe we are nearly at the end of me made may already?!  It has gone so fast.  Only one more week of outfits and then I have free reign over my wardrobe.  Woo hoo!

52 Weeks Happy (20/52)

These posts have made me realise that the number 1 thing that keeps me happy is food.  Namely experimenting with new recipes.  So on that note I am sure you won't be surprised to see that the majority of my pics below are food.

1 - I found this raw vegan lemon bar recipe on Instagram.  I have been trying to find healthy sweet options so that I can cut down on the amount of crap I eat.  These are only sweetened with dates so they are extremely healthy!

2 - On Wednesday my mum, Imogen and I accompanied my sister on her hunt for a wedding dress.  It was such a fun day!  Just ours girls doing some shopping. What could be more fun!

3 - Thai Chickpea Burgers! I know I have shared this recipe before but they are seriously becoming a favourite of mine.  We have made them once a week since first trying them.  You should all give them a go.

4 - What could make you more happy then baking a rainbow cake.  I recreated the cake I made for my niece for a friend's nieces birthday this past weekend.  She loved it and I am so happy it turned out so well.

5 - I have flicked through the I Quit Sugar book by Sarah Wilson a million times in various shops but finally decided to take the plunge and buy it last Thursday.  If anyone is looking for it Big W has it for only $22.  It has some amazing recipes which I have on my to do list.

6 - 8 - This weeks pinterest recipe testing included Peanut Butter & Honey Granola, Blueberry Breakfast Cake & Pizza Muffins.  Now all these recipes were delicious and I will definitely be making them all again.  But the best out of the lot of them were these pizza muffins. They were freaking amazing!!! If you have a spare 15 minutes whip up a batch of these, now.

9 - This crazy kid makes me smile every day! Apparently this is the way all the cool kids sit in their strollers.  I honestly don't know how she manages to get into these positions. It's safe to say she will be getting strapped in from now on.

So how was your week?

Quick & Easy Kimono Jacket

A little while ago I was lucky enough to win some gorgeous silk crepe de chine from the lovely Sophie at Cirque Du Bebe.  When I received the material it felt so soft and buttery all I wanted to do was wrap myself up in it.  I had no idea what I was going to make with it so it sat in my stash.  Every now and then I would pick it up and look at it but couldn't decide on a project.

Then the other night I was thinking I should make myself a kimono jacket.  I own a couple and I love them and I figured they would be pretty simple to make.  I did a bit of googling and came along this tutorial.  It looked pretty easy and I knew I had the perfect material for it.

On Saturday I had the urge to wear jeans and had already worn my two me mades that went with jeans.  So during Imogen's morning nap I decided to see if I could get this made.  Seriously, if you want an instant gratification project make a kimono jacket.  This literally took me half an hour to make.  If you made it in jersey it would be even quicker.  I am thinking I would like to make another in a nice printed jersey if I can find one.  I think it would be the perfect introductory project to sewing with knits.

Me Made May Update 3

Another week down in Me Made May and the weather has been wreaking a little havoc with my outfits.  It has been getting cold and gloomy and given that only a few of my me mades suit those truly horrible days I have been a bit worried how I would get through the month.  Here is what I've been wearing this week.

Day 11

Red Lace Dress

Blogged here

A brand new make for my friend's wedding that I only managed to finish the night before.

Day 12

Green Boyfriend Cardigan

Blogged here

Our first rainy day of the week saw me wearing my first repeat for the month.

Day 13

Kate Spade Inspired Skirt

Blogged here

The sun came back out today which gave me a chance to wear this sunny skirt.

Day 14

Grey Vintage Shorts

Blogged here

Another rainy day and I was a bit stressed about what I was going to wear until I remembered these shorts and teamed them with some tights.

Day 15

Hawaiian 50s Dress

Blogged here

Clearly the rain and sun were tag teaming this week.  As soon as I saw the clear blue skies I knew I had to grab the chance to wear this summery dress.

Day 16

Mustard Flared Blouse

Blogged here

And the clouds were back!  I spent the morning bumming around in my pyjamas while I finished this new top just so I could wear jeans.

Day 17

Purple Spotted Dress

Blogged here

I love this spotty dress but the zip in it is super dodgy.  Although you can't really tell it is bugging me no end so I think I am going to rip it out and redo it.

I'm really hoping this weather starts playing nice or you are going to be seeing the same outfits repeatedly for the rest of the month.  I do have plans to try and make another version of my new top so I can wear jeans again.  Fingers crossed!

Mustard Flared Blouse

If you have been following along with my Me Made May outfits on instagram you would have seen this new top yesterday.  Yesterday was a bit of a gloomy, cold day on the old GC.  Luckily it was an at home day so I spent the morning bumming around in my pj's until I finished this top to wear.


The pattern I used for this top is Butterick 5890 which the lovely Lizzy picked up for me in their last pattern sale.  I made view B without the collar because I wanted the front to be cut on the fold rather than 2 pieces.  I also preferred the look of the shorter sleeves on version B.  When I first tried this on I wasn't sure of the neckline.  It's a lot higher than what I usually wear and I was worried it looked a bit funny.  The longer I wore it though the more I liked it.  For my next version, however, I think I will lower it slightly as the fabric I want to use has a large scale print so it might be a bit overwhelming.


My two favourite things in this top are the sleeves and the bias bound zipper seam.  The sleeves are lined which saves you having to hem them which saved a lot of time and created a lovely clean finish.  The instructions included for the zip were not a way I had ever tried so I decided to give it a go.  You basically basted the seam shut then sewed the zipper onto the sewn seam and unpicked the basting afterwards.  Afterwards I decided to bind the seam with some pink bias binding.  I think it looks pretty cool against the yellow.


Again, with this top I tried to make the inside just as neat as the outside.  This is a little personal goal of mine for this year.  It's taken me a while to realise that the more care I take with the finishing the longer my me mades are going to last.  Sometime last year I had this epiphany but I was still lazy with finishing.  My garments were only neat inside when I could be bothered.  But this year I am trying to make all my makes neat and tidy inside and out.  So far I am doing pretty well.  I am so happy with how this top turned out that I am already planning a second version.  For a person who never makes tops I think I will be rectifying that gap in my me made wardrobe very soon.

A "Blah" Knit

So a while ago I decided to use up some stash yarn by knitting Imogen a little dress.  I started the Golden Child Dress but wasn't loving the pattern on the bodice.  I decided to skip the pattern and just knit it in plain stockinette.  I thought it could just be a cute little winter jumper dress for Imogen.  However, I forgot that without the lattice pattern being knit the top wouldn't have the same shape as it was meant to.  I finished the dress, blocked it and photographed it.  It was a bit boring and plain and just a bit blah.


So my question to you dear readers is do you have any suggestions of how I can jazz this knit up a bit? I am just not loving it at all.  It's not a big loss considering I just used cheap stash yarn but it did take a bit of time to make so I would prefer it not to be a total loss.  Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!