kt hearts...

- brown paper packages tied up with string & gift carded with a doily!

How cute are these?
I think I need to work out a way to incorporate brown paper, string and doily's into our wedding decor because I just love how these little packages worked out...
Miss Jessica these are now on their way to your house! There is something new, something old, something crafty and something blue & I promise they just as lovely inside!
In fact I nearly kept them for myself... nearly!
But no more hints.. just pretty pictures ;)
***And can you believe I came across this menu idea tonight after I had written this post?
I love it & wonder how it would look with some cute vintage buttons somehow joining the middle together.
I feel some ideas coming together ;)

apron time.

I have more craft to share today.
I was going through old photos and found these shots of the apron I made Jacy as a prize for one of the games for Leslie's baby shower.
I used Kwik sew pattern no:3396. The same pattern I used for the apple apron I made for the sassy apron swap (I think I need to try out the half apron next time, it has fun pockets!)
I love this pattern, it's very simple to make, the instructions were easy to follow and I love how the seams are easily neatened by encasing the edges in bias binding (6 metres by the way, phew!) and yes, the colours are even better in real life.
I also found this fun Women's Weekly kids cooking book to send along too. The ABC's of Kids cooking. The cute and colourful pictures just won me over. That and fun little recipes like enclosing caramel jerseys into muffins :)

my brother liked this page...
funny how the letters to his nickname and my initals both come one after the other in the alphabet.
Love this quote *Smile*
& the apron in full:
& boy they weren't joking about the weather. It's been hot hot here, even the pool was kinda warm today & my puppy went in for a few swims.
now to go sit in front of the fan...
Hope your all having lovely weekends!

a long but rather crafty post.

Create.
& I did. I've been meaning to share these for awhile & now they have been received I can. These were the packages I sent off to Chelle, Fairlight & Jacy for the Domestic Bliss scrappy swap. I had an absolute ball with this swap, I was just so inspired. I may have got a little carried away but there's something so fun and satisfying about using up tiny little fabric scraps to make something new & plus I had so many scraps left over at the end too so I just kept creating! So be prepared for a fairly lengthy post...
included in the swap:

pin cushions. from Heather Bailey's square deal pincushion pattern (down loadable here) Such a quick and fun little project, highly recommended. These nearly didn't make it to the post office on account of I wanted to keep them myself, but then again what would I do with three almost identical pincushions?

yes, yes they are. The very best.
Button magnets.
I used the self cover buttons from Spotlight (beware this is highly addictive!) cut the button 'eyes' off the back and used silicone (also addictive) to glue the magnets ($2 at spotlight for a pack of 4) onto the back.
hehe I also just realized my brother has written "lollies, chips & chocolate" on our shopping list & mum has substituted lollies for maple syrup *grin*
ooh and that label to the left was one of the items I received from Chelle in my package :D

Fabric Coasters. inspiration & sizing from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing Book:

Chelle's.

Fairlights.

Jacy's.

Gift Tags. Also just as addictive as covering buttons with fabric. I particularly like the squirrel ones :)

Bible Verse Teabags. A feed of scripture while enjoying a calming cup of tea & some time out (hopefully). The 'lemon twist' and 'peach raspberry' flavors made these packages smell so yummy!
Babushka doll iron ons. I used visafix for this project & left the paper connected to the other side of babushkas for the girls to iron onto their own projects. Apparently I have fed little Olivia's matroshkas obsession & she has already commandeered one for herself. I think Fairlight said for a pillow? I think little mini matroshkas like these would look very cute around the edge of a young girl's outfit too, but so time consuming though.. maybe one day.

Notebook Journals.
one for Jacy:

& inside cover.

one for Fairlight:

(the inside of Fairlight's journal is the first picture)

& one for Chelle:

inside.
Knowing how Chelle loves to collect quotes I turned hers into a quote book (as I know probably all your other ones are almost full dear ;) I added a first quote in for her, it's the sweetest:

wow, I wasn't joking when I said this post would be long *grin* hope it was fun enough that you were able to stay with me :)
kt x

with love from 'downunder'

So the shower that WAS (and the excitement and wonder that was wound up in it) still lives on girls! Last night dear Leslie sent me an email saying she had gotten photos of her kiddies in their outfits I made (more here) and sent over as part of my package for her baby shower. Little Cade is now 3 months old and able to fit into his 'kanga outfit' (kangaroo pouch, with kangaroos on it) and Leslie was so nice to take some gorgeous snapshots of them to show me. And with a photographer as a mumma, I knew these photos would look gorgeous (which they of course are!)
I was so excited to see what they would look like and was speechless and awed when I popped on over to Leslie's blog. There is something so cool about seeing something you made (with much love) and sent half way round the world, in the anticipation of mini man's arrival, actually being worn by these two little cuties and knowing they are loved.

Leslie, thank you for sharing these and I am so glad you love the outfits (and that they fit) and that they inspired you to take some photos of your two cuties together as they are now, cuddly and sweet together, hands in each others pockets and all :D You have made my day!
Love you guys!
Kt xx

more photos on Leslie's blog here.

Sweetness overload (but in a really good way!)

Lately I have been waiting for a few packages to arrive and have been running to the letterbox each day to check. One of these was a package from this amazingly giving and sweet lady, which seemed to take forever to arrive (like alot of my packages lately hmm..). I also received lots of little emails and comments from Chelle wondering whether it had arrived yet (seems I wasn't the only one totally excited!) And now that it has arrived I completely understand. It truly is that exciting!! And very worth sharing with you ladies...

I was only expecting some fabric scraps (for the Domestic Bliss Swap) and my banner which I won from Leslie's baby shower. So I was very surprised when this HUGE envelope appeared in the mail and I had absolutely no idea what could possibly be inside.

When I opened it up I found a beautiful home made card and equally beautiful little note which made me smile, lots of yummy little choccies, a yummy assortment of tea, a passionfruit lip gloss (smells so good!), a domino magazine, some handmade scrapbooking goodies, fabric scraps and my banner - which is stunning. For your next event you should definitely head over here and buy one for yourself :)

I picked out a green, blue and cream coloured theme and the words 'So Blessed' because that's what I feel I have been through this process of blogging and getting to know all you lovely ladies. I also wanted the words so be similiar to 'Showers of Blessings' as a momento from the shower and a reminder of the beautiful friendships found during that time. I plan on hanging it up at special events, events that each of you lovely ladies would be invited to if possible and hopefully one day my own baby shower :)

Chelle,
Thank you Thank you.
I loved my package. Everything about it was so very me and it was wrapped so amazingly. I simply devoured up all those yummy details, the little notes, the random goodies, the ribbons etc. My dad actually made a comment on the packaging and how you are so much like me! I was like Dad, it's a blog friend thing - they just completely understand you. And how true that is!
I had a ball opening it up. Exclaiming over the goodies inside, Getting excited. Sqeualing. Dancing. and repeating the process all over again :)

Seriously wishing I could just jump on a plane and give this lady a hug (and possibly stop by a few US states on the way too. You know seeings I have travelled all that way and all ;)

oh and sorry the pictures (especially the banner photo) doesn't do these lovely items any justice... I dropped my camera, pretty much the only time I wasn't wearing it around my neck! and I seem to have broken the aperture ring. It has to go to the doctors and is sounding expensive I nearly cried and feel like something is desperately missing already!