And we're back. Back with more bags.

It's been absolutely forever (2 years and almost 4 months) since my last post and quite a bit happened in between that I decided not to post here. Scotland happened and there was so much going on there that I did not manage to keep up with this blog and just plainly decided not to work on it. And another busy year went by when I didn't really make anything to put on here, or I did make something but had no time to take pictures of it and then the excitement was over and things got dirty and so that went down the drain again.

I don't even remember which font I used to use (OK, I checked, of course, it's Georgia).

Here we go. 

These first two bags are both for my sister, she basically wanted one that's the same baroque styled fabric as mine and another small one because she didn't have a cute blue-ish one yet. 

The third one was made for my mom's friend, just as a small something, it's not really anything special and still I feel like it looks really nice in the sun with all the warm tones.

And last but certainly not least is my own new bag. I've had this one cut out for a few months but haven't managed to get enough free time to sit down and think it through. The style of this one was slightly new to me because of the was I wanted it to stand up which meant I had to first sew it together and then somehow put in a plastic board in both front, back and bottom part. It took a while to find the time when I wouldn't have to rush it and now it's done and it's cute and it's also springy and summery... so nothing new really but I'm not in time with the seasons.

Thanks for checking this out, hopefully there will be more posts coming soon.

DIY Dress Your Basket

So as usual it all started with me going to Svet metraže, my fabric store. And as I'm going through new fabric they got this week one print really caught my eye because it had small birds on and cute little crochet flowers. I wanted to make something for my mom but wasn't sure what to. So I only bought a few things and left that one on the shelf. But don't worry, I was back the next day with an idea that kinda came up the day before already but I just wasn't sure about it at first.
(I was also there in the fabric store yesterday, for a good hour, again, but that's another story.)

So yes, it was set that I'm covering my mom's knitting/crocheting basket where she keeps all her tools and what she's working on at the moment.

I had to wait to have enough time home alone to finish without her seeing it in between and yesterday that came around.

I bought 30cm of fabric and some elastic, then at home measured how much I really need for a basket and did a loop out of a 26x130cm. All around on both sides I folded it twice for like 1 cm so I can later put in elastic.

Somewhere leave a centimeter or two open so you'll be able to put the elastic in somewhere. On one end of elastic put a safety pin on and work with that through your edge. When you have both ends out stitch them together, push it in the fabric and close the small opening with a few stitches.

Once you've put the elastic in upper and lower edge just take your basket

and put your loop of fabric around it.

And that's it. My mom loves it and it makes me super extremely happy whenever I can make her happy. :)

DIY New Bags - New Style

So recently I made these two bags, super cute, quite big and with additional makeup/toiletry bags.

Hope you like them.

 

Union Jack Apple Pie

My sister is visiting this weekend and since her favourite dessert is my mom's homemade apple pie we had to make it. Usually my mom makes it but this week she's had some problems with her knees and I told her I'll help. But then you can't just make it as plain and boring as usual (it's always pretty though anyway) I did it my way. (Like Sinatra.)

And this was the final result.

Well this one actually, it's better, and healthier, when baked. ;)

#100happydays Project

Yesterday I joined this challenge called 100 happy days that tries to make people acknowledge the small things in life and realise that everyday something can make you happy.

It's told that 71% of everyone that started did not finish through, usualy stating that life is too busy for this. But I don't think so, we can take time, we can make time like we do for our favourite tv show, facebook, etc.

You can check my pictures and thoughts on my blog, new page called simply #100happydays right here.

Hope you like it and join in as well.

'Pust' Carnival Scottish Outfit

So this past week some countries across the world have a carnival for scaring winter away and welcoming spring. For instance carnival in Venice, parade in Rio and also in Slovenia we dress up to, as said before, scare away the winter, an old pagan Slavic tradition. Kind of like Halloween in the USA but we just dress up in everything, not mostly witches and ghosts or whatever Halloween is special for.

To start this properly: last month we bought my brother bagpipes for his name day and just around those days I saw this great deep red woollen tartan fabric in my fabric store and figured why not make myself a Scottish outfit and bring bagpipes with me and have an amazing costume.
And so I bought the entire piece, 2,5 running metres of fabric, and slowly, really slowly, got to execute my idea in full detail.
Plus our 'pust' collided with my name day so our family all got together for lunch, everyone in his or hers costume and it was really a lot of fun as you might've seen on facebook. I love my big family. :)

It was also pretty crazy being in this costume on Tuesday in classes on Academy an on Vsak Študent Pust Party. :D

DIY Matching Hand- and Makeup Bag for my Sister's Birthday

My favourite sister had her 30th birthday today! Wow, she's getting old. ;) Well honestly it is a bit scary as she's almost the youngest in our family and then I'll be thirty soon, huge problems, I tell you. :D

So she had an idea a while ago for this bag she saw on one girl that is really big but you can flip it over if you don't need that much space. And this 'cover' or whatever you call it is really awesome because then you can do two different styles, one on each side and then wear it however you feel like on a specific day. Well sides do have to match, but still, it's almost like you would have to different bags. Amazing, right?

Just one minus: you can't really do an inside pocket on this bag because you flip it over and then that pocket would either flip with the 'cover' or it would be way to deep in the bag to really be of any use.
But that is not a problem if your sister then decides to do another matching toiletry/makeup/whatever-is-small bag. So this was actually a gift, the big bag was planned for a month or two already and just somehow we ended up sewing it in time for her birthday. Perfect. :)

Hope you like it. :)
And a very happy birthday, Marta. <3

PS: Because I haven't mentioned my fabric store in a while don't think I forgot about it. Last week I was there 4 times. Yes, 4 times. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday. Overdoing it? Never! :)

New DIY Toiletry/Make-up Bags

So it has been a crazy crazy month. Two orchestra project, even more concerts (you can check them on our Academy's youtube channel) and it doesn't go without practise, of course. That's why I haven't been on here much, I apologise.

But even though there were no new posts here it doesn't mean that I didn't make/do anything worth writing about. I made around 10 toiletry/make-up bags, some for gifts, some just because I was asked to. I really like them, they're just so cute. Hope you do to.

If you know me well enough and we're close friends you can expect one like this for a birthday or something. Otherwise just order away and check my facebook page for all the possibilities and discounts. :)

DIY Advent Garland from Toilet Paper Rolls

This past two months I've constantly been seeing this idea on facebook sites and pinterest and everywhere and it seemed really easy. And it is. :)

I know it's a little late to put this idea on since advent already started this Sunday but you can always decorate your house a bit more. And you can do this with your kids because it's really super super easy.

Happy December is ON! :)

Started on time this year! And the fact that start of the advent colides with the date is absolutely perfect as well. :)
So even though the lights of Ljubljana are not yet lit (Tuesday, Dec 3 if you want to go check it out) I am in the mood for decorations and outfits and nails and songs, oh especially songs. And especially my favourite Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams.
Here's now what I came up with already and I'll put on more detailed collages soon, as usual.

Our 'December' Table Cloth in the making

New 'Happy December' Bag

Advent Garland from toilet paper roll

Biscuits, of course, like last year

New skirt and shawl, fabric from Svet metraže, thanks to Eva for the pic

As you know, I LOVE December. And spread this love even if just by giving a smile to someone, because this month is especially good for doing so, and it might, no, it WILL make someone's day. :)

Hope you like the pics and enjoy December. :)

DIY Project: Redo an Upholstered Kitchen Bench - Part 1

Today we, my sister and I, finally really got to start with our project to redo her kitchen bench.

The old one was just, well, horrible already. Old fabric plus it didn't even match anything in there, don't know what the previous owners were thinking honestly.
But the project goes a month or more back with a visit to Svet metraže, the fabric store, to look for the fabric. My sister decided for one with flowers on but of course they didn't have enough of it. But they said there's still some in the other store in Ljubljana and this lady says she'll let someone know to look into it. It all proved false after 5 days when I was back there asking what's happening and the guy in charge of that didn't know what I was even talking about. So he made some calls and discovered that there's none in that store anyway. Now what. OK, let's order some. And I went back home only to return in a few days to hear that this particular fabric is actually no longer in the making. Meaning that this industry in Netherlands that used to make it now just doesn't anymore. Moved it out of their plan. So no this particular fabric ever again. Ever.
And we were pretty much back in square one. Find the fabric.
(PS: Everyone is happy now that this happened actually, the fabric was kinda dorky and would fit a country house.)
Because we opted for a better fabric, tetris-like, that is super cool. So I go there to Svet metraže to buy it and guess what happened. They didn't have enough metres anymore. OK, let's call the other store, it says on the Internet they still have a lot. Turns out the site hasn't been updated on this matter for some time. They only had just enough for me but it was on reservation. Well for how long and what if they sell it then? And all this waiting and problems just when everyone was finally feeling good about the remaking and ready for it and want it done before holidays and all.
Next was a happy day though. The other store did have enough meters and they sent the fabric to the one I go to and I went to pick it up the next day, bought enough foam and we were good to go. :)
Then we decided to wait another 10 days because no one in our family has done anything like this before so we figured I should get some infos at this class in my fabric store that showed how to redo an upholstered chair. It looked super freaky and something I could never do, but I guess the 'one for all and all for one' saying works here. For today, my sister, her husband and their five kids all helped with redoing their bench. We started kinda late in the day and at first it almost seemed like my only role is to be the project manager and boss people around, haha. But the older two left then and the younger ones couldn't really help much so I did my share of (what proved not to be super freaky) job. We didn't finish all of it yet but here are some (poor quality) pics of the process, part one. ;)

And I promise to make better pictures for next time when we'll be finishing this up.
Hope you like it because we LOVE it. :)

DIY Bags for my sister Marta and me

A perfect theme for my sister's bag: music. Svet metraže never lets me down and so a month ago I found this awesome fabric with music sheets on and some notes and instruments. Yeah, perfect for someone who studies on Academy of music.

So a few days back when I was already in the mood for sewing

(a bag for my sister Mary, plus helped my just-married friend Nina to re-decorate her cushions and sofa)

I figured it's time to make this music bag as well. It should be done like few weeks back if I'd want to be on time with the present but then busy holidays get in the way.
It took a little bit more time to do the one for my sister, she wanted the two stripes of colour on and have it shaped a bit differently so she can fit in everything for choir practises, plus this fabric is not as stiff so I had to strengthen it up with flizelin. Then for a 'pop' of colour I did the inside all pink. And it looks amazing and my sister loves it which is the most important thing.
And then I was already in the mood and the bag looked so amazing I just had to do another small one out of what was left of the fabric. Here I finally got to use this lace I've been checking out for months at home and did a trick with the bow and it's looking fantastic. I really love it.
And Marta and me get to be bag twins, wootwoot! We already rocked in the theatre on Tuesday. ;)
My sister's bag:

My bag:

Twins :)

DIY a bag for my sister Mary

I kept my promise and today it's time to put on this bag I sewed yesterday and that I've probably waited to make it for at least half a year. I wanted to buy this fabric so bad for such a long time but it is super expencive and I didn't know what to do with it. But now the fabric is finally home and here is the new bag for which I know that it'll be perfect. :)

Two matching bags coming on in a few days!