Welcome to Thrifty Christmas Tuesday.
Since we last met I had been somewhat productive in the Christmas gift procurement and making stakes. It's 52 days until Christmas so I'm not panicking yet, although I did have some trouble with a table runner this week. I'm pretty sure my binding fabric is possessed.
Books are mega expensive in Australia (I don’t know why – maybe it’s the taxes or maybe the retailers are just greedy - ) The internet has opened up a whole new world for me and I use http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/ a lot. This book retails for around 55.00 AUD and I got it for 65% off and that included postage. I think my Mum will love it.
The table runner for my Mum gave me headaches this week. This is the project that had the binding done three times and still isn't done. I sewed the binding on and mitred the corners all wrong. I unpicked it. I sewed it on again and still couldn’t get the corners to mitre properly. I started to unpick it for the third time and decided cutting was faster. Maybe the 4th time will be a charm...
I made Little P a pencil roll to go with the crayon roll I made last week. It’s good to go -with pencils and everything. What good is an empty pencil roll? These are so cheap to make and look pretty cute. I'm all over giving kids opportunities to get creative.
Yes, I'm aware the fish are swimming upside down. I'm teaching Little P about up and down. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
In the Night Garden figurines . Picked up on sale during the year and stashed for Christmas. For Little P. Iggle Piggle is his favourite. Personally I find them a little creepy. Just like the tele tubbies.
I made my sister a journal to match mine . These are so quick and speedy to make. If I can do it anyone can. Head on over to Bloom and Blossom for the free tutorial. It’s fabulous.
This one is an Op shop find. My sister was admiring my vintage butter dish collection recently. She’s getting this one as part of her Christmas gift. Hopefully, she'll love it.
I started making this. It's still in the concept stage and needs some tweaking.
Does anyone else think taking photos of your stuff and then looking at them is the BEST way to see what isn't working. I do it with quilts all the time. Looking at this picture the blue isn't working for me at all.
Linking up with Larri at Seams Inspired for her Thrifty Christmas Challenge.
17 comments:
You have been busy! I love everything, especially the butter dish. I'm still on the lookout for one for me. :o)
I take snaps of things I'm sewing too. It does make it easier to see what isn't working. Personally, I like the blue. Perhaps you just need to scatter them around a bit. Can't wait to see the finished product!
Have you tried Paperbackswap.com? You might find some books there. All books are free to you. The 'giver' pays the postage. I'm not sure if it's open to those outside the US, but worth a look. PS...if you can't sign up but see something you need, let me know and I can get it and send it to you! :o)
All in all, you have some fabulous finds and finishes! Thanks for linking up. Happy Thrifting! :o)
Wow! Great projects! Do I need to stop reading this blog? Am I on your gift list? Will I ruin the surprise??? Just kidding...
I love the journal cover, but got lost while reading the tutorial for it. Sometimes, it's the simple things that confuse me... But perhaps I'll read it again more slowly. ;)
As for the little tree project - I LOVE it! Waaaay cute. I've never thought about taking a picture during my project for review. I'll have to give it a try... As for the blue, I agree it stands out a bit. Maybe use fewer of them, and throw in a green or two?
And the table runner is gorgeous!!
You have put me to shame. I was inspired by your Christmas Craftiness, but am falling short in the progress area. I thought I was doing good! I should know better to try to keep up with an Aussie! I think it is all that Vegemite. Perhaps I will give it another try!
Love all the projects. The pencil holder is so cute - do you think a college student would like one? I so wish she were still little!
Wow, you've really got the Father Christams spirit going on. Love all your projects and inspired gifts. Lots of progress, makes me feel like a major slaker. (Which is good I need some major motiviation here).
I like your tree concept. Maybe a dark brown with or without a bit of blue would work? I take a photos of my projects to see what is working and what isn't. It's also a very good thing to do so you can remember exactly how you laid out the quilt on the floor downstairs, before you sew it together wrong!
I'm not even thinking about Christmas yet, but most people are getting cash so thats it.
Cool things...well you are way to busy for me...I envy you...and for the tree - I like how the blue stands out...looks like that little extra something - but I'm weird anyways :-))
Love that tablerunner too, don`t cut it any smaller though..:-)
Very good and thrifty this week. I love book depository, has made shopping for books so much more fun, also might need to start shopping for new house to put all said books in. I have that book and it is pretty yummy. Great Pencil wrap. Haven't even started my chrismtas stuff yet, did buy 6m of christmas fabric today so does that count, couldn't resist at $12/m at Hetties
love all of the projects - you almost have me convinced to make crayon and pencil rolls for my niece and nephew!! Love the journal and butter dish. I don't know what the "tree project" is going to be, but it's adorable - thanks for letting us keep up with your progress, this is fun!
Oh dear I just discovered the book depository as well!!!!! Free postage world wide, can't go past that can you?? I just bought a book with lots of Sashiko inspiration.... Yippee!
52 days till xmas! I'd better get my skates on!!
hey -- round off the corners on the table runner and the mitering is gone! I do all of them that way!!
books are expensive everywhere ... I've been using Amazon ... just picked up Simplify by Camille Roskelly .... under $15 (w/a coupon for free delivery) ...
Wow- lots of stuff to comment on- I just requested that book at my library. (They order them from other libraries.)
Round the corners off on that table runner. I've been guilty of cutting off a bad binding myself. Much faster. :0)
Crayon/Pencil roll=cute!
Book cover=cute!
Igggle Piggle= WTH?? Don't have it and glad not to.
Butter dish= it looks taller and not as long as ours. I wonder if there is a difference in our butter sizes...? It's cute also!
(Bag?) Tree applique= FREAKING AWESOME!!! I love the blue in the leaves so don't take it out! I think maybe a different brown for the trunk would let you keep the blue. The trunk has only pastels in it. Just my arrogant opinion.
I always take photos and then look at them to determine if I like the layout! I can't do it any other way.
Love the gifts, will have to do a crayon roll for the niece and nephew and I think each kid will like a journal cover.
Finally, that tree applique? I'm loving it and wondering why you didn't wait so we could do one together in the new year! -pout- now I'll just have to copy you one more time. :D
ps. I think the blue in the tree is great, it just needs to be rearranged in the placement and make sure there's an odd # of them. It does make a difference.
wow you have been sooo busy. i'm inspired i think to do my own thrift christmas blog...lol. that way i can fully post & blog about christmas stuff. i agree taking pics & looking is an EXCELELNT way to see what isn't working. i use it all the time when beading my dance costumes. works really well.
The eye is more forgiving than a photograph, so I completely agree with you about the photos. I like the blue in that little tree, but think you need one more leaf in that color over on the right side to balance it out a bit. However, I wouldn't have noticed at all if you hadn't specifically mentioned that color wasn't working for you.
Yay for you!
xo -E
The butter dish is fabulous! Wow! I have a couple of friends who 'op shop' (we call it thrifting) and always come out with something amazing. I might have to try this. Sometime.
Love the pencil roll. Super cute!
And the table runner for your mum is so pretty!
Follow-up to my comment. Somehow it was rearranged. The 'yay for you' and the 'xo -E' are supposed to go at the very bottom. Not sure how they ended up in the middle of my comment because I typed the part about the butter dish, the pencil roll and the table runner first (in that order even) and then those other parts were typed at the end. Cyber gnomes?
-E
P.S. would you mind changing your comment settings to pop-up window here too? Pretty please with quilty supplies on top.
Had a whole bunch of comments about your stuff, but Blogger doesn't like me today so it ate them...or the upside down fish ate them. Their teeth are big enough. Pirahnas and pencils--perfect for a little boy.
I love the journal cover. With a bit of tweaking, it would work great as a book cover, too. Hmm...gift idea for my darling daughter.
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