Quieter Days - well somewhat!

Although it was a week ago Perth Upmarket was a fabulous day.  I thought I was going to have a quiet(er) week after the day for a little R & R but have been blown away by the wonderful and continuing support from many of my customers and followers. 

It was great to meet lots of new people and I love it when those faces I know drop by to see how the day is going and what is new at Tied with a Ribbon. 

With some extra time last week I have been finishing some quilts for new impending arrivals - none which I can show you yet as I know those who recieve them read my posts from time to time and will have to keep a lid on them just yet but here is the Jewel Owl quilt I finished for a custom order.

It was very hard to part with this quilt - as you know it fitted in well with the colour theme in my own sewing room and would have loved to add it to my collection but I know it has gone to a home where it will be treasured and loved.

Here are some other projects on the go at the moment - you all know how much I love ribbons - well when I was given full creative licence to create some cushions and a bedside table runner recently I could not have been more excited - quite often I find it better to work with a brief and knowing exactly what the end result was to look like but being trusted to make creations with a colour scheme as a guide and the rest being left up to me was a little nerve racking.  Here is a sneak peak - cant wait for the reveal!!!

In love with Jewel Colours

Isn't it funny how colours can make you feel.  I have been working on a Custom Order quilt this week and I have loved working on this design.  The brief was to have owls in the fabric/design and in Jewel colours. 

I absolutely loved making this quilt.  It reminded me just how much I love quilting and inspired me to get some of the quilt tops lurking in the depths of the cupboard out to get finished!

I only had to look around my room for colour ideas as the colour theme in my sewing room is Jewel colours.  Here are some pics of my sewing room

I was very excited recently to be interviewed by the lovely Jemma from Handmade Kids.  It was my first interview so I was very chuffed to be asked - you can read my interview here. Thanks again Handmade Kids for the great support you show local and Australian business.

Don't forget to come down and say hello at Perth Upmarket at UWA on Sunday 26th.  I will have lots of goodies and several new items all for sale on the day.

Crafting with Kids

As many of you know my day job is as a High School Home Economics Teacher.  So introducing kids (and adults) to the world of all things fabric, buttons, ribbon, sewing etc is a huge passion of mine.  As part of the Joondalup Upmarket , Tied with Ribbon is running a FREE kids activity Table.  As you can see from the picture last Friday night we made Button Wreaths.  This week we will be making some Christmas cards with Buttons.  Come along and enjoy some Christmas craft for the kids and some shopping for the adults! 

Custom Order central here this week.  This Christmas Sack was made for a special little girl.  I was asked to leave the tree blank as Grandma will be sewing on some very special heirloom charms for Emilia that will be added to each Christmas.  A wonderful idea for a Christmas sack that will be treasured for many years to come. 

This towel was ordered to celebrate the arrival of a new nephew.  

Notebooks made to add to Christmas gifts for two young sisters. 

In this special box is a Birthday present I have made for an upcoming birthday for a little girl! Any guesses as to what I may have put inside?  I can't show you yet but soon.

And with Perth Upmarket on this Sunday at UWA - Winthrop Hall from 9am - this is what my sewing room looks like.  Lots of Christmas decorations and other goodies being counted and packed to take along.  I will be upstairs and make sure to check out the Market Guide which will have a special feature from me.  I will be posting this next week on my blog as my first Tutorial but get along to the market and have the first look.



Sewing for my girls!

Late last week I had one of "those" days.  We all have them, nothing seemed to go right no matter how much I had planned and organised I just seem to have hit a wall.  So what should one do - well 12 months ago "these" kind of days would have resulted in a huge shopping spree with wonderful new treasures and some explaining to do to the hubby due to the over expenditure.  Well instead I decided just to do some sewing for me or rather for my girls.  Things have been so busy at Tied with a Ribbon that I decided to make some pencil cases for my girls for school next year. 

Inspired after catching up with some friends for dinner I took my Babushkas and Cupcakes and some scraps and made these pencil cases!  My girls were thrilled that they had some special new treats.

My Custom order for Hair clip Hangers with a Pinkaliscous theme are now all finished and ready to be delivered to their new home.

And these cuties I have listed in my Etsy Shop.

I have had more Custom orders for Christmas Sacks this week and this one will soon be ready for Santa to fill with only 5 weeks to wait for a special little girl.



Starting on Friday Night Tied with a Ribbon will be attending the Joondalup Upmarket.  We will be having a FREE kids craft activity table running with different craft activities organised for each of the five weeks.  Felt Kits and Patterns will also be available for sale so you can make some Christmas Decorations of your very own along with inspiring kids to learn some new crafty skills.  - Starting from 6pm in the Central Walk, Joondalup (19th November - 17th December) 

Back into the swing of things.

After the events of last week life is going back to normal - well except for this stupid head cold I seem to have inherited!.  Thanks to everyone for the wishes and flowers and kind words.

Sunday was Upmarket day and silly me forgot my camera so I don't have any photos to show you from the day but it all went well.  It was wonderful to see lots of familiar faces from all my different paths.  I was most especially touched by one lady and her daughter.  They came up to me and said that they had purchased on of my Notebook Keeper Patterns and Kits from the June Upmarket.  She wanted to let me know that they had a great time making it together and found the instructions easy to read and they have since made some more.  That really made my day.  Lots of people wanted to know which felt character was next in the works for a kit so I will put them on the "To Do List." 

This is the next stage in my secret sewing project.  All the squares have now been cut and re-arranged and sewn back together.  I was amazed at how quickly it all came together.  This is called a "Disappearing 9 Patch".  If you google disappearing 9 patch tutorial there are a whole heap of tutorials around.

This big pile of Ribbon arrived earlier this week and just in case you didn't know, I just love ribbon.  I am not sure it is possible to have to much of it.  Mine is all stored on a hanging system called "Ribbon Ring".  While it takes a while to sort them all out I just love how all the colours are organised (mine by colour) and don't tangle because they are hanging up.



Saturday is Stitching Day again so I will remember my camera and look forward to a fun filled day of stitching and laughter.

Shopping on Etsy

I love shopping!  I feel it could almost be my part time job!  Since starting Tied with a Ribbon I have not done of much of it as I used to - well not actually going to the shops as such.  I now buy lots of things off Etsy.  This week I treated my girls to these beautiful place mats from Pilli Pilli.

I love receiving parcels of goodness in the post.  And already they are showing signs of appreciation with some spaghetti sauce.

This week things have been quieter on the stitching front and busy on the preparing side.  I have had a chance to catch up on some bookwork,  have some new flyers printed and some activities organised for later in the year. 

These flyers along with some samples of my personalised items have now found their way to a beautiful Children's Boutique in Mount Lawley - Little Horrors.   

Along with flyers being sent to the printers so was a new pattern.  After several requests for these fellows introducing - Plum Puddings.

Lots of packing, sticking, cutting and counting mean that these are now available.  These are one of my most popular Christmas Felt Characters and now you can make them yourself with the Pattern, Instructions and supplies to make them for your own tree.

They will be coming along with me to the Perth Upmarket  which is on September 12th at U.W.A.  Book the date in your diary and come along and say hello.  I will have several other new items with me on the day.  

Wow what a day!

Wow what a day!  I was blown away by the amount of people at the Upmarket.   In the past I have been to buy and look myself and always known it was a sensational day out but being on the other side was a totally different experience.  Many people came and said hello who had said that they have read my blog and I didn't realise that there were other people out there other than my friends and family who have come across my little craft and sewing blog.  So a special hello to new friends and fellow blog readers. 

The day was busy with a constant flow of traffic.  Part of the success of the day has to go to Rae - my dear friend who had her own kids looked after to help me out.  Rae has been there from the start and has been encouraging me all the way.  Thank you Rae.  Along with many of my other friends and family who came along to support me bringing with them others as well.  Thank you all.

Besides getting ready for the upmarket there were orders to complete and new projects on the Horizon.  These Felt Santa's were finished in time to go to there new home.

This Custom Order Cushion was also collected at the Upmarket for a very special girl.

The school holidays start next week so I will have some more time with my own two girls with lots of activities already planned.  I will also be teaching some kids classes at Hot Possum. Check out their website for details or give them a call. We will be doing some hand sewing projects like this owl.