Bird and the Babies

Handmade Hand-me-downs

2010-07-30T12:57:00.003+10:00

Here is a pair of BabyBird shorts:

Notice anything special about them?

No?

That's ok, they're really not that special. They're a bit faded and could probably do with an iron. But this pair of shorts makes me proud, they give me faith in my brand and the passion to keep doing what I do.

Ok. Ummm.... why?

Well, here are some facts:

- They are one of the first pairs of shorts I ever made under the BabyBird brand.
- They are approximately 2 years old
- They are a size 1 and created from heavyweight cotton
- They have been worn at least twice a week for say, 9 months by my eldest son
- They have been worn approximately twice a week for say, 5 months by my youngest son
- That's a whole lot of wear and tear on the knees and butt. A whole lot of washing, drying, time spent in the sun, on the grass, in the sand, in the dirt and rolling around with dogs.
- They are still in one piece and I've never had to mend them or fix up the stitching.

Most of my customers will notice that I do not overlock my seams - they are zig zagged, just like grandma used to do. It may not look as nicely finished as some clothes you buy, but I think my little roadtesters have shown that the shorts do withstand the rough and tumble of little boys.

BabyBird shorts are not created in a production line. They are not sewn in a factory somewhere in China. They are all made by me, in my sewing room - usually with kids playing on the floor near me. Often they are made late on a Friday night while my husband watches the footy on tv upstairs. They are made with love and care, so they can be passed down from child to child. The fact that they last and last makes me proud of my little brand. I hope you like them too.

From Little Things...

2010-04-15T21:48:00.009+10:00

... Big things grow.

Happy 3rd birthday Ollie. We love you more than you could ever know.

Market Wrap Up

2010-04-12T08:12:00.003+10:00

A fantastic day was had at the Boutique Markets yesterday. It was really hot (probably the death rattle of summer) but it was perfect really, as it meant lots of shorts and singlet sales.

Dog Treats from Rocstar:

Our Kitchen Garden:

Fantastic Knickers from Razzama Dazzle:

And of course, BabyBird:

Ok, off to replenish stock in time for Mathilda's Market on Saturday!

Sorry Little Blog...

2010-04-06T08:04:00.004+10:00

I've been neglecting you lately, haven't I? I know you'll get over it though, you're a tough little thing. There has been so much going on. I will paint you a picture:

1. Lola pug is sick and needs surgery. She is struggling to breathe, as apparently over time her tendons have slackened and her soft palate is now partially blocking her airway. She is booked in for surgery next week.

2. Hoodie sales have been keeping me mighty busy. Lots of orders to sew.

3. Eddie is teething. He is getting molars, which is weird, as he doesn't have all his little front teeth yet. He sticks to me like a limpet on a rock, making getting things done quite impossible.

4. It's market time. Boutique Markets this weekend, Mathilda's next weekend. Lots of sewing to be done for them both, yet the above points are making that difficult. It's a vicious cycle. I did manage to whip up a pair of jeans yesterday that will make their debut this weekend.

5. Easter long weekend. We spent it away with family, so no work was done. Whoops.

This week shall be dedicated to work. Hopefully I get some done.

And the winner is...

2010-04-02T09:43:00.002+10:00

The winner of the hoodie/shorts giveaway (according to random.org) is commenter no. 7 - Jen Sprent! Congratulations.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter. Let's do this again when the Facebook Fanpage hits 300...

Giveaway Time!

2010-03-26T08:16:00.002+10:00

I have decided to have a giveaway to celebrate the BabyBird Facebook Fanpage reaching 200 fans.

One lucky fan will win either:

(a) One of the new winter hoodies in blue/black (sizes 00-2):

or

(b) A pair of the Giant Squid shorts (sizes 00-6):

Excellent! How can I win?

1. You must be a fan of the page to enter, so join up here.
2. Just post a comment below, telling me what winter clothing your little one (or you) can't live without.
3. Winner will be drawn randomly next Friday morning.

Good luck!

More Hoodies

2010-03-11T08:38:00.002+10:00

So much sewing happening here this week. So much sewing, for not so much product really. I can't believe how much longer hoodies take to make compared to shorts. Luckily, they're really cute, so I can make an exception...

They will be making their market debut at the Boutique Markets at Portside Wharf this Sunday. So pop down if you're in Brisbane. They really are fabulous markets.

'Saturday...'

2010-03-06T13:17:00.002+10:00

'When these open doors were open ended...' - Fall Out Boy

Love that song.

So Saturday, the best day of the week, because you know there is still another day of the weekend left after this one. I've been a busy bee over the last few days, with mostly work related stuff. I have been creating:

- Corduroy hoodies lined with flannelette
- Corduroy pants with cute little cuffs
- Women's tees
- New softies

All inspired by the sudden change of season. And yes, I am working on all of them at once, coz that's just how I roll. Here is a picture of one of the hoodies:

This afternoon, we are going on a little adventure to IKEA. I must exercise some restraint and only buy fabric. What's the bet I don't though?

Tell me about your weekend plans...

It's all about me!

2010-03-03T08:16:00.004+10:00

Well, today's post is anyway.

People that have been following my blog for a while might remember my post about trying to lose some weight. It's such a cliche, but since having babies, flab lives in places where it never used to. A friend of mine says that she could make another baby from the spare skin she has after having babies. That's true for me as well. Things have changed. On top of the extra skin (quite literally), I have stretch marks, but I've learnt to live with them. They're not angry and purple anymore, they have faded to a silvery tone and in a way, I'm kind of proud of them. Bodies are amazing, aren't they? Look a how far it can be stretched out:

So anyway, it was time to get rid of the weight that I joyously put on while eating for two. I started around September last year and the first 4kgs or so came off quite easily with some time at the gym. And then it stopped coming off, I lost motivation, it was Christmas, food was good... But I found some motivation again around 6 weeks ago and I have lost 5.5kgs since then (11.5kgs in total). I'm getting back into size 12 clothes, which is really exciting. I'm actually fitting back into clothes that I haven't worn since before I had babies. It's like having a new wardrobe again! It's slow, but it's do-able - I have 9.5kgs to go.

That transformation has been slow, but being the impatient girl that I am, I wanted a new look - fast. So I changed the one thing that I could transform in a couple of hours...

And then I changed it some more...

It's a drastic change, but I needed it - change of season and all that. I'm growing my hair out and being platinum blonde wasn't great for it's condition. So what's new with you?

What a Week!

2010-03-01T09:29:00.003+10:00

What a crazy week I've had.

I received a pile of orders for the new style martingale collars...

I had a few orders come through on madeit....

I was excited to be part of a brand new blog featuring handmade products for kids...

Then I got sick. And now Eddie is sick (well, he's either got my cold, or he is having a bit of a reaction to his vaccinations - either way, he is now my velcro baby and is making it very difficult to get things done).

At least I'm on the mend, which is good. Today is a lovely recovery day - nice and cool and rainy. The first day of autumn and I have jeans on! Jeans! Looking forward to winter at this rate.

And now for something completely different...

2010-02-19T08:20:00.003+10:00

Re-use, recycle, upcycle, re-create, reclaim... All words to pretty up the act of making something new out of something old. I do it all the time, mostly using tablecloths, tea towels and doona covers and turning them into shorts. It's heaps of fun, I love going on those little op shop treasure hunts and finding something that makes me squeal inside and look around nervously, like I can't believe I have found such an amazing little treasure.

Retro Tablecloth Shorts:

Phantom Doona Cover Shorts:

Some people find the idea a little bit weird and icky, but I have a lot of customers that get as excited as me about the whole process. There's something really special about having your child in something that you know you won't see anywhere else. Let's face it - while you can still get away with dressing your child (until they start saying 'Wear that? No way mum!'), they are a reflection of our creativity and good taste. Am I right? Or is that just me?

Singlet with Doiley:

Old Curtain Shorts:

Anyway, last week I decided my poor neglected pooches needed a new bed for inside their crate. Dog beds are expensive, so I scoured my local op shop and found everything I needed for a new bed:

Skinny roll out mattress (in the perfect width!) - $9
Calico (on the back of a doona cover, I used the front for shorts) - $6
Stripey Wool Blanket (full of moth holes that required some creative cutting) - $1

So, as is the normal procedure with all things second hand, they were soaked in very hot water and Napisan, followed by a hot wash and then thrown in the dryer. Not very eco friendly, but satisfies my inner germaphobe. The good thing about this procedure is that it felted the wool blanket, so it wouldn't fray or unravel.

I cut the mattress in half so it was perfect dog crate size, I sewed a cover out of the calico and then another cover out of the wool blanket. This way, the mattress would last longer and not so much of the doggyness would get to the mattress (I can just wash both covers instead).

Happy Pooches:

My Weekend In Pictures...

2010-02-15T13:30:00.003+10:00

So much happened this weekend, it was crazy. It would be way too long if I posted everything, and you know the old saying about a picture and a thousand words...

Saturday 9.30am:

Eddie's First Birthday Party.

He wasn't sure about the cake.

Understandable really. But it was my first proper cake effort. Ollie was stuck with cupcakes for his first and second birthdays.

Cake tasted ok though.

Still not sure about the look of that whale.

Sunday: 8am - 1pm

The BabyBird Stall - Boutique Markets at Portside Wharf

Monster Softies.

Personalised Singlets.

Lots and lots and lots of shorts.

Hats.

The Stall.

Sunday afternoon 3pm - 5.30pm - Doggy Playdate.

(Guess who took the camera, but forgot the card?)

Pictures taken when we got home. Sandy, wet, tired (Lola) and not tired (Harry).

Now I need a weekend to get over my weekend.

The End.

Happy Birthday Ed

2010-02-12T08:08:00.003+10:00

I can't believe you are one already. Where has the time gone? It was when your brother turned one that we decided to try for you. From the start you showed your cooperative nature by suprising us with your conception within a month. And there you grew, safe inside, under my heart and already so loved. My pregnancy was easy, I was hardly sick at all, but how I grew. I was huge. I was so sick and tired of people joking that the scan had missed one, that there must have been two in there. That you were going to be a giant. I had heard it all before, when I was pregnant with your brother, so I didn't believe that you were going to be big. I was wrong.

After the horrendous induction process with your brother, I decided that you were going to come into the world on your own steam. But when you still hadn't entered the world after 40 weeks, I enlisted the help of the beautiful Corinne to get you moving. Anything to avoid a medical induction. So after some lovely acupuncture that sent you wiggling around, I had some mild dragging pain that lasted the rest of the day. It turned into proper contractions at around 8.30 that night. You were on your way and I had gone into labour on my own, something that was a brand new experience for me.

At 1am we decided that it was time for hospital, but were sent home again because I was only 2cm dilated. Only 2cm! How on earth was I supposed to get to 10cm? So your dad went to bed, but I was in too much pain to sleep, and the sleeping tablets they had given me didn't work. So I paced around, trying not to wake anyone and ended up in the bath for four hours. At 6am I couldn't stand it anymore, so we went back into the hospital. I was 4cm dilated and admitted.

The rest of the day is a bit of a blur. At around 4.30pm I was 6cm and my waters were broken. The midwife told me they were like kangaroo hide, and there was no way they would have broken until you were born. A monitor was placed on your head to check your heartrate. All of a sudden, everything was accelerated, within half an hour, I was 9.5cm, the midwives could see your head and that's when everything changed. There were no contractions, no breaks, just pain. I started screaming, but didn't realise I was doing it. The room was full of people very quickly, but the only face I could focus on was your dads. He was getting upset seeing me like that, so turned away with midwives comforting him. My uterus was begining to rupture, opening up along the old scar from where your brother was born. It was time to get you out, and quickly.

So off to surgery we went. It's a blur of strange faces, blue scrubs and white ceilings. Lots of noise, but that was coming from me. Four people to hold me still while a new epidural was placed in my spine (the fourth attempt). True to form, your heartrate never changed. Through all the drama, you were calm, the eye of the storm. On the table, curtain up, your dad squeezing my hand. In the light above me, I could see the reflection of the surgeons working, so I concentrated on watching them get you out. And then, there you were. All white, wrinkled and concertinaed, like an accordian squeezed shut. They held you in the air and your limbs started to unravel and you cried, an amazing sound that every new parent holds their breath to hear. You had arrived. And they were right, you were a whopping 4kg. A whole kg heavier than your brother at birth.

Your father took you away, out to meet your very worried grandparents, while I was stitched up. And when I was wheeled into recovery, you had the biggest feed ever. We laid there for over an hour and a half while you suckled away, knowing exactly what to do. And you were big and warm and perfect and mine.

You were such a calm, content baby. A pleasure. Everyone warned me that because your brother had been easy going, that you would be hell on legs. But we proved them wrong, you were even easier. Our happy little slug.

Happy Birthday Eddie. We love you with all our hearts.

Maternity and Newborn photos by Alicia at Savvy Studios.

Note: I attempted VBAC with Eddie (vaginal birth after caesarean). Obviously it was unsuccessful, but many, many women have successful VBACs. Even though you'd think I'd be upset with the way it turned out, I'm not. I feel really good about Eddie's birth. So much happier than I was with Ollie's birth process. If I was in the same situation again, I would make the same decision. You can read more about VBAC here.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

2010-02-10T18:46:00.002+10:00

... Well, not quite. More like 'white plastic packages stamped with barcodes', but you know what I mean. Who doesn't love a package arriving on their doorstep? My delivery man is a lovely older gentleman with a stunning and spoilt Lhasa Apso, and we always enjoy a chat whenever he drops something off. All three of us.

Anyway, I was so excited when this arrived yesterday...

And inside...

New nappies - yay! Eddie has grown out of his Baby Beehind Minkee Magic-alls and needed the next size up. They are so fluffy and cute. But best of all - they work! No leaks, no covers to worry about, no complicated folding. They are a truly awesome invention. I only wish I'd designed them.

Who can resist a cloth-bummed baby?

If I Had Girl Babies...

2010-02-08T12:27:00.005+10:00

If I had girl babies instead of my boy babies, here is what I would buy:

Pink Flower Button Snap Set by lulu froufrou. I actually already have some beautiful hair clips from lulu froufrou, so they're not just for little girls.

A Red and White Polka Dot Sun Visor by Twirling Betty.

A Prudence Flutterby Top by Piper+Lily.

Tangerine and Berry Crush Sorbet Seaside Playsuit by Little Red Wagon.

Brown Bows Wool Felt Booties by The Mending Basket.

Hello Archer

2010-02-04T19:35:00.002+10:00

Little Archer was only born last week, but he is already sporting the latest in newborn fashion - a customised BabyBird singlet and shoes set. I have a feeling he is going to grow up into one spunky little monkey.

What a gorgeous man and congratulations again to Bel and Shaun.

Easy Like Sunday Morning

2010-01-31T13:31:00.002+10:00

This little scene brought a smile to my face first thing this morning.

Have you smiled today?

Neglectful. Again.

2010-01-27T14:01:00.003+10:00

Sorry kids, I haven't forgotten about you, January has taken me by suprise and been quite the busy little month. I have brand new fabric, just begging me to turn it into lovely things - so that is my aim this week.

To get the ball rolling, I've just added these lovelies to my madeit store. Eddie (ok, I) likes them so much, he had to have a pair to call his own. I made the porker a size 2 by accident (he can also fit quite comfortably into the size 1), which shows how free the shorts sizing is.

52 Weeks For Dogs

2010-01-20T13:52:00.002+10:00

Here is week 3/52 of my '52 Weeks For Dogs' series. It's proving to be a challenge and really fun to think of different ideas each week.

The painting above Lola is one of mine, I painted it with the intention of selling it, but I couldn't let it go. So it stays. Lola is umimpressed with her likeness. To see more of the fabulous '52 Weeks For Dogs' pop on over to Flickr.

January - who would've thought?

2010-01-18T11:38:00.002+10:00

...It would actually be busy?

Ok, well not busy busy, but I have received quite a number of orders this month. I had thought it would be quiet, due to people recovering from Christmas spending. Bring it on, I say.

Here is a custom order I finished this morning:

The Cycle...

2010-01-17T11:49:00.003+10:00

Brain's grandma has been unwell and has been living in a nursing home for quite a few months now. Her mind is still quite sharp, but her body has become so frail. Her family have started to empty her big old house, so it can be prepared for sale. So sad. Yesterday we were asked to pop over to her house and take anything we liked, so that some of her lovely things could be kept in the family.

I chose this gorgeous old chair. It resided in the bathroom, complete with canary yellow, frilly cover (and a bin that matched!). Exploring her house was like stepping back in time, so many bits and pieces from another era. As soon as I brought the chair home, I was in my sewing room, attempting to whip up a new cover. I love it with the new cover - it gives it a bit of a muted, modern twist... now where to put it?

Thank you Grandma.
xx

She Loves Me...

2010-01-13T14:26:00.002+10:00

I'm sure she does. Deep, deep down inside...

I know he loves me...

I'm embarking of a journey to improve my photography. A lovely friend of mine loaned me a DLSR, so I can try before I buy. So I have commited to a project - 52 Weeks of Dogs. I have to submit one photo of each of my dogs per week, for a year. It's a big commitment.

You can see more of my efforts over at Flickr.

There's still a whole lot of summer left....

2010-01-11T13:07:00.002+10:00

It's hot in this part of the world at the moment, it really is. But there is still more to come. I'm guessing there is more than 4 months of shorts wearing weather left. So, here are some shorts in fun new fabric. They are available in sizes 00 to 6 these days too. Yay!

Rolling Hills:

Twisted Trees:

Sea Creatures:

Giant Squid:

But wait! There's more! Pop on over to my Madeit Store to check it all out.

Hi ho, hi ho....

2010-01-09T08:05:00.003+10:00

...It's off to work I go.

That's 13 pairs of shorts, ready to be hemmed and have the waist elasticated, in time for the Boutique Markets tomorrow.

Why Is It So?

2010-01-08T12:07:00.004+10:00

Why do boys get the best eyelashes?

Both of my boys have fantastically long and gorgeous eyelashes. I have stumpy little blonde ones that require mascara, otherwise I look like I have none.

Well Hello There...

2010-01-04T08:37:00.004+10:00

Here we are, back to regular programming. Brain has gone to work and it's just me and the boys back at home. We had a great Christmas and New Year - it was spent with my family in Noosa. Not too many beach trips (too hot with little ones), but we did spend a lot of time in the pool. I actually got out to the movies twice (the bonus of having built-in babysitters), to see 'Avatar' and 'The Lovely Bones'. Both were great movies, but when I'm out of the house without the kids I'm easily pleased.

The highlight? My new tattoos. I went with my dad, which was just awesome. Recently he lost his mum and his sister and we decided to get bird tattoos to remember them by. The bird theme is one that has threaded itself through the tragedy a few times, the most obvious being that it is our family name. Anyway, I love them. I love the colour, I love the placement, I love that they have a meaning.

So what now? Well, I have a whole lot of sewing to do before the Boutique Markets this weekend, so I'd better get started. Happy New Year to you all!

xx

Coming Soon...

2009-12-21T12:21:00.006+10:00

A sneaky peek at what will be added to the BabyBird range in early 2010.

Hats:

Little Monsters:

What A Find!

2009-12-20T16:54:00.004+10:00

Every now and then I do an op shop run to look for fun stuff and maybe some funky fabric to upcycle into shorts. Yesterday I did quite well. I found an Actil and Star Wars (!) doona cover, a couple of pillowcases and a linen 'Birds of Australia' teatowel - they have all been soaked and washed and will be turned into shorts. I also found a single fold out mattress. I made a smashing new cover for it and the dogs are happy with their new bed (it fits perfectly inside the crate).

But this is what I got really excited about. A bit too excited, you might say...

The entire collection of the Sesame Street Library, published in 1979 (before I was born!). The characters are completely old school. There are characters in there that I had completely forgotten about (remember Barkly?). And guess what? Not a trace of Elmo. After some googling, I discovered he first appeared in 1985. So there you go. I remember Big Bird being the popular one when I used to watch it. How times have changed.

Anyway, I bought the books because I (a) love Sesame St and (b) I love vintage and (c) I assumed they would be in pretty poor condition, so I could make gift tags out of the pages. Well, to my suprise the books are in almost perfect nick. Not a torn or scribbled on page. The covers have some age marks, but that's all. It was also pointed out to me that the series has recently sold on ebay for quite a princely sum. So these books will remain intact. I will put them away and pass them onto my kids when they are old enough to know how valuable they are...

Don't Panic!

2009-12-16T08:38:00.002+10:00

It's not too late! I'm still taking orders for Christmas (and judging by the flurry I've received over the last few days, there is some last minute shopping going on). So, in a spot of shameless self-promotion, here are some Christmas ideas from my Madeit Store:

Christmas-themed singlets - $10

Shorts and Singlet Sets - $28

Era Singlets - $15

Era Shorts - $15

Newborn Gift Packs - $28

Personalised Singlets - $13

Tees For Kids - $17

Tees For Women - $22

Custom Collars For Pooches - from $16

Merry Christmas!

Tis The Season...

2009-12-15T12:39:00.004+10:00

... To neglect my blog. Sorry blog. So much going on though, I'm sure you understand.

We had our first Christmas Party on the weekend. Just a little get together with our very good friends (who are also our neighbours). It's so special to have such great friends just over the fence. Another added bonus is they have two daughters, their first is only a month younger than Ollie and their second is only 3 months younger than Ed. We've been able to go through pregnancy, birth and all the little milestones that come after - together, it's so nice to share something so important with someone who completely understands.

We shared yummy food, like this icecream cake that I *cough* made for the kids *cough*

We opened presents with the kids...

We drank a lot of syrupy sweet Limoncello that had been brewing away in my kitchen for a month or so.

And then, after the kids were sleeping peacefully....

We Wii'd! We Wii Wii Wii'd all the way home :) It was a great night.

Christmas: Gotta love the food.

2009-12-08T13:49:00.002+10:00

I love flicking through magazines and drooling over the gorgeous photos of food that compliment the recipes. Baking is my absolute favourite though. I was in the mood for some baking this morning, so we whipped up some gingerbread men (well, gingerbread snails, hedgehogs and squirrels).

I've also made around 3 litres of Limoncello to have with my neighbour when we have our little Christmas party. Noni grated up all the lemon zest, I added a bottle of vodka to it and it has been sitting for a few weeks. This morning we added another bottle of vodka and a litre of sugar syrup. Mmmmm... can't wait to get happy with a couple of glasses really soon.

News News News

2009-12-03T13:00:00.005+10:00

I have two exciting pieces of news today...

1. BabyBird has been offered a stall at the stunning Boutique Markets at Portside Wharf in January. Yay! I am very excited, it's such a beautiful market, with a strong focus on all things lovely and handmade.

2. BabyBird now makes shorts for boys in up to a size 6! Previously, they were only available in 00-3, but I had so many mums frustrated with the lack of boys clothes in larger sizes. So I hunted around and found a larger shorts pattern (patterns for boys shorts in size 4-6 are so elusive!), customised it and have started sewing away.

In other news, Ollie has become obsessed with all things Santa this Christmas. It's the first one where he is actually starting to understand what goes on, so while they're asleep today, I am attempting to sew him a little Santa softie. Wish me luck!

Party Wrap Up

2009-12-02T13:33:00.003+10:00

So now that I have a minute, I thought I would tell you all about my first BabyBird Clothing Party. It was touch and go for a while there, I probably jumped in and organised it way too quickly, but in typical fashion (and being part of the now-now-now generation) that's what I did. In hindsight, it's not a great time of year for short notice, but I was lucky enough to have six lovely women come along.

At first I thought the number was too small and that things would be awkward and weird, when in fact, it was probably the perfect number to have! The day turned out to be 34 degrees, so I decided against holding it on my back deck and set up my tables and racks in the air conditioned loungeroom instead.

When all my guests started arriving, I was a tad nervous - I always feel a bit nervous about putting all my stock on display. It's like opening up a big part of my heart for people to see, which is a bit scary. Anyhow, I shouldn't have worried, because of course, everything was fine! The clothes were well-received and everyone was kind enough to buy something and it was more successful than I had hoped.

My biggest consideration was pressure - I absolutely hate being pressured into buy something, which is why I avoid Tupperware Parties like the plague. So I gave a brief and very relaxed introduction about what was for sale and then I went to make tea, letting everyone browse in peace. Later I spent some time chatting to everyone one-on-one, which was lovely too.

Huge, huge thanks to those who came along to support me and made my first party a success!

xx

New Fancypants

2009-11-30T09:36:00.002+10:00

Oh how I love new knickers. A week ago, I ordered a pair of Norma Jeans from Miss Fancypants on Madeit. They arrived within two days (!) and oh my goodness, they are the best ever. I'd been eyeing off her swimmers for a while, but when I saw the Norma Jeans I just had to have them. The fantastic photoshoot sold me:

Now, I'm not 15 anymore, I've had two children and I did not bounce back from my baby making like Angelina Jolie, but I'm also not ready for grandma knickers, so the Norma Jeans are perfect. They are high waisted, with cute little legs and are so, so adorable. The sizing is great and they don't cut you off around the most unflattering part of your hips. I wore them to bed the other night and they were very comfortable. Next on my list is the Lucille Pin Up 2 Piece. Just gorgeous.

Ah, the challenges...

2009-11-26T09:26:00.002+10:00

I am currently sewing up a storm for my BabyBird Party on Sunday, which is a challenge in itself. Well, this week it's being made even more difficult by my darling angel Eddie, who decided that he might attempt to cut four teeth at once. Yes, four teeth. True to form, he isn't taking the whole thing too badly, but his usual sleep times have been cut short - which means more stops to make snacks/play with/cuddle/amuse. This in turn means that Ollie has to join in and results in very little sewing getting done.

Oh well, these are the days of my life.

PS More info about the party can be found here.

PPS I have a big announcement that will be made at the party, which I will then share with everyone else next week.

More Madeit Gift Ideas

2009-11-24T12:15:00.003+10:00

It's coming. The carols are playing in the shops, my mailbox is overflowing with junk, school kids are starting to pour out onto the streets and I can't find a carpark by 10am at our local Westfield. So how about we rebel against the jammed shopping centres this Christmas and do our shopping in peace and quiet (preferrably in our jammies with a cuppa). Here are a few more gift ideas from the ever-lovely Madeit.

Oooh, check out this vintage style sunvisor by gravityaccessories:

This fabulous Owl print by Lino Creative

A summery girls skirt by Lillipilli Lane

A funky handbag by Violet Clothing

Super cool wall decals by Vinyl Wall Design

Happy shopping!

PS. Please don't forget that I am having my first ever BabyBird Clothing Party this Sunday. All details can be found here.

xx

Hodge Podge

2009-11-18T12:05:00.004+10:00

My blog posts are often a mish mash of things, aren't they? Sorry about that, but it's a true reflection of my days, I'm often attempting to do six things at once. One thing that often puzzles people is the fact that I make both dog collars and kids clothes. 'How bizarre!' they say. 'What an odd combination!' they exclaim. But I really don't think it's strange. Our dogs came along before our children and I like them to have funky collars, then when the boys were born, I enjoyed making things for them to wear too. As a child, I thought the best part of Barbie was her wardrobe and I loved dressing her up too. Can anyone see the pattern forming?

Last week, the lovely Cindy from Rocstar contacted me to order some collars and leads for her stall at the Boutique Markets at Portside Wharf. I've finished the order and had to share the fact that it's my first order to go out with the new labels. Yay! If you're in Brisbane, pop into the Boutique Markets and check out the Rocstar Stall, Cindy makes a lot of very cool dog clothing. You will also find Love Stamp, Miss Haidee and Little Diva there, amoung the many other incredible stalls.

Just to add to the hodge podge - I made some bunting for Eddie's room this morning. It's my first attempt, next on the list is some Christmas bunting.

And, because my sewing table is already way too cluttered, I thought I'd show you where I do my cutting out - I think I could have a worse office.

Party Time!

2009-11-17T09:09:00.004+10:00

I am very excited to announce my first ever BabyBird Party!

Where: Geebung, Brisbane (near Chermside).
When: 29th November
Time: 9.30am

What is it?!
Well, I will be holding something very similar to a mini-market on my back deck. There will be morning tea and an opportunity to browse through the BabyBird range at your leisure. There will be some specials and new items just for party goers - and no pressure. If you wish to bring your children along - please do so, my house is kid friendly.

RSVP: Please email me (katiebird1@optusnet.com.au) before the 27th of November to let me know you will be attending, and I'll send you my address and directions. Please feel free to pass this invitation onto any friends or family that you think may be interested.

Thanks so much for all your support, I look forward to meeting you.

A Few Little Things

2009-11-16T13:22:00.003+10:00

Woah, busy times here right now in the lead up to Christmas. So I have a few little things to share with you. Firstly, there is a BabyBird Clothing Party in the making. It will be held within the next couple of weeks and I will have some specials and new bits just for my party goers. So watch this space Brisbanites...

Now, due to the unexpected success of the Christmas Shorts at Mathilda's, I have unfortunately sold out and was unable to get more fabric. So sad, because it was so gorgeous. But, I have a little bit left that I have used for some singlets and just added to my madeit store.

But wait, there's more! I found some more gorgeous Christmas fabric on the weekend, so all is not lost! It's a really lovely aqua blue and features little Santas, so is perfect for boys and girls. So I've added those new sets to my madeit store, along with a couple of other new singlets. And, as a special little Christmas Bonus, I'm offering free postage on the 'Ho Ho Ho' Shorts and Singlet sets until Christmas.

Peace out.

It's the little things...

2009-11-10T12:23:00.005+10:00

My new tags arrived today. I'm so excited and can't wait to sew them onto my clothes and collars. Almost like a signature on a painting.

If anyone is interested, I ordered them through Worldwide Label. They were fantastic, communcative, lovely sellers and I would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat.

Thanks Narelle!

2009-11-10T08:50:00.002+10:00

I've been awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award! Hooray!

Narelle was the lovely person that awarded me. She makes gorgeous jewellery and you can check out her blog here.

So, there are 7 rules to follow to keep this growing:

1) Copy the award picture and post on your blog

2) Thank the person who gave it to you and link to their blog.

3) Write 7 things about yourself we don't know:

1. I am without: one appendix and one set of tonsils.

2. I have a Bachelor of Applied Science (animal studies).

3. I went to South Africa for two weeks as part of my uni degree.

4. I've worked as a vet nurse in the past.

5. I'm allergic to cats.

6. Snakes scare the hell out of me.

7. My taste in music leans to what could be called 'angry young man music'.

4) Choose 7 other bloggers to pass the award to.

5) Link to those 7 other bloggers .

Lulufroufrou
City of Dionne
Brusselsprouts
Sweet William
Bianca Jae Makes Stuff
Lillipilli Lane
Here We Go Loopy Lou

6) Notify your 7 bloggers.

Phew, all done. It seems a lot of my favourite bloggers have already been nominated. Well done guys!

Must Love Dogs...

2009-11-08T13:32:00.004+10:00

I do. I love dogs, little, big, hairy, slobbery... So to continue with the photography theme, you must check out Ruthless Industries' blog. Ruth takes fantastic photos of her own and other peoples dogs, I could sift through them for hours, going back to look at my favourites over and over again. So inspired by Ruth's '10 Facts About' series, I thought I would give you the 10 Facts about Harry and Lola...

10 Facts About Harry

1. Harry was an accident.
Harry is the result of an amorous encounter between a Pug and a German Shepherd. His father got to his mother via human error. To answer your next question - his mother was the pug, she birthed 8 puppies naturally and his father was 6 months old at the time of conception.

2. Harry has serious dental problems.
Harry's jaw is overshot, which means his bottom jaw sticks out a good 2cms further than his top jaw. No doubt his mixed heritage can be thanked for that. Walking him can be interesting, as often people think he is baring his teeth at them.

3. Harry should be bald.
He loses so much coat that I swear he shouldn't have any left. His double coat is short, but very thick and drops out all year round. The undercoat is so fine that it drifts around the place like a mist, occassionally ending up in eyes or mouths.

4. Harry has an addiction.
To balls mostly, but any toy will do. In fact, the dead skin of a tennis ball will do if there is nothing else around. He will constantly drop the ball at your feet, hoping, waiting, praying that you will throw it for him. And if you do, then you will be stuck with him forever and ever and ever...

5. Harry has serious dental problems (part 2).
Not only is he terribly undershot, he has also worn down his canines to the same level as his incisors, due to his ball addiction. This doesn't seem to inhibit his bone consumption.

6. Harry is a dream to train.
He has the drive, he has the smarts and can learn tricks so quickly, if only I had the time and energy to do some sort of sport with him. One day...

7. Harry has no off-switch.
The dog is seven years old and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. He will come back from a 5km run, get a drink and then go grab a ball for you to throw. He is a nutter.

8. Harry is 'the voice'.
He now wears a zappy bark collar when we aren't home, because he gets over protective of the house and yard. He is a completely different dog when we are at home.

9. Harry is a nigel.
He has no friends (except Lola). He is a doggy snob and while out, would much prefer to chase a toy, than play nice with others.

10. Harry takes after my husband.
Just like my husband, he leans towards the skinny side and can be difficult to keep weight on, even though he is a bottomless pit with food. We put this down to his boundless energy and being constantly on the go.

10 Facts about Lola

1. Lola is a man's lady.
Lola attracts men, I have no idea what it is about her, but far more men will come over for a pat than women.

2. Lola needs a hanky.
She will almost always sneeze on new people when they pick her up. It never fails to disgust.

3. Lola keeps me up at night.
Both dogs sleep crated together in the loungeroom. If our bedroom door is open, she keeps me awake with her snoring - all the way down the other end of the house. There is no way she could sleep in our room.

4. Lola is naughty.
She won't let me clip her nails, she is a shocker. She will grunt, snort, cry, wiggle, scratch, hyperventilate and drop out all her coat. She's nuts.

5. Lola has a dodgy hip.
When she was six months old, she was diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which is essentially a dying femoral head (top of the femur where it sits into the hip socket). She had surgery to remove the femoral head and now she skips and limps a bit when she has been running around. She is on Ester C, fish oil, glucosamine and cartrophen.

6. Lola is a nigel too.
Harry is her bestest and only bud. She annoys they crap out of him by chasing him and chewing on his ankles when he chases the ball. But they have curled up together every night since she was a puppy. She has no time for other dogs, and if they annoy her, they will feel the wrath of her bark. Scary stuff.

7. Lola is a lazy cow.
Some days I literally have to drag her out of the crate and make her go outside to pee. She would sleep the day away otherwise.

8. Lola swims like a brick.
She loves a swim, so bolts into the water. Slowly, her back end drops down, she becomes vertical, egg beaters away for a while and then that head goes under and it's all over. I have to go in and rescue her. Recently, we bought her a life jacket and although she feels embarrassed by it for 7 seconds, she soon gets over it and stays afloat in the water. I have a much nicer time at the beach now.

9. Lola thrives on a raw diet.

She gets right into salmon heads, lamb flaps and chicken frames. Even with a mouth like a wobbygong shark, she quite expertly handles meat on bone.

10. Lola takes after her mother.
We really have to watch her food intake. Just like me, she has the ability to put on 3kgs from walking past a bakery. Luckily I'm harder on her diet than my own and she is quite a lean little monster.

Lounge Wear?

2009-11-06T14:54:00.003+10:00

I am a member of a rather large forum, and every month a photography challenge is held (it's not a photography forum). The challenges are for anyone who has a camera, and while most have lovely digital SLRs that I can only dream about, I just have a little point and shoot number. So although I often feel like a very little fish swimming next to the big guns, I enjoy the challenges because they have helped improve my photos, by making me think about what I'm doing before I do it.

This months challenge is back to basics and concerns portraits. One of the most important ingredients in a good photo is light, and this afternoon I noticed that one half of the couch is quite light, while the other half is quite dark. So I propped up my most willing model on the couch for a few photos. Now, this one is a bit dark, but I have been playing with the very limited manual controls on my camera, just to get out of the comfort zone of 'auto'. I also refuse to use the flash (we have a very hate-hate relationship). Here is my little lounger (son of Budda, apparently).

I hope you all enjoy your weekends!

Let the shopping commence!

2009-11-04T12:52:00.004+10:00

I started my Christmas shopping at madeit yesterday. I am oh-so excited about all the goodies that will be delievered by the postie very soon. However, just in case any of my loved ones decide to have a sneaky peak at my blog, I decided that I will provide you with a list of gift ideas instead. Here we go:

For that new little one in your life, how about an organic cotton softie toy rattle monster from chunkychooky. By the way, chunkychooky also has an awesome blog, which you should check out.

Prints are for anyone really, and Sweet William has an outstanding range.

For the car nut - an upcycled seatbelt wallet from interrobang.

For the girly girl - a rose blossom hair pin by Percy Handmade.

And lets not forget that every Christmas, a girl deserves to give herself a nice little pressie. My choice is The Josephine Dress by Ampersander.

Happy shopping!

New Bits and Pieces...

2009-11-04T08:30:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I added a pile of new things to Madeit. They made their debut at Mathilda's and went quite well, so I'm hoping it continues in the lead up to Christmas.

Firstly, I have Newborn Gift Packs, which include baby shoes, a matching singlet and a plain white muslin wrap. A lovely gift idea for a new baby.

I also added a pile of new BabyBird: Era singlets for little girls. These are very limited edition, not only because I used vintage doilies and lace to create them, but because I have decided to move away from my girls range and concentrate entirely on my boys/unisex range. This is just due to the fact that the market is flooded with girls clothing and there is already so many beautiful girls things to buy. It's better if I just concentrate on what I know best and living with three boys makes sure that I do!

So this weekend I am going on a fabric buying spree to replenish my stocks, which means that I will hopefully have the entire boys range back, aswell as some new goodies.

Can we talk?

2009-11-03T12:02:00.004+10:00

..About skincare products?

Moo Goo is my new favourite thing. I've been using their shampoo and conditioner for a while now, with fantastic results. But I recently bought their oil cleanser and the full cream udder cream. Now, I know all this sounds a bit bizarre... ok, really bizarre, but please keep reading.

Moo Goo was developed by dairy farmers to use on the udders of their cows, to keep them in good nick for milking. Then the cream was adapted for a family member with a skin problem, and the rest is history. Moo Goo products contain no Mineral Oil, no Sodium Laureth Sulphate and no Propylene Glycol. All the ingredients are naturally derived and actually listed on the side of the bottle.

I am so in love with the oil cleanser - I want to marry it. Now, I know it seems strange - cleaning your face with oil, but it has changed my skin. It is so soft and brighter somehow - I can't really explain it.

I've never ordered mine online, as I get it from my local healthfood shop. But I've only heard good things from those who order online directly from Moo Goo and they even slip samples into your order every now and then. Who doesn't love that?

So, if you are in the market for some new products, I can really recommend the Moo Goo range. Fantastic stuff.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig...

2009-11-01T18:41:00.004+10:00

Wow - what a cracker of a day. Mathilda's Market was wonderful, so many stallholders showing off their gorgeous wares. The day started early for me (5.42am to be exact). That's when Ollie woke up and even though Brain got up to him, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I headed out to my office to do a teeny, weeny bit more sewing. I couldn't help myself.

Then by 7.15am, my very good friend and market assistant, Noni, was here and we zoomed off towards City Hall. As soon as we walked in, we were lulled by the atmosphere. City Hall has such a lovely vibe about it. After a bit of unpacking, arranging, coffee and re-arranging, we were ready to roll. I felt a bit like a rockstar when I caught a glimpse of the crowd of marketeers wating to get inside. Eeeep - the pressure! I didn't need to worry though, everyone was fantastic, bought up big and complimented me on the designs. Almost everyone that bought something got excited by the fact that I have a heavy bias towards creating boys clothing - mums of boys - I hear you! The lack of funky and stylish boys clothes is what inspired me to begin BabyBird in the first place.

Towards the end of the market I got enough time to pop over and visit Jo from Lovestamp and Keryn from Lillipilli Lane. Hi ladies! I am also very pleased to announce that my spending was completely under control (can't say the same for Noni though! She did buy some stunning things for her beautiful girls). These lovely birdies from Wall Allure found a new home in our kitchen:

Wow - what a day. Bring on the next Mathilda's!

Oh the perils...

2009-10-31T13:22:00.001+10:00

In my haste to prepare for Mathilda's, I just sewed through my finger. Actually, I attempted to sew through my finger, but my fingernail did a pretty fair job of stopping it. Go fingernail. It hurts. Waaah.

My current top 5...

2009-10-30T08:25:00.006+10:00

Things are descending into madness (ha - I just typed madeness - makes sense) here at the moment. Mathilda's is on Sunday and I am rushing around like a mad thing, running my sewing machine into the ground. Have I got enough shorts? Hmmm, couldn't hurt to make some more. Enough singlets? This design is so cute, better make some more. Enough shoes? Hmmmm.... You get the picture.

So, I thought I would tell you about the top 5 things that are getting me through this week:

1. China Jasmine Tea from T2.

So lovely, so refreshing - it's becoming like water to me at the moment.

2. Taking Back Sunday - Live From Bamboozle.

This band have been a favourite of mine forever. Listen if you are into poppy-punky-catchy tunes with vocals that battle each other to be your favourite. Turn it up loud, sing even louder.

3. My wonderful husband.

My dishwashing, house cleaning, kids breakfast getting, understanding, comforting, break giving husband. What would I do without you?

4. Breakfast.

I love breakfast. If everything else throughout the day falls down in a heap, it's ok - coz I had a decent breakfast, which always consists of: multigrain toast, a poached egg and the all important flat white (made by me with freshly ground beans from the Farmer's Market in Noosa). Ahh.

5. My boys.

They completely interfere with how much work I get done. But they make me stop, think and bring me back down to earth by making me laugh.

Next week will hopefully bring some sort of normal back (whatever that is), but for now, I'm off to have a meeting with the Janome. Again.

So what's your tops 5 this week? Share.

Buy Handmade This Christmas

2009-10-29T09:04:00.003+10:00

Some red-themed lovlies discovered over at the treasure trove that is madeit:

Red Babushka Skirt by Skye Rocket Sews:

Peach Flower Bobby by lulu froufrou:

Giraffe Soft Toy by allana C:

Buttercup Bag by Vision Handbags:

Red Writer by Lino Creative:

A sneaky peak at BabyBird: Era

2009-10-27T14:21:00.008+10:00

This morning I have been making garlands out of little plastic cowboys and indians. Why? Well, inspired by the new range, I'm creating a retro theme for my table at Mathilda's Market on Sunday.

Getting the shorts ready to roll:

New range? Oh yes! It's called BabyBird: Era and is my new favourite thing. Along with all the funky shorts and singlets that make up the BabyBird range, there will also be some new pieces, created from tablecloths, doilies, lace and all things retro. So don't forget to come and visit me at King George Square on Sunday, along with all the other sellers of beautiful things for children.

BabyBird: Era - Breathing new life into doilies and table runners

New life into table cloths:

New life into ties:

My Space

2009-10-25T19:26:00.013+10:00

Here is a picture of our dinner table, as of this afternoon.

Non-remarkable, eh? No sir! It is entirely remarkable, because it is not piled high with fabric, thread, patterns and a sewing machine. I am quite embarrassed to admit we have not eaten dinner on that table for a good six months or so. I know, I know, I'm a terrible housewife.

I am absolutely chuffed to announce that I now have my own sewing room! We have a little room off our back deck that has always been the spare room, but I wasn't able to work out there, because our deck lacked a proper roof. Well now it has one, as well as a childproof gate, so the boys can hang out there while I work. I've already been slaving away in there...

Three Little Words...

2009-10-25T08:15:00.001+10:00

There are three little words that every mother loves to hear whispered by her husband at 6am on a Sunday....

'I'll get up'.

I heard them not only this morning, but yesterday morning too. Love you Brain.

xx

Buy Handmade This Christmas

2009-10-22T08:47:00.003+10:00

You can do it! I know you can! Now, I know what you're thinking, but handmade doesn't have to mean tea cosies, bookmarks and macaroni necklaces. There is a handmade revolution going on right under our noses, so go on - support your local hamdmakers, they will love you for it.

Here are a few of my favourite treasures, found on madeit:

Retro Swimwear by Miss Fancypants. Oh my goodness, I love them. Funky with the ability to eliminate muffin-top. Did I mention that I love them??

Wonderland Peppermint Shoes by little chillies. Quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Lovely custom hand-stamped sterling silver heart by Lovestamp. Jo from Lovestamp creates such beautiful pieces and is a pleasure to deal with. I treasure mine.

Fishy Fisherman Pants by Chunky Chooky. How cool are these?

Little Bird Walking by Rancho. What a cute little print - would go well in my kitchen...

Go on - go spend up on some beautiful handmade things for Christmas. You know you want to.

Motivation - I haz it...

2009-10-21T08:15:00.000+10:00

So, as you may have read, I went to a couple of weddings, a hens and had a holiday in Noosa lastweek. Lovely. The downside? So many gorgeous people! Truly! All fit, fantastic and hot. One of my best friends (the bride of last saturdays wedding), has recently lost 30kgs. Yep - about a third of her body weight. She is now a size 10 and looks amazing - really amazing, not that 'I've just lost a pile of weight by not eating' look (ewww). She did it over two years with good eating and the help of a personal trainer. She is toned and buff. I want that, but having babies wasn't kind to my body (I have the works - floppy tummy, stretch marks and lovely caesarean scar), so I will settle for losing 15kgs, which will put me back in the size 10-12 zone.

Around 4 years ago (not skinny, but definitely littler):

Inbetween there was a bit of expansion
(I treasure these photos, taken by Alicia at Savvy Studios):

Now (not a whole body shot, but I'm not doing that to you):

After I had Eddie, I got all motivated and lost 7kgs, but then I stopped losing weight and got bored. So yesterday, super-psyched me reviewed my details on Calorie King and realised why I have't been losing weight - I was still listed as breastfeeding, which I am not. So there goes 600 calories a day - boo hoo. Oh and as a side note: Not everyone loses weight breastfeeding. I actually put it on, breastfeeding makes me hungry. Whoops.

Why stacking on the kgs was totally worth it (times two):

Why am I telling you all this? Well, if I have someone to answer to, I am way more likely to stay on the wagon, so here are my aims:

1. Eat well and record everything on Calorie King
2. Exercise everyday except Sunday - which means running up a storm on the treadmill 3-4 times a week, weights twice, one balance class a week and th Wii Fit on the days I don't go to the gym.
3. Lose 15kgs. I've given myself 6 months to do it in. Plenty of time (I hope).

If anyone is keen to join me, let me know and we can do it together (in spirit, obviously).

Holidaying with Bird...

2009-10-20T09:10:00.000+10:00

While I was away, BabyBird was never far from my mind, in fact it was on my mind constantly. But that's ok, you know why? Because I love it like it's my third child. Seriously. And when you love what you do, it's not a chore at all - even on holidays.

So, with that in mind, I dragged my mum around to so many Op Shops while in Noosa. It was fantastic, I found some great things. Tablecloths that will be reborn into shorts, doilies that will be sewn onto singlets for little girls, ties that might become belts or dog collars and for my own personal collection - old pyrex from the 60s, perhaps the first ever shapewear by Berlei (so, so cool) and an old slip that will be dyed to give it new life.

I also decided (at the very last minute), that for my friends wedding present, I would paint them a portrait of their cat, Missy. More heartfelt than some cash in a card, which was what I was going to do originally. So after a mad few days (and around 15 hours of painting), I wrapped the portrait up and delivered it to the brides mothers' house on the morning of the wedding. I was cornered by the bride at the reception, she told me she couldn't resist, unwrapped the painting and then re-wrapped it - and to not tell her husband. And she loved it. Hehe - I would have done the same!

For those of you that aren't aware, I paint pet portraits too, although not as much as I used to, because my time has to be split amoung so many different things these days. If you are interested in seeing my work, you can check it out at Redbubble.

Anyway, time for me to either clean the house, start on the orders I received while away or continue on with my tax...

Refreshed, revitalized, rejuvenated...

2009-10-19T18:45:00.000+10:00

We're back from our little break. While it's nice to be back in our own bed, I would give that up to spend every morning at the beach. I had such a great time while we were away and I still feel like I'm floating around on rainbows and fairy dust, so please forgive me if this post is a bit all over the place.

I ate, I drank, I was merry and am now darker shade of lily white. Ollie totally discarded his fear of the water and by the end of our holiday, was running fearlessly into the surf, which was quite scary. Eddie was just Eddie, our happy little camper. He did grow the beginnings of a bottom tooth while we were away. Brain dedicated a morning to washing and polishing the car (hoorah for no water restrictions!), after it was turned red by the recent dust storms. Whatever floats your boat.

Brain and I attended two wonderful weddings, child free, which was a refreshing change. I also went to an old friends Hens Night, where many cocktails and much fine food was consumed. The dancing came later. I must admit I was quite chuffed with myself when I managed to walk up Noosa hill in my highest of high heels, considering I am very high heel unfit these days.

Today was a steady fall back to reality, sorting through emails, doing mounds of washing and eyeing off the sewing machine. I had to cook dinner tonight after 10 days off, that was painful. Now I'm off to the gym, which I imagine will be even more painful.

Bird and the Babies and Brain are off...

2009-10-07T18:52:00.000+10:00

We're all having a little break as of tomorrow. Can't wait. I can't tell you the last time we had time off... There is always the usual over Christmas, but other than that, Brain has used all his leave looking after me when I had the babies. I had two emergency caesareans, so needed him at home for a bit longer than anticipated.

Anyway, we are heading 'home' to Noosa, which is where we both grow up and where both my parents and my inlaws still live. I've spent the day madly posting off orders, cleaning and packing, so we should be ready to go as soon as we have all had brekky tomorrow. Ollie tends to eat three brekkies at the moment, so that may delay out departure.

When we're up there, I plan to do a morning run along the beach, to combat the eating and drinking I will be doing at the two weddings and one hens I am attending. For anyone that's interested, the Couch To 5k program is excellent. I am so not a runner, but am slowly getting there by following the C25K program. My dog Harry will love me, he is an excellent running partner, Lolapug, not so much.

Speaking of Lolapug, I bought her a life jacket this week from Wagsalot Pet Services. I was super impressed with the customer service and the fast arrival of the lifejacket. A lifejacket? You ask. Well yes. Lola loves a swim, but does it about as well as a brick, which means I am forever rescuing her. Now though, she will be able to paddle to her hearts content.

Anyway, my internet access will be limited while I'm gone, so it make take me a while to reply to emails etc. Please feel free to still send through your orders, just be aware that they will take longer than usual to arrive. And if I don't answer emails, it doesn't mean I'm ignoring you, it just means I am finally on holiday!

Come and visit...

2009-10-06T18:51:00.000+10:00

I am getting unbelievably excited about Mathilda's Markets. What is Mathilda's Markets? Well, it's the absolute bees knees in childrens markets. Seriously. I attended as a customer in July and fell head-over-heels for Mathilda's. I could have spent thousands of dollars, every stallholder had the most beautiful things. So I applied to be a stallholder at the November markets. Waiting to see if I had been accepted was nerve-wracking, I was so nervous about having my own little designs measured up against the gorgeous things that are of such an amazingly high standard. As you can probably gather by now, I was invited to have a stall and I'm absolutely chuffed. Here is a little bit more info:

Mathilda's Market showcases and sells beautiful handcrafted and limited production baby and kids goods. Carefully handpicked stallholders bring the most divine and original clothing, accessories, homewares and toys for the little ones. Exquisite wares are lovingly made by some of Australia’s most talented crafters and designers – many of them parents themselves. It’s a shopper’s heaven for those who want to stylishly dress their children or decorate their kids’ home environment, but don’t want to buy mass produced, chain store items. At Mathilda’s Market you’ll see the funkiest and most gorgeous of outfits for the kids, chic bedroom decorations and furnishings, bright and brilliant toys, must-have accessories, pretty and practical bags and shoes, dreamy vintage-inspired creations, handcrafted musical instruments and jewellery, fabulous dress-up costumes, striking linen ... and so much more! As most of the stallholders don’t have a shop front, you are guaranteed to find something truly unique.

So please, come and visit BabyBird Clothing at the upcoming Mathilda’s Market on Sunday 1 November, from 9am to 1pm at Brisbane City Hall, King George Square, Main Auditorium (ground floor). With over 60 stallholders and yummy food this will be a fantastic day out for young & old. For a sneak preview, have a look at the website (www.mathildasmarket.com.au). I look forward to seeing you there!

Here I am...

2009-10-06T08:35:00.000+10:00

So here I am - blogging away. It's a strange word - blogging, isn't it? Kinda like google, makes you snicker at first, reminding you of the silly words you used to make up as kids (or was that just me?). But here we are, quite used to these nonsense words now, using them as part of our everyday language.

So, I thought I would start this blog to provide a more personal side to my business. To share my journey as I struggle to keep my sanity, juggling my two gorgeous boys, the business that grew to more than I could've imagined and the regular, everyday stuff of a woman in her late 20s. I don't like to refer to myself as a WAHM (work at home mother - another snort-worthy acronym), but I guess that's what I am. I have trouble with the 'work' part of it, like what I do is work - I get to watch my boys grow whilst doing what I love - designing, creating, sewing... And don't get me wrong, there are days when I would happily swap places with my husband, get dressed in nice clothes, pop my banana and 'Up and Go' into my bag and leave the toys, the breakfast dishes and the never-ending pile of washing behind. But when it comes to the crunch, I really wouldn't swap places with him, because I enjoy being the stay at home mum, even though some days it drives me nuts.

So should I tell you a bit about us? Ok, I will. My name is Katie, I am in my late 20s (how the hell did that happen?) and I live in a little house in Brisbane with my husband (who will be referred to as Brain - it's not a typo) and our two gorgeous boys, Ollie and Eddie.

Once upon a time, I went to uni and did a degree in Animal Studies (Wildlife Biology). Good times. After that, I bounced around doing various jobs, including vet nursing and working in an animal ethics office. Brain and I met at 19, married at 23 and had Ollie at 25. Eddie came along at the beginning of 2009. BabyBird Clothing took flight not long after Ollie was born. As I'm sure mums of boys know, it's a struggle to find non-mass produced, different, interesting, funky clothes for boys. It really, really is. I didn't want my son in liscensed clothing, clothing that could only feature cartoon trucks/tools/blue, tacky, sexual slogan t-shirts (I'm sure he could discover them for himself later on). So I started sewing.

I've ranted enough for now, haven't I? Thanks for reading.