Support from friends

The people you surround yourself can have such a big influence on you and your attitude to what you're doing and trying to achieve.

I'm not taking the traditional route of a regular job, or buying a small business. I am trying to create my own pathway to success, doing what I enjoy, am passionate about and believe in.

 Yes, I have lots of plans, ambitions, and I try a lot of different things to try to work towards those. Plenty of those actions don't work, or I don't stick to for long enough to see results. But at least I am trying!

Maybe I've worn out a lot of people's patience and belief in me.

I can understand why people scoff at me when I say - "this time" or unveil my latest plan and they roll their eyes as if to say, "here she goes again."

But has everyone who has ever been successful got it right first time?

NO

Neither have I - but it doesn't mean I'll stop trying and working towards my goals, and I WILL get there!

I have the determination and perseverance to keep going - but I also need support and belief from others too.

I need to focus on the support I DO get.

People who believe in me despite my own self doubts.

I NEED people like that in my life - people who will remind me of who am I and who I can be, when doubts start to creep in.

So thank you to everyone out there who has ever left me a positive comment.  Each small comment makes a big difference and boosts my confidence and my will to continue on towards success.

I need this support and truly appreciate it!

I couldn't do it without you!

Thank you!

Fashionable Fabrics

Fashionable fabrics has some of the best novelty and designer fabrics around.

Just now I'm feeling like I need some fresh creative ideas and influence - so I thought I'd have a browse around Fashionable Fabrics for something different and unusual!

Here's what I found...

Do Ewe Knit Knitting Sheep by Timeless Treasures:

Imagine this to make a funky knitting bag, or maybe a mug rug for a crafty friend!

Lil Miss Sew and Sewing Machines by Dan Morris:

A sewing machine cover?

Paseo De Los Muertos by Alexander Henry:

I think this would be great as a tablecloth or placemats for halloween - or just a themed party! Lots of fun!

The very series Fireflies by Andover Fabrics:

Beautiful colours here - Again I could imagine placemats or tablecloth on a table out on the patio for a warm summer evening!

Kitchy Kitchen Utensils in Green By Blend Fabrics:

This would be great for anything for the kitchen - pot holders, mug rugs, covers, or even aprons!

Fashionable Fabrics really does have endless, beautiful inspirational fabrics that would stretch your imagination and provide the supplies for unique and fun projects for yourself, your home or wonderful gifts for others.

So why not take a look for yourself.

Head on over to Fashionable Fabrics now and see what you can find!

Cloth rice bags - several different creative uses!

Ta Da...

Last week I mentioned that I had several of these cloth rice bags:

And had decided it was time to stop hoarding them and find uses for them!

Here's what I came up with..

A Rice Bag for aching muscles, joints or just for keeping us warm in winter!

I just snipped off the bottom portion of one of the bags, filled it with rice and sewed up the top!

Then I made...

A Mug Rug

Using the front and bag of one of the bags, with a layer of scrap fleece sandwiched between and plan scrap fabric sewn together to make a strip long enough for the binding!

(Please don't look too closely at my binding - it's shockingly bad, and one day I'll knuckle down to practice till perfect!)

Notice the cute mug which I was given for my 40th birthday last week!! :)

I also made a set of...

Pot Holders 

(using my own tutorial and a pair of back jeans pockets)

And finally these bags are great for...well...just plain bags 

- with an added touch of a handi-pocket

 (see my tutorial for the Christmas Handibag as to how this pocket works) 

so they can be slipped in bags or the car glove-box for emergency use!

I also used a couple of the bags to store various left over plastic party plates, cups and napkins we have..

Much neater and easier to put away in the cupboard now!

AND I sent my daughter off with one of these bags to her school camp!  On her list of things to take was a 'dilly bag'

A dillybag or dilly bag is a traditional Australian Aboriginal bag, generally woven from the fibres of plant species of the Pandanus genus.^{[verification needed]}. It is used for a variety of food transportation and preparation purposes. (source - Wikipedia)

She needed one of these 'dilly bags' to keep her camp plate, mug, bowl and cutlery in when not in use - and one of these bags fit the bill perfectly!!

So now I have three solid zips, from the bags I used the fabric from, and a two and a half bags left over!

Not a bad attempt at using up these bags!

Thanks to those of you who commented last week with suggestions of what I could do with these bags.

Megan from Meggipeg said:

"I use these rice bags for my picnic set. Plates in one, cups and plastic wine glasses in another and cutlery in a bag that I cut to size and restitched. It keeps the sand out and it's easy to find everything in my big picnic basket. I look forward to seeing what you do with them."

and Sassss said:

I love doing things like this! A few ideas of the top of my head would be cloth napkins, herb filled eye bags (to keep in the freezer for a cool compress for fevers, burning, aching, puffy eyes), hot compresses, filled with dried kidney beans (to warm in microwave or oven), sprouting bags for growing your own wheat grass, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, etc. All things to save money & theplanet, lol. 

You can melt 1 part beeswax & 4 parts thin, food safe oil (peanut oil would be good for this)together & 'paint the bags with it. Allow them to dry & use in place of plastic sandwich bags.

Although I did come up with a few different uses for these bags - I realised that I just thought of uses that involved things I've done before - ie  pot holders, handi-bags and mug rugs, and a rice bag.  I don't feel that I was overly creative - perhaps I'm getting a bit stuck in a creative rut......

I definitely do feel like I need a 

fresh outlook 

and a

burst of creativity. 

Time to explore a little more and see what can help me with that!

Any suggestions very welcome!

I'll be linking this post to many of the fabulous linky parties whose pretty buttons can be found at the bottom of this page and whose direct links can be found on my linky party page.

Little Jems - free tutorial and pattern

What is a 

Little Jem?

This is...

You might recognise this little character from my profile picture!

I started making these Little Jems a few years ago, when a friend and I had a market stall to sell some of our handmade goods.

My Little Jems were always a best seller. They were popular with both girls and boys - and were also bought as novelty gifts for adults too!

They are made with scraps of PVC drainpipe, fur, velour and a little stuffing - although other fabrics can be used!

They aren't just cute little cuddly creatures - they are also little storage containers..

They can be used as desk tidies..

Jewellery holders...

or even as drinks holders:

They can be made in any colour and have been well loved and a big hit with the many kids who have bought them or received them as gifts over the past few years.

So, why am I telling you all this?

Well, I've decided to make a pattern/tutorial so that others can make  these little Jems for themselves.

I no longer have my market stall, having decided to put all my efforts instead into my blog.

But these Jems are too cute to stay hidden in Far North Queensland, Australia.

 My tutorial and pattern to make these Little Jems is now available for FREE here on Creating my way to Success.

It also includes the templates for the tags I used to sell them - and ideas for developing the pattern too.

So....

Would you like your very own Little Jem? or do you know someone who would?

They are a tried and tested item to make for sale in markets..

Loved by kids for their soft cuddly fur, cute faces and neat storage inside!

Their uses are many and varied:

Limited only by your imagination!

To get the FREE tutorial and pattern download,

 simply

click here

I do hope you have fun making these little guys - and if you do, please do send me pictures! I'd love to see them!

Happy Sewing!

I'll be linking this post to many of the fabulous linky parties whose pretty buttons can be found on the bottom of this page and whose direct links can be found on my linky party page.

A Round Tuit 154

Good morning!
It's a busy morning for us here today as my eldest daughter is off on her school camp for a few days!  All very exciting - camping, canoeing, hiking and abseiling! What a great experience it'll be. I used to love school camps and I have to admit I'm a bit envious of her going off to do all of that with her friends!

It will be nice though to get some time with my younger daughter at home too!!

Hope you've got a fun week in store too!

Now to the party.................

------------------------------------
Tuits are very hard to come by, especially the round ones. For years people have been saying, "I'll do it as soon as I get a round tuit". Well now you can have one of your very own, and all those jobs that have needed doing will finally get done!

<center> <a href="http://jembellish.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Round%20Tuit"><img border="”0”" src="http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac329/jembellish/Blog%20buttons/ARoundTuit.jpg" /></a><center> </center> </center>       Here's my favourites from last week's party:   First of all, these yummy looking  Cheesecake filled Strawberries from Happier Than A Pig In Mud:

There are heaps more tasty ideas over on this blog - go check it out! http://happierthanapiginmud.blogspot.com.au/

Next, this super cute crocheted 
amigurumi Giraffe from The Philosopher's Wife:

Isn't it gorgeous??
Lots more to see over at Rachel's blog, so do go and say hello:
http://philwife.blogspot.com.au/

Finally, this awesome tutorial for a
 quilted pillow cushion with a hidden zipper from Made By ChrissieD:

Chrissie has a fabulous blog with lots of great ideas and projects - so head on over to take a look at:
http://madebychrissied.blogspot.com.au/

For those featured, feel free to grab a 'featured on' button from my buttons page.

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Now it's your turn:

Link up your own projects - old or new - no rules - just share your creativity and inspiration!

I'd love if you grabbed the button - then you can have your very own Round Tuit!

And of course we all love visitors and comments so do visit some of the other links!

By linking up here you're giving me permission to use photos from your post in features here on my blog.

I will feature my favourites on facebook during the week, and also on this post next week.

Sunday motivation

Weekend clothes upcycling - a new plan and challenge

As part of my renewed focus and drive to grow my blog, I've decided to delve further into the world of clothes upcycling.

As you may know, I have an ongoing clothes upcycling linky party, which now has over 450 projects and ideas linked up.

This resource is constantly growing and is a great source of inspiration.

However, what I would like to build up is another resource where you can easily look up types of clothing and get ideas and inspiration of what to do with that particular item of clothing.  For example you may have a favourite t-shirt that has finally worn through and is no longer really wearable, but you still can't bear to part with it......so then you could search this resource for ideas for upcycling t-shirts.

So week by week I'm going to research and collect all the information I can find about upcycling particular items of clothing. Then I'll collate each post together on an easy to navigate page so each post is easy to find for future reference.

I'm also going to do a ruthless cull of my own wardrobe, and use the information I find to help me upcycle my own clothing, so I will have some extra examples of the ideas and inspiration put into practice!

To keep me accountable and make sure this resource gets made - here's the plan - week by week and clothing item by clothing item.

A post each week on Saturdays.

June

1st - jeans

 8th - jeans part 2

 15th - dresses

 22nd - dresses - part 2

29th - tank tops

July

6th - swimwear

13th - t-shirts

20th - t-shirts part 2

27th - skirts

August 

3rd - shirts

10th - shirts part 2

17th - underwear

24th - trousers / pants

31st - baby clothes

September

7th - pyjamas

14th - hats / caps

21st - shoes

28th - shoes part 2

October 

5th - sweaters

12th - shorts

19th - socks

26th - leggings

November 

2nd - track pants

9th - jackets

16th - scarves

23rd - belts

30th - cardigans

As you can see, these posts will start in June - giving me a little time to start researching and making them as packed full of information and ideas as I can. 

If you notice any items of clothing that I've missed - or you have ideas or projects that you'd like me to feature or include in these posts then please leave me a comment, or email me (you can find my contact details here).

Next week I'll post any revisions and or additions to this plan!

So for now - I'm off to clear out my wardrobe and see what items of clothing I have to work with - and also start searching the internet for even more ideas and inspiration!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - and that you'll come back each Saturday to join me in exploring the fascinating world of clothes upcycling even more!