Organiser for work

This project was inspired by various organiser patterns I have seen on the web (Amy Butler 's sweet greeting portfolio and Soule Mama's gratitude wrap). I decided it would be great to have an organiser for work, to hold my diary, post-it notes, pens etc. I was walking through the stationary aisle at a local department store when I saw some A4 folders that I use for holding my lesson plans and worksheets for school.

I thought that it would be easy to make a cover for the folder and just add a couple of pockets to hold the pens etc but it turned out a little more complicated than I thought. See, if you are making a slip cover, you can't have pockets unless you have another layer of fabric to sew onto, otherwise the folder won't slip in at all.

Anyway, here it is.

It's not perfect (the back slip pocket could have been a little wider for more stability) but it does the job.

Oh look, I just noticed I cut the birdie's head off -- ooops.

Sweet tees for a sweetie

Skinny Minnie Jalisa has lots of shorts that still fit her (some are in their 3rd summer). So she needed a few more tops – Ottobre of course.

Pink cotton tee is the Ottobre puffed sleeve tee again. The butterfly appliqué was chosen by Jalisa.

Oops, pasted in the wrong picture...

The lilac cotton singlet has a simple J appliqué (who knew it would be so hard finding the right looking font?).

The lilac cotton tee I finished up this morning. I actually stencilled a butterfly on with some fabric dye thickened with a special paste but I made added too much urea water and it was too transparent (and the colours ran). So I cut a new front and appliquéd a butterfly, using some marble dyed fabric. I am pretty happy with the result and it is another idea to add to my list of possible entries for next year’s show. I accidently cut the wrong sleeve pattern (was meant to be another puff sleeved version) but this one fit perfectly.

Close up of the butterfly.

EB Secret Santa Quiz / wishlist

My SS could probably do a search and find last year's quiz but here are my answers anyway:

Would you like something handmade as a gift?
Handmade rocks. I don't take enough time to make stuff for myself. I am totally open to stuff such as handbags, grocery bags, apron, oven mitts, tea towels, placemats, coasters, hair accessories, fobs (scissors, keyring), fabric magnets, handbag organizers, make up brushes organizer, which I make for others but never seem to make for myself (why is that???)

Do you have a favourite Christmas Colour?
Not really.

Do you decorate the whole house or just a part of it?
Just parts of it. I decorate the coffee table and put up the tree. Oh, and some other christmas things on a shelf in the kitchen.

Do you have any Christmas Traditions?
We go around a look at Christmas lights many times leading up to Christmas. Christmas Eve we celebrate Christmas with Dh's family and Christmas day with mine. Christmas morning for our own little family. This year will actually be the first year we come back home on Christmas night, usually we are already on our annual camping holiday.

What sizes are your children?
Scott is 74cm tall and Jalisa is 104cm tall - both are skinny (so next size down at least in width).

Do you like quick projects or things that take a little longer?
Good mixture of both. I like to be challenged every now and then but like fast projects for quick fixes.

Is there anything that you like to collect?
Fabric of course. I am always on the look out for fun trims, decorative elastics etc.

Is there anything you don't want or need?
White cotton fabrics to dye. I have more than enough at the moment. Ditto plain knit fabrics, buttons, Christmas decorations/Christmas related stuff.