Comic fun for your little artists

Hey there beautiful bloggers!

Its holiday time here, Yay!!! But its also a rainy day. So to keep the boys ( and me) from going to stir crazy in the house we came up with this idea...

Make your own comic books!!

Binx and Beef could draw all day long and they love reading and comic books so we combined their love and here it is.

Super simple to make. I finally figured out how to add documents (yay me!) so I have included the cover page and the blank pages for you to print out. Just make sure your set to landscape before you print.

Blank comic book pages


Blank comic book title page


I went with cardboard for the cover and back cover - just left that blank.
and printed out about 10 pages of comic strips on plain paper.

Next I use a two hole punch on the left side of the paper.

Then bound all the pages together with black string. Wind it around through the holes a couple of times. Just a hint - Leave the string long after tying it off for now. My boys changed their minds a few times and we had to untie the string so it is easier if you don't cut it short just yet.

Then let their imaginations run wild!

Have fun everyone!

xoxo Bec

The latest

Hey beautiful bloggers!

I was so excited to see this post the other day on Lil Blue BOO!

We are having so much fun since we bought the rights to make and sell LBB's sienna dress pattern. Here are a couple of them that are in the shop...







Also we are adding personalised shirts and dresses shortly too. In custom colours and letters or numbers. So much fun! Here is Bean in her custom jersey style shirt.

Also we have joined the Twitter-ers of the world! If your on come follow us on www.twitter.com/seesamclothing

and if you haven't joined See Sam on facebook yet now would be a great time because we are giving away a free custom dress or shirt to a new fan and a friend. So come over!

OK that's all the updates I have today, working on a cute skirt tutorial for you all, I have made two and have almost perfected it.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend and to you Aussie Mums - great school holidays!!

xoxo Bec

Taking a minute

Hey there beautiful bloggers!

I just wanted to share a tiny part of my day today. Bean and I were rushing out the door as usual and walking hand in hand down the stairs. We got part of the way down and she stopped and wouldn't go any further. I was just about to pick her up and keep going when she tilted her head up and closed her eyes.

I stopped what I was doing and tilted my head up too ( I didn't close my eyes because I DON'T trust her on the stairs yet) I felt the sun on my face and the breeze whispering past, I heard the soft twinkling of the chimes near my ears. I just took a minute.

Then Bean smiled this beautiful big smile, opened her eyes and continue down the stairs.

I learn so much from this amazing 18month old about appreciating the world around me. There are so many things I take for granted. I am so thankful I get to see them all again through her beautiful eyes.

Look what came in the mail!!

Eeeek we are so so excited to show off our new Chimi Changa dress!! I am so in love with this dress. The colours and the screenprint, oh its all just too cute!

You can find your own HERE

and if the gorgeous dress wasn't enough you also get a free owl print with it!!

I am getting quite a collection of them. I bought two, won one and got one free with the dress. They are adorable! When I finish making frames for them I will post a piccy for you all.

In other news See Sam now has a facebook page! Yay! We are almost at 50 fans and decided we will have a giveaway when we get to 100. So come join us and tell everyone you know :D

You can find us HERE

Hope you all have a brilliant mothers day.

xoxo Bec

Introducing...The Generation dress!!

We are so so excited to introduce our newest item in the See Sam store...

The Generation dress!!

Made using the Sienna dress pattern under special license from Lil Blue Boo

Here are a couple that are in store at the moment

These funky dresses are made from a combination of recycled old school tee's and new funky fresh knits. So comfy and just plain ol' fun!

What do you think ?

Bec xoxo

Sewing up a storm

Hey,

Sorry I have been ignoring you all. See Sam has its first markets of the year coming up so we have been busy bees getting ready!

I sewed for nearly 5 hours straight today! With Cuppa breaks of course. Amanda and I cut and overlocked 15 funky new skirts! Whatever doesn't sell in the markets will be going into the See Sam Made It store

Here is a quick peek at one of the new skirts. Lots of fun colours!!!

Well better get back to it.

Bec xoxo

New Layout!

Welcome to my new look!

I am starting to get the hang of this blog thing a little now so I thought I would settle in and make myself at home. Starting with a More me look. I really like it, what do you think ? Its so much cleaner, clearer and cuter.

Now I need to get a little more acquainted with the ins and outs of the technical side. I finally figured out to hyperlink the other day, yay me! Now I am determined to figure out how to post a collage and a pdf file.

Stay tuned my fellow bloggers!

Bec xoxo

Upcycled fabric rack

I would love love to have a big open fabric cupboard like Heather Baileys

But for now I just have it stashed wherever I can fit it, mainly in big plastic storage boxes. Some of it is just so beautiful, it doesn't deserve to be hidden away! So I decided to make a fabric rack so I can display some of the prettier prints, whatever is my favourite at the time.

I had a old wooden child safety gate that had lost its handles and screws, sorry I don't have a before pic. I nailed the two pieces together and gave it two light washes of cream then sanded back the edges. I finished it off by spraying with sealer so the fabric doesn't get anything on it.

I love the result!

I think I will keep it even when I move into my copycat Heather Bailey studio :P

Very short and sweet post today my beautiful bloggers. My sister is in town and tonight is Ladies night!!! That means plenty of giggles, vodka, pool and dancing.

Bec xoxo

Honoured

I went to my uncles wedding on the weekend and got talking to my Grandmothers sister, my great-aunt Jean. We were talking about sewing and she was telling me how on a Saturday when they were younger she and my Grandma would go pick out some fabric and she would whip her up a skirt to head out on the town in on a Saturday night. Then after having kids she would make all of their clothes too. Now she is addicted to quiting and doesn't sew too many clothes anymore.

She offered me her prized patterns and sewing books that had been very well loved over the years. They just turned up and I wanted to share a couple of pictures with you of some of the amazing things I received.

Just look at all that! I was squealing with delight going through it all.

These ones are my favourite! Enid Gilchrest self drafting pattern books. The designs are so timeless! They are just gorgeous!! I can't wait to make this little tunic dress and some of the party dresses for little bean, and there are gorgeous coats and classic pants for boys too.

This is priceless, through the sewing books, Jean has written notes and drawings. I will learn so much from her experience. I am so so honoured to have been handed down these items and I hope one day that I can pass them down again and with them also pass on a love of sewing.

Bec xoxo

Sad to see it finish!

Has everyone else been following the Celebrate the boy month over at MADE and Made by Rae's? So much boy-ie goodness! And perfect timing too because a very sweet little friend of mine turned one today and I had so many brilliant ideas to choose from.


I decided to make him some personalised shirts following some brilliant tutorials on MADE.


This is what I ended up with....




The grey one is the only shirt I actually made, the other two I bought plain shirts for. I followed Dana's 90 minute shirt tute for it. Very fun, easy and I am thinking...could be very addictive!

Find it here...

www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-90-minute-shirt.html

I did the "MUM" using felt ironed down using wonder-under and stitching on with black thread.

The Uno shirt was also inspired by a freezer stencil Dana made. Then stitched in all the black details. Very fitting since the little recipient was turning one today!

Find Dana's freezer stencil tutorial here...
www.dana-made-it.com/2008/08/tutorial-freezer-paper-stencil-makenna.html

Using the freezer paper technique again, I found this image online for Mack trucks and the Birthday Boy's name is Mack. So it was perfect!

I am going to miss "Celebrate the boy" month!! If you haven't seen it, check them out in all their glory over at

www.dana-made-it.com

and

www.madebyrae.blogspot.com

Thanks for such an inspirational month ladies!!

Bec xoxo

Fabric Book cover

Hey there,

I finally got my 2010 diary for the year. I have been looking since January for the perfect one, but they were at least $40 for ones that had all the features I wanted and didn't look hideous. Well this little one I found on special for $7 with everything I needed except...it was boring and manly looking.

Thank goodness for crafting blogs though! I remembered this tutorial from the brilliant V & Co.

www.vanessachristenson.com/2010/01/tutorial-compostiion-book-cover.html

and made this....

Ahhhh much better! I used up some fabric scraps and made it into a diary I actually want to use and carry with me. Its soooooo not perfect, all crooked and only just fits, but I love it, and it was quick and easy to make. Oh and its removable so I can take it off and put it on next years diary too.

That's it for me tonight, hope all is well in your world tonight!

Bec xoxo

Big Brothers

I love my sisters, they are my best friends. They taught me everything I know and inspire me everyday to be a better person, and to live in the moment and just have fun. So I was sad that Bean does not have a sister. Someone to giggle with late into the night and share clothes and secrets with.

But she is very very lucky to have two big brothers.

They will always be there to protect her and teach her, and probably tease her, and most importantly they will be there to help her up if she ever falls down.

Goodnight beautiful bloggers, I am off to call my brother :)

Bec xoxo

Store update!!

Hey there beautiful bloggers!

I have been busy busy busy stocking up the Made It store. Meanwhile Bean has been taking advantage of my distraction to spread buttons from one end of the house to the other.

But it was worth it! We are all stocked up and ready to sell sell sell! If you get a second stop on by the store at www.madeit.com.au/See-sam

But here is a little sneak peek at some of the things available...

Dancing on wall street tunic

Grandma's garden twirly dress

Lotus Blossom top and bloomers

Funky girls bibs...there are some very cool boys ones available too!

And more! So stop on by!

Talk soon,

Bec xoxo

Back to school

Hey there beautiful bloggers :)

I haven't posted in ages. We have been very busy getting back into the school schedule, with the EARLY mornings and packing school lunches again. We B's are not early morning people!

Bean and I have been moping around the house this week waiting for the boys to come home, it's so quiet and clean without them, which I will soon appreciate but just for this week at least I am missing their laughing and running and star wars battle-cry's and even missing finding Lego men in very unusual places all over the house. Here are some pics of my very-grown-up Grade 1 boy and I-can't-believe-he-is-in Grade 5 boy...

And guess what I got!!!

My sweet friend found this at a garage for a bargain price and called me and told me to get down there quickly. It was a great price but didn't come with a manual so I talked them down a little more. Yay, Yay, Yay!! I am so excited, I have been practising with a lot of help from Google and You Tube I think I am getting the hang of it.

OK that's it for me, I have a dress I need to get finished today, I will post pics when I am done and it is safely winging its way to its new owner.

Bec xoxo

My favourite room in the house

Hey there!

I just thought I would post a couple of pictures of my favourite room in the house. Little Bean's room. Its so sweet and fun and we have so many giggles and pretend cups of tea in there. Its a great room to be a little girl in... or to revert back your childhood in :)

One more thing that I haven't got a picture of is all the little dresses hanging in her cupboard. After two boys its nice to have dresses! And it makes me proud that most of them have been made by me!

The last picture is a gorgeous little Japanese deity who protects children given to Bean by my beautiful Mum.

and on that note I wanted to give you this link to Lil Blue Boo's website...

www.lilblueboo.blogspot.com/2010/01/patterns-for-haiti.html

100% of all her pattern sales today go to the Three Angel Haiti Orphanage. How sweet is that!! Between today and her previous sales she is up over $1500 in donations.

I love, love, love lilblueboo's Sienna pattern but I am such a cheapskate and hardly ever buy patterns! I would prefer to spend all of my money on fabric and wing the rest. But this was too good to resist, a very cool pattern and for a good cause.

Her patterns come via PDF file so I am stalking my email folder waiting for it to arrive!

That's it for me tonight. Hope all is well in your world tonight.

Bec xoxo

Just checking in.

We are back from our camping trip and have hit the ground running.

$300, some mild blackmail and two neurofen later we have finished our back to school shopping! One week left of school holidays so we are trying to make the most of it!

I finally got a minute to sit down at my sewing machine yesterday, it is one of my most favourite places in the world to be. I will post some pics of my projects when I get them finished.

I have also been working on something for around the house which I will put up just as soon as I figure out how to post PDF files....anyone??

Well I have a thousand books to cover and a cranky little girl today so I will leave you with a photo of how I spent my weekend.

Bec xoxo

Where to start?

Here is a little sneak peek at my great score from St Vincents today! So many cute little tops to be made into something sweet, and all i paid for this treasure trove of beauties was $15.

My adorable little niece started Junior Kindy this week so I think she will be needing some cute little play dresses! I will keep you updated as I go.

The B family are heading out to go camping this weekend, we will be needing to pack the insect repellent! The mosquitoes are crazy at the moment. Hope you have a fantastic weekend too.

Bec xoxo

Fancy Schmancy!

I was having an absolutely terrible day which involved scraping the side of my car up and miserable crying babies just to name a few, but luckily I have fantastic funny cheerful supportive friends who dragged me out of my bad day! And having a mini super cute photo shoot with bean helps too! Its hard to frown when you see her smile.

I got this idea on how to transform a skirt into a fancy little dress from the beautiful Disney over at Ruffles and Stuff. Find the tutorial here

www.rufflesandstuff.com/2009/10/tutorial-cheaters-guide-to-fancy-dress.html

Here are a couple of pictures of my version:

I got a second hand girls size 12 skirt at a St Vincents for $1. It turned out so girly and sweet. It only took maybe half an hour. So easy!! The only things I changed from Disney's original dress was adding ruffled straps and some more ruffles along the chest.

My favourite bit is the little pick ups with pink ribbon showing off the contrastic fabric underneath. So sweet.

Go check it out if you havn't already.

Bec xoxo