Win an Amy Butler Reversible/Adjustable Childrens Hat.

This gorgeous hat was very popular last year. I squirreled away the last one to be given away as a thankyou for all the support last year. Mellebug goes from strength to strength every year and this has only been achieveable through the people that have purchased my wares. I can not thankyou enough and I hope it continues.

Amy Butler Childrens Reversible/Adjustable Hat. It is made to order, size to be nominated by the winner.

X-small 42-46cm
Small – 46-51cm
Med- 50-55cm
Larg- 54-59cm

Click on this link to get you there a Rafflecopter giveaway. All you have to do is like my facebook page. This competition is only available to Australian Residents (apologies to all others, it just has to do with the cost of postage. I do international orders with prices of postage to be quoted upon based on destination).

If you would like to see the other children hats I have available this season visit my FB page or my Madeit store.

Competition closes this Wednesday 30th January 2013.

Mellebug

Time to celebrate!!!

With my facebook likers reaching close to 1000 and my blog counter ticking over to 250 thousand I think its time to thank all those lovely people out there that have supported my  business and enjoyed my tutorials.

I love making, creating and sharing. Its apart of me now and whatever happens in the future I can not see myself too far away from the sewing machine, knitting needle, or any other crafty project that tickles my passion.

To help celebrate my thanks to you I am offering you the chance to win a pair of these fingerless gloves I just made to photograph for the free pattern.

All you have to do is head on over to my facebook page give it a loving like and then leave a comment below. This offer is available world wide so dont be shy. The draw will take place on Sunday 5th August 7pm WST. I will announce the winner first by email and then on my facebook page.

Thankyou again from the bottom of my heart.

Bec xx

Fingerless Gloves Pattern/Tutorial

I like to knit but my skills are limited and it doesnt matter how hard I try at extending them I draw blank when I read the pattern. Give me pictures and I would work it out but put it in abbreviated long sentences and I get lost, completely. So I stick to straight lines and the occasional increase/decrease but it stops there.

Now when looking for gloves for the wee man I couldnt find anything. He says ” No worries mum, you can knit me some.” errrr… no son I cant (no such thing as cant I hear hubby in the background say). So off I go for a search. I came up with nothing for tutorials/free patterns that I could figure out, but in looking at a pic I figured I could make something similar.

These gloves are easy peasy lemon squeezy. A great pattern for any knitter starting out.

Fingerless Gloves Pattern

** Size 7 needles or 4mm

You could win the gloves made for the pattern: head here!!!

Winter is upon us

Oh lordy hasnt it been awhile since my last post. There does not seem enough hours in the day to get everything done on my list. Once I answer emails, send out invoices, facebook and more facebook I am totally over the computer. Today I think I have spent a good three hours photographing and listing items into my madeit store. In saying this now I will be posting more here as the social networking on FB for handmade businesses is coming to an end. An end only if you dont want to pay $5 to $10 to promote your chosen posts. There has been much talk going around and I am not going to go on about it here. Pull up socks and move onto another medium to help get my Mellebugness out there.

So what has been going on in my little sewing nook. Well I can tell you it is mainly sewing, suprised, not really. As the seasons change so do my

Winter, it is here and I am feeling the chill. It is the perfect weather for my Lupin Heatpacks and most recently my newsboy hats. These are made using recylced and new fabrics.

The little fella calls this his ‘Dude’ hat. He is such a dude wearing it, love it.

Now on the lupin front. Boo Bears, Boo Bears everywhere. A little slow start to the season but this time round the boy bears have been flying out the door. This time round I decided to coordinate my fabrics more by purchasing fat quarter packs ensuring that the colours match. Before I was in turmoil guessing to which fabric matched that fabric and so on. Less stress better outcome. Here is one of the bears I have made that comes with its very own baby bear.

Super cute felt bear that takes roughly 2 hours to hand stitch together. Worth it thou as this little combo is just too cute.

Here is another Boo Bear, Sleepy Ray. Racing buddy for the boys.

To anyone new to Mellebug these cuties are Lupin Heatpacks that you pop into the microwave for a minute and they become a warm buddy to snuggle or to help soothe an upset tummy.

This season I have coordinated some of the Boo Bears with cold packs, an all round perfect gift to a child. These cold packs are a great size that fit into a childs hand, are cold enough without having to wrap up and the outside is removable, perfect for any little bloody bonk that happens a little too often in my household.

So my madeit store is stocked with loads of mellebugness some for adults and loads for the wee ones in our lives. Head on over for more of a look at what I have to offer.

The winner of Get-a-Bear!

Three bears up for grabs at ridiculously low prices over 3 weeks. All info and goings on can be see on my facebook page.

Week 1: winner for this week goes to Tankia Simon.

Tanika you can choose from any of the three and all you have to pay is the postage $7.20.

Please contact me by Wed 18th April mellebug@gmail.com

Rose Melting Moments.

I love melting moments, an ultimate indulgence. So buttery with a hint of sweetness.

For todays little bake session I decided to add a little twist and add rosewater and oh my! they taste yummo.

As always the kids are in helping out, their piping skills are a little poor but they lacquered on some tasty icing. I couldnt help having a lots of little tastes on the way.

One of the funniest bits about making these morsels is the vintage rosewater that still exists in my mothers pantry. I remember this bottle being in the cupboard when I was very young. Age doesnt matter in this case as it is still packed with the delicious rose flavour.

 

I had to take a photo of the existing price tag on the bottle. I wonder how much a bottle of this cost now as I am so getting some to have at my place.

So what do you do to add that little spark to your next melting moments. Get yourself the recipe (mine came from the old Womens Weekly biscuits and slices book), add  3 tsp of good rosewater to the biscuit batter and a tsp to the icing. I also adding pink colouring.

As for the tasty treats above I am sure the lucky birthday girl who will be getting these tmrw will enjoy them thoroughly.

Happy baking people!

Its that time of year again (well almost)

Winter is slowly approaching here in Perth, Australia. For some reason though the weather has reverted back to above 30, an annoyance as I dearly like to get to wearing my jeans and winter woolies. I have pulled everthing out of storage, clothes, doonas, snuggly flannel sheets and also started making the next season of lupin heatpacks and cold packs.

This time round I decided to do things a little differently. I thought I would make ‘ranges’ of different fabric combination that included the Boo Bears, rectangular heatpacks and cute wee cold packs that are stored in the freezer all ready to be pulled out to soothe a sore bump. You can buy matching heat and cold packs, perfect presents for that special little person in your life and also for yourself. Thats right, these cuties are not exclusive to the kids, adults alike have enjoyed the warmth of these lupin heatpacks.

They are all available from my Madeit Store and Etsy Store. Due to the bags containing seeds I cant send overseas, although I can send unfilled.

The first fabric collection I worked on is from ‘Meet the Gang’. I am in love with this fabric as it lends itself to be perfect for both girls and boys.

The new cold packs that I have made are the right size to fit into wee hands. They also have a removable cover that can be machine washed, perfect to clean any little blood that comes often with scrapes and bonks. Having two babes myself we are forever getting the cold packs out and it really helps with clearing up the tears quicker. Due to being made using the seeds they do not go super cold which means that you can place straight onto skin.

This set was quickly followed by:

The Bears are perfect to take to bed with or to soothe a sore tummy. I have yet to hear of any child receiving one of these cuties and not loving them so. My daughter sleeps with hers all year round, heated or not.

I am sure that as the chill sets in more of these ‘ranges’ will be popping up. I only make 4 of each bear so there are limited amounts available. If you would like a little more info on the benefits of using lupins over wheat head here.

Till next time……stay warm.

Easter tutorials

Only three weeks to go before easter. Time goes way to quick. I have yet to start organising the chocolates and decorations.

Here is some tutorial inspiration I found. Click on the links.

1. Quick Sock bunny (gotta love the quick part, and too cute)

2. Fabric eggs.

3.  Garland

4. Embroidery Easter eggs

5. Carrots 

6. One for the kids from I love crafts: The chicken or egg

7. Egg tree

Sushi, my way!

Sushi, I love sushi.

I remember saying to myself before my first was born that they will learn to love sushi. Thankfully there wasnt a problem with that. Aside for the inability in the beginning to cut the nori with her front teeth she loves it. Every week I get the “Can we have sushi tonight?”

Here is my method of making teriyaki chicken sushi. Is it the right way??? Its the way that works best for me and it tastes great.

Makes 10 rolls (dinner, lunch and dinner again)

What you need:

• 4 cups medium grain rice
• 1/2c Rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 1/2c soy sauce
• 1 tbl mirin
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tbl brown sugar
• 750g Chicken thighs (taste the best)
• kewpie mayonaise (dont subsitute with regular mayo)
• 10 sheet nori
• 2 lebanese cucumbers

1. Marinate the chicken. Mix soy, mirin, brown sugar, garlic and sugar together. I put it into a plastic bag and leave for a couple of hours.

2. Put the 4 cups of rice with 6 cups of water into a rice cooker (or your preferred method). Whilst cooking put together the vinegar, white sugar and salt together and heat in the microwave to help dissolve the granules. When the rice is cooked pour the vinegar mixture into the rice and stir in well.

I dont fan at this stage, I just put a tea towel over the rice and leave to cool. I usually marinate and cook the rice in the morning and make the sushi 1 hour before dinner.

2. Cooking the chicken. Place the entire bag into a pan, sauce and all. You are basically broiling the chicken for approx 10-15 min depending on the thickness of your chicken. You can place the lid on top so the liquid does not fully evaporate. For me this method is the key and the easiest to clean up afterwards.

3. Once the chicken is cooked and cooles, slice into finger chunks. Assemble your area. Have a bowl of water to wet your hands in, tea towel, mayo, cut up cucumber, bamboo mat , rice and plate.

4. Assembling the sushi.

• Get a sheet and place it on the bamboo mat. Wet your hands and grab a handfull or rice (wet hands stops the rice sticking to your fingers) and pat it down onto the nori until flat and a 1 inch gap at one end. Dont make too thick.
• Wash hands in bowl, dry with tea towel.
• Squeeze a strip of mayo across one end of nori (see pic, under the cucumber)
• lay out the chicken and the cucumber.
• Dab water on the exposed edge of the nori (this will help make the nori stick once rolled up.

5 Rolling.  Grab the bottom on the mat (closest to the chicken) roll and tuck the bottom edge of the nori under the chicken as tight as possible. Move the bamboo slightly and then roll the rest of the way, patting the wet edge of the roll to stick.

 

Perfect rolling is not a requirment. Its how it tastes that matters the most.

Place each roll onto the plate to rest. This will soften the nori slightly. Put any uneaten sushi in the fridge straight away. When you want to eat it next it is best to pull out 1/2 hr before hand to warm slightly. Sushi does not taste its best when coming straight from the fridge.

**Alternative to chicken. Can of tuna drained and mix with the kewpie mayonaise.

 Cut up and eat!!