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With my smallest babe's birthday upon us my thoughts have turned to gift wrappings. I remember as a child having parcels wrapped in an eclectic mix of recycled papers; small yellowed sections showing where the sticky tape had once held the gift's contents secret.
Garish sunflowers from our next door neighbour's kitchen tea, embossed champagne flutes intertwined and circled with ribbon for her engagement party, silver bells from her wedding, powder blue rattles from her first Barn's christening. My Mum kept an enormous bag of snips and scraps of pretty paper she squirrelled away for another day. I have her to thank for my make do philosophy.
A serendipitous find of a vintage birthday tablecloth coupled with our desire to tread more lightly on this beautiful planet lead to a collection of birthday bags. A variety of rectangles were cut to accomodate all sorts of lovely things, with right sides together they were over locked (you could simply sew them using a straight stitch and then zig zag stitch around them for durability). A small hem was made around the top of the bag by folding about 1 centimetre and pressing and then another centimetre and stitching. The bags were then turned the right way and pieces of bias binding long enough to make a good bow were attached with a few rows of stitching a little way from the top of the bag.
I have a dream that these bags will still be making an appearance at my babies' twenty firsts and greeted with the same childish enthusiasm. I can hope.
As a thank-you to all of you for so wholeheartedly embracing my new blog I'd like to offer a set of eight of these birthday bags. You simply have to be a follower (or become one) and leave a comment on this post. It is open to international readers also. I will keep it open until 5pm Thursday 29th November 2012 est and will choose a winner by random number generator.
Hoping the rest of your week is grand,
Steph x
Joining in with these lovelies today.
Comments are now closed. The winner drawn by random number generator is Anne from Take Shape Fitness. Congrats Anne!
Steph, I LOVE THIS IDEA (too much with the capitals?) and I adore that fabric- like crazy adore. IN fact I do believe my brother and I had curtains made from something very similar!
ReplyDeletexo em
That is such a lovely idea!!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to use these for my girls.
Me too - what a brilliant idea!! I LOVE it. Gosh, how clever are you Steph?! x
ReplyDeleteHi Steph, I have been reading your blog [silently] for quite a while - really time for me to say hello and thank you for such inspiring posts! I have been collecting vintage linen for a long time, and your birthday bag idea is fabulous, I hope you don't mind if I copy and make some for my little 17 month old.
ReplyDeleteI have just stumbled across your blog and often have a little read before I head to bed. Such gentle, flowing pieces you write, along with beautiful photography. So nice to read a down to earth blog that hasn't sold out to lots of advertising and product endorsements.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet, sweet idea. And I so love the fabric. It reminds me a lot of my Nana (Great grandmother) where my sister and I would read Sesame Street books. "There's a Monster at the end of this Book" was always a favourite. I'm a new follower, and am glad to have found you.
ReplyDeleteI'm making bags for Christmas instead of using wrapping paper this year! Great minds think alike! I love the material you've chosen... Brings back childhood memories :)
ReplyDeleteSophie xo
These are just brilliant Steph. I love the fabric too, its just perfect for these. xx
ReplyDeleteI would love to go in the draw please - birthday's coming up early next year. What a great idea. Elaina xo
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea. I love finding retro tea towels or table clothes at the thrift shop and giving them a new lease of life. You are very clever Steph.
ReplyDeleteHolli xo
great idea...love the fabric by the way..amazing!! mezz
ReplyDeleteYou have done it again Steph - you are the op shop queen seriously. Take care and we can't wait to share in remy's birthday celebrations. Xx
ReplyDeleteWith my little guys 1st birthday just around the corner these would be prefect :) Thanks for the giveaway, I've just recently discovered your blog and I'm really enjoying it!
ReplyDeleteSquuueeee! how adorable Steph! why, like Emily I remember my brother and I having something very similar in the way of a doona cover when we were smalls...it may have been the alphabet though! I love the idea of re-using them. gives me idea's for making smaller ones for christmas too! Oh have a happy weekend full of birthday preparations xx
ReplyDeleteThat a great idea! My daughter is 1 next month so I would love these bags! Can't believe how quick the time goes!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet, thrifty idea x
ReplyDeleteSuch a brilliant idea for party/gifting bags..that fabric is way adorable!
ReplyDeletex
I love this Steph! So special! xo
ReplyDeleteGorgeous idea and a very kind offer. Belinda x
ReplyDeleteHow lovely ... the fabric is so cute ... this is a great idea ... thanks for offering the giveaway ... Bee x
ReplyDeleteSo extremely lovely! x
ReplyDeleteThe bags are brilliant! An every year birthday bag! ....a record of their yearly contents would be a nice touch too? Your order should be arriving soon too!
ReplyDeleteOh and count me in on the giveaway! xx
I really need to stop commenting in my head and start jumping on the computer and doing it (the downside of alwys checking blogs on my ipad)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your little man. Would LOVE to win a set of these.
Oh that fabric is so sweet and brings back so many memories for me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a very sweet birthday wrapping. Oh your children are lucky to have your care and creativity. x
New follower here... Lovely blog and great idea. Sam xx
ReplyDeleteoh joining in on this lovely giveaway ... they are so sweet and you know i am a BIG fan of everything you make Steph x
ReplyDeletesuch a clever, clever idea x like the new blog better ;)
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