Turn up stuffers.....

have you read Pippi Longstocking?.......

if you haven't, you should.... it's fab.... and funny... Pippi is such a great character and my kids have enjoyed being her friend for such a long time now........

one of the things that has stuck with us from our reading of Pippi's adventures is that of being 'turn up stuffers' (along with most of the children I know actually!!) 

EVERY SINGLE TIME we go out we come back with 'stuff' - bottle tops.... bits of wood.... leaves... flowers.... old pens..... seed pods.... bits of string.... the list goes on and on and on......

really I am very rarely surprised at what I find in the pockets of my children's clothing (and quite often in the drum and filter of the washing machine).......

now that I have Betty the children and I like to 'ride out together' a few times a week and, so it was, that Evie discovered she needed somewhere to store her 'turned up stuff'...... something that could also double up as a nice little place for a soft toy to ride along with her in {oh, the thrill for Squidger or monkey.... to have the wind whipping their ears....}

then, one evening whilst having a happy time perusing some blogs, I found

this tutorial for a bicycle bucket..... joy of joys.....

although today I still technically had some of that yucky utility sewing to do I thought my time would be much better spent making a bucket for Evie's bike.... and so I did.....

look at him..... laid back and ready for the first outing......

can't stop posing for the camera that monkey......

the blue lining fabric is one I bought from Spotlight a few weeks ago and the blue denim outer fabric I got at an op-shop on Saturday for $6 FOR THE WHOLE LOT THAT WAS ON THE BOLT.... there is metres of the stuff on there..... enough for HEAPS and HEAPS of sewing...... whoo, hoo!

look at that cute grin....

I decided that a little bit of embellishment wouldn't hurt and evie chose a flower with a wooden button in the centre....

I already have a few thoughts on how to improve this little bucket (a clip on strap - so that it can be carried along to put 'turned up stuff' in as we go on our walks and then put back on the bike for the ride home for example.....) 

and isaac is now hankering after one so I may do his with a couple of little additions.....

on presenting the finished bicycle bucket to evie for her approval, she threw her arms around my neck and said, "Oh mummy, you are a perfect darling." ..... my life, dear friends, is complete.....