Lavender & rice filled heat bags just for your Dad

It s damn freezing in Melbourne at the moment, so I thought I'd release my Father's Day heat bag designs.

It's a brand new design, with a take on the very popular & so loved chevron pattern. I have added some extra colours to it as I just can't help myself. It also have a wonderful collection of words that are perfect for every super Dad or Grandfather.

Two colours available. The first (above), Latte which has lovely charcoal, tones of aqua & a lovely warm latter colour through out it. The second ( below), Blue, is bold & in superhero bright colours. Blue, grey, olive & pops of red.

A bonus this Father's day is the heat bag is now double sided. That means the print wraps seamlessly all the way around. On the back side in the middle will be left blank for you to add your very special message. On my heat bag I have a message from the kids to my husband. You don't have to write these words you can add anything you like. Also the front of the heat bag can also be personalised, if you don't want Dad & would rather Poppy or Granddad, thats fine just let me know.

A large size of approximately 27x18cm is filled with rice & Australian grown lavender. It is really important the lavender is Australian grown, well it's actually from Victorian where I am from. I know it's chemical free & is grown in a genuine lavender farm & nowhere else. Why rice? Well it's keeps just as warm as wheat, but without any oder. 

On the above image are some very coordinated tags on how to use instructions, attached with bakers twine, so no need to worry about what to do.

Cut off orders for personalised Father's Day products are 25th August 2014 for guaranteed delivery. 

Please visit my shop for more details.

Working on lately

I am really trying to make an effort to actually sit & create something each week this year. Whether it be something I decide to sell or not it doesn't matter. It's about keeping some drawing momentum happening in my life. Last year I kind of lost that consistency when I was distracted with other things, except of course when I was doing my art courses where I was forced which was brilliant, yet challenging.

Out with the sketch pad I had mothers day in mind. Lots of flowers & special words. I like this pieces as it's so loose & unstructured.

Adding some colour.

And because I just can't help myself I had to create another colour way.

After I drew both of these I have to admit I had let them sit for a little while, feeling unsure what to do with them. Then the obvious choice came to me.

Heat bags.

Both designs are available in my shop here & are filled with divine organically dried lavender & rice.

Great at the moment as cold packs, place across you head& grab some zen time.

Umbrella Bunny

Another new heat bag design, I can't help myself.

Umbrella Bunny looks so happy standing in the rain??
A new oval shape, still filled with lovely lander & warm as toast rice, & is available in my shop.

Warm Apple Heat Bag

With winter definitely on it's way, making some new heat bags have been on my mind.

What do you think of my little apple?

Still filled with rice & dried lavender, to keep you warm or soothe your muscles.

You will find it in my shop if you would like one of your own.

Keep warm.

Winter Warmers

I am starting to load up some new heat bags to my shop.

With a lovely and generous large size I am positive they will keep your toes warm, or will even help soothe some warm muscles.

Filled with rice which stays warmer for longer, & lovely organic lavender, they can also provide a restful sleep. After heating it up pop it into your bed before you finish up for the day.

Boutique Market Melbourne Debut Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will be at the Boutique market debut in Melbourne.

I am really excited as I love a good market.

I will also be a great way to see how I retail on the day not being at a 'traditional' kids market. It may not however be good for my purse, if you know what I mean.

I will be stall #1, if you come along please make sure to say hi.

Also at the market I will be having a little sales "SPECIAL".

After a great response to my kids heat bags/cold packs, which started as making one for my son. I have made a few different designs & will have a basket full at the market.

Individually they are $15, but until tomorrow night 7pm AEST I will be having 2 for $26.

To see and read more just head to my madeit store.

If you don't get to the market & would like to take advantage of this, that's fine just email me please direct with your order & I will send you an invoice.

I hope to see you there x

How to make a rice heat bag

I don't know about your kids, but mine of late mine have been getting in the wars. I took for grated that all kids are happy to pop an ice pack on a bump or bruise.

Ummmm nope.

It actually frightens them, well mine anyway. Not that they say it in so many words, but the look on their little faces when you come at them with an over size object that is freezing cold doesn't thrill them.

I have also lately had Hudson say, mummy my bed is cold make it warm.

Like every mum you want to help your little people so to solve this I hunted around & found a few tutorials on heat bags. I was more worried about the contents of it & what to put in it, than making it, I had that all planned out in my head. I found & loved the tutorial from Sew, Mama, Sew, & just adapted it according to my vision. I decided to make them as kiddie friendly as possible, so of course I utilised my own designs.

These heat bags are mini in size perfect for little hands.

You can used any fabric you have laying around the house. Sew up your scraps, even use a tea towel.

I used my very popular owl had to adorn those comforting words, "All better now".

Cut 2 squares, mine are 21cm x 15.5cm.

Place your squares right sides together & sew a 1cm seam allowance all around leaving one whole side open. Turn inside out.

Here is mine turned in the correct way, & I used a chop stick to help push out the corners.

Turn you iron on. At the open end of the heat bag fold a 1cm seam allowance inwards. You can measure this or go by your eye, that's what I do. With the tip of your iron press gently. Go all the way around until the whole opening is turned inwards & pressed.

Press and you will end up with a clean edge like this.

Your are now going to top stitch the whole area of your heat bag. My top stitch width is 0.5cm in from edge. On you pressed seam area, place the foot of your machine on top of the opening. Start slowly & make a quick back stitch, and them follow around the edge of your heat bag.

When you get to about 2cm before where you started before, stop & do again another quick reverse stitch. This will just reinforce the opening.

Now the fun part. I mixed even parts of plain long grain rice and organic lavender in a bowl.

A funnel & one of those free scoops I have received from Tupperware over the years came in very handy.

I found the contents should weigh around 250grams, this what a nice quantity I felt to fill the bag. Once I had filled the bag I shook it to one end & stitched across the opening I had created to fill it.

One happy customer.

I found 1 minute is a lovely temperature to warm for the kids, depending of course on your microwave wattage. This will also be a lovely ice pack for when a situation calls for a cold emergency. To freeze pop the heat bag in a plastic bag, like a freezer bag to protect it.

This method is easily adaptable to any size or shape heat bag.

Enjoy!