On a Christmas tree somewhere...

...there is a little birdie made with love.

And on 129 other Christmas trees there are 129 more little birdies made with love too [the love nearly ran out though after that many!]

I designed these as a little gift to give out at our annual church Gingerbread Nights. I did have a couple of lovely ladies to help me with the assembly but turned out to be a bigger job than I first thought. [isn't that always the way?]
So I was busy sticking on wings, tails and eyes a day before we were off on holiday!
Busy times but so rewarding!

Birthday Girl!

Our little darling Imogen had her third birthday a few weeks ago - my goodness that's gone quick! All of a sudden she's gotten all big and grown up!

I wanted to make her something special to play with, so Alannah and I decided on a princess and the pea playset - idea totally stolen from SouleMama. (we also gave her the princess and the pea book by Lauren Child - of Charlie and Lola fame)

Lannah was my helper - choosing fabrics, deciding which ones looked good together, colouring the paper princesses, sewing the felt pea [with a little help from mama], turning the mattresses and snipping threads.

Immy loved it! They've been playing princess and the pea all over the house. "MUM WHERE'S MY PEA?" is a common utterance around these parts nowadays.

I also whipped up a little tutu and she got real ballet shoes!

And a washing line to help mummy with the house work ;)

We had a yummy hedgehog cake created by aunty Liesey, dressing ups with little friends and treasure hunting - what fun!

Jetlag

We are just back [tuesday] from visiting my darling sister, Mandy, in Perth. There's so much to tell you and photos to show, but after travelling the red-eye special home - involving 1 hr nap by child no.2 who doesn't/can't/won't sleep anywhere but her own bed, and 5 minutes total shut-eye for mama - we are still trying to recover.

Oh and I will get around to showing you some of Immy's birthday bash... eventually [if I don't have fights with blogger again about too many photos!]

Creative Update

So I've been a busy girl making lots of stuff!

Let me see... 15 little girls skirts, 8 marble bags, 2 pencil cases, a couple dozen button hair ties, ballerina tutu, a princess and the pea playset, and even a dress for me! Phew!

Plus there are a few half done projects that are still to be finished off: dress for a sweet little girl, few pairs of pants for Finn, bibs for Finn and I'm sure there are a few more lurking in the studio!

Things we made for Operation Christmas Child boxes we did last month. This was such a great way of teaching the girls about the huge need there is to care for poverty-stricken in this world.

The girls really enjoyed thinking about what a little girl their own age might like to receive and talking about how and why we should help, making a card and praying for the girls who would be receiving the boxes they made.

We are so blessed in our lives and to teach our children to share what we have with those who have nothing is so important to us. I highly recommend doing an activity like this with your kids.

And here's that gorgeous gypsy gal who sold skirts and button hair ties in the peddler's parade at the school fair.

Her costume was thrown together during a raid on my wardrobe - so much easier than trying to make something which was my initial lofty plan.

TOO. BUSY. CRAFTING. CAN'T. STOP. NOW.

Bit crazy round here right now. Making piles of skirts, hundreds of yums tags and gypsy-skirt-seller-peddler's-parade-outfit for school fair in 2 days. AAAARGH! [+ possible button hair ties and felt birdy ornaments if time allows - who am I kidding?]

Oh and kid no.2 has third birthday coming up in a week and a half - potentially not as quality celebration as first child's birthday parties - and I NEED (i.e. would like) to make her SOMETHING handmade [who knows what?]- eeeek! - control freak is freaking out!

See what happens when mama's not looking?

Two cheeky girlies with aprons on

Aprons that have been works in progress for the past 6 months - I finally finished them a few weeks ago. [there are still 2 more half completed - who knows when they'll be done!]

I did a bit of experimental decorative stitching on the pockets - 'it's only an apron' I thought - and wow it's a great way to disguise crooked top stitching! I needed to find a way to keep the top part of the aprons high enough to stop stuff falling behind - what would be the point of an apron otherwise? - so pop-studs on the neck strap it was. [who can resist having a good old bash with the hammer?] There wasn't enough length of fabric for Immy's so it had to have a ruffle which turned out just beautifully. I love it when things work out like that.

These are the best two pics of a dozen and a half - cheeky little rabbits! Of course it'd be just too easy to stand nicely and smile at the camera for mama. My own fault for doing a photo shoot right before bed time.

Dinner Time

Last Sunday we had my family around for dinner. It was so lovely to be with mum and dad and all (except one - miss you Mandy) of my siblings.

Menu - courtesy of my darling Edward [chef-master]
:balsamic glazed baby beets
:mushrooms with rosemary and beetroot greens
:herb and grain bread
:proper chicken caesar salad [from jamie at home]
:baked potatoes stuffed with bacon, anchovies and sage [from COOK with JAMIE]
:crushed orange meringue with whipped cream and blueberries [based on jamie's eton mess recipe also from COOK with JAMIE]

[you can't tell who is the favourite chef at our house can you?]

It was an absolutely delicious meal, especially the dessert! [you really have to try the combination of sticky, sweet, caramelised, orangey meringue with tart, tangy blueberries and don't forget the cream! - it truly is a perfect match]

Yummy Hilbarn Box

Our box is here - we collected it this morning. Fresh and delicious local fruit and veg from Hilbarn.
Broccolli, spring onion, apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, shallots (I think), coriander, lettuce, baby beetroot and mini tomatoes. Immy and I were into those irresistable morsels straight away - YUM! Go and get one!

Loz and Dinny Challenge

A bit of fabric I had floating around, a thrifted floral pillowcase, fabric from a thrifted wool skirt for the button and the star of the show, the trim!

And so this little bag was born.

 I left it till the last minute of course [procrastinator that I am] but I got there - even on time!

And I didn't have to buy anything for this project [good guuurl!]

* Edited to add: To those who aren't in the know, sorry I was in a bit of a rush when I posted this and didn't think to explain.
Gemma from Loz and Dinny devised a cunning crafty challenge as a birthday celebration and sent a bunch of us a length of this goldy mustard trim to turn into some handmade goodness. Check out some of the other entries - so many amazing creations.

I think I love you Mr Postman...

LOOK what just arrived at our house!

I have been watching and waiting for this parcel for what seems like eternity. Every time we hear the post van in our street there is a little-peek-out-of-window, hold-your-breath, is-he-stopping-here? and YAY-today-it's-for-us!

I can't wait to sit down and gobble these up! Especially SouleMama's new one. YUMMY! There's nothing more delicious than a new book!

Imogen's Classic Quotes no. 3

Alannah [singing and doing accompanying actions i.e. walking on her heels! - who would have guessed]: Walkin' on my heels, walkin' on my heels, walk, walk, walk, walk, walkin' on my heels

Imogen [loud angry voice with frown]: Don't Alannah!

Alannah: Why?

Imogen: Because you're singin' all over the place!

Wipe Your Chin...

you're dribbling.*

Need one of these?

More bibs for new bubbas.

* super sickly sweet slice - but oh-so-moreish - especially appreciated by little girls addicted to marshmallows

Little Blue (and Red) Dress

Well technically not blue but turquoise with delicious red trim. This is my all time favourite colour combination! yummy!

I was feeling energetic last saturday night [what?] and decided Imogen needed a new dress at 8:30, so I whipped up this little number in an hour. Finally got round to taking a picture this afternoon.

Crafty Girlies

Alannah loves crafting [just like her mama]. Every time I go out to our monthly playgroup mums craft night she wants to come too. So she came up with the idea of having her own craft night. We have been doing lots of embroidery* in this household lately so naturally that was the activity decided on.

We had lot of fun making invitations, choosing hessian and different colours of yarn and setting up a cosy crafting spot in the lounge.

Lots of stitching, chatting, giggling, tea/babychino drinking, and choccy-nibbling went on [and that was just the mamas :) ]

* this amazing book is where we got the kid's embroidery idea from - SouleMama is such an inspiration to me - heaps of wonderful ideas and activities to do with children and crafting and living

What!?! I have to get up when!?!

Sigh!

School holidays are over...
Back to routines - out of bed early - uniforms - cleaning of teeth in the morning instead of lunchtime - where's your bag / folder / shoes / jacket? - hair brushed tidily - quick in the car, we'll miss the bus!

I have mixed feelings about it all. The holidays are lots of fun and pretty cruisy too. But I was getting close to the end of my rope when it comes to 'please share', 'be kind', 'stop bossing your sister', 'no screaming - please use your words'

We got to do everything on 'the list'* except for one raincheck for a lunchdate.

And we even did a few things that weren't on it too! [my little list-maker wanted to add them and tick them off after the fact! - she takes after her mummy]

* don't you just love the instruction to self at the very top? "tick the things you have don" - funny bunny!

Aunty Mandy

We had a wonderful surprise last weekend. My darling sister Mandy flew over from Perth to surprise mum for her birthday [and all of us! - dad and her have been keeping a secret for 3 months!] 

She was only here for a few days but we all had heaps of fun with Aunty Mandy! *  **

And I managed to finish the bag I was making for her

Even has a special elasticised phone pocket!

We love you and miss you darling xxx

Photo notes:
* [the artwork in the background is by Mandy, full of texture and in my favourite colour of course! She is an amazingly talented artist and designer]
** Imogen is in full costume as per usual - I don't dress her like that!