Easter Monday at the Machine

We are hanging out at home today, so I decided to hideaway in my craft room determined to give it a general tidy up and actually SEW something!

Coffee at the ready, chocolate Easter egg for energy and machine fired up ready to go!    

And Taa-daaa... another completed market skirt for ME! I had cut this stretch denim out a few weeks ago and never got around to finishing it, I am so pleased I finally did because I really do adore the finished skirt! I used a Michael Miller fabric around the hem, which gives it that something extra without being too over the top for me to wear in public (you know what I mean?)

An obligatory artsy shot, cause I know you love looking at my feet!

Smallville Finale Promo – With Michael Rosenbaum As Lex Luthor!

Smallville Finale Promo – With Michael Rosenbaum As Lex Luthor!

I think I'm gonna cry :(

Why must all good things come to an end???

Rue

Rue, a photo by honeythorpe on Flickr.

I have been a little naughty today... I went online shopping & this little beauty will be flying to Australia one day next week!!

I am EXCITED!!!

Reasons this purchase was a GREAT idea!

1) The dollar rate is brilliant
2) She was down right irresistible
3) My last major purchase before I don't have my 'own' income

My DH was a little dubious as I have already put in a request for a Blythe for my birthday in a few weeks time... I'm crossing fingers that means he might actually pay attention to the email I sent him listing all my favorites (this one wasn't on there)
I sold it to him by saying that his daughter and I REALLY want her.
Besides if we subtract this amount from what his last Tinnie cost... gee whiz, I could go buy another 5 Blythes ;) LOL

Easter Saturday in Photos

As I have come to expect EVERY easter holidays... I usually go into a panic that I have not done anything 'handmade' for Miss K... or her friends

We also won't mention mad dash to make the eggies finished the year before (I think these were finished Easter Saturday NIGHT) and way back in 2008 in my very early days of sewing, a little bunny came to join our ranks!

Sadly to say this year I just haven't had the time (nor headspace) to be whipping up anything this late in the game... but I did download a template for a 'fabric' basket from here this morning and the girl and I have spent the morning weaving some wool around it to make ourselves some nice little Easter baskets to leave out for the Easter bunny tonight!

Note: while using the wool was a good way of using up the left over novelty wool I have sitting in the cupboard, it does take a lot longer to wind and weave than using fabric scraps (I was just too lazy to dye some t-shirts or cut some fabric strips ;)

Today we have also visited daddy on the boat and had a cuppa!

Did some reading...

And checked on our new worms who seem to be quite happy in their new home.

Although it appears they are trying to escape, that or more rain (yay... not) is on it's way!

All Good Friday in numbers...

10 plants to plant

25 chocolates to eat

75 books to read

150 Crochet squares

300 Zoo animals to see

600 Blog posts to read

1200 Worms to farm




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Best Friends

Kaylee & Buddy, a photo by car_rose21 on Flickr.

We awoke to a miserable grey, rainy day... so we are cooped up inside and these pair have been my shadows, where I go... one or both are on my heels.
I took the opportunity to pull out the lensbaby and muck around with some shots, until they both got upset and walked away!!!
Aren't they too cute :)

& no the dog is NOT attempting to eat Miss K in the final shot... he likes to nuzzle in to her face and the more she pulls away the more he does it, tis really very cute, but oh so difficult to capture!!!

iPad & blog comments

I have set up my iPad to be my blog reader... I dont use the big computer anymore as I find the reeder app ~ simply brilliant...

BUT

Commenting on blogs using my iPad is proving to be rather painful...

I just re-read a comment I {nearly} made on a photography blog,

"I love your shits this week"

Luckily I proof read *most* comments before hitting publish, but now I do wonder how many comments I have made on peoples "shits"



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Blythe Dolls

There has been a lot of blog posts of late about Blythe dolls as they had a conference in Sydney last month. Initially when I first started reading about them this time last year, I couldn't see what all the hype was all about... but after seeing some of the photos of the Blythes at the recent conference... wow!

I'm usually the last to jump on the bandwagon and this time is no exception, but just prior to Christmas I did purchase a Blythe Petite (4") with the intention of giving it to Miss K for Christmas... except she was just so darn cute when she arrived that I kept her for myself & she now resides on my desk.




She is "Little Retro Mama" and I called her Maisy ~ at 4" she is tiny!

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Seeing all these Blythes around blogland & knowing my birthday is approaching, has made me go on a little search for the ultimate Blythe. I asked my husband (really very nicely) if he would buy me one for my birthday and after an initial comment of 'those scary looking dolls' and "that price... for a doll...?" (both of which would horrify the world of Blythe collectors!) He told me to send him the links and he would look into them IF that's what I really wanted!!! So I have spent the last night searching ebay and although I have one in mind that I would dearly love to own... I don't think the birthday budget would stretch to the $300 - 400 asking price of this one


Night Flower


I'm thinking I will have to save up to buy her... eventually!

So in the meantime I am looking at the cheaper end of the scale and am now tossing up between the following:

Simply Lilac



Simply Peppermint
 


Simply Sparkly Spark



It would seem I have a penchant for the bright colour hair!

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Seeing how I couldn't decide... my daughter thinks the Simply Lilac; I'm leaning toward Simply Sparkly Spark, we headed to the shops and Target had a special on the Littlest Pet Shop Blythe Figurines... Seems Cilla (Priscilla) on the left just wanted to come home to live with Maisy!

Sunday at our place

Today was a lazy (& rare) Sunday spent at home, just the girls (and the boy dog)

We kept ourselves amused by attempting some home-made soap (again) this time I used essential oil (grapefruit) along with some grapefruit rind (fresh from the tree) as well as oats & bran and cinnamon... I'm not sure it was the best combination to use, but the smell is vastly better than my last attempt and boy does it clean squeaky clean!!!

I used an old plastic muffin pan and now have 6 bars to be used. Hopefully I am closer to a 'usable batch' with this lot. Miss K also made her own batch of pink bunny soap in time for Easter (using lux, pink food colouring and water... not pictured here)

More happy hooking... LOVE this cooler change in weather and the chance to hook away while watching episodes of Charmed and drinking hot coffees! I think I'm up to 36 squares now - YAY! I'll be slowing down a bit now as the next 2 squares needed are B squares and they are 20cm... the bigger the square the LONGER I take at it

There was playtime in the backyard! Poor Buddy, he is no longer allowed to have his ball outside with him constantly as he just doesn't STOP once he has it, and now that he is pushing 13... we worry he will drop dead with over-exertion - so ball time is few and far between, but just look at his face - he loves balls!!

Imagination playtime in the old clam shell we cleaned out. We pretended we were on a boat and this was her bunking down. Note she wanted me to bunk down too then when I attempted it, I got told off for having my legs hanging over the sides because the great white shark (aka buddy) will eat you up!!

And finally there has been some more art journalling... hard to believe it's been a full year since I started that course and I am still working through the pages as and when I feel like it. I am nearly finished this book and am still enjoying the process. I particularly liked using this title for my page... I feel Powerful.

Today I did feel powerful. I wanted to do everything on my list, however I did leave a heap for another day & another blog post!

So what did you get up to today?

Easy & Satisfying Crafts

The other half turns 38 tomorrow and with friends on their way for dinner, we decided CAKE was in order. Feeling ALL to LAZY to make a cake from scratch, I went to Woolworths today and bought a mud cake along with the candles and a packet of maltesers and peanut m&m's... Miss K helped me decorate it and it is now hidden away to be shared later tonight with Daddy. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG J!!!



As you know I am leaving work soon and at the back of my mind is nagging voice "start saving money, stop spending money" (actually that could be my Husband nagging me) so with that in mind, I am trying to use up the last of my pretty wrapping papers and try to use the white butchers paper where possible. Miss K and I spread ourselves out on the craft room floor and got busy with various stamps and inkpads! It matters not that daddy has flowers on his wrapping paper ~ It has been made with love and laughter and that is all that counts - right?



While we were in the craft room, we decided to make some cards too. I made a little card for the girl at work the other day by folding in half a page out of one of those little A5 booklets of funky paper (I think they are either 10 or 15 dollars in Kmart / Big W) added a bit of ribbon, an embossed message &/or a cutout and hey presto - we have a home made card for next to nothing! The other girls at work were commenting on how pretty the card was and where did I get it from??? Seriously. Today Miss K & I made another three.

The little pink Lamb is for Miss L turning 4 later this month.

The blue is for Daddy's birthday tomorrow

And the Grey Lion is for Mister T also turning 4 later this month!  



Of course there has also been water colour paining in my wreck this journal, some baking, some writing a new hat and lots of photography! The crafty mo-jo is returning and I can't be HAPPIER!!!

Reading In 2011

I must say the reading here in 2011 has been S.L.O.W. but that's ok. I'm picking up books to read when I feel like it and I'm enjoying the process as I go. Instead of my usual racing through to prove that I can read 50 books in one year! I made that quota last year and now I have done it once, I know I can do it - so this year is all about slowing down and enjoying!

I have just recently finished Spinning Out... it was ok, a bit chic lit, but one I didn't need to think about!

Last night I picked up the following two books to read and so far I think I am going to enjoy the next few weeks while I read them both!

Anne Franks Diary ~ believe it or not, I have NEVER read this! I picked it up several times as a young'un but could never get into it. I grabbed a cheap copy at QBD at the start of the year and started it last night. So far so good. Not sure why I never enjoyed it as a youngster though? Perhaps I have changed with tastes etc!!!

The next one was the Quilters Kitchen... this one will take next to no time to finish. It's filled with recipes throughout the books and I've come across a couple I wouldn't mind trying Rattouille (sp?) which I might attempt once I finish work... perhaps I will try each of the recipes in this book and do a Julie & Julia 'Quilters Kitchen' blog-a-long LOL!!!

This will only be books 9 and 10 for 2011... but that's just fine! I am hanging for the two books I have requested for mothers day / my birthday in May... The newest Sookie installment and the last Earth Children (can't wait for this one!) at least I know I will have something to look forward to while I'm in hospital!!!

What are you reading at the moment?

Craft FAIL!

There are certain times I just shouldn't be crafting...

1. After a late night and several beers

2. with Raging PMT

3. when starting a new craft

4. when I'm too tired

5. All of the above....

It would appear that you need to carve the letters BACK TO FRONT.

Whoops! It was a great idea that I had orginally seen on Mel's blog and thankfully my bestie came through with a loan of her lino cutting tools after searching simply EVERYWHERE and not being able to find any locally!

Looking on the bright side. If I turn the stamp over and carve the letters back to front, at least I can use this side to see which way to hold it... I think.

A spot of Quilting

I haven't done much quilting over the last two months, I have plenty here to be working on, but lack of time and motivation is keeping me from progressing far!

But on Friday afternoon while the little girl had a LONG sleep, I armed myself with a glue stick, some co-ordinating paper squares, a new moleskine & some bright green thread in the sewing machine and TA-DAH!   

A quilted book cover, just perfect for the new meme I started a few days ago.

Around the Garden

Apparently IF you have a cucumber that goes all gnarly and gross and gets half eaten by bugs...

And IF you happen to leave that gross cucumber on the ground because let's face it attempt three at vegetable gardening was not quite your forte....

So IF you left it and walked away several months and not water the garden...

Because it's totally raining at least 3 times a week and why water when the sky does it for you...

IF you do all of the above. You may find yourself with a bunch of new plants.

JUST IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID ALL THE ABOVE WITH TWO OLD CUCUMBERS :O

It would seem that we are about to get an influx of Cucumbers from those two old & yucky fruit - whoops! There are yellow flowers popping up all over the (many) plants in the garden!

It would also seem that somehow I have managed to work out how to cultivate seedlings from grown fruit - YAY me... I think?

Apart from this the garden has been sadly lacking until such time I finish work and have more time to spend in it. I have thrown in a few beans, snowpeas and lettuce as the weather here is still quite warm and so far so good, I may get a little crop prior to winter, hoping to get some more plants growing sometime in April!

Although it appears I STILL have some flowers growing from a group of plants I bought in November last year :o I'm pretty impressed these have survived!

Also I'm not sure if it's working or not but since I have potted geraniums all through the back areas, we haven't had any snakes (though we did have one out the front where there are NO geraniums) and I'm not sure if this is just an old wives tale or someone trying to trick me up. BUT it's still early days yet... I'm sure there are sightings to come - hopefully not as many as LAST Autumn / winter!!!

The Crazy week!

It's been a BIG Week at our place!

Firstly the hubby and I had a rare night out together and headed to the big smoke to see Chris Isaak in concert. We did it as a belated wedding anniversary celebration (not that we really celebrate our anniversary, we just try to do something each year and the last few years since Miss K arrived, we have been a bit slack with doing anything at all) so it was great to get out, talk, relax and share a plate of mini pancakes YUMMY and drink coffee in the open air!

We started the night with a dinner at a seafood place at Southbank... it would appear we haven't been for an adult meal for sometime as we were surprised at the cost of the meals... I mean really Prawn cocktail as an entree for $19!!! I am not a huge 'fancy smancy' meal eater, so I opted for some garlic bread and half a dozen oysters kilpatrick (It was great to have them all to myself!!!) After dinner we walked over the Goodwill(?) bridge to the concert at Riverstage - where we saw the man himself!

Truly it really is HIM! During the first half he went for a walk through the crowd and sat on a ladies lap (wishing that was MY lap!) and bypassed very close to where we were standing. It was a brilliant concert - I would definitely go see him once again and I have to say he nailed some of the older remakes - like pretty woman, great balls of fire, only the lonely AND ring of fire. I love all those old songs!

The little girl had her 2nd ever sleepover at Nanna's and woke the next morning with a rather unfortunate case of the 'trots' as she so nicely informed daddy the next morning (needless to say he got yelled at for teaching her such atrocious slang ;) So Sunday was spent at home, lazily watching movies and happily hooking away.

I am up to 33 squares on the Bette and was playing around with how to join them together (like I'm totally NOT even close to that stage yet... hmmm) anywho!

What do you think... single crochet forming a ridge on the front of the blocks

Or do the single crochet so it forms the ridge on the reverse of the blanket? Suggestions MOST welcome!

I have also worked three days, re-organised the pantry (stay tuned for photos on my great decluttering efforts - SKIP would be PROUD!) nursed the sick child again today (same shit... pardon the pun) actually I don't think she is sick as such... just seems to be a little bug floating around perhaps? Anyhow today wasn't too bad we have spent the day vegging out (more on that in a later post... my neglected garden is going great guns) and between all that it seems I have still found time to purchase a few items online.

I've held off buying this next Jennifer Chiaverini for some time due to the price, it's a hardcover book but I finally caved a few weeks back and had this arrive today. Looking forward to curling up with it over the weekend.

Today I even managed some quilting... though not your usual style of quilting you would come to expect on this here blog (who are we kidding, I am flat out making progress on any quilts at this stage in life!) photos of this quilting to follow!!!

& Finally I am on the final countdown to finishing up at work... 7 weeks and counting, the excitement of all I can accomplish when I am no longer commuting 2.5 hours a day PLUS working long(ish) days is starting to build! Look at what I've accomplished this year to date - I am still crafting (albeit small squares) I'm still reading, I'm decluttering, I'm starting more and more quilts (and neglecting to finish any) I'm still plugging away at the {365} challenge over there (must say mighty proud I haven't missed a day yet and it's now day 91!!!) and still finding time to be mum and wife (though a wee bit neglectful) There MUST be something I'm missing... Oh that's right HOUSEWORK!