Quilting, Reading & Knitting

It's been one of those weeks... fighting a blasted head cold that has seen all three of us out of commission at different times of the week & worse still just when you think you have beaten it, it rears it's ugly head once more. We had booked tickets to go to Gold Class last night and since it cost us $45 EACH, we didn't want to cancel, so we left a sick little girl with her Nanna (surprising, she miraculously got 'better') and we ventured out into the cold night air to see Harry Potter. Thankfully I didn't have any coughing fits during the movie (a few others did though) it was worth it, though we were all VERY slow this morning. Not getting out of bed till nearly 9am, not showered until 10:30am and curled up in bed until 11am. We finally meandered outside around 12ish with a much recovered little girl and the dose of Vitamin D must have been good for the energy levels, cause I managed to get stuck into the wallhanging this afternoon and have now finished the top (yay - another one to add to the growing pile!)

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A few weeks back, I stumbled across a book in the store and thought it sounded pretty neat. Country, Cowboys and Knitting - so I picked it up and came home and added it the growing pile of 'must read books.' A few weekends ago; I pulled it out and started reading, 2 nights later I finished the last page at midnight! It's one of those reads that you don't need to think about - but it did get me thinking about knitting...

Raring to go and wanting to knit a cardigan like the main character was... but why start knitting something new when I had found this next book of hers & had it ready to go...? I started and finished this one within 24 hours - for me with a child, is pretty much unheard of these days! It was another late night of reading. Unfortunately I haven't yet mastered the art of reading AND knitting at the same time.

The added bonus was a knitting pattern in each book. Be warned though - there are some raunchy scenes within (nothing to do with knitting... more to do with the HOT cowboy) but this will be one author I look forward to reading more of in the future.

I might be a wee bit strange, but I adore it when I stumble across a book that incorporates crafting into the story-line. When I first read Friday Night Knitting Club and Knit Two it inspired me to start clacking those needles & again each time I read an Elm Creek Quilters novel I pulled out something quilting related and sewed... it would seem that these types of books, give me the oomph & inspiration I need to get cracking on long neglected crafting!

Earlier tonight I cast on a dress for Miss 4... I worry that it won't fit her by the time I finish as I am so notoriously slow at knitting - so far so good though, I am hoping to work up to the armholes tonight!

My mind is a mile a minute with new projects - if only I had more hands!!

Crafting + Organising... all in a days work ;)

The last few days, I've been busy getting stuck into the house and accomplishing a little more organising + doing some crafting for the enjoyment factor!

Starting {yet} another new quilt top is a sure fire way to get me all excited... yes I know, I really should actually FINISH one of the many tops, but hey this one is only small & I am going to hang it in my craft room once it's done for inspiration!



It's the Hearts and Frames pattern from Logan's Patchwork that I picked up at the last craft show. I decided to make it half the finished size as I have plans for the remaining black and white fabrics! Actually the ONLY reason I started this one was so I could cut out some squares of the black and white to use in this little journal.



The one I started last week just didn't grab me... this one however I am raring to get started on - it's going to be my 10 days of happiness book; I am hoping to start it later this week (depending if I have enough instax film left LOL) Oh & please don't peer too closely at my ironing board cover... it is disgusting!

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Apart from pottering in the craft room, I have also been busy 'moving' stuff. Moving contents of boxes from one to another & moving things from room to room. It's very 'slowly' starting to come together, but I still have a LONG journey ahead to fully get this house under control once more. I can't believe so much stuff has just piled up and gotten out of control so very quickly. So first things first, after the success of Bookcase number one that is now housing my whole vampire collection of books + my Blythe dolls. I decided we needed a second bookcase for the new playroom. Only problem was I still can't move in there (it is piled high with junk) so after a little re-arranging in the house that saw the freezer being moved back into the laundry (where it was originally) and having a new space open up near the piano, I went ahead and built bookcase number two (this time I was a lot quicker at the building process) & have since filled it with the box of books from the 94L storage tub. Mainly my Danielle Steele, Barbara Taylor Bradford and Virginia Andrews collections :)

  

That 94L tub is now housing all the bigger Barbie toys that my daughter has started to amass... add them to my vast collection (that need to be thoroughly cleaned) from the early 80's and we have A LOT of barbie stuff hanging about. Thankfully for now, they seem to fit in this container with room to move.

Step 2 of the organising this week has been the girls toys. For ONE child, man she has so much stuff and with most girl toys there are a heap of little things that go along with those toys. So every few weeks I have been buying these 5L storage containers from the cheap store - at $2.50 each, they are a bargain and are sturdy enough not to feel like they will break easily. So we have been busy adding to these containers and I realised I can store 6 neatly into the new bookcase. To make it nice and easy for Miss 4 to see what was in each box, I have labelled each with what is in the box and a picture (until she can read for herself)

Yes, hanging my head in shame... we needed a box for the Macca's toys LOL - but in my defence, most of the toys are from when I was working and I would grab a happy meal on the run and give the girl my toy from it ROFL! These little containers are the perfect size for the smaller toys and odd stuff like felt board pictures and her paper dolls. Hopefully if we can teach her to continue to repack each box AFTER she's finished playing with them, the house might yet become more habitable and less like a toy shop in a tornado!!!

Next job on the organising agenda is another 2 bookcases (yes I have even MORE books... I can't bear to part with them all and I'm sad to say mum and dad also have a tonne of mine in storage too eek) ONE more book case will go alongside this one to hold my books + more storage containers for the girls toys (if needed) and the 2nd case will go into her playroom for the vintage childrens books I've been collecting as well as a rotation of her bookcase which is currently overloaded.

That will bring our total to SIX bookcases... Admittedly all but one are on the small scale, but hey if my husband had of heeded my requests to build me a wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookcase in the garage (complete with one of those moveable ladders) he wouldn't be commissioned to pick up the new ones tomorrow LOL!    

     

Organising by Craft

My late Nanny had a special way when it came to gift giving (and I mean this in the most respectful of ways... good lord, she'd come back to haunt me if she knew I was bagging her gift giving skills in any way, shape or form) so it came to be that you would hold your breathe each time you were given a present and some years you would score some awesome gift that you wouldn't think an elderly grandma would think to give (like the beaded necklace that I still love to this day!) then there were the super special gifts, the ones that you know you will treasure forever (like my wedge wood cup and saucer set) then there were the cute, but very practical gifts (my pig PILT comes to mind, shhhh - it's actually a Quillow, but I named it a Pig Pilt... get it Pillow-quilt - PILT??? see I was way cool before my time) then of course we can't forgot the quirky homemade gifts... like the pair of grannie undies that the elastic in the legs were so tight they made it thigh high before I took them off and stored them away (yes they are still in storage... that was one hysterical gift I cannot bear to part with!)

In between birthdays, I would often find myself leaving her place with a bag of gifts - generally things she found in the $2 shop on her weekly shopping forays. Some of these were practical, some not so much. What I do miss are those silly little gifts that are so darn practical - but you would never think to buy (or make) for yourself - like SHOPPING BAG HOLDERS. My last one (made and gifted by nanny) lost the elastic and was looking a little worse for wear and in a recent fit of de-cluttering it has now gone to a better home at the local op shop.

That left this little darling - one lonely little plastic bag woman (yes she too was a gift from my Nan ;)

And boy is she FUGLY! The poor little woman is filled to the brim with plastic bags (these bags multiply you know) & I decided I needed another one!

Now my mum is a dressmaker and you would think she would come to my rescue with my little organising dilemna, but alas she is not quite at that 'elderly grandma' stage of gift giving (no my mum gives ULTRA cool gifts... usually sewing related stuff for me LOL) so knowing that it will be several years before she starts gifting me with the {somewhat quirky} necessities of practical organisation; I decided to whip one up on my own. 20 mins later - seriously who knew these were so darn easy. Top and bottom folded over once (no need to hem when you use an already hemmed teatowel) bit of elastic in the bottom, sewn down the side & a little bias tab to hang her with and I present you with my new Donut (yum) Plastic bag holder!!!

Already being filled with plastic bags!



Now who wants to place an order... have you seen some of the funky teatowels you can now get from Best and Less? Come on I know you wanna and well - I guess I'm finally ready to admit and EMBRACE my inner Grannie!!!

Tee hee hee!!!

Snapshot of our day

I admit to going a little snap crazy with the iPhone and my assorted camera apps today. Just a little snapshot of our morning - enjoy xxx





First row (left to right)

1. First morning coffee (made with long life milk as we ran out of the good stuff... ewww!)

2. There were 3 on the lounge (mummy, daughter and doggy)... & the little one said

3. The little girls toes (they need painting mum!)

4. Roll over! There were 2 on the lounge (and one very upset puppy on the floor!)

Middle Section

1. One happy staffy, back on the lounge (catching up on some Scooby Comics)

2. Second coffee (this one with real milk... yum!)

3. Monkey girl

4. Morning tea of chocolate slice

5. Only in Queensland... sunshine, resting & pink uggies (ughboots)

Bottom Row

1. The gorgeous Miss K

2. Miss K showing off her bad make up job (compliments of mumma)

3. Shadow shot Saturday (because I could... and my shadow looks better than my face)

4. Slippery sliding

Even with a niggling head cold, it turned out to be a nice day spent at home & even better the girl fell asleep in mumma's bed and I had an hour of peace & quiet to catch up on more Charmed Episodes!

    

Happiness

Somewhere between working, life, operations, being a mum, housework, wifely duties and appointments - I lost the enjoyment that I used to get from my crafty outlets. It became something to do; something to fit around the corners of this never ending whirlwind that is life and I finally realised the other day - it just wasn't making me HAPPY. A few things prompted me to make a list of things that make me Happy and start to incorporate them 'happily' into my day to day life. I want to grasp back the happy an let go of the negatives. Of course I needed a book to do this and what better way to make use of a tutorial that I received FREE from when I signed up to receive the new Teapot Newsletter

No pressure, it's far from neat and I am adding more ME to it than the one on the tutorial and I'm using scraps of fabrics and cardboard I had lying about (except for the paper doilies... they were $2.50 from the cheap store!)

Filled with green, blue and purple pages, using scraps of my favourite fabrics... It will be my little happy place - just because!

I also decided to finally use the dyes that I purchased when Miss K was a wee little bub... I don't even remember what I had originally intended to use them for, but on Monday afternoon I did a batch of cold pink dye and threw in these doilies (also purchased for $2.50 from the cheap shop) since they turned out so beautiful, I decided to throw in some cream crochet pieces that my MIL had given me - an unused project and they came up beautifully too just need to finish line drying!



So the craft space hasn't been 'much' but it's been something and the main thing is to find that sense of enjoyment that's been lacking. Find the fun and most of all be HAPPY!!!

Beyond the Square ~ Crochet Motif #002

Remember last year I started crocheting sample blocks from the 200 Crochet Squares book {by Jan Eaton} Well this morning, I decided to do the same & crochet sample blocks from the Beyond the Square book I bought at the craft fair earlier this year. I haven't ventured far into anything other than basic granny squares, but after a successful attempt at the Queen Anne's Lacy scarf ~ I thought Why Not? I also have an ulterior motive - I needed some funky doilies for a mini book I am making & since I shouldn't be spending any money now, why not make my own?

Armed with a ball of variagated cotton that cost $2.50 at the cheap shop; I whipped this one up this morning!     

Motif #2 ~ using a 3.50 crochet hook.

My Garden Journal ~ Greenhouses & Seedlings

I have been a VERY slack gardener since Winter arrived! I have a list of things I want to accomplish out there, but the motivation has been lacking. With a rare day at home by myself on Monday & the sun shining brightly, it was as good as a time as any to get out and do something I really do enjoy! A few weeks ago, I purchased a 4 stand mini greenhouse (since I know my request to build a 'big' one will be a long way off yet ;) PLUS this one was only $30 at The Reject Shop. I am heading back there next week to buy a 3 stand one & will use it without the cover as a herb rack down the side of the house. I know winter is probably not the ideal time to be planting seedlings (or maybe it is... I still class myself as a complete newbie in the garden) but I planted a bit of everything this time around and am hoping that I can manage to get some of these growing into edible vegetables come spring or glorious blooms at the very least :) I am also trying my hand at growing some cuttings from some of my favourite trees / plants around the garden, I have No idea what I'm doing with these but figure it's all just trial and error!   

  

This time I decided to actually 'name' the seedlings... last time I took a photo and was completely confused as to which was which when they started sprouting *blush* My daughters coloured paddle pop sticks added a nice bright colour pop to the trays!

Another job on the list to do was the side garden. I purchased a compost bin months ago with the intention of clearing this side garden and topping it up with soil / compost to start some more vegetables (as well as a compost area) the garden was filled with bits and pieces & over the years was left to grow wild. Unfortunately between deciding what I wanted to do with it and the operation I had, I haven't had the energy or ooomph to get out and make a start. Thank god for Brother in Laws!!! Since Hubby has been flat out the last few months with work, his brother has been popping over and helping us with the garden (we are so thankful for this help!) last week he decided to make a start on the side garden. He cleared out all the crappy plants that were littering the front half of the garden and levelled out a place for the compost bin (next time he pops over and mows, we will start filling it with fresh grass clippings) He re-potted a fern that was going wild and also trimmed back the Sheenas gold hedges and it is looking so much neater out there now!

Next step in the garden will be prepping the Vegetable gardens ready for spring, I'm just waiting for a load of horse poop (which I keep requesting the boys bring back, since they drive past farms every weekend) after those are established I will be starting to drop really heavy hints about getting some chickens.

Organised madness...

Whenever I document my planned organisation on this blog, I tend to stick with it & follow the job through... I guess it almost makes me feel more culpable to getting the task done, rather than if I just say "I'm going to do this" then it doesn't matter if I don't as I'm not really answerable to anyone?? You follow what I mean?

I am at the stage of sinking with this place; there is so much to do and everywhere I turn another thing jumps out to bite me in the arse. I will readily admit that I let my house go to rack and ruins whilst I was at work. Too tired (& probably too bloody lazy) to lift a finger much past getting dinner on the table and cleaning up the kitchen; everywhere I turn nowI'm faced with overflowing drawers filled to the brim with utter crap. Stuff everywhere. Cluttering my house and taking over my life and it's getting me DOWN!!! So I sat on the weekend and brainstormed what I was going to do? I decided to dedicate a page to each room in my Composition book. I am starting out small and it is taking FOREVER to actually sit and write what I need to target in each room, but at least it's a start (I had this same discussion with my friend over the pros and cons of writing the 'big' list of all that needs to be done; compared to actually just getting up and doing it) I however am at the stage where I needed a boot up the backside and a place to start jotting notes, ideas and dreams for each room as well as keeping me focused, seemed to be just what I needed - right now!

Step 1 - tabs for each page

Step 2 - Clutter Zones (those places that I've lost control over and need to re-think)
I was surprised when writing my list just how many areas are truly bothering me... this little list feels as though it's my whole darn kitchen. There is the tupperware cupboard (which once done will be locked to stop the husband messing it up all over again) the medicine cupboard, under the sink and the usual suspects... pantry and fridge.

Step 3 - Long Term Goals (for those things that I dream of)

We built this house when we were young & poor & while we got what we could afford at the time and have been over the moon with it... there are obviously things we would do differently had we been a wee bit older & richer ;) but one day we do dream of Marble bench tops *sigh* and a Kitchen Aid (well that could be just my dream...) but it still counts - doesn't it?

Step 4 - A page dedicated for the Cleaning ritual.

This will eventually be broken down into daily, weekly, monthly, yearly etc. Too often I find myself rushing to get a surface clean done, then find myself 2 weeks later with an uncontrollable mess building up - all because I focus on the small stuff and forget the bigger areas. Hopefully by breaking it down for meI will gain back some control.

Do you have something like this? This is something I've been needing to do for years, but every time I sit I get distracted - so my aim for July is to finish my lists for each room and then get started on my chores and one day I will be able to say Me 1; house 0...

My Kitchen Messes & Saving Money!

I think I may have over-extended myself in the kitchen during the past month, I have been keeping a relatively low profile and cooking when I HAVE to (you know dinners and feeding the child ;) but now it's time to get messy in there once more! I have in my hands - a complete set of the mini cookbook collection (a recent Courier Mail promotion) and I have set it up in the kitchen in the hopes to soon start baking some masterpieces (or in my case... messy-pieces ;) I was rummaging in the pantry last night for some popcorn as we had decided on a movie night with the babe and I promised to make her some, this little set of jars was in the far back of the cupboard and I think it looks lovely out on the bench once more... I'm sure my husband will DISAGREE... but oh well - it looks good there for as long as it lasts (probably a day!)

Now I don't write much about saving money... sure I lament about how I should STOP spending money on useless crap; however I don't say much about how to save money because really and truly I'm still learning myself. NOT about actual saving of money and putting it in the bank and not touching it - that I have been doing for a LONG time and am actually quite adept at that. I could probably share some hints and tips on surviving on low wages (been there, done that) paying off huge loans / mortgages - but then I am not a financial advisor and if you saw my credit card on any given day... you'd run screaming with laughter far AWAY from this little black duck LOL!!! So we've established that I am good with money in some ways, not so good in others.

However... THIS little investment of mine was a wise choice indeed! One Soda-stream - gifted to my hubby for his birthday earlier this year as a bit of a prank / joke present (sort of payback for the donut machine he bought me several Christmas' ago if you will ;) I mean seriously... a donut machine... home-made they don't taste anywhere NEAR as good as Donut King ;) LOL)

I paid $65 for the machine, with it I got 2 glass bottles and one gas bottle (the gas bottles are only tiny) and since April he is now onto his second bottle of Free Cola (aka Coke Zero) the bottles of Cola are $4.98 (500ml) or $6.98 (750ml) and make several drinks. Hubby would drink a can a day of Coke Zero and the cost of buying the cartons was adding up. With this little machine I reckon we have more than made out money back. Though the taste is slightly different to that of a can - it hasn't bothered my husband in the least! And the best thing - we haven't purchased a carton of Coke since the start of April - HUGE savings at the checkout, let me tell you!

Have you ever bought something on a whim and realised it's actually SAVED you money?     

Kids Craft & Thrifting

Knowing I have 4 birthday parties coming up in as many weeks... I set Miss 4 up on the art easel, gave her some finger paints and different brushes, stamps and told her to start painting to her hearts content! We now have home-made wrapping paper for her friends big present. Wrapped and ready to go - 2 weeks in advance! MUST get started on the card.

While I left the room for a moment, Miss 4 took it upon herself to add more paints than she wanted to paint with. As we are now wanting to save some serious dollars, it was Waste not Want not attitude, so I rolled out a piece of butchers paper, grabbed my brayer and set to work. I actually think it's quite effective and this will now be used to wrap up the 2 boys presents. No paint wasted and 3 presents wrapped on a budget and no new paper purchased...

Making your own wrapping paper is probably no big deal to some of you who have been doing so for years... but for me though it's a really big deal because I know if I had of headed to the shops to buy a roll or two... I wouldn't have stopped there. I would have grabbed several rolls, which then means storage in my already over-cluttered house and I probably wouldn't have walked out of the cheap shop without buying something more to clutter up my house with. Who can resist a $2 price tag of mere crap? Last time I went there, it was pot plants holders. Another time Plastic storage containers. The time before was art canvas'. You get my drift. It was far cheaper to STAY PUT and make our own than to let ME loose in the cheap shop and bring MORE useless crap into this house.   

Un-motivated Thursday

So much to do... so little motivation to get up and do ANYTHING today. I washed 3 loads and hung out 2 - does that count as SOMETHING?

Instead ~ therapy was needed, lunch at Zarraffa's with a cookie the size of my hand - so very sickening!!!   

I made another page in my journal earlier in the week... I am on a mission to use up all the stuff I have collected to use 'one day' The left page is using a cute page from last years Notebook Calendar and sewn with a piece of pink raffia type stuff (thrifted from a birthday gift) the right page is listing my goals for July (just some simple words to live by for the remainder of the month)

More new clothes for the girls... promise this will be the last purchase for a while (I will be making some for them though)  

Another new journal... it was half price and I know I will fill it one day - eventually!

  

Hoping the motivation finds me again soon. Until then - happy Thursday to you!

A bit of sewing; shopping, crochet & journalling

   

Sewing: a pair of Flared pants for Ally (need to be altered - they keep falling down!)

   

Shopping: New outfits for the girls and some shoes (what girl doesn't need shoes?)

  

Crochet: What was supposed to be a head scarf, has ended up a cute little scarf for Miss K (I do think I stuffed up following the pattern)

  

Journalling: & saving money in the process! Re-using some washi tape from a little order last week, recycling a brown paper bag from my daughters birthday presents!    

Fun days...

There are certain things a girl needs lots of sunshine, friends, coffee and Chocolate (and lots of it!!!) throw a little culture into the mix and leave the kids at home and you have all the ingredients for a lovely day out!

Three Girls



First of many (yummy) coffees consumed



Hot mocha in a hug (mug)



A shared fondue of strawberries, bananas and banaa bread... And mallows (of course)



Walking in the sunshine and taking some touristy shots



What more could a girl want or need? As my daughter would say (her fave line)

BEST DAY EVER!!!