Eye Spy...a discovery

This week's eye spy has become like a sequel of last week's eye spy. The magnolia blossom has bloomed and smells gloriously like lemons. And the discovery? At least 2 new buds. 

Thanks to Megan for the theme and to Cindy for hosting!

Giveaway Day

Thanks for entering my giveaway! There were 12 of you, so I popped over to random.org and rolled a pair of dice (die? is the plural) and up came a 1 + 5 = 6. So I counted down the list to the 6th commenter (skipping the deleted comment) and this means Madeline is the winner!

Congratulations Madeline! Send me an email to redchocolate@ymail.com so we can organise your prize!

The above portrait is of my bro and his fiance. Unfortunately, I am not completely happy with it, so may have to have another go at it to get it just right.

Thanks again to everyone who has visited my blog over the past 100 posts. It is so nice to know I am not talking to myself!

Some opping and some sewing

I've mentioned before that my work is around the corner from 4 op shops. I had a chance yesterday to pop into a couple in my lunch break. First stop was Vinnies, which was abuzz with people, but had no fabric. Inspired by this post, by the ever creative Kathleen of Grosgrain, I am desperate to do a wardrobe refashion... but I couldn't find anything with potential.

So off to Lifeline I went, and for $10, I got all of this! Hooray! There is about a metre and a half of each of these. I love the dog knit and am cooking up a plan for it. I lurve the purple floral almost too much to do anything with. 

We are off to a picnic party for lunch for 3 young ladies turning 25 (now that's efficient partying, no?). I made these 3 artsy clutches from Bend the Rules sewing. I have now made 5 of them for gifts, and I still want one. I made so many mistakes on these uber easy-to-make items. Lots of chuckling to myself and shaking my head at my own stupidity. I guess that's a risk factor in Friday night sewing.

Oh and thank you to everyone who has entered my giveaway. I was so nervous about that post. I though how sad it would be if no-one wanted the prize... so thanks for your encouragement and enthusiasm! I will do a draw tomorrow afternoon. So there is still time to enter!

Mail Swap!

Collecting the mail from the letter box is something of a ritual. Jemima, Caleb and I race to the letterbox and Caleb always gets there first. Then, he is always so disappointed that mum and dad seem to get ALL the mail (really awesome stuff like bank statements and bills, usually). It was very timely and cool, therefore, that Christie has organised a kid's mail swap for all those little sweeties who get a bit blue when the postie has nothing for them. 

Caleb got to work this afternoon on making some cards in his special style. He gives them a thumbs up.

100 posts has come and gone...GIVEAWAY!

I think this post is number 102 or something, but never matter.

I would like to say thank you to those who visit my blog by having a modest giveaway. 

Would you like a family portrait along these lines?

If so, leave a comment on this post and I will randomly select the winner next weekend. The winner can then email me a photograph of the people they would like in the portrait and I will endeavor to produce something that vaguely resembles you and yours. Anyone can enter- whether or not you are new to my blog, know me in real life, live overseas, anyone.

I have used the image of this portrait on our photo album last year, on Caleb and Jemima's drawing books, and my brother and his wife used his on his wedding invites and beer bottle labels he had made up for the reception. There is crafty potential here. 

Don't be shy.

Eye Spy... something beautiful in my backyard

We are aren't big on gardening in our family, but the winds of change are coming. Maybe 3 years ago we bought a huge blue pot for $25, largely because they usually cost $100 and we love a bargain. About 2 years later, we bought a little magnolia and planted it in said pot. Then did nothing. The plant has proved to be very hardy and survived with the odd watering and rainfall, but didn't grow any flowers. Until now. About a month ago I got all green thumbed, and bought some osmocote and dug it into the soil in the pot and voila! 

Happy days.

 

Thanks to Beyond Pink and Blue for the theme this week and to Cindy for hosting.

Eye Spy... my favourite colour

This is tough. 

I like lots of colours. It's so hard to choose. But...

I know I like brown. Big brown eyes.

and I like blue. Big blue eyes.

Thanks Jemma for the colourful theme, and to Cindy too, for hosting!

Happy Birthday Jemima

My baby girl turned 2 today. For a couple of weeks she has been saying "my birthday soon?" and could tell you how old she was turning. She wanted a candle cake, then a princess cake, then a Barbie cake (thanks to Caleb's suggestion- she has no idea who or what Barbie is), and then we settled on a pink donut cake. This was easy enough as I have a ring cake tin, so no crazy cake construction was required.

We went to the zoo to celebrate and then had chicken nuggets and chips (madam's favourite dish) with my parents and sister for dinner. 

You may recognise her birthday dress as the Sugar City Servant dress. This is my third, and favourite so far. It truly is a delightful pattern. So easy to make and so sweet- took me about 2 hours from start to finish, and I am a slow sewer. The fabric was part of this stash. 

We are all very exhausted, but had a great day!

I can't believe that she is two already... *sigh*

Oh and many thanks to those who posted encouraging comments on my previous post. Much appreciated! 

I started this blog for the purposes of sharing stuff I am making, but sometimes one can't avoid the fact that one is actually a person and has thoughts and actions not associated with crafting (!)

I also started this blog because reading blogs without writing one, felt a little voyeuristic to me, and when I don't blog about me, I still feel voyeuristic, because I am not sharing anything about my true self.

Obviously I am not going to make things I feel are private, available online for the world to access, but I guess it's just about developing a sense of balance. 

I wanted to share a little about a recent decision of mine. 

I returned to work 2 days a week as a paediatric Speech Pathologist in Term 4 last year (Octoberish), and then lost my job due to staff cuts, and then got it back again Term 1 (end of January) due to staff resignations.  Caleb is at preschool both the days I am working and my mum is kind enough to look after Jemima and drop Caleb off and pick him up. 

I have mentioned before that I wasn't real happy with this arrangement. I was feeling overwhelmed by the demands of my job and as a result didn't have the headspace for home. I hated saying goodbye to the kids in the morning, and felt jealous of mum who was getting to spend the day with them. They were fine with me heading off to work by the way: Grandma is a well loved mum substitute who gives them more chocolate than I do.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and praying and discussing with Chris and we have decided that I will discontinue paid work. For now. We are in the fortunate position where our finances don't dictate what I have to do work wise, and while I enjoy many aspects of my job, and take pride in my profession, something had to give- and it couldn't be my family.

In one sense it hasn't been a difficult decision, but in other ways it is a tough one. I have been reading other bloggers' grapples with the same thing, and I think the best thing to do is different for each family. Our decision is made. And I am really excited about it! I feel that while there are challenges in being at home full time, ultimately I will be more fulfilled focussing on my home and family, and everyone will be better off as a result.

So I have about 3 weeks to go, and then a new life begins (again). I will have more time to spend on craft- but less money to buy supplies!

Backyard Fashion

Caleb sports brown arm warmers constructed from a too-small-for-mummy-now long sleeved t-shirt. He actually came up with the idea of "something to keep my arms warm but I can still just wear a t-shirt." Obedient mother that I am came up with these. He wore them to preschool yesterday and was the toast of tot town.

Jemima is wearing an ancient ladies size 8 (so that should give a clue as to how old it is. ahem.) t-shirt in purple. She wanted to get in on the repurposing fun and was happy just to wear it as is. It looked surprisingly cute for backyard fare.

By the way, I am coming up on 100 posts! Time flies and all that. I plan to do a giveaway, I am just thinking of some options. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Eye Spy... something that makes me laugh

I've seen it a bunch of times, but it always makes me laugh. It was on telly the other night, and even though I am pretty sure we have this on DVD, Chris and I watched it, ads and all. 

Thanks Drobtinice for the theme, and Cindy for hosting as always!

Four, Freestylin, Fashion

Caleb is four.

He makes up his own rules. For fashion. For freestyling craft.

He spent at least an hour making these birds, a concept and design all of his own. The only thing I did was tear off some masking tape when it was requested of me. He made a daddy bird for daddy, a mummy bird for mummy, and a baby bird for Jemima.

I had to consciously decide not to give instruction and just see where the activity went, and asking "what do you think you could do?" when he asked me to solve a crafting quandary. I tend to like to give a little direction, especially when white glue is involved! But we were outside on the yucky outdoor table, so I chillaxed. I'm glad I did, because it was really worthwhile to see what he came up with (cute!) and he is so pleased with the outcome. 

Oh I love craft.

Pig tail pride

Finally! 

Eye Spy... something that makes me happy

My "littler" brother (pictured above with Jemima at my "little" brother's wedding last year) announced his engagement to his very sweet lady friend late last night! They went on a romantic cruise, and he proposed in a park on the way home where he had arranged for someone to set up a picnic, and his guitar so he could sing her a song he'd written just for her. 

I am so thrilled for the two of them! 

Hmmm, will I brave another quilt? Will I paint another portrait? The wedding is likely to be in October, so there is time to consider the crafty consequences of their impending union.

Thanks to Iris + Lily for the happy theme, and Cindy for hosting!