And the winner is...

....Jo so and sew. Congratulations! Send me an email to redchocolate@ymail.com so I can forward on your address to Maree from Buyster, and she will be in touch regarding your prize!

Thanks to everyone who entered the buyster rug giveaway! I am planning another giveaway soon (this time of stuff I have made and a few other bits and bobs probably), so stay tuned.

Our week has been.. interesting. Caleb hit his head on the lino floor at preschool 20 minutes before I picked him up. A very large googie egg had taken up residence on his forehead. I had already arranged for an overnight trip with the kids to Newcastle, and he seemed fine (did not lose consciousness, was not lethargic etc etc), so I decided to go.

Well, then the fun began- he was really sleepy and off his food, and had a vomit. I kept going as my friend's husband is a doctor, besides when I started to get worried I was an hour from home and an hour from them. Eventually I ended up taking him to hospital in Newcastle as he had another vomit. He also had diarrhea by now, so I was fairly sure he had gastro, but the head injury was a bit .... complicating. A diagnosis of gastro and about 5 hours later, we were able to take him home.

He is fine now! He always bounces back after these things. And this was actually the first time I have ever taken my kids to hospital in my 5 years as a parent, so I count myself lucky!

We all feel a bit seedy, so we'll see if anyone falls victim to the bug.

Hope everyone has a great sick-free weekend!

Eye Spy... something cuddly

Cindy asked me to choose the theme this week and I did it fast, like ripping off a bandaid. But it turns out to be a most appropriate theme for me today, as cuddling something cuddly is all one feels like doing today in rainy Sydney.

The wedding on the weekend was and delightful. The bride suitably stunning in a drop waisted strapless champagne coloured gown, the groom dapper in black skinny jeans, vest and skinny tie, the attendants all adorable and everyone could not be happier. It was a wonderful celebration of Luke and Savannah's new life together.

That said, we all missed the irrepressible Grandpa George terribly and just about all of us had a little tear at one point or another. Grandpa also did the message at my other brother's wedding last year, so he seemed particularly absent.

This little softie was a gift for Jemima from Grandpa George and Grandma Margaret just months before he died. We call him "Puppy George" and I take great comfort in giving him a big squeeze every now and then.

See more cuddly things at Cindy's place.

My Place and Yours: Bedside

This week I am joining in with Pip's meme "My place and yours"!

How fortuitous that the honourable theme queen decreed this week's theme to be Bedside. For this is the best my bedside has ever looked.

The flowers here are off cuts from a big $8 bunch that I put in the kitchen. I have never had flowers on my bedside table before, but it sure is lovely.

Handmade Home is a gift for someone who pretty much began sewing around the same time I did. I am taking a sneaky peak before I wrap it up (!)

The Australian Prayer Book is not a regular fixture, but borrowed from my Dad for inspiration. Because my brother and his sweet lady are getting married today! And I get to do the prayer!

Also pictured: my journal, some family snaps and a little Ikea lamp.

Just to the right of this little scene are the children's "good clothes" all laid out ready to party this afternoon and way past their bed times. Gotta love a family wedding!

The things we do

A few years ago, perhaps even 6 months ago I would have honestly thought anyone who crocheted their own dishcloths was a little bit barking. Why spend all that time making something you wipe down benches with? Invest that crafty time into something a bit more fun! Buy a dishcloth for goodness sakes! I would say.

I saw this a while ago, and thought they were just so appealing. I can't explain it.

And you know what, why not have something cute and handmade for a task you do several times a day, and an item which is on display all day long?

I draw the line as hand washing my dishcloths in wool wash however. I have washed the blue one in a lingerie bag in with my normal clothes washing and just let it dry flat on top of my washing machine rather than hanging it on the line so it kept it's shape. It is not quite as soft as it was, but hey, it IS a dishcloth.

Now the pink one is off the hook too and ready to get grubby!

PS If you haven't already seen it, check out my giveaway!

Eye Spy... bed

Not my bed, obviously, but the chambers of Miss Jem.

I took this photograph after a bit of an adventure. Chris was away, Caleb was at preschool, and the door knob broke with Jemima and I inside her room- just before I was about to put her down for a nap.

The only way out was through the window.

Can you see the fly screen I detached to make my escape resting against the wall? Can you also see that there is a shade cloth window covering on the outside, which made my exit most difficult? I was also wearing a long skirt which was making the task of clambering out the window impossible, thus had to remove said skirt, which was quickly put back on once outside...

Ah the hi jinx.

The door was openable from the outside, so I could set my little one free. Of course with all the excitement, there was no nap that day.

More beds here! Thanks Miss Muggins for the theme!

PS Cindy has asked me to come up with next week's theme. I hereby pronounce the theme to be... Eye Spy something cuddly. (Here is some inspiration...)

Giveaway!

I quite like rugs. We have tiled floors in part of our house which I don't like very much, and I have been playing with little rugs to cosy it up a little.

Do you like rugs?

Do you want a rug?

Maree from Buyster Rugs contacted me earlier in the week and has given me a $70 gift voucher to pass on to an Australian reader (sorry international folks!) to purchase anything they like from their online rug shop. Of course they will also post it to you free of charge.

The black one above is one of my favourites (the 115cm x 160cm comes to $65), but I also like these (I have limited my selection here to $70 or under, just for kicks):

Go check out their range of rugs!

All you have to do is leave a comment, and I will randomly select a winner on the 30th of October!

Good luck!

Present for a Preschooler

I seem to know a lot of little boys who are turning 3 at the moment. And this is the present of choice.

I bought some alphabet flash cards from Yellow Mums that I had seen over at Sparkle Power. And made the drawstring bag from Heather Ross' book "Weekend Sewing" which is a great drawstring tutorial I must say.

I bought a big pack of cardstock from officeworks and resisted the temptation to buy a laminator.

I know these cards will probably get trashed, but hopefully the little guy will have fun in the process. As part of the gift I have offered to replace any cards that get ruined or lost. Like a free drinks refill.

(Sorry I accidently posted this before I was finished. All done now.)

A new dress for summer

Truthfully, Jemima still fits into most of her handmade dresses and skirts from summer last year, but I felt like making her something else. It's a bit of a practice as I want to make her something similar to wear to my brother's wedding.

I have made something similar before using this tute, but I could never get the right dimensions (I may have mentioned before I lack the ability to be precise), and so when I saw this pattern from Wholegrain Baby I snapped it up after a moment or two of indecision (that's how I buy anything). It is a very easy pattern to follow with lots of pictures.

I discovered once more I am really bad at hemming stuff and making a neat casing for the elastic. Next time I hem something, I think I will do it by hand. Overall though, it was a very quick (even for me) project that I will use over and over again.

The fabric for this one was all in the stash. The sleeves are a thrifted bed sheet and the little roses for the main body of the dress were given to me by a stash buster last year some time.

Caleb is feeling a little left out in the crafting for the kids department and has been asking me for a "hoodie dress". I was a little bemused, but it makes more sense when you consider the attire of a jedi knight with the phrase "hoodie dress" in mind.

Eye Spy... a favourite corner in my house

Here is a little spot at my place I have grown quite fond of. Our art wall (I think we need another "art clothesline", one just isn't enough!) and little table and chairs. Art and crafting in progress here, Jemima glue in hand returning to her work.

More favourite corners over here!

I forgot my own blog's birthday

When Jemima turned one I did not forget. Not that she was impressed.

I just realised that my blog turned 1 year old on Wednesday. I obviously celebrated by giving it no thought what-so-ever.

But I would like to do a giveaway of some sort. I will have a little think over the weekend and let you know when I have thunk it out.

Have a great weekend!

Making stuff up

I bought a stamp making kit from The Haby Goddess last week. No reason. Just did.

Last night I started carving some stamps. I carved a raindrop, inspired by this artist I saw over at A Little Hut, a granny square and a doily. It's pretty fun.

I have never been a scrapbooker or anything like that, so I don't have any stamp pads apart from a black one, so most of my mucking about with my stamps has been with paint.

I have no idea what I am doing at all. Just making stuff up. The granny stamp practice will become gift tags for Christmas as I have chopped them all up in haphazard fashion. It reminds me a little of a flag, for a crafty nation of some sort.

I like the repetition visually of tiling the stamps. It is calming. I am hoping to produce a masterpiece of reasonable size to hang somewhere in the house. But first, I need to figure out what I am doing!

Not-so-russian dolls

I'm feeling rather organised because I have nearly finished my first bit of Christmas craft.

I bought a 5 piece unpainted babushka doll from Russian Treasures at the stitches and craft show. I had been umming and ahhhing about what to paint on them, and in the end I just thought, "oh just do it," and this is what I came up with last weekend.

I like the concept of my work, but the execution is a little weak. It's really hard painting around bends! I have no doubt Jemima will love it. She is always playing with this set which is less than half the size so members of the family are forever going missing!

I still need to gloss it up a little. I want it to be super shiny, but the varnish stuff I have is matte finish. Hmm do I make another purchase, or do I just make do?

This will be a gift for Jemima, but Caleb saw me working on it and wants a set too, so I might be making an online purchase in the near future.