Nearly there

We got the keys to our new house today. hooray! So I will take the most delicate items across to the new house myself. We have packers coming in on Monday to pack the house up and sometimes they aren't always very careful. 

I will take the Xmas tree over too and put it up this weekend so it will be ready when we move in. I love Xmas, who doesn't hey? Oh well, don't answer that perhaps..lol

So... the cake... well cakes... because you know Fox got jealous when I said what I was making for the kids. Men... 

No less than four layers high. I made them gluten free of course. And wow it tasted so good. Only one small piece gave me a belly ache. I'm too used to eating well now since starting Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation back in May this year. More on that later :) I promise.

Also this morning I finished the secret Santa gifts for the twins classes. Just something small, it's supposed to cost no more than $10.

I had to do a boy & girl gift so they are each getting a small zippered pouch with some treats inside.

Now I'm done. I don't have anything else on my craft list although I would love to make another Xmas stocking like the one I made for last years stocking swap but I really think my time is running out. 

Now I'm off to move house. x

There's busy and then there's keeping busy.

Today I baked TWO black forest cakes.

One for my 12 year old who has an assignment due on Germany. 

Yes that's right, I'm doing HIS assignment, well part of it anyway.

Once that's done it's on to the secret Santa gifts for school. Only have to make 1 boy & 1 girl gift.

Then it's on to packing boxes for our move next Monday,.. gasp!

After making the cakes today-  that will be completed tomorrow I made this cute Army pencil case for a Birthday Party this weekend.Cool huh..

 

I'm keeping busy. My dad's in ICU in Canberra tonight.

Last week he just had a sore throat.

Today we're faced with Cancer and a lot of uncertainty.

I don't know what else to say except that I'm feeling both lost and very calm..

Really... Xmas?

Well this year has just gone in a snap. So much happening and not enough time for blogging.

My sisters have been ON MY CASE about my blog. More of it they say.

Truth is, I go quiet when things are not good, and I've had some worries with the kids that are ALL fine now. And we were told a month ago that our lease is being cut short and have had to organise a move prior to Xmas. One more week and my life will be packed up in boxes and into a truck.

In the mean time, I have a mile long To Do list that keeps growing by the day.

But today I have checked off one thing on the list. Teacher gifts.

My sisters can tell you, our mum was not the best cook however she rocked the sweet home cooked treats. My Lord she could whip up a novelty birthday cake in the blink of an eye and look out dentists... her Xmas treats were best only eaten at Xmas. .. sweet and moreish :)

So I though it best to make some coconut ice and wrap it up all lovely in cellophane and give that to the teachers. I had never attempted this before but figured, hey if I can bake a cake and a mean pav, i can do coconut ice.. right?

Not so.  It turned out crumbly and cracked when I tried to cut it. So that idea quickly went out the window at the pure delight of my sugar deprived children (thank you Michelle Bridges - will fill you in soon enough).

I made these cute little gift bags today. they were meant to fit the Xmas ball inside but yet another plan that quickly got changed.

So now the teachers are getting a massive gingerbread cookie that upon closer inspection could very well be a dog biscuit, a candy cane, a chocolate Santa & said Xmas tree decoration that has a bell in it.

Not my best effort, but certainly good enough I say.

My little 'picjacker' loves to jump into the blog pics and do funny faces.

So there you go sista's - How not to make Mum's coconut ice... or is it Nana's... or Mum's Nana?

How to adapt a plan under pressure and a cute pic of your nephew.

xox

Crazy birthday month

We all have them. Ours is July... we have no less than 13 birthdays and had a few kids party invites thrown in there too.

So you can guess what I've been up to.

Always trying something new I decided to do vinyl covered pencil cases for the girls, I've never sewn vinyl before. And the boys got peek a boo toy sacks after I found THIS cute pin on Pintrest.

I bought the cute Sprout turtle fabric after Dman spotted it while I was buying fabric online. But of course how do you use white fabric for a boy? So it became the lining of his toy sack and I've made sure you can see a whole turtle through the front peek hole.

Now it's August, I'm working through my unfinished projects. You know I have a quilt that I made for Fox last year and all it needs is binding. I'm guessing it will be done in time for Father's Day :)

Celebrating 5

6 months in the nagging... I mean planning. Yes, for 6 long months I have been asked 'when can I have a party, I want a party with my friends". So did you think we could let another year slip by without an actual party... not on your life! We decided on Lego as a theme, he loves Lego... and cars... and guns... but mostly Lego.

I found some lovely ideas on another blog and had to make up some Lego Bunting, I downloaded, laminated then used bias tape and sewed them together.

We hired a face painter, she was an absolute hit.

Lego cake, Donna Hay showed me how in her latest Kids Magazine, I just tweaked it to fit in my cake carrier.

 being outdoors in fresh Townsville sunshine right near the river was perfect, all the kids had so much fun and no personality clashes... oh i love it when you get the right mix.

One happy Birthday Boy :)

This week I'm grateful for... Time

This weekend my baby turns 5.

4 years and 9 months ago we made the conscious decision not to have any more children.

At times I've wondered if it was the right decision to make.

Now, I think it was.

Time helps us all to see with more clarity.

Over the past 10 weeks I have lost 12 kilos.

11 weeks ago I did not see this coming.

Next weekend I will run 5km in the Townsville Running Festival.

My whole life I never imagined I'd be a 'runner'.

Time changes everything... It's up to us to decide if it's for the better... or not.

See what others are Grateful for with Maxabella Loves...

My first attempt at patchwork

My very good friend has just had a baby boy and so I have decided to make a baby size patchwork quilt for him.

I will make 9 blocks i think and back with flannelet. I have seen others do patchwork in strips but I have opted for blocks because I don't trust that I could make the patches line up. Maybe when I have more confidence this will be the easier option.

I think choosing colours is probably the hardest part of making patchwork and I'm always amazed at how well different colour combos go together. Cross fingers my fabric choices work out as a whole.

We'll see soon enough :)

Canberra school camp... more awesome than expected!

Despite  the twins and myself coming down with colds/flu/stomach bugs the day we arrived back in Townsville, I'm pleased to say Canberra was awesome!

Found craft & colour inspiration in the most unlikely of places...
Parliament house was pretty cool, loved the colour graduation in the public galleries of The Senate & House of Representatives.

The huge Tapestry inside the great hall was impressive.

 Mt. Ainslie, looking down from above the War Memorial toward Capital Hill.

The War memorial & amazing Lead lights & Mosaics inside the unknown soldiers tomb.

Coolness indeed!

The AIS pool where the Australian Olympians train.

Got to catch up with family, including my dad & a nephew I'd never met.

Somehow wrangled the night off on Friday and nip into Civic...
Shop Handmade, but no Posie Patchwork in sight, she was on Holidays in Queensland :)

And finally a day trip to Thredbo.

Phew, now off to heat up the wheat bag & make a cup of honey & lemon tea.

Thanks Canberra we had a great time on school camp :)

My Creative Space

Here are some of the dolls I mentioned in my last post.

As you can see they range in size, so I have quite a task in front of me.

Most of these dolls were cast back in around 1986 and most have my Aunt's initials but two are quite unique with having the mould number and designer on the back of their heads.

I asked my daughter to chose a doll as a starting point for me and I would make that one hers.

She chose this doll. After researching the numbers on her head it turns out her name is " Just Me" and the doll designer was Armand Marseielle.

Now the challenge will not be dressing her, I have been making barbie clothes since I was a kid,  it will be in  finding the right hair and figuring out how to put it on her.

If anyone knows how to do this please share. I'm new to the world of dolls and apart from one my beautiful mum had made for me I really have nothing to compare to.

PS funny, I just read the post with the china doll from my mum and said, 'i wish i could get one for my daughter'... cool huh, just have to put it out there. Now what shall I wish for next ?? lol

Well hello dolly

Yes it has been a while.

I'm still here and everything is just fine, no dramas, just busy. 

Well the truth is I've been on a fitness kick and really haven't had much time or energy for much else.

I have been crocheting though and made a beanie & scarf for my eldest son. A scarf & beret for my daughter and a beanie and still in the process of making myself a scarf.

She just loves her beret. It was meant for the Canberra Camp which is next week! But after completing it looks more suited to summer than a Canberra winter.

I have some exciting stuff to show you but I just haven't got around to taking pictures yet. My gorgeous cousin has sent me up a box of fabric & dolls that are incomplete from my very crafty aunt who sadly passed away not long ago. When I say Aunt I mean my mums aunt who made it all the way into her 90s. She always kept herself busy making things and I still have a ceramic bathing jug & bowl she made for me way back in 1982!

So over the next few months I hope to complete these dolls that have been hand moulded and painted by auntie Yvonne herself.  All they need is some hair and clothes and they will  finally be finished. 

But before that I have a camp to attend and also a baby gift to complete for a very special friend who's baby boy decided to join this party early .

Back soon i promise :)

My Creative space...

This week I came across enormous luck when I won this gorgeous Queen Anne set on ebay for seriously less than it really is worth. I was relieved when the lady who I bought it from said she was happy I had won the auction and not someone who possibly was just after cheap furniture.

The fabric is amazing and although it looks faded it is not at all, it's just the nap showing up lighter. The cushions are heavy and super comfy like a hug from granny. 

The kitchen hutch has old style locks on the doors that the kids are fascinated with.

And then there's the old phone chair, I had to explain to the kids what it was used for! You know back in the old days when phones where plugged into the wall and If you wanted someones number you had to look for it in the phone book...lol  Oh the memories, you'd think I was like ancient and not in my 30's.

The set also has a set of 3 stacking tables too.

SO now to clean and freshen up this beautiful set, needless to say I'm over the moon and amazingly so are the kids even the delivery guys said  " they don't make furniture like this anymore'.

Check out some more creative spaces at KOOTOYOO.