Christmas...

This year we had a visit from Santa on Christmas Eve (courtesy of Steve our neighbour who is a professional Westfield Santa).


The music man was pretty happy with his new ipod.

A mentos and coke experiment tube for Matt... which was a bit of a fizzer, didn't go as high as the packet said it would.

And lots of yummy food of course.

I have been pretty unmotivated to do anything arty/crafty lately. In reality this bub could still be 3 weeks away, but I have felt exhausted for the past month, hope it arrives soon, we can't wait to meet him/her.

My friend Pippi has started a blog about her op-shopping adventures. She lives near one of the best op-shops I have ever been to. Check it out.

And a Happy New Year to everyone.

Getting ready...

The past few days have been spent getting ready for our new arrival (spurred on by a false alarm last Friday that had me teaching the kids how to call an ambulance!!!).

Washing tiny baby clothes, putting the cot up and buying those last minute essentials. I know this is my 4th baby but the excitement level is pretty high.

All the "oohs and aahs" from the kids over the tiny nappies and singlets, and Matt's "Whoa Mum, your tummy is huge!!" when he sees me in my underwear are making me smile.

I am loving these little froggy pants I haggled over in Shenzhen earlier in the year. They were worth all the effort!

Secret Santa!!

This morning I was finally allowed to open the package that has been sitting on my desk for over a week, (driving the kids wild with curiosity). It was from my EB 'Secret Santa'.



It was full of lovely Christmas gifts including this gorgeous card, 3 felt blanket-stitched bookmarks (which the kids have already claimed, though I may steal one back if I can!!!),

a needlebook (very handy because I don't have one at all), a festive pincushion/ornament with a bell, a little bag full of cute buttons and some beautiful lime/chocolate ribbon.

And some yummy chocolates and a magazine to inspire.

Whew!! That was a lot!! Thanks so much to my Secret Santa, whoever you are, I hope you will reveal yourself at some stage. I love everything!!

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Below is what I sent to my SS recipient, I hope she likes it, and I REALLY hope the singlet fits her little boy because everytime I look at her blog he seems bigger!!

A sweet day.

Yesterday was my birthday, I turned 36.

I have decided that birthdays become sweeter with age.

At 6.30am I was woken by Jonathan who had made me some raisin toast all by himself and proudly carried it upstairs on a tray. What a sweety. It was soon followed by my morning coffee made by Dave.

They gave me a beautiful pink diary from KikiK, my favourite shop, and the final book in the Inkheart Trilogy I have been reading. (Matt wants me to hurry up and read it so he can too).

My Mum sent me the above book. She is so encouraging of my artistic pursuits and always finds the perfect book to fit where I am at. Thanks Mum.

6 of my best girlfriends came over for lunch and I was spoilt with cool pressies like this huge pile of fabrics and book from AnnieB. I also received a Kiki K calender, flowers, journal, T2 tea and a cute outfit for the baby. I am so grateful for my beautiful friends.

Then last night Dave decided to crack open our combined Christmas present we had bought each other, after we had eaten Thai takeaway with some friends.

YUM, and a great way to end a perfect day.

Pity we won't have anything to open on Christmas Day, oh well...

Secret Santa

The little bit of sewing actually going on here at the moment is for my Secret Santa recipient (and her kiddies).


Here is a sneak peak.

Next on my list of things to do will be something for the baby, maybe a playmat like one of these. The strip piecing looks so good, but is so simple.

Not much sewing going on here at the moment, I have been so busy.

On Friday I went to the Good Food Affare which was on not far from where I live. My girlfriend and I had a lovely time wandering around sampling lots of yummy foods, and had a delicious lunch in the french cafe.

We came away with a few edible purchases, but by far my favourite item is this.....


It smells divine and is much needed in a house full of boys and their mates.

It is from this company, and they had a range of other products I plan to try in the future.

On Sunday I went to the Mathilda's Market that was held at Lane Cove.

There were lots of lovely handmade goodies and I got to see two blog friends, Cass and Ingrid in person.

I bought two gorgeous printed muslin wraps including this one above from The Hip Infant.



And as I have renounced most housework due to my growing size, Dave decided to clean the bathrooms on the weekend.

When he got to the one that the boys mostly use I heard a shout of terror when he lifted the toilet seat. He then proceded to pull the whole toilet apart to scrub it, then one by one invited the boys in to explain their "technique" (aim, stance, etc...) to see where they were going wrong. I was giggling to myself the whole time....

And if you want to have a really big toilet/potty related belly laugh, read this post from Is there any mommy out there?. I seriously almost wet my pants reading this!!

Re-fashioning

I have been wanting to try this re-fashioning tutorial for a long time.

It is to turn a men's shirt into a girl's dress.

I think it worked pretty well for a first go.


Sarah loves it and I think it will be a great summer day dress.

It is a very clever idea. The yoke from the back becomes the bodice at the front, and the buttons from the front do up down the back.

It feels very weird to start cutting up a perfectly good shirt (that is a little too small for my big hubby) but I think it has become a perfectly good dress now.

Everyday life...

My budding Chef is producing his own cookbook, "Yummy Cooking".

Some of the recipes are traditional; pancakes, muffins etc... but some are new and innovative like 'Dessert Delight'. This involves layers of pancakes, marshmallows, choc chip muffins and ice-cream. YUM!!


This makes me smile. Matt made it for me when he was in Kindergarten. If he succeeds in playing cricket for Australia one day, he can thank me and my 'funny bowling' in helping to prepare him.

A belly shot taken yesterday. I am 30 weeks.

A smile after homework is done for the day and you can lie on Mum and Dad's bed to watch telly.

The face of one who wishes his homework was finished.

Weekends...

This weekend we started to move Sarah into her new room, the boys old room (they have moved into Aunty Lisa's old room which is much bigger, confused??).
This is as far as we got.


Some photos of my new sewing area...

A pile of Dave's old shirts he culled, I am wondering what I can turn them into? I am sure I have seen a tutorial to turn a men's shirt into a dress for a girl, will have to google that one.

We minded a friend's daughter on Sat night and were rewarded with this, my favourite tea, YUM!!

And on Saturday night my wonderful husband sat down and watched Othello with me to help prepare for my English exam on Wednesday. Shakespeare is not really his thing so he was very brave, thanks honey.

I am so going to do this...

This looks like so much fun!!!

Wanna come??

Lovely.

It is so lovely to be sewing again. I am happily set up in 'my space" upstairs and am loving not having to pack up between sewing bursts.

Here are the fat quarters I just received from Belsizesquare. Aren't they divine!! Sarah is most dissapointed that there is not enough of one for a skirt.

This morning I whipped up these pants and matching bib for a GF's new baby, Bronte. (love the name!!) They will be heading off to the UK this afternoon.

Another Lazy Days skirt for Sarah. This one is a bit chrissmassy (is that a word??)

I am really keen to start planning and making some Christmas gifts, this blog has inspired me to get moving.

There is also the small matter of an English exam to sit next Wednesday that I really need to prepare for......

EB Secret Santa answers.

Here are my answers for my Secret Santa.

Would you like something handmade as a gift?

Yes, if my SS is not too busy, but I don't really mind.

Do you have a favourite Christmas Colour?

My DH said it is "chocolate" LOL, but I like the traditional red and green.

Do you decorate the whole house or just a part of it?

Usually just the front door and the lounge room where the tree is.

Do you have any Christmas Traditions?

Sadly, not really as we are never in the same place 2 years in a row, all our family lives out of Sydney and we rotate around. This year as I will be heavily pregnant, we are not budging.

What sizes are your children?

Boy size 10
Girl size 8
Boy size 8

Do you like quick projects or things that take a little longer?

Both.

Is there anything that you like to collect?

buttons, ribbons, vintage patterns, yummy cake recipes

Hope this helps.

Tutorials...and dress ups.

This is our dress up box (well, suitcase).

I had always thought we were pretty well stocked until I saw Soule Mama's, now I have dress up envy.

And speaking of tutorials in my last post , this blog has a huge list of links to free tutorials, all conveniently put into categories.

She is also doing a blog giveaway at the moment so check it out!!

Op shopping and finally some sewing.

I bought this dress today at my favourite Op Shop for $1.50!! I am totally in love with it.

I bought a few other things as well; 2 tea cosies, some embroidered fabric, a pattern, kids sewing book, 2 vintage pillowcases, vintage buttons, and some groovy clip on earings.

Then a bit of sewing this afternoon.

This has to be one of the easiest things I have ever made. I can't believe how many generous bloggers produce free tutorials for their creations. This one can be found here.

I will definitely be making more of these.

Upcoming projects

At the risk of sounding like a 'gunna', one of those people who is gunna do something... one day, here are a few projects I am hoping to complete soon.

Some pants for the baby using this pattern. I don't know the sex of my baby so am going to make some of each and give away any that are not used.



Do something with this t-shirt that Jonty has outgrown. I love the robot and have thought of maybe turning him into a throw cushion for J's bed?? Any other ideas?



Use this fabric I bought yesterday at Pennant Hills. (I had to drive right past the shop on my way to the OB, how could I not stop??)
Sarah wants a skirt out of the turquoise fabric, and I will make some bibs/pants out of all of them, something along the lines of these. I have some bamboo fleece to back the bibs with, super soft and very absorbent.

These arrived yesterday from here and at less than $2.00 per metre, I think they are terrific. Could be used as trims on bibs, or pencil cases for christmas presents??

This brown lightweight corduroy was $2.00/m at Spotlight so I couldn't resist buying a couple of metres. I am thinking tote bags, library bags etc... lined with the other fabrics, depending on who the recipient is.

Now to convince the kids to help me carry all my sewing stuff upstairs to my new space.....

My Space

After almost 2 years, my sister in law has moved out of our house, and now I am left with 2 empty rooms.

This one, which was her living area, is destined to become 'my space'.

I briefly thought about moving the playstation and the lego up here for the kids, then decided no, I would love a space of my own to leave my sewing and crafting things set up.

It also has to double as a guest room/ironing/drying washing in wet weather room, but I don't mind, I am a good sharer. And actually, it isn't even a proper 'room', it is more like a large landing, but I am happy.

I even took down the curtains and washed them today, which really speaks about my excitement because I am not the curtain washing kind, usually.

It's raining men!!

I had to share this funny story...

Sarah came across this painting this morning in an art book, and burst out singing, "It's raining men, hallelujah!, it's raining men...."

I had to laugh.

(The painting is 'Golconda' by Rene Magritte)

Back to school...

My kids are going back to school on Monday. Our adventure in homeschooling is over.

I am glad we tried it or I would have always been left wondering, but now I know that it is not really for us. I was terrible at it, basically.

There have been lots of positives though, particularly the time they got to spend playing with each other.

Sculpture by the Sea

Sculpture by the Sea is on again at the moment and we went on Saturday.




It is worth going down and having a look. The kids love to read their guides, and there are lots of 'aha' moments when they get what the artist is trying to say. (for me also!!)

Pictured above:

gone by Natalie Windsor

imagine by Emma Anna

nexus by Kosmas