Visit to Mike's studio

 Last week we visited Mike's studio and Moo modeled for his next exhibition.  She wore two different flying helmets that Mike got off Ebay.  I can't wait to see what he does with the images.  So exciting!

Has it really been that long???? White chocolate and raspberry tiramisu (eggless)

I've been quiet for....oooo.... 7 months!

We welcomed little Amelia Daisy to our family on August 3rd and everything since is a bit of a blur!  I have done almost no sewing (not through lack of inspiration) but finally I'm starting (?) to feel that things are a little more under control.

Having a break from blogging has given me a chance to remember how much I used to enjoy it.  I have great intentions of writing again but we'll see......  in the mean time...... this morning I made a white chocolate and raspberry tiramisu for a family get together.  Here is my recipe:

Blend together 500g marscarpone and 1 cup of cream in a food processor.  Add 100g melted white chocolate and continue blending until smooth.

Press the contents of a 425g tin of raspberries in syrup into a separate bowl (to remove the pesky pips!)  Add 25mL of Absolut Raspberri.  Stir to combine.

Dip savoiardi/ladies finger biscuits (I used a 500g packet) into the raspberry syrup and place the first layer in a large ceramic lasagne dish.

Cover thinly with the cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with fresh (or frozen and thawed raspberries) and grated white chocolate. Add another layer of biscuit and another of cheese.

Refrigerate overnight (at least 12 hours so that the biscuits have time to absorb the moisture and become soft).

Before serving cover with whipped cream, fresh raspberries and grated white chocolate.  

Mmmmmmmm.

Happy Shiny people

Nothing exciting happening here.  No news is good news.
I've been told by my midwife that I need to slow down and rest more - like that's gonna happen with a spirited three year old 'in da house.'  Home made play dough keeps her entertained for a while.  Hurra!

Decided to wash all my 000 sized clothes because Moo was in that size from a couple of weeks old and I can't imagine me soaking, washing and hanging two boxes full of clothes when we've just brought the new one home.  Of course I am hoping that this baby is not a giant but if she is I don't want to be unprepared.....  Nesting.  Nesting.  Nesting.

Quick update. Photos I have had on my camera for too long....

 

The ol' faithful 70's jumper pattern with applique of oppy find sesame street bed sheet.

Attempt to cover stain on a T-shirt.....

O+S popover sundress

Placemats for Moo.   She loves aviation and transport!

Before and after shot of the 'front room' bookshelf.  'Wallpapered' with a glue stick and IKEA wrapping paper.

Stroller cover

I made this about a month ago (or more) but haven't posted.  I've finally worked out adding photos with the macbook and found the cord to actually download my photos!  I'm back in action!

For this project I used fabric from the stash (on a strict budget due to rising interest rates.  Boooooo.)  Light blue polar fleece for the back, red and blue poppy for the front and some red polka dot bias that I bought by the metre (cause it was cute and I don't really like making bias tape, even with my nifty bias tape maker.) 

Basically, I measured the stroller, marking where it needed to fold and also where the belts needed to come through.  Because I used bias tape there was no hem allowance to take into account.  The belt holes were done manually, just like giant button holes, as my machine can't do auto button holes that large.  There is a layer of wadding between the outside layers with four lines of 'quilting' straight down the middle to hold it all together.  

If I were to make another one of these I wouldn't use polar fleece cause it was a bit stretchy and hard to sew, even with the walking foot...... I sew, I learn!

Shameless advertising

Mike's latest exhibtion opened last Wednesday night.  We went and listened to a great opening speech by Julian Burnside.    Was slightly distracted by a couple of three year olds, but hey, at least I got to go!

The exhibition runs until 23 May so go and check it out. It's brilliant, even if we are related.....  : )  GO MIKE!
More info here at Metro Gallery's website.

How did it suddenly become 29 weeks?

I'm hoping I only have 10 weeks to go.... not 13..... please God.
I've been a bit slack in posting lately.  I've been reading my fav blogs but still (due to business or laziness?) not worked out how to post properly from my macbook......
I've got soooo much to show you!  Oh well.  Just thought I would say that I'm still here and here are some of the things I have been up to:

• Celebrating Moo's 3rd birthday (where did that time go????)

• In this photo she's wearing one of my 'creations', a dress made from an IKEA tea towel (2 in fact) that cost me $2 in the 'as is' section.  Made using the same principles as the pillowcase dress.  The shoulder straps were cut from the tea towels' hanger.  Elastic from the oppy.  Love a bargain!!
• Hubby's Grandad passed away a few weeks ago at the ripe ol' age of 92.  Have been spending time with my MIL and helping her to organise his estate.  We also relocated some furniture and heirlooms which I will share with you later 'cause they're lovely.
• Travelling to and from kinder three days a week
• OB appointments, acupuncture appointments etc
• Water exercise twice a week which is helping my stupid ankle to heal
• Cleaning out cupboards, wardrobes etc.  Yes, I am in nesting phase and want to throw out EVERYTHING!!
• Getting the baby's things ready.  Her clothes, her room.... I'm trying to remember what I need for a newborn.  I'm sure I'll realise how much I'm missing once she arrives!
• Sewing.  Not much but enough.
• Sorting out all my craft things and relocating them from what was the spare room to the 'front room' where I will sew and do crafty things.  Hoping this will keep me occupied once I'm too fat to climb up and clean the cornices and the tops of cupboards..... ha ha ha

Also, thought I would share this:

My BF got me this T-shirt for my birthday back in March.  It always gets a smile when I go out.
(Not my body BTW!  I 'borrowed' the image from here where you can also buy one if you or someone crafty you know is expecting.)

22 weeks and counting

I'm starting to feel physically better now.  Hardly any morning sickness (notice I say 'hardly' because I still have the odd 'moment' which sucks!) and more energy.  I was all geared up for sewing and half way through a really cute Burda blouse for Moo when misfortune (aka stupidity) struck.  To cut a long story short, I twisted my ankle badly and had to be rescued from my front lawn by the paramedics  : (  Nothing like being 21 weeks pregnant and on crutches, chasing a 2 year old.  Great.  I am now sporting a beautiful rainbow coloured foot (toes to lower calf) and have 8-12 weeks of ligament recovery.... D'oh!
On the sewing front I have achieved the following:
- drafting a pattern for a stroller liner
- a Burda blouse for Moo with one sleeve and hem to go
- Burda red cord trousers with leg pockets for Moo
- a very large pile of lovely new fabric courtesy of my beautiful Mumma
- ideas galore running around my head about what to do with said fabric


I'm really getting nesty and having the urge to purge.  Unfortunately, crutches and cleaning don't go so I'm currently making lists instead.  Top priority is cleaning out the spare room which will be baby's room, the linen cupboard which has W. A. Y. too many old towels and, well, linen, that needs to be re purposed or disposed of.  I'm thinking of cutting up the towels and using the good edge parts for 'baby starting solids face cloths' and the rest for cleaning cloths.  Just a thought....


Oooo, we caved at the final minute and decided to find out the sex of our little one.  It's a SHE!  We are more than pleased to add another girl to the house and I'm very happy to know that I can now start washing little pink clothes instead of wondering whether to sell them on eBay or give them to little girl cousins.  Yay~~

Stuff

OK, still no pictures but I wanted to note my productive afternoon of mending and sewing....

• finally finished the Oliver+S dress for Missy Moo 
• appliqued and sewed buttons on a fairly new T-shirt of Moos to cover dark brown paint stains instead of throwing it away or only using it for play clothes
• mended my PJs, Moo's flotation swimmers and a couple of other items with rips
• redid the hems on 2 pairs of maternity pants using a blind hem (which nearly did my head in!)

Is it just me or do you find blind hems hard to fold?  I can never work out what needs to fold where and make a couple of boo boos before I finally work it out.  Doesn't matter how many times I do it.... I just don't get it!!

Confession and seven year itch (glitch)

First the confession.  OK, the reason I haven't been posting is because I can't work out how to post on blogger with photos from my (not so) new laptop.  I've gone from MS to Apple and am totally loving it.  The only trouble is that I have to work how to do everything a little bit differently.  It's the same but somehow different.  Different enough to be ever so slightly annoying.  I guess I could always ask my live in IT expert.........

On the seven year itch.  Hubby and I have been living together for 7 years this year.  Now, our relationship is fine, it's the appliances that are starting to leave..........  First the vacuum cleaner.  Then the iron (in a spectacular pyrotechnic kind of way none the less).  Towels.  Bed linen.  It's all starting to fall apart!  I've come to the conclusion that the seven year itch is more to do with scratchy towels and holey bed sheets than relationship issues.

Enjoy your day!   : )

Happy New Year

Here's hoping you and yours have the best year ever!

Our little bubble bean has made it to 2010.  I never believed it would happen..... but here we are! I still can't bring myself to start sewing, buying or borrowing..... I'm waiting for the next scan and if BB is going strong then I'm going nuts!!!  : )          (Just don't tell hubby.  It's just between you and me.)
 
I wish you health and happiness.  Joy and laughter.  Love and peace. 
Cheers!  x x x x x

Finally! *phew*

Things have indeed been quiet around here!  Or, you possibly may have heard loud screeching noises like a large cockatoo or a Velociraptor and wondered what all the noise was about......

I've been working hard on a new project that is due to be finished at the end of July next year.  It should be around 50cm long and hopefully less than 4kg.  It's taking a lot of eating and sleeping to keep this project going and creative time has flown out the window along with my breakfast (and lunch and dinner.....)

After 18 months of heartbreak, frustration, loss and disappointment we have finally been given permission to stop worrying and accept that there is a little one on board that will be joining us next year.

So, when I start feeling better in a couple of weeks (fingers crossed) you can expect that there will be a renewed sense of creativity and urgency to 'get things done.'

I can't wait.
x x x x

You suck! (not you personally)

The person who sucks is the ***hole who stole my daughters handbag on Tuesday.  While she was riding the Postman Pat ride at Eastland shopping centre some idiot stole her handbag and purse.  I guess they got what they deserved when they found nothing inside but junk (AKA 2 years old's treasure).  Serves you right for stealing a 2 year old's purse stupid person with no self respect what so ever!
*fume*  *rant*  *fume*

Where have I been?

"Hello?  Hello?"  I hear you say.

You may have noticed that life seems to be getting in the way of my creative endeavours recently. 


What have we been doing?
We went away to Phillip Island last weekend with a bunch of friends and it was awesome.  Moo loves to socialise and enjoyed the attention of 9 adults and copious amounts of bacon. (Thanks Uncle Si.)
Her busy schedule of toddler smoozing has kept me on my toes as well as tennis (yep, you heard me, I've been playing tennis), swimming and weekly dates with the cousins.  I've also been having all kinds of medical appointments to try and help us achieve our goal of a playmate for Moo. 
Next year Moo's off to preschool for 3 days a week and things will hopefully calm down for a while.  She's definately not one for staying home and being a wall flower so the only way to keep her from practicing mountain climbing on the furniture is to go out.  (Did I tell you I went to get her up from her nap and found her perched on top of the wardrobe?  Gar~)
So, to cut a long and boring story short, we've been busy doing nothing exciting and I haven't been sewing much.
I hope I will be back soon with something exciting.......    ; )

Yep, it's been pretty quiet

I started sewing up a nice jacket for Moo but that is now on the back burner until my Mum gets back.... I need assistance!  It's a bit more complicated than anything I have previously attempted.
Tonight while watching a DVD I cut out a dress for Moo - red pinny with retro Sesame street sheet applique.  I just need to wizz off to Spotlight this week and get some Vliesofix and red cotton (ran out ) so I can finish it.
And in the news front.... Moo fell over this week and bit a hole in her tongue.  GROSS!! This morning we went to vist my hubby's brother and family.  While there my SIL went into labour and we now have another girl in the family!!  Woo hoo~~  They already have two boys (3 & 1 years) so I'm so glad for the sake of her sanity that she had a little girl.  Let's hope she's quiet and retiring and not a little tear-about like our Moo! ; ) *wink*

Enjoying the quiet

Moo is asleep.  I've been planting flowers in the garden.  White, pink and purple.
The sun is shining.  The sky is blue.  There's a slight breeze.
Stupid crows are being loud and ruining my peace and quiet.
Stupid crows.

I'm keeping calm. I'm carrying on.

This week feels like I have been chasing my tail all day, every day. 
This morning's effort:
8am  Got up, bathed, dressed and fed Anni & I
Did two loads of laundry and hung them on the line
Packed Moo's bag for creche, including her lunch box, full change of clothes etc
9am  Packed all my FIL's deliveries and mail that have arrived here whilst he's been on holiday into the car.
Jumped in the car and took Moo to creche
9.30am  Went to FIL's house to sort out some stuff for his business
Got a phone call from hubby and had to go immediately to bank A, get a bank cheque and transfer funds into bank B (a 15 min drive away from bank A) so that our new car could be delivered this afternoon.
10.30am Rushed back for my doctor's appointment.  Didn't have time to come home and pick up records..... tried to remember what was on there for the doctor.......
Got accupuncture.
Went to Bunnings and picked up all the painting stuff for our bathroom.
12pm Picked up Anni and drove out to Hubby's grandad's house. Took him out for lunch.
1.30pm Drove home, unpacked the car.  Unpacked Moo's bag, washed her hands, changed her and put her to bed for her nap.
Crashed in a heap!!  And somehow, it's already 3 o'clock.....
Off to make a well earned cup of tea now.
*sigh*

You've gotta go there....

My brother's best mate's patisserie featured in The Age Newspaper's Epicure section this week.  Check it out (and other delights) here.

This is what they said......

"City in Delicious Bites
Join Allan Campion and Michele Curtis on a trip to Melbourne's finest foodie destinations. Here they choose the best........
 Le Croissant
 Probably Melbourne's best vanilla slice. Three layers of housemade puff pastry are layered with creme patisserie and topped with chocolate-feathered white fondant. Available by the slice or as a large cake."
1204 Toorak Road, Burwood. 9809 2263

You know you want to visit and get a yummy cake.  Go on.  Do it!


Andy made our wedding cake.  It was a beautiful chocolate mud cake with ganache icing - almost too good to share with the guests!  Maybe we should have gone with a vanilla slice cake????  Mmmmm, *drool*

Don't know if I atually want to see this doc or not......... *insert horrified scream here*

If you know me, you will have been ear bashed... listening to me ranting over eating local/organic and not using personal products that contain petrochemicals etc, so on and so forth, blah blah blah.
But what about all the plastic in our lives..... what about electricity and running water and plasma screens? And cars!
How far do you go and what is the price that you will pay either way? This looks like a great doc!

Today's math lesson

x ( a + b ) = GIANTmess

where
x = a full container of Johnson's baby power
a = toddler in bedroom for nap time
b =  uncanny climbing ability

Please note that the amount of mess is proportionate to the creative ability of the toddler and the amount of fluids remaining in their drinking receptacle.

Mother's happiness is said to be inversly related to such an incident.