Fell off the wagon

Today I was feeling like I couldn't be bothered with being organised or decluttering. So, I totally dedicated the day to hangin' out with Moo. We built wooden castles, read books, played in the sandpit, went to the park and spent an hour walking around our neighbourhood. On our walk we talked to the neighbours, meet the cutest puppy in the world, examined every stick, leaf and gumnut, poked a long piece of grass down the hole of a telphone pit and then dropped some stones down there for good measure. Moo spent quite a bit of time marvelling at how warm the footpath/sidewalk was. She lay down and put her cheek and hands to the ground and smiled an 'Ahhh, that's nice' smile. I didn't because it would look more than a little strange if I lay down all smiley on the footpath. Instead, I talked about how energy from the sun can warm the land, air, and water through heat absorption and how some colors are better at absorbing or reflecting light from the sun than others. Annie smiled and gave me that 'what are you talking about?' look. I've gotta get me some adult conversation....

No procrastination and no sewing

'Clean sweep' by velo_city

The past week has been filled with getting on top of my new year's resolution. Every time I have had the urge to sew I have spent the time decluttering instead, telling myself that when I am finished I will have more time to sew because I won't be chasing my tail trying to keep things tidy. We'll see. But I can tell you, so far, so good. I am slowly getting things under control and finding that maintenance is a lot easier than waiting for the house to be buried and then trying to dig it out. Who would have thought that 'a stitch in time saves nine ' had some kind of basis? I'm hoping for 'a stitch in time gives me time to stitch nine garments.' Yay!

Is that my yard?

I just saw what I thought was a picture of our backyard on HoppoBumpo's blog. I'll have to show my husband because he thinks we are the only ones in the world who have 'lawn' that looks like that.
My excuse is that it is an educational experience for Moo. She can see all kinds of flora and fauna and pretend she is hunting through the jungle for tigers. Yep, that's it. Educational.
Wow, HoppoBumpo, you're really providing a great imaginative play area for Argy and Bargy ; )

As the song says it's too damn hot!

It's 10 o'clock in the evening and it's still 32.4 degrees Celsius outside. That's 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Interestingly, the high today was 37.1 (98.8) degrees at 6pm.
Tomorrows forecast. 39 (102.2). Ouch!
At least we haven't had an 47 (117) degree days this year - YET.

Two quilts by Andrea R found on Flickr

I will say I made the most of it though. Yesterday I threw quilts in the bath while Moo was sleeping and stomped on them, pretending the whole time that I was squashing grapes for wine because that was infinitely more romantic. It also threw me back to my childhood when Mum used to get us to do the stomping of all the winter blankets etc during the hot summer. We thought it was the best fun ever invented. Now I can't wait for Moo to get old enough to be excited by running laps of the bath over a few quilts.......

Eye Spy... something I want to try in 2009.

I'm Eye Spying on Saturday night instead of Sunday because I know I'll be busy tomorrow. Moo's Great Grandad is having his 91st birthday party. Woo hoo~~

How to pick just one thing?

Actually, now that I am thinking about it it's quite hard to come up with something that;
a) isn't something too personal that I don't fancy putting it out there in cyberspace
b) isn't trivial like trying to sew a button hole with my old machine as posted in my new year post
c) is something I have the capacity to actually carry out

Hmmmmmm.

OK, here it is...... don't hold me to it though!

I want to try being an organised and tidy person. I want to try living a de cluttered life.

Photo by Yvestown via Happy Living

There. I've said and there's no taking it back. I'll let you know how I go and if you don't hear anything about it we can just pretend that I'm doing it and no one will be the wiser.....

(To anyone who is wondering 'Eye Spy....' has replaced the 'This is....' meme and is kindly hosted by bugandpop if you would like to join in.)

Today's little project

I went to Borders today to buy a gift voucher for someone and I thought I would have a quick look at the magazine section. BIG mistake! I ended up buying 'Stitch' for way too much and drooling over it all afternoon. Then I got a brain wave to make some slippers out of an old felted jumper (read jumper that accidentally got thrown in with the normal wash and came out as a mini jumper). I cut them out but couldn't be bothered pulling my machine back out so, I decided to turn my attention to one of the projects in Stitch. A little winter hat for Moo. I spent what felt like a million years trying to get the pattern right because the recommended blow up size (that's what I wanted to do to it - blow it up@!) wouldn't fit a newborn. Grrrrr. But I finally got it right and cut it out and put it together after Moo went to bed.

And, no, I am not the proud mother of a weird looking recycled bag holder creature. Moo was asleep and all of her doll's heads (all 2 of them) were too small to model for me.... so the plastic bag receptacle it was. (Bag made from IKEA scraps a few weeks ago.)

And it just looked strange with no eyes..... so pins and blue tack it was!

A few notes about the hat:

• It was supposed to be made out of a felted recycled jumper/sweater but I wanted to try out the sizing in a cheap material first in case it was completely wrong so I used polar fleece.

• The original pattern has bias binding around the edges which matches the fabric on the chin strap. I couldn't be bothered making tape and as I had used polar fleece did not need to worry about raw edges. I was going to blanket stitch in a color that complemented the chin strap but when looking for the navy wool I found this old ribbon that I had bought in Sweden and thought I would sew that on instead.

• I know it is summer and maybe you are wondering why I would be sewing a winter hat. Haven't you heard the story about the ant and the grasshopper? Well, that's my excuse...... It had nothing to do with the fact that I love felt and I thought it was pretty....

Because I'm a Mum and this is what Mum's do

When we were on holidays Moo drew this picture. As always, I asked her what it was, expecting to hear the usual nonsense babble. But she pointed to the middle drawing and said, 'Daddy.' Then she pointed to the right blob and said, 'Mummy.' I asked her where she was so she drew the little blob on the left! Anyone else would think, 'So what?' But I'm her Mum and I thought she did a GREAT picture! BTW she's 20 months not 20 years old ; D

I showed husband who asked, 'Why is Daddy the giant fat one?' I told him kids don't lie. he he

Success

Moo LOVED the bean bags. I left them stacked up on the table and she saw them as soon as she got up from her nap. There was a lot of excitement but I'm not sure why she thought they were so wonderful.... They have gone everywhere she has this afternoon. Including the park. If you happened to see a toddler dragging a bag along the footpath that appeared to weigh as much as they did you probably saw us walking to the park. Moo refused (toddler style!) to let Mummy carry the heavy bag. At the park we threw them about, carried them all at once (tricky), bounced them on the "she-shaw" and threw them down the slide. Great fun.
This evening Moo even shoved them up her shirt and proclaimed, 'Boobies.' What's next I wonder? At least she didn't want to take them to bed with her. Maybe she's saving that tantrum for tomorrow?

Beanbags

What do you do with a scrap of upholstery fabric and some out of date rice? Make beanbags! (Or should I say rice bags?) These beanbags measure 10cm x 15cm (plus 1.5cm seam allowance) and contain one cup of rice each (uncooked!). The material was bought from IKEA in a bundle of scraps that I scored for a couple of dollars. I chose this fabric because of it's strength and of course the pattern - mostly black! Good for hiding the inevitable dirt.
I had been thinking about making these for a while for Missy Moo to play with. I thought it would be an excellent project to get me reacquainted with my machine. I was right. The project was just short enough for me to not get sick of it..... aaaaa, patience. Was that on my New Year's Resolution list?

There are an endless number of games and uses for these little bags and I can't wait for Moo to wake up so we can try them out!

New Year's Resolutions interspersed with holiday snaps

• Be 4 dress sizes smaller
  
• Get a tummy tuck so I don't have to look at my empty baby house any longer
  
• Win lotto
  
• Have another baby that my husband can carry for over 42 weeks (that's TWO PLUS weeks overdue) and then labour for 3 days for instead of me. He can also do the recovering for 6 weeks part too. Oooo and the waddling and rolling out of bed 'cause you can't sit up.....

OK, none of the above is realistic (or possible! ; ) so I will stick to some things that I can actually do;

• eat healthily
• exercise more
• de clutter the house
• stick to my budget
• sew more
• be organised
• be kind to myself and my family

That should do it. I have so many things in my head because I've been on holidays for 2 weeks and what do you do when you're on holidays with 'nothing' to do? Sit around and think of things to do when you get home!

(This picture reminds me of a Rothko....)

For some more tangible, able to be crossed off a list goals:

• Paint the front room
• Remove the wallpaper from the hall and paint
• Paint all the skirting boards, door frames and doors in white gloss. (Currently dark wood).
• Install two sky lights, one in each end of the hall
• Insulate the entire house - ceilings and floors
• Weed and mulch the garden so it doesn't look like hill billies live here
• Get some storage. Clean out some cupboards and wardrobes
• Finish the bathroom (sanding and painting, glass shower screen to be installed)
  

If only I could cross the 'win Lotto' off the list I wouldn't have to worry about any of the rest.....
I'm just thinking it's a good thing I have an entire year to do these things!


And while I'm making lists. Here is a sewing goal list;

• Learn how to do button holes on my old fan dangled machine
• Try knitting again (for the millionth time)
  
• Make husband a winter hat using the giant knitting Nancy Mum bought me for Christmas (thanks Mum!)
• Try drafting some patterns from my Enid Gilchrist books and making them up
• Use some of the vintage patterns I've bought
• Make a list of handmade presents I can make for people this year for their birthdays and have them made in advance so I don't have to stay up until 2am the night before......
• Practice putting in zippers neatly
• Win Lotto and buy a fancy new machine and an overlocker. (Lotto is really featuring here....might help if I actually bought a ticket! ha ha ha)

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  

ooooooo

OK, I can't remember now which Blog I found this via but here it is; Top 100 Tutorials of 2008 on The Long Thread!
And here's one for making you own BabyLegs!!!!!
I'm sooooo wishing for toddler free time to get sewing.....

Next project

Well, a new year calls for some new projects. Project number one (I think...) is to make this pattern (to the right) using this orange and yellow vintage sheet (courtesy of Wonthaggi and Phillip Island op shops).



Then, I think the Amy Butler Barclona skirt using this sheet:
And I'm not sure what to do with this Sesame Street sheet. I think appliqued onto denim and made into a little top? Or on a T? I've got a whole single bed sheet of them so I could do that AND more!

Here is my other op shop score.....


With a few inspiring patterns.....

And these, just because I love the illustration....

It's a pity I can't get my hands on the publication advertised on the back of the book......
Now there's some inspiration for the whole year!~ : )

Happy 2009

Well, we've just got back from a lovely beach holiday - thanks to our parents who put up with us invading their homes and beach houses! I'm going to write more about new years resolutions, what we got up to on our break etc over the next couple of days but for now, here is a taster....

We arrived home after lunch today so the afternoon has been spent busily unpacking, doing load after load of washing and tidying the house after our Christmas party. We left almost immediately so bar tidying up anything that would be gross by the time we got back we didn't really clean up much..... fun fun fun.
On the happy crafting front I picked up three vintage sheets in the op shops at Wonthaggi - one orange and yellow floral, one blue and purple floral and one vintage sesame street (pre Elmo) which I LOVE! I found a cute pattern (circa 1975, size 3 girls dress/jumper found in Phillip Island oppy) that I can't wait to get a start on in the coming days. Got a whole roll of black bias tape for a couple of dollars (Phillip Island Country Women's Assoc.) and a couple of bags of buttons. Oooo, and I also picked up an Enid Gilchrist baby/toddler pattern book ($2) which I am also very excited about......

We're almost there!

What we're NOT having...... how funny is this! Frozen Christmas dinner - Swedish style.

I've done the grocery shopping for Christmas. My kitchen is buried and I am writing a list of things that I can prepare today, what needs to be done tomorrow and what needs to be finished off at the last minute. (We're partying here on Christmas Eve.) I always write a list of what we are eating because otherwise I inevitably forget something in the back of the fridge until everyone's gone home. At Moo's first birthday I made lollie bags for everyone and didn't realise I'd given them out until most people had left..... D'oh.
MIL is doing a baked ham and BIL a roast pork with crackling. SIL a chocolate cake and me a layered ice-cream cake with berries on top. We're also having meatballs, Janssons frestelse, Gravlax, prinskorv, salads and all that. I'm even making punch! My Aunt is bringing cheeses and cold meats from the Yarra Valley and it's going to be awesome! Writing this is getting me all excited so I'm going to go and start cooking. Happy holidays everyone!

Boo

I can't believe I have the most disgusting cold in the world. *Blah*
All my plans out the window......
BUT, I did manage to pop into the op-shop on my way to the chemist to get cough medicine this morning. (Before I started feeling too awful.)When I was in there a man came in with a bag of darling little aprons/smocks handmade by his mother who used to sell them at markets. The poor old dear had 'done a hip' and wasn't doing markets anymore so 'the goods' were given to the oppie. I bought 3 because my little Moo is the messiest girl I know and we have bought her an easel and other art supplies for Christmas. They will make a wonderful addition to her loot. Yay! Op-shop Gods smiling on me again : )

No need to call Fox Mulder from the X-files

If you were thinking of calling the police this morning because you saw me ironing the bed linen I urge you not to do so. Although it may appear that I have been abducted by aliens and replaced by some weird cleaning and ironing freak I can assure you that this is not the case. I'm not sure what has caused this anomaly but I kind of like it so please don't do anything silly and call the authorities.

Time wasting

I scored an 'A' in high school. A 'high distinction' at uni. All homework sessions were preceded by a room and desk tidy. Pencil sharpening and sorting. Flower picking and arranging in a vase on my desk. Now I'm no longer studying I've had to branch out from desk tidying to other activities.
Tonights procrastination session was catching up with this year's Julkalender. I watch it every year. It's a 15 min program for children that run's from the 1st of December until Christmas - hence the name 'Christmas calander.' I have to admit I even laugh at the corny jokes.
I love time wasting.

What is the world coming too????

I was very sad this evening to read that new US regulations on toys and childrens' products will make handmade toys, clothing, nappies and baby carriers illegal as of February.
It's America you say, you don't need to worry. Well, given that we in Australia just love to follow everything stateside and have ourselves become a litigious society it may not be long before these kind of laws come into effect here. I know it's for safety but gees! I have kids. I think I can judge what is safe and not safe. Just take a look at some of the 'safe' toys for sale in the $2 shop made of crappy plastic and containing God knows what and made in sweatshops in third world countries. Rant. Rant. Rant.

If you're in need of a smile....

... check out this cute video of 5mth old Moo having a giggle.

Whenever I need a laugh I sneak a peek. : )

I think I might be back.....

.... but we'll see! We're right in the middle of the craziest time of the year. I've been busy getting ready with our first Christmas gathering this Sunday (Dad's family). Mum's family is next Saturday and my mother in law's birthday bash is on the Sunday. We have Christmas Eve (Julafton) at our place, breakfast at hubby's Dad's and then it's down to my parents on the Gippsland Lakes. In between this I'm learning to drive, (Watch out! Don't worry, I'm taking driving lessons with dual control....), baking, making space in the house for guests and getting all the presents are ready. Digging out entire rooms from under accumulated debris (Moo's toys) and dust, toast crumbs and God know what. Home made cards too. Am I crazy?
Now, as to where I have been for the past little bit.... More than a few weeks ago we found out we were expecting munchkin #2 but the happiness only lasted a few weeks and so I have been recovering both emotionally and physically. Not only that but my father in law and his wife have been away and when they are not here I take care of his business. My FIL imports parts for large transformers - the kind that are on the electrical grid - quite technical but thankfully I'm not required to be an electrical engineer! I did do physics in year 12 but that's as far as it goes! Anyhoo, that requires time when Moo is sleeping for emails, phone calls, receiving goods, repacking them and sending them around the country. Business has been booming with storms in QLD and NSW. But I bore you!
On the craft front.... I haven't done any sewing but have baked Christmas presents and used Martha's site for some packaging ideas. Moo did fingerpainting and I framed them for the Grandparents. Pics to follow.
So, Happy Christmas crafting and here's to me getting my (crafting) mojo back!