It Runs In The Family

Oh no..HELP!!! I did a "Jan" thing last night!! (Jan is my mum) It was late at night, kids asleep, Heath was laying on the floor watching the tv and I turned the lamp on and sat in the corner of the lounge with crochet hook in one hand and a ball of wool in the other and started to crochet. All Heath said was "have a go at ya!"

 Oh dear.. oh dear. I just couldn't help myself, I just had to crochet a cool pot holder, cause of course we all need a pot holder don't we?? So I kept crocheting till it was finished. Like I need a pot holder on holidays. And there's my little pot holder on the left. A few holes but an ok job. And next to it another granny square... practice makes perfect!

Today started with a lesson with my girls learning my mobile number over pancakes and maple syrup with Kristee-Belle, then a trip to the local shopping centre Pacific Fair to buy Lacie some more wool for her finger knitting. She has totally gone mad over it! She hasn't stopped. I had to even take scissors and the balls of wool in my bag so she could knit in the car...

Lacie can't put her knitting down!

For the first day since we have been on holidays the rain had actually held off... just.. so after buying my first frankie magazine we jumped into the car to head down to Burleigh Heads to check out some cool shops in James Street. Raggedy Anne had some cute little things (as promoted in frankie mag) and I bought myself a big red rose ring. Some great other trendy shops and groovy cafes. We think we might even head back there tomorrow for a coffee and another look. I recommend you check out Jamees St at Burleigh for sure if you're on the Gold Coast.

Tonight we had a beautiful dinner at my brothers that my sister-in-law cooked, the cousins had a play together and we reminisced about family and growing up as we always do.

So I have decided that we have probably done more that what we would have done if it was sunny. So hooray to us for not giving up.

Rainy Days....

Dear Rain,

Thanks. but no thanks!!

What to do with 3 kiddies on holidays with rain rain rain??? So it was off to Ferry Road Markets to get some antipasto yummies for a special rainy day lunch to take to Pa's house. Lacie requested strawberries and Bonnie requested olives, onions and humus.

While we sat out the back of Pa's house eating lunch ,we watched Lacie swim in the absolute pouring rain. She had a ball. Then my cousin and I went off to Spot Light to get some supplies for a "let's make something" afternoon in doors. A few balls of wool, a crochet hook and some big beads for the girls to make a necklace.. Then had a little shopping spree while I was child free. 3 dresses, and pair of shoes and some ear rings.. It was sooo fun.

Lacie (4yrs) has decided to do her own tutorial on Finger Knitting. She is a machine at it!!! She has been using really fat wool and it grows soooooooo fast. Really rewarding for her. You have to get your kids to try it.

I have a feeling that Lacie may be popping up every now and then with her own tutorials. So watch this space!

Kind of Crocheting..

Mum taught me what the crocheting stitches were on Xmas day, and once I could do the traditional granny square I just had to try something else last night... Kids crashed out early so it was some mummy time. Pip from Meet Me at Mikes has a great tutorial on granny squares (my 2nd attempt square) but also some other fun little cute things that are easy to follow and are quick to make. Check out her cute heart decorations too.

Crocheting & Xmas Day

Xmas was different this year. It was like we went through the motions just to get through the day. I just wanted our Mumma to walk through the door with her beautiful new cozy on  that she would have bought herself for Xmas, champagne in one hand and a jatz biscuit with cheese in the other. But that didn't happen. Pa still sat in front of the Xmas tree and the three youngest great grandchildren were Pa's little Elf helpers and handed out the mountains of presents to everyone. My Aunty Shell carried on the tradition of Mumma's Xmas Pudding and I did the seasoning. It rained all day in sunny Queensland but it didn't stop us all from swimming in the pool as we do every year.



My favorite photo from Xmas day - Mumma's Xmas Pudding

 

My gorgeous cousin Ricky on Xmas day

My mum is an obsessive compulsive crocheter!! Can not sit anywhere with out a ball of wool and a crochet needle in hand. It was to my surprise that this year she didn't make a granny square blanket for my little Mitchie, but a knitted one!! And I love it!! She steerred away from her traditional whites and baby pinks, yellows and blues. And made me this....

These colours are exactly how I have been feeling! I love it..

Due to me having withdrawals from my sewing machine, I decided that I needed my mum to teach me on Xmas day how to crochet. Yes I said it out load, how to crochet.... I took a ball of wool and crochet hook thingie back to our holiday apartment last night and I crocheted till I fell asleep in the chair. I think I can do it.

It's boxing day today and rain rain rain.. We took the kids to an indoor play thing and went back to pa's for a swim. In the rain. The weather wont beat us. It was actually perfect for some more lessons with my mum on granny squares and watching her pull the whole square apart and telling me start again cause I did one stitch wrong. I guess it's one way to learn. After taking some notes and videoing mums tutorial on "how to crochet granny squares", I can officially do it. My big girl Lacie (4yrs), was determined to make something out of Nanna's wool, so mum taught her how to do finger knitting!!!! Lacie LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She has made herself 2 x necklaces already this afternoon. Great craft for the kids for sure.

Finger knitting getting advanced with different colours!!

The cleaver girl with her finger knitted necklace

 I would love to find some really great craft shops on the Gold Coast but I don't know of any. I tried a shop called Patchwork Dreaming and they are closed the whole time we are here. She didn't know of any other crafty shops on the Coast.. :( Can anyone help me?

It Took My Breath Away

Today I watched my Pa do his famous hankie rabbit trick to my girls and he showed off his Donald duck voice as he did to me as a child. As tears silently fell from his eyes, he talked about our beautiful Mumma who passed away only 2 months ago. He told stories to me of how they met, how long it took till he asked her to marry him and how he thought he was too impatient with her in her final months. They were married some 60 years. She was our Mumma and we were her darlings. Mumma was the matriarch of our family and it will never be the same so she has gone. Tomorrow will be a sad Xmas for us.

In February this year, Mumma gave me her amazing scissors and pinking shears from when she was young and some of her original patterns. She also told me that her beautiful antique sewing draw was to be mine. I didn't take much notice of the sewing draw as I didn't really want to acknowledge that it would be mine anytime soon. I wanted to think that I would see it many more times as hers. Today I opened it. And this is what I saw.

 

It took my breath away.

It's now late on Xmas eve and I'm sitting here talking to my hilariously, emotionally, outrageously, twisted, disfunctional favorite cousin Kristee-Belle about the amount of tears she cried over Madge dying in Neighbours when she was about 12. Ahhhh.. the things you can only talk to your family about. She will publish her "crazy" book one day. 

Oh look, Santa has been while I've been blogging away. He has eaten his cookies, drank his milk, delivered some presents and left a letter for the kids.

Good night x

Miss Adorable Frock

Started the kids day off with our traditional breakfast of freshly squeezed apple and carrot juice with home made crapes with lemon (from our tree) and sugar (raw is the best on pancakes / crepes). I always make enough to have for dessert as well! Mmmmm. Recipe on my blog in "Let's Cook".

Bonnie had her first hair cut today, and as my Pa did for me, I kept her locks. Did some jobs at the shops, then home for some HOOLA HOOP fun!! The girls and I had a ball. We laughed sooo much at each other. It's a real work out. And that's my Lacie in action today.

Sewing... Well I didn't go fabric shopping today, but was in need of making something. So I flicked through my new Sew La Tea Do book once again and decided I could scrounge around enough material for the Miss Adorable Frock page 16. I have had the little sheep material (about 60cm) for months now and had some purple polka dots scraps, just enough for the facing & pocket. My little Miss Adorable Bonnie is wearing her new frock and thinks its really fun. She picked the pocket.That means she will wear it. Actually she wore it to bed, so that's a good sign. So no chance of some nicer photos of the frock!! Very very easy to make.

Oh and I made this Xmas garland the other week. Just to chrissy the place up a bit.

One last thing on Xmas for tonight, is that I found some great "FREE" downloadable Xmas Gift Tags at Going Home to Roost.

Good night x

Baby Girls Pram Blanket

The day started with the excitement of meeting our friends first baby girl born yesterday. Little Mackenzie Paige. Hmmm what can I make her. I am still playing with the idea of making everything out of my new sewing book Sew La Tea Do. So another quick flick through the book before I set out for the day, and I decided and was inspired by page 44... a Fairy Bread Pram Blanket.

• 1st stop, to our Dr. Kit for him to check out Lacie's tonsils. Ear infection in both ears and antibiotics needed.
• 2nd stop, to my favorite crafty shop Peg's Pieces in Kirrawee. Love it, love it, love it. Always have something new to look at and always walk out with the project list growing and growing. Not to mention the lovely ladies Bernadette and Kristy. Below is today's purchases for the Pram Blanket.

•  3rd stop, to the bakery to get a doughnut for the girls for being sooo good at Peg's Pieces.
• 4th stop, the chemist for antibiotics.
• 5th stop, home for lunch, feed Mitch, put Mitch to bed, set up craft table with Beado's for the girls and get cracking on pram blanket cause I have 2 hours before we have to leave to get Santa photos and deliver the present I haven't made yet to little Mackenzie Paige. And the result is... (my version for Jo)




All wrapped up ready to go! Also made a cute name tag as I rushed out the door. I am really happy with it.
• 6th stop, back in the car for Santa Photos. Done!
• 7th stop, the hospital to meet the tiny bubba and give Jo my version of Sew La Tea Do's Fair Bread Pram Blanket. She loved it!! Wooooo hoooo...
• 8th and final stop for today, home sweet home. We all played Toy Story 3 BINGO then the kids were off to bed. Ahhhhhh... Mummies time now. Right now actually, on my new "thing" my blog, with a hot cup of tea and some left over chocolate dipped strawberries from yesterday. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Feel free to leave me a comment, cause it kind of feels like a present to get one x

Early Xmas Presents Today

I haven't been given a present for ages! Today I got loads, it was sooo fun. The day started off with some new blue plates from my Kymmie, then the inlaws surprised me with a Delicious Diary for 2011, a cute fury pen, an awesome white vase and a new sewing book!!!! Woo hoooo.. "Sew La Tea Do" by Pip Lincoln, Meet me at Mikes. Due to my new blog, I thought of the movie Julie and Julia.... Maybe "I" could sew everything in this book and update it on my blog as something a bit fun to do??? We'll see. So, more presents. A scrummy cook book called Chocolate Galore (with 2 blocks of cooking chocolate) mmmmm from my brother inlaw and his girlfriend. Last but not least a very cute pot with stacks of seeds for my garden and a pair of gardening gloves for me and the girls.

After a traditional Xmas dinner that was cooked on the BBQ by husband Heathie, cleaning up was done, kids passed out on the lounge, I was then able to sit and hand sew a crocheted flower on a little top for my friends daughter, check out some other crafty blogs and update mine. Wanted to add a few photos but my memory on my compute is maxed out and it's getting a bit late. Plus I want to have another quick flick through "Sew La Tea Do" before my head hits the pillow.

Xmas Cookie Gifts

 The last batch of Xmas Cookie Gifts are done! I have prepared about 12 of these this week. Great gift ideas for anyone. Instructions are inside the little card stuck under the material bow. Only needs some melted butter, an egg and some vanilla.

You can see flour, brown sugar, castor sugar, oats, cranberries & white choc drops.

Voila! End result from a friend.

Voila! Another happy friends batch.

Mummies Day Off

Thursday night, Lacie (4) and Bonnie (3) agreed to pack their own sleepover bag (just so happens to be a bag I made them) to spend the night with their Mumma and Pappa. I needed a break! We drove them over and said "Surprise Mumma and Pappa, the kids are all yours!" And as always Mumma came up with a great idea to take them on the train into the city and look at the Xmas Windows and Xmas Tree.

This was one of my first attempts at making a bag and reading/following a pattern. Melly and Me's Sleepover Bag. It took me a few weeks and loads of concentration. A great challenge! Perfect size for both the girls.

So I was off out and about, just Mitch (6 months) and I for the whole day yesterday. Finished off Xmas shopping and swung by one of my favorite local craft shops, Jules Craft Shop in Loftus. Ended up buying Lacie a beautiful cup cake covered sewing box. A special one she can keep for ever. Also couldn't help myself and had to get a little something for me. Some cute tiny hand crocheted flowers (by a gorgeous little Asian grandma somewhere in China I imagine).

After doing some jobs, I just had to make something a bit xmasy.

My Aunty Nettie emails me all different crafty blogs to check out, and I really liked this one instantly Jolly Allsorts and her Peppermint Candy Star tutorial. I didn't need to buy a thing as I had felt, thread, ribbon and button all in my craft cupboard.

Stuffed

Once I was pretty confident with my sewing skills for little girls clothes, I borrowed some books from my Aunty Nettie (you'll hear a lot about her, she's a very cleaver full time crafter) and was excited to give stuffed toys a go. I did these little guys months ago now. All from scrap material I had from other sewing projects. I love that every bit of material you see has a personal memory to me. The quirky cow head and horns was from a pair of booties I made, the cows body was from a dress I made Bonnie (she had picked the material herself) etc, etc...

The Forest Owl was from Sewing Bits & Pieces by Sandi Henderson and I think the cow was from Meet Me at Mikes first book.

I love the guy on the right. He was suppose to be a wheat bag, but due to my "I need to do things now" approach to life, he ended up just being stuffed.

Once I start making a new little friend I feel obligated to meet them, so once I start I don't stop. I have a few more guys for you to meet.

I just want to eat this tiny guy. My beautiful Aunty Nettie bought me this adorable Toot Owl Sock Pattern from the Quilt Show this year. I have made loads.

My 1st Ever Blog Post!

I have been sewing for a very solid 12 months now, and have taught myself by navigating through tutorials on various blogs (The Princess and The Monkey #1 source that got me started), you tube and harassing neighbours and staff at my weekly visits to my favorite fabric stores. I want my blog to be a space where I can unload my ideas, keep track of my creations, share new/old things, show the world what I get up to and reflect.