Ending 2012 on a High Note

Anyone who reads (or used to) my blog will know things have been REALLY quiet around here over the past few months.  I have just been so busy and that means that my craft and leisure time has suffered.

I decided I did not want to end the year in a slump.  Next year I plan to do things a little differently and I wanted to see the year in as I mean to continue.  So yesterday I pulled out a pattern, one I have made before so already had traced it off in my size.  Then I made a start while chatting to some friends on Facebook in what became a virtual sew-along.

I made the Anna Maria Socialite Dress.  I have made this before a couple of times; the first attempt was too small even thought I did measure and the second attempt fit well but the fabric was a bit heavy and it did not sit well on me.

This time I am really happy with it.  This is a size medium and once again I left out the pockets, I prefer the line of the dress without the pockets.  I made a belt too as I tend to look like I am wearing a sack if I don't wear one.

I think 2013 is looking up!

For awhile I thought the only thing I would have to show off as a finished WIP was the children's library bags.  Possum starts school next year and needed one; naturally this meant Blue needed to have one as well.

I appliqued some circles from feature fabrics they each picked, on the other side using one of the fabrics shown I put their initials.  I am really happy with these, so are the children.  Bonus!

Happy New Year :)

Christmas Wrap Up

As we head rapidly towards 2013 I thought I had better wrap up Christmas!  I was so busy in the lead up to Christmas that I started to worry I would not have time to head to town and get a Santa photo, I was so glad  when I got there.  I am not in this years photo, I am a little bit sad about it but happy that the children felt comfortable enough to go themselves.

Santa photos of old can be seen here.  It is worth a look if you want a laugh.

We drove South and arrived in time to help Pa hunt down a suitable Christmas Tree.  The children had so much fun on this adventure but perhaps not as much as the Mr. who had fond memories of doing this as a child.  We then decorated the tree and waited for more family to arrive.

Another rare photo with my two children together!

Four cousins all woke up very excited to see that Santa had paid us a visit :)

We went to church in the morning and ate a great roast lunch.  It was a really big day, but lovely.  

We made it home but the house still looks a little like a bomb hit it.  I am working on that but I still feel very much in holiday mode so am not working too hard.

Sodastream

This Christmas I may have mentioned (when prompted) that I have always* wanted a Sodastream.  Imagine my surprise when my husband got given one instead of me.  No matter, I won't let that hold me back from introducing 'my' new Sodastream!

This is the Dynamo model in the metallic colourway.  I do like it a lot!

So far I can give a BIG thumbs up to the sugar free cranberry-raspberry flavour and lemon-lime. Cola (the regular one) is also good.  I am slowly working my way through the sample packs that came with the machine and I did buy some extra bibs and bobs on a trip to town yesterday so I am good to go and planning mixers and fun for the rest of summer.

*I remember my babysitter had one when I used to go there and I thought she was wonderful so Sodastream became synonymous with 'awesome' as far as I was concerned.  Current ad campaigns seem to agree with my first impression.  

Edit: Flavour updates!

Cranberry Raspberry sugar free - great

Lemon-Lime is great

Orange is also great

Cola regular - good

Grapefruit and Pomegranate is just ok.

Ginger Ale is AWESOME

Apple is great.

Lemonade is great

Cola sugar free - yuck

{Promise}

Laugh more
Cry less
Read
Sew
Exercise
Play
Balance

I am aiming for more of some things, and less of others in 2013.  My formula this year was wrong, next year I will do better I hope.

Step Away from the Eggnog Santa

Santa may have had one too many when he turned up to the pre-school graduation with his beard on backwards...

Party

Possum recently had her 5th birthday party.  She had not had a party before so she was REALLY looking forward to this day.  10 other children helped her celebrate; it was SO hot, but they did not let that stop them from playing and enjoying themselves.

The Mr's climbing wall got a good workout. 

Between the wall, the orchard and cubby and the trampoline the children all kept busy.  We played pass the parcel and ate.  Everyone had fun; especially Possum.

It was a great day.  I have a couple of years before Blue turns 5 and I have to do it again.

What is Craft?

Sewing is craft.

Sewing badges on uniforms is not...

This seasons Little Athletics badges are now on the children's club shirts.  There is one on the back too, four badges per shirt and my children are too young to compete; why did I bother?
 

And the Mr's 'Bush Fire Fighting' (BF) badge from the N.S.W Rural Fire Service turned up in the mail so that has been sewn on too.

Better than nothing I guess, but NOT craft.  I postponed the camping trip we had planned until after this run of assignment due dates is past.  I hope this will let me take knitting or hand sewing away on the trip rather than work.  Fingers are crossed anyway!

The Month That Was...

I have spent the past month on practicum as part of my uni course.  It was busy and so tiring!  The past month has been full of good things but I didn't get around to blogging them with everything else that was happening.  There are a couple of things worth a special mention...

 

 

On October 20th Possum lost her first tooth.  She was so excited about this but I felt a little sad that we are at this stage already, she seems so small to have that toothy grin!

 

Then, to make matters worse yesterday she lost the one next to it.  The tooth fairy visited both times with a $2 coin and she is now waiting for the next lot to go so she can cash in.

 

Possum and Blue also played with their step cousin (who is so very cute!) when she came to watch Possum ride in the pony club Gymkhana, I am yet to blog the photos of that event; there are heaps!!

Now that my prac is over (and it was awesome) I am back into the swing of uni again for the summer semester.  The fun never stops around here!

Pre-school

Busy couple of weeks at the pre-school.  First they had an art show.  

The children decorated shoes.

Painted.  Above are fruit bowls.  Can you tell?

Below are various works, all colourful and fun.

They took photos and decorated them too.

I was kept busy serving Devonshire tea at the art show which was good fun.

Then the following week the pre-school had an open day.  More fun!

We are lucky to live in such a wonderful small community where the children are well supported.

Blue starts at this pre-school next year.  He is so excited.

Possum is also excited as her acceptance letter to big school arrived in the mail last week.

I am less than excited, a little sad maybe :)

A Month?

Looking at the date on my last post it would seem I have let a month slip by without much thought.

I have been thinking, working, studying, sleeping and doing the 101 things I need to do in the name of being a parent.  I have not had time for a great deal else.  Why is this part of the year so busy?  Will I get a brief reprieve before the Christmas season is upon us?  I hope so!

Almost!

I am almost organised...

The veggies and flowers are looking good, but the garden beds need weeding.

I remembered Mister Music's antibiotics this morning, but forgot to give Possum hers.

The washing is up to date, but not the ironing or folding.

I remembered to put the pork on for tea, but I forgot to add the rosemary. 

I remembered to call about pony camp forms, but forgot to call and order 4 new tyres.

Oh well, it is all a good start, I am still catching up after being away last week.  We visited friends in Sydney, friends in Albury, colleagues in Wagga Wagga, family in Cootamundra and had tea with a friend in Cowra all in the space of 5 days.

{Three}

Happy third birthday to our little boy, Blue.

How has that time crept up on me already?  Part of me is excited with each new milestone, and part of me is horrified that it is slipping away so quickly; these precious moments.

We have had so much fun watching you grow.  

You have delighted us with your easy smile and easy nature.

A Women's Weekly inspired cake which was very well received on the day!

We have loved you as a two year old, I think three will be even better!

You add 'super' to everything.  Super good.  Super silly.  Super yucky.
If you want me to throw you a ball you say 'catch it to me'.
You adore Thomas and Friends, and the Octonauts.
You love swimming, and the creek; anything water related!
You say 'now we've gots to do...' when you get excited about things.
You toilet trained yourself a couple of months ago.
You love carrot, but not capsicum, mushroom or spinach.

Kisses to you sweet heart. 

xx

Challenge Week 1 - Cooking

When Posie mentioned her 'Limp Bits' Challenge I thought it would be a great idea to join in.  If nothing else it would give me something else to blog about other than my Handstitch Quilt that everyone must be sick of seeing already!

I decided to make a cheesecake.  I have never made one before which is surprising because I really LOVE cheesecake.  A lot.  And in honour of the fact that this is an Olympic inspired challenge I thought I would make a Mars Bar Cheesecake using THIS recipe.  Why start with a 'regular' cheesecake?!

Mine does not look like the photo in the recipe.  Somehow I also managed to dirty every saucepan and jug in the house too.  I also used both the Kenwood Mix-Master and Food Processor.  I am STILL cleaning up!  I also think that the choc and  caramel sauce was overkill.  Next time (if there is a next time) I will put the Mars Bars in but leave out the sauces.

It does taste ok, so all was not lost.  The Mr likes it more than I do.  I think I will try a regular cheesecake next time; if I ever get the kitchen clean after this one!

For More Limp Bit Cooking, check out Posie's post here.

Next week's challenge is craft; I am training hard already with an idea brewing :)

Handstitched Class - Round 3

I predict you will all be sick of this quilt by the time I finish it as progress is slow even though this is the only project I am working on right now.  How did it get to be so busy?

The Storm at Sea blocks in the corner are foundation pieced.  I had never done that before so it was exciting to try something different.  I love the Kona solids together, so bright and happy!  I am working on the next round now, slowly, in between my day job and the children.

The early morning light is making the colours look very warm in that quilt.  It wasn't!!  The below photo is of Peppy the pony who wandered over for a look, he has frost settled in his mane.  That is how chilly it was!

Foundation Piecing

This round of my Handstitched quilt project has paper pieced corners.  The instructions were for English paper piecing, but I am behind with this project so I elected to do foundation piecing on the sewing machine. I have never done either of these methods before so it is still new to me.

I have some fabric here and some hexi papers ready to go so I will try English paper piecing soon, or soon-ish anyway!

I am still at least one round behind, but I now feel like I am making progress again on this quilt, and that feels good. I wasn't sure the scale of the Echo print in this fabric would work on the smaller blocks but I think it is looking nice, especially framed by the Kona solids.  Hopefully I have this round finished soon and I will be able to post a photo of my progress.

Silver Lining

Walking. 

Horses. 

Rain.
Rural Living.

Clearing sales.

Cleaning Up.

Studying.

Enjoying life.

Remembering all the good things around us as we put the events of the past few weeks behind us.  We have so much to be grateful for, even if I am behind on some things.

Slow Progress

Do  you ever get that feeling that things are moving much faster than you are, you can't quite keep up?  No?  Maybe it is just me...  I feel behind in everything; I will swim faster and catch up, but not today, and maybe not tomorrow either. 

I have had a cold that lasted a month.  I have had a bronchial chest infection.  I have travelled 1850 km in three days and been to a funeral.  Today I am throwing up.  Yup, the fun never ends here!

Still, if I look on the bright side there is good stuff going on.

I am behind in my handstitched class quilt, but I am loving it!  It is bright and happy and my wonky hand stitches are a splash of colour on a grey day.  I will catch up on the quilt somewhere in between writing 4 uni assignments and all will be well.

Tomorrow is a new day :)

edit: this is my 600th post!  Hurrah!!

Tillytom ~ Tilda Sash Skirt

I forgot to blog the wonderful Tillytom Tilda Sash Skirt I was lucky enough to test the pattern for awhile ago.  Yes, that is right, a pattern!  You can buy it and make as many of these simple and adorable skirts as you like yourself.

Possum loves hers and the pattern was well written making it a quick and enjoyable sewing experience so I love it as well.  The pattern is for size 1 to size 8 so it is good value if you have a little girl to sew for.

Happy Sewing!