{twenty three} MPAY

This week I am joining in with My Place and Yours over on Vic's blog.

The theme for this week is 'my pin cushion'.

Chicken via a swap, Felted cupcake via a lucky door prize, Apple made by me, Cupcake via a swap.

I have a few I love, but I don't really use them when sewing, with the exception of  this pin cushion. Shame I didn't think to pull it out of the sewing cabinet and snap a new photo, but follow the link because it is a bit special!

Just a little over a week of Blogtoberfest fun left for 2011!  I have not missed a day of blogging yet, but anything could happen in the last week!

Thank you God for....

I am joining Kelly at The Handmaden in this new meme 'Thank you God for...'.  What a wonderful chance to stop and give thanks to God.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for in any given week.  It is meant to be a Friday meme, but better late than never!

 Thank you God for our Winter Garden, and days warm enough that the whole family have spent time outside together.

Thank you God that my study is going well so far.  I was worried that it had been so long since I undertook formal study that I would find it a great challenge.

Thank you God for my children's music lessons.  I love this time each week and enjoy watching then learn in a fun environment.

Thank you God for our small Church and the friends I have made since I started attending late last year.  I am grateful for the opportunities we have had since moving to our hobby farm and this community.

I wonder what I will be thankful for next week?  And I wonder what you are thankful for too!

Flea Market Finds #4

More flea market finds for this week :)

$33 worth of clothes which included a skirt and 2 shirts for me!  There were also 8 shirts,  4 pairs of shorts and a rashie for the children.  Such a great haul of clothing for next to nothing!

I also found an old flour bag. 10 cents! 

I love it and have plans to frame it one day so I can hang it up somewhere and smile whenever I see it :)

Happy shopping :)

Flea Market Finds #2

More Flea Market Finds this week.

I picked up this colander a little while ago.  I didn't really 'need' it, and at $6 is seemed a bit expensive but I wanted something to sit on my dresser to hold my current knitting project.

The wool wasn't included, the green I am slowly turning in a short row shaped scarf and the Blue was a beautiful birthday present from Em. 

These four mug were a better deal at just 10 cents each.  They are stamped Japan on the base and the work in well with the renovation environment we are living in at the moment.  Actually, one of the green mugs is stamped as being made in China, but it matches so well you wouldn't pick it unless you looked.

I can't claim to have 'needed' new mugs either, but for a total of 40 cents the term 'need' doesn't really come in to it.

Flea Market Finds #1

Joining in with Flea Market Finds this week.  This year I am making more of an effort to be frugal in order to speed up renovation work on our Colonial home so I thought this meme would help me stay on track.

My dated 100 year old kitchen has a wall of open shelving and everything ALWAYS looks cluttered and messy.  I was a tad excited to find these four matching cannisters complete with lids in which to hide things.  A man was looking at them in the shop and I tried to remain calm, and close.  He put them down and I wasted no time in scooping them up for myself, HURRAH!

$10 well spent!

My Creative Space ~ Quilts for Queensland

 Now that the amazing Flood Appeal Auctions are over and the final tally is in ($99,089 raised woot!!) I though it was time to turn my thoughts to Corrie's Quilts for Queensland Project.

In order to keep it quick and simple, given we are busy with plasterboard and other fun stuff I decided to do a simple 9 patch block.  Quick and easy to whip up and should still look good in a finished quilt.  Anyone can make these given they are simple 4.5inch squares sewn together with a 1/4inch seam.

 

Corrie has started a Flickr group too.  She also had the idea that it would be nice to get photos of people holding up blocks that they have made for Quilts for Queensland.  The Mr took a photo of me but then told me I look tired and that perhaps I should not use this photo.  I thought I would post it here at the very least since I am not given to putting photos of me out there that often.  So here I am, looking tired, in an old shirt and no makeup holding up a couple of blocks that I will be posting off to Corrie soon.!

Next up on the creative agenda  are some Hope Softies.

For more Creative Spaces click over here :)

Grateful

I am grateful for so many things this week.  The auction is going very well and it is a little bit special to see something you have created used in a good way.  It made me think about who would win in the end, and those that helped by bidding along the way.  I think I will draw a name from a hat for those that put in a bid and send something extra to one of them as a thanks-for-helping kind of gift.

This is post 401 for this blog! I am very grateful for that, and you as friends who have helped it happen.
I am not grateful that I had so much trouble uploading my images, but I suspect that would be a different meme...

My baby boy moved into his own room again today.  Since we moved in this house 6 months ago he had been sharing with Possum, but there is no point having a rambling old house if you don't use the rooms.

The Imagination Possum has.  She amazes me daily! 

She told me these guys were being naughty so she had to put them to bed.

She also insists on calling her bed a nest, and calls me 'Mummy Bird' and likes to be called 'Baby Bird' in return.  I don't mind 'Mummy Bird' but drew the line at 'Mummy Witch'.

There is more to be grateful for at Maxabella's.

Five Photos. Five Facts.

1. I love the holidays.  Time to play, time to relax.  Special time for the whole family.

2. I buy chocolate chips every time I do the groceries.  They should be used to bake cookies, but I always eat them before I get that far.

3. We don't own a dishwasher, and I say we don't need one, but the Mr mostly does the dishes and he thinks we do need one.  One day when we put a new kitchen in...

4. I really want to win lotto, but not enough that I ever buy a ticket.

5. I would love a good photo with both my children in it, I am still trying!

Playing along with Pip's latest meme. 

The above photos are the children playing in Jelly Baff in the paddling pool outside.

My Happy List

There has been a lot of chat about the current floods and how they are affecting people which is somewhat sobering in this holiday season so when I saw Kate had done a list of Happy Things to focus on I thought I would have a go too.

A husband I love and two blue eyed children who smile and keep me on my toes.  Parents I can call and other family popping in to read my blog and cheer me on from the sidelines.  Thank you!  You can leave comments you know, just click the 'annonymous' user option.

Our block of land.  At the moment it is acres of thistles and an old house but we are turning it into our home.  It is hard work but I feel happy here and love the local community we have found ourselves a part of.

Friends.  Thank you for your friendship, support and blog comments over the past year.  Keep it up next year too please ;) 

Knitting and Sewing.  I love the quiet time, the fact that I am creating something useful and nice for our use in and around the home. And the dancing Possum does when she gets to wear something new always makes me smile.

Photos of Wagga Wagga.

Thankfully, while our creek does flood, it does not cut our access or affect our arable land.  We are lucky and our thoughts are with those who have an uneasy eye still cast on the weather reports.  Spare a thought for the flooded houses, the ruined crops, the stock and the workers on enforced downtime.

edit:  Kate has started a meme to spread the happiness.  Check it out here and join in!

At My House

I am a day late At My House because yesterday we all went for a drive.  I thought it would be fun to tag along with the Mr when he said he had to do a quick job.  I pictured a nice drive, getting dropped in the nice, small, country town near his destination and being picked up a few hours later.  Op-shops, the library and a picnic in the park all sounded like fun.

It would seem small towns on a Monday are not a good idea.  Both the library and the op-shop were shut all day which left us with the park.  Four hours of the park in fact.  The kids didn't seem to mind but it was not all I had pictured for the day.

I tried to fill in some time by trying to get a photo with both children together.  Why can't they both look happy at the same time just for the brief moment when I push the button?

My Creative Space

As per my last post I don't feel very creative right in this moment, but all is not lost because I have a couple of small things to show off from before the wheels fell off.   Thank you to everyone who left me a comment, your support and comforting words are just wonderful in a time of need.

This is my Mobius Cowl and I think I love it. 

One ball of Noro and a couple of comfy hours on the lounge and I was done.

Have you played around with a Mobius Strip before?  Very cool!

I also posted off my washer (with soap and seeds) for the Jellywares Washer Swap. 

A car trip south to Wagga for a funeral is on the cards in the next few days so I think I will get ready to cast on a Cap Sleeve Seamless Shirt for Possum.  

The soothing knit knit knit might be a good thing on this trip... 

For more creative spaces visit Kirsty :)

This and That

My creative space this week is a bit of this, and a bit of that.  I have been sick, and I have been dabbling.

After all the good comments on my blue canvas, I decided to do the 'bright' canvas too.  I want to do one in pink for the girl but I discovered that I have very few pink scraps in the stash so that idea has been put on hold for now.

I caught a bug which has seen me drink a lot of tea, at least I have a lot of good tea here in a variety of flavours so it was not a boring diet.  Last night I managed some toast and I feel good again this morning so I hope I am cured.

I signed up for Jellyware's Spring washer swap #4 so I will be getting comfy on the lounge later with some cotton.  I should be cleaning up the house, but I have only been healthy for five minutes and don't want to rush it ;)

For more creative spaces click over to Kirsty's. 

Creative or Crap?

The smalls have been doing a lot of creating this week both at Story Time at the local library and at Playgroup.  In an attempt not to be outdone I decided to cover a canvas using my fabric offcuts that were too small for sewing, but too good to toss out.

I am not sure if the end result is creative, crap or somewhere in the middle. 

I was thinking of doing another 2 of these, one mostly pink and then one in bright fabrics so I can put all three in the kids playroom.  Will see how I go...

For more creative spaces visit Kirsty :)

At my house...

At my house we are enjoying the Spring in the air and spending time outside. 

With all the recent rain we have had we are off to a great start.

Some of us have been having more fun than others...

Blue discovered that playing in the mud was a better idea than trying to eat it. 

At least he was not climbing on the table this time!

We have been making new friends too :)

I have even found some time for some sewing so our house is feeling pretty good right now!

To see what is happening in other houses about the place, check out Buttons by Lou Lou :)

My Creative Space

While I was away Blue discovered that walking may be out of his league (for now) but climbing was not....

He has been found on (and fallen off) the lounge, the coffee table, and highest of all, the large outdoor table in the front yard.

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I have the last two lots of fabric sitting here for Around the Block round 1 which is my goal for the next few days.  Amy has just posted out her fabric for ATB round 2 so I need to catch up!  

For more Creative Spaces visit Kirsty :) 

Did anyone notice that my post is about nothing actually creative?  No?  Good!  Maybe next week when I can (I hope) say I finished the blocks, made the kids hats, knitted something or even cooked something....

My Creative Space

We have been enjoying the sunshine over the last few days.  We have been walking about to check on lambs and spending time in the garden.  It has been lovely to relax after the big 1.5 weeks of hard work clearing and stacking junk ready for the scrap man.

I took time out to make lemonade using the lemons from our tree.

There are still a lot left and I have frozen a lot of juice into cubes for keeping but think lemon shortbread and lemon pudding might be on the menu soon...

Lemonade

1 cup water

1 cup caster sugar

1 cup lemon juice

soda water

Melt sugar in water and allow to cool.

Mix in Lemon Juice.

Use like cordial and mix with soda water.

Visit Kirsty's for more creative spaces.

A BIG giveaway

I have decided to have a BIG giveaway to mark my return to My Creative Space, to celebrate moving, and to mark my 300th post in the last week too.

I am giving away THREE patterns, TWO handmade soaps and ONE knitted dishcloth.  Not the dishcloth pictured as that is mine and has been used.  I am casting on a new fantastic cloth for the winner!

Each comment is worth an entry, if you follow and tell me I will add an entry AND if you blog about this giveaway (and let me know) I will add an extra entry. 

Make sure I can get in touch, leave your email if you don't have it linked to your profile.

I will leave entries open a week.  Best of luck, and thank you :)

(Mostly) Wordless Weekend

This little pool is good for fun all year, today it is cold and wet so it is in the lounge room keeping the children happy.

100 balls does not look like many when they are in the bottom of the pool, but feels like a lot when I have to pick them up...

My (Possum's) Creative Space

With one week (Eeeek!) to go until settlement my creative efforts are limited to packing tape and boxes.

Possum has been busy so this creative space belongs to her.

A $2 book from a $2 type shop and she has had hours of fun. 

The coloured circles up the top of each page hide water based paint so with paint brush in hand and small pot of water, Possum is getting in touch with her arty side.  I still have a couple of these books up my sleeve for toddler entertainment while we move :)

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I did get this bag finished and felted, just to keep it a little bit about me ;)

For more creative spaces visit Kirsty.

My Creative Space ~ Solstice Week

Two weeks and counting down until the big move!

We are starting to feel the clock ticking and the fact that the Winter Solstice is upon us leaves me feeling a little extra robbed of time.

We have still been having our daily walk, just a little earlier these days all leaving home at 4:30pm to give us time to set off and get some fresh air.

~ ~ ~ ~

I know we have been here before, but this time I mean it, honestly.

I started a new blog, because the other new blog that I started had a name that never grew on me. 

I can't take ownership of blog and publish a bit of myself if I don't love it all.

So now I have Possum Blue. 

Named for the two children I love, Possum and Baby Blue.

This one I love.  Why I didn't think of it at the time is beyond me.  I had this blog sitting there empty and waiting for a special project.  With Little Blue 10 months old I 'spose it is too late to be blaming baby brain?

Anyway, all simple living, permaculture and renovation blogging will be done at Possum Blue and all Crafty and family blogging will stay here as always :)

For more Creative People visit Kirsty.