h is for happy, l is for lollies

The completed sewing project. Nothing major but it's the first time in a long time that I've embroidered anything. It was a simple initial but I'm quite happy with it. Twinkle doesn't laugh much but she gives a great smile!

bound, flannel backed, linen bib

in colour, for those who need to see the true image - like me

new cookie jar

I was inspired by the most beautiful one over at Kristine's stunning blog Townmouse.

For Twinkle's first birthday party I was agonising over the Goodie Bags. Mother says in 'her day' you were lucky to get a jelly and a cake at a party. I assured her that it's no longer 1967 and nowadays children take a goodie bag home!! The children will be between 1 and 10 which was going to make it trickier.

I came across a brilliant idea to create a 'Candy Bar'. We will have lots of choices of lollies (for Australian readers), sweeties (for the Brits) and candy (for the US readers) all bought in bulk and served in huge cookie jars, vases, trifle bowls and giant preserving jars. It will be for children and adults. Don't all adults like sweeties? I hope it looks as great as it does in my head!

oh she's a sweetie - & a lolly - & a candy!!

shopping

I have wanted a covered cake stand for too long. I have gazed at them longingly in home wares stores and have sensibly walked away. I have added them to my shopping carts on many a website and then frugally cancelled and clicked out of the page. I've seen them at friend's houses and on favourite blogs and been truly smitten.



So, I ignored rationality completely and picked one up! And it's made me SO happy. Irrationally happy! Don't you think the goodies look extra delicious and I'm quite sure I haven't eaten more than I normally would. In fact if anything, I've eaten less as I don't want to mess up the display. Okay so I fib, I just can't resist a honey joy!

Happy Sunday everyone.

Back soon with another purchase and a completed sewing project.

x

see you soon

It's just been wonderful having Kylie, Alex and the children here from Dubai.

Mandatory star cushion for Joshy's 6th birthday

Crazy boys



Sweet girl

Melbourne is a little grey this morning - like my mood. Kylie and I have the same absurd sense of 'hoomar' (really bad!) and spending time together is effortless. There's no need to explain things. We know each other so well.

So for the time being we'll email and skype (grrr). Most of which is spent saying, "Can you hear me now? Can you see me? Oh I can't see you. Now I can. Oh you've gone again. Not nearly good enough but I'm so grateful we have the technology to be able to do this.

(Trying in vain to see a silver lining here).

b + w

Greg got 'snappy' with some happy results. These were all taken as I tried to do some sewing. No wonder I don't get nearly as much achieved as I'd like to ...

Notice they all congregate around me? I know I should be happy and flattered that they want to be near me but a moment (not around midnight - which seems to be the only chance I get) would be wonderful.

a week of playing

Last sunday we met at North Road Pavillion for brunch with old friends. Oh, it was so good and I was SO happy. I miss Kylie to much and to have her in front of me with no time delay and cut-outs from good old Skype, was such a treat. This was the first time Kylie & co had met the baby. 'Ony Rose had fun playing with her.

Kylie's first cuddles with Woo

Woo-woo is really fascinated by phones and remotes - in fact anything with buttons. I finally gave in and she now has her own mobile! No, no credit on it, just for fun! Phew she's happy, although if you're not quick enough with the swap over, Heaven help you!


fireman tiggy

On Wednesday we went to the park after creche and had such fun in spite of the fact that poor Tigs was clearly coming down with a cold. Here's my spider-boy.

Tigs was really keen to take a photo of Woo and me on the ladybird ride. I had no idea how springy the spring underneath was until I was half way in with my weight pushing down and the spring bending wildly. I implored my deeply buried tummy muscles to wake from their slumber and prevent me from falling, humiliatingly, to the ground.

Thank you muscle-memory you saved me!

Woo pretending she likes the swing. Mostly she just sits there looking slightly hauty and looking around, anywhere but at me. Maybe I should stop torturing her with the swing. Tigs used to LOVE it to bits and would laugh and smile and beg for more. Not Miss Self-contained.

kisses for mummy

sheer unbridled joy!

She liked the ladybird ride much better ...

especially when she's in with her big brother

Have a great Sunday

x

phew, they're done ...

but what a mess!

We are celebrating Twinkle's (aka Woo, Woosie, Noo noo, and many others) first birthday soon, too soon actually. I can hardly believe that she's almost one. She's still so little though, no teeth, little hair, not yet walking.

Labour saving strategies. I messed around for too long with the little holes and stiff, but not stiff enough, ribbon. Eventually I threaded a paperclip on to the end of the ribbon and got a great pile done at once.

I applied the same thought to the mounting board and ran miles of double sided tape along the tops at once and then separated them. Again, I'd used too much time by doing one at a time.

I have had all the invitation guff for a week now and have fiddled and diddled around until today when Woo had an almighty sleep, after a very, very, very restless night. You should see me typing this, I'm more on delete than typing forward ! So, I really got going with them and I think they've come together quite nicely.

I knew that I wanted a red and white theme, and although I wanted chinese references I also wanted it to be in keeping with my own style. I found the perfect paper, simple, pretty and a hint of Chinese with the lucky ladybird. It was as if I had it commissioned. I'm so pleased.

I've never been a scrapbooker so I've never learned all the scrappy terms and techniques so I always feel a bit daft when I go in asking for 'tiny little document clippy things' am usually received with blank stares and then as I keep desperately explaning what I'm after the glazed expressions suddenly register, "Oh you mean brads". "Yes, yes, them!" I say, hoping to goodness that they are indeed what I'm after. Bingo! It's is them. I feel exhausted and thrilled at the same time. I think the sales staff feel the same. Anyway, long story to say I'm not using 'brads' but I did find a nifty hole punch to make the holes to thread ribbon through. Hang on, I've got the packet here ... it's a 'leave it to weaver border punch' by fiskars!

They made the post on Sunday!

hollywood children's farm

Collingwood Children's Farm or 'Hollywood' Children's Farm as a little girl I used to teach called it!

We met up with our friend's who are posted in Dubai at the moment. It's 48C there right now, so a chilly, but gloriously sunny day, was the perfect change for them.

Kylie all rugged up.

How could anyone eat them? Honestly. Having said that I have a pot of beef casserole on the stove for the meateaters here and am making myself some Tourta, courtesy of my friend Lisa.

Joshy and Tigs and hungry Nanny Goats

The boys had a wonderful time feeding all the animals. They, the animals, that is, are so used to all the children and are also incredibly greedy. There was a great balance to their relationship, the children fed them and the animals succumbed to the patting.

more boys and more goats

Oh, it's just so lovely there. You're a mere blink from the city and yet it's so tranquil and rural. It's the most wonderful place for the children to go and enjoy 'farm' life and for the adults to gulp in the country ambience.


Cockadoodledoo! Isn't the red spectacular? You can even buy the chickens (for $5) if they have some babies available. Kylie's husband Alex, ever the joker, was overheard asking how much chooks were at Coles, "Because 5 bucks seems like pretty good value!". Ha Ha Alex.

Even the usually grumpy geese rested quietly and preened, a sure sign that these
Goosey-goosey's have little to worry about - if you know what I mean.

We had a yummy organic lunch in the cafe overlooking fields and fowl!

I do hope this dear little piggy is not going to market. Look at those beautiful lashes s/he was so inquisitive and brave. S/he has 5 brothers and sisters, their big, exhausted mummy Maisy lay wallowing as her one month old babies jumped around her and skittered through the mud. They are so cheeky and adorable.

A closer look at those lashes. I want them! Actually I'd keep the whole piggy if she wasn't going to get so enormous. I've a long held dream to have a mini-pig as a pet. They are SO clever, prefer to be clean and George Clooney had one! They make puppies, even very smart ones, seem a little daft. I'm told that the brightest of pups will learn up to 50 commands, that'd be Spice, but a pig can learn 200 without so much as an 'oink'!

Tiggy making friends

Dear 'Ony Rosey.

Animals make her a little nervous but eventually she made friends with some of them too. Isn't she gorgeous?

a little night light

On these cold winter evenings I love to light my candles and let the evening glow around me. Snug and warm, happy and content.

I have a pot of hearty chicken soup on the stove and the house smells heavenly. I have boiled the stock for about 4 hours so it should be delicious for the meat-eaters in the house. Not sure what I'll have yet.

Off to get Tiggy now. Have a lovely evening or a fabulous day, wherever you are in the world.

x

o

the apron ...

Take two mummy's, 3 happy children, an endlessly boiling kettle, the most yummy muffins and Tourta for lunch and no, you don't get an apron ... You do have a great day though.

boys playing, not with each other for much of the day but had fun nonetheless

lisa's first tentative moves towards her fab new machine

dah nah! lisa's very first machine made needlebook! look at that happy smile!!

This was the sum total of our sewing achievements for the day. I am thrilled that Lis was able to make something that will be useful, and a little reminder of her first steps into the wonderful world of sewing and creating. It's such a great world to be a part of and I'm delighted to have been able to give Lis a little helping hand. She was a great student and also great at a straight line - which is quite a skill actually!

We made it home late, after feeding Flossy's puppies, one of whom should have joints that will last forever, having downed a bottle of glucosamine! She's a bad puppy that Spicy-girl. Lucky she's so adorable.

After a day of Tiggy constantly trying to escape Woosie's interference and a day of Woosie desperate to be a part of Tiggy's world. They made up by snuggling up to a recorded episode of Lunar Jim.

What a lovely day we had Lis. Thank you so much.

Yesterday Momo came for the day and we decided to go to Fabulous Fine Food for lunch. It's so delicious there. Woo loved her first proper restaurant lunch especially their raspberry bread and butter pudding. Mmmm Mmmm!

fabulous image from here