Saturday, April 30, 2011

Things I am loving.....



This week has been a hard week for me, a sad week. As most 
of you know I work in human services and sometimes you come up against
painful situations, situations that challenge you and can sometimes
bring you to tears. 

Tears it was when I was presented with the news that
someone I had worked closely with had passed away over the Easter 
break.  This person had faced incredible challenges in life - the type which
is generally unimaginable to the likes of me and you.

 I won't be saying more than that, except that it is with genuine sadness I feel each time 
it flickers through my mind that this person is gone from this world. 


So life is what I am loving. 




Joining with Paisley Jade and here is what I am loving this week






5 minute crochet hearts, decorated with buttons by Martha







Our crazy sweet Cavoodle Harry, who adores us so much, but 
loves assuming a human stance when it comes to sleeping.

This how I found him this week! Have we compromised the Master /
dog balance?


Martha baking



This sweet nest brooch I picked up in Tasmania.


Sorry about the blurry photo, but the photographer ( one of my sons)
did his best for me.
I made this top and finally used this motif I crocheted last year.




I am loving this new stamp set - I  so loved my metallic orange 
dragster in the 1970's.  Banana seat so comfy to cruise around
the streets of the Canberra suburb in which I grew up.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Before I go back to work


Before I head back to the mill stone of work, I thought I would
post a few more projects I completed over the Easter / Anzac break.

This scarf I feel very excited because I didn't case someone else's idea!
Although I am sure some other clever crafter has also hit on this idea too,
I was working on the crochet necklace that required a ring to be made. 
Which gave me the idea of make a lot of different size rings and joining
them together. It worked! Really well! I am VERY happy with the result.

I feel my first tutorial coming on!!!!


Further to my "White over" that is constantly going
on in our home. I can't find a bedside table I like
so I painted the brown, daggy pine thing I have had 
for nearly 20 years, added some green china 
knobs I have had laying around for some years and 
bingo! Fresh new look until I find something I LOVE.


Well that is it for today. Have a wonderful day 
lovely bloggers. This week I have to start my 
cushion for the swap. I will introduce you to
my swap partner this week and show you some more
sewing I have done.

xx Miss Prudence






Tuesday, April 26, 2011

And that is Easter...

Wow, what a loooong weekend and I am loving it! 5 days off, oh yeah!
When I last left you we had been on a sewing bender. Well that turned into a crochet
bender and feasting bending and visiting friends and Mr G taking kids into the bush
of the day...LOVED IT, so I will share some of it with you my dear bloggers. Oh and
I noticed I picked up a few more wonderful followers which takes me up to 50!
 I cannot believe I have that many bloggy friends!!! 
Welcome and thanks for joining!



 I wrapped the bunting up for my friend. I love
using plain brown paper, jooshing it up with ink and stamps.



My new Easter runner with my new Easter Bunnies. Are 
they not lovely?



Then the Easter Bunny came and the hunt began 
at 7.30am





Then the cooking commenced. Here is Martha 
not ready for photos






So much yummy food, so much love and happiness
around the table. God has truly blessed us and we
are grateful.



The next day was Monday. My crew needed to
be busy and I needed to crochet. So they attended the
Anzac Dawn Service with the Cub pack and then
went bush for a picnic and play in nature. I love this
crocheted necklace that took a matter of minutes! 







Of course nobody fell in the river did they?

Saturday, April 23, 2011

There's a new girl in town


Drum roll Please!!!!!

Introducing the next serious crafter!

Ms M is in the house!  

Yesterday Martha used a sewing machine for the first time and 
did she go gangbusters! After making a pin cushion and 
library bag (to come in its own post) Martha practiced sewing straight 
lines. She practiced and practiced and practiced. Finally she declared herself:

"I'm addicted Mummy! Now I get you"

So nice to be understood.



I recently purchased what I thought was a half sized
Singer sewing machine, which I thought would be 
excellent to sit at my paper craft desk to be there
for stitched detail on cards. 

But when it arrived, it was full sized and the basic model.
Being Post Office phobic, I missed the window of opportunity to 
return it.  So it is now Miss M's sewing machine.




Martha's frenzy was catching. 

I made this table runner for the Easter "feaster" tomorrow.
I am not much of a quilter, and have rarely completed
a patchwork item. I love this because I used up some 
scrap, true patchwork tradition!



My friend recently had a birthday, she is also getting 
a deck built onto her home and it very excited about it.
So I made her some bunting. I finished a heap more fabric flower brooches and
some cute pincushions for the Mother's Day stall - mission now complete.



Now a few weeks ago I was "yippee-ing" about knitting 
with four needles which I used on the neck of this jumper.
Last night after making making making, I ended the evening 
with making up Martha's jumper.  It has been sitting there for over a fortnight!

A simple pattern which turned out well. I did plan to block it, but
when I sewed it together it sat so beautifully I opted not to block.
The wool was one from the stash (yay 8 balls lighter now!!) a wool and 
silk blend put out by Cleckheation a few years back

Friday, April 22, 2011

Things i am loving.....


Joining in with Paisley Jade 


Doing something for our kids' school.
The really love it when they see me "doing" at the school,
I love seeing their faces when I join in with some parent helper role,
so excited and they nudge the kid next to them and point at me " that's my mum"!

So finishing Mother's Day cards for the school's 
Mother's Day stall is something I am loving. Each card is hand stamped, 
has a MUM stamped image inside and displays
a handmade fabric brooch. I hope they are well received.



 More turquoise! I love this birdie cushion!!!


I am loving Gelati that is subject to Mum tax


Martha instigating her own cooking project: icing arrowroot biscuits
for easter " they are already egg shape mum!"

Happy Easter

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Only Child for a day

If you are a sibling, chances are that you have fantasised about being an only child. Last week two of our children spent a week with Nana in Canberra, by choice Tully (middle child) opted to stay home and pretend he was an "only child". With a bent towards drama, Tully seized the role with gusto revelling in spotlight of both parents, having play dates and sleepovers using all the family resources without consideration to his siblings.  Saturday was his last day of this lived out "fantasy" so Mr G and I 
had a day out with him.




We went to our usual Vietnamese restaurant which was astoundingly cheaper without 
the other two. Tully conversed his way through lunch and then made the fine suggestion that we move the party to Carlton for gelati.


Tully made a fine choice of caramelised fig OMG!!! We all
went to heaven and back with that flavour!


No trip to Carlton is complete without going to the lolly shop!!


Isn't signage great for reminding one not to follow through with
first urges.


Our day as a three was fabulous but all agreed that five is divine, that five is our number, five is us and we are five. We 
were very please to have the full crew installed by Sunday night.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Things I am loving.....


My goodness! Where did Friday disappear to? That was super fast!
Didn't get everything done that needed doing but I did enjoy most of the day.
I am joining in with Paisley Jade for Things i'm loving

Here's what i am loving this week...



Knitting on four needles!

A knitting breakthrough!!  Yes Miss Prudence has expanded her skills and
can now knit on four needles! Yay for me! I have always stayed away from
any pattern with four needles but with this jumper I took on the challenge! 
I have to make up and block (another first) this jumper and then I will post it for you all.
This wool is a wool with pink silk blended through it and it feels lovely mmmm.





Sewing frenzy.
The dining table has surrendered to a sewing frenzy, lots of making 
for the Mother's Day Stall at school


Parcel in the post.
The day got even better with a knock on the door from the 
postman with a package of cardmaking goodies! Stamping 
Goodness on its way!



Easter Gifts
Isn't this little tin sweet? It is full of swiss chocolate in 
wrappers covered in bunnies. My Mum will love it.




Childhood Memories

My sister delivered this special little cup and saucer to me recently.
There is a lemon coloured matching set too. When we were
little girls, our Mum used to sometimes set a special 
afternoon tea for us with lace tablecloths, silver spoon,
pretty cakes or scones and fine china tea sets.
This was the cup that I used at those tea parties.
Now I have it and i will make afternoon tea parties, for 
no special reason, for Martha and I. 

Wasn't my Mum wonderful?



Card marking
Here is the Mothers' Day card I made for her.



Fabric bargains

And finally , I found this fabric at 
BigW!!! Can you believe? Amazing where good things
pop up!

I'll be back later for Saturday sensations, Oh my, I am late late late! 







Sunday, April 10, 2011

blog alert!!!


I found this fantastic blog that show cases vintage magazines, in particular mags from the 1980's. Naturally, having grown up in that era I was really excited to see old Dolly magazine from a time when Lisa Wilkinson was the Editor. 

Here a just a few pics to wet your appetite, can't you see how things have changed?  Yes young women were weight conscious, but here we can see young 14 year old models with healthy cheeks and pallor, showing freckles and youthful sparkle. Quite cute really!


So young and fresh! She really does look 14! 

Marayanne's collection will show / remind you how the 80's were colourful affair  (ok some outfits  I would like to forget) but also that there WAS some style and artyness too!


Check out Maryanne's blog, it is a BLAST! I know you will love it. Might just be the 2011 Blog to see!So off you go and enjoy yourself....I bet those in their 40's will inexplicably feel like using a Buff Puff or oddly smell faint odours of Nair!!!