Sunday, November 27, 2011

Finally crafting

So it finally happened, I got the old girl out


and she was happy to see me.

Martha is having a birthday next weekend, our rule is every second year
is a low key home party. Martha's party is at home and is a rainbow theme.
So rather than rushing out and buying stuff I looked around here and not surprisingly 
I found heaps of stuff to use.




 So I whizzed up some bunting and a table runner both to decorate

the party table


I have some of the fabric left over and have decided to make some more 
bunting for a friend's grand daughter and for Martha's teacher (she loves to
decorate her classroom - huh a blogger without even knowing it!). Much better
than returning it to the stash which desperately needs depleting , are you getting me ; )!


In the stash I found some cute Vintage style christmas fabric with 1950's style santas - so I am making 
some bunting for my Mum who adores this style of  "Santy" of "Father Christmas" as she 
calls him.

And I thought I would share a few buys with you all.
We have 5 birthdays in the next 2 weeks (how rude!) which meant
heaps of pressies to get, unfortunately most of these people just
don't get handmade, so off to the shops we go. 

Isn't this little Union Jack Blythe set cute!? 


And this little necklace and bracelet from Cotton On Kids
was a steal, under $12 for the set, the fimo type beads
are beautiful.


Back later with some more crafty goodness because there is heaps more 
to come!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Hello lovely bloggers,

Today I am going to do a "blog alert" and alert to a lovely blog owned by a dear friend of mine. Deb
is very passionate about sustainable living and in the past twelve months has completely changed hers and her family's lifestyle.  You can read about her garden, recipes, see her gorgeous children grow and she will inform you about some interesting stuff about what goes into our food and important diet changes and their benefits using her own experiences.

Deb is very talented in the creative stakes, so you will see her decorating adventures and I believe that she is currently about to go on a decorating bender, so it will be fun to see what she does.  Apart from all these wonderful talents, she is one of the loveliest people I know and I am very lucky to have her in my life.

Please visit my lovely friend at Treasure Hunter Girl and start following her. 

Monday, November 21, 2011

A day in Fitzroy Gardens

Recently I took the brood to Fitzroy Gardens, a beautiful garden right in the 
city of Melbourne. We had never been there in spite of living in Melbourne all these 
years.  One of the main attractions in this lush green gardens is "Cook's Cottage".
A cottage that Captain Cook, the explorer that discovered Australia, was born in. It
had been moved brick by brick and brought over here and rebuilt.
The last person who was born in the cottage was a lady in the early 20th Century, she was one of nine which was astounding as the place was tiny!





 Tully looking regal and naval!

The house is surrounded by gorgeous English cottage gardens

Fun poses!

This was the large room

A bedroom which actually resembled a cupboard

We have other photos but we will save them for another post




Saturday, November 19, 2011

Ta Da! The new ensuite

Our renovation has been completed and the 90's bulk is gone, succeeded by simple white, with a natural look charcoal tile on the floor that is divine but you can't really tell by the photo.



I love that there is no hideous white plastic shower base


And that the water comes out of the ceiling!


I did not install a permanent mirror so I can change the flavour 
according to my bedroom changes. I haven't found one yet not sure if
I will get something vintage or modern or classic or industrial looking.


I am having my first shower in my new ensuite today, I have new lovely handmade soap
a new fluffy towel and new shampoo. Utterly glamourous!



Friday, November 18, 2011


To my Boy,

This morning you snuggled with me, I could feel your slight body shaking.
Tears welling in your eyes, you answered my questions if I certain teacher announced to the class that you were going to get the "baddest kid in the school".
You told me not to worry.
 It was a long time ago.
That you were used to it.
 Teachers have always said bad things about you.
To the class.
In front of the class.
They expected you to be bad.

You fought back the tears and said you were sorry for being bad.
All these years.

You said you were scared of high school, that these
teachers would tell them how bad you were.
That they would hate you too. What if they hate me too mum?

You paused and then told me your art teacher was nice, you thought she might believe in you. Like your
footy coach and your Scout Leader. They made you feel good. But the rest eat you away inside.

Tears fell off your face and you squeaked to me that you tried and tried, you wanted to know why people
didn't believe in you.
Why other people were allowed to call you names, kick you, over look your good work.

I couldn't answer.
I am sorry my darling, I should of taken you out of this school
I can't explain why there are bullies and cowards that can hide in the ranks of teachers too.
I am so glad your art teacher believed in you.
I want to heal this incredible hurt you carry, kiss your anxieties away.

Today I asked your nice teacher to look after you. He admitted to me that the teachers don't like you.
It stabbed me in the heart.
Then she came into the room. The one who told the class about that award.
I asked her to give us some privacy. She wouldn't leave, even though she is a support teacher not your real teacher.
She scoffed at me and said something, she began shaking her finger at me.
It was then I had to speak for you - I knew it had to happen.
I stood up and named her behaviour.
Cowardice and Bullying.
I told it had to stop. Stop today.
She didn't care that she hurt you
It became all about her, how she needed respect, that you wouldn't give it to her.
She ran off.  I don't respect her either, respect is earnt.

I cried, your class teacher cried too. He promised to keep you safe from her. He believes in you too.

You are worthy
You get my top award
You are a great kid. The best.




Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Praise be..





I have been absent for a little while, not just from my blog but from 
everything I love. As you may recall I started a Grad Dip in Alcohol and
Other Drugs (AOD) and it has been a slog - I only took one subject this
semester and it was oh so dry, pardon the pun!

My major assignment was 3000 words big and everything around me 
went into chaos (of course) my renno was underway, stuff is everywhere and
my family decided to get really tired and melt down. Ugh!

But a few minutes ago I emailed it off! Yay, a week late but it is done and 
dusted. So bring on the craft, bring on the parenting, part prep for Miss Moo's 
8th Birthday and of course Christmas and Summer!!!!! BRING IT ON!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

photo

I have been running.
No not over hill and over dale. Just on my treadmill.
Yep, whilst the rest of the country was boozing and betting
on the Melbourne Cup, I hit my treadmill and astounded myself by 
running 20 minutes straight and clocking up 2km.

Now I realise that this is small potatoes for anyone that might 
have an iota of fitness in them and runs marathons etc, but for 
me, super sloth, it is huge!!!

What blew me away, and I am quite serious here, is how it affected
me.  I may as well of been boozing ! I felt high for the day - after 
stepping down from the treadmill I was racing around like 
a woman possessed, just like I had the day before (I had run 10 minutes
straight and clocked 1 km something I had never done before)....It was like
being on drugs, but good ones!!  

I did hit the wall later, I was chatting to a friend that evening, started off 
all chipper and zingy but felt like my batteries had run right out 
by the end of the call - I could feel everything slowing down like a record 
being played on slow speed - poor friend, hope she didn't think it was a reflection 
of her conversation!

So due to sore legs I rest for a few days and then I cannot wait to 
get some of that yummy feeling again. I'm feeling an addiction
coming on!

New goal : run a fun run for charity. Yeah!