A crafty week

My rule of not starting any new projects has, of course, worked really well and I am not behind at all! So cutting and sewing and finishing these items in a couple of days has not made me neglect any other half finished items.

(Add sarcasm here)

But, you may agree, they are pretty cute, and this is the project I started at Perle 8's last week, so to have it done in a week is a huge achievement! They are actually for a little girl, in case you were wondering about the ruffles, and may take her a while to grow into them, but that's ok. The parents delivered my new washing machine without ever having met me, so I owe them a big THANK YOU!

I am off to the show tomorrow, have 2 classes I want to do and lots of browsing and chatting. I will stop and say hello to everyone who's up for a chat, especially fellow bloggers! I have read a few posts already about it, but as I haven't been to one in years, I am going in with an open mind and a bit of cash-ola to spend hee hee.

My creative space

I'm playing along again this week with Kirsty.

Yay, I have cleared off the table finally that was in some of my past posts, this is here for the photo so once I have read through them, they can be divvied up into a pile!

In this shot: O-rings and buckles from Nicole Mallalieu

Cross stitch patterns

Brand new books

The cross stitch patterns I picked up today from the oppy, $1 or so each. I now have a whole book of alphabets, great for embellishing or personalising a gift.

One of the buckles is already on my finished Mod bag, the others going to the next bag I make, a plain fabric one with a magnetic closure and one strap (I like to plan my projects ahead).

And the books? I joined a bookclub a year ago, and the deal was (as many of you may know) you agree to buy 4 books in the first year. What a score I got!! The Cath Kidston came with a free tote to embellish, and heaps of templates. A happy crafter today!

Playing along

I'm playing along with Pip this week with Words and Pictures.

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about, but I sat and had a good think and had a memory....

Of yucky yucky sandwiches. I hated them. Didn't really matter what was on them. I can't remember when it started, but I know my bad habit of skipping lunch started really early, and probably only ended when I could buy my own (uni days?).

Lunch orders at school were the awesomest treat, with a meat pie being right up there. I would always peel off the top layer of pastry, and spoon the meat out into my mouth, then roll up the bottom bit....mmmm, yum. And a Moove, usually strawberry.

High school had a canteen, and many lunches were binned and a finger bun and Paddle Pop did me just fine. I remember a competition with me best friend on who could eat the same thing for the longest time, and I survived on Vegemite sandwiches with white bread for EVER, but don't remember it finishing.

I remember year 12 in high school when we had our own 'room' to hang out in, so cool we were, and a sandwich toaster was the height of sophistication. Polish salami and cheese was the highlight of my day, toasted and very good.

The last 6 weeks of making a school lunch has had me petrified. What is she wastes all my hard efforts like I did to my parents? Not to mention the cost! What to put on it, what to put with it, how to present it.... all these questions and more.

My mind has been put at ease (sort of) with comments such as

"That was the best lunch I have ever had" (a chicken and avocado sandwich with mayo)

Empty containers!

"All the kids said I was bad" (after sneaking in a mini Mars Bar after getting a black eye the day before)

"I didn't have enough food, you need to send play lunch!!" (We had 2 meals at school, now they have 4! Can't keep up!)

"Don't ever give me Vegemite again!"

"Why can't I have a lunch order?"

Enough said! Read more here. Thanks Pip for the stroll down memory lane!

Another weekend....

There always seems to be a race to the weekend, then it happens, it's uneventful, and back to the start again. I am feeling very relaxed, I should be, I am not madly getting ready for the show like many other bloggers! Good luck everyone, I think it will all be fabulous, I can't wait to pick up some new hobbies (that I really need haha).

Today started off with a breakfast treat- pancakes. And I pulled the non-diet recipe, with heaps of baking powder (for the thickness and puff), sugar, salt, butter, an egg, and topped with honey of course. Mmm, they also kick over for morning tea! And my new Tectonic Stanley Rogers pan is pretty great, a wipe clean and it's done!

I have made a big start/halfway through on my sewing room, putting everything in it's place, cleaning out a few drawers to put patterns in, it's getting there. I had to show this off that I picked up at the garage sale the other week, there are four blocks hand tacked onto wadding and backing, and a single block (which I've laid in the middle). Aren't they great? Not sure what to do with them yet, though.

Ahh, a blogger in the making. Little Miss and I have discovered kids games online (no, not casino ones or anything) mainly things to teach her cut and paste, stuff she is learning at school. It's taken over the TV, so I am happy! She got a bit chilly, so my cardie did the trick, so cute!

I finished 2 little newborn gowns, the pink one for a friend to give to her friend (sort of a commission, I guess) and the black one for my friend's little boy, born last Monday morning. I've had the tee for a while, it was brand new, and it's nice and soft.

We left the house to go visit him, here's the little man, himself. Welcome, Hugo!

Feeling good

I had an awesome time last night at Perle 8's, lots of laughing and chatting, and watching other people craft, wow, lots of inspiration there. I can't wait to the Stitches and Craft show, so many things to do, I have a few workshops in mind, stuff I've never tried or wouldn't normally think to do, and 2 child free days to do it!

Speaking of child free, Little Miss had her first full week this week, and I am back to working Tues Wed, so Thursday I hit Hoppers Crossing Spotlight and Vinnies. I came away with heaps, including these bags and sewing box.....

(the Rainbow Sprite one is for me, my child of the 00's having no idea who she is)

and lots of yummy remnants. Pity I only went in for black cotton! I have booked my overlocker class at Statewide Sewing Centre too, so I can finally use my little baby, it's been very neglected.

I got around to hanging my frames too, it has brightened up the walls. After 5 yrs in the house, I finally get around to it!

Little Miss really likes the bottom one, think I'll add a few small round ones to it to even it out.

And lastly tonight, one spoilt dog! A bath, flea treatment, cuddles, clean blankies and I picked up all his toys, the cleanest it's been all week! The wind didn't help, but he has no excuse now. Now I lay in wait for the cat to come home and give her the Frontline too. My big brave cat. I found a cockroach leg in my bed this morning, I am thinking positive and hoping it fell off her whisker after she ate it OUTSIDE my bedroom door. I don't want to think of the alternative! Ciao.

My Creative Space

I am playing along again this week over here. I finally have my Thursday back as my day off, so I can do some creating. I was just about to have a nap, and I remembered the washing in the machine, the vacuuming and other general stuff, dammit!

So my space this week is this one- my poor lonely over locker hasn't even been used, I got it weeks ago! Unfinished projects are there, patterns and knitting boxes, arggghhh! Need some order, so this will hopefully all go into.....

these! Special sewing ones to stack and fill, fun!

will do more creating tonight at perle 8's, yay.

back to nature

Being a sewing person, some days I wouldn't care if I never made it outside, but as I have a child, pets and job. I have a local park where there is an off lead part for little Muzza, and over the last few drought-stricken months, the gardens have all been replaced. Here is a beautiful example, there are about 3 or 4 of these near the entrance.

So this sign was almost funny, who would think of destroying this prettiness? Someone, obviously, or Ben wouldn't decide to give up!

To Ben and all like him, I thank him, and promise to raise a child who would never think to destroy someone else's hard work.

Another outdoor thing- my cat came home a few days ago COVERED with these little things. I have no idea what they are from, they stick like crazy to anything, in particular cat fur! She must have slept in the biggest pile of them, or plants with heaps on them. I have spent a few days slowly getting them off her, to the point she looks at me warily when I want to give her a pat! And I almost pulled a nipple off- ow! Now she is burr free she can be patted only for pleasure, and I'm receiving a few cuddles, maybe a thank you?

Being Mother of The Year (not) I decided to make some treats for our picnic dinner tomorrow night at the school, so, having way too much frozen pastry in the freezer for someone who doesn't use it, decided to make mini pies we could have cold. Good plan until I forgot to grease the pan and they are stuck! Think of me and Little Miss tomorrow night eating our dinner out of a muffin time, oh, the shame!

Biggest news tonight- I finished The Bag! Good TV nights always get me motivated, as do the thoughts of top stitching. That's why I love this bag so much, the structured approach and lots of top stitching, but it has curves too. I would have shown the whole thing, but I THOUGHT I had a plain buckle to go on the front, not only didn't I have plain, but not silver either, so it completely mismatches the o-rings. I'll be ringing Nikki this week to order one. I hope to take it out on Thurs night, my Amitie night is coming up! Thursday's my only day off this week, I'll enjoy it immensely!

PS Speaking of Ben and good tv, I started watching SO You Think You Can Dance, which annoyed me at first because it is GREAT! I actually like it more than Idol, wow is all I can say. And there is a dancer Ben, man, if he doesn't win there is something wrong! Between that show and The Biggest Loser, I'm covered for the week!