Sunday

I was trying to think of a witty title for today but I really couldn't so I just called it Sunday.

So what happended on our Sunday?

I was woken by a very happy Little Miss R telling me that it was her friend's birthday. How exciting when you're 5 years old and you're invited to a school friend's birthday party.

So off she went to her friend E's birthday party where they got to make cupcakes. Evidently she had a wonderful time and even when the other children went off to do other things because they were bored, Little Miss R was still happily creating her masterpieces.

Six cupcakes came home and the whole family got to share in them which was lovely (and yummy!) I will say that Mummy really wanted the dragonfly cupcake but that just had to go to Daddy. Mummy got to have the teddy bear one. Can your guess which one it is? It's the one in the top right hand corner of course. White with a pink and yellow teddy bear! Can't you see it? It's so OBVIOUS that it's a teddy bear so why does it take so LONG for you to find it Mummy!!!!! After the excitement of the morning, it was some hooky time in the afternoon. I have started to undo Miss H's blanket as I'm really not happy with it. I usually don't care on the quality of the blanket telling myself that because I'm a beginner it doesn't matter as much. I have been peeping into many a talented crafty lady's blog and they all seem to do very good quality crafty work which they take great pride in. Why can't I do that I ask myself? Well I can take pride in what I do and even if I'm three quarters of the way through a blanket, if I'm not happy with it then I can undo it. So that's what I'm doing and the pink, purple and white ripple blanket is being unravelled so that I can begin again and make it much better.

In between unravelling I've been hooking a granny stripe blanket for Master M (nephew, not son).

This one is in 'boy' colours and isn't a lot of pretty girly colours that I love doing. It looks beautiful though and I'm so happy with how it's going so far.

This evening has found a unique game that the kidlettes have made up. It's called Lift, Push and Crash. Hmmmmm.... interesting.....

It requires one child to lift the other child, then give them a push towards the sofa where they 'crash' into the soft cushions. Then it's time to swap over so the other child is getting lifted, pushed and crashed.

They had a ball until it all came crashing (sorry!) down around them and one of them got slightly hurt. All is ok though and after about 10 seconds the crash was forgotten as happens with children.

They're now asleep so I can enjoy a cup of tea and maybe some yummy chocolate. Aaaahhhh... bliss.

Hope you had a lovely Sunday...

Susan xxxxxxxxxx

A delightful day off

Yesterday I had the day off to go to a workshop with Dr Robi about building your child's self esteem and ways to help them cope with change and anxious situations. I"m so glad I made the time to go as it was fantastic and I got a lot of useful information out of it.

However, it was only a small part of the day so the rest of it was spent having a lovely catch up with my sister. After the workshop, it was back to her house for some lunch where to my amusement, I found this sign in the kitchen. Hmmmmmm... I think I'd be leaving it on too don't you?

Of course the two gorgeous girls Jess and Sophie just had to be under foot while we were getting lunch. They are labradors after all so anywhere there's food, they're there too.


After lunch it was time for some hooky business.

Although truthfully, not a lot got done because we were too busy watching this....

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency books are so wonderful and the movies are just as good. It was the perfect afternoon to sit down and watch Mme Ramotswe and co.

I also did a little reading as my sister has a huge range of cookbooks so I started to go through her wheat free and gluten free books. It seems that Little Miss R may have a gluten or wheat intolerance so I wanted to find out some more about it. Looks like our diet's are really about to change, especially as Master M is Lactose intolerant.

Then it was time to pick Master M up from daycare and once we got home it was some Mummy and son play time in the back yard.

While we were out there, just what did I spy?

Is that a pumpkin growing on my vine?

I think it might be, shall we have a closer look...

Yes, yes, yes! It is a pumpkin growing on my vine. In fact there are two that I can see which is so very exciting. There may be more but then I'd have to wander into the jungle that is the pumpkin vine to find them and possibly encounter a toad or two. No thank you very much! I'll just admire the ones on the outside of the vine.

I feel like such a farmer!

Then it was up early this morning (thanks Master M for waking mummy up EARLY) after a good nights sleep so I got to see the sun rise. Don't you just love the pinky orangey clouds. Such a pretty sight to start the day.

Wishing you all a joyous day too.

Susan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Display houses

Isn't the fabric on this chair just gorgeous. I was seriously in love as soon as I saw it although I'd prefer a different style chair to sit crochet away in.

It was lovely hubby's RDO day today so after dropping Little Miss R at school, we headed off to look at some display homes to get some ideas for our house that we will end up building in Chinchilla. Our biggest problem is finding companies with a good reputation that build out there as it's a small western town, but there's no harm in getting ideas.

I just LOVE the outdoor living space in this house although the big open doors might not be too practical in Chinchilla because of the flies!


The space in this house was HUGE and it was so open and fantastic, much bigger than my little boxy cottage I'm in now. (There's the chair again!)

It was all very modern but look at that bench space. If you've seen my kitchen then you would understand my excitement about bench space.

I just loved these cushions too.

Just another peek at the chair from a different angle.

How good is this, a walk in linen cupboard!

Sorry for the window reflection but I just LOVE this bath....

....and the walk in robe. Lots of places to put things.

Lots of outdoor areas, all designed and presented to look very stylish and modern. I think I'd be going for a lot more comfort myself.

And then there was this walk in pantry. It even had a tap and sink in it although I really don't know what you would use that for when your kitchen sink is only a few steps away. It was a nice pantry though.

Oh I just love looking at houses and making plans. Lets hope the experience of building (when the time comes) turns out to be a geat process with few hassles.

Susan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A candle lit.......

...for Leo, the father of one of my dearest friends. He passed away on Sunday 13th March 2011 and his funeral is today.

Thinking of all his family.

Much love

Susan xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Completed:: Kids blanket #2

Yay! I've finished the second Christmas project. Miss T's blanket is finished and I'm so very proud of this one. I just love all the colours I've used to make it into such a happy blanket.

It was the most random thing I've done so far when it comes to colours and was a bit scarey really because I've never thought I've been that good when it comes to choosing colour combinations.



I'm so glad I chose the lime green to edge the whole blanket as I think it just brings it all together and it really picks up the lime green from within the blanket too.

Two blankets down and only 5 to go! (eeeeeeeeeekKKKK!!)

Up BEFORE the birds

2am!! That's when I woke up this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. Looking on the positive side, I did get to spend some lovely hours to myself. I can't really call them quiet because the neighbours had a bit of a party which didn't finish until about 3.30am! (hence me not being able to go back to sleep).


They're new neighbours and have been really good so far, it was just a birthday party which we found out from the REALLY BAD singing so lets hope it doesn't continue often.



So what did I do when I couldn't sleep? Well it was the perfect time for some hooking as I could sit in the quiet and hook away to my hearts content. I was on the last round of Miss T's blanket so I decided that it was the perfect time to finish it.




What's that in the background I hear you say? Well I'll focus on that a bit for you, just for a sneak peak as we can't reveal too much just yet can we.

Do you see that stripey confection in pink, purple and white in the purple bag? That's the next blanket I'm making for another niece, this time Miss H, but more of that another time....

The edging I'm doing is in lime green as I thought it would really bring the whole blanket together. Whether it does or not is another matter because I've never thought I've been very good with colour so we shall see.

No far to the end now and only a small amount of yarn left. Will it last?

Oh no!! Look how much I've got left to do and I've run out of yarn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What to do?????

After a quick rummage through my basket, look what I found. Is that a small length of lime green yarn that just might see me finish the blanket? Yes I think it is! Yippee!!!!!!



(I'll leave the Ta-daa moment of the blanket for another day as I haven't yet photographed the full thing.)

By now though the birds have been chirping for a little while even though it was still dark. The sky is starting to lighten and looking out the back door I can see the Morning Star in all it brightness and glory and they day looks promising.

But half an hour later it seems that the clouds are starting to come in and it may be a bit of an overcast, if not rainy day.


Master M came out around 6am (he decided to sleep in a bit today) but by then I'd been awake for hours drinking copious amounts of tea and being VERY productive.

However I was in NEED of coffee by this time as tea just didn't seem to be doing it for me so onto the stove went the coffee pot.


Then after a yummy breaky of bacon and eggs (and don't you remind me that I'm supposed to be on a diet!) we decided that it was time to get in and do some painting of the house. We've only had the paint in the shed for the last year but now that we want to sell our house it's a rush job to get it done.

This is the hallway we started on and thank goodness Little Miss R had a sleep over at Aunty S and Uncle J's for the night as she wasn't around to want to 'help' paint. Master M wanted to help or more wanted to just sniff the paint so after a quick call to my Uncle I, he was packed off for the day to do boy things so we could do some painting.




The entry way and the hallways are sort of half done. Some areas still only have one coat on and it's amazing how long it takes to do even a small area. As this is the first time I've ever done any house painting I can honestly say it takes a lot more time than you think. I have been enjoying myself though which is quite surprising.

By lunch time though I was wilting VERY badly (I had been up since before 2am) and so we finished the section of hallway we were up to, showered, had lunch, then I headed off to bed for awhile. I wasn't sure if I really would go to sleep but after putting the air con on, popping the ear plugs in and pulling the blinds down to make the room nice and dark, I fell asleep VERY quickly I have to admit.

After a couple hours of blissful uninterupted sleep, I was awake again and ready for the kids to come home. No more painting until either tomorrow (perhaps) or next weekend.

But after some play time and drive time in Daddy's ute (always an excitement), then it was time to help Mummy cook some dinner. Nothing very exciting tonight as I was truly still a bit knackered so it was homemade pizza's as they always go down a treat.

I did have some help from Master M when rolling the base out.

Some VERY tired children were in bed not long after dinner and I'm not far off it myself.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend too and sleep sweet, I'm off soon to catch up on a bit more sleep myself and hopefully I won't be up at 2am tomorrow morning.


On a slightly sadder note, as I'm writing this I've just had a phone call with the news that one of my dearest friends father has just passed away. My dear friend H, I'm thinking of you and sending you hugs, comfort and love and will see you soon.

With love

Susan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Siblings

I was going through my photos the other day, trying to sort them and seeing if there was anything inspiring when I found this......

It was taken sometime late in 1974 or early 1975 and is a photo of my older sister, my brother and me. (I'm the one covered in vegemite like a good Aussie kid!)

I love this photo so much but then I love looking at all old family photos, such memories.

That brought me to a photo that was taken almost over 6 and a half years ago at my wedding (goodness, has it been that long already!) and is one of my favourite photos of the day. You guessed it, it's a fantastic photo of my brother, sister and myself. What a happy day that was.


Thanks for the memories and many more to come my lovelies.

Just wanted to share this with you all.

Susan xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A weekend at home

We're not people that do a lot over the weekends. I think it's because we seem to drive so much during the week that the thought of hopping in the car again on the weekend can be a bit off putting. It's something that every now and then we get up the energy and inclination to change and pop out for a picnic or visit to the beach.

This weekend was quite wet however and outdoor activities were limited to a few minutes playing in the yard occasionally. So for me I did a spot of menu planning from my FAVOURITE cookbooks. I just LOVE Sophie Gray's Destitute Gourmet books so much that most of what I cook is from them.


With the menu planning out the way and it still raining, it was time to keep the kidlettes amused. What better way than craft so out came the glue, paper, ribbon, stamps etc and we had a wonderful time making some masterpieces. Then Granddad came to visit which was very exciting of course but it was even more exciting when the kidlette's cousins turned up. So much NOISE!! They all had fun though which is the main thing.

I did get to have a bit of quiet time late in the afternoon when the drizzle stopped for awhile, doing a bit of hooking and having a cup of tea in my LOVELY new mug. Do you like it? I found it the other day when I was yarn shopping and my heart fluttered when I saw this mug. I knew I just HAD to have it and now it's all mine and I get to enjoy it every day now. (There was also cake tins, cookie jars, tea and coffee jars, coasters, glass cutting boards, utensil holders etc in the same pattern. I'm so EXCITED to know that I can get a whole set of this oh so cute pattern).

Until next time xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Do you find this funny?

As we are currently in the process of buying a block of land while still living in our house and have all the usual bills, we've been tightening our belts on day to day living expenses. One of those expenses is of course my wool buying so I can make lots of scrummy blankets. So I don't go overboard on my purchases I'm only using cash to buy my wool and I have a special little beaded purse I bought years ago from Sapien Arts (I mentioned it in a previous post).

Dear hubby has a habit of leaving coins on any surface around the house and I decided that if he didn't want them then I could certainly find a great use for them, hence the sign next to the purse in the photo. He found this to be absolutely hilarious!! LAUGHED for ages. I for one couldn't find anything funny in it, I thought it was a perfectly rational idea and an ingenious way to be able to buy more wool!

(I will add that he dutifully put the money in the purse so soon I'll be on my way to the shops to purchase some wool for the next kids blanket!! Yay! Exciting! Wonderful! Very Happy Me!!!!!!!!!)

Miss T's blanket is halfway through and I'm just teasing you a little with a sneak peek. Don't you love those colours! This is the happiest blanket and one I know she'll be sure to love. I can already imagine her snuggled up under it in winter reading a story or watching some tv.

Happy weekend everyone.