Albany Creek Postscript

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T11:29:00.004+10:00

source
Hope you are having a 'love'-ly day today.

I thought I'd show you some great free V-day printables I found here that I have used this year for an extremely low-key celebration . . .

A whole suite of sweet !

As well as leaving a chocolate rose for my dear husband this morning with one of the little 'be mine' tags attached , I also used the dottie black tags to make up some little gifts for the kids to take to school .

Rather than use the whole square tag , I punched a scallop out with the text in the middle , then punched a small hole in the top and attached it to a cello bag containing one special chocolate with a co-ordinating ribbon.
I sent each son with a chokky for himself and one for a friend . It will be interesting to see who they chose as recipients !

P.S. “Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, love, thou art every day my Valentine!” Thomas Hood

Quote art . . .

2012-02-05T14:00:00.002+10:00

The eldest recently celebrated his 14th birthday . . .

and if you know any teenage boys you will also know the agonizing that goes on when you need to get them a gift . Cash or gift cards are the way to go with friends' kids , kids' friends or nephews , but you are expected to make a bit more of an effort with your own boys !

While he does love to read and swim and jump on the trampoline and socialize with friends and watch movies and write stories , his abiding love at 14 is definitely his Xbox 360 . So as a part of his birthday present this year ( which also included new Xbox games ) I made him some graphic art for his room , using quotes from two of his favourite games - Portal 2 and Crysis 2 .

I used the photo editing site Picnik (sadly closing down in April - boo hoo) , but you can use any word processing program that allows you to manipulate spacing and fonts .

Once printed out in high quality on glossy A4 photo paper , I framed each of the 3 quotes in black frames with double white mats . This makes them a bit larger, with alot more presence. I couldn't get 3 frames exactly the same, so the two quotes from Portal have the same frames, the one from Crysis is slightly different .

I think he was pleased , though it is hard to tell as 14-year-old boys tend to be a bit ' meh ' .

If you would like to have a closer look at the quotes or fonts , or print them for any Portal or Crysis fans that you know , you can click on them above (my own work, so feel free to use) .

P.S. “Some parents say it is toy guns that make boys warlike. But give a boy a rubber duck and he will seize its neck like the butt of a pistol and shout 'Bang!' ” George F. Will

C'mon Aussie . . .

2012-01-26T18:45:00.008+10:00

Have just spent a lazy afternoon , eating barbequed lamb chops and sausages , bunya nuts and pavlova and catching up while the kids splashed in the pool . Good friends , plenty to eat and the leisure time to enjoy them - we truly do live in the lucky country.

Hope your Australia Day gave you plenty of reasons to celebrate too .

P.S. “God bless America. God save the Queen. God defend New Zealand and thank Christ for Australia.” Russell Crowe

Word for the year. . .

2012-01-25T21:07:00.002+10:00

I wanted to share my inspiration word for 2012 - it ' s. . .

This is how I am hoping to see myself by the end of the year.

To feel that things in my home are where they should be when I need them, chores are accomplished when they should be , the house is not overrun with paper (the bane of my existence) , the budget stuck to , appointments made when appropriate . . .you know the drill . All the things that make for less stress and a less cluttered mind I want to be mine .

I am giving myself a whiole year because I try to stick to the maxim learned many years ago in the PND support classes I went to after my first son was born - ' Achieve more by attempting less ' . It ' s much healthier to set yourself a goal that is modest but achievable than one that is very inspirational but may lead to failure in the short term .

To that end , I have begun !

I thought I ' d start with the kitchen 'cause it has given me stress lately . We moved into this house 5 years ago, when the youngest was only 3 . In those days , we needed lots of plasticware , down low and accessable for littlies , with all the glassware and china way up out of reach .

With the passing of the years , our needs have changed but somehow re-arragnging the kitchen didn't seem to be a priority . A few weeks ago I realised that the youngest (now quite a tall 8-year-old ) was constantly asking for help to reach the glasses at the back of the cupboard . D ' oh! Priority . . .

Now from this . . .

we have this . . .

and this . . .

and from this . . .

we now have this .

(Riveting blogging , isn't it ?)

Next to tackle are the medicine and first aid baskets . Wish me luck ! !

P.S. “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” Douglas Adams

Why DIY?

2012-01-20T18:58:00.001+10:00

I don't know about you, but I really like the things I make (or make over) myself. My house is full of them - like this...

(repurposed frame and punched scrapbook paper)

and this...

(Outdoor candleabara made from an old light fitting)

and this...

(spray-painted 1970's ceramic owl)

and this...

(updated, painted cake stand)

and this!

(lamp frame made new with fabric)

I thought this was an interesting article on the topic (even though it doesn't explain why DIY doesn't appeal to everyone!).

Happy reading.

P.S. "It destroys the craft not to learn it." Irish saying

Accidental craft project...

2012-01-13T13:11:00.004+10:00

Ever made one of those mistakes that just makes you groan at your own stupidity? I blame this one on the lateness of the hour and the pressures of Christmas shopping.

I am one of those mental people who does the late-late-late night shopping each year (you know, when Chermside has the 24-hour shopping just before Christmas). Nuts, I know, but it's a real experience to have as long as you actually need to find things for a change, and to have almost everyone you see in a good mood.

At about 1am, I thought I'd make myself useful and pick up a few things needed for the office as I was in the newsagent anyway. Now, we have 2 of these at work...

which need refills each year. However, the refills I picked up without thinking were these...

See the issue?

Most people would notice that the holes going down the side of the refill were not going to match up with the clips on our stands, but not me. Not that night, not when I unpacked them and put them on my desk. Not until I had unwrapped one from it's cellophone on the first day back at work did I notice. D'oh!

Anyway, it was too far to go all the way back for a couple of $3 items several weeks after the fact, so I did this with them...

I used some scraps of chipboard to make sturdy covers and glued the first page of the calendar onto the front ones, using a hole punch to cut 3 holes in the covers to match the pages...

decorated the covers with some pretty bits and pieces I had left over from other projects (you don't need much, as the covers measure just under 8x10cm)...

and loosely tied ribbons through the holes.

Voila! Useable (and pretty) calendars for this year.

I have put the stands away for next year, when I will remember to check what refills I am buying.

Yeesh.

P.S. 'The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.' Edward Phelps

Wrapping up the Festive Season

2012-01-10T20:21:00.001+10:00

Happy New Year, and all that.
Hope 2012 is bringing you all happiness so far!

Thought I'd finish off my roundup of the season's craft and cooking before it gets too far into January. (D'oh! It's the 10th already.)
I wanted to show you a couple of cute ways I found to give cash this year, now that all my nieces and nephews have their gifts...
I mentioned the Spoonflower panel I got last year - not only did it have 3 of these cute birds (possibly cardinals?)...

but also 2 cute owls as well. The red one is promised to my youngest, but with the addtion of a felt pocket on it's rear, the pink one made the perfect holder for a rolled-up banknote and a little chocolate for a pink- and owl-loving 6-year-old.

The older kids got their gift on an ornament, or in a gift box, wrapped around a chocolate.

(If you have any more creative ideas for giving cash, please pass them on as I know I'll be going through this all again next year!)

I also got a teapot ornament panel from Spoonflower, as I was my sister's Secret Santa this year and she had some of her favourite T2 tea on her 'ideas' list. I made her these two...

I plaited the hanging loops from three full strands of embriodery floss each, to match the colours in the teapots.

Hope she liked them - I certainly had fun making them.

I used these lovely free printable bag toppers from the Frugal Living website to make some easy gifts for our courier drivers at work - a plain cello bag filled with festive snacks, covered with the bag topper, a gift tag and a pretty ribbon. They were much appreciated!

A dessert we didn't actually eat on Christmas day (just too full to bother!) was Sarah's recipe from here using an Italian Panettone, which we tried out a few days later.

Oh my. It was delicious!

We cut our cake into four, and made two versions of two layers each - one laced with sherry for the adults and a kids' one softened with grape juice. We used a combination of strawberries, blueberries and cherries in the centre and on top. Both cakes were excellent!

A couple of friends asked for the recipe for the Salted Nut Brittle I made as gifts, so here it is if you want to have a go...

Paula's Salted Nut Brittle
(adapted from a recipe from thekitchn.com)

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup water
110g unsalted butter
1/3 cup glucose syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
120g each of pistachios, pecans & cashews (or your favourites)
Flaked or crushed sea salt

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water, butter and glucose and bring to a boil. Cook over a moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is amber.

Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda - it will bubble.

Stir in the nuts, then scrape the brittle onto a large rimmed, nonstick baking tray straight away. Using the back of a large spoon spread the brittle into an even layer.

Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Let cool completely, about half an hour. Now the fun part - break into large shards or chunks.

Bag up and give away for plenty of compliments, 'cause it's really yummy!

And I think that about wraps up the season for another year. I am already back at work and the kids go back to school in a couple of weeks.
Just a child's 14th birthday to celebrate, then the family life roundabout begins again!

P.S. A thought for the start of a new year - “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” Proverb

Greetings of the season!

2011-12-29T12:24:00.001+10:00

Hope you all had a very...

with lots of great food...

gifts...

wrapping...

decorations...

and family fun!

Wishing everyone all the best for the New Year. Back to blogging in 2012!

Easy Peasy Candy Cane Treat...

2011-12-23T13:58:00.001+10:00

While these little gems are quick to make, you do need to leave several hours setting time...but how sweet!

Just take 2 candy canes, unwrap them from their plastic and lay them together on baking paper or foil in the shape of a heart. Give a little press to make them cling to each other...

melt some chocolate (whichever kind you think the recipient would like) and fill the centre...

decorate with sprinkles or small sweets...

leave to set, bag up and tie with a ribbon for a pretty little gift.

*These would also be great for Valentines day - look out for specials on candy canes after Christmas.*

Be warned though - if you have lots of friends/kids to make for, choose the small canes. These ones (from Coles) are quite long and a 200g block of chocolate is only enough to make 5 hearts.

Merry making!

P.S. "Great hearts steadily send forth the secret forces that incessantly draw great events. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

More Christmas preparations...

2011-12-20T14:04:00.003+10:00

The Christmas baking/sewing/decorating continues apace around here. I thought I'd record a few more things I've made/done for posterity, so here's a peek...

For the younger kids' teachers this year I upped the ante on the gingerbread trees from previous years (reminder here) and made alternating gingerbread and shortbread star trees, drizzled in white chocolate and sprinled with toasted pistachios. They looked yummy - hope they tasted OK!

I wrapped them in cellophane and attached a little handmade bird ornament made using this cute panel from Spoonflower.

The two core high school teachers just got the edibles, and I had to deliver them myself 'cause apparently 13 year-old boys don't give gifts to their teachers. Who knew?!

I have also tried out a couple of new recipes - Cinnamon Swirl Cookies and Salted Nut Brittle.

I'll post the recipes after a suitable period of 'testing'. *Assuming they pass!*

I have also renovated this wreath from it's aqua colour scheme...

to it's new luxe metallic and red look.

I'll be back soon with the instructions for a really easy candy cane treat...mmmm.

P.S. “Sweets grown common lose their dear delight.” William Shakespeare

Christmas Banner...

2011-12-13T08:22:00.002+10:00

Thought I'd share a quick little project that I whipped up last Friday evening...though if you are a bibliophile you may need to look away for this one.

I have been seeing lots of lovely decorative fabric garlands around the blogosphere, but knew I wouldn't have time for any extra sewing before Christmas this year.

So I decided to try a paper one instead, and I am really pleased with the result.

I decided on a phrase banner, rather than just patterned flags. The only things I needed for this cutie were an old book (the yellower the pages, the better), a glue stick, sharp scissors, some string and my computer and printer.

First I found a font that I liked (it's 'Egyptienne Zierinitialien' if you are interested, free for download from here), and printed out the words 'Joy' and 'World' at 300pt. I then added 'to the' at about 100pt (I think). You'll need to play around with sizes, depending on the font you choose and your vintage book page size if you want to make a similar one.

I then carefully cut around each letter with really sharp scissors.

I cut out nine pages from my old book - ones that had plenty of text (my kids were horrified and I had to explain that it was an old, dull and damaged book from the Lifeline book fair that I only use for craft). I lined them all up and trimmed the bottom of the pages into points.

Then I glued the letters on to the best side of the pages (putting the whole words 'to the' onto one page) and folded the tops of the pages over evenly. Using more glue on the folded tops, I laid a length of cotton twine along the pages and stuck them down in order. Remember to leave some tails for hanging.

Once the glue was dry, it was ready to hang! Here it is in pride of place above my linen chest.

Ta da! Another area decorated and ready for Christmas visitors.

P.S. “We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.” Australian Aboriginal wisdom

Decoration Renovation

2011-12-04T11:58:00.004+10:00

My mum knows that I like me a spire on my Christmas tree..

rather than the more traditional star or angel. So when she found this one second-hand somewhere, she kept it aside for me in case I might be able to do something with it.

I have!

While it was OK looking, I thought I'd do a bit of renovating to make it fit my 'luxe' theme for this year. So I stripped it back to bare bones. (Ideally, if I had started this project earlier - like before the tree was already up - I would have painted it at this stage. I think I would have gone for a matt gold/matt silver/copper scheme.) But working with the time I had (one evening) I gathered up whatever items from my craft stash I though would fit the colour scheme.

Then I grabbed my trusty tube of E6000 glue, a toothpick, scissors and just started, with no plan in mind.

I just kept adding things until I felt like it was enough.

Or maybe more than enough...

if you don't like fussy, this decoration's not for you! But it is an original, one of a kind and that's fine with me.

Here it is in pride of place on the tree, which is thankfully now all decorated. I really like the way it's turned out, though I am missing the pop of cheery aqua I've been able to see for the past few years.

Now to get on to making some edible gifts that are needed by the end of this week. Eeeek!

P.S. “Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.” Anon

P.P.S. I am linking up with Kara's 'Look What I Made' Christmas Linky Party over on 'Creations by Kara'. Go and check out all the great ideas in blogland!

As Promised...

2011-12-01T18:39:00.003+10:00

Well, it's the first of December - so here's the tree. (As I said, without fail.)

(Also, as I suspected, without decorations.)

I also thought I'd show you a little secret I have in the upstairs linen cupboard...

These boxes and bags are all filled with decorations.

I told you I love Christmas!

This year I am trying a new colour scheme that's a bit more traditional than the past couple of years. Festive season 2011 will include silver, gold, bronze, copper, nickel, tin, gunmetal, pearl, white, transparent glass...and maybe some red for punch. As long as things are shiny or glossy or sparkly or metallic. (In my mind I am calling it the 'luxe' look.)

I think I'll find enough in these boxes to fit the bill, for the tree at least.
Then I'll 'shop the house' for the rest.

Wish me luck!

P.S.“Tradition is a guide and not a jailer” Somerset Maugham

It Begins...

2011-11-30T13:24:00.002+10:00

Is it just me, or does Christmas seem to start earlier and earlier each year?

I swear that my local supermarket took the 'back to school' signs down at the end of the September school holidays and put the Christmas items straight up. Gah!

December is yet to start, but last night we had 'Carols by Torchlight' at school,

on the weekend we made a gingerbread house

and two weekends ago we went to a Christmas carnival.

That being said...Yay for Christmas!

Apart from the fact it comes to Queensland right in the middle of our (disgustingly sticky and uncomfortable) summer, it's my favourite 'season'.

As per family tradition, our tree will go up tomorrow without fail (though the decorations may not appear until the weekend!) and the shopping (online, of course - I do work full-time) is in full swing.

I am so excited that Christmas day falls on a Sunday this year - I will have all of Christmas Eve to get organised for the family visit and lunch. Oh happy day! *twirl*

Hope all your preparations are going along smoothly, and that you are enjoying every moment!

P.S. “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” Anon

Charity Begins at Home...

2011-11-17T12:07:00.003+10:00

Hi All! (See, I am trying to post more regularly.)

For the past few years I have been participating in 'Operation Christmas Child' through our local primary school chaplain. (Check it out here if you've not heard of it before!) It's a great reminder to the kids during the festive season that not everyone is as fortunate as they are, and a chance to give a little something to a child who has very little.

This year though, I'll be adding a new charity to my Christmas list.

A link sent by a friend of a friend introduced me to an amazing woman - Despina - who has started a home-grown organization that collects donated goods and puts together backpacks for kids who are taken suddenly into foster care. Often kids are taken from their homes by police or DOCS with only the clothes they are wearing and Backpacks 4 Aussie Kids wants to provide backpacks to these children so they have some essential and personal items that will travel with them from home to home, and just belongs to them.

While donations are not yet tax deductable (they are working on it), I promise it will give you a feeling of well-being...and I think we could all use a bit of that.

P.S. “Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance.”

St Francis of Assisi

The Confessional...

2011-11-08T15:56:00.001+10:00

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned.

It's been 5 months since my last post.

Yikes! How did that happen? I felt that it had been a while, but not quite that long. It's not as if I haven't been doing anything. Life has just gotten in the way of reflection time again...that and lots of reading.

I have managed to do a few blog-worthy things in those months...

Took the youngest one to the model train show at the RNA back in May...

and made two toy snails for him.

Did some sewing etc. at the Esk craft Retreat in June

Attended two school sports days also in June...

Sewed a padded case for my new laptop in July...

Made 2 birthday cakes and celebrated the birthday of the 8-year-old in August ...

(for school)

(at home)

Went to the Ekka...

Went to Hervey Bay to visit the MIL for a weekend in September and had dinner on Fraser lsland...

Took the small one to the zoo...

Celebrated the middle one's birthday with another coconut cheesecake - double digits!

And I won Deb's giveaway of lovely little overseas goodies ...

September was a big month!

This month we have had the middle one at music camp, the big one getting a sports award at high school (go figure!) and some pretty gifts for World Teachers Day...

I made flags using the canning labels on the HP site here.

I have also read all seven of the novels (so far) in the 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon, amongst lots of other things (don't get me started talking about The Slap - grrr). BTW, the next Outlander comes out at the end of November, so there's my Christmas reading sorted!

All things considered, not much to show for 5 whole months. But this blog was always meant to be a journal, and I guess it will be as full of holes as my memory is.

I promise to be more diligent in the lead-up to Christmas - now only two months away!

P.S. “Like the wind crying endlessly through the universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we are, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment.”

Harlan Ellison

His 15 minutes...

2011-05-27T12:08:00.000+10:00

Just some Mummy bragging today.

The middle child has had a brush with fame...

starring in a story in the local newspaper (The North-West News, 25/05/11) about a program his class is involved in...

If you'd like to check out the 'Wild Backyards' program info online, and join in, it's here.

P.S. "Good fame is like fire; when you have kindled you may easily preserve it; but if you extinguish it, you will not easily kindle it again." Francis Bacon

A Belated Happy Mothers' Day...

2011-05-10T20:35:00.000+10:00

Not sure what has been going on with Blogger over the past couple of days, but it finally seems to be fixed and now I can post what I should have put up on Sunday night!

Hope all the Mums had a wonderful day. Mine included breakfast in bed (they even made tea in my favourite mug)...

cute pressies from the boys...

flowers and some sewing time.

I made some new cushions for the couch from bits and pieces, which turned out really cute!

Hope you all got something that made you happy, whether it was something that could be wrapped or not.

P.S. "Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." Oprah Winfrey

Getting ready for Easter...

2011-04-20T15:35:00.000+10:00

Thought it was about time to change the decorations around here, from the summery look we've had for months...

to something more fitting for our Autumnal Easter here in Oz, now that the weather has finally cooled down.

I used my 'Easter Tree' from last year with a few tweaks, and took my colour palette inspiration from the table runner I made a few weeks ago.

I needed a few little Easter treats for a workmate and her girls, so found some great free printables here and here.

They were very quick and easy, and look how cute they turned out!

P.S. A funny Easter list for your enjoyment...

Rules of Chocolate Easter Eggs

If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
Diet tip: Eat an Easter egg before each meal.
It'll take the edge off your appetite, and that way you'll eat less.
If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?
If kilojoules are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Kilojoules are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.
Money talks - chocolate sings.
Chocolate has many preservatives. 'Preservatives' make you look younger.
The problem: How to get a kilo of chocolate eggs home from the shop in a hot car.
The solution: Eat the eggs in the car park.
Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous?
Because no one wants to quit.

Winners are Grinners...

2011-04-07T14:07:00.001+10:00

You could have knocked me over with a feather when I opened a parcel last week. It arrived during the work day to the office and I put it aside for later, assuming it was a book I had ordered from The Book Depository.

Imagine my confusion after work when I looked at the box...

Not from the Book Depository. And when I opened it up....

Shriek! A Kindle!!!

I had all but forgotten entering an online competition back in January to win a Kindle eReader, especially since I enter pretty much any comp that makes it to my computer screen.

It's fantastic! I am an avid reader, and have a book with me pretty much all the time. This little baby will save me trying to shove various sized books into my long-suffering handbag. You can read all about them here if you are tempted! Now to find a nice pattern for a cover...

It just goes to show, you really do have to 'be in it to win it'.

P.S. “Just tell yourself, Duckie, you're really quite lucky!” Dr Seuss

Super Quick Sewing project...

2011-03-19T11:25:00.001+10:00

Last Sunday morning I was laying in bed (I could tell it was a weekend - it was light!) and looking across the room to where I had some fabric stacked. I was thinking that it was a shame to have to cut into some of my favourites to make something small.

I was still pondering this when I started thinking about freshening up downstairs as the season begins to change. Then the two thoughts collided and I decided to use some pretty fabric in such a simple way that I would hardly lose any of it, and I would get to see it more often...

I took the one piece of this I had, bought as a remnant at a craft show last year...

cut the same size piece (50cm x width of fabric) of this...

sewed them right sides together, leaving a gap for turning...

turned it right side out, pressed and top stitched 1cm from the edges all around...

and made a simple, reversable table runner for the dining area.

It took lass than an hour from inception to completion, and gives two looks for the price of one. My kind of project!

P.S. “He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress.” Anwar Sadat

Just in case...

2011-02-27T16:10:00.003+10:00

Recently I got a new mobile phone but as per usual with consumer electronics, it didn't come with a case for protection.

Most of the time this isn't an issue, as many of my handbags have a phone pocket to prevent it getting scratched or knocked. But I found that often when I am just dropping kids to school or doing a quick errand, I don't take a handbag. Also, the bag we take to the pool or the beach doesn't have a phone pocket.

A case was needed. So rather than go out and give yet more money to an overseas company, off to the fabric stash I went...

I have some of this lovely Michael Miller print (Gothic Flower, if you're interested) and thought it would be a good choice, as the back of the phone has a lime green print.

I also had some wadding left over from another project so I decided to make a padded pouch with a soft lining for the best protection - not only against scratching, but also against dropping. (Not that I would do that. Not again anyway.)

I measured my phone and added 3cm to both sides and one end, to allow for seams and padding, then made a paper pattern. (The phone is 6cm x 11cm, so I made the paper 12cm x 14cm.) Once I had that drawn, I added the same size rectangle again to one end, so that I could cut one long peice that would fold to be the case. I also made a smaller rectangle (8 x 12) pattern for a flap.

I used the pattern pieces to cut the flap, the outer fabric, the wadding and some fleecy knit fabric (for the lining), and then layered the outer fabric on the wadding. (Because of the bold pattern in the fabric, I placed the pattern piece carefully to make sure the print would be symmmetrical on the finished case.) I used the straight lines of the pattern to lightly quilt the outer fabric to the wadding.

With right sides together, I folded the long rectangle in the middle (becoming the seamless bottom of the case) and sewed the side seams, clipping the corners, on both the quilted outer fabric and the lining.

(For this item, I treated the fleecy side of the knit fabric as the right side - so the fluffy stuff would be against the phone.)

For the closure, I sewed the flap piece in half , moved the seam to the centre and then pressed the seam open.

Then I stitched across one end, clipped the corners, turned it right side out and pressed again. (The open end will be inside the seams of the case once it's put together.)

Time to assemble.

I left the lining wrong side out, but turned the outer right side out. (Use closed scissors, a knitting needle or a pen to press out the corners.) I put the outer section inside the lining.

Once the tops were matched up, I slipped the closure flap down in between the lining and the outer, in the centre of the back of the case. (I made sure the centre seam of the flap was towards the lining.)

I pinned all arount the top of the case so it wouldn't slip while I was sewing. Sewing the case together was the hardest part. (If you've ever made dolls clothes, you'll understand - narrow openings do not fit onto the arm of an average machine.) I sewed aroung the top of the case, stitching the outer, lining and flap together.

I left an opening at the front for turning.

Then I turned the whole thing in the right way through the opening at the top. I used closed scissors to push the corners out again.

Then I pushed the lining down inside the case outer and topstitched around the opening of the case, tucking the edges under where the hole had been left for turning.

I finished it off by adding some velcro dots to keep the flap closed (but not too firmly - I still need to be able to answer the phone quickly)...

and a matching vintage button to finish it off and use as a pull for the closure. Ta Da! A cosy case for my new phone.

This pattern would also work for an MP3 player or a slim digital camera.

P.S. “Necessity does everything well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy happy joy joy...

2011-02-23T13:52:00.000+10:00

Do you think Master 9 was looking forward to his very first school camp this morning?

You betcha!

Another milestone for our family, and a few days as a family of 'four'.

P.S. “For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

A New Phase...

2011-01-29T15:33:00.002+10:00

Well, we have survived our first week back at school - with a few differences. I am now not only the Mum of a high-schooler, but also a teenager.

I can't believe that the little one who only had two teeth on his first birthday...

turned 13 last Friday...

started Year 8 last Monday...

(His youngest brother refused to submit to such hideous torture as 'back to school' photos.)

and now stands taller than me! Where did that time go!?My body looks and feels like I've lived it, but my brain is having trouble with the concept.

Hope all those back at school this week are recovering well!

P.S. "Mother Nature is providential. She gives us twelve years to develop a love for our children before turning them into teenagers." ~ William Galvin

Happy Australia Day!

2011-01-26T21:21:00.000+10:00

Hope a day off in the middle of the week has given everyone a chance to reflect on their life in our lucky country.

We spent the morning at the Aussie Day party at the local pool, complete with reptile display (the kids got to pat a crocodile!), jumping castle and flag cupcakes, had a BBQ lunch, went out for icecream and kicked back at home listening to Triple J's hottest 100 countdown.

Bliss! Days like this remind us that we are so fortunate to live where and how we do.

It was great to see that even those communities most affected by the recent flood events have even been helped to celebrate our national day, getting a repreive from their grief and loss for a few hours. Keep those donations rolling in folks -
http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

P.S. “There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, disasters, illness and pain. What really matters is the internal force. How do I respond to those disasters? Over that I have complete control.” Leo F. Buscaglia

What a cool idea...

2011-01-12T18:31:00.000+10:00

Some people just blow my mind.

High school history teacher Amy Burvall and her partner decided to set some coursework to music to help their students remember the basics of various periods, figures and events in history.

The result is a fab collection of pop song parodies on YouTube - check them out!

My favourite has to be "I'm a Knight" to the tune of Lily Allen's "Friday Night". Have a look if history is your thing too...

Some of the songs are just sooo clever. How about "Iceman" to the tune of the Beatles "Taxman" and "Macadonia" to the tune of "My Sharona". Ba ha ha! Excellent.

While doing a bit of research I found out that, just to make the whole venture a little more amazing, Amy made alot of these videos while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. (*sharp intake of breath*) She is thankfully now in remission. (*breathe out*)

See what I mean about blowing my mind. Some days I feel so lame!

P.S. "I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework." ~Lily Tomlin

A Christmas-y upcycle...

2011-01-04T17:27:00.001+10:00

I realise it's a bit late...or is it a bit early for next year? Something for the file anyway...

While I was packing away my tree and decorations for another season (*sniff*) I remembered that I was going to post a little tip I employed last year and scaled up this year.

Do you have a bunch of plain, cheap Christmas baubles like I do? How about some stick-on bling left over from papercrafts?

Well, if you have these things, you can do this...

Mmmmmm. Pretty. Shiny.

Just use the line made by the join in the bauble to space the jewels evenly. If you are a bit more ~~uptight~~ precise, you might like to use a tape measure. I just did it by eye, placing a jewel on one side, and then in the same spot on the other side and working my way around.

Add as many or as few jewels as you like. They give your tree a bit of character, and can help to tie a colour scheme together.

This year I got a bit more adventurous and came up with this one...

which I love!

If I didn't already have the jewels, ball and ribbon scraps, it probably would have cost about $5 in all. Still cheap for a really pretty and individual decoration (a good gift idea for those people who have everything!) and a great way to upcycle some oldies.

P.S. 'One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.' Anon

Happy Christmas to all...

2010-12-25T08:09:00.000+10:00

To all my family and friends, wishes for joy this festive season! May you carry the Christmas spirit in your heart into 2011 and have a wonderful year.

Something Interesting...

2010-12-22T16:40:00.001+10:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a bit of a history nut, so this article from Craftlovers hit the spot for a bit of historical Christmas trivia. Thought you might enjoy it too.

"When we think back on the Victorian era we picture opulence, clutter and gracious living. Lavish decorators and passionate collectors, the Victorians gave us the sewing machine, the crazy quilt and the urge to embroider anything that isn’t nailed down. They also gave us Christmas.

Christmas, or ‘Mass of Christ’, has been celebrated on the December 25 since the 4th century. Throughout Europe and America it was a time for feasting, exchanging gifts and coming together to celebrate, until the holiday was outlawed by the Puritans in 1552. The law was eventually overturned by King Charles II, but the holiday never really regained favour until Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837.

Her husband, Prince Albert, was German and when he moved to England, he brought with him the deep love of Christmas so common in his country. In 1841 he decorated a large fir tree for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle and the holiday was reborn.

The Victorians loved the idea of a Christmas tree, and soon one could be found in every home. They decorated them with gingerbread men, cookies, candies, fruit, cotton Santas, paper ornaments, candles, pine cones,
small toys, chains of popcorn, anything small enough to hang from a branch was used to make the tree colourful and bright.

Cornucopiae, which translates literally as ‘horns of plenty’, were a very popular ornament. Made from paper twisted into small cones and lavishly decorated, they were filled with all manner of sweet, dainty things and were hung from the tree for the children to find on Christmas morning.

Electric fairy lights, still one of our most popular decorations today, were invented during this time. For many years people had adorned their trees with candles, resulting in some devastating fires. Thomas Edison’s glowing globes were much safer and the sight of the twinkling lights through a parlour window must have been a heartening one on a cold, winter’s night in England.

A typical Victorian Christmas day began with the family attending Mass. This was followed by a grand dinner with all the trimmings. For inspiration when planning her feast a lady never had to look very far – magazines and newspapers were packed with advice on how to prepare the perfect Christmas meal.

A popular periodical at the time, Godey’s Lady’s Book recommended a menu featuring raw oysters, clear soup, fried smelts, sautéed potatoes, peas, sweetbreads, turkey, cranberry sauce, salad, roman punch, croquettes, crackers, cheese, pudding, macaroons, fruit and coffee. After all that it was a wonder the revellers had the energy for anything more than a quiet nap on the couch! But no, after the meal came the serious business of exchanging gifts.

The ideal gift was the result of months of careful work and planning. The Victorians considered it far better to give something made with your own hands than to buy something from a shop – and again the magazines and journals were quick to offer suggestions. An apron for mother, a scarf for father, for sister, a muff or ribbons for her hair and for grandmother, a pincushion ‘pretty enough to hang on the tree’. A pamphlet released by Harper’s Bazaar in 1879 entitled ‘Christmas Presents for Gentlemen’ recommended that a woman give that special man in her life a handkerchief hemmed and embroidered with her own hair. It said ‘Gentlemen do not care for the pretty trifles and decorations that delight ladies ... What, then, shall she give? Here is the woman’s advantage. She has her hands’.

Finally, the family, decked out in their brand-new embroidered slippers, aprons and suspenders, gathered in the parlour for carols and games. Carolling was an ancient custom that had died out before the 19th century, but the Victorians loved it and revived the old tunes, as well as penning many new ones. In front of the fire, or in groups going from door to door, they lifted their voices in song, bringing festive cheer and comfort to all who heard them.

The Christmas card and cracker were two more inventions of this time. The Christmas card was the brainchild of the director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Sir Henry Cole. He had a very large circle of acquaintances, and asked artist John Calcott Horsley to design him a card he could use to send out Christmas greetings. The card depicted a family party in progress and bore the inscription ‘A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You’. The idea caught on very quickly and soon everyone was making their own cards, as well as buying manufactured ones by the thousands.

The Christmas cracker was invented by a confectioner named Thomas Smith. While sitting in front of his fire one day, a jet of resin from a log burst into flame with a resounding ‘crack’. Deciding this would be a great novelty for Christmas, Smith designed a log-shaped package, holding a bonbon and a motto, that made a loud bang when pulled apart. By the end of the nineteenth century his company was producing 14 million crackers a year.

From cranberries to candles, the Victorians loved everything about Christmas and it is thanks to their enthusiasm that we have it to celebrate today. So even if you don’t fancy a handkerchief monogrammed with human hair – sing a carol, sign a card and steal a kiss under the mistletoe for good luck."

P.S. “You have to know the past to understand the present.” Dr Carl Sagan

A Festive update...finally.

2010-12-19T17:45:00.001+10:00

I know it's been a while! It has been extremely busy around here since my last post. Notwithstanding work 5 days a week, we have had...

the putting up and decorating of the Christmas tree...

Year 1 Carols by Torchlight...

(where we won a hamper in the raffle, no less...yay!)

a high school orientation day, the Year 7 dance, a swimming carnival, 2 excursions, a school presentation assembly, several birthdays of family members and friends...

the Year 7 graduation ceremony...

class break-up parties and the accompanying home made treats...

the making of many gingerbread Christmas trees as gifts...

finally getting some Christmas decorating done around the house...

as well my crafting weekend away to the Twilight2Twilight Retreat at Esk, a trip to see family on the Sunshine Coast and several lots of visitors.

Phew! Even I didn't realise how much we've fitted into the last 3 weeks.

Hope the festive season isn't too crazy for you all, and that those on holiday are enjoying some special family time.

Joy to you all!

P.S. “Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.”

Nom nom nom...

2010-11-25T12:23:00.000+10:00

Is there anything better for lunch than bruschetta made with vine-ripened spring tomatoes from your own garden? Mmmmmmmm.
Some days I just have to take the time to appreciate how lucky I am.

P.S "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey

65 Years...

2010-11-04T12:44:00.001+10:00

Last weekend my paternal grandparents celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

These days, that is seriously an achievement! With people marrying later in life (or not at all) and a divorce rate of 1 in 3, this kind of occasion is certain to become a rarity.

As well as a great cake, the extended family celebrated with a hugely over-catered lunch (very cool leftovers for everyone!), speeches, gifts and congratulatory letters from the Queen, the Governor-General and the Premier. The happy couple were very chuffed!

So what to you give a couple in their 80's with simple tastes as an anniversary gift?? This was my dilemma as I looked up the traditional gift for 65 years of marriage on Wikipedia...

Yikes! Unfortunately blue sapphires were a bit out of the price range :(

However, this is what you can do with some sparkly blue brads and bits of card, paper and ribbon...

The card turned out really nicely, and didn't take long as I was able to use a pre-cut piece for the centre and pair it with the matching paper on the card front. Some ribbon, rhinestone brads and sparkly Thickers numbers finished it off, along with a "Happy Anniversary' stamp on the inside.

While I really think they deserved a gift more like this...

Photo courtesy of www.crowndesigners.com

the card actually held a Coles-Myer gift card and was attached to a sweet flowering rose in a sapphire-coloured ceramic pot, tied with a big sapphire blue organza ribbon. (You'll have to take my word for it - we were running too late for photos at that stage!) Oh well. Hope they liked it anyway!

P.S. 'A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year.' Paul Sweeney

Happy World Teachers' Day

2010-10-29T12:54:00.001+10:00

To all the teachers out there, have a wonderful day!

I am a big fan of puns, as I know lots of teachers are. I always try to give the kid's teachers something thoughtful as a gift at this time of year, but sweet and funny rather than soppy and sentimental.

Here is this year's effort for the three teachers 'fortunate' enough to have the joy of my childrens' company.

I took these items, from the supermarket and the $2 shop...

melted the chocolate and half dipped the fortune cookies.

While they were setting, I used a plate to draw large circles on baking paper (you could also use waxed lunch wrap). I cut it them out and lined the noodle boxes.

(The plate has a diameter of 27cm - the circle fits the 16 ounce box perfectly.)

Then I printed the 'punny' cards and box labels, using our school colours of maroon and gold. I timmed the cards and rounded the corners, then attached a little punched tag (I think it's a 'Stampin' Up' one) with a hole for tying to the box handle.

I used a circle cutter and scallop punch, together with a co-ordinating piece of ribbon from my stash for the labels, and attached them to the front of the noodle boxes with double sided tape.

I carefully packed 7 cookies into each 16 ounce box and closed them up. (I ended up leaving out the chocolate sticks - I was going to use 2 in each to look like chopsticks, but I was scared they would break when I closed the box.)

Once the kids had added their message to the back, I attached the cards to the box handles with white cotton kitchen twine.

Voila! A cheesy gift to bring a little smile to a hardworking teacher's face.

P.S. "Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that, at times, they accomplish this impossible task. " Haim Ginott

Nature's Bounty

2010-10-25T17:33:00.003+10:00

While pruning the Lilly-pillies in our garden may be a bit of a chore, it does mean I get to fill the house with these for a few days...

In every corner...

Aren't they beautiful?

P.S. "The earth laughs in flowers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Little bit Geeky...

2010-10-20T11:46:00.001+10:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a dark secret...

I am a big fan of *Star Wars*.

Oh, heck. STAR WARS. There, I said it.

The original ones, that is. (I think I, II & III are over-hyped merchandising opportunities and lack the heart that the original series embraced, despite their amazing special effects and satisfyingly tidy plot tie-ins...I really wanted to love them, but I just can't. But that's a whole other discussion.)

Anyhoo, dark secrets aside, have a look at this amazingly clever cuteness I came across on Etsy while looking for something else entirely...*excited squeak*

(Check out the listing here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/57298875/patterns-for-all-10-star-wars-mini)

I need to learn to crochet!! What the Sith am I waiting for!!

P.S. "Meditate on this, I will."

Vintage-y Goodness...

2010-10-17T16:08:00.000+10:00

My M.I.L. is downsizing, in anticipation of selling her house and having a retirement seachange. While it will be sad to have her further away, we will have nice coastal location to visit when we can make the trip.

AND...I have inherited some great vintage linens in the clearout! Some were hers, and some her mum's. Check out these retro lovelies...

And these dainty doilies...

And this piece of cute kitch from Nana's European travels.

Now that everthing has had a clean and press, I had to do something with it to justify bringing yet more 'stuff' into my house. I have some plans for the doilies, but in the meantime I put my favourite old tablecloth to use with some things from around the house...

Cheers!

P.S. “Behind every successful man is a proud wife and a surprised mother-in-law.”

He's an Individual...

2010-10-02T13:48:00.002+10:00

We recently celebrated the birthday of the middle child. I asked him what type of cake he'd like. I assumed the answer would be "a blue one" or "one with 'Halo' on it" or something of that nature.

Ever knowing his own mind, he announced "A large cheesecake please. No wait - a large coconut cheesecake!" I don't know if he has ever had coconut cheesecake before, but he was positive in his decision and didn't want any alternatives. I should have known - he is anything but predictable.

Although it wasn't exactly a traditional birthday cake, it was delicious!

I thought I'd share the recipe I used from Simply Great Meals...

Baked Coconut Cheesecake

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups crushed shortbread biscuits with 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1 tbsp brown sugar in a bowl. Stir in 100g melted butter.

2. Press the mixture over the base (I did the sides as well) of a 22cm springform pan. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

3. Place 750g softened cream cheese and 3/4 cup caster sugar into a large bowl and beat until until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in 3 eggs, one at a time. Add 1/2 cup coconut cream and beat until combined.

4. Pour cheese mixture into the prepared crumb base and put on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 150oC for 40 minutes. Once cooked, turn the oven off and allow to cool before removing. refigerate until needed.

As you can see, I decorated it with whipped cream (with a few drops of coconut essence added) and halved 'Raffaello' chocolates, as well as some special candles - black wax with multi-coloured glitter, and some stars cut from wrapping paper. Mr Indivual was most impressed.

If you're making the cake as a dessert, I suggest serving a thin slice with a tart sauce (like a lime drizzle or raspberry coulis) as it is very sweet and rich. This recipe will easily serve 15.

Happy baking, and Happy Birthday F.

P.S. "A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece."
Ludwig Erhard

Finally....something crafty!

2010-09-22T08:24:00.002+10:00

I know it's been a while since I posted anything that's been made by my own hands. I have made a few birthday & anniversary cards, but nothing blog-worthy, so I thought I'd show you this card compendium I made for a friend's birthday recently.

While she is very crafty herself, she doesn't often make cards. (Can you beleive it - she's only studying full-time in her honours year, writing her thesis, working as an intern and being wife and Mum of two high-needs kids at home - how she doesn't fit in card-making I don't know.)

So I made her this little number:

It's a concertina file with 4 spaces inside to hold cards, for the special occasions that she does make them. Of course, I didn't want a gift that entailed lots of work and expectation, so I gave it pre-loaded...

Happy Birthday A!

P.S. "I believe that the best learning process of any kind of craft is just to look at the work of others. " Wole Soyinka

Thinking outside the pinata...

2010-09-09T15:53:00.000+10:00

A couple of weeks ago the small one attended a birthday party (with a science experiment theme! - it was fab) but I knew there would be a problem as soon as I saw this...

Arrgghh! A damn pinata. With a stick. And a set number of treats to be divided very unevenly between a large bunch of pushing and shoving party guests.

Those of you who know him might have trouble believing it, but the small one is actually quite shy around strangers. He is not really the pushing and shoving type (except with his brothers, where he is not only the pushing and shoving type, but also the yelling and hitting type) and for him a jaunty pinata swinging in the breeze is a sign of a quivering bottom lip, tears and glumly crossed arms to come.

So I was delighted to come across a great idea for a birthday 'pinata' that echoes the sideshow cry of "Every Child Wins a Prize!". Have a look how Brook of 'Inchmark' blog solved the problem at her latest kids birthday bash -

The kids threw darts at a wooden board, to which she had stapled balloons filled with different treats. Each child took a turn, even the littlest ones, and collected whatever fell out of the balloon they burst with their dart.

In a word , brilliant! Read all about her cool balloon themed party, including how to fill the balloons with treats, here.

Such good ideas out there! I love blogland.

P.S. “Last week the candle factory burned down. Everyone just stood around and sang Happy Birthday.” Stephen Wright

Way Cool...

2010-09-02T15:02:00.003+10:00

Have you seen these?! Aren't they great!?

As my boys are equally fond of ninjas AND gingerbread, these guys will definitely be making an appearance at our house as soon as we can source them in Oz!

Christmas will never be the same...

P.S. "Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Happy Birthday!

2010-08-27T14:22:00.001+10:00

My littlest one has gone from this...

to this...

in the blink of an eye.

Today he took this to school to share with his class, after opening all his lovely gifts...

Thanks to all our family and friends who remembered him today.

Happy Birthday sweet pea!

My two-cents-worth...

2010-08-17T13:06:00.000+10:00

I'm not about to go on about politics.

I don't think it's a great topic for general converstion. Who you vote for is your own business, arrived at through your own decision-making process and based on your own beliefs. No-one is able to make that decision for you, 'cause it comes down to you alone in that booth on Saturday.

I just wanted to share a great ad, made for ABC's "Gruen Nation" pitch segment. An advertising firm had to come up with an ad for The Australian Greens Party, and I think it's great. It sums up why I've been voting Green since they became a national party in 1992.

Watch if you want, or don't. That's the beauty of a democracy!

And that's my two cents spent.

Darren Hanlon Rocks My World....

2010-08-08T09:55:00.003+10:00

As a middle-aged mum from the suburbs, I don't get out to see live music very often (Ha! Ya think...) but I did make an exception on Friday night to see one of my favourite singer/songwriters ever - Darren Hanlon.

A true modern poet in the indie spirit of Billy Bragg and looking like a young Russell Crowe, he gave a lovely intimate performance in a historical theatre on the Sunshine Coast (the Majestic). I am smitten all over again (the first time was on hearing his first EP 'Early Days' back in 2000, specifically my all-time favourite song 'Falling Aeroplanes'), though possibly not as badly as the older lady full of Dutch courage professing her love and devotion for Darren from the middle of the theatre - "Darren, you rock my world" (amongst other sentiments) was heard several slurred times! It did make him smirk in a cute way though - *tee hee*.

He performed a real mix of old and new stuff and introduced the audience to his newest collaborator Shelley Short from Oregon, who sings with him on his new album. She was also fantastic and I will be searching out some of her music asap. Anyway, I have been listening contantly to Darren's amazing lyrics since Friday and thought I would share his latest release with you for musical education purposes. Enjoy!!

Freezer Paper Stencilling...

2010-07-27T17:30:00.000+10:00

I have been wanting to try this technique out for e-va, and have finally mustered enough mojo to give it a go.

Freezer paper stencilling has been all over the US craft blogs for a couple of years, beacuse it's something you can get at the supermarket in the States - by the roll, for separating stuff in the freezer (ya think!). We have to get it from craft shops, by the metre. I got mine from Twilight Crafts, last Esk weekend.

So here's a little run down of the process if you haven't seen it before...

Firstly, gather all your supplies. You will need freezer paper (obviously), a Sharpie or other fine marker, a nice bold design to trace, a cutting mat, a craft knife/blade and sharp scissors, an iron, a newspaper and some cardboard, the fabric you want to print on, craft/fabric paint and a firm stencil brush.

Print out or draw (or tear out of one of your kids colouring books) your design. Lay the freezer paper over the design, shiny side down.

Trace your design onto the freezer paper with the marker, shading or crosshatching the parts you will cut out. I taped mine to the bench to stop it moving around while tracing. (If you have a light box, this is the perfect time to use it!)

The beauty of this stuff is that you dont have to have the whole stencil joined together like traditional stencilling. You can have 'floating' sections, as they will be ironed on later. This really opens up your design options.

Once the whole design is traced out, the tedious part begins. (Especially if you are like me and chose a design with lots of detail. I was wishing halfway that I had chosen something simpler. *sigh*) You need to use the combined powers of a sharp blade and equally sharp scissors to remove all the shaded areas.

Don't forget to keep your 'floating' bits aside so they don't get thrown out by accident. (Not that I would do that, of course.)

Now for the fun part! You will need a firm surface for the ironing - an ironing board is not recommended. (I used the dining table.) Put a newspaper down, with a layer of stiff cardboard on top, then your fabric. (I used the front of a T-shirt, so the paper and cardboard went inside the shirt to stop the paint bleeding through to the back.)

Line up your stencil in the correct position. With your iron on the the maximum dry setting, iron the stencil onto the fabric. The shiny side of the freezer paper will melt and stick the stencil to the fabric! (Don't panic - it comes off easily later.)

Iron each section for about 30 seconds to make sure it's firmly attached. Then go back and add in any 'floating' parts of the design to their places. Test with your fingers to make sure they are firmly stuck down. Let the fabric cool.

Get your paint and stencil brush ready. (I used a cheap black craft acrylic, mixed 2 parts to 1 with fabric medium.)

Using a firm up-and-down dabbing motion, fill in the voids in the stencil with paint. try not to drag the brush side-to-side, as this can force the paint under the stencil.

Once the whole design is painted, leave to dry. 24 hours is suggested (bah!) but I was not that patient. I think I left mine about 2 hours, but it will depend on what type of paint you use.

Obviously mine is a simple black and white pattern, but you can use more than one colour if you want to be adventurous.

Once the drying time is up, you can do the big reveal. (Kids love to watch this part.) Using your fingers, or tweezers for the really thin bits, gently pull the freezer paper away from the fabric, holding the fabric down with the other hand.

Once all the paper is off, you will see your original design on the fabric. Voila! Now it just needs a press to set the paint and you're good to go. Ta Daa...

N.B. For those of you who recognise the design, do not think this choice demonstrates an alliegence. I am TE all the way. I just think it's a cool tattoo......
......especially on that arm...........
......mmmmmmmmmmm...........
......is it hot in here?.....................

Where was I??

Oh, that's right. All done for the tutorial. Let me know if you have a go - I'd love to see some other experiments in stencilling.

P.S. A kid's riddle for you-
Q: What is the best way to talk to a vampire?
A: Long distance.

A.W.O.L.

2010-07-17T14:38:00.000+10:00

Sorry. It's been a while, I know.

Sometimes, there's just not much going on that's worth talking about. You know how it is?!

The kids have been on school holidays, so any time I wasn't working I was trying to fit in some fun stuff for them - visiting rellies, playdates with friends, little day trips (like the ScienceCentre - still great fun for me!), ice creams at BR etc. I must admit that the later starts in the morning and not having to rush out the door every day was like a little holiday for me too, even with work.

Ahh. Simple pleasures. I have also been reading alot...actual novels! I know. Outrageous!

My creative mojo has been having a little holiday too, but I think it's just about ready to get back to work.

Till then, remember the Latin proverb "Destitutus ventis, remos adhibe" - If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.

Mmmmm...

2010-06-28T13:43:00.003+10:00

What do you do when you have weather like this...

Photo from www.esquire.com

and half a case of these?

You break out the old high school cookbook...

Peel, core and slice 10 apples...

Cook them for about 10 minutes with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water, then pop them in a pie plate...

Rub 3 tbsp of butter through 1 cup of plain flour, then add 3 tbsp of coconut and 3 tbsp of sugar. Sprinkle this mix over the apples...

and bake in a moderate oven until lightly browned.

Serve it hot with an accompaniment of your choice (we are partial to custard and vanilla whipped cream) and watch a family of five demolish it in 10 minutes!

Family of five / 10 apples = 2 apples per serve. 2 apples - that's gotta be healthy, right?

Like I said - Mmmmmmm.

P.S. "Food is not about impressing people. It's about making them feel comfortable."Ina Garten, 'The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook'

A Grand Day Out...

2010-06-16T09:45:00.004+10:00

I spent Saturday at the Scrapbook & Papercraft Convention in Brisbane with Toni. What a day!

We got an early start and were there when it opened, so that we had plenty of time to check out the stands before our classes. (Mind you, this takes a long time with Toni, beacuse she knows and chats to every second person she sees. She even managed to find the mother of a friend from primary school. Who else could do that?!)

Since I started working full time a few years ago, I don't get much chance to get into craft shops anymore. Seeing all the new products was a real treat. I was particularly taken with the new Kaisercraft collection which they had a raffle for...

(Photo from the Kaisercraft website - go check out the whole collection - it's beautiful!)

Toni managed to fenagle us an entry even though they had run out of tickets!

There were also some excellent displays from the tutors of the classes on offer this year. Check out the work of Lynette Carroll if you like shabby chic. Her scrunched paper wreath was to die for. (But the dusting!!)

We both did two classes, finishing with the one from Stick By Me using vinyl quotes, which were surprisingly easy to use. We applied them to tiles and then embellished...

We also managed to catch up with Ngaire Bartlam after her class, to say 'hi' and check out the progress of her tattoo - have a look at her amazing blog here. (I did a great scrapbooking class with her last year - see the page here.) Even with a head cold, she's still a hoot.

We didn't leave until the show closed - Toni was spending up until the very last moment! (I don't know how she managed to still have cash in her wallet!) It was great to shop vicariously though, and we found some good bargains and came up with some great project ideas together.

Despite the driving (Toni) and texting (me) adventures on the way home (tell you later), we had a brilliant day - full of laughs, friendship, shopping and craft. Thanks Gumby! *wink*

P.S. "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." Twyla Tharp

The end of the 'long' project...

2010-06-06T11:39:00.001+10:00

Have you guessed yet?

The 'long' project was not only long, at 2.5m, it's also 4m wide when closed...

It's curtains!

Or to be more exact, drop cloth curtains. Made from drop cloths. You know, like for painting. From Bunnings. Two huge panels of gorgeous, thick, natural cotton for just over $40!

Mind you, they don't start gorgeous. They come like this...

Elegant, no! Cheap (for 9' x 12') - yes! (I got mine on special - $20.99 each.)

If you're going to use new drop cloths rememeber - once you remove the plastic, you will want to put them straight into the wash - they stink! The cotton is in a raw state and will need the little bits of 'chaff' washing out - did I mention the smell? (I guess painters are used to stinky smells. They probably don't wash theirs.) I washed mine twice in hot water, with drying time in between to make sure all the shrinkage was done before the sewing and that the fabric would be nice and soft.

Notice the great big black brand-name? Once the cloth was dried and ironed, I cut a strip from one selvedge to the other just under the printing. This is the fabric I used to make the concealed tabs on the top.

Because the strip I cut off ran down the side with a hem (the 9' one) I re-hemmed it. This became a side of the curtain. (The sides were already hemmed when the cloth was made - how cool is that?) The selvedge sides (12' ones) are the top and bottom. I made some tabs for the top, using my curtain rod and how much fabric was in the extra strip as a guide to the size. I used 16 tabs per curtain, and didn't need to use any of the fabric with the brand on it. There were even a few leftovers.

Once the top was folded over 10cm, and the tabs evenly spaced and pinned on, I machine stiched two long lines across the panels, 1cm from the top and bottom of each tab.

Basically done. I didn't even have to hem the bottom because it's a selvedge edge, though I'm still trying to decide if I like the 'pooled' look at the bottom. (Check out examples of extra long drapes here and here.) I may still decide to hem them.

In Design Rules, Elaine Griffin says, "Curtains should always be installed as close to the ceiling line as possible in order to visually elongate your windows and uplift your ceiling." And, "Never end your curtains exactly at your window trim. Extending the rod by at least 6 to 8 inches past the outer edge of the trim on each side of the window will let in bushels of light when the curtains are open, makes your windows look gargantuan and show off your lovely curtain fabric too."

And blow me down, she's right you know. Our room looks bigger and grander! (Though I keep expecting them to open to a fanfare of organ music and people to start dancing across my back patio!) The colour also helps make the room larger, as it's similar to the walls.

The nice french seams in the cloth give a little added detail - I decided to go with the pre-joined cloths and have 2 larger detailed panels than smaller cloths and 4 or 6 plain panels.

Anyhoo, the new look is much better than the old, dark, stingy curtains we had before:

(Just ignore the cute egg tree and focus on the blah curtains in the background - I forgot to take a 'before' shot. D'oh.)

One more look...

Ahhh. Much better!

P.S. "But Nature cast me for the part she found me best fitted for, and I have had to play it, and must play it till the curtain falls." Edwin Booth

Key Art...

2010-06-03T11:04:00.001+10:00

I have finally got around to a little art piece that has been on the drawing board for ages. I bought this frame from a discount shop months ago, waiting on finding some vintage skeleton keys.

Unfortunately, the real thing is a bit spendy - if you can even find them. I settled for the three largest of these:

(Purchased from Twilight Crafts while at the Esk retreat.)

I used some paper scraps with text (that I already had) that fitted ...

and Voila! More art for my house. Which I need. 'Cause you can still see bits of the wall in some places.

So I had a little accessory re-arrange and made my linen chest vignette a bit more Autumnal.

Roll on cooler weather. More time for projects!

Stay warm.

P.S. "Barometer, n.: An ingenious instrument which indicates what kind of weather we are already having." Ambrose Bierce

Busy, busy, busy...

2010-05-31T18:11:00.013+10:00

Best laid plans and all that. :(

Have been too busy camping, taxi-ing children to various outings and playdates and shopping for school camp to get to the blog lately. Will try harder. *promise*

Not that camping wasn't fun! The lovely Neurum Creek Bush Retreat out near Woodford is a fantastic place for kids - beautiful creek, bike tracks, walking paths, swimming hole, open fires and even movie night on Saturdays.

However, I think we'll pack the tent away for a few months now that the cold weather (I can hear all the Southerners sniggering) is here.

See - I even had to wear my new scarf! (Still very chuffed to have learned a new skill - can't you tell?)

P.S. " Isn't it interesting that the same people who laugh at science fiction listen to weather forecasts and economists? " Kelvin Throop III

Amy Butler-ised

2010-05-19T17:28:00.000+10:00

My Sweet Harmony handbag is finished!

It was a bit fiddly (lots of prep - eewwww) and I was wishing I didn't choose patterns that needed matching, but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

There are a few tweaks I will make next time (like altering the placement of the magnetic snaps, lowering the phone pocket slightly and cutting the lining about 1cm smaller than the exterior) to get a more professional finish.

The lining isn't very snug. :(

I'm on the lookout for another fabric combination - this time I need something with black in it! I have been meaning to make a bag for using with black shoes and /or pants for ages. I keep getting distracted by pretty things that are green and brown and aqua...and green... and turquoise...and lemon...*focus!* I want something non-directional, maybe a modern floral. Got any suggestions?

In other news, the knitting is going well. I hope to have a new scarf to take camping this weekend. Very proud of myself - seems you can teach an old dog new tricks!

And here's a sneak peak of my current project - it's very 'long'. *snigger*

Will post when it's done. But not till after camping. Getting the thermal underwear ready right now.

P.S. Camping: The art of getting closer to nature while getting farther away from the nearest cold beverage, hot shower and flush toilet. ~Author Unknown

A Wonderful Weekend Away...

2010-05-14T12:12:00.001+10:00

I know Friday is really late to be posting about the past weekend, but whaddaya gonna do? I work fulltime and run after 3 kids, so this is the first chance I've had to even look at the few photos I took (let alone unpack) since I got home on Sunday evening.

Not that it wasn't worth it - it was great! A really nice mix of 8 women of different ages and personalities plus wonderful hosts made for a fun, laughter-filled, relaxing and inspiring time at our Twilight2Twilight craft retreat in Esk.

I did some papercrafting...

a bit of sewing...

(The Amy Butler bag is coming along nicely.)

started to learn to knit...

(though I have a long way to go with this new skill...)

ate lots of this...

(photo coutesy of Tamara from Twilight2Twilight)

had a view of scenes like this...

and had plenty of these type of moments!

(Don't you luuuurve our glorious slippers from the Esk markets?)

I even got to share Mothers' Day with my Mum for the first time in ages, which made up for the fact that I had to wait until that evening to see my own kids. (Poor me! I don't know how I stood the sleeping in and having food prepared for me and all that time to myself. I know you can sympathize.)

When I did finally get home, I was presented with some lovely handmade cards from the small ones, and some nice gifts.

They all bought gifts from the Mothers' Day stall at school, and despite the range of items available, I ended up with 3 oil lamps, 2 of which are identical. Must be genetic!

And my wonderful hubby D got me a great new retro kitchen scale - just what I wanted. How did he know? It's almost like I went shopping myself the week before! 'Nuff said.

(Mmmmmmm. Shiny.)

Hope all is well in your worlds'! Mine is a pretty happy place right now.

Isn't it wonderful what a little break from the everyday can do?

P.S. "The man who doesn't relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily, now and then, is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his head for the edification of the pathologist and trained nurse, a little later on." ~Elbert Hubbard

Mummy Bragging...

2010-05-02T10:17:00.000+10:00

Just wanted to show you something great made by my youngest...

It's an Anzac Day poster showing "Soldiers' Work" (the theme for this year) which was entered into the Pine Rivers RSL poster competition for Year 1-3. Obviously, the soldier is holding a hammer, a brick and a bucket of mortar because he's rebuliding a village house that was damaged, while the helicopter brings more building materials

and the tank guards the town. (Not that I had to have it explained, of couse. Mothers know these things.)

The best thing is that it was not only me who thought it was great - he won!

We attened the Anzac Day service at Kallangur last Sunday

After the service, he was presented with his cetificate and a cheque for $150! We had one very proud 6-year-old (and Mum and Dad).

He was convinced to donate a small part of the winnings (he chose the Guide Dogs) but most of the rest went on this...

Which he sepent the entire day yesterday building and playing with...

Ta-da! We are both so proud.

P.S. “Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.” Paul Bryant

Latest Trash to Treasure Transformation...

2010-04-28T17:18:00.000+10:00

Isn't he cute?

Well, I saw his potential at Lifeline. Once I added a few coats of this...

(Yes - you can now get Rustoleum in Australia! *happy dance*)

He looked like this...

And now has pride of place here...

Ca-ute!

While I am not usually into ~~dust collectors~~ ~~grandma ornaments~~ items that have no other use, I am going to make the most of owls being in fashion and try the look out for a while.

What do you think?

P.S. “The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Guess who's a year older?

2010-04-22T12:58:00.000+10:00

To D - my husband and best friend - Happy Birthday! xxx

More Trash to Flash...

2010-04-11T10:19:00.006+10:00

The latest transformation is finished!

I showed you a little peek here of the 1970's timber and brass light fitting I found at Lifeline for $4. Here it is in all it's ~~gory~~ glory... It would have once had glass shades over each of the bulbs, but they were long gone.

Niiiiiiiice! Not.

But it will be. First I had to find out how it came apart so I could paint it.

Then I had to strip out all of the electrical bits. There were quite a lot! These all went in the bin.

I gave all the nasty brassy bits a coat of silver spray paint...

and all the wooden parts got a coat of red craft paint (because that's what I had on hand).

Once the red was dry, I added a coat of clear spray sealer, 'cause it will hang outdoors. I put it back together, but did need to find a few small nuts in the shed to use where the electrical bits used to be. (It could also be done with hot glue.)

The finishing touch was to buy 3 tea light candle holders from Prices Plus (they were .50c each) and pop them into the spots where the bulbs used to be. I added a small length of chain (from Bunnings) and D drilled a hole in the ceiling of our outdoor area for a hook.

Ta Da!

And it looks even better at night...

P.S. "Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." ~Chinese Proverb

*I am linking up with Made By You Mondays @ Skip To My Lou*

*and DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land*

*Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm*

*Trash to Treasure Tuesday @ Reinvented*

*Look What I Made Day @ Creations by Kara*

*Show and Share Day @ Just A Girl*

Go and see some of the other cool projects out in Blogland!

Keep Calm...

2010-04-07T20:59:00.001+10:00

Remember the lovely picture I mentioned here? Thought you might like to see what I did with it. (No, I didn't just clean the $2 price label off and hang it up, like these.)

The frame was in pretty good nick, so I fixed that! After taking out the old print out and cleaning the glass, I gave it a rough up with some sandpaper and a coat of clear sealer. Then I cut a piece of kraft card to fit the frame.

What I mounted on the card was this...

Have you seen this poster around? It has a fascinating history (which you can read on Wikipedia here), but the best thing about it is that it is in the public domain. This means that you can copy and print it, copyright free. (My favourite kind!) So I did...

I love it, and it's in a really appropriate place...

right near the front door where we pack the school bags, get shoes on and and get ready to leave the house in the morning. Not sure that it's helping me with the 'calm' part, but it does make make me smile.

I count that as a win.

P.S. “Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” Michael Caine

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T16:15:00.002+10:00

Hope your Easter day has been full of joy... and chocolate. And some easy Easter decorations, like the egg tree and grass nests above.

This is the first time I have ever decorated for Easter. I had no idea that people even did it! Blogland has been such an inspiration.

To make a tree, take a trip to the park (6-year-old apprentice optional) and choose a suitable branch (or the closest you can find before it gets too dark) .

Paint with whatever craft or spray paint you have on hand (though spray is quicker). I used this...

Once the branch is dry, use some sand or pebbles to stand it in a container - I used a ceramic vase.

I was lucky enough to find some paper mache eggs with hanging ribbons for only a few dollars at the local discount place. Even the colours weren't too bad, though I did repaint the pink ones scarlet.

Once I hung the eggs on each branch, I tied a few white feathers onto each branch end with a ribbon to finish them off.

Pretty, no?

(Though if you want to see a truly spectacular example, check our Eddie Ross's here. If I'd seen his first, I might not have bothered!)

The nests are just twisted wreaths of long grass (also from the park), popped on top of my white candle holders, with another paper egg in the centre.

They make a very easy and cheap table centrepiece!

I also put a few other small Easter touches around the place, like these candy eggs and little bird...

and a new feather wreath, just like the aqua one from Christmas, but in white.

Hope you had a wonderful day with family and friends.

P.S. "Easter is not a time for groping through dusty, musty tomes or tombs to disprove spontaneous generation or even to prove life eternal. It is a day to fan the ashes of dead hope, a day to banish doubts and seek the slopes where the sun is rising, to revel in the faith which transports us out of ourselves and the dead past into the vast and inviting unknown."

~Author unknown, as quoted in the Lewiston Tribune

Warm and toasty rag quilt...

2010-03-30T16:40:00.009+10:00

You might remember that back in October, I mentioned that I was starting a quilt - like the one Tara Dennis made on BH&G last August. (Her little video is here.) Well, I was right with my off-hand comment that it might be quilt weather by the time I was finished. D'oh!

I wanted something for myself, to use the fabrics in my stash that I just hadn't been able to part with. So a simple quilt for the couch was the answer.

I didn't want to buy anything new, so I based my square size on the amount of the fabrics that I already had - they ended up being 20cm x 20cm. They can be as big or as small as you like, just remember that you need enough backing fabric to make the same number of squares as the front (I used 48, in a 6x8 formation) as well as enough of your 'warm' filler to make the same number of squares, 2cm less per side than the main fabrics. For the back I used a thrifted red sheet (heaps left over) and my fill was an old, soft, thick, flanelette sheet.

Here is a ~~little~~ quite long (sorry!) step-by-step, if you're thinking of making one for yourself...

Once you have all the squares cut from all three fabrics, press all pieces well. (It will make them easier to handle and line up.)

Sandwich a piece of the fill centred between a backing and top piece and line up neatly. Pin to hold in place.

Stitch across both diagonals of the square. (You can either use the same colour thread for each piece, or co-ordinate with your fabric.)

Once all the squares have their layers sewn together, the fun part starts! Lay your squares out to decide on the design. I was trying to have an even mix of colours spread across the rug (the cat was quality control). I also tried to vary the direction of the designs so that it looked OK from any angle. Once your're happy with the design, pin the squares into rows. (I did 6 rows of 8 squares.)

This is the unusual part of the project - you need to pin and stitch the squares wrong sides together! (For anyone who has done some sewing before, this will feel really wrong.) Stitch your squares into rows, keeping them in order so you don't mess up your carefully contructed design. (Just sayin'. Not that I would do this...)

Press the seams on one row all in the same direction. Then do the next row in the opposite direction. This will make the seams less bulky when you come to sew the rows together.

The back of the row should be nice and neat - feels weird, but it will look great!

Once all your rows are complete, line up and pin the rows - wrong sides together, then stitch. (As I had 6 rows, I did them in 2 lots of 3, so I wasn't handling so much of the quilt at once.)

Then sew the sections of the quilt together in the same way. Once it's all in one piece, do a row (or two) around the entire quilt, leaving the same seam allowance as the rest of your seams.

Now for the tedious bit, that makes it look so cool once it's washed. You have to clip all the seams.

All. The. Seams. There are many. Use very sharp scissors and cut down to (but not through) the stitching, about every centimetre.

One more step!

Put the quilt into a pillowcase or cloth bag (to stop your washing machine getting full of threads) and wash well. I also put mine through the dryer. The exposed seams should go all fluffy and delicious. And that's it!

Now pop it on the couch and wait for cool weather and ~~Desperate Housewives~~ a very interesting documentary. Mmmmmm.

P.S. "Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you cook is eaten so quickly. When you sew, you have something that will last to show for your efforts." ~Elizabeth Travis Johnson

*I am linking up with DIY Day @ A Soft Place to Land here.*

* Made By You Mondays @ Skip To My Lou here*

*Get Your Craft On @ Today's Creative Blog here*

*Look What I Made Day @ Creations by Kara here*

Go and check out all the wonderful projects in blogland!

Latest Fab Finds...

2010-03-21T14:05:00.000+10:00

Just thought I'd share some of the best items I've found in the last month, between the local 'op shops' and the church rummage sale.

What do you think you can get for $2 at the local Lifeline? How about these great prints for the bedroom wall at two bucks a pop....

They are the perfect match for our linen! Have a look at the original tag on the back...score!

The next find was from the church rummage sale...looks a bit grubby... It's only silver plate, but heavy and good quality.

Now it is shiny and lovely and looking after our mess of remote controls...mmmmm.

Unfortunately timing is everything with second-hand shoppping. If only I had found this great set of aqua mats before Christmas! Not entirely sure, but I assume it is a short table runner and two placemats?

The colour is great and they are a lovely texture. They would have been great here!

This lovely picture has been used for another project, which I'll show you separately another time. Needless to say, it has improved!

And finally, you'll also have to wait to see what I did with this classy, brassy little number...

Enjoy your week, and keep an eye out for things that might have a second use at your place.You just never know!

P.S. “I believe that thrift is essential to well-ordered living.” John D. Rockefeller

What A Day!

2010-03-16T22:59:00.005+10:00

Well, Canberra on Saturday was great - although I think I'm a bit past the jetsetting lifestyle.

A 5.30am flight out of Brisbane, a day of walking, standing and crowds, a bit of anxiety over timeframes and a long, dark drive home from the airport had me falling asleep on the couch about 9.30pm!

Not that it wasn't totally worth it! Look at this face...

While we didn't get time to visit here...

Or here...

We did see them from a distance, while we had a lovely walk from the city side of Lake Burley Griffin to the gallery, across the Commonwealth Bridge.

We really enjoyed the lack of humidity and the cool breeze. And it was fine!

What we did get to see at the exhibition (when we eventually got to the front of the reeeeeeeaaaaaly long queue) was this...

photo from www.canvaz.com

and this...

photo from www.janeresture.com
and this...

photo from Musée d'Orsay, Paris

and not to mention, this...

photo from www.allmonet.com

It was such a revelation to see these in the flesh (or is that 'in the paint'?). Almost every work was a different size to what I expected (some were huge!) and the shiny silkiness of the oil paint and the visible brush strokes were just so different to seeing prints or photos.

One of my absolute favourites was this Van Gogh...

http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/MASTERPIECESfromPARIS

The paint was so thick and textured, the colours so vivid! The perspective is so unusual - when you stand in front of it, it seems to come towards you from the top. I was quite taken aback by a painting having such an unexpected impact.

It was also really interesting to see other visitors looking at the works. The looks of surprise, the eyes squinting at the pointilist ones, the steps back to get a better view - people watching at it's best! (Not to mention some of the best ~~art wank~~ 'amateur art critic' conversations ever overheard. Bahahaha!)

We had just enough time to see a few other sections of the permanent collection at the National Gallery and to check out the shop for a few souvenirs (suffice it to say that I now have a Cezanne still life ready to hang in my kitchen!) before heading back to the airport.

It was the best birthday gift I have had for ages! Thanks D, and to my Mum and sister for sharing the adventure with me.

P.S. “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
Henry Ward Beecher

I am the Answer...

2010-03-11T18:00:00.003+10:00

If you are a fan of Douglas Adams you'll get this.

Yes, today I'm...

Or, to put it another way, I'm celebrating the 21st anniversary of my 21st birthday party...

If you still haven't cottoned on... it's my birthday and I'm 42. (I know, I know, I don't look a day over 50. Ha ha.)

My sweet kids gave me these things this morning

(they chose the cards themselves - thanks D)

I treated myself to this beautiful handbag pattern (from eBay - a bargain!)...

(can't wait to find just the right fabric) and this delightful piece by Gradum Gypsies on Etsy, which I luuuurve!

But what I'm really looking forward to this birthday is actually on Saturday, when I'm going here...

Photo courtesy of facts-about-countries.com

to see this...

Masterpieces from Paris:
Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and beyond
4 December 2009 – 18 April 2010 | Exhibition Galleries
The National Gallery of Australia is proud to present one of the most extraordinary exhibitions ever held in Australia. Soon, you won’t have to travel to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris to see masterpieces by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat, Pierre Bonnard, Emile Bernard, Claude Monet, Maurice Denis and Edouard Vuillard; you can visit them in Canberra.
View more

Yay!! Can't wait! Thanks to the best husband in the world - Happy Birthday to Me!!

Courage...

2010-03-05T15:12:00.000+10:00

Photo courtesy of powerfulwords.wordpress.com

I have been trying to keep my word in focus for the last week or so and something I read on the blog of a terrific writer, Brene Brown (author of "I Thought It Was Just Me") really resonated with me.

She has been researching how women finding their voice and speaking out can be a shame trigger. Even so, she writes that, "If you decide to trade in your authenticity for safety, there are a few things to keep in mind. Your unexpressed ideas, opinions, and contributions will not just go away. They are likely to fester and eat away at your worthiness. You may experience the following: anxiety, depression, overeating, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment and inexplicable grief."

Something to think about...

A "Good Enough" Entryway...

2010-02-26T17:01:00.001+10:00

Where do you and your kids enter your house? Back, front, garage, side? And where does all the "stuff" go?

You know the stuff I mean - the school bags, the shoes (oh, the shoes!) the socks, the inside-out jumpers, the library bags, the 'things that need to go back to the car', the 'things that need to go to the charity bin', the shoes...

We enter the house through the front door. Consequently that is also where the stuff goes. It has been driving me mad for a long time. I had a small bench at the entry to sit on whilst putting on shoes, and the shoes were supposed to go under it. They. never. did. The kids school bags went on the seat of the bench, but when they were there, there was nowhere to sit! Arrggh.

What I really really want is one of these. I have even printed out the plans and started costing it.

But I'm trying to be realistic. The time frame for planning, saving, buying materials, learning to use the power tools and actually building it is loooong.

So I have compromised for the sake of my sanity (oh! the shoes!). I 'borrowed' an Ikea 'Billy' shelving unit from our office by re-arranging a few things and have made an entryway organiser that is good enough for now.

I re-arranged the shelves so that there is an open space at kid-level. I used 3M hooks for their school bags. Homework folders and library books can sit flat on the shelf under the bags if needed. School shoes go on the bottom shelf, casual shoes above the bags. (Since I took the photos, I have added some inital stickers to show whose things go where - working well, especially for the SHOES.)

I picked up some 9L rectangular basins at the supermarket that fit really well onto the shelves, which hold hats, sports gear and schoolwork ready to be sorted (either 'filed' in the ~~bin when the kid's not looking~~ round file or put into a binder for keeping). Some old alphabet stickers and the help of a six-year-old shows what's inside. There is still room on the top for those 'pending' things - wiaiting to leave the house to their next destination. I am on the lookout for some nice baskets for that spot.

Ahhhh!

That's better. Not perfect, but definitely better. Shoes all over the floor are no longer ~~sending me slowly insane~~ bothering me.

What's good enough at your place lately?

Happy Valentines' Day

2010-02-14T16:01:00.001+10:00

We normally don't make much of a fuss of today's 'holiday'. It feels a bit like another excuse for retailers to convince you to buy more stuff you don't need, slotted neatly between 'back-to-school bargains' and 'Easter savings'. In past years, I have been known to bake heart-shaped biscuits and put them in the kids' school lunches, but that has been the extent of the celebration as I am ~~cheap~~ thrifty and refuse to be drawn into the hype.

This year, I thought that because ~~there was so much cool free stuff around~~ the 14th fell on a weekend, I would make a little effort to show my boys that I really do love them despite my ~~frequent ranting and screaming~~ occasional crankiness.

I found some terrific FREE printable goodie bags here. I didn't have any paper bags to print directly on to, so just used plain paper and then cut and glued onto some cellophane bags I had left over from Christmas baking.

Once I added a few heart-shaped chocolates and some heart-y ribbon, they were good to go to surprise the kids in the morning.

I found a really great card for hubby from one of my favourite graphic designers, Cameron Blazer, for FREE on her blog here. She has a really ~~dark~~ interesting sense of humour! Right up my alley, and comes with a matching envelope. Did I mention it was FREE?

And then to have something to share in the afternoon, I made a batch of Raspberry Swirl cupcakes...

with pink cream cheese frosting, topped with some little picks I made by using the free printable chocolate wrappers from here and a bit of creative punching and cutting.

Yum! Hope your day has been full of ~~cupcakes~~ love too!

P.S. "Life's greatest happiness is to be convinced we are loved." -Victor Hugo

Household Organisation Station

2010-02-07T14:09:00.004+10:00

As promised, less than a week since my last post and a pretty cute project...

Recently I spotted this in the markdown section of the local discount place while doing the weekly grocery shopping (you know the one, starts with "A"). The box was damaged so it was half price.

I thought it looked interesting (for the price) but didn't buy it because I couldn't think where I could use something tall and thin.

'Till a couple of days later.

I have been thinking for a while about how I could better organise my bills, school notices and filing, which have been living in the craft room. This was just not working. Most of the time that room is full of stuff waiting to be put away, given away or filed away. (I seem to be the only one who ever returns things to where they belong in my house - can you sympathise?) Because I don't get time to craft regularly, I don't go in there, and hence don't attend to those things as often as I should.

I also had the issue that our phone was up a little too high for the younger 2 boys to reach it easily, especailly to check the caller ID. Then one afternoon I walked into the kitchen and wham! Things came together in my head. Could that cupboard I had seen be a solution to both problems? I couldn't remember reading the dimensions, so actually didn't know how tall or wide it was, but went back to the shop anyway to see if it was still there. It was!

I figured even if it turned out to only be a temporary fix, I was only $30 worse off.

I am a very visual person, so had to assemble it first to get a feel for the dimensions.

It's very tall and thin, but would hold what I needed. I marked out the position of the shelves and spots for 2 cord holes on the backboard, then partly took it apart to cut.

My long-suffering hubby got out the hole saw and joined me in my scheme. (Hooray for boys with power tools! Mwah!)

Once the holes for the cords were cut (one for the phone in the top section, one for a power board inside the cupboard) I used the shelf marks to match up 3 pieces of 12x12 scrapbook paper to line the back. (Practicality must be accompanied by pretty, or what's the point?!) Once these were attached (only around the edges with double-sided tape, mind you. A girl's gotta have options!) I slid the backing boards back in.

Et voila!

Now for the fun bits! On the top shelf inside the door is hidden a charging station for my camera battery, MP3 player and mobile phone. (It's a powerboard attached to the shelf where those messy chargers can be permanently plugged in and hidden away.) The next one down holds tape, glue, scissors, stapler & envelopes - the stuff you are always needing for bills, school notes and running repairs. The bottom shelf holds the household accordian file for this year, so the important things can be filed as soon as they're received or finished with. (No more 'out of sight, out of mind' in the craft room!)

Up the top is the cute stuff. The phone where the kids can reach it, togther with a pretty notepad...

and with the addition of some 3M hooks on the back and sides, a place for some decorated clipboards and a bulldog clip to hold all the important papers still in use. The shelf still has space for my ideas book and diary.

I am one happy little organiser. All the things I use every day are now close to hand, and stinkin' cute to boot!

P.S. “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”Roman Catholic Saint Francis of Assisi on time management in 1200AD