Blogtoberfest day 6

I'm always conscious that my kids spend a bit of time staring at the box on the school hols. Luckily I am happy for them to spend all day in front of this box:


This allows me time to practice crochet and create silly nonsense like this! Piggy for fun, quilted checker/chess boards for school fair.



Kids didn't get to the peggies yesterday, they were too busy with the chicks. Plenty of time still left in the hols for crafty pursuits. They are loving baking at the moment, but the damn oven in the new house is CRAP so results vary.

xx

Red and yellow and pink and green...

Image from here

Rainbows are very popular here with Master 7 and Miss 3. They have however been debating the colour recently.

Master 7 has always liked his pencils etc to be lined up in rainbow order. For some time he believed that the order was like a list of favourite colours. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Everything from cars and pencils to bottletops and socks had to be placed in this order.

Miss 3 is less precise, and more of a 'stirrer'. She prefers: 'red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue... you can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too...'

For anyone who is familiar with Asperger's Syndrome, you will know that this does not auger well for happy family discusssions!

In other news, today is the last day of term 3, so hopefully lots of photos to come, as we unpack the boxes and create our new home!

xx

What's the time?!?

Most mornings, this is the first thing out of my mouth. Without my glasses, I have no idea. There is a digital clock in my room, and Master 7 confidently tells me it's: "7 minutes past 14", or similar.

I just had to share that Miss 3 came in the other morning with a declaration that it was: "half-past, dot-dot 41 dot com dot au"

It certainly made me sit up and smile - gotta love kids!

xx

MMaM Project One!

So have you bought or borrowed The Book? Everyone is talking about and snapping up Pip's lovely creation!


My mothers' group bought one for the library and it happens to have come home with me (thanks Rachel!)

I had a go this morning of Project One - the Teeny-tiny Goody-two-shoes.


Miss M seemed to think they were ok - I think that the pink buttons I added (Miss M loves buttons!) should have been red, but not bad for a first attempt. Hoping to do 2 more pairs before the weekend for Miss S and Master C just because their feet are tiny enough to fit into them!

Only a teeny bit of swearing involved in this project, so perfect for beginners and confident seamstresses alike. Fabric was left over from obi belt of dress I made for Miss 3 for Mr BBs 40th after being inspired by Little Munchkins. Great project for re-using scraps.

Are we there yet?

Winter that is. We have scraped ice off the car, had semi-frozen washing, had dragon breath in the house, turned on the heater, used the electric blanket. Yes, I know it's still May! We have had some respite over recent days though, with mild nights and days, allowing me time to complete some urgent Winter warmers.

My first pair of socks are now complete!


Mittens (or knittens as she puts it) for Miss 3 (yes, we have had a birthday!)


Scarf for Miss 3 made from double thickness polar fleece, buttons and felt. An easy sewing project that littlies can help with.


I am now over the sock hump, and have grand plans for a matching pair for Master 7, and socks for friends and for Mum. They are so cosy and imperfect. Long live wonky craft! Mr BB kindly noticed that they were slightly different lengths... this is all part of my impatience with wanting things NOW... I'm working on it.

The other thing about the socks, is that one is narrower in the foot than the other. After making the first and realising how roomy it was, I made additional decreases and the second fits more snugly, but us a little short in the toe. Despite this, I wear them as often as I can. Bring on the hand-knitted socks! I get it now Bells!!

The other little project that has been on the go is a desk for a dear little Miss-almost-5. A $5 desk from Aussie Junk, plus some cut-outs and paint, and voila. I'm really happy with this, and hope she is too!


Finally, also for Miss-almost-5, a hanging rack for her dress-ups. Not at all like me to get out the hammer and drill, but I had so much fun with this. It needs paint etc but you get the idea. Phew! A busy weekend!


In family news, Mr BB has had 2 weeks of gentle, part-time-hours back at work. Dr has just prescribed another 3 weeks part-time. He is getting there, slowly.

Take care,

Jess
x

Yes I DO still sew!

In the case of Buttons versus the Blog, we submit the following evidence that the Janome is still fighting fit and producing merrily.

Of course there have been more tiered skirts. They are a staple, and I love them. Question is, would you buy one? What's the going rate for wonky craft?! I'm no professional but I do need to feed the habit... At a market stall not a shop where you expect a bit more like perfection, what price tag would sing to you? I'm interested in feedback from you. I have a number in my head - is it too low? Too high? Just an aside.



There have been bags using up scraps and thrifted zippers, from my head as well as on line tutorials. These are destined as gifts not commercial gain, as they are not my 'original' designs. (What IS original anyway???!)




Also a present for a great friend who ADORES President Obama. I used a free downloadable image of a cross-stitch pattern and printed it onto silk. Using interfacing and trim to 'frame' the image, it now graces a t-shirt for her!

Finally a wonky-looking (as it's full already!) bag for Master 7's computer-gamey thing. Necesary not beautiful. I was not going to buy one for $20 - I knew there was polar fleece and velcro around here somewhere that could be used!

In closing, in the pile of things to sew are: a dress for Miss 2 for the upcoming 40th of a certain BB family member; PJ pants for me; mending; a memory quilty thingy idea for a pressie; and innumerable other options for bunting; tiered skirts; and pants for Master 7. Elasticated pants (necessary for the Asperger in him) are hard to find past size 6.

As long as the family don't want the dining table back soon I will be fine to continue sewing daily. Cheap therapy!

And for gratuitous cute value, here is Miss 2 colouring in her Easter page for the local competition. No parental help here, an entry from a two-year-old is in fact done by... a two-year-old! Note that the toasted cheese sandwich finger prints are her own original touch.

j

Mum, I need two cakes! Pleeeeeeeease?

So Master 7 wanted a cake like a seven, but also a Ben 10 (*shudder*) cake. "Like an Omnitrix Mum, you know!" (actually, no, I don't know...!)



The things we do - and although there was disappointment (read Aspergers' meltdown), that there was not an Omnitrix in sight, the Ben 10 cake was later proclaimed "awesome".

Phew. He's now making up for his lack of "stuff" by compiling his list for Santa. Yep, it's March..... How did this happen?????!

j

"Where do you go to my darling, when you're alone in your head?"

It's been a while since I posted. I've felt like I haven't much to say, and also have been overwhelmed by the Victorian Bushfires.

Thank you so much for the comments and encouragement after my last post. Leaving was easy, knowing what to do in the meantime has been the hardest. I have committed to doing things that make me happy. Drinking tea, walking, swimming, being with friends, knitting, cooking, reading, op-shop browsing.

I have been blessed by the Op-Shop fairies over the past couple of weeks, in a Big Way. Vintage, fully operational Fisher Price (mine not in the box) from '60s/70s:

This plays a gorgeous tune, 'In the good old summertime'. I love it. As I walked around the market I found it at, I kept winding it up to listen to the tune. The ferris wheel turns as the music plays. It makes me smile, so it's a keeper!

Today though I hit pay-dirt. In a big way. Trash and Treasure market near home, sitting on a tarp, I found this. Something I have coveted since childhood. Ready? You may have to sit down. Look!!

Again, it makes me smile. Grin. Grimace. Giggle. What I love the most though is Miss 2 playing so gleefully with it.


All the furniture and people are there, as well as the dog house! The lift works, and the closing meachanism works perfectly. Miss 2 carries the dog house around as it sits so neatly in her hands.


Now apart from a Holly Hobbie sewing machine, the only other item I seek with hope and trepidation was also discovered this weekend at a market:


I will be taking my morning coffee from this tomorrow! I had one identical as a child, and fondly remember taking soup to school in it. This one is in pristine condition, and is beautiful. (The bag - also a recent purchase and a new and firm fave - was a Salvos find that The Shopping Sherpa unearthed for me!)

Lots to play with - lots to share - lots to smile at.

xx

TV is not all bad...

Master 6 and Miss 2 were playing beautifully with TLK's kids and some empty boxes. That is, until a disagrement. Inevitable amongst kids really, but this was one we've not had before.

Master 6 and Master 5 were putting on a TV show for the Misses 2... problem was, should they be the News or the 7:30 Report?! Gotta love the minds of these little lads!

j

Images of the beach

The ferry between Sorrento and Queenscliff in Victoria takes car or foot passengers across Port Philip Bay hourly in Summer.

After waving goodbye to Grandma, we took the ferry across the water to see Granny and Grandpa at 'their beach'.

Memories and pictures in my mind will last forever, these images will remind me.

Marvellous.


j

Lego Brickvention 09

Yes, this is a craft blog! Yes, I still go op-shopping! However the holiday shots are still being shown! You no like? Don't read on!

One of the events of the trip to Melbourne was the Brickvention 09 - a Lego convention hosted by the Melbourne Lego Users Group.


When they say there is something for everyone, they're not kidding! Even I got a kick out of a few of the exhibits. The best for me was a rock festival set up, with hundreds of Lego people watching. Back stage was a warm-up area, where you could see various legends rehearsing. Here's The Village People.



Here's DEVO!!


Of course there was a mosh-pit....


However my favourite?

Sensational! 'Fabulously exciting', as quoted by Master 6.

Of course my other highlight was a crafty one. One of the exhibitors wore a cap he had decorated with Lego pieces.



He had sewn them on, and can change the pieces he wears as of course they clip on and off. Master 6 loved it; I was intrigued. Of course I am now making one for my son as a memento of the trip. I hope he likes it!

j

Declarations of LOVE

A Dear Old School Friend is visiting from down south, to view the Degas Exhibition at the National Gallery here in Canberra. The exhibition is stunning, and well worth a visit this Summer to Your Nation's Capital.


Mr BB had assembled a magnificent pasta, vanilla bean ice cream, and chilled Alicante, and we were all gathered for dinner around the table.

Image from here.

Miss 2 held our attention with tales of the day, which were summed up for our friend as:

My brother is a good sister. (Go figure) -

My Daddy can cook (chunk of chicken in mouth),

and

Mummy does puzzles! (sure, why not!)

J

Mum, there's a stick in my head!

I like to scare my Mum. She scares easily. When we did craft, I put a red fuzzy pom pommy thingy up my nose, and I was scared and Mum wasn't but Dad was, and Mum just got the tweezers and then got it out and Dad said words I don't know and I was OK and I gotted a icy pole like you do when you're brave, and I was so I did.

I can do big jumps and I like to swing off the bar at the top of the slides but best I like to swing on the really high ones when your feet go all off the ground and Mum gets so excited she comes running to wherever I am and catches me and I don't fall 'cos Mum is a good catcher but she says not to do it but I don't listen 'cos she does funny faces when I do and it's funny.

I have done some big falls and I get up again and keep running 'cos I want to catch my brother and his friends 'cos they are six and I will be too one day so I need to know how to play what they do. I fall sometimes and need a princess bandaid, and sometimes I fall like last year when I have to go and get an x-ray and plastery stuff that makes going to the bath tricky, but I gotted lots of icy poles and watched lots of TV and couldn't walk.

On Christmas Eve we went to see lights on houses that were showing Santa where they lived and it was late and I saw a light in the sky and shouted that it was Santa's sleigh and Mum said maybe it was and my brother saw it too and we wanted Mum to go fast to get home so we could go to bed before we missed Santa visiting 'cos he only comes when we are asleep and we were really awake. Mum said she could only go safe speed and we were scared 'cos Santa was nearby and we wented to bed so super quick and my brother nearly forgotted the snack for Santa. Mum thought we were really funny and that time we were scared and Mum was laughing and I really did see the sleigh.

Today I tolded Mum that I had a stick in my head and she ran really, really fast, then gotted the camera. It's not a real stick Mum, it's pretending, 'cos that's funny not hurty, and you should have seen the look on your face Mum!


Oh and Mum, you know that you said that crayons taste all yucky and that eating them is not a good idea? You was right.

Miss 2.

How Green is Your Garden?

Today was spent lazing about. Nothing like a lazy day. A friend has had a post-Christmas shock and so we are pretty twitchy waiting for the phone to ring in case she needs our support. Unable to get into any major projects, we are doing the little annual jobs that can be attended to when Mr BB has his annual Time Off. In the meantime, the garden has been thoroughly enjoying recent rains:

We have no partridges in our pear tree, but if the grey-water can be diverted this way, we may have a good crop! (Our washing detergent is grey-water-friendly).

We have a very over-grown part of the garden that needs serious pruning and hacking into. As renters, we are unable to pull out the cotoneaster, privet, and other weedy yucko plants, but I can dream... Oh to be Edward Scissorhands in this garden!


However the garden is not all bad. All around the entertaining area at the rear of the house, the bricks are full of little holes. The owners were clearly clever little possums though, and have filled the holes creatively. Whenever I see bricks with holes I remember past experiences with arachnids of the red-back kind (no pics, too scary, if you don't know to what I refer, look here).

Near the sandpit, small pieces of mosaic tile are concreted into the holes, thus:


And around the ledges, they have planted little succulents:


All great ways to disguise some potentially ugly bits. The best bit is that it creates little secret gardens for the children. These little details are seen by the kids (at eye-height and small-scale). Little nooks and crannies for fairies and critters to dwell.

As kids, my brother and I used old spoons to dig tunnels and trenches in the soil of the garden for the Star Wars figurines to hide . I used to visit a moss-covered rock in the local timber-yard's carpark to check for fairies. Miss 2 and Master 6 like to follow ants and ladybugs. Master 6 has even named a few insects that frequent the garden, and I am thrilled that they take the time to do this. There's so much to discover. Why don't you get down on your hands and knees in the garden. No-one' looking, go on! What do you see?

j

Did Santa Come To You?

A long while back I was wondering how to get a print out of my blog so I could have a hard copy for the kids. I consider this blog less a public display and more a journal these days, so wanted a copy to refer to. After a fair bit of research, it all seemed too hard. I must have mentioned this to Mr BB, as on Christmas Day I was presented with a bound copy of Button Beauty! I am thrilled and love it. He spent considerable time compiling it, and for that I am so grateful. So much more meaningful than something quickly whipped off a shelf. Thanks honey!

The Christmas season finally saw me clear the dining table too, so we could eat Christmas breakfast and dinner! To do so, I finished off the tiered skirts.

One for my niece PP:


One for Miss M who turns 3 in January:


The next few will form new stock for a little 2009 sanity project - stay tuned!

The pudding was amazing, the ritual complete, and Mr BB whipped up a vanilla bean custard and a vanilla bean ice cream to go with it! Along with a saved bottle of Moet, we had a fabulous day!


Master 6 was not well on the day unfortunately, however he still managed to complete a series of Lego creations we thought would last a week!

Today we will spend in the garden, hoping for a peaceful and happy time.

Many thanks for all the support and encouragement from you readers over the year. As my blogaversary approaches, I am amazed that I have stuck this out, and that I have made so many new and dear connections in the crafty blog world.

Happy New Year - keep safe.

J