The end

Well, it's the end of October now. I made it to 24/31. Not bad, really!
There is a winner to announce and for the first time I have ever witnessed Number 1 won!!
That's you Karen of And so I sew.
Congratulations!!
Email me your address and I'll pop a parcel in the post for you.
xx
Hopefully I'll have some crafty stuff to show you next time, and it wont be 6 months from now either! LOL

{3} Grateful

Today I am grateful to my beautiful husband for bringing home flowers for me "just because."

{2} Grateful

Today I am very grateful for free family days and face painters. xx

What I wore Wednesday

I find it so hard to take photos of myself. Excuse the bathroom! (At least the mirror is clean!)

I am showing off my watch because I love it and because it's my 5kg weight loss reward.

Shirt: Target
Skirt: thrifted. Tag says Pineapple
Watch: Meggie's Love

Linking up with Mardi who isn't showing us what she is wearing LOL, but things she'd like to wear. Nice idea!!

{1} Grateful - Chocolate Cupcakes

{1} Chocolate cupcakes

Actually any kind of cupcakes. They are easy to bake from scratch and are dairy free for Raife. They also give me at least 5 minutes of peace (if you think kids eating is peaceful!)

Photography Challenge

I don't know if you all know this but after Pepper was born I treated myself to a Canon 500D camera and a couple of lenses. I did a beginners photography course with Clair Bremner and since then have tried to use my camera more. I'm still not that great at taking photos but I am trying. I try to pick up the camera instead of reaching for my iPhone. This isn't always easy of course, our house has terrible lighting.
I've joined with Meika in a photography challenge for November, the list of photos to take is in my sidebar and I am going to give it a go.

Being grateful

I know this is an American thing to do this time of year with Thanksgiving around the corner, but having lived there for a year AND being completely in love with the whole holiday season thing, I think this would be a fun thing to do.
It would also fill out some of my blogtoberfest posts!!
It's a list of 100 things I am grateful for. I don't think it'll be all in a row, one per day, but I will be sharing with you 100 things I am grateful for.
Shauna is also doing it here.


Edited to add this link too!

I hear, I say

Linking up with And, so I sew today to bring you a funny from Lovechild.
Lovechild stayed with us for a few days, and sat in the dicky seat in the back of the station wagon.
She cracked us up by referring to it as "the fairy back." "Do you want to sit in the fairy back with me?" meaning of course the very back. Totes adorbs!

Yep

So if you are clever, you would have noticed I've missed a couple of days. Oops! I have a friend visiting and we are drinking copious amounts of wine. Back when I can be coherent! xx


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Chalk paint

This is another activity from Meg's blog. It's a mix of cornflour, water and food dye. Make it runny! I thought thick would be better but I was wrong. :)




This is an activity that Miss P at almost 17 months really got into. (As did the other kids!)



The chalk just came off the clothes in the wash too, so don't worry about that!

Wordless Weekend

Tradition

One tradition I have implemented with my children is that every year on Christmas Eve, they get a new pair of coordinated pjs. Since 2009, I have made all (I think!) of the pants and generally applique a shirt.




2009



2010



This year's pants will be made from this flanelette I bought from Etsy. I loved it and bought it in May I think! You gotta be prepared. I am hoping to get them made soon!

This child...

...will be the death of me. I wanted a simple, cute pic of her in the apron top that was mine as a child. But, oh no! That would be behaving oneself and she does not do that!!







Lucky she's so dang cute!

What I wore Wednesday

Another silly face. Nonetheless. Here's what I'm wearing today.

T-shirt- Target
Cardi- Target
Jeans- Trouser Jeans Old Navy
Shoes- Black ballet flats from Rubi.

Gorgeous yarn

Do you call it yarn or wool? Does it matter? LOL

I had been eyeing off this skein of yarn in my gorgeous friend Celia's store for a few months, then she had a sale! So, of course I had to buy it. I just have no idea what to make from it! I am leaning towards a cardi for my Pepper, I just need to find the right pattern.

Stockings for kids

Not long til Christmas now! We all know how this time of year flies by. End of school, warmer weather and so on.
This time of year always makes me think of those less fortunate than us and makes me want to help them more than ever.
This year I am participating in Operation Christmas Child, where you fill a shoebox full of stuff for disadvantaged kids all over the world.
And I've just signed up to make (at least) one stocking for kids in foster care in the US. Sign up here. I'll be posting by the end of October overseas, if anyone in Australia would like me to post for them, let me know!!

Are you participating in any special things this Christmas?

My latest creation

This quilt is huge! It is filled with lots of my favourite fabrics. The ones I'd normally save for something special. I'm hoping to get batting and binding for it soon!

Wordless weekend

:)

Harry Potter

My first book parade costume! Hunter is in his first year of school and decided to go as Harry Potter, which thankfully is an easy costume to make. I googled for the instructions and hit up spotlight for some cheap cotton fabric. I also bought a cheap pair of glasses and painted a stick. The patch was just printed on paper and sewn on. Hopefully the robe will last for next year!

Bolero

I joined Ravelry a while ago and found this gorgeous Debbie Bliss bolero which I adore. It's so easy to knit up, just watch the sizing because apparently it runs a bit big. I think I knit the 12-18mth size on 5mm needles for this one but it's been a while.

The pants are just made from fabric from Spotlight that I fell in love with. I was shopping for something else at the time. I traced another pair that fit Pepper well. Girlfriend's got big thighs!!

What I wore Wednesday

What I wore Wednesday
(a few weeks ago when I thought about joining in, but didn't actually join)
(oh and before I started the 12wbt)Cardi: Old Navy
Jeans: The perfect trouser jeans from Old Navy
Shirt: Thrifted
Shoes: CMUK. I won them!

I don' know why I am making that face! LOL

Chalk town

Do you read Kelle Hampton's blog? I have been reading since the birth of Nella. What a story she weaves! She makes me want to be a writer/photographer and she inspires me to be a better Mum.

Not long ago, I read this post and filed it away.

Then when we finally got some sunshine, I went to town. Chalk town.
The kids helped of course and got right into it. I played with them this time instead of standing back, observing with my camera so I only got a few pictures of it, but here they are. Definitely something to keep in mind for those boring summer holidays coming up soon!

Do you pin?

This is me

I'd love to follow you. Leave your link in the comments!

Anyway, you've probably seen this all over pinterest. Or on Meg's blog. I love Meg. :)



I grabbed a couple of cheapie canvas' and some crayola crayons and grabbed a hot glue gun and voila!



Of course I then had to do another for the other bedroom.



This time I had the hairdryer on low fan, high heat instead of high and high and I much prefer the results of this one.

Pepper's pink Party

My baby girl turned one in June this year and I planned a big PINK party for her. My first ever pink party, and let me tell you after 3 boys, I was looking forward to it!
I made her party dress using this tutorial and of course, the Sherbet Pips fabric. It's so girly and lovely!

The cake was a vanilla cake with vanilla icing. I really wanted to do a ruffle cake but it was too time consuming so this was the next best choice. :)

I also made mini cupcakes with 100s and 1000s in the mix and my first ever sugar cookies. And they were a hit so hopefully I will get better at them and they will look better at the next few parties!


I kept the decorations pretty simple and pink. lol Tissue paper flowers, lanterns, bunting made by the ever talented Leoni and balloons. For what is a party without balloons?

Blogtoberfest

Well, I am hoping this will help get my mojo back. I will post everyday of October.
I am having a giveaway..... of something..... I don't know what yet! lol
But it may be something handmade, it will almost certainly involve chocolate. To win, simply comment on a post sometime during the month. I will draw the winner on the 31st October.
Looking forward to get back into the blogging community!
xx