Springtime

Looking forward to 2 weeks holiday heading north and some more beautiful spring time!

Fathers Day

Fathers Day was spent at a National Park in NSW called Muogamarra. Its only open a couple of times a year and, as we did, everyone else must have become aware of the secret just this year. It was very popular!

Despite that it was very beautiful. We were not able to keep up with the rest of our party on the walk as we decided it was much better to look slowly and intently at everything we passed - well at least that was Z's decision and there was no persuading him otherwise. You have to accept that sometimes - and what is bad about it anyway?!

We did make a 2km loop walk and enjoyed the beautiful wildflowers. The waratahs were amazing and the kids especially enjoyed seeing the many scribbly gums. They are lucky to have a Daddy that can tell them all about the Australian bush!

Crazy Saturday

What a crazy day - trying to squeeze in the morning walk to the beach, the local church fair (didnt make that one ! - shame because it's only once a year and the only place I know that still has stick-jaw toffee), the local artisan market and swimming classes. We really wanted to make the local market because it is held at P's big school that she will attend next year and we needed to show Daddy the kindy playarea.

'Big school' - I cant believe it! I perplexed and perplexed! We visited every nearby public school except our zoned school because I was convinced it wasnt right for so many reasons. Finally I knew I had to visit the zoned school and each of my fears and concerns were alleviated one by one! Whoever would have thought ???? Not me..but I am happy and relieved! I still worry that its big and its not a Steiner education but it will be great! (Steiner just could not be justified for me with a 40minute drive each way each day - I will continue to be sad about that but that travel just doesnt fit with my perspective on life).

After a pleasing visit to big school and swimming lessons - all finished by 11.30am - we went onto P and Z's cousins 1st birthday party. It was a magnificent day and time spent in the park with family was a fantastic way to spend it. Sugar and no sleeps meant for a one book night and early to bed!

Cross Back Dress

It makes a difference to put this dress together for pleasure!

It is a present for my niece on her 1 year old birthday.

I have made so many of these dresses for the markets and a shop in Newtown, Sydney, that they lost their charm for me. Now that it has been some time since the last one I made, I really enjoyed choicing the tablecloth and making the dress. I guess that was helped by it being a special one!

Breadmaking

Always a favourite pasttime in our house. I love to see those little hands kneading away. Its great relaxation for me too. We all enjoy reaping the fruits of our labour at the end of the long process.

Weekending

When a boy gets up at 5.30am consistently on the weekend, anything can happen. What amazes me is that he wakes with such enthusiasm (and volume) everytime - chatter, chatter, chatter - as if he has been up for hours. There is no slow wind up for kids, is there ? For some time now I have been slowing trying to lead my children into understanding the joy of the morning stretch (in the hope that is slows the acceleration). It seems to work for 4 year olds...but not 2 year olds!

What happened after a high speed wake on the Sunday morning just passed was a racing track made from a big discarded cardboard box, some filling and a milk bottle - in my haze. He appreciated it! I dont think "pitts" is spelt correctly but that was OK!

The day evolved and P's sunny dancefloor evolved too! She was meticulous in setting it up. I received very clear instructions on the help I was required to give. Luckily we found a long piece of skirting board out the back that could join the dolls house and chair at just the right height to hang the beautiful backdrop. But the space became way too appealing for a sunny sleep for daddy and Z later in the morning.

Welcome Spring!!!

We have been welcoming spring early in these parts. We are so excited and have relished every moment we can in our backyard -tea parties and spring cleaning!

A present for you and a present for me

P had a 5 year old birthday party to attend yesterday afternoon. All little girls love to write and receive letters, dont they ? The anticipation of going out to the letterbox each day and then the excitement or disappointment. In an attempt to increase the incidence of excitement we have been writing letters.

We made P's girlfriend a writing set for her 5th birthday. And, of course, what is good for you is also good for me - so, "I really really need one of those too mummy". How could I hold off until Christmas ??

Our writing set includes the essentials - cards, small pieces of beautiful paper, envelopes, a stamp, stickers of all sorts, a glitter pen and glitter pencil, glue and (not included in the photo) a felt envelope with plenty of paper confetti.

We hope P's friend loved it as much as P did. P was very excited to wake up and find it waiting for her on the dining table! Ahh the pleasure

A Bag

I have not been an avid bag maker. Its not really been my thing. Buuutttt maybe things will change.

I had a go last weekend. I used a coffee bag and some instructions for a garden tote. It works better for everyday purposes for me.

I think I will be making some bags for christmas presents. My mum has already noticed it and thought it would work well as her craft bag.

A swirly knitted skirt

P is vigilant in explaining to me that her favourite type of skirt is a swirly whirly skirt. In particular it needs to fly around as she spins.

I recently finished a knitted swirly whirly skirt for her. She is pleased and so am I.

to add to the last post

another photo missed that perfectly depicts childhood freedom

weekends

On Wednesday I discovered that I wasnt able to attend Uni for my intensive program from thursday to saturday, as planned. Given we had arranged to take the time off, we thought we'd make the most of it and head to our favourite place and hour and a half up the coast.

the winter weather wasnt winter at all and we had a great weekend in the sun spent with nanna and tex -

running under water sprinklers (ohh-waa)

picnicing in the park by the lake

watching kookaburras, pelicans, suddy oyster catchers

swinging on tree swings

exploring the lake

riding on motors boats - fast with daddy doing 360's

running on the beach

jumping waves

and for me, reading my book and enjoying the space on the beach

The Library

Our hallway has become an active library over the last few days. While this photo doesnt depict it, at times every book has been relocated from the shelves into the library.

P has loved being the "librarian" allowing all borrowings (where agreeable to her) to be taken for 33 days only after they are stamped at the special librarian table. It has been a source of great enjoyment to her, a little frustration to her brother (when he cant borrow the books he wants) and, parts have been to my amazement. The routine is the same each time. The heater goes on, a lamp and doilie come down to the floor, the lamp is placed so it shines on the array of books and the books are piled in a special order.

A Beautiful Distraction

One of the jobs in my life is not terribly creative but it is the source that sustains my families material expenses. I do it 3 days a week and thankfully I am fortunate enough to be able to work from my home office. I am most most grateful for that as it allows me to be available to my family when needed - by them or me!

One way I bring the creativity that I crave into this time is to surround myself with pleasures to my eye. There has been one recent addition. Its picture is above. I found it at a local antique store. It was described as a marmalade pot. I love the word 'marmalade'! Plus it is so beautiful - its shape, its amazing yellow colour. Since it arrived on my desk 2 weeks, I find myself being distracted by looking at it often! I love the simple pleasures! But what is most amusing is that it holds computer memory sticks - doesnt seem quite right does it.

Possum Magic

What fantastic good fortune!! While sitting eating our dinner on Monday night, in our very urban house within 10 minutes walk from the coast, we spotted a ringtail possum in our courtyard! We have a courtyard in the middle of our house adjoining our neighbours concrete courtyard. Fortunately we have a lovely green backyard as well but our courtyard is about 3 metres 4 metres - not big. There sitting in the fork of our tree was two little eyes looking in at us.

The kids were bouncing with excitement. That was the end of sitting at the table for eating dinner. They spent the rest of the night running between the doors and the table telling us of his every move and their every imagination for his life. He stayed in the tree watching them. I wonder what he thought.

We had suspected, or rather hoped, there might be possums in our backyard. For a long time we have had a possum house high up in a tree but there has never been evidence of one living there. We talk about the thought of possums a lot - 'Daddy thinks he saw a possum last night'. But we've not been sure we have seen one.

Now we have!! And with great timing as P has been finding it hard to get back into pre-school after the school holidays. So it was a fantastic topic for news the next day.

Weekend

Sitting waiting patiently in the holding pattern of projects in my study has been a clothkit pattern for overalls for Z. So when I had a blissful hour ahead of me on Saturday morning, I went for those first. Dad, P and Z went off to swimming lessons and I sat in my study, music on, windows open, sun shining through, working away at a cute pair of overalls. So you see why I described it as 'blissful', it truely was. Some finishing touches had to be made to the overalls on Saturday night as Z was not as small as I thought he was! Covered in his favourite item -cars, especially Combi's - he couldnt wait to get them on come time to go out on Sunday. Although, he was not so cooperative when P and I tried taking his photo - even with private modelling tuition from P.

We set off for a busy Sunday, commencing with attending National Tree Day activities. We were a bit late but luckily Daddy had kept some plants for P and Z's contribution. Although, some were more interested in catching and relocating lizards! We had a picnic lunch and then moved onto an afternoon party. P was invited but Z insisted he needed to attend. It was at an indoor play centre and there were lots of kids and parents coughing and spluttering, so thankfully B agreed to come and take over for me. I took the time for another one hour of solitude reading a book. It is unheard of and I lapped it up.

Felting

I am so proud to say that, totally unprompted, P asked me to do some 'wet felting'. We havent wet felted for about one year (definitely in the warmer weather). But how could I refuse a request like that!

I was requested/directed to have it all set up for when she arrived home from music including a ladder - as she planned to make the biggest felt ball in the world. Z put a spanner in the works by attempting to help and the ball slowly began to fall apart.

Meanwhile, I have recently been taking the "slackers" approach and machine felting. I have been picking up old jumpers from the op shop. I am yet to find them in the brighest colours that I desire. It seems that most 100% wool jumpers in the op shops around here are in the mens section, and pink and purple are just not appearing for me. They need appear by Christmas (that's my polite request) as I have big plans for presents for our nieces.

One of my machine felting projects was thanks to a project pack from Spotlight. The turquoise jar - I knitted then machine felted it. I am very pleased with it and have started on another similar one but in a slightly different shape. Now that I am back into my crafting projects they are quickly piling up in a large holding pattern in my office.

A Ferry Trip

I think it was one of the coldest days we have had in a couple of weeks but we decided to take a ferry trip. In our city we have a ferry that commutes from the city centre, across the harbour to the northern reaches of the area. Sounds long doesnt it - nope!! It takes a total of 3 minutes!

With four very excited children in tow, we waited at the ferry wharf. It was exciting seeing the ferry on the otherside of the harbour coming across to meet us, the rowing boats, the barge and the large ships moving across the working harbour. The children ran down to the ferry with me hastily trying to corral the two 2 year olds to ensure they didnt run under peoples feet or take a wrong step across the gangplank! We made it and stood outside so we could see the bubbles as the ferry started to move away from the wharf. When they realised the trip was over very shortly after it had only just begun, one loudly declared "You're kidding!! Thats it!"..Well, yes. The disappointment seemed to dissipate quickly as we went on a very cold adventure to find a park. Not familiar with the area, it took us longer than expected but food and a play area was all that was required to warm us up and head back home.

I am still amazed, and delighted, that what seems so simple to us is such an excitment to my children.

Another Creation

Well I can still do it.

I made P this skirt during bath time. B was managing bath time and I managed to cut the pattern from an existing skirt and whip it up.

I had been itching to use this cute fabric that had arrived in the post from Patchwork on Central Park recently. P told me she wanted a really long skirt that didnt spin! With much discussion I was able to narrow the interpretation down to a long Aline skirt.

She and I are both pleased with the outcome and the cute little 70s ladybird button on top. Not the most practical skirt for climbing sand dunes though - but there were no complaints!

Weekends

What a great weekend - beautiful weather!!

The much awaited Princesses on Ice finally came around. Dressed in just the right Princess attire (with modifications made by P because we love to make our own things around here), the whole family set off to the production. Yes, the whole family - there was insistence from the beginning that there were 2 blue tockets, one for Daddy and one for Z, and, 2 pink tickets, one for mummy and one for P. I can tell you, daddy was really looking forward to it!

We were all surprised at how much we enjoyed it - well, probably not P, she knew she would! At least, daddy and I had forgotten about the marvel of big budget productions - fire and fireworks! We had great tickets and despite not knowing all the Princesses (as not too many Disney stories get read around here), we loved it. Z loved it until he fell asleep 5mins after intermission sleeping through the fire breathing dragon and the fireworks (from row B!).

Then to take a completely different tangent from a Disney production, Sunday was spent outdoors at another wetlands in our city. A coastal wetlands. So we (not me!) climbed dunes and rolled back down. It was a beautiful morning to be out in the sunlight. Z particularly loved jumping through the dunes and giving me some sand to carry. P loves taking photos - so many photos of bitua bush were taken!

Creations

I havent felt at all production in recent months. I slowed down a lot after my little venture with a girlfriend folded. We were making childrens clothes from vintage fabric and taking them to the local markets. They were also stocked at a amazing childrens shop in Newtown, called Shorties. The dissolution of our project was mean to result in more opprotunity for family crafting projects. I was excited. Somehow this didnt happen.

Although, this morning looking over photos of my creations, I decided that although creation was not at the level I had hoped, its not to be "sniffed" at. Its OK. My major project was a jumper for my husband. It was the largest knitting task I have yet taken on. Not without hitches, I finished and he wears it! I think it looks great. A photo is yet to be taken of that creation though.

Playing in the Wetlands

This morning was such a beautiful winters morning - cold but the sun was shining. School holidays means lots of exciting programs are about to choose from in our city. So we grab them with both hands and make the most of it.
Today we went to a play at the local Wetlands Centre. It was Titania's Fairies. The kids loved it. We moved around the sensory garden with the characters and followed the plot. Of course, the most hilarious part was the man with the big bottom - the ass! giggles galore!
It is such a fantastic opportunity to roam through the beautiful surroundings of the Wetlands following an exciting plot. What great entertainment.
The kids then spent the afternoon with their dad while I went home to work. They came home rosy cheeked and exhausted after a day of total outdoors. They had spent most of the rest of the day at the Wetlands in their favourite way, on the buggy, with their friends in hand. They went to see a wildlife photography exhibition but got the wrong art gallery so played in the park instead - apparently finding lots of secret gardens and running down paths while having to push the branches away with their hands!! Sounds like great fun! - and much more exciting than my work.

Keen to be Back

Well I tested the waters with this blogging stuff and then I lost momentum. I got caught up doing other things - never stopping living in the blogging world though.

I continue to be inspired by the amazingly talented bloggers that I frequent. I have been pondering my own participation for some time now and have decided that it is just such an fantastic and special way to capture these amazing days I share with my wonderful family. I am going to try again!