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!