I'm grateful for.....{flowers and more...}

Joining in with Maxabella today as we celebrate a day to be grateful...


1.  Flowers - Hubby came home the other day with a gorgeous simple bunch of tulips (my favourite) with a cute card stating 'just because i love you'.

2. The right to vote - it's state election day here is Victoria, and as much as it's a bit of an effort to work out who will get my vote, I'm grateful I live in a country that we can all vote with safety.

3. Going child-free - got to share a lovely dinner out with my bestie the other night.  We were both child free and loved just having an opportunity to enjoy uninterrupted conversation and each others company!



Happy grateful day to you all - come take a look at others' grateful list here

spud-licious stamping...

The little people in my life woke before the sun this morning, which makes for a very slow start to the day as you glance to the clock thinking it's surely time for morning tea - nope - it's only 7.30am!!

So, on a whim I thought a spot of potato stamping could be a fun projects to keep us all amused and also be the start of our Christmas Crafting! I decided this stamping could have a dual purpose, and we could use this artwork as wrapping paper for our Christmas gifts....

This is how it was done...

What you'll need!

At least 2 spuds
Some knives
paint
large roll of craft paper (I got mine from officeworks last year)
damp cloth
art smocks

1. First work out what shapes you will like.  We settled on a tree, star, rectangle and bell.  Cut each potato in half length wise and with your smaller knife start to indent your design and then cut it out.

2.  Prepare your paper out on a bench or table and some pots of paint (lucky for me all I could find was red, white and green!)

3.  Get the children decked out in their art smocks (mums - you should put one on too - this can get messy) - and have a damp cloth to wipe stray paint or wipe the spuds before dipping into the next colour.

4.  Give them their spud stamps and let them dip and stamp all over the paper in a random fashion.

I think the tip is to use a paint brush to apply the paint on, so you avoid that splodgy affect - however, with my two, dipping was half the fun.  I did convince them at the end to have a go at this method and we made some cards - which will be great for family, friends and teachers!

Have fun and happy friday xx

my creative space... {blueberry & coconut muffins}

I love it when a good recipe is shared.  It travels around from person to person, family to family and now-a-days a lot end up on the internet and on blogs.  I've made heaps of stuff I've found on blogs that not only look good, but get the approval from real people with real lives and great stuff to make with the kids.

This recipe is from one of my many cook books - In the Kitchen.  This cook book is written by Allen Campion and Michele Curtis - a husband and wife team, with real children, real dinner table dilemma's and great recipe's to share.  So I thought I'd share this one.  Plus I was talking with a friend this morning and mentioned that I was making these lovely blueberry and coconut muffins this afternoon with my son (whilst my daughter has the luxury of napping!)

So here it is...


Indredients;

100g butter
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 egg
125ml coconut cream
1 & 1/3 cups of self-raising flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
150g blueberries
icing sugar to serve

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and beat until combined.
3. Stir through the coconut cream, followed by the flour and desiccated coconut.
4. Add most of the blueberries.
5. Spoon mixture into a prepared muffin tins with paper patty pans and top each muffin with the remaining blueberries.

Bake in oven for 20 or until risen and golden brown.  Allow to cool and then dust them with icing sugar!

Got to use the new re-usable snack bags I whipped up last night.  A project I've been meaning to do for ages (as I hated the amount of plastic snap lock bags I was chucking).  These little nifty bags, look fun, have a waterproof lining and velcro closure (so easy for the kids) - and if they get dirty or messy - just wipe clean or better still, toss 'em in the wash.

Now snap to it and check out more stuff fresh out of the creativity oven here....



 

Captain Jack....

It was a little friends birthday yesterday and he turned 4!

To celebrate, I asked his mum a while back if I could make him some dress-ups for his birthday present.

We decided on a Pirate Costume!  I was rather happy when I found this cute little pirate printed fabric, and thought that I could somehow work with it as part of his costume.  The little different Pirate's printed on the fabric, gave me the idea that I could cut out a triangle and make a bandana (or scarf).    And this little iron on motif was too cute to resist - and every Pirate needs a parrot upon his shoulder!

Happy Birthday Captain Jack - essential pirate costume - a vest, bandana or scarf and of course an eye patch!  May you sail the high sea's with your crew to find fortune and glory!!!

Arggggh, me hearties xx

i'm grateful for.....

Oh with this sunshine Melbourne is getting today, it's easy to feel grateful.  Joining in with Maxabella Loves on this day to be grateful.....


1. Trying something new - My son was quite adamant that he did not want to dress up for Dress Up Day at Kinder yesterday, however at the 11th hour changed his mind and he had his mother in a slight whirl to get a costume together, but we managed and I think, he loved trying something new.

2. Sleep-ins - Whilst not an official sleep like a log sleep-in, this morning (after a rather late night out by my standards last night) I was given the luxury of laying in (listening to my raucous children awake at 6.15am) whilst my mother-in-law attended to them.  Thankyou!

3. Finding some adorable new blogs - if you haven't already, check these ones out.

melanie swan designs
my spirited baby
a day in the life of us

4. reaching 100 followers!  Man you guys rock.  I'm not afraid to say it, but when I saw it click over, I was a little happy, a little excited, and still a little surprised that what I put here people come and read.  But I'll mostly be grateful xx

Happy Grateful day to you all

(forget where the image is from!)

It was an emergency....

Quick, it's an emergency....

What?  where?  who?

Dress up day at Kinder!

Oh - that type of Emergency....Yes, but my son is ill inclined to 'dress-up' and avoided all topics of conversation in the lead up to this day.  

Criteria was the little kinder kids had to dress up as a character from a story book they had.  This was so it ruled out a super-hero battle with the likes of Batman, Superman, Ben 10 and a few Ninja's trying to work out which was was superior.  Not that this would have helped, my son has no idea who these superhero's are - hasn't watched one episode of Batman, never seen Spiderman and well, Ben 10 is just the guy that is on a spare pair of pj's he owns.

Finally, on about Wednesday this week, he was keen to dress up as a Fireman.  Right.  Raided my fabric supply - not very fire-man stocked.  Luckly a girlfriend had some yellow overalls in her daughters dress up box and I was given permission to "do whatever" to them!

Quick visit to Spotlight - grrrrrrrr......still no Fireman-esque badges, emblems - nothing.  My son insisted that his Fireman outfit had to have a number on it.  Ok, what number (I feared he would choose 4 or 5 numbers making him look more like a jailed in-mate that a service man) but he settled for the number 10.

Few bits of red fabric, fireman's badge whipped up few minutes before heading out the door and a hat and this little 'anti-dress up's boy' was so excited!!!  Helped having Nonna and Nonno here for extra encouragement!

neh-nah-neh-nah-neh-nah............emergency over....phew

xx

my creative space... {everything in its place}

I would love to say that I'm a naturally organised person.  Mostly I am, but sometimes things can get the better of me and at any moment my need to be organised and tidy can escape me, and I'm left with one big pile of mess with little understanding where things are.  This occurs frequently in my craft space.

So it's no surprise that I loved this project as soon as i read it in the book by Pip Lincolne titled 'Meet Me at Mikes'.  It's a fabric roll - a great place to store all your goodies.  Since owning this book, i've made quite a few of these (one for home, one for my bag that comes to craft markets with me etc) and now it was time to make another...

I chose some gorgeous linen/hemp and cotton blended fabric, a touch of denim for strength and durability and a lovely tassel of leather strapping with beads to wrap it all up ready to pop away or in a bag.

No matter what you want to store in it, whether it be crochet related, a few needles and thread, small scissors, pen and a notebook - This fabric roll will have you organised the likes of any IKEA catalogue looks!

Get yourself organised with a cuppa and cake and click over here for oodles of creativity!

Wardrobe wednesday {the presidential outing}

Yes, The President is venturing out.

Many a things to prepare and the 'right' outfit is essential.  Something sleek, sophisticated and a touch of disguise so as to ward off any Paparazzi that may have hinted at this outing.   Large glasses a must.

Two special bodyguards are necessary.  Someone who knows the streets well, can list off house numbers quite easily and is very good at pushing those buttons to change the traffic lights!  Another one who can look sweet and innocent and take any attention away from The President is also handy.


In a whirl wind Annual General Meeting last week at my son's Kindergarten this mother duck found herself in the position of President for the 2011 Committee.  There was little fan-fare and no amazement of a female holding such a position of power a la the likes Julia Gillard received, but I was graciously hand-balled a pile of Committee Paraphernalia that I have emerged from and now must venture out and complete her first Presidential responsibility.

Horrible passport photos - check
Working with children's check - check
Police check - (please ignore traffic infringement notices!!) - signed and awaiting!

 Must dash - the red phone is ringing.  Must be Obama to congratulate me!

Trench - Copper St
Tights - Sussan
boots - tony bianco
glasses - Versace (big splurge item pre-children on our Europe adventure!)
headband - Diva

it's a twin thing...

It's a special bloggy friends birthday today.  Special because when I first landed into the world of her blog many months ago, I got a feeling that I knew I would be back to visit again and again.  And who wouldn't - it's filled to the brim with creativity, yummy food, gorgeous family tales and triumphs with a twist of humour that will give you a good belly laugh.   A visit to her blog just makes me smile! 

(My gorgeous surprise birthday gift from Steph!)

Yes, I'm talking about Steph from Mon Petit Poppet.  

(Nigella, watch out, Steph is in the kitchen!)

And over the past few months, I've enjoyed Steph's generosity, friendship and stories of motherhood!     

(her poppet and mine! - Even my son had to take a moment to work out which was his sister!) 

To add another dimension onto this, on many occasion Steph and I have found ourselves uncannily crafting away at the same project....

(Steph's heavenly kitchen aid!!!)

(gorgeous lunch bag Steph made Bijou - and emailed me the pattern! with handy hints! 

 bless she is from the heavens!!!!) 

or planning to make the same thing, falling in love with a new kitchen appliance and, well sometimes we even dress the same. Yes, i kid you not the day Steph posted this fashion outfit (left) - I was wearing said outift (right).  

 (Steph and Me!) 

So now when talking about Steph to anyone that will listen, i just refer to her as my Queensland twin. 

So if you have not been over to visit her, get your butt over there quick smart!  It's her Birthday after all!!  

Happy Birthday dear friend!  If I could pop over and give you a big hug or bake you a cake I would.  

Have a fabulous day (i know you will!) 

xx

 

ps - birthday package on it's way to you soon

today I'm grateful for.....strangers, new friends and old ones

Joining in with the ever so inspirational and wonderful Maxabella Loves on this day to be grateful!

I am grateful for...

1.  Strangers - The other day, it was a lovely sunny hot day. So I put some new shorts on I'd bought ages and ages ago.  Just want to say thank you to the stranger that stopped me at the shops and told me I left the tag on which was swinging along my back side!  Thankyou...

2.  New friends - Meeting new people is nice.  meeting someone you just click with is even better.  I made a new friend.  We bonded during a whole term of swimming lessons with our daughters (who were adamant they did NOT want to participate and would cry each and every lesson).  We gave up said swimming lessons but swapped numbers.  The other day we caught up and we just talked and talked the hours away whilst our children played.  It's nice to make new friends.

3.  Old friends -  Friends you have known for ages.  Friends you can't remember not knowing.  Friends who offer babysit so you can go out.  Love. Good.  Friends.

xx

Are you grateful and want to share?  Go on, join in.

(image)

new in store....

Just updated some items into my Made It store....

My fabric bird and elephant mobiles have been popular with my suppliers and at markets and now I had some time to make some for my shop.  I'm loving the bright colours and combinations.  Every time I think I've picked a favourite I change my mind.  But that's the best thing...coming up fabrics that just POP when you mix them together.

Check them out here...

xx

happy birthday to you...

To the man I adore

The man I love

The man I call Husband and who calls me Wife

Father to our children

that is you

lover, friend, rock and support.

Fantastic washer of dishes and 

driver of vaccuum cleaner 

with ambition and motivation 

and uncanny ability to remember 

when songs were released (month and year!)

and make up nick-names for everyone

I admire all that you are

Happy Birthday to you my love

Love us

xx

destinazione Italia {destination Italy}

It's official - we booked!  We are heading back to Italy!

Next year this little family will be traveling abroad to visit relatives overseas in Italy!  We headed off to the Europe Travel Expo on the weekend and finally made a commitment and booked out tickets for next winter (so summer time over there)

We celebrated with breakfast at a nearby cafe and then darling hubby got the urge to cook his delicious meatballs for dinner, accompanied by some yummy garlic bread and great vino.  Can you tell our love of food!! Even our daughter took her bread and wiped her plate clean!  A true little Italian Signorina!

So even though this trip is months and months away we are on the wave of excitement and trepidation as we take the plunge in taking our children who will be 5 and 3 during travels.  So if anyone has travelled with little ones before - please please grace me with your travel tips, do's and don'ts!

xx