Returning to work...

My blogging has been few and far between lately which I'm not happy about. I'm feeling the need for a bit of a break at the moment as there seems to be so many things going on.

The Mother's Day Stall was a huge success and I'm now concentrating on a slightly smaller project, being Chloe's 8th birthday party next Friday night. And for the first time in Birthday Party History in our household, I am not going to do it all myself...I am hiring some entertainers to do it ALL for me. We're having a Pajama Party with twelve little girls, so I've hired a couple of teenage girls who will run the show. Then we're having pizzas for dinner, followed by birthday cake. I think this is going to be the easiest party ever!!!

Also, I had a call a few weeks ago from a company I used to work for before I had the kids, asking me if I was interested in coming back to work part time....school hours, two days a week (whatever days I choose), good money...ummm....yeah, I'll take the job!!! They are a large Insurance Broking firm and I'm starting with them next week. I have to say, I'm VERY nervous. My main concern is for the kids (I think that's what they call 'Mother Guilt'!!!). I don't want them to be negatively impacted by this in any way. And I'm pretty sure they won't be, as things will remain constant for them. I will still drop them to school on both work mornings and pick them up one day. Then Glenn will pick them up the other day so that I can work until 5pm. They are very excited about daddy picking them up one day a week (BUT I don't think they're as excited about daddy preparing dinner for them!!!).

I need some time for me to settle into this new routine, so things on the blogging front will be quiet for a little while.

Time for Celebration!!!

Well, it was a HUGE success. We made the most we've ever made at our Mother's Day Stall today and I have to say, I was just a little bit proud. The stall looked really gorgeous...until it poured with rain!!! Only for the first hour or so, then it cleared...thank goodness!!! We were absolutely overwhelmed with cakes, cookies, relishes and homemade things which was fantastic. Apparently they've never had so many baked goods and potted plants before.


Anyway, I'm off to put my feet up for the first time in a while. Then I'll be getting stuck into organising Chloe's 8th birthday Pajama Party in two weeks!!!!!!!!!! Which I think will be a walk-in-the-park compared to the Mother's Day Stall!!!

Mother's Day...

Busy, Busy, Busy!!! The last few weeks have been mostly spent organising the Mother's Day Stall. And as much as I've enjoyed it, it has been pretty full-on. Particularly on the admin side of things. So many newsletters to print out and staple (475 to be exact...and more to go), notices and packs to hand out to teachers, doing up helping rosters, banners and the list goes on. But on the fun side of things, today I made up all the 'Bathtime in a Bag' gifts. I cut squares of pink muslin, piled three tablespoons of oats in the middle, added a few drops of an essential oil, then tied them with a pretty ribbon. These are called 'Bath Teabags' and you place them under running warm bath water for a few minutes, then leave in the bath while you soak away your troubles. And I bought some cheap tealight candles from Ikea (50 cents each) to go with the bath theme. I did up some little swing tags with instructions for mum. I've made up sixteen of these and I'm hoping they'll sell for about $5.00 each.

Here they are altogether, ready for the stall.

And this is what each one looks like when it's put together.

My Baby Boy...

Well, my baby boy lost his first tooth last night. He was so excited and proud of himself. But not me...I was so sad and teary at the thought of my baby growing up too fast. It seems like only yesterday that he was here in his highchair looking adorable...

And now he's such a big boy. I had just put him to bed last night (his tooth was wiggly, but still firmly in place!!!), when he came into my room with his tooth in his hand. I asked him if he pulled and wiggled it out and his reply was...

"No mummy, I was just relaxing in bed and it fell out!!!". Yeah right!!!

He had obviously made his mind up that it needed to come out (and that he needed some extra cash for our holiday next week!!!).

We've told him that now he will grow a 'Big Daddy Tooth' to replace his lost baby tooth, in the hope that he will understand that his new tooth that grows, will be with him until he's a big daddy so he must look after it carefully.

Reading Corner...

I took the kids off to visit our new Ikea this morning (I've been a few times, but they haven't seen it yet....and it IS a big deal!!!). We had a lovely morning tea in the cafe (that Daim cake is awesome!!!). I only bought a few little things for the house...a couple of succulents to go in each of the bathrooms, a basket to put some kid's books in for our family room and I caved in to the kids pestering and bought them a lovely little animal stable that came with about eight or so soft toy farm animals (have I mentioned Chloe loves animals?). So they've been spending the afternoon playing farms and zoos.

I wanted to make up a bit of a reading corner downstairs in our family room area for the kids. And two minutes after I'd set it up, I found Chloe reading to Will...so sweet!!! I won't mention that five minutes before this photo, they were yelling and screaming at each other because Will wanted to put the farm animals into the stable and Chloe didn't want him too!!! But all is peaceful now, so I won't complain.

And in the second photo is our book/reading corner...I think it will be lovely in winter because the sun comes in that window in the afternoon. I've got a couple of European cushion inserts in my linen cupboard so I'm going to make up some floor cushions to go in this corner too. I just need to decide on some fabric.

If you haven't already checked out Kate's blog over the last few days....you must go and congratulate her as she's had her little baby girl. And what a sweetie she is!!! Congratulations Chris and Kate!!!

Tissue Huggers...

Here are all the tissue huggers I made today for the Mother's Day Stall. Don't they look so pretty all lined up together!!!

I thought this one below was my favourite, but now I think I like the one at the front in the pic above with the little apples on it. Sweet, sweet, sweet!!! Gotta rush and pick the kids up from school. Today was there last day of school and now they're on holidays for two weeks. I'm looking forward to the slow and lazy mornings, but I must start planning some things to do.

Snuggle Bunnies...

Well, the weather was finally cool enough tonight for my little cherubs to wear their new winter pajamas I made for them the other day. And doesn't Will look extra excited to be wearing his!!!


They each chose some fleecy material from Spotlight a while ago (actually, it was last winter, but I've only just learnt how to make the pants!!!). Chloe's material has little cats all over it (she's animal crazy...wants to be a Zoo Keeper when she grows up) and Will's pants have planes on them (for no particular reason...he just liked them). In the school holidays (next week) I'm taking them to Spotlight again to choose some more fabric so I can make one more set for them. I've just appliqued some of the same material onto some tops I bought from Target and blanket stitched around the edges.

Will's pants are just a bit too long but I figure they'll last him longer (and I can't be bothered taking them up!!!).

Aah Choo...

I'm making quite a few of these tissue huggers for our Mother's Day Stall. Here is number one of about fifteen or so. Our monthly craft group is on tonight, so I thought I'd get the rest of them cut out tonight and ready for sewing tomorrow. They're so quick and easy...but in my view...an essential for any mum!!!

I've also made a pair of winter pj's each for the kids, so when they're home from school and I can get them to model for me, I'll post pictures.

I've had a few other ideas for the Mother's Day Stall...I'm going to do up a couple of little treat boxes:-

1. 'Breakfast in a Box'...this will have some yummy muesli in it, a couple of lovely teabags all presented in a noodle box with a little swing tag and a sprig of lavender.

2. 'Bathtime in a Box'...this will have a glass votive candle (from Ikea for 50 cents each), a tea light candle and a little bath tea bag (square of muslin with 2 Tbspns of oats and a few drops of an essential oil, then tied with pretty ribbon). This will also be presented in a noodle box with a little swing tag and a sprig of lavender. The bathtime box will come with an instruction card...run bath, place bath teabag under running warm water to infuse bath, light candle and leave mum in peace for at least 30 minutes. When I've made a sample of these, I'll show pictures.

Hope you're having a lovely day...

This Is...

This Is...my knick knack / jewellery box.




I have to say, I'm a jewellery girl so this week's 'This Is' is right up my alley. Anyone that knows me, knows that I LOVE jewellery. And I have lots of it. But I am finding that as I get older, I tend to wear the same pieces every day. Except my earrings...I change them daily depending on what I'm wearing.

I got this jewellery box about five years ago for my birthday and it's brilliant. It holds so much. I don't keep my earrings in here though, I have a separate little container with tiny compartments for each pair of earrings. And I actually have a few other little containers holding special pieces of jewellery too, but this is my main jewellery box.

Thanks to Anastasiac for this week's theme. You can check out more knick knack / jewellery boxes over at Three Buttons.

The Recipe Box Swap...and Earrings!!!

Before I begin, I have to say I'm certainly making up for my lack of posting over the past few weeks. I think this is my third or fourth post for this week....hope I'm not boring you!!!

I had a meeting this morning with the past co-ordinator of our Mother's Day Stall so that I can get my head around the running of it and all that is to be done. And I'm pleased to say I've come away feeling excited, creative and not too overwhelmed. I got to work straight away after our meeting and made a few pairs of earrings to sell.

These ones are my favourite...

I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm taking part in The Recipe Box Swap over at I Have To Say, so here is my recipe for this month.....Beer Bread. I don't have a photo to show you, but it's the easiest bread ever!!! Go and visit I Have To Say to check out more great recipes.

Beer Bread

Ingredients:-

3 cups self raising flour

2 Tbspns brown sugar

375ml full strength or mid-strength beer (at room temperature if possible)

2 Tbspn water (if necessary)

Method:-

1. Combine SR flour and brown sugar in a large bowl.

2. Make a well in the centre and pour in a can/bottle of beer.

3. Mix to a smooth consistency and pour into a greased and lightly floured round cake tin.

4. Bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until golden.

5. Remove from tin to cool and then slice with a serrated knife.

6. DELICIOUS served warm with lashings of butter and a lovely soup for dunking!!!

Handbag Organiser...

This morning I had a go at making a Handbag Organiser....tutorial courtesy of The Giving Flower
It turned out really well and took about forty five minutes to make so I'm thinking I'll make a dozen or so of these to sell at the Mother's Day Stall. Thanks so much to Cathy from Miss Marzie for the idea!!!

I have to say, I do love the idea of having all my handbag 'bits and pieces' in the one spot inside my bag. Particularly because my bag is fairly large.

Mother's Day Stall...

Yes, that's my new baby from now until 10th May. I'm on the Fundraising Committee at our primary school and nominated myself to run the Mother's Day Stall this year. We set it up down at our local shopping centre the day before Mother's Day.

I've helped out in previous years by baking biscuits and slices and also making jewellery, bags, tissue huggers and a few other bits and pieces to sell. And this year, I decided to have a go at running the stall (actually, it was more a case of....no-one else put there hand up so I did!!!)

Sooooooo, first things first. You just can't have a Mother's Day Stall without some bunting for decoration. This morning I made this bunting and went for a classic pink and lime colour scheme which will become the colour scheme for the stall. All of the items on the stall are donated by parents at our school and within the community which is lovely. We usually find the homebaked treats sell exceptionally well, so this year I thought I would send home with the school kids, a few quick, easy and possibly freezeable recipes on a little card for them to give to mum or dad in the hope that it may inspire them to get baking for our stall. I've got a stash of bags that I've been making for the stall and I'll also make some more sterling silver beaded jewellery. I was also thinking drink coasters might sell well.

Does anyone have any quick and relatively cheap things I could make? I'm always on the lookout for ideas.

This Is...

This Is...the contents of my handbag.

I'm a day early for 'This Is...' so please excuse my eagerness!!!

Here we go:- purse, phone, sunnies, pink diary & pen, tissues (in red spotty cover), Nivea lip balm (can't go anywhere without this), Westfield gift card, baby wipes (at the risk of sounding obsessive compulsive...I use these to clean my hands after I've been op-shopping....most of our op-shops are pretty dusty and dirty...and of course I also need these to clean the kids up occassionally) and lastly my tictacs. I love to drink coffee, but I can't stand the after-taste, so I have tictacs.

I know this probably looks like I've cleaned out my handbag especially for this photo, but this is honestly as messy as it gets. The only thing I threw in the bin before taking this photo are a couple of used tissues (and for some reason, I figured you didn't need to see those)!!!

I'm still here...

Yes, I am still here. I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I'm going through a bit of a lull at the moment, creatively speaking. And when this happens, I try to snap myself out of it by reading blogs and sewing books for inspiration.

I'm throwing around the idea of making a doona cover for Chloe's bed (to go with her new red and white colour scheme). I've found a beautiful one in Amy Butler's 'In Stitches' book, but I'm not sure if I'm game enough to tackle such a big project (not a big project for some....but VERY big for me!!!). I'd love to know if anyone's made a doona cover and if so, how tricky was it? The Amy Butler one is patchworked, so perhaps that may be a tad ambitious for my first try?