School Holiday Rainy Days

We are coming to an end of school holidays with only 4 days to go before school returns and almost 2 weeks of rain means finding something indoors to occupy the kids to prevent them from drawing all over the walls. It seems that every parent and child in Sydney is out and about looking for indoor things to do.

Today I decided I would pile my two girls into the car and head to the Museum - After stalling 3 times on the way to the city and then seeing the line to get into the museum down the street and around the corner I thought that turning around and going home would provide more sanity than walls with drawing on them, especially for my high and very warranted anxiety of stalling in the middle of an intersection and getting hit by on coming traffic.

My car has stalled a few times now and once died on a main road - I was lucky to roll it into the nearest side street, but It amazes me how people beep at people who's cars have stopped in the middle of the road - do they really think that a person chooses to stop their car in the middle of a main road to potentially be rear ended

After some deliberation and a few more stalls I was about to turn left and return home when I decided I would head straight and into the direction of the Art Gallery. My nerves were not quite up to the drive home through the city.

It was a good decision and we enjoyed the Archibald Prize 2008 Exhibition,
here are a few of our favourites in order of most favoured -

We enjoyed a bite to eat, a show for the kids and a stroll through the gallery before heading home to beat peak hour traffic and the potential onslaught of angry motorists being held up on their long weekend by a mother and her two kids in a car broken down in the middle of Anzac Bridge! My trip home was filled with much anxiety, many prays and no stalling incidents - I have booked the car into the mechanic ASAP!

Have a great Anzac Long Weekend.

Catching up with an old friend

Bronte really enjoyed catching up with her old friend Jack on our beach holiday - they got on like a lost pair of old socks.

2002

2008

This is...My latest discovery

Way behind in my postings, and a missed This is....Sorry to you all but I have been playing on the South Coast of NSW (Jervis Bay) with my mum and 2 beautiful daughters and have had no computer access.

A little wet and cool for swimming (I also lost my swimmers in the pack) but lots of beach walks, catching up with friends, op shopping, and knitting........my latest discovery - that I suck at knitting.I took the needles and wool with me but then forgot how to cast on, mmmmm purl????? I remembered Yarn over :) Oh I managed to make this teeny face cloth using this book before I left but without this book I can't knit!

What a week!

WOW! This week has been big and yet it has been yet another average week with all the usual happenings an a few extras thrown in.

Monday morning I had a meeting followed by an afternoon of cooking - 3 dinners, and a carrot cake. with our meals prepared I can relax a little (so I had hoped). Bronte - to Gymnastics in the evening.
Miranda felt the 10 minutes was enough of an afternoon rest and came to help cook UM MM celery

She cooks

Tuesday I again found myself in the kitchen baking Choc Chip cookies and a batch of Cookie Monster basic cookie dough (I was hoping to have it ready for an afternoon activity with Bronte's friend coming - it is still untouched in the fridge).
Miranda decided today she would not rest and came to make music whilst I baked.
She is musical

Bronte to Choir - parent demonstration class - I spent about 30 mins watching Bronte and her class mates singing and after Miranda tripped a little girl up I quickly removed myself and the overtired toddler and headed home.

Wednesday - a quick trip to Spotlight, a funeral - Bruce's Poppa died after living a very rewarding and successful life to 94yrs young, Miranda's dance lessons - another parent demonstration lesson. This time the toddler ran around the room in circles (OH MY is she going to do this up on stage at the end of the year in front of hundreds of parents?)

Miranda is seen running across the back of the class in yellow and blue.
She dances

Followed by a family dinner with Bruce's siblings - a nice evening but such a long day.

Such a great surprise awaited our arrival in the post on Wednesday Bronte has been nominated by her Choir teacher to audition for a solo/special part in the winter showcase and also to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award - It makes me so happy to know she is doing so well at singing and it is recognised by her teacher.

And to finish off this busy day I made another cotton backed fleece blanket and bag for my teeny niece's 1st birthday

Thursday - Gymbaroo, coffee with a friend and a visit from Grandma - My mum is down for a week and we are heading off for a beach holiday for the school holidays. Bronte Jazz, Ballet & Tap and again another parent demonstration class.

Today I received this cute Kentucky Local Dotee from a swap - she is very cute and is all decked out with hoses and riding paraphernalia.

Friday- Swimming lessons for Miranda, Ikea, back to swimming lessons for Bronte. Coffee with a friend and completion of my knitted washcloth! (MMMM It's is a little small) It has taken 3 days to knit and not at all relaxing in any way shape or form - I am looking forward to using it and seeing what all the fuss is about.

she knits

And She's a photographer

'This is.....my knack knick/jewellery box'.

It is a rainy day in Sydney today, the clocks have been turned back 1 hour for day light savings, it is 12pm (new time) I am just dressed and thought I would get my this is....meme started by three buttons in early.

What a great theme for me today This is....my knack knick Jewellery box - I am off to a jewellery party in a few hours but am not in the need for new jewellery as I very rarely wear this stuff here so I am sure I will not have anything to add to my box.



My knack knick jewellery is all looming around in a shoe box - I realised I bought 3 different jewellery sets for my wedding in 04 and decided I will regularly wear one of the necklaces I have not yet worn.


As a creature of habit I have been wearing a pair of small gold hoop earrings since my mum gave them to me for my 21st and have at times worn different necklaces for long stints.
Occasionally I get out some of this to wear and some of it was just bad consumerism.

Past weeks Mother's Day Stall crafting

Here are the projects I have been working on over the past weeks in preparation for Bronte's School Mother's Day Stall I have priced them all between $2 - $4 as this is the range of prices given to the kids to make buying their mum's something affordable. (All the money goes to the school as fundraising)

2 Tea Cosies with my own tea cup applique using a pattern from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing



4 Needle Cases using Sewprimkhris tutorial with a little adjustment - my flower did not work well so I used our dinner and side plates to create a circular needle case which worked just as well and for me a little less challenging.

5 Pin Cushions using paper.string.cloth tutorial I had to be more precise in my cutting as the free form did not work for me. I especially LOVED the button sewing technique this is just the best way to sew on buttons.

6 Compact Stitching Purse with needle case found it a thrifted Patchwork and Stitching mag using some great suiting fabric which I found in an op shop (I got about 5 m for about $1) I plan to make a bag with it - and much more.

5 sets of Hair clips and ties

4 sets of glass magnets - Thanks to Lauren for the tutorial - not as good as hers -I used fabric.

3 Tea Towel 1/2 Aprons - just added some cotton tape and 2 darts in the front.

I have really enjoyed finding these little project tutorials and making them all - Thanks to everyone who puts tutorials out there to share.

Last Minute Birthday Sewing.

Where has this week gone - It feels like it is still Monday. I have spent this week finishing off some sewing projects for the Mother's day stall at Bronte's school - I will post some pics tomorrow.

Tonight I have been busy making
2 cotton backed fleece blankets with a drawstring bag each
4 Bean bags with covers with small drawstring bag

Which are my last minute gift sewing for Bruce's cousin's son's 1st Birthday tomorrow. The second blanket is for his big brother.

I was lucky to find this great fabric at $10 for the rest of the bolt - about 5 metres.... at my local quilting fabric shop and with a metre of fleece I made my blanket. There must be a trick to sewing fleece to cotton but I did not find it. I would have loved to do a little bit of machine quilting to this to keep it together more but it would have buckled too much.



So for under $20 I have some great gifts and I still have just over 1 metre of this great fabric left for some more projects.