Toddler 101

Wet Chalk Drawing on Black Artist paper is a great toddler craft activity.

Miranda spent over 1 hour crafting today. Cutting then ripping paper, pasting it then sticking with stickers. She is very methodical and would only put each sticker sheet on their own piece of paper.
Happenings through the week

Gumboots for all occasions.

Bag baby - It sure is hard to get out of the house with a baby!

Story time with Daddy

A tackle on Procrastination

Yeah! I have completed 2 sewing projects which have been awaiting my attention.
Both from amy karol - Bend the Rules Sewing

1st - This sweet little jacket made for Miranda - the fabric was bought in winter/spring last year with this project in mind and now complete. I do not have a printer and hesitant to send yet another printing project to my husband so I did some of my own bending of rules and with a little measuring, guessing and drawing got this a perfect match to these sweet little pants made for winter 07 I have to say that both these patterns were super super easy even for the basic sewer and the pants are what got me started in sewing more. Miranda has quite a few of these pants in her wardrobe.

2nd - A quilt using Amy Butler prints in my favourite colour just for me. I made one for my mum for Christmas in the same fabrics but made sure I had enough to make me one too - Ok I am not quite finished I am 1/2 way through hand stitching the binding in place - I need lessons in whip stitch - no matter how many books I read I just can not work it out - but my stitch is working Ok.

This is....looking out my front door

Looking out my front door I see my husbands car and a train going by, a freshly mowed lawn, a very unkept garden, a newly tared and guttered road and the sun going down (excuse the glare).

I was lucky with the timing here because I really wanted a shot with the train going by. I Love watching the train go by and when we first moved in got excited each time a train went past - I still enjoy watching the train especially at night when you can see the people in it. We are very lucky it is rather quiet and only an inbetween line so not too busy - but it can still be heard going at 1am.

and here is looking out my front door on a rainy day in Feb. blogged here

Thanks Brooke for your input this week.

Swap Confussion!

Both my Apron Swap and Mini Swap were sent on Friday 22nd Feb - and I am excited my mini swap has arrived safely and can be seen open here.
But what in the world is gigglepotamus talking about - she loves the recipe - I was sure I didn't send her a recipe/what recipe did I send them???? an email later and I find I have sent gigglepotamus my apron swap recipe along with my mini swap! OK now I am nervous where did I send my apron swap.

ARGH! Dianna if you got your apron can you leave a comment PLEASE! and here is your lost soup recipe - for everyone to enjoy.

Chicken and Couscous Soup
Prep: 25mins
Total cooking: 30 mins
Serves: 6

1tbl olive oil
1 onion sliced
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground paprika
1 tsp grated ginger
1 clove crushed garlic
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 small carrots sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
4 ½ cups chicken stock
2 chicken breast fillets sliced
Pinch of saffron threads (optional)
½ cup instant couscous
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat oil in large heavy based pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat for 10 mins until very soft, stirring occasionally. Add the cumin, paprika, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute further.

Add celery, carrot, zucchini and stir to coat with spices. Stir in the stick. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered for about 15mins or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the chicken and saffron threads (if you are using them) to the pan and cook for about 5 mins until the chicken is just tender; do not overcook. Stir in the couscous and chopped parsley and serve.

Cooks Note: add the couscous to the soup just before
serving: it absorbs liquid quickly and becomes very thick.

My family (including little ones) love this soup and it is nice and fresh for spring. I hope you get a chance to try it out.

I used Rosemary instead of cumin, paprika and ginger and tumeric instead of saffron as I did not have these and it was quite nice as well.

Funky Monkey Quilt Top

I spent nearly the whole day sewing and I have just finished my Funky Monkey Quilt top.
Now I have to work out how in the world I am going to back such a monstrosity 130cm * 195cm (OK It is not that big - but the biggest I have made)...Hmmm what fabric should I pick and how to piece it all together - I love Flannel so the backing and binding will be flannel,which will go with the flannel charm squares I used. I will work out how much fabric I need and head back to Fat Quarter Shop

Each block is 9" and the quilt used 2 funky monkey flannel charm packs (with leftovers), and most of a jelly roll.

I think I will have to go and finish all those projects I have left unfinished whilst I contemplate that one, which includes finishing the quilt top I made for Bronte in 2005.

Miranda was a great toddler and kept herself entertained for most of the morning, afternoon and evening playing with her toys and helping me with scraps- she even took to pinning my pieces together. Here is Miranda's craft project for today - a crown made of all the cut selvage edging.

Mini Swap Recieved!

Our Mini Swap parcel from gigglepotamus arrived today and the girls were very excited opening everything with gusto.

The Philly Favorites - TASTYKAKES were delicious...."MMMMM MMMMMM! These are good MMMMmmMmmmmMMMMMMM!" were Bronte's response as she was eating. Pointy Kitty still needs a name but did get to enjoy a lovely cup of tea after his long journey - this pointy cat is too cute and I am thinking Bronte will be wrestling me for him - I will just sneak it when she leaves home and in the mean time will strategically find him a home to share.

Miranda was keen to hang up her bird mobile and when she went to sleep she wanted to "watch it" so I left the lamp on so she could watch the birds as she fell asleep.

The girls loved the magnets sets and I was surprised to learn that Miranda knows the letters w and z (Thanks to Sesame Street I am sure).
The mini flower bag is adorable even if it was hard to stitch as was the wristlet. And then there were 2 cute little flower necklaces hidden in each bag.
Thank you Max and Wyatt we love our gifts :)

This is....My inspiration Board

This week's This is theme was chosen by Meet Me at Mikes.

MMMM I don't have an inspiration board, I tend to get my inspiration by spending far too much time net surfing and clicking on many links, finding many talented crafters. If I find something I like or have a gift in mind I will look for it and then hey presto.

Often My girls are my inspiration and I make far too much for them otherwise I have looked for inspiration through swaps.

My latest project (I started Sunday)

is insprired by the use of charm squares as used by lottielulu in her first cot quilt.

I must say I am now a big fan of charm squares and the jelly roll as I am very bad at cutting and have found that I can do this.