East meets West

The day finally arrived yesterday when Helen & Adds (my on-line sewing & blog friends) arrived from Perth. Now I'm not too good at meeting new people so it was with some anxiety that I drove to the airport to pick them up. After a delay of 2 hours they emerged from the airport and they were just as lovely in real life as they are on-line.

We made a mad dash across the city to The Tea Room for High Tea and met up with another lovely sewing/blogging friend Ingrid (who I have met up with many times before).

Helen & Adds

Ingrid & Helen

Ingrid and I were very lucky to receive beautiful gift from Helen & Adds. This lovely suitcase packed full of luscious goodies including fabric and a Gracie Lou dvd/cd pack.


I gave the girls a little gift as well - a bag each, a key ring purse and a few other little bits and pieces. I hope they liked them.



This is the little key ring purse I made but I forgot to take a photo of their so this is one I made for myself.
We are off on a fabric crawl of Sydney tomorrow so I am sure there will be plenty more photos to come.

This is..........

my inspiration board. This week's theme by Pip was a very tough one. After much deliberation I decided this was my inspiration board.

I get lots of inspiration from looking at blogs. I love craft blogs (of course) and cooking blogs too especially baking ones. Thanks to all the bloggers out there committed to inspiring others.

Check out Angela's blog to see everyone's inspiration boards.

I've also been tagged by Ingrid but I'll have to do that tomorrow as I'm off to meet some blogging friends at the airport.

This is..........

my favourite accessory and me. I got this bracelet from Charlotte and Lucy for my birthday. It is made by my wonderful online friend Natalie and features three small pictures of the girls surrounded by the cutest, smallest frames you have ever seen.

Valentines Surprise

On Monday I received a lovely big parcel from Karen with my EB Sewing Buddies Valentines Swap in it and boy was I spoilt. Karen made a fantastic sock monkey in the form of CJ Cregg from the West Wing. Karen knows we are big fans in this house and even Jeff got a good laugh from it. She is carrying a handbag containing the lyrics for the song The Jackel one of her favourites and funnily enough we just watched this episode the other night.

here she is relaxing on the balcony

She also sent me some great fabrics, some ribbons, a tshirt for Charlotte and of course some lovely choccies which I haven't even had time to eat any of yet (maybe tonight while Jeff is out).

Just to let everyone know who is part of this swap my cd's are going out on Friday. I hope you enjoy them.

This is..........

What makes me laugh

I know you shouldn't laugh at other people's misfortune but Australia's Funniest Home Videos

really make me laugh. Even though Charlotte (5) sits there saying "you shouldn't laugh mummy, would you be laughing if it happened to (insert appropriate name here)".

For more laughs check out what makes everyone else laugh.

This is.................Sunday Lunch

This week's This is.........was Sunday Lunch.

My Sunday Lunch comprised of last nights left-over Chinese. I forgot all about taking a picture until I was just about finished.


We are having a baked dinner tonight and I tried to talk Jeff into having it for lunch so I would have something wonderful to post but he just wasn't interested.

Pop over to Three buttons and see what everyone else is eating.

Finally some sewing

Yes this is a sewing blog and I have been sewing but the weather has been so gloomy here that I haven't been able to get any good photos. The weather is still gloomy but I took photos anyway.

This cushion is for a friend's new little baby boy

Another bag that I love but will be for sale in my Etsy and Made It stores (link on the side)
And finally some Miss Buttons from Threebuttons. I bought the pattern and it arrived nearly the next day. Since then I have been making heaps for gifts. I love them the pattern is super easy to follow.
And finally my doll quilt which is going off with Miss Sophie Buttons this weekend to the birthday girl


And finally Charlotte received the Student of the Week award for her class today at assembly. I was so proud and I am sure there will be a whole post about it soon.

This is..........

This week's this is....my collection.
My collection is vintage children's books, mainly Dr Suess, Golden Books and Enid Blyton (especially Secret Seven) but also other vintage books.



These are some of my favourites:
Dr Suess Dictionary in French (recently found in an op shop).


Never Talk to Strangers (another op shop find but very special because I had this book as a child)


A Letter to Amy (I won this as a prize in 1970, still going strong).

School

My beautiful baby girl started school today, where have the 5 years gone since I held a newborn in my arms. As I helped her with her uniform today I realised that no longer would Jeff and I be her guides. She will be influenced by the many friends she, hopefully, makes along the way but also she will now be significantly guided throughout her life by her teachers.

As we left the classroom this morning, me with a tear in my eye, I hoped she would make lots of friends (she already has quite a few so I really shouldn't worry), not be teased or be a teaser, be helpful to the other children and respectful of the staff.

As we drove off I remembered all the things I had forgotten to tell her, especially to remember to put her hand up to go to the toilet in plenty of time, wait for her turn to speak to the teacher, don't talk in class and listen carefully. It's such a different experience to pre-school but I know she's ready so I guess I'd better be too.

Be good my baby and enjoy school

This is..........

I'm participating in this is.... started by Angela. I missed last week's theme but am on track now.

This is.....what scares me!

STEEP HILLS

I have an immense fear of the car not making it to the top and rolling back down. I hate it if we have no other choice but to go up a very steep hill. I also have a fear of cable cars falling from their cables so I don't go on those either.

Baking

I've been baking this morning. Jeff took Charlotte to the movies so I thought some baking was in order. I made these lemon madelines and wanted to show off my new cake stand I got for my birthday. There was 12 altogether but only 3 left now. Lucy has discovered she likes madelines.
I also made some choc chip muffins and some raspberry muffins to freeze for Charlotte to take to school (if they last of course).



Lucy has just discovered she can climb on up on the chair in her room and fall off. I discovered her yesterday morning sitting on the chair with the quilt Helen made her over her knees. She looked very cute.

I Love To Op Shop

I popped into my local op shop this afternoon on the way home and actually came away with some great purchases.

I got 4 pillow cases (2 are a bit faded in spots but I can still do something with them).

I got all excited when I saw this green fabric as it was still on the roll but they were selling it by the metre so it was still a bargain, 2 books I will use for something and these 4 pyrex dishes. I also got something else but can't show you as it is going to be a gift for someone. I also picked up a pattern for Ingrid because the picture on the front just looked like she would love it but when I got home they either forgot to put it in or I put it down and forgot to pick it up so I am very upset and might have to go back tomorrow.

This pattern arrived today too so I can't wait to make it. It's from the lovely Three Buttons

Happy Birthday to Me

Yes it's that time of year again another birthday has rolled around, another year older, another year wiser (not sure about that one). The body is definitely feeling older though. So far it's been a great day. I got a lovely sleep in this morning until 10am when I was greeted with breakfast in bed (eggs on toast and a cup of tea). They presents were bestowed upon me. I got the most
beautiful bracelet from the girls made by the wonderful Natalie, and

a gift voucher for here from Jeff. I also got some lovely FQ's from the EB Fat Quarter swap. I was totally spoilt and I think there are a few more in the post to look forward to (who wants there birthday to end in one day).


Xena Helen Adds
Mands Bec Natalie

I'm not sure who this one came from because I stupidly threw the envelope out. It was wrapped in beautiful purple paper. Thanks again girls and still looking forward to a couple more.

Sleepover day

Sleep over, what was I thinking! Charlotte is having a friend over this afternoon and she is staying the night so this should be very interesting. I thought I better post some pics of the bag and things I made them each and also the Enchanted Castle cake we just made.

Firstly I made them each a stachel and shaped their initial from the Michael Miller Ribbon Rac I got.

I also made them a pencil/note book folder and some notepads using vintage picture books as the covers.

And finally a cape each from here. One side is a princess and the other supergirl. I added a few other $2 shop item. I went a bit overboard probably but as there was only the 2 of them it was ok.

And finally the cake. It's from a vintage Betty Crocker cookbook I got at the op shop. I cheated and just used the Betty Crocker icing too. It turned out ok, Charlotte is very happy with it so that's all that counts.


Wish me luck

My Baby is 5

I can not believe it but Charlotte is 5!
It seems like only yesterday that I was holding this beautiful little baby in my arms. She is a loving, friendly, bright and often demanding little girl and we are very similar and clash all the time but I wouldn't change her for anything.
She is a loving big sister and a good friend to her little buddies.
She is looking forward to big school this year.



Happy Birthday my beautiful big girl.
(that's her spinning a plate a Festival Kids last week)

I Love This Bag

I am so happy with how this bag turned out. It's how I'd like to be bold and strong on the outside and soft and feminine on the inside.

It started like this

and turned out like this.

I used a canvas type fabric from Ikea on the outside and this heart fabric I got on sale at Spotlight. It has 2 flap pockets on the front and a panel across the back. Inside it has 3 large pockets on one side and 2 smaller ones on the other.

And one of Lucy for good measure