Moving on...

from the last post as it makes me feel a bit negative. I've nicked this photo from Loz and Dinny of these quilts I made and forgot to photograph. They're pretty wonky (but don't tell Tavish and Arlo) and I discovered that even with a walking foot you have to be really careful when quilting flannel. There's a lot of puckering on the back. I've got some of the fabric left so Arj will be getting one too one of these days. The fabric is All Star by Riley Blake which you can get here. It's perfect for boys.

Mmmm, sausages!

Is there anything better than sausages cooked on the fire followed by a gentle walk in the bush? I love it. Three toasted marshmallow hyped girls enjoying a walk to Liffey Falls.

A spot of modelling

Chloe modelling her lovely Free Range Baby dress (Thanks again Jen. She loves it and so do I) at her Granny's house and Arj modelling his Granny's knitting (Thanks Mum. We love it too.). He's decided to think of it as an overcoat until he gets a bit bigger!

My photos are liable to get worse and worse - I just point and shoot without thinking at all now - time if of the essence.

Rain, rain, rain and mastitis. What fun we have had here! Oh, and I forgot to mention that Sam had a form of pneumonia resulting in excrutiating headaches for about a week and a half too. Things are looking up but the poor man has to go bring home the bacon tomorrow.

Lovely, lovely things!

We received the most amazing package in the mail the other day. It was from our lovely kind, generous friend, and true patron of handmade, Jen. I just had to show some pictures as it really demonstrates the amount of talented people producing great stuff. I was overwhelmed to put it mildly.



For Chloe, a beautiful vintage fabric handmade dress from Free Range Baby and a puzzle. Chloe is so, so into jigsaws at the moment so this is just perfect.





Romper suit and pouch from Grandy and Baa. This is a new design apparently and I can say it's just great. A car on the front pulling a caravan on the back. The fabrics are hard to see in my photos but they're perfectly chosen and very cute.



Gorgeous bibs in fabrics chosen by Jen and made up by her friend Janine. I'm very impressed - maybe a little business beginning! You obviously know my fabric tastes well Jen!



Stunning ball by Amy Badskirt (my photo is not doing it justice at all, the fabrics are vibrant and beautiful) and giraffe rattle in one of my most favourite fabrics (well chosen Jen!) from Ollie and Rose.



Cute birdie bib from Ivy Designs. I have a small stash of this fabric but not in this colourway. I have it in pink and also in yellow to make pjs for Chloe. I wanted to get the aqua but Chloe said no blue is for boys. I'm saving it for next winter now as she has an aversion to wearing pjs at the moment.



Last, but by no means least, some robots. A gorgeous bib from Curlypops and a cute, cute beanie from Olie and Rose.

So, as you can see this was such an exciting package, all wrapped beautifully in separate packages. Just lovely and so generous. And I've just spotted Jen here proving again how lovely she is. Not sure how I missed this before Jen, I was looking out for you on Badskirt.

Well, it took me a few days to finish this post. I meant to get it up really quickly to surprise Jen 'cos' she knows how slow I am! All is going well with Arj, I just have a lack of spare time!

Don't get sand in your eggs

Happy belated Easter everyone. Hope yours was as lovely as ours.

The weather was stunning. It was warm, still and sunny. Too warm for a fire at night and I had to forego my ritual marshmallow charring.

We had 4 days at Binalong Bay, 2 of them with Gemma, Duncan and Edie. We had a great time and it seems they did too! So glad! I had the best sleeps I've had in months, the best of which I'm putting down to Dunc's amazing roast beef with a huge range of veggies and even cauliflower cheese, yum, yum. I felt they were trying to build up my iron and vitamin stores - so lovely.

Chloe and Edie enjoyed each others company and froliced in the water together. Sam swam every day but one and Chloe had her first dip in the ocean. She's always been worried about waves before. We went to Beer Barrel Beach and she even ran in and out of the water by herself. My was she proud!

Lots of sandcastles were built, chocolate eggs consumed and Gemma and I even got to scour the local collectables shops. Will show a couple of pictures of my finds soon.



This is Chloe's current fashion statement. Any attempt to discuss removing the band aid required a very, very brave mother. Those Wiggles have a lot to answer for.

By the way, Gemma has a competition on now and much as I'd like to limit the entries so I have more chance of winning, you should go enter.

My laptop may have to go to hospital tomorrow. Eeek. All my photos and documents have gone off somewhere - hopefully retrievable not into the ether or, basically, I'm going to be in disaster mode.

Thanks

Thank you for all the lovely welcome home messages - I WILL blog properly tomorrow. I promise. Things have been busy and very Chloe orientated this week. She is currently obsessed with buttons. If she sees the lap top open she gets a crazy gleam in her I and says "more buttons, more buttons." No point even attempting to log on while she is with me!

We are also having a few issues with "Mummy's buttons (the sewing machine buttons and overlocker tension knobs)." I'll be having to do a lot of fiddling with the tensions when I get sewing again.

We went to a lovely friend's 30th birthday last night. So exciting to go to an adult party - I can't remember the last one! Happy Birthday Bec!

Pink and Frilly

I was never much of a girly, girl. I always wanted to be out with the boys building cubby houses and that sort of thing. I don't see girly movies or read girly books and, as you can see from Black Eyed Susie Clothes, I don't go in for pink frilliness. So now, have a look at this!

I'm not quite sure what came over me. I saw a bunch of little fairies in town the other day and decided I must make three little tutus for Chloe and her friends. I'm quite enjoying this bit of light relief from my more serious sewing.

The white tulle is leftover from my wedding dress, it's beautiful, soft and shimmery. The pink is new and I'm using satin blanket binding for the waist casing. I also bought the fabric flowers to rip apart and sew little clumps of them on the skirts.

This should get rid of any pink flowery urges for at least a few months.

Go check out the blog of Kristen Doran (producer of stunning handprinted fabric and crafts) to see loads of photos of local shop Cocoon. It's beautiful. You'll also get to see Kristen's beautiful things.

Three little girls and one clever husband

Sam spent part of his weekend making this chalkoard easel for Chloe. I'm very impressed with it.

Today Chloe and her two best friends gave it a good workout. I wasn't brave enough to get out the paper and paint with three toddlers yet. Maybe tomorrow Chloe and I will have a painting session. Chloe is so into drawing and sticking at the moment I wonder if she has her mummys love of creating. She draws little squiggles and says they are fish (or, at least, pish).

I finished the blouse, but not until it was too dark to get a photo. It does look great on Chloe but really, if I'm honest could do with a bit more perfecting. I'll try to get a photo tomorrow.

Mmmmmm!

We've just returned from a splendid late lunch at friends. Osso bucco followed by creme brulee. Nice wine and coffee. I'm, to use a great Australianism, full as a goog.

The three little girls had a lovely time playing and had their bath together. So cute.

Yesterday Sam surprised me with lunch at a local winery. Grilled flathead on chat potatoes followed by rhubarb and apple crumble with custard and apple sorbet. Sparkling wine and coffee. Needless to say I ate a bit too much then as well.

I'm feeling a bit spoilt - and I haven't done much work for a few days!