Cherry Blossom bag

I finally decided on a bag for this material and I absolutely love it. 

I cut up the wrong material for the handle but now I prefer it and am glad I did this.

The fabrics look so good together and its really comfortable to carry.

I also fit alot in it which is handy.

I also made a colour on the go for a friend with this material. It looked super cute.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

We took the kids into the city to see Santa and the christmas displays. We rode the train at myer which was again fun but sadly it seems this will be the last year as the kids were at the maximum height to ride. They looked so cute riding and I couldnt imagine them being too big to next year!

We also visited the window displays at David Jones and then into the magic cave where Santa was.

There were cute elf workshops and this was the cutest with the elf under a box waving his legs!

The santa at the QVB was the best this year as he sat in a Swarvoski crystal garden and a blue fairy would escort you in to see Santa - Fancy 

Check out my christmas Day dessert plate! 

Yes it was all for me. Yes it was after 3 plates of lunch including seafood, salads and hot carvery. And YES I ate it all (except for the rum ball!!)

Diet starts next year!

A christmas message

Best Christmas present ever!

Our gingerbread house

Our gingerbread house.

Pretty good for first time.

We spent a lovely morning together, assembling and decorating. The kids loved it and I enjoyed watching and helping. We had carols playing and they were funny trying the lollies while decorating!

It was interesting to hear them chat about it and decide how to decorate it. 

We filled it with lollies too!

It smells delicious. I think we will definately be doing this again next year. I am already looking forward to it!

christmas soft spot

I Love fruit mince tarts. I have a soft spot for them. As soon as they hit the shops they hit my trolley!

And as they have egg in them I am the only one in the house enjoying them.

My friends mum Jenny was making her own batch and telling me about them and I was eagerly listening to her explain the receipe as I have always wanted to make my own but thought they would be tricky (tricky actually translates to hard work, lengthy process!)

Well it just turns out that she had made too much filling and could spare a jar (you had to start soaking the filling a few weeks ago) and I of course snapped it up. 

So lovely of her 

Jenny gave me a receipe for a fruit mince slice which is easy but I really wanted to make the tarts. I used a pastry receipe from a Donna Hay magazine for a blueberry tart - thought it would be the same - and just sprinkled with icing sugar when they came out of the oven.

They sure looked good. They are not as soft as the packet ones but I am so proud I made them.

Mum has had one and there are 3 left, so I have had........... 

christmas Pjs

Another christmas, another set of christmas pjs.

This year I have really noticed an improvement in my sewing

They are loving wearing them which really makes me smile.
The shorts were a much better fit this year. I made the same design of dress, I really should try a new design.... soon

I have heaps of left over material. I didnt even use one lot as my girl changed her mind.
I am thinking of making some tree decorations as I think that would look just lovely, though it will probably be a next year thing!!

Her cake

After lots of thought my girl asked for an icecream cabbage patch birthday cake. Hmmm.....

Maybe not this year!

I gave her some Donna Hay kids magazines and finally she came back to me with the decision... an icecream barbie doll cake. This I CAN do.

And I added fairy floss for an extra treat which she really loved.

Birthday number Eight

A Special Birthday hairdo for a special birthday girl.

You can imagine how thrilled I was when my girl asked me to make something for her to take to school for her birthday the afternoon before! You gotta love it.

Luckily I am a fan of bewitched and was able to wiggle my nose and whip up a batch of 30 mini cupcakes!  Then it was suggested a bag of lollipops would have been a good idea - This AFTER I made 30 cupcakes!! 

But she is so worth it 

a confession

My name is Michelle and I am addicted to fabric!

With such limited sewing time, the fabric is mounting. I cant seem to stop buying it.

Look what I picked up....

This collection, Summer house, has some beautiful prints and I cant wait to make a quilt with it. Its far down the list sadly but I am looking forward to it no less!

I also got this charm square pack to make my littlest man a quilt. And I plan on putting an oilcloth backing so its good for outside and naked time.

2 Months already

 Isn't he the sweetest thing you have ever seen.

He is so amazing, his little personality already shining through.

Such a relaxed little fella, and I must admit Im so much more relaxed this time. 

I am just too happy to be with him all the time.

Time flies when your having fun. Though I cant believe how fast the time is going. 

(my big girl is 8 in two days!! - now thats fast!)

Already I am packing away clothes he no longer fits. And I am trying to savour each day.

Thats Gold

My little master  certainly enjoyed his first year at school. And it was a very proud moment when he received a gold medalion at the end of year assembly for his academic achievements. 

He was lucky to have a beautiful teacher. 

He told her the other day he was really going to miss her when he went into year 1 - So sweet.

I am also so very proud of the way in which he has made friends with everyone in class. 

This has been evident in all the cards, gifts and love letters from every girl in class! One poor girl put on her christmas list that she wanted him to love her more than the other girls!!! 

When did kindergarten girls become so forward!

I said 'Curls get the girls hey' but he quickly corrected me that no it wasn't his curls, you just have to be nice to them mum.

How right he is. Thats my boy. I think he will go very far in life!

Dont tell anyone

Sssshhh Dont tell anyone, but we are up way past our bedtime! 

We got some christmas colouring in sheets from the supermarket, out came the crayon rolls and christmas music while we coloured. I didnt want to interrupt them.

Hope they are not toooo tired tomorrow!

Home bound

We are stuck at home today. I have a very sick little girl who was up all night (I have the washing to prove it!), an award winning acting performance of being sick from the other one who doesn't want to go to school and an unsettled baby.... woe is me!

My poor princess had her celebration of learning assembly this morning which she was going to perform at, and after all her practicing, had to miss it :( She was dragging herself around this morning and was ever so sad that she couldnt go.
Then my little prince put on quite the performance, making aching sounds, holding his belly, dragging his feet, hardly being able to stand! How could I resist.

Growing our own (again)

I love the thought of growing your own veggies, of walking out the back garden and picking some vegetables or fruit for dinner.  We decided to give a veggie patch another go - with a bit more effort this time. We built a raised bed, got some rich soil and even used fertiliser! Fancy I know.

We planted capsicum, oregano, cucumber and carrots in one area and sweet corn on the other side. 

They are growing nicely. The cucmber has a few flowers which hopefully will mean cucumber success!  The carrots have been growing steadily, capsicum a little slow but the sweet corn is stretching higher each day.

Fingers crossed we may cook our own grown dinner yet.

3 reasons NOT to

Who doesn't like a little DIY?

Well I have finally come to the realisation some things should just be left to the experts.

And one of these somethings is hair waxing!

No matter what wax I try or how good my technique could be it always ends the same.... and its not the outcome I am after!

I went professional about three years ago and though the service can differ between beauticians I have been consistently. But on occasion I have tried it myself and after just having a baby, being time poor and not wanting to share my body with anyone at the moment, thought I would again give it a go.

After doing so I have concluded three good reasons why I should not try this again...

NUMBER 1

 It is always messy. 

No matter how I go about it or what I try, its a messy job. There can be interruptions, or spillages or bad technique - whatever it may be ITS MESSY

NUMBER 2

It is dangerous.

 You can be severely burned (and not realise it till the bright red patch starts to peel!)

The wax may seem the right temperature in one spot of the pot but its boiling in another spot. And then it cools too quickly or you peel before its the right time and instead of clean coming away it pulls the skin - OUCH

NUMBER 2 and a Half

You never get all the hairs.

There is always a patch you miss.

NUMBER 3

Technique used (or lack there of) can have serious effect on regrowth

  including causing ingrown hairs.

So not only was it a bad messy patchy job, but it continues to haunt you when you have sore ingrown hairs.

Book it in - leave that wax pot on the shelf - those advertisements of ease and beauty after doing it yourself are lies!!

The countdown

(Nanna and Hercules feeling festive)

Christmas is coming!

I am really excited and feeling festive. 

Starting to organise the advent calendar - what to put inside each pocket. The kids are really excited about the calendar this year, as they start to remember last years more clearly which makes me more excited also.

I have lots of goodies to fill the pockets this year, though I have a plan as I am sure they will sneak some looks as they get older and wiser - or more cheeky and bold! I am planning on a few hand written notes, which will begin a treasure hunt. Hope I am organised enough for this to work!

We are planned to put up the decorations next week, 1st of december of course. The kids have invited nanna around to share in the tradition, which is so very sweet of them. 

Let the festivities begin.

Is it...or Isn't it?

There is a vine in our backyard that I was sure was a passion fruit vine. It climbs and curves and twists like a passionfruit vine and the leaves are similar. 

Last spring/summer it grew wildly but no fruit or flower eventuated and it kinda looked a little sad in the winter. But again this year it has pepped up and making its way around the fence it is against and suddenly it has created lovely exotic looking flowers.

And I always thought that if it flowered it fruited, or was it the other way around - flower then no fruit?? hmmm

BUT there is a discussion on whether it really is a passionfruit vine or not!

Is this a flower of a passionfruit??

Its beginning to look alot like christmas

I love christmas. Im just saying.

And with the new addition, another santa sack is required. This means - MORE FABRIC!

And another year on, another set of christmas pajamas are needed. This means - MORE FABRIC!

Im also keen to make some fabric decorations to hang on the tree. Hopefully we can make time for this.

ONE month, Sunday

Time flies when your having fun.

I must admit I had forgotten what it was like to have a little baby around.

It is tiring, challenging and all consuming of you

BUT

it is magical and amazing and so much fun too.

He is quite the drinker and had put on 1kg in 3 weeks! the average is 100-200grams a week! 

Thats my boy. 

We got to the library yesterday and I got some baby books to brush up on motherhood, and also got a workout book to get this body into shape for summer.... thats when I find the time (or make the time!)

Very yummy Rocky Road

With all the presents for the baby, I thought my bigger sweeties would enjoy a treat. Some yummy rocky road

It's super easy to make. Chop up half a bag of marshmallows, half a bag of Lolly raspberries and a box of Oreo cookies. Melt a block of chocolate and mix all together then pop into the fridge

It doesnt take long to make but even less time to eat it tastes so good!