Bird fun!

I got a book from the library called The Artful bird.  I loved all the projects in it.  I am not a twitcher or anything but I really fancied having a go.  I really really enjoyed making this wren.  It is nowhere near as good as the one in the book, but practice practice!! The instructions in the book are so clear & concise.  I find myself looking at birds now & how their wings  are shaped!  I want to make more birds....I will become the bird lady! So fun.

Pipe cleaner bowls.

My daughter & I made these bowls from pipecleaners & using plastic egg to shape it.  First u cut them in half & make into an 8 point star. Make a ninth spoke with long pipecleaner & use the spare end to weave under
& over spokes, first moulding around egg base. Keep weaving till the end, then bend the spokes over top of last pipecleaner. Pretty & quick.

My mums quilt

When I got married, my mum made this beautiful quilt for us, which we use every winter.  I am giving it an air before putting on my bed.  It is gorgeous & my mum is super clever.  She has made quilts for my kids too which they love.  My magnificent mum, we love you. Xx

Recycling sleep suits!

Sorry it had been an age since I posted.  My phone been playing up & not letting me post. I'm not very technical.
So we have entered Autumn & things get cooler at night.  My son age 17 months doesn't like covers & after a summer of no need for covers, he won't go in a sleep bag.  What to do?!
I loved his sleeping bags from last winter, so I cut them both up into large squares, added some appliques, then bought some lovely dinosaur cuddley cotton sheeting and sewed it all together to make this gorgeous quilt. It is so soft & cuddley, I am very pleased with it.  Judd likes it too and when I lay him in his cot for bed, he points at it for me to lay over him.  Ok it is off by morning but he likes it too, and that is nice for me!!

Holidays!

Sorry haven't written in a while. Been on a big adventure with a long drive to Melbourne to see my hubby. So the kiddies & I packed our snacks, dvds, & with lots of stops on the way to check out the best parks, we set off. Had an awesome time. Always great to hang with mates who we stayed with and of course the kids saw dad & I lived hanging out with hubby. Home again, school hols now so will get on crafting!

More Easter fun!

My daughter loved decorating eggs with a kit my mum sent her from the UK. You put a wrap around the hard boiled egg then immerse it in boiling water and it shrinks around the egg.  Really funky patterns.  Naughty mummy knocked it by accident and a couple cheeky eggs escaped and smashed on the floor!!  Cooking more boiled eggs as we type.  Edible chocolate on bottom shelf of the gorgeous tree that also came with the kit.  It was a winner!!  Thanks grandma. X

Easter fun!

Well we have completed the first Easter craft project. They were quite plain so we drew on them to jazz em up a bit! 
Neighbours kids came over yesterday eve, so i quickly hid 9 eggs around the garden. They found 8, but the missing one had disappeared....mystery.....took one look at the dog, she had gold paper between her paws....mystery solved!! Little dog monkey had found one for herself!  Actually she is not a little dog at all, and she shouldn't be eating chocolate.  The Easter bunny will have to be careful hiding eggs on Sunday with ole poochie pants having a taste for Easter eggs.

Cushion is done!!

I am so pleased to have made this cushion for a sweet baby girl.  I was sewing to the last minute. Popped it in a bag & went round to deliver it. Little Bubs slept most of the morning, just fluttered her beautiful eyelids open to catch a glimpse of her cushion, its a hard life, sleep sleep, poo, sleep, feed!! Oh to be 7 weeks old!!
I so enjoyed making it, what do you think out there in cyber world. Should I try making more? Let me know...

Butterfly fun!

I have been bit quiet in last week as it is a testing time for me at the moment, my hubby is away for a bit & so less time to be creative. Plus I am part time studying with an assignment due in few days. So busy busy busy. However, I am visiting a friend with a new baby girl tomorrow & I racked my little creative head to make something. I decided to make her a cushion which will have her name on.   I found an old Australian geographic with butterflys in it. I drew one & am busy transferring it into fabric art.  Testing time as my IKEA cushion has pattern on it!!  You can see it through my fabric, grrrr!! So I have to cover cushion first...extra work!!  I should be doing my assignment but it is sooo immensely satisfying making something for someone!!  Hopefully I shall have it ready by tomorrow.  Sneak peak pic so far...

Sock monkeys

So i text my crafty mate & said hey, do u fancy coming over to make sock monkeys. She said there's an offer I can't refuse!! Now, I should point out it was research as looking for things to do at my daughters party. It was actually not as much fun as I had hoped. Hanging out with my mate is always fun but the sewing sock monkey was bit fiddley. Not something my 7 yr old would have patience for.  Anyhow I did it, its not great, but at least I have tried!

Pretty cushions

I had a little tatty cushion that badly needed covering. I wanted to try some simple patchwork. So with tape measure, paper & pen, I worked out my design, with some inspiration from Kirstie Allsop & her craft book. I am drawn to greens & blues. I think it turned out ok, in fact, I love it!! Will do more cushions in the future.

Cycling & kangaroos

So I thought I would cycle to work this morn. It's not far, but it is through a conservation park. Imagine my surprise when two kangaroos bound along beside me momentarily!! If only I hadn't been in hurry I would have had time to stop take a photo. It was a beautiful moment.

Finally....

Well, even though my son failed to have his lunchtime nap thus freeing me to finish my daughters doll before school pick up, I still managed to do it, in the eleventh hour!! I was worried the hair would be impossible but it was ok actually. The one thing I will say about this pattern from the magazine Home Living, is the eyes are way too wide apart.  My husband said hammerhead shark...charming!!!  I followed the pattern exactly & placed them exactly where they said. It is my daughters birthday today, so she was thrilled with it, so mission accomplished!!  Anyway here she is...

Magazine excitement!!

Silly I know, but I get such a kick out of getting my fave magazine.  I live in Australia so it is the January issue from the UK of Craftseller.   I saw it, grabbed it, went home after work to read it over lunch, but...my son woke early, grrr!! So I am carrying it around instead, which is nearly as good, as the anticipation is worth the extra dollars it costs.
Still finishing the doll, got to sew on crazy boots, then attempt the hair. Need it by daughters birthday end of the week!  Only get spare time during sons middle of day nap.
Am enjoying making things for my kids, brings back memories of my mum making us toys etc.  She still makes us things, usually for the kids or gorgeous quilts.  My mum is fab!

I am addicted to craft magazines, I cannot help myself when I am near a newsagents. My favourite is Craftseller, a UK magazine.  I love it! I bought a good one the other day, Homemade living.  Another UK mag. 
I have also discovered the joy of making my children cuddley toys. Especially my 6 yr old, she loves toys. I gave her a bunny for Christmas, she was so thrilled with it. I enjoyed making it so much I made my friends daughter one too. The bunnies shared a chat & play in the garden first.

Here is a picture of them. They are from the melly & me book.
Anyhow, I am making a doll for my daughter from the magazine before mentioned, so enjoying making it. Here is a pic of her still in making.

Yummy mushroom meal

My hubby & I have decided to go healthy due to health reasons. The go have routine blood tests and be told you have high this & that tests!! So I saw this Michelle bridges recipe in a magazine & decided to try it. Not my hubbys normal thing but gave it a go....was delicious! It tasted a bit like pizza but better for you.
The official name was Grilled field mushrooms with thyme & feta, served with rocket & tomato salad.
It had a mix of ricotta, feta, garlic & fresh thyme on it with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. Was really nice.  My baby son even tried it, he didn't spit it out!

Why I started my testing times!!

So it all began a few months ago when I bought Jamie Olivers 15 min meals.  Now I love anything that cuts our cooking time right down and delivers quality.  Before I had kids, cooking was a joy and I used to try new exotic stuff and we would eat at 8pm!  Now, I laugh at that, we eat by 5.30pm and it is a lottery whether my children will eat it or not and what reaction I get. It is hard when you spend so much time lovingly preparing a meal to have it left.  Well the dog scores but.... So I was all for 15 min healthy delicious meals.  I enjoyed the trying it out, then reporting it on my facebook and the idea of this blog was formed.
The Jamie meals were mostly delicious and I adapted them for the kids a little bit, I did not manage to cook them in 15 mins, even when I had prepared and washed everything, having all food and spices laid out.  I think that the average time was 25 mins (which is pretty impressive!) and I was mostly cooking with a baby on my hip.  What isn't mentioned in the cookbooks is how messy everything gets, mustard seeds explode out of the pan, coriander gets everywhere, the oven is always splashed!!  But the food is good, tasty and worth it.  Definately don't use the kitchen timer to time yourself, too much tick tick tick in the background and too much pressure!!
So what has been a testing time for me this week?
What comes to mind is a thermomix party I went to weds.  I want one!!  It was an all singing all dancing small kitchen machine.  The demo lasted about 2 hours and the lovely lady cooked and prepared an amazing array of food, drinks, dips, sorbets, salads, risottos, bread, custard with hardly any effort.  I want one and am working out in my head how I will ever come up with the nearly $2000 to get one!!  In my dreams but hey...one can dream!!  I will have a demo soon.
Another thing I decided to try out today was quinoa.  I have heard that it is a super grain and super healthy for you.  It actually didn't really taste of anything but I got a Jamie recipe and added a finely chopped blend of chillie, coriander, spinach and spring onions, then mixed it into the quinoa.  Squeezed over a lime and drizzled some olive oil.  Was nice with a little bite to it!  Had it with thai chicken burgers and a salad.  Way super healthy for us!!  I got great satisfaction walking round the garden and picking my lime off our tree and the chillie off the plant.  The most amazing thing was that my son who is 14 months old really enjoyed his thai chicken burger and quinoa (minus the chillie mix) and a happy son is a happy mum!!
Well I have waffled on enough for now.  More soon!