Productive Autumn Afternoon

I managed a few hours in the sewing room yesterday.

I managed to applique some cool fabric (mainly scraps that I have been lucky enough to win in various blogland giveaways over the last year).  I've had these t-shirts for more than 6 months waiting for some tizzying up - and Matilda told me that they were all pretty which I think is a good thing!

And I found some Far Far Away II fabric in my stash that arrived as part of a scrap pack purchase at Hawthorn Threads (I love these scrap packs - they're great way to get all sorts of different fabrics without having to think too hard about it.  And it suits the kind of crafting that I do, making bits and bobs for kids birthday gifts, small skirts, etc).

I had two quite small pieces of fabric so decided to make a skirt very loosely based on the Oliver+S Lazy Days skirt.  I ended up adding a waistband and doubled up some fabric for the hem.  It's still a bit big for Matilda but that's probably not a bad thing - we were just gifted with the hugest bag of hand-me-downs and she wants to wear them all today!!

I really loved sewing with the Heather Ross linen-like fabric and it would make fabulous trousers as well! I'm tempted to get some more to play with but should probably focus on using what I have rather than buying more.

My sister-in-law was also busy yesterday!  My newest nephew arrived yesterday afternoon about 8 weeks early.  Both mum and baby doing well so far but it will be a while before the little guy gets home.  I've been wondering whether there is anything I can make for them whilst in hospital.  I was thinking it might be nice to make clothes for the baby out of some of mum and dad's old t-shirts so that the little guys still feels close to his parents whilst hanging in the humidicrib - but when do they start wearing clothes, and what size are they, and can they still smell with a nasal-gastric tube in?

Anyway, I hope you're enjoying a lazy Sunday morning!

Pre-school Paper Making!

Last week our usual Mum's Group catch-up day was looking a but wet to go to a playground so we decided to have lunch at our place and make some paper!

Kelvin using the paper-making deckle in a tub of paper pulp.

Paper making is not a spontaneous activity to do with kids - you need to rip up and soak the scrap paper overnight.

Drying the paper on the windows - we'd run out of other options!!
It worked really well for a nice smooth writing surface.

And it's also a bit messy!  But that's all part of the appeal I think.  We made the paper with used white office paper and we added some glittery rainbow sparkles for that little extra pizzazz.  And we also tried embossing some of the sheets using alphabet stamps!

Drying more sheets of paper.

And at one stage there were 10 kids under five years joining in the making!!  But it was worth it - we ended up with lovely textured paper to draw on or just play with! And I had all the papermaking gear from decades ago when I made the paper for my own wedding invitations, plus Sarah bought her gear too.

And about half of our paper production - enough for a little book perhaps?

Gestating - again!

Have been a bit absent around my blog lately.  I have been feeling a bit lethargic of late and have barely moved from the couch once I sit down after the kids are in bed.  Although I have made progress on my Tiny Tea Leaves cardigan and enjoying the return to knitting.

But I have a good excuse for my laziness (I think)!

Matilda is one very excited big sister!  She's convinced that this little bubba is a boy but we'll have to wait and see.  Kelvin is a blissfully unaware 2 year old but he'll be an excellent big brother - although I am a bit sad that my gorgeous placid happy little man will probably fall into the neglected middle child role very easily.

Anyway, that's my news, it's out there.  Baby due in the middle of the extended family September birthday glut and could well clash with the AFL Grand Final.

Tea Leaves and Bruschetta!

I have really enjoyed my last couple of weeks away from work.

I have played at being the good "school mum", walking my daughter to and from school, meeting the teacher and other parents and all that starting school involves.

I have had time to sew all the things I have promised the childcare centre (two big sheer curtains for an indoor gazebo they have) and even took a couple of the worse-for-wear dress-ups home from kinder to fix!

My sewing space is still as disorganised as when I started my holidays!!  I'll get to it one of these days.

I have done lots of cooking (some of which has been described as "disgusting" by my daughter - at least Trev has appreciated it).  We've visited the local farmers market for the first time and I have some yummy leeks to cook and delicious pink-eye potatoes to eat with butter and mint.

Autumn has hit Hobart in a big way - and we're only 2 days in.  I really want to knit!  So I've found the correct needles and am about to cast on a Tiny Tea Leaves cardigan for Matilda.  And maybe enjoy a cuppa and some chocolate cake before the childcare pick-up!!

I also picked some more of our tomatoes from the garden.  I'm hoping we get some more sunny weather soon, otherwise it'll be green tomato chutney central at our place!!  I think Trev and I'll have some bruschetta as an entree to dinner tonight.  I'm also planning on making this too (with home-grown zucchini received from a friend).