Ruffled Skirt & A Morning at the Park

We had a lovely morning at the park catching up with our friends. Of course I didn't take any of these brilliant photos, they were from one clever mummy, Tanya. Can you believe she has only just started photography as a hobby, they are brilliant. Might have to convince her to come to a few other outings and scam some more photography :-) My photos I took at the park are horrendous. Unless you like what looks like Isabella with 4 arms because she moves quicker than my camera takes the photos. Checkout Tanya's blog. There are some fabulous photos of her gorgeous twin boys. After going to the park on Monday, Tuesday and again today I hope the kids don't start to expect it every day!

I made this skirt up last night and just finished it off for the Princess. It is from the free Grand Revival ruffled skirt pattern and was so quick to cut and sew up. My first attempt at ruffles and I was pretty happy with the results..

Oliver + S Tea Party Dress

Isabella's Tea Party/3rd Birthday Party is just under a month away so I am starting to gather ideas and came across this website ALL about cupcakes. How cool is that. Posted was a link to this. I proceeded to throw myself on the floor throwing a tanty a 3 year old would be proud of "I want, I want, I want". Shame everyone was in bed so no one saw. If I could knit quicker than one bootie in 6 months, I would attempt to make this Cupcake hat.

My Oliver + S Tea Party Dress has arrived and I grabbed the fabric yesterday. I decided to do a test run with the pattern using the Rose coloured fabric I bought and some left over Sevenberry fabric from my MIL's bag from Mother's Day and the match was perfect. The fabric went together so beautifully and the pattern worked so well, I've decided this is it and not the practice dress. (It's extra sunny here today so the photos aren't fantastic... not that they ever are... plus Miss Bella REFUSED to part with her sultanas for her photo shoot. Oh and excuse the bed-hair, she woke up only 5 mins earlier and I was busting to make sure it would fit!).

I got my Oliver + S Tea Party Dress pattern from Duckcloth here in Australia and they were super quick to deliver and free freight. Definitely will be back there soon. The patterns from Oliver + S are so adorable, I'd love to try them all. I received their newsletter yesterday and a boys range is coming later this year and just looks as equally gorgeous. I will be impatiently waiting their release.

More Fabric Book

Last post for the day... promise. I forgot a couple of pictures of 2 more pages to be added to Liam's felt fabric book. A Crab and a Cow.

Pram Bag

You know those freebies you always get with magazines, well many a moon ago I got a large sized toiletry bag with an InStyle magazine. While it sat in a cupboard forever when the kids came along it found it's place because it is big enough to hold a couple of nappies each, wipes and a couple extra "bits".

So while the kids were snoozing this afternoon and in between emails and phone calls, I cut up my own version using the exact same size but just put a loop on each end to loop over the handle bars of our Phil & Ted. I wasn't game enough to do my first zipper for the closure so I resorted to the old-faithful press stud.

We have a few Phil & Ted bags but they either hang too low when the 2nd kiddie is in the pram or are just not big enough to hold anything other than a mobile. Oh and I tested it and you can fold up the pram with it attached! Bonus. The Princess is at daycare tomorrow so Liam & I will be testing it out at the shops.

Good Morning...

Just because Mummy feels sick doesn't make the world stop, all mummies know that. But what a lovely morning to make up for it.

First the Princess had her swimming lesson which she is loving and getting so good, well considering what she was like earlier this year. Her private lessons have been fantastic and well worth the extra fees. After that we did what we seem to be doing alot lately, we headed down to Cronulla Mall for a trip to the library to pickup some books, then a stop at Michel's for a vegemite scroll and milk for her and a coffee for mummy while we browsed through our new library books.

While there we did our normal stop to check the post box and how excited was Isabella to find a parcel addressed to her! We rushed home to open it and found the most beautiful kimono jacket from PinkLizzy. How gorgeous is the colour! She is a extrodinarily talented mummy. When Isabella opened it, the first thing she said it was "my Birthday jacket Mummy"... she is very excited about her upcoming birthday!

After I managed to pry it off her, we did a bit of painting and some drawing for a couple of birthday cards for 2 teachers at her daycare having a birthday this month. Painting has to be her favourite past time. Don't tell daddy, but Liam took a shine to a tutu he found.

Thank goodness it is almost time for bed. Alot for this mummy with a very sore head for one morning.

From the other night... the Monkey in action. I'm sure he is part mountain-goat.

Oh and lastly a picture Isabella did of Liam on her magna-doodle thing. It has his face, hair, eyes, nose and mouth apparently. I was very impressed, probably her first drawing that actually looks like something :-). I only wish she had done it on paper and not the magna-doodle, but I'm glad I got a photo of it.

Tea Parties, Polly's and Dresses

Tummies full of breakfast this morning and having a nice cuddle before Liam heads back to bed for his morning nap.

My little Princess is turning THREE next month. She is such a little person now and has such a personality. Just these last few months she has "got" birthdays, so when she went to her best friend Sam's birthday back in March she told me for her birthday she wanted a Tea Party. Isabella has just started coming up with her own ideas out of nowhere and I find it fascinating what she comes up with, so I must say I often comply!

So the past week has been designing and making teacup invitations and planning a tea party for next month to celebrate. Last night they were all finished ready to pop in the post today to all her little friends. On the sewing front, I HAVE been making things, just haven't had the camera charged/within reach to take the photos.

I borrowed the Softies book from the library a couple of weeks back and late last week Bella asked me to show her the pictures so I was reading her all their names and we came across one named "Polly". So.. "ohhh Mummy sew Isabella a Polly. Miss Polly Mummy"... etc etc etc repeatedly. So one night after she went to bed I made up "Miss Polly", and she loves her. There is nothing better than making one of the kids something and they actually love it!.

Isabella has told me that Liam needs the Monkey from the book, so he is next on my list.

I bought this courdoroy a couple of weeks back hoping to make a warmer style dress for Isabella and found this simple Simplicity 3489 pattern. For some reason on the inside of the pattern they call it a jumper?? Confusing. Dean thinks it should have pockets, either one big in the middle or a couple smaller on her hips. Still deciding.

All About A Boy

Our little Monkey is growing up.

For a little while he has been able to get from flat on his tummy to sitting, but resting himself on his legs and hands, but today he sat up on his own and miraculously didn't just fall straight backwards.

He has also for the past while been pulling himself up on his knees, but can now pull himself up to stand, as long as he can get on his knees first. Tonight he managed to climb INTO his rocker! He had no idea what to do next so just started calling out.

And lastly he has been making his "talking" noises for the past few days and tonight after much practice said daadaadaadaadaaaa...

Precious. Well as you can see from the photo except for his decorum while eating!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mum's out there. I had a lovely day being spoilt and got come lovely presants from my gorgeous family.

It's a secret but I have an obssesion.. tea cups. Well I don't indulge in my obsession, I just adore from a far, but this Mother's Day I received TWO to-die-for.

And this brand new Pandora bracelet with a Monkey and a Princess crown! Here begins the new obsession!

Decor8 recently had a post in their blog about Aussie blogs and whilst it took me a while, I visited them all. There are such creative Aussies out there! A few of my favourites...

http://treefalldesign.typepad.com/
http://www.auntycookie.com/
http://kirinote.blogspot.com/ - fabric to die for

Mother's Day Quilt

Finally a picture to show what I have been working on. My mum barely knows how to turn the computer on so pretty safe to say she won't see these pictures!

Mum & Dad moved at Christmas into a new house and are slowly doing it up. The main wall in the lounge room is a lovely blue/green and my mum is shocking in the winter, she has every blanket in the house and jumper she owns on at one time if she's watching tv. So for Mother's Day this year, I thought I would make up a small quilt for her to rug up with using this lovely blue material that matches the wall colour pretty close.

The pattern is the free Nigella Quilt from Amy Butler, but instead of using the alternating colours for the background behind the appliques, I just picked a plain cream fabric that has white swirls all over. It came up as a lovely simple quilt which is what I wanted.

I used the mocked binding method which I don't think I'll use again. I thought I would save time doing it but it came out uneven in spots on the reverse. I am contemplating cheating and getting some ribbon and hand stitching on the back edges to cover up the un-even lines. Maybe.

OP Plumbing Live!

Another reason for no finished sewing this week... a website for one of my new customers went live yesterday. It's always a big relief to finish one of these big projects. Checkout www.opplumbing.com.au for what I SHOULD be doing when I'm sewing. On to the other bunch of websites to be finished! What's the saying, when it rains it....

Welcome Baby Callie

What a very busy week. Work has been flat out and I have been putting together my presant for my mum for Mother's Day. Hopefully some photos to show for it shortly if I can wrangle some time this evening.

Today we visited friends who have just had their third little bundle, a 2nd girl named Callie who was just beautiful. I made her up a little pair of Mary Jane's and a matching bib which they seemed to like. She is 2.5 weeks and that newborn baby tiny that I love. I even got a little cuddle. Just don't tell Dean :-)

Except for the past couple of days, Liam is a champion eater. He seems to like everything. Well everything I cook anyway, he isn't fussed on anything "bought" except the fruits. Isabella was just the same. Even when I get the expensive Organic yummy stuff, he still turns his nose up. But I make the exact same thing and he scoofs it. Oh well can't complain I suppose. His latest favourites are Minestrone soup and a yummy Lentil and Vegetable puree. We think he has a bit of a sore throat the past couple of days. He normally eats and eats but is grimacing with everything, so tonight I have made up some yummy fruit gel with gelatine sheets and some Apple and Cranberry juice. He should enjoy that tomorrow and if it is a sore throat I'm sure it will be a relief.