Heart Aches

Phone calls at 7am are never good around here. Everyone knows not to call before 8am 'cause we are most likely asleep and they will get either Mr or Mrs Cranky Pants answering. So when the phone rings just after 7am, it's not good.

See the man in that picture? Healthiest 66 year old you have ever met. Walks everyday, eats nothing but healthy food, rarely drinks, doesn't smoke, perfect BMI, heck he's healthier than his 30 year old daughter (ahem). BUT his heart is faulty.

2 years ago he woke up with pains in the middle of the night. Being a "man" he let it go and until a few days later when he still didn't feel right was oblivious that he had experienced a heart attack. Oh it was painful, but not what he "expected" a heart attack to be. Anyway, steints put in later, he was feeling 100%. Then one of the steints collapsed caused by scar tissue. Heart attack #2. More steints. Throw in a few more steints because of blocked ones shortly after and you have his whole history in a pargraph.

So back to the phone call this morning, he was taken by ambulance at 2.30am this morning to the hospital with pain in his arm and jaw. Tests had already been run and everyone was adament that it was just an episode of some kind, definitely not a heart attack, he should be out by 2pm after another stress test aka walking on the treadmill while being monitored. Only because he had previous heart issues did he even make it past the ER to be admitted.

So after Liam's swimming, him & I headed up to the hospital and spent the day bedside. When we arrived they took another sample of blood, told him they'd be back with results in a couple of hours then he'd be discharged. The tests confirmed his 3rd heart attack. So tomorrow he will be transferred to another hospital that this cardiologist will do another angiogram. Last time he had steints done he was warned that if the steint closest to his heart went again he would need a bypass, fingers crossed it isn't that one. All the doctors were astounded that it came back "extremely positive" for a heart attack. He had experienced the pain which had gone away on their own, had no further pain and was feeling great.

The morales of the story/my ramblings:
1. heart attacks DO affect healthy people
2. in all 3 of Dad's attacks they have been NOTHING like you expect a heart attack to be ie. no "heart" pain, but pain in other areas
3. I need to find where you exchange hearts 'cause this one is definitely faulty. It's ageing me and Mum about 20 years everytime he has an "episode"
4. Liam loves hospitals and all the attention he got from the nurses who thought he was adorable

After the sad news of good friends loosing their baby at 14 weeks pregnant last week plus Dad this week, I think I'm ready for a holiday somewhere warm and where no-one can reach us with bad news!

Liam's Things

A new quilt for Liam for his upcoming 2nd birthday in late September. I'm in denial he is turning 2, anyone asks, he is still a baby and is not getting any bigger or older. But he can have a quilt for his birthday.

Getting a photo while children are awake is impossible. At least it shows how big it is, a full sized single bed.

Most of the fabric was from Amitie at the Craft & Quilt show a couple of months ago. No idea who any of the designers are since it was all fat quarters, but the others I used from my stash include Heather Ross' Goldfish, Amy Butler's Lotus Dots in Cherry, and Kaffe Fasset's Organic Dots. The thin border is a very dark navy and the sashing is called Tea Dye, both from Spotlight's homespun. The red and white striped binding also came from the Craft & Quilt show, love it!

For the quilting I machine quilted a large rectangle, stitched in the ditch around the dark blue border. Then I hand quilted with cream DMC Perle 8 thread some fish and bubbles. First attempt at hand quilting and I loved it! I actually figured out how to bury the knot too which was great. Gotta love YouTube when trying to figure things out.

My best attempt at binding yet. I am 100% happy with it. Quilters could do better I know, but for me, this came out perfect.

The back is this dark grey feathered-like fabric with a strip down the middle in a brick-like pattern. The quilted fish from the front come out beautifully on the back.

The pattern was called Town & Country which I grabbed from the show too, but I should have just made up the pattern because I really didn't use it. The pattern didn't explain EXACTLY what fabric needs to be cut how big and how to place it, so I basically opened the pattern, saw the two pages of instructions, one being a whole image of the finished quilt and packed it away and just started cutting.

Also for Liam from Lad & Lass picked up from the Mathilda's Market last month. He loves the Giraffe. Now he has his own artwork in their bedroom along with Bella's.

Building Houses

A new house for my new laptop using some 100% Wool Felt I got my hands on for a steal last week, teamed with a strip of fabric from Cloth. I lined it with some light tweed I also got for a bargin and added a gorgeous owl button from BadSkirt at the Finders Keepers Market...

and a new house for our pegs. I know, exciting right? Well least I can look at something pretty while hanging out what feels like dozens of loads of washing a week. Calico with a bright orange Perle 8 embroidery thread.

Miscellaneous July

Two new fabric baskets to hold "stuff" that makes it's way out to the lounge room from the kids toys.

A new denim dress for Bella.


Waiting for the train to head to the Coffee Festival...

Swimming was on holidays for the last 2 weeks, so last Thursday while Bella was at school Liam and I got a day to just hang with no plans so we headed to the park. He's cute right? Not that I'm biased.

Yes 4 posts in a day. And once I've got more time more will be becoming. It's been a busy couple of months since I had my working laptop!

Handmade Helps Door Prizes

The Handmade Helps book is due very very soon, and a launch being planned which, fingers crossed, I will be flying to Melbourne for. I offered up some bits and pieces for door prizes for the launch...






Make sure you pre-order your copy now.

Meeting cousins

It's been a busy July with the kids meeting cousins from far away.

The kids meeting their little 2nd cousin Saphyreand a reversible wrap skirt sent for her 1st birthday last week

Having brunch with cousin Tania from New Zeland and her newly-fianced-to-guy Graham

Hmm babycinos

A bib and change mat sent home with Tania for her sister Kimberley who is due any day now with another cousin. I lined both the bib and change mat with toweling so it'll be super-absorbant.

Looks like I'll have to whip something else up though, Tania broke the news while she was here that she's pregnant too!

I'm backkkkk

9.5 weeks later, old laptop gone, new laptop arrived. Now that didn't take long did it? (Insert MAJOR sarcasm). Now to install all the software AGAIN.

Lots of catch up to come... starting with June...

A start on Summer outfits. These two dresses are from Oliver & S, but since they are just for play I omited the lined bodice and put in a zipper instead of buttons at the back. A little big (size 5) but by the time this growth spurt finishes, they should be perfect. I love the collars.

Bella's birthday prints up in their bedroom. It's an Aunty Cookie festival in the kids room, the blocks on Liam's side are from her too. Talented chick.

A holder for Bella's hairclips

More soon...

Homemade: the Handmade Helps recipe book

Back in February this year when the devastating fires hit Victoria the Handmade Helps Out blog was started by a group of crafters and artists, contributing items for sale as well as donations to those affected.

From the original blog the idea for a recipe book arose and evolved. Readers of the blog and also some high profile identities contributed recipes and finally, the book is off at the printers as I type.

The website for the book is now live, donated and created by my alter ego, Cameron Solutions, so head over there now and either order and download your very own copy of the book or pre-order a much anticipated printed copy to be shipped to you as soon as it hits our hands. All money raised will be going to The Salvation Army to assist the fire victims.

I am very grateful that I have been able to participate in creating this book, even in my very small websitey-way. Thank you to everyone else in the team, make sure you head their way to say thank you too but not before you go via the website and grab yourself a copy.