Sunday at Home

These are Hazel and Mae's Easter presents that I am putting in cards instead of money for cholcolate. They get heaps of chocolate and they both read alot so I thought this would be something different.

The pink coin purse is mine - all mine! Finally I made one for me. The other is Kates to put in with her birthday present (I haven't decided what I am making for her yet), I thought the black and white is a bit more grown up.

Who would have thought it, our first potential pumpkin has arrived on the scene. The vine is making its way to the front yard where it is much more sunny. Dave reckons we should let them run free in the front yard next year. Please remember that Dave wasn't keen on the idea when I suggested it last year - he obviously knows a good idea when he thinks its his own!

My pea's are looking perky

Carrots are up.

I planted 65 omion plants in the 'pet cemetry'. I might get another couple of punnets in then plant the garlic.

My first lavender head.

More Sewing

Here is a Tiny Kitten without its box. This was quick to make but underlind how I am not the most skilled sew-er in the world. Doing the eyes and nose was surprisingly hard as it is so small. So since I love them I am going to enloarge the pattern and do some more. You can find this pattern at Obsessively Stitching's blog.

Here is another toy from the More Softies book I got from the library. Its a giraffe - just in case you can't tell. I am umming whether to add it to Ellie's birthday present. Meg if you see this what do you think? Will she like it?

I am now looking to do those other two coin purses. Just got to do it!!

Meet Maisie

Amelia and I made Maisie from the More Softies book today. Miss Amelia picked the fabric.


This is Maisie, isn't she cute? Amelia helped trace the pattern and cut it out. She sewed the upper body to the lower body and the head to the neck. She also ironed the pieces (with supervision!)

I think we may make a couple more to add to our gift store! I am really going to try and make the "Kitten in a box" tomorrow.

The Weekend

Yesterday we went out to Mum and Dad's place for lunch (which was delicious) and Holy Moley, they have done SOOO much work in the yard - it looks fabulous! I wish I had taken the camera. It looks so good and so relaxing. Dad told me today that the wheat has started coming up, so that experiment is looking good too. The rockery they have done looks great and they have done it up in steps so it isn't the typical rockery. The chooks are really looking good too, they aren't timid anymore.

This is our dwarf lemon tree, it's lemons are slowly coming along, its partner has been moved out the back and put in the ground and I am hoping it will recover from it's near death experience.

This is my new burgundy tea tree, its going really well since we put it in last weekend. Apparently the colder it gets the deeper the burgundy colour gets - can't wait!

Mum suggested this one so we got two! A Murraya bush, it has white fragrant flowers and we are hoping two of them plus a plumbago will fill across the front yard.

Most of the Iris's have been transplanted here, in this part shaded section. will probably have to add some more as I find them around.

Happily the cucumbers are still producing, though it probably wont be long before them and the zucchini's will have to be pulled out.

This is where the peas will grow and flourish! I am putting them right along the back fence this year.

Amelia bought a flower punnet to replace her daisies. We moved her pot too as the crepe myrtle is blocking the sun from it's usual spot. It came in a peat pot so we don't have to get rid of the plastic pot. Its a wonder why they don't put more plants in pots like that.

Here is the new onion and garlic patch. It was the potato patch. Just giving it a couple of days to make sure that no grass pops up. I am going to throw on some manure and mulch and make it all yummy.

Yesterday I planted carrots, silverbeet, celery, radish and beetroot. Today I planted peas. I am going to plant onion, garlic and raddichio. I am pretty excited about the garden and I have to pull my finger out to get all the info on how to turn Dad and my wheat into flour! How freaking exciting is that?!

Jam

Just quickly, I did get to make the plum jam tonight, did it while finishing cooking dinner. I just fished the pips out at the end of cooking time with a slotted spoon.

It made 9 jars and the house smells lickable!!!

I am happy to get the chance to bottle something, it is so relaxing!

Also - go Mum who didnt throw out the soft pears but made something with them! Go Joanie!!

Spending Money

Spending money USED to be a hobby, I USED to enjoy it. Now, not so much.

I used to be able to find something in any shop to buy and bring home with me (not that I bring home stuff that I don't pay for!) I would have a half hour before work so I'd have a browse at the newsagent and would spend $10 on a magazine, that I would take home flick through and put on my bookshelf. I now borrow my mags from the ibrary, the only exception from this is the occaisional GrassRoots mag - which I love, read cover to cover and refer back to. Or I would go Target after work everyday and see what was on special or their reduced racks and 9 times out of 10 I would find SOMETHING to buy, I would rationalise that it is a bargain - even if we didn't really need it.

This week I have bought a couple of things but in a completely different way. I needed undies so I went to Big W, walked to the underwear section, got them, paid for them and left. I got Dad's bday present (going thirds with Meg and Kate), paid and left. I am not looking around for random stuff to buy and it is good!!

Got to take the kids to the dentist tomorrow for their 6 monthly checkups but luckily I have the government Teen Dental voucher for Wes's visit so if his appointment isn't more than $159.85 we are all good and I will only have to pay for Amelia's. Thank you the Australian government!! Ha!

I am in two minds about going away for a long weekend with the kids. I really want to go away but I really dont want to spend the money. I will have 2 weeks overtime (about $600) but I COULD put that to paying off bills. Grrrr. I am going to see if I can find a less expensive compromise. I ask Dave what he thinks and he just says "as long as we can afford it". And as I am the CFO of this household thats no answer at all!

Crafty wise, I have 3 easter bookmarks to make, my red top to sew, Wesley's stitchery and Amelias sundress to do. Oh and mending. I need more hours in the day!

Bonus! Found some cheap plums so will be making plum jam tonight or tomorrow night. Yum!

March Already

I can not believe March is here and we are only 10 months away from another year already! I think I am getting old cause I never used to think like that!

I am still working on Dad's birthday present and am looking for a good fudge recipe so the kids can make that for his birthday. We are having Mum and Dad for dinner that night, it will probably be steaks on the BBQ but I will have to make something exciting for dessert.

Kim's daughter Sasha is the next birthday I have had to be organised for and so far so good. She gets an awful lot of stuff throughout the year and since I don't want to give money I have thought of something she probably WONT have.

I went through some Handmade mags and found the pattern for some bookmarks. We picked a cat cause Sasha is getting a kitten for her birthday.

The bookmark took an afternoon/evening to make completely. The stiching is backstitch and satin stitch for the eyes and nose.

The back is done in the same material as the coin purse Amelia picked out of the stash, so we have a bit of a puple theme happening.

See? Purple. I put one of the lollipop soaps I got yonks ago with it too.

I LOVE this material!! I got it from the markets for $2.50, its about 2.5 metres and it will be either a sundress for Amelia or a skirt for me. Haven't decided yet.

~

The scrap bucket is working a treat, we are hardly throwing out anything foodwise. It really has made me keep an eye on whats in the fridge and freezer. I have a curry on the stove at the moment to use up some vegies which I will freeze for another day though I will have to label it as this one is a veg and chicken curry and looks similar to the pumpkin and Kadu curry.

I had to buy another punnet of silverbeet as the birds pecked my to death. I have put up some netting so they have a chance to get established. I don't mind the birds having some as long as they are prepared to share!