Discussions with a School Girl

Oh how quickly they grow up once they start school.  Day two of school Hannah came home and announced "Today at lunch it was so cool...we started a secret club!"  She must have seen the alarmed look on my face (is this the start of all that nasty exclusionary peer pressure stuff?) because she straight away said "but don't worry Mum, we invited everyone to be in it!"
"So what do you do in the secret club?" I asked.
"Oh, I don't know, we haven't worked that out yet!"

The next day she came home and excitedly told me that she had been put in charge of making flower chains and leaf chains.  "Did you know that you could make leaf chains just like you make daisy chains Mummy?"

This morning, as she was supposed to be finishing her breakfast she says: "Do you know I know how to do pole dancing Mummy?"
I once again looked alarmed.
"Yes" she said, "I learnt it at school!"
The mind boggles!
On a totally unrelated topic The Handmaden is giving away one of her lovely dolls through http://www.grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/ I love these Steiner inspired dolls!  Must make one for Maddie when she gets a bit older!

Hoping to get to my quilting this weekend then  I might have finished items to show LOL
Keep smiling,
Nell

The Difference Between Fantasy and Reality

Yesterday I could have been writing The Great Australian Novel, making plum jam, sewing a designer creation, or snuggling with a Hollywood style handsome toyboy.  Instead I was conquering Mt Washmore, nursing a head cold, ignoring several tantrums, breaking my resolution to shop from my stash (but seriously - kids fabrics for $1.50 a metre?!?!?) scratching the surface layer of clutter/crumbs/chaos off the house, and trying not to get too close to a gastro-prone, but none-the-less lovable husband.

Today the fog has lifted somewhat; I have only one load of washing left (and it is almost finished the spin cycle)  I have paid the bills, and done some chores, and the small boy and I picked the remaining plums this morning so the jam is bubbling on the stove.  Does anyone else love that jam is just fruit and sugar?  It seems too easy to taste that good!  Call me a communist but I also love that the top quality, high on the branches, perfectly juicy fruit goes into the same pan with the misshapen, slightly bruised, maybe a bit pock-marked fruit and the end result is just the same :)

I am listening to Enya, enjoying the antics of Mr Potato Head (as Dan plays alongside me) and wondering whether to clean the kitchen or go play with the $1.50 pyjama fabric?

I hope you are having a rose/ruby/plum coloured Tuesday too!
Keep smiling,
Nell

Fun, Family and Fancywork!

I have just returned from a wonderful Creative Memories Conference at beautiful Sanctuary Cove.  It was a couple of great days of fun, training, and soaking up the Queensland sunshine.  My gorgeous sister Karin came with to look after Maddie. Kaz was supposed to be getting some work done on her laptop (LOL) but I think she spent more time baby gazing than anything else!

One of the added benefits of Summit being in Queensland was getting to catch up with my family.  I saw 2 out of 3 siblings, 4 out of 10 of my Dad's brothers and sisters, my niece and my parents.  Maddie also got to meet her great grandparents for the first time.I just love my family and it is hard to live interstate and only get to see them once or twice a year so this time was so precious!  Kaz let me borrow her car to go up to the Sunshine Coast to see everyone so Maddie and I had a lovely time rambling through the country roads of my childhood.  Funny to note how much has changed and how much has stayed the same, and great to reminisce - I found myself thinking of the lyrics to "Strawberry Fields Forever" as I drove!

I stayed overnight with Dad's Mum, Gubby.  Gubby will be 90 this Christmas.  She is still sharp as a tack and lives alone (although my Uncle Doug visits twice daily)  Gubby pulled out old family photos and we spent several pleasant hours going through them all, hearing stories of forgotten  generations.  While I was there I got some tips on how to do neat stem stitch.  Gubby calls her embroidery "fancywork".  She has done "fancywork" almost all her life and used all 11 of her confinments to embroider tablecloths!  Every year she wins prizes at the Maleny show.  She has such neat stitching that it is hard to tell  the back from the front.  These days Gubby does more fancywork than ever; she says it is hard to be idle after so many years of hard work.  

Anyway, now it is back to reality, back to cleaning up the house and looking after the kids and getting ready for my next set of CM workshops.  Have a great weekend,

keep smiling,

 Nell   

Blah Blah Blah!

Believe it or not I have actually been finishing things; 3 bags for Hannah's wonderful kindy teachers (she picked the fabric to match their personalities and I think she did a really good job)  They were made using Jodie's one hour bag pattern from  vintagericrac.blogspot.com
 This has become my favourite bag pattern and I have worked out how to fudge it out of a fat quarter (not including handles)  Unfortunately we forgot to take a photo before we gave them away.  I have also finished another project but I'm not allowed to show you so you only get this peak:

I am off to Creative Memories Leaders Conference tomorrow so no more crafting for me for the next few days - I'll be too busy catching up with my sister and dear friends and grandparents and parents and swanning around the pool at Sanctuary Cove - CM is such a tough business LOL!

This little boy, as cute and cool as he is, has been chucking the worst tanties lately.  Very embarassing when they are in public places too!

This little girl is becoming a chatterbox, and is becoming a fatty boombah.  She is also becoming so much more fun!

Happy Wednesday!

Keep smiling,

Nell

2 Months Old Already!

Hard to believe that our sweet baby is already two months old!  Where did the time go?  At two months Madeline is starting to chub up - dimples in fingers and elbows and those sticky baby creases in her neck and thighs.  She weighs 5.46 kilos and is slightly above average in her weight and height. She is becoming more expressive - lots of cooes and gooes especially at her big brother and sister.  Madeline is sleeping through most nights from about 11.30 to 5.30 or sometimes even 7.00!  She still has her own private fussy time from about 8pm to 12.00 but we have had two good colic free nights in a row so here is hoping!

Very much loved and adored by all - I just wish she wasn't growing so quickly!