Just a few books....

For as long as I can remember I have been a bookworm.

This is my birthday haul!  LOVELY! LOVELY! LOVELY!  So much inspiration and so little time.  I guess the housework won't get done again today (sigh)

If you are looking for a good read I can thoroughly recommend anything by Geraldine Brooks or Sara Gruen.

I am off to finish Selena's rainbow bootees and her birth sampler. Last week was a rough week - I'm looking forward to a better week.  Be kind to one another, keep smiling,

Nell

Selena's presents (Sneak Peak)

I am an Auntie again.  My darling new niece, Selena Willow Rosenveld, was born this morning.  I am sad that I can't be in Queensland to give her new baby cuddles.  Newborns are so special.  It has actually been a lovely thing to share in my sister's first pregnancy.

We are so different, my sister and I.  As children we were not all that close.  As teenagers we were downright hateful, and hurtful, to each other.  As we "matured" we have grown closer and I can honestly say that I now know just how special it is to have a sister.  I see my two girls together, how smitten they are with each other, and I hope that they will always know the special bond of sisterhood.

Today I am not focussed on much at all, just thinking about my sis and her gorgeous newborn.


I hope to have pictures to share, but until I do here are a few of Selena's first presents from us (KAZ LOOK AWAY NOW!!!)

Selena shares a birthday with my dear friend Naomi (which is why Dan has chocolate all over his face - he was licking the bowl from the birthday cake we are taking to Mum's group!)  No pastel baby pinks for my sister.  She has decorated Selena's room in a jungle theme.This is the little dress made from the "stained glass" sock yarn (wool/silk mix) that I got through kathysfibres.com  The pattern is from Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders.  It was just a dream project to knit (thoroughly enjoyable and so quick - I relished every stitch!)  Can't wait to see little Selena in this!

I'm off to help Hannah's class make Easter cards (bunnies from my Creative Memories punches)

Happy Tuesday (and welcome to the world Selena sweetie!)

Keep smiling,

Nell

Doing the shopping...

I recently tried something new.  I am in the habit of doing a HUGE grocery shop once a month.  We get our fruit and veg home delivered each week by a gorgeous local family "Just the Freshest" and then I do a bread and milk run a few times a week.  The grocery shopping is, quite frankly, a pain and I look forward to it about as much as having a tooth pulled.  I'm sure the kids look forward to it even more than that LOL!

Anyway, to cut my ramblings short, this month for the first time ever we did our grocery shopping on line.  It was delivered the next day for the exorbitant sum of $5.00.  The kids ENJOYED the delight of a big truck pulling into our driveway and unloading mystery bags of groceries.  They were so excited that they even helped me put it all away and then with the time we saved shopping we went outside and played!  You've gotta love that!

I am now a true convert!
Have a great week,
Keep smiling,
Nell

Inspired?

How could you not get excited about issues one and two of vignette arriving in your letterbox on the same day?
How could you not get excited about Kathy's new wool/cotton sock yarn in the most rainbow-est of colours (which she tempted me with the very day after I promised my sister I would not knit the divine Miss S. anymore clothes)  I can see the sweetest little rainbow dress... I had to cast on within an hour of bringing this yummy skein home and now I am just up to the armholes on the front bodice LOL.

There has been crafting happening in amongst school open nights, Creative Memories parties and workshops, kindy fundraisers, and quite a few TRT days.  BUSY but fun.  I've been creating blog posts in my mind but just not gone beyond that!

We are off to the beach house for the long weekend.  Think I'll take my knitting...

Rain! Rain!

It is raining here today.  Great big fat drops that squidge down the windows.  My chooks are huddled in a corner of their coop shaking wet feathers.  The rabbit is droopy and bedraggled.  The lemon tree is vibrant and cheerful.  The snails are partying in the front garden. 
It is a day for cocoa with marshmallows and toasted hot cross buns.
It is a day for snuggling with my little ones and reading and re-reading favourite stories.

It is a day for red wine casserole slowly bubbling in the oven spreading warm garlicky smells through the house.

It is a day for diving into baskets of luscious fibre and setting my wheel in motion.

It is a day just for being, enjoying, relishing. 

There is something so delightful about a rainy almost-Winter day in amongst the Summer.

Happy rainy day,

Keep smiling,

Nell

p.s. giveaway winners will have parcels in the mail in the next few days :)

Giveaway!

Hi folks,
As I missed my 100th post this a Happy February Giveaway instead.

First giveaway is a Lobethal Community Kindergarten Cookbook (featuring my infamous biscuit recipe and lots of amazing food from my amazing teaching partner - her jelly cakes, scones, and lemon nut bread are all much sought after and appear in this book!)  It is also illustrated by the kindy kids so my son's artwork appears on the dips and sauces page LOL!  Lobethal Kindergarten is possibly the best kindy in the southern hemisphere.  We are selling these cookbooks as fundraisers for $15.

Second giveaway is Shannon Honeybloom's book "Making a Family Home".  I enjoyed reading it but it is not a book I need to have on my go-to-again-and-again list so it is being re-homed.

For a chance to win simply leave either a tip on parenting/homemaking for the Shannon Honeybloom book or a quick and easy recipe idea for the cookbook (or one of each to be in both draws)
I will draw this next wednesday.

I am off to Melbourne for five days child free at a Creative Memories Conference.  My friend Meredith and I won an incentive package where we will be treated like princesses for 2 days before Summit starts.  So I am off to pack for my glam girly experience.
Have a great week,
Keep smiling,
Nell

I could be.....

I could be cleaning the house (it has got beyond crumbs to the sticky stage LOL)  I could be doing some more quilting for Queensland, or playing with all of the fibre that I bought as my school holiday supplies (and sadly didn't even take out of the cellophane).  I could be baking some yummy things to eat with my crafty friend tomorrow.  I could be doing a super-mummy thing with the t.v. addict four year old.
I could be taking photos so that I can finally do the blog give-away that was supposed to be for my 100th post but now will just have to be "because".
Instead I am just vege-ing checking other people's bloggy crafty endeavours ...vege-ing and thinking whether we have any chocolate in the house?  Mmm?
Anyone else feeling unproductive today?

Happy Tuesday
(Oh, and I swear to you that was not me doing the happy dance in the car park at Kindy yesterday - I would never feel like that after dropping my precious ones to school and preschool!) BAD BAD MUMMY!