Crafty Mother's Day goodies

(Apart from thinking I had mastitis, which turned out to be a blocked milk duct - all OK now) I had a lovely Mother's Day.

Look at all the beautiful hand made goodies I received from Abbey. I am very lucky!

Happy Birthday, darling girl

Happy 4th Birthday Abbey.

Four years ago today, it was supposed to be my last day of work before Maternity leave started. But you had other ideas. Instead, I was waking daddy up at 4-something-am saying my waters had broken. We were having a baby. One month early. No hospital bag packed. Luckily, we did not panic. We packed some bags, and by the time your daddy was driving me to the hospital, contractions had started.

At 1:47pm you arrived after a quick birth of under 6 hours.  There was a room full of doctors and nurses when you were born, they were all concerned for your heath as you were a month early. Daddy and Nanny G were there to help too, I needed them. After a quick cuddle, you and daddy were whisked away to the Special Care Nursery, where you lived for the first 15 days of your life.

Since your birth, we have learnt to let you do many things, all in "Abbey-time".

You bring us so much joy and make us laugh every day. We are so proud of you, the way you have grown into such a polite, sweet and thoughtful little girl. We love your energy and enthusiasm and wonder at all things new.

I love you with all my heart, darling girl. Happy 4th Birthday.

Love from Mummy xoxox

Christmas thank you cards

Things around here, since Zoe was born, are taking a little longer to complete than normal.

When we went away on holidays recently, I finally had the time to write messages on and post Abbey's Christmas thank you cards.

I love these cupcake cards, and they are very easy to make. You just draw a cupcake shape over the fold in a blank card, colour this in, then stick a multi folded piece of coloured card above the cupcake. I found that 1/4 of an A4 sheet of card, divided down the longest edge, fitted our cards perfectly (I hope this makes sense)

We got the idea from Mister Maker. Mister Maker is a big hit in our house, both Abbey and I love this show (when it is on ABC1 or ABC2)

Have fun!

More of the same

Well, I said here that I was sure I would be making more of these shirred dresses.

And I have.

Crafting afternoon

Abbey and I spent the most lovely afternoon crafting together recently. She was making a beaded necklace, and I was finishing off a few sewing projects. It was so lovely to sit together, in silence, and concentrate on our own creations. I hope we have many more of these sessions, it was pure bliss.

Door stops

This week I have been sewing these door stops. Instructions from this lovely book which I got for Christmas off Chris. So easy to make. Lots of fun mixing and matching different fabrics.

The one on the left is for my Grandma. I like it so much, I may just make one or two for our house. Of course, the one on the right is for Abbey's bedroom, to match her pillow case, and made with fabric scraps.

Recipe: Anzac biscuits

Abbey wanted to do some baking last week, so we made Anzac biscuits. Abbey only loves cooking if she can eat it along the way, and lick the bowl and cooking spoons (I love this too)


I love her concentration face, rolling the mixture!


And this is the "please can I eat one now" face.

And now the "please can I eat one more, I'll even smile for the camera" pose.

Most Australian's know the recipe, I am mainly posting this for our family in the UK, they might like to make them one day, they are very yummy. I always make a double batch, so I can share some with my mum and Grandma.

I can't say where this version of the recipe has come from, I have had it scribbled on a (now) grubby piece of paper for over 15 years. This grubby piece of paper is well traveled too, it came with me when I lived in the UK.

Anzac Biscuits:

1 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)

1 cup plain flour (I use wholemeal)

1 cup sugar (I use brown sugar)

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

125g butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bicarb

1 tablespoon boiling water

1. Combine rolled oats, flour, sugar and coconut in large bowl, mix well.
2. Melt together butter and golden syrup.
3. Add bicarb to boiling water, mix well, then add to butter and golden syrup mixture.
4. Mix together, be careful it does not overflow, as the liquid puffs up in size.
5. Add to the dry ingredients, and mix until well combined.
6. Roll into balls, or use spoonfuls of mixture and cook on a non-stick baking tray or baking paper. Cook in a slow oven 150C for 12-18 minutes. 12 minutes for soft biscuits, 18 for crunchy ones.

I always use less coconut as I have a mild food intolerance to it, and I add in extra oats to make up the difference.

Special Christmas presents, part 2.

Abbey and Zoe were given some lovely handmade Christmas presents from Auntie Paige.

Everyone keeps asking me who is the ladybug really for?

Abbey's present is amazing - all these hand made mattresses in such lovely fabrics. The Princess is hand made, with her own little crown. A few peas were included with the gift, but these were lost within days of receiving.

This version of the story, by Lauren Child (author of Charlie and Lola) is magical.

This present is perfect for Abbey at 3.5 years old, she loves playing with dolls and is fascinated with fairy tales.

Thank you Auntie Paige for such thoughtful presents, made with love. xox

Rainbow Dress

This is Abbey wearing her new Rainbow Dress that I made for her (before Christmas) with some of the lovely fabric I got from GJ's.

Abbey loves spinning in circles in this dress, the skirt is full enough to have a great twirl to it.

I made it using this pattern. I am not a big fan of the pattern, not sure if I will use it again. I did not realise until I started, that it is supposed to be fully lined, I only lined the bodice. You also add the zipper in last and this is really quite awkward to do.

I am quite chuffed, as she wants to wear it all the time - as soon as it is washed, it is worn again.

Yes, she is wearing gum boots/wellies in the middle of summer. Yes they are on the wrong feet. Again.

Sewing in the New Year

Happy New Year!

I spent my New Year sewing Abbey a new cover for her europe sized pillow. One side flowers, the other butterflies. Lots of pink. Of course.

It matches her room perfectly.

6 weeks ago today.....

I had a baby. I can't believe how fast these 6 weeks have gone. In that time I have only managed one posting. I have lots to talk about, and lots of things to show, even managed 20 minutes of sewing (in the whole 6 weeks!) Otherwise I have been a tad busy with our gorgeous baby, Zoe. Not to mention Abbey keeps me busy too. How do all you other bloggers do it - find the time to fit it all in?

Chris and I have been joking that we now have the A-Z of little girls (as we have Abbey and Zoe)

Lets go back 7 weeks then - I was busy sewing these bibs.

I had some Dora material left over from the pencil case I made. So the Dora bib is for Abbey, but as she is 3.5 years old, it does not get worn very often.

And here is Zoe. Fast asleep.

I can't live without......

Yoga!

Every Wednesday Paige and I go to yoga class taken by the amazing Jane.

Last Wednesday I was uncomfortable. At the time I was 34 weeks pregnant and a little over it on that day. For most of this pregnancy I have loved it, it really has been a dream pregnancy. I have had so much energy, and not much to complain about - I am very grateful I have been keeping so well. I also want to enjoy every moment of being pregnant this time, as this will probably be our last baby.

But, back to last Wednesday. I was uncomfortable. I could not catch my breath, I felt so tight in my chest and the baby belly. I was not able to bend down and pick anything up off the floor, I could hardly walk with out waddling. My back was aching. I was cranky. I was tired. I wanted my body back.

I was feeling so awful, I was ready to stay at home and miss yoga. But I made myself go. It is "my time", a very rare time of the week devoted to me. It is also a special time for Chris and Miss Three to spend together.

I am so glad that I went to class. Of course, there are many poses I can't do at the moment, but there is still so much I can do at yoga, many other poses I can do with modifications to accommodate the baby bump.

After class, I felt incredible, the best I had felt all week! I could breath again. I felt energised and so calm and happy. Most of all, I felt like a belt had been let loose from around the baby bump, I was so much more comfortable and at ease.

So, this reaffirmed (again) how I can't live without yoga in my life.

These are a few photos that were taken when I was pregnant with Abbey in 2006, just before she was born, and just before Jane started classes at her beautiful new yoga studio.

Namaste.