zoesquid - a simpler life

Ive moved....

2012-01-26T20:05:00.001+11:00

Come visit me over here

Week 10...

2011-07-30T10:37:00.004+10:00

Progress has been slow. I rolled my ankle 2 weeks ago which meant 5 days without exercise and only walking since (and for another week). On a positive note, I have stuck with the eating program and still managed to lose a little. Gotta be happy with that.

Ive also had great breakthroughs with Elli over the last couple of weeks and we are looking forward to our week long riding camp in a few weeks.

We are off to Melbourne today to spend the night with dear friends.....its been a while.

Ciao for now

12wbt - 7 weeks on....

2011-07-10T15:45:00.006+10:00

..and nearly 7 kgs down.!

Having tried nearly everything to lose the post ciggy weight, I was ready for this to be another failure, but having committed to the program, the proof is in the pudding (or the low fat salmon stirfry!)

Biggest Lessons to date
1. I can enjoy exercise (even 6 days a week)
2. Its ok to go to bed feeling hungry
3. I dont need a glass of red (or white) every night
4. Low fat doesnt mean low taste - honestly the food is super yummy.
5. Portion sizes dont have to be supersized.

So with 5 weeks to go, I thought it timely that I review my original pre-program goal. My original goal was to lose 8 kg's during the 12 week program.

Having (almost) hit 7 kg at the end of the 7 week mark, Im upping the ante and going for 11kg at the end of the program. That will put me only 2kg off my goal weight.
Stay Tuned....

12wbt....

2011-05-21T14:02:00.025+10:00

Im scared,....very, very scared.

You see Ive decided to embark on Michelle Bridges 12wbt. Ive had enough of edging closer and closer to the 90Kg mark (cant quite believe Im admitting here).

Ive also had enough of saying "Yeah I know Ive put on weight - but Im much healthier because Ive given up smoking" - that was almost two years ago!!

And my excuses for not exercising, well Im queen of them all, its/I'm...too early, too late, too cold, too hot, too tired, too sore, too happy, too sad, too busy, or my personal favourite... "just be kind to yourself, relax, have a sleep in".

Well I have to say Im now officially killing myself with kindness!
Its time to be the best I can be, for me and my three. I'll be tracking my progress with this little tracker...

So feel free to come on the ride. Its not too late, official start is Monday 23rd - two more sleeps!

On other fronts, heres a quick catch up...
We recently had a quick day trip to one of our favorite places nearby that we have affectionately termed "Echo Lake". Its only a 20 min drive and is a beautiful spot just to sit and contemplate.

the space always seems to lend itself to capturing special moments..

And speaking of special moments, I love it when the opportunity presents to capture the girls together in a world of their own.

In horsey news, Ive been having some trouble riding Ellie lately. She has been pigrooting and trying to get me off her back in all sorts of ways. I initially thought she was picking up on my lack of confidence, but I had the vet come out and check and it seems she has a problem with her back. Shes on strong horsey pain killers for a week, so fingers crossed she comes good and its not a more serious, chronic condition.

Until next time

Ciao for now xx

March catch up

2011-03-14T14:54:00.015+11:00

Meet Ellie...

...my new horse. She is a 15 year old Appaloosa and sooooo much easier for me to handle than young Millie (who, btw is also going nicely at her new home). Even though Ive only had Ellie for a few weeks, I love her to bits already. She has such a lovely nature and has been there, done that with pretty much everything. Absolutely nothing phases her.

Ive been so looking forward to riding with Zoe and this weekend we finally got the chance. There's something very special about horse riding with ones daughter.

Ive also managed to do a dressage clinic and a trail ride through the Otways with the local Adult Riding Club. This week I was lucky enough to attend a two day jumping clinic with Alan Mitchell. The combination of horse and rider were pretty ordinary the first day...

But we well and truly got the hang of it on day two!

In other news. Whilst I'm still looking for my crafting mojo the promise of cooler weather seems to have stirred the creative juices somewhat and so I have started planning for some winter crafting. In the meantime though, I thought I'd post a couple of projects I didn't get around to blogging last year.

These were my school fete contributions. Thank you card stationary sets originally found here. These guys have been on my to do list in my side bar forever! Time to move them to my completed projects. I also made some home made wheat / heat packs.

Finally, I decided to move my craft room from the old shack outside, to the spare room. Whilst it was kinda romantic to have my own little craft shack, it wasn't overly practical battling the cold, the damp and the spiders! So here's a snippet of the new set up, ready and waiting for some crafting action.

Ciao for now

The honeymoon is over baby......

2011-02-01T07:44:00.019+11:00

Thought I'd better give you an update before the craziness of normality strikes again in only a few short days. This has been our 2010/2011 summer....

New Years Eve on the back deck with friends...

Visits from family...

A gorgeous girls 7th Birthday...

We took this baby out on her maiden voyage....

She worked a treat. Pity the weather was not so good, but we still had a great time. A bit of creek play...

A bit of bushwalking...

An introduction to surfing for the girls. Footage of Zoe...

and Meg (not so lucky 2nd time round)

There was also plenty of kicking back....

What can I say...have Ipod will travel!

In horsey news, Zoe is going well with her lessons. She starts Pony Club next month. Millie and I, on the other hand aren't really working out too well. Unfortunately she is far too much horse for my beginner status. As much as I'd love to keep her, its not the right thing for either of us. So onwards and upwards we both must go.

Ciao for now

Final 2010 post

2010-12-23T19:17:00.006+11:00

The tree is set and Santa is not too far away...

Zoe is ecstatic that she is in Grade 4/5 next year. Tears of joy when we told her (her words not mine)

Millie is settling in and getting used to both the girls (and I).

Were looking forward to our first family Barongarook Christmas and welcoming in the New Year with dear friends.
Oh and by the way have you checked out Retromummy's give away? Fat quarters from this range (below) are up for grabs.

Merry Christmas All

Santa came early in Barongarook

2010-12-06T20:21:00.008+11:00

Well its only taken about 30 years but it was well worth the wait...
After traveling across the Tasman last night, Millie made it to her new home and our's this morning.

I tentatively introduced her to China.....

...so far so good.

I'm so looking forward to getting to know her.

May your Christmas be just as merry
Ciao for now
xx

Catch Up

2010-11-13T08:13:00.024+11:00

Yet again its been a while since Ive posted, so while cleaning up my photos today (in this miserable weather were having) here's what Ive been up to...

Remember our caravan? We've been busy trying to get it ready for our first family trip this summer. The old cushion covers were a little dated....

So I thought I'd have a go at recovering them....

I'm really happy how they turned out. I used this free pattern I found. Its very easy to follow. I just omitted the piping. Otherwise good to go!

A while ago, a trusty fellow blogger recommended this great place. On this particular voyage I managed to pick up some great summer shoes....

Whilst hubby purchased this rather interesting computer chair.

If you haven't had the chance to get to the Mill Market,I suggest you do. But be warned...leave yourself at least a day to get through all the bargains!

In other crafty news, I also had a go at some cushion covers for the bed...

I found a similar one to the circled felt one in Target and thought it couldn't be too hard to make. I was right!

In horsey news, the girls are really enjoying China. Here's a snippet of each of them having a little canter..

Meanwhile, I'm enjoying getting my confidence back on a friends horse, also called China, and now affectionately known as Big China..

She's a beautiful big (17hh+) Clyde cross and I'm really loving my time back in the saddle. Its my form of meditation.

Have a happy weekend

Meet China...

2010-10-10T19:58:00.010+11:00

Meggy's brand new pony came to live us last week. Whilst she "officially" belongs to Meg, everyone in the family has come to love her already.

We were lucky enough to take her on trial for a couple of weeks and she is fitting in just beautifully.

The farrier came out last week to check out her feet and gave us the thumbs up. The only hurdle we have to go, is with the vet check which is happening tomorrow. Fingers crossed all will be fine.

Once we have secured her, Meggy will start having lessons (and who knows - Zoe may decide to join in too). For now theyre just being led around with the lead rope with Mum by their side whilst trying very hard to wipe their smiles from their face!

Ciao for now

Is this our new pony?

2010-10-03T09:32:00.005+11:00

We are trialling a new pony for Meggy Moo. I'll introduce her properly when we know whether we are keeping her or not. Hopefully, I can get a farrier and vet out this week to give her the once over. Anyway, will keep you posted!

Election 2010

2010-07-16T19:02:00.005+10:00

With the election announcement looming I find myself considering how to cast my vote. So...? Whats different this time round?
1. This is the first election Ive participated in whilst living in our new community.
2. This is the first time Ive personally met both the sitting member and the opposition's candidate.
So for the first time in my voting life, I find myself with this quandary.
Im absolutely discouraged by the sitting member, but how could I not vote for Julia? I am much more inspired by the opposition candidate, but knowing a vote for her is a vote for Tony doesnt sit with me well either.
I guess this is where the old addage about voting for politicians or policy comes in.
How do you determine how to cast your vote?

Makin Stuff....

2010-06-13T17:27:00.009+10:00

A modified version of a spoon full of sugar's knitting bag.

I'm not a big fan of the normal range of fabrics at Spotlight, but I was pleasantly surprised with this find.

Lisa's version has a lot more detail than mine (a sign of a very time poor crafter!), but I'm particularly happy with the velcro closure.
In other news weve been busy at home installing new double glazed windows.

The photo's dont do it justice, but they look great. We had the triangle ones put in especially to let in the morning sun. The house is starting to have a real ski lodge feel. Its great.

Were thinking we may have to replace the traditional leadlight window now to match the contemporary feel of the new windows.

Thats it for now....

ps, I'm trying out a new design template, which Im really liking. Problem is, in the change, Ive lost the links to the pics in my sidebar. When I go into edit, the links are there but when I try to click on the pics from the blog it doesnt work. I'd be grateful for any suggestions!

More of Zoe's Pen Drawings...

2010-05-22T20:28:00.009+10:00

...from Total Drama Island...

Autumn at our place...

2010-04-28T19:49:00.011+10:00

I love the different flavors of Autumn at our place. From mild March dawns...

To misty April mornings...

...both gorgeous in their own right. On a crafty note, the 8 year old has been dabbling in pen drawings of the latest Bakugan phase. She obviously has her Aunts talent.

And I finallly got around to making those Japanese pj's that I talked about back here. Thanks again to Toni for responding to my plea for a larger pattern size.

I purchased the fabric from my first visit to this great shop in Ballarat.

Gail's is well worth a visit as much for the gardens as well as the shop.

Finally, we took the kids to the local dawn service again this year. We all get alot out of it.

Lest we forget.

Easter...

2010-04-04T23:05:00.002+10:00

We tried coloring eggs this year with food dye. It worked a treat.

Then there was the chocolate...

Happy Easter

Hmmm...

2010-04-02T19:22:00.013+11:00

..unfortunately I couldnt cope with Typepad. I found it impossible to leave comments and sometimes couldnt even sign in. Anyway now I need to work out to cancel my subscription and how to move my type-pad posts back to blogger. If anyone can help me out please let me know.

On the creative front, Im very excited about my first pair of pj's I created today.

I used this super pattern. As a beginner sewer, I emailed Toni for some assistantce and lucky for me she replied back with the answer within the hour. Not bad for Good Friday. Thanks Toni! I forgot to by some trim fabric, so put my hand on some old calico curtains I had stored away and used the main fabric to embelllish it.

Meggy loves it. Now she wants an appliqued kitten (Ginger) top to match as well - so will work on that over Easter. The older one wants a pair too. Im thinking something with an asian twist. She's learing Japanese at school and is in to all things asian.

In other news, we're about to bid on our first investment property. Keep your fingers crossed for us. Will share more details if we get lucky.

Happy Easter Everyone

Celebrate....

2010-03-07T23:53:00.004+11:00

Its been just over a week but gee it was great!

The paddocks were transformed....

Friends and family came from afar...

The kids had a blast.....

There was plenty of music.....

And dancing....

Well into the night...

All to celebrate this beautiful man's birthday....

Happy Birthday Timmy xxxooo

In other news... those who know me well, will know that Im a full time career girl these days , with very little time to craft. That being said, one sure way to get this mama fired up is to send little 6 year old preppy home, with "some other mothers" hand made craft. Ok, ok I know they were doing the right thing by said preppy, but oh how it broke my heart. It did however spur me on to create a very special library bag for Meggy.

So with some fantastic directions from here, Thankyou Niki, this is what I came up with....

I found a great tutorial, to enable me to applique the 'Meg' detail, here (no where near as good as Christies but not bad for a first go)

and some gorgeous rosette embellishements from this book (I will try to remember to post the link tomorrow).

Not a bad job for a grumpy mum.

Ciao for now.

Kitchen Love

2010-02-12T21:11:00.015+11:00

Thought I'd get onto Vic's "My Place and Your's" meme. This weeks theme is "Kitchen Love".

Instead of going with just my current kitchen love, I've decided to share with you all of our previously owned kitchen loveliness. Enjoy the ride!

1997 - Yarraville Pre Renovation....

Our first attempt at renovation...

2000 - Hampton....Pre Renovation

2002 - Post Renovation....(kitchen picked up from trading post I might add!)

2004 - Edithvale Pre Reno....

2005 - Edithvale Post Reno...(not too much change with this one I know)

2005 - Mentone Pre Reno...

2007 -Mentone Post Reno....(my favorite)

2009 - Current Pre Reno....

2010 - Whats next.....

Have a great weekend all.

February Firsts

2010-02-07T21:01:00.011+11:00

The baby of the family started school this week.

She was so ready...

Our home grown produce continues....

We're yet to start our latest renovation project.....

I feel something very retro coming on....

Have a great week

My Creative Space

2010-01-31T21:18:00.010+11:00

Ive always been happy to sew anything but clothes.

Im fine with cushions, curtains, softies, quilts.....as long as its not wearable, then count me in.

But I think this may finally be the year.

So I found myself the easiest skirt pattern out there in blogland and got cracking.

So whilst Im sure I'll never be a professional seamstress, Im pretty happy with how they turned out for a first attempt. A black one for Zoe (for some reason my 8 year old is into black????)

And a pretty pink one with extra embellishments for the girly girl.

Perfect for sharing secrets on the deck!

To check out more creative spaces, head across to Kirsty's place.

Ciao for now

Holiday Reflections

2010-01-16T18:20:00.020+11:00

Apart from catching up with family and friends over the break

I've had the chance to get back in touch with my creative side. After nearly twelve months without a space to create in, I finally got the opportunity to start on my craft room. Whilst its by no means complete, heres a sneak preview of where I'm at. I walk under these to get there...

Im learning to share my space with these guys ...

at the front entrance....

Anyway, hopefully I can show you some creative pursuits made in this space. Im exceptionally happy about my table. Which is a hand me down from my late grandmother via my aunty and mum. The room is no where near finished, but at least I can get cracking on some projects now.

Also in January, the gorgeous Meggy Moo turned six

...with a pool party overseen by the pool boy....

We caught up with more family down the coast.....

And these two continue to strengthen their bond!

Happy January Everyone.

New Year, New Additions

2010-01-08T17:57:00.005+11:00

Heres hoping we have better luck with these ones.

Meet Ginger.....who belongs to Meg

and Mugsy who belongs to Zoe

They're great mates already!

Happy New Year all.

In November 2009....

2009-11-26T19:47:00.013+11:00

.....Happy Birthday Zoe

....the garden looks like this....

...we caught up with friends whilst raising money for charity

...we picked our first home grown strawberry

... the girls got aquainted with the dam

....Country life is good

October 09....

2009-10-30T23:07:00.007+11:00

I cant belive its almost 2 months since I last posted. Heres a quick snapshot of whats happening in my life:

Work continues to be crazy (no real change there)

Zozo had her first decent hair cut (not bad at age nearly 8!)

Dog's continue to be a challenge - and cant fill really fill you in any more because 8 year old is a really good reader!

DH encountered his first tiger snake (thank god I wasnt home or I suspect I'd be insisting on a move into town!)

Meggy Moo is in her last term of kinder....heartbreaking

Zoe wanted a horse.....for about 2 weeks, then changed her mind
Meg and Mummy still want a horse.

...so we will get one.
DH continues to prepare my craft room...just in case I have 5 mins in my life to sew, paint, or scrap-book (pics to come)
Were not long back from a road trip across to Adelaide. Apart from the normal "touristy things"...

We had a great time visiting family....

Still cant believe how lovely the people are here at our new home, and how tolerant they are of us "Melbournites".

Cant believe how blessed I am to have, good health (still off the fags), a beautiful husband, wonderful children, and a great life in general.

Someone turns 8 this Sunday. Have a great long weekend!

Tess Take Two....

2009-08-29T13:19:00.004+10:00

Two weeks has passed and we thought it time to move on.
So introducing... Tess take two

RIP Tess

2009-08-15T21:15:00.004+10:00

Fairwell Tess. You will be sadly missed.

Whimsy

2009-08-08T22:33:00.015+10:00

Everynow and then if I take enough shots, I get a beauty. Today was one of those days. Now, I could rant and rave about my baby girl, and how time has flown and I cant believe how grown up she is (balh, blah, blah) but I'll refrain! The girls had a lovely few hours today trying to climb onto the roof of the pergola (where these were all taken) ....I pretended not to look!

In other news, I decided to spoil myself last week and purchased this little baby.....

The Brother QC-1000. My previous machine has served me well for the last 10 years however, I was starting to feel a little restricted with it, especially in terms of quilting. So I splurged! Ive been playing around with it and love it!!

Never one to run from a challenge, Ive decided to try one of these for my first real project ....

The book is fantastic - but dont take my word for it, go check it out for yourself on Leni's website. I have more large quilts than I know what to do with, and I love the idea of creating art-work with fabric, so I thought I'd give it ago. Ive managed to snap some simple pics from the garden so my first attempt might just be a cherry blossom coming into season. I'll keep you posted.

In other news puppies have grown way to fast....

and work is absolutely manic... more on that another time. I'll leave you with another priceless pic of the little princess.

Until next time....

Oh yeah, Ive given up smoking (again). 3 weeks tommorow!

New Additions

2009-05-16T16:15:00.010+10:00

Meet Tess and Bonnie...

Tess belongs to Zoe

and Bonnie belongs to Meg

Happy Weekend Every-one

Our New Home

2009-05-11T18:46:00.009+10:00

Finally....after a very prolonged settlement, we're in and starting to settle in. We've moved from a suburban block to 3 acres and loving it.

Here are some pics...

1. The House - Part Mud brick with new corrugated iron extension

2. Lounge/Kitchen with original brick flooring (which I must admit Im still getting used to!)

3. Our bedroom - new part of the house obviously

4. Another shot of our bedroom looking out onto what will be my craft room!

5. Another shot of the craft room to be

6. View from the top of the street

7.The old gallery (now DH's shed)Thats about it for now. I hope all the mums out there had a gorgeous mothers day. Given the coolish nights down here, I was very blessed with a new electric blanket, some home made lavendar, yogurt and honey face mask and some home made truffles.

Ciao for now

BTW - Stay tuned for a look at a couple of new additions to the family coming this weekend!

Country Firsts....

2009-04-21T20:11:00.003+10:00

Zoe and Meg on their first day at their new school and kinder. We were a little apprehensive but all went well - they both had a "magnificent" first day. So far so good. We have purchased our new home but Im refraining from posting about it until it settles. All going well only a few days to go!

Until then.....

2009-03-15T17:29:00.009+11:00

Well its now officially sold. Settlement is only 5 weeks away! I cant wait till DH and the girls join me down here to start on our tree change adventure. We're planning on buying an acreage, having some animals....chooks, dogs & maybe alpaca's, growing our own vegies and basically enjoying a far more simpler way of life. This ride's about to get much more interesting so stay tuned.
ps - for those who joined me here - thanks for coming back to zoesquid - managing two blogs was far more time consuming than fun! From now on, here is where I'll stay.

Oops

2009-02-05T12:10:00.004+11:00

Ive just realized that I never got around to revealing these.
So here goes
My sister in laws birthday present ....

I loved it so much I didnt want to let it go! But I wrapped it up with much love and sent it on its way!

And finally my Pay It Forward gifts.

Not much crafting going on around here at the moment. Too busy because of this.

Till next time

I'm back....

2009-02-04T11:19:00.002+11:00

Can you believe its been this long since Ive posted????
This will be short and sweet. To check out what we're up to take yourself across to here.

Inspiration

2008-06-19T10:06:00.003+10:00

Whilst surfing the internet, I often find posts which inspire me to create. In the past, Ive just added these to my favorites and thought, when I get time I'll go back and pick a project to start. Well I never really went back.
So now that I know how to post pictures with a link in my side bar (thanks Michelle) I've started a "to do list", to constantly remind me of the the gorgeous projects I'd like to take on. I think they also look pretty and I get to share the links with everyone else. Theres still a lot more to go on when I get a chance.
So go on....check it out.
Cheers
Libby

UFO's be gone!

2008-06-16T20:11:00.005+10:00

I made a massive dint in my UFO pile this weekend. Its taken a while, but thanks to Mum and Dad baby sitting (at club Colac - all weekend!), I managed to finish these projects ...

Included is my SIL's birthday present (in the big box), my PIF gifts (from way back in March!) and Michelle's winning's from my give away last week (not made, but lovingly wrapped with the other gifts). Obviously I dont want to show any of these until they're received, but I promise I will post when I think they've landed at their new homes.

The one thing I can show you is a little gift I made from this book I recently ranted on about. Its the silver one up there on top and is for a new friend who's just recently had a baby boy.

His name is Hector the Giraffe. The pattern is super easy to follow. He has a cute little tail on the back as well.

This weeks this is theme is ...the space in which I create. I recently revamped my creative space and posted about it here. I'm still loving it but I've found that no matter how much room you have, its never quite enough! Thanks Michelle for a great theme this week. Check out Angela's blog to see the space in which everyone else creates!

Have a great week everyone!

Embroidery and a winner!

2008-06-13T18:42:00.005+10:00

On a more peaceful note, I gave Zoe a little embroidery lesson last weekend. To my suprise she actually loved it and found it "really relaxing Mum".

Now for the giveaway, there were 16 entries in all. Three were not valid as they're outside Oz (but thankyou Melanie, Lois and Maureen for your kind, supportive comments). Duplicates were removed and the random number generator picked.....

No. 7.... Lenni & Rose

Send me your snail mail details and I'll get the package off to you. Thanks to everyone for your lovely thoughts. The calibre of people out there in blogland never ceases to amaze me.

Happy Weekend Everyone.

Winter...

2008-06-12T13:15:00.005+10:00

Thanks to all of you for your lovely comments on my last post.
Have a great week...

A new beginning....warning: this is a long post with no eye candy!

2008-06-06T18:50:00.006+10:00

Ive been avoiding blogging about this for a few weeks now but the time has come to share the new road our family is about to embark on. You see, Im about to go back to full time work while DH is taking off 12 months without pay to do the Mr. Mom thing. There...its out there....that wasnt so hard was it?

Before children (BC), I was definitely the more career driven of the two of us while DH was more artistically inclined. We kind of made a pact that when we had kids, I'd go back to work and he would be the at home carer. Well 6 years down the track, weve been really lucky to be able to both work part time, whilst bringing up the kids. I imagined that we'd continue down this track until the youngest was at school (2010). That being said, Ive been really unsatisfied in the part-time rolls Ive had for a while. Couple this with a brilliant job opportunity and what can I say....I had to give it a shot (albeit 18 months early). So in a few weeks time, I'll be starting the full - time, senior roll Ive always wanted (or at least I think thats what Ive wanted). I eluded to this life-changing decision a few posts back now.

I know that I'll miss seeing the girls wake up in the morning, and in a strange kind of way, I'll miss taking/picking them up from school/kinder. I'll also miss just being there for them when only mum will do (not that thats often at my place - both my kids are "daddy's girls"). On a more selfish note - I'll miss my exercise routine (that Ive just got into the habit of - note to self -make it a priority to create a new one!), and I'll also miss that extra time I have at the moment to take in a little craft. I'm sure my blogging might take a back burner too, but I will endeavour to post at least once a week.

So what am I gaining from all this? Well some job satisfaction might be nice. Also I like to think Im providing myself as a reasonable roll model for the girls, "yes darling's you can (almost) have everything". Im also trying the BC dream on for size to see if it fits, once and for all. Im possibly providing opportunities for DH to expand his creative endeavours (once the youngest is at school) and of course the financial remuneration wont be bad either. One thing I know for sure - I definitely wont miss being on the kinder committee! So there you go. In a few weeks, you might see a distinct lack of posts, or a change in the nature of posts (or both). But at least you'll know what Im up to.

On a lighter note, I was going to add some pics to this post but our computer has packed up again so Im posting on the lap top (hence the lack of this is....posts). Then I saw this here and here and thought I'd give it a go. Unfortunately (after two hours trying) the mosaic maker has let me down yet again. I have no trouble creating the mosaic but I cant get it to post. Ah well... there are obviously limits to my technological capabilities after all!

Other things that are happening around here:

* my little one has pneumonia - after 3 weeks of varying diagnosis she has started on antibiotics and is finally on the mend.

* Ive almost finished my SIL's 50th birthday present. I love it and dont want to give it to her. Pics to follow soon.

* I cant believe I have a long weekend stretched in front of me without a single engagement (ooh apart from a scheduled shopping trip with dear friend at DFO tommorow for a couple of hours).

* Im still off the fags, just

* Im loving "Eat, Pray, Love" and going to bed early every night just to get in a few more pages.

Now suffice to say if youve made it to here you deserve something a treat. So I have a little give away in store. You'll probably enjoy this particularly if your into scrapbooking or ATC's. I dont have a pic but think of it as a suprise treat. All you need to do is leave a comment and I'll randomly select one person next Friday night. Australian bloggers only please (this is a biggish item and as such international postage is prohibitive).

Happy Queens Birthday Weekend everyone!

Meet the new crew....

2008-05-30T19:33:00.008+10:00

I was at the library the other day and was thrilled to come across this book.

So far Ive tried my hand at these....

I thought I might start making some gifts for some of my friends who are expecting. Ive become quite partial to the red one though! I think the green one will be going to my god son as part of a christening gift ( I hope its not too girly for a boy?)

Added 1st June - I decided it was too girly - forgive me Mez if you're reading this - as I know you will!

Its a fantastic book and the directions are very easy. Both my girls have chosen there favorite softies to be made at some stage. Zoe the Kangaroo (probably the most complex - of course) and Meggie Moo the donkey.....say no more!

Now speaking of the girls toys, remember these and how I said the girls wanted to paint the faces themselves? I had a feeling this was not going to bode well.! Zoe was so keen to turn hers into Courtney from "so you think you can dance - Australia" Little did she know how difficult it would be to paint so when she tried to paint streaks into the dolls felted blonde hair - it was a disaster. Zoe cracked it, Mummy cracked it and the doll was ruined. 8 hours later after a much needed rest, I got the mummy guilts and was off to make a mend. I re-sewed the head and re-stuffed her (Courtney not Zoe!). I then shopped around from some courtney hair. This is the result thus far......

Now my only problem is I have no idea how to attach the hair. Its just sitting ontop of her head at the moment. Its really strange stuff this dolls hair and Im not sure whether to glue it or sew it. If anyone has any experience with such, I'd love to hear from you!

Have a great weekend all!

This is how I recycle & something Ive got but havent used!

2008-05-26T19:28:00.005+10:00

This weeks belated "this is" excuse is that I had my SIL's significant (read 50th) birthday. It was a weekend long celebration of family, joy, love & happiness. So my apologies for my tardiness in posting late once again!

This is how I recycle....

Yep, its Meggy Moo's finally finished quilt. I used the left overs from this project as well as this project to get this job done. (Thank to all who offered me advice on the binding!). I also love to collect fabric scraps from friends and family and turn them into also sorts of things. These were all made from scraps from other projects.
I also get involved in all the normal recycling of rubbish & vegetable matter for the garden compost.

This is something I've got but havent used.... This was a toughy. Do I post about all the unused fabric I have, or the scrapbooking paper I have, or the multidtude of rubber stamps I have???????? Aagggghhhh its a little scary when your realize the extent of what you purchase but dont consume. Anyway this is what Ive got but haven't used. I bought this around 6 months ago, and Im likely to get to it in the next month (fingers crossed).

Ok now Im feeling ridiculously guilty Im off.

Will try to post again before this weeks out....I promise!

This is.....a late mothers day post

2008-05-14T20:22:00.004+10:00

Happy Mothers Day to everyone out there.

Our mothers day consisted of getting up very early (with kids and DH in tow) to participate in this. Then we went on to Geelong to meet my folks for breakfast and to share the mothers day love.

This is my mum. She's great & has always done silly things like this with my daughters. Funnily enough the best piece of advice she has given me might have been given to me on Sunday. Without going into too much detail it was about not losing sight of the person you are just because you are a mother. It is possible to follow your pre-children dreams post children (challenging.....but possible). Ive since made a fairly significant life changing decision since that conversation so thanks for your advice mum, it really helped.

That evening we went on to my dear MIL's for dinner. It was as gorgeous as always.
Thanks to all who gave advice about Meg's quilt. It is just about finished and I should be able to post the finish product this weekend.

Happy Days!

This is...& Quilting help please

2008-05-04T14:18:00.005+10:00

This weeks theme from Hip Hop & Banana Bread is:

this is the pair of shoes that I would sleep in if I could..

Im not really a shoe diva however there is something about the chunky, industrial look of the shoes handmade by Melbourne Shoe Designer Johanna Preston (and hubby Peter Zly). Check out their other stuff here. For summer shoes, I also love these. To see the shoes everyone else wants to sleep in, check out Angela's blog.

Thats about all I can manage this week. I've come down with the dreaded lurgy (on Friday Afternoon - how unfair is that!)

Ciao for now

Ok Im back & in need of some advice...

Ive be pottering away at Megs quilt at times today.

I'm almost up to doing the edging. Problem is Ive never done binding before. Basically I just want to fold the backing over the wadding & sew it down with mitred corners. I cant find any tutorials on this technique. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks

Libby.

Softies for Mirabel

2008-04-29T19:41:00.004+10:00

The girls and I made a few Black Apple dolls over the weekend.

The blonde one is Zoes, the brunette Meg's and the red head is going to the Softies for Mirabel cause. The girls are keen to paint the faces on themselves. Mmmm what can I say.....

For those of you who missed Emily on Martha, you can find the tutorial here.

The dolls are very easy to make and Emily is happy for them to be used for the Mirabel cause.

Happy Sewing

This is....

2008-04-27T20:54:00.010+10:00

...my favorite book

It was impossible to choose just one fiction piece, so I went with this non-fiction beauty. My mother passed it down to me. Im thinking its probably vintage 50's but not 100% sure. I love the pics and the accompanying "advice"....

"Beauty Outdoors - Through Woman's World you will learn how to extract every ounce of enjoyment from your days outdoors and still remain safely your glamorous self "

"Etiquette - It's so easy to get a bad reputation. We may not deliberately do the wrong thing but sometimes circumstances catch up with us and before we know it we are labelled with....She should know better"

"Home Decorating - Home decoration today is a very vital and practical science. An understanding of it is a must, so do rever to this section when the need arises!"

And finally my personal favorite...

"Domestic Bliss - Being a successful wife and mother is a most desireable achievement but it is also a full time profession for which, unfortunately there is little, if any, formal training....Consistently bad or unispired cooking, a neglected appearance, a disorganized and chaotic home, an unbalanced budget, a constant feeling of pressure caused by the absence of a proper household routine, and generally an inability to cope with the many demands life places on a woman, make it an impossibility to achieve domestic bliss...There is no magic formula for domestic bliss, but Woman's World will take you a long way along the road to enjoying fully this pearl of great price."

Thanks Dee for a great theme this week. Check out Angela's blog to see everyone elses favorit book.
Happy Week - Everyone

Just stuff....

2008-04-24T15:02:00.007+10:00

My labels arrived today...
I think I'm happy with them. I ummed and ahhhed for ages about color, font, title etc.
Anyway this is they...

Also, Cam suggested a great idea for storage in my new sewing desk.
Shoe box lids, to fit in the slide out tray. Well I didnt have any shoe lids spare but found these gorgeous cardboard boxes for around $3 each at Big W.

Anyway I doctored the first one up a bit cause I thought the lid was not overly practical.

I've got fabric scraps in the second one & nothing in the third as yet. I think I'll leave the other two with lids for now and see how mad it drives me. Thats a sneak peak of Megs quilt in progress in the bottom right hand corner.

We're off on a family trip to Barongarook this afternoon. Enjoy the long weekend everyone.
Cheers

PS For all those who one my PIF contest....you are not forgotten. I'm just having trouble sourcing a particular item I need. Thankgoodness I still have around 300 days to track it down!

This is....

2008-04-21T07:55:00.003+10:00

.....my latest discovery

Brown Owls. I suppose I cant really claim it as my discovery as there are lots of lovely crafty types who have discovered it also.

Anyway I'm there again tonight to learn how to crochet.

To see what everyone else has discovered, check out Angela's blog.

Have a good one!

Zoe's Quilt and My Dinner Party Guests

2008-04-14T21:18:00.014+10:00

I've finally finished Zoe's ragged quilt over the weekend.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

Not bad for my first quiliting attempt.

Im also taking part in three buttons "this is" meme.

This weeks theme was "This is my perfect dinner party." I asked Hubby to choose his three. They are:

Scientist - Stephen Hawking

Actor - Dustin Hoffman

Musician - Joni Mitchell

And mine...

Author Liz Gilbert - (whose book "Eat, Pray, Love" I'm reading at the moment and would highly recommend).

Federal Health Minister - Nicola Roxon (I loved how she gave Tony Abbott a serve during the election campaign last year!)

And of course the obligatory eye candy....

George Clooney.

Night y'all

Catching up on this is....

2008-04-11T16:36:00.006+10:00

This is the contents of my handbag....

Ok so I love lippy. Grandma's pocket money (for the girls) are in the envelopes. My 2008 diary from Kikki K (love it, love it, love it).

The rest, very boring and self explantory except possibly the little bottle of Rescue Remedy

My gorgeous MIL put me on to it a few weeks ago when I was feeling positively bitchy!

Anyway its great, it works and I love it.

Secondly, this is my jewellery / knick knack box.

And the contents....

I think there is some sort of theme going on here?????

Have a great weekend everyone!

Im back...

2008-04-06T16:11:00.009+10:00

Hey there. Well the computer fix only took a couple of days but hubby and I have been very busy creating.....

....My new room

Let me show you round

Craft storage....

I think Ive posted this before but, there are often new additions. The big white bins and draws are both from Ikea and are fantastic. I can see myself traipsing all the way back to Richmond to pick up more. Im still grieving the loss of their Moorabin store - can you tell?

Custom made computer desk...

I tell you Im in love with this new machine. Its actually got 2 USB ports in the front and wireless technology. Who would of thought????? He's very clever that husband of mine. I think the new desk fits perfectly in the new space and has allowed me to use the old computer table for .......

My sewing/craft desk

Dont you just love how the sewing machine slots in to the tower space? Thats Zoes quilt almost done up the top left (hopefully to be completed by the end of next week). I just love my little hat box down there on the floor. Its full of all sorts of fabric scrappy lovliness. There is also some other gorgeous fabric (up there on the desk) for a gift for someone special ....but more about that much later.

And finally no girls room is complete (unfortunately) without the exercise zone.

Ive been doing alot of running lately (as part of this caper) and have really been getting sore knees. So time to drag the cross trainer out of the garage and get some serious k's in. Of course Im bored out of my brain on it, so I motivate myself (with the little tv up there) with back episodes of Oprah, Biggest Loser and any other trashy stuff I can get my hands on.

Gee its nice to be back. I'll catch up on my "This is" later in the week

Have a good one folks :)

Dropping out for a bit....

2008-03-26T20:06:00.003+11:00

Our computer has finally given up the ghost (hence the lack of posting) and is going in for major surgery tommorow.

(Photo courtesy of nixtechnica)

Hopefully we wont be out of action for too long - how would one survive without all that lovely craftiness and friendship out there?
I'll look forward to catching up on all your blogs, when we're back in action.
Ciao for now
xx

This is...

2008-03-18T18:53:00.009+11:00

Last weeks theme was "this is what I (we) created"....

Zoe (above) & Meg (below)

Both my girls were eager to make their entrances into the world. Zoe was born at 27 weeks and Meg at 25 weeks gestation.

All my other creations pale in significance.

Happy Easter Everyone.
xx

Look what arrived for me in the mail.....

2008-03-14T09:02:00.005+11:00

I was very excited to receive my PIF gift from Cam yesterday.

One gorgeous reversible apron and matching head band.
Cam asked in her little note whether I liked pink? I think my pj's say it all!

Thanks Cam - I love it!

This is.... & PIF winners

2008-03-11T18:48:00.005+11:00

Better late than never, heres this weeks this is...

...outside my front door. Obviously in need of a rake and some mulch.
Darling Hubby made the kids a cubby house over the summer hols (complete with leadlight windows). And finally heres the door in question.

Check out Angela's blog to see what's out the front of everyone elses front door.

In other news the winners of my Pay it forward comp are;
Lucy
Kitty's Kaboodle
The third commentor was already involved in a PIF swap so declined the offer.
So that means there is... STILL 1 SPOT UP 4 GRABS. Be the fourth person to comment on the PIF post and its yours. Ive also decided to slip something in the post for Curlypops (just cause).
I'll be in contact shortly to get your postal details.

Have a great week.

NB: The lucky last winner of the PIF competition is Jeanne.
Congratulations!!!

Pay it forward...

2008-03-04T20:11:00.003+11:00

Thanks to the lovely Cam from CurlyPops, I have won a Pay It Forward gift. It will arrive as as suprise in my letterbox sometime in the next 365 days. So now my challenge is to pay it forward to three more lovely bloggers.

The rules are:

The first three people to comment on this post will receive a gift from me, sometime within the next 365 days. Who knows when it will turn up, or what it will be, but rest assured, it will arrive. All you have to do is promise to make the same declaration on your blog, and send out gifts to three of your lovely readers.

Easy Peasy.

Winners will be announced next Tuesday 11th March.

Ciao for now

Funky feet and This is....

2008-03-01T20:11:00.006+11:00

Why is everything so much better when you share it with a special friend?

Today was one of those occasions. Dear friend and I went and pampered ourselves at Super Nails. And this is the result! We were so impressed we had to literally stop on the street and take a pic for prosperity.

In other news, Ive had to bend the rules somewhat on this weeks " this is " theme.
This was as close as I was going to get this week to an inspiration board.

That said, Ive always wanted to create one so I cant wait to see everyone elses (check out Angela's blog for inspiration).
Anyway this is my little fabric collection Im throwing together as a couch quilt for the girls. I was going to do this style, but I saw a gorgeous ragged quilt in Amitie today and now Im considering that instead. I couldnt get a clear photo of the one at Amitie, but here's what a ragged quilt looks like.
Now keep in mind Ive never made a quilt before. Which way do you think I should go? I'd love your feedback.

Ramblings and Op shop finds...

2008-02-28T11:17:00.007+11:00

Ive just been fooling around with the zoom on the new camera. Ive never been able to take great close ups before so this is a real treat.

In other news check out these goodies I found at the local op shop

I love the detail is this little plate.

Have a great day. Im off to craft!

Brown Owls, Something in the post and this is....

2008-02-26T09:36:00.012+11:00

A great night was had by all last night at the inaugural brown owls meeting.
We all got busy turning our hand to stitching. While some of the gang were obviously old hands, many of us were new to the craft. Go to the flickr group to check out the pics.
It was also lovely to meet some bloggers face to face. Amongst them retro mummy, loobylu, and curly pops to name a few. Pip & co did a fantastic job of providing a warm, cosy atmosphere for all of us. It was lots of fun and its not to late to join in!

In other news, this arrived in my mailbox late last week. My little purchase from leah's shop. I'm not exactly sure what I'll use it for yet but I have a few ideas running through my head.

And finally this weeks "This is" theme was . . . Me Taking A Picture of Myself In the Mirror With My Favourite Accessory.

So this is me, my new toy (camera) and my ring (Christmas present from Gorgeous hubby). Its not a great shot of the ring (my photography skills still leave alot to be desired - despite new camera!) but trust me its devine.
Have a great week!

Latest Project...

2008-02-21T10:29:00.006+11:00

I borrowed the idea from an article in Real Living magazine.
I picked the frame up from a place selling old windows and doors just near Winchelsea.

With a fair bit of sanding and cleaning it became...

I want to fill all the frames but Im waiting to get just the right pictures. I'll update you guys again when its complete.

In other news, this weeks "This is" theme (from one red robin) is proving to be a challenge. Ive never posted a pic of myself before and Im not really sure if Im up to it. Lets see what the next few days brings.

Also the first Brown Owl meeting is not far away... only 3 more sleeps.
Cheers

This is.....

2008-02-17T14:39:00.003+11:00

...what makes me laugh out loud.

Im not really your laugh out loud kinda person, but these two often have me in hysterics!

To see what makes everyone else laugh, check out Angela's blog

The three loves of my life.

2008-02-14T11:03:00.005+11:00

Happy Valentines Day.

Guess who lost her second tooth yesterday!

2008-02-12T17:14:00.000+11:00

Little Ms Zoe. I think she looks gorgeous.

Happy day everyone.

This is.....

2008-02-10T19:19:00.000+11:00

Meg's sunday lunch...

Cheese on toast. How very gourmet....but she loves it.

To see what everyone else had for lunch today, check out who is playing "This is" on Angela's blog.

In other news, I joined Brown Owls today and also dropped over my hearts to Mikes. I was pretty short on time, but it was nice to get up close and personal instead of viewing from afar.

Enjoy your week everyone.

Tagged

2008-02-09T19:20:00.000+11:00

Ive been tagged by the lovely Curlypops.
The rules of the game are:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
So... here we go then

1. I love banana and cheese sandwiches. In saying that, the cheese has to be a good hard tasty variety and it really is best on fresh white bread. Try it... you wont go back.
2. I have no idea what a " meme" is or what it stands for. Feel free to enlighten me!
3. I have tried just about every method to give up the cigarettes. Patches, drugs, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, Smoke Enders. I havent succeeded yet but Im still trying (week 3 this time round).
4. I'm anally punctual
5. I collect (apart from crafty junk) writing books. But Ive never written more than a few pages.

6. I dream of living a simpler life somewhere in the country. (You know, chooks, horses, fresh air etc)
7. I have a tattoo. I dont like it. I wish I never got it. I tried to get rid of it. It got infected. Now it looks deformed. End of story.

Now in terms of tagging others, Im sure many of my fave bloggers has done this before. So apologies if I tag you. Feel free to join in or not ....
Annie
Ainslie
Catherine
Victoria
Allison

Oh and one last thing.
Have you noticed? Up there... top right..... in the About me section.
Ive ditched the study!!!!!!!!!
Yippeee, I feel free. Now I can concentrate on what truly makes me happy.
Ciao
ps Thanks to kwoozy for providing me the link.

Technical Help Wanted

2008-02-08T17:59:00.001+11:00

Does anyone know how to put a line through text?

I want to change something in the "about me" section, (no, its not the giving up ciggy's part!)

Heres the pic of the Roman Blind I promised last year.

Considering its 2nd hand fabric, it's turned out ok.

Have a good weekend all

This is....

2008-02-05T21:41:00.000+11:00

....what I collect.

Crafty Junk. Say no more. Apologies for the late post. Will try really hard to be on time for next weeks theme.

To see what others collect, go to Angela's blog.

Ciao for now.

Here she is people....

2008-02-01T11:04:00.000+11:00

...and this is the last image you'll need to endure from my old Cannon 2.0 megapixel A40. The new addition to the family is the Fujifilm Fine Pix S5800. She has 8.0 megapixel and 10x optical zoom. I'm off to play!
Have a great weekend.

Hearts for Mirabel

2008-01-29T21:13:00.000+11:00

My first heart for the Mirabel foundation will soon be on its way to Mikes. I have a very different 2nd one in progress. Stay tuned....

Other exciting news this week
1. I splurged on a new camera - I should take hold of it in the next few days. Will hold back on the details until it arrives.
2. Zoe starts in Grade 1 tommorow.
3. Meg starts 3 y.o kinder on Friday.
4. I started back at work today ( After 6 weeks on "holiday's" with the kids - any break is exciting!)

Ciao
ps Thanks for the lovely comments encouraging me to stay off the dreaded ciggy's. So far so good!

This is ......what scares me

2008-01-24T12:39:00.000+11:00

After smoking 25 cigs a day for the past 25 years its hard to know what I'm more fearful of - giving up or not being able to give up!

Anyway I'm into day 4 at the moment - so far so good.

Ive had to post early this week as off to Albury tommorow to visit dear friends for the long weekend.

To see what scares everyone else visit Angela's blog.

Have a good weekend all.

This is....

2008-01-21T13:57:00.000+11:00

Ive jumped on the This is... bandwagon. Thanks to Angela for hosting.

This is my favorite cup. Im a tea drinker, but this is not your average tea cup.

Elements of a good cup:

1. It must have a base not much narrower than its top,

2. It must be thin rimmed

3. It should be white on the inside.

Oh and this is what my Cathedral Quilt has become! I added the buttons to cover up my corners (they were no where near as neat as Leah's)

Have a good week everyone.

Summer Madness

2008-01-19T20:43:00.000+11:00

November, December & January is always a manic time for us.

This is what we've been up to....

1. Zoe's 6 y.o birthday. Mooroduc to Mornington Train Ride. (Nov)

2. Luna Park Trip (Nov).

3. Christmas...

4. Boxing Day. Off to McCrae for 2 1/2 weeks....

5. Megs 4 y.o Birthday (Jan)

6. And finally...off to my folks in the country for a week, for a spot of ...

4 wheel driving

Discovering.... this gorgeous little camping spot not far from Apollo Bay

Landscaping

and of course, swimming

Im exhausted just thinking about it.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Fabulous Friday

2007-10-26T12:59:00.001+10:00

There's nothing like a little playdough fun on Friday. Meggy loves the stuff. I'm also partial to this jumper she's wearing. Its a gorgeous 'hand me down' from a good friend. The roman blind is completed and just waiting for gorgeous hubby to find the right size piece of wood for the batten. Stay tuned for pics - hopefully this weekend.

Have a great weekend.

Spotlight Specials and Camera Help Wanted!

2007-10-24T20:25:00.000+10:00

I had to go to Spotlight on Monday to pick up a couple of bits and pieces for the roman blind Im making. Little did I know it was 20% off store wide. So I couldnt resist the temptation to pick this lot up for @$2.00 p/metre!

Now I just need to find some time to sew!

Btw I found my camera. Now I kinda wish I didnt. I was hoping to upgrade. I have a relatively old Canon Powershot A40. Im really struggling to get crisp images from it. (Perhaps its your photographic skill or lack of it....I hear you say). Perhaps your right. I'd really love to hear what type of digital cameras others have and how they find them. Please post me with your reviews. I hope your having a good week.

A crafty weekend in sight...

2007-10-19T13:35:00.001+10:00

Youve gotta love this Joel Dewberry fabric. A friend introduced me to it a couple of weeks ago and Ive been busy sewing gifts for Christmas (cant divulge till after Chrissy though!)

I also thought I might make the girls a pointy kitty each as stocking fillers. Thanks to Hilary from Wee Wonderfuls for the free pattern (and a great blog!). Im also planning on making some roman blinds for this window with some fabric left over from Mums reno.

Stay tuned for the after pics. Apart from that, a busy weekend in store with Kinder orientation for Meg tommorow, birthday party for Zoe tommorow and out for dinner tommorow night. Hopefully Sunday will be a tad more relaxing (& productive).

Have a great weekend!

Apron Mosaic

2007-10-18T16:31:00.001+10:00

Apron Mosaic
Originally uploaded by zoesquid

Caterpillar

2007-10-12T13:46:00.000+10:00

No luck with the camera folks...
This is one of my favorite video snippets of meggy-moo when she was younger. We call this clip "Caterpillar". Gotta love those curls.

Ive also been playing around with fd's flicker toys. Im still trying to work out how to do the mosaics. If anyone can offer some assistance I'd appreciate it.

On a crafty note, I have many things underway. The cathedral window

quilt is coming along. Unfortunately I ran out of my Michael Miller cream/green dotty dot fabric (shown) despite efforts from numerous people in trying to hunt it down. I only need 1 metre! A special thankyou to Jennie at Posie Patchwork up north who went out of her way to try to locate it.

Speaking of exceptional service, I also went to patchwork on central park yesterday. It was fantastic. The variety of fabric unbelievable. I picked myself up some gorgeous Joel Dewberry fabric. I now am ready to get going on numerous christmas projects, and with a horrible Melbourne weather forecast this weekend, I should be able to get right into it. If only I had a camera I'd take some pics. Maybe Santa will be kind to me this year!

Have a good weekend.

Rainbow...

2007-09-25T17:18:00.000+10:00

Playing around with the merge function on my camera, I managed to capture this from our back porch back in June. Of said camera - its gone missing, just dissappeared. I cant recall when I last used it (must of been last month). I have literally turned the house upside down looking for it to no avail. Its driving me nuts. Ive gotta go looking again. Ciao for now.

Work in progress

2007-09-15T15:28:00.000+10:00

My first attempt at the Cathedral Window Quilt. This is how its looking so far.

I used 12" squares so it would build more quickly. Leah's tutorial is super easy to follow.

I'll post the completed project when done.

Thanks fo looking!

Quilting Project

2007-09-13T18:06:00.000+10:00

I cant believe how fast time has flown. Its been over 2 months since I last got a chance to blog.

For all those who asked, Meg is doing very well. Her leg is healed and she is out of plaster and running around like any other 3 year old. Im so glad to have that behind us.

Now onto more creative pursuits.
I thought I would try this as my first quiliting project. I came across it today and was so inspired that I rushed out and bought some material, have had it washed and dried, ready to start it tonight once the little ones go down.
Thanks to Leah for providing a great tutorial

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

A little broken leg

2007-07-08T20:49:00.001+10:00

For anyone wondering why so long since my last post, this ..........
is the answer! Two weeks ago to the day, my darling 3 year old
broke her leg. Without going into gory details we spent the next

week in the local public hospital getting it fixed (also complicated

with a spot of pneumonia thrown in for good measure). Anyway

five days later, the registrar advised us that he had reviewed

her post operative x-rays and was happy for her to go home

(despite her ongoing pain which we were told was just 3 yo anxiety)

Now Im no brain surgeon (or bone surgeon for that matter) but I ask you does this look like the a well healing bone to you? I thought not either, so after we were discharged, we dashed off to the local GP (who, during the consultation thought I was showing him the pre-operative x-rays!). The GP kindly (and quickly) set us up an appointment with a private paediatric specialist (thank god for private health insurance) and back to ( a private) hospital we went for my poor little one to undergo a 2nd anaesthetic and operation. She is now home and feeling much better. She will be in a hip spica cast for 4- 6 weeks but at least is pain free.

Now I should make it clear that my beef is not that the bone was not fixed properly in the first place (apparantly these breaks can be a little fiddly to get right), but the fact that we were discharged home on the pretense that the post-op x-rays were "fine". The same x-ray elicited a "we need to get her back to theatre asap" response from the specialist. I'm saddened to think that this is the standard of care that one can expect from our public hospital system in the 21st century.

Thanks for listening. I rarely get up on my soap box but couldnt help myself for this one.

Inspiration for Sooz

2007-06-22T15:12:00.000+10:00

After reading Sooz's current renovation nightmare, it brought back horrible memories of our project last year but....

for Sooz and anyone else renovating at the moment, here's a snapshot of our before and afters to keep your motivated and inspired...

The Old Kitchen......

New Kitchen...

Old dining room...

New Dining Room...

Old Lounge Room...

New Lounge Room...

Old Bathroom...

New Bathroom....

Girls Bedroom...

Some of my artwork hanging about the place....

So sooz, hang in there - this too will pass!

Thru the eyes of a five year old

2007-06-17T10:40:00.000+10:00

The eldest has become a shutterbug. She goes around the house with the digital camera taking pics of whatever takes her fancy. I thought this was an interesting composition of life as seen by a 5 year old. Enjoy your day.

Bedroom rug

Shoe collection (watch out amelda marcos!)

Breakfast

Playroom shelves

TheThe diaries.

An almost perfect Saturday.

2007-06-16T22:17:00.001+10:00

Cant believe my two little cherubs are now 5 (going on 18) and 3 (and wanting to stay "wittle"). Will divuldge more about them (and me) later, but this is how we spent our day.

Was supposed to be down at the beach for my group personal training at 8am. Woke at 7:55am! B.....r (4 weddings and a funeral). Anwyay got there albeit 10 minutes late. Worked hard for the short time I was there.

Came home to The Age - rolled up on the front door step. (Gotta love home delivery - even if its just on the weekends). Had a leisurely breakfast with the kids, hubby and The Age (my perfect Saturday morning). Took the kids to see Shrek 3. Now, we dont go to the movies very often (in fact cant recall the last time we went). And now I remember why - it cost us $55 for admission and $22 for snacks! Unbelievable, I think we'll now continue to wait for the DVD - much cheaper and alot more cosy.

After the movie, went to visit my Mum in hosp. Day 1 post lung surgery and doing well. Will fill you in more on that in a later post. After the visit and catching up with an old nursing buddy, we were home bound. After having home made fish and chips (ok oven fries and john west oven bake fish fillets) we snuggled in for movie number 2 for the day - Scooby Doo. It was a shocker. But having the whole day to spend with my family, no housework, no work-work and no other demands on our time was just bliss.

Now the kids are sound asleep, hubby's finishing reading the paper and I get the chance to write my first post.

Thanks for dropping by.

Zoesquid.