this is the place for me

oh, how the time slips away from me at this time of year. Wasn't it just october? Amidst the normal chaos of christmas and birthdays and families and all that other stuff, we have been busy with something else. Something I still can't believe is really true and real, something I have been dreaming about all my life. Yes, really. We bought a farm. it's just a little farm, five acres to be exact, and not a real farm as fin pointed out, because it has no farm animals (yet!). But there are trees, a big paddock, a sometimes creek, and lots of adventures to be had on this farm of ours. Five acres of pure bliss.we're working on a shack...doing what we do best and scrounging materials. For now we're camping in the tent as often as we can get away. No phone, no power, just the birds to listen to. Life doesn't get much better than this. oh yes, this is the place for us.

everything old is new again

somewhere amongst the chaos of last week, I decided it was high time I updated my rather dated website. I was getting a bit tired of people saying "er, there's not a lot going on with your website", and me saying "yeah, I know, I have to do something about that"...so I did something. It's still not finished, but at least it's all shiny and new.
Some little friends found their way home from balmain, so they are gradually appearing in the shop. Just in time for christmas, me thinks.

scissors down

I've been busy, busy for the past few weeks. It's balmain art and craft show time again, and the craft has been a flowing out of my little shed. I must admit, if I had started earlier and maybe enlisted some help with child minding then I probably would have got a lot more done, but organised I am not, and child minders are light on the ground around here so five minutes here and there is all I've managed. I think I did pretty well under the circumstances. Some new designs this year, these little houses are my favourite.

new cushions as well, with some very fun appliqued designs...I seriously wanted to keep these for myself. Ric rac rocks. mr. elephant has had a makeover, now in a one-size-fits-all model. He's in-between the old ones.

bunnies found some new faces, much more fun this way. I do so love the bunnies.

and of course, some bags. Large enough for a couple of books or mags, but not too big for everyday use. A long strap for wearing across the chest, I find them much more comfy this way. Bunting too, but we all know what a pain in the backside bunting is to photograph.

You may notice a lot of denim in this lot. I've had two big rolls of it stacked in the shed for about three years, we picked it up off a chuck-out somewhere (??!!) and I've never really gotten around to using a lot of it as it's really rather rigid. It has proven perfect for these bags, and also the appliqued cushions, as it holds it's shape really well. It's my new thing, and now I'm hoping it doesn't run out too soon!

I'll be back soon, with more tales to tell about what we're up to right now.

ps. a big thankyou to my kind and oh so patient mister for taking these pics, and um, dropping off these things in balmain for me...even after I had a minor meltdown because I was "frazzled" (only pathetic word I could come up with under the circumstances) after all that sewing and toddler wrangling, he remained calm and did these things for me. He deserves a medal that man.

oh, hello blog

look at that, another month went by. Well, it's more like six weeks isn't it, but who's counting. I've thought a lot about writing something here, but thinking is about as far as I got. My little friends have been keeping me busy, especially this one, who has developed a fondness for running. Away. Supermarkets are especially fun places to run through...the many obstacles making it all the more interesting. Another fun place to run is to school, to pick up the brothers...lots of gardens to visit and letter boxes to check along the way. I had forgotten about nearly three year olds and the things they do. Things like noticing that you are otherwise occupied and realising they suddenly need you. Right now for instance, he needs me to retrieve the combi that he just threw in the bin (because it was "broken"). How do they know that game? Very cunning.
People keep asking me if he goes to pre school, and I have to admit that I haven't even thought about it yet. I guess I would get more done, but then I would miss him and his crazy ways. I think for now we'll just keep playing the games, because I know that he'll be ten in the blink of an eye, and then the games become a little more involved.
I'm off to rescue an only slightly broken combi from the bin, and whatever else may be in there with it.

my first treasury!

I just received a lovely email from melanie of AmaniYaJuu to let me know that she featured me in her etsy tuesday treasury. My first one, I'm chuffed! Funnily enough, it was an apron that I made about four years ago for a customer who never came back for it, not even something new and exciting. I've relisted some things in my shop that didn't sell first time around, and this was one of them. Lots of little skirts and pants in there at the moment too!
Thanks AmaniYaJuu! (Check out this lovely shop for gorgeous african handmade quilts).

double digits

boy number one turned ten the other day. 10. My goodness. Although I find it hard to believe I've been a mum for ten years, there's no doubt that he's been with us for that long, and then some. He was an old soul from the start, and always a challenge. Fin is all about the "why not?" and "when can I?", and rarely lets go of something once he's latched onto it. But, what would life be without a challenge? I love this boy, in all his dark and mysterious ways, and he never ceases to amaze me with the things that rattle around in that brain of his.

10. What fun to be ten, the biggest concern being which wheels to buy for your scooter with your birthday money. I now find myself stepping precariously over allen keys and screw drivers rather than lego when I make his bed in the morning. Wondering, how does one get grease out of a mat? Not sure I'm even going to bother with that one, I think I have better things to do.

Happy birthday biggest boy, we love you lots.

p.s. yes, I know there are cobwebs on my chandelier, they add to the old world charm.

school holidays in pictures

I'm not going to pretend the school holidays have been one big picnic, but we did have some good adventures in the few brief moments of sunshine that we were graced with (and some in the gloom as well). Rainy school holidays? That's just not funny.