there were decidedly slim pickings in the country oppys this time around, I only managed to come home with a set of nice heavy curtains which will make good book bags and this blue patchworky sheet that was crying out to be made into a summer skirt. With pockets. It told me it needed pockets. I like pockets. I've just realised that pockets is one of those words that doesn't look right after you've written it three times. Can you tell I've been awake since 5.30am?
also made this little stocking for a certain little boy who will be joining us for christmas this year. Oh, so exciting. Can you see that fabric on top? It has squirrels, trees, mushrooms and birds. Now, that's just about all of my favourite things all together at once. That makes me very happy. It's a piece of japanese craft fabric, my current obsession. There have been a few etsy and ebay purchases lately, and I am building quite a nice little stash. The thing I like about these (apart from the obvious ridiculous cuteness), is that I can only justify buying fat quarters of the stuff because it's so darn expensive to buy here, so, a. it's very easy to store, and b. I am only using it for very cute little projects that only require small amounts of the stuff. But you know, the truth is, I would be quite happy to just keep it in a neat little stack on my desk and just look at it all day, without ever doing anything with it.
happy to you. (that was the message on the bag some of it came in. Ah, the sweetness).
things are moving fairly slowly here at the moment. Most days, it's just me and the three amigos keeping ourselves amused, while everyone else goes about their usual business of work and other fun stuff. Not a lot of craft going on, as the boys are still engrossed in christmas goodies and outdoor activities...but we did manage to make these sweet mushrooms from an egg carton the other day. It was one of those moments where I should probably have been making something like, say, dinner, but egg carton mushrooms it was.
so, today, I thought I'd better do the right thing and make something they could actually eat...little apple cakes. Just the thing to go with a pink milk while watching charlie and lola. 
on each of our kids' first birthdays, we have had a party in their honour, for which the guests have had to dress up as something beginning with the first letter of the kids' name. And so we have had an "f" party, a "w" party, and now a "j" party. Oh, so much fun. We had everything from j-lo to to julius caesar, a jellyfish and a jolly swagman, and even a jack-in-the-box. I was jemima, and dad took it as yet another opportunity to let out his inner bogan and dressed as 
and some matchy sets for some christmassing cousins. 
yes, the holiday was just as holidays should be, albeit without the late sleep-ins and room service. Yeah, could have done with a bit more of that. Jasper decided that being away from one's own little bed is not a good thing, what is this porta-cot thing anyway? It shakes when I move and I can't crawl around in it like I can in my real bed. Will somebody please wake up and get me out of this thing. Now. That's kind of how it went, every night. And then up with the kookaburras, who conveniently sat outside our bedroom window and had their morning cackle at sparrow's fart. I thought it was nice being awake that early on the first morning, it felt kind of invigorating, but as the week wore on, the novelty wore off and it became more...aggravating. Still, we managed to fit a lot in with the days being that long.
even spotted a suitable farmhouse on the way home. Not a great picture, but you get the idea, right? And there is that flame tree. I do love a good flame tree, one that decides to flower and just does it. We have one out the front of our house which is quite big, but is showing no signs of flowering, not even one measly little flower on some high up, obscure little branch. But I know it will flower one day, and when it does, I'll be there, and there will be a celebration, because a flame tree in flower is one of the truly beautiful things in life, and oh dear, I just got carried away, didn't I. I'll be back soon with some craft...there's been lots of that since I got back. xx
