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advent-o-rama

 
It's the first day of December! And yes, I am posting another picture of the calendar I made three years ago. (Is there a statute of limitations on this? I hope not - sorry!) This year we're filling the stockings with a fairly even share of small treats (hair clips, bubble bath, matchbox cars), miniature chocolate santas and fun christmassy activities. At least, that's the plan - I am still gathering activity ideas, particularly for when the school holidays hit. I found myself madly bookmarking ideas over the last couple of days and thought I might post them here just in case any of you are in the same boat:

- Lots of great activity ideas here. And here! Also, here.

- Kids Craft Weekly has two wonderful issues about advent calendars and activites.

- An online advent calendar with suggestions for crafts and things to do each day!

- The very talented Meg has made an advent colouring book to download.

- A lovely advent calendar how-to here, and more advent calendar inspiration at at the Crafty Crow and Whip Up. 

hot or not

Hello! Thanks for your nice words. I'm out of hospital and home taking it easy. I had to stay a little longer than I'd hoped because I had a wacky reaction to one of the drugs. On the up side, I am now minus a gallbladder and minus a bit of extra weight as well (woo!) How about a game of Claire's Hot or Not?

hot

1. Seasonally themed gumdrop-pops from Martha. Audrey and I will so be making these this year. 

2. Dawn's fantastic clouds. I want them all.

3. A heatwave in November. November! Very hot, but not necessarily in a good way (see 'not').

4. Very pretty flower garlands. I've been trying to come up with some toddler-friendly Christmas decorations this year. Wouldn't strings of these look great around a christmas tree?

4. A nice husband who has taken the week off work to look after the kids while I recover from the chop. Lovely.

not

1. A heatwave in November. We've had days of temperatures around the 40s, and today parts of the state have the dubious honor of a first ever 'catastrophic' fire warning. This kind of heat at this time of year is not only foul but makes me fearful of the summer ahead.

2. Weirdy medications. Though I am grateful for their pain-reducing effects, it turns out I am not so good at tolerating anything stronger than a panadol. What a wuss!

PS - the Marmalade cat is one I made last week. She's winging her way to a little girl right now.

obsession of the week

 

Tiel is posting about her current obsessions, so I thought I might join in. 

We are just winding up the second week of school holidays, and between fun stuff (playdates, pajama days, botanic gardens, an ice skating party for Audrey's birthday), and not so fun stuff (sick kids - again, aargh!), I haven't seen much of the inside of my work room.

So my obsession this week has been something I would like to make. I'm itching to start another quilt, and have lately been drawn to those using only solid fabrics. Particularly inspiring:

This incredible set of colour studies by Daintytime on Flickr. This one has been in my flickr favorites for ages, I'm pretty sure I gasp every time I see it.

The work of Simply Robin - wow! and wowza!

Also (not above because it wouldn't go into the mosaic), this triangular beauty from Little Red Hen on Flickr. So, so good.

Arrrr!

Yikes. Has it really been three weeks? I have been off tending to sick kids, I've been sick, Matt's been sick. There's been all together too much sickness for us, and I am so ready for warmer days, less worry, and more of the good stuff. Blogging included.

How great is this guy? Pirate William was made by Candice of Moomi for her sons from my Poppy pattern. I love his moe, it gives him a very dignified edge. Have a look at Candace's shops for her beautiful handmade wares, like this mostachioed whale. So, so very good.

While I am on the topic, I've made a Flickr group for toys made from the Poppy pattern. Please add your Poppy's (or Pirate William's) - I would absolutely love to see what you've made. 

friday inspiration (on a saturday)

Folded paper. This photo (from sem on Flickr) could tip me over the edge into paper crafting, or at least a spot of paper crane making. A string of these hanging in a corner would be very nice indeed. I also love these paper crane mobiles by Red Berry. Happy weekend!

good gracie

Here's Henry sporting his swish new hat. We were very lucky to be sent this hat by lovely Gina. Gina's blog has been one of my favorites for a long time now, not just because we're both from the same town, but also for her humour and fantastic creations - also available in her shops. 

I'm sorry I couldn't get a better picture of Henry in the hat because, you know, I think he looks pretty cute (although I may be biased). But he's quick these days! For this third photo I got wise and bribed him with the holy grail - a prawn cracker (that's the blurry pale thing he's holding). He was still momentarily, just enough for a blurred grin & then off again. As an aside, Henry took his first unaided step about a month ago - on this momentous occasion he was lurching for a prawn cracker (we're all class). He's made no steps since. Nor have there been any prawn crackers in the house. Coincidence? It seems not. After this photo he took his second step. Which proves to me that prawn crackers must be magic.

Thanks again, Gina. :)

wip

Yesterday's mail was very nice! In it, these felt beads from this etsy seller. I have a big new-craft-supplies crush on them. They are earmarked for a christmas project I can't wait to get stuck into.

lulu and linkage

We had such a nice time in Melbourne. It went too fast - 3.5 days in Melbourne is never enough. We never made it to the craft market (bugger), but did spend a lovely afternoon in the children's garden at the Botanic Gardens with family. I'd never been before and came away so inspired by the fantastic vegie garden. What a gorgeous place! You Melbournians are so lucky.

Since getting back, I've been on a giraffe making frenzy. I cut out 5 over the weekend! This one, Lulu, is the first one off the production line. (Sorry about the photo overkill with the giraffes, that mug shot photo just amuses me - perhaps I should get out more?)

Aside from tinkering with giraffes, I've been spending a little too much time clicking about the internet. A couple of my current favourite places for inspiration:

- Inchmark blog. Oh my. This children's birthday card!

- Issue 5 of lmnop. And the lmnop blog.

- Some beautiful home design blogs: Shannon Fricke, tiny k, and Daily Imprint.

blue and green

I've been feeling a litte flat lately, lacking in motivation and optimism. I'm sure, in part, my lack of motivation is just a case of very boring, middle class, late-winter blahs. I've been dipping in and out of sewing projects, not really loving anything enough to forge ahead, and feeling completely intimidated by some of the beautiful work I've been seeing spring up around blogs and Flickr. And at night, instead of heading into my workroom - which I know will make me feel better - I've been flopping on the couch in an exhausted heap with a cup of tea and more chocolate than necessary.

But I'm sure you didn't come here to hear me whining. There are some lovely things happening. It's Spring for one (as of yesterday) - last week I even weeded the herb/vege garden and put in a couple of early seedlings. I'm slowly painting an old cupboard that we pulled out of our shed last month. It's earmarked for fabric storage, which is always a nice thought. A parcel came from Cia's the other day (including some of the DS flower ribbons in green, above). Audrey has started some transition visits at her school, which she begins full time proper at the beginning of next term. School, I tell you! Gulp.

I've been so inspired by some of the blues and greens that I've been seeing around the place lately - not least of which Blair's beautiful quilt in progress. We made these cupcakes to celebrate my Mum's birthday last week. And I made myself a fabric brooch, heavily inspired by this one over at Angry Chicken.

And to complete my rambling, I just wanted to say thanks so much for the quilt love. You're all very kind.

Ernie

Thankyou for your nice words about little red. I'm slowly inching closer to that shop update. Finished yesterday, this little boy mouse, Ernie.

Our house is a mess! We demolished our shed - stuff everywhere, in the middle of winter - and then the shedding company decided to change the terms of the building contract. So it's been one of those mildly crappy weeks involving shouty phone calls to unpleasant people. So petty in the scheme of things, yet kind of consuming at the moment.

So, anyway. How beautiful are these rag dolls from Jess Brown Design? So inspiring. They have me thinking about dolls all over again. Much nicer than thinking about sheds. Definitely.