Cheers to you!

Well it is New Years Eve, and as yet another year draws to an end and another begins there are many of us that ponder on the year that was. I am not good at keeping New Year Resolutions and therefore dont usually make them. You will not see me wanting to loose weight or stop buying fabric (they just can not be done!)

Well 2007 saw us live in three houses and three different States (mad really when you think of it!)

It saw me do much more sewing and also pull out the knitting needles and start knitting up a storm in the hope to keep Amelia warm!

Many trips to Melbourne and catching up with family and friends...

Saw me start too many projects (and therefore now have so many UFO's...)

And in 2008

I am going to get my head around being a Mum for the second time

I am going to finish lots of started projects

I am going to make many of my gifts this year (look out family and friends - lucky you!)

We have many fun things planned as a family - I would love to get back in the canoe and we have plans to go camping at Easter time (I must be mad doing this with an 8 week old)

So as I sit here with my glass of Solo (sad I know) have a drink for me. What do you all have planned for 2008 - I am hoping that somewhere it includes visiting this little blog which finds me blab on about nothing most of the time!

So Happy New Years to you and your family - and don't forget to hug someone you love!

Cheers

K

xox

Just popping in to Wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thankyou for you to all that visit my little blog and for leaving comments (I love comments and is a fabulous start to any day seeing that one has arrived in my inbox)

I am taking a break from blogging for the next few days and will be back on the 2nd (might pop in and let you all know what my New Years Resolution is though! - that is if I work it out between now and then)

Keep an eye out next year for lots of new baby things being made - I have a Pay it Forward to pay forward and I think that it is time for a new blog name. ( so lurkers it is time for you too all come out of hiding)

I will leave you with a few of the handmade decorations that adorn our tree.

I have many plans to get some UFO finished in the next few days and do some sewing for Amelia - she managed to miss out on what Mum wanted to sew for her for Christmas, so I have a doll quilt to finish for her and a cubby house to start...

Christmas Nativities!

I was a lucky girl last year and received not one - but two Christmas Nativities! Tim traveled over to America for work and all that I wanted while he was over there was a Christmas decoration.

The first was purchased on the border of Mexico and we just love it - it has so much detail and work put into it - and still everytime I look at it I see something new that I had not noticed previously.This is a shot of the back of the three wise men

And the Willow Tree Set. This set is worth a small fortune and lucky for me Tim picked it up tax free at the shop on base in America.

Matching Fairy Skirts! - Warning crazy preggy post!This must be my form of nesting (six weeks to go, but who is counting?) I knocked this up in a few hours - sitting watching TV. I then decided that Teddy needed one too (or whoever Amelia decides to place it one) See told you crazy pregnant women! Thought that I would just purchase some pre-made wings and have a little wand here for her that I will add a little of the left over tulle onto)The idea came from the talented and very arty Stacy who blogs as MamaDoddles and put up a tutorial for a No-sew Tutu (so even those with out a sewing machine can manage this one!)

Thrifty and Toddler Tuesday!

I know that I said a few weeks ago that I was going to stay away from the opshops - but I just could not help myself. The other week when I was down in Albury I ventured into an oppy there and just look at the goodies that were bought out while I was there.

I picked up these two chenille sheets for $9 - what a bargain. I have been after some for a while (in the thought of making Miss A some winter pants and wanted some to add into a quilt top)
I just love the flower detail in the white one.

And last week Amelia and I organised craft for playgroup!

Here is a before and after shot of a card board angel! The kids had a ball doing it - and the parents were left with the glitter floor!

Christmas Sewing

Well it seems to be that I have been on a role this morning. It seems as though I am not getting anything done on my 'to do' Christmas list. I have Tim home on holidays at the moment - and am ordered to the bedroom for a Nanna Nap when Amelia goes down for her lunch time sleep.

Two things off of the list today are:

A Library bag and Pencil Case (with a zip!)I followed Jodie's instructions on her blog for the pencil case - some time in the new year I would like to try it in the vinyl!

And a little card cover for a book voucher (tutorial courtesy of Little Thing Blog)Tim's family do SS and I picked out his cousin (and all she wanted was a book voucher, so thought that I would add some handmade goodness to a plastic card!)

Also finished and ready to be filled on Christmas Eve is Amelia's Santa Sack. It is HUGE isn't it - Tim said that it was not big enough and then he requested that it have her name on it! So this is the end result - a very large Santa Sack for a 2 year old. I think that I will wrap up everything that she is going to get and pop it in there - But I do think that it will have to be downsized in the years to come!!!

Santa, the three stars and her name are all hand blanket stitched

Secret Santa's

Look at what the lovely postman delivered to me the other day. A package all the way from Marie in lovely QLD.
Thanks Marie for putting in the time to make us all a something a little special this year for Christmas. Amelia received a hat (it is so cute and reminds me of my brownie hats - and yellow really suits her!) Tim and I received eye covers each (to take to the hospital so we can get some shut eye!) A knitting roll, tissue holder and a bag for nappies (with a newborn nappy - man I have forgot just how small they are!) And a bib and shoes for bub in Michael Millers 'Rocket Rascals' , oh and two Enid Gilchrist Books.

And this is what all of those yoyo's became - A 4mtr garland as part of my gift to Natalie.

Featuring some of her favorite Christmas colours.And just a few other goodies, plus a little something for Natalie's two boys!

I also received some material in a fat quarter swap - but am yet to get a photo of that - so will pop a picture on when I take it!

Two little outfits for a little girl!

Well I have been a busy Mumma - I received a huge box of size 2 girls clothes from a friend for Amelia and therefore there was no need to sew any dresses for Amelia! (Much to my disappointment as you could imagine)

So armed with a few new patterns from the recent half price sale at Spotlight I decided to make a few little outfits to say a BIG THANKYOU!

Simplicity 3856 - Twirly skirt with embroidered top

Simplicity 4147 - Skirt with Yoyo embellished Top (this one reminds me of the Rara skirts my Mum made me in the 80's)

And what is going on with my machine? I have only got it serviced a few months ago - but this is the result when I want to zigzig - It is like it has a fit or something!

It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas...

So here is what the 25 matchboxes became! Little decorations for Amelia's Advent Tree. I think that next time year I will make little felt decorations to pop inside and they can also be added to the tree as the days go by.Inside the boxes are little messages - she will possibly understand it a little more next year - but I think that we will have fun all the same.

• Open 1st December Christmas Present from Grandma and Grandpa
  
• Put up Christmas Tree
• Attend Christmas Pagent
• Visit Santa and Get a photo taken (attempt anyway)
• Have a picnic in the park with Mum and Dad
• Watch Christmas DVD with Popcorn
• Paint toe nails in Christmas Colours
• Post Christmas Cards
• Draw a picture
• Do a collage with stickers
• Put out food to be collected for the Salvation Army's Christmas Food Appeal
• Cook Christmas Biscuits
• Visit Christmas Lights
• Make Plum Pudding
  
• Read a Christmas Story
• Attend Christmas Carols
• Select a card off of the Kmart Smith Family Christmas Tree
  
• Leave Milk and Biscuits out for Santa and Sprinkle Reindeer Food
• Merry Christmas

Some will occur on special days and others will be a random selection.
We are six days short - so if any of you have some ideas for us PLEASE let me know!

Work in Progress Wednesday!

A few of you have asked how the pregnancy is coming along. Well I am growing - yes growing is what occurs when one is pregnant - although I have not put on as much weight as I did with Amelia and I put that down to having Morning, Noon and Night sickness for twenty weeks this time around.Here is a photo of my bump as I see it at the moment. I have lost my feet - yes they are gone... Tim is currently still in our old location and will make the move up to be with us on Friday. And I am so looking forward to that. Just in time for Christmas and to get Miss A settled before this bump becomes a crying, feeding baby!
Will add some new pictures when there is someone else here to hold the camera for me!

Getting Festive...

I'm starting to get organised for Christmas. I've made a list (good start - right?) Only problem being that I seem to be adding more then what I am actually achieving at the moment! I'm looking forward to celebrating the festive season with Miss A this year. She is starting to get the idea of Christmas and she seems to think that she has Santa sussed out! (well, every time she see;s a photo or him on the TV she says "Santa...Santa..."I just hope that her enthusiasm lasts as long as getting a photo taken on his lap) Also looking forward to our Advent countdown and doing some baking, I would love to try my hand at a gingerbread house this year (oh the joys of Christmas and being pregnant) No doubt my list will be edited and re-edited several times before Christmas actually arrives. But right now I am happy that I have a tick beside

Bag for GrandmaPattern Details : Nellie's Sewing Bag

Fabric in black and white tones, including some vintage finds from Grandma's own stash and a piece of Michael Miller Buttons that I picked up as a remnant for $2
Modifications: Added a Log cabin panel in - as I wanted to try it and thought that this was a perfect project for it!

and soak fruit for plum pudding. And while speaking of creating, I just can't help myself but add my budding little resident artist. She is starting to enjoy creating (these were completed at playgroup today)

Going Round the Bend!

Or is it Yoyo? Who really knows at the moment - all that I know is that I have made 96 of these little delights. I do hope that my EB Sewing Secret Santa likes Yoyo's!

Here is a sneak picture of what I am up to. Are these your colours??? I got the idea from the very famous and talented Heather (she made them last year) and stored it in my memory bank as something to try!
This is my new little helper - a perfect yoyo everytime! It is the Yoyo maker and made by Clover, well worth the investment if you are planning on making 100 or so of them.

Thanks Grandma!

I love it when the postman comes and brings us more than just bills! And yesterday two great big boxes arrived for us from Grandma and Grandpa in Mackay full of Christmas presents and a whole heap of bits and pieces that I have left at home for the past ten years (Mum and Dad are in the process of de-culling - so in two years they can travel Australia in there caravan and spend our inheritance LOL)

Anyway - One of the presents in there was this gorgeous 'Eye Spy' quilt. It is actually part of Amelia's birthday present so she was allowed to have it now! Needless to say that Amelia has carried it everywhere today - slept under it, played on it and kept me amused with all of the things that one can find.

They are not the best photos, bit they will have to do for the time being. It is raining and overcast today and Amelia is in long sleeved shirts and long pants and it only managed to reach 15 degrees today (and here I was whining about it being 39 degrees only three days ago!)

In Thrifty Heaven

During our Holidays in Queensland I managed to get a little op shopping in and I think that I cleaned them out of there patterns. Just check out these goodies.

I also picked up a few books, I love the Henny Penny one, it has pictures threw it in place of words. And of course I could not resist this material smurf book!

I think that I am now on an opshopping ban - DH has told me that I need to start making somethings with everything that I have collected - my little cupboard is overflowing!

Feeling HOT! HOT! HOT!

Oh the heat is getting to me! Now I know that it was less than a year ago that I was living in Darwin, But give me humidity anyday! This inland Australian Dry Heat is knocking both Amelia and I around - Not to mention the flies! Man they are a pest and I am seriously thinking of walking around with a full body net on (That would be a sight let me tell you)

Anyway - enough about that - I am in the process of making a few Christmas presents and a few other things at the moment... Here is a sneak peak of something I am working on for Amelia - All will be revealed by the 30th of November. Oh and I am not a pyromaniac (I promise!)

EB Doll Quilt Swap!

While on holidays I participated in the EB Quilting Girls first Doll Quilt swap. Amelia received an little square quilt featuring pinwheels and backed with dog fabric from Bec - Thanks Bec she loves it and with the little extra piece that you sent I think that I might make her a new pram liner.

I made a little quilt for a Dog and Horse loving girl over in WA. I almost had to make another as Amelia loved it so much - but I am thinking that I will embroider a dog onto another piece and turn it into a library bag for her. I made it on Mum's old faithful Bernina (which I hope that she never gets rid off) It may be heavy and noicey - but she has NEVER had a problem with and and sews when she wants to sew something - what more could a girl want really!

We are Home

Well Amelia and I are back after our trip to QLD. I did not get as much done as I would have liked as we were both sickies while away! We did not even get to swim in the ocean (A little sad really!)

While away I managed to sew Amelia a little 'Twirly Skirt' from the tutorial of the very talented House on Hill Road

I love the material in this - the photo was actually taken on CanTeen day and I made the skirt so Amelia had something to wear to a Soccer presentation night with Grandpa (I can remember going to these occasions as a child and wearing red - so I could not resist, and ofcourse Grandpa was thrilled to show off his little girl!) It is actually a very easy pattern and so easy to read! I whipped this little number up in about an hour after cutting it out!

A Holiday Update

Sorry that this little blog has been a little quiet of late. Amelia and I are currently on holidays in Sunny Mackay (LOL - I type this as it is starting to rain!)

I am not getting very much crafting done at the moment - with moving and being sickies it just is not working! So a few photos to keep you all entertained unti I am back in the world of Blogland!

Our New Home

Amelia Turns 2

A raggady edge throw and dog softie for our new nephew
Some Jumping Castle Fun

On the plane...

Grandma Turns 50!

Smile for the Camera - a family snap!