Over & Out

I started this blog just over a year ago. I was not too sure what I was aiming for, and still not! But have enjoyed an outlet for some of my thoughts and happenings and really enjoyed seeing what other people have been thinking and doing too. It is the individuality of us all blended with our common threads that I love about people and life.

I had been intending to do many blog posts on all sorts of things that in reality I have just not had the time to do, or if I have, then I have not had the time to blog about them. I have been wanting to do posts on some of the blogs I love, but instead will give you a brief overview of a couple of my favourites and suggest you go follow them, or at least have a looksie :)

And, why am I writing like this is all coming to an end?

Probably because I am not sure if I will be back next year, in this venue anyhow. Perhaps I will, but probably not. I was thinking of deleting this blog, but after checking in today I see that over the past couple of months since I was last here, 'stats' show quite a few readers... well people who have been linked to a post by google anyhow - no new comments so it can be very hard to know if this is being broadcasted to the world or just a convo in my head turning into type and not much else?

I have loved the blogging explosion over recent years. So much information to be shared and inspiration. Connecting with people globally without leaving my house, which is rather handy and life saving at moments when I feel quite isolated and housebound with 3 offspring to care for in new town/country.

There are lots of blogs that when I get a few moments I try and check up on, but here are 2 of my favourites. And they both happen to be local (well in Melbourne, which I now live just out of. Both are mums and artists, and both have a love of textile yumminess.

One of the first people whos blogs I came across and loved is apronsandhammers.blogspot.com Emma is a mum of 2 little ones and she is shoe designer and maker! SHE MAKES SHOES!! How clever is she? Very.
I love seeing her passion for her craft and creativity enriching her life. She does other things too, but you will have to go follow her blog to find out ;) If you love shoes and art & design (especially textiles and sculpture) you will enjoy her blog.

The other blog I want to share is lalahiprism.blogspot.com. This blog belongs to my friend Kym Maxwell. She loves capturing her family life on her blog (she has 2 boys same ages as mine) but its also full of the creative way she lives her life. Currently teaching full time but designs and makes too (lalahiprism & Zamo kids clothes), I'm envious of how they find time to fit in so many things!
With lots of snaps of her kids and everydays things the love she has for her family and her artists heart are both big and strong. I love that.

A long story about something that didn't take very long.

This had been a longish tale of how we acquired our new pet chickens. But I had written it one handed (other holding baby on hip) and in a hurry whilst trying to do 20 other things at the same time. It was not written very well. And added to the fact that some glitch occurred when I posted that meant all the paragraphs etc disappeared, it played on my mind a bit that it read like something I had written when I was 10. It is not always a big aim of mine to write really well on my blog, but this post was bothering me. Maybe because right now life feels a bit unravelled as I find my way being a mum of 3. Anyway, short story now and it goes like this.... We had thought about getting chooks last year, but then decided we probably wouldn't. Two weeks ago I had a moment of inspiration and decided we should get chickens now. It felt right. I contacted the people whom we were on the waitlist with last year for some Pekin Bantams. They wrote back saying their list was very big and we might not get any this season, would we like some of their others that were just 6 weeks old. I said "yes!" and so we are now the proud owners of a Rhode Island Red Bantam, Light Sussex Bantam and a Silkie. I'm not sure what the colouring of the Silkie is. It is a bit of a mix and most similar to my old cat (RIP FInn, she passed on a couple of months ago with her new owner - as much as u can own a cat), so I would say maybe the Silkie is Tortoiseshell, cause thats what Finn was. They are only just 8 weeks old. We wont get eggs till end of summer, which is about 4 months away. But I'm very pleased to have them. They are the first pet we have got since we moved to Australia 3 years ago. And the way it came about getting them was (the long badly written post) quite serendipitous. Meant to be.

ps. the breathing space thing happened again! No idea why sorry. Anyone else having this problem with blogger? pps. the new owner of my old cat didn't pass away with her, just meant...well, you know. And the cat was old, nothing to do with the new owner.

The Muu Muu

I decided to make Baby S a bonnet for summer, so looked through my pattern collection, which is mostly vintage dating. The oldest ones being undated but stylewise look to be from the 1930's.

I came across a 1971 pattern for a baby dress that I had cut out the fabric and then left it all sitting together unfinished for a few years. So, even though I have new nappy covers to do and a waistcoat that I think I should make for Little D, bibs for us and as upcoming gifts and of course the bonnet for my sweet girl, I decided to complete the project I had started and never finished. In crafty circles I think they are called UFO's (un finished objects) aren't they?

I think I suffer a bit from Pattern Reading Dyslexia. These old patterns are hard to follow. Well they are for me. I guess they were written for ladies who had already grown up with their mother sewing and took sewing as a mandatory class at school. I have been sewing since I can remember (I taught myself hand sewing as a child, and even know am used to working out patterns and techniques in my head).

The size of the pattern was ambiguos. It said size 1/2. Hmmm, 6mths? Well my girl is just on that and as she is quite chunky I thought even more reason to get on with making it sooner than later.

It was not too hard to make but following the instructions (instead of my brain and instinct) resulted in slightly more home made look than what is considered cool about handmade items these days.

Anyway, we tried it on her. Sam commented it did not suit her colourings (it is beautiful fabric but he is right) and we could see it was waaaay too big. So, put away for a year or two till we can try it again and see if its wearable then, but maybe it will be passed onto someone else.

Time flies

I wasn't too sure what this blog would be when I started. And now I am so busy it's a rare treat to check in and catch up on my favourite blogs and maybe post something myself. I feel things might be evolving though... if I get the chance to do so.
I might try manage a post once a month?
We'll see.

Btw - I did finally remember to get a photo of the vegie/lentil/bean burgers (can't take time to remember how to link it so you'll have to go find it yourself if your interested), so have uploaded that now ;)


Meanwhile here is picture of a few of my favourite things.

I finished the quilt.

I am finding it really busy having 3 kids! All is going well and as crazy as it is I think being a family of 5 is great.

But there is not much time for blogging.
Nor lots of things.
However I did get Baby S's quilt finished though. It is made from re printed 1930's fabrics, with a few old doilies added and backed and binded with linen. I was trying to create something that looked a bit vintage.

Help yourself

I think my favourite family meals are the ones when we sit down at the table and have an assortment of fillings in the middle and we put together our own plates.
This is the way we have sushi, burgers, salads, tacos and PANCAKES! Yum. Everyone can tuck in and add what they want.

Good for little people to have fun choosing their own meal. I find it is a pretty good way of getting them to eat some things they wouldn't usually be keen on trying.

So, I'm wondering? What are the family meals you enjoy most and what do you like to eat on your pancakes? Got any new suggestions for us to try? Our selection is typically lemon, sugar, butter, golden syrup, cream and strawberries.

A2K & Why you will want to visit it.

A2K = Allotment to Kitchen. Shaheen (or Mangocheeks as she previously was known as) is one of my favourite bloggers. All the way over in Scotland (but soon to be relocating to Wales), she produces fresh produce from her garden and fresh culinary ideas. Whats more - its all vegetarian.

I so want to sample everything she makes because it looks looks so good and she has such a good idea of healthy and yummy food.

She is brilliant. You will be inspired. You will wish that you could grow your own food. You will wish that you could make so many good meals. You will want to try some of her recipes.

Her blog is well written and has lovely photos. She has so many new ideas.

Her site is so concise and easy to follow. She has conversion charts, a search index for recipes. And there is a side column to tell you what she is growing in her allotment.

I dont understand why she dosent have a book deal yet? SOMEONE give this woman a book deal!

My Welsh Dragon Soup (Leek, Potoato & chilli minus the chilli cause I don't think the kids or breastfed bub would appreciate that), with Welsh Dragon Chilli Shortbread (minus the chilli once again and the Dragon - so I picked a random 'interesting' shape from my cookie cutter collection. I think it is suppose to be Santa's Sack. I told the kids it was a rabbit, because thats sounds similar to Rarebit and... well I suppose you can see my attempt at clever word play even if the kids had no idea).
Heres the link to the original A2K one;)

New Quilt

is coming along nicely.

Enjoying that I can find unstressful moments to do little bits of it every day or so.