hello

  

What happens when you don't blog for almost two weeks?

Lots of stuff happens. School holidays happen..leaves fall...nights grow colder..days get shorter..

and giveaways don't get given away.

I'm so sorry to all those who entered my little bunny giveaway..I haven't forgotten you!

 I so loved reading every single one of your comments, hearing about your childhood toys was music to my ears. The common threads of comfort, company, memories and love ran through each one. It's so sweet how we can all be linked by our childhood toys, they are such treasures to us all, whether they still exist or remain forever in our hearts.

Although mine is a teeny tiny business, producing only a few bunnies in the scheme of things,

even if only one of those bunnies became someones special childhood toy, it would be the most wonderful thing. I remember once I ran into a child holding a Dandelion bunny, all fluffed up and worn, and it was such a magical feeling. I guess toys, especially handmade ones, really represent that precious part of our lives, when we were young.

Anyway, I will draw out a winner, but not tonight. Keep an eye out though as it will be one day this week, and again, I'm sorry I have taken so long.

I've been caught up with sick kids too, who still aren't quite better. And holidays, and a job application that lead to an interview that lead to some part time work! Which is a bit exciting, I'm really happy about it. I'll be working as a Teacher's Aide and start tomorrow. I've also been caught up with birthdays, Lucy turned 12 & also found out she got into her school of choice for high school, she is over the moon.

and our beautiful Sunday turned nine! 

Wow, these kids of ours are really growing up. 

And we somehow got a new bunny, gave our neighbours two of our ducks, had our gorgeous Charlotte home for a long stay (yay!!), did some camping (them not me), and a zillion other things. So if it seems I've been missing in action..it's true!

Sometimes life is for living and not for worrying about blogging. 

Anyway, it's nice to have broken the ice, to have shared some of our days, to be back in a place I love.

See you shortly for a giveaway announcement..take care lovely ones and have a wonderful week xo

Ten random things...

...that have happened since my last post.

1: I went to the amazing Doily exhibition at Gleaners with Charlotte. Fun! Liz had set up the exhibition so beautifully and each item was exquisite. I was so happy to see my doll, Doilores, perched on a ladder right in the middle of the wall. If you get a chance to visit Gleaners in Ballarat St, Brunswick, you really should.  I  know you will love all of the fabulous hand made treasures that are on sale. I can't wait to go back for another look myself. I really fancied Liz's love heart earrings..and just about everything else there too! I saw the exhibition made it into the Herald Sun on the weekend, did you see it?

2: Sewing, sewing and more sewing. I'm still working away on getting my online store updated. Bear with me, life is sometimes (always) super busy round here. I hope to launch my new look shop with a giveaway later this week. Stay tuned!

3: A lovely friend and I took our girls to see Taylor Swift last week! Oh my! It was a fabulous show and we all had the best time ever.

The icy strawberry daquiri's for us grown ups went down a treat too. Oh boy, what a fun night!

4: I've have taken lots of photo's for the bunnies and bits that are going into my shop.

Beautiful Sunday has been helping me out.

She did an amazing job last night as she was SO tired after a sleepover party..yawn..

5: I managed to dangle the end of my dressing gown cord into the toilet. Not fun. Does that ever happen to you?

6: I wrote and sent off an application for a job! Exciting!

7: I set up the school footy tipping competition..we are going online this year so no more lost footy tip sheets, no more adding up of tips, and hopefully a fun competition!

8:  I made an All Together Cake (Frankie's Afternoon Tea)  and managed to drop it while transferring it from the rack to the plate. Uh oh. Still managed to salvage enough for school lunches today. It's a great recipe..here it is

Preheat oven to 180 C (160 for fan forced). Combine all ingredients in a bowl & beat for about 6 minutes. Grease cake tin, pour mixture in & bake for 40 minutes. How easy is that?
Ingredients: 1/4 cup of milk, 125g butter, 3/4 caster sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon plain flour, 1 cup S/R flour, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence.
Icing is 3 tablespoons of icing sugar and a blob of butter. Love this easy, peasy cake.

9: I've started on the speech I'm supposed to be giving for my dad's 75th birthday this weekend. This is some challenge, let me tell you. I'm going with the theme of Ten Things you Don't Know about Muzz. Could be interesting...

10: I ate gnocchi two nights in a row and over 100 k's apart. Friday night with Char at our fave restaurant, Woodstock in Nth Fitzroy and then on Saturday night with Mark at Darmagi in Hepburn Springs. Both freshly made, both delicious, both lovely dinner companions & both great places to eat! (Not sure I could have eaten gnocchi three nights in a row though..well..maybe..)

So there..phew. Lots going on. And now it's Monday and the start of a brand new week. What's happening with you this week? Any birthdays or fun things? Hope it's a beauty, see you soon xo

My Creative Space

While I am not getting a huge amount of creative projects finished lately I did make this little vintage NZ tea towel cushion yesterday, I like the way it jazzes up my bed and it was fun, simple & easy. I'm not stressing about the fact I'm not getting heaps done, this is the way it often works with me. I have a busy period of late nights and deadlines and then phases where my foot is off the accelerator & I find I'm happily making things in a more relaxed way.

Having said that there are two bunny girls who need to be finished by tomorrow before they jet off to two little girls in France, lucky rabbits!!

So they'll be needing some skirts of course, and their pink & greeny/blue cardi's are arriving in the morning. I'll show you the finished twins next week.

Rosie & I had a very happy visit from Kate & Miss Pepper yesterday & one of the topics of conversation which really got me thinking was the whole thing about who owns ideas or concepts, is it ok to share or borrow ideas etc. Some lavender hearts that were similar to mine were seen in a local shop. Did I feel funny about this? I guess I'm not sure. In one way I am but only slightly, after all the heart shape is not original and neither are pinking shears.

My Love hearts were something I came up with one day, I've made & sold a squillion of them & if someone else has borrowed the idea I guess that's ok. If it had been a complex design, something that I had worked extremely hard on to perfect, something particularly me and mine then perhaps I would feel differently. What do you think? Has this happened to you?

After the girls left yesterday I pulled out the dye pot. I've had a gorgeous Egyptian cotton doona cover languishing in the cupboard, waiting for someone to give it a new lease of life. It was white but some parts of it had become stained and were no longer looking too flash. Hmmm...what colour would I use...?

Yep, fuchsia of course!!

It came out pretty well although I don't think the pot was big enough to cope with a queen size doona cover, the coverage wasn't really even. (Max doesn't care though, he likes pink.) Still, I think it's an improvement on the way it was and I learned a bit more about the dying process. When I came out to check it in the late afternoon someone had taken it off the line and used it as a roof for a makeshift cubby. I guess that's pretty creative...it did look pretty!

So although I'm not in a creative frenzy lately things have been bubbling away nicely. I'm working on another big idea which may take a while to happen but it's fun to plan for. I'm also loving our craft nights at the Perfect Drop. It's been fun meeting some new local crafty types as well as hanging with some well known, local identities, chatting & having a laugh. What's been happening in your creative space lately? Lets zip over to Kirsty's and see what everyone else is up to. Bye for now lovely friends, xo

Cosy

It's been a cold and windy, wet & wild long weekend here in Daylesford. Good weather for sitting & knitting.

It's almost like the Spring we never had, or is it early winter?

Whatever it is it's good weather for eating chocolate cake,

and sitting by the fire. A highlight of the weekend was seeing our beautiful niece/cousin, Gemma, who came to visit. She flew over from Tasmania all on her own! How grown up!



I also went for a fantastic bushwalk with my bushwalking partner, Sunday, and the dogs.

Walking throught the green/grey gumtrees, smelling the fresh rain soaked bush and running together up and down hills was so much fun.

The dogs thought it was pretty amazing too.

Here they are at a spot we call Top of the World.

And then back home for scones and hot tea.

Part of having Charlotte home was cooking/making her all her favourite foods.

Lucky for us that includes scones!

We have had Chillout festival on in Daylesford and so the town has been in party mode. I didn't get any good shots of the parade but if you pop over to Foxs Lane you will see Kate's excellent post & super duper photo's. We did make it to see the Roller Derby which was pretty mind blowing. And fast & scary!

And we managed to squeeze in some dancing which is always ace. .

The kids were pretty ratty this weekend so it was nice to sit and watch them having fun and losing themselves in the moment.

The cold and wet weather has made things seem much warmer and snuggly. It was pretty cosy at the Perfect Drop last night where we had a first of our new craft groups, Handmade, get together

Talking of snuggly, I don't know about you but I can't get enough cuddles lately. Family life can be so challenging. Of course it is rewarding too but I am struggling a bit lately and it just makes me want to hold my kids close and hug them forever. (Thanks to all those lovely people who left supportive comments recently. I really appreciate your kindness.)

Sitting on the couch with my Honey at the end of a long, long weekend is pretty good too. Hope you are warm and cosy and having happy days. See you soon sweeties xo

My Creative Space

Yesterday Rosie & I went to the beautiful town of Trentham to visit one of the best op shops in the area.

I love this oppie!!

It was full of treasures, all neatly piled and sorted and at such reasonable prices. Like opshops in the old day always were. I had a lot of fun looking for fabric for my scrap quilt and for bunny making and did find some ace vintage pieces.

The scrap quilt is coming along nicely although I think it will become two quilts. A brighter, more colourful Australiana inspired one and the other might be more gentle and faded.

I've been working on an order for Kelly from Dear Prudence too, three bunnies for Easter.

Usually I make the bunnies first and my mum matches the colours for the cardi's,

but this time we are working backwards and I have all three cardi's already. It's been fun finding the co ordinating fabric & I'm really happy with all three combinations.

This post has taken a few hours because I've been sitting with Kate & chatting about a million things including the new Daylesford craft group, Handmade! We are meeting for the first time this Monday, 8th March at 7.00 at The Perfect Drop. If you live nearby and would like to come then send me an email or just turn up!! We love to see you.

Before I forget I'm happy to say that Tania will be receiving the knitting pattern book from my last Creative Space!! Yay for you honey!! I hope you have fun making the teensy tiny cakes and teapot. Can you please send me your address?

For more Creative Spaces pop over & visit Kooyotoo.

Hope your space is a happy one today,

see you soon xo