today

Today I am getting some sweet bunnies ready, 

for the fantastic Christmas Sugar & Spice Children's Market, this Sunday.

It should be a lot of fun, Charlotte & I are so excited! I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends, and hopefully some new ones too.

Other things happening lately are a bit festive! We put the tree up yesterday which was pretty exciting for the kids. And yes, I enjoyed it too! Charlotte cut out 40 colourful angels that have now been decorated, don't they look great?

A cheap & cheerful Christmas activity.

 Can you someone lounging in the background? Gee it's fun having her at home. I'm loving it!

We all are. The family isn't complete without our biggest one.

This week I was sent these gorgeous photo's by a friend

who took them at our ballet recital. I love this one of Rosie, the mouse, dancing her little heart out.

And this one (she is in the middle) at the finale. So sweet.

Tomorrow I will do a dress rehearsal for the market, I think I'll tweak the table a little.

 Last time we displayed the bunnies in a vintage suitcase, which looked pretty snazzy, but I found people didn't pick them up as much as they would if we had the bunnies sitting all around the table. I'll  get my visual merchandiser onto it.

So if you are in the area, or even not too far away, do come and visit us at Sugar & Spice!

The market is in St Ambrose's Hall, Woodend, this Sunday from 9 -1. Charlotte, myself, the bunnies and bits, and lots of lovely stalls will be awaiting you. Do come and say..

bye for now lovely friends, see you soon xo

at my house

Hands up!!  Who had a crazy weekend? We did, phew! At my house today I'm sitting here in the kitchen having a nice hot cup of tea & trying to catch my breath. This time of year is so full on isn't it? End of year things, pre Christmas planning, school wind up...I seriously need a secretary, or a wife, or both..

All weekend the rain poured down and last night the wind nearly took our roof off. I'm not a big fan of wind, it makes me feel all tetchy & unsettled. Silly wind. The ducks loved the rain though, doing ducky things and squelching around on their webby feet in the puddles.

In amongst the madness of dance rehearsals I managed to squeeze in a visit with gorgeous Jess. Gee I love Jess.  She is one of my favourite bloggy mates, such a warm hearted, funny & creative person, and a genuine friend. I loved hanging out with her & some of her creatures at Cliffy's. So relaxing & great conversation too. Thanks Jess.

After dropping Jess in town I high tailed it back to our house to pick up a special girl who was voting for the first time! woo hoo!

Yesteday the same lovely girl & I got up early and drove through the rain to good old Ballarat, home of my dad's side of the family,  to the Sugar & Spice Childrens Market.

Here I am looking like a demented festive housewife, what's with my hair? Just ignore me and focus on that colourful stall...I was very happy with how it looked yesterday. Loving the spots.

We had a pretty good day, met lots of people, sold some bunnies and bits and ate delicious cake from a lovely local business in Main Road, Ballarat, CAKE! Yum! Have you visited Main Road lately? It reminds me on an up & coming Piper St, very quirky & interesting.

Ali from Sugar & Spice did a fantastic job getting everything organised yesterday after a last minute venue change. Thanks Ali! I'm really looking forward to the Woodend market on December 12, more fun!  At my house today I'm getting ready to go and buy some new chooks, thinking about Bill's 9th birthday on Friday, the dress rehearsal & recital this weekend, and how I can fit in some relaxation time for me..is it possible? Hmmm. At my house I'm thinking about the Craft Group dinner tonight and how I"m going to get there as My Beloved has just joined the Daylesford Brass Band who practice on Monday nights. Hmmmm. At my house I'm thinking of you and wondering what you are up to today? Are you playing along with Lou Lou? Have a great week, see you soon xo

Fairy Land and Sugar & Spice

 Yesterday Rosie went to Isabella's party on top of Wombat Hill, in the beautiful, green Botanical Gardens.

In the shade of big elms the girls dressed as fairies,

and played, and danced and ran.

Maria did an amazing job setting up the party, the pretty rotunda was decorated in pink & all things fairy.

Bunting hung from the trees and colourful flowers and other pretty bits were everywhere. Lanterns, wind flowers, love hearts, all so gorgeous.

Rosie had so much fun! She smiled all day.

It was so lovely watching the girls playing & having fun together, it really cheered me up as I haven't been feeling that great lately.

Nothing more than being tired and a bit worn out really. So it was good to escape into fairy land yesterday, oh to be five years old again....

Back at Dandelion HQ here is headless me, surrounded by all the colour and the happy chaos of my sewing space.

It's all sew, sew, sew here as I prepare for the Sugar & Spice Children's market on Sunday. If you live in Ballarat, or are in the area, do pop in and say hi. I'd love to see you. The market is in St Patricks Hall on Dawson St, just around the corner from Sturt St, next to the big bluestone church.

I have some new bits and pieces too, I can't wait to show you!

And some old favourites, like these Christmas Love Hearts.

I haven't been able to visit you all so much lately

but once things settle down 

I'll be round for a cuppa.

Hope all is well in your world,

much love 

xo

ps: pop by on Thursday for a special giveaway...

p

Monday

Rosie was invited to a party on the weekend at a farmyard near Ballarat. We all hopped in the car and drove through the pouring rain and didn't think till we got there how useful gumboots would have been!

We watched cows getting milked, chickens fed, a funny brown pig snuffling in the mud and then it was suddenly time to go.

We couldn't stay to enjoy this amazing cake as the girls had ballet photo's on the same day, which they really couldn't miss. 

Sunday got to try on her gorgeous pink fairy princess dress, and Rosie wore a pretty sparkly white one. Their end of year recital is coming up and our whole family is getting pretty excited about seeing three of our girls up on stage at Her Majesty's in Ballarat.

Here is Rosie and Freya, looking adorable. We managed well to get through the morning, the rain, the lolly bags and the wet and muddy ballet tights that Rosie wore to the farm. Hmmmm....

Back at home I did some more work on a new little doll I have been designing. Made from alpaca on one side and fabric on the other my Susannah dolls will be button free and good for babies! 

Mum is making new cardi's with bobbles instead of buttons and I hope they will become as much loved as the bunnies. I'm enjoying making something new too. I will be taking a few along to the Sugar and Spice Children's Market in Ballarat on the 28th of November & also to Woodend on the 12th of December.

I was trying to think of a name for these new dolls and decided on Susannah in honour of my mum who I adore, and who wore pigtails and ribbons all through the 1970's. They were her signature look!

At home the ducks and chooks have been hightailing it around the garden, enjoying the worms and slugs that have come with the rain. And probably the odd locust! Freddie is his normal dementing self and has also become a bit frisky in the love department. We could be hearing the pitter patter of tiny duck feet anytime soon...

The new baby chickens, Veronica, Texta & Smokie (Smokey?) have become very brave and are now venturing out of their kennel/chook house and into the jungle that is outside my kitchen window. Can you see them? Those tiny specks at the far end?

There they are! Having a ball.  They are so cute and funny and do a fancy kind of fluttering, jumping dance thing when they see me. Gee, chickens make me happy.

Today I have some unexpected time on my hands so of course I am being quite useless and taking things slowly! Perhaps I'll try to rev up and get a million things done. Or maybe I'll go outside and do some gardening,

so many beautiful flowers in our garden at the moment. The kids love these pom poms.

What are you up to today? The sun is shining and it's a brand new week.

Anything could happen!

Hope you have a great Monday,

see you soon xo

My Creative Space

Every month or so I head over to Creswick to the woollen mills for a rustle around in their bales of blanket offcuts.  I love the soft shades of fawn & cream & the lovely bunny grey but the best bit is you never know what colours you will find until you get there.

This week I was so excited to across a piece of beautiful deep red, amazingly soft alpaca!! Wow! I'm not sure how red bunnies will go down but you know what, I don't really mind as I'm just loving playing & sewing with this gorgeous, tactile, electric fabric.

Even the fringy bits!

My space this week has been busy & colourful & fun this week. New cute cardigans, baby chickens, brooch making, spring weather, visits to ace mates, brooch making, walking (yep, actual Exercise!), plotting Chrissie presents with a certain woman of the south (big secret) and a special trip to Melbourne to see my Just Finished Her Last Exam daughter! Woo hoo!

As she chatted on her new fancy phone I waited patiently in the glow of her pretty lanterns. Can you see that extremely happy and relieved look on Char's face? Yep, school is almost over.

Back at home I am in full market prep mode. I'm trying to keep my sewing space uncluttered so I have been sorting out, chucking out & re organising. Sunday helped me sort out all my threads today, giving high priority to the 'best' colours, ie: red, pink & purple, of course. My sewing table is nice and tidy now and I'm feeling inspired to finish up my bunnies & bits to take to Sugar & Spice in Ballarat on the 28th of this month.  I can't wait!! Lovely Ali has posted a little interview with moi on the Sugar and Spice blog, if you get a sec have a look!

What's happening in your space today? I'm off to Kirsty's for a sticky beak...see you soon xo