from the heart

Piquing My Pinterest

2012-01-29T09:40:00.001+13:00

This week I've been focusing a lot on food/recipes. I really want to sort out a menu plan to make dinnertime and shopping/budgeting easier.

Here are some of my faves that I have tried or will be trying sometime in the near future ....

Honey Sauced Chicken

Honey Lemon Chicken

Pita Bread
We have tried this recipe already and it is so easy and so good. Definitely won't be buying store bought Pita ever again!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Potato Bake

We have tried this recipe a couple of times now and it's really versatile. The first time I followed the recipe to the letter and it was great. The second time I didn't have all the ingredients on hand so used what we had which was shredded chicken and basil instead of ham and parsley. I also left out the boiled eggs as I was pressed for time. It was delicious!

Joining in with Piquing my Pinterest.

Another Grocery Bag Dispenser

2012-01-26T09:15:00.000+13:00

Remember this grocery bag dispenser that I made a while ago? Probably the most satisfying make - quick, cute and functional.

Anyway I have had a huge crush on this fabric here for some time. Phil gave me a $30 Sew Pretty voucher for Christmas and so I took the opportunity to treat myself to some and I turned it into this ....

Ok so there was nothing wrong with my original 'bag bag' I just wanted a print more suitable for the kitchen. I love it. I'm also thinking about using this fabric as the theme for my new kitchen.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Baked Oatmeal

2012-01-24T09:29:00.000+13:00

Please tell me I'm not the only one who'd never heard of baked oatmeal before?! Because it is so good! It's like having dessert for breakfast except healthier and so versatile. You can eat it hot or cold and with or without milk or yoghurt depending on your preference. I personally like it warm with a good dollop of vanilla yoghurt, yum!

Go here for the recipe.

I made a few additions to the original recipe using ingredients that I had on hand. For the fruit I used a can of peaches, 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries and 3-4 sliced apricots (I really liked the apricots in it). You basically just need enough fruit to cover the base of your baking dish. I also added half a cup of sliced almonds to my dry ingredients and I only had small eggs so I used 2.

It'll keep for a while in the fridge so it's just a matter of reheating (if you like it warm). Quick and easy.

Piquing My Pinterest

2012-01-22T10:15:00.001+13:00

12 days until moving day!! Last week our Landlords put the house on Trade Me and wasted no time in finding some new tenants. So I spent my week cleaning like a mad woman! Naturally I did some browsing on Pinterest and found some fabulous tips and recipes for making my own cleaning products.

Here are a few of my faves (click on the image to go to the original pin) ....

I tried this great tip for cleaning my stove top just the other day and it worked wonders! Even Phil noticed how much cleaner the stove top was when he got home from work.

This website has 6 great recipes for making your own cleaning products. I particularly want to try making the citrus disinfectant.

This is a great way to clean microfiber furniture. The before and after photos are simply amazing! I don't know if it would work on our suede lounge suite but I don't think it can get any worse so it might be worth a shot.

And finishing on a light note, not to do with cleaning as such but it definitely reflects the madness that is life right now. There is so much to do!

Joining in with Piquing my Pinterest.

Matching Bib and Burp Cloth Set

2012-01-19T09:32:00.003+13:00

We have some friends who are expecting their first baby in April and of course I couldn't resist the opportunity to sew a gift for bubs.

I decided on a matching bib and burp cloth set because ....

1. It's a practical gift but still cute thanks to the gorgeous fabric.

2. They were both really quick and easy to make. In fact the hardest part was deciding on the fabric! I don't know if bubs is a boy or a girl and I found it really hard finding any unisex fabrics that I liked.

3. We're moving in a few weeks and I didn't want to take on anything too challenging.

I've made bibs before but that was when I was still fairly new to sewing. Lets just say it was much easier this time around as I actually knew what I was doing (or maybe my ability to sew in a straight line has improved).

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Edited to add: The fabric is Meet The Gang by Marisa and Creative Thursday, I purchased mine from here.

Pita Bread

2012-01-16T21:35:00.002+13:00

Thanks Pinterest for putting me onto this fantastic pita bread recipe!

These were so easy to make and seriously delicious. Soft, chewy and so much nicer than store bought pita bread. Eat them plain or load them up with your favourite fillings, yum!

Maybe this could be whats for lunch at your place this week??

Piquing My Pinterest

2012-01-15T09:15:00.003+13:00

I am in full decluttering/organizing mode at the moment! I guess moving in 3 weeks will do that to you. So this week I thought I'd share some fabulous ideas for organizing around the home (click on the image to go to the original pin) ....

It's been a while since I've done any menu planning but I really should get back into it. It would definitely make dinnertime a lot less stressful if I knew exactly what we were going to eat each night. This really is the ultimate menu board. She even includes all the recipe ingredients on the backs of the cards which would make writing my shopping list easier too.

I really have to get a peg board! It would be so useful for organizing my sewing room and freeing up some space on my desk. Plus it's a great way to display things so that I can see exactly what I have and it's all kept within easy reach.

Another way to use toilet paper rolls. I have done this already and it makes such a difference to my TV cabinet - it's no longer overflowing with various USB cords!

We love books in our house and a love of reading is something I hope to instill in Riley. These shelves not only look cool but they don't take up any floor space. These are definitely on my wish list for when we own our own home.

Joining in with Piquing My Pinterest.

Things I'm Loving ....

2012-01-13T09:55:00.005+13:00

Things I'm Loving is back for 2012! In the words of Paisley Jade ....

"I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is".

Here are a few things that I'm loving ....

Gorgeous fabric arriving in my letter box!

Family time and sunshine!

This sweet face (though it takes A LOT of persuasion to get him to stay still and play nice for the camera).

What are you loving?

(Link up with Paisley Jade here)

Baby Travel Chair

2012-01-12T21:20:00.003+13:00

We looked into getting a travel chair when Riley was little but it wasn't one of those things that we really needed. If only I'd known then how easy it would be to make my own! (Thanks to this tutorial here).

It's comfy, it's cute and it's functional. Plus it was quick and easy to make which is always a bonus.

Unfortunately I can't show it in action as my boy is far too big and none of his soft toys are quite big enough but you get the general idea of how it works ....

I used quilted fabric for the outer and cotton for the inner.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces and Thriving on Thursdays.

Monogrammed Mug

2012-01-10T20:40:00.001+13:00

I'd been wanting to try this tutorial for a while and the perfect opportunity arose when my mum asked me to put together a Christmas hamper for my brother.

It wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. Some of the paint leaked beyond the cut out letter and then when it was time to peel it off the whole painted letter started to peel off too! Thankfully I was able to cut away the paper and neaten up the edges of the letter with my craft knife.

Despite having some difficulties with it I'm super happy with the end result.

Piquing My Pinterest

2012-01-08T10:18:00.003+13:00

Pinterest is such a brilliant time waster (which is not always a good thing) but it's also a great source of inspiration when you have a specific project in mind. My pinning generally falls into 3 main categories - craft and sewing, things for kids and food.

Here are some of the thing's that I'm loving on Pinterest at the moment (click on the image to go to the original pin) ....

I love this idea and now that Christmas is over and we can get back into our normal routine I'm thinking of implementing some sort of chore system for Riley. Obviously with him being only 4 we'll be sticking to really simple things with the aim being to teach him about responsibility, get him helping around the house more and help him to develop some independence.

This idea for planting seeds is simply ingenious and such a great way to recycle toilet paper rolls. The best bit is you plant them out toilet roll and all.

I love the idea of a memory jar. Such a great way to record all the little (or big) memories of the year. 2012 is going to be a year of change for us what with moving to Wellington, Riley starting a new Kindy and then School at the end of October. This will be a great way to record all of those moments.

Joining in with Piquing My Pinterest.

Change ....

2012-01-05T20:49:00.002+13:00

It's official! Phil has handed in his resignation at work which means that in a months time we'll be moving back to Wellington and back to being closer to family and friends.

No offence Christchurch people but I am not sad to be leaving. I will miss this house and our veggie patch, Riley's Kindy and even Orana Wildlife Park (Riley loves feeding the giraffes) but earthquakes?? No I will not miss them. It will be good to get away permanently. To be able to get a goodnight's sleep and for Riley to live without the constant fear of earthquakes.

So you'll have to excuse me if I'm a bit absent around here. I don't deal with change well and there is a lot to organize and worry about (yes I'm a worrier, my little guy is a worrier too and that makes everything so much harder).

2011 Sewing Review

2012-01-01T20:50:00.001+13:00

2011 has been an amazing year for my sewing. I love looking back on all the projects that I've completed over the year and seeing how far my sewing has come along. I can't share all of my projects from the year but here are a few of my favourites ....

1. Embroidery Hoop Art 2. Needle Book 3. Box Pouch 4. Christmas Pillowcase

5. Embroidery Hoop Bag 6. Buttercup Bag 7. Car Play Mat 8. Cutie Pouch

9. Reusable Snack Bag 10. Sock Monkey 11. Hot Water Bottle Covers

12. Advent Calendar 13. Grocery Bag Dispenser

For most of these projects I learnt/tried something new, some were easier than I thought they were going to be and some of them really pushed me to the limits of my abilities.

Find more of my projects here.

2011

2011-12-31T22:46:00.001+13:00

Wishing you all a happy New Year!

2011 has been an interesting year. We've spent most of it riding out the Christchurch earthquakes and working through the challenges that they bring. In between such events we've been lucky enough to carry on life as normal (or as normal as you can under the circumstances).

There are going to be some exciting changes for our family in 2012. All will be revealed soon.

Last Sewing Project for 2011

2011-12-30T20:36:00.000+13:00

I'd been wanting to try out this tutorial for a while. I made my bag using some of the left over fabric from Riley's Christmas pillowcase.

This was such a nice, quick and easy project. A great way to end a year that has seen my sewing improve in leaps and bounds.

Stay tuned for more sewing projects in 2012!

Family Photoshoot

2011-12-28T22:04:00.000+13:00

Since we have my brother staying with us at the moment we took the opportunity to have him take some photos of the 3 of us. Riley is less than enthusiastic about having his photo taken at the moment and it took a lot of coaxing to get him to smile but in the end we got a few good shots and some super cute silly ones too.

And of course I couldn't pass up the chance to get some photos of me and Riley too (we don't have many of those as I'm usually the one that takes all the photos).

♥ Love my boys ♥

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T20:46:00.001+13:00

I hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas. Our day was mostly relaxing and peaceful with the occasional tantrum from one very over excited little boy. He was initially more excited about the chocolates hanging on the tree than what was underneath it!

Remember the sock monkey that I made for Riley a while ago? His first comments when he pulled it out of it's bag were, "What?! Monkey's don't have stripes!" I couldn't help but laugh at his tone of voice.

We had a minor battery emergency. I knew I'd forget something! We managed to scrounge together a few batteries so Riley was able to play with some of his new toys but we'll need to pop out tomorrow and get some more.

Every year we get a photo of Riley wearing a Christmas hat. This year he wasn't being very co-operative so I ended up bribing him with trifle ....

Merry Christmas Everyone

xxx

Christmas is almost here!!

2011-12-24T21:10:00.000+13:00

Merry Christmas

xxx

Shaky Afternoon

2011-12-23T20:51:00.003+13:00

Here's my little boy zonked out after the magnitude 5.8 earthquake this afternoon. I think it's the shock that does it because he had the same reaction to the big one in Feb.

He was rudely awoken by the magnitude 6.0 about half an hour after he'd fallen asleep. I have never seen him move so fast. One minute he was fast asleep the next he was in my arms and clinging to me for dear life.

Much love to the people of Christchurch x

Pin Real Life: Crinkly Owl Toy

2011-12-22T09:26:00.000+13:00

A last minute gift for a special little boy ....

Inspired by this pin

Giimmo Night Light

2011-12-21T21:02:00.000+13:00

Aren't they just the cutest things ever!

Riley's fear of the dark has escalated in the last couple of weeks. He already sleeps with his bedroom door wide open and the hall light on so I thought it was time to try yet another night light.

Riley chose the little hedgehog and it is just too cute! I love that it has a rechargeable battery so there's no need to plug it into the wall or worry about having the right batteries. Riley knows that it's not a toy and is content (for the moment anyway) to leave it sitting on his bedside table. The light is bright but without being overpowering like some night lights and it uses an LED light which doesn't emit any heat so perfect for kids.

I'm sold. I love it (maybe even more than Riley does).

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-12-19T09:37:00.000+13:00

Credits:
Almost White Christmas by Lauren Bavin
Wintery Beginnings Groupies by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
Classic Christmas Page Kit by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
Almost White Christmas by Lauren Bavin
Wintery Beginnings Groupies by Lauren Bavin

Christmas Cards

2011-12-17T13:06:00.001+13:00

Last year I ran out of time so Riley ended up decorating our Christmas cards (see here). This year I've been a little bit more organised and made (by made I mean bought a pack of plain cards and decorated them), some super simple cards using some basic Christmas shapes and a bit of ribbon.

I love how they turned out considering they took no time at all to do. Simple yet effective.

Getting Answers ....

2011-12-16T21:11:00.004+13:00

Riley has always had a stuffy nose from about the time when he was 6months old when the Dr put it down to the change in seasons. He also snores like a freight train but it wasn't until this year that he started having problems with his ears. Not ear infections but the continuous colds that he has battled with all year have been causing a lot of fluid build up which has been affecting his hearing. We had been to the Dr about it before and his ears were given the all clear in September.

On Tuesday Riley failed his B4 School hearing check as I suspected he would as his hearing had gone down hill again. So back to the Dr we went and as it turns out he now has glue ear.

The Dr has put a referral through to the hospital and we should be seen by an ENT Specialist sometime in the next 3 months. My sweet boy needs grommets and his adenoids removed.

I'm just glad that his speech is really clear and well developed for his age. So far his lack of hearing doesn't seem to be affecting him at all but it is incredibly frustrating for me especially when I'm already dealing with some trying 4 year old behavior.

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-15T09:40:00.003+13:00

One of the things that I like to get for Riley each year is a Christmas themed book and we give it to him a week before Christmas so that we have some time to enjoy it leading up to the big day.

This year I've added something extra and made him a super cute Christmas pillowcase thanks to this tutorial here.

I think so far this has to be one of the easiest and quickest things that I've ever made and I can't wait to give it to Riley on Sunday.

Recipe: Strawberry Jam

2011-12-13T09:46:00.001+13:00

We have an overabundance of strawberries at the moment. In fact we have so many that I decided to make some strawberry jam.

INGREDIENTS
1kg strawberries, washed and hulled
6 cups sugar
1 1/2tsp tartaric acid

METHOD
Lightly crush strawberries in a large pan. Add sugar and mix well.

Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the tartaric acid and boil rapidly for another 5 minutes.

Pour into sterilized jars and store.

It seemed a little too easy so I wasn't sure how the jam was going to turn out but I needn't have worried because it is perfect and so delicious! It gets Riley's seal of approval too and now he wants jam on everything.

Find more recipes here.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000+13:00

Credits:
Buttercup Meadow by Lauren Bavin
Split Brackets Quick Click by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
Shades of Winter Page Kit by Lauren Bavin
Revealing Titles by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
One Merry Day Value Collection by Lauren Bavin

Christmas Baking Ideas

2011-12-10T21:47:00.001+13:00

I love baking at Christmas so I thought I would share a few of the super cute ideas/recipes that I've come across recently....

Santa Hat Brownies from daisy's world

Melted Snowman Cookies from crazy domestic

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies from Baker girl

Hoilday Tree Brownies from Betty Crocker

Gingerbread Heads from Bakerella

Reindeer Cupcakes from with sprinkles on top

Happy Baking!!

My Creative Space: Embroidery Hoop Bag

2011-12-08T09:24:00.000+13:00

While browsing Pinterest the other day I came upon this great pin which then led me to this great tutorial for embroidery hoop bags.

I love to organize and I can't believe how simple these are to make, I only wish I'd discovered them sooner!

Cute and functional, what's not to love?! I used some ribbon to attach it to one of the trolley's in my sewing room.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Pin Real Life: Embroidery Hoop Art

2011-12-07T21:00:00.000+13:00

I LOVE Pinterest (you can find me here).
As if I need another time waster but there are just so many cool ideas to look at and it's such a great way to find inspiration that I just can't resist. Particularly useful around Christmas maybe? When you're struggling to think of gifts for people ....

I put together some embroidery hoop art, which is currently hanging in Riley's room, after seeing this pin.

So easy and so cute!

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-12-05T09:57:00.000+13:00

This month I am working with DSP Designer Lauren Bavin, you can find her products here.

Credits: One Merry Day Value Collection by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
Buttercup Meadow by Lauren Bavin
Split Brackets Quick Click by Lauren Bavin

Credits:
Winters First Touch Page Kit by Lauren Bavin
All Lined Up Quick Click by Lauren Bavin
Descriptive Combos - Nature Set 2 by Lauren Bavin

November Makes

2011-12-03T10:26:00.000+13:00

Here are my crafty makings for November ....

1. Sock Monkey

2. Grocery Bag Dispenser

3. Christmas Stocking

4. Mitten Ornaments

Linking up over here

Loving Reclaiming My Sewing Room

2011-12-02T19:35:00.001+13:00

For the last 4 months my brother has been sleeping on the floor (literally) in my sewing room .... however he has finally moved on to bigger and better things in Auckland and I can once again walk around my sewing room without tripping over things! Oh it feels so good to have my own space again! His leaving was also a good opportunity for me to get in there and have a good clean out.

Ok, so I have a confession to make .... I'm a hoarder. I keep random things on the off chance that one day they might be useful for something but most of the time they just get shoved in a drawer and forgotten about.

Anyway ....
My brother moved out and I chucked out a whole bunch of stuff. I don't think my sewing room has ever been this tidy or organised.

Loving. It.

What are you loving this week? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Advent Calendar

2011-12-01T09:22:00.003+13:00

I have been wanting to make an advent calendar for ages! There is so much inspiration to be found on the internet that I spent way too much time trying to figure out how I wanted to make it that I almost left it too late. I don't like rushing things but I'm still pleased with how it turned out (the photos don't really do it justice).

I used the left over fabric that I had from making Riley's stocking and spent quite a few nights in front of the TV perfecting my chain stitch ....

I've loaded up the pockets with little chocolates and hung it well out of reach of grasping little fingers.
(I have made the pockets big enough so that in future years I can fill them with other things - notes, stickers, small ornaments etc).

Let the countdown begin!

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

In Our Garden (Part 2) ....

2011-11-30T20:00:00.003+13:00

We have our first lot of strawberries! Riley is loving them.

We also have zucchinis! We've already used a couple in our zucchini slice that we had for dinner, yum.

Oh and remember the monarch caterpillars that I posted about here? Well they are not so little anymore, it's crazy how fast they're growing!

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-11-28T08:53:00.000+13:00

Credits: Cheerful Circles Value Collection by Carole Harden

Credits:
Birthstone October: Rose Zircon Page Kit by Elizabeth Weaver
Proud To Be Me Word Art by Tina Chambers

Credits: Fall Romance Page Kit by Christine Gundersen

Loving ....

2011-11-25T20:31:00.000+13:00

I have a thing for books .... not just any books but fantasy books. I LOVE them, the bookshelf in my bedroom is overflowing with my 'collection'.

I very rarely buy brand new books so I love a good second hand book store. Today I found the best one yet. We were just driving around doing a bit of shopping when I saw it and we decided to stop. We walked in and were greeted by row upon row of books .... about half of them were fantasy books. It. Was. Awesome.

Phil managed to drag me away with only 5 books but I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices I could easily have bought half the books in the store! Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating a little but seriously this store was like a fantasy readers dream.

What are you loving this week? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Christmas Tree Decorations

2011-11-24T09:37:00.000+13:00

I have been making super cute little mitten decorations ....

Inspired by this pin here (I've finally been sucked into the world of pinterest)

Aren't they sweet?! A little bit fiddly (mainly ironing and sewing the fabric cuff) but overall I love how they turned out. If I have time I might have to make one for Riley and embroider his name and the year on the front of it.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

In Our Garden ....

2011-11-23T20:07:00.000+13:00

We have monarch caterpillars and lots of them! It's so cool watching them grow.

Riley checks on them everyday and yesterday we even performed a rescue mission when Riley found one of the itty bitty caterpillars on the concrete about a meter away from the swan plants. Good thing it didn't get squished!

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-11-21T09:27:00.000+13:00

Credits: Owies, Ouchies and Oopsies Value Collection by Meryl Bartho

Credits: Eleganza Page Kit by Teresa Loman

Credits: Going This Way Page Kit by Nicole Young

Nosey Parker in the Neighbourhood ....

2011-11-18T19:47:00.009+13:00

I am so excited about Kat's Nosey Parker in the Neighbourhood linky party! What a great way to get to know fellow bloggers a bit better.

Tell us about your home/where you live ....
We're a family of 3 living in a little country called New Zealand. We're originally from Wellington (the capital city) but due to Phil's work we had to move to Christchurch where we've been living for 3 years now.

New Zealand is made up of 2 main islands and Christchurch is located on the east coast of the South Island. Some of you may have heard of it because of all the earthquakes we have had over the last year. It has been tough for everyone living here but we were among the lucky ones. Our home (rental) was undamaged and our lives go on as normal ....

Before the earthquakes Christchurch was known for it's large number of heritage buildings. Unfortunately a lot of these were damaged in the quakes and continuing aftershocks and had to be demolished. The fate of the iconic Christchurch cathedral is still being debated.

Christchurch Cathedral before the quakes.

All this talk of earthquakes is making the place sound awful but believe me it's not all bad.

What are the houses like in your area?
The houses are mainly detached and with the cities heritage there are a number of brick houses still.

What are some of your favourite places to visit or favourite things to do in and about your city?
In the summer (and having a small child) we like going to Orana Wildlife Park. It's a great place to spend the day but the park is quite spread out so there's a fair bit of walking involved. The cool thing about Orana is that it gives you the chance to get up close and personal with some of the animals.

Riley's favourite bit is feeding the giraffes ....

We also like going to the beach in the Summer holidays. New Brighton beach has a long pier that you can walk down and people often fish off the end of it.

How do most people travel around your town/city?
Car .... Christchurch has a large number of cyclists as well. This is because the city is nice and flat and easy to get around. The city also has a good public transport system.

Me on the other hand, I travel via my own 2 feet unless of course Phil is here to drive us. Luckily for me we have a number of places within walking distance from our house - Riley's Kindy, various shops (dairy, take aways, hairdressers etc), primary school, the park and medical center.

Is there a type of food that would be quintessential to where you live?
I don't think so .... pineapple lumps maybe?
Love them! Pineapple Lumps are chocolates with a chewy pineapple flavoured centre.

Edited to add:

L&P!! "World famous in New Zealand" .... (thanks Kat for the reminder)

L&P stands for Lemon and Paeroa. It's a fizzy drink but I personally can't stand the stuff.

I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about my corner of the world. I know it doesn't sound all that exciting but it's where we call home .... for now.

Linking up here.

My Creative Space: Christmas Stocking

2011-11-17T09:23:00.000+13:00

Still carrying on my Christmas crafting and I have now finished Riley's stocking ....

I used the pattern from here as I really liked the shape of it and this tutorial here to put it together.

I still have terrible trouble with bias binding and the stocking didn't really need it but I think it looks better with a bit of plain colour at the top (it's the same colour as the lining). Riley is super excited about leaving it out for Santa on Christmas eve.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Proud Mummy

2011-11-16T19:50:00.002+13:00

I am so proud of my little boy, he constantly amazes me.

Up until a couple of weeks ago he couldn't hold a pencil properly and looked really awkward every time that I'd get him to try. Then one day it just clicked and now he's super keen on learning to write his name and when he draws it's all very precise and controlled. You can see shapes and lines instead of just random scribbles and he thinks about what he is drawing/writing (all this just in time for his b4 school check too).

He's been practicing his R's and they're looking really good (I love how he gets all excited/proud when he does a good job). Next we'll be moving on to the 'e' but he's convinced himself that it's going to be tricky so we'll see how we go.

I still don't know whether he's right or left handed though and he continues to use both hands with the same level of dexterity ....

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-11-14T10:13:00.001+13:00

I still have a snotty little boy with me but he WILL be going back to Kindy tomorrow. That way I'll be able to get some things done. With Christmas approaching at such a fast rate there is a lot to do! Thankfully I've finished most of my Christmas shopping and what's left will be easy enough to get done in the next couple of weeks.

Here are some of my layouts that I did last week:

Credits:
Joyful Moments Page Kit by Christine Gundersen
Giggle, Laugh and Love Deluxe Word Art by Christine Gundersen

Credits: Howl-O-Ween Sights Page Kit by Heidi Kuester

Credits:
Island Paradise Value Collection by Erica Belton
Seasonal Groupie Set by Erica Belton

My Creative Space: Sock Monkey

2011-11-10T09:21:00.001+13:00

One of the projects on my Christmas list was to make a sock monkey for Riley ....

I was a bit apprehensive when I started as I'm not very good at hand stitching. Luckily for me this project is really forgiving and I'm so pleased with how the little guy turned out. I used this tutorial here. I changed his ears slightly and you may notice that he is lacking a mouth but I like him that way.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrappy Swap - Complete

2011-11-08T20:43:00.002+13:00

Check out my lovely scrappy package from Chrissa over at A Snapshot of Us.

There were 3 parts to the package that we had to put together for our partners - a fat quarters worth of scraps, a scrappy goodie and something unique to where we're from.

Here are my gorgeous new scraps from Chrissa ....

I just love this gorgeous scrappy quilted bunting that she made. It will look perfect hanging in my sewing room.

And some lovely postcards so I can learn a little bit about where she's from.

Thanks Chrissa, I love it all!

And here is the finished package that I sent to my partner, Sheila over at bluepatch quilter ....

I had heaps of fun doing this swap. A big thank you to Kat for organizing it all.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-11-07T09:15:00.001+13:00

3rd week into the school term and Riley has caught his latest bug, just as we're settling back into our old routine too. He is loving Kindy at the moment and is starting to show an interest in writing his name thanks to the kid's sign in sheet that they have started using.

Anyway here's a layout from last week:

Credits: Club Digital November 2011

Christmas Challenge List

2011-11-06T21:17:00.000+13:00

The Christmas challenge began on the 1st of November and our first task was to post our Christmas list of what we hoped to achieve this month.

My list is only short but knowing me I'll probably end up adding more things to it as the month goes on ....
- Make a sock monkey for Riley
- Make some Christmas crackers
- Make a Christmas stocking for Riley
- Make an advent calender (I have been procrastinating about this for ages!)
- Make some Christmas tree ornaments
- Make some Christmas cards

Wish me luck!

Things I'm Loving ....

2011-11-04T09:42:00.002+13:00

Loving this little boys new summer pj's and that the weather has actually been warm enough for him to wear them!

Loving these books ....

Loving making a start on some Christmas projects with the help of the Christmas Challenge.

Loving that Riley is finally showing an interest in learning to write his name (thank you Kindy)!

Love my clever little boy.

What are you loving this week? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Grocery Bag Dispenser

2011-11-03T09:17:00.000+13:00

This project was so satisfying. Quick, easy and functional with very little wastage from 2 fat quarters. I love opening the pantry and seeing it hanging on the inside of the door instead of the big, ugly box that my plastic bags were kept in before.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Recipe: Chocolate Cake

2011-11-01T19:51:00.002+13:00

This is our favourite chocolate cake recipe. It makes quite a thin cake so when I want a taller cake (like for birthdays) I double the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

50g butter

1tbsp golden syrup

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp baking soda

3/4 cup milk

METHOD

Melt the butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan. Put melted ingredients into a large bowl. Add egg and sugar and beat well.

Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder together. Fold sifted ingredients and vanilla into egg mixture.

Dissolve baking soda in milk and fold into egg mixture.

Pour mixture into a lined 20cm cake tin and bake at 190 degrees for approx 30 minutes. Leave in tin for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack.

Find more recipes here.

Halloween

2011-10-31T19:37:00.000+13:00

We don't do Halloween here but this is the first year that Riley has been aware of it (mainly thanks to all the kid's programmes on TV today being halloween themed).

Riley decided that he wanted to get in on the action and dress up as a ghost. Which was lucky because if he'd asked to dress up as anything else I would have been stuck! So thanks to some white fabric from my sewing room we have a little ghost ....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

(to those of you who do celebrate it).

October Makes

2011-10-30T20:14:00.001+13:00

Can't believe that it's the end of October already! This year has just flown by.

Here are my crafty makings for October:

1. Needle Book

2. Gathered Clutch

3. Log Cabin Pin Cushion

4. Appliqued T-Shirt

5. Pin Cushion

6. Fabric Coaster

7. Zippered Pouch Key Ring

Christmas Challenge ....

2011-10-29T20:36:00.001+13:00

Stacey from Polka Dot Daze is hosting a Christmas challenge for the month of November with the challenge being to finish as many things on our Christmas list as we can and avoid leaving everything until the last minute. She has even set up a blog so we can all share our creations amongst ourselves and any surprises won't be ruined for friends and family.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only 8 weeks away so if you want to make a start on any handmade goodies and you need the motivation, then make sure you head on over here and sign up.

Things I'm Loving ....

2011-10-28T19:20:00.004+13:00

Loving the warm, sunny weather ....

I only wish that it would stick around for more than a couple of days at a time!

It's been doing wonders for the garden too ....

I'm also loving Orchard Toys. They have an awesome range of games for young children and they're really well made.

What are you loving? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Race Track Cake

2011-10-27T09:30:00.001+13:00

I have something a little different to share with you all today .... Riley's Birthday Cake!

I'm not the best when it comes to decorating cakes so this is entirely Phil's work, following my directions of course. I wanted to keep it simple but still make Riley an awesome cake and it was just perfect, better than I'd imagined and anyone who knows Riley will know that it was perfect for him. He LOVES cars and racing cars are even better.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Birthday Boy!

2011-10-26T19:53:00.000+13:00

Happy 4th Birthday to my darling boy!!

Love you baby xx

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-10-25T09:46:00.001+13:00

School holidays are over and done with and I find myself sitting here typing this to the sound of silence. As much as I love having Riley around, it's sooo good to be able to have some time to myself again.

Here are a couple of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Ex Libris Value Collection by CarolAnn Gary

Credits: Edith's Diary Value Collection by CarolAnn Gary

Weekend Fun

2011-10-24T19:58:00.003+13:00

We are counting down the days until a certain little boy's 4th birthday and with just 2 days to go, we decided a family trip to Orana Wildlife Park was in order ....

And on a side note ....

WE WON THE RUGBY WORLD CUP!!

New Zealand 8 - France 7

A Boy and His Snail ....

2011-10-23T19:51:00.000+13:00

Calling All Crafty Bloggers!

2011-10-22T19:43:00.000+13:00

Do you craft? Do you like to blog about your projects?

Would you like to be a part of the Universal Craft Blog Directory?

Make sure you head on over to CraftyRie and link up your blog.

Log Cabin Pin Cushion

2011-10-21T19:53:00.001+13:00

Recently I wanted to experiment with a quilt block on a small scale so I put together this log cabin pincushion ....

It was a little bit too fiddly and time consuming for my taste but I'm happy with how it turned out even though my square is a little bit wonky.

My Creative Space: Fabric Coaster

2011-10-20T09:40:00.002+13:00

There's not a lot going on in my sewing room at the moment. This is mostly due to school holidays and not having the time but also I'm having difficulty deciding on what to sew next. Any ideas? I like sewing things that aren't too complicated or take too long to complete (I have no patience).

Riley has recently started using a bedside table and he always has a drink at night time so for a really quick sewing project I whipped up a little fabric coaster for him.

I was really pleased with how it turned out. The photos don't really do it justice. I think I might make one for Phil to use at work and they're a great way of using up scraps. They would make a sweet Christmas gift too.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Cheeky Monkey Key Ring Swap

2011-10-19T19:43:00.001+13:00

Recently I took part in a key ring swap over at Cheeky Monkey and here is the key ring that I made for my partner ....

It's the perfect size for keeping loose change for parking or in this case ....

Lollies!

My fave part is the little beaded zipper pull ....

And here is the key ring that I received ....

I love it!

Recipe: Tabouli

2011-10-18T10:07:00.001+13:00

I love tabouli! It's the perfect summer salad. Mine is a little bit different to traditional tabouli as I like to add in a few extra ingredients depending on what I have on hand but you can add whatever you like, it's so versatile.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup burghal (cracked wheat)
2 cups boiling water
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
3/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
feta (optional, add as little or as much as you like)
2tbsp lemon juice
1tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD
Soak the burghal in the water for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water from the burghul in a sieve, pressing down hard with the back of a spoon.

Put burghul, parsley, tomato, grated carrot, feta, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper in a bowl. Gently mix to combine.

Find more recipes here.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-10-17T10:23:00.001+13:00

I have survived the 1st week of the school holidays with my sanity intact, largely in thanks to this website. Though I must say it has been nice spending some extra time with my boy and not having to rush around in the mornings.

Here are some of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Harvest ColorB Page Kit by CarolAnn Gary

Credits: Harvest ColorA Page Kit by CarolAnn Gary

Credits: Men And Boys Value Collection by CarolAnn Gary

At 3 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 6 days old ....

2011-10-16T20:33:00.008+13:00

- You are starting to develop quite an attitude. I'm forever hearing 'no way' and 'it's not fair', all I can say is it's a good thing that you're so cute!

- You are finally starting to show an interest in learning to write but you refuse to hold your pen properly. You are so proud of yourself when you form letters correctly.

- A few weeks ago you brought home from Kindy your first drawings of Mummy, Daddy and Uncle James and they actually resembled people! You've never been into drawing so this is a big deal.

- You love books. One of your favourites is The Great Animal Search book. You love finding/looking at all the different animals in their habitats and learning more about them, though sometimes I don't know all the answers to your questions.

- You recognize all the letters of the alphabet and know most of their sounds. Lately you have even started connecting letter sounds with what letter word's begin with. You are always coming up to me and asking me what certain word's begin with. Of course I let you figure it out for yourself which doesn't usually take very long and you're always so proud of yourself.

- You are becoming more independent. You will happily take yourself to the toilet and can even put your own trousers on. Occasionally you'll come out with them on backwards but most of the time you're pretty good.

- You love to sing and I always hear you singing at night time when you're supposed to be sleeping!

- You hate shopping and would much rather stay at home and play with Uncle James.

- You love bouncing on your trampoline and you'll often go out there to have some time to yourself.

- You are quite bossy and demanding and all you want to do is play with those around you. It can be difficult when there are other thing's that need doing.

- At the moment your favourite TV programs are Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go and the Wonder Pets. Since it's the school holidays at the moment you get to watch them everyday and you also enjoy playing the games on the Nick Jr website. I'm quite happy about this as compared to the PS3 games that you like to play, at least they are educational and you're also learning very basic computer/mouse skills, which let's face it are really important in today's society.

- You still drink from a sipper cup even though you are perfectly capable of using a normal cup.

- You like routine and have to have some thing's done in a particular way/order.

- You have your own quirky sense of humor.

- You are super ticklish and tickling the backs of your legs makes you squeal.

- You love throwing balls but I've had to make a new rule - no throwing balls inside - as your aim isn't the best.

- You now sleep in your bed without the couch pushed up against it to keep you from falling out. I put a mattress down on the floor just in case and one night we found you sleeping on it, not once but twice.

- You are eager to grow up big and strong like Daddy. You keep telling me all the things that you will do when you're big like Daddy.

- You never stop talking.

- You LOVE cars, I'm sure you know more about them than I do and you'll happily stand for ages at my bedroom window and watch them drive by.

- When you grow up you want to be a Policeman.

It's good to take a step back and remember some of the little things. Love you baby boy xx

Scrappy Swap Update

2011-10-15T20:55:00.002+13:00

Everything is ready to send! I've selected my scraps, sewn my goodie and thrown in something 'kiwi' ....

For the pouch, I used this tutorial here and for the finishing touch I added a beaded zipper pull (after I took the above photo, but more on that in another post).

I really hope my partner likes it!

Loving ....

2011-10-14T19:39:00.003+13:00

This boy ....

and his trampoline antics ....

What are you loving? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Appliqued T-Shirt/Old T-Shirt Revamp

2011-10-13T09:12:00.002+13:00

How cute is that? I haven't done any applique before so I used one of Riley's plain Kindy t-shirts which just happened to have a particularly nasty stain on the front of it (just in case I mucked it up). The 'tie' hides it quite nicely and gives the t-shirt a new lease on life.

It was so quick and easy, I can't wait to make some more! Riley loves it too.

The hardest part was getting him to stand still so I could take some photos, there were lots of funny faces and strange poses.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Needle Book and Matching Pin Cushion

2011-10-12T20:13:00.003+13:00

Remember this needle book that I blogged about last week? Well it's all finished ....

And do you know what I found when I went back to Fabric Vision to get a button for it? More of the same fabric (I can never resist having a look through the scrap bin while I'm there), enough to make a matching pin cushion!

Joining in with We Did It! Wednesday.

Recipe: Bran Muffins

2011-10-11T19:39:00.002+13:00

I whipped up a batch of these for lunch today. They are especially good warm from the oven with a bit of margarine.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups wheat bran
1/2 cup plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda

1/2 cup golden syrup
1 large egg
1 cup milk

METHOD
Put the bran in a large bowl and sieve in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well.

Warm the golden syrup in a saucepan until runny. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg and milk.

Pour over the dry ingredients and fold together.

Spoon the mixture into muffin pans and bake at 200 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until golden and firm when pressed.

Find more recipes here.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-10-10T09:57:00.001+13:00

It's school holidays here now so there goes my morning scrap time for the next 2 weeks, which means that I'll have to work extra hard in the evenings!

Here are a few of my layouts from last week using some of CarolAnn Gary's gorgeous products, as she is the designer that I am working with this month:

Credits: Playtime FunA Page Kit, Playtime FunB Page Kit and A Touch of Dirt Overlay Stack - all by CarolAnn Gary

Credits: Spring Awakening Value Collection by CarolAnn Gary

Credits: Just Three Quick Click Plus and Summer Days Value Collection - both by CarolAnn Gary

School Holiday Time

2011-10-09T19:43:00.002+13:00

Tomorrow is the first day of the school holidays and so last week it was time to clear out the art box at Kindy.

Riley has never been an 'arty' kid which makes anything he does bring home extra special. I did not envy those parent's who left with a whole armload full of paintings. Seriously?! I wouldn't know what to do with them all.

Scrappy Swap

2011-10-08T20:27:00.000+13:00

Here is the mosaic that I put together to inspire my partner:

I'm a bit of a newbie as far as swaps go but so far it's been heaps of fun and I can't wait to receive some mail, something other than bills!

Things I'm Loving ....

2011-10-07T11:35:00.000+13:00

Loving my rotary cutter and self healing mat that were part of my birthday present from Riley's Nanan. I cannot imagine my life without them! They have made cutting/sewing so much quicker and easier.

Loving great scrap bargains like the fabric that I used to make my needle book (which I'm also loving).

Loving preparing for a certain little dude's 4th birthday in just a few weeks! Look how big he's getting!

What are you loving? (Link up with Paisley Jade here)

My Creative Space: Needle Book

2011-10-06T08:38:00.002+13:00

It's not quite finished yet but I just couldn't wait to share it! All it's waiting on is a button for the elastic to loop over and hold it closed.

I just love that fabric and what makes it even better is I found it in the scrap bin at Fabric Vision and it only cost me $1 for a generously sized scrap. LOVE bargains like that! The black fabric and red felt I already had in my stash.

The quilting on the outside and the inside pocket gives it a little something extra .... what can I say? I'm in love!

I used this tutorial here but I'm not very good with binding so I skipped that part and added a seam allowance onto my pieces. I just love how it turned out.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes/Muffins

2011-10-05T09:23:00.001+13:00

Riley wanted green icing ....

I have been meaning to share this recipe for ages! It makes the most deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes/muffins, only uses one bowl and they are ridiculously quick and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups flour
1tsp baking soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1tsp salt
1 cup castor sugar

1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1tbsp white vinegar
1tsp vanilla

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

METHOD
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in the castor sugar.

Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and mix well.

Spoon batter into cupcake papers or muffin tins and bake at 180 degrees for 10-25 minutes.

Find more recipes here.

Kiwi Christmas Ornament Swap 2011

2011-10-04T09:28:00.003+13:00

Christmas is fast approaching which means that it's time for ....

I took part in last years swap and it was great fun so make sure that you head on over to Sew Funky to find out more about it and sign up.

(Note: the swap is only open to those living in New Zealand).

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-10-03T09:56:00.001+13:00

I have been so sick over the past week thanks to my darling boy passing on his bugs, but I'm finally starting to feel human again and I have already managed a few DET14 layouts. Being returning DET I am on Dedicated DET this month (while the newbies learn the ropes) and I'll be working with the wonderful designer CarolAnn Gary, you can find her products here.

Here are a couple of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Club Digital October 2011 by DSP Designers

Credits: Halloween Haunt Mega Kit by DSP Designers

DET 14 ....

2011-10-02T10:17:00.002+13:00

It's that time of year .... time for a new creative team to take over at Digital Scrapbook Place and ....

I am so excited to announce that I'm part of it, along with 14 other very talented scrappers!

The whole DET experience has been an absolute dream. I have grown so much as a scrapper and met so many wonderful people not to mention getting to work with such amazing designers. I am incredibly honoured to have been chosen for a second term.

Here is the layout that I submitted for the final round of the contest:

Credits: C'est La Vie Value Collection by Kim Liddiard

Blogtoberfest 2011

2011-10-01T10:23:00.000+13:00

I can't believe that it's October already! I took part in Blogtoberfest last year and it was heaps of fun so I'm going to attempt a post a day for the month of October again this year. I have been somewhat slack with my blogging this year so this is going to be quite a challenge ....

Wish me luck!

My Creative Space: Luma Plush

2011-09-29T09:16:00.001+13:00

How cute is this little guy?!

I made him using this tutorial here. He's a wee bit wonky and hand stitching isn't one of my strong suits so his eyes are a little bit funny but I had heaps of fun putting him together and it just gives him character (at least that's what I'll keep telling myself).

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Ever Wondered What A Meningitis Rash Looks Like?!

2011-09-27T19:21:00.001+13:00

Well here it is ....

Sorry the photos not very clear.

In other words it's a petechial rash which as well as being a possible symptom of meningitis, can also be caused by vomiting. Thankfully for Riley, since it appeared only on his face, that's all it was though we took all the right steps in getting him seen to straight away just in case. This also included a hospital visit which was all a big adventure for him and since he'd perked up by the time we got there, we didn't have to stay for very long (earlier in the day he had been running a really high temp and had been extremely lethargic) before the Doctor pronounced him fit to go home under orders to bring him back should the rash spread, but he was fairly certain that whatever Riley had was just just another ordinary bug that he'd picked up from Kindy.

Oh the joys of having a preschooler!

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-09-26T23:02:00.001+13:00

We had a rather interesting week last week involving a hospital visit (more on that in another post) ....

Anyway, here are a couple of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Modern Fresh by Lauren Bavin

Credits: Season Of Love Value Collection by Jeanet Almhøj

And my Round 3 layout for the DET Contest:

Credits: Funky Teenscape Value Collection by Nicole Young

My Creative Space: Boy Bag

2011-09-22T08:53:00.001+12:00

Riley was quite taken with my buttercup bag that I blogged about here. When I first showed it too him he promptly took off with it and started filling it with cars!

Now I have nothing against boys playing with handbags but I decided to make him his very own boy bag (so I could have mine back).

It was super simple to make and I love how it turned out. Riley was fascinated by the magnetic snap on my bag so I added one of those, as well as a couple of 'car' size pockets (that boy loves his cars).

And here he is modelling it for me (this is BIG as these days he never stands still long enough for me to take photos of him). I think the strap could have done with being a bit shorter but overall it looks good and it was quick to make too which is always a bonus.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-09-19T10:10:00.001+12:00

It's really boring around here at the moment. The weeks are going so fast and we've been following the same routine everyday. I guess the good thing about that is it's a very well practiced routine which makes it easier to get out of the house on time with minimal rushing around.

At the weekend we did a bit more birthday and Christmas shopping and it's all coming together nicely. I just have a few more things to get for Christmas but I'm waiting until after a certain little boy's birthday.

Here are a few of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Altered Journey Page Kit by Elizabeth Weaver

Credits:
Simply Summer Value Collection by Erica Belton
Endless Summer Titles by Lauren Bavin

DET Contest Round 2

2011-09-16T11:03:00.001+12:00

Now that Round 2 of the DET contest is finished, I can share with you the layout that I made for it ...

Credits: Walk On The Wildside Value Collection by Meryl Bartho

Bring on Round 3!

My Creative Space: Buttercup Bag

2011-09-15T09:56:00.004+12:00

I've had this pattern and tutorial bookmarked for ages but it wasn't until I saw how well Juliet's bag over at Tartankiwi turned out that really gave me the push to try it and of course I bombarded her with my 101 questions before getting started.

It took me a long time to finish. Not because it was hard but because I wanted it to be perfect and I was scared of mucking it up. So its been sitting, half finished in my sewing room for the last couple of months until I finally plucked up the courage to finish putting it together and as it turns out I had nothing to worry about.

I did make a few little changes/additions:
- I used light weight interfacing on all the outside pieces of the bag.
- I used heavy weight interfacing in the handle. (If you're like me and hopeless at sewing handles, a good tip is to use applique adhesive which will stop the layers from moving as you sew).
- I opted for a cell phone pocket rather than the square pocket, using this tutorial.

I had also planned on sandwiching the handle between the layers rather than sewing it on afterwards but once I'd sewn my outside pieces together I noticed that my side seams didn't quite match up and sewing the handles on the outside covers that up nicely, phew.

Its definitely not a very practical bag because of its size (who needs practical anyway?) but I just love how it turned out! Now all I need to do is plan a night out so that I can use it.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-09-12T09:33:00.000+12:00

This week I submitted my layout for Round 2 of the DET Contest. As usual it was a nerve wracking experience and I'm glad to have gotten it out of the way. Now we're just waiting for the results to see who's moving on to the next round.

I'm also starting to really get organised for Riley's birthday (a month and a half away now!) and Christmas. I have a whole heap of stuff already on layby and now its just a matter of getting the little things - books, DVD's, etc.

Anyway, here are some of my layouts that I did last week:

Credits: Oh Boy Ahoy Page Kit by Nicole Young

Credits: Urban Teen Value Collection by Robyn Gough

Credits: Summer Country Page Kit by Teresa Loman
Summer Country Add On Pack by Teresa Loman
Summer Country Paper Set by Teresa Loman

My Creative Space: Dress To Skirt

2011-09-08T09:39:00.002+12:00

(Unfortunately I was too impatient to get stuck into this project that I forgot to take a before picture of the dress).

So, let me paint you a picture ....
Knee length, white, halter neck dress, with floral embroidery that I bought um maybe 6 years ago now? I have no idea why I bought it as I've never been a dress person and I can't actually remember ever wearing it.
Up until earlier this year it was hanging forgotten in the back of my wardrobe when I decided to have a clean out and it was relegated to the clothing bag in the garage where it has been waiting to be taken to a clothing bin.

Well, we have been having some gorgeous warm weather lately which always gets me thinking about summer clothing and I got thinking about this dress and that it would be so easy to turn it into a skirt (I much prefer skirts).

It has a simple elasticated waistband and is super comfy. I'm not sure that I like it any better as a skirt (it wrinkles easily, I'm not really a floral person and who wears white when they have grubby kids anyway?) but I'm sure it will get some wear (even if its just around the house).

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-09-05T10:04:00.001+12:00

The DET contest has started!! I can't believe how quick the lasts 6 months has gone and DET 13's term is already coming to an end. Being current DET I'll be joining the contest in the 2nd Round. I must say that I'm feeling a little bit intimidated as the 1st Round gallery is looking amazing. Wish me luck!

Here are a couple of my layouts from last week:

Credits: Club Digital September 2011

Credits: School Days Mega Kit by DSP Designers

My Creative Space: Fabric Bookmark

2011-09-01T09:20:00.000+12:00

I had an exciting package arrive the other day .... BOOKS! And lots of them thanks to the latest book sale at Mighty Ape. I love books but I don't often buy them and when I do I very rarely buy them brand new so I'm feeling rather spoilt.

And to go with them I whipped up a quick fabric bookmark (my new books would have made my old bookmark look shabby!)

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-08-29T20:10:00.002+12:00

I can't believe how quickly this year is going, the weeks are just flying by! I'm slowly starting to get organised for Riley's birthday, its hard to believe that he'll be 4 in a couple of short months. He's mad about birthday's at the moment as I've had one recently and there have been a couple at Kindy. All he wants is a chocolate birthday cake and for Mummy, Daddy and Uncle James to sing Happy Birthday to him, how sweet is that?

September will also be the last month of DET 13. I have signed up for the contest again though, so hoping I get to be a part of DET 14. Its been heaps of fun and a real learning experience.

Anyway, here are a couple of my layout's from last week:

Credits:
Through Child's Eyes Value Collection by Heidi Kuester
Endless Summer Titles by Lauren Bavin

Credits: Walk On The Wildside Kit One by Meryl Bartho

My Creative Space

2011-08-25T09:55:00.001+12:00

There's not a lot going on in my creative space at the moment ....
We have my brother staying with us and with my sewing room being our only 'spare' room, that's where hes sleeping which unfortunately doesn't leave much room for me.

I did manage to squeeze in there at the weekend though before he got too comfortable and whip up a hot water bottle cover for Riley. He was getting really cold at night with all the snow around and he'd been using Phil's hot water bottle so I thought it was about time we got him one of his own. He chose the colour and needless to say he loves it.

Joining in with Our Creative Spaces.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-08-22T09:18:00.001+12:00

We're back from holiday now and back to reality. Riley is back at Kindy today and he seemed happy enough to be there, I never really can tell with him.

My brother is now working in Christchurch so we have him staying with us at the moment while he looks for a place. Riley is loving having him here. Me? Not so much since hes taken over my sewing room and I can barely squeeze in there with all his stuff.

Anyway, here are some of my layouts from last week:

Credits: More New Beginnings Page Kit by Christine Gundersen

Credits:
Ice Cream Dream Page Kit by Elizabeth Weaver
Ice Cream Dream 2 Page Kit by Elizabeth Weaver
Ice Cream Dream Element Set by Elizabeth Weaver

Credits:
Dragonfly Dusk Value Collection by Carole Harden
Endless Summer Titles by Lauren Bavin

Holiday Highlights

2011-08-19T20:38:00.006+12:00

Here is a run down of what we've been up to over the last couple of weeks ....

1. Seeing seals on our drive up to catch the ferry in Picton.

2. Meeting Riley's new cousin, Baby Jacob.

3. Mike and Clare's wedding.

4. Playing at Paraparaumu Beach.

5. Spending the day in Napier and visiting the aquarium.

6. Checking out the Te Apiti wind farm.

7. Throwing stones down at the Manawatu river behind Nanan and Grandad's house.

8. Meeting Grandma's guinea pigs.

9. Snow in Whitby/Wellington!

10. Spending lots of time with family.

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-08-15T09:26:00.001+12:00

Still on holiday .... and it snowed in Wellington! It was so bizarre and unfortunately coffee group was cancelled because of it. There's more snow in Christchurch too and I'm just hoping that the roads are all clear by Thursday so we can make it home.

Here are a couple of layouts from last week that I managed to get done in between doing nothing much (isn't that what you're supposed to do on holiday?):

Credits: Laugh Page Kit by Tina Chambers

Credits: Summer Days Value Collection by CarolAnn Gary

Scrapping: The Week Thats Been

2011-08-08T09:00:00.001+12:00

Our holiday, that we have been planning for what seems like ages, is finally here! So far I haven't been getting much scrapbooking done but I still have a few pages to share with you:

Credits: Photographers Essentials Mega Kit by DSP Designers

Credits: Club Digital August 2011

Back Soon ....

2011-08-07T20:56:00.001+12:00

I'm not sure how often I'll be able to get on here over the next couple of weeks as I have limited internet access because .... we're on holiday!!

I'm sure I'll have lots to share with you all once we're back home.