Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Where do Polar bears watch TV?


Where do polar bears watch TV, I was asked this morning. Little Miss 4 wants to know. She was most perturbed that they DO NOT watch TV at all. And all the other animals? Where do they watch TV? I told her she was lucky to have a TV, but she was still thinking about polar bears and paying me little attention.

She must have gotten over the shock that polar bears do not have TV's, as she soon asked me more questions (all polar bear related)
What do polar bears eat?
They live in igloos, right?
Where do they sleep?

Oh Abbey darling girl, you make me laugh with all your questions!

On a completely unrelated note, the next best thing I have heard today was Abbey saying to her baby sister: we don't eat toilet paper, Zoe.

Have a lovely day peeps. Cat

Monday, August 30, 2010

At my house.....

At my house this week, Abbey discovered my button jars (for the very first time) She had lots of fun going through them, and I am sure there will be more button exploration going on around here now.


What do you say when a 4 year old wants to wash the dishes for you? You say go for it! (I washed all the fragiles, bulky items and knives, and left her all the plastic to do) Yes, the floor was rather wet afterwards, but she had so much fun. My favourite part was when she asked me "is this splash-you-la clean?", meaning spatula. Too cute.


Chris and Abbey had a guitar jamming session. There was some lovely music played and some silly songs made up. Oh, and Barbie joined in too, not sure what her contribution was (Abbey's guitar is really a pink ukulele)


This is the way Zoe started out playing (tasting the) guitar:


But in the end, she got the hang of it.


There is some secret Father's day arts and crafts going on this week. Don't tell Chris/daddy!


This week, I better finish planning for Zoe's birthday - my baby turns ONE next week. How did that happen so quickly? A very casual afternoon tea we are having, with a (vague) lady bug theme.

Tonight I am off out for a coffee and chat (and cake/pudding - maybe?) with my bestie, after all our kids are in bed. No children to interrupt our conversations - we may finish a few, for a change!

Visit Lou for more.

Have a great week :)

Cat

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Week-a-boo


Our weekend was lovely as it involved a spontaneous dinner invitation to Lygon Street with my mum and step-dad. After a yummy Italian meal, we braved a gelati (it was a cool Melbourne evening, not quite cold, but almost)

Abbey told me it was the first time she had ever had an ice cream with two different flavours - she was in awe that this was possible. She loved my lemon gelati, and wants this with chocolate next time. I wish I had taken a photo of Zoe trying some gelati - she pulled faces like she did not like it, but kept wanting more, it was very funny.

I can't believe another weekend is over. They go too quickly.

Join in with Claire here.

Night night. Cat

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Raising children rant


Some days I really wonder what the heck I have gotten myself in for, this being a mummy thing. Don't get me wrong, most days I love it. But some times, I wonder if I am capable of raising a well adjusted person. It really is hard work.

So many people have told me it gets easier as they get older. Well, some things definitely get easier - the older they get, there more they can do for them selves. But I am finding many other things get harder as they get older. Like teaching Abbey the proper skills to be able to deal with all her feelings, some of these emotions she can barely articulate herself. A few months ago, I felt like we had a 4 year old teenager - Abbey was moody, temperamental, and throwing temper tantrums (all over again, I thought she passed that stage years ago) For a few weeks there, I stayed close to home, and hardly ventured out, as she was so unpredictable, and I did not have the energy, and some days the capacity, to deal with these outbursts.

Personally, I have found the baby stage quite easy. I am grateful, both my babies have been quite easy to look after, and both, most of the time, have been good sleepers and eaters, who don't get sick that often. The older they get, the more challenged I feel.

Luckily, most days, they make me laugh. The unpredictable "mummy, I love you" I get from Abbey, these are priceless. Zoe gives me the sweetest, sloppiest kisses, also very random.

I am trying to look at all the positives, and the more I think about it, the more there are. But it is OK for me to admit some days are flippin' hard.

Have a lovely weekend peeps. Cat

Thursday, August 26, 2010

My (yo yo) creative space


Addicted.


Completely.


Is it obvious?


Nah!


More Creative spaces here.


Happy Thursday to you, Cat

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Handmade Christmas Challenge


This week, I guess I have cheated. I was making birthday presents for my niece last week, so I just made a few more at the same time, for my Abbey. Two zippered pouches for her to store some toys or books in, or what ever she likes.

Every time she has seen this fabric, she has told me she likes it (because it is pink) So I know these handmade Christmas presents will be loved.


Join in the Handmade Christmas Challenge here.

Happy Tuesday to you. Cat

Monday, August 23, 2010

At my house.....



The last week has been tough. Chris was sick for 4 days, with some awful diarrhea bug, so he spent most of it in bed or running to the toilet. Luckily, no one else caught it and he is better now :) During these same 4 days, Zoe cut 2 new teeth, and was very unsettled and cranky overall (as you would be, cutting new teeth)

Him being out of action for 4 days made me realise he does help a lot around the house - especially with Abbey. She really missed him when he was sick. At the end of each day, I was shattered.

I am exhausted now. It may take all week to feel human again, I can see lots of Nana naps for me.

I got to take Abbey to her gymnastics class on Saturday morning as Chris was still recovering. I loved seeing her, a different Abbey, participating in class. I was so proud with her behaviour - she listens to her teacher, waits her turn, asks questions politely, and asks for help if she needs it. If only she was like this for me!

Zoe has been helping unpack the shopping.


We made pikelets. Again. This recipe is the best (we leave out the blueberries, and I use 1 cup of wholemeal SR flour, 1 cup SR flour) Abbey asks for them at least once a week, not that I make them that often.


Abbey has been dressing up the wombat.


And we had a busy weekend.

This post has seriously taken me 4 hours to write in between making lunch, a walk to the park and being referee to 2 little girls not sharing toys (read as: baby taking big sisters toys left lying around, and big sister not liking this)

Have a great week peeps, Cat

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Our weekend - Disco Party



One disco party to go to.
Abbey had on her party shoes, twisted tights and all.


I finished the presents for my niece, zippered pouches and some yo-yo hair clips. A lovely hand made card from Here We Go Loopy Lou.



Abbey drew some pictures in the card for her cousin (who she adores)


She was so proud.

Party balloons aplenty.

And lots of dancing!

Happy 7th Birthday beautiful girl. We hope you had a lovely party. Abbey had a great time (in the end)

Then this afternoon this amazing rainbow. Lush.


Join in with Claire, and share your weekend.

Hope you had a great weekend. Cat

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Sock monster strikes!

Now I know where all the socks go.


Friday, August 20, 2010

So rare



I had to take a photo.

A completely clean, empty, kitchen table. It does not happen very often around here.

It did not last long either.

Have a lovely weekend.

Cat

PS: Come and join in on my Window Sill project.


Thursday, August 19, 2010

My (pink) creative space


I am making the last of the birthday presents. My niece has just turned 7, and her disco party is this weekend. She loves pink, and dancing and ballet. I think she will like this fabric.


More creative spaces over here.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wordless Wednesday


Home brew cider, Abbey as a baby - whoops, words.

Proper Wordless Wednesday with Sarah here.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Handmade Christmas Challenge


I signed up a few weeks ago for the Handmade Christmas Challenge over at Tracey's blog, Knicky Knacks. I think it is a great idea, and hopefully this will get me inspired (and motivated!) to finish all my Christmas present making and shopping early.

I actually never stop Christmas present shopping - if I see some thing for a certain person, or a fabric I know they would adore, I buy it while I can, and put it aside for the next Christmas.

The other reason is Chris (hubby) is from England. All his family live in England. So we need to be extra organised each Christmas if we want to save money with postage, and send things over via sea mail (as the cut off is some time in early September each year) So eek, that is very soon.

My sister-in-law in England, Jus, and my mother-in-law, started a new tradition in our family a few years ago - each Christmas, we all buy each other one Christmas tree decoration. The first few years, we sent them silly Australiana decorations.

This year I wanted to make my own. I started these back in March, when we went on holidays. I took a little box of crafting things away with me, as I thought I would miss making things at night. As it turned out, I did not get much done, I was busy holidaying and relaxing. They are little felt Christmas tree decorations (about 15cm tall), stuffed with pollyfill, and decorated with buttons (some of the buttons I found at the op shop)


Visit Tracey here if you are joining in this week.

I better get cracking with the rest of Christmas now.

Cheers, Cat



Monday, August 16, 2010

At my house...



I am enjoying my new shoes. I just love them. They match perfectly with my favourite skirt.

We are having a quiet week, still recovering from two birthday parties on the weekend. The third birthday party at least is on next weekend.

Have you read Lou's honest post about not being a superwoman? I agree with all she says, I try to do so much, but something has to give. This week my house is rather messy as last week every spare second was spent making birthday presents. I enjoyed making all the presents, and I would rather be sewing and making things than washing and cleaning, but my family needs to be fed. Now I feel guilty that I have spent no time on any sewing for my Raspberry Rainbow shop. It is a constant balancing act. At the end of the day though, I am grateful my life is so full.

Because I am no superwoman, I am combining two posts into one (again) Here are a few photo's of the last few presents I made for the little birthday people (for last weekend)

Abbey and I had a few joint crafting sessions in the last few weeks, and Abbey designed this bag for Miss turning 5. Abbey made some of the flower templates, and she chose all of the felt colours to use. I helped with the rest.


We got the idea from this great book, called "Fairy things to stitch and Sew". The book has some fantastic ideas in it, I know we will be making many more things from it in the future.


Little Miss turning 5 is the daughter of one of my nearest and dearest friends. I wanted to make her some thing special from me, so I made this skirt. I have made lots of skirts, but I have never decorated one like this before. I am really pleased how it turned out, I'll be making some for Abbey and Zoe for this summer now, with different fabric combinations.


I also made a few matching yo-yo hair clips.


Abbey has been having fun with a helium balloon she got at one of the birthday parties. Chris and I have had an interesting time trying to explain to her what helium and gas is.


Now I am off to finish making the last few birthday presents and try to tidy, and maybe even clean, our house. But I better get dressed first, and finish my breakfast, and read a few blogs.......

Visit Lou for more.

Have a great week. Cat


Sunday, August 15, 2010

What's on your window sill? Come and join in.


So what is on your window sill? Any window sill in your house, shed or garage, actually. There is only one window sill in my house that is decorated - my kitchen window sill. I guess I spend quite a bit of time here too, cooking, baking, washing dishes, cleaning. On my window sill I have an assortment of items, many of them quite sentimental. I have taken some photos, and will explain why each item is here.

I wish I had a pretty view out of my kitchen window, but I don't. It looks out to our neighbours car port, at least they are lovely people and we like saying hello to them.

Please ignore the dirty windows! How do you clean your windows when they have the metal security grills on?


First on my window sill, from left to right, I have a cute wooden puppy dog. I got this one in Prague, possibly my favourite city to visit. I just love Prague, I could happily get lost in the streets of Prague for days, just exploring. I bought one of these puppy dogs for one of my brothers after I first visited Prague back in 1998. I gave it to him, and would see him sitting on my brother's kitchen window sill, and I would always wish I had got one for me. So when I went back to Prague for one day in 2007, I made sure I got one for me.

The stones with "Cat" and "Chris" on them are from our wedding. We used these as name placements on all the tables at our wedding (luckily, we only had 52 people at our wedding - still a lot of stones to write on!)


I have two more plain stones, I want to write Abbey's and Zoe's name on them, not got around to doing it yet. The glass holding the paint brushes has been here for months, I keep meaning to tidy them away, but I just like the look of them.


Next, in a chipped latte glass, living in water, I have the last of an African violet. My Grandma gave me the plant years ago. The plant has died, but I have managed to keep this last piece of it alive. I really should put it in some soil one day (soon)

The little grass growing out of the decorated plastic cup is Abbey's. It was an activity she did one day at our local library, when they have story time - which also involves stories, singing, dancing, and an arts and crafts project at the end.


Next I have some indoor plants. I love real plants indoors. I used to have lots more, before children. Before I found Abbey eating the soil and dropping more all over the floor. The first two plants are special, as good friends have given them to me.


The third was a leaf that fell off one of the others, and I planted it in some soil, and it is now growing bigger into its own plant.

So what is on your window sill? Anything interesting? Please do share it with us.

I have been meaning to do this for a while now, but was too scared I wouldn't be able to figure out Mr Linky. Hopefully he works :)


Have a great Sunday, Cat.


Thursday, August 12, 2010

My (round) creative space



I am trying some new things this week.

I am still making presents for three special little children who celebrate their birthday this week.


I have still found some time to make some thing for us too.


More over at kootoyoo.