Craft is the new black

Look what arrived on my doorstep today..



This screen printed bag is from Aunty Cookie.

Tom was looking through one of my crafty magazines the other day when he spotted this bag. He pointed it out to me as something I might like (Yes, he knows me well). So of course, I interpreted that as "go ahead and buy this bag my darling wife.."

Merry-go-round (and round)

We spent hours at this park in Glebe on Sunday..











After all that playing we went home and made a big vegetable pie and this salad..(which was growing in our garden just a few minutes before this photo was taken!)




(P.s Did you notice that my 2 year old daughter has pink nail polish on her toes? I would just like to add that I had nothing to do with this.. She came home from PRE-SCHOOL with nail polish.. PINK nail polish.. Is that normal? I am a little concerned.)

Peachy keen

(Tom just walked past me and asked if I was "blogging again tonight?" Well, yes I am.)

Have you got the latest issue of Frankie?



If not, then you should go and buy it right now, because my super clever friend Bron has a story published in it! Bron interviewed Somaly Mam, who was sold to a brothel in Cambodia as a young girl but was lucky enough to escape.

There is also the usual selection of cool people and crafty folk.

Maximilian

If I had a dollar for every time Sophie said "Mummy, Max is my best friend" I would be a very rich girl (Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum).



So it was about time that I made something for little Max (aka the resident Baby Space toddler) and had my first adventure in making boys clothes..



I made him these super easy little shorts, and a matching linen toy bag.



Sophie and I are on our way to see Max now, hopefully he likes them (Although, I suspect that running off to the giant slippery dip with Sophie will be far more interesting!)

P.s Sorry, I have had fiddler on the roof in my head all week.. Help!

NPG (National Portrait Gallery)

My Mummy..



By Sophie.

(Isn't that sweet!)

Papier Mache

Have you seen this super cute online kids magazine?





I saw it for the first time the other day and fell in love with the beautiful clothes inside. Although it seems to be full of French brands, which is great, but a little annoying because we have loads of lovely Australian designers right here (and they deliver for half the price!)



Apparently the next issue is coming out in print. Yippee.. that means I can cut it up into little bits for my inspiration board*





*Otherwise known as the fridge.

The big fat hen

The weekend started bright and early on Saturday morning (read: 6.30am) with a little dance in the hallway..



We spent the whole day at home cooking, cleaning, gardening and sewing (well actually, Tom did lots of cooking and gardening and I did lots of cleaning and sewing)..



On Sunday we headed off to Featherdale Wildlife Park about 40 minutes out of Sydney.







As we were driving home we asked Sophie what her favourite part of the day was and she replied "the big fat hen". So much for the long drive out there.. we could have just looked over the neighbours fence!

The good, the bad and the thrifty

I am getting excited. I can almost small it in the air.. Yes, Spring is just around the corner! The trees are all starting to grow new leaves, every flower in our garden has decided to bloom and yesterday I was at the park in a t-shirt!

But despite such a beautiful day, nothing could turn my little girl into a bundle of sunshine. No sir, she was a very grumpy little girl yesterday.
It was one of those days where the slightest thing would send her into a hysterical fit of crying and screaming on the floor. (She wanted green socks not blue, cheese on her sandwich not avocado, the book that we took back to the library months ago, not the one I was reading her..)

The poor little thing was just incredibly over-tired after a few nights of being sick and not sleeping properly, but I am sorry to say that if 'mothering' was my paid job.. yesterday I would have been close to handing in my resignation! I would have left crying and blabbering on about the 'unsuitable working conditions'. (In the same fantasy I take an 8 hour flight all alone, because the idea of being able to read my book uninterrupted for 8 hours while someone brings me food and tea sounds divine!)

So I thought I would calm my nerves today by sharing some of the cool flea market finds I have acquired in the last week (Ahh.. so that's why Sophie was so grumpy.. she was sick of being dragged around op-shops!)

I have already showed you my new picnic basket, but here it is again, because it may well be my best ever flea market find..


I found some more retro patterns (think play-suits and shoulder pads!)


And some cute little clothes for Sophie.. $2 each..


I'm sure some of my homemade washing powder will get the stains out of this one..


Now, excuse me while I spend the day drinking chamomile tea and practicing deep breathing..