Random Joys

With a few pretty fabric scraps and some scrapbook card I made three "postcards" yesterday - I can see a use for these in the future and they were quite fun to make.

Our winter days are mostly filled with sunshine, cool nights and warm days. There's always something in the garden to catch my eye.

One of the children snapped a photo of homeschool in progress - it's the hair I like most.

A few nights ago our girls decided to play "bedroom cricket". Miss G and Miss N shared some of their rep. cricket shirts with the younger girls and wanted me to catch the moment for them - I do believe one of them wanted it for their Facebook. I was happy to oblige.

I hope your week has been filled with random joys too!

:)

Changing Seasons

Pleasant days are accompanying the changing seasons. Our summer cricket is ending slowly with a mix of finals while the hockey season is just beginning.

Yesterday we had a nostalgic last visit to our old town library. Soon after moving to this town I began our homeschooling our eldest (Miss E, who was then 4) and regularly visiting the library. Tomorrow this library closes its doors to the public forever.

 A large new building is now complete, ready to house the town library. A building which includes stroller/pusher/wheelchair access to the children's section, a building with toilets/restrooms, car parking, a floor height above flood levels and room to hold more books, computers and study areas! Our current library has none of these, yet it does hold many good memories for us as a family. We love our library. In just over two weeks time the new library will open, we are looking forward to exploring all that it will have to offer.

Photo from Miss E's College's Facebook page

Our elder Miss E has certainly grown up, in fact she will celebrate her 22nd birthday very soon, her first birthday away from family. She is loving her new stage of life, busy enjoying a wonderful college experience amongst a very small, friendly and caring campus community. Her first day of lectures (late Feb.) included a Matriculation ceremony - here she is being welcomed by the President of the College. Have a very special birthday Miss E!

All Things Nice

The countdown and preparations have kept us all well aware that another birthday was almost upon us. This happy focus has helped us adjust to the recent departure of our eldest two for uni. More to share soon....

I Love School Holidays

A time for everyone to do something creative......

Penning, Painting and Pinning

The painting and penning above with the children was inspired by pinning - of the PINTEREST kind! 
Late last month I finally decided to join Pinterest as a beautifully visual way of organising and bookmarking ideas I want to remember.  

I find myself scanning through one board after another, like Alice in Wonderland. What a wonderful source of inspiration, feeding the mind with creative images and ideas and so easy to share with the children or others. I love having a feast of fresh images to ponder as I drift off to sleep....like soothing water for a weary mind.

Do you have a very favourite Pinterest board or creative ways of using Pinterest? I'm all ears.   :)

One of my friends and her daughter (who lives in another state) use Pinterest as a way of sharing fabric/pattern ideas to help co-ordinate sewing/buying for the grandchildren, keeping each other up to date with what they like or have in mind. You are allowed up to three "Secret" boards which would work for this type of sharing, gift ideas or more personal interests.

UPDATE: One of the biggest features of Pinterest for me is being able to easily organise and see my Pins or bookmarks. This makes finding something later much easier. You can of course delete pins too. You can change the placement of your boards on your home page but don't seem to be able to adjust pins within a board - they stay in chronological order of pinning.

Another brilliant advantage is being able to log in to Pinterest from any internet device and access your own Pins or new ideas. This is great when away from your usual computer/device or when upgrading to another computer.

Little Pleasures

Little pleasures from my week:

The lilly pillies are setting pretty berries again - they look better than they taste.
Too late to catch the sunset colours, my walk yielded the unexpected delight of a moonrise over the river.
The children have been busy making Christmas cards to mail to their friends.

Trust you are all keeping well, and finding life's little pleasures during this Christmas season.

:)



Sharing at SkyWatch Friday.

Handmade Hearts Christmas Decorations - Tutorial

There's something special about handmade decorations, I feel our tree isn't complete unless there's a homemade touch added.

This year the children have chosen to decorate using only silver, gold and pure white. Miss E's hand crocheted stars and paper snowflakes from earlier years meet the colour requirements but none of the decorations I had made. I lay in bed pondering what I could make. These satin stars, stitched in silver thread are the result.

Using pure white Princess Satin, the thickest, richest I could find, I ironed on some stiff fusible interfacing.

Then I traced around a small paper heart template (cookie cutters would make good templates too) using a water soluble pen. Folding and pinning the now stiffened satin back to back I stitched the two pieces together with running stitch. I already had a skein of DMC Precious Metal Effects thread in silver, just right for the job. 

Above is the back which looks just like the front except without the blue pen markings. I began the stitching with a knot hidden between the two layers, then finished with a couple of stitches on top on each other going through the back layer only, hiding the end between the front and back layers.

After joining the front and back pieces with the running stitch, I carefully cut out the heart shapes with sharp scissors. Next I gently wet each heart to make the blue pen lines disappear, blotting dry on a clean towel. Lastly I managed to add a hanging thread by looping it through one of the top running stitches (as shown above) which helps the heart hang face forward on the tree.

Six new hearts (so far) hang cheerfully on our tree. They are cheap to make, bright and shiny and will take up next to no space to store (extra bonus) - or I may even find a happy spot for them to stay hanging all year round!

You could of course try stars or any shape, maybe adding embroidery, sequins or beads. Personally I like the simplicity of the hearts after all, love, His love, is what the season is all about.

Happier tree and a happier me!



Sharing at Maxabella Loves, In the studio.

A Little Here, A Little There

A little sewing here and a little sewing there, slowly but surely it adds up. Another pile of blocks for my Musical Stairs quilt, still growing and waiting for ironing and trimming. I really like Tula Pink's latest range of fabric, Acacia, and have included several Acacia blocks. About another dozen blocks to go and then I'll start piecing them together......

Here's the newest butterfly too. It's about half the size of the first two I made and happily lives in our kitchen for me to enjoy every day!

For those who have been asking - Miss E is enjoying her time in the big city, dreaming of new beginnings for next year. She is due back Sunday night. Master J is also firming up dreams and plans for the years ahead, he now has just one last exam to sit to complete his school years. It has been a rather amazing week with glimpses of exciting times ahead!


Sharing at WIP Wednesday.