Renovation inspiration.

With a house sold and a house bought it’s time to start thinking about new interiors. The new house currently doesn’t have much of an interior, it’s mostly a shell of an outside with some interior walls and the occasional floorboard but there are plans and I have plans for those plans!

Firstly the kitchen which will be similar to my current one.

Except with storm lanterns or something a little more industrial hanging as pendants over the island bench.

A nook at one end of the island with shelves for my cookbooks, one of those big restaurant kitchen taps that are more hose than tap, perhaps some brick pattern white tiles for a splashback like the Paris metro (only without the urinal smell!)

And if I’m really lucky… a duck egg blue AGA. Or better yet the spotty Emma Bridgewater one. Bliss.

Also on the wish list- I’m loving this sewing cafe in Paris where you can take your projects and rent the machines by the hour. I have a little sunroomy nook with a big picture window and lots of light- and I have a little daydream about a space that will look like that cafe.

Another little daydream of a house that’s full of homemade quilts, made in my little sunroomy sewing shop nook.

(Bottom two images discovered in the current issue of Australian Vogue Living).

Creative Lull.

You think you haven’t done anything much. Nothing worth writing about (literally!) And then you think, oh well I’m gonna write anyway, it’s been a while, something will come to me.

And then you realise how creative you’ve been all along. It’s in your blood, you know.

For example…

…I’ve been creating easter boots with chicks AND ears for the Year One easter boot parade.

…creating a diversion to bust my boys out of the back of the divvi van (just kidding, they were enjoying the thrill of being arrested at the local street carnival).

…creating order out of chaos in my pantry (and yes I did take a picture because it’s never looked that good!)

…creating a beautifully styled and somewhat unrealistic representation of the tidiness and clutter free-ness of our life while putting it on the market to sell.

…and most importantly creating another person to assist in my plan for world domination. It’s really been rather exhausting.

Greek food and bike rides.

Another lovely Christmas gift from my husband was the latest Tessa Kiros instalment. I wonder if he’s trying to teach me how to be a good Greek wife? Not so bad if I get to dress like the super cool Kyria above!

I think who better to teach me the ways of Greek cuisine and home life than a Finnish/ Cypriot born in London and raised in the UK and South Africa, who married an Italian and lives in Italy? That’s got to be some delicious food. Looking forward to making him Skordalia and Keftedes. I hope I make them as good as yiayia.

Last night we took the boys for a run/ ride along the Yarra. The big one got to try out his new wheels- a proper big boys bike, this one will do him through to his teens. Scary thought.

Wishing you a Happy New Year. xx

One last Christmas post.

Our lovely tree which I wanted to document as we have to take it down soon. Christmas seemed to fly past super fast this year- the fake tree was a bit of a bummer as I love the thrill of going out and purchasing the real one and the gorgeous pine-y scent. Not to be this year with a new kitten in the house who is a leaper and a climber. My husband forbade it on the grounds of possibility of electrocution. (According to him, flying kittens + water + electricity= dangerous mix. I guess I can’t really argue with that! )

I love the handmade decorations we try to add to each year. In particular the paper chain we made last Christmas and the stunning angel my little preppy brought home from school this year.

Not quite as professional as the gorgeous gingerbread house gifted to us on Christmas Eve is the one we made ourselves. This is a great activity to do do in the lead up to Christmas as it takes two whole days to make!

We made the dough on the 23rd, refrigerated it, rolled it out, cut the shapes out with our templates, baked and cooled on a wire rack. In the evening I made the royal icing and piped the walls together, then left overnight to dry. (I have a metal piping gun and just wrapped the end in glad wrap so that the icing wouldn’t harden). Morning of the 24th I iced the roof into place, propped up with glasses to prevent slippage and left until the afternoon. By late afternoon we were ready to pipe the rest of the icing on and add lollies. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar “snow” and it was ready to take as a very impressive dessert present on Christmas Day.

All the better received because it had been completely made by the grandchildren. Who were so excited to eat the lollies and so proud of their achievement. Personally, this kind of activity sings to the Queen of Kitsch lurking inside me. A not very cunningly disguised one at that!

Elba.

There’s this little speck of an island off the coast of Italy…

…with the prettiest port, fancy stores…

…seriously fancy yachts, brightly coloured bunting strung up everywhere.

Where the beaches are white pebbles and the water is so clear you can see the bottom. Where my boys, goggles on, duck dived and swam with the fishes (but didn’t “swim with the fishes” if you know what I mean). It was one of the nicest days of our trip.

Twilight Marketing.

In November I took part in the twilight craft market held at the little guy’s kindergarten. This is the only market I did this year and it’s the first one with my handmade things. It was great to be making!

Meet some of my little friends…

…the snoots…

…the birdies…

…and the rosettes.

Hmmm, it feels like the beginnings of something.

Merry Christmas.

It’s a funny old thing, Christmas. I’m not little anymore so it’s not quite so magical. There’s been some tricky stuff going on in the past 12 or 18 months too. The kind of stuff that takes the shine off things. Still, sometimes things happen that make you realise life can still surprise you. In a good way. And that just because nice things arrive from unexpected places, it doesn’t make them any less special.

Like the doorbell ringing on Christmas Eve and someone you don’t know , but who knows you- bringing you and your boys a gingerbread house. Just because they thought you might like it.

And spending the afternoon making lemony cupcakes with lemon frosting to take for Christmas day with your four year old who loves to bake.

Or the same four year old who’s over the moon with his new sewing machine (the one he asked for I might add!)- although a little dubious about the fact that santa bought him a girl’s sewing machine. So excited he went to my sewing room and helped himself to the Japanese kei spot fabric. Expensive taste, my child.

And finally the husband who knows you well enough to know how much you love Kirstie and her homemade home. And how you’ve had something of a creative blockage recently and maybe a crafty self help book might assist to get everything moving again.

These are the little things that make tricky stuff better. I hope yours was an awesome Christmas, but if not I hope you had lots of little things to help make your tricky stuff better too. xx

European Vacation.

Six countries in four fun, stressful, exhausting weeks with two small children. The big highlight for the big one was seeing the first home he ever lived in. For the small one, it was noticing how traffic lights are different in different countries! For me, it was revisiting familiar favourite things.

Jo’s birdie mobiles.

I do believe these are my best birdie mobiles yet.

A girl and a boy set for Jo.

Soon to be available back in my etsy shop. But for now, email me if I can make you a special order.

*Please note that I will be offline for most of the month of September.

E man, we love you.

This is a picture I’ve had sitting on the desktop for a while and been meaning to blog it. Our funny old cat Elliot who decided that the handbasin was a good place for a nap.

I had the fright of my life when I went to wash my hands and there was a furry thing sleeping there! Poor old E was hit by a car last night and died straight away. It seems even more important to remember him like this now and not in the fug of panic and shock and grief as I tried to get him to the vet.

Homemade Lampshade.

What with closing the store and my role as chief events organiser for the week of Four there hasn’t been much crafting going on lately. And I am aware that there are three babies I have promised to make quilts for that haven’t been begun! Uh-oh.

This lampshade is the exception. Made for Oscar’s room with the very last scraps of the glorious “Skipping Boy” fabric. As it was a tapered shade, I did the best I could to keep the little boys straight by pleating the shade (small pin tucks at the bottom and wider ones at the top). Raw edges cunningly hidden under that wonderful all purpose bias binging in sky blue gingham.

Four.

Last week was the week of Four. Four years old and there are no more babies in my house.

On Wednesday we had kinder duty. Chocolate cupcakes with yellow flowers and the Happy Birthday hat.

Thursday was the day and we had a chocolate swirly frosted love heart cake with glace cherries and a vat of spaghetti sauce. Because they are his favourites. Four articulates demands. Loudly and frequently.

Saturday was party day.

I was pretty heavy handed with the icing and sprinkles.

And I was totally insane as far as the cake was concerned.

You’ll forgive me though, as this is the last four birthday in our family. A fantastic afternoon was had by 30 small children riding wheeled things maniacally around the Traffic School. With mini Four on his brand new bike.

He has already started planning his Five birthday.