Bits ‘n’ bobs.

Here’s a little of what life’s been serving us up lately.

Recently in need of a little nostalgia I dug out my grandmother’s enamel pie dish and baked a Jamie Oliver Apple pie, which has seriously the best pastry ever. It’s short, buttery and has this wonderful aroma of lemon (from the inclusion of lemon zest- encompassing without being overpowering). A delightful pie, a little sad that the Greek men in my life have no appreciation of my anglo roots. Translation: I ate most of this myself!

Every girl should have some animal print in their closet. When I wear them, I feel a little Mad Men. Martini anyone?

From the book that started it all- for me that is. Crazy bus toy from the “Make fun stuff! by Aranzi Aronzo” craft book I received from my lovely mother in law for Christmas 3 years ago. Now I know she really does listen to me when I rabbit on (off she trotted to the super cool “genki” store in Flinders Lane and chose this out for me all by herself.) Isn’t she awesome?

This is the book that reawakened the textile junkie in me- repressed from years of new motherhood. This is the book which spawned the bus, the blog and the fabric shop.

Super delicious, you really must try this yummy chorizo soup from Jamie Oliver’s “Dinners” cookbook. It’s been such great soup weather lately- read “super freezy”! Now I hesitated before adding this photo, as it’s not the most appetising looking dish- and then I remembered that I had added a photo of Sheperd’s pie not so long ago. Another dish which tastes a whole lot yummier that it photographs. N’est-ce pas?

I love these photos. Now, a vineyard, some cyclists, a week old calf. Guess where. Rural France? Rural anywhere, right?

No, Collingwood Children’s farm. Only about 3km from the city. It’s quite surreal to feel as though you are somewhere quite rural, to turn around and see the city skyline at “reach out and touch” distance. We were lucky enough to see this beautiful doe eyed calf, born in the same week we visited. There’s a lovely outdoor cafe and we had a lovely al fresco breakfast in the chilly, watery winter sunshine. Resplendent in scarves and beanies.

Clever Friends.

Isn’t it great when you get a chance to see what your friends are up to and it’s all good and inspiring? My friend Annabelle is making these sweet button embellished girl’s tops:

Super sweet, I could just eat them up!

6 ways to stuff the blues down to your shoes.

Having a bad week? Can’t remember why you didn’t stay in bed? Do some stuff and then at the end of the week you can at least  write yourself a little mental list and say- “But at least I did some stuff”.

It helps.

Number 1.

Have a bake off with yourself- then you’ve got home baked goods to send to school with the kids. You get a Nigella buzz baking it and feel like a bona fide super mum packing their lunch boxes.

Number 2.

Take up a new hobby. Embroidery is something I’ve longed to be good at but didn’t dare try because it looks so hard. In reality, it’s really fun & easy and I’m working on something that’s suitably aggro to suit my mood. Which makes me smile. Which is good.

Number 3.

Take said hobby and give yourself a little budget blowout. $30 on embroidery floss was in actual fact- a little excessive. But it felt great.

Number 4.

Get a little mothering by getting someone to make you a hot drink. Even if you have to pay for it. The good feeling lasts as long as the drink stays warm.

Number 5.

At the end of the week, write it all down while listening to your favourite “sad feeling” CD.

Number 6.

Hug your pet. For the same reason pets visit aged care homes. Mine’s just come in from outdoors and smells like Melbourne in the winter. He’s purry and soft. He makes me feel better.

Totoro.

Some days I just want a Totoro just for me and a cat bus to rescue me when I’m lost.

“…there was a little one, and a bigger one and a HUUUGE one who kept on falling asleep!”

*image first viewed on iamdns.wordpress,com.

Elliot.

I try to use this blog to pause and enjoy some of the beautiful moments that happen in life. The ones that pepper the week but you can miss them if you’re not careful- racing from drop off to pick up to the post office and getting half way through dinner prep before realising you’re out of passata and then packing the kids (post shower & in their pajamas) into the car to get to the supermarket (and that was just last week)!

Today I celebrate our cat, Elliot. We bought him as a 5th birthday pressie for the big guy and he has become such a beloved family member.

I bought a basket for the op shop bargain price of $4 with the idea of lining it and using it to organise sewing things- but Elliot has adopted it. I sit and work in the evenings with the basket on my desk and Elliot curled up inside, wanting a lap but settling for the basket.

I don’t think I’m getting it back.

He curls up next to me when I’m drifting off to sleep at night and his soft purring and warm body are better than the best hot water bottle.

He thinks he’s part human. Each morning I walk up to the corner cafe with my mini man and Elliot in tow. He follows along, mainly behind us but sometimes running ahead tail held high, trotting purposefully. I am amused that we resemble some kind of real life picture book illustration. I hope the wee one isn’t too young to have memories of this when he’s older.

He loiters outside while we get our daily coffee and hot chocolate order (2 marshmallows please) filled and then trots home, depositing us at the front door and disappearing back under the camellia shrub for a rest.

Job done. Rest break earned.

Thanks E. We love you.

A facelift for Papa’s Chair.

I recently inherited my grandfather’s chair. He died when I was an infant, but the chair was in our house throughout my childhood.

I remember many a night curled up in it or lounging over the arm of it watching Monkey Magic and Dr. Who.

I remember our small (but oh so terrifying) silky terrier would curl up under it and growl any time anyone went near.

I loved the idea of being close to the grandfather I had never known by sitting in it as he had.

I love the shape.

I love the fit.

I hate the upholstery. Especially where it was ravaged by my parent’s cat.

Before.

It sits in the corner of my bedroom and is still a haven for me. Especially when I am on the phone, trying to get a full sentence out before the kids find me and start talking at me!

Most of these phone conversations end with Papa’s chair holding all three of us (the kids always find me- blithely unaware that I have been trying to hide from them- and end up on my knee or the arm of the chair).

It was a labor of love, but I’m so pleased with the results. Not brave enough to have a proper go at re-upholstery, I settled on making a loose cover to go on top. Complete with velcro down the back for easy undressing and laundering! The fabric is Amy Butler’s Dream Poppies in Tangerine.

After.

As soon as I finished it, I clipped Elliot’s claws.

Some Craft-a-rama.

Got my bike today. I love it I love it I love it. Now I just need a Mike…

…We like our bike. It’s made for three. Our Mike sits up in back you see. We like our Mike and this is why, Mike does all the work when the hills get high!

Read “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish” to Bubba J tonight and thought “Hey I need one of those!”

*

Here’s some of my latest crafty goodness:

So proud! As a self taught- anything I make that is functional and pretty like this dress (with most of the mistakes on the inside so you can’t see!) makes me all chest swelling with pride. It uses Bird and Berry Stripe and Grassy Plains. Both by Kokka and available in the shop.

This one’s a project from Sew Darn Cute by Jenny Ryan- it’s called Snappy Fabric Bracelets. I’ve had terrible trouble applying the snaps though. I got one of those Birch pack from Lincraft with the tool shaped a bit like a set of pliers. Anyway, no matter how careful I was opening and closing the bracelets, the snappers kept separating. Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?

This is one of those rare craft books where I want to make everything in it. The come along once in a while and are just so exciting to own. The pages are full of possibilities. The other one that jumps to mind is Meet me at Mike’s.

Sewing machine cover whipped up one evening. Made it with Cookies by Aunty Cookie (a fabric I could just stare at for hours- these attitude laden bunny girls sit next to me now while I’m sewing. Some tell me I’m doing great, some snigger when I reach for the unpicker.) Hey, my mum was right when she said I’d never be alone again! Only I don’t think she was referring to dolly pictures on fabric. She was referring to the person I had just birthed.

I didn’t realise at the time that she meant it as a threat.

See my pincushion in the foreground? Got it free in Mixtape a while back. Courtesy of Dear Fii. I luv it.

Other Stuff.

Ooh ooh, in other stuff I forgot to mention, have also bought myself one of these.

As a severe caffine addict, I think it’s about time I quit using so many disposable cups. This one gives me that whole baby bottle comforter thing that I get from sucking through a hole in the lid. Bubba J has one too and we get matching hot drinks in the morning (very naff, but I love it!)

Oh yeah, and it matches my bike!

Have been very busy on the crafty front. Now that I’ve gained ground on the whole “how to use a mac when all I’ve ever known is a PC” thing, it’s time to take some noice piccies and share.