{photo a day challenge} Day #12 - close up

My littlest man Master N - who isn't all that little! At 21 months, he is rapidly gaining on Master T and Miss M and already in Size 3's. Slow down beautiful bubba x

{all grown up} Master T

This week Master T graduated from Kinder and is off to big school next year as a Prep.

It's a sad and a happy time - sad that he is growing up too fast which tells me I must be getting old! Happy that he is on to the next adventure in his life.

It also means I'm back to just two little ones at home with me, maybe a little bit more sewing time . . . ?

{cubby house progress}

My hubby has been busy over the past few weekends building a fort/cubby house for the 3 little ones. And oh my goodness, he is doing very well! For someone with the use of only one good hand, he's gone from diesel mechanic to desk bound to cubby house builder extraordinaire!

Still a few finishing up jobs to go, like the roof - and then my job of 'fitting out' this monster play area for the kids with curtains, bunting, table and chairs and a kitchen according to Miss M!

More progress pics to come as Miss M & I make a decision on the curtain fabrics . . .

Collaborate for a Cause . . . raising money for the RFDS

For those who haven't heard about Collaborate for a Cause yet, please pop on over to the Facebook page and become a fan and spend some time going through the auction album. So many amazing handmadies have come together and collaborated to produce some amazing items up for auction.

I have collaborated together with Pink Apple and 4 Little Babushkas to bring to the auction this item below. A one of a kind ruffle front dress (prehaps something new for the summer collection) with matching accessories by Pink Apple & 4 Little Babushkas. We are donating our winning bid to the Royal Flying Doctors Service - a charity that is close to my heart.

Hubby and I come from a mining background. We met in Kalgoorlie, WA when we were both working in the mines, myself as a heavy machine operator - trucks, graders, loaders & water tankers - yes little old me was driving those massive machines, and hubby was a heavy duty diesel mechanic. As fate would have it we both drove into town on the same day - me from Victoria and him from Tasmania and ended up booking into the same caravan park, right across from each other! Friendships were formed and love blossomed. A few years later we made the move back to my home town, me pregnant with Tom : )

Hubby continued working in the mines, driving in and out from a site north of home in outback NSW. One horrible day that still sticks me everytime I visit my hairdresser bought our world crashing to a halt. When Tom was just 4 months old, and hubby was working away, I took a much needed visit to the hairdresser while my mum looked after little Tom. I received a phone call right towards the end of my appointment from hubby's boss to say there had been an accident on site and that they were waiting for the flying doctor to arrive to assess the injury. I was numb. No-one could tell me what was happening, how bad the injury was, or whether they were planning to fly him to Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney. So we waited.

Two hours later, with the car packed and Tom and my mum with me we headed to Adelaide and arrived late in the night, with hubby already in surgery and nothing we could do but wait until morning.

Walking in the hospital ward and seeing him still haunts me. So many doctors I couldn't count them all on my fingers. Hubby suffered a severe crush injury - it turns out 3 tonne of heavy machinery doesn't agree with landing on the human body.

Thankfully hubby's injuries were something he can live with and we will always be grateful for the RFDS for saving his life x

So please, pop on over the auction album and if you can, show your support for this cause. There are so many amazing charities that could all do with the support x

Photo of the Week #10

my tiny dancer

Photo of the Week #9

it seems our weekends are consumed by the outdoors and weekend gardening at the moment. this is our work-in-progress 'nature trail' at the back of our block where we back onto natural bushland.

{GRATEFUL} for sleeping babies

Today I am grateful for sleeping babies. In fact, not just today but for the past 5 years! Yes, I have been blessed with 3 happy sleeping babies, much to the disgust of some mothers - my apologies. I don't know what the secret is. They all have their own sleeping styles, upside down, back-to-front, inside out - anywhere on or in the bed they like to snuggle with their favourite blankets or toys. For me it has meant being able to work from home with my 3 little helpers with me each day and for that I am truly grateful being here to share each and every day with them as they grow.

For more grateful blog posts, pop on over here : )

Here's to a better week . . .

Basically this past week has been crap. I started the week at the doctors - a chest infection and asthma had me in my pj's for the entire week and I owe my mum big time for all the help she gave me over the last week, as hubby has been away with his work.

And we ended the week with record rain fall - here at home we had over 235mm in a 24 hour period! Over 200 homes in our area have been flooded, small communities cut off from town including our own little haven out of town.

Our street was flooded in two places, with us at the end of our court we weren't going anywhere.

And the water pouring down from the bush behind us had the water lipping at the back door with just a half inch to spare.

My highlight of the week was a gorgeous parcel from Posie from a win on her blog for the QLD flood auction raffle she was running. The book is fabulous and after reading through it I am slightly annoyed at myself for not getting back the paperwork in time to be included as I can see the 3 projects I had pencilled down haven't been shown in the book. Hopefully there is another one! And the fabrics Posie sent with the book, I am already thinking about turning into a fabulous throw quilt for the lounge in the theatre room.

So here's to a better week!

Photo a Week #4

A couple of photos this week that I took yesterday to show the height of the river here. Before Christmas the Weir was taken out and the river has been rising quite fast now and is expected to go much higher in the coming weeks as the 'inland sea' that is moving through Victoria reaches us in the coming days. Caravan parks along the river are becoming empty as they prepare to be inundated with the water. These photos I took with my phone yesterday down at a local caravan park called 'Apex Park'. This park is also a usually popular Summer destination for locals and tourists as it features a 'beach' area - a huge sandbar. As you can see by the photos, no sandbar and if you look closely you can see the trees well out in to the water.

Photo a Week #3

there's a fairy in the house . . .

Turning 3

My gorgeous girl is 3 today. Where has the time gone, growing up so fast, she is a lover of books, butterflies and fairies, the colour pink and a girly girl who also loves to play trucks with her big brother and dotes over her little brother.

Just a few hours old

Those big blue eyes and never ending eyelashes

First steps at just 12 months old

Mummy's little model

Happy birthday gorgeous girl x

Back to blogging with a PAW

To get me back into blogging for 2011 and get me into using my lovely new camera hubby bought me a few months back I am begining 2011 with something new. I was going to try for a photo a day, but decided a photo a week might be better.

Down at the farm - Tasmania

So every Monday I will post a photo I have taken that week, something random - family, nature, craft who knows. Feel free to join in the fun if you are interested let me know, and I will work out how to do that mr linky thing and set it up for next week.

So each Monday stay tuned for 'PAW' (photo of the week).

Blogtoberfest Day #25 ~ At My House

Lego building had been happening at our house this morning. It really does amaze me how creative my 4 year old little man can be.

Why not pop on over to Lou's blog and join in the fun : )

Blogtoberfest Day #21 ~ Where have I been?

Giving this little bloke lots of cuddles.

It seems he has developed a serious case of seperation anxiety and can't go a minute without mummy out of his sight, hmmm. Not much sewing had been happening, a few late nights and early mornings are beginning to happen now and I am slightly stressing about not being ready for Mathilda's Markets at the end of this month in Adelaide.

I am sure I have plenty of stock, I would just prefer to have too much stock than not quite enough ; ) I still have 3 quilt tops to put together, quilt and bind that I would love to get finished for the market, not to mentioned the 30 or so dresses in various stages; cut out, need overlocking, just need hemming, just need labels & elastic threaded that are patiently waiting to be finished.

Oh well, lets see how today goes . . .

Blogtoberfest Day #3 ~ Out in the Garden

Spring is certainly here and we are spending lots of time out in the garden now.

Back to some craft posts this week - I need to make a start on my dolls quilt for the EB Dolls Quilts Swap 2010. I also have market stock to prepare for the upcoming Mathilda's Markets in Adelaide at the end of October.

For more Blogtoberfest fun head on over here : )

Blogtoberfest Day #1 ~ Distraction

I was busy sewing away at my machine while 3 little ones slept, only to be interupted by the littlest man who didn't seem to get mummy's memo about needing to finish off some sewing for tomorrow's market. He seems to have turned into a bit of a cap-napper during the day, but its pretty hard to be mad at this face. Luckily he is happy enough in his rocker while I continue to sew, but he is quite distracting with his cheeky big smiles!

For more Blogtoberfest fun head on over to visit tinniegirl's blog : )

Spring/Summer 2010/11 Collection - photoshoot . . .

Yesterday morning we had the photoshoot for some of my spring/summer 2010 pieces. 4 little models braved the very cool outdoor weather - with thankfully no rain! Here is just a peak at my little Miss M showing off just one of the new dresses, more photos to come next week. A very special thanks to our photographer Angela of little fingers photography. Take a look at her gorgeous work - we have booked ourselves in for a family session just before Christmas and I can't wait!

At my house . . .

To get myself back into some regular blogging, I am playing along with Lou today in her regular Monday blog post about what is happening "at my house".

The oldest two are busy doing some watercolour paintings at the kitchen bench. I picked up these little paint sets at Kmart for just $3 each, bargain!

And this little man turned 4 months old on Saturday, goodness me where has that time gone!

Pop by Lou's page to see what's happening at her house, she's been to Ikea - I LOVE Ikea - unfortunately the nearest store is about 5 hours drive away : (

hello blog . . .

its been a while . . .

I am easily distracted by the little people in the house : )

I can't believe Spring/Summer is just around the corner. A photoshoot is all booked with the lovely Angela of Little Fingers Photography for just a couple of weeks time - check out her beautiful photography! I can't wait, and just hope the weather behaves and offers us a warm sunny morning on the day of the shoot!

I have a huge amount of sewing still to get through and a couple of wholesale orders to finish.

For those of you in Brisbane, pop in see Libby at Mini Boutique for some gorgeous new dresses in stock now : )

And for those of you in Canberra, stock for the lovely Katie at MissChief Maker is busily being made and will be in store in late August : ) Three gorgeous designs on their way - all OOAK (one of kind) fabric combinations.

The poor blog has been a little neglected lately, but I promise to get back to blogging now and show you some of what will be coming this Summer in just a few more weeks time . . .

WIP Wednesday

Quilting is happening . . .

Quilting is done and ready to bind . . .

Fabric loveliness is arriving . . .

Market Prep is happening . . .

and this cheeky little man is distracting me with his dimples and smiles : )