An Award for Creativity

Oh ladies you are doing me proud!  You really are.  Not only is my swap going well with loads of people joining in the apron fun, but I have just posted my 200th post.  And if that isn't enough, since installing the followers button a couple of weeks ago I have now topped 100 followers!  How jolly exciting.

Now I have been given a Kreativ Blogger Award, by Anjie at Pop Pom Emporium. I have to name seven creative things I have done. I think I will show you seven creative projects I've worked on during the school holidays.  If you would like this award for yourself, please take one with you.  You'll find it in my side bar.

First up we have my 51 finished Grannies... 

A little pile of crochet flowers...

Some new beginnings of Grannies...

Very nicely sorted ribbons, braids and laces...

No.2's tapestry has been turned into a lavender bag...

I helped No.2 make this wonderful pincushion, and then she gifted it to me...

I had fun patternmaking some teddy clothes patterns for the girls to sew clothes...

That's about as good as it gets over the holidays I'm afraid.  Yes I do count putting the ribbons on card as creative.  I do because it took jolly ages to do and my thumb was so rubbed raw from the ribbons passing along it.

My girls are back to school and kindy on Monday.  I'll miss them being around but I guess it would be good to get this house under control again.  Well until they get home at three anyway.  Oh OK, I know I'm kidding myself here!  Our house is never under control.  Right now we have three bedrooms out of order with renovations and are living with stuff all over the place.  Our bed is in the lounge, I have a train set at the end of it, nine doors stacked up against the wall, chests of drawers as you come in the front door, plumbing bits surrounding the dining table, and horrid little piles of stuff in every available bit of space. Still I can cope with this.  I will create instead of clean.  OK no change there really. 

If you would like to join in The Great Apron Swap 2010, please go to the post below.  There you will find all you need to know.  I'd love to have you join!

For now I must go and find No.3 an activity.  Have a great day!

A New Dress

On the spur of the moment last night, I decided to use a lovely piece of fabric I bought at the beginning of winter. It was going to be a dress for No. 3 and a skirt for No. 4. Well the dress is done and currently being fashioned by a very pleased little girl.

Not an original idea I'm afraid, copied from a dress she already has. We call it an apron dress as that's just what it looks like from the front. Only difference is that it has a back skirt too. So easy and cute.

The only two matching buttons I could find were light pink which looks quite nice really. Oh the buttonholes on my fancy new machine are just a breeze to do. And they all come out exactly the same size too which is a huge bonus!

Now I have been meaning to do this little job for a few days now. Denise from A Bun Can Dance has given me a lovely award, which I must add to my side bar. Thank you so much! But now I have to tell the world about my five greatest obsessions. Goodness only five?!! OK I do obsess now and then but they usually only stay around for a short while (unless you have to live with me and then they seem so very much longer).

An ongoing obsession I do have, and I am reminded of it most days but especially after supermarket shopping day, is the amount of unnecessary packaging we have around our food. This is the worst in my opinion, biscuits in a tray with a wrapping around them. Now you are probably saying I shouldn't buy them in that case, but with allergies in the house, beggars can't be choosers and I am so not a baking chef. We do also recycle very well, it's a big thing over here in NZ.

A current obsession is my laundry. I have always wanted a separate laundry but it seems as though it is not supposed to be. In NZ it is quite normal for your washing to share the garage with the cars. How ridiculous is that? This is how it currently looks, so embarrassing isn't it?

Anyway, big news, I am about to give it a makeover!!! Nothing too flash mind you, but way better than this I'm hoping. Storage baskets, shelf, blind, overall tidiness and a new washing basket too. Stay tuned for updates!

OK onto obsession number 3. Storage solutions!! I just love them all! I always have. I love plastic shops that have baskets, containers, drawers etc. They give me such excitement all over, tingly at times.

This is our toy cupboard and I love it. I have ice cream containers with different bits in each one. Bigger containers for sets of toys to keep them all together. Board games and puzzles on the shelves. Nice and easy to find everything and quite easy to keep tidy.

Fabric had to come into it now didn't it? I am currently obsessing over the lovely designer fabrics for quilting projects. I have bought a lovely new piece which I must show you soon too. I try and keep them looking nice and tidy by hiding them in my wardrobe. The jars of buttons are on the top shelf so I can see them everyday. Ohhh they look lovely!

You must all be thinking I am a tidy freak! I think the laundry photo sums up what our house actually looks like most of the time, no kidding! I have realised though that the very organised parts of the house really do stay that way for a long time so I would really like the rest of the house to catch up sometime soon. Maybe spring cleaning will kick in soon? The house really could do with it.

Right the last obsession of mine showed it ugly head this morning. Snails in my newly planted vegetable garden!! I hate them! Luckily I was ahead of them and put bait out straight after the baby plants going in. I found four of them today. There are hundreds of snails in our garden and boy can they sniff out new plants.

Daughter No. 2 helped me plant the veggies yesterday evening. She announced that she mostly loves gardening, cooking and sewing. I told her that she will be the perfect wife and mother some day. She was very pleased! That's all she wants in life.

I know that I've already done five things but I'm getting a little obsessed with finding obsessions! I also obsess about our 2.1/2 year old not knowing any of her colours! Don't you just love this canvas painting done by No. 2 when she was about four? Such bright colours.

I also love many things too, like pigtails, sleeping children, two year olds, Mamma Mia played loudly, happiness in the house, clean faces, tidy rooms, a full night's sleep, romantic movies, sunny days, picnics, yummy food, impromptu outings, our girls getting on with each other, school holidays, ribbons, clean white sheets, good magazines, craft books, my silly husband who obsesses way more than me, friends to spend time with, taking photos, seeing a newly planted garden, probably the computer too... and on and on it goes...

And right now I am going to play with my little sweeties. They have been patient while I've done this - mostly. First I must pick on a few people to play along with me. I'm going to pick a few new blogs to me this time. Lets see...

Lucy's Loves in Life

Twiddletails

Make It... A Wonderful Life

itch2stitch.com

Selena's Vintage

I will tag these people later when I have time. Please take your "A Fabulous Blog" award with you, it's in the side bar.

What Are You Reading?

Look at our bird feeder. It's the hollowed out apple hanging from the Cherry tree. My mother had one hanging from their tree yesterday and I thought what a lovely idea it was. It reminds me of Christmas decorations too. I just might have to add a few more for beauty. The tiny birds eat the inside of the apple, birds like the wax eyes and the fantails.

I have been tagged again! This time by Liz and it is quite good fun and a bit of a laugh at times. These are the rules:

Oh great, just remembered I can no longer cut and paste on my blog page. Goodness knows why, it's a recent problem. I can't move my photos around either. Talk about annoying!

Right, well, I shall just have to go backwards and forwards from Liz's blog. Here we go:

1. Collect the book you have most handy.

2. Turn to page 161.

3. Find the 5th complete sentence.

4. Cite the sentence on your blog.

5. Pass it on to 5 other blogger friends.

So the book I am sort of reading, when I get five minutes of uninterrupted piece, is the first of the Harry Potter series. Floss agreed with my girls, that the book is much better than the movie. So we shall see. I'm not that far into it. Like the lovingly made bookmark?

So lets see then, page 161, ah here we are. 5th sentence is 'I knew it! I knew it!' Wow, staggering stuff isn't it? Well, it is what it is I guess.

Now I guess I should hound five other lovely people to have a turn too.

Hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend. I hope you haven't had to spend 3 looooonnnng boring hours waiting in a doctors waiting room, just for a script for antibiotics for your daughter!!! I know it could have been much worse, had I had all four of them with me. I should be grateful!

I should also take the time now, to thank Manka from Little Rose Cottage very much for my two latest awards from her. She is such a sweetie and I am so pleased to have met her (virtually) through blogland. Thank you so much Manka!

An Award and a Tag

Today I would like to start with handing out an award to five special people whose blogs I enjoy. These lovely people start my day off with either a smile, something lovely to look at, something meaningful, or just plain good entertainment. I thoroughly enjoy reading through other peoples blogs, but there are always ones I really look forward to.

Manka, from Little Rose Cottage presented me with this fabulous award last week, for which I am very grateful to her for. She has a very pretty blog name and is such a wonderful person too. Manka is very creative, especially with her embroidery. She shares her joys and sorrows with us and teaches me to treasure my family and to know how very lucky I am. Thank you Manka!

Now five isn't very many to have to choose so it makes it a little tricky hard for me. Please don't feel too left out if I don't choose you. I still really enjoy your blog too, but it's only five!

So here goes: Lucy at Attic24, because hers was the first blog I ever read and I still enjoy it. I love what she makes and love all her beautiful photos. Lucy gave me the inspiration to learn how to crochet and the instructions as well. Thanks Lucy!

Ok, the second person is my good friend Hazel from this and that. Hazel pushed me into starting a blog of my own soon after she began blogging. Not sure if this was really a good idea or not, dreadful time wasters aren't they, but oh so fun. Thanks for getting me going with my sewing again Hazel and for all your lovely comments. I hope you are having a splendid time with your family in England. Enjoy every moment with them. I look forward to seeing you again in a few weeks.

Third the golden bird, is Floss from Troc, Broc and Recup' for her lovely blog of family life in France. She goes to a good many op shops and markets, shares her purchases and also gives us a history lesson to go with them. I also love that she blogs daily, giving us something lovely to read. She has also kindly invited everyone to her 40th Birthday Garden Party this weekend, so watch out for that event.

The fourth is a recent blog for me. It belongs to the lovely Liz from Lululiz in Lalaland. If you want a good laugh, she is the person for you! We have just done a fabric swap, when I say done, I mean my parcel is wrapped ready to be posted this morning. Liz is sending me some fabrics to complete my quilt. Liz is a German woman living in England and she has the most amazing collection of vintage fabrics beautifully arranged in colour order.

And lucky last, Karen from Selvage Blog because she showcases other people's craft projects for us all to enjoy. They all feature something made from selvage edges which is something I now enjoy doing too. Karen kindly featured my crochet roll on her blog recently, which I am most grateful to her for. Thank you Karen.

Well, that's that award completed. If you were on my list please take the award with you and then pass it on to five blogs that you feel deserve an award. Let them know of the award and link the right bits.

This lovely award was given to me by Liz from Lululiz. Thank you so much for this very lovely award, it is so sweet too. And the best thing about it is, I don't have to do anything to get it. Just have a blog that she enjoys reading. That's fabulous isn't it?

Unfortunately she also involved me, in the same breath I might add, in a tag. No not really, it's all good fun, just kidding!

Here are the rules of this one. Pick 6 unimportant things you love. Mention & link to the person who tagged you. Tag 6 of your favourite bloggers to play along (don't forget to comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged!)

Now I think I will choose Manka, Hazel, Floss, Sally, Sweet Emmelie, and Stacey because I know they will enjoy this game.

Ok, here goes! Remember they aren't meant to be important things!!

1. I love having the evenings to do what I want to do, so selfish I know, but who cares.

2. I love eating junk food especially dark chocolate, salt and vinegar chips, and puddings.

3. I love being at home with my family especially when the girls are playing nicely and not fighting.

4. I love going into those lovely home stores that sell things like tea towels, cups, gifts and array of other things I would love to have but don't necessarily need!

5. I love fabrics, scrap booking papers because they look like fabric, ribbons, laces, old buttons and braids, gosh I even love wadding, velcro and zips!

6. I love a clean tidy house, but not cleaned and tidied by me.

Well that is quite a lovely list of my loves. I look forward to reading yours too.

I think I'm going to be rather busy this afternoon leaving messages on my chosen blogs. Goodness will I get any sewing done today? I must go out and post my parcel now and get a new magazine out of my post box. Maybe I'll just read this arvo! Sounds tempting doesn't it?