Dear Friends...

As you may know, life for me has changed quite a bit lately with the girls now being home schooled.  Well, things just aren't the same any longer.  It's not longer 'Just About Me.com!'  So I've decided to say goodbye to my blog.  Yes I'm afraid it's time for a group hug my dears. 

But first I must say a huge thank you to all of you, for your friendship and time you have taken to write all those treasured and very lovely comments on each of my posts. 

  

Thank you very much for teaching me so much and for introducing me to the likes of old fashioned doilies!  Hubby doesn't thank you for that one sadly but No.4 does.

Thank you for getting me into quilting so I could make all my girls' quilts and pretty wall hangings.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to make and give gifts for the Queensland flood victims. 

Thank you for always having such nice things to say about what I had to show and tell about.  Thank you for all the wonderful swaps too!

Thank you for being there at all our birthdays and sending birthday wishes to us all.

Thank you for teaching me how to crochet and encouraging me when it all went badly.  I have since found out that crochet isn't my thing, but I do have a big crochet blanket to show for my efforts. 

Thank you to all my friends who I have met on here (and sometimes for real) and have been such wonderful company.  May we still keep in touch.

Thank you for all the gifts you sent when I called out for help for the Christchurch Earthquake families.
 

Thank you for putting colour and homemade goodness into our home. 

I've had such a lovely time getting to know you all and spending time with you.  I will still be popping by your blogs and perhaps writing the odd message - although I find I can't with many of your blogs since getting a laptop.  Must be the settings or something, but it's very frustrating. 

Thank you for everything!!!!  I feel a bit sad about this but it must be done.  Who knows, I might be back one day.  Big hugs to you all.  xxx

I Love You!

Hello all my lovelies!  Do you know just how much pleasure it is to sit down at my computer (yes darling hubby it's mine, just ask the girls) and see a flood of emails coming through for little old me?  Do you know just how much I adore seeing all your very kind, supportive comments you write to me?  Well I can tell you it's huge.  It's right up to the sky and back and then some.  I enjoy writing comments on blogs too especially when you see how much of an achievement someone has made.  You just have to stop for a min and say "good on you".  So thank you all so very much!

My sewing class at school is going quite well although some of the students are getting a little too familiar and starting to misbehave a little - tut tut!  But mostly we have fun. 

Do you also know, I had no idea just how tricky they would find making yoyos?  Seriously I thought they would take about ten mins to do.  Try an hour!!  Good grief if only I'd known I would have made it a class on it's own.  They were however, impressed with what you could make with them.  I gave them an extra round of fabric to take home with them and one sweet student ran up to me today and said she'd made it last night.  It's so nice that they want to sew out of class.  It means that it's been successful and we now have a few extra sewers in the world.  And that's what it's all about.

And what have I been sewing?  Well I made these little Tilda birds last night.  I've got a wee idea up my sleeve, so no peeking up there.  It might work out and it might not, we'll see.  Anyway it got me thinking.  It seems many of you have a project you make that you enjoy and it's very you.  Some make bunnies, some make bags, some make aprons and the list goes on...   But I don't seem to have one of these signature projects.  I think I'd like one, but then I'm not too good at sticking to one thing because I get bored with doing things more than once.  But I would like one all the same.

The littlest one was itching to go outside and play today after the rain stopped.  She put on her jacket and shoes and off she went.  Several minutes later I caught a glimpse of her out the window.  Just look at how much fun she is having...

I just cracked up laughing at her.  She sure knows how to have fun that girl.  I could hear her prattling away to herself as a fourth child does without company.  Unfortunately she's since given up holding on to her trousers now.  I do hope those shoes were taken off before the first adventure.  Her boots are still soaking from the walk to school this morning.

I have a wee confession to make to you.  I am addicted to the purchasing of lemons.  Yes it's true.  Every week, for weeks now, I have come home from the fruit and veg shop with at least one, sometimes two bags of the little yellow balls.  I make lemon cordial with most of them and sometimes I make lemon curd like today.  Their little lids are popping as I type.  I must say though, I have mastered the art of making lemon curd to perfection!  Yes I rule in that area, the crown is mine. 

And now my darlings I really must go and see what the little one is up to now.  It's a bit quiet for my liking!  See you next time!

I'm Still Here

Hello, hello!  It's so nice to see you all again.  Sorry I've been AWOL this past week.  I've been trying to decide what to do.  I was getting sick of spending too long looking at blogs, blogging, and on the computer.  Sure it's nice but there are too many other things in life that need to come first.  I get really quite angry with our computer at times.  I know it's not his fault but he's such a huge magnetic sometimes.  I'm sure most of you know where I'm coming from. 

Having four children sure takes up plenty of time as well of course.  With four to get out the door by 8.20 it's quite a challenge believe me.  During the day it's just No.4 and me.  I like it a lot.  I want to spend more time enjoying her before she joins her sisters at school.  You loose a bit of them when they start school.  No.3 is doing incredibly well but she comes home so tired and has no words left for us.  Yes better than noisy I'm sure!  So I'm grabbing all the precious moments with them that I can.

So instead of shutting down my blog and moving on, which would have been a little bit rash of me, I've decided to spend less time on here instead.  Perhaps I'll just blog once a week, or whenever my time and thoughts allow.  I don't want to just end it because I've made soooo many lovely friends here.  And it's my place to get creative and see others making creative things.  I think I need this place to be me.  Making things is so very me and blogland is where I get so much inspiration from.

I would never have made my two quilts without lovely bloggers like yourself.  And as for crochet?  Gosh no!  Just look at me now, nearly a professional Granny with one blanket almost finished.  Just the edging to go can you believe it?  I would never in my wildest dreams though I would ever be able to make such a thing. 

I'm very pleased with what I've accomplished this past year. I've learned so many new things too.  And I also hope that I've inspired some of you to make something for your home and family too.  You just can't beat the homeliness that comes from handcrafted goodies. 

I have found that since blogging our home has suffered dreadfully.  While renovating this has been OK, but now that I have two lovely new rooms to take care of, (because small children aren't the best at this job!) I actually want to spend more time getting it in order.  So this week I've done a little sorting and tidying up.  And boy some parts of the house are looking top notch now.

 

Also the weather has put a damper on spending time on the computer.  It's jolly cold in this room I can tell you.  I am sitting here with a cuppa, hot water bottle and blanket on, but my hands are freezing cold. 

So I'm afraid you've got me for a while longer!  I might not comment as often as I used to (although that was never the best) and I won't blog as often, but I'm still here.  Does that sound OK?  Hope I haven't sounded too whingy.  Please forgive me if I have.  Until next time xx

P.S. There have been a few sad emails in my inbox from unhappy apron swappers this week.  Please contact your swap partner if you haven't sent an apron yet.  You agreed to this swap and now you need to make sure that you follow through with it.  It's not fair to accept a lovingly made apron and not return the favour.  Come on ladies!  And please show photos of it when it arrives.  The sender wants to know that you like it.

Thanks Liz!

Goodness me, have I had some fun with my blog today!  I never knew I was quite this clever.  Just kidding, I know I'm just a beginner with all this computer stuff really.  But I have learned how to make a real proper grown up header now. 

What do you think?!!

We have Liz to thank for that.  She gave me a big push this morning when she mentioned that I could do a lot better in that department.  Well, yes, perhaps I could. 

And perhaps I have.

I've left the cute little birds off the background too. 

They are sweet, no doubt about it, but they are rather distracting all the same. 

Now I have this rather fancy looking wallpaper which I rather like.

OK now I've got that out of my system I can go and eat my lunch. 

And you sweet people can relax knowing that I've stop bugging you. 

Go in peace.

And I'll find out who thought my last blog change was dreadful!!!!!!!  You can't hide from me!  He he!