What's Been Happening?

Well quite a lot really I guess, although some days I wonder where the day went.  We have had quite a few outings of late which we have really enjoyed.  When you home school you are able to go and experience real life quite a bit more than when you go to school, and it's great.  I love it!  We love it!

You probably know that we, New Zealand, are currently hosting the Rugby World Cup.  Well sport in general has no interest to me what-so-ever.  But I must confess to having watched a couple of the games, and yes I have enjoyed them and even got a bit excited.  Yes really!  They are quite gripping sometimes, and rather frustrating at other times. 

Well we simply couldn't pass up an opportunity to visit a Pacific show in the 'Cloud', as they call it.  Auckland city is not a place you just visit for fun.  The city, until recently, has been a place where some people go to work, university or something similar. 

As a host city we have to step up and look the part, and my goodness have there been some fantastic changes for our boring city.  I love the new look and hope to spend many a lovely day here taking it all in.

Quite picturesque wouldn't you say?

Love the stripes that lead the way from the water front to the stadium.  We didn't fancy the 4km walk there.

On to other things.  Polish paper cutting anyone?  Such fun!  (Anyone else adore the TV programme Miranda?)  Can you imagine cutting these out with sheep shearing scissors?  They truly did!  Luckily we were given your standard paper scissors, moving with the times and all.

No.3 has taken up knitting.  She looks like a real granny I can tell you, and has a very unique style too.  It's quite difficult to fix up her mistakes as knitting isn't my thing at all.  Still with a little help from a real Nana she managed to finish a blanket for her favourite tiger.

And lookie lookie!  Spring has arrived down here.  So exciting and the weather has been super indeed.  Well not this week at all actually, but we won't talk about such things.  No we won't.  We'll pretend it still looks like this pretty photo.

Check out those white pins!  Check out the grass while you are at it.

Yes finally we have grass at our house.  At last the girls say.  Their dream is to be doing cartwheels by Christmas.  The poor man is still suffering from laying it all in one day and that included a layer of topsoil as well.  A full day's work that's for sure, but splendid it is. 

This week we have two little sickies and perhaps another on the way.  Some horrid vomiting bug that has left the little girls lifeless and very quiet.  The older two were astounded that one small child could sleep all day, then all night, then all the next morning.  After a car ride, some sushi,  the chocolate sauce off a sundae and some lollies, she perked up a treat.  Let's hope it's all up for them now.

Right I'm off to check on the suspected sickie.  She's our nurse so it's not good!  Oh dear and it's our skiing day tomorrow too.  Indoor skiing that is.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

Well the garden sure has been super busy and so confused.  Strawberries in NZ in June???  OK it's a small one, but still.  Spring bulbs flowering?? 

Autumn leaves still changing?  Very late, but then the temps have been so warm and so NOT mid June.  It was 20 degrees on Saturday!!!  T-shirt weather I tell you! The high temps in Auckland are anything from 15 degrees to 20 at the moment.  They should be below 10!

Never mind we are not complaining at all.  No we are not.  And we sure are having our share of wet weather today. 

Now do you remember ages ago that I said I was too busy to blog because of a project I had been working on?  Well I can now tell you what that big thing was...

HOMESCHOOLING!!!!!

Oh yes, I may well have completely lost the plot this time around, but you know what?  I LOVE it!!  No.1 loves it too.  Yep it's just her and I at the moment (with No.4 pottering around) but we have two other younger sisters keen to join in sometime soonish.  So our days are busy now with work, outings, crafting, drawing, lots of learning in a fun way.

My mother celebrated her birthday the weekend before we started on our new venture. I decorated her cake.  Her sister baked the cake.  Just how I like it to be, no cooking.

This was her present from us...

I started this quilt about two years ago!!!  Finally finished and being loved.  I do love how it turned out.

A fancy little addition to the back and another doily label.

And last but not least.  I tested the linen with the cotton fabrics in the wash by making a cushion and guess what?  It was a success!  So now I can safely finish the quilt, sometime!  In the meantime No.4 can enjoy her new cushion on her bed.

And now my dears, we are off to the swimming pool.  And no I won't be going in.  Perhaps next time when I've sorted out the forests growing on my legs!!  How embarrassing!  The little ones have started lessons too and they are doing fabulously.  So sweet.  But for now it's No.1's turn to have fun.  See you next time xxx

Yet Another birthday!

Well I suppose it's to be expected when you go and have four children!  I have to say that I don't enjoy the huge amount of kitchen activity when you organise a party.  Give me ready made cupcakes any day!  But I do love to decorate these little cakes.  Ohhh yes I do!  I stole this idea from a magazine I found while browsing in a bookshop one day.  And no I didn't buy it!  So naughty I know.

Anyway it was No.3's turn to have a celebration on Friday.  She has now turned the ripe age of six.  Katie came to me a couple of weeks ago and announced that she had finally decided on her cake idea.  A garage!  Yep one of those ones with levels of car parks and petrol pumps!!  My dear little girl who wears pink, loves tutus, plaits in her hair, and is very girly girly.  Well what could I say but... Yes of course I'll make you one lovey. 

Well I made her the garage... but I girlyfied it!   Is that a word?  Well anyway I made it all pink and purple and it was the prettiest garage you ever did see.  Check it out...

Apparently she drives the pink car.  See I told you!  She's really is all girl.

The ramps were not for the fainthearted I must say!  Not what you want to learn to do hill starts on.  Thank goodness for automatics I say!  And for Daddies who understand the stress of making icing ramps and alleviating a crisis by coming to the rescue with ice block stick supports that mean our little girl can safely drive her little pink icing car up her icing ramps without fear of the icing folding around her and swallowing her up.  Phew!!

And here she is blowing out all six candles.  Happy Birthday dear little Katie!

Parties are fun aren't they?  And guess what?? I get to do it all again in less than two weeks!!!  Good grief, our baby planning wasn't the best at times.  Never mind, after the next one that's all of the girls done for the year. 

Sorry if I haven't been to visit you lately or even emailed you.  I've been rather bloggy slack of late I'm afraid.   You see I have a huge project underway and it's taking up all of my time and thinking space.  It's not of the craft variety but it's too early to share it with you.  Please forgive me for leaving you in suspense like this.  I try and catch up with your blog posts but I'm not getting through all of them.  But rest assure I'm still here, still tidying up, still doing the washing and all that boring stuff.  Till next time, love to you all xxxx

Colourful 'Gifts of Love'

I've got something sooo exciting to show you!  Just take a looksie at these fabulous crayon rolls... 

Are they not fabulous?!!  My girls desperately want one each.  But not these ones.  No, these ones are destined for Christchurch for the 'Gifts of Love' appeal and were very generously crafted by a wonderful NZ lady named Margaret - thank you very much!  The little children are going to love these for their art work.

These very cute taggie blankets arrived via Cat.  I love how colourful and cute they are - check out the little ducklings!  Thank you so much Kaite from Australia!  Some special little people will be so lucky to have one of these in bed with them.

I have lots of other wonderful goodies to show you soon.  I picked up a couple of boxes from Cat on Wednesday that are full of gifts.  But I'm running short of time right now.  Instead I will leave you with a funny picture No.4 has done.  Don't you adore little kids art?  This is Daddy and the cat from over the fence.  (Daddy is on the left!!!)

Right, must off and cook dinner!  Have a great day today. 

A Grand Old Day

Afternoon my dears!  Morning to my other dears!  Yes I'm chirpy today, am I not?  About time really.  I've been someone else lately I'm afraid.  But as from yesterday I'm back.  Yep and I'm back into my sewing which is very nice.  Not really sure why I've been a bit odd lately, perhaps it's because it's my last year with my darling little sausage at home and I'm missing her already.  Silly aren't I?  Never mind, I'm just going to get on with it again and start having fun once again.  Lots of sewing and doing fun things.  The man says I'm always much better when I am busy with my makings.

So let me introduce you to...  OK I haven't actually named him/her!  Not that it matters as it's my first toy to donate to my 'Gift of Love' Appeal.  An enormous thank you to you lovely ladies who have offered to make some things for the Christchurch people.  They will be much appreciated I'm quite sure.

The bunny came from the Softies book.  I've always like this rabbit for it's simply design and the fact that a little poppet can hold him/her so easily.  I'm betting those denim ears will taste pretty good too!   Do you like his tail?  It's a piece of Moda tape with cute dots on it.  I was also thinking that I could embroider some tape with a word like hope or love.  But I've run out of tape after making lots of name labels for No.1's school uniform.

Yesterday was a very grand day as I also made pumpkin soup for a special guest coming for a sleep-over on Thursday!   I know, a real sleep-over!!  All will be revealed later in the week.  And you know what??  That pretty pumpkin came out of our compost bin!!  Do you think I should hide this fact from our guest?  Yes probably!  It's it just the juiciest, orangey, pumpkin you ever did see? 

Last evening, after a great day, No.4 took her Daddy to kindy for a special Daddy's night.  They ate fish'n'chips and sang songs.  Sooo cute!  Anyway we weren't going to miss out on some fun, so the rest of us bought our fish'n'chips and ate them at a local park. 

Aren't we so very lucky to have this gorgeous park only ten minutes from where we live?  It's quite new so the plants are a bit small.  But the landscaping sure makes up for it.

The girls walked up this man-made hill.  I didn't want to risk breaking my shoes so I waited at the bottom.  Boring I know.  The big girls roller bladed around and No.3 enjoyed scooting on her squeaky scooter.  Must get the CRC out for that wee problem.

The evening was just perfect.  Warm, not windy and very peaceful.  Just look at that heavenly blue sky. 

Well I better get my boots on and get a bit of house tidying done before it's full of children once more.  Not that they will care of course!  Does your house always look messy?  Ours sure does, every jolly day!  Alright, have a super duper day yourselves!  See you next time!

Heart Swap From Me

Thank you all for your lovely comments on yesterday's blog.  I hope Cat reads them too. 

Well anyway, Cat likes blue, red and pink so I went with that as the theme.  I made a rag wreath in the shape of a heart.

All of her gifts were popped into this cute bag from Trade Aid.  There is a red heart printed on the other side.  Silly aren't I not photographing the other side?!!  It's always the way.

Here we have a tea bag holder for her purse, made from part of a tea towel, a lavender sachet made from an old table mat, and a fabric coaster for a cuppa made from new fabric believe it or not!

Some little bits and bobs... (Oh the pink thing at the bottom is a origami heart made by No.2!)

And one of my tea towel aprons for her little curly haired princess.  There is a recipe for sugar cookies on the front in case you were getting eye strain trying to see.  I've never made them before.  I wonder if anybody has?

And that's it for another lovely swap.  I have no more on the go and probably should have a bit of a rest for a while.  I'm thinking that I really must get back into my quilting.  Do you go in fits and bursts as well?  I'm fine until I run out of something and have to stop.  Then I find it hard to get going again.  But once I'm off there'll be no stopping me!!

But first I would like to make some little dolls for the Christchurch children.  Actually I met a couple of them this morning.  They have just joined No.3's class, lucky them, they have a super new teacher.  It's strange how they are all so scattered around our country now. 

No.1's school is helping out the children with heart problems who have had to move up here.  We are fundraising for them and donating goods as they are all in a hall together.  It's going to be very different for them for a good while.  But if we all do a small bit to help out they should all be fine.

Love to you all xxx

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Sarah has received her winning wall hanging I made.  Go on over to her blog if you like and see the beautiful post she wrote about it.  It sure makes it all worth while!  I think I may have to make a few more.  Perhaps a different design maybe?

I've been thinking about opening a store online.  The thing is, I'm not good at making many of one thing.  I get bored.  Still there is a market for one-offs too I guess.   I'm not sure if I have enough in my imagination for many things.  It's so hard to make ideas up.  I'll have to give it some thought and perhaps use a notebook for my ideas. 

Now I want to share with you something that's bothering me.  Daughter No.1 just started at Intermediate school this past week which means she now catches the bus to and from school.  She is 11 and in Year 7.  I heard that a friend of hers just got a mobile phone for emergencies.  She takes it to school with her.  Phones are handed in to the teacher every morning and given back at 3pm.  Apparently over half the class has a phone at school and many aren't collected up either.  What do children of this age need a phone for?  Is it the kids that want them or are the parents being way too protective over them? 

The mother of this friend was struggling with the time the bus was taking to get them to the bus stop in the afternoons (40mins), and was in quite a state most days.  How much can happen to them from supervision at school while their names are checked off as they get on the buses, to getting to a bus stop 5mins away??  I'm really against mobiles for kids as you can probably tell.  They seem to attract too many problems that kids can't deal with. 

What do you think?  Am we mean for not wanting our daughter have one for several more years?  She hasn't actually asked for one but I'm guessing that day will come sooner rather than later.

Happy 4th Birthday No.4!

Oh boy, two parties in two weekends!  Not good.  I'm so very over parties for now.  Luckily there are no more until May for us.  I just didn't have the energy for poor little Soph's party prep.  The day before the big day I was standing in the kitchen contemplating making a jewellery box cake for her.  The temperature was in the high 20's and the humidity was about 100%.  Not good for me or for the icing as it turned out.

The icing was collapsing down the sides of the cake as I worked.  It stuck to the bench top when I rolled it out.  It grew as I picked it up.  The girls were eating what they thought were scraps.  No.2 thought I should be videoed.  Move over Julia Child!  I just had to laugh, it was all so terrible and ridiculous.  I think professionals have airconditioning.  I think I did a bad job of the cake but in the heat I really didn't care.

Our baby girl didn't care one bit.  She didn't notice the flaws in the icing.  She just blew all of her candles out and happily cut into her cake.  She didn't eat her piece of cake, just the decorations!  Cheeky little lady.

I'm not into baking as you may well know.  This is as good as it gets I'm afraid.  Bought marshmallows in cute cupcake wrappers!  Well it's all about presentation for me.  I'll leave the fancy cooking for others.

So tomorrow my first real 'back to normal' week begins.  The girls all started back at school during the week and hubby goes back to work tomorrow after six weeks at home.  It sure is going to be quiet around here for a while.  I'm looking forward to getting into the veggie garden.  I'm hoping for a tidier house.  I'm thinking No.4 and I are going to have a lovely day together tomorrow.  And I sure hope you all do too!

A Party and a Special Friend

Well Miss 10 sure did have a lovely birthday.  Thank you all so much for all the kind messages you left.  We even took a photo of her when she was exactly ten years old.  It's easy when you are born at a reasonable hour, 12.59pm to be exact.  She was a fairly quick arrival.  Well not completely, she was eleven days overdue!  But from arrival at the hospital, to induction, to birth, she was here in two hours.  

 

Check out the party girls cupcakes!  What a lot of fun they had with these.  There were some very busy ones and lots of cake swapping as well which was lovely to see. 

The scrapbooking boxes went well.  Look at my baby (pink hair clip one) sitting up with the rest of them making her box so neatly.  She's going to be four next Sunday.  Yes seriously!  How wonderful for me!  Two parties in a week, woo hoo!!!! 

I'm looking at her in the photo and she looks so much older suddenly.  I do hope she doesn't grow up too quickly.  We have just over a year left together before she goes to school with the others.  I'm not looking forward to that day at all. 

Now onto another subject completely.  I have recently met a very dear friend Lara who has a very sweet blog Sew Many Stitches Later and she's made heaps of fabulous quilts, among other things.  She lives in Wellington but is moving up to Auckland very soon - lucky me!  Anyway she's the sort of friend that everyone loves to have.  Recently she went through all her WIP's and decided to give a few away to reduce the feeling of guilt.  How funny, not sure I'd be able to do that myself.  Well she picked me to take over this baby boy quilt.  I've never make anything boyish before, having four girls myself.  What a refreshing change.  It will go to Retromummy's Quilts for Queensland when completed.

Wonderful fabrics, Moda from the Odyssea range.  Well I was expecting everything from the top picture, but not the extra charm pack as well!  I've unpicked her white border and added the extra charms.  She neglected to tell me the quilt was prewashed due to vegemite stains!  Now I know why none of the seams matched up when I added the new squares.  A quick wash later and they match up better, but not perfect.  Not to worry, once it's quilted no one will notice.

Now the stripy backing fabric has become the binding because I adore stripy bindings.  Loving this fabric range so much.  I just need some backing fabric now and it will be ready for quilting.  Thank you so very much Lara!

Now when Lara heard of my disaster of running out of white cotton fabric for my girl baby quilt, she immediately contacted me and suddenly a metre of the stuff was flying my way as well! See what I told you about the type of friend she is?  I can't wait to meet her and her two boys.  Isn't it neat how you can be good friends with someone without meeting them?  You've got to love the computer for that kind of thing.  The saying comes to mind "I love my computer because my friends live in there".  And I sure do have a lot of them in there.

Now I'm back in the sewing seat again.  Well only for a little while, I have another cake to make, a party to plan and things to shop for.  Oh heck, she's going to need some presents too!!  When I asked her what food she wanted at her party she said "party food I guess".  Guess I can arrange that!