On Fire!

I'm making some secret santa gifts for two little baby girls. I decided to make soft cubes with a bell in the middle. I got nearly to the end of the first cube and my sewing machine started to make weird noises. I took my sewing out of the machine and took my foot off the pedal....

The machine started sewing by itself!! Yikes! Then I smelled a smoky smell and smoke started to come out of my machine. It's fried. I'm really sad.

Birthday party shenanigans

This year I decided to give beads as part of the take home party bag. I bought wooden beads on e-bay, then I had a hunt for really cheap bead containers. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to find the right thing for the right price! Eventually I found these little containers - $3 for 12. I think the beads look pretty cute in the little jars!


I decided to make origami boxes to put the beads in -


I wasn't sure if the boys would like the beads, so I put together a crafty alternative -


Here are all the assembled boxes -


Here is the next stage of the pinata. At this stage I was panicking a little - it kind of looks like it could all go badly wrong and end up a hen's night pinata!!


But it all turned out in the end, and my little girl got her fairy pinata.

The Birthday Party

This year I've decided to have a joint birthday party for ChingyPingy and MrMcGillicuddy. Here is the first installment of pictures

Coloured rice to put in Maraccas for take home gifts for the 1 year old age group.

Apparently this is going to become a fairy pinata. We will see....

Craft night

I am lucky enough to go to Hey Bubbles' craft nights. Last week was the last craft night for the year. It was incredible! We all made these really cool little Christmas trees - here is a pic of mine.




My kids love them so much - as soon as I got them home, they took one each and hid them under the bed and under the sofa! Mr McGillicuddy likes to suck on them - I think he thinks they're breasts!! Teehee.

We also got a gorgeous little book with all the recipes for all the meals we'd had over the year. Yummmmmm. I can't wait to make some of them. Thanks Hey Bubbles!!

Birthday season

Yesterday was ChingyPingy's fourth birthday. We'll have a party for her in a week or two, but to celebrate the day itself, I made her a cat cake.



I was hoping to do something a bit more ambitious, but this is what she asked for!

It is Mr McGillicuddy's birthday in 2 weeks and ChingyPingy has informed me that he wants an astronaut cake!! We'll have to wait and see if I'm up to the challenge....

Seven Types of Ambiguity

Just finished reading Seven Types of Ambiguity by Eliot Perlman. This book may seem a bit daunting at first - it's a big book! Not encouraging when you're short of time. But it is well worth the investment of time. It's a clever, engaging book with wonderful characterisation.

It is about a group of people and their relationships with each other throughout an unusual series of events. The book takes you through the story by switching the narrator each chapter. The reader finds themselves sympathising with each character in turn - even in situations where one would think it impossible to see both sides!

I really enjoyed it.

Super A!

I finally made that super hero cape I've been threatening to make.

It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. Firstly because I was in a rush I managed to snag the material in the sewing machine. Secondly I didn't bother to learn how to applique properly, so the A is just stitched on with a zig zag and looks a little bodgy.

I'll try again - hopefully next time will be better! Even if it isn't I'm sure ChingyPingy and Mr McGillicuddy will love their super hero capes just because mama made them!

On the plus side - this took less than half an hour to stitch up.

Sewing machine woes

I have an old sewing machine my mum gave me. I haven't sewed properly for years, but I know how to *theoretically*.

Anyway, today I decided to make a superhero cape for a 3rd birthday I went to this morning. I'd cut the cape out and I figured it would only take about an hour to sew it. So I wandered down to my sewing table. My mother-in-law recently gave it to me. It's kind of exciting - the sewing machine lives in the middle of the table and there is a pneumatic lift that pushes it up to the top when you want to sew, then back down for storage.

My son Mr McGillicuddy was asleep, so I was in a bit of a hurry to finish before he woke up. I worked out how to use the pneumatic lift and started to thread the sewing machine. The needle went and snapped on me!!! Not good. I don't seem to have a spare needle either, or if I do I can't remember where I put it.

So I had to resort to one of my back up presents, a view finder. Oh well, the capes will have to wait for another day.

Tut tut and tutu

Well, so much for one post a day in August! First I forgot, then blogger was running really slowly and then - well, then I was just very very slack. Anyway - I'm back now!

I'm half way through making a tutu for Chingypingy.

Once I'm finished, I'm going to make a few more to give as birthday presents. I'm also going to sew some capes to help me get reacquainted with my sewing machine.

The longest craft project

The longest time it has ever taken me to complete a craft project is 21 years. Yes, 21 YEARS.

When I was 9 years old, I started a latch hook kermit the frog. I finished it a few years ago - just in time to present it to Chingy Pingy. As a 9 year old, I never would have guessed that I was latch hooking for my future daughter!

New craft book

I've just received a new craft book -

I've had a flick through and it looks great! I've been hoping to find some craft projects that utilise things around my house - partly to be environmentally friendly and partly so that I can start some rainy day projects with Chingy Pingy (my daughter) without having to buy lots of stuff.

I'm particularly keen to try making little pendants - I've bought Mod Podge especially for the occasion. I think these might make cute little take home gifts for Chingy Pingy's birthday party later this year.

Book Club

Did you know I'm a member of two book clubs? Well it's true, I am.

I've just started a blog for one of them - it is a work in progress, so far all I've managed to do is post the next few books.

Pattern lost - and found again!

A tale of procrastination.

When my daughter was born, I decided to knit her a sweater. I found a pattern I liked in a Family Circle magazine. I started to knit. I knitted and I knitted. Then I knitted some more. Then I put down the knitting.

For many months, I carried the knitting and the pattern around with me everywhere I went. Although I never knitted a stitch, my daughter's sweater and I were inseparable. By now, my daughter was 2 - and the sweater was a size 1. Oh dear.

Eventually, the inevitable occurred. I lost the pattern. By then I was pregnant with my second child and hormonal as all hell. I wept. And I wept. And then I wept some more.

My husband posted a classified ad asking for the pattern. Eventually a kind lady sent through the pattern. By now my daughter was 3 - and the sweater was a size 1. Oh dear.

I decided to knit a new sweater - using the infamous pattern - for my newborn son. This time, I actually knitted it (rather than carrying the knitting around with me). I finished it too! Don't you love a happy ending?


P.S. I happened to be at a book sale not so long ago - and found the magazine with the pattern. Exciting.

P.S.2 What is it with this pattern? My mother in law came around the other day with the latest Family Circle for me - they had reprinted the pattern!

Musings

Why does my daughter like to watch TV sitting on a soccer ball?
Why does my son squawk like a macaw that has sighted a worm?
Will I ever sit down and use my sewing machine?

Shady monkey

If you see me in an alley way - back away slowly. I am the monkey from - so you better beware!

Beanie or Beanies?

Recently, I knitted a beanie for my very young son.


Now I am most of the way through knitting a beanie for my young, but not quite as young daughter


It's a little tricky working with double pointed needles but these are still really quick little beanies to knit up. I'm using Debbie Bliss wool - so the beanies feel really lovely and soft. Mmmmmm.

Just finished reading....

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I really loved this book - it is about a boy whose father was killed in the attacks of September 11. The book is clever, funny and sad. I laughed, I cried and I thought a lot about things that happen in the world.

Family of sock monkeys

Meet the monkey family. I made papa monkey and baby monkey. My good friend made mama monkey. Her daughter (and my niece) made teenager monkey. They're cute aren't they?

This is what they looked like a couple of hours before they were completed -

My first design

Here is the very first amigurumi animal that I have designed. Lovely little piggy.

Making

I am in the middle of making

• Striped beanie for my daughter
• Crocheted Totoro doll for my husband (you can find the pattern here)
• Crocheted bookmark for me (you can find the pattern here)

I am about to start making something for a 1 year old girl - but I can't quite decide what to make. It's a problem because I need to complete it by Saturday....time is running out!

I always need to have a few projects on the go - it helps distract me from finishing anything!

Sad...
because I couldn't go to craft night
because I know I'm not going to get to sleep all night


Happy...
because I mopped the floor
because the boy has finally fallen asleep
because I'm having chicken burritos for dinner

Exciting new purchase!!

I'm so excited - I just got an e-mail from Little Diva with a picture of the dress I am buying. It is gorgeous!!! I can't wait to see it on my little girl.

Giveaway at Little Diva!

Head on over to Little Diva for a gorgeous giveaway!!

One post a day in August

Oh dear - I've already missed a day! Hey Bubbles is doing a post a day in August and I said I'd join her. Hmmmm.

I'll have some crafting updates soon - I've been working on a few things. I'm knitting a beanie for my daughter and also trying my hand at some fine crochet work.

I've also bought some laminated cotton - Michael Miller designed and covered a table with it...I will put up some pictures soon.

How much can one lady sneeze?

I am trying for the world record for number of sneezes in a day. I've had a festy cold since Thursday and it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Sigh.

Achoo!

What?? I'm not the only person who loves chocolate??

Today I discovered that I am not the only person in the world that loves chocolate and coffee....

I took my kids and my mum to the Boutique markets today at Portside. We visited some gorgeous stalls and I put in an order for a gorgeous little dress from Little Diva. I bought a beautiful picture from Little Jane St which is adorably packaged and my mum bought some beads.

We then wandered along to a Coffee and Chocolate affair. All of Portside was packed today, but the coffee and chocolate stalls were almost impenetrable! But I managed to grab some cupcakes and some fudge so all was not lost. Next year I'm going to make sure I turn up nice and early so I can sample the Lindt chocolate fountain!

Mega Handmade Kids Giveaway

There is a fantastic giveaway on the Handmade Kids blog - click here to see how to enter. Some gorgeous gorgeous stuff is up for grabs - but be quick! Entries close midnight 29th June 2009.

Cat scratches and Cloud Atlas

My son likes to claw my face while he's feeding. The result is my face looking like I've been in a fight with a cat. Not a good look.

I finally finished Cloud Atlas yesterday. It was one of those books that took me 3 weeks to read the first half - then 1 day to finish the rest. I don't remember the last time I read a book so amazing! The style was brilliant. The messages behind the narrative were moving and so relevant to the world today. The book really made me think and probably will for a long time to come.

Books and frogs

I'm reading Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. I am enjoying it, but tiredness is making it slow going. In the meantime I went book shopping on the weekend and stocked up! My pile of books to read is now almost certainly taller than I am.

I'm also trying to motivate myself to start crocheting some more Amigurumi toys. Everyone around me is having babies, so I need to get cracking. I also need to produce some creations for my own little babies...

Here is a picture of one of my efforts - inspired by Amigurumi girl's gorgeous frog

Saturday night

The cat is on my belly
I'm sitting on my couch, next to my cat. My cat is a lap cat. She loves to knead. She has just finished pulverizing my belly


I'm knitting a hat
It's stripy. It's going to be cute.


I'm going to bed
I've been threatening to go to bed for an hour now. But I just keep forgetting to get off the couch.