The perfectionist in me

I like "finishing" details. Those little touches that adds something classy and complete looking. Sad thing is the most I ever do is top stitching! I am a big fan of top stitching.

Something about those neat little rows of stitches holding down seam lines and emphasizing your fabrics really works for me. In my mind, it also looks much cleaner and neater. My problem is that I never have the finished product looking as professional and well constructed as I imagine.

I can spend hours upon hours of cutting careful, lining things up precisely, stitching slowly, serging, changing threads, using alternate presser feet. It never works. Always some major stuff up that stands out like a sore thumb.

By the same token, if I want to make something look grungy and rough it looks too prissy and perfect. Go figure!

As winter sets in

I can't avoid mentioning my blogging absence. It's sort of my "thing" so it hardly seems worth mentioning it's just that so much happens in that time.

To be honest, I don't even know WHY it happens. Overwhelmed, under-whelmed.. who knows. Sometimes I think it all just gets too much reading about the perfect lives of perfect people in the blogesphere. Techinicaly we all know each other isn't perfect but who am I kidding?! Some of these mums with their baking and sewing and happy kids and magazine perfect photos.. they make me sick. It's nice for a while to read their blissful words and their pics really aren't to be complained about as they're so wonderfully composed. But when you're struggling to make ends meet, keep the child alive and drudge through each and every dreary day just to start the next one it's not always so blissful. More like a huge kick in the face.

Jessica's health has been reasonably good this year. Her eczema is looking far better than ever (in her whole life - ever!). She still has to travel to Perth frequently to see doctors and monitor her medications and progress. Anaphylaxis hasn't been an issue but minor allergic reactions and hayfever etc have all been pretty uncomfortble. As I write this in my sleep deprived state I am reminded how disruptive her asthma has been the last few days. Neither of us have had much sleep while she coughs her lil lungs up all night long. She's feeling pretty run down and having more time off school. To top it off, at her last check up in Perth her doctors are concerned she hasn't gained any weight in over 6mths. Will be interesting to see what this means for us on our visit in July.

I started a new job! Way back in January.. I love it :) Suits me really well. I am kept active enough both physically and mentally, working with people and given a huge chunk of responsibility. I am working in an Australia Post Licensed Post Office and from the moment I was hired (head hunted!!) I was told it would be semi managerial. I say semi as in a small, privately owned business there is no need for a "manager" per say, except when the owner is away. This is what she intended. For me to run the show so she CAN go away. I wasn't looking for work. I was still trying to overcome the inadequacies and apprehensions my last job created for me on a personal level. When I was asked to take this position I baulked, but told her I'd give it a go. Never expected to LOVE IT and not complaining that I do :) It's been good in many ways. It got me out of my reverie, has me socialising even if it is only at a seeing people at work level and reinstating some long lost confidence. I've learned so much. The business has been on the market for a number of years and now my mum has put in an offer and really hopes to be the successful purchaser. Finance permitting. This will be a whole other can of worms that I will leave closed until it bursts open.

I have been creating. Nothing fancy. A toy here, a piece of clothing there. Some hand sewing, embroidery, wood working.. Baby steps. I always have these big plans and get so annoyed at myself when they don't come to fruition.

Here's some recent items

I hand pleated some fabric to attempt smocking.. but I don't know how to smock haha

Baby dress for my 7mth old cousin - pattern from Ottobre

A top/tunic for Jessica - pattern McCall's

Library bags I made Jessi and our 2 cousins for school this year

 

Jessi's 8th birthday cake. Could have been better if the 45C heat wasn't melting it!!

Dummy (pacifier) chain, heandband and baby shoes for my 3mth old cousin

Still working on finding peace with myself, my actions, my words and my feelings. Fingers crossed I get there one day soon as I feel like life is flying by and I am only a spectator, but also feel like I am completely unable to change it. 

Obligatory snaps

 Jessica was in no mood for photos. This was taken 28 Oct 2010 before school. I made only her skirt and the 'scarf' in her hair. The t-shirt is something she already owned and the leggings... she really could have gone without the leggings! But, as she likes to climb I must be thankful she considers her modesty. The headscarf is waaaaay too big. I know this. Thank you for noticing it too.

Georgina and Jessica... wow these two are hard work. Georgina didn't want to get out of the car. Neither of them looked happy about being dressed up, yet both of them had been so excited in the lead up. Jessi LOVES that costume. The pettiskirt is horrendous and is fraying nylon crap all over the place, but that didn't stop her wearing it 3 days in a row. Maybe if I get a tealight I can singe the edges a little to stop (or even slow) the fraying.

 My friend Cissy and I at the Workers Club Halloween party, 30 Oct 2010 (it's a bit hard to have a party on a Sunday night lol). Cecilia is wearing a 1920's dress she ordered for the last Murder Mystery night which arrived 2 days after the event, a $30 feather boa, $55 shoes, had her nails not only manicured but acrylics applied, fake bullet wound tattoos, fake blood, and she left at home her big old fashioned cigarette holder (like this) with fake cigarette all bought for the occasion. I, on the other hand, frantically scrambled to make myself a costume, any costume, with supplies on hand.

I am sooooooooooo proud of myself!!!!

(did you hear that? it's probably the only time you ever will so please take note!)

I am not a "someone" or a "something", I am merely wearing a costume. I aimed for Regency, and I think I may have pulled it off. Sort of. This would have been more a day dress or something. If you don't know what the Regency era was, think of movies like Pride and Prejudice, Emma.. Anything Jane Austen!!

(It reminds me of an oversized nightgown/christening gown)

I had no more than 3 fabrics to choose from. I rarely buy more than 2.5m of any one fabric and I needed roughly 4m for this ensemble. It should have been in a small floral print and is instead in this funny little dotty cotton where the dots are ties of cotton. I really didn't want to use this fabric, I was saving it for something for me. Let's face it, I save too much "for good" and never get any use out of it what so ever.

I DID NOT USE A PATTERN! At all.. It was all from my own head and playing around with the manequin. Although I have a plus size manequin, that darn thing is nothing like me and it took a bit of work to get it from there to me. All piece by piece. I worked out the front bodice and then the back, realising I needed to have a slightly odd side panel too. 

I chose pastel pink for contrast only because I have a gorgeous pink shawl I bought at an op shop and rarely get to use. I already had the wide ribbon, the lace on the sleeves threaded with narrow pink ribbon, the pearls and flower in my hair. The pearl necklace is something I wore to a school ball. Possibly year 9 (so, age 14.. half my life ago lol). My friend bought me some narrow cream ribbon for the lacing loops and some flat lace for the hem as well as the pink lacing used in the corest style back all for under $10. Overall, I don't think this dress cost me more than $25. The fabric itself was no more than $6/m when I bought it. I know this because I am mega stingy!! (or mega broke, you decide). The bodice and sleeves are fully lined with some heavy, but soft, creamy fabric I got in a remnants bag and the weight of it helped to hold the sleeves up, giving them that "poof" they needed. The panel in the back (under the corset style lacing) is only fixed down one side and held with press studs (snaps) on the other. I was curing my hair and nanna was behind me sewing in snaps! It's a little hard to do those things for yourself lol.

The skirt is two fabric widths pleated to fit (yay for dotted fabric, no measuring required haha) and a press stud to hold the last pleat under the centre back bodice in place. It needed to open slightly to get it off and on. All hidden under the wide ribbon sash. I styled my own hair. It's not what I wanted but it sufficed. 

I was sitting there curling the front when nanna took this photo lol

I have no 'in progress' pics, I could go back and take some but I know no one is really that interested. I started with the mannequin and made it as 'me' shaped as it would allow and using super fine interfacing I marked a centre line, lined it up with the centre front of the mannequin and drew all over it with a Sharpie! I hand stitched in some gathers, pinned pleats etc and marked it all in black texta. I removed the interfacing from the mannequin and all the pins and tacking stitches, and traced it onto baking paper. Using an old bed valance I cut out my 'pattern pieces' with the baking paper pattern. Sewed up the hideous green valance pieces and tried it on. Too big. More tucking, pinning, tacking, drawing on.. until I got something that fit. Scribbled all over the green fabric in biro, sharpie and pencil marking different things. Undid all the stitches etc and the green fabric became my final pattern. Re-cut the pieces in my good fabric and lining. Then sewed it all up and put it back on the mannequin to work out sleeves. Had to cross my fingers the sleeves worked, and 'poofed' appropriately. The corest-y back was the very last thing I did, after the skirt was sewn on etc. I had no real idea how to make it work, and was worried I'd have to concede defeat and use a zipper. I also nearly forgot to sew an underskirt! I didn't have enough fabric to line the skirt so I cut some white jersey very randomly and serged some elastic to the top and serged up a seam. No one could see the underskirt so it was terribly rushed and imperfect but by this stage I wasn't fussed. Considering I was still at the serger/sewing machine 3hrs before leaving the house, and the last minute finishing touches nanna was adding, I was grateful just to be done!

I had a good night out. Well, I appreciated the getting out!! Above is myself, Ange (Georgina's mum and my ex-coworker) and the barmaid Danielle leaning over the bar to get in on the action :)

This was the night before all the headaches started. I have one again today and I am wondering if it is related to the hay fever I have right now.

I have Jessica home with a nasty cough too. She missed a day of school last week also. It was the athletics carnival on a 36C degree day! I told her teacher she wouldn't be attending. It was way too hot to make them run around in the sun, she can't wear appropriate footwear due to her latex allergy, and she is under strict orders from her dermatologist not to get sunburnt because of the pills she is on. I felt a little bad about it, like I should be encouraging participation.. but let's face it. Not all kids are athletes anyway.

The weather is still bouncing between about 18C and 36C but we've been forecast 40C this week too. Not looking forward to the summer heat if we're already getting such high temps.

So much to do, so little time

Who am I kidding, I don't work anymore so to most of you why should I complain about time? 

The fact remains, I have a "to do" list bigger than my Santa list and it only grows every time I see a wonderful blog, or a new magazine arrives, or I've been op shopping and have a bunch of vintage to drool over. There is so much I want to make, so much I want to achieve. 

Trying to remind myself of something I read on a blog once (was it Ali Edwards?) where she had used a quote that went something like "no body has any more time in the day than I do". Well, that's a really poor representation of the quote, but that was the meaning of it. Each day, we all have 24hrs. What we squish into those hours is entirely up to us. Some of us feel overwhelmed with work, kids, hubby, kids activities etc so much so we never have a hobby or read a book or even get a hair cut. Others amongst us leisurely stroll through life with no goals of time, achieving only what comes before them and happily accepting this life with a smile. Some of us just want to do it all. Now. I think I am one of the latter.. (as if you hadn't worked that out!). The trouble with wanting to be the over-achiever (wow that sounds modest?) is that it usually ends up in achieving nothing as it all gets so overwhelming and it's easier to go watch a dvd. Then the guilt kicks in, you can see where this is going. No where.  

For a long time I have considered making items to sell. Yes, just considered it. I am multi-talented when it comes to crafting which is a real pleasure, but it also means I never focus on one thing for very long. I haven't picked up a tatting shuttle in a long time (ok, so I bought 2 at a garage sale in Perth last time and they had tatting needles too, my first. Does that count?) and my interest in crochet has waned. The last scrapbook page I shared here is still sitting on my desk incomplete and I've got so many sewing patterns I can't remember which ones I like most. 

I think what scares me the most is that moving from hobby to income will kill the pleasure. I know how badly I procrastinated on the 2 bridesmaids and 1 flower girl dress I made in Nov last year for my besties wedding. I know how when I got to her house on the eve of the wedding I hadn't hemmed the 2 bridesmaids dresses. I also know I have no originality. I can mimic things, I can work from patterns, but I don't see ideas in my own mind. Not like I do with crochet anyways. I can crochet up almost anything on a complete whim. Even with crochet I was constantly being encouraged to write patterns and it all just sounded like too much hard work. Perhaps that's what it is, I am just lazy? I want to sew all day long, and yet I haven't been near my sewing machine in months. I like things to be "perfect" (yes, my own image of it, not yours, not his, just mine) and then I spend 6hrs sewing one dolls outfit that should have taken 30mins. I also know there is so little money to be made from homemade items. People do love them, but they seem to expect them to be cheap. I can't afford any lovely fabrics and practically all those I do buy are reduced to $4/m or less. How does anyone make something with those gorgeous quilt fabrics that cost $24/m, then sell them? They have to be losing $$ in a big way! I also don't know what people like. I know what I like, I know what Jessica likes, but beyond that I haven't a clue. 

There is an entrepreneur in town who is opening a monthly market (just like a jumble sale I guess, once a month) but he is also advertising permanent weekend booths. I could do that. I know I could. But how come I can say it then not do it?

McCalls 8784

Above is a pattern I have cut "just because" and maybe with a small inkling of.. will I participate in the market? Even just the jumble sale one? I cut view (D-size 1), the little girl sitting down. The pink floral is a quilting fabric I absolutely adored and I cut the front of the shirt in 1 piece to avoid the center front seams. The little shorts were cut in a dark pink poplin.

Simplicity 9495

I have also cut Jessica a nightie from Simplicity 9495, view C, size 7 (girl holding the teddy bear) in a lightwight cotton. Nighties you buy are usually satin or jersey and with Jessica's skin, neither is comfortable. She loved the fairy fabric (as did I when I bought it!) and "can't wait for you to make it mummy". Yet here is mummy dragging her feet.

Butterick 4286 - McCalls 5439

My last trip to Perth I got a lot of preloved sewing patterns and quite a few were costume. McCalls 5439 is girls size 3,4,5 and Butterick 4286 is misses 6, 8-10, 12-14, 16-18 and I've been using them as a reference for Jessica's 2010 Halloween costume. The owner of many of these patterns must have been a seamstress, all her patterns were cut around the outlines and not specific sizes so I have full use of the size ranges. Yay!

My new issue of Australian Homespun arrived in the post today, already i want to make a few things from it and order back issues (see, this is why they print letters and photos of items people made from past issues!). I'd love to make the girly quilt but I don't have the fabrics or the patience.

My psychologist wants me to enroll in a course at Uni or Tafe, I want him to back off. Maybe I should enroll in drafting, or seamstress or something? *lol* He'd not appreciate that. Apparently I am "too smart to stay here" and he's always asking me "why don't you move? you're wasting yourself by staying here". I keep thinking "shouldn't I be grateful for what I have?". I'm the first to admit I don't feel like I have a lot but when I view it from outside eyes I really do. I have my gorgeous daughter, a loving and supportive local family, I own my home (something I achieved all by myself), I had a good job that I threw in, I have friends, and if I really set my mind to it I also have the ability to make positive changes/influences to my local community. Ugh, life. I just want to pack up and go to the USA for a few weeks. Oh wait, no income. Just got to keep reminding myself to be grateful.

Thrifting is fun!

I should also add a disclaimer  -  "THRIFTING IS ADDICTIVE"

Be warned.

But back to the Thrifting is Fun part!!

A few weeks ago (ok, so it's probably more like months now) I was in Esperance. I don't get to Esperance very often and it's a lovely coastal town. Gorgeous white sands, clear waters, and freezing bloody cold! They have 2 op shops I frequent whilst in town, one is a Red Cross and the other is a little church group one. I *heart* the smaller, church based opportunity shops! I often find Salvation Army, Good Samaritans and Saint Vincent De Paul extremely over priced (in the sense you could buy that child's t-shirt new for less then they are asking in the second hand store). I understand they are employing people with disabilities as well as aiding their international organisation but heck, if I can buy it cheaper new I'm going to opt for new.

Anyways, in Esperance in the little church op shop I found 3 magnificent books and my heart was all aflutter and I just wanted to brag share with someone. My friend's and family aren't really interested in my crafty endeavours so I will share with my readers. 

Tucked away by the counter and behind racks of clothing is floor to ceiling shelves and I have learnt through many visits this is the area of the shop that I want. They have some kids clothes and a few other things but the pile of knitting, crochet and other magazines is massive, they usually have a great selection of preloved sewing patterns and so many other hidden gems. This trip I found some iron on transfers with brilliant gold embossing on the covers, a heap of sewing patterns, a near new knitting book and a handful of lace and fabric remnants. Best of all, I found these...

English editions of Japanese sewing/drafting books!!!

• Baby Wear
• Cute Infants Outgrow Clothes Quickly. 58 Tots' Clothes Paired With Dolls
• Though Girls Begin To Feel More Fashion-conscious, Nothing On The Market Is Snug And Taut. Produce A Good Fashion With Mom-made Clothes  (yes, that's the title).

In the top left corner of each book it states "English Edition - Stitch House" and an abbreviated title for each

• Baby Wear
• Infants Wear - by direct cutting 
• Girl's Dresses - 8 to 13 year olds

The recommended Australian retail price was $2.85!

They are copyrighted "1984 by KAMAKURA SHOBO PUBLISHING CO.,LTD." and printed in Japan. There is no ISBN etc listed. They are each 68pages in total.

These books do not contain patterns. They do, however, instruct you how to create the patterns. Akin to Enid Gilchrist books. (see below)

I love the illustrations that accompany the patterns! Some of the wording makes me giggle too. One or two images would look great framed, but I wont be pulling apart these darling books for such simple pleasures. I ogle Japanese sewing books online all the time (the modern ones) and they are so expensive! I feel like I've just slid up on the outskirts of the in-crowd with my little treasures. Best of all, for everything I bought that day (and it was a lot, trust me) I paid about $7. Yes, total. The plastic bag I was carrying it all in barely made it the 10m back to my car, it was so heavy and hardcover books were making holes.

I especially love how the last page on the Girls Dresses book encourages the girls to sew themselves. The below picture is definitely something I could frame. I adore the simplicity of the illustrations and yet they are so  expressive.

I've been a big fan of Enid Gilchrist books for many years. Below is a photo of just 2, from very different eras, but both are modeled on the same principals. Enid's work was all about self drafting. She gave you an axis marked as 0, then working from that point she gave you the measurements to draw out the patterns yourself, and a detailed description of assembly (rather than pictorial).

I've been collecting these books for a number of years from eBay, thrift stores etc. Some are rarer than others and sell for quite a lot, some are so common they practically give them away. I even have some magazine pages from mags of the 50's and 60's where thrifty mamma's have torn the pages with her featured articles/patterns to save for use. I have some books, like the bright Baby Book (ISBN 0 908429 17 7, rec retail $2.95) pictured below, from different print runs and the one shown below is probably the most recent of all the Enid Gilchrist items I own. You can see that not only the patterns and printing methods evolved, as did a few of the patterns and the measurements moved from Imperial to Metric. Designed back when disposable nappies (diapers) were unheard of, the patterns are a little difficult in todays society. (I have friends with clothed bottomed children, my own daughter wasn't one of them and they're definitely the exception today)

I trace most of my sewing patterns anyhow, but to draw out an Enid Gilchrist pattern I use baking paper or thin sew in interfacing (Vilene) which is far more durable. Probably cheaper too when you consider its width. I place the interfacing on my quilters cutting mat and sometimes use double sided tape to keep it in place. My quilters mat is marked in inches, and most of the E.G. books I have are imperial. I just then use a ruler and pencil to measure and draw out the shapes. Seam allowances aren't included so I use a Sullivans branded seam tracer which is brilliant. I just run it along the edges which need allowances and the handy little spacer means I just trace over the lines I drew to mark out the pattern while the second pencil draws an evenly spaced line for the seams!

An Enid Gilchrist pattern from the more modern Baby Book. The older books were on paper similar to that used in modern newsprint and contained only diagrams and sketches of designs, no photographs and no interior colour.

A couple of poor photographs of a design I have drafted from an E.G. book recently (let's face it, no one visits my blog for my exquisite photography skills!)

Self drafting takes some time, but I enjoy the process. I did really well at Technical Drawing in high school (it was a compulsory component of my elective classes of Woodwork and Metalwork). I have many books teaching me how to draft my own true designs and not just mimic those such as Enid's, but I haven't yet the confidence to tackle those.

In stitches

A shadow work embroidery

 A little embroidery I was working on at my sisters house. Three weeks in someone else's home about drove me nuts! I think the pattern was part of a pattern from and embroidery magazine I got at an op shop (thrift) which I don't have on hand right now. I wanted to try my hand at Shadow Work Embroidery (a really quick search found this tutorial). See how it looks like the ribbon/bow is outlined in a darker purple and subtly filled in a lighter shade? Well, it's all the same thread, but the way in which you work it is what gives that subtle, almost pencil like filled in appearance. The threads are criss crossed on the reverse side of the fabric, and the fabric is sheer, so what you are seeing as the pastel is really just the criss crossed threads showing through the thin fabric. The above photo is the truest representatin of colour.

I really like the design, and the effect. I have no idea what I will use this little stitchery for. My bullions (for the roses) are terrible! It's been such a long time since I embroidered anything and the needle really wasn't appropriate. I actually went to Spotlight and bought the voile, a hoop and cottons (Anchor, because it was slightly cheaper than DMC) and a silver quilters pencil simply to try shadow work, and because I was mega bored! The piece is on a square of voile about 6x6inches.

Jessica's Halloween costume is coming along nicely. The silver fabric (it's sort of like a satin) was a thrift find and I cut a very basic circle skirt. The poodle was supposed to go on a shin length skirt and I was so worried about room for the leash I wasn't paying too much attention as I placed my stencil on and one foot has come off the material. Heck! Umm.. ooooooops :D I had been going to make the entire poodle in felt but it seemed to heavy for such a light weight fabric. Can't say I am loving the patches of felt but Jessica is happy and it's she who has to wear it. I did purchase a diamonte buckle for the "collar" but it too was too heavy (and a good 0.5cm too big). Jessi thinks her poodle needs an eye, so I best find something or stitch one on. The tail was sort of a yoyo (suffolk puff) to give some dimension, as you can almost see in the top right hand photo. The bottom right hand photo is the reverse side of the fabric. As mentioned in an earlier post, I bought a 1950's circle skirt costume pattern in a second hand store, but I didn't use it. They wanted me to cut something like 6 1/4 circle panels. I cut my skirt in one piece. All it needs now is a waistband and a hem (without losing too much foot!) and for me to make her headscarf (out of some lovely spotty chiffon, also thrifted) and maybe, just maybe alter a white t-shirt to match. If not, plain white t-shirt it is. Jessica wont appreciate a bowling shirt and it's a costume, I am just not putting that much work into it. Embroidery floss used on the poodle is the same floss I purchased to make the shadow work embroidery above.

Note to self, buy a bigger embroidery hoop. Six inches is great to manage, but too freaking small for things like the poodle!

Organised Chaos

 I owe the biggest, most belated thank you to Kali of

POPPY LANE

I won a giveaway she hosted way back in, hmm.. March? Yes, I have been a BAD blogger! I am so glad she emailed me to tell me of my fortune, as I had been such a bad blogger I wasn't even reading blogs! There is one item missing from the above photo, a lovely quilted notebook folder. Which I coveted and used right away. Jessica tried sneaking off with the little pink purse (which is for her) and I made her return it until I had taken photos.. ummah that I did not do the same for myself! I will photograph it soon!! I love everything! The fabric used for the little zippered pouch and pocket tissue case is soooo sweet, and those coathangers, omg gorgeous! The little round wooden things are buttons, aren't they sweet? Knowing me I will always be "saving them for good" then in 4yrs time wonder why I never used them. I'm terrible like that. Whether I am reading blogs, or recieve a RAOK like this, one of the first things I do is "OMG!! I have that fabric!". I have no idea why, it seems so stupid. But each and everytime I catch myself doing it. The only fabric I have which Kali used above is the tiny pink and white spotted poplin. I LOVE all the corduroy she used, it's so soft. Check out her blog, she does lovely work and shares tutorials for some of it.

I don't think winter and I really get along. I feel so drained all the time. That said, I feel worse in summer! Hmm.. So I haven't really completed anything. Infact, I've spent so much time with a friend that everything at home has been very neglected. Now I am trying to spend more time at home, she is feeling neglected. Does anyone see the trend here? It's no win no matter what I do.

Jessi had her first ever fringe (bangs) cut into her hair

Jessi's new fringe makes her look a lot older. Well, she is 7 and I guess to her that is very "big girl" but wow.. My own mum didn't even recognise her for a few moments. That made Jess very sad but it highlighted how one small alteration causes such a drastic effect. Her skin's looking a bit nasty again but she's been generally very healthy. She hasn't had any serious problems with her asthma this winter!! We still run backwards and forwards to Perth far too frequently to keep a check on how the immunosuppressants are going in her system. They (currently azathioprine) have some nasty side effects which we've managed to avoid. Jess has finally caught up in school and is now reading with the top of her class. Over the last 2yrs she missed so much due to her health that I was worried she'd lag for some time but she's a determined lil thing and works hard. She likes school. Last week she tumbled, head first, off her monkeybars. Now, that was a little scary! I didn't see it happen but I ran to her when I heard her screaming and when she told me what happened I was a bit wary as she said "my legs feel weak". I took her to the hospital, they went into "neck/back damage" mode and had her in a makeshift neck cuff (small sandbags as we weren't sure what the paediatric neck cuff was made of). She was fine, she is fine. Kids fall down. A lot of people are moving away from town and she's having to say goodbye to a lot of friends. It's been quite disruptive.

We celebrated a first birthday party for Tian (Tee-arn) and my-oh-my was Jessica jealous! We spent a good 2 days with June and Tian setting up the party and Jessi misbehaved so bad! She's usually such a delightful little person. But it soon became obvious an attack of the greeneyed monsted was in hand. She hasn't had a party since she was 4, and she let us all know it!! Because we live in a small town and you're lucky if the supermarket has milk in stock, we found decorations for Tian's cake and the cake decorating activity June wanted the child guests to do, Jess and I spent hours one night at June's dining room table separating licorice allsorts and using tiny tiny cutters to cut out shapes, and I sliced fruitsticks to create little flower shapes. June also had a kids pizza topping activity, and finger painting. Look at what Jessica did to her dress! It was only a $6 opshop (thrift) dress, but it was in great condition and we both loved it. It's now a dig-in-the-dirt-to-your-lil-hearts-content-dress. Not to worry, it's only a piece of clothing and is easily replaced. She wasn't very impressed about me recording the moment!

  

Above: I am still unable to tame Blogger! Grr! Stupid photos.

A scrapbook page sitting on my desk. Nothing is glued down, I can't decide where I am going with it. Believe it or not, it's been on my desk about 3 weeks and toyed with one or twice. Blergh!

I got a nice, new book. The plan has always been to do some vege gardening. Our house is on a 1/4acre block so we have the room, but do I have the mojo? Moving right along..

Tian's actual 1st birthday present, still a pile of fabric. I have a pattern in a Handmade magazine for a teddy bear made from towelling nappies (diapers) or old towels. June had some cloth nappies that had worn thin and happily gave me a couple without questions. My friends kindly picked me up some Parisian Essence on a trip to Kalgoorlie (they found it easily in Woolworths) and I used an entire bottle to dye the nappies. I added in some vinegar then rinsed with Epsom Salts. Will see if that helps set the colour any. Tian's bday was 10th July.. the photo was taken today, 15th August.. SHHH!

Jessi took this photo of my stepfather and I putting together her cubby house? Did I ever blog about this? I don't recall. Anyways, the house is together, the frame is together. Those 2 pieces still need connecting and the slide and rockwall to be added to complete it. This was bought for xmas 09. Yes, it's now Aug 2010 and she still can't use it.. again with SHHH

So, that's kinda what I have been up to (or not) of late. I have some hyacinths from a friend in bloom which make me smile. She gave them to me the night before she moved away. I have some other bulbs in the ground that seem to be sprouting and an order in for more. I have to go away for 2 weeks at the end of the month and I am really looking forward to it. Work's been a complete and utter nightmare and as pathetic as this is to admit, I don't want to work anymore. I stick it out, but I am beginning to despise it and the more I feel that way the sicker I feel. It's not been fun. My cousins are all pregnant again. By Feb 2011 my four cousins (they all live locally so they're friends too) will have 11 kids between them ranging in age from 12 to newborn and it includes 1 set of twins. My sister and I only have the one each. She's sort of sworn off kids but I've wanted another for so long now. Jessi does too. Well, she wants a brother or a sister lol She can wait at least 15yrs before she has a child of her own!

Once more I find myself glad I didn't share this blog with a bunch of real life people/friends/family. I feel so censored all the time at facebook and such that it's nice to have this outlet.