We Go Together...

We go together...my fam and I!

I have a confession to make. I love rainy weather! Sure, it's a pain to try to get laundry (especially cloth nappies) dry if you don't own a dryer. And I understand that people tend to go a little crazy on the roads, with more risk-taking than usual. And I totally get that young kids can be rather wild in wet weather. But despite all that, I just love rainy days! 

Admittedly, in the past, it has been my opinion that rainy days are often best enjoyed curled up under a doona with a cuppa and a good book, or some needlework to keep me busy, but today that just ain't gonna happen. Instead, it's a day for baking pink biscuits (or cookies in US-speak) with Miss almost-three, followed by an indoors picnic to eat said biscuits while still warm. A day for totally indulgent cuddles with warm, freshly woken seven month old. A day for building cubby houses with a playpen and drying sheets, complete with a heap of cushions and blankets to make it a cosy snuggle den. In essence, a day for less work, more play!

Have you taken time to play today?

I have another confession to make. When I sat down, I had a totally different blog post in my head. But some things just have to be said. :)

Hop on a swing set in the rain and swing as high as you can. Or at the very least, don't step out of the way of that puddle on your way home - jump in it instead!

Photo taken about 9 months ago - I treasure the memories of this day!

New Little Girly Apron

Here's another order I completed for my super girly friend. A little girl's apron with plenty of ruffles, a pocket and button...

The photos are a bit blurry because I had to bribe my little model to let me put the apron on her in the first place, then she got really into the posing but would not stand still!

Winter Creature Comforts

I love the indulgence of creature comforts in winter. Even a mild, Brisbane winter. 

I sit here on this slightly cool winter night with my 'Ma blanket' draped over my lap, keeping me nice and cosy. My darling grandmother has knitted a special blanket for each of her grandchildren and now each of her great-grandchildren as well. I just LOVE that she does this. It is such a wonderful way of imparting part of herself to her family. And even though they are just tiny, her great-grandchildren seem to 'get' how special their 'Ma blankets' are. We have an extra tiny blanket that she made, just using up a few scraps, as a lap blanket for the kidlets while in the pram. Hubby rescued it this afternoon from a long hibernation in the linen closet. Miss almost-three had not seen it for a good long while - she was so excited, she had to run and show me, saying, "Look Mummy, this one is a tiny cute Ma blanket!" Awwww, bless!

Tea. I'm up to Day 7 of my coffee-free Cuppa Tea A Day. So far, my tea schedule has looked something like this: 

1. Cranberry, Strawberry and Raspberry Herbal Tea
2. Peppermint with English Toffee
3. White Tea with Rose
4.  Italian Almond Tea
5. Earl Grey with Lavender
6. Pure Ceylon
7. Lady Grey 

I have not had any major coffee cravings so far. Quite amazing, I think.

I have, however, had cravings for chocolate. Oh dear. Thank goodness my dear friend gave me some for my birthday. *grin*

This evening, I am also enjoying perusing the latest issue of Peppermint Mag, which was part of my birthday present from Hubby. And I'm drinking my tea out of my new teacup from my lovely sister-in-law. And eating chocolate from my dear friend. What a lovely way to spend a winter evening.

And don't you just love the way the heading on the Peppermint Mag just jumps out and screams CELEBRATE!

What is your favourite winter comfort? Please tell me in the comments section below. :)

A Cuppa A Day

I am going coffee-free for a month. For several years, I have been more of a tea person than a coffee person, but every now and then, I get a bit too dependent on coffee for my liking. My health issues lately have been causing me to live in a state of constant exhaustion. The one coffee per day I have been allowing myself is not actually making me feel any more energetic. And I am just over it.

I have a lot of different kinds of tea in my pantry. Actually, it's not in my pantry. I have a special cupboard dedicated to my collection of teas (and one or two kinds of coffee). This cupboard is next to the one that is dedicated to displaying my collection of teapots and pretty vintage tea cups. Which is next to the one that is for regular tea cups and mugs. I planned it that way when I designed our kitchen during renovations a couple of years ago. Oh my word. I like my tea.

Lately, hubby has been teasing me about all my kinds of tea. In my defence, hubby is also a tea drinker, and enjoys a range of teas also. He thinks I am a bit over the top about tea, however. He teases me that I don't drink more than one or two kinds on a regular basis, and I'm ashamed that lately I have been a bit boring in my hot drink choices.

I have decided to mix things up a bit and enjoy at least one cup of different tea each day. I invited one of my sisters to join me in this little adventure, and to my delight, she accepted! We are not buying new kinds of tea, just using the ones that we already have between us. She usually visits once a week or once a fortnight, but during our "tea month" she will be out of town more than she is in town. So I have compiled a little list, and packed her a little tin of the tea that is already in bags. I do have a lot of loose leaf tea though, so I am thinking of trialling this cute tutorial from A Beautiful Mess blog.

Image by Elsie Larson, via A Beautiful Mess blog

I started yesterday, by drinking Strawberry, Cranberry and Raspberry herbal tea. Today was supposed to be Lemon and Ginger, but I had a hankering for Peppermint with English Toffee instead. My sister and I were going to have the same tea on the same day, but if today is anything to go by, I suspect I may not always feel like the scheduled tea for that day, so I think I'll change the rules and make it that we just pick whichever tea we feel like that day.

Do you want to join us in going coffee-free and having 'A Cuppa A Day'?

1. You can have more than one cup of tea per day, but there needs to be at least one new tea each day.
2. We are counting iced tea separately, so you could have a hot lemon tea one day then a cup of iced tea with lemon the next day and it will still count. 
3. Sit down while drinking your tea. Savour it! 
4. Sign up in the comments section, and tell me which tea you will start with! 

I intend to do a review of the month once it is done, as well as some updates in my regular posts. I hope you will join us!

Vintage Haberdashery Surprise

About two weeks ago, I had a lovely surprise - I won a giveaway on the blog Running With Rocket, in conjunction with the Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway. For the first week after hearing that I won a prize, I eagerly awaited the arrival of my package of vintage sewing goodies. Then I promptly forgot about it, with a busy week of socialising and preparing to visit my family. This morning, while unpacking and cleaning my pig-sty of a house, the parcel was delivered...

I had a lot of fun sorting through the bits and bobs, and dreaming up projects to do with each one. Pretty much all the bits and bobs are things I would choose to buy if I were op-shopping, except that it was an exciting lucky dip prize! 

Fun, huh?

I especially love the gorgeous vintage print bias binding! 

What is your favourite haberdashery item to stumble upon in an op-shop? What would be your ideal vintage sewing supplies 'lucky dip' prize?

Another Fruity Apron

Hello friends. It's a lovely (albeit a little windy) day here in sunny Brisbane. How is it where you are?

I am feeling somewhat satisfied with myself for FINALLY finishing an apron that I started making for my sister's birthday months ago. That is, I started making it months ago, but her birthday was about three weeks ago. It is nice to have completed it to my own satisfaction.

Now that it is finished, I wonder why it took me so long. I made the skirt part basically the same as this one, but just had to figure out how I wanted the bib part to look. Every time I had time to work on it, I had no energy, or no inspiration, or some other excuse...well, now it is DONE! I just hope it fits my sister, or I will be making some alterations.

(Oh, by the way, the apron is hiding my new Modcloth dress! Super excited about finally finding one on sale that suits my body shape and my size!! )

My mind is now whirring with ideas for the ruffly, super-girly child's apron order that I get to make next. I LOVE making up my own patterns, but it takes me a while to work it out from initial sketch through to final product. Since this next order is due by mid-July, I'd better get on it, right?

Time for a Cuppa

Yep, it really is that time of afternoon here. I think I'll just go make a pot of Earl Grey...

Oh, and here is the latest item from the Candykins Crafts workshop. Made especially for my lovely friend and tea supplier, Karen, from Artful Tea.

Father's Day Idea

Oh, dear blog, how I have missed thee! The week has passed in a blur yet again. I am finding it so hard to make time to get on here lately. But...I have just found out from my doctor that I have an easily treatable medical reason for being so tired all of the time, so that is a relief. And here I was thinking that it was just the norm for having two kids!!

Just sharing a little peek at the latest custom kids' artwork embroidery wall art that I have completed and posted off to the US today. Did you know that it is Father's Day on June 17th in the US? I am learning a lot about the United States as a seller on Etsy.

The original drawing

 As you can see, it's a more mature drawing than the ones I have made into embroidered wall art in the past. I love the bright colours and all the details. Isn't it delightful!

The finished embroidery in the 25.5cm/10 inch hoop

(The customer suggested that I cut out some of the drawing, so it would fit in a circular embroidery hoop more easily.)

Close-up of the applique/embroidery

As usual, I had a lot of fun with this. I love using the child's own handwriting for the caption, it is such a great personal touch. 

I used Kunin Eco Fi Felt for the applique on this one, something I am experimenting with lately - it is polyester felt made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles. It has an interesting texture, and while I do not like it as much as 100% wool felt, it is still a good quality felt that has the benefit of being suitable for vegans. 

Must dash off to get into some apron making, now that both my kids are sleeping soundly. :)