The Final Month

Tomorrow marks...

• the beginning of the last month of 2011

• my birthday month

• the impending birth of another niece or nephew

• a very big leap closer to Christmas Day

• the very near end of another school year

• the first day of summer here in Australia

• the start of the  craziest busiest silly season ever

Hope you are ready to embrace all it has to bring with it?

Fragile

 (our willy wag tail nest with dove eggs residing in it, courtesy of our 6 year old...

no birds were harmed in the filming of this, the mother dove had abandoned her eggs - maybe feeling overwhelmed with her duties!)

Are you feeling a little fragile due to the impending season?

I think we are all a little fragile in this household....

some are physically training hard...

others are over the routine of daily school...

some of us have a million deadlines that are looming fast in a short space of time....

we are all ticking off events and appointments as they roll around.....

feeling fragile and tired comes with the excitement and demands of the year coming to an end...

every situations requires extra from us....time, emotion, money , patience and even energy.

As this month closes to an end I am setting a goal for December...

Blog 25 days of being Thankful.

I did this back in 2009. I did this as a way of staying focus on the good , happy and pleasing moments

it's a way of acknowledging all that we take for granted, all that we sometimes overlook as we let busyness take over.

Maybe you want to join me....let me know I would love to read along with your thankful list too.

Here's to less focus on fragile and more on the blessings we have all around us.

Our Dancer

Well Done dancing girl........

It's great to see a whole year of fun and hard work pay off.......

and just to show you that they really do love each other and all is nearly forgiven over the broken nose!

Weekend projects.

Not as much time  for creative space as last weekend....but.....I have started a little Christmas present making.

Can't reveal too much because I know it will be read about.

Very colourful and practical...

OOPS

                   This        +     This                                                                                          

equals

Fracture of the nasal bone.

(when will children / siblings learn that there are consequences for every action......

a little innocent  "argy bargy" and one came off worse than the other!)

Oh ,Ok the culprit says it was an accident!!!!

Just means we need to buy some concealer before the dance concert on Sunday!

My Creative Space

There are so many things coming to a close at this time of the year and everything needs time and energy...

I was pleased to be able to sew together the playgroup murals in time for today......

I am really pleased with them and they are just as I had imagined them.....

quirky, individual and a lovely reminder of the lovely families we have had the pleasure to be with this year....

a little sad that a number of families missed the weeks we took to do these but my deadlines are many and I needed to have them finished......

Many more creative spaces here.

Bunting Arrival

At the end of "blogtoberfest" I found out that I had won a giveaway......

it arrived today.....

This beautiful mini bunting all the way from 

York,

United Kingdom

courtesy of 

Our Green Pea Pod.

Thanks it is so lovely.

Help

Have you read it?

Maybe you've seen the movie?

I am a "read the book first" kinda girl and then depending on how the book left me feeling I may see the movie version.

I loved this book...and I think I will see the movie.....I am just not sure how the characters will come to life ....will they be as big as I imagined?

The story is set in the early 1960's in Jackson Mississippi. Written through the eyes of a white middle class girl who wants to tell the stories of the black maids working in middle class households.

Go read the book if you haven't ....or even just catch the movie if that's more  you're thing.

A Happy Place

If you were looking for me today ...this is where I was all most of the day......

I did come out every now and then to see what the others were up too but I was happy here in my own space ....processing a busy , hectic week, preparing myself for an even busier week ahead....

I got a lot done and it was good for my soul and mind......

It seemed that every one else was finding their happy space too......

Each different .....

Well maybe some weren't that happy all the time.....

(chores that had to be finished..)

Even the chooks were super happy in their own space doing their own thing....

As a result of the hubbies happy place we were treated to a yummy BBQ lunch out in the fresh air where, for a few minutes our happy spaces collided....

Hope you found some Happy Space today ?

Mummy Duties

Fridays are my day off from paid work.....

my goal for the day is to spend it doing something for me...to "refill the tank".

But each week I do give up a little of the day to be parent helper in Fraser's Year One class.

I don't mind what the teacher gets me to do because the aim really is to share the time with Fraser.

He is very keen to have me come in and just be...I think it makes him feel important...so who am I to deny him that?

But this Friday I not only went into Year One but was asked to go in to Meg's Year Seven class and help with their craft class......

I can't believe that Meg is in Year Seven already and in only a month or so  the end of primary school will be here.

Which means  no parent help at high school I am guessing....

So I joined in, rather than help, as it was Meg who showed me how to make the "sculpey dragons" for the school's mini fete this coming Friday.

After some hesitation  ( I am much more comfortable behind my sewing machine) I added two dragons to be sold at the fete....

...and I didn't manage to embarrass Meg in front of her friends..

My Creative Space

....some "birdy" bunting,,,,,,,

Now do I offer it for sale....

keep to give as a Christmas gift......

or string around my house?

Other creative spaces here.

Fabric Delivery

After my post about the Fabric traders.com.au a few days ago....I received this lovely little bundle of fabric scraps from them. (Thanks girls very much)

I am looking forward to using them in some more projects.

I had a little bout of encouragement today as I was able to assist some of our MOPS mums in their Christmas gift buying. I am so easily encouraged and excited to know that my humble creations are going to be given as gifts.

Enough of a stimulus to keep on creating ( not that I was planning on stopping but it is always nice to know that someone somewhere wants to buy my things)!!

Love / Hate

I have been sneaking in some sewing this last couple of days....this project has almost got me beat though.....

I don't know if it the fabric ( really lovely though)

or 

My machine is trying to tell me it needs servicing...

or 

Is it because my mind is on the other million things I should be doing and so therefore not quite on the job here?

I will persevere and I will love it....

I am using the "Cute as a button Vintage clutch " pattern which I have made a few times before,

found in 

Meet me at Mikes.

My Cheeky Response

A while back a blogging friend also a "real life friend" put out a cheeky ask for some quilt blocks to be made for her birthday quilt....

I have been so lagging in keeping up my promise of a "block" to add to the request.

Sunday's are a busy day for us as a family but I have managed to sneak a couple of hours in the afternoon to finish this task......

Hopefully it will fit the request and become a nice part of the finished product.

The Blue Gift

I love it when a gift is loved!

My Blue Gift  to Lawson

My Creative Space

This week my creative space is all about providing some creative materials and encouraging my playgroup families to create their signature....

This is one that was created by the families in a previous year....

I thought it time to ask this years families to contribute towards a joint banner for 2011...

My brief was to create  a face / person using the materials on offer.....

I made available a piece of calico, a round felt shape....

glitter, fabric,feathers,fabric paint,sequins,and jewels......

extra felt and wool

I just love how they used the materials and created some beautiful and original pieces that I will sew together to form a mural......

I am looking forward to the remainder of the families completing theirs over the next couple of weeks....

I will show you the completed projects when finished...

until then check out some other creative places here.

Fabric Buying

Flower Power Hot Pink

I am not a big buyer of fabric online...I don't think I have enough know- how  to select fabrics without touching  and feeling it.

I am not that up on my designer names and much prefer to thrift a bargain.

But I do snoop around online just in case I get brave and lash out on a purchase.

Beach Vintage have opened a new online retail site and they have a whole bunch of beautiful fabrics just like the above one.....

So if you are braver than me and love to buy fabric ,go online and check them out.

Newborn goodness

This little guy is the cutest and most beautiful latest addition to our extended family....

We were all so taken with him and at how perfect and tiny he is.....

My heart really did melt when I saw MY baby holding the new baby.....

We are so looking forward to getting to now this new cousin /nephew that has arrived in the family....

No Pretty dresses needed here...

I was just busy finishing off this little pinafore dress when the call came......

It is a BOY....No.16 is indeed a boy.......

I guess that means this cute little reversible number will be tucked away for another day.....

but we are all very excited that  "the boy " has arrived safely.

Fair Weather

Today the weather was not perfect for the fair.....

but none the less the show must go on.....

People braved the local country fair that the local school pulls together each year......

We headed down to volunteer at our Church's information tent.....

Lucky for us the tent was waterproof and we could stay dry during the down pours....

Not all creatures minded the weather or being handled by many passing by......

Waiting....

This morning I enjoyed a beautiful morning with my sister and sister in law.... 

we enjoyed delicious scones,jam and cream and tea.....

we enjoyed a lovely setting....

we chatted, sipped and enjoyed each others company....

a snippet of time before all things change  in one of our little worlds......

now to wait for the arrival of niece or nephew No. 16 any day now......

We are all so excited to welcome this new little person into the bigger family.