Sewtember Day Twenty-Nine - Sleepy Saturday

B-man had the biggest sleep today! It might be related to his new tooth. He slept for close to 3 hours over lunch time, but then had a nap this afternoon for an hour or so too. I hope he sleeps tonight.

While he was sleeping my assistant was out helping Daddy in the garage, so I was left to get on with some sewing. My current project is coming along pretty well. I like it. Hubby thinks it's ok too, so it can't be too bad. Even getting a comment out of him is usually hard, so that's a good sign.

I can't really show you much from my work today though.

I hope you are having a great weekend! I can't believe there's only one more day of Sewtember. I'll need to  look back and see what I have actually achieved this month.

I'll see you tomorrow for a quick wrap up.

Sweet Dreams!

Sewtember Day Fifteen - Sew far Sew good?

I've been sewing some more of the dress and the test dress is ready for testing, hopefully tomorrow. It look slike it might be too big which is annoying, but I don't know for sure, and I guess it's easier to make it smaller than it is to make it bigger.

I know a zipper probably isn't necessary in this test one, but it was good practise and should make the dress a more accurate size. That's what this one is all about anyway.

Now I know it's Saturday, but I wasn't the only one working here today. Hubby didn't have to go to work, so he was working on a mower in the garage and our landscaper was working on the wall, which is looking good! Here are the latest additions.

It feels early, I know, but I'm off to play trivia with my awesome Sister and I might not have a chance to post later. I hope you have an awesome night!

See you tomorrow!!

Sewtember Day Eight - Sticks and stones

So I was totally right in thinking that I wouldn't get much sleep last night. The wind was so loud and kept blowing things around outside. We didn't have any real damage, except for a ceramic garden duck that was already a little bit broken. I'd put it up on top of the air con unit so little hands wouldn't touch it and it was knocked off by something else that the wind had blown over. No real sadness there though. The matching one was smashed after a friend of my assistant kindly threw it at the pavers a while back. All night we had sticks falling on the roof, though, which is metal and very noisy! It meant that my assistant wouldn't go to sleep in her room (fair enough) so she slept in my spot (not fair at all) and I had to try and squish in next to her which didn't really work and was totally un-comfy. And so, no sleep for me.

Today was a slow one, understandably. Hubby had to leave for work at 5.15 (normally 6.30ish) so that meant even less sleep for me...and him I guess. Kids really don't get the whole sleeping in thing either, so I was up early to make breakfast and all that normal stuff and then I just didn't want to move. I was so tired I lay on the lounge room floor playing a bike riding game on my phone...no fun for the kids. They got over my lack of enthusiasm pretty quickly and found other stuff to do.

I had a call this afternoon from a friend of mine who is coming to build a retaining wall and fence for us and our neighbours and I realised there was a whole heap of big rocks that we were going to move for him to use in the wall. Hubby had to work on a car (big surprise, not) when he came home from work, so i got to work on moving the rocks myself. It was pretty full on. there are heaps of them. But I just figured that if I didn't start then we wouldn't get them moved in time and the fence and everything might be done without them, leaving us with big rocks on the lawn and a higher bill for the fence. Ugh!

That's not a great photo, hold on...

That's better. The torch helped. I really need to think about taking photos in the daytime, especially outside photos. oh, and that's part of the fence that will be installed/repaired next week. The mesh on top is so the neighbours puppy can't get over.

So I spent the afternoon doing that (all of them by myself!! Someone tell my PT!) and I was going to tell you that I didn't get a chance to do sewing, but I did! I sewed the side of my assistant's gloves which had torn. Not an exciting sewing job (not for me anyway, although, she was pretty chuffed).

I hope you all had a better sleep last night! Hopefully tonight will be better for us, I can hear the wind picking up again though...

Night!

Super Saturday Stuff

I have so many fabrics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You wouldn't think I could really fit them all into my teeny tiny house. I tell you what, it's certainly squeezy in here at the moment. Anyone want to organise my extension??? (And by organise I mean fund...)

Nah, it's fun trying to (re)fit it all in. It does fit, the challenge is making it fit in a practical and neat kind of way. A bit like Tetris, which I love. I spent all of yesterday and today moving things around, folding and stacking fabrics. Not only is it fun to fit them in, but I'm uncovering some little treasures that were hidden previously.

I made these teddies years ago. The one on the left I made before I was married using real joints and soft fluffy fur. The blue one I started before I was married and finished after, way after. They both used the same pattern, believe it or not, what a difference the choice of fabric makes! I prefer bears not to be fluffy, I think. I made a couple using corduroy when I was in high school and loved them, but I gave them away as gifts, so I can't show you those. I wonder what other treasures I'll find in my sorting...

Oh, today's photo is "cup" and this is another cheat photo. Actually my Aunty took this pic at craft one Wednesday. It HAD hot chocolate in it BEFORE he got a hold of it, in case you were thinking I was a terrible mother.

Has anyone actually looked up the fruits with me? Well, we're up to faithfulness today and it can be tough. The definition: Adhering firmly and devotedly, as to a person, cause, or idea; loyal.

I'd like to think that I'm faithful to God, but I know there are many other people/things in this world that I sometimes give my loyalty to and times when I don't feel particularly devoted to Him. I'm so good at being human, not so good at being anything else...I guess most of us are the same though, and that's where Grace comes in. Where does your faith lie?

Anyway, happy Saturday! I hope those of you watching the Olympics are enjoying it. I'm going back to do more folding. I wonder what other goodies I'll find.

I'll see you tomorrow!

Super Saturday with the Family

9 O'Clock.

Somebody I met today asked me how life has changed since we had kids. I don't think about it too often, but some things are very different. The activities we do have changed. The way we plan for different events and outings has changed. There is no such thing as spontaneity anymore (except when it comes to nappy issues). There is more planning involved in every activity we choose to participate in. Shopping is more tiring and generally much slower. There is no such thing as privacy. Nothing is just mine anymore, including the shower. Time doesn't seem to work the same, there seem to be about 8 hours less each day. And the people we see are different.

It's all very different for me. I'm trying to work out how to be a mum. I know it's already been happening for over 2 years, but still, I feel like I have no idea what I should be doing. I used to have a full-time job with other people around all the time.Now I'm at home more often than not and don't see many people at all.  I hardly drive at all and usually not in traffic. I see more aeroplanes than I've ever noticed before and helicopters are really exciting. I point out trains wherever I am and sirens are fantastic. Did you ever stop and think about where snails go when you stop looking at them and how the gnome in the back garden might feel when it's cloudy? These are the kind of things I spend time thinking about now, rather than how to explain the importance of following the instructions when setting up your new sewing machine or which knitting needles are better for each yarn.

Somedays I feel less intelligent. I listen to people around me talking about current affairs with no clue as to what they are saying. I sit and try and keep up with conversations but often can't think about one thing for long enough to really understand what people are talking about. I find it hard to relate  to people who talk about new movies and music because I don't watch or listen to anything that isn't appropriate for infant ears to hear. I spell out words more often than when I used to do  spelling tests in primary school. And I do more loads of clothes washing than I can fit on our 2 clothes lines, which causes problems in winter sometimes.

Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the most important job in the world. I think of myself as a trainer, coach, mentor, manager, chef, kitchen hand, cleaner, facilitator, banker, secretary, judge, jury and pillow. It's a versatile position. I don't know that it would ever hold up if I put those things on my resume, but it really has been the most challenging position I've held.

Sometimes I feel like I'm completely out of control. I'm overwhelmed and have no clue as to what to do next and when 9 o'clock comes around I'm just about ready to collapse into a deep sleep. But most nights I don't. In-fact, I don't remember the last time I went to bed before 10.30pm.

I'm not having a whinge, just stating how it is. For those of you that don't have kids, it's different. Life will never be the same once you have them. Part of your brain dedicates itself to thinking about them all the time and you rarely get a break. But watching their face light up when you look at them, teaching them how to do the things we take for granted and helping them to understand what life is is worth it. I know, sounds sappy, but it's true. Having kids changed us and we're not going back.

And now it's after 10.30, I should probably head to bed. I hope this was helpful to anyone else wondering about being a mum or dad. If you have anything you'd like to add let me know or if you have any tips about the job requirements, please drop me a comment and I'll try and use it to better my performance in that area. Thanks for reading! I'll be back tomorrow.

Super Saturday.

I'm trying to decide what to blog about tonight and there are so many other things running through my mind, so I'm thinking you're going to hear about those things instead.

The first thing on my mind is what to dress the dolls in. I know it doesn't seem like a real issue, but if I'm going to sell them, some of them at least, I think they should be dressed nicely. I'm wondering how hard/time consuming it would be to make a couple of outfits for each one. Maybe pjs and one daytime outfit. I could probably make a little quilt or sleeping bag for each of them too, but everything I add pushes the price up, so I'm not sure. What do you think?

The next thing in my mind is that we really need to sort out some temporary solution to our spacelessness. And NO I will not store my fabrics somewhere else! The fact that everything does in-fact fit into our house is a good start. I'm just thinking that it might be almost time for B-man to move out, into his own room anyway. Hopefully if I can work out how to re-arrange it so he fits into there my assistant might stop getting up 4-6 times each night and trying to get into our bed. I'm so exhausted. Having the cot in next to me is really handy for feeds in the night, but I think she is lonely, so I'm thinking about the move constantly.

And thirdly, I need to draw up plans for our extensions. They should provide a more permanent solution to the space issues. But drawing up the plans is proving to be quite an ordeal. Every time I try and concentrate on it one of the kidlets needs attention or there is just too much craziness going on around here to focus. It's frustrating and we really need to get it done so we can submit them for approval. I could pay to have them done professionally, but I can't understand why I should have to give someone thousands of dollars to do something we could just do. I guess for the convenience. But It seems to much to pay for convenience. So it's just another thing constantly in my thoughts.

And speaking of building, the photo for today is "building", which sort of ties in nicely. I was going to take a photo of one that I saw today, but I didn't go anywhere, so it would have been either my house or one of the neighbours houses and then I saw this:

It was a joint effort by my assistant and B-man. I think he started it with the block and she creatively put a cup on it. It reminds me of the Olympics and the flame caldron. I like the print on the block too, almost looks like windows on a city building or something.

Anyway, I really should attempt to deal with one of the issues in my head, or else go to bed early. It's a tough call. Either way I need to go, so Goodnight, I hope you had a Super Saturday!!

Super Saturday. Garden.

Not so super, actually. I woke up sick today, so the morning is a bit of an uncomfortable blur in my mind. Then by this afternoon my assistant was sick too and did this...

...again. Poor Chicki-Boo.

The photo for today is of something that she picked (much to my disgust) out of our "garden", which is more weeds than anything else. I planted these a couple of years ago and for the last 2 winters we've watched as they raise their pointy little green heads further and further upwards and then turn into these awesome and beautiful creations.

Isn't it wonderful? One of the most beautiful flowers we've seen in our garden...ever!

And, talking about creations, I spent the afternoon working on one of mine.

You probably remember this doll, with this hair...well, I undid it all today and re-attached it differently.

There is still another layer of hair to add to make it thicker and more lush at the back, however the front is done. I think it's nicer the new way, so far anyway, and so does my assistant which works out well given the fact that doing it a third time doesn't sound all together lovely. I think I'm going to have to give this doll to my assistant, though as she's had such a big role in making her.

So, what do you think? Please let me know if it looks bad...I may not change this one, but I still have three to go, so I will consider your feedback when deciding how to do those.

It's bed time now though, so thanks for reading. Let me know if there is something in particular you would like to see on my blog, I love getting comments and I can always try to incorporate whatever into here.

Hopefully you are all having a great weekend!!

Goodnight!