My Creative Space - Wee Little Clothes

This world has been blessed with the arrival of two new wee bubby girls! Welcome beautiful angels Nanette and Carmen!

Smock blouses in fabric as soft as a whisper and organic cotton long sleeve t's appliquéd with teensy butterflies and birds.

Easy to pop over delicate little heads and oh so soft for snuggling!

So lovely to be crafting again after a wee hiatus on the lounge! A list as long as my arm of all the heavenly Wintery things I'm itching to make.

Ah the delicious weekend is upon us...perhaps I'll snatch a moment or two to myself to work on one or two of them. Or perhaps fill my newly claimed vintage leadlight kitchen dresser destined to be my new craft cupboard. Calling all able bodied men to our house this weekend to lift her upstairs...she sure weighs a tonne!! And maybe bake another of these....I'll share with those men, I promise ;)

Enjoying browsing at all the crafty folk over here...come join me!

♪ Mr. Blue Bird's on my Egg Cup! ♪

A huge heartfelt thank-you to all you lovelies who have sent warm wishes our way! Yes, the exciting project in the works for me involved the growing of eyebrows, wee little limbs and brain cells as opposed to a children's clothing empire. And life couldn't be grander!

After the queasy fog of the first trimester where changing from my pj pants to tracky pants was an effort of gargantuan proportions (thank-you sooo very much my cherished friends who forgave my late ...or even non existent replies to phone call, texts and the like....and dropped gorgeous casseroles off to nourish us!), these last few weeks have been all sunshiney!
Even a spot of op shopping was managed! Hello vintage world, what do you have for me today?!!

How could I possibly resist this wee little blue bird egg cup holder for mon petit poppet. You remember her "blue bird shol" phase? Well it hasn't waned and nor has her voracious appetite! Boiled organic free range eggs with yolks so yellow you need your sunnies on to look at them with fresh baguette and real butter was the lunch du jour. C'était parfait!!

And then there were four!

We have known you for only 17 weeks but feel like we've known you forever! Mumma's felt you move so much earlier...and relishes each squirm and wriggle. Daddy pats you gently and smiles a contented smile.

We whisper to you often....and offer you bits of our lunch! We choose toys you'd like to play with and wrap our dollies up with such care in practise of your arrival.

We are feathering our nest for you. We are so delighted at the thought of sharing this brilliant world with you. We are filled with so much love for you ♥

Our Magic Playgroup

Some time ago, Poppet and I discovered a magic world! Hidden under the guise of a Steiner Playgroup, we stumbled upon a serene and wondrous place. We begin our gorgeous morning once a week with a play in the outdoor sandpit and a spot of gardening for those who are keen (mon bébé is always at the head of the pack for this activity!) I always learn so much from the chats that are inspired by the magnificent garden beds!

Vicki (or the pied piper as I liken her to, such is her amazing gift with children!) then leads us in song and we then make our way down to the horse paddock armed with freshly cut grass ready to feed our hungry friends.

A slow meander through the lush property with time always allowed for little ones to have an impromptu swing....

hunt for fallen macadamias....

peer under large pumpkin vine leaves in search of Mr. Pumpkin.... and make our way back to the house for morning tea all the while spying little snippets of nature otherwise overlooked in our over- planned worlds. We slow down on Tuesdays and breathe more deeply....heaven!

We share fruit and homemade goodies and the Mummas are nurtured with fresh lemon balm and mint tea (herbs the wee kiddies picked on their garden wander) and delightful conversation. Some free imaginative play with scarves, Waldorf dolls, shells, wooden blocks made lovingly from fallen branches and logs....and some watercolour painting!

Then it's off to visit the chickens and give them rather a generous feed! A run to the giant lychee tree for some songs and climbing and then it's time to bid our farewells and head back to reality.

Such a gorgeous part of our week and one we both look forward to so very much. Thank you so very much Vicki for creating such an enriching experience for us!

The Weekend

Still warm tea cake and mugs of steamy hot chocolate in the sun on the back deck to reward the toiler (he put up a brand new shed all on his lonesome)....

Harvesting oodles of New Zealand silver beet from the wee vegie patch.....

And turning it into scrummy filo pies!.....

Breathing new life into some gorgeous vintage wool blankets. A wash in heavenly smelling wool mix and a flap on the line in the sun left them smelling and feeling divine....time for new binding made from vintage sheet scraps to cover the weathered blanket stitch....

And straining my brain...and finger coordination with little double pointed needles.

We are so loving this Winter sunshine and slow weekends full of pottering!

The Garden

A particularly chilly and rainy morning almost nearly curtailed our morning adventures to our local organic open air market and permaculture nursery. But we sturdy folk armed ourselves with a giant sunflower umbrella and soldiered on regardless. We're so very pleased we did.

Just as we reached home, as if by magic, the clouds opened up and the sun cast its glorious Winter rays upon us. We began to find homes for our new seedlings. Rainbow chard and beetroot....and some seed potatoes! I know how elated Hubby and I were when we harvested our first crop of potatoes. Each careful dig of the spade unearthed another nubbly nugget. I simply can not wait until I can see this wonder of nature again through my poppet's eyes.

Snow pea plants cradling drops of early morning rain...cups of tea on the grass surveying our hard work...constant delighted (and delightful!) chatter from our little one....Bliss!

My Creative Space - The World of Crochet!

My creative space this week is akin to a ride in the dentist's chair without pethadine! I excitedly...boldly....just plain stupidly entered the world or crochet a few Tuesday nights ago as I began a wee course to learn this art.

Armed with my Grandyma's old metal hooks it was clear from the beginning that this was definitely not going to be a craft I could wing! Two hours later....the investment of a new crochet hook that I can only describe as having training wheels....and countless swear words (in my head!) I produced this avant garde triangle wash cloth. Apparently I was a little too big for my boots and taught myself to decrease. Shame I didn't even realise!!

The next week saw a teensy glimmer of a silver lining in the dark cloud that had become my world of crochet and by the end...my first ever granny square! I was...and still am...super chuffed with this one.

And then in the comfort of my home no doubt egged on by my new found granny square confidence I had a crack at a little flower pattern. And lo and behold....a flower I made (albeit a rather wonky one!).

Tonight is the last night of the course and although I won't be returning home with a much coveted vintage inspired afghan rug for poppet's bed, I will hopefully have the blossomings of a new craft nestled safely into my brain.

To see what other little crafty souls have been up to, pop over here.

Choccie Afghan Biscuits

As Jack Frost is beginning to show his icicle-y whiskers (yes, even in sunny Queensland!) we find ourselves retreating indoors after mornings in the gentle Winter sunshine.

Washing on the line, pottering in the vegie garden, train rides on the see saw to visit Daddy in the city for sushi (ah, imagination!)....

As soon as my babe's head hits the pillow for her afternoon kip, the kettle is on. My chilly hands yearn to cradle a mug of steamy tea (no dainty little cup is going to cut it!). And my taste buds want chocolate! Crispy, decadent afghan biscuits are just the ticket for overcast, snugly days.

Afghan Biscuits (courtesy of one of my fave cook books, Frankie magazine's Afternoon Tea)
Mixture:

200g softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/4 cup cocoa (I put more because I'm greedy!)

2 cups cornflakes

1 cup walnuts, crushed

Icing:

1 block dark or cooking chocolate

walnut halves

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Sift in flour and cocoa, and mix. Fold in the cornflakes and crushed walnut pieces until just mixed.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spoon mounds (as big or small as you like) onto tray. I squished mine into wonky balls first and then flattened a little. Bake for about 15 minutes until just set. Try not to dry them out too much, as it's already a crumbly biscuit.

When the bickies have cooled , ice each on with a generous dollop of chocolate and top with a walnut half.

Virtuously pop one or two on a plate to have with a cuppa.....and then tiptoe back to the tin for another few when you've gobbled them up!

To market, to market....

Tsk, tsk, tsk! I've been such a naughty (read: lazy) blogger of late. I've been sewing up a storm for the Racecourse Road Carnival on Sunday and Mr. Weather Man is predicting a glorious sunshiney day! I can't wait to set up shop with the beautiful and ever talented Melinda of moose and bird and indulge in a day of cups of tea, chats with a lovely friend I hardly get to see....and lots of sales! We'd love to see you there.

P.S. Promise I'll be a better blogger in the coming weeks.... there's something big in the works for mon petit poppet and I can't wait to share!