My last post!!!

Hi peeps! Just a quick blog post to say that I have been thinking about what Im wanting to do in 2009! And blogging just isnt on the list this year. As you can tell, the growing disinterest has been going for awhile. And I just think its time to give it up :)

So Im going to leave this blog up, just in case I want to look back. But I wont be posting.

Thanks so much to those who still visit. Im amazed that Ive still been getting the stats I am, considering how neglectful Ive been. So thanks for stopping by to see how my family and I have been.

Yas can still catch me on Facebook (add me as a 'friend' if you want) and the awesome Scrapboxx forums.

But I just really feel that Im not really in the mood for blogging anymore. That part of my life is finished with now :)

Cyas around and about!!


xxx K

Send me for a time out!

I know! No blogging. But Ive been very sick since I got back from the retreat! I had a cold and now Ive got gastro while still having a cold! So Its not really nice being me at the moment. Anyone wanna swap?

Ive got a fair few layout shares. About six i think? Wow thats alot for me haha. But no photos taken yet so I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE I will post those tomorrow :)

Anyway, the Scrapboxx retreat was amazing! as i thought it would be! it was SO full on, but totally worth the hours of driving, and the mega hours of flying. On the way home I spent 11 hours straight either in an airplane or airport. Good times! haha. Actually it wasnt too bad cos i had my buddies Mardi Winen and Nikala O'Brien with me. I had so much fun getting to know these two girls better ... as well as the other girls at the retreat! Sheree you will always have my heart :)

Ill be back in the morning with photos. Im still feeling sick so had better go lay down. I was going to post photos in this post but its all a bit much at the moment.

night!


xxx K

Off to the Scrapboxx Retreat!

Hey all!

Im just about ready to go - give me another hour and we will be on the highway :)

Im going to mackay today so that Ive got the kids settled ready for my 6am Thursday flight to head on over to Augusta in WA!!! Im heading to the Scrapboxx retreat and cant wait! Although I must admit, I am dreadfully tired. Ive been up working till after midnight for something like 10 days. Ive lost count. So I hope I am awake enough to get the most out of it that I can! And Im not snoozing the weekend away haha.

I will be back mid next week sometime - hopefully with some shares, considering im going to a scrapbooking retreat haha. So until then, take care of yourselves!!!!


xxx K

my kids aged so much today!

Liam - well, when he was being cheeky i picked him up and was carrying him to his room for a timeout and he was yelling "no mummy, i be good, i be good, i be good ...". and this is the first time he has tried to bargain with us this way. u know, how they make promises about how from now on they will behave. it reminded me that every day he is growing and learning new ways to interact with those around him.

and yes, he still got his time out. :)


As for Miss Brianna - she got her haircut. *sigh* she looks so amazingly beautiful. she always does. but today she seemed to age at least 2 years with this haircut. it made her so grown up. it even has layers! Brianna's first layers. :)


BEFORE PHOTO (taken on wednesday):



AFTER:


Tonight Im scrapping :) Im heading off to western australia next week for the AWESOME scrapboxx retreat and i CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im a bit anxious about leaving the kids, but I will be fine. I really need a break to tell u the truth. I havent been away from them ever. itll be a good experiment for me.



xxx K

So excited!!

i just purchased a pattern from the 1920s to make a toddlers cloche hat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i can just imagine the possibilities with jazzing it up to make it more modern! i love Angelina Jolie's cloche from Changling


The flower in her cloche is totally like a prima flower!! so i think ill make one that looks authentic - thanks to Prima. But ill also make a red one maybe with a bunch of cherries appliqued onto the side, or a big funky fabric flowers in a bright colour. something more colourful thats suited to a 4 year old girl :)

aaaah im one happy mummy tonight :D

anyone know where i can purchase felt online? i know they sell it at spotlight by the meter but im not going to town for anther 2 weeks and im busting to get started! let me know if u know :)




xxx K

Innocent?? or not so innocent?!?!??

Liam today was such a character. When Brianna is at kindy i see a whole new side of my little man :) he kinda comes out of his shell a bit!

but here he is in all his innocence ....

and then literally 3 frames later ... (he musta been thinking about brianna!) that little snarl is too darling ...



I have been scrapping to get ready for the next KDD release at SIA, but I cant share any of that at the moment :) So here is some sewing Ive done.

I got some half price spiderman polar fleece at Spotlight over the weekend when we went into town. So I used a meter of it plus also an old black Tshirt of troy's to make this scoodie and pants matching combo. The whole outfit took less than an hour to make and cost me $7. We are getting ready for winter now so Im prepared and dont have to rush out and BUY clothes. I want to make as much as possible so the kids have original clothes, plus also save some $$.




And I also turned a ladies skirt into a dress for Brianna. Ive made her another gorgeous teal and red dress but havent photographed it yet.


I need to grab some polar fleece for brianna so she can have a matching scoodie and pant set! If you want links to the tutorials for these items of clothing check the links in my sidebar to the right!



xxx K

Dress made from bed valance

Today I popped back into the Salvos. I really have to stop buying clothes/manchester to recycle ... and start recycling the ones ive already bought!!! I spent $5 and walked away with 2 grocery bags full of some very exciting prospects, plus also a big double bed valance. I made Brianna this dress from the valance as soon as I got home cos the print was too cute! But I wasnt happy with it cos it sits a bit funny. But its still alright on her :) im happy with everything except it makes her look like shes preggers haha.

the scallop pattern was around the whole valance, so now ive got HEAPS of that left - yay!





I also made my first pair of boys shorts today and they are soooooooo cute on liam!! but he pooped in them straight away so they are already in the wash!! grrrr toilet training! photo tomorrow after they dry :)

Onto scrappy news ... Ive wanted to make a blessing book for our family for ages! i finally did. its so that i can sit down with the kids and record our everyday blessings, trivial and also substantial. a great keepsake for years down the track, but also an everyday reminder of how lucky we are! used up heaps and heaps of leftover rubons on this book cover, it was so theraputic :)


inside the front cover, waiting for a message plus also some cards i will write my fav family based scriptures on. the rest of the album is just going to be bazzill cut down to size. i have to order that though - no LSS here.


And lastly a sneaky peak at what is to come. this layout is for a very special person :) when she sees it hopefully she will recognise the people in the photo and know its for her! :D




xxx K

for all the mamas out there!

I can totally 100% relate to this letter. While reading this post I almost wanted to memorize the whole thing so the next time someone tells me that i have time to do "just that one more thing for them" I can quote it :)

Found here: Mama Manifesto


************************************

1.31.2009

Where Does The Time Go?

Recently, a reader wrote in to an advice columnist at The Washington Post, asking about why her friend with children seemingly had no time to call her back. The author, Carolyn Hax, gave her a response I think we can all relate to:

Dear Carolyn:
My best friend has a child. Her: Exhausted, busy, no time for self, no time for me, etc. Me (no kids): Wow. Sorry. What'd you do today? Her: Park, play group . . .

OK. I've done Internet searches; I've talked to parents. I don't get it. What do stay-at-home moms do all day? Please, no lists of library, grocery store, dry cleaners. . . . I do all those things, too, and I don't do them every day. I guess what I'm asking is: What is a typical day, and why don't moms have time for a call or e-mail?

I work and am away from home nine hours a day (plus a few late work events), and I manage to get it all done. I'm feeling like the kid is an excuse to relax and enjoy — not a bad thing at all — but if so, why won't my friend tell me the truth?

Is this a contest ("My life is so much harder than yours")? What's the deal? I've got friends with and without kids, and all us child-free folks get the same story and have the same questions.
— Tacoma, Wash.

Dear Tacoma,
Relax and enjoy. You're funny.
Or you're lying about having friends with kids.
Or you're taking them at their word that they actually have kids, because you haven't personally been in the same room with them.
Internet searches?

I keep wavering between giving you a straight answer and giving my forehead some keyboard. To claim you want to understand — while in the same breath implying that the only logical conclusions are that your mom friends are either lying or competing with you — is disingenuous indeed.

So, since it's validation you seem to want, the real answer is what you get. In list form. When you have young kids, your typical day is: constant attention, from getting them out of bed, fed, clean, dressed; to keeping them out of harm's way; to answering their coos, cries and questions; to having two arms and carrying one kid, one set of car keys and supplies for even the quickest trips, including the latest-to-be-declared-essential piece of molded plastic gear; to keeping them from unshelving books at the library; to enforcing rest times; to staying one step ahead of them lest they get too hungry, tired or bored, any one of which produces the kind of checkout-line screaming that gets the checkout line shaking its head.

It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15.
It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier.
It's constant scrutiny and second-guessing from family members and friends, well-meaning and otherwise. It's resisting the constant temptation to seek short-term relief at everyone's long-term expense.
It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything — language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity, empathy. Everything.

It's also a choice, yes. And a joy. But if you spent all day, every day, with this brand of joy — and then when you got your first 10 minutes to yourself, you wanted to be alone with your thoughts instead of calling a good friend — a good friend wouldn't judge you, complain about you to mutual friends or marvel at how much more productively she uses her time.

Either make a sincere effort to understand, or keep your snit to yourself.

-Carolyn Hax

Posted by Kristen at 4:02 AM

xxx K

im SO excited!!!!

for three reasons:

FIRSTLY:

Scrapboxx retreat is in LESS THAN A MONTH!!! I am just about hyperventilating from excitement :D My class kits are now up for sale, but no sneak peaks as yet because they contain gorgeous new CHA stuff. *heart is fluttering*

If you happen to be near Augusta .... or can make your way there ... I highly recommend coming along. Im nowhere near there - but im still going!! In fact, I have to drive two hours to mackay, then fly to Brisbane, then fly to Perth, then drive another 4 to 5 hours to get to Augusta. now THATS dedication! But then on the way back Im traveling the 4-5 hours to Perth, then flying to Melbourne, then to Brisbane, then to Mackay, then driving the 2 hours back to Moranbah. I will be touching ground in 3 states in the one day.

There are over 50 ladies attending so far, and its going to be an absolute blast! If you want more info go here. Im so excited to be teaching classes at this retreat :D Im SO looking forward to sharing some time with my fellow Boxxers :)


SECONDLY:

I got my next pack of Karen Day Designs from Scrapware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These designs are going to be released at SIA and I had so much fun designing them! I got the packs yesterday and felt so inspired when they arrived. Once again I have tried to think "outside the box" when it comes to whats on the market at the moment with chipboard/acrylic/wood products and hopefully u will love the latest release as much as I do :)

I have another 12x12 inch design which I love, some more little handy bits and pieces, and also some new little characters who are busting to meet you! Ive even got an OTP item! And its made from wood, acrylic and also chipboard ... but its not a minialbum :) You will have to wait and see :D


and THIRDLY:

I lost 0.9kg at WW this week :D So I was wrapped about that! i cant wait to be back in the 60s. shouldnt be too much longer!!! probably another 2 months, which will go really quick!





I have some scrap shares for you! I will share some later today, and the rest will come at the end of the weekend cos Im not allowed to share with u yet!

And cos its virtually illegal to post anything without having photos here are my kids yesterday arvo. it was pouring rain here by the bucketload and playing in the rain is the ultimate kid thing to do!! so i couldnt resist kicking them out of the house for some fun.

(liam had jocks on, but it was still inappropriate for the net. so im sorry for the big black box!)




Have a fab weekend.


xxx K

more fun :)

ive been having a ball lately with sewing! i sewed another dress and another skirt yesterday - both of them a bit more advanced than the ones i did earlier in the week. trying to build my way up to something really complicated. something like these:

1. corset top - http://youcanmakethis.com/info/hats/How-to-Make-a-Corset-Top-With-a...
2. layered tulle skirt - http://youcanmakethis.com/info/hats/How-to-Make-a-Layered-Tulle-Twi...
3. peasant top - http://youcanmakethis.com/info/hats/How-to-Make-a-Peasant-Top.htm

i squealed when i saw those patterns. i can totally see brianna wearing them in a gorgeous yellow, red and hot pink colour combo!!

and the fourth one im interested in is a really sweet hat that i want to make in matching fabric: http://youcanmakethis.com/info/hats/How-to-Make-a-Newsboy-and-Cloch...

but thats $40 US dollars ..... $60 AU dollars. just for the eBooks.

i nearly passed out when i saw those. but troy isnt too impressed with the price tag. but if i got it then id be making that for friends/family for special occasions. so itd be worth it. i just gotta convince troy ;) the hat would make an awesome gift.




but here is the free tutorial for the following blue and red dress. i made the dress out of two matching red pillowcases ($1), a blue skirt (50c) from the salvos, plus some buttons/ribbon out of my scrap stash. im really enjoying recycling fabrics.

for this dress i actually didnt pick apart the skirt once i bought it from the salvos. ive used it as i bought it. so i followed the tutorial for the bodice, then just made a ruffle out of more of the red floral fabric and sewed that onto the bottom. then joined the two sections. i also changed the tying of the corset a bit. i added an extra bit of ribbon that goes around her neck and ties into another bow at the top.

this is my fav item out of the 4 ive made this week:



i did a boo-boo with the straps. u can see it in this pic. i sewed the lining to the bodice forgetting about the strap loops. so i had to sew those differently. i now know for next time tho! i was so lucky that i had 2 meters of this ribbon in my stash as it was a perfect match to the skirt material.

details:



and i also made this twirly skirt using this free tutorial. for the fabric i found a floor-length size 10 girls dress (Pumpkin Patch brand) at the salvos for $2. i unpicked the dress and ended up making this skirt plus i have heaps of leftovers. the material was in mint condition but i wasnt too keen on the pattern. but brianna fell in love. and she was begging me for a "watermelon skirt" .... i dont know if she realised that its actually oranges on the material haha.

the skirt goes into a full 360 degrees - perfect for twirling :) her face is so silly. but i dont bother with her posing cos its just "her". its totally brianna!



i also grabbed this hat while i was at the salvos and tied some scraps around the top.

Cost of the hat and skirt combined = $6.

See - i should be allowed to get spend the $60 to grab those other patterns :D


xxx K


PS. if anyone else is keen on getting those "you can make this" patterns please let me know. i was love to share the costs because its a PDF document u get sent through email. so we can share the tutorial :D makes it affordable if we split the cost.

another bargain homemade dress

i think im sewing so much so that i can avoid the photos i need to scrap. its not going to work. i know that this weekend i gotta get them out otherwise my kids scrapbooks will have a huge gaping hole in them from when i got lazy and distracted with other things :)

so here is today's scrapbooking-avoidance task ...

a pillowcase dress. this dress is made from a pillowcase from the salvos (50c) plus some trims/buttons from my scrap stash. it looks super-cute on Miss B. she loved it cos i let her pick the buttons.





i hope this weekend finds you inspired to create! but either way, make it a good one :)



xxx K

PS. if u wanna learn how to make a pillowcase dress just google it and u will find a bazillion tutorials and variations you can do. all very simple and quick!

Today I made brianna a skirt :)

for the grand total of $1. I went to the op shop to purchase material. but when i found this little linen skirt:



look at that print!


it was sooooooooo cute. but it had slight discoloration in places because it was really old. it had the yellowing thing happening to parts of the white. but cos of that it was only 50c. so i snapped that up. and then i found this matching pillowcase for another 50c ...


so I unstitched the pillowcase so i had a length of fabric. and chopped up the skirt.

then i resewed it all together and i had this gorgeous skirt, complete with a bow on the back! not bad for a noob sewer. she loved it. and i loved that it looked so "country".

now i just gotta get some green trim to dress up this pale pink singlet so she can wear them as a set :) i love that how when the singlet is tucked in it looks like a dress.






but i spent $8 all up at the salvos and i left with a big bag of fabric, clothes to unpick, and linen to chop. so im hoping to make brianna a bright red, white and mid-tone blue dress over the weekend :) ill post up here when finished!

have a great weekend :)


xxx K

ive *actually* been creative! (shock horror)

ive had so much fun this last week. Ive been feeling a bit more like my normal self and have scrapped a couple of layouts, done some OTP and even sewed a bit! its been so refreshing and nice. hopefully it is the beginning of a very creative year. ive missed the feeling. im scrapping again tonight - so 'yay'!

anyways, I have shares. the latest awesome Scrapboxx newsletter came out today and I made something for it but its been moved to the next month - so u will have to wait for that one!

but something else, i have decorated this Scrapware milk crate in a super-simple way:


we've had rainy weather basically non stop lately so its been hard to get nice photos. so just excuse the horrible photo quality above.

my kids love to colour. and i mean LOVE to colour. they have a craft table and they colour in their books and do drawings probably 3 times a day, each time they last about 15 - 20 minutes at a time. they both love to be creative. so i made them this box to keep their colours in so i dont ahve to clean up pens off the floor what feels like 50,000 times a day! they both were excited about the crate and sat down to colour as soon as i gave it to them - almost as if to test it out. so cute.

also, big news in the Day household! brianna started kindy today!! she was such a big girl. i was so proud of her. shes very socially confident, so as soon as we walked in she went off and played with the other kids and couldnt have cared less when i left. when i said bye she didnt even look up from what she was doing. i was totally snobbed!!

here are some pics from today.

before kindy i tried unsuccessfully to get some nice pics of brianna. she gave me alot of silly faces and refused to look half normal. but i just ran with it and didnt pressure her cos she was so super excited about kindy she couldnt be bothered stuffing around with photos. haha. but i think she looks so sassy in this photo:


here is her once we got to kindy. she went straight to the blocks and built a zoo with the kids that were there already.


i was amazed at how many bags kids need for kindy!!! she needed 1 backpack, and 3 drawstring bags for sheets, hat and spare clothes. i made her drawstring bags and also her cushion cover for naptime. i was so proud of myself cos although i desperately want to know how to sew i really dont have the time to learn! but im so happy with how these turned out, even if it was really basic.

i made three of the following design, but in varying sizes depending on what they were to be used for. and each one had a different wooden tag attached. of course u have to name everything. so i threaded a wooden minialbum page that i had decorated onto ribbon so it couldnt be pulled off. each wooden circle was covered in Basic Grey and Sassafrass Lass papers, some journalling rubons, AC stickers, Sass chipboard and CC alphas. they turned out real cute.




this cushion cover was a bit harder. i made two boo-boos but u cant really tell :) the back of the cushion is just the plain red polka dot material.


Anyways, I hope u all have a great night!! im gonna watch a movie while scrapping :)

In awhile crocodile.



xxx K

time with the kids

ive really been focusing on enjoying some time with the kids this month. so im sorry for the lack of posts! i was just so busy in nov and dec that i took a month off from all my "work" and just did family stuff.

here are some pics of the some of the stuff we have done since my last post.


we had a wedding to prepare and organise :) brianna and liam got married (briannas idea). liam was SUCH a stud ...






we had some fake smiles ...


some even faker smiles ...


and some real smiles ...


liam proved that "white men can jump" ...


and also learnt how to use a potty (apparently its easier to pee in a potty while wearing stilletos" ...


liam and oates found their best friends - each other ...


and oates learnt to sit on command (thankyou puppy preschool!) ...


we did finger painting (and liam did face/leg painting) ...


i got a second-hand double jogging stroller. this isnt my exact one, mine is fairly faded and doesnt have these inserts on the seats. plus mine only cost me TEN DOLLARS from lifeline. so now i can walk the dog and the kids together.



the only thing i didnt do this week was go to WW! (eep my bad!)

i do actually have scrap shares (shock horror) i will post them up tonight :)

have a great weekend!!!


xxx K