It's beginning to look nothing like Christmas...

Well, the week started off great, though I must have jinxed it by feeling way too relaxed, enjoying my children playing blissfully in the backyard, and absorbing the excitement that is the week leading up to the big day.

Here we are, day before Christmas Eve and I have had three very sick children.  Some manky virus has struck them down and completely turned our heavenly home into a germ ridden, child screaming, sleep deprived nightmare!  I've hired as many Christmas movies as I can to cling onto the festive spirit we had just a few days ago...but to no avail!  Cramping tummies, fevers, fetching buckets, running frantically from one to the other - chaos has prevailed!

On the bright side, all the running up & down the stairs has got to prove to be a bonus in the long run, surely, and being housebound for three days has meant avoiding all the mayhem that goes on out there at this time of year, we got to see all the pretty lights last night on the way back from the hospital which we usually miss because we're in bed before dark.....no, that's not working...truth is I feel isolated, exhausted, far from festive, and worst of all, I think the bug has got me too!

Here's hoping that a Christmas miracle can be performed in this little corner of the world so that I don't have to tell my family we won't be joining them for Christmas....

Enough of my misery, I sincerely wish you all a very Happy Christmas and holiday season!  May it be filled to the brim with joy, love, gorgeous food, wine & all those delightful things, and great fun with family and treasured friends  xxx

Aaahhh...holidays!

It's day one of holidays and it has been a delight so far.  Just hanging out at home... lego, Star Wars, Buzz, a quiet movie, a bit of tidying up, and a walk in the sunshine to grab a coffee....

...the perfect day!

My Place & Yours: The 'Me' Wardrobe

This weeks Theme Queen is Sandra asking us to share the special item/s of clothing that we keep going back to, that friends would recognise us in from miles away.  It's got to be grey for me, all things grey, and any shade of grey, usually with some pretty detail, like shirring or a nice print, some applique...

Skirts, dresses, tops, bottoms, summer, winter, day wear & evening - all grey! I can't help being drawn to it when I walk into a store.  I do have lots of other colours in my wardrobe, and I wear them all, but they are all usually teamed with something grey...

Come & have some fun, play along here.

Babushka

Meet our newest member of the Little Ted Canvas range...

'Babushka Love'

It's A Flower - Hooray!

I did it! I made my first flower! Last week I decided I would teach myself to crochet because I saw a gorgeous scarf that I just had to have, so I thought I'd try making it myself.  Well, I haven't quite started on the scarf yet, but I made my first flower! Hooray for me!  It's a little shabby, but I can only get better, surely...and it's such an enjoyable way to pass the hours - not that I have too many to spare, but a little 'me' time can't hurt, right!?

It's Christmas Time...

Our Christmas decorations look so pretty this year.  It's the first time we've been able to have a tree without it being pulled to pieces by little people who get more enjoyment hurling baubles across a room than admiring them from a safe distance.  Sadly, we're all tucked up in bed before dark so we never get to see it all at it's most delightful, at night time when all the lights are twinkling in the windows & the whole house is lit up by the Christmas tree.  I know, I know, everyone says 'But it's Christmas let the kids stay up late & enjoy it, at least they'll sleep later in the morning!'.  Not my kids! They could be up until midnight every night & still be awake by 5.30am every morning!  Is it worth it?....I guess so...it is Christmas after all...aren't we all supposed to be sleep deprived and physically and mentally exhausted at this time of year?   I would love to take them for a drive around town to see all the beautiful decorations & lights.  That's half the fun, right?! I suppose they'll sleep eventually....won't they....?

'My Place & Yours: just 5 minutes peace'

My place & Yours is being hosted by Pilgrim this week & she is asking where we retreat to for a sanity-regaining break. 

My favourite place to sneak away to is this chair in our bedroom.  It is the most comfy chair - it's actually a spring rocking chair, a bargain for just $20 from a local op shop!  I always had intentions of reupholstering it in a plush pale blue velvet, but it's grown on me just the way it is. Our room is really light and airy, perfect on both summer & winter days.  I often sneak up here to have my brekky in peace or just sit back with a cuppa & read a book.  In this chair I can close the door & leave all the mayhem behind me - even if it's just 10 minutes before they all track me down in dire need of something, anything, or nothing - just to be where I am...

Despite it being just the right size for one, it has been the perfect chair for rocking babies back to sleep in the middle of the night (often dosing off ourselves with baby snoring on our chest), and it's the perfect chair for having a quiet cuddle & chat about the troubles on little peoples minds.  I do love this quiet spot...

My Little Christmas Elf...

It's a busy little life...

Owl Love...

Our cuddle cushions have been a big hit with little visitors so far.  Santa is going to need to get his skates on with just 3 weeks till Christmas!!

My Place & Yours : Wherever I Lay My Hat, That's My Home...

This weeks Theme Queen is Tania from Myrtle and Eunice, asking us what we would choose to take with us wherever we may go that makes our place a home.  I'm not a particularly materialistic person, though, I'll admit, I do love to be surrounded by lovely things & there are certain sentimental things that would be on top of the list such as photo's, home movies, childhood keepsakes.  It's all a bit soppy I know, must be in an emotional headspace just at the moment, but truly, I could live without anything except all my boys.  After a tricky year last year, I realised how everything else just fades into insignificance when it comes to being happy.  All of us being here together is what makes our place a home...

Friday night movies and pizza...

...and cuddles

...and wrestling, of course

To share what you can't live without, pop over here.

A Productive Day!

Phew... well what d'ya know!  Sometimes the stars just align and you manage to get on top of things.  My challenge now is to try not to start new projects and to tie up all those loose ends....

You can never really plan...

I had planned a really productive day today. I was going to dedicate the day (or at least the afternoon) to having all my orders complete, well a good portion of them anyway, but that was not to be...

First we had our first official school visit for Prep next year, so off we went to school, sat around for a cuppa with other parents & caught up on some local news. Then we came home where I was going to make a start on things before kinder drop off...

...but ended up constructing a train set & playing trains for a while. Took off for kinder, came home for lunch & to make a start on things, remembered the list of ingredients my eight year old left me to collect so that he could 'make' our dinner tonight (a new thing, he's so into this, who am I to discourage that kind of enthusiasm!) so off to supermarket, school & kinder pickup, swimming and home...needless to say a very unproductive day on the order front. Tomorrow, it will be different...won't it...

That's the Spirit...

So much to do, so little time!  It's always the way at this time of year, isn't it?!  No matter how organised I try to be, I am always flat out in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  It's fun though, I have to admit.  It all adds to that Christmas feel, the spirit in the air....the parties, the hustle & bustle of shopping, the winding up of kids, the winding down of school, the concerts, catching up with neighbours, trying to tie up all the loose ends before the new year, ensuring the back fridge is full of all those lovely goodies like champers, beer, softies & other delicious favourites...I do love it!

And so for now, back to work...with Christmas fast approaching & that spirit in the air...

My Place & Yours : That's Nice, That's Different, That's Unusual...

I'm playing My Place & Yours again this week with Pip & Toni and the topic this week is 'That's nice, that's different, that's unusual', as Kath & Kim would say.  I chose the stangest little shadow box in our kitchen.  We've never understood why it was put there or how you would use it. It's really close to the ground, in a walkway, between the entrance to the kitchen & the doorway to the laundry- it's just odd! I don't get it, but if anyone has some practical ideas for its being there please share them with me, I'd love to hear your thoughts...

and behind...nothing...

Baby's Growing Up

Amongst all the chaos that was our place last night, my baby decided he would get himself ready for bed.  This came out of nowhere, for the first time ever he dressed himself! I offered to help, and was told I wasn't needed.  Knowing his very short fuse I assured him I was here if he needed me & there was no need to get angry if he got a bit stuck.  Sure enough there was a whole lot of screaming & throwing of jammies across the room, but ever so determined he did it, on his own!  Now, if only we could convince him to toilet train...

Lots of yelling and stamping of feet went on about here...

and again here...

Proud as Punch!

Mum's Night

We had Mothers Night at kinder yesterday, it was really nice to spend time with my little dark haired boy! We played Star Wars (I was Princess Leia, he was Han Solo) we raced, we danced, he gave me a massage, I read him a story, he made me a bracelet and he did my makeup - yes, makeup! I looked like a 'lady of the night' by the time he'd finished! Then he did my nails and served me a plate of nibbles.  Great fun was had by all....the challenge is keeping this polish on as long as I can so as not to offend.  My youngest is a great fan of nail polish - loves it!  As I woke, the immediate shock of the red polish made me think for a brief second I was bleeding to death!  Then my little guy said "ooohhh, Mummy your polish is beautiful! Can jimmy do mine too?!"

My Creative Space

The old sewing machine always frightened me before.  I'm always looking at the amazing things people make & dreamily wish I could sew!  So I dragged the scary beast out of its box (where it's been since my parents bought it for me 4years ago) and set it up on our dining table where it sat for a few days, tempting me, willing me to sit in front of it. And eventually I did! Over the last week I've been 'playing' with it, and it turns out, it's not so scary!  I'm having heaps of fun!

A cuddly owl,

and some cushions...

Last weeks creations...cushions are a good introduction to sewing, I've found...hubby thinks we probably have enough now, he could be right, there's barely room on the spare room couch for us to sit. I'll need to get a little more adventurous...

See more creative lovelies here.

My Place & Yours : My Collection

This weeks theme for  My Place & Yours was chosen by Kate at Foxs Lane and the fabulous topic she has chosen is My Collection(s).  There are lots of things I love to pick up on my travels - old stools, cushions, tins, wine barrels, pyjamas, fabric, buttons - the list is long, but my latest fascination is mirrors.  I have picked up a mirror from almost every garage sale I've been to this year! Sadly, we don't have room to hang them all, so I've been alternating them every now & then.  I'm really tempted to make a mirror feature wall, but I'm not sure if it might look a bit creepy somehow...what do you think?  Here are a few favourites....

A Starry Christmas

I couldn't go past these little tin stars, then found the perfect branch & made this years alternative to a wreath! I love the tinkle you hear every time the door opens and closes - like Christmas bells!

A Sewing Frenzy!

It is so unlike me, I have gone into a complete sewing frenzy, I can't stop!  I very, very, rarely use a sewing machine & when I do it seems to take so long to produce a single item that I can't be bothered doing anymore.  But something has come over me in the last 24hours, so far I've made 3 snuggle toys and two bedroom cushions! It's not going to stop there...I'm going to make heaps of things...my mind is bursting with inspiration - I won't question the frenzy any longer, I'm going to embrace it & sew to my hearts content - it's hysterical!

What Have You Been Making?

It's funny you should ask Pip...I dreamed of this funny little owl cushion/cuddle thing last night, so today we made him!  He's a little bit cooky & rugged but I like him...

He's already being loved with sticky hands & dribbled on with icecream

...and shown around the garden by being catapulted over the barbeque

...and now left to rest in our reading spot where he awaits more cuddles at story time. 

I think I'll make him a friend or two...

...and so, a few hours later...

Friends...

My Place & Yours : Through The Front Door

This weeks meme for Meet Me At Mikes is 'Through The Front Door' by this weeks Theme Queen Femme de Montmartre.  I am such a homebody, I love being home and pottering about.   The kids love it too, rarely hanging around to tell me that they are board.  They're always out in the yard playing out wonderful adventures, in their rooms building or wrestling in the living room - never a dull moment! Coming home after a long & busy day  is always a great feeling, a sense of peace just washes over you, I love home - my favourite place in the whole world...

Our front door - a bit of a dumping ground...

Our front door opens straight into the family room - our living space, play space, entertaining space, catching up on the day space...

::My Place & Yours :: Secret Weapon

The theme for My Place & Yours this week is your Secret Weapon.  I wasn't sure I'd play this time around as a couldn't for the life of me think of a solitary thing worthy of sharing, other than perhaps the essential rouge on the cheeks every day ( it's the only makeup I ever wear & I never leave home without it!) but that seemed a little dull.  After telling this to my hubby last night he said I had to be kidding! He said that surely my secret weapon is my incredible ability to have an idea, plant the seed and sit patiently while this idea very slowly comes to life, when 6 months later my husband miraculously has the very same idea!  I guess this is a bit of a weapon, although it does sound a bit sinister, and it  is obviously not a secret if he knows about it! How fascinating that he still succumbs....

Gotta Get Busy...

I pulled all this stuff out and dumped it on the dresser a couple of days ago when I was all inspired to get my Christmas orders ready - it's been sitting there ever since & not a piece has been started yet! As we don't have a designated work space to keep things out of the way, our bedroom is it! Needless to say hubby's getting a bit over pulling ribbon out of his undies drawer and moving canvas from one side of the bench to the other.  I've got to get busy, I've lost my inspiration - and now the sun's shining, it's beautiful days ahead...oohhh I'm torn, that nagging voice in the back of my head will make a breakthrough soon & guilt will prevail - I'm sure of it!

A Birthday!

It's our baby's 3rd Birthday today & boy was he 'Mr it & a bit'! We had a great day, just hanging out at home most of the time, playing with new toys, baking his Buzz & Woody cake.  His favourite word today is 'Lovely'.  My cake is lovely, my rocket is lovely, flowers are lovely, my birthday is lovely....and on it goes.  I have to say it really was a lovely day, however, 3 hours past his bed time & he is still lying in bed singing to himself - the loveliness is beginning to fade...

My Blog HQ

Hello! This is my blog HQ & one of the most used spaces in our house. It used to be a bit of a 'nothing' space in our main living room just under the stairs.  We'd end up throwing toys & bits and pieces there at the end of the day until we eventually decided it would make the perfect home office - and voila! It's hard to believe, but we had been without a home computer for 8yrs! So, it was very exciting when we finally invested in one.  We wanted to be sure it was in a practical place where it could be utilised by all of us.  Our eight yr old spends a fair bit of time writing stories here,  our 5yr old loves to draw & create masterpieces here & our 3 yr old...well he really just likes to annoy anyone who is busy here! I actually love this spot. It's light and close to all the action, so I can still see what little monkey's are up to at any given time!
Where do you blog? Join in here..

My Place & Yours : Bedside...

How much fun is a meme! I saw this on Meet Me at Mikes blogspot & I just had to play so here is my contribution to My Place & Yours...My bedside.  An old stool serving as a bedside table - have been meaning to give it a paint but I've decided I like it's rustic charm, A few books my husband and I are taking in turns reading. A pile of ribbon, fabric & buttons my son tipped out of my sewing box, apparently rolling Buzz Lightyear down the stairs is a better use of the box! And a framed drawing waiting to be put up...

Getting there...

It's taking me a while to fumble my way through setting up this blog but I'm getting there, and having fun along the way! Although, I think I have seriously neglected my kids during this whole process - they'll be right! If nothing else they're learning some new conflict resolution skills as a result of me not getting involved!

The whole blog thing really is very consuming and heaps of fun checking out other blogs and amazingly talented and inspirational people.  Oh, and I've also managed to make myself a follower of my own blog! Does anyone know how to remove this?

Well "HELLO!"

This is my very first blog and I am quite excited about it. I'm really looking forward to sharing my new venture with you all. I have been creating nursery canvases for friends and family as gifts for a couple of years now and I've decided to take the plunge and put them out there for the public to enjoy!

I'm a fulltime mum to three little boys, so life is pretty busy already, but I'm up for another challenge - so wish me luck!!

My pieces are all hand made and mostly one-offs, as the fabric and ribbon I use can change depending on availabilty. I use quality fabrics and look for materials that are a little bit special so that each piece is unique. I think they are quite sweet & I really hope you do too....