My family seems to be in baby making zone at the moment. Well, not making, more like producing, having, birthing. Cute little things have joined, or are on the cusp of joining, family life. So, I am sharing with you my quickest, easiest, most on-trend baby gift imaginable: the padded round baby play mat. They're everywhere on all the "in" sites and they are sooo easy and sooo quick to make you'll never have to think about what baby gift to make ever again.
As you know life is more than a little busy for me at the moment with the move home, so, when Sheena Henderson offered a post to appear on my blog I happily obliged. I don't pretend to be a fashion blogger, but I do love fashion and, right now, I need some ideas for a Christmas Day dress and thought you might too. I hope you enjoy this guest post.
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The beauty of fashion is that no rule is ever set in stone, giving us the freedom to wear our OTK boots in the heat and embroidered boho frocks in cooler temperatures, as long as the outfits are styled according to the season. However, no one can argue that maxis, minis, and everything in between are best worn during the summer, no-fuss ensembles that keep us feeling breezy during those hot sunny days. Similarly to what the editors of Elle have said,“We’d rather be naked than think of putting together an outfit involving pants."
A friend calls, a friend I've known for many, many years, around thirty years, he needs some help. Having just returned home from an extended time grey-nomading around our country, he needs some basic supplies to set up home again. A peg bag and a plastic bag holder. The plastic bag holder's easy. I've made heaps of them. More than heaps. But, I haven't made a peg bag before, so it's time for some thinking and a tutorial, of course.
Do you clean your teeth every day? Do you shower every day? Do you moisturise your face, legs, arms every day? Do you check your breasts every day? Is checking your breasts part of your every day health and beauty regime? If you're like me the answer is ... um ... no ... not EVERY day. But, if you're like me, you will join the campaign #IPledgeToCheck so that you will ... will always ... check your breasts every, evERY, EVERY day.
It's been a loooong time since I've shared my inter-web wanderings with you. Life's been too busy. So, here it is September and I'm only up to #2 for 2016. So, let's get to it. What have I found for you?
When Number 3, my brother's third daughter, comes for a short visit and it's Spring and the sky is clear, it's a good reason to take Flossy out for a drive ... with the roof down. A country drive. A drive to Bents Basin. A short drive, less than an hour from home, in the fresh air, sunshine and Spring-ness.
The end of August heralds increasing warmth in the air and a special friend's birthday. But what to give her ... make her?? It's almost time to fling the doona from the bed and store the winter jammies away for a few months, so maybe some OTT summer lounging PJs. And when I came across the perfect fabric, there was no time to waste. And ... why not write up a summer pyjama pants tutorial as I go? Yes, why not.
Miss Betty ... aka mum, mother duck ... turned 90 last week. Amazing. Totally amazing. We know she's 90, but she thinks she's around 28, back on the farm, waiting for dad to come down for smoko. She's happy. We're happy. We take it as it comes. Some days she's better than others. But 90! That's quite an achievement.
When a friend comes from Woolooga, Queensland to Vineyard, New South Wales, a trip of over a thousand kilometres, and says let's go to town and see the Archibald Prize Exhibition, it's time for a day out. A day of coffee and cake, a little shopping and a lot of culture.
Hi again everyone. It's me ... Ralphie ... again. I'm so excited because it seems I ... me, little ol' me ... I have followers! How exciting is that. People who read mum's blog who want to hear from me, who follow me, via mum, on FaceBook and Instagram! Who would have thought! Some of them even send me presents ... more about that later. Anyways, I've been told we're going "home", apparently ... at the end of the year, apparently. And I have to get ready, apparently.
Yes, a tote bag, a good size tote bag with some volume to hold your shopping easily. And made in less than 45 minutes. Why wouldn't you want to get started!
Yes, Frida Kahlo is in town. Oh, and a little of Diego as well, but, for me, Frida is the main attraction. Enigmatic, beautiful, talented Frida. So, when Number 3 (my brother's youngest) is also in town for the weekend and wants to play for a day, what better thing to do than visit Frida at the State Gallery of New South Wales.
Bean bags seem to be popping up on all the "in" sites lately. Bean bags with very expensive price tags, but, realistically, these very expensive bean bags are very easy and not very expensive to make. If you have around an hour to spare, you can have one made.
Yes, it's true! In our house. A milky-scented, black-haired nymph. The most beauteous beauty in the whole entire universe ... of course. And she's in our house ... technically ... our house on the Gold Coast.
In the world of make up, I would be classed as a minimalist. I've tried being one of those artistic make up people who use lots of fancy schmancy products that enable them to change the way their face looks, but I've had no success. None. Zilch. So, these days my make up regime is very simple. A bit of foundation, sometimes a bit of powder, eye liner, mascara, lipstick, sometimes a bit of blush and, on the rarest of occasions, eye shadow. So, what is my bathroom drawer doing holding all this "stuff' that I never use? And surely there is a better way to store the little make up that I do use? Hence, my epiphany and my make up organiser was born.
Rain is predicted. Heavy rain ... and strong winds. A rather large storm cell, in fact, and we are booked into the city for the night to tour the sights of Vivid Sydney 2016. A night in town. A dinner out. And Vivid. Perfect ... except for the rain.
I'm in trouble. Serious trouble. Trouble with a CAPITAL "T" ... apparently. I don't get in trouble very often, so this is a new and not all that wonderful experience for me. So, I suppose I need to explain my plight.
A fishing shed is a dream to behold for those drawn to angling as their preferred past time. In FNQ, such a dream is no longer a dream. A sister, a brother, an almost-brother-in-law and a dog are living the dream, fishing the waters of the Tully and Hull Rivers and the Pacific Ocean around Dunk Island whenever the urge hits. They are in search of the biggest catch. The catch to talk about for almost ever. The catch to get the heart racing and the line singing. "THAT" catch.
A day at the races is a rare event in our social calendar. Rare, like once-every-5-or-6-years rare. So when MLP came home suggesting joining a table at the Haweksbury Cup with mates from his work, we donned our best and mixed with the throng.
Anzac Day. Alarms break our sleep at 4am. Lights flick on. Homes come to yawning life. Cars loaded with young and old drive out, lights on, towards the closest cenotaph and ceremony. Then the quiet wait begins. The wait for that tinge of light just before the dawn. That tinge of light that led the ANZACs to the wrong bay on that foreign shore in 1915. Then martial commands break the quiet, feet move in unison and, as the dawn breaks, the solemn act of respect and remembrance begins.
Easter is one of those times of the year for friendship and sharing. This year, MLP and I went home for Easter. Our real home. The Gold Coast. Stayed with friends. Shared food and wine and all things Easter. Home … ahhhh.
Middle Head is a looong way from our current abode in Sydney's far west. It's in the harbour, almost directly opposite The Heads, North Head and South Head. The ones that form the harbour's mouth. The ones that Cook sailed passed and that Governor Phillip rowed a long boat through to found this nation and this magnificent city. Well, his lackies rowed; I'm sure he did not one single iota of rowing.
Stitches and Craft Show, Sydney 2016. I had a mission to accomplish. I was focused and ready. So, off I went by train then bus, with, miraculously, no travel disasters.
I've been lusting after a French market basket for oh so long. You know the ones you see ladened with baguettes and fresh produce propped in the bicycle basket just so. Well, now I have my own. But, not just any old French market basket. A pom pom adorned French market basket, no less. Ooh là là.
My little collection of garden pots has been looking very tragic for quite some time. Their Nanna flowers have lived long past their use by date. It was one of those annoying jobs that just kept staring at me saying, "Me next? Me next … please." But the sewing machine called and this little job went further down the queue, until this week.
Who doesn't love a little inter-web wandering? There's so much amazingness out there in cyber space just waiting to be discovered, just waiting to make us drool, dream and be dazzled. So, what have I found for you to begin 2016?
Fitbit joined my life, our lives, after the red-coated-reindeer-led-bearded-one left his deliveries under our Christmas tree last year. One Fitbit for me, one Fitbit for MLP and … our lives changed, our language changed, our fitness changed.
Who doesn't love a pom pom trim? And ric rac? A little bit retro, a little bit cute, a little bit stylish. Combine that with my love of sewing and my version of the pom pom beach kimono is here.
2016 began for me at Lake Tyers, Victoria. A quiet spot close to, but out of, the hustle and bustle of Lakes Entrance in school holidays' mode. Why Lake Tyers? I desperately needed to be with the ocean again, smell the salt air, crunch sand between my toes. And there was the pull of friendship and family.
