hazyjane

room with a view

2012-02-01T14:00:00.004+11:00

it became apparent over the past few months that this little shack we are living in wasn't quite big enough for a family of nearly six, so some changes were made. The most urgent thing we needed was a bedroom so that we could stop sleeping on the fold-out lounge (not the best thing to sleep on when one is pregnant, after all) so plans were made to add a new "wing". This wing now houses a very comfortable parents retreat (more to come on that), and also a pretty awesome kitchen.the thing about building these things yourself is that you can get everything just the way you want it, or thereabouts. Everything here is recycled...old wood, tin, glass and enamel. Loving that sink. Oh, and those windows. A friend asked me recently how we find all this stuff, and to be honest, it's not something we really think about too much. We simply like old stuff better than new stuff, and we're willing to stop the car by the side of the road to pick up someone else's trash or go rummaging through junkyards to find just the right window or door. And people give us stuff too. Although that can sometimes be a problem. We have lots of stuff.the thing I love most about this kitchen, apart from all the sweet stuff in it, is the view through all those old windows. It's a pretty great place to make school lunches, prepare dinner, and sit down with a cup of tea. It's a pretty great place to just "be".

how to build a teepee in two days

2012-01-10T14:33:00.015+11:00

1. don't start until you are sure that the timing is well and truly inappropriate for a project of this magnitude. I could have had this made four months ago, when the idea first came to me, but true to form I chose to leave it till the week before jasper's birthday, that being the week between christmas and new year, when the kids are on holidays and long lost friends seem to come out of the wood work. Not to mention the difference those four months make in terms of pregnancy.

2. after you have established that you don't remember much of the maths you learned at school, consult your husband for technical advice. They come in handy for some things crafty, it seems.

3. don't bother with a practice run. Cutting large pieces from precious vintage sheets and hoping that they will fit together in some semblance of the object you have in mind just adds to the thrill.

4. make sure you drop your tin of pins at least four times. Crawling around on all fours picking up pins is one of my favourite pasttimes, especially when seven months pregnant. Right up there with retrieving pieces of lego from the far corners under kids' beds.

5. swearing is optional, but at this stage, I would say go for it. I did.

6. after the piece has finally come together, and you're feeling quite proud of yourself for how well it actually turned out, hand it over to the four year old and watch while he tries to fold himself up in it, climb in and out through the window and generally do his best to make it look "lived in" (including adding small items of furniture). Let's just say it's been well and truly road-tested, and is still standing. Phew.

7. even though the whole process may seem a little like child birth...a lot of pain but with a truly magnificent result...don't even think about doing it again. No matter how many people say "will you be putting these in your shop...?"

am I four yet, mum?

2012-01-05T14:10:00.004+11:00

we celebrated this little boy's birthday this week. 4...not so little anymore. And soon to be a big brother too. I can't tell you how many times over the past six months or so he's asked me when he will be four, the magic number it seems. So, it was with great anticipation on the morning after his birthday that he asked me "am I still four, mum?" (a whole day had elapsed after all). When I replied yes, he sighed a big sigh of relief and told me" it's good to be four".needless to say, we are now talking about five. What's with all this wanting to grow up, or is it just the thought of more birthday cake? I think we'll just stick with four for now. And soon-to-be nine. And nearly twelve. Oh, and then there's bubba who will no doubt be in way too much of a hurry to grow up too.

happy new year

2012-01-01T08:26:00.006+11:00

after spending the last two weeks back on the coast for christmas and catching up with family (and washing!), it became absolutely necessary to get back to the farm, back home. The thought of spending new years eve with the drunken early morning stragglers and random fireworks going off all night, not to mention multiple doof doof parties around the neighbourhood, just didn't appeal to me. Don't get me wrong, in years gone by...well, long gone if the truth be told, I've enjoyed a good party as much as the next person. But not these days. To lie in bed and listen to the symphony of frogs and crickets is my idea of a good night (in!).
the past year has been interesting, inspiring and life-changing for us, and we are looking forward to many more good things to come in this new year that has just begun.

it's a bad time of year to leave the house

2011-12-15T12:19:00.007+11:00

I don't like shopping at the best of times, but at this time of year, I find that it becomes really unbearable. I try to do most of my christmas shopping (and let me just say, there isn't much of it) online, and even rely on the mister to pick up groceries on his way home from work during the week while I'm out here in the sticks. But every now and then, I feel the need to get out, and the other day decided to head into town for a few things , including a sniff through the local oppies which are always beckoning. I should have known better, I knew it was risky with the christmas crowds and jasper's unpredictability in public, but filled with optimism, I went anyway.

he is by no means an unruly child, it's just that he's either "on" or "off". He was switched to "on" by a well-meaning old lady in the first op shop we visited, who handed him a bright green lollypop before I could get a word in. That's the other thing about this time of year, you can't avoid the sugar. That lollypop kept him going through three more oppies, which was good in itself, but after that there was a weird kind of quietness as the sugar did it's thing. And that was when I made my first mistake and did a '"quick" trip into target. I don't know why, I think it was the promise of 20% off lego and secret santa gifts to buy for carols on the weekend, but I actually thought we could do it. And then I made my second mistake, I saw something I wanted to try on and jasper promised to sit quietly on the little seat in the change room, and I believed him. Mid way through this exercise, he decides to exit underneath the door (why can't they make those things go all the way to the floor??). So, I'm in the change room, trying to wrangle my way out of a pair of cossies whilst calmly calling out to him, but he's not answering. And then a horrified voice comes from the change room oppposite "oh my god, he's in here". Right, so he's crawled under the door of another booth, no biggie. I open my door, and she opens hers, and through gritted teeth, says "can you just get him out of here", whilst cowering behind the door. Jasper by this stage has realised his mistake and is in his hiding place, underneath the chair, crying.

Now, I don't know about you, but if I found a small child hiding in my change room, I'd probably laugh, definitely try to make them feel better when they started to cry, and assure the mother that it was no biggie. But no, hostility reigns supreme in the land of fluoro lights and that is exactly why I will continue to do my shopping online and if I do feel the need to get out of the house, it will be by myself.

Oh, and the kicker, the lego I was after was all sold out. Merry bloody christmas, target.

pants!

2011-12-06T15:00:00.005+11:00

according to the calendar, we are 6 days into summer, although you wouldn't really know it with all the cold, rainy weather we've been having. Not complaining, of course, it does make a summer pregnancy a lot more bearable, but seriously, jumpers and trackies in december? I seem to remember trying to avoid getting my feet stuck in melting tar at this time of year when I was kid.
Never fear, the summer pants are here to remind us that the sun will eventually grace us with it's presence and the kids can look totally groovy in the sandpit and at the beach. Then again, they're equally good for just lazing on the lounge when it's raining too.
Sizes 0 to 3 in the shop now!

water, everywhere

2011-12-02T13:16:00.005+11:00

for the past few months, our "sometimes" creek has been a real life stream, and after the recent rain we've had, it's been the favourite after-school hangout for the boys. They spend all afternoon swimming and catching tadpoles...good old fashioned fun. To tell the truth, I'm a little envious of their childish enthusiasm, it reminds me of doing the very same things when I was a kid. Finding suitable accommodation for my tadpoles seemed to be the only real concern I had back then. I do love a good stream. Ever since I can remember, I've had a dream of one day having my own little farm, complete with stream. In my mind, it would be something like the one that scuffy sets out on his big adventure upon...it seems I've found it.
Jasper asked his dad to tell him a story the other night when he returned home from work, and he told him a story about a girl who met a boy and had three wonderful children, with one more baby in her tummy, and they lived on a farm and they were so happy because they had all they ever dreamed of in life.
I am reminded to be thankful and cherish what I have.

i love...

2011-11-01T11:10:00.003+11:00

old wooden chairs. Can't go past a wooden chair on a chuckout. It nearly got us in trouble once when we were moving with the help of friends...I remember one of them declaring after about the fifteenth one that he was going to start burning them.
This one was painted in a very scary shade of orange, which I scraped off the other day and found this very agreeable shade of pale yellow, with just a touch of my favourite fifties green. Love that.
The cushion fabric is denyse schmidt. Sometimes I can't help myself and have to buy something new.

hello, from here

2011-10-27T10:04:00.003+11:00

ok, ok, I know it's been ages since I wrote anything here, but there has been so much going on in our lives that I simply didn't know where to start. And really couldn't be bothered, if the truth be told. At the start of last term, we made the move to our little farm, enrolled the boys in the local school and generally decided to just give it a go. Nothing to lose, everything to gain. I had my reservations, but I've been grumbling about living in close-knit suburbia for so long that I really had to try. I knew that it was going to be hard, no washing machine, no running water in the house, very close living quarters...just a whole lot of space (outside!) and freedom, and an amazing little school that is everything I ever dreamed of for our kids. They cook, garden, craft, play music, watch chickens hatch and generally just have an awesome time. Not to mention the great friends they have made. We actually thought this would just be a short term thing, but this place has really got under our skin, and we are still here, despite the lack of facilities (they will come), and I don't think any of us ever want to go back to the burbs. In fact, I think we would have mutiny on our hands if we tried.happy kids, happy dog, happy chooks. Happy life? I'd be lying if I said it wasn't difficult, but yes, it's a happy life. And, it's about to get a whole lot happier too...well, busier, anyway, with a new little person joining us early next year. Must be all that fresh country air.

p.s. as you can see, snowy has two new friends, chooka and atilla-the-hen. we are now enjoying fresh eggs once again, although snowy has chosen to retire from the egg laying business and leave the hard work up to the young ones.

little dream come true

2011-07-07T07:50:00.008+10:00

ok, so there's a little something I haven't mentioned, something which really does deserve a mention. And it's not really so little either. Little in terms of size, but not in terms of grand scale projects...it's a big job.I have 10ft of vintage caravan goodness sitting in my driveway, while my car sits decaying under the trees. But who cares about a silly old (well, kinda newish) car when there's a vintage caravan that needs attention.
you see people, I have waited a long time for this little dream of mine to come true, and apparently this particular little one has waited a long time for me. 51 years to be precise. For the last few it has sat in a suburban backyard quietly gathering moss and mould, housing a teenager and several of his mates (and all the paraphernalia one would expect to find in a teenagers' lair, including approximately 27 cigarette lighters amongst other, less desirable things).
never fear, the mouldy plywood has been removed, and new stuff is appearing and everything is gradually becoming shiny and new. In a vintage kind of way. Those pink cupboards will remain
and I will work around their pinkness. Down the bottom there is the original ice chest (with matching pink door) which somehow survived the teenagers unscathed...it's a miracle really.
I have this system, you see. If I really want something, I put a picture of it on my fridge. I've had the above picture stuck on there for about 5 years, quietly hoping that a little vintage van would someday walk (or be towed) into my life. I never made a big fuss about it, I would just glance at it every now and then and think about the day when I might be sitting in a little van of my own, sipping tea and crocheting or maybe doing one of my vintage jigsaws or playing patience with one of my vintage decks of cards or some such other lovely pasttime. I have all the stuff you see, I just needed the van. Well, now it's here, and although my work is cut out for me, I'm enjoying every minute of it. I hope to one day tow it, but even if it just sits in a paddock (or the driveway), that will be fine too. Yes, little dreams do sometimes come true.
Incidentally, the picture before that one was of a smeg. I'm sad to say that one did not materialise. One day.

growing up

2011-06-21T10:06:00.006+10:00

I stood by the side of the road and waved goodbye to my biggest boy yesterday morning as he set off on his year 5 camp. They are growing so fast, these boys. Fin will be 11 next month, and he's quite the man of the world, packing his own bags and heading off into the great unknown. Willow has become a lean, lanky 8 year old, and jasper is heading towards 4 a little too rapidly for this mama's liking.
so, feeling a little melancholy at this rapid passing of time, I came home and made jasper a new library bag. He loves to go to the library and it's high time he had his own bag, goodness knows I've made enough for other people. Owls, because he loves them too, grey cord on the bottom and for the handles and a little pocket on the front for that elusive library card and the all important receipt (if I don't have that I have absolutely no hope of knowing what we have at return time). Sweet. Now, apparently, willow needs one too.

chilly

2011-05-25T12:03:00.015+10:00

it's turned chilly here. Cold and blustery winds and a bit of rain. I have one boy home from school with the sniffles...honey and lemon and blankies are helping. On our last stay at the farm, we awoke to a world of white. The temperature dropped considerably overnight and the whole valley froze, as well as water in buckets and baths. Having hugged the coast all my life, I've not had a lot of experience with cold weather...we've always got by with light quilts and clothes. But now, I find myself seeking warmer things. The boys are sporting alpaca beanies, knit by one of our neighbours who also spins the yarn herself. We eventually plan to have a couple of alpacas on the farm, so maybe I'll be knitting with it myself some day. I'm excited and inspired to be becoming part of a new community; experiencing a different climate and looking at life from a new perspective.

happy mothers day and all that

2011-05-10T14:46:00.003+10:00

we had a lovely mothers day weekend (at the farm), followed by our double whammy birthday yesterday. At least it wasn't on mothers day this year, like last year...we managed two days of spoils this time around. Lots of flowers, chocolate and good food, put on by my little sister who is turning out to be a dab hand in the kitchen. The mister and I even managed to pop over to our favourite pub for a glass of dogbolter (oh my, if ever there was a beer) and an hour or so of uninterrupted conversation whilst dinner was being prepared, probably the most enjoyable gift of all...I love those boys to death, but geez is it hard to get a word in when they're around.
Fun times.

sleepy pants

2011-04-29T15:25:00.004+10:00

cute little snuggly bum pants made from vintage flannelette. I can't guarantee these pants will make your kid sleep, but hey, at least they'll look good. In the shop now.

down on the farm

2011-04-27T13:59:00.007+10:00

no need to explain where we've been, I think it's fairly obvious. It's getting harder and harder to come back to suburbia. We'd rather be here.

bathing under the stars,

catching sweet morning rays,

making mud puddles,
working together,
climbing trees,

and blowing bubbles.

Life's good.

shop talk

2011-02-21T10:58:00.001+11:00

some new ellies just toddled on in to the shop...jeez they're slow. Also some bags and little pants too!

one chook down

2011-02-04T09:45:00.002+11:00

a couple of days ago we sadly lost one of our chooks, mymble. I don't really know what happened, over the past couple of weeks she just got really weak, and her comb went flat, and I think the heat we've had this week just proved too much for her. It's never nice finding one of your little friends dead like that. "She's sleeping", jasper said. "no, darling, she died". "oh".
I don't know what was sadder, the dog barking at the chook, trying to wake her up, or the other chook, snowy, looking back over her shoulder as she left the coop, to see if her friend was coming. After I had buried her in what is now known as the pet graveyard down the back, snowy let out the loudest, most heartfelt cry I've ever heard from a chook. She crowed for about ten minutes, a fine farewell to her sweet friend. Sensitive creatures, these chooks. there is a happy ending to this story, though. Today snowy laid the first egg we've seen in months, and was very proud of herself too, I might add. It seems that mymble's sickness must have been affecting both of them, and now snowy can get on with her own life. Either that, or it's a one-off.
The question now is, do we get another chook, to keep snowy company?

progress, at last!

2011-02-02T12:06:00.006+11:00

well, school is well and truly back, and peace and quiet has returned to my little nest between the hours of 9.15 and 3.15. Jasper is once again his sweet little self, pottering about and mostly not demanding too much from me, and as a result I have managed to start on some work. First cab off the rank was this sweet little set for a good friend who has been waiting for far too long, she is very patient with me. She has a baby girl, as well as three boys (yes, I know), and she is very much in love with pink, so as a result, everything has to be pink for the little one. I have to confess I do not share this passion for pink, and indeed it is scarce in my fabric collection, but I am managing to persuade her into letting a few more colours into her little girl's wardrobe. So far I've had success with green, red, and now this very cute blue gingham and flowers. No brown though. Never ever.

I had quite the brain wave moment whilst making the bloomers. I was instructed to leave the elastic out of the legs, as the child's legs fare better without it, which I was happy to do as I remember it being a pain in the backside last time I had to put it in, and at which point in time I swore never to make another pair of bloomers again. But this time, as I was about to put them together, I realised that I could sew the (homemade) bias tape onto the legs before sewing up the side seams. These bloomers are from a vintage pattern, and they are cut in one piece, with side seams only. So, where before I was sewing them up and then tackling the leg hems, having to sew into a circle and match the ends, I have now managed to do the hard part whilst they are still flat, making the finished product a lot neater.

I am thinking I am probably not the first person to realise this, and indeed, anyone who can sew and is reading this is probably thinking "um, der", and anyone who doesn't sew and was reading this probably lost interest and went somewhere else long ago. But I am quite thrilled with my new discovery, as it means that I can now do much neater arm holes (and neck holes) on the tops I sometimes make for myself, and maybe also make more bloomers for my shop.

Yes, a very productive morning indeed.

In case anyone is wondering, that dress has a cross over back, very hard to lay flat and take a decent photo of. That's why it looks a bit wonky.

hazyjane on sale!

2011-01-22T07:54:00.004+11:00

when is blog not blog not a blog? When no one's blogging. And when is a shop not a shop? When there's no stock in there. In an effort to remedy this sad situation, I have relisted some old stock on sale, so if you'd like to pick up a bargain, head on over. Some groovy new bags are making their way in there too.

this is the place for me

2010-12-21T16:26:00.003+11:00

oh, how the time slips away from me at this time of year. Wasn't it just october? Amidst the normal chaos of christmas and birthdays and families and all that other stuff, we have been busy with something else. Something I still can't believe is really true and real, something I have been dreaming about all my life. Yes, really. We bought a farm. it's just a little farm, five acres to be exact, and not a real farm as fin pointed out, because it has no farm animals (yet!). But there are trees, a big paddock, a sometimes creek, and lots of adventures to be had on this farm of ours. Five acres of pure bliss.we're working on a shack...doing what we do best and scrounging materials. For now we're camping in the tent as often as we can get away. No phone, no power, just the birds to listen to. Life doesn't get much better than this. oh yes, this is the place for us.

everything old is new again

2010-11-12T06:53:00.003+11:00

somewhere amongst the chaos of last week, I decided it was high time I updated my rather dated website. I was getting a bit tired of people saying "er, there's not a lot going on with your website", and me saying "yeah, I know, I have to do something about that"...so I did something. It's still not finished, but at least it's all shiny and new.
Some little friends found their way home from balmain, so they are gradually appearing in the shop. Just in time for christmas, me thinks.

scissors down

2010-11-03T19:20:00.008+11:00

I've been busy, busy for the past few weeks. It's balmain art and craft show time again, and the craft has been a flowing out of my little shed. I must admit, if I had started earlier and maybe enlisted some help with child minding then I probably would have got a lot more done, but organised I am not, and child minders are light on the ground around here so five minutes here and there is all I've managed. I think I did pretty well under the circumstances. Some new designs this year, these little houses are my favourite.

new cushions as well, with some very fun appliqued designs...I seriously wanted to keep these for myself. Ric rac rocks. mr. elephant has had a makeover, now in a one-size-fits-all model. He's in-between the old ones.

bunnies found some new faces, much more fun this way. I do so love the bunnies.

and of course, some bags. Large enough for a couple of books or mags, but not too big for everyday use. A long strap for wearing across the chest, I find them much more comfy this way. Bunting too, but we all know what a pain in the backside bunting is to photograph.

You may notice a lot of denim in this lot. I've had two big rolls of it stacked in the shed for about three years, we picked it up off a chuck-out somewhere (??!!) and I've never really gotten around to using a lot of it as it's really rather rigid. It has proven perfect for these bags, and also the appliqued cushions, as it holds it's shape really well. It's my new thing, and now I'm hoping it doesn't run out too soon!

I'll be back soon, with more tales to tell about what we're up to right now.

ps. a big thankyou to my kind and oh so patient mister for taking these pics, and um, dropping off these things in balmain for me...even after I had a minor meltdown because I was "frazzled" (only pathetic word I could come up with under the circumstances) after all that sewing and toddler wrangling, he remained calm and did these things for me. He deserves a medal that man.

oh, hello blog

2010-09-17T14:36:00.003+10:00

look at that, another month went by. Well, it's more like six weeks isn't it, but who's counting. I've thought a lot about writing something here, but thinking is about as far as I got. My little friends have been keeping me busy, especially this one, who has developed a fondness for running. Away. Supermarkets are especially fun places to run through...the many obstacles making it all the more interesting. Another fun place to run is to school, to pick up the brothers...lots of gardens to visit and letter boxes to check along the way. I had forgotten about nearly three year olds and the things they do. Things like noticing that you are otherwise occupied and realising they suddenly need you. Right now for instance, he needs me to retrieve the combi that he just threw in the bin (because it was "broken"). How do they know that game? Very cunning.
People keep asking me if he goes to pre school, and I have to admit that I haven't even thought about it yet. I guess I would get more done, but then I would miss him and his crazy ways. I think for now we'll just keep playing the games, because I know that he'll be ten in the blink of an eye, and then the games become a little more involved.
I'm off to rescue an only slightly broken combi from the bin, and whatever else may be in there with it.

my first treasury!

2010-08-04T07:35:00.004+10:00

I just received a lovely email from melanie of AmaniYaJuu to let me know that she featured me in her etsy tuesday treasury. My first one, I'm chuffed! Funnily enough, it was an apron that I made about four years ago for a customer who never came back for it, not even something new and exciting. I've relisted some things in my shop that didn't sell first time around, and this was one of them. Lots of little skirts and pants in there at the moment too!
Thanks AmaniYaJuu! (Check out this lovely shop for gorgeous african handmade quilts).

double digits

2010-08-02T14:02:00.002+10:00

boy number one turned ten the other day. 10. My goodness. Although I find it hard to believe I've been a mum for ten years, there's no doubt that he's been with us for that long, and then some. He was an old soul from the start, and always a challenge. Fin is all about the "why not?" and "when can I?", and rarely lets go of something once he's latched onto it. But, what would life be without a challenge? I love this boy, in all his dark and mysterious ways, and he never ceases to amaze me with the things that rattle around in that brain of his.

10. What fun to be ten, the biggest concern being which wheels to buy for your scooter with your birthday money. I now find myself stepping precariously over allen keys and screw drivers rather than lego when I make his bed in the morning. Wondering, how does one get grease out of a mat? Not sure I'm even going to bother with that one, I think I have better things to do.

Happy birthday biggest boy, we love you lots.

p.s. yes, I know there are cobwebs on my chandelier, they add to the old world charm.

school holidays in pictures

2010-07-16T08:18:00.005+10:00

I'm not going to pretend the school holidays have been one big picnic, but we did have some good adventures in the few brief moments of sunshine that we were graced with (and some in the gloom as well). Rainy school holidays? That's just not funny.

we love you hope

2010-06-29T19:13:00.003+10:00

on friday night, the mister and I went out on a date. We ventured into the big city to see hope sandoval and the warm inventions play at the enmore theatre, that most wonderful of venues where one doesn't have to feel guilty about sitting down for an entire gig, because that's what you're meant to do. Good for old folks like us.
I am so glad we went. I knew it would be good, but it totally surpassed my expectations. I was blown away and am totally in awe of her talent (not to mention gorgeousness!!). I now have an intense desire to learn to play the glockenspiel...we'll see how we go with that one. In the meantime, maybe I can just mooch around the house in a little black dress and knee-high boots, humming along to the cd. I'm sure the mister won't complain.
above picture is from this article...luckily on the night we went, everyone paid heed to the "no camera" warning. I know I took it very seriously!

whilst mamma was busy in the garden today...

2010-06-27T21:40:00.004+10:00

someone decided to help himself to a little snack. Because, you know, milo is good for growing boys.
oh look, I can just eat it straight from the tin, I don't even need to use my hands.

um, maybe just one more mouthful?

no, maybe not.

back to business

2010-06-26T13:27:00.004+10:00

cute blue one in the shop

loving this pocket

and this button

today I...

2010-06-24T17:44:00.004+10:00

made a calendar. Why would you be making a calendar halfway through the year I hear you asking, and quite rightly so. Well, the reason I am making a calendar halfway through the year is because I was too stupid to buy one at the start of the year, when other, more sensible folk get these things sorted and thus become organised and remember to do things. Not me. I am the sort of person who decides they will solely rely on the calendars they give out in frankie magazine, because they are cute and sweet. So what if you only get two months at a time. I will keep buying this sweet little mag because it's great and as we approach the end of the second month, I will just write down important upcoming events for the next month on little scraps of paper that will of course become lost amongst the plethora of little scraps of paper that decorate our home, so that those upcoming events will come upon us as more of a surprise. Ah yes, it is fun to live one's life this way, but what if one decides they don't want to buy the mag one month. What if they don't like the look of the girl on the cover, or they simply don't have nine bucks to drop on it, deciding they need some new hand cream instead? Well then that person is stuck either paying full price for a calendar that they will only use half of, or making one themselves. And yes, I know there are countless free calendar downloads out there, but I didn't like any of them. Not "hand-made" enough. So, for approximately two hours this afternoon I drew up a calendar, by hand. There were countless other things I could have been doing, like sewing things that people are waiting for, or finding out more about our new prime minister, but that would have been boring. And besides, I have a clever husband who reads newspapers rather than magazines, and he can fill me in on such important current affairs, whilst I am doing something else more interesting. And besides that, he was starting to get sick of only having two months at a time, with nowhere to write down important future skateboarding events, so I owed it to him.
So, now that I have made a calendar, I can cross it off my "I can just make that myself" list, and move on. The silly thing is (yes, I know, you thought that was the silly thing), I think I can remember making my own calendar when I was about nine years old, and feeling like I'd wasted my time then. You'd think I would have learnt my lesson. Let's see, that gives me about 27 years before I have to make another one.

ps. I haven't seen the latest frankie yet, and I'm sure the girl on the cover is just peachy, but I don't think I can buy it on principle. I mean, what would I do with the calendar?

getting out of the nest

2010-06-22T14:44:00.006+10:00

not too much happening around here right now. At this time of year I'm happy to just spend my days at home, puttering about the house, the smell of something yummy wafting from the oven and sweet sounds on the stereo (going to see them on friday night!!). Sure, I get a little stir crazy after a while, but we are lucky enough to live here, in the land of the sunshiney winter, and although it's raining again today, we've had a week of glorious sun filled clear winter days, just perfect for packing a picnic and heading off to the city like we did on sunday.

we went to the olympic park, which is a strange and interesting kind of place. The kids took full advantage of the bike tracks and the two biggest boys even managed to fit in a skate/scoot at the monster skate park. Picture a room full of metal ramps with 50 or so kids on scooters going all over the place, including upside down. I had to really concentrate just to keep track of where fin was (one must be watching at all times in order to be able to make appropriate comments later on).

Sometimes I forget how easy it is to get in the car and go. Leave the dirty dishes, the washing and the unmade beds, and just go. Get out in the sun and forget about it all. The housework will still be there later, and the same again tomorrow, so who cares? And, besides the obvious benefits of just being outside in the sun, kids will eat just about anything if it's at a picnic.

a(nother) thrifty tale

2010-06-10T19:06:00.004+10:00

I was struck by a moment of panic recently whilst driving down "the high street" (as our main street shall hereby be known thanks to my dear friend helen), when I noticed from the corner of my eye that the doors to my local vinnies were not open at a time of day when they most definitely should have been. In fact, the shop was quite empty, devoid of all its mysterious contents, and it

had quite the air of abandonment about it. Oh no, I thought to myself, could it be gone? Was the competition just too fierce (there are three other op shops in this town, which should give you some idea of the amount of crap that people have to offload around here). Upon closer inspection, I realised there was a little hand written sign taped to the door ... reno's in progress, back in three weeks. Phew. But, seriously, three weeks? What the heck were they going to do, put in turnstiles and door security?

So, for three weeks we waited patiently. It wasn't easy, but luckily, like I said, there are other places that one can go to in these parts. And then, as I was leaving the supermarket the other day, I noticed the magic doors were once again open and off we went, jasper and I, to see what we could find. Little did we know, but it was actually the grand re-opening day, and there was a bit of a frenzied atmosphere about the place. You see, the people were keen to see the fresh white paint, the new glass shelves in the windows, and the new racks full of clothes swapped from other vinnies. I wonder what happened to all of our tired old stuff...maybe it's in taree or some other far off destination.

So, we wandered, jasper and I. We wondered past all the shiny new stuff, thinking maybe there was a nice little vintage coat or even a dress just perfect for me waiting there. Wishful thinking. Poor jasper, I could see the disappointment on his face. We left the linen till last, didn't want to rush things.
just as we were about to leave, I cast one last look over the shelves. There were the usual suspects. The faded cotton kmart sheets so common at this time of year, having been cast aside in favour of their fluffy flanelette cousins. But there, on the bottom shelf, sat three baskets full of undisturbed linen, just waiting to be rummaged. That red and green sweet thing found it's way into my hands first, then the hand embroidered butterfly number which will be just the thing for my next garden party, and then, oh joy, three juicy yards of grey and yellow vintagey rayon. I see a new dress in my future after all.
And, as if that wasn't enough, a perfectly lovely tea cosy in just the right colours for keeping my tea warm on these chilly winter mornings.

Needless to say, we came home from our little adventure feeling quite pleased with ourselves, had a "coffee tea" (as jasper likes to call it), and remarked to one another how good life really is, especially with an op shop within walking distance of one's home.

sweetness

2010-06-07T13:57:00.005+10:00

it finally ocurred to me recently that: a) I have so much fabric in my shed that it's overwhelming and indeed sometimes stops me from being able to make rational decisions, b) there is in fact some fabric that doesn't appeal to me as much as it used to, which seems to throw a little cloud over my head when I go looking, and c) that there are probably some other crafty folk out there who would like to get their hands on some of what I have, and this would be a good way of sharing and also might add some much needed funds to my "buy a little farm" fund. So, in the spirit of ~~offloading~~ sharing, there are now fabric packs available in my shop from time to time. These packs consist of six large pieces of vintage goodness, which can be cut up for patchwork, etc. Whatever you like.

speaking of the shop, there has been a recent spate of sales...a small and somewhat short-lived spate, but a spate nonetheless. And, you know, that farm might take a while to save for in this manner, so I decided in the meantime I might just buy some shoes.

and fabric. And a new book. These things will definitely help me wile away the time.

the shoes are from oxygen, although I bought them here because they were much more helpful.

jasper, please be careful...

2010-06-02T20:32:00.004+10:00

when riding your scooter very fast around the house. There are obstacles.
(I've had to explain this bruise about 100 times this week. It keeps changing colour every day and each brilliant shade looks more gruesome than the last. I've seen some eggs in my time, but I think this one may just be the best one yet.)

birthdays are nice...

2010-05-14T19:21:00.004+10:00

especially when they fall on mother's day. Ok, so it was nearly a week ago, but I feel that it's worth a mention, remembering of course that it's not only my birthday we're talking about here. Sharing your birthday with your husband is kind of cute, kind of quirky, kind of romantic and sweet, but the thing is, you need to remember that for the rest of your life you will share your birthday with someone else. Someone else who just happens to live with you, so there's no ignoring it. It will never be all about you. That's something you really want to be sure you're ok with when you get married. Lucky for me, I have a husband who believes in magic, and he does go out of his way to make me feel special, more than I deserve at times, I must admit. He spoiled me with new music and the funnest book I've seen in years. The chocolates weren't actually from him, but I found it quite pertinent to tell the world that I have a box of 48 ferrero rochers in my posession. I'm doing my best to share them. on a completely unrelated topic, a couple of items made their way into the shop today. A couple of things I found in the shed when I cleaned up recently.
Mental note: when you go to all the trouble of making an item, list it in your shop. It will be much easier for someone to buy it that way. Do not place it in a corner of your shed and pile fabric on top of it, for it is quite possible that you will forget that you ever made it, and thus it may never again see the light of day.

life goes on (obviously)

2010-05-01T07:10:00.005+10:00

so, I'm ok. I just got a comment from someone anonymous on that last post linking to a pets' memorial site, which admittedly brought a tear to my eye, but also made me think, "oh crap, I'd better write something on this blog so people don't think I'm still a blithering mess".

The days and weeks have moved on, and so have we. And the thing is, there's still sally mally pseudo-dog to keep us company. And the chooks. Now that little combination in itself provides endless entertainment. The chooks have realised that it is possible to instill fear by running straight at sally very fast, forcing her to run for cover while they scavenge what's left in her food bowl and drink water from her bucket. She meanwhile lays in waiting, recovering her shaken wits and as soon they have their backs to her, lunges at them with the intent of removing some tail feathers, only to have them turn around at the last minute and send her running again. Scary crazy fun.

Something that I hadn't really given much thought to previously was that sally was very much dominated by scully, only natural I guess. She went off her food for several days when he died, and I was thinking she was pining for him, but then I realised that she just took that long to realise that she could actually eat it all herself. He was a bit of a stand over man when it came to dinner. Now she's enjoying a generous helping, even saving a little bit for later safe in the knowledge it will still be there (unless the chooks are around). Generally she's becoming more dog-like, stepping up to the job of loyal companion and protector. I'm thinking maybe scully had a quiet word in her ear before he went. She's found her woof, and is using it freely to warn us of intruding lorikeets and magpies, and has also taken to sleeping under the house, which does wonders for her thick white fur. Very dog-like indeed.

The thing is, I'm so glad that we got sally when we did. I was worried at first that it was the wrong thing to do. Scully was getting old, and I thought she might just be an annoyance for him in his retirement, but he actually seemed happier when she was around. And the pain of losing him was so much easier to deal with after everyone realised that she was still here and she needed us too. It helped especially with the kids, teaching them that it's ok to be sad, but life does indeed go on. Needless to say, she's revelling in all this extra attention.

I will be back soon with less doggy tales and more crafty ones.

farewell to the best dog in the world

2010-04-13T21:16:00.003+10:00

we lost our oldest and dearest friend, scully, last friday. It's taken me this long to be able to even think about writing about it here, and even now the tears stream down my face as I sit here looking at these pictures and thinking of him. To tell the truth, I'm heartbroken.

scully came into my life in my twenty second year, around the same time that arran did. He came everywhere with us and usually managed to find some mischief of one kind or another along the way. His favourite kind of mischief was the kind that involved rolling around in whatever dead animal he could find, coming home with such a look of satisfaction on his sweet little face that I could hardly get angry with him. It was just what he did, worth the punishment of having to sleep outside rather than on the end of my bed.

Arran and I were having a long distance relationship in those days, me on the south coast, and him up here on the central coast, with about 4 hours travel between us. He'd visit on weekends, and the three of us would pile into his datsun 120Y and go on adventures, scully in the back with his head out the window all the way. He could smell a cow a mile off and would bark and yelp hysterically until we were well past them. I still don't know what he would have actually done if faced with a cow, but he seemed fairly confident from the safety of the car.

Arran would leave in the wee hours of monday morning, to head straight to work in sydney (an apprentice in those days, oh my, such a long time ago). Scully would chase him all the way out of town, and then run back home to me and sleep for the next four hours until it was time for me to go to work. Such dedication.

14 years. So many stories, so many pictures. I am so grateful to have had this dog in my life, and I miss him so much that it hurts. We all miss him, he was here to welcome all our boys into the world. He treated them with such patience and gentleness and taught them how to be kind and gentle in return.

Thankyou scully, for sharing your long life with us, it's been fun. We'll never forget you.

oh hello autumn, you're here at last!

2010-04-01T17:30:00.004+11:00

it's so nice when you're around.

scenes from a fortnight

2010-03-30T16:47:00.004+11:00

as usual, I must apologise for my extended absence. We've been busy, spending lots of time in the garden, making new friends.

enjoying yummies from jasmine greens. Gabby's grapes are the best.

wallpapering! Yes, my first attempt at wallpapering. We have this funny little "wall" which we built in our living room, which houses cd's on the other side and kind of creates a little corner for the telly, and it just needed "something" on the plain side. The other day it just came to me (I have my moments) that wallpaper would be just the thing. I bought this very nice piece from the lovley grevillea vintage (picked up a sweet piece of fabric while I was there too!). I knew nothing about wallpapering, but google's good for that. Let me just say, if this wall had been any bigger than 1m x 1m, we would not be talking about this right now. All's well that ends well, though, and I'm very happy with my new little flowery wall.

rippling. Ok, so it's still a little hot for crochet, but it is autumn, right? Loving this project.

and making lovelies for my new shop! I'm having lots of fun with these sweet little dresses, and aren't self-cover buttons just the funnest thing? If I had a little girl, this is just the sort of thing she would be wearing. (sigh).

super boy

2010-03-18T11:03:00.004+11:00

this boy turned seven last week. This boy who never ceases to entertain us with his random comments and funny antics. This boy who still loves to wear the clothes his mamma makes for him and who loves nothing better than to snuggle.
This boy "needed" nothing for his birthday, because he already has everything he needs right there in his sweet little head. I bought him a watch, because you know, he's a big boy now. He chooses to leave that watch on my bedside table so that I can use it. He was slightly more impressed with the keyboard grips I also bought him for his scooter (the only way to travel). Last night he declared that life is much better with keyboard grips.
At about 9pm on the eve of his birthday, it finally occurred to me that what he could really use was a new cape, so I made him one. He likes it. It seems to fly better than his old one. I had to pass judgement that the other morning as he flew past me on the little step into our back room. "Did it fly right up that time, mum?". "Um, yes".
Ah willow, don't change, stay just the way you are. Life is much better with you around.

opportunistic

2010-03-08T21:55:00.004+11:00

well, it wouldn't have been much of a holiday without a bit of op shopping somewhere along the line. I managed one trip to the nearest place of thriftiness, ie. in the next town, only to find that my most beloved of all op shops, the one where I have in the past found some of my most treasured treasures, the oppiest of all op shops, was indeed devoid of all goodness. It was full of crap. Now, I'm just going to let that slide. In my mind, it was just having a bad day, and when next I return, it will once again be brimming with good stuff just waiting to be picked up by the likes of me. So across the road I hopped, to the other, lesser op shop, the one that never really has much at all, and managed to at least score a couple of scraps of fabric, in pink and red, which as it happens are in rather short supply in my shed, so that was a good outcome I guess.so off we went home then, feeling just a little dejected (can you imagine the disappointment of the children at having no vintage treasures to share the back seat with them?), and we're driving back through the streets of my little home town, when all of a sudden I spy a roadside chuck out (er, council pick up). I can spot one of those a mile off. Actually, my husband is even better than me, but he was busy negotiating a winding road with oncoming traffic at the time.
Now this chuck out consisted mainly of furniture, and if I'd have been lucky enough to have had a trailer attached to the back of the car, then some very appealing orange vinyl chairs would certainly have made the journey home with us. But, as I was limited to small items that could be squeezed in amongst children and scooters and suitcases, this rosy tin was the only thing that I managed to salvage. and, I can honestly say that I would have been happy with that, because that really is the rosiest of tins. And, to top it off, it's a "willow" tin too, which are our favourite type of tins. But the story doesn't end there. As I'm perusing this chuck out, making sure I haven't missed anything, I happen to notice the occupant of the (very gorgeous original 50"s green fibro) house looking at me through the window, and then I'm thinking "oh, great, she's going to tell me this isn't a chuck out after all and I have to put back that sweet little rosy tin", when instead, she says "um, there's more stuff inside, if you're interested". Like I wouldn't be? Who the heck wouldn't be interested in the contents of a very gorgeous little fibro shack that looks like it hasn't been changed in last 60 years?so, off I trot down the front path, and through the loveliest of front doors, with the highest of hopes, only to find that the place had already been ransacked by other opportunists who obviously had some prior knowledge of the loot that lay waiting that day, and all I managed to find were a few plates and a little kettle for the cubby.
but then, as I'm leaving, I almost trip over a big pile of linen in the middle of loungeroom. Yes, my friends, linen. And there, in that pile of linen, I spied the tiniest peek of chenille. "Um", I uttered, in a tiny little voice, "are you getting rid of that too?", for surely no-one in their right mind gets rid of chenille. "Yes", they said, "everything".
So that, dear friends, is how I came to be the proud owner of a pair of matching totally groovy chenille bedspreads that day. Oh, and a pretty rad little cushion too. And if I were a braver mamma, and perhaps one with the type of children who regularly grace the pages of my favourite magazines, the type of children who can be trusted with such things as white chenille bedpsreads, then those bedspreads would surely be covering my childrens' beds and making them look totally cool right now. But, they are not. The type of children I have are a two year old with a texta fetish, an almost seven year old who can't help but make a mess wherever he goes, and a 9.5 year old who is frequently covered in weepy scabs, so I'm afraid white chenille is out of the question right now. For now, they will be stashed in my linen cupboard, along with my original pink ballerina version I had when I was three, waiting for the day when they can come out of hiding again.

refreshed

2010-03-03T20:39:00.003+11:00

we're back from our little trip, and feeling all the better for having gone. And just made it with the weather, it seems. We enjoyed four glorious days of sunshine and crystal-clear water...oh, how I miss that water.

some of my favourite places in the whole world. I think this is the most I've appreciated going home to this magical place, ever.

we came back with firm plans in our hearts and minds to make this a regular thing. Our official family holiday. Can't wait till next time.

for now, though, it's headfirst into autumn. The weather broke on our last night and we're now enjoying some cooler days and nights. Yesterday I relished the opportunity to get back in the kitchen. Although the fish and chips were fantastic, some homecooking was sorely needed. Carrot cake and pea and ham soup were the perfect start to the new season, and a good chance to use the christmas ham bone (don't worry, it was frozen). So, today, a recipe, since it's been a while.

My extremely very good carrot cake.

100g brown sugar, 175ml vege oil, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 cup sour cream*, 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated, 1.5 cups plain flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt, zest from 1 orange, 1/2 cup chopped pecans

beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until creamy. Stir in sour cream, add carrot. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon & salt into large bowl, stir in oil mix. Stir in nuts and zest (reserve a little zest for icing). Pour into greased round pan, bake approx. 45 mins at 175c.

*I use either sour cream, plain yoghurt or vanilla yoghurt, whatever I happen to have in the fridge. They all work well.

orange glaze: sift 1 cup icing sugar into small bowl, stir in juice from 1 orange gradually until smooth and runny (you won't need all the juice). Stir in reserved zest, pour over cool cake.

Enjoy!

the weekender

2010-02-24T20:41:00.003+11:00

we're off on a small adventure for a few days, visiting the little town where I grew up and introducing jasper to the beauty of the south coast for the first time. So happy to be doing this at last. Of course, a new bag was needed for such an exciting journey...and I think I may have come up with my most favourite bag design yet. Well, I shouldn't speak too soon, I haven't actually used it yet, but it's looking pretty good so far. when thinking about what kind of bag would be most useful for a mamma like myself, who finds herself carrying all manner of things including food, drinks, spare clothes, a hat or three, a good book (thankyou, sweet helen), maybe a magazine, a couple of cameras, a spare pair of shoes (you never know when you might need to change out of your thongs and into your mary janes), some pawpaw cream, a phone somewhere in there and maybe a bit of cash on a good day...well, the answer was simple, one of those green bags from the supermarket. How many times have I turned up with one of those because it was simply the only thing that would fit everything we needed. Not very stylish though, not really going very well with my shoes.

so , I decided to make a bag that was about the same size, only with way more personality and lots of pockets, so that I can carry lots more little stuff. I happened to have the most wonderful piece of teal coloured corduroy in my stash from last year (why do they keep changing the colours every year?), which I used for the main body, with bits of an old tablecloth for the side panels and pocket. Oh, and the lining, that's the kicker. My local baker has been giving me the calico bags that the breadcrumbs come in (he was just throwing them out before I happened to ask about them), which I have washed and ironed, and which have made the most perfectly wonderful bag lining. I think I'll do some more stuff with these as well, I do love the way the print looks on the fabric.

I'm already in love with this bag, and I think some might make their way into the shop very soon, if all goes well with this one. I'm off now to finish packing and try to get two very excited boys into bed (one's already gone, thank goodness). See you next week!

drippy

2010-02-11T22:09:00.003+11:00

that's how we're all feeling around here. Wet wet rain and hotness together at once. I've been involved in more conversations about the weather in the past two weeks than I care to mention. I am not someone who relishes small talk about such things as the weather. I'd rather be talking about something interesting like shoes instead. I also don't relish humidity. I have begun to seriously consider becoming a "winter-chaser". You know those people who travel around, following the summer. Well, I'd like to do the same, only with the winter. Winter and spring, all year round, then I'd be happy. I could wear tights and boots and cardigans all the time and would never have to wear another singlet as outer wear again.of course, other members of my family don't share my enthusiasm for travelling the world seeking cool climes, and there's also the small matter of money (or lack of) preventing me from pursuing such dreams at this stage, so here we'll stay. And the sun, when it peaks out from it's hiding place, is good for drying us out and reminding us how great it is to live somewhere where it shines often. Just leave out a bit of the moisture next time, please.

new stuff in the shop today!

lucky

2010-01-23T07:16:00.003+11:00

did I ever mention that when it comes to christmas presents, my husband rocks?butterfly plate from lightly, and jasper the owl from herbert and friends. Sweet new friends to wake up to each morning.
I'll definitely try to think of something more relevant to talk about soon. Well, maybe when school goes back, and I am allowed to think about something other than lego, cars and snacks.

a month of parties

2010-01-11T08:31:00.005+11:00

well, it sure has been a busy few weeks around here. Christmas, new year (although I can't really call that busy, as I was asleep by 10pm), and various catch-ups and birthdays. Last week we celebrated jasper's second!! birthday. That one kind of sneaks up on me, a couple of days into the new year. I have this terrible habit of not knowing what's happening in the next month, because, you know, it's on the next page of the calendar. And this one's even worse, because it's next year! Never mind, forget it I did not, and he had a lovely, rainy birthday. A backpack , a ukelele and some mama-made jarmies were well loved. Who wouldn't love some tawny scrawny lion jarmies?the happy birthday sign I made the night before from our christmas cards, which were thankfully still sitting there waiting to be recycled. I just cut out the letters free hand and attached them to some red string with masking tape. Extremely low-fi, just the way we like things around here. And speaking of low-fi, we've been lucky enough to take the big boys to the movies twice during the holidays, first to see where the wild things are, which we all loved and cried over, and second the fantastic mr fox, which was, well, fantastic. I don't want to get into any kind of arty-farty rant here, but thank goodness these things are being picked up by the likes of spike jonze and wes anderson, before disney could get their shiny happy mits on them. I know it's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy a film that doesn't make me want to vomit, and that has a soundtrack that I actually want to listen to.

must be christmas

2009-12-24T08:03:00.003+11:00

because there's a weird fake tree in our living room, and an unmistakable air of excitement around the place. In case I don't get back here later (and let's face it, that's highly unlikely), merry christmas wherever you are!

finding loveliness

2009-12-18T08:37:00.003+11:00

in these gorgeous lillies from my mum-in-law. Filling our home with their heady scent.

in sweet, wet rain after a hot, hot day and night. Making my garden grow.in this new-to-me picnic basket, FREE! at my local op shop yesterday. Hmm, could that hole in the lid be for a wine bottle? I feel a picnic coming on.
in new fabric, the fifties-inspired range (and some others) on sale at spotlight. Loving that.

Also loving school holidays, relaxing mornings, stealing five minutes to re-read an old favourite, and catching up with sweet friends. Have a lovely weekend!

back on the wagon

2009-12-08T20:29:00.008+11:00

so, I fell off the wagon again. And I had such high hopes last month, too. Last month I was all ready to start blogging regularly again, and look what happened, another three weeks went by just like that. To tell the truth, lately I've been feeling a little encumbered with the everydayness of everyday life. Nothing serious, just a bit of "i'd like to go and live in tuscany (or maybe just northern nsw)", and stuff like that. You know, just a bit of suburban boredom. I haven't even had the enthusiasm to log into blogger, I just keep looking at it and think "oh, I can't be bothered". Sad, huh? But, here I am, I've logged in, and I'm actually writing, so that's a start. I can't guarantee anything too exciting though.

so...what's been happening? Well, a lot, actually. There was that market, which was a really great day. I caught up with some old friends and had a pretty relaxing time chatting and hanging out sans-children, which is always a strange but enjoyable thing to do for a few hours. I have now uploaded (some of) what was left into the shop. There is still some more to come, but once again, that takes some amount of enthusiasm. Taking photos of little corduroy skirts without a little girl to model them is quite a difficult task. And, it's just kind of freaky seeing them on a boy. Believe me, I've tried.

oh yeah, and we got chooks! About two weeks ago, two lovely isa browns came to live with us. They are called snowy and mymble. Willow named snowy for her speckly white markings, and I was allowed to name mymble, who is already living up to her name as being a bit of feisty one. I cannot tell you what a joy it is to have chooks. I have been pestering the mister for months to get some, and after a huge amount of research (if there's one thing that man is good at, it's researching stuff), he finally caved. Now of course, they are "his girls" and he claims it was his idea all along.

and the other thing I would like to take the time to mention right now, which I should have mentioned weeks ago, is that my dear friend gabby has started a blog! Gabby used to have the most gorgeous and wonderful little cafe and organic food emporium just around the corner from my house, and it's thanks to her that this whole hazyjane thing really got started. I walked into her cafe one day, in need of some caffeine and a friendly face, having been rejected from another local establishment when I approached them about maybe selling some of my book bags. They just didn't get it. But gabby did, and she offered to put them in her shop, which was frequented by just the right type of softie-loving, vintage fabric-appreciating clientele, and the rest is history. Happy blogging, gabby!

now I think that might just be enough for today. While I have been lacking in frequency lately, I seem to have made up for it here in quantity, and I fear I may start rambling any moment now. And you know how I like a good ramble. Of course, now that I have started thinking about it, there is plenty of exciting stuff going on in my life right now. And I may even be back to tell some more of it very soon. Maybe even tomorrow.

market day

2009-11-13T21:45:00.002+11:00

hey, just a quick one, to let all you locals know that I'm doing a market stall this sunday!! It's been a long time...but I think I'm ready for it! The lovely people at the peninsula yoga centre are having an open day and I'm lucky enough to be part of it. Check out their website for full details.

tea

2009-11-10T22:43:00.004+11:00

so many new words happening every day now.

today, tea. To the cupboard we went and got out this little cup, and requested that tea be put in it. Just like mamma. So we drank our tea and we ate our grapes and we read our book and we were happy. So happy.

feeling crafty

2009-11-06T20:18:00.004+11:00

oh yeah, that's right, I have a blog. I momentarily forgot about that while I was busy making all manner of crafty goodness for the balmain art and craft show, which is happening this weekend. There were the usual suspects; the bunnies, the little effelants, the big ones, some new bags and some bunting,

all of which I have managed to create in the couple of hours a day when I could be lying down or reading a book while the little one naps, but choose to sew like a mad woman instead. So, feeling very proud of myself for having created what I considered to be a fairly ample supply of craftiness to be displayed at the show, off I drove down to sydney, with my medium-sized (vintage) suitcase full of goodness, thinking that I would fill my little cubicle and all would be sweet. And it was sweet, only they kind of wanted more. So, feeling just a little inadequate, home I went, whereupon I decided it was time to unleash a new creature. If they want more, then more they'll get. So, out came mr. owl.coming up with the owl has been a rather long and involved process, and I was pretty happy when this particular incarnation presented itself at around noon yesterday. By midnight last night, this little family was complete and ready to go forth into the world. My sweet husband did the honours and dropped them off for me after work, only to find out that most of the other stuff had already sold. As it was being unpacked. So if you happen to find yourself at the show this weekend, and you happen to see a rather pitiful little display with a cute handmade banner that says "hazyjane", and you're thinking, "hmm, that hazyjane really could have put in a bit more effort", please note, I DID!!

i'm back! with stuff!

2009-08-26T21:11:00.004+10:00

I didn't mean to stay away that long, really I didn't. A whole month...jeez, that's a long time between posts. There's been a lot happening and not much, really. We've had sad times, this month. We lost a dear member of our family, who will be sadly missed. And the thing about that was that it forced me to leave my little family for two whole days and a night, and get on an airplane and fly away. By myself. That was scary weird, as it's the first time I've flown by myself since there have been kids in the picture, and that (I now know) adds a whole new dimension to the whole "is this plane going to make it?" question that goes round and round in ones' head when they have to fly somewhere. That question is now "is this plane going to make it, and will I ever get to see my family again?". You have no idea the amount of anguish I felt over a stupid little one hour flight that was over before I knew it. The train trip to the airport was longer than the flight, and, as my very tactful husband pointed out, probably a lot more risky. As if I didn't have enough to worry about. Ah, but all was well, and I lived to tell the tale. And you know the really stupid thing? The plane's taking off, and I'm sitting there in my little seat, right next to the exit (someone was watching over me, I tell you), chewing on my rescue remedy chewy thing and trying to look as cool, calm and collected as possible under the circumstances, and then I realise that a plane taking off is one of the funniest things I've ever experienced. I had to actually stop myself from giggling, the plane's going so crazy-fast down the runway, and I'm thinking, how the heck can something actually go that fast, like when you have the windscreen wipers on the fastest speed and they look like they're all out of control and they're gonna fly off the car at any minute. I have to physically suppress a giggle, in order to save face in front of mr. very important american businessman sitting next to me waiting patiently till he can use his blackberry again. And all this made me realise what a silly girl I'd been, scared of a little old plane trip. These people do this stuff every day. Heck, those air hosties and pilots go back and forth all day, and probably don't even think about it. Surely I can manage it once every five years or so. The rest of the time I'll just get around as nature intended, in a car (to quote one of my favourite films).

umm, where was I going with this one?? New things are making they're way into the shop right now!

today I...

2009-07-22T21:13:00.003+10:00

discovered that I could sit in the car at the skate park and knit, while the big boys skated and the little one slept. How cool is that? The only thing missing was a cup of tea. Now, if I could just rig up a cigarette lighter adaptor for my sewing machine...

mr busy

2009-07-13T21:13:00.002+10:00

this boy, he's so very busy. Always doing something. I hear those little feet pattering along on the floorboards and I think, here he comes, the mischief maker. I can tell straight away which boy it is, just by the sound of his footsteps. There's fin, with his slow and steady walk, like that of an adult, almost. Nearly nine now, a big boy. Then there's willow, usually ambling along on all fours, planet of the apes style. Always the entertainer. And then there's jasper, running along. Fast little close together steps that say "here I come".he's a climber, this boy. Maybe it's from being surrounded by so many people who are much bigger than him, but he always has to be standing on something, seeing what's going on up there. He will climb on anything, and if there is nothing to climb on, he will go and get something and drag it over so he can climb up. Always the high chair, dragging along on the floorboards and making that lovely squeaky sound. Music to my ears.

always looking, touching, pointing, talking. So determined to do things on his own. Ah, boy number three, so much to learn from so many teachers.
fortunately, big days make for big sleeps. We're still in the blissful stage of the afternoon nap, something his brothers had long given up by this stage. Sometimes people ask me how I manage to get any sewing at all done, well this is how. In little two-hourly blocks, every so often. And I have learnt that the sound of his little cry means scissors down, until next time. Because it will still be there tomorrow. There's no hurry.

around and about

2009-06-27T20:07:00.005+10:00

enjoying some brief winter sunshine, we've been... pottering about in the garden;laying some new paving;exploring new pathways;cutting oh-so-many flags for bunting. I've lost count; stuffing and stitching a small herd of effelants. Many thanks to mr. check-out-my-fancy-lens for this one. I gave him hell while he was snapping away at me in my pj's and then had to swallow my (swear) words when I saw the results. Ungrateful so-and-so, I am.

here I am!

2009-06-16T21:45:00.002+10:00

umm, what does one say when one has neglected their blog for oh so long? You know, the first thing that comes to mind is "sorry", but who is there to be sorry to? Do people actually care when nothing is written for a long while, is there some secret department in charge of keeping an eye on who's doing their bit in the blog world and who's not? I think not. But I am sorry, that I couldn't be arsed writing something here for the past three weeks. I've been busy, doing stuff. There's been some major yard works going on (photos to come, I promise), we've had school projects and speeches to prepare and also, as you can see above, there are some sewing adventures a-happening once again. And of course, mr. snot has paid us a visit to remind us that it is in fact winter time and we musn't let the sunshine fool us into thinking otherwise. Never mind, the rain's back now too, so there really is no denying it. Today was one of those really cold wet days, just perfect for sitting by the fire and stitching some cuteness. Apparently some new sofites are needed in the world, so that's what I'll be doing for the next few days...

the toofairy

2009-05-28T20:44:00.004+10:00

so willow lost his first tooth today. It's a tiny little thing, small enough to be lost in the bedclothes and definitely small enough to fall down between the cracks in our floorboards. So, after taking very good care of that little tooth, soaking it all day in a little container of water (it fell out before school, thank heavens, or we'd have never seen the thing again), placing it in a little envelope with the addressee written clearly on the front, losing it momentarily when it was taken out for one last look, and finally placing it under a special little pillow to be exchanged for monetary gifts overnight, the stage was set for the magic to happen. And that's when the penny dropped, so to speak.
A teary mr willow comes out from his bed, all heart broken over the thought of having to part with his first tooth and never seeing it again. So, whilst holding back the tears myself, I reassure him that he can keep his tooth if he really wants to. That the tooth fairy already has enough teeth to build her little house with, and besides, I'm sure plenty of other kids in the world have lost teeth today, and I'm sure she won't miss this one teensy tiny little one. So off we go and find a special little box to keep this little tooth in, and the tears are wiped away and it's decided that it's probably a good idea to keep it anyway, in case one ever needs a spare, and the little tooth is placed in there and made secure, out of reach of the jasper. So then we're all ready for bed again, well almost. Of course, an apology letter has to be written to the tooth fairy, because it's important that she not be offended in any way. That little note is under the special pillow, and we're awaiting her reply.
But not once does that boy worry about the money that he won't be getting for that tooth which is so precious to him. Because for that boy, it's not about the money, it's about the magic. And for that, I am so grateful.
So now, tucked away in the corner of my sock drawer, in a special little box with a lid that's just a little bit hard to get off (all the better for keeping it safe, I say), is a tiny little tooth that I think we will get out every now and then and just look at and remember when.

safe and snug

2009-05-19T20:52:00.004+10:00

so I got my hands on a holga a while back, and after shooting a few dud rolls and almost abandoning the whole idea, I decided to have one last crack at it and bought myself some cheap crappy film from the supermarket. I figured I didn't have much to lose on $3 film. Of course, the mister saw me with my cheap crappy film and sneered, saying I really should buy some pro stuff, which I guess you could say was like throwing down the gauntlet. So, off I went with my plastic camera and my $3 film, and the rest is history. The whole story (so far) is over here.

so now I like the holga. Holga and I, we're good friends. And as much as I don't like to be too overprotective of such things, having a chunky plastic camera with a bad rep for having the back pop open unexpectedly rattling around loose in my bag with all the other junk that's in there is not something I'm really comfortable with, so a suitable case had to be made.

I thought long and hard about this one, trying to work out all kinds of designs that would go around the lens, until I finally I realised that all I really needed to do was make it in a semicircle. The camera sits nice and snug in there, and I can even fit in a spare roll of (cheap) film. Happy days.

here again

2009-05-14T21:21:00.004+10:00

we're back, had a lovely weekend away, and feeling happy for having done it. It's always nice getting away for a couple of days, seeing new things and breaking the monotony. Not exactly what I'd call relaxing, never is with three boys in tow. Saturday was mine and arrans' special and weird double birthday, and we spent a good portion of the day driving, which was fun, apart from the constant bickering from the backseat. Oh, and jasper has learnt this great new "arrh" sound, which he lets out whenever someone has something he wants or he has had enough of being in the car (which he generally decides five minutes into the journey), that kind of makes my brain hurt. So that made for a pleasant trip. But, once we got there and the big boys realised that they were free to roam bush and sandunes to their heart's content, they pretty well left us alone, so we found ourselves on the porch of said accommodation with a cold beer and some honeyeaters for company. The little one did hang around to annoy us, but he became rather preoccupied with the birds, so that was ok.

for my birthday, I received lots of loveliness, as usual. These are my two favourites, vintage green pouf from my mum, and from the mister, calina, courtesy of ella. These people, they know me well.

and, on a completely unrelated note, two new skirts in the shop today, fancy that! More coming soon. Enjoy!

north bound

2009-05-08T21:59:00.002+10:00

the bags are packed and the tank's full of petrol, we're headed north tomorrow on a little adventure. A weekend filled with two birthdays and a mothers day is cause for more than the standard level of celebration, so we decided to have a little holiday, because it's been a while. So, off up the coast we go, with three boys and a car full of goodies, and just a little bit of excitement. Looking forward to takeaway dinner, a little house with a spa and a dishwasher (imagine that) and not worrying about dirty feet and dirty clothes. See you next week.

oh, and happy mothers' day!

cutie pants

2009-05-03T19:32:00.002+10:00

a birthday gift in an hour? Sure, no worries. Ah, it's little pants like these ones that make me think it would be nice to have a little girl child in this house.

a bag for books

2009-04-29T14:58:00.003+10:00

I ordered a myself a copy of this lovely book a couple of weeks ago (early mother's day gift to myself), and when it arrived in the post the other day, I became instantly smitten with the gorgeous photos inside, and have been poring over it's pages ever since. I find myself wanting to climb inside there and snuggle up, it looks so peaceful and cosy and...quiet. No little people vying for attention and making messes. So, feeling inspired, I set about making this little bag today, from a piece of linen that's been in my stash for ages, and which I have no idea the origin of, since I don't remember purchasing linen ever, except once for a special order. But that wasn't this piece. I didn't follow any of the patterns, because that would have required concentration, and I'm low on that right now. It's just "inspired by".
I made this little bag to hold books. Well, actually, magazines. Because, you see, I am someone who reads on the loo. Now, I'm not sure whether that's just too much information, I know that some people find this to be a rather nasty habit, but since anyone who has actually been to my house has almost definitely seen magazines in my bathroom, I don't think there's any harm in writing about it here. Anyway, to get back to the point, I'm sure it goes without saying that leaving magazines lying around on the bathroom floor is not a great idea when that bathroom is frequented by three (and in the not too distant future, four) boys. So, I needed to find a safe place for them, and I think this little bag will be just the thing.

that said, I'm now thinking that it might be just the thing for taking to the library as well.

the home stretch

2009-04-27T20:36:00.004+10:00

oops, dropped off the radar there for a bit, and just when I was going so well too. Nevermind, it's been school holidays, so I guess that's a pretty good excuse. There have been other things to do...parks to visit, friends to play with, food to bake and eat, and adventures to be had.
but school goes back tomorrow, and that's that. Back to the morning routine, the getting dressed and finding one's shoes, the lunch box dilemma and the remembering to do the homework. I don't think willow's read a book or written a sentence during the holidays, but he's read plenty of street signs and cereal boxes, and he's written some birthday wishes and some special messages for the mamma, so I guess he'll be ok.

it's been a good holiday, and although we're all a little glad that school goes back tomorrow (well, except for willow, who thinks that school is just a bit too tiring), I think I'm going to miss these guys just a little. Although, it is going to be awfully quiet here at around midday, when a certain little person is asleep...quiet enough for a little mamma nap maybe?

the chilly season is here

2009-04-20T19:46:00.004+10:00

finally! We're experiencing some pretty chilly weather here, and of course at the mere sniff of some wind and rain, I find it necessary to get the family all snuggled up and light the fire. I love the fire and it's toasty goodness. I love how it can dry wet washing without having to use any electricity or make any noise. I love being able to toast marshmallows in the lounge room on any given night, and I love lying in bed and watching it's flickering flames as I'm drifting off to sleep. I like that I have to go and chop kindling and make a fire so that we have warmth, and I like teaching my kids where warmth comes from. I like the fire because it's real and good and honest and warm. I'd love to sit by it's warm side all day and do nothing but knit (well, try to knit) and read and drink tea, but these boys tend to go a little stir crazy after a while, so we go somewhere nice and play in the park and watch some wild waves crash on the rocks.

strapped

2009-04-16T20:23:00.003+10:00

I think it's probably been pretty obvious that there has been a little bit of an improvement in my picture quality lately, no? Well, the truth is, I've had all this rad photo gear at my disposal for years now, thanks to mr arran the photo guy, and I've finally pulled my finger out and started using some of it. You see, I used to dabble a little in photography in high school, but when I met the mr and realised just how much he was into it, I kind of just let it go, and let him take care of it. I went off and did my own thing, having babies and stuff. But lately, I've been feeling the urge to take some pictures again, and have taken quite a liking to this nikon. The thing is, though, I have this terrible aversion to borrowing gear, especially high tech, expensive gear, that I can't really afford to replace, if I happen to break it. So, whilst I work on talking the mr into buying a new camera, an updated model, which he really needs for his work, and letting me have this one for my own, I thought I might just make this one a little more "me" in the mean time.
It was sporting a stock standard nikon strap, and as much as I like the product, I really don't feel the need to have their name emblazened across my chest every time I use the camera, even if it is only within the confines of my own yard (still too scared to venture out into the big wide world with the thing). So, after a futile search for just the right camera strap, I decided to just make one myself. I managed to find this oh-so perfect piece of vintage embroidered ribbon from this very friendly etsy seller, and simply sewed it onto a piece of wide black webbing, along with some clippy things off a bag I got from vinnies. This thing is so perfect, I really don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.

Of course, the mr comes home from work, says "thanks for the new camera strap", and takes off with it on his new skateboard. I'm thinking I might have to start hiding it.

in the nest

2009-04-14T20:28:00.006+10:00

we've had a lovely weekend here, in our little nest. There's been just the right amount of sunshine, just the right amount of rain, just the right amount of chocolate (ie, lots!), and just the right amount of family time. We even managed to fit in a spot of rearranging, which always makes for a happy mamma, as it means that one more little mess has been cleaned up.

we made this cosy little corner from what was an ugly mess of computer gear. Now the computer gear is in a different corner, in a much tidier state, with much less stuff "on display". Although it's a shame to hide away things like blank discs and usb cords, it is possible to in fact store them in nearby drawers, where they are still somewhat accessible, while much less in your face. It took some convincing, but I won out in the end. How long these items will remain in said drawers is debatable.

also discovered the sweet music of seabear and agnes obel this weekend, via this blog, which is very umm ... pretty, and features nice music. In discovering this new stuff, it has occured to me that I generally seem to like most things that come from scandinavia and iceland. Oh, except for herrings and any other kind of fishy snacks. Those I do not like. It has long been a dream of mine to visit this part of the world, and one not many other members of my family seem to share, except for fin, who would like to one day visit finland, where he would obviously be king. It's nice to have dreams.

happy easter

2009-04-12T20:32:00.004+10:00

I did try to get a nice styled shot of what was a lovely easter brunch, but you know, the vase was tipped over, the tablecloth dishevelled and the hot cross buns descended upon before I even got the camera out. And that was just one kid. Hope your easter was fun like ours.
thanks to mr hazyjane for taking over camera duties for this one.

long time no hear

2009-04-10T12:44:00.007+10:00

so I've managed to snavel a few moments to myself on this very lazy good friday, with one child asleep, one at the beach with friends and the other feeling a little poorly, playing on the other computer. The perfect opportunity to update this very neglected blog. It makes me sad when I leave it for so long, and I read all the stuff that other, more motivated people are doing (and finding the time to write about!), and I feel kinda like there's a party going on and I'm not there. Does that make any sense? so what have we been doing? Well, a big loungeroom shift was at the top of the list last week, as a certain little person had become rather fond of climbing on and around the fireplace, a bit dangerous given that we will soon be lighting said fire with the onset of chilly nights and mornings that we are feeling now. The fire screen is back up, and we have that funny little lounge next it, with just enough room left for a cosy little corner for snuggling into on winter evenings.of course, that cosy corner has also proven to be the perfect spot for a little willow cubby house action, which he spends much time preparing, piling up the cushions and getting it just so, only to have jasper come along and crash it all down. This little game can go on for ages, punctuated by lots of (very frustrated) "aww jas-per"s, before he finally gives up and just sits there, in tears, with the blanky draped over his head. It's hard, being six and not being able to keep the vandals out of one's cubby.betty james got in on the action this week too, and donned her favourite old apron, for baking season is upon us. She's already wowed us all with roast lamb, a pretty awesome chicken and veggie pie, caramel popcorn, and a scrummy apple cake. Apparently there's more to come. Mmm.

autumn sunshine

2009-03-24T20:57:00.004+11:00

the sun, it does shine, so what better way to spend the day?

amber baby

2009-03-21T17:18:00.003+11:00

a couple of weeks ago I found myself feeling a bit low, a bit funky with a nice little head cold that the boys kindly brought home from school for me, and I got to browsing the net for natural remedies and little things that might have a positive effect on my general wellbeing. Yeah, I was in one of those moods, you know the one. Somewhere along the line I discovered that amber beads are used to calm and soothe teething babes (a fact I was vaguely aware of, but that hadn't come to light in my fuzzy brain), and that the mamma could also get some for herself, because god knows the mamma needs a bit of calming and soothing at times. So, we ordered the mums and bubs set , jasper and I, from the lovely meredith of amberbebe. These beads are really beautiful, and they definitely seem to be having a positive influence on us. The jasper doesn't seem to be as troubled by his little toothy pains, and he's all smiley when I go to put them on him. Now, if I could just find something that magically makes bigger boys listen to their mamma, I might actually be able to lead a calm and peaceful life.

monday

2009-03-17T20:03:00.002+11:00

a bag of blocks for a little friend named after the sun. So sweet. No words at the moment. Feeling... tired.

maker of mischief

2009-03-09T14:17:00.006+11:00

well, I know you wouldn't think it to look at these pictures, but this child, he is trouble. It seems that my time is mostly spent retrieving him from various places, such as the table, where he likes to stand, the ladder to his brother's bunk bed, the arm of the lounge, and basically any other dangerous precipice that presents itself.of course, the walking has started. There were a few shaky weeks, and then suddenly he got it and now there's no looking back, although the super-fast crawl is still in use when there is a ladder beckoning.but, there are also these lovely moments of concentration and curiosity. It's these moments that I treasure, they remind me so much of his brothers, especially fin, who used to build the most magnificent block cities, far greater than any I could ever hope to dream up. And it's these little things that keep reminding me of how little children really need...a few wooden blocks, maybe some pencils and paper and a good dose of imagination is all it takes. Oh, and a good ladder to climb on will never go astray.

some new old friends

2009-02-25T19:11:00.003+11:00

some new friends in the shop.

say hello to my little friend

2009-02-23T20:57:00.006+11:00

have you ever wondered what a hazyjane doll would look like? Well, I guess you probably haven't given it much thought, but I have. Oh yes. Plenty. So last night, I decided to do something about it.

after the family had been given their necessary requirements, I snuck out the back door while no-one was looking and went to this very cosy place to have a little time to myself. Well, I guess a certain sneaky photographer was looking. A couple of hours later, I emerged with a new little friend in tow.

I like her very much. She has pigtails, just like someone else I know. She likes stripey socks like someone else too.

and mary-janes.

stacked

2009-02-21T16:59:00.011+11:00

because I really can't bear a bare corner.

sweet ride

2009-02-20T21:15:00.006+11:00

last year, when we were on our way home from our north coast odyssey, we dropped in to taree to grab some baked goods and chocky milk (essential travel fuel for a family of boys), and had a quick squiz at the local oppys while we were there (of course). It was still pouring with rain, as it had been for pretty well the whole holiday, but that did not deter us, oh no. We traipsed up the hill from vinnies to the salvos, two biggish boys and one baby one in tow, just hoping there would be something marvellous awaiting us on that wet, wet, wet day. As soon as I walked in the door, I found the plates, and then I looked over to see the mister and boy number 1 examining this bicycle. Now I knew, by the looks on their faces, that this bike would be coming home with us that day, and indeed, I was right. "I'll buy it for you" says the mister, "It's vintage". "Ok" I say, whatever. I'm standing there with a three month old baby, there are two other kids already rummaging through the toy section, it's pouring rain outside and we are three hours from home in a very well stocked van and he wants to buy me a bike?

well, needless to say, buy the bike he did, and it has sat there patiently in our shed for almost a year, until just a few weeks ago, when I decided it was time to dust off the cobwebs and get "upwardly mobile". Of course, there was the small matter of how to attach the babe to the bike, and after much consideration, we ended buying a wee ride, which has proved to be a pretty big hit. And then there was the very important issue of finding a suitable basket, which the mister also took care of for me (oh, yes, he's good that man). So, after much preparation, yesterday we were finally off, with the sun and the sea breeze to keep us company. We even found some flowers for our basket along the way. Luckily for me, we live in a very flat town, I'm not sure that my legs could cope with a hill at this stage.

p.s, thanks for the effelant love, he went to a good home the very night I listed him!

oops!

2009-02-13T20:33:00.002+11:00

unfortunately, I am one of those people who ticks "yes" in the "have you read the terms and policies?" box when really, I haven't, because doing that would be really, really boring. As a result, I often find things out later that I should have known earlier, like that you can't actually sell on behalf of an unregistered charity on ebay. Makes sense, really, doesn't it? Thank god I wasn't the only one who did that, or I'd be feeling a tad foolish right now. Anyhoo...mr yellow effelant was evicted from ebay and has now set up residence in my etsy shop, so please hop on over there and buy him, so I can send the money to those who need it. Thanks.

handmade help

2009-02-10T13:10:00.004+11:00

willow did his usual sneaky trick and turned on the telly this morning, and we all sat watching in disbelief as we realised just how much devastation has come of the victorian bushfires. I still can't comprehend what those poor people have gone through and what still faces those who have survived as they try to rebuild their lives, and I find myself feeling very fortunate right now. So, when I discovered the Handmade Help website today, I immediately decided to join in, and am auctioning the above effelant on ebay, with the proceeds going towards the bushfire appeal. If you haven't heard about it already, go on over there and take a look, there are some really cool handmade goodies being sold for the cause. As they say, every little bit counts.

tagged

2009-02-09T11:22:00.002+11:00

there's nothing like being tagged to drag one out of a self-imposed summer hibernation. Thanks jodi!

The tag? Open the 6th picture folder on your computer, open the 6th photo and blog it. Write something about it. Then tag 6 more people to do the same.

The photo? Fin on his skateboard on the breakwall at northhaven, where we spent our early summer holiday in december last year. We walked along this path most afternoons while we were there, watching the dolphins swim down the river and back into the sea for the night, jumping and putting on a good show for us as they went. Such a beautiful spot, where the river meets the sea, under the watchful eye of north brother .

This photo comes from my "flickr" file, which happens to be file number six. It's where I put all the photos I don't get around to blogging about. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to drag this one out, as it makes me happy, my big little boy doing what he loves. Just this weekend he decided to teach willow to skate, and I looked out to see him holding his little brother's hands as he rolled up and down the ramp. And then he went into the shed and spent the next hour putting together a board for him out of spare parts (which we seem to have an abundant supply of). I'm so grateful for these random acts of brotherly love.

Umm, can't think who to tag...how about levin, tiel, veronica, melissa, leah and fiona.

making and baking...again

2009-01-20T21:56:00.005+11:00

hmm, this could become a weekly segment.

made a sweet little birdie-loveheart-hangy-thingy for our newly spruced bedroomand nigella's chocolate croissants. We're still living in a relatively tv-free state here(although some cartoons have snuck in during the holidays), but I must admit to a weekly indulgence of nigella express. That's half an hour where I grab a glass of wine (or more likely a beer in this heat), and request some quiet time, although I rarely get it, as I generally end up with at least two boys on the lounge next to me asking "what's she making, mum?", "where is london mum?", and, "oh mum, look at her fridge", "she has a blender like us mum". Ah, it's all good, and hopefully they'll actually pick up something along the way. The chocolate croissants were on last week's show, and in case anyone missed it, or is interested, they're dead easy to make and are really good. Little triangle of puff pastry rolled around a square of dark chocolate. I didn't think they were quite naughty enough, so I added a sprinkling of icing sugar when they were baked. I'm sure nigella would approve.

in the garden

2009-01-12T21:45:00.005+11:00

found some real ones today, digging in the garden. The sun is very sunny, and we're having fun just hanging out at home.

making and baking

2009-01-10T22:25:00.002+11:00

things are moving fairly slowly here at the moment. Most days, it's just me and the three amigos keeping ourselves amused, while everyone else goes about their usual business of work and other fun stuff. Not a lot of craft going on, as the boys are still engrossed in christmas goodies and outdoor activities...but we did manage to make these sweet mushrooms from an egg carton the other day. It was one of those moments where I should probably have been making something like, say, dinner, but egg carton mushrooms it was.so, today, I thought I'd better do the right thing and make something they could actually eat...little apple cakes. Just the thing to go with a pink milk while watching charlie and lola.

now we are one

2009-01-04T20:39:00.003+11:00

so this little boy turned one yesterday. One whole year, where did that go? Of course, a celebration was had...we being people who will celebrate almost anything. We have been known to throw a party for the opening of a room. on each of our kids' first birthdays, we have had a party in their honour, for which the guests have had to dress up as something beginning with the first letter of the kids' name. And so we have had an "f" party, a "w" party, and now a "j" party. Oh, so much fun. We had everything from j-lo to to julius caesar, a jellyfish and a jolly swagman, and even a jack-in-the-box. I was jemima, and dad took it as yet another opportunity to let out his inner bogan and dressed as joe dirt. So funny.

a good time was had, and at the end of it all, there was nothing else to do but this. He may be a big one year old now, but booby is still his best friend.

we are christmassed

2009-01-01T21:00:00.003+11:00

and apparently it's a new year. How did that happen? One minute a peaceful valley...No, seriously, we've had a lovely christmassy break. The boys, as usual, made out like bandits, which kind of freaks me out a bit because I don't like the expectation that inevitably comes with that. Must have a quiet chat with the gifters who seem to come out of the woodwork at this time of year.
After all the festivities of last week, catching up with family and dear friends who have moved interstate, we couldn't muster up the strength to even go across the road to celebrate the new year with friends. Instead, we stayed on our own front porch and watched the possums doing acrobatics in the trees, and were in bed by 10pm. Saving ourselves for a big celebration this saturday...

finishing off

2008-12-23T23:08:00.003+11:00

some very bright bunting for a newbie's room,

a (more) traditional stocking for same newbie,
and some matchy sets for some christmassing cousins.

I've also just finished off about 60 "sherry balls" (I'm just not that keen on rum) and am also half way through a batch of cocnut ice. What's a christmas without copious amounts of sugar?

makin' stuff

2008-12-21T06:43:00.005+11:00

there were decidedly slim pickings in the country oppys this time around, I only managed to come home with a set of nice heavy curtains which will make good book bags and this blue patchworky sheet that was crying out to be made into a summer skirt. With pockets. It told me it needed pockets. I like pockets. I've just realised that pockets is one of those words that doesn't look right after you've written it three times. Can you tell I've been awake since 5.30am?
also made this little stocking for a certain little boy who will be joining us for christmas this year. Oh, so exciting. Can you see that fabric on top? It has squirrels, trees, mushrooms and birds. Now, that's just about all of my favourite things all together at once. That makes me very happy. It's a piece of japanese craft fabric, my current obsession. There have been a few etsy and ebay purchases lately, and I am building quite a nice little stash. The thing I like about these (apart from the obvious ridiculous cuteness), is that I can only justify buying fat quarters of the stuff because it's so darn expensive to buy here, so, a. it's very easy to store, and b. I am only using it for very cute little projects that only require small amounts of the stuff. But you know, the truth is, I would be quite happy to just keep it in a neat little stack on my desk and just look at it all day, without ever doing anything with it.
happy to you. (that was the message on the bag some of it came in. Ah, the sweetness).

hmm, where were we?

2008-12-17T21:50:00.002+11:00

ah yes, the holiday. The holiday was lovely. The sun, it was sunny, and we spent our days on the beach and in the water. The boys received early christmas pressies from nanna and pa, surf mats, the red and blue canvas kind that we had as kids, and they spent hours catching waves and generally having a ball. Even the mamma had a go...I haven't had so much fun since I was 12 years old. I highly recommend the surf mat. yes, the holiday was just as holidays should be, albeit without the late sleep-ins and room service. Yeah, could have done with a bit more of that. Jasper decided that being away from one's own little bed is not a good thing, what is this porta-cot thing anyway? It shakes when I move and I can't crawl around in it like I can in my real bed. Will somebody please wake up and get me out of this thing. Now. That's kind of how it went, every night. And then up with the kookaburras, who conveniently sat outside our bedroom window and had their morning cackle at sparrow's fart. I thought it was nice being awake that early on the first morning, it felt kind of invigorating, but as the week wore on, the novelty wore off and it became more...aggravating. Still, we managed to fit a lot in with the days being that long.
even spotted a suitable farmhouse on the way home. Not a great picture, but you get the idea, right? And there is that flame tree. I do love a good flame tree, one that decides to flower and just does it. We have one out the front of our house which is quite big, but is showing no signs of flowering, not even one measly little flower on some high up, obscure little branch. But I know it will flower one day, and when it does, I'll be there, and there will be a celebration, because a flame tree in flower is one of the truly beautiful things in life, and oh dear, I just got carried away, didn't I. I'll be back soon with some craft...there's been lots of that since I got back. xx

i'm here

2008-12-15T21:48:00.002+11:00

yes, I'm here, just can't seem to get around to doing this blog thing at the moment. Can't quite get my head around uploading photos, I'd rather be doing other stuff. My hands and mind are busy, busy. Making, thinking, dreaming up, looking forward, looking after and most of all, just living. Still here, just...busy.

holiday pants

2008-11-29T21:09:00.003+11:00

so I picked up a nice long piece of this fab original hawaiian print at the salvo's the other day, and promptly set about clothing my entire family in it. Well, I'm part the way there. Willow's were whipped up out of necessity, for "boardies day" at school, and jasper's were thrown in because if I'm going to make one pair, I might as well make two (or four as sometimes is the case). Surprisingly, mister eight also wants a pair, although there is to be no hazyjane tag, and the pockets have to be "inside pockets". Hmm.
We're off on our annual family mid north coast trip in the morning, so I won't be around for a week, not that that will make much of a difference to my blogging frequency. It's been pouring down here the past couple of days, so hopefully it's rained itself out and we'll be headed into some nice sunny sunshine. See you in a week!

morning snuggles

2008-11-27T21:00:00.002+11:00

in mamma's bed. Feeling tired, after some very early mornings. Why don't these people want to sleep? Sleep is good. I like sleep. Just can't seem to get enough of it.

feeling better now

2008-11-25T07:12:00.003+11:00

much better. I've wanted to come back here earlier, really I have. I was just lacking the energy. And enthusiasm. Man, being sick can really get you down. Being sick and having a husband that has to work every weekend for three weeks while you're sick is even worse. Came very close to hiring a nanny, I can tell you.but, we're all better now. The conjunctivitis didn't make it past jasper, miraculously, so we all have our eyesight in tact, and the sore throats are gradually dispersing. Just left with that annoying little cough that gets you when you're on the phone or trying to sleep in between night feeds (still having plenty of those. Jeez, that boy must be hungry.) Jasper also managed to sprout two new teeths in amongst it all, so that's been fun as well. Ah, the joys of parenthood. I wonder what lovely little surprise those boys will bring home from school next.

um, I just remembered that I have completely failed to mention how the balmain show went. Roaring success!! Sold nearly all my stuff, so it seems that I'll be back there again next year. Yay!!

still sick

2008-11-15T06:58:00.000+11:00

we have progressed to conjunctivitis now. Yuk.

the snot, it seems to love us

2008-11-12T20:43:00.003+11:00

the (young) boys and I are all under the weather with the sore throats and runny noses once again. How many times has that been this year? It seems like there has always been at least one sick person in our house all year. It's pretty annoying having sore eyes and a runny nose when it's hot, I must say. I prefer to be sick when it's cold and raining, so I can just lie on the lounge under a doona and watch "you've got mail" over and over again. Still don't know what it is about that movie, but it always makes me feel better. I don't like the idea of being sick when the sun's shining. There's just too much else I could be doing.
Making me feel (slightly) better...tea and toast with honey, a baby asleep for 5+ 1/2 hours (nice, but slightly scary as well), home made chicken noodle soup, having a sneek peek inside this lovely home, having a husband who brings home such goodness as this: yeah, he rocks, that husband of mine. And so does this little boy, who has wanted to be a busker ever since we went to byron bay earlier in the year, where he wanted to drop $5 on a guy playing guitar in the street.

yesterday when he came home from school, he grabbed his "lukulele" and cape, and out the front he went to earn some money. Sadly, there were no passers-by, but the dad and I did pay for some tunes. Love that.

today I...

2008-11-10T21:46:00.005+11:00

sharpened these pencils, for the little artist who keeps leaving funny little pictures everywhere in our house. Now I have a sore thumb. Oh, yes, that fabric, that deserves a mention. My "stash overhaul" is still going, and I found this one yesterday, hidden away in a suitcase where it hadn't seen the light of day in a long time. This is possibly my all-time favourite piece, although I know I've said that before about numerous other pieces, but really, who could go past a fifties(??) gardening theme? Not me, that's for sure.
went walking in the sunshine, which resulted in my little travelling companion going to sleep. He has hurty teeth, and any awake time has been spent crying and crawling all over me, so a little morning nap, which ended up lasting nearly three hours, was a welcome relief for both of us. And don't you just love jacarandahs?

found these lovelies whilst walking (in my local op shop). From the left, another colour way of a sheet I already have, a very nice vintage tablecloth, and a very nylon cafe curtain, which I just had to have for those apples. Not loving the nyloniness of it so much, but I'm thinking it may make some very sweet lining for some hazyjane pencil cases, because a girl who loves pencils should really be making pencil cases. What did you do today?

prince jasper

2008-11-09T18:24:00.007+11:00

willow keeps putting this little purple cape on the jasper, and as a result he's come to be known around these parts as "prince jasper". And every prince needs a crown, right? I've had this particular little project in mind for quite a while now, after admiring ella's beautiful ones for so long. I would love to have bought one of hers, but what with the current exchange rate, the fact that I need three of them, and that pesky little voice inside my head that says "but I could make that", I decided to do the sensible thing. That being staying up till 11pm stitching.

must say, I'm liking this one very much. Now I'm thinking about colours for willow, who likes "rainbow", and trying to convince fin that he needs one too.

p.s. in case you're wondering what the marks are all over jasper's face, they would be self-inflicted scratches. Oh, and just to be clear, if you want to see some truly amazing, beautifully stitched crowns, go and have a look at ella's. I have a long way to go in the art of stitching felt, it's tricky stuff.

p.p.s. just remembered, I added some pants to the shop today. Not many, just some.

crittering

2008-11-07T22:51:00.002+11:00

hmm...let's see, what have I been up to in the past week and a half? Has it really been that long? My, how time flies. The past few weeks have been themed , as I've had "deadlines" to meet (do I sound like a pro when I talk like that) and the only way to get it all done has been to go into mass production. We had the week of pants, in which I made around twelve pairs, which unfortunately I don't have photos of because: A. I find it very hard to photograph pants, they just look so flat and boring unless someone is wearing them, and B. I started dispatching them to their recipients before I got aroung to photographing them anyway. So, no boring photos of sad, flat pants today. Some may appear in the shop soon, though, if I ever get around to the painful task of uploading them.

last week was the week of softies, as I rounded up a posse for the balmain art and craft show, which I was lucky enough to be invited to participate in. Thanks jane! It's on this weekend, so if you're in the balmain area, drop in and say hi to these little guys. I can just imagine them down there in their little white cubicle, all wide-eyed with stardom.I also managed a few book bags, which I haven't made in a long while. I forgot how satisfyingly neat and tidy a lined bag turns out. Must do some more.

I'll be back soon, promise!

sweetness and sunshine

2008-10-28T07:08:00.003+11:00

yesterday we caught up for coffee and a chat with the lovely jodi and che, and enjoyed some very sunny sunshine overlooking the beach. They're such sweeties those two. Unfortunately, I have no photos, as we were too busy chatting...could of at least got one of the babies together, oh well. After we left them, we went looking around the shops, and I had to bring home mr.squirrel, from this cute little shop. I really have my eye on this particular piece, but I need to be realistic here.

confessions of a sewing addict

2008-10-26T20:56:00.007+11:00

since the mister was away for the weekend on a surfing safari (like he really needed a holiday), I decided to make the bed all fresh and spring-like in his absence, and took off the big quilt and replaced it with the little one that I made years ago. That was all good and well, until I realised halfway through the night (on my third or maybe fourth awakening by jasper) that it's not yet warm enough for the wee little token quilt that doesn't even cover the bed let alone keep two (or four) people warm. So, I woke up all twitchy with an idea to make a quilt cover, because once I have taken the old one off and it's already in the washing basket, there's no way it's going back on, and besides, I didn't really like it anyway. And that's how I came to be making a patchwork quilt at 7am this morning. Jasper was a good boy and slept until 8.30, probably because he was awake for half the night, and I managed to get it all pretty much done in that time. How, you may ask? Well, it's quite simple. I sewed the whole thing up on the overlocker. Yep, no sewn seams at all, just whizzed right through it on bernette (yes, that's really the name of my overlocker). We're good friends now, bernette and I, since I have come to understand her needs, and she has proved herself to be invaluable as far as need-it-now sewing jobs go. Now, I'm not going to pretend that this will become an heirloom quilt, let's face it, the thing will probably be lucky to see the end of summer with my boys crash-tackling each other all over it, but do I care? No. Like I've said before, I'm a fickle creature, so when it comes time to replace this one I won't have to worry, becasue it didn't cost a cent, and I didn't spend four months making it.

bernie and bernette.

I had a giggle a few weeks ago, when I saw this picture over at the lovely tiny happy! Why do we all seem to have our stuff squeezed onto these ridiculously small tables?!

it's all about me

2008-10-21T19:57:00.004+11:00

I was tagged almost (ahem) a month ago by jodi, to write six quirky things about myself. Apparently I'm more slow than quirky, because it's taken me this long to get around to doing it. I did this meme a while back, but I think I can manage a few more random things... 1. I have my husband to thank for much of my fabric stash. He often comes home from work with a bag full of goodness for me, and I get all the credit for having such great fabric.
2. I have an intense fear of sinking ships, shipwrecks, in fact anything that's under the water that shouldn't be. Makes me shudder just thinking about it. Arran thinks it's a past life thing.
3. I also dislike those big tankers that just sit on the horizon, and then turn the other way when you're not looking, like it never actually happened. Sneaky buggers.
4. I can't drive a manual car. I just don't see the point.
5. All three of our boys were born with one blocked tear duct. Fin's cleared up after a year, willow's only took a couple of months, and jasper's took about seven months. They all had green gungy stuff in the eye constantly, and everyone always thought they had conjunctivitis, and I was constantly explaining what it was. When fin was a baby, I had doctors trying to tell me that it would need to be operated on to clear it, but we patiently waited for a year and it went away by itself, and so it did with willow and jasper as well, so if there's one little bit of advice I can pass on, it's that these things really can fix themselves without intervention.
6. I give the impression of being someone who doesn't swear a lot, but in actual fact, I'm just a gutter mouth. I've had to curb my swearing quite a bit lately, as one middle-sized child has become quite fond of it, but I do still swear when I'm driving. Can't help it. I especially hate it when I'm trying to do a reverse park in the main street and a car drives right up behind me so I can't get in. Hate that.

Now, let's see, who to tag?
How about leah, fi, rach, julie, and anyone else who's interested. Oh yeah, the rules:
1) Link to the person who tagged you
2) Mention the rules
3) Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself
4) Tag six other bloggers by linking to them
5) Go to each person’s blog and leave a comment that lets them know they’ve been tagged