outside...

It's a great time of year to be outside....it started off a bit cloudy and dreary today but the afternoon was lovely....

We are getting ready to light our bonfire...all the dead trees Ben has cut down....it is in the front paddock...we were giving away free firewood to people but now with spring here and the wind and weather right, it is time to light it up! Our vegetable garden is going well...E loves to help and does not stomp on much!I will have to get some more lettuces to plant as we only have about 6 left to eat! The baby broccoli will be ready next too! And some more carrots!

We have flowers in the garden. The secret to great orchids...leave them neglected in the corner of the garden for a couple of years..lol...And I made some bunting for the babies room...this is just part of it but gives you the idea! A very quick easy wall decoration!And here is the bonfire!So that is about it for this Sunday....I am such a busy blogger these days...lol...nothing all that exciting really but I see this as my diary to record our lives and my creative stuff...Well I hope you have had a nice day - Lissy

baby quilt...

Here it is done and washed and drying on the line....
The instructions I followed were Easy Rag Edge Quilt by Della Jultak ...and I managed to follow them...although I have not actually ever seen one of these quilts in real life so I do not know if it is right but I am happy with it! It is really super quick to put together once you have all the squares cut. I laid mine out on the floor to check the pattern....then flipped each piece over to check the pattern on the back....then piled them up in order and started stitching...not perfect but I love the fabrics!

While I was busy with the quilt yesterday Evangeline was also busy making a bed for Baby Roo Roo who we rescued from the mower that morning...he had been missing for a month or so....


We had a delicious meal of steak and salad last night...using our first lettuce from the garden....how great is that!

Today we have been down to the Farmer's Market to get our vegies....and I have made a Light and Dark Brownie...we were off to Ben's sisters for lunch but they are sick....so now we will have to eat it...if it works out OK I will share the recipe!

So now we have the rest of the day ahead I am not sure what I will do....Lissy

phew....

I am knackered....lol....I have just hand cut 70 fabric squares and 35 wool wadding squares (it had to be wool as any good farmer's daughter knows!) for this baby quilt....

I could not find my quilting ruler.....grrrr....and then I discovered my rotary cutter was too blunt to cut anything any way.....so I just hand cut them....
I am making a Rag Edged Quilt so I am hoping it will not matter.....I am not a quilter so we shall see how this quilt goes! I made a couple of simple quilt tops about 10 or so years ago but they were never finished....hence the old and blunt cutter and the lost ruler...and the mat I used was pretty mucky from Scrap Booking....lol....oh well!

I have a basic set of instructions to follow....but I am never much good at actually following instructions...I have just made up the size of the squares and the quilt proportions to suit myself...I wanted big squares as I want to see plenty of these pretty fabrics!

E was busy cutting with me....chopping up all the off cuts and measuring "things"....

Ben shouted at the TV for a couple of hours and then turned it off in disgust before the game had ended...I gather Geelong were winning easily...

So now I am having a break and may head out side for a bit since it is such a nice day - Lissy

a quick dash.....

...to Spotlight this morning to buy some more gingham and some mushroom fabric....but no mushroom fabric in sight....but found some other fabrics to bring home....these are so very cute! I think I will get some navy polka dot to go with the lady bug fabric...when I go back to find the mushroom fabric....Sorry photos are a bit dull....now they are all washed and ironed and ready to go now as we have a lovely spring day here!

Mel was at Spotlight on the other side of the country (she lives in Tasmania) at the same time...lol...she got some mushroom fabric...and I am wondering what else....I shall head over to her blog and see!

And I picked up some strawberries on the way home....and we ate them...delicious...

So I am onto the baby quilt now! The curtains are finished (except for the hem) - just waiting for the curtain rod to go up before I hem them!

Poor E has another ear infection...that is number 3 this winter...but is pretty chirpy all the same....Ben has mowed the lawns and is now shouting at the footballers on TV...lol...and I am off to cut up fabric - Lissy

Friday.....

This is a picture E drew in my notebook last night of Ben cutting down the trees!
I have realised I am 30 1/2 weeks now so this baby will be here in 9 weeks or so....blimey...must get cracking and get organised before I can't move so well!! The bump is getting in the way now with bending and so on....and it will only get bigger on the down hill run!

And I have so many great photos to scrap at the moment but that will have to wait for now! Sewing is the go this week....still finishing the curtains....and then I want to do a quilt....and E's curtains too....still!

Mostly it is a case of how to sew curtains with a young assistant....helping or continually chatting, asking questions or singing! But so far I do not think I have made any major mistakes...it just takes a LOT longer!

This is part of the applique panel at the top (here you go Mel - a sneak peek!) ...I am just making it all up as I go along so hopefully it will work out and look OK! I figure no one is going to give them a really close examination anyhow! Crawling around on the floor trying to measure and cut out fabric and lining is not fun so had better finish E's curtains next so I can do smaller stuff as soon as possible!

And some E- isms....for joking she usually says choking....and hiccups is hippy upping! These little things are all disappearing now as she is growing up....I have just realised she will be FOUR in less than two months...so I cannot really keep saying I have a three or a three and a half year old!

Anyway here is to a great weekend - Lissy

more....

....well after the BIG post about the sports day yesterday...I thought I should leave the extra stuff for another post...

You would have thought E would have been knackered yesterday afternoon but no! She wanted to paint...she decided to do hand and foot prints which was good as I will save these...she sure is growing! She is about 103 cm tall now and about 18.5 kg!

Then she was outside with Ben while I did some food shopping...she had a ball getting very mucky! And at night time she was determined to start a sewing card...this was a hand-me down from a friend and she has been asking to start it for days....and she soon got the hang of it! And here is a pic of Ben at the Maersk Training Centre in Denmark...this is one of the simulators...love the sea out the window which I presume is fake.....a very flash centre by all accounts...the company has three centres - Denmark, UK and India

We are now on school holidays but have no particular plans today!A bit of cleaning so far and some playing outside... ...we are lucky to have lots of room for bike riding!And spring is here....A nice day today - Lissy

sports day....

yes...today was E's first sports day...and she had an absolute ball! And she won her running race...I was amazed when her hat fell off and she didn't hesitate and just kept running! They played lots of games and had a lot of fun which is what it should be all about! Here is another photo or two....I just loved how much joy she got out of it all! She actually was quite skilled for a 3 1/2 year old, which I have to admit must come from Ben's side of the family!



So that is about it for the day...well there is more but I shall share that tomorrow - Lissy

hard at work...

Well we have all been hard at work these last few days.....

E has been swimming....

And having a friend over to play after school( the little girl from the birthday party we missed last Saturday...)...tractor rides, on the trampoline, gardening and so on...
Ben has been tiling, weeding the vegies for me,mowing the front paddock and chopping down dead trees...
He is still jet lagged and getting up at odd hours!

E ate our first carrot from the garden!
Missy has remodelled her bed I am still working on the curtains as every day life seems to be interrupting sewing! So we will see what happens in the next few day. Lissy

Sneak Peeks....

I thought I should show some sneak peeks of the retreat layouts so far....The first is for scrapping those school photos...a double page with a pocket for certificates etc....

The second is one of the travel pages...the classic one...again a double page...sorry my pictures are not all that thrilling!
I will be doing a theme park version (just waiting on photos from Ace's trip to Euro Disney) using brighter papers and then hopefully one using photos from the Kimberley...so get those holiday photos sorted and come to scrap...I have used only 6x4 photos on these layouts...a total of 6 photos on each double layout...3 portrait and 3 landscape orientation...

Karen from Scrappin' Outback who is organising the Wave Rock Retreat which is 19th – 21st of October 2007 will give you all the requirements for the classes and various kits will be available too

Other news...Ben got home at 1 am...he was up a bit in the night and so were E and I but sleeping soundly now! Jet Lag is not fun! I just saved him from E and her box of musical instruments as she was off to wake him up!

E and I had a nice day yesterday....I dropped her at a friend's place to play while I went to the Farmer's Market...got there a bit later this week so it was not as good but still worth while..things like fresh eggs for $3.50 a dozen..and I bought some very yummy homemade canoli (custard filled Italian dessert things...not sure of correct name or spelling) ...I went back to have lunch with my friend which was a nice way to pass some time - her partner also works away...E had a great time playing too!

Then we came home and did some gardening...the vegie patch is coming along very well and there are lots of flowers in the garden now it is spring! Missy was outside with us mainly playing with E...she is a good puppy mostly...except for always chewing up her bed and dragging them out in the rain! It is raining again today after a fabulous day yesterday! But it's good for the farm...if it gets through that far... and good for the garden!

And last night I got the applique for the baby's curtains done! YIPPEE! So I may actually get them put together today!

Hope your week has started well! Lissy

so....

We have had one of those days...nothing too bad though....just a bit frustrating
Firstly I discovered that E had cut holes in the ironing board cover I made her yesterday....grrr....

Anyway we recovered from that and proceeded to clean and sort the playroom a bit...We need shelving but it looks a lot better...

E then did some letter writing!
Then I started making a bag to put her dance shoes in...it was supposed to be child size but turned out bigger...lol....but I was pretty pleased with my efforts considering I had no pattern and just made it all up! E rather likes it! E just about drove me mad chatting and singing all the time I was trying to sew and asking if it was done yet!
We were all set to go to a birthday party this afternoon at the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm- we were in the car and heading off just before 1pm - when I realised that is started at 10 am and finished at 1pm....poor E was devastated...I felt so terrible...so after lots of crying, she recovered walking around saying mummy made a big big mistake...lol...she wanted me to call the mum straight away and tell her! But I sent a message explaining and suggesting the birthday girl might come over for a play this week!

So as a distraction we took Missy out for a play and I managed to get E to get on the old truck and took gazillions of photos of her antics....she hardly sat still for a second but here are a few shots I rather liked!




And here is Missy

And E has been racing around the house on the office chair and ringing bells and trying to make as much noise as she can with her box of musical instruments!

Anyway I hope you have had a lovely Saturday! Lissy

strawberry season.....

We have a Strawberry Man just down the road...E and I stopped on the way home from school and bought 3 large punnets....we ate one whole punnet for lunch! They are so delicious....though we did add a little cream and chocolate sauce! YUM! E thinks the Strawberry Man should be wearing an apron and a hat....lol...

I made an ironing board cover for E's ironing board today...very quick and easy...it is my sister's old ironing board...E keeps saying it needs to be painted....I had it in the play room but she quickly moved and set herself up in the Laundry!

We went and had E's haircut today which she always enjoys and have decided to try and grow out the fringe...then we went shoe shopping and got some summer sandals and some shoes for next winter on sale....and some flowers for her crocs!

I bought some fabric from spotlight today and Mel said I had to put them on here for her to see...I wouldn't be surprised if she has some the same...lol...some for clothes for E....and some to make stuff for the baby! A bunny rug with the apples flannel and some muslin and so on....didn't photograph it all as though as some was white...lol...

I enjoyed reading this blog today.....one girl....I rather like how we control our own little corners of cyber space too!

I will post some sneak peeks for the retreat layouts tomorrow...just need some good light to photograph them...

My dog training is going well...I nearly have Missy heeling without a lead! YAY!! Getting her to stop and stay at a distance is next...

Anyway hopw you have good plans for the weekend! Lissy

today is....

Alli's birthday .....happy birthday to you....so we went out for breakfast at the Wild Fig Cafe overlooking the Indian Ocean on this lovely spring day....hence the not so fab pics...oh well....We showered Alli with gifts...well not lots but gifts all the same...

Riley was very impressed with his chocolate cake, we were impressed with the food and Sharon showed us her very nice mini album! (available on her site)

Alli told me I needed a bump pic this week - 29 weeks - as it has grown... but I am not convinced....but here it is anyway...

E was very happy her mate Jake was back at school today!

No word from the travelers...but presuming they are having a good time!

I ate so much I need a rest I think! Then maybe finish some creative stuff to share with you later! Lissy

cool.....NOT pretty....

E wanted to do her own hair this morning...but she did eventually let me help...she wanted cool hair and this is what she meant...I got into big trouble when I said she looked pretty....it had to be COOL not pretty...

My friend Jen came for a visit..her she is with her gorgeous little girl Imogen - now 8 1/2 months old! One of the baby tins was for Imogen...I did say they were well over due!

I am a busy blogger these days....if you haven't popped in for a while you may have to scroll down to see what you have missed!

I have cleaned up a bit and now hope to ....wait for it...be creative...lol...E is busy at her easel drawing so we will catch you again soon - Lissy

tippity tap

Yesterday we went to get some tap shoes for Miss E.....being an amateur at all of this I found that all the shops stocked Bloch.....as in our friend Judy who is clever beyond words! She was there yesterday raiding old taps for some new project so she tells me! Cant wait to see it! Small world isn't it! Anyway E has been tapping around the house ever since...lol...very cute but not very skilled as yet and finding it all a bit slippery!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN! Not sure how to say that in Pirate language....being that it is apparently International Speak Like a Pirate Day....lol...here we are last year at Kiwiscraps in Sydney...
Today I have my friend Jen popping in for coffee with her baby Imogen! She is nine months old and very cute! And then off to a very nice cafe tomorrow with Alli and Sharon to celebrate Alli's birthday!

So the week seems to be filling up with social stuff.....not creative stufff.....ooops.....did finish a few baby tins, two of which are long over due to friends who have had little ones recently!
Good news yesterday at a visit to the midwife...seems my iron is low so that is maybe why I have been feeling horrid lately...so now I am on liquid supplements and hope to feel lots better! YAY! We have hit 29 weeks but there is still 11 to go! And I would prefer to be feeling good for that! And maybe have some energy to DO something! have a good day - Lissy

3 weeks...

It has been three weeks since dad died....my head knows this but my heart still cannot believe it....there is so much I want to tell my dad...I cannot believe that we will just never see him again...I don't suppose it is ever something you get used to.

These pics are all fairly recent ones and are the things E talks about doing with her dad-dad...we talk about him a lot and will continue to do so, so she hopefully will not forget...





A family friend Peter Lee wrote this a couple of weeks ago
Lissy

monday art....

I was hoping to get on with something creative today...but....

The morning was spent taking my mum to the airport...so all pretty quiet around here with everyone gone!

Then I had a nap and entertained E...I set up her new easel in the play room and she set to work! This masterpiece is grandma on holidays! She is rather enjoying her new playroom I think!
Ben called from Denmark and all is going well over there....they have internet etc in each room! And plenty of other facilities at the training centre.

We had dance this afternoon and my friend Jo is popping over to visit tonight...so that is this day finished!

Hope you have had a good Monday - Lissy

making progress....

This morning my sister, brother in law and youngest nephew came over and we headed down to the Farmer's Market...my brother in law was picking up a couple of Turkeys...and then we headed for the fruit and veg which I must say was wonderful....I shall have to make a regular stop there on Sundays I think...

I got a phone call from Ben to say he had arrived in Copenhagen despite some flight delays and his luggage arriving late from London. He heads of to the Maersk Training Centre today for the Anchor Handling Course (the anchors that hold oil rigs down that is!)...I have no idea where that is exactly but it seems to be on some island part of Denmark near a place called Svendborg, a couple of hours from Copenhagen!

Then we headed back to our place and mum and my eldest nephew turned up and the marathon began...sorting my house out and shifting the last of the furniture around....my sister is a very good organiser so it soon got underway and huge progress was made....I had to have a nap and take rests to put my feet up ( I really could do without this pregnancy high blood pressure thing!)

So now we have a play room and a toy free living area! YAY!!! I still need to get some shelving for the books, a TV and cabinet and do some sorting in the play room but it has already made a great difference to the house....it is just off the kitchen and my scrap room so the perfect location. It currently has an antique chandelier for lighting so looks a little grand!

And I will get on with some more organising in my scrap room....an ongoing saga! And at least now my house and garden is starting to look presentable....

But at least now I can feel like I can get on with some scrapping and creative stuff this week!

E being me this evening....lol...

And this girl loves her pasta...must be the Italian in her....lol....from Ben's side of the family! She would always share my dad's pasta when we went to restaurants but soon ate so much we had to get her own serve!
Hope you have had a good weekend - Lissy

Sharon....

I meant to mention this in my last post but got side tracked....lol....

Sharon has her own website....so go check it out :) I love the little mini album :)

I am hoping she will come and take some baby pictures for me in a few months :)

Have a great weekend all - Lissy

36 hours without power....

But we survived....and were actually pretty productive moving furniture and rooms around....so now we are all sleeping down one end of the house....just have to set up the play room now....oh and I am still doing the bedrooms for Evangeline and the baby....oh well...have a few months...or 11 weeks to be exact....and I was very glad to have a long hot shower this afternoon after a couple of cold ones! I won't complain though as I know my sister has had worse power cuts on the farm!

Our puppy Missy has grown....she is now 12.4kg and 16 weeks old....a month ago she was 9kg...she will get to 28 - 30 kg when she is fully grown! We are still working on the training! E had a bag of treats and was practising getting Missy to sit....She has a fabulous nature as all GSP (German Short Haired Pointers) seem to have...and most of the time fancies herself as a lap dog...lol
Ben has flown off to Copenhagen for 10 days....his first trip to Europe... exciting even if it is for training! If I wasn't 7 months pregnant I would have gone too! Oh well! We checked him in, had a coffee at Dome and then sent him through the departure gates! E only sat still long enough to drink her Iced Chocolate!I am supposed to be taking it easy (blood pressure is up) but need to get some sorting and cleaning done....this upside down and messy house is getting depressing...but now the furniture is mostly moved I can get on with it again...and the washing has mounted up....

My sister and family are down this weekend...as Mum, Annica and Ace are off to Europe (Prague, Italy and France) on Monday too...we managed to get mum a flight etc last week so she can go....Dad had been very upset she cancelled the trip when he got sick...Ace (9) is looking forward to going to Venice! I would love to be going!

So with everyone gone, I have put aside next week to scrap book and get the Hyden Retreat class samples done....and maybe even something for me! And a bit of sewing would be nice too! Do I sound like a broken record...lol...Hope you have a great weekend - Lissy

Muddy Puddles.....

Alli came for morning tea with the boys today...wet, cold and rainy but they had fun in the rain puddles (Alli took this photo) ...so they had to have a bath and dry clothes! Such a great childhood experience for them! And Alli made yummy choc muffins for us to eat! I just made the tea!

And she took a picture of the bump...so here it is! Onto some scrapping and such soon....just need to have a rest....Lissy

28 weeks

Well I have hit 28 weeks and went to see my Ob (Dr Love...lol...yes that is his name) and see how we are going....blood pressure up a bit which is understandable after last couple of weeks...so here she is....I have tried to take a pic of myself...the bump... but will have to wait and get someone to do it for me...

Busy day on Sunday working in the garden...not that I did much....mum stayed with us for a few days when we got back from the farm...the weeds were waist high and the roses needed pruning...Ben did some mowing and such too...so it all looks much better around the garden!
E supplied us with refreshments and then helped out with the gardening...and the azaleas and wisteria are flowering which is lovely! Need to do some weeding in the vege garden which is growing well.

Scrapping.....have plans to get my samples done for the Retreat classes next week....have the ideas and the stuff.... just need to do them..so stay tuned for Sneak Peeks and details...Wave Rock Scrapbooking Retreat from19th – 21st of October 2007...so quite soon really!

Anyway other than that Ben is off to Copenhagen for ten days for training on Friday and we are trying to get on with life. Take care - Lissy

mum's birthday

Well today was mum's birthday...We are still at the farm but wanted to do something especially after all the sadness of the last couple of weeks. So we went to the only restaurant in the area(other than the pub)....about 100km away! But it is worth the trip....it is called Terra Vista (18km from Hyden) and is on a farm that also grows olives and makes oil too....We had an amazing meal.....chicken stuffed aubergine rolls with pasta......it was so delicious! Plus some yummy tiramisu and cassata for dessert. They have a great view over farm land and a great garden which Ike and Evangeline had fun playing in.We have had wonderful support from family and friends in the past week which we are thankful for. The reality of it all still has not set in and I think we all expect dad to walk around the corner any moment. And maybe we always will.

Lissy

more time

....more time with my dad is what I would wish for....but then any amount of time would never be enough to spend with this wonderful, kind, talented,intelligent,loving and lovable man....

My sister and I are so lucky to have had the best dad in the world, our Mum, a wonderful husband and our kids a very special grandad. I only have good memories which is not something many people can truthfully say...

Walter Edmond Alden 25 November 1936 - 28 August 2007

We will always love you and be thinking of you dad xxx