Breathing Out

Beach House. How's the serenity?

Since I was last here, we have moved house (into a smaller house with much less inside storage), finished childcare, celebrated Christmas and New Year and all the daily stuff in between. There's been no time for blogging; it's been a whacky, crazy-busy couple of months. 

Returning home after a couple of weeks away with family for the Christmas/New Year period has been sweet relief. Sweet relief because I finally feel as though I have some head space to rest, relax and breath out. 

Sweet relief because ten out of the eleven beach-house guests were knocked down with a violent bout of gastro and it's all over now. We may or may not (ahem) also have spread it to my in-laws who have also all gone down with it. Dirty potent little bug. 

Sweet relief because I now get to finish the postponed unpacking and work out where the hell those last few boxes will be unpacked to. Goodness knows there's no room in the non-existent pantry, non-existent linen cupboard or non-existent wardrobes. 

Within that diseased beach-house there was plenty of summer-time fun, oh and some bluebottle stings to boot. I'm sharing some of my highlights so that some day I can look back here and remember that we really did do more than vomit, run to the toilet and get stung by bluebottles this holiday...

Pa's Backyard Golf School

The boys faired better this year

Never travel on summer holidays without one of those cheapie slip n slides 

Cheeky Chops...

... is now on the move, cuddles a dolly (nature NOT nurture) and gives (very sloppy) kisses

and very cute nephew tried to learn to clap

When it was too hot to be in the sun there was always "skateboarding"

How the babies roll...

Skatergirl

Skaterboy

Just why are garbage trucks so exciting?

New Years Eve fun with fire

Glow stick dancing is way more fun than watching fireworks on the telly

Our very own, rather old Hairy McLarey

Um Merry Christmas, Happy New Year etc

Whoops, nearly two months? You really should follow me on twitter, I'm much more chatty over there lately.

With a two month break I'm a bit full of bloggers block, so I'll sum up the fabulous Christmas break with some of my favourite photos.


Special Santa shorts made with My Paper Crane fabric - which I LOVE.


Beer and chips for Santa. Water and ahhh mushrooms for Rudolf (Nanna had no carrots in her fridge!)


Jars of homemade chutney and jam for important people.



Lots of Christmas baking -gingerbread biscuits for The Smurf's kindy friends.


He carried his little red basket around the playground handing out biscuits like the pied piper, the trail of kids running behind him growing ever longer!


Bakewell Tarts (recipe courtesy of Ellen's family), also joined by Mince Pies, Salted Caramel Fudge, Belgian Chocolate Fudge, Mango Marshmallows, Christmas Cake and


two, gingerbread houses!






Summer holiday fun!


Kid wrangling, the easy way.


And a lovely dinner with a fabulous view.

Craft Weekend

Turns out whenever I go to write a post about a craft retreat I always go to use the word indulgence. Full weekend of sewing, good friends, great food, a bit of booze and an inspiring ocean view. What's not indulgent about that?

We headed to our usual spot, only this time coming from the nation's fair capital I had to go over the mountains. On a goat-track type tourist road. In the dark. With foxes and trees that hang down over the road. At least it gave me a good story to tell when I finally arrived with clenched teeth and white knuckles.

I went with my usual basket full of priority projects, back up projects and I-should-have-a-million-spare-hours-to-finish-this projects. I surprised myself and finished 2 baby dresses, a pink tutu for the Smurf, Jammies for the Smurf and a semi lined summer dress for me (I may have stayed up until 2am on Saturday night to finish all that). Oh and a bit of knitting. Yippee.



The Smurf was totally taken with his new stuff. Put it on straight away.


And then did some gardening in it.



I'll do a separate post re the dress - need to take photos.

Thanks Bel, Cass, Jade, Sheridan and Soph, for another fab weekend.

Happy 5th Birthday

I've never done a blog birthday post - well not that I can recall. But, this year this little blog turned 5. Yep, five. I celebrated by heading off on a craft weekend with some amazing, inspiring, clever and down right hilarious crafty women.

I'm pretty amazed that I've been blogging for five years. It's great to look back and see the new skills I've learned - and the craft I've attempted that I never thought I would 'get' (hello crochet). And that's all my blog was ever supposed to be - a way to keep track.

Anyway I won't go on and on but during the five years the best and most surprising thing I've got from my blog is a connection with you. I think my thoughts posted here at Whip Up sum it up pretty well.

A weekend of craft indulgence

Photos courtesy of our resident photographer, Tutti Fruiti

Just a sample...1. hub of activity, 2. B + C, 3. J working on her liberty blouse, 4. F cutting out her bag pieces, 5. J + B, 6. Time to leave, 7. New hood, 8. bubbles, 9. happy hour

A whole weekend
For pure crafting pleasure
Great friends
Fantastic food
The best styled cheese platters ever seen by anyone
Personal sewing instructors - there were two of them!
Lots of laughing
Great company

I managed (with the aid of my personal instructors) a fully lined, hooded jacket (pattern: Ottobre 2007/3 Summer Hooded Jacket - sewn in mid weight cotton, lined with flanelette)


complete with pink sleeve lining (a special secret surprise for my little pink loving Smurf)


Some PJ pants using Curly Pops ace 70's pants pattern


As well as some knitting, crochet, a softie and a still to be tinkered with top for me - oh and a delicious dinner (if I do say so myself).

Can't wait for the next one.

A weekend of craft

Jade's school of crochet., originally uploaded by tutti fruiti.

This weekend was a weekend of craft, set in a beautiful house perched high in the rain forest at the top of Berry and accompanied by some lovely like minded crafters.

We shipped in enough food and craft supplies for a year long stay but in the end it was all about sitting around the open fire with small lap top projects.

I was grateful to realise we remembered to pack our very own fire lighter, several expert gourmet chefs, some hilarious comedians, a plate warmer, a crochet tutor and a few rally drivers to get us safely up and down the roller coaster road to the retreat (the road was so steep that at one point someone may have misread a light reflector on the road in the distance for a star in the sky).

Sewing, pattern tracing, book reviewing, craft magazine reading, knitting, hand sewing, hemming, bias binding creation, cross stitch, fabric show and tell, crocheting, expert crochet teaching, crochet learning, the odd actual finished project, naughty tales and broken glass - I think we covered it all.

The discussion ends here though because, as you know, what goes on craft retreat stays on craft retreat.

photos thanks to Tutti Fruiti