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Thursday, November 27, 2008

Another handmade gift


Hmmm ... this card wallet is starting to look familiar ....

This time with a coordinating pen from Kikki K. (love that shop)

Some cards from the pack:


I hope Catherine likes these!

Vintage Sewing Notions - pt 2

Today I will share some more goodies my mother-in-law has passed on to me.


The tin is not quite vintage, but certainly cute ... and rusty!

Inside ...

I can't decide which view I like best ... the sides where you can see the variety of sides, the timber (which has been replaced with plastic these days) ...
...or the labels:

The labels, I think . And particularly this one:

It reminds me of The Tailor of Gloucester - "no more twist!"

For more vintage goodness look here.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Yikes it's almost December!

I haven't posted much lately, I've been so busy! Or tired. One or the other, it seems. The last "dash to be organised before December actually begins" is on! My incentive to get ready now is the knowledge that next week, starting on December 1 life gets hectic, lots of end-of-year and Christmas events, and a plate (or two) of food needing to be taken to each one!

And tomorrow we give our first Christmas present already, to the girls' scripture teachers, who give up their time so graciously to share Jesus with schoolkids. After that will come a steady stream of dates requiring presents (mostly teachers from the various activities the girls are involved in), leading up to Christmas Day.

This is what we are giving the two ladies who teach our girls scripture:


A wallet filled with 5 coordinating cards and envelopes. Pattern for using A4 card here.


Stay tuned for photos of more homemade gifts ...

Friday, November 21, 2008

Christmas Candles

Stamp by PSX

The other night my scrapbooking buddies and I got together to make some stamped candles. We used instructions by Marelle. This has to be the easiest, quickest craft, with the greatest results.

Stamps by PSX and Stampin' Up

Hardest part - choosing which stamps to use.


Stamps by Stampin' Up and Hero Arts

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Vintage Sewing Notions Part 1


Today for Vintage Thingie Thursday I shall share the first of a few treasure boxes in my sewing supplies.
This box was passed down to me by my mother-in-law, who sewed clothes for her six children and herself over many years. She still sews now, but finds it more difficult since she had a stroke about 13 years ago. Not that anyone could tell from her finished products!

Love the box. Mildew and all.

And inside, beautiful braids.

This one is my favourite, a full 4 inches wide, just gorgeous.

There's something so exciting about a nice length of braid, as opposed to a scrap.

Ric Rac, 30c for 10 yards. Those were the days.

Today I reached into my box of braid and made these matryushka dolls (one for our Christmas tree, and one for an ornament swap)

For more vintage goodness check out Vintage Thingie Thursday's new home.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Irish Dancing Competition

Yeah, I was right. The dress does look better on a girl than on a hanger!


We survived the all-day outing yesterday of church (plus band rehearsal first) then a long drive, a long competition, then a long drive home.

(Laura in the yellow dress Emily wore last year)

The girls danced very well, but were up against girls their age who have been dancing for much longer, so were not placed high this time (last year they won 1st and 2nd places in the beginners)

But we were so proud of them, they danced so well and in hard shoes, too, which they have only learnt recently.

Beautiful girl!


Here are all the girls in the 7-10 years sections, as you can see the dresses are pretty spectacular. Some of them a bit too spectacular for my liking! One of the older girls (not in the photo) was dressed in pink, with a blonde wig with a pink rosy headband. As she stood on the stage posed ready to dance, I whispered to Steve she looked like something to put on top of a cake! Until she started to dance, then she was amazing!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sweet and Spicy


This year I have decided that we don't have to wait until Christmas, or almost Christmas, to eat Christmas goodies. So every time I bake in the next 39 days (yes - 39 days to Christmas according to my happy penguin in the sidebar) I'm going to pick a Christmassy recipe.

So this afternoon I made Lebkuchen for the first time. I didn't realise that lebkuchen is practically fat-free. Good for the taste and for the waist.


It was delicious.

Irish Colour


Tomorrow the girls are competing in a Irish Dancing Competition. We were fortunate to be loaned a dress for Emily by the teacher (Laura now fits into Emily's old dress). This dress has been worn by many students, but is still stunning.


I can see now why Irish dresses are so expensive. Most of the colours on this dress are solid satin stitch, although some sections are appliqued on. Sequins and rhinestones are also used.


Front view:

Back view:
This dress is so heavy. I hope Emily can actually dance in it! Thank goodness the weather has cooled down, November is not really the season in Australia for wearing a heavy velvet dress.
Hopefully after tomorrow I can post some photos of her actually IN the dress!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Wild about her


This is the birthday card I made Laura. I love this elephant (Stampin' Up), and I love lime green and pink together, and I love paisley, and I love my new Nestabilities scallops dies.
So I think I'll be using this combo again!

Laura liked it too. Nine is a nice age. Laura appreciated each birthday card she was given, rather than giving it a glance and rushing on to the present. She's growing up.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

A Pony Birthday

I can't believe our baby turned 9 yesterday! Being a typical 9-year-old (well, as of yesterday) she is horse-mad, and was desperate to be with a pony on her birthday.


So we took both our girls, and a friend to a riding school and had a ride and a lesson.

They loved every minute.

Afterwards the girls got to brush down the ponies - a new experience.


And what other birthday cake would do that night at the family dinner in her honour?
(4yo niece surreptitiously ate the jumps while I served out the pieces)


A perfect 9th Birthday!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Baking Weekend


On Saturday for afternoon tea I baked this quick and easy Chocolate Cake, sweet with honey and a good chewy texture from the wholemeal flour.


Then later we all baked our First Family Cheesecake. We all love cheesecake but rarely have it, normally a cheesecake is too rich for a family of four to finish before it goes bad, but this one was just right to finish over a few days. We had fun making it together, then eating some yesterday, and are looking forward to the Second Family Cheesecake!

Yesterday I baked a gluten-free lemon cake for friends coming over tonight, and tomorrow I need to take morning tea to bible study, so somehow today I will fit in a bit more baking! phew!