Card Fun

The last few weeks have been a bit hectic and I haven't had a lot of time for Crafts. I've always enjoyed making cards and Chloe had a birthday party to go to last week and I had a little bit of time to make this cute card. What do you think? I pasted the Cow print flannel material on to paper and then cut it out. The letters are with stencils. Very simple but I thought it was a fun design. Chloe then went to town decorating the card and I forgot to take a pic of the end result!

Do you know Scoodi?

Have you come across Scoodi yet?

Do you have things you don't want anymore but think its a waste to throw out? Or just haven't got around to taking it to an Op shop or finding someone who may want your old loved things?
Try Scoodi.

Ha ha I sound like a sales lady. I just think this is a great idea.

Its a great site for giving away or selling things you don't want anymore to people who are happy to travel to you. No going to the post office or the tip. It means we reduce landfill and recycle more. You can also find things that you may need or want on it too.

I love how you can select the distance you are happy to travel, makes browsing for new stuff fun!

We first came across Scoodi when living in Brisbane. Actually Mic knew the guys who created it and asked us to check it out. We found it great. Got rid of a few things that we were happy to throw out but were too big to put in the bin so a tip visit was required. We didn't have a car big enough nor a trailer. Some guy thought our broken desk and bike(that we had no idea how to fix) was worth something, he came and collected them and fixed them up for his grandkids!

I've been talking to the guys at Scoodi about reving up some business down here in Sydney as everytime I look there is barely an item on it. They have told me that if I can list at least 10 things and encourage some others to, they will then run an article in the local paper. It is a FREE service so they can't easily run a advertising campaign. The problem is it can't grow without any items on it as when people look and see nothing they don't use the site.

I think this is a fantastic site and I would encourage you in the next few weeks to find just a few things to post on it and see how you go. It can be anything from furniture to toys, books, cds, old computer parts, plants, craft surplies, clothes. Anything at all.

www.scoodi.com

Amusement

Some days the strangest things amuse me. The other day I decided that my coffee shelf really looked terrible and I should make it look nicer. I have a strange kitchen that doesn't quite make sense to me. I struggle to make it not look unorganised and messy. My house was a real mess that day but I couldn't focus on any house work and just wanted that shelf to look better! Maybe it was more about every other job being big and this was something I could tackle and potentially finish in the time I had. Anyway, I spent some time finding some nice jars I had tucked away to put my tea in that was in the shop boxes and looking rather ratty. By only using what I had in the house, I tidied it up and was rather pleased with the result. It amuses me each time I look at it that I spent so much time trying to make it look nice when no one else may ever notice. I like how the jars still sparkle, I bet they don't in a months time!

Being a Mum

This week I have been told many stories of struggling within parenting or just having a bad day. Nobodies having a whinge, just people struggling with every day life of parenting. Some situations are more unique then others. There is the mum who burst into tears when I asked how she was going. She is just really sleep deprived and today was struggling to smile. There is the dad who has taken time off work to help his wife who is not coping with three little kids and needs some time out and some help to catch up on things. The wife who doesn't understand why her husband doesn't get how much work staying at home with kids is, how tired she is being pregnant and how much her hormones are effecting her this week, she wants some time out, and the dad who thinks he has to change careers to be able to be more supportive of having a family. They are some of the stories I have heard in the last two days!

Two dads this week said to me that they don't understand how mums can function on so little sleep, that they knew they would be a basket case if it was them. I think the reality of this statement is that many women don't function well on little sleep. That we do some times burst into tears, or ask the husband to stop the car and then get out and walk home, or forget essential things for school or a birthday or an event, forget groceries or a doctors appointment or to pay a bill. That we do yell too loud sometimes at the kids, or binge out on chocolate or other indulgence. That some days we want to give up. Want to scream at the top of our lungs, want to go back to bed and sometimes do. I know I have done many of these things, many times.

Being a parent can be hard. One mum said to me this week: "I can do this, the mum stuff its not that hard, but without sleep I can not, nothing happens when I am sleep deprived". There is no question about that.

I have found that it is really important to be honest about how you are going. To ask for help when you need it. To source resources that are available to you.To know what your weaknesses are, what tips you over, what causes you to fall apart. To set up plans for when your weaknesses are called upon so you can cope when that time comes. And then if all else fails, turn on the tv, have toast or weatbixs for dinner, have a friend who is sympathetic, give them a call and have a glass of wine. Tomorrow is another day.

I wrote this today because everyone I spoke to this week brought up something along these lines with me. I remember when Chloe was a baby and we lived far from family and I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know these basics then, but I am slowly learning ways to parent better, ways to function better and ways to smile more. I hope that this is somehow useful for you today too.

x Jo

Back to school

Hmmm, I started this blog during school holidays. Wow I had so much time to sit and do entries and think about things I would like to share, time to do my crafts and relax a bit. Now school is back in term, I am finding it so much harder to keep it all up. That morning rush, the afternoon attention that is required, dinners, baths, lunches, uniforms, readers, sight words, and on and on. I've also started feeding Oliver solids now. Its amazing how much time all these things take up. However, I strive to still find time for my self, to have time for a cup of coffee, time to read emails, do some crafts (though at a slower rate) and maybe even a bit of time to read. And then after all that I hope to do some blogging. :) I am still here, just at a bit of a slower rate at the moment.

I finally tracked down a copy of this gorgeous book I read about on some local craft blogs. Meet me at Mike's. Stay tuned for some fun crafts coming out of it.

I recently acquired some balls of wool of various colours from my late Grandmothers place. She was an amazing crafts person and has inspired me so much. I have been mucking around a bit with the wool trying to work out what I want to make. Started some Granny squares last night. Tossing up between making a scarf or a blanket. Will see how fast I can get making the squares before decide!

Also made a cute crochet necklace for a friend recently. It was lots of fun making it.

I've added some Hat's and more autumn photos to slide shows.

Hope you are having a great autumn week.

Autumn

Autumn is my favorite season. I love the sunny days that are not too hot, the cold snugly mornings, and the beautiful changing leaves. Yesterday I managed to get out and take some photos of some of the local trees. See my sideshow to the right.

Hat of the Day

It was suggested to me by another mum at school this week that I need a "Hat of the Day" blog due to all the hats Oliver wears. So I have decided to start a little slideshow titled "Hat of the day". My first entry is this cute quote and picture I found this evening in a book shop at Leura. It made me laugh. Check out my slideshow on the right.

Blue baby beanie

I finally finished my 2nd Baby knit hat on the round for this year. I am much happier with this one then the bunny one. Much more consistent tension and no dropped stitches. I'm still not confident with the decrease sequence on the double pointed needles, with getting the join between each needle more seamless. Must do one more this season I think.

Time to Cook

Ahh School holidays finally over. I've been a bit slack on this blog with school holidays on. Must of been having too much fun.

During the holidays I had one night where my daughter had a sleep over at her Grandparents. We still had the bub, but he is so easy (in some ways!). We were going to take advantage of the situation and go out for dinner, but was a miserable rainy night and we were both so tired, that I decided to do a home cooked meal. Since the little boy came along I haven't given much time for cooking. Many quick dinners, bbq's and take aways. So with him asleep I set out to cook. It was so lovely to cook without any interuptions (questions, please help me's, phone calls etc).
The meal was Mushroom and Goats Cheese Rissoto with Salt and Pepper Slow baked Chat Potatos. What a success. It was lovely to get many compliments from Mic too.

Isn't it amazing....

If you have some spare time take a few minutes and watch this rather funny YouTube clip, it may remind you how much spare time your really should have....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus

Reading

Oh I wish I had more time to read with out everything else I need to do going to shambles. I just finished reading a book yesterday I have been working through for nearly 2 months. I use to finish books within a week! I love the feeling of finishing a book, but I always feel a bit lost when I finally finish. These days I feel quite proud of myself for finishing a book, I have to set a goal to finish it or it never happens. How funny is that. Towards the end of a book, I get so addicted to finishing it that I stop almost everything else and you would be hard pressed to get a descent conversation out of me. Its fun.

I was reading this chick lit book called This charming Man by Marian Keyes. Usually chick lit is quite laid back and light hearted. This one was presented that way but with really serious issues through it. Domestic Violence and Alcoholism were the main themes. It was a bit of a shock to realise that was what it was all about as was no indication of that in the blurb on the back. It was definately not the chill out book I thought I was going to read, but still a good read.

Women in Business

My beautiful friend Belinda of Edible Creations made this cake. It is just stunning. It was in the SMH this week. I am so happy and excited for her, and proud of what she has achieved.

It is wonderful to see women succeed in business. I find great pleasure in watching and hearing women build a business and doing well at it. I love seeing them doing something they enjoy. Being brave enough to try something they may have never have done before, not knowing if they will succeed or not, but giving it all to find out. It is especially lovely to see a women find a way to fit all their eggs in one basket with out breaking any. Such as when a women wants to have children and wants to work and finds a way to do both in a balanced fashion.

Easter Sunday

Today was a wonderful day. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We went to the Blackheath growers markets, my first time. Though small, they had some great items and was a lovely location. I got some yummy Goats Feta, the first pink lady's of the season, pears, limes, wasabi mayo (mmm), caramalised onion jam, some sour dough and this gorgeous cupcake for my girl.

My parents, sister and her kids came up for a picnic in the park and we had a really lovely time. The kids had a easter egg hunt with these eggs I dyed yesterday. They loved the hunt and then had great fun pealing the eggs afterwards!

Wii fit

We got a Wii fit this weekend and today was my first turn on it. I really enjoyed it and found it quite tiring. The plan is that my daughter and I use it every day during the school holidays and then make a new plan after that. I think it is a good thing for her to spend some time with, uses concentration, some physical activity and appeals to competitive nature, mine too.

Good Friday with Family

Today we had an afternoon-evening with Mic's extended family. There were 14 great grand kids! They had a ball running around the fields for hours. I think the best fun for the little ones was riding around in the trailer behind the ride on lawn mower! Blades up obviously. Who would have thought a lawn mower could be so much fun.

Bunny Ear Hat

I just finished this cute bunnies ears hat last night for my little boy. I'm not entirely happy with the end result though think its still rather cute. It has been about 2 years since last knitted, so a little more practice would help. The pattern is from a book I feel in love with when living in London called "itty-bitty hats" by Susan B Anderson. It has the cutest patterns. Stay tuned for more hats. I am happy with my self for finishing this before Good Friday, as I made a goal to have it ready for little boy to wear on this day.

Pedlars Fair

This is my first post. Please be patient whilst I still set up the page.
Today I made these cute teacups for my daughters school fair tomorrow. They were so easy to make and taste yum too. She had to take a tray of something homemade to sell. I started off making beaded bracelets, but they took so long to make and after a week I only had 6, so a lovely friend politely suggested I make something less time consuming and suggested these cute tea cups. My daughter was thrilled as not only does she get to have some yummy lollies she doesn't often have, she can also keep the bracelets I made!