I want, I want!

Continuing with my obsession with all things red and aqua I stumbled across this gorgeous idea from Cathe Holden at Just Something I Made.  How fantastic is this?  I love the wagons repurposed into book organisers and would love to get my hands on some of those little aqua drawers!

Our family has quite a big announcement to make in the next few days (I'll tell you as soon as the paperwork is organised!)

Lou x 

Surely there is not 2 of us!

My husband found this on a wall in Williamstown, SA, whilst on his 4WD adventure

amazing that he could actually see or find anything as the rest of the wall looked like this!

Craft and Quilt Fair - Canberra Style!

After the safe return of my camera (and husband after his 4WD trek across the Simpson Desert) I have been itching to get snapping away again.  The opportunity came along when I went to the Craft and Quilt Fair at EPIC last weekend (2hrs of blissfull shopping - on my own!).

I met up with some of the regular stallholders and learnt some great new techniques - although there wasn't enough time to join in with the workshops :(

One of my favourites was Miss Sampson's Drapery - all the way from Swan Hill, Victoria!  I bought a gorgeous quilt kit from them last year (which is still on my to do list) and this year bought some gorgeous Babushka double gauze.  Their stall was in prime position and was set up beautifully.  I also picked up one of these beautiful panels of dresses.

Next it was on to Murally Craft from Orange, NSW.  They had THE best craft bags there and I bought 3 of them!  I'm actually planning on using the smallest one for all the bits and pieces I need on busy market days.

Next stop was margaret's fabrics who had a fantastic set-up and Monica Poole was there showing her great quilt-as-you-go technique.  Check out her book here for more details!

Canberra fabric store Rosemont the Patchwork Shop was there too with a huge display of quilts, fabrics, patterns and craft supplies.

And I snapped up this Jelly Roll (for a quilt for Master T) for only $25 from Just Patchwork along with these lovely fat quarters - 5 for $10!

     

My fabric stash is growing by the day and I need to get stitching if I'm going to be ready for the next Handmade Market in a few weeks time!

Lou x

A New Look!

I have been playing around with the idea of creating a whole new look for my blog, business cards and other associated advertising.  I am so in love with anything red and aqua at the moment - I have been scouring the internet for fabrics and have found some fabulous pieces that I can't wait to make into a quilt.  I'd love to show you some photos but hubby is on a 4wd trip to the Simpson Desert and he has taken MY camera with him :(

Now I am certainly not an expert in html or web design and but even little old me managed to create this blog design with the help of the cutest blog on the block.  They have a link there for paint.net which is a really easy to use program, similar to photo shop - but the best thing is it's free!

So what do you think?  There is another reason for the cherries - but that's a secret to be revealed later...

Louise x

Chocolate Pizza!!!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am NOT a cook.  I cook only out of absolute necessity, never for fun or to try new things.  It just isn't my thing.  My husband is the cook in our household which makes it life very difficult for the kids and I when he works away for 4 and half weeks at a time!

Miss M recently celebrated her 6th Birthday and invited a couple of her little friends over for a Pyjama and Pizza Party.  The Pizza thing was easy to organise - a quick call to the local takeaway shop took care of that.  But then there was the cake.  I have always made my children their Birthday cakes (albeit a bought slab sponge from Woolworths).  I painstakingly decorate and ice them to look exactly the same as the ones in the book and they usually turn out pretty good.  I guess I want them to look back at photos of when they were young and remember the time that Mummy did in fact make something edible in the kitchen!

This year I took an even easier option - the Chocolate Pizza!  In keeping with the Pizza theme of the party I made this:

This would have to be the easiest cake I have EVER made!  All it needs is:

Sponge Flan (store bought of course)

Nutella for the 'sauce'

Mini M&M's

Marshmallows (pink and white cut in half)

Strawberries

Banana

Sprinkles

Put them all together like a regular Pizza and there you have it!  I served it with cream and ice-cream and it was fantastic.  The girls loved it and the best thing was it only took about 5 minutes to make!

Happy Birthday Miss M x

When Work Invades My Home!

For those of you who don't know, I'm a Teacher Librarian 3 days a week.  At this time of year, for teachers all around Australia, it is one of the most stressful.  Report Writing Time!  I am lucky not to be a classroom teacher as their workload is massive and is becoming more demanding with the added pressures of performance based ratings such as NAPLAN and My Schools, the introduction of the new Australian Curriculum as well as considering school based policy and programs, and those of your local state or Territory. Not to mention to find time to mould their students into responsible citizens, teach them to be courteous, how to dress themselves, monitor their eating habits, social behaviour...oh and to read, write, spell and add!

Even though I am a mere TL, I still have a big workload.  I teach 210 students in 3 days and that means marking 210 assignments!  This is what my kitchen table looks like today:

I set my Year 6 students a research task on an Aussie Icon of their choice.  Their range of choices were really diverse (although as I teach only boys most chose sport or motor sports of course!)

As much as I moan about bringing all this work home - and on a long weekend too - I must say that I am so impressed with the young men I teach and the quality of the work they have produced...but I'd better have these marked and delivered back to them on Tuesday or they may stage a revolt against me, so I'd better get back to it.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Handmade Winter Warmer - Wonderful!

Another handmade market is done and dusted.  For the first time I had my own marquee as my lovely friend Rachel was busy at Shop Handmade.  I missed you Rach :-( but I did have you with me - albeit in print form!

I was in a perfect spot on a corner and had a nice bit of sunshine streaming from the side of my marquee for most of the day.  The marquee is a new purchase as Rachel and I have always shared a large 6 x 3 and I had a lot of comments about the arched window!

People were out in their droves and all of my busy, last minute preparations paid off as I made some great sales and handed out a multitude of business cards.

Popular items again were the personalised towels, hairclip holders, and my two new products also sold well - monogrammed cotton bath robes and monogrammed cushions - with orders to be completed for these in the next 2 weeks.

The next market will be on September 11 and it promises to be even bigger, but first I need a little rest!