neglected

This is not a post about how I have not written in this blog for a while.

Instead its about what I have been doing. Lots. I have joined the working mums crew - the career woman, which I never really considered - I never thought I would actually have a good job that interested me and stimulated me and was in an area that I liked. I always thought that being an artist and parent meant suffering and sacrifice. Well there is always suffering and sacrafice. Before I sacrificed money for being a stay at home mum, and suffered with occasional boredom - of course the benefits being many - not rushing everywhere, kids being nurtured, home cooked meals, crafts and hobbies, time with friends, time to blog, etc etc. Now being a 'working' mum, I am sacrificing time with kids, time to spare, I now spend saturdays doing the laundrey, shopping and cleaning instead of getting it done during the week and having the weekend to spend on craft or family or garden. Benefits - are - extra income, stimulating environment, kids are happy too.

mmmm its hard being a mother - what is your decision - work or not - career or not - how have you coped with this personally? Orlando says to me everyday "I don't see you so much any more mummy, I miss you when you work all the time"

crafts and life and new skills

crafts and life and new skills

• 47. i mentioned a few quilts I have at various stages of incompleteness - I have many more quilt projects planned and want to try my hand at free style applique design as wel
• 48. socks - i am really keen to knit socks - my current obsession are these crochet/knit socks and the stripey cream and red socks are divine. - This involves learning to knit and crochet properly first.
• 49. I have been listening to podcasts recently - and had a brilliant idea to start podcasting myself - I have a million great ideas for this - but no time and no equipment and no skill - but when has that stopped me before eh?
• 50. join or start a book club
• 51. get that babysitting club that I read about on four sweetpeas started
• 52. do all this stuff on my list - not just write about - but actually DO IT and more
  

projects cont ... with kids

projects that i have or are on the list to do with kids in mind

• 38. making these cool cards that you see in the picture - Ii asked Otilija's kindergarten class to each do a drawing or three on a piece of paper card size and then I scanned them and printed them.
• 39. the other type of cards that are pictured are fabric sewn cards - these are great fun and kids can help by either choosing fabric from the scrap pile, designing how the fabrics will sit on the cards, or sewing them on for slightly older kids.
• 40. lots of other card ideas for kids to make too - apart from drawing they can do collage, fabric, paper or nature collages, then there is water colours, paints, water crayons etc etc - I love doing a whole bunch for an occasion such as christmas - or just having a whole heap made up ready to give away during the year.
• 41. make up a batch of playdough - basic recipes for this available on the web - i did a tutorial on my projects page a while ago - basically the ingredients are oil, flour, salt, cream of tartar, water and food colouring.
  
• 42. cooking projects are great with kids - some things that I think are quite easy to make include basic cupcakes - kids love to mix but then icing them after is fun too, pancakes or pikelets is always for the kids to mix and then they love watching them and cook and eat them straight away, chocolate crackles or coconut delight are also really good and because they are no bake kids can almost do these without any help - chocolate brownies are always a winner.
  
• 43. making kids pants - is something I like to involve the kids with too - they choose the fabric of course and the trimmings, but now they are really into wanting to help sew as well - so they sit at the machine and press the foot pedal (set on slow mode) while I direct the fabric - they also really like to pin the fabric and snip the cotton threads.
• 44. we made peg dolls this weekend - using scraps of paper and lots of masking tape -
  
• 45. paper planes are really great fun - this is one of Rob and Orlando's favourite things to do - we even have an electronic paper plane launcher that we made from a kit, there are so many different variations on paper planes too, from the most basic one that you first learn to make to quite complex ones with folds and cuts in all sorts of places.
• 46. another cool thing to make with kids is paper snow flakes - I really love making these and the kids are learning how to make them too - another thing to make while you are doing these is the paper doll chains - what fun

projects cont...

the next bunch are fun projects that I plan to do soon - some of them ideas from the book 52projects - which I am loving by the way - I don't want to give too much away so will just mention a couple of projects that have my piqued my interest.

• 32. write a letter to my 64 year old self - you know I remember doing this for a school project back when I was 12 or 13, I have no idea what happened to that letter then - so maybe it is time to write another.
• 33. record how old i feel - i like this one because it changes from day to day - some days I feel SO old and others not so old - and when I look in the mirror and see my hagard features and compare them to a photo of myself just 5 years ago I really feel it. I would like to record how old I feel so when I look back in 5 years time - I can have a good old laugh.
• 34. plan and research my perfect road trip - this is something that has been on my mind for a while and that I talk about with Rob quite a bit - we want to go away for a year - camp and homeschool around Aus.
• 35. write a letter to my loved ones to be given to them when I die - morbid or practical however you see it - I am putting this on my must do list.
• 36. make a list of all my projects and then start to do them
• 37. I loved this one - substitute my own made up fortunes into fortune cookies especially for specific people and hand them around at a party.

to be cont...

projects - ...

the next bunch of projects are writing and art related

• 25. i started writing a childrens book a while ago and sent it to one publisher - rejection - i want to fix it up a bit and send it round to more agents and publishers etc
• 26. I have an exhbition planned for Oct - I am thinking about work for it - and need to do and plan
• 27. I have a lot of photos in boxes - i would really like to go through these and sort them - i even bought a couple of really lovely albums to put them in
• 28. I also have a lot of my photos as negatives and slides that have not prints attached to them - in the days I was processing and printing my own film - i never got around to printing everything - I would really like to scan all my negs - organise them and burn them to cd
• 29. a while ago i had a bit of a project where i sent a lot of images round to different image libraries, i was accepted by one and rejected by lots - but with lots of great criticism and ideas for re-submitting - which I never did - and always planned to - so I would like to re-submit images to more image libraries.
• 30. I have another book idea which I want to shop around to agents - but first i need to do research and write up the idea and research publishers and agents and all the rest. - really inspired by jeff yamaguchi - and am going to just get onto this.
• 31. i have tons - literally (almost literally anyway) tons of photos of the kids, gorgeous black and white ones - that I printed on lovely archival paper (real paper not plastic coated) - i would love to get some framed and make a photo wall - can you believe that I have no art work hung anywhere and no photos hung or framed - they are all in boxes and portfolios.

to be cont...

more projects

haha you girls are great - you will notice that most of the these projects listed are currently on hiatus.

projects continued...

• 14. in spring I started to build a retaining wall in the front garden - but then summer came and christmas etc and it is only half finished - so that is a project I am looking forward to finishing when the weather cools a little
• 15. we have a plan to use up all the scrap wood in our back corner to make a really fantastic chook shed - I have been doing tons of research on chook plans etc - I need to translate my enthusiasm into skill or transfer it to the skilled one in wood and tools.
• 16. another garden project is the cubby house for the kids - have yet to decide if we will try to buy a second hand cubby or build one from recycled materials.
• 17. the mud oven is a past outdoor project which was really successful - we still haven't completely finished - it has no roof and we would like a bench next to the mud oven for food prep.
• 18. seeing as we are on the outdoor project topic and this is turning into more of a wish list than a project list - there is the paint the shed and bag the house project that is really on the list.
• 19. and way in the future after the extension is complete (there are million sub projects in that project too) the backyard will need to be re-landscaped - paving etc.
• 20. Autumn is coming and the twice yearly digging over the veggie garden and organising the compost etc is soon upon us.
• 21. garden edges were only half finished - there is still some garden left to edge - it really makes a difference, not just visually, but practically too - keeping the soil and water and mulch in the garden rather than spilling over all the time.
• 22. there are plants i want to change - a fig tree in the middle which was to be a feature never grew properly and suckered everywhere so i want to remove that and plant more native bushes and put in a proper drip watering system.
• 23. the sandpit is due for an overhaul - that might be one for this weekend even
• 24. along with the house extension I am really keen for a carport and covered storage area for bikes and wheelbarrows etc.

to be cont...

projects

So Jeffrey at 52 projects sent me a few copies of his book for a promo soon to appear at whipup. I am loving the book so far and will review it when I finish. I also listened to a podcast or two (craftypod::craftsanity) about jeffrey and his book which were really interesting and I encourage you all to have a listen too.

anyway this post is about my projects - I have lots on the go at the moment, quite a few are on a break and they tend to go in rotation depending on moods
can I list 52 - I am about to have a good crack at it.

1. the redcurrent blog - ongoing continuous project, which I am soon to be revamping - a future project.
2. whipup blog - was a frenzy to get going and now I am calming down on it while the other authors are posting more, but there are lots of things I have in the works still over there, like new authors joining and a promo and competition coming up.
3. self portrait tuesday - which is growing like crazy - more than I ever imagined - I am currently secretly developing a new site for it and that is going to be unveiled very soon.
4. baby chicks in the house - this project looking after them will last a few more weeks before we release them to the coop
5. house extension project - this is currently on a short break while I think about it some more
6. handyhome projects blog - rob is going to be taking this over soon and making it more active
7. handmade clothes - the markets each weekend thing is finished but I am still planning on selling on ebay.
8. garden project - lots more to do out there - if only it would rain and the plants not die
9. the fence - this is a major issue which i need to sort with neighbours
10. unfinished business quilt
11. quilt commissioned by mother-in-law
12. quilt for orlando just needs quilting
13. sort out craft room - this is more a job than a project - but the project aspect is in the organisation of it

I will continue tomorrow

spt - time

a little bit of this and a little bit of that

My funny and cute but slightly naughty kids (they are not allowed to play on the car)



a great idea for compost - made out of packing wood



polished concrete floor in bathroom/shower



gum leaves wall hanging and quilt - isn't this exquisite - I didn't get the artists name however - it was on at CraftACT recently - does anybody know?

5 more things

1. I have a cold and have almost lost my voice
2. it is hot - or am I feverish?
3. I finally got the hang of downloading podcasts to my ipod
4. I have managed to gain control over the dirty washing
5. I don't have the faintest idea what I am going to make for dinner tonight

winner announced

Thank you all for your so kind and wonderful comments - and thank you for commenting - I love knowing who reads and where people come from and by commenting it enables me to read your blog too - I can find you.

I really wish I could give about 49 skirts - alas the postage would kill me. But there will be 2 prizes. Something for a fellow Aussie and something for an international gal. So Steph, I love your blog, your images and family life inspire me - Pants for you - what size? please email me with size and postal address (see side bar for email) and dani, I love reading your life, so near yet so far, the skirt for your adorable niece - please email me with size and a postal address. ... Ok one more - heather, one for your gorgeous girl, because of your honesty in your blog. - email me with sizes and postal details etc.

For everyone else I want to give more away - so I may hold another competition soon. And because you are dedicated redcurrent readers - I will divulge here a huge comp coming up at whipup very soon sssh its still a secret over at whipup. And if you are really really keen on a skirt - I am going to set up somewhere to buy them at very reasonable prices really really soon.

Love you all - thank you again and sorry if you missed out because it was really hard to choose -

a quickie

learning lots at my new job, really excited about it. Learning new programs and have a cleaner and babysitter and childcare

uh oh

I completely forgot it was tuesday - no spt today - but I am loving what I am seeing so go and check them out.

And amazing comments - I am getting my husband to pick the winner - so must wait a few days while he reads the comments and decides - there might be more than one! Thank you for all your wonderfully yummy and ego boosting comments. Thank you.

busy working out my new routine, Orlando sick today - long day at child care and came home with a sore throat and headache and went to bed very early.
One of our baby chicks died on the weeken - after being stepped on and then lingering on for a couple of days with me feeding it and tending it carefully thinking and hoping it might recover. We buried it in the backyard - it was really quite sad, I didn't think I was that sentimental but I was really upset about it dying.
on better news - I seem to be quite organised re: housework and weekly routines, Rob is picking up his socks (literally and metaphorically) and we seem to be working as a team - I have been grinding my teeth at night though and consequently have quite a sore jaw - ouch!

sorry for sporadic posting - am trying to get my routine figured out and fitting everything in.

Instead of spt this week I give you these interesting links:
women2003
loretta lux
wish jar journal pms chart

giveaway - a competition

The other day I was checking in on my stats and realised that I had hit the 200,000 visitors mark. That is over the last year and a half and its a big deal for me - considering that this little blog is erratic in its subject matter and sporadic with people commenting. I am always surprised when people comment at all - especially now that i am slack in replying - but I do visit peoples blogs who comment - I just don't always have time to comment back - I often add new people to my bloglines if their blog looks interesting and check in on them regularly.

Any way future for this blog - craft is happening less and less these days and it seems to be turning into a 'domestic' blog, which I don't mind - what do you think?

but todays post is to celebrate 200,000 visitors - so a competition to win the skirt pictured - or another one (its a little girls skirt size 2-4 wool with adjustable elastic waist) the winner can have this skirt or a different size if they need it (don't know any girls - I have pants too for boys). So competition ... thinking on my feet here - just leave a comment with who you are and why you visit this blog and I will choose my favourite response. don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you.