I see Red!

I have decided to join in Sailor & Company's Raw (e) photo competition again.. because this week the theme is RED!!! my fave colour!

My post title is called I see Red!  (a legendary song by a great kiwi band, Split Enz)

This photo is my new umbrella which I couldn't resist buying! Its perfect, with ruffles, polka dots and a little bow on the handle. 

So head on over to Sailor & Co and check out the other photos here

Photo shoot

Today I was very excited to have a play in my friends studio.  She is a fantastic photographer and it was good to have  her show me about the settings on my camera and how the lights work etc.  Very technical and I probably will have to ask her all over again!!

Bubba was supposed to be my model but wasn't very enthusiastic so Little Miss Sunshine, who had a day off school, trying to fight a bug, was more than willing to pose :)  I love how she loves the camera (Im sure that will change in a few years)

(the cheeky little monkey)

 

 

 

 

Scrapbooking

It's a miracle, I have actually completed another scrapbooking page!  And more on the way, I think my scrapbooking drought is now broken. But I now have so much to catch up on because I take A LOT of pics.

Im a winner!!

Wow, remember the giveaway I blogged about, over at Eggshell green, I won!! I am so excited as the canvases this clever lady makes are so cool. Check out her Etsy shop, here, and her blog too, she's very funny and has the cutest little baby.

I will post a pic of my prize when it arrives.

Now, I better get a giveaway organised and share the love :)

Sprinkler

Over at Sailor and Co they are having a Raw(e) photo competition and this weeks theme is WATER.  Photos have to be straight from the camera and untouched.

I straight away thought of this pic of my son when he was only 18 months old, it was taken on our old snapshot camera (cringe)

Its not as creative as the other entries but evokes happy memories for me :)

Join in the fun, here.

Gotta learn to crochet

I keep seeing such gorgeous crocheted items on the internet and I really need to learn to crochet.  I can knit, ceramic paint, scrapbook, cross stitch and sew, but Ive never learnt to crochet.

Yesterday Little Miss Sunshine and I visited the Mathilda Markets for the first time. Some beautiful handmade items there, although it was aimed more at parents of babies and toddlers, Little Miss Sunshine and I enjoyed having a wander around.

She fell in love with this crocheted beanie (even if it was a toddlers size :)) from here.  I really want to make some more of these! Too cute. Thats why I want to learn to crochet, so we can have them in every colour!

 

I'll be back with some pics from around the blogging world of things Id love to create if I knew how to crochet!

Another year closer to 40!

Today is my birthday and I am turning 39 *glup*.  I would like to ask for a recount because I dont feel that old and Im sure last time I checked I was still in my 20s!!

Anyway, there's no getting around it.  

I have had an absolutely wonderful day. I feel totally blessed.

My hubby bought me my new camera a few weeks ago, which I am really enjoying learning to use.  And this morning my darling children gave me beautiful homemade cards,  and some yummy gluten free goodies.

I went to the hairdresser and got pampered and then went out to lunch with some friends. They spoilt me rotten and I had a lovely time (check out the balloons above )

A dear friend turned up at school with a birthday cake and I was so touched that she had found a recipe and gone to the trouble of making a gluten free one - and it was DIVINE!! YUM!

Hubby grabbed some takeaways for dinner (we never have takeaways so it was extra special) and the him and the kids made me a gluten free banana cake with lemon icing - YUM again!  Im all caked out.

So it was a wonderful day and I am so excited about my year ahead, my last year of my 30s.

What I love (& check out this giveaway)

I love cupcakes (i think Ive mentioned it before*grin*) I love baking them and decorating them and I love giving them to others to enjoy.

 

Check out the beautiful cupcake canvases on Eggshell green, they are so delicious!!! AND she is having a giveaway, yes, you can own your very own cupcake canvas - YUM!! Head over and check it out. And be sure to check out her shop too to purchase all your cupcake canvas needs :) Eggshell Green Esty shop

I also love red and white polka dots - yep, they make me so happy!

I LOVE my new umbrella (even after I dropped it on my toe and cut it open :( )

(it even has a polka dot handle and cute little bow and RUFFLES!!)

and this teatowel I picked up at a cute little shop at Mangawhai in NZ.....

the clip holder I made for Little Miss Sunshine's room.....

 

oh and of course I TOTALLY love these gorgeous faces :)

finally.. a page created

I have finally finished a scrapbook page ... its been about a year since I have!!!

I didnt have a plan for it,  just went for it.

 Im not great a photographing my pages though, need to work on that!!!

We've had a quiet weekend, the kids had their friends over for a sleepover (2nd one this week) and today we went bed shopping for hubby and I.

Now the holidays are almost over I can get back to my crafting, thought I would get lots of home time this week but it didnt happen!!!

Can you help?

All you kiwimummy bloggers, I want to put a picture on so it appears on Kiwimummy blogs updates...(at the left hand side), how do i do it?

A rainforest adventure

Today we drove a really long way to O'Reillys at Lamington National Park.  The road was very twisty and narrow for about 35 km and I think it will take a while to get the courage to do that again! But O'Reilly's was gorgeous.

We fed the Lorikeets...

(Little Miss Sunshine freaked out about 2 seconds after this shot when the lorikeet decided to climb down her neck, lots of screaming a tears and a whole plate of food upended on the ground)

Went on the tree top walk. (suspended about 15 metres above the ground)..

 

and the brave children climbed up another 15 metres to a lookout up a tree...

 

(this is Sonic, No way anyone would be allowed to take a photo of my backside from that angle!)

 And I played with my camera a bit.

Look at this cool koru shape in the trunk ...

Next time we want to do one of the walks, its 6 km and goes to a waterfall ... didnt have enough time for it today.

 

Market Day skirt

When I saw the skirt Mel Goodsell had made for her daughter, Bella, here, I knew Little Miss Sunshine would absolutely want one. And, I was correct, she's been bugging me for one since!  So we went to buy a few extra fabrics and then it took me about 3 hours of cutting 56 squares and sewing , phew! But totally worth it... now I need to finish Bubba's one (20 squares less on hers thank goodness)

We thought it would be fun to take pictures at the beach but I think I need to learn a little more about my new camera to get the lighting right.

The pattern is the Saturday Market Skirt by Portabellopixie, here. I would love to get a copy of her book when it is released.

The pattern is for adults and children's sizes. Little Miss Sunshine's is a size 7/8 and Im making Bubba the 4. The only thing I changed is putting an elasticated waistband on instead of a drawstring (or my girls would be running around with down around their ankles because they pull on cords and strings!).

Easter weekend

We have had a busy but enjoyable easter.

Starting on Wednesday I made special bunny biscuits for Bubba to take to Kindy.

On Good Friday Little Miss Sunshine and I made Hot cross buns.. mmmm the smell was amazing, pity they weren't gluten free. So, for me I made some GF scones with some nutmeg, cloves and sultanas included... they weren't as good as hot cross buns :(

We also had some friends over for a bbq and an easter egg hunt.

Yesterday was a quiet day, nice to do a bit of sewing.  These are the easter bags and little softies I made for the children.

Little birdie pattern from here.  I altered it to make the little bunny for Sonic and made a little felt carrot for its pocket.

Little Miss Sunshine's Easter Bag

(below is a close up of the flower.. Ive always wanted to make one of these)

Bubba's easter bag

Sonic's easter bag

Today we went to our favourite spot, Shorncliffe Pier. If you live in Brisbane it is a MUST see place to visit. So beautiful.  The kids had a big swim, we had lunch with friends and then they had a big play on the playground. I played around with my new camera :) I'll upload those photos another day.

 Tomorrow I will share the skirt I made for Little miss Sunshine... 56 squares and about 3 hours of sewing - But its gorgeous!! I will also share where you can find the pattern.