Wednesday 31 March 2010

little people...

I just love vintage fisher price & am planning to collect a few different sets as the little man grows up. My favourites are the farm & silo set & the record player.
I was lucky to score this bundle at a great low price on ebay recently.
We just had to get the racecar & motorbike, as Sam races his own racecar & is a motorcycle mechanic.
How cute is the dog... & the man wearing the cowboy hat.

Tuesday 30 March 2010

crafty procrastinations...

I may need to send out an SOS call over the next 24 hours, as the mother in law has come for a visit. Let's just say... she's as mad as a cut snake! Totally harmless & lovely & means very well... but crazy.
Yesterday I was meant to be tidying the house in preparation for her visit, but I think I was in complete denial of her coming. Surely it was all just a dream. Instead of tidying, I made this cute little pouch. I had no purpose in mind for it, I clearly just needed some craft therapy.
Perhaps I'll gift it to a friend who is just crazy about owls.
If you like japanese fabric at all & live in Melbourne. You must get yourself to the Ziguzagu sale in richmond. It's on until the 10th of April & they have some gorgeous vintage kimono fabric.
Wish me luck for the next so many hours. If I'm not back here tomorrow... someone please come & rescue me.

Monday 29 March 2010

38 weeks...

Holy dooly! Can this belly get any more rotund?
If this baby grows any bigger, I might just burst.Thank you for your sweet wishes yesterday. As you may have noticed, I'm a bit of a romantic & very sentimental. I wrote it for Samuel to read first thing in the morning, before we set off on our day.
We popped down to a local market in the morning, which proved very fruitful (more on that later) & then headed off for a lovely bush picnic.
Nothing too fancy, just a delicious antipasto washed down with some yummy pear cider (only 4%).
After lunch we took a short stroll, which absolutely buggered me. So we set off home, with a nap for me & the grand prix for Sam.
It was so lovely to have a special day, just for us before the baby arrives.
I'm sure it'll be a while before there is another.

Sunday 28 March 2010

one year...

One year ago I said these words:

Samuel, I love you more than anything & I am so proud to be your wife. You give me constant love, support & inspiration. I feel happy & complete when I am with you.

I promise to love & support you in our life together. Whatever life may bring, I will be by your side.

I am lucky to be marrying my best friend & I give you all my friendship in return.

I Kitty, take you Samuel to be my husband, knowing in my heart that you will be my constant friend, partner in life & my one true love.

One year ago, I married the man of my dreams & haven't looked back. These words still ring true in my heart & will do forever. It was the most perfect day, a beautiful start to our journey.

Thank you Samuel for a great year together. We've travelled, moved to the country, created our first baby & been through sickness & hardship. Through all this, our love has continued to grow stronger & I look forward to the many more adventures we will share.
Happy Anniversary my love. I am the luckiest girl alive.

Friday 26 March 2010

back to it...

Back to bed that is. Yesterdays crafting must have worn me out, because today I am truly pooped. There's been some catching up on sleep today, as last night saw very little. I've been having some quite painful braxton hicks contractions & the whole rolling over to get comfortable thing... one must be awake to even attempt such a feat. I call it my three point turn, as it's definitely not smooth like a u-turn.
I do hope the little fella comes out soon, I don't know if I can take another 2-3 weeks of this. Of course, I know I will if that's how it's going to be... I'm just sending subliminal messages on the off chance he let's me have it my way.
So in bed I am with a cup of tea, crocheting away on my ripple blanket & listening to the Neil Young that's drifting out from the shed. It's just started drizzling outside & the air is sweet & cool. I do love Autumn, it's the most perfect season in my book.

P.S. This isn't my bed... but how gorgeous is it. Found here.

Thursday 25 March 2010

my creative space...

I'm so exhausted today, but somehow the creative juices are flowing & things are getting done. I've whipped up a little tag blankie for the wee one. This has been on my list for a while, but it is often nicer to look at the pretty ribbons than to try & wrangle them into this arrangement. I discovered it really wasn't that hard at all, silly girl.I've made my pin cushion for the big swap that the lovely Kate has organised. I'm so daunted by who I have to make it for... she's extremely talented & everything she makes is so neat & perfect. I hope she likes it. I can show you a sneak peak, because I don't think she reads my blog... well I hope not anyway. Ooh, I'm such a risk taker. I still have to find a few more bits & bobs to finish it off & then it shall be in the post. Thanks to Kate for organising, what a mammoth effort.
I've been slicing the alphabet out of a vintage picture dictionary. When I get my DIY hat on, this shall turn into artwork for the nursery. There's just a bit of painting & glueing to do, which will have to happen in the shed. Better get my bum into gear then.
Lastly, I've finished sewing the nappies & they're just waiting to be trimmed. I used the soulemama pattern from her handmade home book, with flannel sheets from the lovely Christie.

Wednesday 24 March 2010

latest scores...

I've been lucky enough to have quite a few good finds at the oppy lately. The best one by far has been the knitting machine I scored for a mere $30! We were fossicking in vinnies just before my birthday, when Samuel pointed out two large boxes. Could you believe that one was a knitting machine & the other a ribbing attachment! Wait... it gets better... both were still in their original boxes with layby receipts from Myer in Frankston circa 1975. The sticker said $20 each or $30 for the pair, so Samuel snaffled them up as a little present for the wifey. I still have no idea how to set them up & use them, but I have a wonderful Emma friend who has promised a demonstration.
Other finds have been of the vintage linen sort. Like these too cute for words pillowcases. I'm yet to decide if I should use them for their intended purpose... or cut them up for crafting. I don't know if I could ever pull the scissors on these.

Speaking of scissors... I may have mentioned in the past, once or twice that my husband is a hoarder. Yep, everything from cars to cassette tapes & beyond. The man struggles to part with anything. Every now & then we pop over to Mudda's house (his grandma's), to retrieve a car part from the shed. The shed which is full to the brim with a mini panel van, every falcon part from the 60's & 70's imaginable & various other unidentifiable items. Can you start now to imagine what our shed at home is like... it's eight times larger! Help!!! And he's only in his early 30's! Imagine it in twenty years! Oh my, I'm feeling faint.
Anyway, I've come to terms with the situation & plus, having a hoarder for a husband does have it's upsides. Many things have found their way out of the shed & into my possesion. Like a beautiful sewing chair from the 40's, several antique trunks, a lawn croquet set & these two pairs of fabric shears. Mudda was a seamstress in her day & these are straight out of her collection. Now she's a bit away with the fairies... so trust me when I say they're better off in my hands.
They just need to be cleaned & sharpened & they'll be as good as new.

Wow, two longwinded stories for you. I didn't think I had it in me... & then I got carried away. Thanks for reading.

friends like these...

My gorgeous girlfriends threw me a baby shower a few weeks back. Not only was the little man to be absolutely spoilt with gifts... he also received these three onesies. Lovingly decorated by the ladies who I call my best mates.


This one below is so sweet. It's replicating a tattoo of a sparrow that I have on my back.
And how cute is this horse & rattle! Gee whiz... too cute.

Tuesday 23 March 2010

ta daa...

Look, look! It's all finished.
I've been stitching away at this little quilt for a few weeks now & it is now all done & ready to be thrown up on by a wee little monster.
I'm so glad I didn't have to piece the front together, the hand stitching took long enough & let's not talk about the binding...You can see how ruley truley excited I am by the goofy grin on my face. Why is it so hard to smile nicely when I'm in front of a camera?
And here it is in situ. Our home is built like an alpine lodge... very, very dark. Hence the need for flash.
Yesterday was spent in bed with enough energy for crochet only. Today however, I've pushed myself. I managed to source some energy from somewhere deep within & get some stuff done. Which is good, because we were running a little low on groceries. Pea & pasta soup was made for lunch, 8.5 litres of toasted muesli was made & I've taken a heap of photos.
So you might see a bit more of me over the next few days... there's alot to show.
I'm not feeling too cranky either, so consider yourself blessed that you wont have to listen to too much rambling.

Wednesday 17 March 2010

all too much...

I haven't felt like doing much at all lately, blogging included. I'm too afraid of sounding like a tired & cranky pregnant woman. Nobody wants to listen to me whinge & carry on... so I save that for the husband. There's only three & a half weeks to go & my stamina is dissappearing.
My days at the moment are spent pottering about, a little crafting, a little cooking & lots of organising. The hospital bag is packed & all last minute baby items have been purchased, just in case the little man decides he's coming early.

We made a trip up to Melbourne on the weekend, where I was treated with a lovely afternoon tea. It was so good to catch up with the girls one last time before I become a mama. Everyone bought a plate of something delicious & we sat & chatted our little hearts out in the back garden. We were spoilt with gorgeous gifts too & everyone helped decorate three onesies for him to wear.
The crochet hooks have been quite active, with amigurumi animals & the ripple blanket on the go. These booties & helmet were whipped up too. The helmet is my own pattern & I'm going to post it soon... I just want to make sure it fits a newborn head before I do.
Crochet is definately my craft of choice right now. I can sit on the couch or curl up in bed & still be very productive. Top stuff.

Friday 12 March 2010

serendipity...

So... here's a little story I've been meaning to tell. It's quite long & has many parts, so please bear with me.
Before the husband & I moved to the country, we lived in Richmond. A few times a week we'd pass this car in a street near to us. She was always there without fail, parked on the street & looking like she needed some love & attention. For almost three years we admired her. Even after we moved to the country, we'd still drive past her if we were uptown. One day, a few months back she disappeared & every time we went past after that, someone else was in her spot. We were sad & wondered what had happened to her.
Samuel & I like old cars. We both have a list of five cars that we would one day wish to own. Not all at once necessarily, just throughout our lifetime. One of the cars on my list is a Daimler 2.5 or a Jaguar Mark II (they're exactly the same body, just different engines & badges).
The drive into Melbourne takes us about an hour & a half. Driving along the monash is extremely boring & to entertain ourselves we play a game. We both choose a car that we hope to see that day & then we keep our eyes peeled. One day last month, I said we'd see a Jaguar Mark II. All day we drove around, doing our bits & pieces & nothing interesting was seen. We were headed up Church st in Richmond in the late afternon, when Samuel exclaimed that there was a Mark II up ahead. It was actually a Daimler & just so happened to be the very Daimler we used to pass. By this time we were right behind her & for some mad unknown reason, we followed her. We stalked a car through the back streets of Prahran! The poor bloke driving it, I don't know what he must have thought. He eventually pulled into a carpark & started making his way into Lodge. We quickly pulled up & introduced ourselves, who does that? So strange! Anyway, we got chatting & found out that the car belonged to an old man who had recently moved into a home & was no longer capable of driving. The man we were talking to, was his power of attorney. We told him how much we loved the car & if the old fella ever wanted to sell, then please consider us as potential buyers. We exchanged numbers & over the next few weeks, it was decided to be sold & a price was decided upon. Samuel & I had discussed the maximum we would pay & when the old fella set his price, it matched ours. See, meant to be.
Last Saturday we went & picked up my new car & after doing all the paperwork & meeting the old man, we set off home... only for the heavens to open up & hail golfballs! I took this as a good sign as we sat in the car on the side of the road. The car luckily didn't suffer any hail damage as panels were made out of thick metal in the good old days. We waited for the freak storm to pass & set off home.
So this is Ingrid, my 1966 Daimler 2.5. Don't be fooled by her pretty looks, she's very unassuming (there's a V8 under her hood). She's not interested in going fast though, a lady of her age likes the quiet life. One day she'll get a new interior & a respray, but for now she's just swell.
Thanks for listening to my long tale about two crazies that stalk cool old cars.

Thursday 11 March 2010

my creative space...

I've been on bed rest for the past few days, under strict orders from the husband. I must admit, I did get cabin fever & pop into the kitchen to cook dinner. I've just been so exhausted & worn out, I guess I needed to take a rest time. All those things that happen to you in the last weeks of pregnancy are taking their toll & even walking the few steps down the hall is a mission. I'm feeling alot better today, I'm clearly not going to take over the world... maybe just some washing & grocery shopping.
This whole bed rest thing has been good for the crafting, I must say. I've been very productive.
The ripple blanket is coming along at a cracking pace.
I've been stitching away at this little floor quilt too.
I purchased this cute vintage fabric a few years ago, knowing that one day it would be a quilt for my babe. The hand quilting is simply following the faux stitches printed in the design.
Simple & sweet, but oh so time consuming.
And finally, a sweet amigurumi lamb is slowly coming to life.
I haven't forgotten the story I promised to share on monday. I'll try & get a photograph today to share it with you soon.
Thanks Kirsty for hosting.

Monday 8 March 2010

hairy cows...

Today was very exciting, my birthday present arrived from Sunbury this morning. Samson & Dougall the Highland Cattle steers are now in their new home. They must be so excited to see some green grass, Sunbury is very dry at the moment.
My bump's lookin pretty good too, if I don't say so myself (how's the ego?). I've put on 15 kilos now, I'm so impressed.

This is Dougall, he's 11 months old & was a bit stroppy this afternoon. You see; as they grow, their horns will grow too. If they try to push you around & ask for pats, they must be told off. This is why I'm grabbing his horn, he has to learn that this behaviour is unacceptable. Do you like my stern expression?
Samson is 14 months old & is definitely the leader of the two. He loves to be scratched on the neck right behind the ears. The breeder gave us a special comb to brush them with, as they realy like it when you pull the knots out of their hair.
I love it how they are so tame, you can walk right up to them without any issue. However, the cattle dog thought he'd come & introduce himself... only to be chased away. I don't think he'll be doing that again in a hurry.
Tomorrow I'll show my latest acquisition. She's just beautiful & no she isn't an animal.
Oooh... "what it is?", you ask.

slowly...

That's my favourite pace at the moment. I'm now 35 weeks & movement is slow & well thought out. It sure is a far cry from 9 weeks ago, when I was running around & breaking bones.
We're slowly putting the room together for our little one. A mix of handmade, second hand, hand me downs, gifts, treasures from our childhood & 1940's furniture.
A group of items are congregating on top of the robe until they find their place :: Old golden books & winnie the pooh books found at markets :: Books given by beautiful sister & friend :: Yoshitomo Nara bookends :: Toys made by the mama :: Bunnykins set & duck cup from Samuel's childhood :: Lark ball from Nana & Grandad :: & other various ephermera.
And over on the bed, sit's a gorgeous little bear made by the wonderful Jess. I can not get over how amazing this little guy is. If you ever want something special to give to a little person in your life... a bear by Jess is definitely the go. I can't recommend her highly enough.
He's hanging out with Victor, who was given to me when I was born.

We've still got a bit to go, but progress is happening & it's really starting to come together. I'll have to post some photos when it is all complete.

Sunday 7 March 2010

outside...

I've just spent a few hours outside, pottering away in this lovely cool weather we're having.
Basil has been split & re-potted & a new pot has been found for an orchid.
I received a beautiful cumquat tree for my birthday from a friend, this too has been matched with a pot.
Whilst I was working away, I discovered this little fellow hanging out on my pot. Isn't it amazing, so delicate & pretty.
Our woodpile is looking quite healthy for winter. Samuel has been working away at this for the past month. It's all neatly stacked near the door to the lounge so we don't have to go out into the paddock in the freezing cold. There is another pile to the right of this & a huge stack of kindling too. I think we should be pretty set. It does get bloody cold where we are & the coonara's get a real workout.
I do love Autumn, it's my favourite season. There's lots of change in the garden & the heat of summer has slinked away. These pretty flowers have popped up all over our front garden, the chesnuts & pears are ripening & the grapevines are turning a magnificent burgandy. Yesterdays rain has done our garden well & hopefully there is alot more to come. When it eases off though, we'll be back to the vegie patch as there is still so much to do.
How is your garden growing?

Friday 5 March 2010

I don't think you've met...

My husband is a big softie, he just loves animals. In january, he heard of a dog that needed a new home & that dog just happened to be Benson. How on earth was Samuel to say no? Just look at his face.
Benson is a Mastiff cross Irish Wolfhound (hence the beard), he's not quite two & weighs a whopping 45 kilograms. He's quite the buffoon & isn't very aware of his size or weight. We're training this silliness out of him so when he's fully grown he won't be such a menace. His nature is very gentle otherwise. The other two dogs have been sorting him out too, telling him off whenever he crosses a boundary.
So far his favourite game is to find the biggest stick possible; ie: a branch & drag it around the yard all day. There was a stint of him chasing the chickens too, that got him several stern talkings too & now he just slowly stalks them. Every night we do a chicken count... just in case.
So now you've met Benson, another character from the menagerie.
I have a strict rule now, no more dogs. Three is quite enough! From now on any newcomers must be of use to the farm. Let's think egg laying, snail eating, grass eating, poultry protecting, milk producing, wool producing, etc. You get the drift.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned, for those of you in Victoria a long weekend.
We're planning on popping down to Inverloch to catch some of the jazz festival, picking up a delightful old car from melbourne & on monday welcoming my boys to the farm. Very exciting!

Thursday 4 March 2010

saving my pennies...

I've decided to save my pennies for a pair of hunters. With winter not too far off, one must start thinking of these things. These wellies are made super tough & they come in a range of colours. I think if they're good enough for the queen, they're good enough for me. Now I must choose a colour... red, yellow or green? What are your thoughts?