Slowing down

Image from here

In the coming weeks I'll probably be around here a bit less.

In 'two sleeps' (as the girls say) I'm having my right ankle reconstructed.

It's scheduled surgery so we've been able to plan for it, which helps a bit.

Team sport is great, I am a huge advocate of sport/recreational activities in all guises.

It's just that 25 years of quite competitive basketball and many, many sprains, strains and injuries to the same, somewhat weakened joint, has left me finding some day-to-day tasks (like walking down stairs, or stepping backward to push a swing) quite difficult and painful.

So into hospital I go.

My question to you is - what do you do to fill in your time when given an enforced rest?

• I thought I would write a few letters, by hand, you know the old-fashioned way.
• Write the girls a 'now you are four' letter to put away as a keepsake.
• Read, a lot.
• I've signed myself up to Kate's great pincushion swap so I can hand-sew a little something with lots of time and care, and also Gypsy's 'Sew It Together' name tag swap

But what else to do?

Please share your ideas with me about what to do to keep these usually busy hands from being idle.

Things you need to keep in mind;

1. I am seriously crap at crochet and knitting!!
2. It is my right ankle being operated on, also known at the foot that pushes the pedal on the sewing machine, not sure how I will go 'driving' my machine with the left.

PS - thanks for all the lovely feedback for the nappy wallet tute - I will get onto it ASAP but given my 'to do' list it might be a few weeks away! Sorry!

My Creative Space

I've been getting creative in the kitchen!

Don't fall off your chair, it's not like I baked the cakes or anything, in the way that this very clever lady would have.


I cheat and buy very plain slab sponges from Coles, which I then decorate with copious amounts of butter frosting and lollies!


I put the first layer of icing on, then draw the design onto the cake using a toothpick - then it's pretty much like colouring in.

I do this rather than cutting the shape from the cake as it's quite hard to ice the cut edges of cake, they tend to crumble.

My efforts were appreciated and the 'big girls' had a very wonderful 4th birthday on Tuesday.

I think possibly the only downside of having twins is having to make two cakes!

Check out what others have been whipping up by visiting the 'queen of creative' - Kirsty.

Snappy for nappies

Our youngest is still in nappies but she's not at the point where we need to lug an entire nappy bag around, just the basics for an on the run change if needed.

So I thought I' make a nappy wallet that holds what I need and fits in my handbag, and leave the big bag at home.


After hunting around a bit on the web for tutorials I couldn't find anything that was what I wanted so I ended up just winging it and making up my own, which if you read my post about being a 'maker' or a 'creator' you'd know was a big deal for me!

It has two pockets, one fits a travel pack of wipes, the other side holds a nappy, disposal bags and a small pack of antibacterial wipes, in case you're not near a tap and want to clean yourself up after completing the job!

Everything tucks away and then you fold it over and snap it closed.

Compact and easy.

They've been a bit of a hit with friends, so I have made five of them so far, with another one planned in the next day or so.

Would it be handy for you? Are you interested in a tutorial to make these?

Let me know - I can photograph it next time if you say the word.

A new industry

Seems my kids are have a new occupation...


Standard clothesline contents really, knickers, information sheet about the baby elephant, a couple of tissues, oh and a pile of freshly laundered play money.

My Creative Space

I make no secret of it, I love gadgets that can help make sewing and making things easier and quicker.

That way I can get more done, well in theory anyway!

These have got to be the best, simple gadget I have come across in ages.

They are for making self-covered fabric buttons with.

You know how most kits provide you with a little paper/cardboard circle template for you to trace onto fabric and cut around to make up a button, and how hard it is to make sure you have the image you want to appear positioned in the centre of the button.

Well guess no more!

Each of these templates is a different size for the different sized buttons.

All you do is position it so the image you want centred on the button is shown in the centre circle.
Then trace around the outside of the template and cut and make up your button as usual.

So if you want a small chicken button, a larger red riding hood button or red with all her friends for a huge button for a big hair tie, then you can do it all without waste and, more importantly, frustration!

Super-friendly Kerrie at Jackobindi is the only Aussie distributor of these, and she has all the other stuff you need to make up hair ties, snap clips, bookmarks, magnets, push pins, shoe clips and heaps of other stuff.

Seriously, just get yourself some, you'll be glad you did.

To check out what creative goodness others are working on head on over to Kirsty's.

She's seeing red today.

Daughters of the West

I've made it known I like my footy.

I was brainwashed (pretty much from birth) to be a Western Bulldogs supporter and have succeeded (so far) in getting our two 'big' girls to follow along with me.

The man of the house is a big footy fan - but he supports the Blues - so that's the way the small one is going.

We went to the Bulldogs family day and the two skipping, pigtailed, face-painted girls in Bulldogs jumpers caught the eye of a photographer, so they ended up in the paper yesterday.

They weren't enough to upstage Big Bad Bustling Barry though Sal! He's a bit of a hit around here.