Lately...

We have been enjoying the slower pace of school hols.
We are loving the cooler Autumn days. Still sunfilled but cool enough for an extra layer.
We had the most wonderful lazy afternoon on Good Friday. The kiddos played at the park for a few hours...swinging and climbing trees, playing hide n seek, fish n chips for lunch, while the mamas lay in the sun on a blanket and talked non stop. It was a very good Friday indeed.

There has been making and baking.
I finished my sew along skirt. Fashion parade to come ;)
We had a delicious camp oven roast for dinner on Easter Sunday followed by our usual Easter treats of speckled eggs in a chocolate noodle nest. Always a winner!

Slowly but surely I am sending out some happy mail. If you are waiting...thank you for your patience.
I am enjoying putting your mail together. I hope you enjoy receiving it too.

The Mr and I enjoyed a rare night away sans children.
We spent a night in Orange and it's surrounds. We visited an op shop or two and some lovely second hand stores. I snapped up this lovely piece of fenton milk glass at the salvos. A sweet $15.00 It really is a beautiful piece.

We also enjoyed the most amazing coffee and breakfast-I swear I did not eat for the rest of the day because I was SO full. If you ever visit Orange, I thoroughly recommend Factory Espresso. I also thoroughly recommend you visit the nearby town of Millthorpe. 

In other thrifting news, I found this pyrex bowl at my local. A bargain at just $2.00
Just one more piece to complete the set, I think.

I have much more to show n tell but this post has been sitting in my drafts folder all week so I'm just going hit publish now ok!

Sew-along

Last week I jumped on into the Lazy Daisy Sew-along. It has been put together by Daisy who doesn't seem lazy at all! She has put so much effort into the sew-along already! The pattern is easy to follow, great for beginner pattern readers like myself, Daisy is very encouraging and on hand to help. I purchased the pattern from my local Spotty. When I asked for some help in getting my measurements and explained I would be making the skirt via an online sew-along, the Spotlight lady looked at me like I'd swallowed a bobbin (or something sewing related because this is a sew along after all). She offered the name of a local lady in case I was interested in sewing lessons. Oh no I can sew I told her..I'm just not very good at reading patterns. Hehe. Blogging is a funny thing and an online community is a tricky thing to explain to someone who has no idea what you are talking about. Needless to say. I decided not to tell her I was sending happy mail out to strangers friends I haven't met yet.

This skirt even has a zip! So if I get a hold on that, there will be something to shout about.
I am using some crazy thrifted fabric for my skirt. I really like this print despite it not being something I would normally wear. It only cost me a couple of dollars so if it works out then I have plans for some lovely brown velvet-also thrifted.

It's not to late to join in.
All the details are here.

For the love of happy mail

Recently I mentioned I would like to host a little mail swap. As a teenager I wrote regularly to my penpal. We often sent each other stickers and song lyrics, posters of Ralph Macchio, Kirk Cameron and book recommendations. We poured out our hearts on pretty notepaper and it was so much fun sending and receiving mail. Despite losing touch as we moved through life, I still have every single letter and I still make her mother's cauliflower soup-a recipe she once sent me.

Inspired by these wonderful letters, I would like to host a little mail swap. This will be a one off swap for those who simply love sending and receiving mail.You will need to fill an A5 envelope with happy mail. You might like to include a recipe, a postcard, a favourite quote, a photograph of something you love or something in your town or yourself!!! movie or book recommendations, stationary items such as cards and stickers, can be handmade or not. And importantly, a handwritten letter. These are just a few things that sprung to mind. You can be as creative-or not as you like. But mostly have fun with it! Have fun putting it together and have fun receiving your own little piece of happy mail.

If this is something you might like to participate in please email me at grantleaingram@hotmail.com with 'for the love of happy mail' in the subject line.
Leax


* The mail swap is now closed

Lately

Things are crazy busy around here. I think it's just life today though. Family life. I think it's our normal. There is always something happening, some place to be, something to do. I'm not complaining. Really. Most of it is really good stuff. I just feel like I need to stop and smell the roses a bit though. And I've missed blogging and reading your blogs!

Inspired by Pip, I thought I'd take stock and jot down a few things in the hope of kickstarting some more regular blogging.

:: Taking Stock

Making: to do lists. Ughhh!
Cooking : cakes, biscuits, brownies and giant freckles for the car boot sale at school.
Drinking : ginger beer, chai latte, merlot, mango smoothie, water, not all at once!
Reading: Flicking through Inside Out magazine.
Wanting: our house to look like a page out of Inside Out magazine, even if just for a day. I wonder where they put all their baskets of ironing for those photo shoots.
Looking: forward to the end of daylight saving and some earlier nights.
Watching: "I melt with you" This was not what I expected at all. Have you seen it? I found it.. unsettling.
Sewing: a quick cushion cover for a little girl's birthday.
Bookmarking: things I want to make from Home by Beci Orphin.
Enjoying: a spot of running and breathing.
Waiting: for school holidays and a break from the busy.

Loving: my little piece of Belinda Marshall art 'Balance'. Something I am always striving for. I adore her colour pallettes. Beautiful hues with a little pop of colour here and there. I received this little print as part of my support of her Pozible project last year. Belinda has a new project at Pozible here.

Hoping:  our carrot seedlings will grow.
Needing: to sort through our wardrobes in preparation for the cool change.
Tasting: fresh pistachios at the farmers markets. Have you ever tried them?

Wearing: boyfriend jeans and stappy heels.
Noticing: this masterpiece.

Knowing: we can only do the best we can in that very moment.
Thinking: about making hats for the Easter Hat Parade.
Feeling: like I'm always playing catch up. Do you ever feel like that too?

Pretty florals-thrifted and gifted

Lately I been lucky enough to find and receive some beautiful fabrics. Gorgeous Kylie generously sent some brand new still in their packets floral sheeting my way. Too beautiful to snip into but perfect for my little loves bed. Thank you once again!!! Kylie. There are some beautiful thoughtful people in blogsville aren't there? It's a funny place to make friends but somehow we do.

My dear friend Yvette gifted me this beautiful barkcloth recently. I love it so much! She made the sweetest dress out of it and gifted the rest onto me. Thank you Yvette. I hope I can come up with something as lovely as your beautiful dress.

While dropping off bags of loot to the oppy recently, I picked up some lovely velvet fabric. Definately enough for a skirt, I think. This sweet lace made it home with me as well. No clue what I'm going to do with it. Sign me up for hoarders!

A couple more florals for the stash as well. The lemon/grey is a sheet and the other is a bedspread. To chop or not to chop is the question!

Are you still thrifting up a storm? Have you been sewing lately?
Sadly, I have not! But I am collecting and dreaming so when inspiration strikes time permits, I will be ready!

A snapshot of February

February was filled with exploding cakes and pool parties.

 

We fell back into the same old same old as school commenced.
The activities resumed with music lessons, saxaphone for Boo and drums for the boy. Softball was the Summer sport of choice for all three kiddos. Lulu played her first season and despite her fab skill level many tears were shed throughout the first half of the season. It was wonderful though, to see her gradually grow in confidence and be able to run the bases without her daddy alongside by the seasons end.
The bigs settled into school with ease, both kids happy with their teachers for the year.

I started running again...a little sporadic at the moment but hopefully the cooler weather with bring an increase in motivation. Once upon a time I was an all or nothing kinda girl. But something is better than nothing isn't it?! It all counts, I think. Never mind that my green smoothie mid afternoon was followed by a glass of wine while cooking dinner. Yep. It all counts ;)

My big girl and I had a wonderful time with special friends when we participated in The Color Run in Canberra. It was such a fun 5km filled with smiles and rainbows, bubbles too. Totally do it if it comes your way!

My little loves had so much fun receiving some snail mail in a little swap that we organised.
I am thinking about hosting a little mail swap soon. Do you think that's something you'd like to participate in? It will just be a one off swap where you will exchange a letter and some other bits and bobs.
More details to come...

Five

Our baby turned five this week!

She's a beautiful little girl. A bit bold sometimes and grown up in so many ways, a result of being the third child I think. And still such a baby, also a result of being the third child. The last child. Our baby.

She loves books and drawing. She has long hair all the way down to her bottom and every night it is a debacle to brush. We let her watch peppa pig on the ipad...a lovely distraction from the task at hand(knots).

She often pops into our bed through the night. She always comes to my side of the bed because she knows her daddy will take her back to her own bed. I savour these bed snuggles because I know they don't last forever.

She loves swimming and she 'canon bombs' in with gusto. She has such an expressive little face when she's telling you this and that. She is a big sweet tooth-like her mama. She is a fussy eater. She rides her bike with her training wheels really fast down the hill..yelling yippeeeee for effect.

She loves big! Oh my goodness, she LOVES SO BIG! She gives the tightest cuddles-so big they hurt. And she always has to love one better. So if I say I love her a gazillion...she says she loves me more or the most or double that.

Happy Birthday to our littlest love.
And just because I always feel a bit nostalgic on my babies birthdays...

That hair!