There's nothing like a good bump on the head to get the creative juices flowing

On Saturday night I was rudely awoken by this mother-of-all picture frames falling on my head.

It hurt. Real bad.
Gave me (and my husband when I yelped) a hell of a fright.

And so I have decided it is time for this picture frame and it's fabric art to go.
I was never fully happy with the result on this anyway. Trying to introduce a bit of pink and femininity (is that a word?) into our bedroom didn't really work.

So over the past few days I've been pondering redecorating our bedroom and what I would do. I am so partial to the good ol' orange and chocolate brown colour combo (must be because I'm a 70's child? I'll blame it on that) and I just happened to have some fabric in these colours lying around begging to be made into a quilt/throw for our bed.

I'll also be making some new cushion covers - that's on tomorrow's agenda.

Then there's the question of wall art - something light in weight - to replace the mahoosive frame that was above our bed. Off to the art supply shop I went today and got a couple of canvases, paints and brushes to see what I could create myself. This was quite an exciting undertaking for me as it's been a good few years since I picked up a paint brush or felt inspired to paint.

Don't ask me what it is. Nothing in particular, although the semi-circle does remind me of the pregnant belly I'm currently displaying. Maybe I shouldn't paint when I'm pregnant....?

Anyhoo, I hopefully will be able to show the end result of our bedroom makeover in the next couple of days. That's if it turns out ok...!!

It's not just our bedroom that's being affected by my sudden urge to make things better - the kitchen, lounge, bathroom and toilet have all had a deep-cleanse and all clutter has been removed.
Maybe this is actually me 'nesting' in preparation for baby arriving soon rather than inspiration given from a donk on the noggin...

Whatever it is, I'm liking it!

Easter Artwork

We have but a small patch of concrete outside our front door, but it suited us perfectly as a canvas for our Easter Artwork.

A new box of pavement chalk...

...and two little guys, eager to get creating (one wearing a Thomas apron, the other wearing nappies)

The end result: a colourful front entrance...

...and two happily chalk-covered boys.

Linking up with Heather for Life Made Lovely Monday
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Starting Them Young

My husband is a trumpet player from way back.

He used to play the trumpet in the Oamaru Garrison Band when he was younger and then in the music team at church and in jazz bands, but over the last few years he has been needed behind the sound-desk at church (which he is also very clever at) and has had to put the trumpet away.

A New Year's Resolution - and with a bit of encouragement from others - is to get back playing his trumpet again at church.
Now you've got to understand that when Austin plays the trumpet at church it always sears your soul and seems to make your eyes leak.
It's an incredibly beautiful and heaven-sent sound.
It sends shivers down your spine and makes the hair on your arms stand on end.
You know what I mean?

Today, much to our delight, he got his trumpet out.

The look of sheer delight and amazement on the boy's faces as they watched their Papa make a wonderful sound from the bell-shaped shiny instrument was priceless.

And there was even more excitement when Papa let them both have a go and showed them how to hold it properly and blow. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Luca picked up the basics. We need to cultivate that talent I'm thinking!

 Even Beni-Boo seemed to be a natural.

The makings of a Father/Son Jazz Trio??

I thought I would showcase a little something we did over the Christmas season for the Grandparent's enjoyment, but maybe you might enjoy it too!
A Christmas Album by son numero uno.
{listen out for when he tells Mamma and Papa off when we try to help him out...}



Happy Monday!

Refashion: Tour T-Shirt to Rock-Chick Dress

Here's another idea for refashioning an old t-shirt that seemed to work. Turning an old tour/band t-shirt into a cute-yet-oozing-plenty-of-attitude little girl's dress.

I left the neckband and shoulder seams as from the original garment and then cut out the rest - this means that I only had to sew the sideseams and add the sleeves and ruffle at the bottom. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

The sleeves and ruffle trim were from another old t-shirt from which I cut off the bottom and sewed it onto the dress (saving on having to hem it) and the same for the sleeves using the existing sleeve edge.

The sleeves were meant to be puffed but they didn't end up having much 'puff' in them in the end...

Then to tie the purple in with the rest of the t-shirt I did a fancy stitch that my machine seems to know how to do around the neckline which also helped to 'pretty it up' a bit also.

And while I was at the sewing machine I quickly whipped up this little number for Beni because he didn't have any long-sleeve shirts to wear the next day... (he's growing out of his clothes rather rapidly!)

Once again I used the existing collar, buttons opening and shoulder seams and cut out the pattern around them, sewed down the sides, added some sleeves, hemmed the bottom using a stretch fabric stitch to allow for movement and FINITO!
It turned out pretty cool but it helps that the subject is super-duper CUTE and can make anything look good!

It's so satisfying making something new and fresh out of what was old and lifeless.

There could be a sermon in that.

The Sewing Mojo

My sewing machine that, up until a few days ago, had been collecting dust in the corner of our bedroom is now sitting there feeling quite chuffed with itself. Over the past couple of days it has had the opportunity to blow out the cobwebs and reacquaint itself with fabric and thread.

I don't know why. I don't know how. But I believe I have got my Sewing Mojo back.

I have been itching to have the opportunity and time to settle myself down in front of my sewing machine and create something. Anything. But neither the opportunity nor the time has presented itself to me.

Until 2 days ago.

It was 2 days ago that I realised that I didn't have any more long-sleeve shirts for Beni to wear - they were all in the wash. All of them being a grand total of THREE...
The thought of going out and buying some more cheap long-sleeve shirts flitted across my mind, but then I remembered the "Tight-As-A-Tight-Thing" budget we are currently on and that idea quickly evaporated.

I was then struck by this brain-wave: "I can make Beni some tops!".

And so... I did.

I have recently discovered some very cool sewing/knitting blogs that I drool over as I read about their crafting endeavours. I have particularly been inspired by Dana at Made and decided to burn the midnight oil and give my sewing machine some love (and also because Beni needed something to wear the next day!...)

So I rummaged through Austin's t-shirt drawer (bitterly regretting recently making him throw away all the old t-shirts he hadn't worn in years) and I found a few t-shirts that I knew he wouldn't mind me cutting up...

Out came the pen and paper to draw up a pattern.
Out came the scissors - Bruce Springstein has had a face-lift...

From this

 To this.

And I was so pleased with the result that I made another one last night.
I'm feeling well chuffed I am!

What I love about sewing is that you can start and finish a project all within the space of a couple of hours (generally) whereas a knitting project takes... well, a bit longer... (I still haven't finished Luca's winter jersey I was making for him last year!...)

Austin came home today with a small pile of Tour t-shirts that he had lying around in his office. So look out family - it's a Thrifty Christmas again this year and I have just discovered a new hobby - refashioning old t-shirts!

Watch this space.

Storm before the Calm

It's only Tuesday and already this week has exhausted me!
Thankfully we are going on holiday tomorrow so I can look forward to the 'Calm' at the end of this 'Storm' called "Packing For Our Holiday".
There always seems to be a certain amount of Storm that needs to take place before the Calm of being on holiday can happen.
The elements of this Storm includes errands, last minute this and thats, arranging for someone to water the plants, emptying the fridge and fruit-bowl of all perishable contents, endless loads of washing washing washing and so on and so on...
But none of this is done grudgingly. Rather with a growing bubble of excitement in the tummy because soon the winds and rain with die down and then it will be HOLIDAY TIME!!

I am sooooo looking forward to the Calm.
And not just any ol' Calm - the Calm of Holiday in Italy. Where the only things ever done fast are driving and talking.

This is our first family holiday away together since Beni has been born, so where better to spend some special time together than in Italy?
Bring on the sounds and smells of Manoppello - our lovely lazy little village where noone speaks English.
Bring on the tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes!, porchetta, cured meats, cheeses, vino, our favourite seafood restaurant, coffee on the rooftop terrace, coffee in the piazza, going for drives to discover new places, running in the mountains, swimming at the beach. Maybe even getting to read a book (STOP IT!!) - then I would know I am definitely on holiday!

But first, there is much to do before the holiday can begin... I have a list as long as a long thing that I've been s l o w l y getting through but children and the internet keep distracting me from finishing!...

Here's just some of the things happening in my life over the past two days:

1. Luca's formal interview at his school.
Yes he is only just 3.
Yes he is starting school.
Yes he does have to wear a uniform (CUTE!)
It's five mornings a week which will be good for both him and me, but I know my world will feel rather out of balance for a while without Lucsie around home in the mornings...
We've talked him through all the logistics and he's super excited about going to school and making lots of new friends.

2. Filling out the million trillion forms for Luca's school.
I have to provide information on all his immunisations etc... yeah right, like I'm going to find that in a hurry!...

3. Yesterday and today I was again looking after 3 under 3.
All went well, I even managed to run a few errands accompanied by 3 children and there was very few tears. Excellent!

4. Alice in Wonderland themed surprise party for my sister.

 Yes. 'Tis I. The Tim Burton style Red Queen of Hearts.

5

A wonderfully successful surprise party where we all got to dress-up very dramatically. This opportunity very rarely presents itself to me anymore, so when it does, I tend to go all out.

A Tea Party with all the Alice in Wonderland characters was a brilliant idea, although it did require some time researching the characters and figuring out a costume from my own wardrobe. But I did it! Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on some more photos for you. My husband was dressed up as the Knave of Hearts looking dead sexy, but I didn't get a photo... darn!

5. Packing 4 people's things for 2 weeks into 3 carry-on bags.
Thanks to RyanAir (a budget airline that flies throughout Europe) who are now charging £30 per bag to be checked onboard, we opted to not pay but instead squish all our gear into our little bags. It's taken me all night to do this but now I'm done, sleep is calling and so is Italy.

See y'all in 2 weeks!
XX

It's all about the dinosaur {continued}

On Saturday we celebrated Luca's 3rd birthday with a DINOSAUR PARTY!

7 of Luca's friends and a couple of handfuls of big people joined us at an indoor activity centre.
It was cool.
We liked it a lot.

Being a dinosaur-themed party of course there was the option to come dressed as a dinosaur.

And some people? Well, some people are awesome and just go all-out when it comes to dress-ups!

There is absolutely no hope for Luca to turn out normal when these are 2 of his most favourite people in the whole world...

Aunty Gretchie (my sister) made her costume. She absolutely amazes me! I just couldn't get enough of checking out her hand-made outfit (but I'm not sure if dinosaurs had red lipstick??)

Even Beni was joining in on the action and spent the afternoon charming the ladies with his {borrowed} dino headgear.

I loved it that the adults could sit around and drink wine and coffee while the kids were off playing somewhere within the complex and you generally didn't have to worry about what they were getting up to!

But after a while it all started to get a bit much for some. A certain Grumpy Old Dodgy Dinosaur soon got tired of being poked in his oversize belly by small smelly children.

Soon enough it was time for cake! With much difficulty the children were rounded up from the far corners of the complex to be topped up with ever more sugar from the Volcano Lolly-Lava Cake.

Cake, lollies and many E Numbers were devoured in 5 minutes flat (never mind that it took me all morning to decorate it!)
One child choked on a lolly and vomited cake+ onto the carpet.
What's a party without a bit of hurling huh?

And as the sugar-slump started to kick in...

... party packs were given out and everyone was sent merrily on their way, including us.

I almost cried when I realised I could just walk away and didn't have to do any of the cleaning up! Bliss.

It's all about the dinosaur

Last weekend this little boy turned 3.

But, seeing as about half the population of children in the world seem to have their birthdays in August, we weren't able to secure the day for his birthday party. Another more organised mother bet me to it... darnnit!

But we still had a family dinner.
With cake. But not just any ol' cake. We are talking scary DINOSAUR cake! RRRaaaaarrrrrr!!!

Probably the freakiest cake I've ever made - we felt very bad cutting him up and eating him, thinking he might come back to haunt us...

But most importantly the Birthday Boy was suitably impressed with his mamma's fine handiwork (whew!)

And so tomorrow is Luca's actual birthday party. It's a Dinosaur Theme (are you surprised?)
Unfortunately it's forecast for rain so I did well and pre-empted the weather and have arranged for the party to be held at Eddie Catz which is a big children's play area just down the road. It also has a large cafe space for the adults to chill-out in, drink coffee and eat cake. AND they serve wine! I am SO there!!

So the last minute extremely organised preparations were being done tonight.

Luca's dinosaur costume is brilliantly taking shape under the surprisingly skill-full hands of my one and only.

Who's a pretty flippin' awesome and amazing husband then huh?
And he's very masculine (just incase you thought he might be a bit soft because he's caught here sewing...)

The cakes are made and cooling, ready to be 'created' into a Dinosaur Spectacular in the morning. Can't wait to get making! I love this part of the process! (mostly because I get to taste-test the sweets as I decorate the cake)...

Yes there is a little part missing from the edge of the cake on the left... that's because I ate some... It literally jumped into my hand as I was gently guiding the cake from out of it's bowl...

The dinosaurs are ready to be slotted in between each layer of the 'Pass the Parcel'

The Party Packs are ready

A whole packet of peanut M&M's has been consumed.

We are ready to roll!

The thing I am looking forward to the most tomorrow is seeing my Big Boy 3 Year Old enjoying himself with his friends and people who love him. And for him to feel very special and cherished.
Because he is.