The Wallys venture south!

Last weekend was a fun one for our family. Since our move to Tassie we haven't ventured past Launceston and we'd been planning a trip to Hobart for sometime now. A great opportunity came up on Sat when we scored an absolute bargain on an overlocker from ebay. It was a pick-up from Howrah so we packed the three girls in the car early Saturday morning and headed off.

The scenery was amazing and the girls were so well behaved that it was such a fun trip all round.

After we'd picked up my new baby we grabbed some lunch and found a fabulous park just perfect for toddlers. After having a grand time there we took the girls for a walk along the beach and collected shells, pinecones and crab claws. On the way home we bought some cherries and apricots from a stall on the side of the road. So delicious!!

The only downside was that someone forgot to charge the camera and so we don't have any pics so I guess that means we'll just have to do it all over again sometime soon!

I do have a picture however of some of what I've been able to sew up now I have an overlocker again......6 pairs of leggings, 3 tiered skirts, 2 petticoats and a pair of cotton pants! Most of these are for our trip to Sydney. From what I've heard it's pretty hot up there and we're still in long sleeves and jeans down here so we needed some cooler things.

I've also added a picture of some little hair clips I've been making lately. They are metal alligator clips covered with grosgrain ribbon using a hot glue gun. A little fiddley and sometimes ouchy but the result is pretty cute!

I'll be seeing you after our trip!

My little matryoshka

So we're heading up to Sydney next week to spend some time with family....wheee!
I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone and especially meeting my gorgeous new neice. Little Chloe was born 10 weeks premature but is home now and growing like a weed. Her lovely mum is Russian and I thought I'd craft something up to bring when we go.

Matryoshka or Babushkas seem to be all the rage at the moment...even the latest Ottobre mag features them. (My all time favourite sewing mag which I'll do a write up about soon)
I've been scoping out some matryoshka fabric on etsy and it's so adorable if a little pricey. Most of it come from Japan and I'm kicking myself I wasn't die hard sewer back when we visited Kyoto a few years ago. Sigh.
Anyway, here she is...made from velour (so patable) and machine appliqued cotton fabrics.

I've also added a pic of our very own living doll.
Miss Mary at 18mths, going on 18, is a bit of a handful at the moment and into everything with whopper tantrum act to boot. I've had to resort to swaddling her again like a newborn and rocking her just to get her to take a nap......it's worth it though ;)
The sweet look on her face when she finally gives in to sleep is just heart melting.

Fold-up Shopping Bags....woohoo!

Aren't these a fabulous idea? The girls were up before the sun today and wanted me to be up with them.....lucky me. So I thought I'd be productive and finish something I'd cut out last night.
I followed a tutorial found here to make a bag for a friend who's having a birthday today. (Happy Birthday Mel!!)
The fabric I choose was a bit thick and it made it hard to pop it into it's little pocket. I think I might make up another with thinner fabric and a bigger pocket.
It was a super easy tutorial with great pics and clear instructions. Excellent quick christmas/birthday presents!

January 2009 - How does your garden grow?

I've come just indoors after a few hours gardening and enjoying the cool night air. Our garden has at last count 14 different varities of fruits and berries! It isn't a huge garden but it's rambling and quite overgrown, which is a bonus for us as the birds can't see where the good fruit is :)

My big task to get done before we go on holidays next week is cut back the raspberry canes that have finished fruiting. They have become so overgrown that they are all tangled in amongst the branches of the apple trees.
The summer crop of raspberries has just about finished and a new autumn crop is growing now so I really want to get them tied up and supported before we go away.
My veggie garden is looking up......lettuce has started to really thrive and the tomatoes are just starting to plump up. My snow peas are being attacked by something but it doesn't bother me as they were planted just for the girls to have something to pick and eat straight out of the garden.
Here's a few pics taken tonight

January 2009 - It's been 12 days now.....

....since I broke my overlocker :(
A very sad affair, snapped a piece clean through!
It's been taken to the sewing machine hospital and I'm patiently waiting for the call to say the new part has arrived and my friend and I can be reunited.
In the meantime, besides just staring wistfully at my sewing cabinet and listening for the phone, I've been trying to find projects that can be done just using my sewing machine.
(My main sewing love is clothes, especially knits and so I rely on that overlocker!)
I started and finished a little softie as part of the January Softie swap over at Crafty Mamas. It's my first softie :) To be honest I didn't understand the appeal before but now I've made one I can see how you can have a soft spot for those little critters.

There's just a sneak preview as it's winging it's way to it's new home as we speak.
I've also been baking...a very unusual thing for me! Todays offering was Honey and Carrot Muffins from the Feb edition of Super Food Ideas. My favourite food mag...very down to earth meals and ingredients even I would have in the fridge :)

I did them as mini muffins, perfect for tiny toddler tummies.

January 2009 - Read me a story.......

How many times a day do I hear that! Books are a big part of our family, not just books but words in general...
"what does that say?"
"how do you spell...."
"which letter is that?"
"hey, that's the same sound as..."

I don't claim to be an expert, just a mum with a passion for reading and wanting to pass that love on to my girls. It's funny because I didn't really think about it as I was doing it, it just happened and now I have three girls who can't keep their noses out of books and none of them can actually "read" in the conventional way....yet...

Things I've learnt along the way.

Make books a part of everyday. Have them around, in every room of the house, let your children see you reading. Let them read everything...cookbooks, newspapers, cereal boxes, street signs, shopping lists etc. Reading begins with understanding that this letter means this and makes this sound, talk together about words and sounds. Let them touch books, feel books, eat books. If there are precious books that you're fond of pop them up out of reach for the time being and have the shelves filled with ones you don't mind them give a good once over.

Scour the local op-shops for classics and then it doesn't matter if the book becomes well loved if you've only paid 50c for it! Become a regular at your local library. Ours has a wonderful system where I can order in and reserve books for us over the net anytime of the day and they then call me when they've arrived. Bliss!

I must admitt though I'm a bit of a book snob when it comes to the quality of the story.

Look for stories that have meaning, it doesn't have to be serious life changing meanings but books where kids can predict what might happen next. Look for characters that they can identify with and share adventures with and relish in the gloriously happy endings together which is why we want to read books after all!

Look for rhythm and rhyme...listen for the way it sounds when you read it out loud. There are books that were just made to be read aloud, "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak should have instructions on the cover..."to be read with a roaring, loud 'I'm the king of the castle' voice."

Books are there to help us make sense of the world, they allow children to express their inner feelings and voice their fears as they identify with what the character is experiencing. Sometimes the change that takes place in a family when a new sibling arrives can be explored before the baby comes with such books as "Brand New Baby" by Bob Graham or for the younger child "Za Za's Baby Brother" by Lucy Cousins.
Read them together and then then talk about it.....sometimes we spend just as much time talking about what we've read as reading it.

Reading should always be fun and never a chore. It can become something to look forward to at the end of the day, a special ritual shared, a time to reconnect. Eliminate distractions and dive into the story together and become lost in the magic.

I could rave for days about the importance of reading....Mem Fox has put it so plainly

“The first day of school is almost too late for a child to begin to learn to read. If every parent understood the huge educational and intense happiness brought about by reading aloud to their children, and if every parent - and every adult caring for a child - read aloud a minimum of three stories a day to the children in their lives, we could probably wipe out illiteracy within one generation" (Reading Magic by Mem Fox)

If reading doesn't come naturally for you and reading to children especially, is a new and daunting thing I can highly recommend "Reading Magic" as a starting place. Paul Jennings also wrote "The Reading Bug And How To Help Your Child Catch It" Another fantastic resource all about the importance of books in a childs life.

Here's just small list of some of the books we've enjoyed over the years, ones that have made us laugh and cry and ones that I hope my girls will want to share with their children just as my parents shared them with me.

Books that made us smile....

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day - Judith Viorst
A Fish out Of Water - Helen Palmer
Caps For Sale - Esphyr Slobodkina
Harry and the Dirty Dog - Gene Zion

Books full of rhythmn and musical word magic

Wynken, Blynken and Nod - A poem by Eugene Field
Who Sank the Boat - Pamella Allen
Possum Magic - Mem Fox

Books that sent us on adventures

The Enchanted Wood series - Enid Blyton
We're Going On A Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen

Books that made us cuddle closer

Humphreys Corner - Sally Hunter
Henry and Amy - Stephen Michael King
Cowboy and His Friend - Joan Walsh Anglund

What are some of your special stories.......

January 2009 - See Suzie cook....the finale!

So here's the finished product!
I'm suprised how good it tastes.....fruity and spicy.
A match made on heaven for a good ol' ham sanga.
Here's the recipe as promised

Fresh Peach Chutney - Super Food Ideas Dec 2003

Ingredients

• 1kg yellow peaches, peeled (I used 5 big white peaches and forgot to peel them! Didn't make a huge difference as it all mushes down anyway)
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (Small white one instead, couldn't be bothered walking down to the shops to get one!)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated (Just used the one in a jar...see above comment)
• 1/2 cup malt vinegar (White vinegar used, same reason)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

Method

1. Cut peaches in half. Remove stones and roughly chop flesh.
2. Combine peaches, onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, sugar and sweet chilli in a 3-litre capacity, microwave-safe jug or bowl. Microwave in Panasonic Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) power for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until chutney is thick.
3. Spoon hot chutney into hot sterilised jars. Cover with a tea towel and allow to cool. Seal and label. Refrigerate after opening.

It made just the one small jar but that's perfect for us. I really like a good chutney or relish and homemade is twice as nice!

January 2009 - See Suzie cook.......

It doesn't happen very often, blink and you might miss it! We're living in the most gorgeous home in semi rural Tassie. The house itself dates back to the late 18th century and the garden is full of fruit trees and berry bushes. At the moment the white peaches are ripening and while there isn't a huge abundance due to the tree being old and overgrown the fruit is lovely and sweet.

Right now there is peach and sweet chilli chutney whirring away in the microwave and the smell is heavenly! My jars and cleaned, cooked and ready on the sideboard.....IF it all works out I'll share the recipe and a picture of the finished product. Off to give it a stir!

January 2009 - Fabric covered button hair tie tutorial

Want to make the easiest last minute gift ever? I've made these for the young and old and they're always a hit and so quick too!
You'll need...
1 x self covered button
1 x scrap piece of fabric for the outside and a small circle for inside, a little bigger than the above button
1 x snagless hair elastic

scissors, needle, thread

STEP 1: Place your button on the scrap piece of fabric and cut a circle around it about 1cm bigger

Also cut out a tiny circle the same size as your button
Lay them on top of each other wrong sides facing up.

Step 2: Place your button on the top and wrap the fabric around it securing it with the little teeth around the inside rim.

Step 3: Snap the back of the button on.....I do use my teeth but be careful not to dent the button if you're using a metal button ;-)

Step 4: Take a needle and thread and thread it through the shank of the button, around the hair elastic and back through the shank. Pull the thread until the elastic pops through the shank.

Step 5: Position the join of the elastic so it's close to the shank and feed one end of the elastic through the other end and pull tightly.

Done!! How fun was that....now go and make a hundred of them! (In my house with three little girls we need about a hundred, I swear they must eat them!)

January 2009 - Teaching the next generation

Lately I've been showing my 5 and 3 year old how to do some simple hand stitching. they're eager learners and will give it a good half and hour before they're ready to move onto the next adventure.
We've learnt running stitch and back stitch so far and have practiced outlining pictures I've drawn for them.
A little embroidery hoop makes all the difference as it's easier for them to manage the fabric if it's stretched tight. I thread the needles for them and knot the end so it doesn't pull through but apart from that it's all their own work.
Becky is very particular and intricate in her stitching and I have to remind her to make her stitches a little bigger so we can actually see them.
Hannah is amazingly accurate and looks ready to move on to more stitches.
Here's a little something they made for their great-grandmothers 75th birthday this week.