christmas crazy

Here is a quick look at some of what has come out of this years craziness that is the build up to Christmas.

4 lazy days for the nieces.

1 pair short reversable overalls for the small child.

I had planned on making a couple of these just cos he looks so damn cute but alas, time is short



I still have a bit of work to do perfecting the pattern



but these ones have come out a whole lot better than the last ones.

I think the next ones will be exactly as I want them



2 pencil cases for the boys filled with colouring pencils



and this here is my favourite creation so far



a wee messenger bag for Master A made from the embroidery I did back here

Its fully lined in the same orange colour as the embroided dino.

I really enjoyed making this and now that I have made one I think I could quite easily make more. Callum has put in a request for a "mans version". I think it might have to wait until after christmas.

I still have a few things I need to get done before the big day. Eek, nothing like cutting it fine

selfish sewing

Despite having a whole stack of christmas presents to make I decided to take some time out and do some sewing all for me. My summer wardrobe was dire, I was down to only one skirt and even that had a few rips and holes. So I made myself three new ones.

Its ok to do selfish sewing every now and then right?

Even if you have a thousand other things to make?

And a sneak peak at a gift for a niece

I can't show too much just incase there are prying eyes around.

stockings

I am finally out of my sewing rut. Pity it didnt happen a bit earlier! At least I have another week to get things made. I am pretty sure that thats not nearly enough time but I shall just have to do what I can. Meanwhile the house is a pigsty and I can see no way that there will be a change in that before christmas.

I finally after 4 years made Alfie a stocking to hang, and one for Lukas too.

They each chose their fabrics (with just the tiniest amount of guidance away from clashing patterns)





Lukas' is the red trees one, and Alfies is the presents one.

I shall try and take some pics of the other things I am working on tomorrow but might have to be a bit sneaky in case of prying eyes.

Harvesting

I havent been having much success with my garden this year. The blame lies squarely on some small shoulders. Small,feathery, chickeny shoulders.  They have destroyed 5 lots of lettuce seedlings, 4 lots of peas, 2 lots of beans, 2 zucchini plants, 2 cherry tomato plants, several spinach plants, seveal silverbeet plants and the list goes on........

However we have managed to grow and finally harvest

red onions, about 25 of them in fact!

and some potatoes which the boys love hunting for in the dirt. they spent nearly an hour digging around in there.

We had them for dinner with some fresh chopped parsley and garlic from the garden and of course some butter.

Yum!

A day off

The very best thing about working five days a week is just how much I appreciate spending tme with my family.  I have just come to the end of my weekend and we had such a great time.

This is how we spent the first day of my weekend

we went and had coffee with dad

and went for a bike ride to the library

where we spent an hour and a half reading and choosing books.

before riding back again

I am so impressed with Alfies bike riding.  He loves it and just wants to keep going and going. he can bike for miles. Literally.  We even did a trial ride from our house to where he goes to montessori to see if it could become a regular morning ride. He made it easily and its nearly 5km!

We also put our christmas tree up over the weekend.  Something the boys loved doing. It has made me realise that i need to make some decorations. The tree is looking very sparse.

This is the first christmas that Alfie has really understood what is happening and he is so excited.

 

which has meant that for the first time in many many years I find myself getting excited about christmas. Perhaps the christmas joy is contagious after all

 

To work or not to work?

One of the reasons I have been such an absent blogger of late is that I recently got a job.  I am working in a retail store in town.  For the first three weeks I am working pretty much full time hours for training. After those three weeks it drops down to only two days a week.  For a long time I have been struggling with the whole idea of working while my children are still so young but sadly we have come to a point where it's really just not an option for me to not work.  To be honest this full time work thing really sucks. I miss my kids, I miss hanging out with them, going to the park, going for a walk, sitting down for lunch together and they are struggling with it too.  It breaks my heart to drop them off at their respective day care centres and have them cling to my leg crying, begging me to stay, or to come with me.

image from here

It really makes me wonder, is it even worth it?

 Now I am sure it will be different when it is only two days week that I am gone.  I am hoping it will make me a better mother, appreciate the time we have together a bit more.  Its going to be a constant internal battle for me I think.

To work or not to work?

My creative space

Tonight I went to a craft group at a local cafe along with the lovely Clare and many other lovely ladies.  This is what I was working on

It is the beginning of something I have planned for my dinosaur obssessed child for christmas.  The plan is to turn this into the front flap of a wee satchel/messanger style bag for him to put all his collections in when we go out waking, or even around the garden.  Hopefully it ends up looking like the picture I have in my head. Time will tell.

For more creative spaces head over to kootoyoo