Now I am 4

 It was Liv's 4th Birthday on Sunday

 She had a lovely quiet day to play with her new toys, and then a small family gathering for wood fired pizza and ice cream cake.

 With Evie and cousins

 I find it hard to summon much energy for her birthday being the time of year it is, but the simpler the better at any time of year I say!

 Our sunflowers are starting to bloom, always a happy sight.

 And here's the front garden again, a bit over 2 weeks since I last posted a picture.  We've had a few really hot days, but we've also had a bit of rain, so the growth is amazing.

 We even have some artichokes, which I thought we wouldn't have until next year, as they are new plants, and apparently produce in the second season.

Upcycled vests

Not sure why I feel the need to make woollies in Summer, but when I find a nice blanket or woolly jumper as I did recently, the brain ticks over with ideas of what to make, then I HAVE to do it.  I'm happy with the way these have turned out, they're now in my Etsy shop.

Homemade Christmas bonbons

The girls and I made up these bonbons yesterday, after we'd gathered all our supplies.  We collected some toilet rolls, found gorgeous white hankies in op shops (the men's ones were bought new as they couldn't be sourced in op shops).  We bought some fairtrade chocolate treats, and some heirloom seeds to put inside as the surprise.  No plastic and paper junk and waste here.  You could also use cloth serviettes, which can then be used for dinner

Evie's dance concert

 Hairspray costume

 Stayin Alive costume

Chipmunks costume

Evie had her first dance concert last night, and enjoyed herself very much.  I was helping backstage, but got to run in and watch when her performances were on.  I was very relieved to hear the strict no make-up policy for this dance school's concerts, it makes me uncomfortable to see little girls made up to look like adults.  I also like that the music and dance moves are age appropriate.  They even fuzzed over the "sexy lady" part of "Gang Nam Style" in the whole group finale.  She's looking forward to starting lessons again next year, Liv might join her in her class too.

Op shop haul

 Why sideways photos?  Anyway, Evie had a teacher's strike day off today (half day, but who's taking their kid to school at 12:50pm?), so we popped into an op shop on the way to pick up a few things, and this is what we found. 
Lego City aeroplane set for $15 (RRP $60)
Country Road vest size M (Liv's size)
Country Road leggings size 9 (put away for Evie)
Seed cream coloured top size 9 (put away for Evie)
Country Road white short sleeve top size 4 (Liv's size)
Country Road women's yellow dress size XS (Evie could probably almost wear this with the shoulder straps tied tight, or I could shorten it)
Ballet flats (will fit Evie in about a year)
DVD of the nativity in claymation

 It all came to just under $50, I've never spent this much at one time in an op shop, but I think we did pretty well, and I have a fair bit of classic gear for when the girls are bigger.  I won't buy trendy things that will date within a few years.  I get the feeling that the clothing probably all came from the one household, and everything looks like its hardly been worn.

 Had to put up a pic of our curry plant.  It's magnificent this year, as the neighbours behind us chopped out a huge canopy that was growing over and above our back fence.  The curry plant can now grow as it should, rather than out to the left of the pic as it did last year to catch the sun.

We can tell when Jonty's been stalking mice, as she smells like curry- the compost bins are close by.  I've even found an escaped chicken in there a couple of times, a curried chicken :)

Wood fired lamb roast

 We went to the Bannockburn Farmer's Market on Saturday morning, always a good day out.  I picked up 3 new raspberry plants ($3 each!) to replace those that I drowned when I moved them into half wine barrels.  We also bought some honey, a huge punnet of organic strawberries, and a butterflied leg of lamb from Barwon Lamb.  I don't really eat meat other than chicken or fish, but I will make allowances occasionally when Andrew wants to roast something, on the proviso that it is local, and ethically sourced (and I really don't like beef).  Andrew wanted to try out a roast in the wood oven, so that's what we did last night.  With the addition of a couple of large potatoes I bandicooted from the potato patch, some of our fresh garlic harvested last week, and some organic pumpkin, it made for a very satisfying meal.  We also realised that I was drinking my homemade lemon cordial, and he was drinking his homemade ginger beer with our fantastic meal.

Andrew wanted to make the most of the left over heat in the wood oven, so he and the girls whipped up a chocolate cake, and baked a few potatoes that we'll have with dinner tonight.  What a life!

The tablecloth

 I found a beautiful vintage cross stitched tablecloth at an op shop the other day.  It's made from white linen, and the edges were a little frayed, and a lot of threads had come loose, so they had to be woven in.  A bit of a restoration job.  I wonder how old it is, and who made it?

 It was big enough to cut two dress fronts and two little skirts.  I thought it was wise to pair it with the red polka dot cotton, to make it a bit more sturdy, and less likely to stain.

 Love the outcome, the dress is available in size 2 & 3, and the skirts are size 4-6 (34cm long).  In my Etsy shop now

I'm back

 My favourite view of the front garden at the moment, that corn blows me away.  I think I've only grown it once or twice, a long time ago.

The first 26 heads of garlic pulled over the weekend.  These were the biggest ones.  Luckily I decided to pull the rest out on Monday, before we had some decent rainfall.  I think we have about 40 heads of garlic in that trug now, full to the brim!

Ahhh, computer problem easily fixed after husband arrives back from a 12 day work trip.  So much easier to fire up the computer at home, than battle with account and PIN numbers at the library. 

Dodgy computer

Might be away from this space for a week or so, the computer is having problems.  I'm at the library at the moment, will try to get to the library as much as I can until it's fixed.

Myer Christmas windows 2012

 We went to Melbourne today to see the Myer Christmas windows

 They opened last week, and Evie had a curriculum day off today, so we went and had a look before they got too busy.

 The theme was "Russell's Christmas Magic", a book by Rob Scotton

 Lots of sleeping sheep!

 There were miniature frogs in the corner of each scene, good for the tiny kids to see up close.

There's a good behind the scenes here on Youtube

Cuddle Craft

Cuddle Craft Collective is running an online auction from 15th - 18th of November on Facebook.  They are aiming to raise $5,000 for Softacare.  These pants are my donation to the auction.

About Softacare:

Softacare’s vision is to create a nation where every child in foster and kinship care feels safe and loved, and that they are empowered to create security and connection through healthy self-expression.
Since October 2009 Softacare has been providing direct assistance to children in foster and kinship care through the delivery of innovative ‘Xpress’ programs.  The Xpress programs help kids develop healthy self-expression and confidence through the creative arts and adventurous outdoor activities. And they’re free of charge.

So have a look to see if there's anything you'd like to bid on.  I'm not on Facebook,  so I can't participate other than donating an item, but good luck with your bids.

Big shop update

Just a selection of what I've put in my Etsy shop so far, with just a few more to go.  The Ashby market is all over now, and this is some of what's left.  A great (and busy!) day was had at the market, with lots of people stopping by to take a look.

3 more sleeps

 3 more sleeps until the Ashby Primary School Market Day.  1 more sleep until Andrew comes home from a 10 day work trip to the USA and UK.  Yay, I'm a little tired of solo parenting right now!

 I think this is the last item I will be making for the market.  Another tablecloth dress in size 5 this time.  It was a gorgeous cream linen tablecloth with subtle lemon and mint green embroidery, begging to be made into a dress.  I've used a reproduction cotton print in vintage yellow with little flowers on it for the back and sleeves.  This is one way to make bigger sized tablecloth dresses- tablecloths aren't always big enough for bigger dresses unfortunately.  I meant to cut this one out as a size 6, but had started cutting when I realised I was cutting a size 5.  Oh well.

After I said I don't find nice tablecloths very often, of course I find a few.   Maybe people are having a bit of a spring clean and declutter.

It's a bit squashy in there!

 My 2 broody Araucanas, with a Plymouth Rock laying an egg, all in one lawn mower catcher.  I hope Betty's ok up the back there, Plymouth Rock's are quite big chickens.  Betty just about stood on Frankie's head yesterday when she climbed back in there, she likes to be at the back.

Just a little driveway garden pic, showing some of the 8 fruit and nut trees that are all quite small at the moment.  They are interspersed with calendula, sunflowers, rainbow chard, thyme, yarrow, chives (garlic & onion), artichokes and comfrey.

Bark cloth

I found my first barkcloth tablecloth this week, and have made it into two little dresses, size 1 and 2.  They will be coming to the Ashby market with me.  Bark cloth is quite a heavy fabric, and the tablecloth didn't look like it had been used.  Love the native Aussie birds, bottle brushes and wattle!