Fluro Day!

I feel like I'm the world's slackest blogger currently-it's funny, but the same thing happened this time last year-I guess life interfered with blogging! Craft-wise I'm not up to much, just still slowly chipping away with the squares. I've got this whimsical image in my head of myself snuggling under the completed quilt in front of the Winter fire, watching one of my favourite movies, which I received on DVD for my birthday and am yet to actually remove from it's plastic wrapping...

But I just had to stop by and say "Happy Fluro Day Everyone!"

Four.

This little girl, who loves cats, cupcakes, ballerinas, The Gruffalo and making funny faces...

She's going to be four tomorrow...

Around this time, back in 2006, my contractions were just starting as she prepared to make her entrance into the world and change my life forever.

Oh I do love her so much. Happy Birthday Isla Grace xx

Check out the early birthday present she recieved today from the gorgeous Rhiannon. Lucky girl!

Contented.

What a great day! Stitching, eating and chatting with gorgeous friends while our children played together happily. 'nuff said.

Making Plans

Gosh it was lovely, to sit with my friend Christine and look at fabric and position the pieces this way and that, adding bits and taking bits away, drinking tea and talking, as we dreamed up a quilt for her third baby boy-due in May.

I mean, yes, there was the part where the children flooded the garage while trying to wash our cars, and the dog left a... ahem... present on the driveway, and the numerous puddles of watermelon juice needing to be mopped up and so forth...

But it was worth it! And speaking of baby boys... I'd like to wish a huge Arohanui to Kristin and her whanau on the arrival of little Archer. Choice Kristin xx

The Week That Was...

A few images from my week. Cooking...


With my beautiful sous chef at my side...


Reading... Always! I've got rather a stack of books to get through at the moment!

Wondering at all the varieties of tomatoes Liam has grown. Who knew there were so many different kinds? Look at all those wonderful colours!

Washing.

Being showered with love by the exuberant Zac, who is rarely still enough to take any sort of photo!

Loving this dress sent to me by my best friend Anna.

Remembering when Isla was this little and wondering how she grew just so fast?

Feeling pretty pleased with my first attempt at upholstery. Thanks Dad for the lend of the staple gun!

Making use of my Amy Butler fabric.

And very much enjoying meeting a new friend! The beautiful Rhiannon had Kyan and I over for afternoon tea today-it's so nice to meet a fellow crafty-blogger (and her two gorgeous boys!). So all in all a rather good week!

Ginger Love

I swore I wouldn't do it again, not until I'd regained my pre-Kyan body. But my husband came home last night with a bag full of ingredients and a yearning look in his big green eyes. So I made Ginger Crunch. Not as decadent as this one-in order to lessen the postgingercrunchguilt I used a slightly simpler recipe, adapting it only to add 1 cup of crushed mixed nuts to the base.

Look how beautiful and golden it is...

Aaaaah... Bliss!

Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

Teddies and Daisy Chains

First there was the train, then the kiwi, and now this teddy. The first teddy I've ever made actually. Three vintage-print kiwiana teatowel comission projects featuring Whakatane, as prominently placed as possible.

They've been really great challenging projects, but now I'm ready to move on from tea towels and on to other things, because I've got this gorgeous Amy Butler Daisy Chain fabric (a little birthday gift I bought for myself!) just dying to be stitched into things.

Isn't it beautiful!

I've got a sharp needle and a head full of ideas so I'm off! It may be a few days before I resurface from under this fabric.