Sweet Fabric [Search results for family

  • Family bonding...

    Family bonding...
    Family Bonding

    The Little Guy is big into games that involve both his sisters (& preferably both his parents). He calls them "family bonding games". My favourite of these games is indoor cricket using teeny tiny cricket bats & ping pong balls. I made sure that the cricket set had pride of place in the new ranch.

    I confess that after the initial excitement on Wednesday & Thursday morning now I'm just absolutely exhausted & feeling like I'm not doing too much bonding with anyone. They're all happily set up in the new place & I'm dealing with the aftermath at the old house...it's not inspiring or exciting & frankly pretty lonely. Thankfully Mum gave me a hand yesterday afternoon & the Op Shop & rubbish piles in the old family room are growing steadily.

    This afternoon I am looking forward to breaking out the tape measure & the hacksaw to attempt a DIY modification to the blinds I'm trying to hang in our new bedroom. I think it'll be quite therapeutic.

    Thank you all for being so excited about the house...it really is lovely & hopefully I'll have some housey pics to share tomorrow.

  • My creative space...

    My creative space...

    Creative spacing in the family room. This is due to:

    -it being nice & cosy
    -the family being there too
    -the fact that the pool/craft room is such a tip I can't actually get in there.

    There is something very special about this picture. Do you see the tiny little heart? It's a bit of a hunt... You'll need to click the pic to enlarge.

    Got it?

    Finding the heart & thinking of this found heart loving girl made me smile. So, I'm issuing a bit of a challenge, just to keep myspace interesting. When you take your space photo next week do you think you could hide a little heart in the picture? Make it subtle...we want this to be a challenge.

    Have you visited last week's favourite yet? I update the sidebar link on a Friday OR just click here.

  • Aussie icon...

    Aussie icon...

    with a twist.

    I made roasted strawberry & caramelised mango pavs as well as a few other yummy things. Of course I didn't photograph the finished product but these are the freshly cooked fruits.

    Today was Mum's real 60th birthday. We had a lunch today with the family & some very old family friends.

    It was a bit of a challenge cooking in the beach house kitchen which only has a micro/convection combo oven & very limited resources but I made do.

  • One...

    One...

    the loneliest number
    & the loneliest word. I wanted to say more a LOT!

    Apparently it's been going around...I don't know where it originated but I got it from Pip, who got it from Sweet Jessie who heard from her best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend who heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with a girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night...you know how it goes.

    1. Where is your cell phone? car
    2. Your significant other? upstairs
    3. Your hair? thick
    4. Your daughter? two
    5. Your son? one
    6. Your favorite thing? family
    7. Your dream last night? unknown
    8. Your favorite drink? vodka
    9. Your goal? balance
    10. The room you’re in? office
    11. Your church? outdoors
    12. Your fear? thoughtlessness
    13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Lonsdale
    14. Where were you last night? movies
    15. What you’re not? idle
    16. Muffins? nup
    17. One of your wish list items? bangles
    18. Where you grew up? Kew
    19. The last thing you did? glue
    20. What are you wearing? dress
    21. Your TV? off
    22. Your pets? OUTSIDE!
    23. Your computer? old
    24. Your life? full
    25. Your mood? tired
    26. Missing someone? Bindi
    27. Your car? Kia
    28. Something you’re not wearing? glasses
    29. Favorite store? mikes
    30. Your summer? lovely
    31. Like(love) someone? LOTS
    32. Your favorite color? brown
    33. Last time you laughed? yesterday
    34. Last time you cried? Unsure
    35. Who will repost this? You?

    .

  • New to me...

    New to me...

    Since my disastrous ebay chaise purchase I've been on the hunt for a little sofa/settee/love seat for the space under the window in the family room.

    Most of our furniture has been handed down, rescued, opped or picked up on the side of the road. This was not. It was purchased from 20th Century Scandinavia, 79 Lygon Street in Brunswick (9387 2664). That place is like heaven on earth. I was spoilt for choice!

    I'm very pleased with the way everything has come together. I whipped up the cushions yesterday from a Warwick Fabric sample.

    Read Lucy's post on 20th Century Scandinavia here.

  • The best $15...

    The best $15...

    we have ever spent.

    It's an ice crusher purchased from Go Low. This little baby crushes ice perfectly for all our favourite drinks.

    Enjoying lots of icy drinks tonight with the family which will be lovely. Looking forward to 2008 with anticipation. So stinking, ferally hot today & I'm hoping the icy drinks improve my grumbly mood.

    I hope that your farewell to 2007 is cool(ish).

  • Choosing happy...

    Choosing happy...
    happy(?) people

    Not really sure if these guys are happy or running for their lives...

    I'm a glass half full kind of girl so I'm ... choosing to see them as happy ... choosing happy for me & for my lovely family too ... & choosing a happy weekend for you all.

  • Flooring & Framing...

    Flooring & Framing...

    Absolutely thrilled with the way the polished concrete has come up.

    I'm horribly behind on updates on the house blog. I bored myself stupid, it's been slow but steady going.

    Today the framing began. I can actually see where all the rooms on the lower level are - it's most exciting.

    This shot is looking from the backyard through the family room.

  • This is...Sunday Lunch

    This is...Sunday Lunch

    This is... Sunday Lunch. Today was an unusually busy Sunday. The little guy had training all day & I had to pick him up for lunch. We had lunch in Chapel Street & then I dragged him to Fat Helens. He was unimpressed!

    As the lunch is nothing much to speak of I thought I'd give you all a giggle.

    Sunday lunch used to be a much bigger deal when we were little. Here is...

    what scares me, my collection (of family members), Flashback Friday (on Sunday) & Sunday Lunch all rolled into one. I'm standing second from the left. The whole clan dressed in their Sunday 80s best for a "flash" lunch at the Eltham Barrel!!!

  • Polaroid Diary of a small child ...

    Polaroid Diary of a small child ...

    School holidays have started!

    I've mentioned before how much I love school holidays. BUT we are super busy these holidays. There is way too much gym training & work & football & the like. The date's pretty annoyed about the amount of gym but that's another story.

    You might remember last holidays I had Slide Night. Which I really enjoyed but there won't be time for that sort of hoo ha.

    So these holidays I'm going to share the big girl's Polaroid Photo Diary from our family holiday in 2001.

    The Barbie Polaroid Camera was a gift from her Grandpa & we loved making this diary together. The text dictated to me after each image was added to the page.

    I'll post everyday but I won't really be around the blog so I'll catch you all at the end of the break.

    If you've got kids enjoy the time at home & if you haven't ... enjoy the peace on the roads.

  • Making a list...

    Making a list...

    checking it twice.

    I had to check twice because I was a bit surprised about how many people I had on my nice list. Surely some of these folk must have been naughty.

    We have a "no gift" rule with the adults in our family (we all give a donation to the charity of our choice instead). That cuts out a few but I'm still sitting at 2 pages!

    I was feeling a bit like I was stuck on an express train to Christmas & I wasn't going to be ready when we reached the station. I've now completed my Christmas List & I think I can now sit back & enjoy the ride.

    I've still got a few bits to make, a few bits to finish off & a few bits to buy. I am hoping to be able to finish off the purchasing at this shopping night. I'm feeling confident that I am on track for my handmade Christmas & feeling pretty good about it!

  • Found photos...

    Found photos...

    Found photos hosted by Bricolagelife.

    Jessie & the gang are staying at Kerami. This place still exists & I've read a bit on the history, it's interesting.

    I wonder if it was Jessie's family who built the original house. I should really get in contact with the current owners as I'm sure that they would appreciate some scans of Jessie's album.

    I'm not too sure about the "party" (maybe it was a slumber).

  • On The Date...

    On The Date...

    I loved reading Nan's post on The Frenchman & so I've put together one of my own. I confess I've not received questions about The Date. Hailing from suburban Melbourne doesn't really conjour the same romantic ideal does it? I do know that he's won over more than a few of you with his taste in music.

    Where did you meet The Date?
    The Date & I have known each other for 25 years! We met when I was in Year 7 & he was in Year 10. Our family homes were about 2 kilometres from each other. In those days he made himself scarce when I was in the house because he reckoned I was way too loud and annoying. We've been together for 19 years...more than 1/2 my life.

    Does The Date have an accent?
    No accent but he is guilty of mumbling and he and The Boy do speak a language that I don't understand. They speak in tongues about all manner of sporty things.

    Is he a romantic?
    Nup, but he is thoughtful. He makes lunches, pretty drinks, brings me coffees & is very kind about being the "crap courier". To be truthful I don't think I respond that well to romantic gestures anyway.

    Would you recommend The Date (local) as a life partner?
    Yes I absolutely would. We've grown up together, so very different from when we met and so very much the same. The Date is pretty cruisy. He's my very best friend, a really good person and an amazing parent. If you can snag yourself a version of him...hang on tight...they are pretty hard to find.

  • Noticing - a time machine...

    Noticing - a time machine...
    Bell Street Mall

    I had reason to be at The Mall in West Heidelberg yesterday. A place I haven't been since about 1985.

    I stepped out of my car and as I took my first steps towards Cambridge Arcade I felt my scalp tingle and every hair on my body stand on end.

    I could hear Non's Italian heeled shoes clip clopping beside me and I could smell her sickly sweet perfume. Max Bygraves was singing somewhere in the distance. Non's knitting was spilling out of the hessian bag I was carrying for her. I smiled knowing that she'd not be wanting to waste her 15 minute tea break just sitting in the tea room and chatting to the storeman.

    I notice that the heavy steel grate that we'd struggled with had long been replaced but the terrazzo stairs are still there and I gasp...remembering how strangely scared I felt when I had to take those stairs alone.

    I leave Non in the arcade and take the front entrance into the store. I feel tears welling in my eyes and a lump rising in my throat. Surely the store was bigger than this. It's a discount store now. Gone are the bays for holding yarn and the wall that divided the shop front from the "warehouse". There's been no refit though. The same peg board lines the wall where we used to keep the laybys and the floor and wall paint remain as they were.

    As I walk toward the back of the store I spy the door to the tea room and a faint waft of International Roast coffee fills the air.

    The shop which now occupies the space at the end of Cambridge Arcade is fittingly called The Family Store.

    And this morning I went back to snap myself some memory anchors.

  • Noticing - nature...

    Noticing - nature...

    I missed a day.

    I had uploaded a couple of pics and then my internet dropped out...I was in Queensland. Then I dunno it just seemed wrong to be blathering on about my stuff when there was so much going on.

    Safely back in Melbourne I'm thinking a LOT about the floods and those who have lost (& are yet to lose) homes & family.

    She's a force.

  • USBee...

    USBee...
    USBee

    Another USB pincushion. This one is a collaboration with The Big Girl.

    We've decided that we're going to give these as Christmas gifts to our family kid friends & currently have a bit of a zoo in production.

    I think it would be pretty hard to lose a USBee & certainly it would be easily identified if it ever got pinched.

  • Polaroid Diary of a small child [img 09] ...

    Polaroid Diary of a small child [img 09] ...

    The boy wasn't always popular with the extended family. Always adored by the Darwinians though.

    We heart all three of you!

  • Friday Archives...

    Friday Archives...

    Friday Archives hosted by Loobylu.

    Just before the smallest was born we made her a blanket. Each member of the family was drawn by the big girl & then stitched by me.

    Self portrait of the big girl when she was 4 (2001).

  • Hand piecing...

    Hand piecing...

    is good for the soul.

    In preparation for tonight's Brown Owls get together I've been doing some hand piecing.

    It's hugely satisfying to examine your perfectly pressed hand pieced work. I think this progress pic looks so pretty. You could never get the back of anything machined to look that good or sit that flat.

    Normally I'm all about the speedy quick but I've really been enjoying the handwork I've been doing lately. It keeps me upstairs with the date at night & it's portable. I've been multi-tasking at the kids gym, football, soccer & at family events too.
    45

  • Hoo flaming ray...

    Hoo flaming ray...
    Sold

    It's done!

    Exhaling all over the place.

    A good day for our little family.