Blog Neglect (cos of an awesome family holiday!)

I haven't written anything on here for a while - been super busy with preparing, taking and recovering from and awesome trip to China with Moo and Husband!


For most of my adult life I have gone overseas at least once a year, sometimes twice.  Working for a really good adventure travel company for the past 7 years has helped.  So we were coming up to almost 3 years without going on an overseas holiday and if we are going to get started on Moo V2.0 then I didn't want it to be another 3 years before we could get away.


Therefore we packed our bags and headed off to China for 3 weeks.


One thing I hope to provide my kids is the opportunity to learn through seeing and experiencing new and different things. 

China - February 2012.

 

Lucky to have good friends to show us around! (we have worked together for years, my business contact in China - Carl and his daughter Lulu (1 day older than Moo)

Showing the locals how its done.

Ha! I am using a sewing machine!

The last time I ever used a sewing machine I was in high school and made a very unattractive apron.

I've always been appreciative of crafty things but over the last 2 years I've actually been drawn to make stuff.  I don't know why..... I just wanna make stuff!! Strange!

Anyways, so I got this pretty basic sewing machine a few months back and haven't had the time really to do much. The other day it was staring at me, I got the guilts, and decided to make something.  Of course it had to be for Moo.

She is so into her dolls at the moment and we have this really cool cradle that was left behind in the house my parents just bought (SCORE!!!) so I decided how hard could it be to make some bedlinen!?!?

Even for an untalented sewer like me..... it wasn't hard at all!!

I don't have any progress shots or anything but really it was just straight sewing! I have some really ordinary homemade fleece blankets that were given to me when Moo came along that I used as the padding for the mattress, quilt and pillow and all the material is bits and bobs my Auntie has given me over the last year.  I now have so much material here (all of a sudden I have a passion for really nice fabrics - seriously....... I have no idea where all this interest in crafts, materials, sewing etc etc has come from.....!!)


anyways......  I was kinda proud of how it turned out (sorry for the iphone pics) Don't you just love my lace detail. ;o)

Today I took my sewing to the next level.  I downloaded some patterns.  Time for Moo to have the best dressed doll on the block.

I started with this very becoming beanie. What to make next?!

 



• Main point of the blog yet again - to let the world know that even un-crafty, un-skilled people (like myself!) can actually make stuff :o) !!

The last 2 week - 2 jobs done :)

I thought I'd do myself a quick update on the little bits and pieces I've done over the last 2 weeks.


Actually the 2 jobs I've done recently were both done in the same weekend, and I'm glad they are done.... especially job one..... paint the future big girl room.


So I'm moving miss Moo from her current room into another room for 2 reasons.  #1 I want to be able to decorate it a little more Moo-esque - loads more colour and more toddler features instead of baby stuff.  Reason #2 is one day in the hopefully not too distant future there will be a Moo V2.0 and they can have the room that is already set up for cute baby-ness!


T'was a stinking hot day and the back bedrooms get all the afternoon sun, which is where Moo's new room will be.  Lucky I prepared the room earlier with masking tape (the wrong kind as it happens.  who knew there is a 'special' masking tape for plaster! Pft. I do now.)


Anyway I jumped in and got totally carried away and basically got the job done in 1 arvo.  I think I need a tiny bit of touching up and we are done.  Now the fun part to come..... decorating.  I have been collecting bits and pieces over the past 12 months or so and have a few ideas floating apart but knowing me they will somewhat change or morph into a slightly different version of what I was thinking!

Big Girl Room

The other Project

Outside easel made with clear pvc.

This job was Super easy and I put it together in under 2 hours!

materials were just a piece of clear PVC plastic sheet from Bunnings (which I cut in half) and 2 pieces of timber (which I also cut in half to make 4 pieces), some screws and 2 hinges.

My very professional work bench.

 

The sheet of PVC which has a protective film over it.

 

I didn't take too many pics as it was such a simple project.  I basically joined the 4 pieces of wood together end to end with the 2 hinges, laid the pieces flat (pic below) and screwed the pvc on with timber screws.

 

What the below picture doesn't show is that its not really exactly even, but it stays up perfectly and does the job it was built for!

It really was a hit and looking forward to using it heaps more!

The serious artist. Moo.

 

Learning the ropes

I have no idea how to write a blog, or manage the blog, or comment on the blog. Its been a learning curve setting up the blog.  the blog. blog is a funny word.

So hopefully this all works.  Enjoy my first blog, dedicated to my biggest project so far..... Moo's Kitchen

The Kitchen