Wednesday, December 31, 2008

You Suck - but I Love You anyway ... Happy 1st Birthday Dyson!!

Oh Dyson, how ironic that I should choose the Eve of 2008 to bring you into my life!


2008 - a year that brought so much dirt, muck, crud and mess into my life. If only you could suck it all away with your super duper-ness, and I could just empty it into the bin and have it all taken far away ...

And now on the Eve of 2009, my Dad & Sister surprise me with the gift of 2 cleaners for 2 hours!

An unkind person (thanks Big B!) might say they think my home needs a good clean ... I think it's a powerful metaphor for moving into the New Year all clean and fresh and sparkly.
Works for me!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The OTHER side of Christmas ...

A bit like this blow up Christmas tree, I'm feeling a little deflated today.



This ditty may give you an indication of why:

" ... on the 24th day of Christmas, little E gave to me ... an unexpected bout of vomiting (SING ALONG!) ...

... on the 26th day of Christmas, little E gave to me ... the stuff from inside a glo stick in her eye, and a trip to E.D. (ALTOGETHER NOW) ...

... on the 30th day of Christmas, my Dad gave to me ... one collapsed lung and he also had a trip to E.D. (WE'RE REALLY GETTING INTO IT NOW) ... "

Everything's gonna be alright!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Handmade Christmas ...

I got some lovely gifts for Christmas, but the one's that really warmed the cockles of my heart were handmade with love ...

Middle C handcut 2 designs in lino and printed and framed these lovelies for me.


My friend Nicky embroidered this fab wall hanging.



Big B designed and screen printed this yummy bag.

Em was my Secret Santa for the Thailand trip girls. I got this gorgeous apron that she made, and her friend made the silver ring which says "peace."



Middle C made this delish lemon cheesecake for her Stepdad (his favourite.)




and Big B screen printed this funky t-shirt for him (using a variation of the design for my bag.)


Of course, Little E made a lovely card and had a photo taken with Santa for me, and one of my Doctor's at work made something similar to New Norcia nutcake with his kids.
I am very keen to spread (and receive!) even more handmade wonderfulness next year!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

One off event - Pink in Perth 21.12.08!!

NO - not her ...

THIS one! ...
Ingredients for a 3 year old's special pink birthday party - 1 very excited birthday girl ...


add an Uncle or two ...


and baby cousin Z ...


cupcakes and candle ...


special friends & more pink cupcakes ...

a cousin or four ...

a Grandad all dressed up for the occasion ...


lovely birthday cards ...


lovely birthday pressies (including this one handmade by Big B) - pattern from here ...

and you will have a wonderfully happy 3rd Birthday party!
Love you little E - you give me joy every single day,
love Mumma xx

Friday, December 19, 2008

Fun Foto Friday (Fave Festiveness)

Yes, I've had the Festive Funk this year ... but here is the antidote.
  1. Melt Cinnamon roll scented waffle bar in the oil burner (bought from a very cute Christmas shop near Clares' place.)
  2. Play Christmas carols all day and night, especially obscure Soul or Punk versions to annoy the teenagers.
  3. Take photographs of Christmas-sy things that make you smile, and share them with the world (i.e. you - yes, you!)
  4. Eat yummy gingerbread Christmas decorations.
  5. Open lovely handmade Secret Santa gift from Em before Christmas, and wear your lovely apron all day ... whilst doing all of the above.
  6. Rejoice in suddenly being transformed into Mrs Christmas herself! :-) Kind of ...

Fabric Christmas Ornament (all you need is love)

These would be mine! (Thank You Dr & Mrs P)

Isn't he cute?

A bowl of baubles (try saying that fast 6 times after a glass of eggnog!)

Lovely knitted Christmas stocking found at IKEA yesterday (on sale too!)

A cuddly friend (who actually came free with a pair of boxer shorts many years ago, but I couldn't part with him. Shhhh, don't tell!)

The Tree by Me - not my finest hour, but much loved by my own Christmas angel, Little E.

In the entry: I have had a thing for painted metal decorations the last few years.

Father Christmas doll from my Mum, don't you just love his beard??

And of course, Little E, who is very happy that Christmas is finally here, cos it means Birthday number 3 is too! (Cat face painting is optional for Father Christmas visits in Australia.)

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Thoughtful Thursday - The Serenity Prayer

I've been thinking about The Serenity Prayer a lot this week. This is one version:

"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other."

Sometimes I repeat the whole prayer in my head, sometimes it's more of a shortened "God give me serenity!" urgent request. It's not here yet ... but it's coming.

I believe it's coming.


(Photograph taken in the very serene Krabi, Thailand. October 2008.)

Friday, December 12, 2008

Fun Foto Friday (Random Randomness & Ramblings)

It's been a funny old day today, and my photo selection probably reflects the state of my mind!

Little E - Isn't this what everyone does when they get a new pack of knickers?? (We did encourage her - just a bit!)


Shiny drum kit in Big B's bedroom



I don't have a knicker fetish or anything, but don't they look so cute in a pile?


Little E and her Great-Gran - she's like the Energizer bunny - keeps going and going ...


Bright washing baskets make the mountains seem not QUITE so bad!


Make Do Dinner #2 - salmon cutlets were on special for $20.00kg, I lightly pan fried the salmon, and had an unusual angel hair pasta, herb, brown lentil & cherry tomato mixture in a light cream sauce on the side (yes, not much left in the fridge again!) and it was YUM!!

I hadn't taken a close look in the veggie patch this week, so I was delighted today to find 2 baby zucchini growing really well, and these two "unusual" looking cucumbers! They are just going through that awkward teenage stage ...

Little E's swag I made for her.




I used to REALLY like Jamie Oliver. I still like him. Just not REALLY ...


And I had mushroom, pumpkin & cherry tomato risotto for tea, with good old Cadbury's dairy milk for dessert.
Life is beautiful.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Counting our Blessings ...

It's an honour to be your Godmother little Zoe. Looking forward to being a part of your journey through life. Wishing you health and happiness & love and laughter always. Lots of love, Aunty Jo xxxxx

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The story of THE red dress - a modern fable (you might want to get a drink, you could be here a while)

CHARACTERS:
Girl
Sister
Niece
Dad
Friend
Jennifer Hawkins (Miss Universe 2004)

PLOT:
Girl gets asked by Sister to undertake important role at christening of niece. Girl decides she needs a new red dress, and shops high and low for THE perfect red dress. Girl finds to her horror, that "watermelon" seems to be the only red around! People say girl looks good in red. Not watermelon. Girl gives up and tries every other-colour-of-the-rainbow dress on. But she pines for red. Girl gives up altogether. Girl moans to friend about lack of red dresses in-the-whole-world. Friend (who is Trinny & Susannah all rolled into one) spends day off work searching for THE red dress for girl (even though she is appalled by meagre budget she is given.) Friend phones girl with many choices. Then friend emails girl photo of THE dress. Girls heart stops beating. It is THE red dress! It is (ahem) a little over budget, but she will love it and wear it forever! Girl is happy, although she ignores big flashing warning sign. Warning, warning - dress is being modelled by Jennifer Hawkins -warning, warning. Girl still ignores. Friend is so happy for girl, that she phones every Myer store in West Australia, to find there is only one size 10 in whole of the State! But Size 10 is only 2 minutes from where girls' Dad lives! It's an omen. Girls' Dad happily agrees to pick up dress for girl (though almost has heart attack when he thinks girl tells him it is $449.00 not $149.00. ) Dad and girl meeting for lunch next day. Dad phones girl in morning to confirm he has dress. Warning, warning - Dad says he thinks dress is a little sexy for a christening. Warning, warning. Girl doesn't do sexy (unless it's outdoor bath in Thailand.) Girl thinks it's just Dad talk and ignores him. Dad and girl meet. Dad hands over bag with dress. Girl fondles material. It is THE red dress! Big B & Little E agree - it is THE red dress. Girl buys tiny cardie to cover sexy shoulders in church. Girl spends many hours Christmas shopping and isn't able to try on dress until 2.54pm ...

CONCLUSION:
It takes a whole village to raise a child. It takes a whole cast of characters to find THE red dress. And it takes one heartbreaking second to realise you're not Jennifer Hawkins.

Friday, December 5, 2008

And just in case you think I slacked off completely ...

In between washing; tidying; taking photos; taking sick kids to the Doctor; emailing etc, I also assembled 75 photo Christmas cards and made 25 birthday invitations ...


And just because she's so gorgeous (even with morning hair!)


Fun Foto Friday (photos you take when you should be doing housework!)

To cope with the mess and cleaning that needed to be done everywhere around here today, I ignored it and took happy photos instead! :-)

Little E's room (above & below)


love love love books

minimalist for a maximalist :-)

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Necessity (and me!) is the Mother of invention ...


You know the story, 3 hungry kids eating you out of house and home - so when you go to cook tea, all you can find is -
  • satay tofu

  • tin of chick peas

  • spinach

  • dried spaghetti

I could have called it "all-we-had-left" pasta sauce, and it would have tasted awful.

So I called it my "Asian-Italian-Middle Eastern-fusion" pasta sauce - and it was good!

It's all about perception :-)

Monday, December 1, 2008

Hello Summer ... be gentle with me ... it's been a long time.

I know you've got your job to do, but so do I - and you make it very difficult with all your hot-headedness. So I'll do you a deal - you keep it under, say 38 degrees (that's celsius for my overseas friends) and I'll stop complaining.

Maybe.