don't you just love those days where the weather is perfect, everybody is happy and you get alot done? today was one of those days for me.
PT left for his indo surfing trip yesterday - something which i have been dreading for quite a few months now! not that i didn't want him to go - i really hope he has a fantastic time. i am just a bit anxious about dealing with two little kids, over the two weeks of kinder holidays, particularly at night time. anyway, i am totally sure it will be fine.
getting back to today, the sun was out and it wasn't too windy. finn and i did alot in the garden - pulling out all the old summer vegies, getting ready to plant the autumn green things eg brocolli, leeks etc. it is looking good. it is quite a nice feeling to start the garden again - a clean slate - it is like it clears out the mind of the messy parts too. although, i'm sure my mind will fill up pretty quickly with more irrelevant muck!
will plant alot more tomorrow and post a pic.
happy days to you! xx
has anyone heard of 'brown owls'? they are a group of people who do crafty things together like learning how to crochet (which i still need alot of help with even though i have been practising!), knitting, sewing, whatever takes the group's fancy really.perhaps once a month or something - just getting together and chatting and making stuff... here is the website - brownowls-members.blogspot.com. anyway, i was thinking of starting one in this area - mornington peninsula. maybe send me an email if you're interested - lovefromfinn@gmail.com. if i can get a few people together i will submit the idea to the brown owls organiser. i am sure i can arrange a space for us to work too.
also, made some more super cool pants - finn chose the material - good taste. anyway, pants are currently available in sizes 00-5 for $20. X
made these super cool pants with internal and external pockets today - good for boys or girls...
i'm not sure if anyone else experiences the 'the grass is always greener' syndrome? that feeling that there is always something better up ahead or life will be even better if a change could made. is this a good or a bad trait?...
as i have mentioned in a previous post, i am often looking for somewhere else to live, wanting to work overseas, change professions, change scenery, change style, change hobbies, change eating and drinking habits (from bad to good to bad again!) etc.
longing for change is good in a way, as becoming obsessed about some dream for a while does open your mind to new things. for example, i often wish we could live bali. i did think up a completely ridiculous scheme in which i could commute from bali to melbourne regularly but do most of my job via email (in hindsight, this is completely impossible). i read about schools and housing and possible business opportunities i could get into which could aid the fulfilment of the dream. it never happened(but maybe it will be sometime in the very distant future one can still dream...). there was also a possibility that PT could be offered a job in hamburg, germany. so, after much googling and thinking about the change, i am now up to date with where is good to live, shop, eat and send kids to childcare in hamburg. this move also never happened! i am actually quite pleased about that one!
the negative about the 'grass is always greener' syndrome is that you never feel quite settled or truly happy (perhaps that is a little extreme...). as i write this it sounds as though i am ingrateful with what i have. this is definitely not true - i have a great life, gorgeous family, live in a beautiful place. perhaps it is not that i am unsettled, just excited by the prospect of a new adventure.... XX
i've finally managed to follow a pattern (with great care i might add!) and am happy with the result. cute little dresses good for summer or layering up when it gets chilly! you can even use them as tops when they get to short! xx
it has been a while since my last post and i don't really have any excuse. yes, i did have a few computer probs but that wasn't the real reason... i guess i have just been slack and feeling a little uninspired. anyway, after today's good op shopping, i'm feeling more cheery (i guess spending always makes me feel a little better... ). i picked up a few bargains, including this cool coloured chair for five bucks!
despite my cheery mood, something really got me thinking today and that was how op shops have changed over the last ten years, not just in price increases but in their true spirit.
i checked out some shirts in savers and was shocked to find that they were $20 each! old plates were also around $20.... gone are the days where you can pick up clothes for 50 cents. i understand a little price rise but some op shops are no longer places to pick up bargains.
i also ventured into a a salvos store where a woman in front of me wanted to buy a pair of pants which were priced at seven dollars. she enquired about the health care card discount and the woman behind the counter replied that it wasn't discount day. the woman was clearly upset, struggling with the decision of whether she could afford the pants. she ended up reluctantly handing over the money. i wanted to buy the pants for her but at the same time didn't want to patronise the woman... i felt that the 'volunteer' (or was she paid??), should have just given the woman the discount or even just given her the pants! i was under the impression that op shops primarily used to be for providing material aid (which has been donated, i might add) to those in need.
i guess i sound a little contradictory - wanting to pick up a bargain yet wanting op shops to provide for those who really need it (in aid and raising money). perhaps i will need to think about what a happy medium may be.... anyway, that's my rant for the week. X
i haven't posted anything lately as i have been trying to make that blanket i spoke about earlier! easier said than done. i now admire that blanket even more. i guess i always thought crochet would be easy given that learning how to crochet a granny square does sound like an easy task. i was wrong! after pulling apart my crochet mess at least one hundred times, i slowly managed to start the the early beginnings of one square... god knows how long it will take to make my blanket - i'd say at least ten winters... this will not stop me though. i am going to persist until i have at least half mastered the skill of crochet. here is four days worth of work...
i really love hanging around with my kids. however, i sometimes find it hard to play games all day! to be honest, i'm not great at playing cars or ball games for super long periods of time. yet, there something i really can spend time and even some real concentration on and that is good old fashioned fuzzy felt. these 'puzzles' from my childhood seem to have made a come back with the young ones and i'm all for it! here's one i prepared earlier....
i went shopping today to look for some shoes for a wedding i have to go to next week (the final one of three in the last six weeks!). anyway, had no luck, of course...
on the way i decided to duck into my favourite op shop on the peninsula and i struck gold. i found a rocking horse complete with leather seat and studs, a crochet blanket (ask and you shall receive!!!) and some great material - all for $15. i also found a chair on the side of the road - perfect to go at my sewing table!!!
also, here is a pic of freya wearing one of her favourite 'love from finn' skirts
here's a new skirt with a pocket - getting high tech now!
well, the rain has come on this first day of autumn. it is almost as though the melbourne weather gods had been holding the it in all summer and as soon as the date ticked around to 1st march, it burst its seams, relieved.... now that the colder weather is upon us it is time to start doing those wintry things. it is almost exciting to think i can start wearing winter boots and rug up in warm jackets. however, i know this feeling will only last for a week or so and then i'll be wishing for that warm weather again!
my top five things to do during these cold times are:
1. learn how to crochet a blanket like this one
2. or, perhaps more realistically, keep an eye out in op shops for a crochet blanket
3. pick up my knitting from where i left off last winter
4. cook lamb shanks and mashed potato
5. stop listening to happy summer music and start listening to sad old folk music
now, i know it has only been half a day of rainy weather but the forecast for this week isn't looking good so i may as well plan my rainy day activities now! X
