Some of my Nursery things

I have been happily crafting away on things for the baby's room for a little while now but I have been waiting to put up pics until it was closer to finished.

Last night I was bored and decided to play around with my Mobile concept. It is a little bit shabby but still cute I think it is more a Dangle than a mobile. Here is one of the fish....

And the dangle from a distance.....

I did these paintings a little while ago now but I have waiting to hang them beofre I took a picture. I am really happy with how they came out....


There are other things but I will save them ntil the room is more together.

Calm after the storm

Well after a very bad nights sleep on boxing day night - Mark and I both kept waking up every few hours, remembering something poingant or funny about Jo - having a bit of a cry - then finally going back to sleep - we had a restful day yesterday. All the stress of the past few months appears to be lifting and we are turning our minds to the new year and making a fresh start for 2009 to be full of joy and good times and happy memories.

Jo's funeral has been organised for New Years Eve in the morning, and while that does seem like a strange day to have a funeral, we all want to write 2008 off as a tough year with many more downs than ups and move into the new year with all of that behind us.

Jo was a strong, independant lady who was always happy when all the people around her were happy and having a good time - so that is what we will do on Wednesday.

I am sure that there will be many many more tears to come this week yet - I am crying again as I write this. But that is OK - because 2009 is going to be an amazing year with a new baby and lots of good times with our family here in Canberra.

New Project

This is the beginnings of the last project for the baby's nursery (If you exclude the mobile - I'm still working on the concept for that.) It's not much yet but I hope it comes together. Thats if I can even get it to hang on the wall once it is finished. LOL - it is so heavy!

Sad news

After having a lovely couple of hours with us at home for christmas yesterday, Mark's mum passed away this afternoon at around 5pm. She went quite peacefully and her last hours were spent with family.

It has been a very long day and we are all a bit sad - but also relieved that she is no longer suffering.

So Rest in Peace Jo - you are with spike now - together again. xo

I love this picture of mark with his mum - it really captures the relationship they had.

Sad News

After having a lovely couple of hours with us at home for christmas yesterday, Mark's mum passed away this afternoon at around 5pm. She went quite peacefully and her last hours were spent with family.

It has been a very long day and we are all a bit sad - but also relieved that she is no longer suffering.

So Rest in Peace Jo - you are with spike now - together again. xo

I love this picture of mark with his mum - it really captures the relationship they had.

Merry Christmas to All

Even my Cat is getting into the christmas spirit....

Merry Christmas to All

Even my Cat is getting into the christmas spirit....

Awake already

and No it's not because I am waiting for Santa Claus to come. It's just the being pregnant thing.
Hungry hungry hungry this past 24 hours - I had to get up and eat something. And now I am awake.

So I decided to start doing some research on my little baby shower favours. So I thought I would post a link here to any interesting looking tutorials that I come across - so that I can find them again and so can other people!

My baby shower isn't really going to have a theme per se - but a hostess from "the Body Shop at Home" is coming along to demonstrate her wares and do a pampering session icluding a foot or hand massage - so I thought a bit f a relaxation theme would be nice. But in reality - it is just going to be a little lunch party with salad and sandwhiches and party cakes - and possibly nice refreshing homemade lemonade (I'm liking the sound of that!). Just one game to play - one where everyone gets a bib and a nappy pin when they arrive, and then after that they are not allowed to say the word "Baby" - if someone else catches them out saying baby - they can steal the bib./bibs that person has - even if they have collected 10 bibs. Whoever has the most bibs at the end of the shower is the winner! (I guess I will need a prize too).

So here is what I have found so far:

• This from Feeling Stitchy
• Over at e-how
• This is more along the lines of what I was thinking over at Blooming at Home

What I was thinking was a small heart shape with some muslin and the embroidery on one side, sewn together and filled with some lavender and possibly rose petals. I have a few roses left on the bushes that may need to be sacrificed for the purpose - and (luckily) we have a lavender plant as well!
I think what I want to do is a combination on these tutes. I might even do a tutorial of my own if I like how it turns out.

Christmas Has Arrived

Yay - finally on a break from work - 10 whole days and I am really looking forward to it.
Today my beautiful husband went and fetched us a christmas tree - it might only be small but it is very cute:







I am happy - all the presents are now organised and wrapped - we just have to tidy the house a little and we will be done and ready for family tomorrow.

It was a rather quiet day at work today (as can well be imagined) and as I often do when I don't have much on, my mind drifted to things I could make.
I drew fish for a while (concept for mobile for baby's room) and then I started thinking about my upcoming baby shower and all of the things I need to organise for that.
I went through the list and got to a thank you gift - I thought for a while and came up with the idea of making a little drawer sachet/wardrobe pomander with a tiny rocking horse and the words thank you embroidered on it. I got quite excited by this idea and commenced drawing rocking horses.

So a little bit of internet research over the next few days and I will have a new project on my hands. Yay!

Zoe the Crazy Puppy

This blogger thing can be weird sometimes. I posted these pics and then decided I wanted to make them bigger but it won't let me delete them so we will have to make do.

We finally got a christmas tree and I think he is just so cute!

Living near a pine forest has it's advantages...

And our tree is looking mighty impressive - look at all those presents!

And here she is - Zoe the crazy Labrador puppy. I am surprised that she posed for this photo because she was being super crazy at the time and wouldn't stay still!


Merry Christmas to all and I hope that you have a lovely few days off - and safe travelling for those who might be going places!

What next?

My next couple of projects for after christmas. It is time to move onto basic clothes!

I also want to try my hand at creating a few softies for the baby - my mum always made me soft toys and they were the ones I treasured (and trashed) the most. It is kind of cute actually - I had a small soft cat toy that I dragged with me everywhere (and I mean everywhere - it was my cuddle rug). Inevitably they would get tatty and start to fall apart. then miraculaously, a brand new one would appear overnight and I never knew any different for years. Until my mum ran out of her stash of that particular material. Hmmn...

I want to have a go at making a mobile from felt animals but I haven't quite got my head around that one just yet. I have a few ideas I am toying with but I am not really sure.

I have noticed quite a few lists of monthly goals and projects/focus points poppingup around the blogging world and I quite like the idea of this - but I do need to have a bit of a think about it a bit more first.

I do have Project january though - master the art of machine applique, making shorts for small boys and aprons - as above!

Reflection

So.... Eating too much food makes me feel like rubbish --> I know how to fix that if I want to.
Meals = small and often.

I get a sore lower back and hips and my glutes hurt by the end of the day. Thats OK - it's only for another 8 weeks. I need to deal with it by resting when I can and being happy about the times I feel good.

I am really thirsty - but when I drink the frequency of toilet trips is unbearable. So what - it's not as if it is difficult to find a toilet in the corridor at work! Hydration is important (for both of us).

I'm feeling a bit low and mopey - hop in the shower, have a good all over scrub, beautify a little, get out and feel refreshed.


Ok - so that is my pep talk over.

Thinking tonight about the coming months and fitness goals and food etc I thought - well there is no time like the present to get back into some good habits.

Number 1. Starting with prepping my food for lunches and daily snacks and logging it all in Calorie King. Just because I'm not dieting doesn't mean I can't log what I eat.

and number 2. making a concerted effort to drink more water and at least 2 cups of Raspberry leaaf tea each day for the next week.

Number 3. Starting again with logging my daily accomplishments. Last time I did this it really helped me to stay positive and find the good things about each day.

T.I.R.E.D

The past couple of days have been tough. The tiredness factor is that hardest thing because I dont have the get up an go to even sit a sew or think for that matter - even reading is difficult. But on the other hand, I can't go and nap because if I do that i don't sleep at night. It is certainly a dilemma.

Yesterday I wanted to go out and get a few bits and pieces so that I could have a stash of projects to keep me busy in the moments I am not feeling tired during the days off I have coming up over Christmas\New Year - but I didn't make it out of the house.

Instead I had a day of stark contrast to the day before - all I could do yesterday was shuffle around the house because I had so much pain in my back and hips. That was after making a cheesecake for the work christmas lunch - which was today. Let me just say they are lucky there was a cheesecake at all because I nearly threw it over the balcony - being not in the mood to cook cheesecakes and all that.

I didn't even eat any of the cheesecake today - I couldn't face it.

Today I pottered around at work until lunchtime and then (silly me!) ate way too much food. Oh my goodness I was so uncomfortable after lunch. There just isn't the room there for massive feasts any more. Which is a little dissapointing when there are so many lovely things that you want to try a little bit of.

After lunch I felt disgusting and I could barely keep my eyes open. I think I will stick to small meals from now until when the baby is born.

I was given a box of Lindor chocolates as a secret santa present - and the funny thing is - i really didn't have the urge to dig into them straight away. It got me thinking about the whole deprivation aspect of going on a diet. Since finding out I was pregnant I really have just eaten what I like. I haven't had any mad binges and I still struggle to find something to eat some days. When I am in training food mode - sure I eat much more clean food choices - but I tend to never be short of an idea for a meal, and I do just tend to get on with it and eat it. I know that I am going to have to relaear all of my good eating and food habits but if I can find the balance so that I dont get the mad cravings - and stay organised enough to always have good food choices on hand - it shouldn't be too hard.

I am a bit excited that in aroun 12 - 14 weeks I am going to be able to start exercising again and I just can't wait. If only to get rid of this awful soft, non muscular feeling that I am growing to despise. Just to lose some weight off my face will be a god send. I absolutely cannot stand photos of myself at the moment. If only I could hold onto all these feelings to motivate me on those days when I am not feeling motivated!

No Christmas Tree

I would love to be able to post about all the lovely things I have made for christmas tree decoration - but alas - our decorations haven't even made it out of their boxes in the closet this year. Not very christmassy of me you may say! But the thing is - we don't even have a tree!




Just a few pretty lights on the front windows.

And a present corner where a tree might go if we had one.


Unfortunately with everything that has been going on a christmas tree just wasn't high on our priority list this year.

So next year I plan on going all out with some handmade ornaments and house decorations and making things really christmassy.

for now... we will have to do with just the lights and the christmas present corner.

No Christmas Tree

I would love to be able to post about all the lovely things I have made for christmas tree decoration - but alas - our decorations haven't even made it out of their boxes in the closet this year. Not very christmassy of me you may say! But the thing is - we don't even have a tree!




Just a few pretty lights on the front windows.

And a present corner where a tree might go if we had one.


Unfortunately with everything that has been going on a christmas tree just wasn't high on our priority list this year.

So next year I plan on going all out with some handmade ornaments and house decorations and making things really christmassy.

for now... we will have to do with just the lights and the christmas present corner.

Sew easy!!

I have finished all of my christmas projects.

The first pic is of the little Anna Maria Horner Wildflower pincushions. I think they are just so (Sew) cute! But unfortunately mine didn't turn out as good as I would have hoped. That is because I used the old dinosaur of a sewing machine to construct them.




I should have waited just a day for my new shiny christmas present to arrive!



The difference is amazing! Today, after finishing the christmas shopping (thankfully it only involved the hardware store), I had lunch and rested for a couple of hours (I wish I could rest after lunch every day!) - I got stuck into finishing the bunting to go in the baby's room. I just love how it turned out - it looks so great in his room and really ties things together.

I will post some pics as soon as I get it up to the spot where it is going. That's not going to happen today.

So then I sat down and went - well what can I sew next... LOL... we may have created a monster!

Ahh the weekend...

Not much planned this weekend except chilling out.

I was feeling pretty good this morning so I went out on the dog walk with Mark and Zoe (our recently acquired Black labrador - I really should post a pic of her). About 3km and a nice morning for it.

I got a new toy yesterday which is an amazing up grade on my old one. So here is what the old one looked like - a bit of a dinosaur!




And here is my shiny new Sewing Machine which is awesome - Thanks Mum!

And here are some of the crafty christmas presents I have made. These cute little flowers are pincushions and are gifts for marks aunt's and cousin. These were made using the dinosaur.


And these cute mini santa staockings were made in a super speedy way using the new one - ah sewing bliss.
These are filled with mini candy canes and are presents for the boys to go with a bottle of fancy german beer. The girls who aren't getting the pincushions are getting a mini travel candle and a mini bottle of champagne.


Ahh... so I think that except for food my christmas purchasing is done. Thank goodness!

I don't really want anything for christmas this year except a good rest. Although I told mark it would be nice to have a bottle of Moet and Chandon - so that once bubs arrives - we can celebrate in style.

That would be nice.

Aprony goodness and projects

I have a few little projects underway at the moment - mainly for small family christmas gifts which I hope to get all the cutting out done for by the end of today. I just love the colour combination of the fabrics I have chosen for them and I will definitely take some pics and share.

I think these small sewing projects are good for me to develop my skills and learn new techniques.

I also bought a magazine the other week which had a rather cute apron pattern in it and I have been on the look out for some material that would suit the purpose nicely. This morning I found some georgous girly and fun lingerie inspired fabric in black, red and white and I thought combined with some red polka dots it could be quite fun - so I am going to have a go with that.

31 and a half weeks along and after buying it last week and looking at it nervously in the cupboard all week I have bitten the bullet and tried the rasberry leaf tea. Supposedly it is a uterine tonic and can assist with a more smooth labour. They (being experts I assume) recommend building up to 4 cups per day by the 40 week point so I will start with one per day for the next two weeks and go from there.

I really don't want my little one surprising me before new years!

60 days and Christmas Cheer

I was thinking the other day that I would have loved to be able to send some christmas cards to some of my blogger friends - but alas - as we mainly converse via the blogging world I don't have any addresses! I may have to investigate what the online world of christmas cards has to offer and send them via email. Or you could all just consider this post as my christmas best wishes to you. In the week I have off between christmas and new year I am going to attempt to catch up completely on everyone's blogs and be dilligent with leaving comments! I do read everyones blogs daily but lately my energy supplies have been low and all the spare energy has been going to relaxation - when it is possible.

Today is my fortnightly day off work and I decided to dedicate it to relaxation. I went to check out the local public library - not quite what I am used to - Brisbane council libraries are much better stocked I think but still OK I guess. After that I took myself to the movies to see Four Holidays with Reese Witherspoon in it. She is one of my avourite actors - I'm not really sure why -but this movie really was just average. Ligh entertainment but I wouldn't have my hopes up about it being great. now I am sitting down to tea and toast for lunch and this afternoon I am going to do some cutting out of pattern pieces for a few christmas gifts I am putting together for assorted family members. I will post some pictures when they are all finished.

I am kind of hoping that the sewing machine my Mum has bought for me as a christmas present arrives by the weekend and then I can use that instead of my ancient one - we shall see if it arrives - if not I will just have to make do.

Little bubs is getting so strong and I can really start to feel little feet and knees when he moves around. 60 days and counting - the next marker point for me will be 40 days.

So here I am - 31 week preggers - this one is really for my mum and also because I have been a little bit slack with the pic taking. I am sure that there will be quite a few pics over the christmas period coming up though.

Today we had what I have been calling "baby having classes" at the hospital. They went through everything and it was all useful information. I am interested in finding out some more about aromatherapy now - I mean it might help!

They also brought in a baby who was born this morning at 8am (It was around 2pm) and they showed us how to bath a small baby. That was very useful. He was very cute but a little bit bigger than I hope mine will be - I honestly dont think I could get one that size out through my hips.

The birth videos were a little scary but it was mainly because they were done in 1986 and the haircuts were scary enough on their own. I think that while the video showed all the gory details, the editing made it a little less than realistic.

All in all a worthwhile day.

Who are Primrose and Avery?

I guess they are just a couple of characters who have been popping up in my drawings lately. Primrose being a shy girl who doesn't really like to show her face and is quite partial to striped stockings and red shoes and Avery the cat.

As this blog is about my fledgeling artistic side I thought it appropriate to subdue the colour in the post title for now - just until I feel like I am more confident with what I am doing and drawing and making.

Sewing and painting are featuring heavily at the moment and I am trying to stockpile a few projects to keep me entertained while I am on maternity leave (but before I have the baby).

I am also a bit keen to expand on my crafty capabilities and to learn a little more about embroidery techniques, expand upon my limited sewing skills and possib;y learn to crochet. That is more than enough to keep me busy!


For any new readers - I have been blogging for a while now - but mainly about fitness related things. I have always enjoyed being creative and making things but in the past few years doing that has been associated with much guilt that I should indeed be doing something else! (i.e. Studying). My fitness/Life blog isn't really the place for posting about crafty things so I thought I needed a new space. I have been trying to find the right angle for a few weeks but I think now I have found it. I am 31 weeks pregnant with a little boy due on Valentines day and most of my crafting activities in the past few weeks have been directed at his nursery. I am almost done so I will post some pics of the things I have made over the next few weeks. I am also busy making a few small handmade additions to christmas presents.
I'm not quite ready to commit to being completely handmade for presents just yet but I think I will work on it over the coming year.
I find the creative process very meditative and calming - but - my brain often gets caught up in thinking too hard about all the things I want to do and create. Mind you - thins may all change once baby come along. We will soon find out I guess!

Rainy Friday

There has been a steady downpour here all day today which is kind of nice.

Chicken has been keeping me company - as you can see above - she settled herself into the lid of the stationary box and has been sitting there for a while now.

I seem to have solved the problem of not having much to do in the evenings - I have simply gotten my nose into all sorts of crafting activities involving the sewing machine, felt, christmas gifts and paint. Every night I find something small to do. I find the creative process quite meditative.
this afternoon I started to make the mobile for the baby's room - well I cut out some felt pieces for an owl - I'm not 100% sure if I actually like it just yet. I may switch to boats but I'm not quite sure. I'm not 100% on how to piece a boat together but I guess I could just have a go until I get one I like.

The baby list is diminishing now and looks a little something like this:

Here is the list I posted a few weeks ago of what I needed to get:

• Linen - Have plenty of blankets for the pram and for wrapping. Still need to get 2 Cotton cellular blankets for the cot, at least 3 cotton sets of cot sheets and another cot duvet. I have my eye on one by Living textiles but as it isn't urgent (ie - it is harly cold) I'm not too worried.
• 2 babylicious recieving blankets
• 2 white Sheridan towels
  
• A safe- n-sound car seat - am getting this in the week after christmas - who knows baby shops might have sales.
  
• A Nappy Bag (I am going to spoil myself and buy the Oroton one in the after christmas sales)
• Pram Rain and Shade covers
• Car Window shade
• Baby Bathing toiletries - wash, shampoo, massage oil, powder, nappy rash cream
  
• Infra-red Digital thermometer
• First aid and medicines for bubs
• Ikea Shelves and baskets for shelves
• cushions and decorations for Nursery (Halfway there)
  
• Nappies!
• baby clothes - I have lots of clotes in size 00 and bigger but not much in the way of 000 just yet. It's hard because we don't know how big he will be but I do like to be prepared.
• Nightlight for the nursery
  

Afterwards

• Breast pump - I am going to get the Avent Isis manual pump (and I am sure you all wanted to know that!) --> Have decided to buy this after bub is born
  
• Stereliser and cleaning equipment ?? Not sure on this need to do more research - but again I will buy it after bub is born
  
• BPA (Bisphenol-A) Free Bottles for giving expressed milk top ups. as above

Hmmmnnn... it doen't really look smaller at all!

Updates at Week 30

Week 30 = Scary!!

single figure countdown has begun and the reality of having a small baby very soon is starting to sink in. I have had an excruciatingly sore back this week and nothing seems to help it but resting.

I have been faithfully following along with everyones blogs as normal for the past few weeks but I haven't been able to comment much - mainly because I got in trouble at work for spending too much personal time on internet activities at work.Hmmn... I have been very dilligent since then.

In the evenings I have been trying hard to spend some quality time with mark because he is working really hard at the moment both at work and with his mum. I feel a bit bad because I can't really do very much to help. So hence - internet time has been limited.

His mum is still in hospital and not really getting any better but they are sending her home on Monday apparently - which I'm not really looking forward to - it just means more stress for all of us.

The baby's room is nearly finished, Chair arrived today and all I have left to do is hang the paintings and put the cot together and buy toiletries etc. I still feel as though the room doesn't really have much in the way of character but I might once I get everything up on the walls.

Have fun you girls tomorrow on your glam it up photo shoot. I 'm sure you are all goingto look amazing!

HOLY Swollen ankles batman!

LOL. Yesterday afternoon was the first little bit of humidity and real heat we have had in Canberra this year so far and boy did I notice it.

I finished work and went to see Mark's mum and I noticed that my feet were feeling a bit weird. Kind of tight. So I pulled my jeans up a bit and was confronted with the worst puffy ankles I have ever seen on me. Argh! it was disgusting.

So I went home and elevated my feet for a bit once I got home but it didn't really seem to make that much difference.

This morning they are still puffy but not as bad. I think I need to stay off my feet as much as possible today.


Only 10 more weeks of this to go.

At a Loss

Lately I have been at a bit of a loss with what to do with myself in the evenings. It is all part of finishing up with uni I think as I have felt like this before. I inevitably come home from work, and do any little chores and then go "hmmn... what now". Normally, I think this is the time I would get myself wound up in some fitness goal - but right now isn't the right time for that either (for obvious reasons). So I sit and watch Tv for a bit - and get bored. Flick through all the regular internet sites I visit - and get a bit bored. Then I start to get frustrated at not having anything meaningful to do with my time. The daylight savings doesn't help - it just makes me feel even more that I should be doing something useful.

The belly just keeps on growing and now I am at the point where I want the next 10 weeks to go as quickly as possible. I'm not over it really (the belly) but I do want to get on with life and have things stop being so difficult to do (like walk up a hill). I am quite tired a lot of the time and this makes me more frustrated. Most of the time (when I am having a good day) I don't really even notice the belly thing, but by the evenings, when I am full of food and fluid from the day - it does start to feel quite cumbersome.

I am 30 weeks next week so I will attempt to take a pic - maybe even tomorrow night as we are going to mark's work christmas dinner so i will be dressing up in my one dressing up top and low heels - woo hoo!

I made the mistake of weighing myself last night - bad idea - it just messes with my head.

The baby is doing lots of acrobatics in there and by the strength of his little feet he feels big already - but in reality - who knows! I'mnot a big fan of the kicking, but he also does a strething type movement which I don't mind too much.

The whole pregnancy thing isn't all that bad - it's just the being big thing I really dont like.