Making: A Giant Crochet Toy Bag

So here’s another funny thing I’ve made recently! I noticed a lot of ‘dress ups’ floating around our apartment recently… a pirate costume from Halloween, a ‘Backson’ outfit I made for our Winnie the Pooh loving child and lots of accessories like dinosaur tails and binoculars always on the floor.

Time for a dress up basket!

Without ever wanting to spend money on anything, I decided to try some large scale crocheting with my rope that was too thick for my normal sewing machine… and using a small rope as the main crochet or weaver material… it was a long process but it’s a fun and easy accessible basket for the small boy.

I used the large crochet hook, and used the thinner rope as the main crochet thread... and crocheted around the big rope, I didn't really know where I was going, so just went around in circles for ages and then adjusted it for the sides as I went around and around...

After lots of sewn (zig zag machine stitched) rope bowls, my domestic machine isn’t keen on sewing this thick rope… I think an industrial one would do a better job… but I can’t really justify getting one … especially since I’m not really bringing in stacks of dosh (just a few voice over jobs here and there isn’t really a regular pay day!)… anyways!

When we get more dress ups, I think I’ll unravel it… but Felix likes it for now and his favourite dress ups are the Tiger costume (a cheapie Chinese made synthetic mess) and the Backson costume (that I made last year and never blogged about) and his pirate hat.

Unabashed: Part Three in a Series

In an effort to show some real life in this blogging world, here's part 3 of my unabashed series! Just random photos of my life (usually my messy home) that I've not messed with, or set up, so to speak. I've taken the idea of 'Part NUMBER in a Series' from some inspirational women who make up the lovely Women of Letters events. Gosh they are amazing!

My loungeroom is far from magazine perfect, but I do love my Mark Tuckey/Jardin (is it? I think) couch (one you may see occasionally in catalogues or magazines, but I don't really know as I don't read such things) and all the little Baby Bits and Bobs that are around these days.

I love how random things pop up in our house, and they change so often because of little hands ... and I know I'm going to LOVE looking at these windows into our day to day life in years to come... so these Unabashed Photos are more for me than you... thanks for looking though!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

A Study of San Diego Gardens

A little sidestep today, as I'm gathering up lots of garden thoughts and ideas for our lovely little house in Melbourne's West. Oh we love it, and since we've been back from our USA Vay-Cay we've had lots of dreams about how we can make our 1920s/30s abode into a California Dream!

I loved the neatness, simplicity and lusciousness of the gardens in California! We had a great walking time in San Diego (mostly in La Jolla) so I snapped a few gardens I loved... but I wish I took more photos, these are great (and will be pinned to my own pinterest for inspiration gathering!) but I feel I've missed the true style of So-Cal (do I sound like a local yet?)! We have a front garden here at home that would look great with a little Californian style and planting... but I'm fully aware that most of these Californian gardens have regular gardening services... so I guess I'm going to have to think about a low maintenance approach for ours... but we'll see where we go with it. I'm no green thumb, but I can dream. Californian style, perhaps!

So today, let me indulge for a brief NO SEW inspiration! Apologies for all the photos! Garden lovers rejoice!

P.S if any of these houses pictured are yours, I love your front garden! xoxo

Little Handmade Posies

My garden continues to grow without my (lack of) green thumbs, and after Baby Darling's birthday (where my mother in law made beautiful little posies for the table) I've continued to fill the house with little posies.

On top of the tv
On the hallstand
Near the bathroom sink
On the window sill
On our deco dressing table

Little ledges and shelves where little bottles can fit. I've kept the orange ribbons from BD's birthday party too. A bit hodge podge, but so sweet for bringing the outside in!

xoxo

Unabashed: Part 2 in a Series

Just noticed the other day that my flowers had run out of water (and perhaps overheated in the central heating of the Loungeroom) and that our mantlepiece had a few more ornaments than usual.

And then I saw the other end of the mantlepiece:

Hmmm, just as great. One of a kind decorations at our place, right?

Sometimes those plastic toys just shit me, but they bring so much happiness to the little boy, so what the hell!

Hope you're having a great weekend! It's freezing for us, but we've had it pretty good weatherwise this winter, so I'm not complaining over a bit of hail and rain and wind!

xoxo

Weekend Flowers

I'm always in love with flowers in the home, and take just as many photos of them (and my splashback) as my baby. Maybe it's the Mama Lyfe taking over but don't they always look so P-R-E-T-T-Y? (Kill me now, I'm such a sap!) I have no idea what these kind of flowers are, they're from the shop and have lasted forever...

Once again, it's another freaking hot day and we've spent it trying to be cool ... but our house just has not been able to cool down. I know I'm like a freaking broken record around here, but man... I think there's just another week. I wish we had air con, I wish I didn't sleep next to two boiling hot boys (I run cold, so don't get too bothered usually), I wish I wasn't breastfeeding in this heat (lying down to feed helps) because it's hot sharing body heat but also I have nothing to wear that's cool and that's accessible to feed! Such dilemmas.

But don't my flowers and kitchen splashback look interesting?! LOL/HEATSTROKE.

xoxo

Mama Lyf: Pick a Posie

I would love to be writing now and showing off my pick a posie from my own garden, and marvelling at my flower arraigning. Isn't Mama Lyf GRAND, I would scream! But no, these lovely flowers are from the little sustainable festival our local council put on down our main street... and I did pick them (or my lovely friend picked them for me) for the orange flowers, from one of the market stalls!

My mama lyf is often very calm, and quiet... but also very busy and strenuous. Lately Baby Darling just keeps GROWING, and not longer... heavier. We all know how petite I am, well my baby is probably close to 9 kgs and he's just turned 5 months. (Actually, we just popped on the scales to check... with his nappy, he's maybe 10 kgs! WTF, maybe my scales are warped?) So... strenuous on me, and while we've been out walking a lot, I just need to get to yoga more to stretch out all these upper back & arm muscles. I'm extremely pleased that my milk is working for him, and so happy that he's happy and healthy. But, freaking hell, I never thought he'd be this heavy! I thought as he'd grow (slowly), my fitness and strength would be tailored to suit... but this week, I've felt it!

We've also been keeping really busy; going to the beach, going to the pool, playing at home, playing at the shops (kill me now, but I know why shopping malls are so busy - the air con and easy pram access!), visiting friend's places, going to Mother's Group, visiting my work, travelling on trains, visiting the cafes in town a LOT and playing in the parks. Baby Darling is one friendly dude, and doesn't like to be stagnant. Again, I'm super pleased and super happy he's social and friendly and has such a strong desire to learn... but I thought these things would be later on and I'd slowly introduce him to things... Nup. He's after it all and now. Thank goodness he is ok with a few naps during the day (he's onto his 2nd now, around 40 ins or so at a time)... but it could all change tomorrow.

But I guess, I'm still trying to find myself in his life. And I'm sure that'll come along soon. I'm extremely passionate in and with my interests & loves & friends & hobbies, and that's probably why Baby Darling is so passionate about life as well.

Anyways, now the boy is asleep, I'll get this laundry done and then perhaps start some more sewing! YAY! Or maybe I should have lunch instead?!

x

Busy Bee at Mine

We are loving our new kitchen here at the Darling Household, pictured here on Christmas morning. It's all so easy to use (new oven not pictured, but so fast and dreamy to cook things!), and clean and to keep cluttered free... one thing I've noticed in myself is that it's a little harder to grab food or coffee or whatever when you have a baby... he's keeping himself occupied and loving looking at everything for longer periods so it's not as hard as it was... but for the first 3 months having this space clean and gorgeous and always having things at the ready - thanks to our freaking AWESOME washing machine - was a dream and an easy transition into Mama-hood for me!

For all you Darling trainspotters... the kitchen was an August 2012 project (our darling friend built it for us) that had the finishing touches on Monday, and I was in labour by Wednesday. Nothing like a big deadline in the Darling house. I would LOVE to get some time to photograph the whole space, because it's just gorgeous. Maybe a 2013 project for us! Our darling builder has a blog too, so I'll get all that hooked up once those photos get done. Sometime this year... I have no deadlines now with baby in tow!

Our latest house happenings is a backyard makeover, just a few stop-gap ideas until we work out what the bigger picture for it is. I'm dreaming about child friendly spaces and fun adventures for Baby Darling! We're at work out there today, I've just popped in to grab the camera for progress shots!

A big shout out to the lovely Franca and her little family, they've just moved into a new flat with their tiny little newborn Milo! Wishing you guys lots of happy settling in times and cuddles and kisses and relaxing moments ahead! I love my house and being settled in the one spot and enjoying my space with my babe is perfect... so I wish you lots of lovely space and time in your new place! Congratulations guys! xoxo

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Spring Break: The Radio

I love our new kitchen and the shelves above the sink and NEW dishwasher, but I miss the radio. I've given it a good rest while on maternity leave (so far) because otherwise I think too much about work, and hear good ideas and get a little carried away with 'radio producer' mode thinking instead of 'fluid and relaxed and calm' mode... the latter being so much more suitable for planning for birth, in my opinion.

The radio set is all ready though, in the new kitchen!

This.

Yep. Just this.

Happy x

Hello darling blog friend! Happy Friday!

Today's my birthday, and I'm a very happy young lady indeed. My day has been simple, relaxed, delish, and mostly just me and the unborn one sharing cuddles as we only know how. Unless it's the fastest labour ever, it seems I won't share my birthday with my first born and after our midwife check up today, we might not see the little Baby Darling til well into September anyways, as yes, there's a bit of growing to do.

I thought I'd share some small glimpses of our kitchen renovation as we're nearing the gorgeous pointy end with a few days left to go, perhaps a week at most. Yippee! This week I got a little pampering on the tootsies, a little facial and my darling hair done again at Corrin's Hair Lounge. And, my birthday present was some lovely make up that'll get me through the next few months being simple and stylish. Thank you to my darling sister in law who was spot on with just what I need! Just enough glamour for this little Mama to Be!

So very happy and enjoying my Friday, and sending some love and gush and happy thoughts your way.

xoxo

Wool Scraps for Crochet

When you're thrifty, it's hard to throw anything away, and I've been saving up a whole bunch of wool bits just in case, just in case, just in case! Every so often I get a wave of inspiration and add a few granny squares to this collection from those scraps of wool. A while back I got a heap of red wool at the op shop, so thought that colour would tie it all together...

And the dear little suitcase keeps it all nice and tidy when I don't feel as inspired to crochet... it can sit on the vinyl record collection or slide under the couch! I might have to decide on a thrifty way to join them all together (might have to be a beige border as I have a lot of beige wool from the op shop that is kind of bland for anything else)...

I might have enough squares for my last baby blanket before the little Baby Darling arrives... we'll see!

Some flowers for Friday

All these little winter flowers have grown in my garden, as soon as it's past 5 o'clock though, they disappear and wait for the new day.

*** Well, this Friday post is now getting posted on a Saturday morning ***

What I was *going* to say last night was... I'm home from work, with only 2 full weeks left in the office... I'm amazed at how fast the time has gone already... and how good things have been overall. This morning, however, I've woken up early with lots of aches and feeling like another cold is coming on... the pains of being pregz in winter time, in Melbourne and still working in the office. I'm going to smash through lots of oranges and other lovely prevention foods, and hope to keep it away.

Hope these little yellow flowers brighten up your wintery day if you're like me in the South of the World... and hope to see you soon! xo