My Creative Space

Lots of secret Christmas swap action going on this week, but I'm not quite ready to post about it, so I thought I would share what I was up to last week (while getting ready for my last market of the year when didn't have time to post:)

Now you are probably thinking, it must have been something for the market, but it wasn't that kind of crafting. Earlier this month was the market day and art show at my children's school and I was one of the organizers. It's an event that can't be successful without all the lovely handmade and vintage stallholders who participate, so we always do a thank you from the students.

In the past we have gotten blank cards printed using the children's art, but as it turns out we used them all up last year, so I came up with a very quick and simple idea for thank you cards. I got my hands on some unclaimed paintings/pictures from the art room, cut them up, glued them on black card and glued white card on the back for the children to write on.

See I said it was simple! Voila, thank you cards:)

We have received numerous comments from the market stall holders about the cards, how lovely and how thoughtful to even say thank you (doesn't everyone say thank you?) One stall holder even called the school to say how lovely their card was:)

This would be such a simple idea to apply to your own children's art. As littlest is in kinder she brings home a never ending supply of art projects. This would be another great way to use some of them:)

Hope there is lots going on in your space this week, maybe even secret Christmas stuff:) To see what others have been up to be sure to visit My Creative Space. Cyndy Pin It

Day 29 Blogtoberfest - Sometime Models

Sometimes I ask my children to model things that I make, like these fabric headbands I've been making for my upcoming markets. Sometimes they cooperate....

And sometimes they don't...

Yep, made me smile too. Cyndy Pin It

Day 26 and 27 Blogtoberfest - Nobody puts baby in a corner

[Picture via Akimbo]

The events of yesterday and today are symbolic of a big change on the horizon. Yesterday littlest attended her first Prep transition session and today I sold much of the "baby" stuff we have collected over the last 4 years at a local baby and children's market. That's right, there are no more babies in this house!

In all fairness, I thought this moment had come five years ago, when middle was getting ready to enter Prep and then came littlest. But I am pretty sure (read I am waaaay too old to have another child) it's for real this time.

Part of me is excited and part of me is a bit sad. Littlest has been my shadow for the last 4 years, but it's time for us both to be a little more independent. I am sure she will be fine, and me, I will probably be fine too:) Cyndy Pin It

Day 20 Blogtoberfest - Toy Heaven

Saturday was the annual Toy Library Toy Sale. The toy library sells your toys and takes a commission. Lots of toys at bargain prices. It's like going to an op shop full of toys. My children love this sale and look forward to it every year, both as sellers and as buyers (they are allowed to keep the proceeds from any of their toys that sell, it's a great incentive to get rid of toys:).

I joined my local toy library after my youngest was born. If your not familiar with the concept, think traditional library, but with children's toys instead of books. If you have a toy library in your community I highly recommend becoming a member and if you don't have one, think about starting one. My children look forward to going regularly (even the big kids like to go every once in a while:). And who could blame them, what's not to like about new toys to play with:) Cyndy Pin It

Day 10 Blogtoberfest - Wordless Wednesday

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Day 9 Blogtoberfest - Ready for Halloween

The Halloween decorations are up! A friend stopped by yesterday and as she peered through the front door into the rest of the house she commented "you really do Halloween, don't you?"

We don't, really. If we lived in the US what we do would be considered pretty mild, but here in Australia Halloween is still not the norm, so that makes us unusual:)

I suppose we have my American roots to thank for that. It's one of several American "holidays" I celebrate/commemorate in some way with the children to help them stay connected to their American heritage:)

And hey, next to Christmas, it probably has the best decorations.These are just a few of ours. There is something in every room in the house. Some of it bought, some of it found, some of it made. The best part, of course, is that the kids love it:)

Do you celebrate Halloween in any way? Cyndy

PS PicMonkey has LOTS of fun Halloween themed photo editing tools this year. And I mean LOTS, so if Halloween (or just spooky, creepy) is your kind of thing, be sure to check them out. Pin It

Day 3 Blogtoberfest - Are the school holidays over yet?

We are in the 2nd week of our Term 3 school holidays here, and its about now that I start to lag. I will admit 24 hours a day with three children starts to take its toll and yesterday I hit the wall. A trip to Melbourne with the 3 said children (for business, not pleasure unfortunately) probably contributed. I find driving in Melbourne (as I don't live there) stressful and the closure of the Burnely and Domain tunnels (they go under part of the city) added to my stress.

Even before we were back home I had announced (to the delight of the children) we would be getting takeaway for dinner, as I couldn't even get my head around the idea of cooking.

But today is a new morning and we are off to swimming lessons (intensive swim during the school holidays), we have cookie dough in the refrigerator to bake and oldest needs a new pair of shoes! The weather is also supposed to be glorious in our part of the world, so maybe some work in the backyard is in store.

Only 4 more sleeps left and the children are back at kinder and school. I'm sure come Monday I will be wishing it was still the school holidays:) Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space - The Dollhouse Continued

The children went back to kinder and school this week, so I finally got a chance to do some real work on the dollhouse I put together last week. I wish I could report the dollhouse is done, but while small in size, it is not small in project!

I managed to paint the outside and inside of the house on Monday - it seemed to take forever! I used a paint brush and a small size roller (I didn't want to see lots of brush strokes). The outside was relatively easy, but the inside...all those nooks and crannies and windows.

Initially I planned to use acrylic craft paint, but I ended up using real house/wall paint. I picked a cream colour for the outside and a white colour for the inside from the returned paint trolley at the home improvement store. I figured real house paint would provide the best coverage, and I was right - only one coat was required!

Tuesday I put in the kitchen "wallpaper" and "flooring" and yesterday (Wednesday) the lounge room "wallpaper" and "flooring." I say wallpaper and flooring in quotes because it's scrap booking paper. Since conceiving this project before Christmas I have been on the look out for scrap booking paper that I thought might work for these purposes.  I love the red vibe in the kitchen and the modern look in the lounge room.

And let me warn you, if you think wallpapering a real wall is difficult, imagine trying to wallpaper a dollhouse wall. Yes, more difficult. Again, all those nooks and crannies and windows!

And so by the end of yesterday, littlest's birthday, I had painted an outside and inside base coat and put in the wallpaper and flooring in two rooms. Yes, definitely a "we will need to finish it after I give it to you" gift:) I put the dollhouse and a few items I have collected so far on the kitchen table for when she came home. And bless her heart, despite its state of incompleteness she LOVED it:) She even told me I was the best mom ever:)

So stay tuned for more installments as there are additional rooms to complete:) I have also been working on making a few items for use in the house. To be inspired or to see what others have been up to this week be sure to visit Our Creative Space. Cyndy

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A Little Moment - Weet-Bix Tryathalon

I love that my children are willing to try things and push themselves. In March, oldest and middle participated in the Weet-Bix tryathalon held locally. This was oldest's second year participating and middle's first (she wasn't old enough last year). The tryathalon includes three segments: swim, bike and run.

I was a bit worried last year about how oldest would do. He takes swimming lessons, but would he be able to swim the entire way, and what about the run segment, running isn't his strong point. I thought my fears had been realized when I didn't see him finish the bike segment, but it turns out he got a tire puncture half way through and had to walk the rest of the way. Despite this he finished and felt good about his participation, there were never any doubts in his mind.

Ironically this year also had an unexpected challenge. At the last minute they cancelled the swim segment due to algae in the water, and replaced it with a second run segment. Again, I am proud to say my children finished and yes, both are already looking forward to next year:)

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A Little Moment: Happy Valentine's Day

One of our family traditions/rituals on holidays is making themed frosted sugar cookies. I have an obscene number of cookie cutters, many are general, but I also have them for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, 4th of July (yes we, do American holidays too:) and of course Valentine's Day.

On Sunday middle and I made the cookie dough and yesterday after school each of the children rolled and cut their cookies.

Today after school we are icing and decorating. An edible Valentine:) Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved ones! Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

A new school year is underway in our household. Middle and oldest started school mid last week, and littlest started kinder. I was thinking I would have more time for crafting, but I am still waiting for that to materialise. Littlest phases into her regular kinder schedule over the next couple of weeks, so still not much child free time. And I forgot with school also comes all the children's other activities (swimming, ballet, netball) plus all of my related volunteer work (toy library duty, school council, parent's association).

That's all to say I didn't get too creative this week. I made a wonky pencil case for middle (to her credit, she wanted to keep it even though I wanted to start again), sorted two containers of fabric, did some fabric cutting and started thinking through a new crafty project using a vintage tablecloth with Australian flora on it that has lots of stains (but it's still more of an idea than an actual project). I guess I need to be more patient with the transition to our new school year routine and lower my crafting expectations just a little:)

You can find lots more creative spaces over at Our Creative Spaces this week. Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space: Meet Miss Polly

At Christmas a new member joined our family - Miss Polly. Miss Polly is a doll that I made for littlest. Littlest had fallen in love with a friend's doll and I ran across the maker of the doll (AK Traditions) at the Melbourne Craft and Quilt Fair way back last July. Not only do they make dolls, they sell patterns for dolls. And so the deal was sealed; I came home with the pattern and the felt to make littlest the doll of her dreams for Christmas:)

Of course, I didn't start early enough and found myself still needing to complete the doll on the 24th of December. It was quite a marathon. Did I also mention that I had committed myself to making matching bedding for the doll (I had gotten an IKEA doll bed for her as well)? Yes, what I was thinking.

The good news is that I managed to finish the doll, a nightgown and the bedding. And so there she was waiting on Christmas morning for littlest.

Miss Polly has definitely been a hit. She is a constant companion, sleeping in her doll bed right next to littlest's bed at night and accompanying us when we go out and about.

Over the summer holiday I have continued to add to Miss Polly's wardrobe, with the most recent items being a pair of boots and a hat this week (I think we are already preparing for winter:). Littlest also has a few requests for Miss Polly on my crafty to do list - first and foremost is a boyfriend. I think that might have to be a birthday present:)

Hope lots of creating is going on in your creative space this week. For more creative spaces make sure to visit here. Cyndy Pin It

A Little Moment: Strawberry Fields

Friday we picked strawberries and had a picnic with friends. It reminded me of my childhood and how my mother used to drag my sister and I out to pick all manner of fruits and veges from season to season. I realize now how lucky I was to have such a mother! I hope someday my children think I am that same kind of mother:) Cyndy

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Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

One of middle's (age 7) favourite colour combos right now is black and white. So for Christmas I decided to make her a skirt using black and white fabric that I had in my stash. The problem was, I wasn't liking any of the combinations (I needed three different fabrics for this particular skirt). In the end I decided to use two black and white prints (both with some sort of circle pattern) and plain old white as the third, thinking I would come up with "something to do on the white fabric that would fit later.

Well, we finally came up with that "something": button embroidered flowers! It's simple and fits in with the circle theme. We are doing two on each of the white fabric panels. Only one more flower to go, then the hem and it will be all done!

Sometimes you just have to wait for the right idea to come along to finish something:) Cyndy Pin It

Christmas Skirts

OK, time for a confession. I am one of those mum's who makes her children wear a Christmas outfit - and when I say Christmas, I mean it needs to have red and green in it:) I saw this cherry print a couple of months ago and while not Christmas per se, I thought it would be cute in a Christmas outfit.

Since I didn't have a lot of the fabric the idea of a panel skirt seemed perfect. A friend had seen just such a skirt based on vertical panels (non Christmas) so we came up with a pattern.

The skirt contains eight panels, each a different fabric. I started with the cherry fabric as the inspiration. Middle picked the other fabrics she wanted (all reds and greens, none necessarily Christmas though) while littlest got hers picked for her by yours truly:) We have paired them with pre-made tops that I've embellished.

Fortunately, the girls love them. Once we get past all the Christmas making and craziness I might even make a few more of these skirts for the girls, but in different fabrics:)

Now that the skirts are done, all we need to do is to go get our cheesy Christmas picture in our Christmas outfits with Santa:) And oh, I can cross two more Christmas making projects off my list! Cyndy

PS in case you are wondering, as oldest is a boy a red or green T-shirt is about all I can get him to wear - no Christmas sewing involved:)

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My Place and Yours - Christmas Special

This is a hard one for me. As someone who grew up in the northern hemisphere (the United States) Christmas is about cold, snow, a fire in the fireplace, hot chocolate and tacky Christmas lights all over your house. Hot, sunny and going to the beach just doesn't seem right:)

That said I have (kinda) adjusted and besides Christmas in our house is all about the children. No designer colours or decorations, just lots of stuff made by the kids, picked out by the kids, given to the kids, was mine when I was a kid:)

This year we actually have two Christmas trees. One is fake (got it for $12 the first Christmas we spent here) and one is real. This is our first real tree because I am a bit of a Christmas tree snob. It's not that I like perfectly manicured Christmas trees, because I don't. In our house, we used to go out to the Christmas tree farm and cut our own. It was usually wider than it was tall:) It's more that I like a certain kind of Christmas tree (Douglass fir) and it appears they don't grow them here in Australia or if they do they cost a bazillion dollars. But this one was free, just the right price for me to overcome my snobbishness:)

Christmas is also about memories. I love it when we are decorating the tree and the children shout out, that ones mine, or I got that from ____, or ask me about a decoration that predates them. When I was in my mid 30's my mother decided (without telling us children) to move to a themed tree. That meant all the decorations we had made as children, had been given etc... that didn't meet the theme were tossed. My sister and I about had a heart attack, because even at our "mature" age we still loved the memories that all these things represented.

And finally Christmas is about traditions. It's about putting up the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (yes even here:), making Christmas cookies, writing a  letter and visiting Santa, watching Its a Wonderful Life at least once, and getting up at the crack of dawn on Christmas day to open your presents from Santa no matter how old you are:)

Merry Christmas from my family to yours and you can check out more Christmas specials here! Cyndy Pin It