Holidays

I've been neglecting this blog. I have been busy trying to get ready for Christmas and our holiday. There will be nothing from me for the next few weeks as we'll be hanging out on a nice, hopefully sunny, beach.

I am all ready for Christmas with all the presents bought and wrapped and dropped off at mums for opening in the morning. I have a list of what I need to pack for the holiday and have so far managed to pack for Ruby, but cannot do my own packing as I am trying to get her to have a nap in the room where all my stuff is. I know that I will now be packing either late tonight or at the very last minute tomorrow... Usually it's a last minute thing, but I had big plans to be more organised this year. Oops.

I will not be making any shoes or shirts or softies for two weeks, but I do hope to at least come up with some ideas for them while i am away. My biggest plan is to try to be healthy and get a little fitter. It is so easy there to go for walks everyday and bike rides and eat fruit all day long.

Well I hope everyone has a lovely festive season and I'll see you when I get back...

Summer Rain

I love that song and I've got it stuck in my head right now(I know it shows my age being tragic and 80's). This morning it started off nice and sunny and I had every intention of walking up to the bakery and the fruit shop, but some big black clouds have just opened up and are telling me to stay indoors without feeling guilty.

I have a new copy of Donna Hay and want to find some yummy treats to make for the various Christmas parties coming up. I haven't been letting myself bake at all as I eat everything I cook, so I am happy to have the excuse of baking for other people because I really do love it, especially the sweet stuff. I am thinking of making some allspice and chilli florentines for next weekends party. (I put the chilli in so i can't eat them but everyone else can - I'm intolerant to chilli). I am sure there are many more delicious treats to be made too!

The other thing I want to do today is get some more baby shoes made. My sister is attending two more markets , Bathurst and Blackheath, before Christmas and I want to send some stuff for her to sell for me. I also have to design and print some business cards, work on my quilt and do those overalls I keep talking about! At least I have almost finished my mountain of paperwork. I got so much of that done last week as Ruby was having HUGE sleeps. I think she's been having a growth spurt as she has been sleeping for a good two - three hours in the afternoons. She has woken up really early a few times this past fortnight though, which is not so great.

Weekend.

Every day is a weekend day at the moment and it really surprises me how I have managed to lose track of the days so quickly, however I know when it's the weekend as there are people to lose track of the time with, instead of it being just Ruby and I.

I have such lovely days at the moment, for example today consisted of a big sleep in (after being awake for two hours from 4:30am with the baby), brekkie in Blackheath, with a friend, at a very civilised hour followed by a wander through the local patchwork shop. I was good and managed to refrain from overbuying as I have so many projects that I have started here already. I only bought a pile of 4 1/2 inch squares to attempt my first quilt for Ruby. I'll have to get my mum to help me with that one! It was hard to resist all the beautiful japanese fabrics but i know they will still be there next time I go.

This afternoon I have pottered around the house and been lazy. Ruby had a massive sleep and I wasted my time. I really want to get started on her overalls for our holiday, I have a feeling it is going to be stinking hot and she'll need some light cotton clothes to wear. Not long to go now, we'll be there in three weeks for 18 days of beachy goodness.

Singlets

Last week I started a couple of practice singlets for wee ones. I've done two for boys and two for girls. It has taken me all week to actually find the time to get back to them. I am worried now that after all that work the colour might run...I will wash one today and see how we go. If it does run then I guess Ruby and her little cousin Harvey will have a couple of unintentionally tie-dyed singlets for summer... I may try to get a few done for the Bathurst Christmas markets that are on in a few weeks... I also want to put a couple in my etsy shop which is presently sitting empty and neglected...

I have so many things that I want to make at the moment. I want to make more shoes, I want to learn to crochet and possibly even how to knit properly (not just scarves). I've got some gorgeous patterns for baby overalls and a cute little dress too that I need to make before we go on our beach holiday over christmas... I dreamt about a new idea for a pair of shoes last night, they are to go with the singlet in the picture... I think I need more time in my days. I was curious before I was on maternity leave as to whether I'd be able to fill my days and keep from getting bored, but there is absolutely no time for boredom. I still have all the above to do, plus the paperwork isn't doing itself, and the dogs need walking and christmas shopping needs to be done (although I may make a lot of the gifts so I'll christmas shop at spotlight)

Having said all that, the little poppet is awake and we need to have some silly playtime now...( I really do spend the majority of my time doing that!!!

Lazy Days

I am so lazy... Ruby slept for so long yesterday and what did i do???? wasted time. I really do want to work on my little owl, but I didn't, I really do want to get through the gi-normous pile of paperwork taking up my entire dining room (except for the tiny spot on the table where the sewing machine goes), but i barely even looked at it. I had so many grand plans and all i really achieved was the dishes and lighting the fire, which is just crazy this close to summer... Although i kind of had to as Kris' mum + partner were coming from a warmer area and i didn't want to freeze them... (Even though we have the best little hot water bottle in the form of a poppet called Ruby)

So i have grand plans today 1. Do the dishes (again... it's never ending-but worth it- when you live with a chef) 2. Do at least a little bit of the paperwork and maybe find a little bit of my dining room floor or table and 3. Try a new owl, maybe make one that resembles an owl a little more than the last one.. Also, of course, spend many hours making silly noises and pulling silly faces with Ruby.

..

Wish me luck.

My Owl

Yesterday while the baby was sleeping I decided to attempt an owl. Now I am not really a sewer and have no great talent for it, but i love it and figure that I will learn as I go... My little owl is the first softie that I have "designed" myself. I based it loosely on a drawing of an owl that I found in the paper this week. It needs more work, but I think that it's not bad considering it's a first attempt. She keeps falling over and her shape is a little funny, but I am going to persist and try another one today (if Ruby has another long nap)...

About my little Rubicon... I think she's teething! Already. She has little hot red cheeks and is sucking on her little hand constantly... more like chewing at the moment, she's been sucking on it for weeks. She is a bit clingy, but otherwise doesn't seem too bothered by it otherwise. I should be careful saying that as it could all change in a flash... It does make me a little sad as it just shows me how fast the time is going already. I love having a little baby and I want it to go nice and slow, but as always the slower you want something to go, the faster it actually does go. She'll be a teenager before I know it!

Hi, I'm new to this so I guess I should start with an introduction.... I'm Bec and until recently I managed a little cafe in a lovely little town called Leura. I am currently on maternity leave and spend my days with my beautiful 3 month young daughter, Ruby Tuesday. I thought that I'd be returning to work after four months, but had no idea how much I would love being a mum and can now no longer imagine rushing back to work.

We spend our days in a lovely haze of lunch with friends, walks and visiting grandparents who we are lucky enough to have living just five minutes away. Being someone who was really busy and rarely at home I am enjoying the fact that I have to spend time at home and it has given me the opportunity to awake my sleepy creative side. I have been making softies and baby shoes, decorating clothes and am looking to branch out into lots of other things. Its amazing how these little tiny people influence your lives in ways you never imagined...

Today is a great day to be creative indoors as it is freezing cold outside (it actually snowed yesterday!!!) and I've had to light the fire. In five years of living up here I have never had to light the fire in November! Our only trip out will be to get the papers, a DVD and some veggies for a good winter roast dinner. One other good thing about the cold is that Ruby is getting to wear her cute winter clothes one last time...