Jump, Joyce, Jump!!

oh dear. . . . where do I begin. . . . I have a little secret, well it's not so much a secret, but I have something 'in the works' that I have not muttered to a single soul. *sigh* Not even to my bosom friend. *sigh* It's not bad, it's not illegal, it's not earth shattering and no humans nor animals were harmed in the process.

. . . . so why can't I just come out and say it? Why do I mull, and quiver, and shiver, and shake. . . . simply because I don't think it will work. I don't think I will succeed, I think I will be laughed at, I think the feedback may be rather negative and honestly - I don't think I can handle that, even tho, inside at the very back of my head, I hear a voice over and over saying, 'you silly girl'.

I am typing this now, so that I can look back one day and one of the following options will apply.

1. If I go ahead with this that -

1a - if it fails, I will be a silly girl, and really should listen to the inside of my head.

1b - if it works, I will be astounded, and really should listen to the inside of my head, cause it could be saying I am being silly for worrying and balking.

1c - if it fails or if it works, I have given it a go and either way I have succeeded as opposed to not even taking up the challenge at all which would be rather lame, and seriously what is life all about if I sit in a corner and do nothing.

2. If I don't go ahead with this -

2a - I will NEVER KNOW.

2b - see '2a' above.

2c - refer '2a'.

You are the first to even have a hint that something is on my mind, that something has been drawn up, measured, calculated, drafted, sewn, ribboned, tried for size, redesigned, resewn, and been given the accepted nod of approval to continue.

Wish me luck that I find the courage to stand by my little idea and come forward. I promise to keep you posted.

Thank you for letting me get this anxiousness out of my fingers and into the keyboard, even tho I haven't been totally forthcoming with all information, *b-kerk* (chicken noise) it does feel better even admitting this far.

I think I like option 1c. That is the advice I would give someone else. I just need to Jump!

Have a lovely week at your place, and tell me, do you get scared to jump sometimes, and do you regret that you haven't made that jump and missed an opportunity in the past? I would love to know.

It Really IS Summer

Our first frangapani flower for the season. Welcome to our garden beautiful little feast to the eyes. I love to wander my garden, I love the changes, so much going on all at once above the ground and below the ground.

I have been to work today, it's been hot. I collected my boys from school this afternoon, it was hot there too. I am glad they didn't get the bus today, it's far too hot. Even breathing was hot. Under the shade of a tree was still hot, it was just hot.

We come home and opened up the house, the beautiful sea breeze that catches through our open doors and windows has just totally transformed my drippy, droopy, tired, and hotness to refreshed and cool, and ready to get into it again. Thank you sea breeze, we love you. I do not wish to move from this house, I do not wish to move even one block away to miss on this fabulous breeze, straight off the ocean, straight into our little home, straight onto our skin, and up our noses and into our lungs to cool us down.

The sky is changing this last half hour, the breeze has picked up and I think I am going to have to get myself off the computer very soon, I can smell it, and I can feel it, oh doesn't the skin prickle when a storm is near. We haven't had a decent cleansing storm for quite a while, it will be good to have one after today. I just hope those clouds don't keep going out to sea, which so often happens.

I hope you are able to catch a cooling breeze or perhaps you are in a different season to us, and you are reaching for that crochet rug to snuggle the evening away in. Wherever you are, I hope you have a lovely weekend at your place.

Pitstop

Ahhhhhh, it's lovely to sit down for a breather. How has your day been? I hope you have had lots of fun. I have, well actually hang on, no, it didn't start out as a fun day, but come 8.30am when I said hello to a girlfriend in the car park of school and kissed my two little 'darlings' goodbye til 3pm, THEN at that moment did my day improve. lol my two little monkeys were at odds with each other this morning, and it drove me crazy!

It's ok, it's all normal, it's all part of being Mum. I have two very tired little boys, who are very much over school for the year. I really do not blame them at all, they still have homework this week, it's only very light homework, however, I have decided after Monday and Tuesday attempts, that we are going to close the homework books. I am not even sending them to school with their homework books.

They did have a good day though, they caught up with their friends, they were apart from each other, then after school we went straight to circus gym where they are in different groups as well, so that by the time we were all home and together again, they were back to being my two beautiful little boys.

I am glad they had a good day, because as I told you, my day improved, and I ended up having a wonderful day too.

I went to work after school drop off, and filled my ears with children singing and jingling bells to Christmas music. So beautiful are the voices of children in song. Then I come home, donned the apron and . . . . .

made 48 cupcakes - yes, waaaaaaayyyyyyy too many, as there are only 24 children in my littles ones class. (But that means I have some to take to work tomorrow, and Dad and big brother also get to munch out). It's his birthday on Monday, he will be six, oh my gosh, my baby will be turning 6 at 6.30am on Monday morning. *sigh* Anyways, the children share cupcakes with their classmates on their birthday. I am sending his tomorrow instead of Monday as he has a picnic day for end of year on Monday. He is feeling rather very special having his end of kindy break up picnic day ON HIS BIRTHDAY. I did have to ruin his fun when I told him that no, it wasn't organised BECAUSE it is your birthday, it just happens to be on the same day. 'oh'. Yeah, Mummy spoils everything! Well I am only being honest.

I also, between batches of cupcakes, traced and cut out these lovely car shapes, I am going to turn them into beep, beep, bunting. He loves cars, trucks, you know, boy stuff. I promise to share the finished, hanging bunting.

I also cut out some fabric, I am making teacher gifts, and well you remember when I said about starting my new years resolution????? *ahem* I broke it, *cough* yup, I broke my new years resolution even before the new year, oh light bulb moment, so does that meant it doesn't count. oh my gosh, I believe that to be correcto! Well there you go! It doesn't count after all, and besides I know you are on my side, cause Spotlight sent me a voucher and they made me do it. **mmmmwwwwwwha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha** (evil laugh). So ok the two fabrics on the left are actually for me. They will be made into skirts, because you know, I don't have enough skirts at all (!!) Yes, that second fabric does have apples on it and yes, I will be making that very fabric into a skirt for moi! Stayed tuned, they don't call it the silly season for nothing, 'xcept in my case, it's not just a single season.

I am unable to reveal the identities of the other fabrics, other than to say, can you do me a favour and cross your fingers that it works out like the picture inside my head?

Hokey pokey, I am out of here now, pitstop is over, this little jelly bean has work to do and pronto. The paper doilies are calling me.

Have a lovely weekend at your place.

How To Make Coconut Ice

I know it's Christmassy when the coconut ice is in the fridge, I am not sure why this deliciously sweet little treat is so Christmassy, but I am certainly not going to start asking any questions. . . . . . . . . . anyhow, tis rude to speak whilst eating !

So go on, get your apron on, and make yourself some of this lovely Christmas goodness.

Here's how -

3 1/2 cups icing-sugar

2 1/2 cups desiccated coconut

1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 drops pink food colouring (or more depending on the shade of pinkness you are after)

- Line base and sides of slice tray with baking paper.

- Sift icing sugar into large bowl.

- Stir in coconut, condensed milk and vanilla essence, mixing until all ingredients are well combined.

- Using hands or flat bladed knife spread half of the mixture evenly into the tray.

- Drop colouring into remainder of mixture and kneed/mix in well.

- Press evenly over the top of first white layer in tray.

- Cover and place in the fridge to set.

- Cut into small squares, or cut into long bars that can be prettily wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon for gift giving.

Got this recipe from my Mum. Thanks Mum. xx

Do you have a special Christmassy recipe from your Mum that you like to make each year? I would love to know what it is and perhaps if you are allowed to share the recipe on your blog and let me know, I could make it too.

Have a lovely day at your place.

How To Make A Sticky Note Coat

I am so honoured to be part of such a wonderfully generous blog community, surrounded by rather very talented people, who are constantly sharing their creations and giving tutorials on how to make so many wonderful items, without asking for payment of any kind.

I have used many patterns, cooked many delish meals, and all I have done is credit them when I mention what I have made through my own little blog, steering the few followers that I have onto these other hugely talented people, that just make me go 'oohhhhh' and 'ahhhhhhh' .

I would like to say thank you to all of them who inspire me to create.

In return, here is a little thank you tutorial share from me - it's not new, it's not all that exciting, but it's fun to make and looks pretty in a gift parcel. The bonus part is that every teacher I know uses them, has them on their desk, and next to the phone, puts them on books, flaps them out of their diary/calendar. It's not invented by me at all. I am not sure where they stemmed from, but I do know they are rather quite popular and I have been making and giving them as teacher gifts I think the last two years now. This year will be no exception, again I am making these little goodies to go into their gift parcels as a thank you for being so dedicated in their very important role towards the education of our little ones.

I call them The Sticky Note Coat.

Firstly I am guessing most 'general' sticky notes are the same size (7.6cms x 7.6cms), assuming so, you need to cut your main piece of card 8cms x 18cms. Be sure to check your patterns are running the direction you want them to finish in.

Then cut yourself a contrasting insert piece of card 7cms x 7cms. If you have a rounded corner punch, you can tidy the edges or do this by hand. Alternatively, you can leave the corners square.

Cut yourself 2 x pieces of satin ribbon to 19cms long. If you are using wider ribbon, then cut it longer for a more luxurious bow. (Organza ribbon looks so pretty on these little coats, all gauzy and romantic with a big thick bow.)

Measuring your main piece of card, mark with pencil at 8.5cms and 9.5cms.

Score and fold along these 2 lines, then erase the pencil markings.

Your 'coat' now looks like this.

Double sided tape to the top and bottom of your sticky note pad.

Attach one piece of satin ribbon to the BOTTOM of your sticky note pad.

Adhere sticky note pad to the inside back of the 'coat'.

Attach double sided tape to the top and bottom of your insert piece.

Attach the other piece of satin ribbon to the TOP of your insert piece, making sure you have it the correct way around for patterned papers.

Adhere this to the inside top of the 'coat'.

Your sticky note coat is now complete.

Tie a bow in your satin ribbon, and taa-daa, your sticky note pad is all dressed up.

You can do anything you like to these little covers, fabrics, buttons, stamping, glitter, bling, doilies, lace, whatever takes your fancy.

You can even attach a cutie little gel pen, all you need to do is cut your main card to measure 12cms x 21 cms long. Cut your inserts to cover the ribbon ends to fit.

The little pen holder is made from sturdy cardstock, and depending on the pen, you will need to cut about 4cms x 2cms. Fold in the two ends and arch the middle as in the photo. Using double sided tape adhere the flattened turned in ends to the inside base.

You can even stick a magnet on the back for the fridge.

If you make one, I would love to see it, just let me know and post it to your blog so we can check it out too.

Have a lovely week at your place.

What Have You Been Up To Lately?

Other than the usual Mum stuff, student stuff, volunteer stuff, and work stuff, it's been busy at our place lately. There has been crafting, swimming, enjoying meals with friends, board games, sewing, birthday parties, birthday drinkies, dancing, a jewellery party, meetings,

gardening in the rain,

a little reading, (p.s. this is on tv tonight too, and I am so excited)

a lovely room on our road trip south for a weekend to celebrate my Pop's 90th birthday - what a totally awesome weekend we had.

checking out of stunning stalactites and stalagmites in Wombeyan Caves

a rather strange emotional 'tug' on the heart as we drove out of Goulburn,

getting a thrill as I watch my boys decorate the Christmas tree, and the fun they have helping each other, (the chosen theme they settled on is purple, blue and orange for this year),

some gifting being made,

and taking a few moments to enjoy the rain that seems to be very much here to stay for the long haul. Not that I mind, I mean there really isn't much that can be done about the rain, so it's nice to enjoy it while we have it me thinks. Besides who has ever had fun stomping in empty puddles?

Have a lovely week at your place.

Tell me, what have you been up to lately?

Getting In Early - Practise Run

New Year's Resolution starting early, you know, like a dress rehersal, getting ready for the real thing.

Resolution is - use up your stash Joyce, before you buy more, you are running out of (hiding) storage space you silly girl!

So ok, I can do this, it's easy, a weekend at home without the boys, a weekend at home with no car, a weekend at home with a clean house, lots of fabric, chocolate, thread, music, and wine.

I found my fabric, this floral piece was going to be used for a little bag, however, with a little help from a black panel, I was able to make it into a skirt.

Oh, I didn't have a black zipper over the weekend to complete it. . . .

. . . . so with the jobs I had to do out and about yesterday, I purchased a black zipper and put it in. Oh gosh it worked, the zipper is straight, I didn't have to unpick, it looks lovely and even partially hidden. . . .

. . . . I also didn't have interfacing but I still kept going, with just the fabric for facing. . . .

. . . . Joyce has a new skirt for summer and a very small space in her fabric stash box to fill.

Stop it Joyce, you are supposed to be making spaces in your fabric stash, you are NOT allowed to go shopping until you have lots of spaces in your fabric stash.

Shhhh, don't tell anyone but once the fabric stash box is at an acceptable level, I can then begin sewing on the op-shop loveliness that is spilling from my linen cupboard *ahem*, which will then allow me to op-shop more and more and MORE loveliness to refill the linen cupboard.

If you won't tell anyone about my linen cupboard, I promise I won't tell anyone about your bottom draw, your linen cupboard, your stash box/es, or your special secret hiding place that just 'magically' grows lovely stashy goodness when you are 'not looking'.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Have a wonderful day at your place, and may the stashy angel bless you too.

Oh and a P.S. I am wearing today the green floral sac dress that I made Here, and hubbie made a lovely comment about my new dress. I told him it was one of the ones I made on the weekend and he didn't believe me. *giggle* He totally made my day in saying that.