Screen Printing success

Something I've been meaning to get into for a while is screen printing. I've been eternally inspired by Prints Charming, whose fabrics and beautiful creations I've been guilty of ogling over for years! Anyway, I got the book, got the supplies and finally got to give it a whirl. So fun! It's probably lucky that it's a bit painful to get set up and pack up and there is fabric ink involved because otherwise I think I'd be a bit addicted. There's something wonderful about putting down the screen, playing with the gorgeously thick and oozy ink and squeegying it about, then lifting the screen to see what's happened! Anyway, here are my first attempts!

My photography isn't very good, but I was pretty pleased with how these turned out. I am going to make a kimono style lightweight bathrobe, and these are printed around the bottom. In true Liz fashion I managed to print half the designs on the wrong side of the fabric, but a quick scrub and line dry later I was back on track..... I haven't got to sewing up the robe yet - it looks fabulously simple but will post a picture when I do. Maybe saying this will inspire me to get it going! All the details, instructions and patterns I got from the book:

You can also check out Prints Charming at http://www.printscharming.typepad.com/

I had another go at printing and these were the results....

 So fun! I'm really looking forward to doing more and trying out more different designs and mixing colours. Will keep you posted...

One Mile Beach and Summer Fun

Oh goodness, so much has happened since I last posted! I'll stick to highlights which included a lovely beach holiday with gorgeous friends, and then launching back into school and pre-school and everything else the last few weeks!

First things first, the holidays. Well it was a pretty soggy summer here in Sydney, but thankfully the week we went away with friends to One Mile Beach, despite of forecasts for a week of rain, was pretty fine. Not to roasty hot which was great, and only about a day of rain with more at nights which was just perfect for us. Lots of boogie boarding, playing in the spa, bike riding and eating! I panicked the week before we went away and made a whole load of plaster animals (3D - the cutest things you ever saw) and packed them up with paints to amuse the kids. We did use them, but not because it was raining - just for fun. And everyone, from an 11 year old boy down to 4 year old Maddie loved them! I think Lucy would have too if she could get her little hands on them.

I had a little dream come true while we were away - riding bikes with all my girls - no training wheels in sight (yes Lucy goes on the back of my bike!). Just gorgeous, and Madeline, our most recent graduate to 2 wheels was VERY happy with herself.

I was even lucky enough to be able to go quad-biking with Brendo, Steve and Josh. It rained the whole time, but it was unreal! The sanddunes at Stockton Beach are just unbelievable - and we all want to go back for more. Josh (who's 11) was the biggest daredevil of the lot of us!

Tormenting a poor koala who decided to sit very low down in this gum tree!

Chillaxing in the spa

Riding to the beach 

Quadbiking at Stockton Beach

We opted for full blockout protection with zinc - that wouldn't come off. I think the girls started school with remnants of pink and blue in their eyebrows!

The lure of the beach in the evening

The rest of the holidays passed all to quickly - but we did squeeze in a little trip to the mountains to see the Noakes before they went back to Adelaide. We even managed a bushwalk with all 7 children!

We had a few other fun outings in the holidays, including a fun trip into town on a ferry (called "Friendship" - reminding us of Justine Clark's song...). We went to the Opera House where they had free activities for the kids including hearing stories read and made up by authors, and making bugs and flowers to contribute to the display in the foyer.

Special bike ride and park outing with Maddie.

We made it through to the end of the year, and are trying to soak up the lovely slow pace that is January in Sydney. I am especially loving seeing old friends who live interstate whom I miss dearly. Thanks for special days you Earnshaws, Noakes and Davis'!!

We enjoyed lots of Christmas events and had fun making things to give away and to eat. In a new and wonderful way, I felt the enormity of what we celebrate at Christmas - God become man, Immanuel - God with us, in the form of the baby Jesus. This baby who grew up to die and rise that we might be saved and enjoy both now, and forever, peace with God. What a privilege to be able to share this with our extended family and church family as well as friends from all over!

And so to the making! What did we get up to you ask.... well here are a few happy snaps. I'm feeling a little hard up for words at the moment, so I'll let the pictures tell their stories.

Christmas cards in progress

Final results with gingerbread biscuits

Finished card

Advent Calendar making

Lucy getting in on Advent Calendar creating

Finished Advent Calendar
with Bible readings from Appendix to
Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent and Barbara Hughes,
wooden ornaments and the occasional lolly!

Gingerbread House bits - recipe from Adriano Zumbo no less (in Masterchef Magazine) -
we did a miniature version of his jumbo one in the November 2011 magazine

Jas making 'roof tiles'

Decorating our gorgeous little houses for teachers at school

Ta da!!

Gingerbread Boxes with Lindt chocs - recipe from the Coles Magazine!

Amazing what a bit of dusted icing sugar can do....

Christmas Day desserts - I got a little carried away!

Mango cream and raspberry sorbet with macadamia meringue - YUM!!!

Traditional Christmas Pudding from Donna Hay Classics, Vol 2

Merringue snowman also from Masterchef Magazine, December issue, curtesy of Mr Zumbo

Miss M in her mama made Christmas dress - same style, different fabrics for all the girls,
finished on Christmas Eve - of course!

Plaster figure painting - something we've been doing LOTS of recently,
and was a hit with the cousins on Christmas Day (done without dresses for obvious reasons...).

Our little cousin who is now a big 3, in her Aunty made dress
from pattern by Oliver & S - love it!!

There were a few other bits and pieces of Christmas sewing and such - quite a few twirly skirts, and a few sets of PJ's, but as usual my ideas and plans far exceeded my time and ability to complete them - and indeed to photograph the ones I did complete as they had to be hastily wrapped or posted or given. Oh well. Hopefully the recipients are enjoying them, which, in the end, is all that really matters. It's just fun to have a record and to try to inspire others, who think they have neither time nor talent, that it's just a matter of having a go (and forgoing other tasks like cleaning the bathroom....).

And so I wish you a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I'm currently really enjoying listening to a free download of J I Packer's famous book, Knowing God (from Christianaudio.com I think). I'm not in the habit of making New Year's resolutions, but I thought I could listen to this over January. It's wonderfully basic and foundations yet profound and moving. Hoping your new year sees you seeking to deepen or start your relationship with the amazing God of the universe who has acted so wonderfully and finally to secure our eternal future with Him through Jesus!

Mosaics and Gardening success!

Well it's been a while since I've been on here isn't it! To be honest I just haven't had the energy to get things together to post, but here I am, with a couple of things to report...

I've had my first foray into concrete!! For ages I've thought it would be fun to make mosaic stepping stones with concrete and tiles for the garden. I was recently given an old craft book that had a huge section on just this kind of project, as well as a box of old tiles and marbles, so I thought I'd give it a go with the kids. I found some 'white concrete' at Bunnings, and couldn't resist supplementing my supply of tiles with some pretty glass ones. One thing I have learned when working with concrete and children - one on one is best!

Anyway, we had a go and so far Emma, Madeline and myself have made stepping stones. Jasmine is keen to get going with hers, and Lucy, well, she couldn't care less but I will do one with her too!

I can't say I'm an expert on concrete by any stretch - our first go was a little soggy, second probably a little dry, but I think I'm getting the hang of it! It's actually very easy - you just make up the concrete according to the packet directions (make sure it's not quick set concrete), pour into a mould (anything with slopey sides - the potplant saucer was great) that you've painted with dishwashing detergent. Then simply push your tiles/mosaic items into the concrete, and when you're happy leave it to dry for about a week, spraying with water every day. The stepping stones came very easily out of their moulds, and after a scrub with an old washing up brush came up a treat! We are all very happy with our masterpieces.

Our stepping stones are now in place in the driveway (so not really stepping stones that take you anywhere - although the kids like to use them as stepping stones of course!) but they make me glad when I walk past - which is every day!

Another thing that has been making me glad of late is the garden! I've never been very good with plants, and almost all of my previous half hearted attempts to grow things have ended in sadness. But, this year, as I've reconciled myself to being around at home more and trying to take things a little more slowly, I'm gradually being converted to the wonder of gardening. I seem to gain a completely disproportionate amount of joy from the sweat peas that I have managed to grow FROM SEEDS!! They are positioned so I can see them out of the kitchen window, and I like to have a little visit with them every day. They are just beautiful!

We've also been enjoying lavender, pansies, roses and lots of cactus type things which are almost impossible to kill!! I have successfully struck daisy cuttings from my mum's garden which is nothing short of miraculous, and we have herbs growing like crazy. We've eaten all the peas, broccolini and lots of lettuce from the vegie patch, and I'm feeling hopeful about having lots of tomatoes and maybe even some cucumbers, strawberries and corn! Check me out! I'm also trying to strike some lavender and rosemary, but haven't had much luck so far. We'll see how this lot goes.

Beautiful sweat peas - slow to start but taken off now!

 

So there we go - I may have caught the gardening bug. I'm cautious because the frying heat of summer may defeat me yet, but I'll give it a go!

And we got to have our first extended family outdoor dinner last week - Lucy got to have her own Coke....

I've also been busy reorganing our crazy garage to create an art space so we can easily do messy stuff and not have it in the house. I recently inherited a large amount of craft supplies from my mum's work, and it is now all at home in the new 'art room' ready to be used by some keen little crafters. Already we have had lots of drawing and some painting happening - I am looking forward to doing some big murals and some Christmas stuff soon too. I started Christmas shopping today, and find myself strangely keen about it all this year!!