More Birthday.

It was such a good day yesterday; even Mother Nature decided to show off for Spence’s birthday, which is appreciated. After presents, lunch & cake, we decided to head down to the beach for the afternoon where I discovered, upon trudging up a bunch of steps from the sand, I am even more unfit than I thought I was.

Thanks for all the Happy Birthday wishes – I still don’t want to believe my wee man is one already, that must have been the fastest year in history. Thanks also for the comments about the cake; I know you’re just being nice, but I appreciate it. It was such an ordeal; I really, really, really, really don’t like making birthday cakes.

I don’t like baking very much in the first place, but pair that with trying to ice the damn thing & make it look halfway presentable – just so that it can be demolished in a matter of moments – it is not at all my idea of a good time.

Halfway through the process I said to Mr that it’s just as well I don’t go the Women’s Weekly cake route; there would be tears from everyone involved. As it is I kind of just make it up as I go along – ditching the dodgey pieces of cake & using icing as a kind of fix all super-glue. I’ve already asked Punk what sort of cake she wants for her birthday & she said “pink”. I’m pretty sure THAT, I can do.

Summer Picnic

Last minute idea, first class location.

 

My Creative Space.

You & I both know that today I should be showing you at the very least one completed doll for Softies for Mirabel. No need to look at your feet & fidget uncomfortably... it's okay. Truth is, I have issues. Crafty issues. Seems I can't actually DO anything once I HAVE to. Once I've told myself (or even worse, someone else) "Right! No more messing around!"; all I want to do is mess around. It's like having a problem with authority but the authority is myself....!

I have been faffing around with those dolls for two weeks now. I really did have good intentions when I posted this - I was rather freaked out by the imminent deadline & thought I'd get at least one girl done sooner rather than later. Or not.

It's because I KNOW that I can still be faffing around today, tomorrow, the weekend... even early into the week, before I really, truly, absolutely no questions about it, HAVE TO finish sewing & hot foot it down to the Post Office with my fingers & toes crossed that the magical express post bag will make it to Mikes in time. It doesn't help either that so many of you lovelies admitted to not even having started your softies yet - sure you have all probably started & finished since my post, & deep down, I know that, but there is still a part of me that smiles smugly & says "See! You're miles ahead! Relax... have another coffee & perhaps a clinker...".

It also doesn't help that I have a massive "To Do" list, or that I have trouble committing to one craft at a time, or that I keep finding "inspiration" to do other things, or that I am forced against my will to go the the beach.... (*coughs* So..... now I am changing the subject, in a very classy & almost seamless transition...)

For some doubtlessly more craftily conscientious creative spaces, visit the lovely (productive & not at all like moi) Kirsty....

Footnote; My Internet is s.l.o.w again (*blushes* Seriously folks, I don't know how that happens...) so my humble apologies if I don't make it around about this week, or if I do & my comment relates in no way whatsoever to your photo, because, quite frankly, I'll be guessing!

My Creative Space.

I wasn't going to post "My Creative Space" today, as apart from the start of the week I've not been creating all that much at all, the sun has finally come out & it has been so hard to force myself inside for any reason (hence why my last couple of posts could barely be called "posts", sitting in front of the computer seems the least inviting place of all...), even playing with buttons & fabric & bias binding... but surely my creative space can be a place that inspires, refreshes & renews? Surely it can be a place that makes me happy & gets my creative juices flowing?

I think it can be, so I am sharing it with you; "Outside".

We've been to the beach, to waterfalls (...where *bursts with pride* Le Punk climbed almost 200 stairs by herself.... going up...!!! It was incredibly cute & pretty amazing, since The Boy & I were struggling (I still have sore calves), & she made a tennis-worthy grunt with every step.....!), having bbqs, playing in the park & just generally stooging around outside in the sun.

Punky has been waking up crazy happy as opposed to regular happy & every body's mood has lifted to dizzying heights - you don't realise how much you miss the sun until it makes you feel like this!

....and, just because I am really not a rule breaker at heart, a picture of what I was playing with before the sun decided to shine upon us, buttons a plenty. I made the bracelet for my giveaway & decided I needed one for myself, but the needle/candle method I was using to put holes in the buttons for the jump rings came unstuck when several needles' points bent in weird & wonderful ways... is there a better way crafty peeps?! Do share!

Also on the button front, I was dismayed to find yesterday that one of my Oppies is now charging $5 for what used to be a $3 jar of buttons.... *sigh* I know it's only $2 more but I can't bring myself to pay that much for a (not all that big) jar of old buttons!

Playing Tourist.

Well - here we are at Day 2 of Blogtoberfest! So far, so good!

Yesterday was a nice day (for here at least...), it was pretty damn windy but not raining, so we decided to play tourist.

Since moving to the country last Christmas, we've been exploring a little, but not as much as we'd like, so when The Boy heard on the news a little while ago that one of the 12 Apostles (...that is false advertising if I ever heard it...) on The Great Ocean Road had fallen down, he was rather upset. "There will be none left by the time we get there!" He cried.... So yesterday, we went there.

Check out the numberplate that confronted me when we stopped for Gas!! Talk about a guilt trip;

On the way home we stopped in a pretty little town reminiscent of the mountain towns we like so much, you know the type, wee little shops with cruisy hippie types strolling about... We got bakery treats & had a play in the park & I admired a group of crows ("A Murder Marge... A group of crows is called A Murder....") flying around. I really, really like crows, I think they're beautiful....