Quick Mosaic

Something else for my Mum to look at when she faithfully checks to see if I've updated my blog every morning.

Just my favourite photos from Instagram of the last couple of months. I've been continuing with Camera Club and won my second Gold for the year last month for this photo of Mia at the local Ag Show. She reminds me of a sad faced clown. 

We are all well, except I've been so tired for the last week I feel like I'm first trimester pregnant! And I'm certainly not. The end of the year is fast approaching and as much as I love Perth and all my friends and family there next year I'm going to be really tough with myself about not going quite so often. I only have two more weekends at home for the rest of the year! And I love being at home!! Anyway, if anybody else reads my blog apart from my Mum, I hope you are well and happy. And of course I wish that for you too Mum!

Mx

My Mother has been so good, it's been so long since I updated this here blog and she hasn't even reminded me. Perhaps it's because she knows a few of the reasons why....

My computer died and Mia dropped the iPad. I have a beautiful new iMac now so it all ended well. Thank goodness for the automatic back up system Mac's have called Time Machine, I lost nothing! And she knows how sick I got with that stupid flu because she came and looked after me after I got stupid vertigo after having the stupid flu already for over a week.

Enough excuses. I am quickly updating here before I tackle a massive laundry mountain. I wish it was only this big!

But sadly it is piles bigger and sitting on top of my dining table. I could stash it in the guest room but that is a dangerous step in to what flylady calls the stash and dash. I have been doing my flylady routines and my house has never been as clean or tidy. I think I am actually on the road to being organised!! Imagine that, I'm even dusting. If you've never come across her go check out her encouragement and practical steps that help those of us that were not born organised.

I hope you all have managed to keep your immune systems strong and have dodged the awful flu. Looking for silver linings at least getting sick was a good wake up call that I need to be doing more to look after myself.

Much love
Mx

Polka Dot Skulls Circle Scarf

 I spotted this skull polka dot fabric as I was headed out the door at Mum's local Textile Traders. I thought it was pretty cool and snapped a photo for Instragram.

A friend liked it and asked if I could make her a scarf. So I did. I actually made two, one with pom pom fringe and one without. One for her and one for her sister. It only took me... ooh, 14 months. Not bad! haha.

Anyway, they're made now, and now that I have photographed and dutifully blogged I can post them off. If you are interested in making your own circle scarf I loosely followed the instructions here on Purl Soho.

It's my beautiful Mother's birthday today. I wish I had this post ready for you to find this morning Mum, Happy Birthday xx

Mx

Ermm, Happy Mother's Day?

So my darling Mother doesn't have to see Ian's Muesli every morning when she checks if I've updated my blog here is a quilt I just finished :)
Just like all the other baby quilts I have made except with different fabrics. For a dear friend and her gorgeous baby girl who I'm proud to say has only had one birthday before she'll be receiving her quilt.

Next up I have Charlie's baby quilt which is really not a baby quilt seeing as he'll be five in September (how did that happen?!?!) and is probably single bed size. Am I crazy to be considering hand quilting it?

I wouldn't normally point out faults but you can see how the fabric has pulled with the quilting lines in this quilt so some of the squares do not look "square", it's because I can not seem to get an even feed through my machine, even with the walking foot. So maybe hand quilting is the answer...

I have nearly finished one practice piece of hand quilting. That means I'm ready right?! Well doing Charlie's quilt would give me a lot of practice (and it would be a great 10th birthday present, ha).

We'll see. Any way, Happy Mother's Day for Sunday Mum. I love you xxx. I love the rest of you too xxx.

Mx

Ian's Muesli

With Ian's new grain avoiding diet I have been making his breakfast "cereal" from scratch. I laugh because I made this a few times before Ian's change and he refused to try it, now I'm not allowed to let it run out. Luckily it is very quick and easy to make.

It is based on the Coconutty granola from the first I Quit Sugar Cookbook by Sarah Wilson.

Ian's Muesli

• 200g coconut flakes
• 80-100g shredded coconut
• 100g almonds
• 70-80g cashews
• 70-80g macadamias
• 70-80g cashews
• 60g pistachios
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g dried cranberries
• 2 Tbs chia seeds
• 70g coconut oil (melted)

Roughly chop the almonds, macadamias, cashews and pistachios. Add to a large bowl with the coconut flakes and shreds, and sunflower and pumpkin and chia seeds. Warm the coconut oil if needed and pour over the mix stirring it through. You can add the cranberries now or after baking. Spread out over two or three large baking trays and bake for approx 15mins at 120-130 degrees celcius. Leave it to cook for a little longer if you like it more toasted. Let cool and transfer to an air tight container. 

Ian has it with rice milk for breakfast and I have it as an after dinner snack on top of vanilla greek yoghurt. So delicious!

Hope you have some lovely plans for Easter, even if it they are just to stay home like we are.

Mx

Camera Club

Now that Mia is 2 and I'm not worried about driving 50km's and half an hour away from her for an evening I have joined the local camera club in the next town. I am excited to be getting back in to my photography this year.

I went to my first meeting last week and it was good to hang out with other enthusiasts and get feedback from a professional photographer on the photos I submitted. Our theme for the month was water drop...

These are just a couple of instagrams of my attempts. These were taken on my big camera but I can now wifi images from my DSLR to my iPhone with the eye-fi card I got for Christmas. Fun.

I was heartened to get a silver for this photo of Mia and Pa that I submitted in the open section. The guest judge suggested photoshopping or cropping out the edge of the poster(?) at the top far right of the image. I find it hard to be objective about my own photos especially if they are of my babies, because the subject matter makes me love them regardless. I will go back and do that edit when I get a chance, I should also probably clone out that out of focus straw in the lower right too.

Our theme for next month is Mono Portrait. Just another excuse to take more photos of my babies! Which reminds me, I need to keep plugging away at last years photobook. I'm also shooting in RAW now too, so I've just subscribed to Adobe's Lightroom CC (which is bundled with Photoshop) but I haven't used it yet or done anything with my RAW files!

I hope you are all snapping a few pics of the special people in your life.

Mx

Imogen's Quilt

This little quilt is all washed and crinkly and ready to be delivered to it's intended, who is almost but not quite one! I have another just the same but with different fabrics basted and ready for quilting too. The intended for that quilt has turned one already however... Perhaps I shouldn't mention that Charlie's quilt top is ready for basting and this year he is turning 5! I have the backing and binding ready to go but have just had a thought that I might piece a block for the back if I can find one of Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon (rem, nope nothing like that out there, probably for the best!).

I let my friend pick out the fabrics so I can't take credit there. I did choose the pre made Liberty binding though and found I couldn't run my needle along the fold like I normally do and had to do little catching stitches, so as sweet as it is I think I'll stick to making my own.

Mx

Baby turns 2

This time two years ago I was in denial that I was having contractions and was actually in labour (you can read Mia's birth story here). And now Mia is having her afternoon nap and sleeping off a wee bit of celebratory sugar....

A very casual lunch with a couple of her little friends and blowing out of candles and Mia is pretty happy with this birthday thing.

The rest of the cake has been given away because Ian is off sugar and apparently my children don't like chocolate cake! The cake was pretty delicious and very easy. I have been wanting a piece of chocolate cake, specifically the kind that is usually available at random road houses and mostly for the icing, but the petrol station at York has failed me the last two times I've stopped in. I had to take  matters in to my own hands. Luckily the icing was spot on.

Mx