Tappa tappa

I'm ready to cross something off my 2010 goal's list and it's still only January (just!)

On Monday night, I'm starting tap dancing classes and I.CAN'T.WAIT!!! I used to tap dance when I was young, then started up again just before falling pregnant with Jack and then again when Jack was 1. Time to take it up again. It is such great fun and a way to keep a little fit without really noticing.

I'm going to dust off the old tap shoes today and get them ready for some toe tapping fun. And before you ask, no I'm NOT going to wear a leotard! This body will be tapping away in shorts or leggings, thanks very much :)

Creating my own little space

We live in a small duplex and our living space is all in one open room. It's kinda divided up into different living spaces, just by what we put in different areas.

We have our lounges and tv up one end of the room with a floor rug. This area I call the lounge room. Down the other end of the room we have cupboards full of toys and an IKEA play floor rug. This area I call the play room. Then in the middle of the room, I have my sewing table. This used to be our dining room table, but I have taken over with my sewing machine! We just eat our dinner on the lounge or out on the back verandah on the outdoor table.

It's this middle "sewing room" that I want to make prettier. At the moment, it is just a small table with my sewing machine on it. Next to the table is a book case / toy storage and I have claimed one part of it for my sewing / crafting books, but I really want to have my own little place to put my things.

Soooooo (I know this is long, but I'm about to get to my point!) I have got plans for my little space.
* Put a little shelf on the wall above my desk.
* Put a little notice board on the wall and cover it with fabric
* Put my books on the shelf
* Get some magazine racks to put my quilting mags in
* Get a few little prints to put on my wall
* Cover a tin can in pretty paper and put pens etc in it
* Get a lamp for my table for better lighting

An afternoon project

I had a lovely day today. My mum offered to have my baby this morning while I took my big boy to his swimming lesson. It was actually really fun to be with just him for a couple of hours. He seemed to like it too. We even managed a quick trip to Westfield before swimming and he didn't carry on or chuck a hissy fit - miracle!

After swimming we met up with my mum and Luke at my grandparents place for lunch. I took a cake for my grandma as it was her birthday a couple of weeks ago and we didn't get around to having a cake for her. It seems to get lost with all the Christmas celebrations.

After a lovely lunch and cake I put the boys in the car, waved good bye and went to go home. I was only a few minutes away when my mobile rang. It was my mum. She offered to have the baby for the afternoon. Huh?! Of course I jumped at the chance!!

I went home with just my big boy and he was sooo tired. We snuggled on the lounge for a bit and then he asked to go to bed. He had a lovely 3 hour nap in my bed and I had the afternoon to myself!! Woot!! I decided to make another plastic bag holder. The one I made last week I gave to my grandma for her birthday, so I needed a new one for my kitchen.

I cut, sewed and watched a girly movie. Ahhh, the house is so lovely when it is quiet :) It was my first day without my little one (even if it was only a couple of hours this morning and a few hours this arvo) but it was a nice break. I missed him after a little while, but I still enjoyed the time to myself ;)

Here's what I made

Check out this blog and etsy designer

I really love this little shop on Etsy. She has such gorgeous little prints. Rosy's blog is here go on over and check out her work.

I have just purchased 2 prints from her and was giggling like a school girl when I finished my order. I'm THAT excited. Sad, I know!! :D

The small one has a new skill!

My baby is very proud of himself... he has learned to clap!!! He claps all the time and laughs at himself. It is so cute to watch.

Bunting for the boys

This week I've been busy! I also managed to make some bunting for one of the boys. Not sure which bedroom I will put this in yet. Will have to make another one for the other bedroom.

Cute fabrics, huh?

A bag for bags

So, the other night I wanted something to sew and remembered that I wanted to make a bag for all my plastic bags in the kitchen. Such a simple thing to make, and so fun! I made it really quickly and now feel like making another :)

(spy my little label here? )

Need a new project...

Hmmm. I need a new project. My quilt & Christmas presents were my main focus for a while, and now that they are finished I need something to do...

pondering... pondering..

MY quilt is done!! (January challenge)

I have finished my quilt. The one that is just for ME!! It's the second quilt I've made. My first one was for Luke.

I used Amy Butler fabrics & white homespun for the quilt top and just brown homespun for the backing. The binding was done with pre made binding from Spotlight (so happy with the binding find as it saved so much time!)

I'm not sure how to really do any fancy quilting or free motion etc yet, so I'm just doing straight lines as practice.

Here's a couple of pics

Stainless steel drinking bottles

How cool do these look?? I have wanted a stainless steel drinking bottle for a while and today spotted these on the American envirosax site. The Australian one says they are coming soon.

Now to decide on a colour...

Pottering around in the garden

We have a lovely garden (thanks to the previous owners!) and we haven't really needed to do anything to it over the last 5 years of living here. But, I have a vision of our garden with lots of different pot plants scattered around it and little garden decorations etc.

We piled into the car and went to Bunnings today. Jack was excited as I told him he could choose a couple of plants and a pot plant. I bought him some little gardening gloves recently and he was keen to get them dirty!

Our local Bunnings has children sized trolleys, so I grabbed one for Jack. He thought it was fantastic! We headed to the gardening section and Jack chose some plants and put them in his trolley. He ran down a few aisles. Changed his mind about the plants. Put them back. Chose some more. Went for another run. Changed the plants. You get the idea!

When he finally decided on his plants, we went home. He was very keen to do his planting. What a great little gardener he is! He also watered them with his little watering can.

January sewing challenge. (Theme: YOU!)

So here we are in January and I have my sewjo well and truly keen to sew! I'm quite excited about this monthly challenge. It will give me some ideas of things to make each month. One of my goals in 2010 is to sew more & create more, so this challenge is perfect!

I have started my challenge already. Ok, so it was already started, but I have been doing most of the work the last couple of days

I am using this Amy Butler fabric and am making myself a quilt for my lounge. (I have blogged about this fabric before, but have only just started the quilt.) The quilt is for me. It's not a child's quilt, a baby quilt or a gift. It is for ME!!! I'm hoping to have it finished in the next week or so.

2010: 12 months, 12 sewing challenges

I have signed up to my first challenge of 2010. Information is here. Looks like a fun challenge!! I'm ready!

Gorgeous!

I've been searching on etsy to find a cute print to put in our bedroom. Can you believe we have been in this house for over 5 years and haven't put anything on our bedroom walls yet?? We just haven't got around to it.

Well, that is going to change.

It's our 5th wedding anniversary next month, and I think I will get a print to put on the wall.

I lurve this..

(image from here)

Goodbye 2009. Hello 2010

Happy New Year!!! Wow, it's another year. It's always a good time to reflect on the previous year and to think about what is going to come in the new year.

Some highlights of 2009

* Luke was born :)

(here he is on the day he was born)

* Jack turned two and grew so much in 2009. His language has come along so well and I'm enjoying the little boy he is
* I was a SAHM (well, on maternity leave) from March and loved it
* I found quilting!! (and knitting... and crafting... and blogging... and... lol!)
* I was a better friend and made an effort to catch up with people
* Hubby found his passion - photography - and started steps to becoming a better photographer

Things to look forward to in 2010

* Organising the house (really excited about this!)

(this is our place)

* Finish decorating our house (the painting we started in 2006 is going to be finished!)
* Celebrate Jack's 3rd birthday and Luke's 1st birthday
* Do a lot of sewing and use up a lot of the fabric stash I have before buying any new fabric (I will have to try very hard to not buy more fabric....)
* Start our vegie patch (we are going it this week)
* Compost and have less waste
* Garden regularly and plant some more plants around the yard / in pots
* Save money
* Live cheaper
* Be more active
* Go camping with the boys
* Find a playgroup and meet some more people
* Keep regularly meeting up with friends to keep those relationships going
* Take steps to having own business one day. Will have to go back to work part time this year, but I will be thinking of it as a stepping stone to something better!

So, it's mainly going to be a year about our house, our family, our friends and living a bit more cheaply, simplifying, enjoying life and the outdoors. Can't wait :)