Craft swap

I really enjoy taking part in craft swaps. I love that it gives me a chance to make something different and something for someone else... and hey, I love getting a handmade goody in the post, just for meeeee!!

I've just finished my item for the latest swap at Contemporary Handmade Alliance

And sorry, no pics yet! I don't want my swap partner to see it yet. I'm popping it in the post tomorrow for her. Hope she loves it :)

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Wordless Wednesday

play along here :)

Market Day

Yesterday I had my first market of the year and it was great! The atmosphere was fantastic with lots of stalls, live music, heaps of tables for market goers to chillax and awesome weather. It was my first time at the Handmade Craft Market and it was so well organised. The stallholders had such fantastic products and everything was looking beautiful!

Here's a few pics from my day of my stall. I should have taken better pics, but I only had my phone with me :)

Neigh Neigh

My hubby is so clever sometimes. He just seems to know how to make stuff. Lukey loves horses and Jack has a wooden horse that he rides around on that Luke loves to use too.

Today my hubby made one for Lukey. sooo cute!! Lukey loves it!

My little boy turns two!!

When I was pregnant with Luke, I couldn't imagine how I would love this little one as much as I loved my first little boy, Jack. But I did. So so much!
I also worried about how I would cope with a baby and a 2 year old. But I just did.

Luke entered our world 2 years ago and we are so blessed to have him in our family. He's such a delight to have around and watching my 2 sons together makes my heart feel so full. Sure, they have their moments (I'm not living a pretend life here!) but it's so lovely when they play and get along.

Luke has been a pretty cruisy little boy and has such a gentle nature. Which works well as his brother can be quite set in his ways!! His sense of humour has been coming through so much lately and he is such a classic :)

I'm so glad he is in our lives and watching him grow into his own little person is such a wonder.

Here's some pics over the last 2 years.

Happy Birthday Luke. We're so glad you chose to join our family xx

My weight loss journey

I've had ups and downs with my weight loss journey and right now I'm stuck. Stuck in a rut. Bored of eating healthy and bored with trying to come up with new ideas.

My weight journey began when I stood on the scales at the hospital the day I had my second son. 115 kilos. Oh. My. Goodness. WHAT?! Sure, I was pregnant, but come on. I was horrified :(

The pregnancy weight came off, but my weight settled at 95 kilos and stayed there for a while. I tricked myself into thinking I was happy, that I looked ok and that I would always be that size.

At the time I was meeting weekly with a group of my girlfriends from school who had all had babies around the same time as me. A couple of them looked the same as me, so I just kinda accepted I'd be a fat mum and that it was normal.

Then, one of those girls started looking thiner. Looking great. I thought "hey, I wanna do that too" and asked her what she had been doing.

Weight watchers. She said it was easy, fun and most importantly, it was working!! I phoned them the next week and booked an appointment.

That was in June last year. My son was 14 months old. My weight by then was 86 kilos. I had managed to lost the first 10 kilos by myself by simply giving up coca-cola and icecream for dessert each night. I was drinking more than a litre of coke every day. Sometimes more. And a large bowl of icecream everynight.

I signed up on the spot. I was motivated. I was going to DO THIS! Week one I counted points. I planned. I ate the same thing each day. And it worked. The weight slowly but surely started coming off.

5 months on I was 76 kilos and feeling great! I was getting so many comments and was 2-3 dress sizes smaller. Clothes fit me. I wore singlets with my arms showing! They were usually hiding away.

But now, I'm another 5 months on and I'm still the same weight. My goal weight is 70-72 and I'm stuck. I've lost motivation. I'm going back to my weight watchers meeting this morning and am going to wait after the class to speak to my leader to ask for some help. It's time. I need help.

This post is to help me get back on track. To stay motivated. I CAN do this. If you've read this far, I thank you :) Here's a couple of pics of my journey. Excuse the middle pic with no bra!! It's to show me in a singlet and it's not a pic I would normally share, but I need to show it to show the journey :)

Laughing

I enjoy laughing. A good laugh right from my belly. I enjoy being around people that make me laugh and I like making people laugh.

I've had a bit of a rough week with just normal everyday stuff, so last night I went out with a girlfriend for dinner and a movie.

And we laughed. So much. We watched "Just Go With It" with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston and it was the FUNNIEST thing I've seen in a long time. Just hilarious. And just what we we needed.

image from here

My Creative Space - applique

It's my good friend's daughter's first birthday tomorrow. One. What a great little age :) She's such a cutie pie and we are celebrating her first year on Saturday. My friend asked for no presents. That's no fun! :)

I wanted to make her something personalised with her beautiful little name on it. I decided to make her a cushion with her name and a picture.

Now, I don't have experience with applique, so I wasn't expecting the best looking thing. But, it's the thought that counts. Right?

Here's what I came up with. I still need to hand sew her eyes, lips and hair on, but I've drawn it on for now. You can see what it will end up looking like. And, I like it :)

For more creative spaces, pop over to Kirsty's blog here. Have a great day. I'm off to the library with my little boy :)

Flea Market Finds - crochet blanket

In every op shop I go to, I rush to the part of the shop with the blankets hoping I'll come across a nice crochet blanket to put on my lounge. I've been searching for ages and have always been disappointed.

But not this week! I've finally found a gorgeous crochet blanket and I love it! The granny squares are all just plain colours with white borders and it's the perfect size for the lounge.

Play along and share any great flea market finds here

Goodbye Summer

Every year I long for Summer. I love the warm nights, the BBQs the socialising and swimming. It always seems to end too quickly. And seems to just end so suddenly.

Here we are at the end of March and a month into Autumn. Summer was trying to hang on for a little bit, but it's definintely gone now. Time to pack away shorts, singlets, flip flips and skirts.

Goodbye Summer. Until next time :)