Happy new year!

Well another year is almost over, it's been a full and mostly happy year here for us. The best part was our cruise to NZ. We loved it so much we plan to go over again and hire a camper and travel the country ourselves. Only with the next two years already filling up with 21st, engagements and weddings we don't acually know when we are going to fit in a month over there!

So I say goodbye 2013 and hello 2014. It's going to be a very busy but hopefully a happy new year for us.

To you all my boggy friends I wish you all the very best in the new year, may it be a good one for all!

toolangie state forest

In 2009 toolangie state forest was burnt during the massive bush fires that ripped through Victoria killing over 170 people and devastating lives and thousands of acres of bush.

 we had fun driving up the 4x4 tracks but the whole time we were imagining how hard it was for fire crews to get in here and fight the fires.

 the country is pretty rough, but the bush has regenerated and is lush and green
as you can see the trees are still black but have lots of new green growth.

its a beautiful part of the aussie bush and we are very privileged to be able to use and enjoy it.
its going to only get hotter in the next few months so please all be careful and do not do anything silly that will endanger our bush, its wildlife are human lives.
see ya

My first Lacey shawl

I've finished my first shawl, I think it turned out ok. It's very delicate and would be nice to wear out or I'm thinking I'll put it away for a baby.

It used the whole of the 200 grams ball of pure wool I had. Being 4ply it felt like it took ages to knit. I'll probably make one out of 8ply for me and make the other three balls of 4ply as baby shawls to be out away for the day my babies start having babies!

Well what do you think?

See ya

That was Christmas

So Christmas is over for another year. Christmas day was spent at my sister in laws house for my hubby's side of the family, was thrilled that both my children were able to attend before going to their respective inlaws. The younger cousins are always happy to see them.
Then today we had my family all at my mothers house.
So now I'm home I've had a nice relaxing bath and im resting.
It's nice to catch up with everyone, and although it was hot, it wasn't too over the top so I was able to deal with it without any help from pain killers.
I hope you have enjoyed you're time with family and friends, and now to relax until new years. What ever you do stay safe.
See ya

Christmas 2013

Where every you are and what ever you celebrate, may your day be blessed with love and laughter.

Wishing you all the very best wishes 

Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

Blessed be

Christmas cookery

Well not cooking exactly, putting houses and trains together.

This first one is my nieces lucy. She came over to help me so she bought the one her mum bought so we could make it up too.

this is the train that I will be taking to my sister inlaws Christmas day. Lucy did all the fancy work. 

This is the shack that I will be taking to my parents house, we had so much trouble trying to get the veranda to stay. It's staying now but it isnt centred. At this point I don't care! I will finish the decorating after it has set.

Things I have learnt today, don't be stingy with the icing, do not by anything with a veranda and yes make sure you have help as you will need more than two hands.

See ya

Playing with apps

I've downloaded an app for editing your pics. Here is my first try at a collage. 

What do you think?

Boy am I going to have fun.  

See ya

Christmassy

The table set for Christmas dinner with my children

an ornament I painted in folk art class many years ago

a knitted ornament given to me this year by one of the lovely ladies in knitting group

an ornament made by my son while in kinder with the message attached. Still makes me weepy every time I read it.

one year I found these wooden ornaments for 50 cents and I got the kids to paint them. They would of been about three and five. They get put on the tree every year and they get more and more precious every time.

this is the newest one, I bought it yesterday to commemorate my trip into the city with my nieces. 

The nativity, didn't know snowman come to visit the baby did you? The snowmen and santa's were another project from folk art days

and some of the cards, making me feel loved!

Myer Christmas window

Today I was invited to go with my sister in law and two nieces to go into the city and see the myer Christmas window.

Every year myer has a different display and they are spectacular. I haven't seen the myer window in years. I think the last time was when I was a child. I never did take mine in to see it. 

I know bad mother!

The story this year was about a ginger bread baby and his journey to find a friend.

He set off riding a chicken to find a friend

and met many people but none would be his friend.

Until he found some ginger bread people and they became his friends.

It was very seet and the windows were very well done. Things moved, the story telling was animated and they younger kids loved it.

I think when I get grandkids I may start a tradition of me taking them to see the window, because when your the parents time just gets away from you and you just don't get there.

So after a bit of shopping, got a nice pair of summer shoes, we had a late breakfast at the pancake parlour and headed back home. It was a lovely summer day and we all had fun.

See ya

A crash day

After a busy weekend I have crashed, my body aches and I'm very tired. So the only thing I'm doing today is sitting in bed listening to the mockingjay and knitting. 

Brain fog is bad so I'm knitting very slowly and checking the pattern I have written down by hand so its easy for me to follow.

Hopefully I'll be able to get back into my new "normal" in a few days.

Working bee at wondersons

Wonderson had decided to get rid of some trees that had overgrown and were threatening to damage fences. 

He asked hubby if he could borrow the chainsaw so hubby said he would come over and give him a hand. 

They cut and moved and then piled all the pieces 

into hubby's brothers truck. It's good having relatives with big equipment. 

Wondersons uncle was very happy to let us use it.

and here is the corner after the big clean up. Heaps more room and the fences are now safe.

It's great when family all pitch in and get things done.

For leanne from cottage tails

Leanne asked what I was making next. Well here it is. Ite the start of a lacy shawl 

The pattern is quite easy to follow but as I'm using 4 ply wool its taking a while to grow. But it's very delicate and even though it's supposed to be for me, it might just end up a baby's shawl it's that delicate and light.

I'll decide once it's finished.

What are you all working on?

Please don't laugh

I might have to do something with pinks mouth, she doesn't look happy. At least yellow looks happy.

If the parcel has gone to the hospital I will out these girls under the Kmart Christmas tree. Either way some little girl will get one and hopefully she will love her.

Oh well I learnt lots so next time they will turn out better, I hope.

Congratulations!

To my beautiful niece Natasia and her boyfriend Andrew on their engagement. 

Another wedding for me to go too. 

What an exciting couple of years for us.

See ya

A perfect sleeping place

First I tried a bag full of wool.

then I got onto mummy's lap I even got under her skirt.

this box that has the knitted pieces for the other doll

mummy's sewing basket looked promising

I even tried the pile of knitted pieces of doll.

finally mummy put me into my basket, purrrfect!

Weekend away

We left home Friday afternoon to go camping in the yarra valley, it was promising to be a nice weekend  weatherise. 

Saturday dawned and the sky was a beautiful blue and the temp was rising.

after going 4x4 driving we girls decided to head off and see cascade falls.

We walked down about 500 meters from the road and saw these magnificent falls.

on the way down leanne was leading the way as she has been there before, but about half way dewn she jumped back up a step almost ontop of me and I thought she had seen a snake they way she moved. But no she just got startled by this echidna trying to climb back up into his burrow.

We all got in close to get a photo then left him alone as he really was a little panicked by this stage, I mean who likes the paparazzi! Three women all taking photos with their phones as just too much.

Then at night we had this fantastic fire and after a feast of roast beef and vegetables all cooked in camp ovens over this fire we settled down and relaxed.

Really is there anything better than mother nature, a hearty meal cook lever a fire and best friends.

No I don't think so either.

See ya