A whole new world

Last week was about new beginnings. After eight years of mothering, both my birds flew the nest.

Those fuzzy days of naps, double prams, frighteningly early starts, Maisy books, sipper cups, soft rabbits that were never allowed to be washed, Bonds wonder suits, dummies, thumb sucking, swim nappies, sandpits and stick collections are fading into the distance as a new, vast world opens up.

My big bird moved up to the big school, at the top of three flights of stairs into the world of grade three. He disappeared into this safe and familiar world with barely a backward glance. He has friends who are happy to see him, a new teacher who probably knows him already and a routine that provides the predictable comfort that holidays never can.

My baby bird tiptoed into her new class, full of pride, excitement, a few nerves and only minor issues with the seams in her socks. While the teacher is new, the room and the teacher aide are like old friends she simply hasn't seen since she was two and visiting every day with her brother. And while she hasn't been there for three years, when I asked if she needed me to show her where the toilets were she scornfully told me that she remembered herself.

To have both your children happy at school is a miraculous gift for which I am very grateful. And for me, as I slowly exhale, it feels like maybe I can just sit down, enjoy a hot cup of tea and allow myself a moment of pride that we made it.

Parenting small children is immense, all encompassing, exhausting, miraculous, hilarious, relentless, incredible, magical and mostly involves much less sleep than I ever could have imagined. Parenting has taken my lofty ideals of the mother that I thought I would be, and scattered them with the winds. It has brought me to my knees,  and then slowly built me back up again, stronger, wiser, humbler and endlessly grateful for small victories.

So, as one door closes, I am hit with a sprinkle of sadness,  a dash of relief and a generous dollop of excitement that a new door is opening. It's a whole new year and I have lots of plans.

And this was my first finished project. My favourite vintage fabrics, mod podge and a Kvissle wall rack from Ikea. This is phase one of a grand plan to finally get organised.

Memories and Milestones

Oh, we have had a week full of goodness. Where on earth to start? Perhaps with the stash of vintage tablecloths waiting for me at the oppie when I took down four full bags of stuff. Some of which came from the contents of all these cardboard boxes which are finally all unpacked. Every last one. Legoman even sold the boxes, so this pile no longer resides in the house at all.

It was the week of the one and only end of year kindy concert. I think in many ways that precious kindy year is a magical,warm and fuzzy time that is never quite replicated later in life. And when it is the end of kindy year for your youngest child, well that is very, very special.

Oh, my beautiful birdy leaving your nest. Remember this year, it's one of the best.

We took the kids to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, their first exposure to a musical stage show. Liongirl was in heaven, even sitting in row Q did not dampen her enthusiasm.

 As it was a week of memories and milestones, I had to include the first ever wearing of plaits in her hair. This is a very big deal at our place. Two words - sensory issues. If you do not know what that means be very, very grateful. If you do know, just nod and smile to yourself and share my joy of small moments.

And lets not forget this new essential kindy creation.

"It's a money machine Mama".
Oh, a cash register, how lovely.
"Noooo Mama, a MONEY machine"
Do you mean a machine that makes money? Oh yes, goodness it appears to have already produced $7.15!

That will come in very handy for a spot of Christmas shopping. Not for these though, as hopefully Santa will come through with a set of these for your bird mad brother. We are presuming that Everingham & Watson ship direct to the North Pole.

There are a few other things on the go around here. Namely this dubious attempt at a jellyfish. No clues here on the theme of the upcoming birthday party.

And this stool from the op shop which for ten dollars had enormous potential despite it's previous unfortunate makeover with gold stencilling, royal blue paint and thick drippy varnish.  What I thought at first glance were studs under the seat were actually thick drips of dried lacquer.  Talk about bodgy rushed makeover gone bad. Picture a colour change and some crochet love.

Oh yes, it was a great, wondrous week.

Frock up Brisbane Fair

What a splendid thing it is to discover that not only has the sun finally decided to shine after weeks of rain, but there is a vintage fair on this weekend. I had missed this fair the last time it was in town, this time I was determined to go and have a poke around. And my goodness, I was not disappointed.

There were vintage frocks galore and  beautiful hand made bags,

lovely piles of vintage sheets and fabric,

some wonderful kitchenalia, and something very special, can you see it hiding at the back?

Yes, that would be a box set of 1971 Richard Scarry books,

four gorgeous hardcover books,

yep, they absolutely came home to our place. So many new stories to choose from at bedtime.

and these lovely pyrex ramekins came home too ( well the bottom four as I had the top two already). Now just to find the ever elusive turquoise one..... is it just me or is turquoise pyrex as rare as hens teeth?

So while we spend the rest of the weekend choosing our favourite stories, feel free to head over and enjoy the final day of the fair tomorrow. It's called the "Way We Wear Fair" and it's on at the Mt Gravatt Showground from 10-3 or head over to Frock up Brisbane  if you want to know more.

The green dancing girl dress

I've got the bug. The sewing bug that is. The rush you get ferreting through a stash of fabric, drawers of doilies and the sublime beauty of pink ric rac. Liongirl and I went to Spotlight  just to get the 6 mm elastic. And then I stumbled over this gorgeous green dancing girl fabric and she found the roll of sparkly pink bling ribbon and the next thing you know were were in cahoots, making another dress.

The navy blue floral fabric has a story of course. About a year ago at my first ever Suitcase Rummage the lovely Kimberley had a bundle of fabric from an estate sale. The story goes that the elderly lady who owned this fabric had brought trunks and trunks of beautiful fabric with her on a steamer from England many many years before she ended up in a house on Bribie Island. And now some of this lovely old fabric which had been carefully folded for decades has been lovingly added to a little girl's green dancing girl dress.

I myself could have left off the pink bling. But in order to get miss Liongirl to contemplate a dress that is not pink, we had to have some incentives. And she loves her bling. The pocket was essential for her travelling companion, Guinea Pinny, her toy stuffed guinea pig rescued from a $1 claw machine. Fingers crossed she will frock up tomorrow and let me take some photos.

I discovered the The Cupcake Parlour at West End the other day, and had to take a little assortment to share with the sewing gals. There is nothing more wonderful that chatting over a cuppa, a petite cupcake and some crafty creating with like minded pals. Especially when you put your bobbin in backwards and need help sorting out why everything you are stitching is self ruffling when it is meant to be flat.

And what were the kids doing today, while I finished adding the bling to the dress?  Well, first they colour coded my buttons,

then Roboboy colour coded all my pin wheels so they were in a rainbow formation. Then they watched The Little Mermaid. I had to share the look on my boys face watching the romance scene in the movie when the prince is working up to kissing Ariel in the boat.

Sheer unadulterated joy. You would never guess that only hours before this same child approached me in the bathroom  with a proposal. To sell his sister. (He was quite serious). I in turn grappled for a satisfactory response for his logical brain. I informed him that unfortunately as they were a pigeon pair, they sadly could only be sold as a set. He was disappointed but understood completely.

I wanted to say thank you to Kate from Foxs Lane for inspiring me to make the green dancing girl dress. About a year ago I bought a miss Liongirl a peasant dress from Kate and have been building up the courage to sew my own ever since. And fitting that I finally get it together for this slightly auspicious day of my 200th post. Back soon with a little giveaway to celebrate this bloggy milestone.