Thrifty Thursday

I have been enjoying the Thrifty Thursday posts over on Mardi and Janelle's blogs. It has motivated me to start visiting op shops and garage sales again. As I mentioned in an earlier post - I managed to go to an op shop on Friday and found these bargains! I brought these 4 stencils for $1 - unused and with their original price tags (total $22.94).


I aslo got these 4 books for $1 each. Something a little different to what I've been reading lately, but still looking forward to reading them :) Three of the books - The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, The Golden Compass and P.S I Love You - have been made into movies, but I have only seen The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (loved the movie!).

Finished hexagon blanket

I am so excited that the blanket it finished - woo hoo! I finished stitching in the last few threads last Thursday and gave Skye & Adam the blanket - which they loved :) I am so happy with how it turned out! The blanket is approx 1.5 x 1 m - big enough to put in a pram or on the floor for some tummy time.


Now that big project is finished, I am starting to look around at some other smaller projects. I plan on making a few more beanies and I have a cute owl pattern that I want to try too. Wool has been on sale lately, so I have been stocking up while it's so cheap, plus I got a new basket to store my ever growing collection :)


I wanted to share a photo of this lovely snuggly, knitted shrug that Kylie made for me. I even got to pick the colour - how spoilt am I?!!? It's been well used this cold winter :)

Reading

In between work, scrapping, cooking, crocheting and socialising I have still been reading :) I have finished book 2 (Stargazer) & 3 (Hourglass) in the Evernight series and am nearly finished book 4 (Afterlife). Kylie buys a lot of books and then lends them to me, but since I've started reading a lot more lately I thought it was time to start buying some books too. I have recently purchased 2 books that are sitting on my bookshelf and I can't wait to start them :)






I would love to hear any book recommendations :)

Movie, fishing and a cute baby

I had a roster change this week and had Friday off instead, so Mum and I went to the movies and saw "Bridsmaids". It was a hilarious movie and I definitely would recommend going to see it!! Craig is waiting impatiently for The Hangover 2 to start screening at the Moncrieff and I'm waiting for the final Harry Potter :) After the movies I wandered around the shops - getting some photos printed, lay-buying some more Christmas presents at the Target sale and even got to pop into an op-shop! It's been ages since I've been op-shopping - I miss it! I managed to get some bargains - will share pics soon :) I'm hoping to visit a few more op shops this week.

Saturday Mum, Craig and I packed up the boat and went to Miara fishing for the day :) It was perfect weather for fishing - clear blue skies and nice warm day! Just wish that the fish were more co-operative - Mum and Craig (I was happy to sit and read a magazine instead of fishing LOL) only caught 4 undersized fish. We even put the crab pots in and didn't catch a single mud crab :( Even though we came home empty handed and slightly sun burnt, we all still had a lovely day just relaxing and spending time together :)




Adam, Skye and cute little miss Brandee came over for lunch on Sunday. I finally finished sewing in the last of the threads on the hexagon blanket Thursday night, so I was able to give it to them. I'm pleased to say that Skye absolutely loved it :) We sat around chatting and watching TV afterwards. I managed to get LOTS of cuddles in - pity Brandee wouldn't wake up and play though LOL I was being naughty and trying to wake her up with the camera flash, but she's a very heavy sleeper!! She only woke up just as they were leaving :(

Three layouts in 4 days!!

I don't know where this scrapping mojo has come from, but I sure hope it sticks around :) I started this LO on Sunday at Simply Crafty and wanted to get it finished, so I set up my scrap table on Monday and finished it!


I was still feeling "scrappy" so I scrapped this LO too! I think a combination of new photos and products has been a great inspiration to play with paper and glue :)


Yesterday I was still feeling inspired, so I set up my table again and scrapped this LO! I can't remember the last time I scrapped so many LO in such a short time :) I'm still feeling scrappy - hoping it lasts till tomorrow when I have a day off!

Xmas tag and card swap

I had a fabulous day at Simply Crafty last Sunday. We celebrated Christmas in July - lots of chatting, swaps, yummy food and Secret Santa.

These are the Christmas tag swaps - I love seeing what everyone creates!! Lots of great ideas that I can use at the end of the year when Mum and I make our own tags again :)


We also did a different swap this month - a Christmas card swap. Everyone made 3 cards each, then we put them in a basket and got to take out a packet. I was lucky enough to get Cathie's pack :)


Here's the Secret Santa present I received. I love it - have already been trying to work out what I want create with it :)

Cards and wrapping

I had a chance to do some card making one afternoon this week - so I made this cute birthday card for my nephew. I inked up a new stamp set I got from the scrapbook expo last month!!


This card is a CASE from Kristina Werner - I love her designs. This was another new stamp set from the expo. I find I really struggle to make sympathy cards when I need them, they are something I like to have prepared "just in case", so I made 2 of this card design.


I'm all organised for Simply Crafty's Christmas in July tomorrow - I have made my Christmas card swap, Christmas tag swap and brought my Secret Santa present. I love this brown paper, doiley and wool wrapping combo!! Now I just need to get organised and pack up my scrap gear :)

Arts & crafts day

Yesterday was arts & crafts day with the girls. I can't believe how excited they were about it - it's all we kept hearing about since they told me we were doing it LOL I thought it was a wise idea not to let them loose in my scrap room - so I organised a variety of stamps, punches, flowers, paper scraps, ribbons / trims, buttons, etc on the kitchen table. Kirsty brought over some paper mache boxes for them to decorate. With a little help from Kirsty and I - the girls decorated 2 boxes each. Kirsty and I used to scrap together - so she was happy to decorate the rest of the boxes.


The girls and I moved onto making cards - lots of stamping, stickers, flowers and bling. It was funny to see the girls try and squeeze the cards into envelops LOL After that there was lots of "making treats" with paper flowers and bling to put in their boxes. Little (and big girls) like bling - we went through 2 packets of bling LOL


After lunch we went back to crafting and this time made some decorations to hang from their windows - using sting, a butterfly punch and some buttons.


Two little girls left very happy with all their goodies :) I think I have 2 future crafters in the making LOL

A day at the beach

Yesterday we met Kirsty and the girls at the markets. We wandered around and had a look at the stalls, ate delicious hot donuts and brought some veges. The girls had informed me on Friday that they were having an art & craft day at our house since I had Monday off LOL They found some fairy stickers at a stall - so I brought them ready for the craft day :)

After the markets we all headed to the beach - where the girls had a wonderful time searching for crabs and other creatures in the rock pools, drawing in the sand and running around. We cooked some sausages on the BBQ for lunch, then back down to the beach to feed the fish and a bit more exploring :)




That night Craig and I cooked up a big dish of lasagna and took it over to Mum's so we could all have dinner together. When we were heading home the girls "suggested" that I set up the table ready for the arts & crafts day - I think they were a little bit excited! He he

Ice skating

Kirsty and the girls arrived in town Friday - so lots of fun planned while they are visiting! Yesterday mum and I surprised the girls and took them ice skating :) I gave them their beanies - don't they look cute?!?!


Cody was pretty hesitant at first, but quickly got confident and was zooming around the rink :)


Lacey wasn't so confident and hung onto the walls!


Lacey was more confident when it came to having a go at tobogganing (which she called ka-bogging! LOL) - no fear zooming down that slope!!


After ice skating we stopped for an ice cream, then off to visit Old McDonald's Farm. Even though the girls have lots of baby animals on their own farm - they still loved cuddling all the cute animals and feeding them :)




We brought fish & chips and headed to the park for lunch and a play.


There was lots of teasing and bets made that the girls would wear Grandma and aunty out, but I'm happy to announce that both girls crashed out for a nap once we got home. I will also admit that aunty went to bed pretty early last night LOL

A new baby niece!

Introducing Brandee-Paij Hawkshaw - born 8/7/11 at 5.33pm and weighing 7 pounds.


Brandee was born 2 weeks early, and after 1 hour of labour and 3 pushes - our impatient little niece entered the world :) Craig and I went up to the hospital today to get meet her and get cuddles (and take photos LOL). I guess I had better get a move on with the baby blanket now LOL

A busy week...

I have been so busy for the last week :) Here's a quick update of what's been happening -

*The girls came over last Saturday night and we all worked on our Christmas Tag swap for Simply Crafty


*An extra day at work
*I finally decided on the hexagon blanket edging and have finished it! Just working on sewing in all the threads now


*Got organised for Christmas and lay-buyed some toys at the sales :)
*I made another beanie for my other niece


*I picked up my canvas print (12 x 16 inches) and LOVE it! My MIL gave me money for my birthday and I was lucky enough to get it for half price from Big W - bargain :)


*I spent a morning scrapping and chatting with Cassie on Thursday - will share pics of LO once it's finished
*Working on my Scrapbook Expo class projects - still not finished yet...

Wedding invitation

I thought I would share this gorgeous wedding invitation we received from our friends Chris and Cassie. Love the paper, the colour combo and the cute starfish :)


Unfortunately due to work we can't make it to the wedding :( It sounds like it's going to be an amazing wedding - a sunrise beach ceremony followed by a wedding breakfast, then drinks and fingerfood that night - an all day celebration!

Butterfly cakes

I made a batch of these delicious butterfly cakes on Tuesday. I got the recipe from the Women's Weekly Cupcakes & Cookies cookbook.



Butterfly Cakes
1 cup SR flour
90g softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon jam
3/4 cup thickened cream, whipped
1 teaspoon icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180c (160c fan forced). Line muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Beat sugar and butter together.
3. Add flour, vanilla extract, eggs and milk and beat till mixture changes to a paler colour.
4. Drop approx 2 tablespoon mixture into paper cases.
5. Bake about 20 minutes. Stand 5 minutes turn, top-side up on wire rack to cool.
6. Cut a round hole about 3cm deep in the top of each cake. Halve the rounds of cake to make butterfly wings.
7. Fill up each hole with jam, top with cream. Position the wings on the cake, dust with icing sugar.

Tomorrow I'm going to make the Apple custard tea cakes and chocolate freckle biscuits from the same recipe book :)