Just for Fun

Some little hand biscuits to celebrate our new boy! I actually had pre-made dough in the fridge - so all I had to do was cut out the shapes and ice them...

... and most importantly take them along to church to share with friends...

Updates

Other recent happenings in the Campbell clan include:

An insiders tour of the new Clem Jones tunnel (the last tour before the big opening). David grabbed a group of friends from church and neighbourhood and took them along. I stayed home with the kids (had to be over 16 for the tour). This was prior to Jayden's birth so was relieved to hear later that mobile phone connection still worked in the tunnel should I happen to go into labour at that convenient time :) As we know Jayden was most polite and decided to wait another week or so...

Just noticed, looking at this photo that our darker skinned friends are rather camouflaged against the black statue:)

And more photos of our Jay with Grampy and Nanny. So nice to have them able to come and have some cuddle time.

Our little quiver full...

Our first photo as a family of six!

So our lives go on...

• Jayden helps me do the daily school run with Owen - has many admirers now and I can usually find a willing pair of arms to cuddle him while I help Owen settle in.

• Joshua is in grade five this year and has started Youth Quake (for pre-teens). Hard to believe I have a newborn and pre-teen! (ok, he is only 9, but still...)

• Owen just achieved a major milestone for me on Saturday and spelled out his name (when I wrote each letter on his Magnadoodle). Wow - Onya Owen!

• Rosa has become a real chatterbox and brought a smile to my face today when she used the potty and told me that I should come and see and that I should tell her "well done, Rosa, you can have a lolly" Children don't come with instruction manuals when they're born but I think Rosa has one for me ;)

Facial Expressions

I was telling my brother about how Jay's facial expressions change even while he sleeps.

This is what I mean:

He also does some funny eye brown raises and lip puckers - but of course he declined to let his mother photograph these and plaster them on her blog;)

What do you think he is dreaming about?

Baby love

Cuddles with Aunty Jen

Your first bath

With the most protective big brother in the world!

How you spend most of your day

Having fun with Owen and Rosa.

The details for those who got the general "they had a boy" from their hubbies

...Oh, and here are all the details for those who like to know

Jayden (meaning "Jehovah has heard") Matthew Campbell

• was born at 3:11 am on Tuesday 9th February 2010

• Is the smallest of all four of our babies at 8 pounds 5 1/2 oz or 3780grams

• Was not born at home (YAY) or even in the back of the ambulance or car but arrived with plenty of time to spare at the hospital!

• Is 54cm long

• Has a head circumference of 36.5cm

• Hospital UR number.... just kidding :)

• Has Joshua, Owen and Rosa stoked - each one has already taken to him very quickly and informs me the min. he squeaks as to his needs, life goals and aspirations ;) I can see Jayden has them well trained already ;) ;)

Now did I cover all the necessary details?

It's a Boy!

Another wee bairn blessed to our care

On knees we thank the Lord in prayer

A tiny life, with fingers small,

How can we thank you Lord of All?

With lashes long and downy head,

Siblings-a-plenty surround his bed,

He brings delight, he brings great pleasure,

A bounteous gift beyond all measure.

Bring with him wisdom, Lord we ask,

Though family already - tis' great the task!

For each new lesson, help us to be,

Ready to seek You on bended knee.

And while he's little, and soft to touch,

We'll enjoy the moments so very much!

Through times of tiredness or strife,

Remind us to love this wee, young life.

Welcome to our hearts Jayden Matthew Campbell!

Loads more photos to follow (when I can pry myself away from kissing his chubby cheeks)!

Aint' it Grand to be Three?

Early morning. Little toes bouncing in delight. Squeals and bounces all over Daddy and Mummy's bed. A very full bed, elbows and legs squished in. Loud voices. Paper everywhere. More squeals of delight and detailed comments about little fancies and cute froggies on gift wrap. Big brothers eager to explore new things. Attempts to calm wild, silly talk and settle giggly bellies.

Big hugs. Squeezy hugs. Tight hugs. Daddy hugs!

Soft words of consolation to baby doll. Long legs of Ollie owl - pulled and tangled. Big brother uses for soccer practise (on his sister). Children dressed. Chosen new hair ties (ice-cream ones:) embellishing ponytails. Routines followed. Car reverses from driveway.

Cake birthday hat - three sweet candles. Smiles from teachers and staff. Birthday well wishes at brother's school.

Decision making at cake counter. Instant choice - choc. cake. Mess everywhere. Two straws. Quiet togetherness. Smiles shared across the table. Slurps and chocolate moustaches. Quiet thoughts. Mine on future for our daughter. Hers on the icy-ness of her drink. Coughs and splutters and priceless facial expressions. Back for more. Some saved for big brother - wrapped precariously in serviettes and carried home.

Fun with new gifts - threading cards, half a game of memory and magic markers! Fun with joined chopsticks and cotton wool. Telephone calls from loved ones.

Another year gone. More little chattery words heard around the house "Can you come over here for a second?" and lots of the word "probably!" Shoes grown out of. Clever drawings taking shape - a fountain of words describing spotty shirts, shoes worn, names of characters...Cute little girly-isms smiled over and Daddy and Mummy glances across the table. Still plenty of growing up with brotherly wrestles. Lots of teasing, lots of imaginary play. Plenty of puzzles, nappy changes, trips to the potty, play and laughter.

Fattened calf prepared for evening meal. Veggies yet to be prepared. Moments to celebrate.

Time passed. Memories shared. Moments savoured before they fly away into the tiny crevices in my memory.

We love you Rosa. Glad to share in your third Birthday. May you grow close to the one who loves you most!

XOX

Dad and Mum

Fun paper flower tutorial

Fun tutorial for cool paper flowers (from tissue paper) for those interested. Great to use for:

Parties - cheap, fun way to add colour

Decorating birthday gifts

Fun for making anything look a little girly

and... I tried one tonight and they work well and are easy!

And here is another version - 3D that look amazing!

Or some mini ones for party favour boxes, gift bags etc>

Dish dryer extrodinaire

I just love how my little girl likes to sit up on my bench and dry dishes!

Basic screen printing tutorial

I have showed this basic screen printing technique on my blog some time ago - when I made a couple of shirts for Owen (one with a bus on it). Here is a more detailed tutorial with some new pictures and ideas...

It started with a shirt of Rosa's - I decided needed a little embellishing and thought the theme of her upcoming birthday (butterflies) would be fun. She has been talking over and over about me making her a butterfly cake for some time... will see how all that goes with a bubs arriving any day now!

This was done on our last day of school holidays - something fun to enjoy making...

Well here goes:

You need:

• Some contact - I have used coloured to make it easier to see on the shirt (for some reason the colour of my contact actually remained on the shirt until I scraped away at it) so I would recommend clear contact
• Screen printing ink - I have only ever bought black and white but there are many colours out there - bought mine at "Art Riot" but available many places- including using mine if you like (a little goes a very long way - feel free to use some if you want to - honestly, I have plenty)
• A nikko pen (ideally a thinnish one - a sharpie or the like - especially if your design is quite detailed)
• scissors
• A shirt/piece of fabric or whatever you want your design on (needs to be somewhat flat)
• a picture of your design (must be stencil like- easy enough to cut out of contact)
• a thick piece of cardboard to put under your shirt/fabric so ink won't seep through to other side of shirt
• A paint brush
• An iron to set print when dry

First you trace your design onto contact. It may be necessary to hold your design up to the window so you can see through. I used a nikko pen to trace the outline of the butterfly onto the clear side of the contact. Here is my simple outline.

Then I cut out the inside of my design, stuck the butterfly stencil onto the shirt. I needed to trace and cut out the little pieces next for the inside of my butterfly...

Here they are all stuck onto the shirt (ok, not perfectly, but then, I am not a perfectionist:) You can see how the nikko outline helped to make the pieces visible against the background.

This next step is my favorite - dabbing on the ink... Don't paint long strokes, rather just dab up and down, making sure all the contact pieces are nicely pressed down against the shirt. I tend to let the first coat of ink dry (a few hours) and add a second coat to create a crisper colour.

After the paint is dry (I have been known to impatiently pull off the pieces before completely dry but of course you run the risk of painty fingers smearing other parts of your shirt:) When the contact has been carefully peeled off (sometimes a knife may help to lift tiny pieces that big, clumsy fingers can't manage) your finished result could look something like this... Ta - dah!

When the design is totally dry then it needs to be heat set with an iron. I put an old cloth over the top of the picture and slowly move the iron around to distribute the heat. I think I did this for about 4-5 min to make sure the design will stay on well after washing (the last shirts I made with this ink washed really well - shirts wore out before the design did:)

When Joshua saw me make this shirt ( it only took about 30 min (plus drying time) he instantly started asking if he could make one too. He chose the picture, traced it himself and cut it out - did the whole thing himself!

So here he is - we found a simple spider picture on the internet (why do boys just love spiders, snips and snails and puppy dog tails anyway?)

And the proud fashion designer:

I have also used this simple contact screen printing technique for a monogrammed pillow in Rosa's room (made some months ago now):

I just found a font I liked - and printed a huge "R" with the above technique. When the fabric was done I quilted stripes around it on my sewing machine (with a bit of quilt backing behind fabric).

It would be fun to try - other pictures on a pillow - maybe birds on a branch, making a personalised library bag, etc. etc.

I also managed to monogram a letter for baby (and hid it away for safe keeping :) NO, sorry, no secrets as to letter of alphabet or colour of fabric! It is all wait and see around here!

Well this turned out to be a mammoth post - and I've been feeling a no. of Braxton Hicks even as I type. Any day now... :)