our little plot of dirt

The outdoors beckoned us again - to enjoy its beauty. We do not have a huge back yard but I just love it - a place to call our own. I love that the children can enjoy their little space, investigate insects, run around wildly, poke sticks around and get some dirt between their fingernails:) and most of all as a place to let out that ginormous, endless supply of energy...

Josh was running wildly around with a Tonka truck warning all in the way to clear out before they got run over, Owen waddled around in the little go carty thing, Rosa fiddled with some dirt, and Jayden was convinced that there must be some hidden delights in eating leaves that his mother kept grabbing before he could savour their delicacies on his cute lil' lips!

numbered hooks

...and finally the After photo of my frames (well one of them, anyway)...

Here are the before photos to refresh you...

I painted the framed pieces, printed out numbers in a font I liked and transferred them onto the board (I simply used a lead pencil and covered the back of the outline and then traced over the front of the number with a pencil - leaving a mark underneath), measured and drilled holes and added little door handles (raw pine). It cannot hold heavy things because the wall where I wanted it doesn't have studs in the right place. I am planning just to use it for aprons, hats and other do-dads for each family member. I simply attached mine to the wall (laminate wall near our kitchen) with a strong, double-sided tape.

Presenting - the after shots...

As for the other two matching frames - have thought about opening an Etsy shop and making a few to sell as well as other bits and pieces I make from time to time... might be a bit too ambitious for me at the moment....

Until next time Laubovas!

We have really enjoyed having some Czech friends (mother and daughter) come and stay with us briefly before and after travelling around Australia. We have had lots of laughs together, enjoyed some great photos of places in our very own country we have never seen.

Here we are enjoying a last meal out before they headed home.

This is how Owen looks when he eats an ice cream.

words that stick

Since hearing our pastor's daughter sing recently the words to this beautiful old hymn have been floating around in my head:

May Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee!

Just love these words - has meant a lot to me - hope they get stuck in your head now:)

Miraculous cures

The conversation between Rosa and I in the van this morning. Keep in mind that Rosa has just injured her big toe - running through the house and wacking it on the couch leg. We are not sure if it is a sprain or break but she hobbles a little...

Mum

Yes, Rosa,

When you go to the doctor, if you have a sore toe, does the Doctor kiss it?

Made me smile. Doctors don't have any idea of truly miraculous cures now do they?

Funny boy

Gotta love signs like this that your son makes using his creative/humorous streak:)

Perhaps he made this after I had to scold him for something...

The promised AFTER shots...

Well here, at last are two of my three before/after pictures for you...

That table I picked up from the Tip shop Before shot:

And the After shot (now on ebay with no bidders, yet:(...

And the chair Before...

And After (and yes, my sisters, I did choose a colour other than white;) ...

And here it sits at Joshua's future desk (another paint project:) I am also plan to scour thrift shops/fabric shop? next time for some blue/white striped drill fabric to make a chair cushion. The desk is sitting ready for our Czech guests here (towels & soap are not usually on desks around here:)

...the third project is sitting, patiently waiting for me to ignore the housework and hasten to its bekon call :) Won't be long I am sure

Family Fun!

Juggling camera to photograph dedication service whilst children play up at my ankles and make a racket, doll house shuffles, stripey matching cousins, grampy at his funniest, exploring new corridors aeroplane games with Uncle and empty cupboards in my sister's new home... treasured moments with family actually in the one location (or at least some of us:)

little details to answer your questions...

... for those inquiring - the bird silhouette pictures from previous post are here (for the bird and branches picture) and unfortunately I cannot find where I found the single bird (this site has one very similar) though there are thousands and thousands of bird images - if you simple look on Google images - advance image search, and type in 'bird silhouette .

I put the image into the paint program and enlarged it. I also changed the picture a little as I went (avoiding direct plagiarism) - making edges slightly rounder, etc. to make it easier to cut out. You could also have image enlarged at photocopy shop.

Birds silhouettes cut out of various bright papers also look great - if you wanted a picture to put inside a frame. Have also seen bird silhouettes cut out of paper and attached to plates and hung on a wall - nice (though my hubby feels plates are for eating from not for hanging :)

screen printing, recycling and restoring

A smattering of craft projects from that bored mother of four:) in various stages:

Two birdy pillows using contact paper screen printing technique I demonstrated earlier. I was given quite a stash of this brown, woveny-type fabric from my rellies-in-law...

I guess birds were the theme... a recycled bits and bobs shirt for Rosa to grow into -

I made this shirt from an old pillow case (the leftovers from the 'Furnish with a Conscience Comp. storage box) , bits of scrap fabric and the screen printing technique. I embellished the birdy's eyes with odd buttons I had laying around.

I bought these two cane lounge chairs and little round table on ebay and made fitted pillows to make them more comfy (I think I busted a couple of needles in the process trying to convince my machine it could sew through such thick layers of piping and fabric:( . I also painted the table and distressed it a little to create this little nook in my dining room (nice to have a spot where someone can sit and chat to me while I cook...)

I think this is now my favourite lil' corner of the house

And some projects to finish...

This chair picked up at the Tip Shop- destined to be Josh's desk chair when he moves to downstairs room:

This little coffee table (also from Tip Shop). I am thinking of selling this one on ebay when I'm done:

and these gawdy frames which are perfect for a project I have in mind as they are already framed (YAY)...

SO... stay tuned to see the after photos. You see, blogging about them helps give me a little nudge to make sure I actually do get to them.