Teddy Bear made from a fat quarter of material

I made this pattern specifically to give as presents for baby showers or new born. Because it was for littlies I could not put on buttons etc so instead of doing easy jointed legs and arms I had to sew them. It was not the easiest to put the head onto the body as arms and legs get in the road. But in the end it worked out. I still can't decide whether to go to the trouble of drafting a proper pattern up to sell or not.
Anyway this wee teddy went to Steff at her baby shower on Sunday.

Upcycling an old step stool

The before picture

Ta Dah, the finished look

Well I feel that I am getting better at my upholstery. This stool has been the best finish yet. I was particularly proud of the fact that I managed to get a binding around the edge of the stool seat. I also don't like the way that upholsterer's just staple underneath. Even though the round head tacks look glitzy I think they are better than a furniture staple.

after, underneath

School holidays hut making

Jakob and Eli spent the sunny afternoon outside. Primarily making a hut. Take all the stools and chairs out of the house, all the quilts off the bed and you have a hut. Then start picking herbs and making drinks. I do have to say that the mint, lemon, honey, sugar and water drink worked quite well and was tasty enough to drink.

Backing Black

Eli getting wiped out

First day of the school holidays saw us go into Christchurch to the Telecom sponsored "Backing Black" activities. We got there at 12 noon and the boys got all blacks balloons and rub on tattoos. They played hard. The blow up obstacle courses and wipe out balls were great fun. It slowly got windier and windier and at 2pm they closed it down as the blow up things were lifting off the ground. But we had already had a great time.

This was Jakobs favourite

The boys after their first race

Jakob could not get his rugby ball through the gap - but he did get himself through that one!!

Another finished upcycled quilt

Eli modeling the quilt.

Yes I do seem to have a never ending supply of old PJ's. It is so cheap to pick up odd tops etc at 50 cents each that it makes a quilt very cheap. This was experimenting with using a batting which was free from a furniture removalist. But it is very stiff. This quilt is made for our new car. (check out the blog in May). Completed using the "quilt as you go" technique.

Perfect Fresia's

This year my fresia's have finally flowered. The last to do so was this gorgeous white one.

Kapahaka festival

Jakob on the far right and Liam third boy from the right.

Yes. That time of the year again. Kapahaka. My camera just does not take pictures well in dark auditoriums.But here are a few of the very hard working kids. Talei and Madysen can be seen (sorry Dawn, they are blurry). Eli's only photos that came out OK were the practice before hand in the classroom. Jakob and his best friend Liam are easily spotted in the older kids performance. Well done to all.

All the new entrant, yr 1 and 2 kids practising being "scary" for their haka.

This big group was only the Wheki Syndicate kids!!

Talei on the far right and Madysen is the third girl on the left

80 candles make the fire alarm go off

All the amazing candles - 80!!!

Setting off the smoke alarm

The campervan crew

Only Duncan missing - he was in England

My father had his 80th birthday in September. As many of us as could hopped on planes, got in cars or campervans and went up. The official party was in the morning, then a casual family day was had. In the evening Dad was presented with his 2nd birthday cake of the day. But so many candles that we set the smoke alarm off even before they started being blown out.

Montana-Rose was 6

Eli and Jorja playing - I really liked this photo of them

Mark supervising the shaky logs (and making it harder!)

Of course a cake. A pair of ballet slippers. Well done Anna

Up cycle a T-shirt into a party dress

This up-cycling project was slightly more extravagant than usual. I got the T-shirt free from an St Vincent de Paul op shop as it had a stain down the front. Thankfully a little sunlight soap, a wash and line dry later, it was all clean. I purchased quite a lot of good quality washable tulle and could not resist the pink sequin as I could see that it would go so well with the shirt. The underskirt was an off cut or lining that was on the sale / get rid of table at Fabric Vision. The sequin band around the hips was from the Salvation Army Op shop in Northlands for $1.

The result was a niece so happy with her 6th birthday present that she went and got out of her party dress and put my creation on. Thankfully it was hard wearing - I had not anticipated it being dragged in the dust on the first wearing!!!

Huge Snails

As previously blogged about - we give the boys extra money for snails and slugs found in the garden. A very organic form of pest destruction. Today it rained and on their way in from school they found this enormous snail by the gate.