Oi! No eating in the patch!

Tis strawberry season... the girls and I took my mum (who is visiting) for a little drive up the coast to some lovely ripe strawberry fields... we skipped a little though the rows and picked big fat, ripe berries and plonked them into our tubs. Loads and loads of them, there was some overflow - they were sweet and warm from the sun... they made our tastebuds tingle

It really was a delightful way to spend an hour - cause it just doesn't take that long to pick a couple of kilos of strawberries.. and I am only feeling a little guilty that we all ate one (or two) in the patch because a quarter of us can't read signs anyway.

and another quarter of us (me) paid $16 a kilo for the rest! Eeek! Ah well there are worse things to spend money on.

Happy holidays.

A tent for play and shade

This morning I finished sewing together some pretty old curtains into a play tent for my wee girl who turns two next week. Brisbane has turned on another spectacular winter's day so Mia and I popped outside to take a few pictures; he thought it was lovely breezy fabric, played with it for a while and then held it down for me.

 I quite like the view from the inside best.

I based my sewing loosley on a lovely tutorial by 2 Little Hooligans. Loosley because I used three single curtains and some scrap fabric rather than 3 double sheets, my hoop was smaller and I made a rod pocket for the hoop to slide into rather than ties on the inside. All the pretty bows on the outside are the curtain ties - it was all a bit too easy really.

While I was sewing the girls rearranged my pins... and I was tut tutted quite a few times for poking the wrong pin in the wrong cushion!

And the free icicle gnome pattern goes to...

MammaWestWind of Chocolate Eyes... I've emailed it to you already, such is the cleverness of the intertubes.

For everyone else I still have two kits left; everything you need ...(well except a bit of stuffing and thread) to make your very own icicle gnome for just $20 and only $2 postage within Australia. I am also in possession of a never ending supply of PDF patterns for this little fellow for just $5...all money gratefully accepted as a craft group fundraiser for our little Steiner school. Please leave me a message here if you would like to buy a pattern.

I had plans to tell you what we have been doing all week but I am feeling sleepy, so maybe tomorrow.

Winter icicle gnome wrap up and giveaway

 

Look out! Look out!

Jack frost is about!

He's after our fingers and toes;

And all through the night'

the gay little sprite

Is working where nobody knows.

He'll climb each tree,

So nible is he,

His silvery powder he'll shake;

To windows he'll creep

And while we're asleep,

Such wonderful pictures he'll make.

Across the grass

He'll merrily pass,

 And change all its greeness to white;

Then home he will go

And laugh "Ho, ho, ho,

What fun I have in the night."

C.E. Pike

I am so pleased to be finished these two; I think they look great!

Because lots of you asked about kits and tutorials last week, I have checked with my other half at craft group and we are going to make a PDF pattern of this winter gnome to sell (thus raising some money for our school). The pattern will be $5 and includes basic instructions ~ NB it assumes that you know how to make a head, but does include 'how to' directions for his cute little nose.

We also have enough hand dyed felt left for about four kits - kits include pattern/instructions and everything else you need except stuffing wool and embroidery threads; they will be $20 plus postage.

If you are interested in either a pattern or a kit - leave a comment with a way for me to contact you. (All the kits are sold, sorry. I will shout out if we dye any more felt. We still have a neverending supply of PDF patterns tho!)

Giveaway bit ~ because it is alway nice to have a chance at a prize; we will giveaway a PDF pattern to a lucky someone who leaves a nice comment and a way to be contacted. I'll do the random thing next Wednesday evening, June 29.  The free pattern was won by MamaWestWind who blogs at Chocolate Eyes

 

Early winter festival for the wee ones

On Saturday evening just gone our playgroup joined with two other groups of little ones and their families for a little ones winter festival.
We gathered at 4:45pm for pumpkin soup (made with some of the plentiful pumpkins from the garden) and fresh made bread ...My wee one  and I had much fun kneading and then watching the dough rise before punching it down again.

The dark of the evening came quickly as we packed away our cups and bowls, then we lit our lanterns and sang as we walked ~

Through the darkness we shall go

with our candles all aglow

Hearts grow warm, 

our way grows bright

as we hourney through the night.

Out of the spiral and up to the raging bonfire and then home not long past 6pm to put the wee ones to bed.

Thursday this week is the winter festival at the big girl's school ~ such fun ~ fire eurythmy and lantern everywhere.

Happy winter solstice for tomorrow ~  summer solstice for my northern friends.