Belle and Boo

Belle and Boo are new to me and I’ve fallen head over heels in love with everything on offer!

Check out this beautiful video posted on Mandy’s blog the other day…

I can’t wait to get this book – I know a few little girls who will be getting this for Christmas!

Magazines

I have to admit I do love to snuggle up and read a good magazine – for me it is like food for the soul and the imagination!

Sadly, one of my favourite print magazines has just printed its last issue – Notebook. So I will be on the search to find a suitable replacement.

Another magazine I love is Homespun – usually a great selection of projects and articles.

And online I read quite a few magazines as well:

• By Fryd
• LMNOP
• Maeve
• Cupcake Magazine
• Small Magazine
• Petite Purls
• La petite magazine
• Lonny
• Parasol Magazine

Are there are any other e-magazines you read and would recommend?

 

Eat Pray Love

Went to the movies the other day to see Eat Pray Love and I have to say I loved it. The scenery was beautiful plus a lot of interesting ideas to take away…

Some of the issues covered in the movie are close to home for us at the moment – lots of soul searching about direction or what to do with one’s life, not on my part, but that of my husband… but not my story to tell here. Needless to say I think he (hopefully) learnt a few things whilst watching the movie.

Enjoy.xx

Returning

After much deliberation and also attending a great course on blogging, I’ve decided to make my return.

I’ve got a few things on the boil right now and will start regularish posting soon. I’m planning on posting probably 2 or 3 times a week.

See you again soon.

The end… for now.

After lots of deliberation, I have decided to stop writing on my blog for the moment. Sadly, I’m just finding I don’t have enough time to write anything. I feel stretched and torn in both good and not so nice ways. My life feels like it is on the brink of change. And until these changes happen, I just don’t feel that I can warrant the time to write here, when I have so many other things that are more important.

My little munchkin is way beyond her age. She is 16 months but acts closer to a 2 year old. We are having temper tantrums at least several on a daily basis. I’m struggling to get her into the car seat, pram, highchair. She screams and screams. Not much fun for either of us. We went to Bellingen on Friday and she managed to get herself out of the car seat while we were on the goat’s track that is the Pacific Highway. Hubby is quite pedantic about how she is strapped in and generally makes it quite tight – so how she managed to get out is anyone’s guess. Daytime sleeps have improved overall but still have rotten days where she sleeps for short periods and then is grumpy for the rest of the afternoon. And night sleeps have seen some improvements as well. Recently, we had one all through the night sleep – 6.30pm to 6.30am in her cot, not a peep to be heard!!! Woohoo!!! Sadly it hasn’t happened again – so I’m still having very broken sleep – generally not getting any more than about 3 hours straight. The little one may be sleeping more, but I’m having problems sleeping now – probably so long of disrupted sleep has ruined the good sleep patterns I had. So some nights it takes me a long time to get back to sleep myself although she may not wake for 4 or 5 hours in a row. At 16 months I would have thought sleeping through the night most nights would be the norm.

Also, I’m doing a psychology unit at Monash Uni through Open Univerisity. I’m really enjoying the academic stimulation, but have to work out if psychology is something I would like to do professionally. I’m definitely very interested in it – but not sure about it as a profession for me. Maybe I should revisit the novel I started writing. I already have close to 30,000 words and from the feedback I’ve had previously, an engrossing, page turning story. So maybe I should focus on that instead???

We’ve had a lot of inconvenient annoying things happen at our place – while we were away the hot water system tripped the mains electricity. We lost the contents of fridge and freezer. All those condiments etc add up to a fair bit. We’ve had water leaking into the walk in robe of the main bedroom. Still not fixed. So discovered mould on a lot of our clothes. The dishwasher has also stopped working and will be another week before it is fixed. So as you can see, lots of annoying little things. But all things which need following up with the landlords/ real estate agent.
I know lots of people have lots going on, but I’m feeling a bit vulnerable and sensitive at the moment. Things are taking on bigger than Ben Hur proportions, yet really some aren’t major or significant, others are. Such is life I guess. So it’s time to take a break – which I guess I had been kind of doing anyway. It’s not good bye, just sayonara for now.

I’ll leave the blog up at the moment, but may decide to make it private at some point in the future. So dear readers, I leave you for a while…

Good wishes to you all.
Kerri-Ann

A brief update

It feels like ages since I last wrote. Life is just too busy and too many things get in the way.

So here’s a brief overview of things in the last month or so. I participated in another swap hosted by Darci at Stitches and Scissors. I sent off my package and am hoping that my partner has received her package and likes it. I received two gorgeous spring themed fabrics. I have them out to take a photo but just haven’t gotten around to it.

I decided to enrol in doing a unit at university. I’m now studying psychology! It’s a bit of a taste test – to see if I’m really interested in it as I’ve been toying with the idea of psychology for years – so I thought I might as well try it out and see whether I do really enjoy it and have an aptitude for it.

We (my family) had a short break at Coffs Harbour. Mum and my sister and her husband drove down to Coffs and we drove up from Port Macquarie. We stayed at a quirky house in Sawtell for 2 nights. I think we all had a lovely time. There was a private path from the house to the beach, walking distance to the cafes and shops at Sawtell. We had lovely weather and it was lovely being together again. The highlight would have had to have been the trip to the Pet Porpoise Pool. Daina and hubby were kissed by a seal. Daina and I were kissed by a dolphin. The show was fabulous – I highly recommend it if you are in Coffs Harbour.

And now, we are going to Japan in a few weeks time for another little trip. It will be our first overseas holiday as a family. WE got bargain basement flights and accommodation. Flights were through Jetstar and accommodation is in Shinjuku at a new hotel which I think has only been open for about a week. So will report back on these things when we return.

Not sure what we are going to do yet but thinking we will take the little munchkin to Tokyo Disneyland and maybe even Cirque du Soleil. We’ll be going to Shinjuku gyoen again as well. And it also happens to be cherry blossom time again. Who knows the little bundle we came home with last time may be repeated!?!? (last time we went to Japan I came back pregnant!!!!) Anyway…

I should really be studying while Daina is sleeping. Her night sleeps are still really poor but we’re hoping with the new anti itch cream we have that might improve! Here’s to wishful optimistic thinking.

Till next time…

We the People Mini Swap

• 

Opening the box from Ann

Package from Ann - partly unpacked

Package from Ann - unpacked

Look at all these goodies from my fabulous swap partner Ann.

I’m so unused to such kindness and generosity – and especially from someone who doesn’t know.  I seriously had tears running down my cheeks whilst opening this gorgeous package. I’m too scared to open it any further!   She’s included chocolate, a pincushion, some cardboard letters, there’s a charm pack in there, some buttons (and by that I mean a lot!!) and a heap of other fabrics. I just can’t believe my good fortune.

Thank you so much Ann!

How you can help the bushfire victims

There are a lot of ways you can help people who have suffered in the bushfires.

The Red Cross is accepting cash donations – go to the Red Cross website

Check out Handmade Help for details of various auctions happening with funds going to support and help victims.

Also, OzBushfire Appeal on Etsy are selling items and all proceeds are being donated to the Red Cross.

Also check out Meet me at Mikes for more information about how other crafters and others in blogland are helping.

So please help in whatever way you can. This is a tragedy on a scale which many of us just can’t comprehend.  Last night as I was tucking my daughter in bed, I had tears rolling down my cheeks thinking how lucky I am to have both my husband and daughter with me and for us to be safe under our own roof. (we are in NSW – so nowhere near the danger zone).

So sad

There are no words to express how I feel at the moment – watching the TV news and seeing disturbing images from the bushfires which are ravaging Victoria and New South Wales. The devastation in Victoria has been total and probably totally unpredicted. The sadness and empathy I feel is overwhelming – and I personally haven’t been affected. My thoughts and prayers go to all who have been affected by this tragedy. I’m also angry – because it seems a lot of the fires were deliberately lit. I hope the powers that be, catch these arsonists and bring the weight of the law down on them. The complete disregard by the arsonists for others – their lives, their livelihoods and their possessions is incomprehensible.

Check out the Country Fire Authority website-  for more news.

I know there are a few crafty types out there who are in the process of organising donations – for example, check out Green Sparkly Knickers Etsy store -  she is donating proceeds from sales to the Red Cross.

To make donations – please visit the Red Cross Victorian Bushfires Appeal 2009.

Thank goodness for the amazing volunteers at CFA and Red Cross, I’m sure they are doing a wonderful job under what are probably very difficult conditions.  My thanks and gratitude go out to all of you and your families. Thank you.

Another swap!

I’m hooked on swaps at the moment!

I found another one today at Stitches and Scissors . It’s basically a swap of 2 fat quarters that inspire thoughts of spring. For more information head over to Darci’s blog and sign up!

Wishing it was Spring Fat Quarter Swap