Teddy Bears Picnic

This term at school Jacks class has been focusing on teddy bears and the end of term reward was a teddy bears picnic. That was today and he got to bring home the teddy bear they made in class.

His teacher even bought a special pair of glasses to put on his bear. The face is made up of a photo of Jack printed into the calico. Isnt that clever!

The Not So Nice things In Life...

This past ten days have been ones filled with illness here in our house. My poor darling 2 year old Lainey has been ill with the Salmonella and Klebsiella bugs. We think she picked it up from a particular fast food store - some treat that turned out to be.

She came down sick three days after eating there with terrible diarrhea and on the Wednesday I took her to the doctor. he thought it was a viral bowel infection but if she changed to see him again. Thursday night I took her to the hospital in town as she was passing blood from her bowels. He took samples and told us he still felt it was a VBI but to again come and see him in the morning. We did as she was no better and he recommended we take her to Princess Margaret Hospital on Sunday if no change. There wasnt so we did and they took another set of samples and sent us on our way. I was so frustrated by now....and poor Lainey was just over it.

Monday came and two phone calls came...one from PMH telling me she has salmonella and one from my GP telling me her urine sampled showed the klebsiella.

I was gutted for my poor baby - but I also knew in my heart that something had not been right and my instincts proved correct.

She is now on antibiotics and today has some colour in her face. We will have to retest some samples from her next week to make sure all is ok but the doc is expecting it to clear up with this course.

Yesterday and this morning I bleached my house...the bathroom, toilet, kitchen, fridge and floor...even though I know it wasn't from inside my home I just felt dirty. And I wanted to make up in some way for Lainey being sick.

This could have been a lot worse - life threatening even and I cant shift that from my head. I just simply take solace in the fact she is getting better and she could have been sicker.

Here is some reading for you as I knew very little about both of these bugs:

Salmonella

Klebsiella

Hobgoblin House Goodies

I was lucky enough to snare these absolutely adorable goodies from the wonderfully gorgeous and talented Sandy at Hobgoblin House. Sandy custom made the bracelet for me and I bought the Hanging Mamas before it got into her CongoCart...how cheeky!

If you love felted goodies then do yourself a favour and get into Hobgoblin House here...

Jelly Crunch Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for morning tea at Mikes work. I got the recipe from a book my MIL got at an oppy shop one day when we were out together (she loves oppy shopping as much as me!)

The end result was ok - not perfect....the jelly didnt set properly around the edges and I wonder if it had something to do with the fact the recipe gets you to line the tin with glad wrap first....anyway ot came out ok and I am sure it tastes very nice.

Jelly Crunch Cheesecake

1 pack plain choc biscuits crumbed
90g butter melted
VANILLA FILLING
250g pack of cream cheese softened
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
85g packet of Instant Vanilla Pudding.
3/4 cup milk
TOPPING
2 x punnets strawberries (I only used one and it was enough)
1 x packet of strawberry jelly crystals
1 1/4 cup boiling water

Lightly oil 23cm springform tin and line base and sides with plastic wrap.
Combine the biscuit crumbs and melted butter, mix well and press onto the base of the tin. Refrigerate whilst preparing the filling.

Beat the cheese, sugar, rind and juice in a small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the pudding mix and gradually add milk until all mixed.

Spread the filling evenly over the base and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Cut strawbs in half. Combine the jelly and water in a medium bowl and stir till dissolved. Cool and refrigerate until the jelly is the consistency of unbeaten egg whites.

Arrange the strawbs over the filling and pour the jelly mix over them. Refrigerate for several hours.

I will have to wait till Mike gets home to see how it tastes! But it looked alright!

Stormy Days

Pic courtesy of an email doing the rounds - this was taken in the Perth metro area last night

Yesterday Perth had a massive thunderstorm roll through. Some places in the metropolitan area were hit with massive amounts of hail and rain. My inlaws have lost both their cars to hail damage - both of them a right off. The school my mother inlaw works at has been closed today wand will be again tomorrow.

Out here in the country we got plenty of rain which is great for local water supplies. It rained and thunderstormed all through the night and into the morning - finally clearing up at about 10am.

Another front is expected tonight - so I wonder what will come of it.

Perth has been declared a natural disaster area.

Another Favourite Things Wallet

After showing the gals at Crafty Mamas the wallet I made at retreat one of the mamas Glenda asked if I someone could make her one and I happily volunteered!

Heres the finished product:










It is on its way to Glenda tomorrow.

A Change ....

I decided to dye my hair again today. I have been trying to get a really decent red and after trying the henna I decided to go back to off the shelve dye. I forgot how much it can sting!

Anywho...here is the before:




And here is the after:





I wanted a really red colour and although the pics probably dont show the colour the best I am very happy with this colour....again i could have maybe gone a bit redder but I am happy!

My Tee-Ball Champ

Tonight was Jacks teeball windup - an event where he was presented with his team photo and his first medal. I am so proud of him and he had a great season. The 4 YOs was a skills session but next year he can play a real game!

I of course cried - who wouldnt - I am so proud of him and he is just growing up so fast....

Yah Jackie!

Busy Busy Busy

I was hit with some inspiration and sewjo last night and have made the following three offerings for my congocart.


86-92cm - recycled denim and Hilco woven.


98-104cm - recycled cord and Hilco woven


110-116cm - recycled denim and Hilco woven

All made using the smashing Lilly pattern from cinderella *zwergen* mode. Thanks Claudia!

I am making them without the elastic in the waist and when someone buys them they tell me the measurement and I make it ti order ...

Check them out here....

Gastronomical Delight

Some of the other wonderful goodies I came away from Gemmas house with were these little beauties...

Passionfruit Syrup and Lemon Myrtle shortbread (just add butter).

Gemma had made some of the shortbread for us to eat whilst we were at her house and oh my..they are divine. I had some of the syrup on icecream (a treat!!) when I got home and wow - so sweet with a hint of tartness....so delicious.

Another reminder of an awesome weekend!

Japanese Mesh Work

This weekend past - on retreat - Gemma showed us how to do Japanese mesh work. And I fell in love! I think its gorgeous and I am determined to continue doing it and learning about it.

First thing first was to create the board one pins their work onto - the ingredients for which are polystyrene piece, cotton waste or alternative and insul-bright. The last two are so the polystyrene doesn't melt in the ironing step at the end of the work.

So I went across to Northam today and I went to the fruit and veg shop and bought a polystyrene box with a lid...I went to the op shop and I bought an old wool electric blanket (from which I removed the wires) for $2 and a pillow case for $1 and I had some insul-bright at home from when I made an ironing board ages ago.

I covered the polystyrene box lid with 2 layers of the blanket and a layer of the insul-bright and put them into the pillow case. Before I sewed it up I tested it to make sure there was enough layering to prevent the poly melting...and it was! So I hand sewed the pillow case up and there...a japanese mesh work board all ready to go.

Its not as wide as the one I used at Gemmas but thats ok - turned sideways its fits the A3 grid paper and Im happy to do pieces that fit onto that... will get a bigger piece of poly to make a longer and wider board in the future.

Now to make strips!

Congo Congo Congo!

Today marks the opening of my new online store!

Koo-Toor Creations has a store in the Crafty Mamas Congo Cart.

You can find it here.....

Im so super excited and there is so many nice things to buy...

Come and have a look!

Crafty Mamas WA Retreat 2010

This weekend was the weekend of the Crafty Mamas WA retreat. I have just gotten home and boy was it a hoot.

Myself and my friend Onah and Crafty Mama Lela all traveled down to fellow Crafty Mama Gemma's house in Bridgetown.

There we were entertained by Gemma and her lovely husband Brad and spent the whole weekend sewing and chatting and enjoying good food and each others company.

We managed to finish a couple of projects including a workshop on Japanese Meshwork thanks to Gemma. Thats an awesome technique and I cant wait to do more of it in the near future. I made a glasses case for Mikes mums birthday from some of my finished meshwork.

I also managed to make a Favourite Things "A Safe Place" Wallet. I am very happy with the result (and very appreciative of the unpicking Onah did for me when I stuffed up some binding!).

All in all it was a wonderful weekend and we are hopefully planning on doing it here in my town sometime soon.

Thanks Gem for a wonderful weekend :)


Gemmas pizza over - got a work out the first night!



The view from Gemmas patio - oh yes that was hard work!


Mesh work in prgress


Working hard...


Completed piece of mesh work.


Glasses case made with mesh work.





Favourite Things A Safe Place wallet


Gemmas mesh work bottle carrier pattern



Casserole carrier gemma made for me with a pattern I gave her (what a wonderful suprise!)


Meshwork patterns and information

A Knitter I Am Not....

but I give it a bash!

Recently I read a post over at Posies blog about some items she was making for the HeadsUp @ Calvary Hospital in Bruce in the ACT.

I love helping out - its so rewarding and putting good karma out there is an excellent tonic for this world.

So I decided to knit a scarf....so far I have knitted just the one. Its made some some deliciously soft Bendigo Wool Mills yarn which I thought would feel nice...its only in a knit two purl two rib but its warm and made with a bundle of love.

Im going to send it Posies way. I hope someone wears it and feels warm and safe and healthy and feels the love with which it was knitted.

If you can help - drop Posie a line - shes tops and would love to hear from you.

Beautiful Blanket Giveaway

Pic courtesy of The Magic Onions

Ohhhh - check out this amazing giveaway. Gretchen from TLC Blankets and Things is offering you a chance to win your choice of one of her adorable blankets.

All you have to do is head over here..and check it out - so lovely - I just know Lainey would love this for winter!

Check it out!

Undie Run!

Ok - you may remember when I posted here about helping out a great cause...

Well - I know I was going to make something but time is slipping away and because I want to help - I decided to buy some undies to send over. Its the thought that counts right!

So these packets of knick nocks are on their way to help out....can you help out? if you can send off your goodies so they arrive by the 20th March 2010...

Send them to:

"Undie Run"
Vietnam Orphans Treasure Chest
Dennis and Inge Edwards
7 Park Street
Lancefield
Victoria Australia 3435

CUT OFF DATE Saturday 20th March

Here is the story of where it is going - and thanks to Leonie Guld for posting about it on her blog The Raglan Guld...

THE EDWARDS FAMILY - VIETNAM ORPHANS TREASURE CHEST

The Edwards family comprising of myself Dennis, and my children Nathan, Liona, Sally, Milly and my daughter in-law Linda are off to Vietnam in April 2010 in an effort to try to help the Orphans to make their world just a little better. I served my tour of Vietnam in 1969/70 as a member of the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (R.A.E.M.E) as a regular Army soldier serving in Nui Dat. (My dad's birthday is on the 18th of Feb, both the 17th and 19th of Feb born were conscripted to go...this could have been my dad)

I was the specialist Welder (Dad was a welder) employed to repair and maintain the Army's equipment. During my tour at the ripe old age of 20 (all I can think of is that song.....Redgum....I was only 19) I found myself at the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat where 5000 men were tasked with patrolling and taking ownership for the entire Phuoc Tuy Province.

Often unable to sleep, due to constant battle activities of the Australian task force base, combined with the intense heat and the discomfort of sleeping in tents with sand bag walls, I would seek approval to work at night. I was directed to talk with the Australian Task Force Welfare Officer, who was always around the base sourcing things to be repaired or made for his work in civilian aid to the war effort.

Discussions were fruitful and permission was granted that we could design and manufacture playground equipment for the local orphanages. We made swings, slippery dips, seesaws and giant slides for these kids. I think we manufactured about 12 sets. It generated so much interest that the entire General Engineering Workshop team got right behind the project and we then visited all of the orphanages in the Phuoc Tuy Province and gave them a parcel of red, yellow and blue painted playground sets. Obviously we were in an agressive war zone so we had to request armed infantry escorts to successfully achieve this goal. (I just think this is the most magical thing someone can do for someone else in a war zone........BUT...its war....keep reading....you'll get a shock in a minute and you will find the next bit difficult......it will stay with you for a while.)

Unfortunately we found that many of these orphanages were later destroyed by the Viet Cong and we now know that the Nuns and Teachers were killed and raped because of their association with the Australian Army, as we were considered their enemy. (I'm sorry....I have no words here.....just tears) This fact has haunted me for years, so it is with great pride and pleasure that today I am able to return to this country and give some of my personal time to the Orphans of today. The motivation factor that set me on this pilgrimage is when I first return to Vietnam in 2007, I found the current generation of Orphans still swinging on many of my swings and riding my slippery dips that I made for these orphanages 38 years ago! (I can beleive this.....my kids swing on a swing that dad made my sisters and I 36 years ago!!!...it even has its own squeak!)

So I am now appealing to you, my community, to HELP me to put together seven (7) packages of wares to ship over to Vietnam to be ready for my family and I to arrive mid April. We will spend two weeks visiting and working in outlying orphanages in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Dah Lat, Nah Trang, Baria and Vung Tau.

The background of the Orphanages that I have chosen :

These Orphanages are off the beaten track, and generally not that well supported by the Communist Government. The general facilities are very promitive and the carers are usually Nuns and volunteers with little or no experience of dealing with Children, especially babies. The average child ratio at the Orphanages we will visit this time is approximately 25 - 50 babies under the age of 1 year and approximately 50 - 70 children ranging in ages from 2 - 17 years old.

Items we require :

* Feeding Bottles
* Bottle sterilization Kits
* Bottle teats
* Sterilization fluid
* Milk formula
* Savlon cream
* Calamine lotion
* Mercurochrome
* Baby food in jars with long use by dates
* Two minute noodles
* Disposable nappies
* Baby Singlets
* Clothing - summer new or second hand clean cotton or denim
* Hair brushes/combs/hair clips/hair ties
* Toothbrushes/toothpaste
* Bassinette & cot linen - cotton
* Bassinettes
* Bouncinettes
* Portable cots
* Hanging mobiles
* School supplies : rulers, pencils, erasers, coloured pencils
* Story Books - clean second hand
* Exercise books for school work
* Aussie Toys - Koalas, Kangaroos, etc
* Swing & Playground equipment (small)
* Bikes/scooters - in working order
* Hand wash / disinfectant
* Rubber gloves - Small/Medium/Large

Please note the shipping container needs to be packed full by late March in order for it to arrive in Vietnam by April, so cut off date has been set for 20 March 2010.

Leighs Card Shop

I once met a very talented woman called Lynne - she is a colleague of Mikes and is now the principal at a school in the country.

She is a wonderful scrapbooker and has recently turned her hand to cards. And they are divine. I have now bought one for almost everyones birthday and special occasion in my family.

You can get some greatness too from here....

In the mean time this is what I have bought so far... I have two more coming soon !

A Moment of Sadness

I was looking through the top of the pantry for some blu tak this afternoon and look what I came across...


Lainey's stash of bibs - none of which she wears anymore...there are the christmas ones and the Easter ones...the hand me downs from Jack and the freebies from various places. I felt a twinge of sadness taking them out of the pantry. I will wash them and send them to the oppy.

I hope another beautiful little girl gets to use them.

The Trilogy of Greatness

These lovely ladies arrived today...
They come from Jettas Nest of course....check it out!

Now the trilogy of greatness is completed...although there is much more to collect!