Lulu Carter

It Has Begun...

My shop is open!Yippee.Ok so it is not heavily stocked-well I like to start out lightly - but it is done.Somewhat of a relief and yet strangely terrifying.Will they sell?Will people love them and give them a good home?Will I ever stop feeling so attached to a bunch of stuffed creatures in lovely fabrics that have been making my sideboard look so happy?Who knows.But at least I have started.Actually there would have been more but my sister has been visiting and decided to buy some.They safely arrived in freezing,wet London not long ago.

These are the babies that left home.I miss them.
I think I have separation issues.This quilt is taking me ages to complete and if I'm being really honest I suspect it is because it is soooo pretty and I like having it here.Still.Its not much good having an empty shop is it.
By the way,does anyone have their children in bunkbeds?? I am being a dreadful aquarian and cannot make a decision for fear of making the wrong one.Aaagh.Need space.Broken limbs.Bed making awkwardness.Storytime awkwardness.Bumped heads.More space.It goes on.To be honest it is nicer having the boys in their own beds at sit down cuddle level.Bunkbeds would simply give us the gift of floor space.Thats their job though isn't it.This inability to make a decision about this has been going on for about a year now.Maybe thats it.No bunks.

Welcome to the gingerbreadhouse

It has been a freaky friday.Must be Pluto according to Mum.Either way I am exhausted with the politics of a small school and the tantrums of tired little boys at the gate and the lack of interesting mail and sick and cranky husbands and cheese on toast for dinner because I am tired as well and stabbing myself with the sewing needle one too many times.So in a completely different vein I will show a little of our little home.

      

    

   

       

     

Storage Anyone.......Anyone?

We live in what my eldest son calls 'our little gingerbread house'.We love the location,we really like the family feel of our tiny space and we love lots of the 'corners' in our home.It is just too small.I constantly find myself getting cross with furniture that sticks out enough to slam into it as you dodge the outstretched legs of someone sitting in the chair,the horrible lack of storage space and therefore the regular exasperated plonking of piles that never get put away because there is actually nowhere to put them.The lego.My goodness the lego!One little boy that became two little boys who both have a driven lego addiction.Much the way I can't walk past a kitchen shop/house shop/bookshop/newsagency,my boys can't stop talking about it/building it/asking what santa can bring next time.It goes on.Its ugly.I tell myself that, paticularly with the big one,constructing things is his gift.He can look at something-a camera,vehicle,building-and walk away to his lego and replicate it.He first did this at three.He never looked back.I go with it.But when you tread on it, because there is not really somewhere that it can live happily and still be in construction mode when they race off to the bath,IT REALLY HURTS!Like little nails attacking the soles of your feet.Any vacuuming requires a thorough 'down on all fours checking under furniture' diligence before plugging in the lego sucking monster.That clink clink sound when you know you have sucked a piece up and your need to prevent the heartbreak and irritation that will flow the  next time something is built (and the last piece is missing-the piece you fed to the meile),makes you fossick through the dust and grub that is the guts of the meile bag.
We simply need a bigger house.A house with a lego room.Or a lego zone.I don't mind.As long as the boys can dissappear and not have to dismantle colourful landscapes. When they totter out in the mornings they can resume play.When we want to sit on the couch ,we can actually get to it .Safely and in bare feet.
The boys would like their own rooms.It would be nice to have a dining room.Husband would love off street parking and somewhere he can hide from the delightful chaos that is his family.I would give anything for a little space with a door and a sewing table/drawing table and a little firefly sofa from sofaworkshop to curl up on with my knitting or the latest martha.A garden,a study ,another bathroom,a formal lounge with a mantle for christmas time.It could get silly.The list will get lustful for rooms and space.The trouble is that after eight years in a house built for one or two people,we are still here.Its cute.Its pretty.We like the neighbours.We just need somewhere to put the lego...............

Goody Goody Yum Yum.....

Ok.So I am showing my age.Those of you that remember and, more importantly used to watch it,wasn't it an excellent show!Love those seventies.Anyway,that line perfectly sums up our easter sunday.There were goodies from london living/sydney visiting sister from 'the cath' and there were goodies from the fluffy bunny...

have you seen miss mousie..........

Happy Easter.....

We have had a wet 'good friday'.Our stinking hot days recently were replaced overnight by soggy skies so we have been playing at home.Very peaceful.We did contemplate racing off this morning to take the boys to see 'Horton hears a who" , but decided that we would not be the only ones with that brilliant idea so home we stayed.The boys decided that they would set the table for breakfast so, after a little help, we sat down to delicious hot cross buns from our italian bakery.After that, they drew and cut and stuck for what seamed like hours.Then they wanted to rug up and play in the spittle outside so I did this...

A cushion for my sister who arrives from London tomorrow.She has just bought a house and is busy buying goodies to make it feel cosy.

A cot quilt.Not finished but happily on its way : )

Then we made some yummies.....

 

I hope you all have a happy and safe weekend.

My Favourite ...

Pink is my 'favourite and my best' to steal the words of miss Lola Summer.I love it.All hues.It works with pretty much anything and it never fails to make things seam healthier,prettier,happier.Even my boys love it.They are not too shy to wear it or decorate with it or choose it in a store.What well rounded males I am raising!Of course the best colour combination in the world is apple green and raspberry pink.I get all excited just thinking about that .My bridal posy was perfect.It started out well with the floral designer-we sat on old apple green bar stools at her zinc topped cutting table and sipped ribena from pink cups.Super girly!!!!It was heaven.I knew we were in tune when I spied the stacks of Martha.For our wedding she constructed the most beautiful posy of tiny apple green berries with peony roses,tea roses and lizzies.All in shades of perfect pink.I love it also with turquoise and chocolate brown and white and red and orange.I can't really think of a colour it is revolting with..........Oh yep.Got it.Ochre.Those two just do not get on.Anyway,today I am feeling the love so feel happy when you look at these..............

We Did A Little....

I'm not sure how it happens-normal family craziness I expect-but the time just goes!Where does it hide?Half the things I had really wanted to do with the children this weekend haven't been done.It happens all the time.Between the park,the bike rides,the trampoline jumping,the lego,the meals and the quiet time,the projects get left behind.Rather the time that should have gone to the projects gets used up.I know this is normal and the boys are happy with the above mixture but crafting with your kids makes you feel like a better parent.Well it makes me feel like a better parent.I think it makes me relax with the boys and I love the creativity that oozes from their little minds.Next weekend is of course Easter.I have already dragged out all the 'martha kids' issues I possess(missing a couple-should check ebay).I go through what I want to make for my boys and with my boys.I wonder what I could make for the class as well as the easter cupcakes that I want to take in.That would be outside of visiting my friend with the extrememely refluxy antisleep newborn baby girl that I have not made anything for yet.It would be outside of the entire day I will spend at school on cooking with the mamas in the kitchen preparing the childrens easter mensa.I will be reading with the year ones.I am trying valiantly to complete my first set of items.I spend a fair amount of my 'quiet' moments reading my favourite blogs and easily lose an hour.I'm sure I am not alone there!Things get bumped to afterschool.Between famished 'been learning hard all day' snack time and that hour,when they are tired and you are cooking and everyone is losing it,cnot much craft is going to happen.And I meant to bake banana cake.Never got done.There is really no point continueing is there?Just go with it.We will get done what we can and what we can't?Well thats OK.We did manage some egg painting......

Sushi a go go.....

I am having lots of fun.I never really enjoyed making clothes but I did love patternmaking.When the boys were little I would make cute little vests and pairs of trousers or shorts for them.I love making all sorts of cushions and I did knit their baby blankets,but this is the best.I work out the pattern.I choose gorgeous fabrics.I stitch them and stuff them and embelish them and then voila!I have these lovely creatures hanging around the house.The boys think it is wonderful.I wonder what they will think when I am posting them off to somebody elses home.None too thrilled I imagine.There are bundles of fabric and shreds of wadding and occasionally I drop a pin on the couch after an evening of ear/eye attaching,( its ok, it was my thigh not one of the childrens!) ,but I am so happy doing it.

Yesterday morning we popped down to the fish markets.I say 'popped' because we live minutes away and yet rarely face the crazy carpark.We shopped, and when the boys got home from school they were wildly excited to find out that we were making this for dinner...

How did we manage before the laptop?! It sat on the kitchen table,I googled 'prawn tempura and sushi rice' and got on with it.It seems that not one of the cookbooks I possess, had the instructions for our dinner.I was shocked,I must say,given that i do have quite a few cookbooks.Not enough to enter a 'cookbook addict-who has the most' competition but enough to make me think very very carefully before buying another one.Anyway,it was google that came to the rescue.I sinned a little by useing italian risotto rice instead of japanese sushi rice (forgot to buy any) but it worked out just fine.All in all,a delicious ,fast (you do have to let the rice cool which takes a bit of time),healthy feast.Delicious!.

Travel In Style...

I was visiting nesting over at cookie mag and my goodness what did I see?

This amazing mode of transportation is a fabulous scandinavian design.Of course it is.They are so creative and stylish and practical all at once.The company is called Trio Bike and I highly recommend a visit to the site if only for fun to watch the video.

This 'bike' converts easily and quickly from a bike with a kiddie seat in front,to a separate bike and stroller in moments.All tool free.Been at the markets together? You want to keep walking in the lovely sunshine but husband needs to pop home to let the electrician in? Not a problem with this little number.
Kids have had enough but you want to ride around the bay?Easy.I must say that if I didn't live in such a busy traffic area I would love one of these.Very cool family wagon.

Back to the super cool store kids factory.These are very stylish places for your angels to sleep.

Tools and more......

This is my favourite tool.Can I call it that?Developed in 1919 by Hobart Manufacturing Company,it got its name after one of the executives wives commented after playing with it "I don't care what you call it,but I know its the best kitchen aid I ever had".What a woman.They registered the trademark and the rest is history.Mine is white because to be honest my husband couldn't decide which colour I would like.I'm with him.Personally I would like a few colours.Red for christmas,yellow or teal blue for easter,pink for valentines baking,even a little chrome sometimes.I'd love to know which colour you chose.I use this ALL THE TIME.I love it.It is the best thing for pizza dough,bread,biscuits,cakes,monkey bread,frosting,merringue.The list goes on.They come with so many attachments now that you can also make mince/pasta/sausages/icecream.It is easy to use and aesthetically beautiful.The kids love to use it.They can put everything in and watch their handywork.Every girl I know either has one or lusts after one.This baby is now six years old.The kitchen shop up the road has a new one in the most gorgeous blue.Maybe it is time for a friend........

On another note,my sewing machine has returned to me.Yippee.
You will be seeing a collection of creatures and mummy goodies in my shop over the next couple of weeks.