Lulu Carter

it's a wrap

The lovely Irene has popped me on her fab site BKids so hello everyone dropping by (waving !!).

I wrapped up the hanging fish for delivery today and it made sense to wrap them up like bonbons.Sweet treats for the kiddies.

Not my ideal ribbon but I have not replaced my stash so I had to resort to curling ribbon.It's bugging me even sitting here looking at the photo.I don't like curling ribbon.I can't imagine why you'd use it when grosgrain with polka dots or stripes or just perfectly plain is so cheap and always dresses up your gift.

 I like to wrap my creatures as though gifts for a childrens party.Even for the adults who have been buying them.I'm sure it makes their day to get a yummy parcel and even though they know whats inside,its still a surprise treat.

 My husband never wraps a thing. Never has.It drives me insane because surely the wrapping is half the gift?I can't get all giddy with excitement when a paper shopping bag or ,god forbid, the shoe box is thrust towards me. That's not exciting.It doesn't matter how fantastic and perfect the gift is if your heart hasn't started to pound at the site of the paper.And the ribbon.Oh ....and the tag.

Up until recently ,I was using paper from Pakhuis Oost .Gorgeous gorgeous paper. Kicking myself that I didn't just buy everything they had because now its not available here anymore.Go figure.

Then I thought that perhaps people wanted to see their goodies.But I'm not sure .I rather loved my bright floral paper with my red and white sticker.

book worm

I found Henry here this afternoon and although it is really hard to encourage him at the moment to read,( is this a boy thing or a six year old thing?), he went and chose a spot where he could do it completely independently of my supervision ( cajoling more like) which was great.He was taking control of his reading. Woohoo! It' s been really frustrating for us because his actual reading skill is at nearly three years above his grade level ,but he doesn't want to do it.I have found it hard to reconcile his reading skill level with a complete lack of passion for it.It didn't make any sense.Well I get it a little better now. It seems this boy of mine does not like fiction. It never occurred to me that he wouldn't love 'Tashi' and 'Astrosaurs' and other adventure fantasies.I assumed he would love them because his imagination is wonderful when it comes to illustration and story writing. Also because he's a six year old boy and that is who they are geared too. How wrong could I be.He loves to create his own fiction.Perhaps he likes the factual books because they give him something to feed off.Something to then develop his own fiction from.?.He want facts and plenty of them or he wants mockumentaries such as 'Prehistoric Park'.I went to the library last week and stacked up on books about 'Birds of Prey' , 'Apes','Whales and Dolphins','Knights and Castles' and of course a whopping great big 'Dinosaur Encyclopedia'. So far so good.Still a little tricky as he rarely takes himself off to read, but its a work in progress : )

feasting

This is what Henry made himself for dinner last night.Independent little guy.

Oliver had fallen asleep on the sofa after the wildest drop down blood curdling guttural tantrum I have had to take part in since.......well I can't remember.Of course he did it in the delightfully packed shopping centre.I'm not actually sure how we got home.Grit teeth and walk forward.Yep, that was it. He morphed into a child from the "Super nanny" series except I don't think think she would have popped him on the naughty stool/chair/cushion/pouffe. Whatever. She would have packed him up and shipped him out.Somewhere where no body could hear him preferably.Somewhere with no mummies to attack.

Every Friday is Mensa day.The volunteer mums and Nonna's spend a day in the kitchen cooking a feast for the children. The canteen cooks fresh food to order every day, but Mensa day is a chosen meal for all to enjoy.Teachers as well.Every fourth week,we cook pizza.Great trays of bubbling hot traditional pizza.I wish you could smell the foyer outside the canteen.It is a wonderful homey aroma that makes you feel really happy.Like being a kid again.Today was my first go at it.I always seem to be rostered off on these days but today was fun.We had a monster of dough, that grew with each hour on the bench ,and we transformed it into a variety of pizzas including 'pizza bianca'.This was my favourite with nothing but olive oil,sea salt and dried rosemary sprinkled on top.Apparently the other thing to do is mash some potato,mix mozzarella through it then spread it on the base before the rosemary.Yummy...

A couple of mums working hard in part of the kitchen.

Have a happy weekend.x

there for a reason

I found the tutorial for this on molly chicken the other night.It's a lovely way to use your scraps and a fabulous way to cover yourself ,your floor and anything else you might be near in thread fuzz!Still,you have to admit the result is gorgeous-just don't try to be clever like I did-she gives measurements,use them.

I thought "oh no, I want to make a big one to go with my paper flowers".Idiot.It took me an hour to wind the strips around my cardboard,(I had to cut strips from my limited fabric supply because I did not have enough scraps) and when I finished,I had to use a butchers knife to cut through the layers!!Looks nice though don't you think?Good,because although I intended to make many in different colours,it will be a while before I feel patient enough to do it again.Having said that,if I'd done what I was told I suspect I'd have a few hanging around by now : )

 

I am happy with these little guys though.I think I dropped the tail a bit on the 'fantail' so I need to shape that piece better and when I attach it, it needs to be on more of an angle.I'm pleased with the weight of the tail though.I quilted it to give it some stiffness and also it looks a lot more interesting up close.They are going to be very cute hanging in th boys room they are for.I feel as though I need to make some quilted reeds for them to swim about in.I will definitely make some for the shop.They're cute right?

the magic of blogworld

inspiredgoodness

I have been doing my usual-turn computer on as I walk through to put the kettle on in the morning, knowing that the time it takes for me to put the bag in my favourite  cath cup is the time it takes for my screen to be ready for my fingers.As I walk back through the lounge room to wake the boys , I will type in an address ready for my morning speed read.It is a ritual.Because of the difference in time zones alot of those blogs I love have been updated during my sleep and I can't wait until I get home from school drop off.I want a teaser now.

Its got me thinking.Actually some comments got me thinking.There are so many of us out there who seem to be so alike,each in our own unique way.What we buy,cook,create,how we decorate.People I will never meet yet seem to be so compatible with.It is a strange and wonderful community that , while enormous ,is really quite intimate.

So I thought,how did I find this place?What made me want to hang out with you all?Manda has posted about the difference in blogs.Why do we find some so tempting and others not so much. Benita asked us how we found her.A good question.

I remember my first 'blog discovery' moment.I had found cookie magazine and the home of Courtney.I loved the images and wanted more.So I followed the trail to her blog.Then I found her favourite blog list in the sidebar.Oh my.A candy store of URL's!! I worked my way through them.Along the way I fell in love with the blogs of Molly ,Amanda ,Jane ,Alicia, Kristine.Each blog led me to others. The list goes on and on! I became very good at seeing a feature on someone in a magazine and scanning straight for their blog address.I gathered you all up on my bookmark page. Some I look at daily others probably weekly.

I'm not sure what defines it for me as I enjoy such different blogs.I guess the regular ones for me are creative/family based.Particularly if they have younger children like I do.I love reading about the way they juggle life and seeing how they decorate their homes.Mostly I love the images.A good photo says so much. Weekly reads are the design blogs. Not too hardcore.I just want something gorgeous to look at , so Anna , Suzanne ,Heather and design sponge are perfect.Irene is wonderful as she provides such a fresh showcase for talent I would otherwise never find.Right now I love 'wedding styling' blogs as my little sister is getting married.

I like the images to be either very 'as it was in real life',or crisp and clean.Styled.

It really is a funny thing.If I see it and love it thats it.Its a mood thing.A fresh, creative,family,cooking,shopping,decorating,arty thing.And I want to smile.Thats not helpful is it? I'm an aquarian.I love all sorts!!x

# husband has just walked in and not noticed the 7 inches I had cut off my hair this afternoon! Incredible.

cruel reminder

This beautiful woman lost her fight this past weekend.Here in Australia we have watched her be so determined for ten years while this bastard ravaged her body and teased her again and again with health and normality. She became a mother,when it was thought impossible after all the drugs and surgery.She did her darnedest to make a difference and live a passionate life with her family and friends.This monster has dragged her away from her young family.

There are so many women like her.Jane Mcgrath was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 31.It does not discriminate between us.Look after yourself.It is so easy to forget to check these things.I know I do. Please don't.Life is for living.xx

 www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au 

blurb

Its there and its lovely! How cool : )

remember this feeling....

My husband just sent me this . Once you start YOU JUST CAN'T STOP!!!!!

sweet things

The other day during my ramble,I told you I had made a cheesecake with Oliver.Given that I have no self control when it comes to anything with a bit of sugar in it,there is not even a crumbling slither left in my Tupperware box.Oh well.......just have to make another

I love a good family cookbook.Quite simply it has to do with a desire to feed my family delicious wholesome meals and a wish that we had some acreage with chickens and an enormous vege plot.One day.I'm also a bit of a sucker for a celebrity chef.This is a wonderful book yet so far it has sat on my shelf.I keep intending to make butter with the kids.Such a basic thing and what a sense of satisfaction if it turns out well(I do suspect my first go might resemble a sort of yellow sloppy mess but hey).This is where we found the cheesecake.It was (and please don't be sitting there smirking if you make this regularly-I have only ever made the horrible quick fix version-no eggs involved !) easy and satisfying and my champion egg cracker always delights in his ability to do it without ever a shell mishap.He's been cracking eggs perfectly since he was two.Honestly.Its one of his things.

from this .....

to this.....mmmmm

Last night was the culmination of something I have working on for these last few months.In February,I decided that we should have an auction night for the school.Raise money for the new grounds we hope to move into next year and have fun for a bit longer than the 'drop off/ pick up' that usually affords you a hello/goodbye.

We send our children to a bilingual school.Its Italian.Its wonderful, but a lot of the parents keep to themselves  which of course always happens but its a lot more noticeable in a small community.

Well last night we all came together,teachers included,and had a party at which the items I have been gathering and the class artworks, we worked on with the children,were all auctioned off.It was fantastic.We raised $9000 which for a first go is so exiting.Books and playground equipment.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated so much of their time/skills and goodies.We did well.Really really well!!

Today I am going to clear up my house that has been lined with goods from the front door to the lounge room and I am going to hang out with my family.Not something I have been doing much of lately.

I also hope to do some sewing.Fish.A lady at school wants lots of different fish to hang from the ceiling in her sons room.How cute! Fish here I come.....x

#UPDATE Its not there yet-hold that thought......

Apparently I am going to be featured on typepad on the 22nd(today?!?).Not sure why they want me,but I wonder what it will say ???Anyway,if you have read this far down maybe you could have a peep?I'm a little frightened : )

loot

l promise not to ramble on because,lets be honest,my last post must have made your eyes roll back in your head : ) twas a little long and you had nothing to look at.I shall redeem myself(no I haven't found the cord -this is the stupid weird little flash thing that doesn't like me but I persevered)....

The queue...(this was after I had progressed somewhat from the other aisle and could see the end!)

The loot....

The boys beds are living in the hallway until we have renovated their current beds. Honestly ,we will happily convert anything around here : )

The rest of the images are on flickr if you want to see the close ups of the pretty carving