WEEKEND WONDERFULS

KNITTED WONDERS

Nana, Nana, Nana...clever Nana, clever and generous. After a few days looking curiously at a postal slip on our fridge wondering what the parcel awaiting us held in store, we got to the post office yesterday morning to collect a package from Mum/Nana containing a treasure chest equivalent of knitted wonders for the baby/Dot #2! A cardigan, two pairs of booties, and a matching jumper and booties set.

When I called Mum to thank her, she apologised for not having finished/sent the pram set she's been working on for the baby. This pram set / layette is a bit of a tradition as Mum's knitted it over the years for a good number of her 27 grandchildren. When my great aunt "Auntie" was alive, she and Mum would divide the knitting of the set between them; Mum would knit, say, the cardigan and bonnet and Auntie would knit the pants and mittens. Now Mum knits it all, along with other things for the new baby.

MARKET WONDERS

Conversation with Elsa yesterday morning:

Dada: "let's go to Footscray Market"

Elsa: "it's not Footsday, it's Monday"

Thereby followed a conversation about Footscray being a place, not a day of the week. We didn't even bother also explaining that it was Saturday not Monday because, really it's not important! But it got us to thinking (and laughing about) what 'Footsday' would be like if it existed. Would the name have derived from the pagan ritual of the feet (not that one exists to our knowledge) or was it the original name for Sunday - a day to rest one's feet?

Anyhow, the Market was bustling and we enjoyed a reprieve at a small two-table cafe inside the market where a group of regulars chatted over coffee. We ended up in conversation with them, initiated by good-natured laughter at Elsa as she covered her face in the chocolate from the baby chino froth. As we left we reflected on how grateful we are to be able to sit with a table of people such a range of cultural backgrounds: Serbia, Macedonia, Italy, Greece, Canada and China.

CANOLLI WONDERS

We popped across the road for some more input from Italy in the form of Cavallaro and Sons where the canolli is wonderful and apparently has been for more than a few decades. We've refrained from splurging on a tray of canolli for a while but when in the neighbourhood....

RIDING WONDERS

Home for some sewing time for Mama and a nap and bike ride for Dada and Elsa.

BIRTHDAY WONDERS

Sunday brought with it another round of birthday celebrations. It was my brother-in-laws birthday and we gathered to enjoy a brunch of Spanish Omelette cooked by my sister and Klafutti by Dada Dino. I can't find a link to a Klafutti recipe in English so will type on in here soon. It's basically like and upside down pancake with fruit on the top/bottom. He usually makes it with stone fruit but today, used raspberries and apple to good effect!

In the afternoon, we moved onto a combined 2nd birthday party for all the kids in our local Mum's and babies group.

We do a 'Kris Kringle' of sorts for the birthday gift exchange. Elsa recieved a great big stamp pad and six fun big stamps, which she enjoyed using as soon as we got home!

MORE WINTER RAYS

Today, a friend and I set out on a sewing-related shopping adventure with our 2 years old in-toe. Slightly ambitious? Yes. Crazy at times? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely!

We started at The Craft Circle gathering felt, blank-paged drawing books, a sewing needle for Elsa and a few other bits and pieces.

We then moved onto GJ Discount Fabrics and that was a tad 'dangerous'. I've wanted to get there for so long and now I truely know why! I made most of my purchases on the top floor where all the quilting materials are kept but, also found some hessian for Elsa to begin 'sewing' on and some green, cottin chenille. I also grabbed some single-sided iron on interfacing for a good price. At home this afternoon, I cut out an Oliver and S jacket from one of the fabrics.

Home for some rhubarb ricotta pastries (reipe taken from The Cooks Companion). These could be our new favourite last-minute dessert / sweet treat. Soooo easy...puff pastry cut into circles, almond meal sprinkled on pastry, a mixture of rhubarb, ricotta, cinammon and sugar plopping on top and the 'circle' closed ravioli style, sealed with a fork, brushed with egg and a sprinkle of sugar on top and there you have it....and there are no quantities given in the recipe so I really just went with what looked right...Steph does suggest equal potions rhubarb to ricotta and that's about it...so easy, so quick.

LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE

What a glorious winters day! It seemed that wherever Elsa played in the house today, a little ray of sunlight found her.

Her felt fruit has been making it into her playdough box more and more often;

not much fun to clean but she loves to combine the two
Sunshine makes us all smile

In the courtyard using her new sidewalk chalk

Lunch outdoors with Gnocchi & Mama

A break from crafting to hug Gnocchi
And what would the day be without some cooking. Elsa begged me all day to make a cake but ended up settling for rice pudding in the late afternoon.

VANCOUVER BOUND

No, not me though (off to Vancouver that is) though, that would be great! But I did finish this bag today and will send it off tomorrow to our god-son in Vancouver who will celebrate his 3rd birthday next week. I hope it gets there in time. I'm completely addicted to this pattern but haven't used it since Christmas time when I adapted it to beach bag size and made one each for a niece and nephew...with matching shorts. This time I tried to make the bag large enough for Thomas (the birthday boy) to use as a library bag but, if that doesn't work, I hope he finds some other use for it.

Here's one that my sister made for Elsa last year. She loves it and finds all sorts of uses for it. Confessing another addiction - this material...I have quite the stash of it now in a range of colours...slowing making my way through it. It's a Japanese print from Spotlight!

A friend recently asked how I get sewing done with Elsa around...well, sometimes she just likes to watch! She even sends advice my way like "a bit slower Mama, I'm watching" or "use that pretty colour Mama"...

Nothing like some carrot coconut cookies to provide stamina to the sewers! This book is getting a workout in our house this winter...again...it's an old favourite from our days on the island.

BABY BUSINESS SKIRT

Dada finally decided to part with one of his favourite business shirts that simply didn't fit anymore and I couldn't bare to part with it completely so it now has a new life as something we're calling Elsa's "baby business skirt". There's still some material left over that I hope to convert to shorts for the new baby. The sleeves and collar came off, I narrowed the front with seams on either side, put casing around the top for an elastic waist and sewed some bias-binding around the bottom (well, not before these photos were taken!) and, there you have it. I like the way the small pleat from the back of the shirt sits in the middle of the front - or is that the back? I'm undecided....guess it can change from wear to wear.

THE LONGEST NIGHT

Winter Solstice celebrations for us tonight (with the playgroup/kindergarten Elsa attends). I rushed to make a lantern after a busy day and was glad I did. She so enjoyed carrying it around during the lantern walk and is sure to ask for us to light it again soon. Just as she might request hot chocolate by the fire but that will be tougher to provide. Perhaps she'll settle for hot chocolate by the lantern.

BUMPS AND WATERCOLOURS

We started experimenting with water colour (wet-on-wet style) painting this week and Dot is loving it. She's also taken to playing hide and seek so it's a daily occurence to find her hiding under a blanket in her bedroom. From the hallway you can just hear a muffled giggle...and later there's a squeal when she's 'discovered' of course.