Day of the Triffod Tomatoes

We have a veritable plethera of tomatoes in our garden. Sown, self sown and unexplained sown. So now we have tomatopolooza. This photo is only the tip of the tomato iceberg. We give them away and still they come. So it was time to don the hairnet and coat and bottle up.
Started with Dinny's tomato relish ... moved onto passata. Got the recipe from here and it worked a treat. So then went to monthly craft night (Dunc calls it Eve's craft coven) and did this for the tops of the big jars... we were having a lino cutting themed night.

We were so darn pleased with our efforts we are now moving onto screenprinting. Marree did an awesome Babushka and Georgia pulled out this amazing flying bird. Eve did a fan design. We are hot. Just so you know it apparently runs in Georgia's family. Check out what her 8 year old son whipped up over here this week.

Stylist: Joshua Smith

Still time to enter my giveaway . It's drawn on Sunday night. I've even added more things to my new shop to entice you further to enter. Leave a comment - make a small toddler happy.

Online Shop Launch and Giveaway Celebration or O' S.L.A.G.

Well folks - the day has finally come - I've got on the launch pad, done the count down and now hit the button! I have an online shop! It needs filling up ... but that will come over the next few days. To celebrate I thought I would have my first giveaway. It has been so encouraging and plain old awesome to be part of such a supportive and rather amusing online community - that I thought I would share the love.

I am giving away this wee green apron AND also one of my little sun bonnets. The apron is reversable with a lovely mushroom brown on the back - unisex! It will fit size 1-3 and can also be worn as a tunic over jeans. The sun bonnet never really photographs that well - but I tell you they are cool. Keeps the sun off and looks very funky. 100% cotton with vintage covered button detail. Fits from size 1 up - depending on noggin size. It has ribbon ties - but Edie wears hers without - the elastic at the back keeps it on! The winner will get both! Open to anyone in Australia or on the globe.

'What do I have to do?' I hear you shout ... check out my shop on the side bar and then come back here and leave a comment - go on. I don't care if you are one of my mates. I don't care if this is your first time here. I don't care if you don't have children - give them to a friend - I don't care if you are feeling shy ...it is time to reveal yourself! Plus ... It will make my day if you leave a comment and then Edie and I will have lots of names to cut out and put in a hat. Think of the children!

Late edit: will draw aforementioned prize this Sunday at 7.00pm (ish)

Emergency ... reeeeee rawwwww!

Things got kind of serious around here this morning. 'The Boy' met with a strange and unwitnessed accident. He was discovered... shock! horror! ... ...with his wee arm severed!

It was very stressful for the whole family, including 'The Girl'. We have done all the right things. Applied pressure to the 'wound'. Kept the patient calm. We have kept the limb on ice and are now waiting for the ambulance to arrive. We are hoping for a microsurgery miracle. Lucky we know Eve the emergency nurse at Launnie Hospital ... with her crafting skills should have him patched up in no time. You know, you just feel so guilty, so responsible, especially when they have come all the way from Sri Lanka from this particularly special place here. Will keep you posted on his treatment and recovery.

escape

I am stoked. I have had the perfect Easter break - and it's still breaking. This post comes with a warning - I could gush everywhere. It could seep through my keyboard. It could trip my clipsal. I'm finding it hard not to be all cheesy. It's hard because I just feel like donning the Kaftan, sticking some flowers in my hair and getting all peace, love and happiness about it. We have even had the 'let's by a kombi camperwagon' discussion this weekend. It all started Thursday night when we responded to a 'come and stay at our beach shack' invite from these lovely folk . We packed up the car and headed out of the city to Binalong Bay - Bay of Fires - the spot recently voted 'the world's hottest travel destination - 2009' by the Lonely Planet. That's not why we went - but I like to keep my posts highly educational, at times. There is something about the coast that instantly relaxes me. It's my West Australian upbringing. The sea air. The sound of the waves. I'm transported. Two nights and days of good company, lovely conversation and happy beach bummed little girls was almost too much for my tiny mind to cope with. Sam and Dunc did an early Easter Egg hunt for the girls. We hung out on the beach. We built sandcastles, collected shells and paddled. I had A NAP. Suse and I even busted out sans enfants and trawled the local bric a brac stores and the St Helen's Market. I kept thinking I had forgotten something not having to look out for the girl. Who can explain why physically getting away from 'it' rejuvenates and pushes that reset button? Thank you so much Suse, Sam and Chloe - for inviting us xxx We headed home on Sat night - we had an Easter Brunch planned for Sunday.... and now I feel like I have to again don the tie died flares and wooden beads. The invite was vague to say the least ...

Bring: Everything. The hostess can't be trusted. She will no doubt throw some nibblies together but they will be of the trailer park trash variety - we are going away and only returning the night before so no promises will be made on quality.We'll crank the BBQ and you can chuck whatever you desire on. But make sure you bring some Easter Eggs for the hunt - we'll herd the wee ones inside and then chuck some in the garden then let them loose outside. Hopefully they will do the same for us... but you never can tell how much the sugar rush will play with their tiny minds.

It's a laid back affair and hopefully sunny - pass the invite on to anyone who might be at a loose Easter end or thinks that it is a better offer and may cancel their other plans.

Tell me if you are coming though. I may need to plan some paper cups or something.

Our house and garden bursted at the seams with folk large and small, with chocolate eggs and homemade sweet stuff. The BBQ cranked with brunch food goodness. The teapot got a work out and people sipped from tea cups fossicked from garage sales. And we talked and laughed and ate and I just felt enormously blessed that I have fallen into a life that makes you feel like you fit. Happy Easter everyone - hope the bunny found you xxx

and so to the market - hobart

We did the morning drive to Hobart to take part in the first of 'the market'. I tell you - I thanked the extra hour gained through the end of daylight saving as we got moving 5am ... that was really 6am, right? I didn't take any photos ... the reason why escapes me so I have snaffled these from the market blog ... more beautiful images there... make sure you have a little peek. Such an eclectic and inspired collection of creative, talented types all in a cosy art deco space. The drive down saw me with my head down finishing off a couple of press studs and rosettes ... thank god I don't get spewy - my sister, Blythe is a green faced motion sickness wonder as is Loz - they have to snack on nuts and cheese and biscuits like wee squirrels on most trips ... made for great travel when we were kids though - Loz always had the cool supplies and would dish them out at regular intervals. Cars are diet free zones in my family. We prefer savoury when we jetset - eyes firmly fixed on horizons. Anyways - the market was beautiful ... many thanks to Bec, Holly and Shannon for their amazing organisation and the exceptionally friendly market space they created what appeared effortlessly... and many thanks for having me xxx can I come back, pretty please???

SCORE!

I won ... I won ... I won this beautiful crocheted scarf - no joke - don't mean to do any nose rubbing but I bloody won it from this giveaway here! You know -I picked the six numbers AND the sup, bobbed the apple, hit the bull's eye, scored from OUTSIDE that line, picked a winner AND ate it (was that too far?). And it was only yesterday as I was freezing my toosh off on the way from the market in Hobart (it snowed on Mount Wellington, man!) that I was thinking - I need to get me a good scarf this winter - and low and behold - I won this beautiful number by this talented scarf crocheting guru type. I'd like to the lovely girls at Before Our Time. Just have to complete happy dance and revel a little in the only thing I have won since ... since ... since ... I really can't remember when I last won something - then I promise I'll tell you how the market went xx

Before Our Time

Just discovered this lovely blog via here. Really ties in with a discussion we seem to be having 'round our way. About the economic downturn - about 'what is the simpler life?'. About what it means to mother, father, wife, husband, woman and man. About the lives we choose to create for ourselves. About how much of it is a ticket for a train we feel we have to board rather than to choose to let it leave the station without us. There is some lovely food for thought going on at Before Our Time - with their recent post being up my alley ... 'Crafting our way out of economic tough times is an idea from Before Our Time' ... plus they are having a giveaway ... incentive hey?