A Collection of Thoughts

Hip Hop Hooray Fun

via tatumwoodroffe.typepad.com

Did you do any creating from Mel and my Hip Hop Hooray projects ?

Check out Tatum's gorgeous bunny ears and biscuits - over here - such pretty photos. Thanks for sharing Tatum.

Tamar x

Pinspiration {8}

This weeks pinspiration is in anticipation of my gorgeous new vintage fat quarters I am going to be receiving any time soon after participating in a vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Swap. Mel found the quilt to show me and I love anything by Dottie Angel. I wish I was her -she is so clever with her needle.

I'm too impatient and slap dash near enough - which doesn't work for quilting.

 

 

If you are wondering what you have stumbled on - each week I share a colour palette that is inspired by some favourite pins.

buttons found here - first pinned by me- original  here

quilt found here  first pinned by Chelle- original can't be found - :( makes me sad.

You can see my other pinspirations here  or on pinterest here

Tamar x

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday - and all is quiet here while I go through editing photos and documenting our day. I can honestly say it was so lovely - the perfect mix of happy and busy :) Just the way I like it.

Our Easter Sunday is always about chocolate and family as meet our church commitments through Thursday and Friday ending with Saturday night at the vigil mass. Last year I wasn't able to sing as Richard was baptised  during this vigil mass. We cant believe a year has passed already !  This year I was back in the choir. I love it so much and on Saturday night it was just the ladies - we had such a great time. 3 hours is a LONG mass but so beautiful- It starts outside and the church is kept in darkness - then everyone enters with candles. Up until now I have only been singing at the main events - Christmas and Easter but with the girls getting older they no longer need two sets of parents hands to keep them sitting and concentrating - I'd like to step up my singing commitment - I'd actually love to have lessons I never have.

 We started the day early with two excited girls to revive their muffin trays - which they loved -  EB had also been and left his traditional footprints of powder through the house and sprinkles of jelly beans everywhere too- which caused much giggles as they now realise that jelly beans are EB's poop - according to Hop LOL

and of course I have no photos of that as it all passes in a blur and my eyes were barely open.

I left the girls to clean up the powder and headed to the gym to begin my first day of training to prop for the 10k run for the Gold Coast marathon. I'm using this app.

I was a bit apprehensive as my fitness level is definitely down and Im carrying more kilos than I was when I was running 5 k regularly - but today was 4 x 10 minutes runs with 1 minute walks. It wasn't too scary and I was pleased to get through.

 

We then got stuck into our creating - we went easy this year making Mel's biscuits

I didn't however read Mel's instructions and had the girls put two marshmallows on each biscuit - you only need one or else this is what you end up with LOL - we managed to salvage them!

and also a version of  Elsie's Easter bark. Both were a huge hit.

The girls wrote in their cards they had made and we wrapped up some of our candle eggs in cellophane to give too

We then headed off to  Ferry Rd Markets for real coffee and then over to my grandparents for our traditional Easter BBQ.

Nana Eve is the queen of the egg hunt - which is challenging as she has two very inquisitive 8 yaer olds

a  5 year  old and a 2 year old to design for.

Apart from going all out on the decorations

she also made THE BEST EGG HUNT EVER

so good the kids loved it - I loved it I wanted an adult one. There were two parts

Each child had their own hunt - she made clues and popped them inside plastic eggs with a baby egg and each clue led them to a new  place

things like

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall watching  Great cook the BBQ - which sent Tals scurrying over to the BBQ. Some clues led to a little gift others led to eggs.

The second part was just a general hunt - where each child had to find their own eggs - the plastic ones and they each had their initials so they knew what was theirs and what wasn't and each egg had a piece of a puzzle with it.

They then had to put the puzzle together to solve the mystery of where their big egg was hidden :)

So so good.

The kids then spent the afternoon colouring and crafting while the adults chatted and ate . Sigh sooo tough.

even Miss Mia -

I so want that little Dora suitcase. They are from target and if they hit the special pile I'm getting myself one LOL

We came home about 4pm for a chocolate induced nap :)

 I declared it a help yourself to fruit for dinner evening.

Then finally our dear friends dropped round for a catch up of the day and bought with them the most beautiful purple cardigan they had seen for me - So spoilt :)

Now I'm kicking back editing photos, drinking tea and umm eating a little bit of white rocky road from Darrell Lea - it's my absolute favorite.

Hope your day was spent doing exactly as you liked :) Thanks for visiting.

 Tamar x

PS  if you have been following our Easter stories  you may like to know the verdict on the creme eggs - They didn't like them!  I knew they wouldn't LOL.

 

 

 

 

 

Hip Hop Hooray for Easter - Thank you

 

Mel and I just wanted to say thanks so much for your lovely comments and emails on our Hip HOP Hooray projects - We love bringing them to you too!

If you have been head down for the last week and have missed out, this image is a little compilation of the projects we worked on.

Head on over here to see all of mine - and here for Mel's.

We are already planning our next Hip Hip Hooray and lots more - can't wait to share it.

Tamar

Easter Round Up - Top Ten

Just in case you are not ready to say goodbye to Hip Hop Hooray and Easter crafting projects today I'll share with you some others I have found from round the web - I do this for two reasons

There is quite a few little goodies in this pile I want to try- some I'll get done in the next day and  two - at least next year when I'm looking for ideas I can come back straight back here :)

Number One

via poppytalk.blogspot.com

This cute as bunting is definitely on my to do list for next year I do have a happy easter sign I made quite some years ago now - It's time for a new one.  I love the cheery fabric.

 

Number Two

via housewrenstudio.typepad.com

I had to look twice when these popped up in my blog loving - I wondered what they were made of - papermache stuff you buy? - SWEET i'm not sure we have an equivalent here - but I'm thinking an air drying clay would do the trick?

 Number Three

via carolynshomework.blogspot.com

Can you believe how nice these are?  Made from cardboard and wool  with a tassel - so clever. We don't host any Easter events at our house  but I'm even thinking these would make a lovely hostess gift for someone who does - they could add them as table decos.

 Number Four

via www.sarahjanestudios.com

I have said it many a time - you can never have enough paper dolls! and even better when they are Easter themed and freeeee - Thanks Sarah Jane :)

 Number Five

via www.etsy.com

Now that I can crochet - I really want to make these for the girls for next year - How cute ? I love the idea of the flowers in it too - I'm guessing you'd just pop a jar inside if you wanted real flowers?  This pattern is available on etsy - I'm a bit worried that I won't understand it - as I'm still a very beginner but its worth a try right ?

 Number Six

via madebyjoel.blogspot.com

One of my favourite blogs - made By Joel - has created this sweet little bunny that tumbles down slopes - its a print colour add marbles and you are done project We still have two small ones at our Easter BBQ on Sunday so I'll hold this idea over till next year as well - they will be less likely to eat the marbles :)

 Number Seven

 

via www.allaboutyou.com

Now that our house is home to many rescued egg cups I could have pretty egg cosys to go with our boiled eggs. Super easy pattern too :)

 Number Eight

via easter.tipjunkie.com

 And to go with my cosies - a cute folded rabbit from a napkin ( originally via martha )

 Number Nine

via www.hungryhappenings.com

This is such a clever idea - once again though I'm not sure we have the fixings in Aus and I would fill mine with scrambled eggs if I could work out how to make the rest - maybe just puff pastry? I think it would look impressive even if it wasn't orange?

and lucky last

 Number Ten

via pinterest.com

Little Chickie cake pops. We really want to play with cake pops  - I was fortunate enough to receive Bakarellas book as a gift and we keep checking it out but I'm yet to delve into the making. I did see the other day online somewhere there is now a cake pops machine - not that dissimilar from a profitjes one - when you just add the mix close it down and the cake pops get baked. - Definitely haven't seen that in Australia yet  LOL.

 Tamar x

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - Day Five

Today marks our last Hip Hop post - so sad it's finished already.

I have two projects to share .

My first one has been planned for ever - and almost didn't happen at the last minute due to a broken candy thermometer but I managed to borrow one this morning from a friend so we whipped these up today.

Project One -   Soy Candles in Egg Shells

I was really excited to work on this as I have been wanting to dabble in candle making for some time now. I certainly have the bug now and this will not be my last play for sure.

If you missed my earlier post about where to purchase supplies you can read it here.

 Supplies

• soy wax
• chocolate scent  ( optional)
• chocolate colour ( optional )
• eggs
• food colouring
• wicks
• candy thermometre
• paddle pop sticks
• cropodile ( thing to poke a hole your paddle pop stick )
• hot glue gun

We worked on this  project in two parts

Firstly dying the eggs.

Crack the top off your egg shells gently and empty the egg out.

Rinse out with warm water and leave to dry

Prepare your  dyes- I'm yet to find a perfect way to dye  eggs - we always end up making a mess and the colour isn't perfect ( you can see my finger prints all over the place here )

Martha always makes it seem so simple LOL - ANYHOW

We started with four colours but realised that the pink and red turned out VERY similar so ditched the pink and just went for Red Green Blue

in a mug place boiling water and a good teaspoon or two of food colouring

 submerge your egg for a few minutes

then gently lift out and allow to dry back in the egg carton. We have left ours a few days and they are still fine - I would suggest leaving them to dry for a few hours as a minimum.

 Part Two - Making the candles.

As this was my first time - so I am NO expert  I read up a lot about it before jumping in - I found these two sites very informative.

This is what I did and I'm sharing how they turned out.

Prep your egg shells by dabbing a little hot glue to the base of the wicks

and sticking them into the shells.

Punch a hole in the paddle pop sticks (you can buy these pre done but I forgot )  and then feed the wick through so it stands up straight .

Measure out your wax - I used 250gms which made 10 egg candles and then I made some more as I wanted some non chocolate ones too.

I melted the wax in a double boiler - literally just a microwave jug inside a pot of boiling water.

It's important that you get the wax to the right temperature so use a candy thermometer to test  how its going

 

I melted mine to 80 degrees.

Mix through your colour if you are adding it. I added one chip and once I mixed it through tested the colour - this is what it looked like.

Add the fragrance - somewhere between 6 - 10 % is recommended so I added 10 ml and I think its a lovely chocolately smell not too much :)

Carefully pour your candles- add your paddle pop stick on to the wick to make it stay in the middle - kind of lol

Leave to set -  I found it took about 2 hours. This is part way through ( about 15 minutes in )

Once they started to set I moved them back to the egg carton and took the wick holders off and let them set longer.

I made another batch too with just white wax and the chocolate scent and popped them into natural shells which I really like.

 lastly trim your wicks off and you can give them as gifts!

or pop into some egg cups - light and enjoy :)  I searched through op shops to find egg cups.

Project  Two - Blythe Bunny Ears

When the girls saw Mel's bunny ears she made for Bella they were quick to say Oh Mumma you have to make some for our dollies.

 Sigh - what on earth would I do with my time if I didn't have them and their helpful suggestions?

That turned into make the bunny ears - let's coordinate their outfits and set up a tea party - and we need eggs cause it's an Easter tea party. We realised the mini eggs are the perfect size for Blythe. So yesterday   the girls got our dollies all dressed and sitting in anticipation of their bunny ears.

and then last night I made them. 

I have to say I think they are so cute and they are simple as to make.

Supplies

• felt in various colours
• glue stick
• cardboard
• pattern print out
• button
• embroidery thread

Download Bunny ears pattern The ears are about 8cm from top to bottom so please just check it's printed right before you go cutting :)  or if you don't want to print - hand draw some up

Cut the pattern out of cardboard -  just everyday cardstock will be fine it gives a stiffness to the ears.

 

 Glue the cardstock ears to the felt just using a glue stick

 Trim to size.
 Cut a head band from felt - 1 inch wide  x 12 inches long

Sew a button on the end and cut a slit on the other end to fasten - make sure you measure around your dolls head as I found the felt stretched a wee bit.

 Do your button up

Thread three strand of DMC cotton and stitch an ear into place - I just used a simple messy couple of stitches.

Then stitch around the edge of the ear with a running stitch - this will hold the card in place and adds an extra element - takes just a few minutes.

and repeat  for the other ear:)

Pop them onto your Blythe and invite the  Easter Tea party to begin.

 

And that brings  us to the end of our hip Hop projects. Don't forget to pop over to Mel's blog to see what she has planned for you too.

Thanks so much for joining us for our Third Hip Hip Hooray series. Hip Hip Hooray for winter is in the planning stages now . If you have enjoyed our series so far you will LOVE our latest collaboration.
Imagine sitting down and sharing a cup of tea with Mel and I a couple of times a month - while we chat about all manner of crafty things ... watch this space - more details on our secret project coming soon.

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter - Day Four

Welcome to day four of our Hip Hop projects.

I tell ya this one has been stressing me out as to how to actually get the details up for you! This is my Easter gift for the girls this year and I was unsure as to how to pull it together without them knowing and photograph it then hide it away. They have been stuck to my side all holidays!

 I am however an insomniac most nights - so at 2.25am - here's the proof

I popped back up and made myself a cup of tea  - set up my white lights and mocked this up the best I could.

I'm glad I did because now I know what the last little bits are I want to collect. I've been gathering for a little while now.

Easter Gift Tray

Supplies

• Muffin Tray (I've used disposable ones as we have no need for new ones )
• Some raffia or filler
• Little gifts and treats to go in each hole

 

I found these disposable trays  at stacks ( junk store ) and some pink filler - which will not make my non pink girl happy  but I think I have plain raffia somewhere which I can use for hers.

 Fill your tray holes with the filler

 and add your gifts ..

I have  gomus- which will make my two sooo happy I swear if I hear one more time Mumma can we please get some Gomus I'll scream.

For the blissfully unaware they are erasers - cute ones - there are over 100 to collect ( of course )and they have their own website  where you can track which erasers you have - and how many points they are worth. 

They are available at Target Kmart and toys stores - and come in packs of 1, 3 or 6- the packets of 3 are around the $4 mark- you swap them with your friends.

Next up we have  Squinkies - aren't you glad you've stumbled into this girly land of new things? - yet again I had no idea what they were and had to sit through MANY TV commercials to finally get it worked out

Also little - also cute also but Mumma we NEEEED  squinkies everyone else has them.

And just secretly up until now we have managed just fine without them but I have  caved - and they are cute LOL

Oh and they have their own website too and their purpose is to be a pencil topper but I have the feeling they are more a collect and swap item too.

There are MANY of these - and are available form Kmart Target Djs Myers Toy stores etc - They come in a variety of collectors packs   I  chose a set of 16 spit between the two trays  and they were in Target reduced by 20% so about $15 something. They are around $1 each usually from what I can work out.Its worth it to shop around as I've seen them as much as $24.95

Next up two of my holes are filled with these plastic eggs and some chocolate eggs - One will have jelly beans in and the other will have a new necklace/set of beads which has become an Easter tradition in our house.

 I made some bunny wraps for the girls - they didnt know :-)

and my last empty space is for a Cadbury creme egg which they have never had and keep telling me that they think they'd really like one - I keep telling them they are waaay too sweet - neither Richard or I eat them  (I know you are horrified I don't meet many people who don't like them !) so one creme egg will go in the last hole

I also popped some little pink chickens in too!

For boys -  hot wheels, these cool beetle growing things , Bakugan, Comet balls - (Helium filled ),  Jumpz, and of course tech decks

I'm thinking I might make a version for Richard - he may not be fussed on the pink either - and no doubt would prefer it if every hole was just filled with chocolate - but I'll think about it - I still have Saturday morning to hit the shops.  Any suggestions gratefully received!

 

 

 

Hip HOP Hooray for Easter Day Three

Oh dear we are already half way through  our Hip HOP hooray projects for Easter - so today in celebration I have three things to share.

I'll just put my disclaimer in here now - none of these are original - just ideas I've seen and I'll share where and show how I've done them :)

 Project One

 Bunny Wraps

I saw these cute little wraps in Lush the other day and I though oh what a lovely idea as a gift for Nana Eve  for  Easter -as she gets sooo much chocolate- but at $4.95 a wrap and the cheapest bombs at $6 ... I quickly thought I could make my own version and she could get more!

 so I have

 Supplies

• 12 x 12 inch piece of calico or cotton
• pink and orange acrylic paint
• fine paint brush
• black fine line pen

 

 I ripped my fabric  - but you could cut and hem - or you could pinking shear

Draw your face into one corner - the highest you want your face to be in is 7 cm - so even draw a pencil line that where you want the top of your eyebrows to go .

Dont worry if you can't  draw - start with a heart for the nose - then draw your mouth, eyes  - colour them in then eyebrow and eyelashes

 

 Now on the SAME side as your face draw an ear shape ( like a leaf ) in the adjoining left hand corner

On the BACK side of the opposite corner draw a matching ear

(NOTE Mine is different from the Lush one - theres is all printed on one side but I found this worked best for my simple fold)

 

 Fold your wrap so you can paint both sides and leave dry

Paint your nose pink

and your ears orange - leave dry - It just took a few minutes for mine to dry

Paint another one :)  and go over your lines to make them darker. don;t use sharpie pens they run - as you can see by one of my eyes

To fold - lay your wrap face down with your face to the back corner put your bath bomb towards the back in the middle

 

 Bring the front corner to the back

 Fold your little bunny face to the front

 

The wrap your ears up like you are tying a shoe lace

 TA DA  two cute bunny bomb wraps.

Do you know what else would be perfect ? Those plastic baubles you get at Christmas time - fill them with chocolate eggs or jelly beans  - or anything that is round really.

I found my bath bombs at target they were $4 each and I didn't have time to hunt for cheaper ones but I am sure they are around.

 Project Two

I have a cute as dessert idea  over Easter -  they are on flyers in the supermarket put out by Pauls to have people buy their custard . I let the girls have this last night for zert - which broke our no eggs before Easter Sunday rule  -never mind.

Supplies

• egg cup
• chocolate egg
• custard
• savardi sponge biscuit

Unwrap the egg  crack the top  ( one of mine broke I had to eat it - which was a shame LOL ) so I found the best way was to use a sharp knife

Pop it into the egg cup

Pour in some custard

Cut the sponge finger into toast shapes and serve as an "egg and toast"

The recipe card has shortbread fingers to make but umm no  pre bought sponge fingers wayyy easier.

On that note I had some because I had planned to make these from Donna Hay

for my crafty ladies the other night but instead I went with  profiteroles. I'm still to try these out.

Project Three

Inspired by Mel's little Mug Rugs - it's  such a cute name isnt' it?  I have made one for one child - the other is still cut out here hoping to snavel some time to finish it before Easter 

Sof was so excited when I was shooting this - is that for me for a snack ? I said yes - Oh cool so I get the eggs - I said no you get the milk  LOL - But that's false advertising she told me - I said yes it is !

You can see Mel's orignal one here  - I used the bunny pattern and cut it out of iron on interfacing - then trimed the bunny to be a little larger - then I appliqued it on the top of my rug using needle turn. My first attempt at sewing binding on and I cheated and sewed top and bottom straight through - I don't think I'll do that again for a while LOL

so there you have it - three little projects - pop over to Mel's blog to get the whole deal on how to make those sweet rugs. Don't forget to share if you make something - we love to hear :)

 

 

 

 

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

via www.imdb.com

 

Guess what I just found at the DVD store - under new releases -- I have it here calling to me while I really need to be doing other stuff :) I am watching tonight !  If you missed the story you can read all about it over here .

 Tamar x

Paper Giants

Somehow I missed all the hoopla around  Paper Giants. Unusual for me as I love Asher Keddie- I didn't know her name until yesterday I only knew her as Nina - I even have one of my ring tones set to xylophone like she does and I can't wait to see the new series of Offspring starting May 1st I believe ( I may be wrong that may be wishful thinking ..)

ANYHOW  I read this post over on Mamamia and thought - Oh what have I missed? A quick search revealed Paper Giants.

In early 1972, 30-year-old journalist and editor, Ita Buttrose and 35-year old Kerry Packer, heir to what was then Australia’s most ruthlessly powerful and influential publishing family, got together to create a magazine that became one of the most dramatic sensations in Australian publishing history. CLEO went on to help define women, Australia and the relationship between the two. Research and marketing analysis showed the project would be a failure and the magazine was vehemently opposed by the powerful head of the Packer clan, the domineering Sir Frank Packer (known to his employees as “God”), yet Ita and Kerry, knowing the consequences of failure would be dire, decided to back their gut instincts anyway.

Source

So last night between a million other projects I sat and watched it on screen at ABC through Iview. I didn't know that you could do that - It seems that programs are available on for a shortish time so Paper Giants expires in 11 days. Two parts - 4 hours - Best four hours ever.

Being born in 1971 it was a fascinating look into the culture of women and work at that time - and being a reader of Cleo for years through my tween and early twenties made it even more interesting. The fashion was amazing - and I would totally wear most of what Asher wore through the show. Loved the colours and the styles.

 Here is the little preview from you tube.

 

Grab some chocolate while you are shopping today, send the kids and hubby to bed, make yourself a cuppa and add this to your must watch list tonight.  You won't be sorry.

The only thing I regret is that it was over way too soon  I stayed up too late LOL.

On our agenda today - staying out of the way of Richard while he tries to work.

FUN.

Enjoy your day - and do pop back and let me know if you watched it!

Tamar x