And to top it off...

I made this yesterday so it would go with my white shorts. After wearing it I am going to put a little pleat in the sleeve, with a wee button on it, because they stick out a bit, and if a decent gust of wind gets up I wouldn't want to end up airborne!

You old bag, bag

Lets face it if you can sew, in fact, even if you can't sew, anyone can make a bag bag, so I am ashamed to say I have been living with this for about a year and a half now.

I am constantly picking up rolled up grocery bags from around the pantry door, and then trying to strategically stuff them back into the bag without more falling out. God knows how much time I have wasted, when it takes me 10 minutes to make one of these.

And now for the nasty up close shot of it in all its gory!

And the new one in all its glory!

If anyone can shed light on my avoidance issues, I would love to hear them. Answers on the back of a postcard...

It's a wrap...

I thought I might whip up this wrap around skirt today. So got out the old faithful pattern. I actually wanted to make it in another fabric but didn't quite have enough. That could have been a sign right there!
I have made this before and it's so easy and quite a nice cool skirt. Which is what I need in this weather because I'm starting to get a bit cranky to be honest. To start with I sleep badly anyway and it's hard enough trying to sleep in this heat, but add to that some noisy teenagers half way up the road, cranking out the beats, and shrieking like maniacs, which sets off the neighbours dog into a barking frenzy until 3am, and you may think I'm slightly mental to think of sewing anything in my fragile state.

I never remember which way to sew the bias binding. Skinny side to fabric first or thick side? So I always find myself here at Angry Chicken's great little tute. (I am embarrassed to admit, I should actually know these things. I did School C Sewing and Textiles for goodness sake!)
So you can imagine what emanated from the sewing room, when I still got it wrong, and then sewed the ties wrong way around, so it's a bit awkward to do up, and I sort of have to wear it left handed! By the time I realised my mistake there was no way I was going to unpick nearly 3 metres of bias binding.

I really could have put on another t/shirt for the photo shoot (I use that term very loosely) but honestly by this time I really don't care, and now I feel it looks a bit Nana-ish. I love the fabric, but not sure about it in this skirt. I seem to be really going for that aqua colour right now. But hey it will do for knocking around the house, and if all else fails, perhaps I could fashion it in to a rather fetching muzzle for the dog next door, or those wild party animals up the road!

My sewing is in the toilet right now....

...and I mean literally!
It's not that Im not motivated - sort of - because I get all excited when I see other blogger's fantastic efforts. I have had a small thing in mind and its such a small thing that you think I would just whip it up and stop whinging about it. But I agonise over colour choice and can I be bothered to move my sewing machine over a couple of inches so I can use it. And what I want to make isn't even that important.
Excuses. And enough of them!
So I decided I had to end my sewing drought and get on with it. So I made this...





It took me minutes really, so I really don't know what all the procrastinating was all about?

It comes in very handy actually on several levels. We presently have this stainless steel loo roll holder which nobody really bothers to put the lid on, and is looking a bit dodgy now . Besides I don't actually like things like that on the floor, especially when some of the smaller male inhabitants tend to have "aim issues"! Also we have always had this plastic hook on the back of the door, which when the house was renovated the painters just sort of painted over, so it's now kind of really stuck there. And after someone somehow broke the door stopper off the skirting board I have a certain amount of angst over the door handle going through the wall. So its official title is "Toilet Roll Holder, come Door Stopper, come Something to Hang on That Annoying Hook on the Back of The Door Thing".

Nostalgia

I was on Facebook and Joanna from Applique Today, put up some pictures of herself way back in the big hair days. It got me thinking and then rifling through the I-don't-know-how-many boxes of photos. (I mean there are a LOT!)

Amongst many others going back to when photos all came out orange, I have put up an album on Facebook entitled, Fun Ways to Discipline your Children. I thought you might like these ideas, with it being the school holidays and everything in NZ.

...and if you continue being cheeky we will keep going down the Log Flume until you learn not to be!

All that fuss ....

I feel a bit stupid really, because I made such a fuss over the staple gun, because in my head I had the amazingly great idea. Somehow though getting it out of my brain and into action equate to two really different things. So here is the thing I did for my wall. I don't think I even like it actually. I had in my head something with sequins or something (Aw don't ask, I can't even work myself out!) but somehow managed to get this. My downfall is, that I want to get it done, like yesterday, and then I get inspiration whilst trying to watch the six o'clock news and get the dinner dished up. So it ends up looking like a dogs dinner, which incidentaly is quite often what dinner ends up looking like too. At least I have a bit of a theme going then!

But I will leave it up for now because the wall looks so bare and if I take it down, it will only join the other 28 half done, slash, needs attention, corner. And at least its in the same colour story!

Island Life

In our endeavour to do stuff these holidays, here is our wee trip to Rangitoto today. It was a bit of a climb, and I did think my heart would give out. So even though I don't do resolutions, I must try and get fitter this year! I now sport a definite lump and bruise on my thigh, from the fool I made of myself going end over kite on the loose volcanic stones. Owwwww!

The view at the top is well worth the trek!

That so familiar shape that is Rangitoto.

Auckland

Junior Busy looking a little exhausted, and we are not even half way!

Auckland in the background

One of the cute baches on the island.

Exploring the lava caves....

And all this only half an hour from home!

Might have something to show you soon....

I mean, don't get really excited, but we have a newbie to the craft room. The other staple gun is lost. I think it may be hanging out with my marbles...

Honestly! I really would have had something to show you...

... because yesterday I was all geared up. The creative mojo, had made an appearance, and it really was time to address the artwork (I use that term lightly) in the bedroom. After all I only changed the colour scheme a year ago! So I knew what I was going to do and everything, and got all my bits together.

Hmmm ... oops forgot the staple gun. Silly me! Will just pop and get that and then crack on with this project. Oh. Okaaay, not in that drawer. (Chew nail and frown) Or that one.
Right, lets see...

Fast forward 24 hours, and I'm exhausted. Not to mention exhausted every possibility of WHERE IT COULD BE ?

Which meant I had to pull a few things out of drawers and cupboards, which resulted in a complete and total spring clean. Great yeah. But I still haven't found my staple gun, which means I will have to go and buy a new one. I know not a big deal in the big scheme of things, but its like an itch. I just keep going back to the same places in that futile search. Losing stuff is my pet peeve. I should probably keep things more organised and then I wouldn't be in the fortunate position of having a clean space. Another side effect is, I have a whole drawer full of presents that I had bought to "put away", which I forgot existed. (I could probably do Christmas all over again). The Dymo which I got in October got a bit of a run out, so here is the result of my 24 hours of back breaking, bad language, sneezing search....

I didn't do a before picture, but I'm tellin ya, you would be impressed with the
transformation!



I can't say how long they will stay so pretty, but God loves a trier.





What can happen when a woman with PMT is let loose with a Dymo labeller!





See that big square thing? That's a desk, and there is even a computer on it. Amazing what you can find!

I'm tempted to frame it!

CUE THE AFTERMATH...

I'm thinking Mr Busy might have a bit of job getting in the front door...

And upstairs...

Ahem. Or downstairs for that matter.

I do have to ask myself though. How much stuff do I need?

Busy being Monkeys!

We are really trying to get out and about these holidays with the kids. It's so easy when you don't go away somewhere to just hang around the house "doing stuff that needs to be done". So with that in mind we headed out to the Woodhill Forest past Kumeu and Waimauku to Tree Adventures. My feet started tingling before we even got there because I really don't like heights, but if the kids were willing and able then I could hardly pike out could I? Incidentally, Woodhill Forest is where the Film Company making the new Yogi Bear movie have recreated Yellowstone Park. Didn't catch sight of Yogi or Boo Boo, but that was okay because we had more than enough thrills on the obstacle course through the trees. So, hook your Caribeeners on and we'll show you how its done!

Happy Monkey's!

A new look

Obviously I have too much time on my hands. I learned how to make a pretty background and stuff, so I have been mucking about with colours and wot not. As my darling Mum used to say. "A change is as good as a rest."
If you think the colours are too hard to read or anything please let me know, as I find it offputting when the colours are coming at you in 3D, and you need migrane medication and a good lie down after you have read it.
I got my background from here. And it also had very easy instructions on how to do it. (It really is a case of, If I Can Do It Then Anyone Can!)
We have been pretty busy getting out and about with the kids, so will post some pictures soon of us swinging through the trees, pretending to be really Busy Monkeys.

Count your blessings ...

its the little things in life that count. Like running through the sprinkler on a hot New Years day...

Happy New Year from the Busy's!