applehead

besotted....

So small and yet Grace already has us wrapped around her little finger.
Charlie has several pet names for her - "little sleepy pumpkin head, sweetie pie" and her favourite of all "my tiny knuckle head" which she insists means "cute". I'm not sure where Charlie picked this up but I am trying to get her to stick with "pumpkin head".
I know that it is only very early days (and things can change very quickly!) but Grace just seems to be fitting into our life and family so easily. Of course there will be days when I think I must have been crazy to imagine that I could cope with three children but for now I am just enjoying the whole new baby experience. Grace will be the last little one in our family- I'm certain that this is why I seem to be spending a ridiculous amount of time just looking at her- really, you'd think that I'd never seen a newborn baby before!
In between feeding and trying to catch up on a bit of sleep, I have managed to do a little bit of drawing.

Not sure where I am going with this - I have a few dress sketches that might become part of a collage series or might not....we'll see.

(We really have appreciated all of the comments on the last two posts - thank you for  the warm wishes and congratulations. Every proud mama just loves to hear that other people think her family is a lovely as she does!)

chocolate free eggs...

( not that I have anything against the chocolate variety...)

Baby update: 5 weeks to go!

ready to post.....

Off to Japan, USA,UK,Switzerland,Portugal,Canada, The Netherlands,Israel,Finland, New Zealand,New Caledonia and of course all over Australia.
I love snail mail...hope you enjoy finding these in your mailbox, where ever you are!
All feedback encouraged and most welcome.
( For those of you who want to take a look at the illustrations, you can find them all here on Flickr)

8th March....Thanks for the great response. All of the mini zines are now spoken for...only did an edition of 50 (quite enough folding and stapling for the present!)  so if you missed out, sorry!

odd sock soup....

I finally finished the artwork for my mini- zine...scanning and printing is all completed and its ready to be folded  and stapled. I used the instructions from this book to make an instant zine - fast, easy and light to mail.

So, if you asked for a copy, it should be on its way to you at the end of this week ( if you asked but haven't sent me your mailing address, please do!). It's not very big...a little bit of drawing, a little bit of collage and a very little bit of text! Shouldn't take more than a minute or so to read but hopefully a minute that you will enjoy!

the baby that ate my brain.....

I have sat down several times over the past week to write a post only to find that I have nothing to say. For me, this is highly unusual.
I always have something to talk about.However, by the time I have caught up on replying to emails and catching up on my favourite blogs, I've just about run out of energy. Then it's time to retire to the lounge and drink tea,do a few rows on my crochet blanket before I run out of steam. Not much left over for doing anything too creative even though my brain is buzzing with ideas and things I want to try.

Oh well.
The ideas will have to wait.
Approximately 8 weeks and then 6 weeks to get over the walking zombie stage that goes with having a newborn in the house once more. So I won't be the least bit offended,if you all stop visiting for about 14 weeks until I actually have something interesting to show you ( apart from newborn happy snaps of course! I'm sure there will be a few of those...)
I have managed to do a few sketches this week - these are the start of a mini zine that I hope to finish before baby 3 takes centre stage.

I have had the desire for quite a while to do a simple illustrated story and I figured a mini zine was very do-able! Easy to make copies and light ( ie inexpensive!) to send.
So for those of you who are willing to hang about and be patient, I will be happy to send you a copy to take a look at. All feedback welcome as I hope later to  expand it into something a bit more substantial. Just send me your snail mail address and as soon as it is done I will send you a copy. Consider it a small thank you for dropping by and taking the time to spend a few minutes with me. I'm almost sure my second blog anniversary is coming up, so it's a good way to mark that as well.
( There are several of you who don't need to send me your address...you should know who you are - you will get one without asking!)
Hopefully I will have my act together enough to have a little anniversary giveaway- can't guarantee that though as I might only feel inclined to sit on the afore mentioned lounge and eat icecream in celebration of the two year mark instead!

Rose has just wandered in with a drawing that she made just for  me...proof that someone in the house has not lost their creative momentum at least! The proud mama that I am, I just had to pop it up for you to enjoy ( all comments most welcome and will be passed on, I promise!)

birthday card for the king...

Happy Birthday, Damian!

( homemade raspberry and chocolate chip icecream cake all round!!!!)

collage for Sophie....

the last custom collage to be finished before the baby arrives...for a little girl who loves bubbles, bears and hot pink boots!

I am now hoping to find the energy to work on a few new collage ideas that have been chasing around my head for a while. The alternative is to  just retire to the couch and eat a few ( or perhaps many!) of these instead!

My favourite icecream treats from Pat and Stick's...I've heard that they are extremely nutritious and good for you (actually, I made that up but surely anything that tastes this good must be a little bit good for you,no?)

being a peg....

You might recall my New Year's resolution....to be more like a peg. Basically to be simple, quiet and functional. Well, that resolution is being put to the test as this pregnancy progresses ever so quickly in some ways and so, so slowly in others.
With both the girls, I was still rushing around at a million miles an hour at this stage ( week 28 give or take a few days). Not this time around. Despite not being that big ( everyone else's opinion, not that of the author, mind you!) I am reduced to moving at a snails pace. A very sedate and slow snail. Any faster brings on quite numerous and rather uncomfortable ,distracting contractions, which is not much fun at all. So I've been told to take it easy and not do too much.
Put my feet up. Rest.
Not as easy as it sounds.
But I am trying.
Really.
Anyway, enough grouching about what I can't do and a bit about what I can and have been doing.

Finishing this hat for starters, just in time for Georgie's birthday next week.

She's a pom pom type of girl.

Adding the final touches to this project...all soon to be revealed....

And getting used to the fact that my small girl is now a big girl at preschool.

10 weeks or so and there will be another girl in the picture.

Oh
My
Goodness.

a sneak peek...

an exciting project I'm taking part in.....

and one of the only photos I have so far of me and work in progress No.Three....courtesy of Rose.
I am nearly 25 weeks and this one definitely has big jack rabbit feet like her big sister. Always thumping and kicking.
( To be honest I was tempted to crop off my head but decided to show the photo warts, bump and all....).
Hmmm...don't think these favourite jeans are going to fit for much longer- already resorting to the old hairband through the button hole trick.

a day in my life....

my collaged 'block' for the Paper Quilt Project.....

It's summer school holidays in my part of the world.
Without the normal day to day rush of school, gymnastics, ballet and swimming,the pace of life thankfully slows down. The girls and I can laze around in our PJ's, spend time down at the beach and sometimes catch up on a bit of reading! Homemade jam drops are fun to make and a popular treat for afternoon tea...or anytime really.
And we still have three weeks left!
I love summer holidays.