Undies!

New undies for my little man.

These will be a part of his birthday pressie - he's two next week (where did that time go?!?). I used this link over at doityourselfec.blogspot.com I have used this pattern before but it was a looong time ago. They were so much easier this time round (I hadn't been sewing long when I did them the first time).

Here they are next to a shop-bought pair of size 2 undies. They look huge! I made the size 1 - 2 years. He still fits in the size 6m - 1 year I made last time but I figured this size would give him more growing room. I didn't think they'd turn out this big!!

But they are actually ok on. A bit on the baggy side, but they look so cute! Plus, they will be easier for him to get up and down himself if they are a bit looser. And of course, they will last longer!

What do they look like from the back?

Like this!!

I will definitely be making more of these. I've got enough fabric to do another set in reverse colours to these. FWIW, the red fabric is an old t-shirt and the black is an op-shop find. They go so well together (plus we are Bombers fans in this house).

And, for my future reference, I did the seams with the serging/pine leaf stitch on my machine. Here's hoping it holds together well.

My Dinner Plate

LOL, first post in how long, and it's a pic of a dinnerplate?!? It's for the EB Sewing Swap, some people wanting to make coasters are asking for colour schemes so I thought I'd pop this in here just in case one of them was my partner. If it was - Hi! I'm not fussy, and I'll love anything :)

P.S. I started a new (private) blog today and in the process I selected to use a newer way of editing/formatting blog entries. It is SO much easier. You may see more of me as a result :)

Christmas Sewing Part 3

It's not the best photo, but it's all I've got. Here are the cushion covers I made for mum and dad for chrissy. I love how they turned out. I've got some leftover material so will be making them a couple more as a bonus :) I will have to take a photo of them on mum's couch.

And here's one of DS modelling his new hat :) Kinda clashes with what he's wearing, but he looks pretty happy with it all the same.

New Year's Resolutions

I've made a bunch of them. I know they are not for everyone, but I like to use the new year as a springboard for change. I like the idea of clean slates, a chance to start again. Having said that, I am not making huge life-changing resolutions and I'm certainly not against making more throughout the year. It's just that the dawn of a new year gives the perfect opportunity to take stock of where you are in life, and where you'd like to be this time next year.



So, what are my resolutions? Remember how in my post the other day I said I love lists? Consider yourself warned!

* write a to do list every evening for the next day, including fun things as well as the mundane
I function so much better when I have a list of things to tick off as I go about my day. Otherwise I get totally overwhelmed with the length of my day and start to go a little crazy

* one pilates or gym session a week
I didn't manage this when DH was working part-time, and now he is back to full-time so it's going to be a struggle. But there is a mum's and kids exercise class in the park that I am going to go to if it isn't too hot. And there's a Saturday morning pilates class I can do if we don't have anything on. I can also book out the little gym at my physio at a time that suits me (which is limited to when DH is home unless DS will sit happily in the pram while I exercise - I haven't tested this yet).

* do shopping every week
This may sound like a weird one, but it's not, not for me! DH has always done the shopping. He used to stack shelves at Coles so he was always so much quicker at it! He and DS have done the shopping together every week since DS was old enough to be apart from me for that long. So it will be a huge adjustment for me to do it each week.

* menu plan each week
We already do this, but I'm going to be taking more responsibility for it, and try to do it earlier than right before bed the night before grocery shopping day! It might be a little more inspired if I am awake when I do it

* cook one new recipe a month
See, as well as shopping DH has always done most of the cooking - he knows how, I don't! Well, ok, I do, but it is a struggle, I'm not confident, but I do find I enjoy it if I am organised and not rushing.

* do 15 minutes of exercise every day
I need to get fit, and I need to lose weight, but I'm not going to go all gung-ho about it. I have a bad habit of not getting out of the house unless I have something that I *need* to go out for, then I get all depressed because I get no exercise or fresh air. So, whether it's chasey in the backyard, a walk around the block (even if it's at toddler pace), or a walk around the zoo (we got memberships for christmas), it's all counted. I'll reassess this one in a couple of months time.

* read 1/2 hour 3 times a week - minimum
I love to read, but I do so little of it.

* blog 20 mins 3 times a week
Hoping this means my poor little blog won't be so neglected. I've not yet scheduled in blog-reading time yet... Need to do that. Hopefully then I'll be less inclined to come on the net randomly throughout the day - I seem to spend more time on here (doing nothing in particular) when I feel I have no time. So by allocating time-slots I hope to be on the net less but be more productive when I am on

* sew 4 hours a week.
Starting small and working from there. Also going to plot in the calendar one day a month for boys day out so I get the house to myself for an extended period of time.

* see one friend a week
Yes, that's another minimum. Again, I get into ruts where it gets too hard to get out and socialise. Well, enough of that! I always have a great time when I make the effort, so this year I am rewarding myself by doing it regularly.

* make one phone a week
I hate talking on the phone. Well, I don't really, but I hate making calls. I have a real aversion to it. I don't know why (I used to be a telemarketer lol, and quite enjoyed the job!). But with all this email, FB, blogging and chatting, the art of the telephone call has disappeared. So I am making myself pick up the phone. Human interaction is good for the soul!

* start printing photos
Digital cameras are overwhelming. Take today for example. Went to the zoo for 2 hours. With a film camera we would've taken a max of 24 photos. Today we took about 90. Sigh.... So I'm going to set aside a night in the first week of each month to print out 20 photos from the previous month. They are going to go in an ordinary album. This way I figure I will have enough for the full year, plus room for extras for special occasions. Did I mention I think about things too much? A few months down the track we'll reassess this one and maybe incorporate some scrapping goals.

Well there you have it, my resolutions. They are all really about the day to day things, the basic stuff that will keep me happy and my life rolling along nicely. There'll be a big adjustment for me this year with DH going back to work full time so I want to set myself so I survive, and hopefully, thrive. I haven't even begun to think about the big important things... that's another post. I think I've revealed more about the real me this week than I have in the entire rest of my blog. Enough for now!

A Sewing Summary - 2009

Here are all my Lists from 2009.

WORKS IN PROGRESS
summer hat - DS - just needs lining
summer pjs - cut and pinned
thermal top - DS - cut out - no rush
trackies - me - partially sewn - no rush

The bottom three have been WIPs for a loooong time, maybe close to a year? I'm not particularly motivated to do them...

2009 SEWING TO DO LIST
OOPS! xmas - DS - backpack
OOPS! xmas - DH
xmas - BIL -
fruit bags - lots (me)
OOPS! balaclava - need pattern
PRIORITY: baby block set
OOPS! fancy toddler winter hat - DS
OOPS! car window shades - have fabric
OOPS! pj pants for me
OOPS! something special - DH
fabric mobile
box bag
zippered pouch
zippered pouch - another option
zippered pouch - 3rd option
easy skirt (me)
winter skirt (me)
scoodie
note book cover (me)
car seat organisers
curtains (me)
toddler apron (late Jan)
note book cover (Feb)

Hmmmm... a little ambitious maybe? A lot still on there! Some are things I do really want to make too - like the skirt for me and those little zippered pouches, and the note book cover and and and.... I think I see my problem! A lot of these will be going straight onto my 2010 To Do list :) Hopefully this year, they will get done.

DONE IN 2009
green truck pants DS
cushion covers x 4 (parents xmas)
tote bags x 2 (MIL, SIL xmas)
Little Explorer shorts (nephew's xmas)
toddler hat x 7 (1 x b'day, 6 x Xmas)
oven mitt - who for??
training pants x 7 (DS)
training pants x 2 (DS)
thermal pants x 2 (DS)
toddler winter bucket hat (b'day present)
bag for EB swap
toddler hat (b'day present)
toddler sweatshirt (DS)
toddler apron (b'day present)
toddler winter hat - polar fleece (DS)
leather/denim toddler shoes (DS)
leather toddler shoes (DS)
duckie pj pants (DH)
duckie pj pants (DS)
apron & pot mitts (Mother's day)
toddler bib with sleeves (DS)
training pants x 2 (DS)
bedtime leggings (DS)
trackies (DS)
waterproof play pants (DS)
soft baby block (b'day present)
nappy (for DS) x 2
bib with sleeves (for DS) x 2
crayon roll x 2 (b'day present)
pj trackies for DS
adult apron (b'day present)
pin-cushions x 2 (b'day present)
pin-cushions x 2 (EB swap)
hoodie for me (sewing class)
toddler dress x 3 (presents)
trackies for DS
Little Explorer overalls (for DS)

WOWSERS! look at that list! It's huge. That's a huge benefit of blogging. If I hadn't made this list as I went I would have no idea that I'd made so much this year. Admittedly, there are heaps of duplicates - especially when it comes to hats and training pants, but still, that is a big list of things. I made heaps more than I did in 2008

QUESTION: The orginal To Do lists in my sidebar have some links in them. Is there an easy way of copying those links into the above summary or would I have to do them all manually? Ideally I'm doing these summary posts so I can remove 2009's lists from the sidebar (so they don't get too long and cluttered), but I want to still have all the links...

Following on from yesterday's post, here are my answers to the questions.


1. How do you fill your space?
With sewing stuff, scrapbooking stuff
With books - a mix of gardening, novels, and parenting/self-improvement

With a lot of stuff waiting to be scrapbooked...I'm very sentimental and keen to scrapbook so I have heaps of stuff just waiting to be scrapbooked. Sigh... some would call it clutter...


2. How do you spend your time? (aka, what do you always make time for)
- being Mummy
- discussing parenting with online buddies
- sewing
- hanging out in sewing forums
- blogging (not enough!)
- making lists :) DH tells everyone that I make too many lists lol.
- decluttering - not that you can tell tho

3. How do you spend your energy? (on activities that energise you, not leave you feeling drained)
- sewing for me (but not sewing under pressure - that can be draining)
- playing with DS
- with good friends
- going for walks with DH
- getting organised/decluttering - this is very freeing, when I'm doing it because I want to, otherwise it can be a big drain.

4. How do you spend your money?
- fabric, patterns
- socialising with a few good friends

5. Where are you most organised and ordered?
- um... nowhere really! I like to be organised, and I strive to be organised, but it doesn't happen that often. I'm getting there tho!


6. Where are you most disciplined, reliable and focused?
- In my list making lol.
- I realibly research everything (this is very annoying, even for me!)


7. What dominates your thinking?
- how to be the best mum I can be - at the moment I'm thinking a lot about communication
- sewing - the next project, what fabric to buy
- our next house - where will it be, when will it be?

8. What do you visualise and dream about that is becoming a reality?
-raising a happy and healthy little boy - he's a stunning little boy and I love his personality
- our new house - tho this one is a little slow on the 'becoming a reality' part

9. What do you talk to yourself about? (what ideas are you constantly telling yourself you would like to persue)
- a tidier, more organised house with less clutter - I guess I notice it a lot more now that I am home full-time instead of out at work all day
- being more self-sufficient in terms of food items. We've been slack at this house as we were never really going to be here long... there's been lots of reading about it and planning but little doing
- that new house of ours - it seems we are going around in circles, don't know what step to take next
- regaining my fitness. It has disappeared since I became a mum. I miss the dancing and karate days...

10. What do you talk to others about?
- DS
- sewing
- gardeing
- strawbale homes
- life
- parenting

11. What is it that inspires you and has consistently inspired you?
- talking to people with similar ideals as myself - it is always inspiring to discuss your thoughts and plans with others and to hear theirs

12. What are your longest held goals?
- um... apart from the big stuff, like a happy life-long marriage (which is coming along nicely), it would be that new house that we have been dreaming of building for many years now. Too many years, it is time to make it happen!

The results? My values and goals:

What does this show about me? That I'm hyper-focused on DS? and my desire for a new house! And that I love being creative and making things. Hmm... I guess that translates into the ultimate desire to provide a homely home for my family and to be part of a loving and happy family.

What are your responses to the questions?

Should Should Should...

Only a couple of hours left in 2009.

I found this over at Romi Jade a few days ago, and a lot of it hit home. I thought I would share it here, as it is so relevant, particularly when so many people are making New Year's Resolutions.

The following is a direct copy of what I read at Romi Jade...

I just read this fantastic article in the current Good Health magazine and it has some really inspirational advice that I thought was worth sharing - so many of my friends (and myself included) deal with these issues and I thought this may help offer another perspective on things :)

The article is called Reach Your Goals and was written by Angela Donaldson, with advice from Dr John F. Demartini, human behavioural specialist (that sounds like such an interesting career!).

Here's a summary:

"Every individual lives by a set of priorities or values, things that are most important in their life. All our perceptions and decisions are based on these values." The reason we don't succeed in achieving our goals is that they are not aligned with these values. We often set regular goals that are unachievable and damaging, because we end up being hard on ourselves for failing.

'I should...'

• Any time you hear yourself saying that you 'should' achieve a certain goal, it's not you talking. A 'should' is somebody else's value that has been forced into your life.

• People who live with 'shoulds' can end up with health problems because it's not their own agenda they're working towards. They've got the brake on instead of pressing the accelerator.

• You will recognise your highest values because there are no 'shoulds' about doing them. You don't need outside motivation to achieve them and you can always find energy to do them. This is because they are inspired from within.

• You only need outside motivation when the goals you set come from a 'should', or if they're goals that are low on your list of values and priorities.

• The life you are already living is the biggest indicator of your true values. So, if you say you really want to get fit but, on closer inspection, see that you don't do a scrap of exercise, then it's not among your highest values and it probably won't happen.

The secret to achieving your goals and transforming your life is to be TRUE to what you cherish most in life - it could be family, work, making money or spending time with others.

When you set goals according to your highest priorities, you'll be rewarded with more energy, vitality, confidence, certainty and purpose.

"You'll be doing what you love, you'll be inspired by your life, work more efficiently and give yourself permission to delegate items low on your priorities list, so you can get on with top priorities."

You can change your values..

..but you need to assign a massive list of benefits to that value. When you associate a benefit with a value or goal, the value will move up the list. We're motivated by rewards and if you can't come up with a big list, then it probably means you don't have the drive to do it.

"Quite simply, you feel you have better things to do!"

Anyway.. that's the main body of the article, the next section helps you work out what you value by asking 12 questions and writing down your top three answers for each. Then you group your answers into similar categories and are left with about four to seven main priorities - the primary values you live your life by. Then you just set your goals to match those values and you'll be on your way to honest fulfillment!

I'll post my answers to the questions tomorrow, along with my New Year's Resolutions.

For now, I'll just say "Happy New Year!"