sporting new shoes.

There has been little in the way of 'shopping' for me since having Annie. It seems I never have the time, and when I do have the time and Annie seems content enough (sometimes even asleep) something always happens to interrupt my shopping session and I come home empty handed.

Take for instance the other day, I was wondering through a store in Chadstone trying to find a pair of casual pants. (since becoming a mother my wardrobe has shifted from 'going out clothes' to 'clothes that I can be puked on, walk the dog in and if I'm lucky enough arouse Ben in') Annie was just asleep, looking soooooo lovely as she kicked back in her buggy still clutching her Sophie. I made my way through the shop very quickly, always conscious that they can WAKE AT ANY MOMENT! I found a few pairs of pants - some a little bigger than others, as you just never know what size you are after having a baby and refusing, point blank, to give up your sweet cravings. I scooted the pram over to the change rooms, whispered to the woman that I had 'thurreeee' items of clothing.

'Pardon?'

Why was this woman talking so loud?? Like, did she need head office in America to hear her? Was she looking for a promotion?? From 'change room girl ' to 'girl who uses walkie talkie occasionally and stacks shelves' Could she not see that clearly I was a mother with a sleeping baby??? The hair alone would give that away!

'I said, three'

Still whispering...hoping she'll join me.

'That's three, right?'

Nope. Not a joiner.

'Uh huh'

Defeated and slightly pissed off.

Thankfully Annie did not wake up. She slept through the ear piercing screaming match. I wheeled her gently into the extra large change room, hung up my clothes and started to close the door.

'Eeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkkpppppuuuuuuttttt'

The hinge on the change room door was made of the loudest plastic I think I have ever had the unfortunate luck to encounter. It's annoying tooth aching eek was followed closely by the triumphant bellow of Miss A's...

'wahhhhhhaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wah wahhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhh'

Annie was not happy. I was not happy. And as a result, my wardrobe remains 'casual-clothes-less'. But, on my birthday my lovely husband gave me some money towards some shoes that I loved but simply could not justify the money for. They are casual (of course) good for walking maggie, walking in general, talking about walking. I loved the colour instantly and when my foot eased into them in the shop, my sole fell in love.




If you're a mother, a mother who needs good shoes, a mother who walks a lot because it helps distract the little one for a half hour or the dog for that matter, then you're a mother who needs a pair of Footprints. Well worth the $240 I spent on them. And that's with a sizable discount!

baking on a rainy day.

Did a little baking today. Rummaged through the cupboard selecting some bizarre ingredients and then scoured the Internet looking for a recipe to match. I just love this kind of cooking/baking. I found the following recipe:

Beetroot Chocolate Cake

75 g cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
180 g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
225 g caster sugar
250 g cooked beetroot
3 large eggs
200 mL sunflower oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl.
2. Puree the beetroot in a food processor.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and oil and blend until smooth.
4. Add the sugar to the mixture.
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the beetroot mixture. Lightly mix.
6. Pour into a greased and lined 23 cm cake tin.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.
8. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Oh, and I got a little naughty and slathered the thing with chocolate icing, ensuring any connotations of 'health' associated with beetroot would be undeniably squashed!

Icing

100g butter
2 cups icing suagr
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tbs milk

Beat butter til fluffy, sift in icing sugar and cocoa and add milk. Yum! Here is the finished cake on my $1 savers deco plate :)





Love the way the icing peaks and slides down the side. I'm so in love, I don't want to cut it up!!!

projects.

It's always good to have a few things on the go. Especially when you have a 7 month old and don't have much time. That's why, as well as having a sewing project, I have taken to having a knitting project also. I can pick up the knitting at any time of the day, without having to lug my machine around, or pack up at the end of every session. This feels very creatively rewarding.

At the moment I have two projects on the go. I am knitting my lovely husband a scarf for our family holiday to Mt Buller next week. Ben wanted a charcoal scarf and I found the perfect merino wool at Wondoflex in Malvern to complete this job. I hope he likes it now!



I am also making Annie a play blanket out of scraps I found lurking in my stash. I had received this tree print over a year ago and was yet to find something to do with it. But, it will now have a place as the feature of this fun, yet functional, project. Here it is so far...



In other crafty news my sister is about to have a baby (i just typed girl without thinking!!! perhaps it will be!!!) and I wanted to make her some of the items in here. Hopefully time and Annie will allow me to do this.

maggie has an awesome tennis ball policy...

For Maggie MEMBER OF THE Dog PARTY Click here to vote for Maggie at VoteMyPet.com.au

Miss Maggie doesn't get half as much attention with Annie around. I have a touch of the guilts. What mum doesn't? As such I have entered her into a competition. She really is the dog of the year for welcoming Annie into her pack, protecting her so ardently and of course trying to lick her at every possible opportunity. Please vote for Maggie. She deserves it.

So...um...we bought a house.

After what feels like years of looking...actually, it has been years, we finally bought our first home together. I cannot even believe it. We had our hearts set on a section of Kingsville that is under a heritage overlay. Nearly every second house is being done up in the area and there are LOTS of mountain buggy prams sitting on Edwardian verandas that clearly indicate that families are abundant.




I will be frank and admit that this house is not the most attractive property (yet!). However it is over a hundred years old and has three big bedrooms and a large yard for miss Maggie. It oozes potential. Ben reckons we should get a sign out the front that reads 'dump, sweet dump'. At the moment we lay awake at night chatting about what we can do to the place. How we will renovate, what we need to do to get the money (selling of one's body came up...Ben's, not mine) and of course how we would love to extend our family in such a place.

I am not all starry-eyed though. This is going to be bloody hard work, excruciating in fact. But we're ready for it. Never been more ready. And just think...when the lavender grows, the new door is on, and we give it a lick of paint, it should look a little like this:

they're here!

Finally, I got around to getting my first Keep Cup. You might remember I stumbled across this trendy designer re-useable coffee cup a few months back. They have finally hit stores and can be bought online here. I have to say they are a delight to drink from and can be paraded in public with much pride. Grab yourself one. These larger size ones I bought from Bluebag on Collins Street in the city for a mere $9.30.

books you can eat.

Miss A is obsessed with books at the moment. Loves to turn the pages, watch mumma over exaggerate everything and most of all she loves to eat them. So, with this in mind and way too many lovely books to leave up to saliva, I decided to make her a fabric one. One that she could learn with, eat and find pretty.

I put together this fabric ABC book in just a few hours and was pleased with the results. The most time consuming thing was probably cutting out all the letters *sigh*. But, it was a labor of love for my little girl.



Since then I have been busy making my sister a little something for her birthday and working out a scrap blanket to lay on our hard wood floors for Annie to play on. Sewing just gets more and more rewarding every day *smiles*

so. much. fun.

Well, yesterday I turned 32. Yep. Getting old. I have to say that without a shadow of a doubt, it was the best birthday I have ever had. I think having a little miss around can make these occasions all the more special, but I also have to put it down to my very thoughtful husband.

He had arranged an evening that really summed me up right now. Like...um...to a tee. We started at the Workers Club in Gertrude Street where we took part in a knitting drive to make explosives to send to the Pulp Mill in Tasmania (opposing it of course). For only a teeny $4 I got this little pack upon entry.



We sat down with a good glass of vino, listening to the free music and watching the live puppet show and made our bomb. A good night out for crafty people and not so crafty people. To see when the next one is taking place visit craftcartel.

After a few bevvies we headed to the Press Club owned by the now famous George from MasterChef Australia. God only knows how Ben got us a table. It was packed. I didn't know we were eating here and was completely delighted when we walked up the stairs and George himself was standing at the door. I have to admit being a little star struck.

Me: *gulp* 'Hi George'.

I sway slightly. The pinot is doing backstroke in my bloodstream.

George: 'um...Hi'

Has no idea who I am or why I am talking to him. He leaves. Quickly.

Ben: *laughs*

I ordered the Lamb special with shoulder lamb and ribs (have a rib fetish at the moment since I bought the new Donna Hay) on a bed of white bean puree with sultanas and pistachios. The meat was crunchy on the outside and delicate and moist on the inside. Perfecto!

A shout out to my lovely husband. Thank you for the best birthday yet. You really have raised the bar. And during an economic downturn as well. Who knows...maybe I will pick you up that new Wilco CD as a little thank you gesture xx