Hmmmmmmm where's the time going

A random picture of the little one's curls...With straight hair myself I LOVE her curls

I looked at my last few posts and realised I haven't posted anything productive in a while! Surprised?? I'm not!!! Life seems to have gotten away from me, Christmas is creeping ever close, and soon the envitable day is going to come when I have to put up the Christmas Tree.

No! I'm not a grinch, I do love Christmas, but:
Christmas Tree + 18mth + glass decorations (yes I didn't think that one through) = disaster!

I made my first tutu for a friend of a friend...she loved it and her little girl wasn't happy when it was passed on!

The kids do need an advent calendar too, so that needs to be made, and I've promised a few skirts for a friend...and then 3rd birthday party for a little girl (more tutus)

On the Chook front. They are laying and laying well! But one of them kept getting out and destroying the vege garden. We tried everything to keep her in, and she could still jump a 1.5 metre fence! So we've rehomed her. The Man About the House is happy seeing as he only wanted two in the first place! (He seems to think if I'd only go two we never would have got the trouble making 'Black Hen') So she is now the boss of someone elses hen house!

I'm a winner!

Need a bit of luck at the moment, and look what I won
A cute nappy from Bubblebubs Thanks for the chance to enter!

Bubblebubs Competition

Bubblebubs Birthday Competition

Get on over and enter for some great prizes!!!

I haven't had a chance to try the famous Bubblebub Nappy yet. But I have heard great things about them. They are on my 'to get' list. I have however used their Good Night Sleep Tight nappy which was great!!!

Day 23, Dreamtime Beach

Day 21 I think I might have missed a day

What with everything going on with bj+boo Originals I forgot to post yesterday! Sorry. But I did manage to set up a fan page on Face Book (yeah yeah I know everyone's doing it). My goal for tomorrow is to get the shorts photographed and do a final sew up of the top I've created, oh and sew some more tops!

So come join me on Facebook, I'm having a giveaway when we reach 100 fans, so tell your friends.

bj+boo Originals Facebook Fan Page

Day 20 Introducing bj+boo ... and Houston we have a problem

I have my mall spot, I have found a cool 'cartel' bj+boooriginals store to list some products on....so thought it was about time I introducted you to my new label. All my clothes/homewares that have been pictured on here are available for sale, just email me ratamuffin (at) hotmail (dot) com for now if intersted.

Its been a hard few days, I had to come up with a shorts pattern (which wasn't too hard as Boo makes a good model, and a dress/top which was hampered by the fact that I had to bribe Blake with chocolate everytime he tried it on!)

We (The Man About the House an I) also needed a logo for my new label...with a bit of input from cyber friends, he liked his, I liked mine, we came up with the one above!

and now to the problem...

The winner of the giveaway is linked in THIS POST . Congratulations Nadine from the Nut House. But due to me not putting where she was from I've caused some confusion and another Nadine who entered thought I meant her. (My fault I should have made it clearer)

But no problem really. Can both the NADINES who entered email me at ratamuffin (at) hotmail (dot) com with their addresses and I'll send a surprise out to both of you! How cool is that, two giveaways for the price of one.

Breast Cancer Fundraiser

WAHM and Cloth Community Breast Cancer Fundraiser

Tehre are some wonderful products here, and ALL money (minus postage) goes to a great cause.

My contributions are
A Tee
and This funky Twirly Skirt

So get your wallets out and run over and GET BIDDING

RANDOM.ORG Integer Widget

RANDOM.ORG Integer Widget: "True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
15
Powered by RANDOM.ORG"

Day 19,and the Winner is...

Drum roll please...

I'd just like to thank everyone who entered and is now following me, and to all my existing followers for still following me. Stay tuned or some exciting new developments over here, a name change, new logo and me selling my stuff!! (I'm excited, are you) Oh and of course more giveaways...I'll have to have one when I open the store, and get to 100 posts!

....ok I know you are getting impaitent..so Mr Goolge Random Number Generator has picked a winner...and it's NADINE Thanks Nadine for following, and it couldn't have gone to a nicer follower (now to have a dig and come up with the surprise!!!) Pics will be posted here if you want to see what the Lovely Nadine is getting.

RANDOM.ORG Integer Widget: "True Random Number Generator

Min:
Max:
Result:
15
Powered by RANDOM.ORG"

Day 18 a Busy Bee am I

A little tease

I've spent today creating patterns and sewing them up samples to show the 'mall' owner. Here's a little look at what I've come up with today.

So keep watching...fingers crossed I get a place and then we'll be open for business. We've come up with a name, and are working on the logo...so STAY TUNED (Same bat time, same bat channel) for updates.

Blogtober Day 17 - Don't sew when Tired

As above! I sew best in the mornings, which makes life hard as I have kids. So tomorrow The Man About the House can kid wrangle (I've been doing it all week for him while he retiles and paints) and I'm going to get some sewing done. I'm hoping to get a slot on a mall for a once a month stocking but I need more products to show the mall owner...so sew sew sew here I go!!!

Day 16 - Reusable Nappy Week

Yeah I know I missed a day. But I was attending a
Reusable Nappy Week get together

Did you make it to any functions? It's a great week, raising awareness in this disposable world for the new cloth nappies! I met a lot of lovely mums yesterday and a lot of cute cloth bums!

I had all good intentions of organising something for my area for Reusable Nappy Week this year, but never got around to it. So I here by promise that next year I WILL organise something! Who's keen to help/come?

Don't forget it's BLOGTOBER

Day 14 and a great cause

A Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser (Remember the skirt from a few posts back...thats where it's headed)

I'll post when the store is open, please bid and help raise funds for a wonderful cause!

Day 13 Noise, noise noise

Everybody say AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Yes this child did go to sleep with a nappy on,

and yes she does have toys, but for some reason decided her nappy was nicer

(and I can't blame her, lots of minky fluffyness to cuddle)

Ear muffs and ear plugs are the order of the day in this house. The Man about the House is still busy with the jackhammer dealing to the tiles

This one (who wakes at the slighest noise) managed to go sleep and stay asleep with all the racket going on. Go figure.

Don't forget to check out my giveaway (a few posts back)

Blogtober Day 13

Some finished clothes ready to find a new home. (I need to learn how to take good pictures!) But I'm happy with them. The VHC is size 2, but will fit a 3.5 year old! The top is a size 2.

And don't forget the enter My Giveaway while you're here.

Eye Spy...My Favourite Corner of The House

I'm new to this! But it seems like fun (I've seen a few play along). Head over
here to play along

Anyway this is my fav corner. (Along with the new rug we got on the weekend to cover the bare concrete floor). This is where we hang out as a family. Reading, playing, watching TV, whatever!

And don't forget the enter My Giveaway while you're here.

Blogtoberfest Day 12, and a mystery giveaway

Why? Just coz the sun is shining, The Man about the House is making a HORRID racket jack-hammering up tiles...and I feel like it...

What is it I hear you ask?...well it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now would it (ok so I'm still deciding what it will be, might be wool, fabric, a vintage pattern, op shopped material, a pinchusion...who knows. But you have to be in to win right). Surprises are fun, and I promise it will be a nice one.

So how to enter...

1. Become a follower and post a comment so I know (or if you are one of my existing followers *waves to all 6 of you*, leave me a comment to know)

2. Blog about this giveaway for an addition entry, and leave a comment so I know.

I'll leave it open till Sunday (what's the date then??? 18th October) and draw a winner randomly on Monday. I'm happy to post any (bar the moon!)

Day 11 - a day late

That's me (if you hadn't guessed!) And Blake
One pillow case made for a friend (My first sale!!)

I told Boo to go get some clothes to get dressed this morning,

and she got her brothers clothes out.

Thumb in the mouth...again...she was tired,

she's been keeping me awake teething

Black Hen, having a dust bath before the rain started...

still no eggs, 2 weeks down...how many to go?

Just a few random pics as I forgot yesterday. Well ok, I didn't but it was raining (on and off all day! Yay for the rain), Bathhurst was on (GO HOLDEN) and the kids were a bit grumpy, I had a headache I couldn't shake...so it was a do nothing kinda day.

Day 10

Tired,
Need sleep
Teething child...
Up at 5.30 tomorrow to do a car boot sale and flog all our old tshirts. (On the up side that means I have shelf space for my fabric)

Blogtoberfest Day 9 - Boys and Their toys

My 8 year old brother in law is staying (with his dad, Father in Law)...he and Blake are having a ball...although Blake has now discovered video game thingys thanks to BIL...and James is rediscovering them (not sure who's asking for one more, husband or son)...but the answer is NO you can not have one!

My Creative Space (and Blogtoberfest Day 7 or is it day 8...I'm lost)

We have visitors this week (more on that later) so I'm sewing on the dining table. Its acutally not a bad space, but has it's drawbacks.

1. The additional company/"help
2. Having to lug it all out and put it all back again!


Theres a little bit of this, and a little bit of that in my creative space this week...a few dresses, and a lot of hungry caterpillar fabric!


a few pillow cases for a friend (and yesI know he's not in the centre, I have no idea what I was thinking when I was placing him!)

and a skirt made from an old dress...to be auctioned for Breast Cancer Reserach...more details on the auctions another day. But stay tuned there will be heaps of fabulous products up for auction with all money going to Breast Cancer Research!

more creative spaces over at Kristy's

Blogtoberfest Day 6 - Lookie what I won...

I won this wonderful pack from Tracey at TB Cards
6 beautiful cards, an awesome knitted dishcloth (purple, and it is brilliant) and a lush, soft green bamboo knitted face washer. Thank you Tracey I love them. And will be buying more dishcloths!!

Blogtoberfest2009 - Day 5, a bit late

but some Jelly fun to celebrate.

Add something probably not so good to the kids, and hey presto, jelly.

Add something else and it turns back to water (have no idea what was in it, but the kids loved it)

I'm participating in Blogtoberfest(just starting a bit late) in the hope of getting my blogging mojo back!

Black Hen, Josh and Pepe, ah its "The Good Life"

We really need a place in the country...but are going to have to make do for now (sorry I can't get the pictures in order)

The house/run was made from 'found' timber that the previous owner left in the ceiling (gee thanks, but at least it saved us money). So the only costs were netting, nails and staples ($30) and the chooks.

The helpers assisting with making the house.
The number of hens is a bit of a sore point! James wanted 2 and Blake and I came home with three. The running joke now is its not only the 3 year old in this house who can't count properly. But i figured if I get 3 they might (fingers crossed) lay enough for me to sell a dozen every week or two and pay for their feed.

They are just discovering their free range area, but seem to prefer to hid in the house in the middle of the day. Tank has discovered that the chooks are actually a food source (not the chooks themselves, but I've caught him in the pen eating all their food).

So now we wait for them to start laying...

I've been on a hunt

thanks to This Wonderful Blogger .

I've been tripping around blogland collecting the clues and I think the anwer is COMMUNITY.

I've enjoyed the trip, seeing places I've never seen...but man...thank goodness for the internet as I couldn't unscramble the letters! LOL..needed an online unscrambler!!!

Sew Mama Sew Pajama Party

This came along at the perfect time! The kids needed new PJs for summer...so I've joined in and sewn stretch for the first time!

I'll add pics as I make them, I have one pair planned for Boo and a few for Blake.

The car fabric for these I found at an op shop/thrift store. They probably cost less than $4 to make! Still getting the hang of stretch sewing!

I know I've been MIA..but I've been busy...

Wrap Skirt from Make it Perfect
I've been Dying! These were boring white sheets

And some tie dye for dolls nappies, and training pants for Ella

and a Portobello Pixie dress for my niece (Boo is trying it out for size)

Giveaway with a Cause

My mum is a breast cancer survivor, so how could I not get on board with this wonderful fundraiser (and yes an amazing give away to boot)

Pop on over to Bush Baby Jag and give what you can to this great Breast Cancer fundraiser.

My Creative Space

I don't usually play along with this (my creative space isn't that interesting) but this week I LOVE my creative space.

I've discovered DYEING...and have been dying anything I can lay may hands on. This latest batch is going to be more dolls nappies (1 down) and some training pants for Boo.

Skip on over to

kootoyoo for more Creative space.

Love September Favorite Skirt Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Love September Favorite Skirt Pattern GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I'd love to get my hands on this pattern!!

CocoaDreams Aprons Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

CocoaDreams Aprons Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

and check out the coco dreams store! There is some wonderful stuff there.

Gaga Bum Reversible Pinafore GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Gaga Bum Reversible Pinafore GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Made by Rae Jackpack Backpack GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

I wonder...

...what code he's going to play when he gets bigger...?

...who his favourite team will be (and how we can convince him it should be the Titans not the Cowboys)?

...and what position he will play

...if this is a lesson she needs to learn the hard way...?

...and if my scales are broken...? I'm sure this is the number I started with. But then I did forget to right it down and am rather tired so who knows. Least now I know.