Hello to you.Goodbye to PUFFERY

Well hello.

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that sometimes I have no idea why I started a blog. I don't feel any animosity for my blog but it is just sitting there making me feel slightly guilty about not blogging.

I know that's silly. I guess I feel like there's not enough time to lavish on the blog, to make it look super special and up to date. There aren't enough stand-out, show-off moments to share with the world. And why does the world really "give one" for what I do anyway? Ditto facebook and tweeting. Can't be bothered.

I HAVE been crafting. I have been quilting. I have been rearranging furniture. Love it!

I have given up my four year obsession with the Suffolk Puff. So Utter Puffery hair doodads are no longer. Aaaawwwww, see ya!

I had a sneaking suspicion that I would just KNOW when I had done enough of those fiddly little things, but I never thought it would take so long to get sick of them.

Home renovation is complete. There are still a few projects on the go but we're tackling those ones ourselves. I was jubilant to say the least to see the back of the builder.

Would anyone like to give me some hope that the 15 year old magnolia we transplanted two weeks ago will survive? Looking pretty dire at this stage. It's blooms have graced my blog over the years and I will be very sad if it dies, especially after the horribly rough treatment it has survived through two renovations.

Kids are as tall and taller than me! As a rather short, stout person I am delighted that the kids have overtaken vertically.

I have joined a gym. I have stunned myself by enjoying it. And I have been 3 times every week.

UTTER PUFFERY on location!

Look at MY little things.
(Try not to examine the shit photography.)
They are happily residing in the brilliant new shop called LITTLE LULU.
It is very swisho cutesy pie stuff for our most wonderful Darlings.
There are clothes, toys, a tiny play space and delectable decorative bits and bobs.
You should definitely go there to buy a newly arrived someone a gift.
You would get big ooohs and aaahhhs and thank you's.
I love the UTTER PUFFERY dedicated nook/hutch/shelves.
I feel very special.
I think you might want to go buy some.
I can't take credit for anything but the hair accessories, though everything else is gorgeous!

LITTLE LULU can be found in Carlisle St Balaclava just near the corner of Westbury St.
You could catch a tram (#3 or #16) or a train. Get off at Balaclava Station.
You could walk pushing your Darling in a pram!
You could SKIP!
Don't drive if you can help it..It can be quite mad to park round there.

RED WITH WHITE POLKA DOTS

It's very cool to have all the bits and pieces to "make stuff" at your diposal. Last week I put on a red top with white polka dots. It was from the op-shop a while back and this was it's first outing. As soon as I put it on I knew I was in a RED WiTH WHITE POLKA DOTS kind of mood.
I put on some red leggings (bad idea when your legs are like tree trunks...all the way down) and I nipped in to my crafting cubby hole and made this badge. I took a photo of it whilst wearing from above, then one by holding the camera out and pointing at myself. Bingo!

something bright on a dull old day

What happened to the sun today? I wanted to take some photos and it just disappeared. I took this photo a while ago..It's my own hand-made rainbow.
Mackie and I spent some QUAAAALITY time today, doing a bit of a spring-clean/purge in the kids room. He was sensational company and I believe he has the tidying up gene that D and I are afflicted with. Pepper shows no signs as yet (but I was a late bloomer too) It's not cleanliness exactly, just fussy stacking and ordering. Bit of consolidation, I like to call it. Making piles....
This weekend just gone, I ate enough to sink a ship! We had a delish get together with the crew of workers from D's China trip, we had a family yum cha on Sunday morning to celebrate my wonderful Dad's 68th birthday, and I went out for a work dinner last night. Subsequently I am filled with self loathing which I KNOW is totally unproductive and dumb. But I'm feeling extremely blah-dy blah and fat.

finished!

I've finished my friend Rachel's scarf.
I'm very pleased with it.
I know I threatened to use all manner of tat to decorate it, but I decided to keep it more simple and applique puff circles on it instead. One side has a collection of black circles down one end appliqued with red thread, the other side has red fabric circles down one end appliqued with black, on black wool cashmere. It is blanket stitched in red around the edges.
I'm hoping she loves it.
I also hope she avoids the blog between now and Saturday, otherwise the surprise will be spoilt.
Now that I have a finished project under my belt, I feel a bit like making a cutesy-pie quilt out of lovely scrap squares.
Let's just see how far I get with that idea.

shades of puff-osity

Well, at long last I have completed the lampshade project.
I best be careful as my client (friend) hasn't seen them yet and may be disappointed. I hope not, because this was a major freakin' challenge and they are FINISHED I tell you.
Next time someone asks me to whip up a little something, I might think twice.
Still, it has been a learning experience and I am happy with the result. Bringing suffolk puffs to the wider community is my self-appointed crusade. Ha ha ha.
Now I might be able to read a few more books as my quota has been well down lately, and I might be able to get to sleep & wake up without thinking about the shades.
Thanks to Cintia at My Poppet for introducing me to the glories of the hot glue gun! I love you for that tip. What would I have done without it?

the end is nigh Harry

There are only a couple of days to go until the final installment in the Harry Potter series hits the shelves. While sometimes I can be a little jaded about massive hype & publicity, I must say that now I have my outfit organised for the very early 7.30 am start, I am feeling more... how you say.....in the mood. And I am very excited about the hat I made as part of my costume. I'll show you a photo. So pink and puffy!
This other little guy is a super duper magnet that I bought at the MOMA shop at Sydney airport after a fantabulous girls weekend. While we were waiting for our plane to board we did a last minute shop. I fell head over heels for his superior magnetic personality. I have become so possessive over him that I have warned the kids that if he comes to any harm, they will be replacing him at their own cost. HE IS MINE......ALL MINE! He is so handy in the event that whole containers full of pointy pins throw themselves to the ground. No average bloke would get down and collect handfuls of them in his bare hands, but my guy knows no fear.