prairie mouse

ciao ciao for now

in a couple of days time i will be heading off to the united states for a couple of weeks! i am going to artfest with my dear friend karen. we can't wait. there have been lots of excited phone calls and planning and now we are finally going. michael and the children are going to keep the home fires burning. thank goodness though, for communications the way they are today because i will miss them terribly. i did tell prairie that i would check on google earth to make sure they were matching the pegs when they hung out the washing!

karen, who has been to artfest two times already, said that everyone takes things to trade. the theme this year is woodland so i made these little woodsy garlands. i still have a dent on my hand from all the cutting (i made 50 sets) but they were fun to make and i really enjoyed painting them all, its been awhile.

after artfest, i am having another treat - i'm going to have a bloggy old time in person with this cooler than cool peep!! i can't wait for this either!

so, is anyone else out there going? let me know, i'll be here for a couple more days. michael thought he might do the odd post on my blog. adding his touch would be nice he thinks. i'll be checking that along with the pegs!!!

xxx

spot the piano

i just cannot stop spreading my stuff out and now prairie has an excuse as to why she cannot do her practice! a little while ago i shifted my machine and co. off the table into a corner where the piano resides. its great because we have the luxury of a table again but are now musically challenged!!! i will shift it, really. i was having a good old fold up and there was the perfect horizontal surface - what is a girl to do!

happy hippity hoppity

every easter i make hot cross buns and for the last three years they have been a la nigella. great recipe. i double it and leave out the cardamon and make 15 large buns. this time of the year always reminds me of my discovery of the blogs thanks to simmy and her sister and the magical time it was (and still is!) i felt like i had gone through the wardrobe door!

heres the dough rising

ready for the oven

glazed and ready to eat with a fresh pack of danish butter (a food mile indulgence but so so good)

so, i shall leave you with this delightful postcard, given to me by kay (salvage) along with some amazing fabrics (thank you again kay - i was touched and i so love doing the window) don't you just want to hop in and do some shopping in that quaint little village (another wardrobe to find?!!!)

happy easter!!!

xxx

multiplication

its true, they do!

these little hoppitys went off to salvage this morning.

easter bunny

i just remembered that we had to make a contribution to the easter basket for the raffle in prairie's class. i had started this for the window (sorry kay!) but thought i better finish it for the basket. phew, i can check that off now!

the party

it all started with my big idea - how about for your party i make some ragdolls for the girls to decorate? (thinking there might be about 6 on the guest list) but because it is the beginning of our school year and there are some new girls, prairie wanted to include everyone.

17 in total plus the prototype!

we put 2 tables and market umbrellas on the deck and i hung all the little felt dresses up like washing. the goodies on the table were covered with a cloth when the girls arrived - nothing like a little suspense!

i put out bottles of glue, a tin bucket full of wigs and lots of little bowls of decorating goodies, plus a couple of pincushions loaded with needles, threaded and knotted.

i wanted to photograph all of the dolls but it was too hard as the girls were all leaving at different times and they glued and stitched till the last second before they were dragged away. this is prairie's doll sporting a yellow ensemble with matching clutch.

i have to say that though there was a lot of preparation it was the calmest party i have ever hosted. i had to literally force them outside to do a treasure hunt and then had to take the food out to them! i loved that one girl would make earrings for hers then the next thing there were all these different versions around the table. same with the handbags or even the highlights they did in the dolls hair (i never would have thought of that!) when they were going out for the treasure hunt i heard one of them say 'this party rocks'. what more could i ask for!

bon anniversaire

this was taken 10 years ago when prairie turned one! happy happy birthday sweet girl xxx

the window

you will have to look carefully as there is so much reflection but this is how i spent my sunday morning with the lovely kay and a little green fairy. the birdcage is now hanging and the preserving pan is filled with soil and a layer of straw waiting for the wheatgrass to push its way through.

there is a little side window as well and this bunny fit perfectly. he was made by my friend karen as a housewarming present. i felt he needed a little necklace for the occasion - managed to sneak in some yo yos!

now its time to get ready for a certain young lady's birthday. i cannot believe that she is turning 11 tomorrow. how fast........... x