Hey all, just wanted to let you know that I’m taking a break from blogging and One Red Robin. There are a few significant changes I have to deal with at the moment. So I’ll be away from this space for a while – not sure how long, maybe a few weeks or maybe months – but before I go, I just wanted to wish you all a very happy new year.

Thanks for all the support you have shown me this year (and the last few years). Every encouraging comment and email has meant so much and I am so deeply thankful for the friends I have made through this blog. Thank you for enjoying what I create and I hope that I will be able to get back into making, and sewing, and blogging again soon.

Take care,

Jhoanna

[EDITED 29.12.09: Thanks so, so much for all your comments! Your support and encouragement is deeply appreciated and is a huge comfort beyond words at this time. Thank you :-)]

I was awoken early Christmas morning by Ava’s shouts of “It’s CHRISTMAS!!!”, followed by a very grumpy Rori yelling, “Mama, Ava woke me up!!!” :-)

But all was soon well after the girls ran downstairs and opened their gifts. Then it was out the door into the backyard to enjoy the glorious morning sunshine and make some bubbles.

Hope you are enjoying your post-Christmas weekend!

Just wanted to wish you all very merry, fun, memorable and stress-free (or at least one with very, very minimal levels of stress!) Christmas. Keep safe, cherish the presence of family and friends, and soak up the joy of the season.

I’ll be back here after Christmas (and before New Year rolls in).

Blessings,
Jho

It’s been a little skirt-making factory over here :-) I really wanted to get more handmade gifts done this year but have had to zone in on making many of one kind of gift for a few of my god-daughters in order to have everything done by Christmas (which is like, 7 DAYS AWAY!).

Thankfully making these skirts has been a very relaxing process. They are so easy to make (I’m using the free Oliver & S Lazy Days Skirt pattern). I’m making a set of 3 skirts for each recipient and I’m thinking of them as “Everyday Playtime Skirts” – something a toddler can just pull on and play in without Mums getting too fussed about whether it gets dirty or is too ‘precious‘ to play in. I’m looking forward to making a couple for my own girls once this batch is done.

Of course, since the skirts are gifts I can’t post up any pics until they are received by the recipients. So instead, here is a completely unrelated quick pic I took of something I scribbled in my notebook whilst waiting on the phone this morning :-)

I’m also hoping to get a softie ready for the World Wide Toy Society Christmas Drop, which is on this weekend! Very excited about this event! Want to be involved too? You’ll need to sign up over at the blog before this weekend.

Before I sign off for the week, I just wanted to share the first Peg Bear made from the One Yard Wonders book I blogged about previously:

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This one was made by Corinne! Super cute! Love the fabric and the pink fleece on the ears :-) If you’ve made one too, please let me know!

Happy weekend all!

I always look forward to the weekend for the simple reason that I can just hang out with my two little girls. Time is going so fast and I find myself at times amazed at how quickly they are growing (in stature); how their personalities are developing; and how their knowledge and curiosity is flourishing from weekend to weekend.

This weekend I took them to Mikes to see the wonderful window of softies that have been donated for Mirabel. We lingered a long while at the front just taking in the cuteness and detail of each one, though only the Youngest was up for a photo:

Back at home we got stuck into a few hours of painting together. Here’s what emerged on my little canvas:

And we baked up a fresh batch of Kate’s raspberry and white choc muffins for the week ahead.

This morning our church put on the kids’ Christmas Concert and the girls dressed up like angels and sang a few favourite carols. This was at home just before we left for church:

On the plan tonight, probably a kids’ movie to watch together and then I have the evening to work on Christmas gifts.

I’m feeling refreshed and re-energised and so very thankful for these two little girls and the time we get to spend together. Already looking forward to the next weekend :-)

Planning to drop these Ze Bun-buns off at Mikes this weekend for the Mirabel Softie appeal. I think I will just make the cut-off (sorry for the lateness Pip!). By the way, have you seen Mikes’ window with all the softies received for far?! Absolutely wonderful, exciting, happiness-inducing!

I’m gearing up to spend the weekend and next week doing some Christmas gift sewing (finally). Wishing you all a beautiful weekend!

(This week is the last Creative Space for the year. Thanks so much Kirsty for hosting this meme and inviting us all to be a part of it! Go to Kirsty for more spaces.)

HOT

>> I love this quilt! Shapes, colours, texture – it has it all!

>> Print sale happening over at Hide and Seek. Reminisent of illustrations from vintage story-books but with a bit of ‘strange and slightly sinister’ thrown-in (I am definitely a fan!)

>> Pretzels and Ice-cream. Okay, so after my previous be-moaning of moving to a new office location I am finally warming up to the place, and mainly because it is quite close to some good food. And when I say ‘good‘ I really mean ‘unhealthy‘ :-) I have found a place that sells nice, cheap but very yummy 200g tubs of ice cream in durian, green tea, taro, mango and ferrero roche flavours amongst others. Also, I have discovered a very convenient short-cut between where I park and Pretzel World, which now supplies me with breakfast (and that reminds me, I need to get me one of their ‘Loyalty’ cards). This all, of course, means that I need to run more.

>> People who laugh like Muttley the Dog. Remember him? Remember his laugh? I love that laugh. It makes me laugh everytime I hear it. I don’t know why.

>> Being able to connect with other people who like to run through this blog. I always wonder whether I should share my running escapades but now I’m glad I do because through commenters I’ve found some great running tips and maybe even a half-marathon training plan for next year! *happy dance*

>> Ava finished Prep today. It has been such an amazing year for her. As her Mum, I am so proud of all the things she has learnt and accomplished this year, especially the new found confidence and a developing attitude that yes, she can do it (instead of giving up on things on the first fail).

NOT

>> Nothing really . . . except for the toilet paper issue . . . yup, that’s been ongoing . . . but overall it’s been a good week :-)

More Hot and Not Wednesday at Claire’s!

I was here at 7:30am yesterday morning:

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The Sussan Women’s 10km fun run in St Kilda. It was my 4th and last fun run for the year. It still makes me laugh to think that at the beginning of the year I couldn’t even run once around our neighborhood block and somehow I’ve ended up doing 4 fun-runs in the last 8 months. I would have never expected it, never forseen it.

But I’m thankful I did stumble across something I can just do for me – an hour of time in the day when I can just be by myself with my own thoughts and not have to be working on something or looking after someone or cleaning up after others . . . you know what I mean, right? I think it’s important for us to have something we can do just for ourself – something that refreshes us and clears our minds and at the very least, prevents us from resenting the loved ones with whom we share our lives.

All that being said, I must admit this run almost had me beat! I ran the first 3kms faster than I should have, which means by the the 6th km I was ready to lie down on the side of the road and have a nice, long siesta. The last half of the run ended up being one big pain fest but I somehow made it to the finish line (let’s not mention the lady who was running WITH A STROLLER that zipped right past me at the end). I even met my goal time, so I’m a very happy (albeit very sore and achy) girl today.

The atmosphere was great and the weather was perfect – mostly cloudy with a few breaks of sunshine and next to no wind. Plus we ran by St Kilda beach and it provided a very calming backdrop to the run.

I’m looking forward to doing more fun-runs next year, including attempting a . . . shall I confess this out loud . . . ummm . . . . a half-marathon! There, I said it. 21.1kms of pain. I have no idea how I’m going to fit in the time to train for it but that’s my goal for next year and you can help keep me accountable! :-)

Any seemingly ridiculous goals for next year that you’re willing to share out loud??

. . . a Mama Matryoshka and Baby sample ready to be sent to their new home at A Little Different in Geelong.

Where has this week gone? Has it been just as fast for you? I haven’t been able to do much making these past few days. Next week is looking a tiny bit less busy so I am hoping to get a few softies sewn up for Mirabel and even make a few more owls for the exhibition since the other ones have all found new homes.

How are you going with your gift-making? We put our Christmas tree up earlier this week and I just let the girls have free reign. They absolutely loved decorating it – the most wonderful giggles were heard in that one hour of merriment (nevermind that all the decorations are hanging on just one side of the tree :-)). I think I’ll need to get cracking on the gift-making too if I want to have them ready before Christmas!

I wish I was as organised as Anna, who sent me a lovely email this past week about the Happy Chibi Girls she has made for Christmas -

Yes, that’s seven Happy Chibi Girls!!! She’s done such a fantastic job. She also offered a great tip: if you are gifting these dolls to little kids (say 5 years old and under), then you can replace the felt on the hair with corduroy to make it easier for washing/cleaning.

Okey-dokes, better get off the computer and back to making lists :-) Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!

More creative spaces to enjoy over at Kirsty’s place. And please do pop by Claire’s to wish her a very happy 10 years of blogging!