Where Did July Go???

I can't believe it's been so long (now don't all bloggers say that when they have been slack!?) since I put anything up here. Lack of time. And you'll judge by the way this post will go that time is still scarce.
Hubby got a job starting 1 July, juuuuusssst before the holidays, I scrambled to find a babysitter so I could work a bit, I also took a MYOB course during the holidays. I'm not planning a career change but I'll be able to help Hubby in his new venture. It was nice to spend time with the girls during the holidays.
They kept me busy too, they went to a "Mario World" activity organised by a local church and wanted to be dressed up as Princess Daisy and Princess Peach for the picnic (on the Sunday), but as luck would have it, the email I had received said "12:30 pm" for lunch. Little I knew that they had the picnic right after the service on Sunday. I guess that's what happens when you need to rely on others to pick your kids up from activities because you have to work! After a few tears it all ended well, the organisers were really kind to them and they left with each a "green" bag (actually Orange) with Yoshi on it on one side and Mario World logo on the other (if you have kids, they'll tell you who Yoshi is, and they'll also tell you if I spelled it properly!)...
Here's a pic of my little princesses:

I made the dresses, they helped with the fabric picking, and they made their accessories (earrings, pendant and crown). I used magnetic earring backs as neither of them has their ears pierced yet. It worked really well.
I used the pattern McCalls 5135. I used the top from the green one and the bottom of the black one, making it much, much, much longer, and it took lots and lots of fabric!!
I did buy a pattern to make gloves, but it was just a waste of money, I just don't have the patience, and the fabric we had picked was just too curly-wurly at the edges! so I used the fabric to make petticoats as the dresses sort of needed them!
I made them swear they would wear those for Hallowe'en as a lot of work (and money as with anything handmade, really) went into the dresses :)
We'll have to dress up DH as Bowser or Donkey Kong, but he'll probably want to go as the Grim Reaper again!!

Oh, Little Miss C has been really busy making Mario World paper constructions and even started modifying the templates she found on the web to make other Mario World characters. The other morning I made them pancakes for breakfast, so they set up Mario, Luigi and Toad for breakfast, complete with pancakes, syrup (the punched swirl) butter, and knives and forks:



I didn't make any soap in July, on the list are a lot of things, though I need to make shampoo first of all. So nothing new on that front!

Lately I've discovered (well, so to speak) Martha Stewart's website... and actually made one of these: T-Shirt Bag with an old band T-shirt that DH had been wearing (Red Red Meat!) and which was completely ripped at the armpits... It's a great way to give a bit more life to T-shirts. I have a few more which will be dedicated to the cause as I'd cut off the sleeves and end up not wearing them a whole lot, also, why is it that white T-shirts go yellow over time? I can feel a bit of "tie dye" envy here!!!

This is another Martha Stewart thing I did!! I used an eyelet (my lovely little Crop-a-dile came in handy, and no, it's not little really) on the wallet leather, and for the cards... This is the Martha Stewart version (membership card organiser), and below is mine:


I've also been enthused by my buddy Ann G to try a "one sheet wonder" type card, you take one piece of nice paper, cut it up in pieces, and end up making 10 card fronts with it. I had a nice piece of Christmas paper, so I'm going with this. I've just started, marked the paper, if it works out I'll give you more details.

I am still doing boot camp (I know, un-be-lievable!!!) and (even more un-be-lievable) I'm actually enjoying it and looking forward to it. My shin splints have given me a break, so I thought "hey, I can run and jump now!!" but they are back a bit, not with a vengeance though, but I need to be a bit careful for a bit, that does mean I don't do as much as everyone else, but I still work hard (well, at least I think so!!)... I also got to meet HazelBlackberry who left me a comment last time I went to a crack-of-dawn workout on a Saturday. That was fun!! (Hi Hazel!!!) I still prefer my end-of-day workouts, it doesn't wipe me out for the day.


here's one more thing I've thoroughly enjoyed watching every week, and which my daughters enjoy watching with me, this is probably the girls's favourite - there's heaps more to view too:

Enjoy the videos!

Gotta run, I have some presents to go wrap and a cake to ice as we're celebrating Hubby's brother's birthday - he's visiting us for the weekend.

Ok, that's it for now, see you soon... or next month!!

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