happy easter

Well, hello! Hoping you are enjoying the loooong weekend for Easter. We are, and whilst having some lovely family time, the boys have also been crafting...

Wishing you and yours a lovely and safe Easter xx

a shocking surprise

Well, helloo!

It is a terrible thing that I haven't posted for ages. But when one has a burning secret, it is hard to post anything at all. You see, we are expecting another Pickle.

Quite the shock really! Those of you who have been visiting for some time would know that I am, according to all modern medicine, completely, 100% infertile. Our two beautiful Pickles boys were the result of years of hard work and fertility treatment with a brilliant and gorgeous team in Melbourne (Drs Cate and Stan we will love you forever).

So, there we were, minding our own business, when I started feeling quite ill, for quite some time. It was a few weeks in before I finally did a home pregnancy test (because it is not a natural progression for me to think, "hmmm, I have been feeling horribly nauseous and exhausted for weeks, perhaps I am pregnant?") and then went to my local doctor to see if it was a false positive. It wasn't.

So, um, we're having another baby! A bit shocking at first, but now exciting as Sprocket wriggles around and as the belly grows bigger and bigger... (we're at 21 weeks already).

On other news, country life is suiting us beautifully, we have some new members to the family (chooks!), the boys are so happy here and James Brown The Pug is loving sniffing around and yes, occasionally eating wombat poo (!).

Chat soon xx

Crafty goodness - I have been sewing!

Hellooooo! Some crafty goodness today - I have been sewing!

This dress was simple, just a few rectangles sewn together, strapless, and then some casing for the elastic in the back, whip a belt around the middle, voila! Popped this together a few weeks ago for a surpringly hot day, but haven't had the opportunity to photograph it. I wish I had a better photo of this dress (a full length one may have been helpful, right?), but I don't. So instead, I'll ask you to imagine the dress that then just falls to just below my knees and has the same trim on the bottom as it has on the top.

Oh, I did take another photo with my tripod one day at the park, but as I am behind my two boys, it just looks as though I am completely naked. Bother.

On other news I am attempting to make a wee cot quilt for Little Pickle. I have no idea how it's done, having only made one for the Gherkin, some years ago, but am giving it a bash anyway. Given that the boys have only just started going to sleep on their own (perhaps a very happy and unanticipated consequence of sharing a bedroom?) we have decided to delay Little Pickle's shift from a cot to a big boy bed for as long as we can. My little man is definitely not going to outgrow the cot anytime soon! So, it's time I made him some special bedding for his cot, at least. I am determined to use fabric from my stash only, but we'll see how that turns out. Photos of the work in progress next time.
Life in the country seems to suit us so far - we are catching (and returning safely) tadpoles, picking flowers, finding bugs, splashing in puddles, admiring the local birdlife, getting up close and personal with moss and mushrooms, watching storms (yes, we have had a bit of rain) and we are slowly starting to recognise some local faces.
I hope you are well and happy? Until next time, have fun xx

ps. for mr pickles

Dear Mr Pickles,

Happy Valentines Day, my Very Favourite Man. (I know we don't usually celebrate this, but, there you have it).

What a road we have travelled together! (I would travel it with you all over again).

I hear there is even more of the good stuff - loving, cuteness, cuddles and kisses still to come.

I love you (and not just because you are an amazing daddy).

Wifey Pickles xoxo

(raindrops on roses... and from our very own garden)  

Happy valentines day to you!

I thought I would celebrate all things hearty today by sharing some of my pinterest favourites of the moment. Enjoy xx

1. Hearts 2. Red Heart Pillow 3. Love Canvas 4. French Hearts

Oh! and a little tribute to some of my other little favourites, too, on a day all about love love love...

(the gherkin, printing with banksia pods from the garden)

(little pickle, inspecting a lily)

(the boys, belting out so long, farewell from sound of music)

Chat soon xx

thrifting thursday returns!

It seems I have moved to a land of plentiful opshops and garage sales, filled to the brim with gorgeous vintage fabrics, doileys and, yes, japanese ceramics. I love my new little donkey, who only cost me 50 cents. Hooray!

Chat soon xx

A Big Move.

Hello hello!

So, I have Big News. We Have Moved! To The Country! And loving it.

We have space to breathe, the boys can run amok, the pug has been running (I know, hard to believe), and it is green green green from every window. It is cold in the middle of summer (yes, the boys are wearing at least two shirts each in this photo!), but lovely. Just lovely.

And there is room for my dear friend (yet to be named - any suggestions?), excitingly, inside the house (unlike at our last place where all things crafty were banished to the shed, just because of lack of space).

I have been busy on the crafty front too, with some pieces I can't reveal as yet (becase they are horribly overdue gifts), but will reveal soon. Oh! And am thinking of doing some markets shortly, so I will have to share all my crafted goodies for sale. Perhaps I might also pop some in the etsy shop again...?

Or perhaps I could stop my random chatter and instead share some photos of our new home.

Chat soon, and have fun xx