the lazy crafter strikes again

I hardly ever get around to doing craft and even less often do I get around to showing it to you. I would call myself the armchair crafter except that indeed thats where you usually do do craft. Maybe I'm an internet crafter!

Anyway for those of you who do actually do it rather than sigh over how lovely other people's craft is, I just discovered another fabric deisgner I love (see previous post on amy butler).

Anna Maria Horner. She has 6 kids too. And is about my age I think. Wow.

Party Planning

I have to admit that the thought of planning kid's parties really doesn't thrill me. So far for Sparky and Scout I haven't really planned a proper one at home. For Sparky last year we went with what in our house is called the Scottish Place (because of Sparky's ability to spell - can you guess which fast food chain?).

But this year I feel it is about time I made an effort. Sparky's 5th birthday is in about 2 months. I'm thinking a cooking party - making mini pizzas and cookies. Any ideas or suggestions on where to get supplies will be welcome!

It's kids' prerogative to change their minds, right?

After explaining we weren't going to see Ice Age 3, we ended up going as we got an invitation, and suddenly when asked by a friend, it became a lot more attractive to Sparky!

It was on the scary end for a preschooler though - lots of bad stuff that almost happens. Everything turns out Ok of course.

Trailer below.

Museums, Galleries and lots of culture oh my

When we went to the powerhouse museum, we discovered the premier's adventure passport for kids which gives free entry to school age kids for the next 6 months to cultural institutions on weekends and holidays- and 4 years old counts apparently.

This was great! what with that, Scout being free and having a voucher from the Entertainment Book, it only cost us 10 bucks for the 4 of us.

The Powerhouse was wonderful for this age - 5 play areas, including a play building site that our boys loved.

But now Sparky wants to take advantage of this scheme to the full - where to next? Maybe the Australian Museum? Anyone got a suggestion?

Museum over movie

Well you know Sparky and I love movies. And we had decided to go to one every holidays. But there are no G movies this holidays except Hannah Montana, which he declares is too girly. He also reckons that the PG rating for Ice Age 3 Dawn of the dinosaurs is probably warranted - "because even the title scares me mum" so we are thinking we won't go to that.

So our movie substitute is the Powerhouse Museum, which has a special school holidays exhibition for children called the Odditoreum which looks interesting, showcasing curiousities from their collection with stories written for each by the children's writer Shaun Tan. I hadn't realised the museum is so reasonably priced ($5 for over 4, $10 for adults, and we have a voucher). Scout can come too, unlike a movie.

My - no - husband's pressie

Don't you love it when your spouse gets a pressie you like too?

Bhaer got this table for his 40th. With the ash legs. We haven't put it up yet, so the photo is from Matt Blatt, which is where the table is from - if you like design classics, take look at their stock. This is our second piece of furniture from there.

Gasp! childfree time and sleep ins

If you read Prue as well you will know that I have been away with Prue for a mini break, sans kids. Thanks so much Prue for inviting me! You can read her entertaining synopsis here, though she doesn't mention our meal at a Katoomba cafe run by a Christian (well some questions over this designation!) commune, which we didn't realise was the case until after we had ordered. There have been serious concerns raised about the group as I discovered when I researched them later. Suddenly the amazing cheapness of the food was explained - the workers are according to what I have read, not paid ( see previous link).

Other than that, we had a lovely time. A relaxing time out, though we didn't take time off from our masterchef addiction. Fortunately we shared this, so we were both willing to time everything else around it.