Choir girl

Last night Ruby performed with a massed choir in the Town Hall. The performance was part of the APPA (Auckland Primary Principals' Association) Festival of Music. The school choir put in hours of practice including several practices throughout the year with other participating schools.


The choir began with the New Zealand national anthem sung in both Maori and English – it gave me goose bumps!

< $2 top

I have been itching to get back into sewing and was looking for an[other] easy project (post wrap-around skirt). And this is the result – a top I made last weekend.

I bought the fabric eons ago at the Pepito closing down sale. Ruby must have been 1 year old at the time. I got a fairly large piece for $2 thinking I'd make Ruby a pretty little summer dress (sorry Rube). The pattern came from Selvage in Mt Eden. I bought it a couple of months back when they were closing down – notice a trend here?

The pattern needed some modifying as it was for a dress and the sleeves had a seam down the middle which I thought would look a bit odd. It's always a bit risky to modify a pattern when you haven't been behind the driving wheel for a while. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with how it turned out though. And the badge*, just tops it off.

* Made one weekend a couple of months ago when Ruby and I were playing around.

Summer's early arrival

Summer is officially two and a bit weeks away but today the mercury was really rising – peaking at 25 degrees C! Actually, it was hotter in the kitchen where the thermometer hangs.


Yesterday I took the electric blankets off the beds and today I am wearing shorts for the first time in months. Argh! My white legs are a ghastly sight! (I'll spare you by not including a pic of them.) I know my Queensland friends won't be feeling sorry for me at all; let's just say I've acclimatised to the milder weather. Just make sure the ice bin is full and the G+Ts are waiting for me when I get there!

Stocking stuffer

At this time of year I am madly trying to think of Christmas gift ideas. My kids want lots of "stuff"; not much of it useful or practical. I am stealing this idea from Frankie. It's cheap, easy, cute and when they're all eaten – that's it. No little pieces to lose or stand on in the middle of night for that matter!

I just hope my kids don't see this post!

Please share your Christmas gift ideas with me!

School photos

I just love the idea of a sibling photo. I remember having them taken when I was at school. And, the up side is you don't have to buy three lots of school photos to get one of each child. Of course, it is hard to get everyone looking their best in one shot!

For the curious, here are the individual ones...

Covet

I have wanted a Nicola Cerini satchel for sooo long. When this one came up on Trade Me the price was too good to refuse.


And in patriotic green and gold -- what more could an Aussie girl ask for?