stuffed monsters

These monsters were totally inspired by SouleMama's book The Creative Family. I'm not sure that she did stuffed paper, hers were probably fabric.

We used a couple of drawings and sewed them onto a backing pieces of paper using the sewing machine. Make sure you leave a gap for the stuffing if you try it. Then you can cut around the edges and stuff it.

We used shredded paper for the stuffing but cotton wool would work well too. #1 gave them to his kindy friend as a get well gift.  I think they'd be lovely made from cotton and embroidered or drawn with fabric pen.  I might try that somtime, surely embroidery can't be that hard can it?  Well I guess I won't know till I try anyway.

Note - apparently sewing paper is very bad for your needles and makes them blunt, oops.

letter writing

#1 has been interested in letters (sending and more importantly receiving them) for as long as I can remember. We got a lovely one yesterday with stickers and pictures cut out for the boys.

On Sunday mornings from 7-9 we listen to the kids radio show with Finn (the host). It's part music and stories, part talk back for kids. #1 often rings up for a chat on air. I'm always a teeny bit apprehensive that he might say something embarrassing or inappropriate! Especially as we have various friends who listen too. #1 told Finn (and all the listeners) all about their new bunk beds, then told him that he was going to write him a letter.

After their chat he got the twistable crayons out and got stuck in. He told me what he wanted to write and I wrote it on a piece of paper for him to copy. Then he drew Finn a special monster drawing. Monsters are his favourite thing to draw at the moment. Recently we made stuffed paper monsters using shredded paper and the sewing machine. I'll do a post on that some other time. He wanted the monster to be angry (check out the mono brow) and struggled a bit with the lips. I think all of his drawings are cool though, I love kids artwork and am slightly biased towards my own sweeties.

memories

Looking back through my very old blog entries I rediscovered this photo. One of my old favourites that made me really want to pursue photography.  This photo made me so happy and I really wanted to be able to capture images like that for other people.  I have had people tell me that my photographs moved them to tears and I take that as the biggest compliment, I feel like I've done a good job. 

almost five

This wee guy has grown up so fast lately.  I am simultaneously excited and nervous that he's about to start school soon.  I'm not sure if I'll cry on his first day.  Apparently it's a very common mummy thing to do.  I don't imagine he'll cry.  He's beyond excited at the prospect of school.  It's talked about a lot around here.  

The school visits will be starting soon and then he'll get to meet his teacher and new classmates.  He's pretty excited about the library too (being such a book worm).  We use the public library an awful lot.  Sometimes we go more than once a week and have overlapping book issues so I can never remember which ones are due back.  Thank goodness for the Internet (so you can view your overdue books online).  

I took him for a quick visit today (to pick up a request) and he stayed in the graphic novels/comics area of the kids section for the whole time.  We've been reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at bed time and are almost finished.  I caught him reading it by himself yesterday but he assured me that he wasn't reading ahead!  

halloween baking

I can't believe I forgot to blog these Halloween biscuits I made!  Aren't they so cute?  I went out to a party that night (covered in blood and gore) and so didn't get to see if any trick or treaters came.  

Our neighbour offered the boys some candy that night just as I was leaving... mini snickers bars.  Double allergy alert on that one - milk and peanuts!  It could so easily happen that he might eat something like that.  Luckily he's really good at asking if things are dairy free (the teaching is working :o)).  #1 usually tells everyone that his brother can't have dairy or peanuts too.  

(originally posted November 2008)

steamed pudding

Yummo!  Perfect winter dessert.  I'm still discovering that pretty much anything can be made dairy free by substituting soy milk and dairy free spread for milk and butter.  I was stoked to find this pudding basin at the local op shop for 50c recently.  The good old Edmonds cookbook has plenty of recipes.  Any excuse for custard really.

first bikes

The boys have been saving up for a few months now to buy their bicycles.  Today they had a fantastic time trying them out.  #2 hasn't figured out how to use the brakes yet!  Uh oh.  It was lovely to have grandparents here to help with the riding so that I could take some video and photos.  Yes they both have the same sized bike too!  They may be 18months apart but they're almost the same size.