Faux Cousins

Birthday boy with gorgeous mum and dad

 It was birthday time again(!) with the faux cousins.. There was again a bit of a minecraft theme with the TNT cake and notice the shirt from yesterday.

 Now faux cousins as I have officially named it is this group of boys here. There are a couple of extras at each venue but these 5 boys are born within weeks of each other. In fact all 5 celebrate their birthdays within a 6 week period over the christmas break. Not well planned by either of us really.
We both grew up with cousins of similar ages and none of our boys have that and in a way they have created that kind of bond. It has happened in a really organic way, and it really lovely and special.

Now I know there is cake involved, but as the weather turned, they all just found themselves a spot to eat and are comfortable in each others company. There are no fights or nastiness. Just really pure faux cousin fun! Thanks for a lovely night and happy birthday.

Minecraft tshirt

A little craze has swept through these parts. Minecraft. Its a web based computer game where the world is built out of blocks and you mine to find things and you craft and create things. Its not that boring - there are creepers and zombies and stuff but in the scheme of things it is not a shoot em all dead kind of game. Its more like lego on the computer.

Being a bit of a micro trend means it is difficult to buy themed items for the boys who love it - which means you have to make it yourself!

For a presemt (or two) we are making tshirts and it is really simple. 

I found an image that I liked.

Using my hi-tech software (powerpoint!!) I printed the image onto tshirt transfer paper.

*This is the point to note. I buy transfer paper for black shirts. The paper is then white, not transparent which means your image is actually much thicker and gives a truer colour. Another point to note is with this method, you do not need to reverse your image .

With the image printed, I cut it to size - again using my high tech scissors.

Next iron the garment where you intend to place the image. Gets rid of creases but also helps the image to bond to the cottom. I purchased basic black tshirts.
Peel the image from the backing paper and place it where you would like it to be.

Final step in the process it to iron it on. With this product comes an ironing sheet, which is basically non stick baking paper. Iron without steam over the image and not only does the image bond but the colour intensifies. You can see above that I started ironing from the right. 

And finally - completed tshirt ready to wrap.

Room with a view

 These are some tops I whipped up this morning for mum. She wants to be comfortable and modest in hospital, but she is moving around and doesn't want to be dancing around in a nightie! These are some fabrics from darn cheap and a pattern I made up which is stupid simple which meant I could make both of these and get the family into the hospital for a visit before lunch.

 These are todays pictures. She wanted me to take new ones with her hair and make up on! Also you cant really see because of the glare but her window has a view over the old exhibition building and the gardens. Really beautiful - (both of them) but not a reason to book yourself a bed there!!

Here is the damage at the back. Before the operation, mum combed her hair all forward in order to lose as little as possible. Now of course she is combing it the other way but she hasn't lost nearly as much as you would imagine. Oh and this nightie is the one I made for christmas and has matching pants. I have had blue and brown lace since I was pregnant with the twins - was an option for my bridesmaid dress! Glad I found a use for it.

24 hours

Medical miricles. When I was told mum was good after the surgery I was glad she was alive. I was glad she could function. I imagined brain surgery would be big bandages, intensive care, brain damage, personality change..... this is what I got.
Mum was up in her room looking like this! Dazzling. The scar is at the back, but seriously this is not the picture you have in your head. I am so incredibly thankful it is a picture I got to take. Amazing.

Celebrate!

 Mum didn't have her operation yesterday. She sat around all day anxiously waiting to be pushed back and back until at 4pm they told her it would be done today. This morning they said she would be second in the list and go in at about 11 only we got another call quickly to say she was going in and she was on her way. Dad and Mr P were both worried and anxious because both were on their way in, having spent the previous day with her waiting, yet she had to go off without anyone at her side. On one had this can sometimes be a good way to do it because you dont have that terrible time that it may be your final goodbye, but also, just in case, you don't that final moment. Anyhow - none of that matters now. She made it through and is recovering brilliantly. Really - no bandage or anything. I went and saw her and she was sitting up having dinner - and feeding herself. She got back to her room at 2pm and knew what was going on - the date, the year and even that it would have been my Nan's (her mother in law's) 100th birthday. A fact that most of her children are actually still disputing and they have not had surgery!

With this relief we were able to celebrate the big squirrels birthday The poor boy didn't get all the bells and whistles this year with some sparklers in a supermarket cake but we were all there to celebrate with him and at these times that is what is most important.

Believe

Today is the 3.1.13. Almost mirror image of the thirteen is a little ominous for us as Mum is not only ambidextrous but she can also write in mirror image at the same time. She is in hospital today awaiting brain surgery for a cyst or tumour or lesion. Not really sure and that is the hardest part. I am trying to keep busy and not really think about it (as much as you can - sleeping is the hardest) but today I have been at work on our word of the year. Last year it was Shine and this year it is Believe.
We decided this last year and it fits for everyone. We need to believe in ourselves, believe in each other and believe it will all get better.

I designed the word on my Silhouette using a mix of two fonts. The B is Edwardian font and the rest of the word is Zapfino (probably downloaded from dafont.com)

 I made it to size and put it through the cutter on a silhouette vinyl. 

 Transferred it off its backing with some sticky contact

 This helps keep the alignment of the word

 Then I stuck it on my new ikea mirror in our entrance. 

 The mirror is mounted low so that everyone (who lives here at least) can see themselves in it and also see our word. At the end of the year, our word will simply peel off ready for a new one.

Start as you wish to proceed

 New years was seen in by three of us at home. (His red eyes are from the pool not fatigue)

 We even had our own fireworks display - obviously not as grand but very comfortable from our deck!

 To bring in the new year we packed up for a picnic at Elwood Beach. There was a significant wait for the BBQs both in line and then cooking. Sausages took almost an hour! 

 Then we hit the beach. It was pretty windy and while we aimed to swim between the flags it seemed everyone was being blown to the right. 

 which was lucky because NONE of the lifeguards were even looking at the water - more concerned with fixing their tent from the wind. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!