Bracelet

One of my dear friends is having a birthday of the 'oh' kind. She is one of those people who has everything so I had no idea what to get her. She either likes very proper jewellery or it has to be funky/quirky so I worked with this idea.

I saw this on Anthropologie and thought I would give it a try.My first attempt was with these golden beads that I had lying around. It was more about working out the technique than the finished product.I bought some pearls from a little stall at Chadstone MSP and got to work. I had planned to make it wrap round four times, but I lost a bit of interest and I think my pearls were too big to do that many times.

It is really hard to photograph your own hand. Not that you can tell here but it sits really well. I am not happy with the cotton I chose and am worried about its long term wearability (ie breaking and pearls falling everywhere).

Then, I stumbled on this tutorial which shows you how to make it. I made it totally back to front from this idea - but the technique is there.

Post Op

We made it through. All done and all good. Benji was so good. We farmed out Alexander to Mums and then poor Spencer and Benji were fasting until the operation. We had to be at hospital at 8 - but the operation wasn't until 10:30. I think we were all a little preoccupied with food.

We were at Cabrini which has a truly fabulous kids ward. I had a bag full of entertainment, but we didn't need any of it. There was heaps to do there.

Benji only had a very minor operation - but I was concerned about the anaesthetic. I was allowed to go in with him. They put him onto the table. Then they gave him a mask with a balloon attached and asked him to blow up the balloon. They explained that they would start to put the gas in and he would go to sleep. He did - very quickly. Then they asked me to say goodbye to my little boy and sent me out to the waiting room. I didn't realise this was going to happen and it was so confronting.

I had to leave my poor little helpless boy lying there all alone. I trust the professionals, but he is my little boy......it was so hard.

Time seemed to drag on forever until they came back to say he was waking up. Everything went well and he woke up still talking about food! My little Benji is back.

Crash

The weather was balmy. Humid and hot. We had played in the paddling pool. Tradesmen were working. Everyone was irritable- the weather does that.

All the kids were in their bathers and Benji was riding his bike. Both Mum and I were watching. He didn't have a helmet on but it wouldn't have helped. He rode his bike at full speed into the base of the trampoline (not on purpose - he was avoiding something else and looked away) His eyelid caught on something and gashed it as he went down.

There was nothing we could do to stop it. We were there and watching and it still happened. I put a compress on it but realised it would need more than a bandaid. Benji was very calm - it was the other two that were the problem.

I told mum we were off to emergency - but I needed her to hold him in his seat and keep him awake and compressed. My other two kids were hysterical. They couldn't manage to get dressed - they were crying and inconsolable. That really doesn't help in these types of situations.

We got to emergency and after the regulation wait were informed he would need stitches. But due to his age and the location - plastic surgery. I had asked a nurse if he could eat and she said yes. Sadly this means that we have to go back tomorrow and do the whole anaesthetic thing.

Brighton to Elwood and back

I packed the scooters and the kids off today and headed back to Brighton Beach. We scooted along the beach path to Elwood where there are two fantastic playgrounds. We sat in a cafe and had lunch - all very civilised. Then we had to go back.........

Back is never as much fun. It is always uphill. You are always tired and it always seems much longer and much less fun going back.

I was in my new black dress (not really appropriate) and scooting. I would swap twins and was riding tandem on the little scooters in a somewhat desperate attempt to get home again.

We did manage to get back and all survived intact and actually had an enjoyable day.

shopping

I got out to the shops today with mum and no kids today - not for anything in particular, just a look. It must be Murphy's Law that when you are not looking for anything you always find things you want. Infact I got into a changeroom and actually bought something. Two things. I came home with 2 jersey dresses - one in stripes and the other a simple style which will be a versitle little black dress. Actually this one I plan to cut a pattern off and make a few more....Sorry no picures though!

Lost and Found

We went up to mum and dads today with the bikes as they have a variety of bike tracks around there and as we gave dad a bike for christmas we have to get him out using it! Six of us went out leaving a happy Nan at home playing. It was great with 3 adults and three kids as we each manage a boy. Benji is still on a little bike, but pumps his legs so fast that he is going as fast as those little wheels will take him. Spencer on the other hand moves his mouth that quick but is much more interested in conversing than peddling and is happy to puddle along behind. This is really difficult to manage on my own, but with 2 other helpers it is actually quite enjoyable to get out and about.As a mentioned, we had left mum at home playing - with her fabrics! Now she has a stash. In fact a separate specifically built 'shed' complete with pattern drawers (like the shops) and filled with fabric. She wasn't in there - she was sorting the stuff which was inside and had been piling up so that she couldn't find things - like the industrial sewing machine!! (This machine is built into a table so shouldn't actually be easy to loose).

With the machine found, we also found some long lost fabrics - which has given me renewed inspiration to make some things. I have a couple of grown up functions to attend (quite excited) and need some new dresses. I saw one yesterday that I liked and am going to recreate in a lovely navy and green silk burnout chiffon (stay tuned) and this leather which needs to be a jacket.

Picnicing

We took an opportunity with a warm evening to eat dinner by the seaside. We packed the twins in the car (we were down one who was having a super spy sleepover at MrP's) We headed off down to the beach.We found a great playground which was set up like the sea and another set of twins to play with. We sat on our picnic rug and tried to look at the clouds but there were none but there was beautiful sunshine. Made for some lovely pictures with unwilling participants.