The Problem with The World Today

I was looking for infants patterns in an opshop when I heard this conversation. I won't say overheard, because the ladies involved were standing right next to me and talking very loudly.

These ladies have figured out the problem with the world today. The problem, they said, is that 'they're' making plastic bags too thin, so that they break down after time. Its all the government's fault, they told each other. The government evidently wants us to only ever use paper bags. But you can't put damp food in a paper bag! It falls out the bottom. The government people are too young. They don't understand these things.

Yes, they repeated, thats the problem today, all the politicians are younger than us. Some head waggling occurred at this point. They have no idea. Have 'they' ever tried to put sugar in a paper bag in a humid climate, the blue-rinsed lady asked? Probably not. They're too young to understand. Why, said the more elderly of the two, they're ALL younger than me. That is the problem.

She looks startled, I know. This is my doll Lizzie that I have has since I was 3. [That makes this year her 25th birthday]. The bib and toy she is modeling, are ones I made this evening.

The dog is a 2D version of a toy from "Softies" which I was tracing a pattern from the other day. Not having felt which the pattern called for, the pattern pieces didn't fit together properly for a 3D softie, [and believe you me I tried!] so I used the already cut out pieces to make this 2D softie, which will be more than enough for any baby anyway. I left off the eyes on purpose - one less thing for a baby to pull off, and seeing as its a bit 2D anyway, I thought the ears were enough. I hate the fabric btw,  but it has a nice texture, and some of my fav toys have had horrid prints.

I really like the bib. It took 10 min to make from start to end. I traced around one my mum bought for our new baby. The material is flannelette, left overs from my favourite pj's I made yrs ago .  I made it double sided, no right side makes it easier to put on right?

The closure is simply velcro, sewed on. I like how it looks neat on both sides. Cheers to me!

These will be gifts for the many new babies begin born, and of course, practice for when I make my own stuff... I'll start soon :)

Room for improvement.

It may have taken a while, but as of today there are 24, half meter deep, holes in the ground of our 2nd room. These will be filled with concrete. One day it will be a floor. Unlike the development of our fetus, the room's development is sporadic, depending on Andrew's time and energy. We were really grateful to have the assistance of our neighbors Paul and Gilbert today.

Its a vast improvement on the floor it had!

Mum always said...

Don't swallow the seeds or a tree will grow inside you.

pattern pieces

I found a good medium for tracing out small pattern pieces. I used junk mail, which is both light and pretty. I've been covering pattern pieces with contact adhesive so that they last longer, so I contacted these as well. Thin, strong and pretty!



[This pattern is from the Softies book, I've been using recently]

Tab versus Ants

Broken Hill seems to be inundated with ants. I find them everywhere I go! Even walking to the clothesline leaves my feet and legs crawling with hundreds of the creatures, and I don't like it.

I've received so teasing however, for my method of war. I've been using boiled water, and boiled vinegar, to destroy some of the nests. I've also mixed icing sugar with borax and left it in tantalising piles around the nests. Both these methods are recommended by my fav. book "Chemical Free Home" . My detractors have told me just to use Ant Rid, just because its easy and fast. Thats not a good enough reason for me to go and buy a product, when I have things at home that will probably work.

I'm pleased to announce that the volume of ants in my back yard has diminished somewhat. I'm happy about that. I don't need them all dead - this is their place too.

This photo is a bit of an experiment. I read that ants don't like talcum powder [I don't know why] so I thought I'd see if circling the entrances to their nests mucked them around at all. It confused them for a while, and a day later I think the traffic has slowed, but its not really an effective ant-control method... no matter how much fun it looks!

Elephant King

Meet George the Elephant King.

I made this George today from a pattern in Softies.I was given this book as a present from some friends who knew I liked making things, but hadn't gotten around to making anything yet!

I've made some changes from the original pattern. George is supposed to be made of felt, but I've used a heavy cotton. This meant I doubled the thickness of fabric for the ears, and had to edge things a little better than if it were made from felt. I put a tuck in the ears also to make them more "elephantish" I finished the ears with a zigzag stitch, stretching the fabric as I went around so it became a little wavy.

George's eyes are made from french knots, as I'm giving him as a gift to a soon-to-be newborn, and I thought beads might be too easy to chew or suck off and be a hazard. To be honest I like him better with knots for eyes anyway.

He's supposed to have a pointy hat. I'm still trying to decide if he should have a little crown to make him look more "kingly".  Other than that, George is quite flamboyantly dressed, with a pretty floral shirt and fancy braid collar, but he is a king after all so why shouldn't he dress with flair!

Grave Hunting

Whilst in Ballarat, I took Andrew to meet Pa [my grandfather on Dad's side]. 

He unfortunately passed away last April at the age of 93 [almost 94!] and was buried in the Ballarat Cemetery.

They haven't put his full name on the plague, only his initials. 

For the record his name was Lesley Walter Bird.

The next day Andrew and I went out to the Smythsdale Cemetery to have  look at where some of my ancestors are buried.

John Bird is my Great, Great Grandfather. He was a preacher and a Member of Victorian Parliament. There is a brief biography here.  My grandmother has an ancient copy of Pilgrim's Progress which was given to him by a Temperance Band in 18?? 

On the corner here is a little Bird Family Plot.

The historical society have erected a plaque to give information about the Birds here.

I like knowing where I came from. It struck me as we visited the cemeteries that our white Australian culture doesn't much honour the dead, and those who caused our existence. I feel a bit funny thanking a grave site, I suppose b/c we have no ceremony to make it feel like we've done the right thing?