10 minute Glue Gun Birthday Shirt

Ah its that time of year.
I didn't make birthday shirts for the older girls this year.
{sniff sniff.. I'm ok with it} so I almost forgot to make one for the next birthday girls.

So after some googling to come up with quick new ideas, stencils and glue resist came up.

This was so easy and I had all the tools at home.

All you need is a shirt (I got mine $3 target)
Glue Gun and Glue
Spray paint


On some baking paper write out the number (or word or whatever) in Glue.
Let dry and peel off.
Place word on shirt and spray with spray paint {place some cardboard between shirt}
I'm sure fabric paint would work better but all I had is white spray paint so I used that
- Miss would have loved some pink spray

Because the shirt was light and the paint was light the number came out very subtle.
But that's ok. Easier to wear stealthily after the day.

I also sprayed the bottom back for a bit of fun.

Previous Birthday Shirts:

Paint Stencilled Birthday Shirt

Letters {ONE} Birthday Shirt

Felt and Fabric Birthday Shirt

Ribbon Birthday Shirt

Reverse Applique Birthday Shirt

Zig Zag Stitched Birthday Shirt 

Spotty Reverse Applique

2 Birthday Shirt

Recycled Corderoy Pants 5 Birthday Shirt

Felt and Fabric double layer 10 Birthday Shirt

Felt Cat and Reverse Applique 11 Birthday Shirt

Felt Snowflake and Stitched #6 Birthday Shirt

Bleached Out Number Shirt

Fabric Marker Shirt

Winter Solstice 2017

I have been feeling very out of sorts lately. 

I am a spontaneous person who is up for anything but lately I feel we are missing out on everything.

Especially in regards to the children, family time, taking time, holidays, hikes, long car rides.

I so feel like our schedule runs our life, not us running our life. And there is a disconnect.

Don't know what it is about holidays, traditions etc but I find it puts a light under me.

We've done solstice for a few years now, and just a few days ago I realised its here again! 

Put this together this morning and it was really nice to have candlelit dinner with the kids, talk about seasons, write intentions and burn them in the fire, have kids build fire and take charge and spend some time together away from computers.

 ^^ A badly drawn Queenslander in our snow globe:) Love Winter Here.

^^ Easy to see both Sunrise and Sunset on the shortest days of the year

 ^^Early sunset 4:50pm

^^ Cause we love candles. Been a while actually

 ^^ Mac and Cheese. It's gotta be hearty on Solstice :)

^^ I'm pretty fail at fires. Our kindling died out too quick. Bless firestarters to stop sadfaces.

^^ Mega American Marshmallows kept us going for ages. One is enough!

 ^^ Writing things we want to let go of, and then positive things we want to bring into our lives

 ^^ A burning intention

So technically solstice is at 1pm on the 21st June. We were 20 hrs early. But our only free night.
The long nights last all week, so all forgiven right ;)
Now if there was only no schedule and lots of time to enjoy long dark nights.

Welcome Winter. Funny thing is - it wasn't very cold tonight :)

Easter 2016

Each year I try to do a little Easter Craft. I was pretty excited to make these cute fella's this year.

These will serve as our Easter baskets this year. Each girl can put out the bunny pillow to be filled.

Pattern found via Willowday

Past Projects Here: We still have and display some of these

Fleece Bunnies  (gah how cute was Miss N!)

Facewasher Bunnies

Dough Bunnies

Finger Puppet Bunnies

Fabric and Felt Bunnies

Easter Tree Decorating 2016

Because its a tradition for me to photograph it. They were so tiny once doing the same thing.

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

We made Onion Skin/ Serbian Eggs again! I love the process. Tutorial Here

We've also got our wheat grass tomb blooming.   Tutorial Here

And thats it for this year. I'll add more if anything special happens :)

Back To School Dinner

Pretty low key but we held our annual Back To School Dinner. 

Raided the house for decorations.

I chose these succulents the older girls bought home from high school.

Plants and growing and knowledge... you know...

We moved the ever changing chalkboard.

Add the crystal goblets

Add our theme

And done

We had White Chili Chicken and sparkling drink and Homemade Cheesecake.

We spoke of education and its importance and that we are blessed to have access to it  

We spoke of their favourite moments from the last school year.

We spoke of goals for the coming year.

Each Child received a Fathers Blessing for the coming year.

Then we sent them to bed early. Getting prepared for the new routine ;)

I find everyone so much more engaged when dinners are special and we have questions and discussion ideas. It certainly makes me think of the special time we are squandering on most days. 

Past Back to School Dinners.

2015
2013
2012
2011
2010

Our Hill {17 years}

Late November ~ its that time of year again.

The time we go to the place The Mr proposed and have a family picnic.

Apparently we've taken pizza up there a few too many times as now one daughter declared that we must have pizza as that is the tradition!? and wouldn't accept any other alternative!!

This year was extra exciting as we had been keeping a secret from the kids.

They have never been on a plane or out of the state and sometimes like to remind us of this fact compared to all their well traveled friends.

For 6 months we had kept secret a holiday to Tasmania.

We decided to tell them up on the hill. That the next day they were leaving on a jet plane.

I was going to video it thinking they will be so excited - it will be crazy funny.

Lucky I didn't as they just went whaaaa? and didn't look excited at all.

They actually thought Daddy was tricking them and were all like 'whatever' shrug...

But once it all sunk in {like minutes and hours later} they were very happy.


Things like" I cant believe I'm going on a plane. All those years I've looked at planes and thought one day, one day that can be me, and one child just randomly squealing every 10 mins for the next day.

They already have good memories of our hill. I hope this just added more.

17 years and counting.

Other visits to our hill here:  2013  2012  2011  2010  2008

Advent Calendar {Wooden Tree, Questions, Photo Advent Calendar}

November is all about the Advent Calendar.

Well MAKING the Advent Calendar.

Dec 1st will be here before ya know it!

I have a love of advent calendars {as my pinterest account will attest for}

There is just too many I love - so this year I combined 3 ideas I saw into one.

See:  Family Reflections Advent  Wooden Tree Advent and vintage Photo Tree

As our family is growing older I really liked the idea of a interactive non sweet advent calendar {Though I may add some little sweets in bags and peg them on too for a few days} and I really want Christmas to be about slowing down and spending family time. I'm looking forward to sharing and asking  these  questions around the breakfast or dinner table each night.

You'll notice I only do a 12 days of Christmas. We are often busy in December, and with travelling and holidays 12 days suits us and feels more achievable. The 12 days also usually starts around the same time school gets out. Don't worry I have several other paper window and other advents around that go for 24 days too ;)

How to make this tree:

I followed the instructions on This Tutorial to make our tree. My trusty crafty friend helped me and my trusty handy husband cut all the wood for me! Made my job so easy! It's basically just 6 bits of wood screwed {and a little glue} into one longer middle piece. Then PVA glue some pegs on.
Attach a picture hook to the back so you can hang it easily.

I wish I would have white washed painted it. Maybe I still will. Or next year ;)

I printed some vintage and some newer Christmas pictures small. 12 photos per sheet.
Attach to pegs along with Family Reflections Questions.
Attach Bicarb, cornflour dough ornament advent numbers on.
Decorate.
{I'm still fiddling with my decorations. Maybe it needs some crocheted stars/snowflakes}

Enjoy!


Previous Advent Calendars:  Here

Some ideas for advent fillers:
Gum
Kinder Chocolates
Pencils
Hair Ties
Nail Polish
Balloons
Movie Tickets
Glow Sticks
Stickers
Lollies
Sippah Straws
Mini Decorations
Secret Letters to eachother

Ekka 2015

 

The Ekka. Pure Carney Goodness.

 

 

 

 ^^ The Mr taking one for the team. I don't do rides. esp upside down ones.

One very sad daughter who was too short to ride this with her sister. They had a pact.

 

^^ My adrenaline girls. Third from top. Love their rides.

^^Strawberry Cones. A must. I had to share.

 ^^ Kids cant get enough of this one. It has become a must. The guy looks at me strange why am I photographing so many children... I said four of them are mine.. he looked shocked.

^^  The dog, the dog. #2 was better.

^^ Monster Trucks and flipping motorbikes and fireworks are always a joy

 

 ^^ Thanks Brisbane. You rock.

 

 

Another year's EKKA done and dusted.

Thanks to the grandma's and parents and kids money boxes to fund a day at the show.

(Cause you need a GO FUND ME these days to afford it!)

We braved the Ekka on the public holiday as it was literally the only day we were available to go. When I explained that maybe we couldn't go this year I was met with death stares. What doth you say? Not going to the Ekka is incomprehensible. So now I have had my first experience of Ekka Wednesday and I will tell you - NEVER AGAIN! We missed out on too much stuff (ie the free stuff) because lines were just way too long. The crowd was too much, felt like spent the whole day pushing an ocean of people around. Luckily my kids are all grown now and it wasn't too terrible (ie didn't lose anyone) but also wasn't the most enjoyable. I went the next day for work and not a crowd in sight, easy to look at everything (so note - go the day AFTER the public holiday)

 

Lucky me got TWO Days in a row at the EKKA. I can die a happy woman.

 

A woman with two dagwood dogs

(the second one was way better. I've got a thing about batter to dog ratio...)