My Happenings

My Christmas presents

2009-12-18T08:00:00.003+11:00

I have been very busy sewing like a nutter to get Christmas presents sewn in time. Dresses for friends little girls. Gee these make me want a girl of my own. Next time I make one of these I will make a tutorial to share with you all. They have been based on the pillowcase dress tutes but made from new fabric in 00, 2 and 3 sizes.

The bags were made from this tutorial HERE

There are more but I can only put so many pics in one post.

I'm busy Knitting

2009-11-19T15:01:00.002+11:00

I have the Braidwood Quilting and Craft markets on the 28th November. I also need to get the store re stocked.

Life here has been hectic and I apologise for the late stocking.

But there will be dishcloths and the awaited Christmas cards next week.

My boys dedication invitation.

2009-10-15T13:02:00.003+11:00

I am very pleased with my work if I am allowed to say so myself. I printed them at the photo shop and stuck a piece of blue paper in between them. I would have used cardboard but was too lazy to go to the shops.

I do make custom cards on request.

Prize Surprise Winner

2009-09-29T07:17:00.003+10:00

Thanks to random.org the lucky winner is Tam from blog followers. Congratulations Tam if you could email me tracey@tbcards.com.au we can arrange your prize.

The goodie bag will consist of:
1 Mummy + Me or Daddy +Me dishcloth Tam's choice from the instock colours
1 Bamboo facewasher in Tam's choice of colour and stitch pattern
5 cards of her choice.

Please don't forget to sign up to the newsletter to be part of the October special

The fit of NB/small nappies at 2 months old

2009-09-25T14:10:00.002+10:00

This has been a long time coming I know. Has been sitting around waiting for me to type it up. Need to type up the 3 month old list and edit and sort 3 lots of photos and get it all up here. He is yet to outgrow a lot of nappies I hope no one minds that the 3 month installment will be the last. It has taken a lot of work to do all this.

Enjoy your 2 month installment of Nanuq's nappying.

Prize draw FOURTH & FINAL week!

2009-09-22T09:30:00.004+10:00

Firstly to announce the very luck winner of the week three draw. The selection was made by an online list randomiser. And the WINNER is mummy2jj . Congratulations mummy2jj, if you can please email me at tracey@tbcards.com.au I will email you your voucher. Sorry to those that did not win, thank you for your comments they were very much appreciated.

Week Four

The prize draw this week is going to run a little different, I am not going to tell you which list I am drawing the name from. It could be from this weeks blog comments, I could draw it from blog followers or possibly even from newsletter subscribers. The prize draw winner will be randomly picked on 29th September.
Keeping with the surprise theme, this weeks prize is going to be a surprise goodie bag.

Week Four Featured Products and discussion
4men cards

What else would you like to see in this range or any other card ideas?

Also dont forget to sign up to the NEWSLETTER

Blog prize draw week THREE!!!

2009-09-15T09:45:00.006+10:00

Firstly to announce the very luck winner of the week two draw. The selection was made by an online list randomiser. And the WINNER is ~Sally~ . Congratulations Sally, if you can please email your address to tracey@tbcards.com.au I will get your prize posted, take advantage of the free shipping and add some other things to your order. Sorry to those that did not win, thank you for your comments they were very much appreciated. I am currently working on a few ideas for mummy and son Will have them ready for Christmas. There is the vine mummy + me apron that can be ordered with the me size as the stripy apron found in the daddy + me section.

Week Three Prize
To enter this draw all you need to do is post a comment in the weekly blog post. Week two runs 15th - 21st September. The winner will be announced on the 22nd.
The prize this week is a $10 gift voucher

Week Three Featured Product
Bamboo Facewashers

You can discuss these if you like or anything you want really.

Also dont forget to sign up to the NEWSLETTER

When did my NB become 3 months...

2009-09-10T13:51:00.002+10:00

...oh thats right TODAY. Where oh where did the last 3 months go its almost sad to see him so big.

And to celebrate he and I had a little photo shoot.

Happy 3 month birthday my little man!

Blog prize draw week TWO!!!

2009-09-08T09:09:00.006+10:00

Firstly to announce the very luck winner of the week one draw. The selection was made by an online list randomiser. And the WINNER is Kym. Congratulations Kym. Sorry to those that did not win, thank you for your comments they were very much appreciated. haidennesmommy, Kym and shadowshop I do take custom orders, and I can easily make it with a bottom opening.

Week Two Prize
To enter this draw all you need to do is post a comment in the weekly blog post.
Week two runs 8th - 14th September. The winner will be announced on the 15th. The prize this week is a Brown OR Pink Cocoon with Beanie details can be found here

Week Two Discussion
Mummy + Me Sets
What would you like to see in a set? Mummy + how many me's? Comment on a set you like, tell me they are a silly idea if you would like to. Winners are not picked on comments the name is randomly drawn. So start discussing anything you would like regarding Mummy + Me sets.

P.S. The prize will be posted to Australian addresses only.

Blog prize draw week ONE!!!

2009-08-31T22:17:00.005+10:00

To enter this draw all you need to do is post a comment in the weekly blog post.
Week one runs 1st - 7th September. The winner will be announced on the 8th.

The prize this week is a fair trade bag made in the Philippines through a co operative for work at home mums.

This weeks topic of discussion is:
BABY COCOONS
So get talking. Tell me what colour you would like to see, yarn I should use, anything and everything relevant to baby cocoons.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2009-08-30T16:23:00.002+10:00

Well almost and to celebrate the coming day here are some fantastic gift ideas
GIFTS

A sneak peak at my September Stocking

2009-08-25T17:03:00.006+10:00

The knitting is done!!!!!!!

More pics can be seen here

Almost ready

2009-08-24T14:22:00.002+10:00

I am almost ready for GDUNH. Knitting is DONE. Just need to do a little sewing, photogrpahy everything and list it. All in 1 week, what oh what have I got myself into.

But I am soooooo excited as you should be too. There are going to be some fantastic new gifts, such as baby cocoons, mummy + me matching sets, daddy + me sets (just in time for fathers day) and a re-stocking of the regulars.

There will be photo's soon so hang tight.

I'm busy busy busy

2009-08-20T08:56:00.002+10:00

I have been knitting up a storm trying to get some new products ready for the Nappy Hunt. I am so excited about them, can't wait to show you all, but for now it's my little secret.

Next challenge is the sewing. Then the beading.

I am soooooo excited cannot wait till September so I can show off all my new exciting prodcuts.

Nappying at 6 weeks old

2009-07-24T15:04:00.002+10:00

here is the comparison

still working on pics

Wow I have been spoilt!

2009-07-22T21:53:00.003+10:00

I am now the lucky owner of two gorgeous nappies. Almost too nice to use.

I have a very lovely bamboo Cherub's Kiss Raphael and an awesome NB beetlebum AI2 (I think). They are both so divine. I had to stop rubbing the CK on my face to be able to use it, LOL.

The CK gives a wonderful fit with the touch tape front. It stood the test of a huge poo and a disgustingly large pooplosion (the kind of pooplosion that makes you jump in fright and get out of firing range). This is one lovely nappy and is going to last him for some time yet.

The beetlebum is the cutest nappy ever, so trim and wonderful. It fits great for now. Would have fit wonderfully for the first 4 weeks, my guess it would have even gone under his cord. Unfortunately the rise is not going to last him much longer. But it is the sort of nappy that you start reinventing in your mind as you want to use it so much more. For me I would love a little more rise so it lasts that little bit longer, maybe with a little snap at the front to keep it out of the way of the cord. If I was an AIO user that would be all, but since I LOVE my fitteds I would probably like it in a fitted. Have I rabbitted on enough for you to get the point I LOVE this nappy.

As soon as Nanuq is having a good day on a good weather day I will get some yummy photos to show these nappies off to the world.

Thank you Lesley and Mel for your wonderful work.

On another note I have finished my nappy comparisons for 6 weeks old. They are all scribbled on paper ready to be typed up and the photos ordered for you. So you should see this in a few days time.

Oh no now I took more photos

2009-07-17T15:35:00.003+10:00

how am i going to decide now?

Help me decide

2009-07-17T11:25:00.005+10:00

My birth centre makes a calendar each year and asks for bubs photo to be sent in to be considered for the calendar. It sounds like more than one photo can be sent. But I think I need to narrow down my options for them.

So please let me know which ones I should pick. I am thinking I should only send in 4 MAX.

and just to make it harder, some colour options, colour, black and white or antique??

Cloth MCN on a 3-4 week old

2009-07-12T18:06:00.005+10:00

Here are my findings for the last 2 weeks.

My favourite nappies would have to be:
Wild Child S/M
Whizz Kidz NB's (I boost the flannel ones)
Itti Bitti's
BuubaJ Hemp (boosted with bamboo trifold)

CK Raphaels are ok too, but I get massize wing drop with them.

He adores his little brother

2009-07-02T15:45:00.003+10:00

Igloo is totally mad about his little brother. Never ever leaves him alone, sort of driving me insane really. Found him trying to climb into the cot a few times. So looks like we will need to invest in a stupidly expensive gate to keep him out.

I am really glad he loves him so much rather than being jealous though.

NB nappying week 1-2

2009-06-22T11:04:00.010+10:00

Well Nanuq is 2 weeks old now so here is my first nappy review.

Please take note fit is based on how it fits my son and my son only. Absorbency and drying time are only in relation to the other nappies on the list, all nappies when through the wash and I checked regularly to see what dried quicker and slower, some took several days but it has been very overcast and cold here in Canberra.

NOTE: for drying time 1 = Fast, 5 = slow and then everything in between.

If I have mis named any nappies please please let me know so I can fix it up.

I will now be starting the next fortnight of comparisons, if there are any nappy makers that want their nappy on the list please contact me, happy to buy if its something I will use, happy just to borrow otherwise.

NB and small nappies have been included so I can see when he outgrows nappies and when he grows into nappies. I would be likely to leave the small nappies in the cupboard and then one day discover they fit but not know from when. For example I was surprised the VB medium fits and how well the Wild Child S/M fits when neither are a NB nappy.

MY test results below.

More photos

2009-06-18T16:23:00.003+10:00

Going home from hospital in the outfit his great grandma knitted, isnt he cute.

Nanuq is born!

2009-06-18T15:49:00.002+10:00

After weeks of terrible pre labour, all day all night contractions my body decided to take a rest for a couple of days. Each night I wondered if this would be it, I knew my body hat to be resting for some reason. I was sure it had to happen soon, but I was beginning to wonder if I was broken, was losing trust in my bodies ability to actually do this. I kept thinking, what if my body cannot actually do this, am I actually meant to have kids. I was starting to focus more on it just being over rather than looking forward to cuddling my little boy. I didn’t want this focus and it worried me.

Then on Wednesday 10 June 2009 I woke at around 2am thinking oh no I wet my pants, to then realise no hang on my waters may have broken. Went to the loo, and there seemed to be more than just wee, so put on a pad and when that got wet and I knew I wasn’t weeing I was sure my waters had broken, I figured somewhere up top since there was no big gush. Knowing I could be in for some wait I went back to bed to try and sleep, but was too excited about what was coming, little did I know what was coming.

At 3am contractions started slowly and nicely, by 4am they were no longer nice at all, very strong very regular, and I really had to stop and remember to breath. Knowing I still had some way to go I walked the house, sat on the gym ball in front of the fire, and just generally tried to keep moving. By 5am they were rather difficult to stand through.

At about 7am I thought things had significantly progressed, things had mostly definitely changed so I called Toni my midwife to let her know what was happening and then started trying to get hold of someone to mind Lachlan. After an hour of panicking thinking I would find no one and me thinking that I did not have much longer and desperately wanted to get to the birth centre I did get hold of someone. Dropped Lachlan off at 8:30am and then headed off to the birth centre in some decent Canberra traffic. I was sure things were really close and was not expecting to be at the Birth Centre long before it was all actually happening. I did not let Damien know my thoughts he seemed in enough of a rush and I did not want an accident. We arrived at the birth centre eventually just after 9am I think it was a relief to see Toni and know that she was there when needed. Damien and I were left to do what I needed.

After a couple hours I was checked and things were not as far along as expected. I was a little disappointed, the pain was worse than I remembered ever being in during Lachlan’s birth. Toni suggested a bath, so glad she did, I knew I wanted to do something different but my brain was no longer helping me think of things. So I hopped in the bath for some relief. And well things almost stopped, but I did enjoy the rest and close to had a nap in the bath between the contractions that hurt a whole lot less in the bath. Think I was in there for about half hour, felt like longer, when I thought I should get out and try and get this actually happening, Toni may have suggested this but I don’t really remember. So got up and wondered around for awhile, knelt, leaned, crouched, sat things got very painful and very strong and I had more than had enough, and was really starting to not cope. I needed some relief so Damien tried to reheat the bath for me and in I struggled at about 12:45, it was not really hot enough though. Contractions stayed just as painful in the bath but were further apart, so Toni asked me to hop back out to try and get things moving and get the membranes to rupture. She would check me again in 1.5hrs at which point she would rupture the membranes if I wanted. When she left I burst into tears, I really didn’t have much left in me, and had no idea how I was going to get through the next 1.5hrs. I wished I had just said no and made her get things moving then and there. After what felt like about half hour I asked Damien how much time had passed and it was only 5 mins, again I cried, poor Damien just didn’t know what to do to help. I ended up staying in the bath for 45mins since every time I stood up I collapsed in the bath again, I just could not gain the will to get out of the bath. Those 45mins felt like about 3 hours though, just constantly trying to get out but not being able to.

I eventually climbed out just before 2pm. Damien asked if I wanted Toni and I said yes (not really sure what I was wanting, but I trusted her and figured she might know what to do), when she came in Damien said I was not coping and could I have the gas please. I was so relieved, that was exactly what I was wanting, I was completely exhausted and really did not feel like I had much more in me to give. She first checked me and ruptured the membranes. Things kicked in a little more then. Got set up on the gas on the lowest setting which is where it stayed till about 3:30pm, took the edge off just but allowed me to still move about and know what was going on. Turned the gas up to about half because I just couldn’t take it anymore, it was all so painful, and I was struggling to keep myself together. I knew there couldn’t be too much longer, the thought of the end was getting me through. Toni checked on me a few times, at one point she asked if there was any position I wanted to birth in, the answer to that question is not really. Looking back now I realise my answer should have been anywhere but on my back, my brain just did not have the function to answer that way at the time though.

I was on hands and knees on the bed for some time when my knees started to give way so flipped myself over onto my back and my goodness I HAD to push. Damien called Toni in and that was it, it was baby time. It was wonderful to have Toni there, someone I knew and could trust to get me through the last bit. I tried to move up into more of a sitting position, but I just couldn’t move I was stuck, and I just wasn’t able to ask for help. Every time I tried to speak I seemed to just cry and moan instead, I was so frustrated I could not get the words out that I needed to. So there I was stuck on my back desperately trying to push this baby out knowing I was not in the greatest position. When the head was part out I yelled for more gas to be told it was already up full. I was so angry at Damien for turning it up without me asking, cause I knew that last time I asked for it up it was only half way. So I struggled on as best I could moaning and groaning and crying (none of which I did with Lachlan), trying to do the little pushes that Toni was asking for but not having the control to do it. Gee I wished the gas could just be turned up that little bit extra, so I could gain just a touch more control. Nanuq’s head wiggled and squirmed as it tried to come out it was a funny feeling. Toni asked several times if I wanted to touch the head, for some reason this is just not something I want or need to do. Eventually the head was out, then for the body. With Lachlan the body just followed, so I did a half arsed push to get the body out, nothing budged and I panicked. Was calmed down by Toni and asked to push again so I gave it all I had about 3 times I think who knows really could have been heaps more and out he came and onto my chest at 4:25pm, I almost pushed him away because I didn’t want the yuck on my shirt, LOL little did I know the bottom of my nightie was already soaked in yuck. Once he was there I didn’t care anymore and was just pleased to be holding my little boy. He just cried and cried and I couldn’t stop him, I felt terrible, but I still had work to do, had to get the stupid placenta out. My goodness getting that thing out hurt this time. Then it was all over, but the tear hurt like crap and I whinged like an idiot about it, wanted the gas but Toni took it off me (LOL Damien gave it back when she left the room). After a little bit I calmed down and didn’t need/want the gas anymore, so I popped Nanuq on the boob and he had a good feed. It was a relief to have it all over, and a joy to be holding my little baby boy. I may have ended up in the one and only position I didn’t but it no longer mattered. I had my baby, and the birth was wonderful anyway, besides the pain and my moments of panic the birth was calm and friendly.

We decided to ice the tear until the OB could come and stitch me up, she turned up at about 7pm. The waiting was awful I just wanted it over, wanted a shower and just start settling with bub. He had a couple of feeds in the time we waited, Damien called my Mum and I messaged the whole 2 people I wanted to know. I was allowed the gas again as I was stitched up, I didn’t need it for the pain just to help me be a bit more out of it while someone had their face in my groin stitching up my second degree tear. Eventually got the shower after this and was finally allowed to eat. So at 8pm I ate my first meal of the day and boy did I eat, and ate all night. We stayed the night at the birth centre since we decided it was too cold to take bub home at night and Damien was way too tired to drive. We all got a little bit of sleep, all snuggled in the bed together since Nanuq did not want to be let go and after his day I do not blame him. Hearing test and baby checks the next day and we went home just after lunch. Igloo came into the birth centre to help bring his baby brother home and boy was he proud.

Toni came to check on us both at home on the Friday, it was after this visit that I fully realised how completely wonderful the whole pregnancy and birth was. To share the pregnancy and birth with the same midwife is great, but to also see them enjoy the bub they helped deliver is fantastic, it makes it all so much more special.

stash part two

2009-01-01T13:33:00.004+11:00

For some reason I could not get all photos in one post so here are the rest.

covers

Slightly bigger nappies, some mediums some smaller OSFM

Nappy Stash

2009-01-01T12:03:00.008+11:00

Do you think it is complete? I know I should think that, but I remain worried that too many nappies are too big or what if most of them are too small, arghh the delima of what to do.

I also have some woolies, just need to pull them together for a photo.

There are some nappies I cannot remember what they actually are, like the bubblebubs ??, and then some I dont even know if they are a brand or homemade I just cannot remember.

A random selection of small nappies. There are a few here I am not sure what they are (basically I dont remember).

My Whizz kidz fitteds.

Cherubs kiss NB and Itti bitti smalls

Bubblebubs ??

Bubba J's 3x bamboo, 3x hemp (thinking these may be good as night nappies to start with ???, DS was a huge wizzer at night so worried what I will do with this one).

Tots bots size 1 cotton and 1 bamboozle

Aprons

2008-12-10T08:57:00.003+11:00

Well I have been busy busy busy. Finally fnished off some aprons made from reclaimed fabrics.

Dishcloths are done!!!!!

2008-12-08T15:04:00.004+11:00

Well I finally finished the 10 dishcloths that needed to be done before Christmas. They are not the fanciest of designs but gee they work well.

Welcome

2008-12-02T16:49:00.003+11:00

I have decided that it is time to start up a blog. Keep track of the things I am doing and need to get done. Also to share my accomplishments.

Currently I am trying to get all my Christmas presensts finished so I can get back to knitting and sewing for TBcards.com.au

I have worked out that I need 10 dishcloths knitted before Christmas, as well as 4 shopping bags sewn and some other miscellaneous items, that just cannot be mentioned yet or the suprise will be spoilt.

Getting all this done is hard work pregnant and constantly tired. At least the gagging is mostly over.

I will be posting pics of the items as they get finished.