Frozen kiwi fruit and fat pants

As you may have read in yesterday's episode, our bar fridge (which is very unused to having actual food inside it) has decided that even on the lightest setting it's going Han Solo all my food. I used my noodle last night and actually left OUT the cheese and the avocado to have on my breakfast toast so I wasn't trying to manoeuvre frozen avocado out of it's skin with a plastic picnic knife. So that worked out. Do you think I thought to do the same thing with my vegetables for dinner? NOPE *facepalm*

*sigh* It's ok, I cooked my steak and my vegies and am currently having at them with great gusto. I figured since I'd bought some yummy golden kiwi fruits I should grab a few out to defrost in the meantime so I can have them with rock solid ice cream later (hey it needs to get eaten!) 

Ok.. so I sorted out my food problem (again). Now to fill you in... a few days ago I decided that I'd enough of trying to grow my hair and it was time to give it the chop. You know when your hair gets to that annoying mullet length and would nearly be long enough to put in a pony tail if only you were more patient? No? Well lucky you! I got to that stage, and I also got the point where I knew that trimming it myself as I had done for the past 10 or so months just wasn't going to 'cut' it (haha see what I did there). I trot on down to the hairdresser, park my large pregnant-lady arse into those awkward chairs and say 'I don't really know what I want, just something short and manageable that I can stick some gel stuff in and not worry about'. That was evidently the WRONG thing to say. Why? My hair, and to be fair I did ASK for short, is now almost non-existent. This particular style looks GREAT on other people... people with nice figures and angular faces.. not bloated, puffy, put-on-too-much-pregnancy-weight people such as myself. It just does. not. work. And no I'm not going to show you. It's too awful. I plan on living in beanies til it grows out a bit. I was out today doing some shopping and as I had been cleaning my apartment with a friend in preparation to move I was in my fat pants with my absurdly short hair and I rather large belly poking out the front. Now I have no problem with fat pants, fat pants are great! Particularly when you're fat... oh and by the way, on that note, if one more person says to me 'you're not fat, you're pregnant' I will hit them in the face with a wet Halibut. I caught sight of myself in the mirror as I was looking for giant sized knit wear, and oh god. I am too fat for my fat pants. There is no worse feeling in the world than realising you are too fat for your fat pants. I wanted to run away... I wanted to cry... I wanted to lock myself indoors and never have to see anyone ever again. It certainly did NOT give me the confidence to move almost to another state where family (or anybody for that matter) would ever see me. And NO I am not just too 'pregnant' for my fat pants. I am too fat for them. It is downright bloody depressing. As for the oversized knit wear, I bought two giant jumper things in size XL to frump around in. Hey they're warm, and they fit, that's all I'm really interested in. Except in one of them I look like a giant sheep and in the other I resemble a rather large bumblebee. But, as I said, they're warm and they fit. End of story. 

Do you know, it is one of the hardest things to come to terms with when you're a bigger girl and you're pregnant... the hardest thing is coming to terms with the fact that you are not one of those people who start small, grow a bump and snap back the next month after birth. You are curvy and errrm voluptuous to start with, and not overly happy with your current size, then you fall pregnant and find that weight just JUMPS on you from out of nowhere. It is a very difficult thing to accept. It's very hard to be comfortable with yourself and feel confidence. I'm not talking about the bump... I love my bump! My bump is amazing and it's part of me at the moment. It's the other weight that I'm referring to... and if I'm brutally honest today while I was out in my horrid haircut and fat pants I really felt very uncomfortable in public. Even more so than usual. It was a really difficult experience for me emotionally. I do not feel pretty, or that I'm glowing, or sexy, or attractive in the slightest. I honestly felt repulsive, and I stopped a moment to think about how I might feel in another month, or after our bublette is born and I couldn't fathom it at all. 

It's the most difficult thing I'm trying to deal with at the moment... it certainly isn't easy, and I know that for the time being I am growing life and my body will do what it will do and that I have little control over it. I also need to accept that regaining my self image and confidence after birth will be very difficult too, but I am doing my best to take it as it comes. 

Anyhoo, enough with the doom and gloom! One of my AMAZING friends came in today to help me clean our place and it is looking so much better! I'm feeling less apprehensive about the moving out of here part and now focusing more on the next stages of our journey. My husband is currently on the way back from Albury with the now empty truck and it's the realisation that this is it. My stuff is gone! It's in another place, and we'll soon be living in that place. Scaaary stuff! 

Another day down, another one to come tomorrow. Anything after that will just have to wait. Now though I am exhausted, my feet are swollen and I am going to settle down with my freshly-washed fur balls and watch some more Miranda whilst I wait for hubby to get home.

Goodnight lovelies! 

:) 

Moving madness update!

Do you have any idea what it's like to pack your entire house in 4 days so all your stuff can get shipped into storage within the week?! I do!! Plans changed last Saturday and the moving truck was booked for Wednesday which meant everything needed to be ready to go. Amidst all the crazy running around sorting out our loose ends here that time went at 'Ludicrous Speed' and before I knew it, it was Thursday and I'm sitting in a mostly-empty unit wondering how the flip to cook my dinner with one tiny saucepan, a fried-egg sized frying pan and no meal bases. Did I think to leave one or two out to actually eat over these next few days?! No... no I did not. Because I am a derp.

Turns out all our copious amounts of crap didn't fit in the truck (whoops!!) so there is still random furniture about the place, the Christmas tree, the sandwich press and other bits lying around the place to go into storage here until we can get them at a later date. Which kind of means if we find a place to rent as soon as I'm hoping too we'll be missing a fair bit of our furnishings. Add that onto the stress of possibly not having a 'home' when the baby is born, the uncertainty of finding a new job in time, the thought of still having to CLEAN this place before we vacant and I am NOT a happy camper. I am minimalist camping at the moment and it sucks camel balls. It really does. I mean I have a bed and a bar fridge with meat, vege, cheese and fruit in it although most of it is currently frozen as the fridge hates me and obviously I have my laptop but geez Louis it's weird and VERY creepy in here! I'm on my lonesome til tomorrow night as hubby is somewhere between here and Albury with the truck to unpack tonight, and come back tomorrow (and holy cow is he going to be stuffed after that drive!). Well I have the puppies, and I have bublette but he isn't much of a conversationalist being in utero and all. 

I was supposed be tidying the place today in preparation to clean later this week BUT I decided a day out was a better use of my time.. so I had a fantabulous day out in the sunshine (and freezing wind) with my trusty buddy instead! We adventured around a pretty stream surrounded by sheep and cow pats, we invented a new pass time which involved sitting under a wooden bridge on a picnic blanket waiting for cars to drive over us (it's freaking awesome by the way!), we raided a candy store of all the sugary goodness and rediscovered a love for Cherry Dr Pepper (Cherry Cola is not nearly as nice) and had a pretty neato lunch. I can probably say that my day was considerably better than the previous days, and it was a much needed break from all the crazy. It does however make me really sad that I won't be here to do it again after next week though :( That part is uber sucky :(

Tonight after I work out my dinner dilemma I'll be doing some cupboard-wiping-out (fun stuff) because I can at least do that now and not have to do it again by next Tuesday (winning! wish more of this place was like that) but after that I'll be retreating into the electric blanket warmed mattress, watch Miranda, eat cherry flavoured candy and crochet some stuff to regain my sanity. Tomorrow I can't procrastinate and will actually need to get things done.

Bollocks. 

Off into the wide green yonder...

Heeeey lovelies,

Hubby and I are moving! 13 hours away... whilst I'm 31 weeks pregnant... with 13 days notice...(all the 3's and 1's are a COMPLETE coincidence!). I'VE GONE MAD!!!! I 'spose to most of the people around us this has sort of come about rather suddenly, and really it has but moving has been on the cards for a few weeks now. Damn jobs really do dictate everything don't they? It's like this, our work contract runs out at the end of December this year and for a while we've been desperately searching for a new job to go to so we're not left up a certain creek when bubba bean gets here. It's been a crazy decision to come to, and especially on such short notice. It's either we waited around until our contract ran out and hope for something to come up with a new baby or we take a deep breath and go in search of other opportunities elsewhere before bubba gets here. I'm sitting here today after speaking with our real estate thismorning about breaking our bond with my head spinning and not knowing where to start... naturally I decided the internet was a good option and here I am writing about madness. I keep looking around at everything that needs doing and it takes me a moment to remind myself I'm rather heavily preggers and have some serious limitations on what I can physically get away with. *OH GOD* How is this ever going to work?!?!?!?! 

Annnyway, so we're off to Albury. In 13 days. *Hyperventilating* I'll be ok until this orange poppyseed muffin runs out. Maybe. Some baking may be in order... but dang haven't done the groceries yet. Bummer! Ok maybe not. Pregnant or not it's a huge step to make (and an expensive one) moving to a new place. It's especially hard knowing that the midwives I've gotton to know here won't be there for me and I'll need to adjust to a new hospital and new midwives. As someone who finds new situations quite confronting that is a very scary prospect. I know I'll manage somehow, you do what you need to do, but it doesn't stop those little anxieties taking hold in my mind. We'd just set up our nursery here in Armidale, it was starting to seem more real. I didn't realise how important it is to know that you'll have someplace to call your own, a home, somewhere to prepare for the arrival of a new family member until you're faced with the prospect of not having those things. If the few jobs we've applied for don't come through for us (although I have a good feeling about one of them) it will take longer and longer to rent a place of our own and that is absolutely terrifying to me. It's not like we won't have a roof over our heads, my husband's parents are very VERY kindly taking us in for a short time til we find our feet. I'm not sure if this is my maternal instinct or if I'd feel this way regardless, but I honestly cannot fathom not having my own space to bring baby home too. A new baby is a whole new adventure on its own! I don't know that I would be able to mentally and emotionally handle not being able to left to fumble through those first few weeks without other added pressures. It's so hard to explain, I'm probably not explaining what I mean very well. Of course this was something we had to weigh up as a possibility as part of making this move, but ultimately in the long run this is the best option for our family and we just have to take it all as it happens as calmly as possible. That seems so easy to say. 

It'll be so close to our due date, I am a huge muddle of feelings. Excitement, nervousness, a good deal of stress. These past few nights haven't been without their melt downs, I wish I could sit back and let the organisation go on around me so I wasn't as worried but I just can't do that darn it! 

This should definitely mean there will be lots of new adventures to blog about! :o) So yep...that's what's going on! Time to get up and get into it I guess. I'm not leaving you guys though, I take you with me! Handy thing this internet business isn't it?

Oh lordy where do I start on this mess? *le sigh* 

27 weeks and 5 days ~ 86 days to go! Pregnancy so far

• Dog fur on everything drives me more NUTS than usual. I cannot stand it! I want to shave my dogs.  
• Nothing is ever clean enough these days!! 
• Braxton Hicks have started... and oh my crumpets are they weird?! I get a few in the mornings and a few again at night normally when I have to pee! Or do the Braxton Hicks make me want to pee? Who knows! Either way they're weird. Nothing says 'you're growing an alien' like Braxton Hicks!
• I still can't stand Garlic Bread EWWWW 
• Bras are the devil. Not wearing a bra is also the devil. Can't win hehe 
• I can go from hot to cold in 2.5 seconds and I don't mean in the *wink wink* kind of way. Feeling way too cold during the day, my feet never seem to feel warm and at night I'm too warm under anything more than two blankets. 
• Bubba kicks all day and it's the best feeling in the world! I love his little wiggles, twists and kicks they're such  beautiful things to experience. 
• If I lie still you can actually see little feet (or hands!) pushing outwards! 
• Even though some people think antenatal classes are a waste of time, both myself and hubby found them to be very useful. Yes most of it is common sense but each hospital is different in it's practices and hearing how the particular hospital we are booked into goes about things was a huge comfort. I think I irritated everyone by the end of each day with all my questions! 
• Still no crazy cravings! Well, not really the kind you see in movies where the woman sends her husband out at 2am for watermelon and Chop Suey anyway. I had one for a caramel latte frappe from McCafe a couple of weeks ago and it tasted like heaven but that could have just been that I was missing my coffees. Any cold dairy product is a win and I usually always feel like cold milk on cereal (I've been having a bowl of cornflakes before bed lately, lovely lovely lovely!), chocolate milk, custard, yoghurt, iced anything = yum! 

Things that now feel like Olympic sports:

1. Washing your legs in the shower/ Drying your legs after a shower

2. Getting into one's own knickers

3. As above with pants

4. Picking things up off the floor

5. Climbing stairs (or maybe that's just me being hideously unfit)
6. Getting out of beanbags.
7. Rolling over in bed

• I've developed odd little OCD habits. For example I have to wash my hair everyday or I just rage. It's true!! I can't STAND the feeling of unwashed hair against my skin at the moment. Is that weird? I should probably get used to NOT doing that though hey? Other things include not wanting to cut my own fingernails because I can't stand the feeling of a nail file. It's the sound and the feeling, I just hate it! 
• No heartburn! (yet) Does that mean a bald baby? Or it could have something to do with all the milk I've been drinking.
• I still get sick in the mornings *sigh* but thankfully so long as I shove some toast down the minute I get out of bed it's all ok... except when I don't make it to the toaster in time. Not nice. 

So far so good actually :) I was having troubles with the information being given to me at antenatal appointments that were causing some stress but just thismorning I was contacted by the hospital and invited to Group Practice which has really lifted my confidence. It means I will see one midwife for the remainder of my pregnancy rather than whoever is on at the time and if she is available then she will attend the labour aswell (although that's not a guarantee it's still very comforting). She then visits me at home after I leave the hospital to check up on me and bub for a period of time. I'm looking forward to finding out more information next week at my next check up but it sounds like it will suit me and make things a bit more comfortable for me (what with the anxiety and all). We are of course still flipping out over the things we still need to buy and wondering how the heck we're going to manage it over the coming months but it will work out in the end. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself... I may lose my mind otherwise!

And the dust... oh the dust!

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes singin'
F*** this mess just won't end!!!

I'm feeling like I need 'The Cleaner' from Black Books! DIRTY!

Oh the cleaning frustration!!! I seriously hate small apartment living. We've been going through and shifting everything that isn't functional lately trying to make space in the spare room (previously my craft/sewing room WAAAH!) and it.just.won't.end grrrrrrr I have had to cull so many of my supplies, clothes, and other bits and pieces just trying to get a few drawers free and my desk cleared off so we can pack it up and put in into storage til we can afford to move. It is honestly just driving me insane and I felt like I needed a rant. Do you live in a small space and find it almost impossible to tetris your belongings and furniture into some kind of order? You always hear that you never need a bigger house because you'll just fill it up with stuff too but I can't say I agree to that. Everytime I look around I just think "AHHHH how is this going to work?!" and try to tackle it head-on. Not having much luck though :( You know that horrible transitition period where you've pulled everything out of cupboards and drawers, and have piles of things all over the place so navigating around the house is like a labyrinth? Yep that is us at the moment. I am losing my mind! I want my house back!
ARRRHHHHHHHHHHH!

19 weeks today and a crochet yo-yo afghan square

Hi all,
how've you been? Things have been hectic here in the life of me lately.... it's the old saying 'everything that can go wrong will go wrong' and it certainly seems like it has. Finances falling to bits, the car deciding to take its own life and needing don't-even-want-think-about-how-many-dollars worth of work to get it road worthy again, family dysfunction, all those sorts of things that make life interesting. Bubba Shmoogle Bean on the other hand though seems to be doing well thankfully, I hit the 19 week mark today and no my morning sickness STILL hasn't buggered off. No kicks yet either which I'm told should start to happen soon-ish... I have had plenty of nosebleeds, headaches, nausea and the kind of ligament pain that stresses you out everytime it happens. Whoever said the lack of sleep doesn't start until AFTER you've had the baby was very very wrong too by the way and deserves a swift kick! I think some website suggested I use a pillow to stick under my tummy at night if I'm uncomfortable laying on my side BUT that only works if you don't move around...which I do... a lot.... in a way very similar to a fish out of water. The pillow usually ends up being thrown out. All part of them *ahem* joys of it though. And I have a bump now! Finally! I had planned to take progress photos from week 8 or whatever but I decided I was too fat and you couldn't see anything anyway. My non-baby bump has been replaces recently with actual baby bump so I now feel like I can share a pic. Ta da!

This evening has been relatively uneventful (in a really boring way)... you know when you get into a state where you're so tired sleep seems impossible but you're too cranky to be awake and functioning? That's me. My bloody eye won't stop twitching and I've had this annoying headache since I woke up thismorning and I just haven't been able to shake it.... yes I know! Sleep would probably fix those things but it's only 7.20pm :( Sooo what am I doing? Crocheting of course... crocheting and trying to focus on NOT pacing a hole into the floor with over-tired headachey frustration. Anyone got a spare chill pill?

I thought I'd give something different a go... I've started on a yo-yo blanket square and am just in the process of learning how to join the yo-yo's together. It helps when the pattern is easy to follow like this one! You can check out the design and download the free crochet pattern at YarnCrazy Crochet World And nope, I haven't bought any new yarn... I am still using up the half-balls in my plastic tub. I actually have 3 scrap afghans on the go at the moment trying to clear up some space in my cupboard, but I can't share those just yet :o) Wish me luck joining all these bits together tonight though! My WIP basket is very much overflowing with half finished projects and here I go deciding to start another. As you do!

Willow trees and 3-day cupcakes

I love willow trees...they're my favourite kind of tree. They're beautiful! We have one over hanging our backyard :o) I actually found a lovely little nook of Armidale yesterday with willows all around.. it was so beautiful! Ok so I had to navigate across built up debris and kinda sank into the mud a fair bit but I got to where I was going eventually! Worth it!


Ours provides lovely shade, gives a gorgeous green glow when the sun filters through the tendrils...ours has recently become home to a family of ravens. Two very young birds sitting on a bough outside my house happily carolling away waiting for mum to feed them. They sound a bit like Velociraptors from Jurassic Park (which by the way, scares the beejeebies out of me!)

I guess it wouldn't be so bad if my little dog, the protector of the universe didn't feel the need to bark at them. My little dog feels the need to protect the yard against ANYTHING at ALL costs. He has little man syndrome. Completely harmless, just thinks he's a big tough Doberman.

He's not exactly terrifying! He may lick you to death but that's about it!

Hmmm. the 3-day cupcakes. No, it was not some insane multilayered difficulty of 1000 cupcake recipe...in fact it was just a cupcake recipe on Junior Masterchef for cryin' out loud! But they still took me 3 days.
This is basically how it happened:
Find recipe with intentions of making awesome cupcakes to consume with gusto. Lose enthusiasm. Find butter cake packet mix in pantry...regain some enthusiasm and proceed to make cupcakes the cheat way. I.e. not from the actual recipe

Scoop out a little of the centres, and put them away for the day. The next day I make the lemon curd and stick it into my cupcakes.... then they go back in the fridge...still unfinished. Why I couldn't finish them all at once on day one I have no idea. Anyhoo... day three (late last night) I pulled them out and finally made the meringue for them. The meringue for once in my life actually reached the right consistancy, but I burnt them under the grill....  I then ate 4 in a row they mustn't have been that bad; then again my standards for my own baking aren't that high and really I'll eat anything. So no problems eh?

A non stick shoe rack; I'm awake at 2am!!

Oh yes... it strikes again! 2am in the morning and sitting at my laptop thinking why the heck can't I just sleep at night like a normal person?! I always feel bad when I can't sleep, my husband finds it hard to fall asleep if I'm not in bed next to him so I am hoping against hope that he has managed to drop off without me and I'm not keeping him up waiting. Being awake at this hour isn't new for me... in fact it usually means an entertaining blog post and a list of things to do whilst awake...really I'm just here trying to make myself sleepy (I don't know why I expect it to work.... does blogger now come with a 'play lullaby' function I don't know about?) but anyway I'm here. What do you do when you can't sleep? I'm open to any ideas at the moment! I suppose hitting the gym for 40 minutes after 11pm tonight (last night?) wasn't the best idea, that might have something to do with my lack of Zzzzzzz's, just at a guess. Me at the gym, no I'm not joking it really happened! My lardy arse and I decided that since it's summer and I'm still living in jeans and long sleeves I should probably do something...that something means 40 minutes sweating and heaving and bouncing around all over the place on a treadmill (try not to picture that) Late at night is about the only time I'll go to the chamber of pain; no teeny weeny fit creatures wafting about the place looking fabulous and not breaking a sweat, just one or two hardcore buffs who have nothing better to do and don't even glance at us walking in the door...I much prefer that arrangement!!

Why is there never anything good on TV at 2am? Seriously...who wants to buy a magic dicer slicer oven with bonus finger graters and non stick shoe racks that if you pay by credit card you get the full edition of 'Idiots of the World' and a Cd of songs famous in the early 80's that have been remade by an Elvis and Billy Joel cover band at 2AM IN THE MORNING!?

Oh and being awake this early in the morning, you get to witness all the disgusting slimey creatures that inhabit your house while you sleep....for example hideous long black centipedes with what looks like fangs on it's arse that moves at an alarming rate across the carpet towards your feet that just. won't. die. nomatter how many times you whack it with your shoe.... or the slug that you have NO IDEA where it came in from but it's somehow on your lounge leaving little squiggly silver trails all over the place... or the barage of teeny spiders that occupy that wallspace above the bathroom door that you don't normally notice in the dark. Oh what joy! BLECK!

And why do creepy noises sound 10 x creepier when you're sitting awake and alone in an otherwise dark house thinking you see shadows move out of the corner of your eye..oh wait I just answered my own question.
*sigh* I can't even crochet! If I started something my obsessiveness would make me finish it and I'd be sitting here til dawn! My darling loyal Toby hasn't left my side though, he'll stay curled up on the lounge beside me until I go to bed...Sparrow on the other hand seems to have decided that the bed is warmer and comfier and has abandoned me most likely to curl up on my pillow for me to squish accidentally when I stumble in later.

Maybe if I go lie down I'll drift off eventually...I'm beginning to think that might be a good idea. Or at least a better idea than sitting here in a possibly haunted, bug infested, slightly chilly, drunk slug hangout :o)

I seeeee yooou haha sorry... it's the eye of Sauron

Sorry for the lack of crafty posts recently guys!! I've been feeling a bit 'whats the point' with it lately and resisting the urge to have a rather long blog-rant about it. Anyhoo, I've been kept busy with my photography lately, some of it good some of it not-so-good. The eye of Sauron is always upon me, as are his spies (euphemism for shitty people) and I just haven't felt inspired to do anything! Nooo, that's not me being paranoid...well perhaps just a little...but mostly that a) no one will probably see it b) no one will probably care c) it's probably already been done WHOOPS it's turning into a rant! END RANT END RAAANT!

Source: thelivingmoon.com via Miguel on Pinterest

HA! see? Now the eye of Sauron is on you too!

I have been doing stuff...really I have. My parentals are coming for a visit this weekend ^.^ Just out of the blue! I can't wait to see mumsy and father bear and the sibling units!! SQUEEEEEE we've been madly cleaning up our teensy little apartment so my family can see that I can take care of a living space *COUGH* at the last minute. Oh c'mon, don't give me that look! I bet you do the same! We bought a new vacuum recently and it's a BOSS! I reckon it would suck up my dog Spaz if he got too close, which of course he won't coz he's terrified of the thing (probably for that reason! DUH) so I've been able to do a proper clean YAY! Seriously I hate dog fur everywhere...I love my inside doggies, I truly do but dog fur is my (counts on fingers) 6th or 7th worst enemy!

Could you believe it? It's been warm here allll week and the day my parents are due to arrive and we're expecting snow...not that it was ACTUALLY snow, they predict it every year but it never happens. Sort of wish it would though, that would make some rad photos!!!!!

So yes, I have been doing stuff...here's a summary:

• Had our one year wedding anniversary, and it was lovely, thankyou for asking :o)
• I've been glueing sequins to a canvas
• I'm planning a giant GLITTER FEST
• I got dressed in Victorian garb and had a tea party in the park last week
• I was supposed to be at Roller Derby training this week but couldn't because I'm terrified of being on things that move (that's what SHE said! HA!)
• Yesterday I was so sick I thought I was going to die. Luckily though I didn't! Yay for me!
• I am still working on my handmade for Christmas thing, but I'm changing it from a tab on my blog (you'll notice it's missing) to a few posts instead, it's coming but I'm lazy
• I have to go to the doctor on Monday as I may have PCOS or endometriosis :(

Also...don't you reckon David Wenham is spunky? I think so.

 

Source: listal.com via David on Pinterest

Oh yeah... here's what I had for lunch..thought you might want to try it, it's pretty tasty. I guess it's a type of omelette.

In a bowl crack 3 eggs, add a handful of sliced mushies, a sprinkle of mixed herbs and pepper and a handful of grated cheese. Tip it all into a teeny saucepan (on medium heat with a tinsy bit of butter)

and leave it til the egg cooks through (10 minutes-ish). Flip it over, leave for another 5 minutes, tip it onto a plate and voila!

also it was just coincidence that my omelette thingy was the perfect size for my little plate ^.^ Cooking win!

 There! Til next time!



 

Shambles rambles!

Being this busy is a whole new experience for me! And a good one! ... maybe it would be better if my head was screwed on properly like a normal persons? SO much stress these past few days, and it's bought on a new stress-symptom...REFLUX!! Arrrgh I hate it so much! *sigh* such is life. I am going through Quik-Eze quicker than I'd like :(

So things are pretty much in shambles at the moment, so much happening that I don't know which direction I'm pointed in and spend most of the time running in 7 different directions.... at the same time trying to achieve something. What is it I'm trying to achieve exactly? I don't know! I'm doing free photography sessions for the locals of Armidale, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep at it for free...I have SO many people and families booked in for the next few weeks it's just crazy!! My poor poor husband has been dragged all over town being a taxi for me and sticking around so the complete strangers I work with don't eat me. Hey it's a fear ok!? Hahaha yeah I know it's hilarious... the awkward girl with the social anxiety has chosen a career path that PURELY involves communicating with strangers for prolonged periods of time. I'm careful to warn people of my awkwardness beforehand, and things seem to work out ok ;)

I'm not overly sure of myself, I can admit that much.. I guess I'll just get through these next few weeks the best I can and check out the results at the end! I'm trying my best to be as organised as possible, I have to be afterall! But it is very difficult for me considering that for four years I haven't REALLY had a lot of responsibilities when it came to keeping bookings, tracking names, details, calling people, getting places, being friendly and communicating effectively. Hell I don't know if I'm doing those things overly well but as I said it has been a while! My husband tells me I'm doing well, and that he's proud of me *blushes* for coming out of my shell. Mind you, he's been asking a little more consistantly recently regarding whenabouts I'm going to start charging for my photography...the time spent, the petrol, the calls, the editing, and the giving of photos on a cd free of charge is taking it's toll on our broke circumstances. I guess it's what you have to do though right! I'm not trained or qualified, so it makes sense to me to do it this way... I just don't know what the 'rules' are when it comes to these things.

Apparantly, as a general rule, people aren't QUITE as cruel, creepy rude and nasty as I percieve them to be! Well I'm sure some of them are (I've known a few!) but on the majority people are kind and understanding and just plain... nice! I'm trying not to feel TOO confident about this, as the Universe seems to have an aversion to me being TOO happy (or maybe it's just my perception? Meh...) but yes. There are nice people out there. Nice people who take time from their lives to help me build a portfolio. Nice people who are understanding of me and my funny ways. Nice people who understand that whilst they are doing me a favour by helping me out, I am also doing them one....and that's something I admire :o)


But that's enough rambling out me Mr. Blog! I just had thoughts in my head and they needed to be made sense of. I haven't abandoned those free crafty and cooking tutorials either! I have a few in the pipeline (is that the expression?) but just haven't the time to sit down and do them for you! I will I will I will I promise times infinity!

Crochet therapy

A new crochet project picked me up a little from the dark place I was in thismorning... who couldn't feel a little cheer with these bright colours and gorgeous pattern :o) If you'd like to give it a try, just search for the 'More V's Please' pattern on Ravelry. It's easy and looks so lovely in one coloured block or multicoloured...for my fellow yarn-addicts give it a try! It helped to take my mind off things for a while and just vege out... reality has come flying back and I think all I need now is a decent nights sleep and Quik-Eze! Heartburn for 3 days is driving me INSANE on top of everything else! Hell, everything else is probably causing the heartburn -.- Damn.

 Our Real Estate that we rent through kindly forgot to tell us that an odd 40 feet of our fence was being replaced over today and tomorrow so I went to work with hubby, holed up on the floor on the carpet and made some crochet magic happen. Then I came home and proceeded to drift slowly down hill and fade into my mental oblivion. Oh well! At least I got something done today!

I am a size 16, I am curvy, and I am fabulous!!

My husband took these earlier today, I got them home and had a look at them and instantly hated them! I was going to delete them until I thought, well wait a second, I'm not a tiny size 10, and obviously the idea of what I look like in my head and how I actually look are completely different! So instead of deleting these photos, I'm sharing them with you. This is what I look like! Ok so my hair isn't very spiffy today, but yup... this is me! *waves* in all my unedited, non-deleted glory!

 

Locked out...

I locked myself out of the house today, like the smart cookie that I am. So logically I went down to Salvos and picked up a crochet hook and some wool, walked back home and sat in the yard making granny squares for a while until Hubby came home with a key and let me back in.

Completely unimpressed (yet not suprised) by my own stupidity...

p.s new hair! You like?

But it's ok!

I mean it's a nice day so I guess it isn't sooo bad

At least it's not hailing like the past two afternoons...

Ta da!

In the event of no scissors to cut yarn, the edge of a brick works almost as well!

 

Yarn saves the day!

 

That will teach me for not packing my crochet...OOPS I mean my key into my handbag won't it! ;)



 

What this Bean has been up to today...

You know those days when you feel uber illiterate and can't really compose any kind of interesting/amusing/informative posts? That's me (most of the time) right now... so let's make this quick, painless and full of photos. Here's what I did today...

1. I drew a unicorn and then photoshopped (well...Gimp-ed) him (or her) into one of my landscape photos as per the request of another ultra Quirky Bean (you know who you are missy!) I have brilliants schemes to insert fairies and dragons and things into all my photos MUWAHAHAHAHAHA

2. I took some rather fascinating photos of some dandelions in my backyard. They're {HERE} if you wanna go have a looksee!

3. I'm about to go into crochet-mode and make oodles of new props for my new little photographic venture.

Aaaaand last but definately not least, and in fact the best part of my day.... my most amazing and wonderful friend Bec bought me the one album I've been searching for since I had it on tape as a child, the album I used to listen to and daydream about sandy shores, the one I used to play when I couldn't sleep :o) 'Coral Sand' by Med Goodall... it's beautiful and has so many happy peaceful memories associated with  it...I hope she knows how truly happy she has made me! Bec, I love you dearly!

oh oh oh oh oh!!! And my partner in crime is posting me her crochet flowers to be incoorporated into my crochet flowers and this week my friends, I yarn bomb an unsuspecting tree. More details on that later!

Crochet hooks engage!
Quirky Bean over and out!

Monty Python ~ Self Defense Against Fruit

Ahhh the life skills that Monty Python have taught us! How would we get by without knowing how to defend ourselves against fruit? I do love me some John Cleese!

Perhaps I've found my direction

Firstly let me apologise for my bland writing today, my concentration has been on holiday recently and I'm not sure when it's planned on coming back... I really REALLY want to share this though so if you're there reading (hi there!) I'm sorry if this really boring! I know what I'm trying to say, it just rambles on a bit...

Sorry again! SO anyway:

Oh yes indeed I was busy :o) As you may know recently I set up my own teeny little page 'Pretty Things' to express to the world my love of drawing and passion for photography in the hopes that with enough practice, sometime soon I'll be able to start charging for sessions. Photography and art go hand in hand for me, of all the creative things I've tried, loved and either suceeded or failed at, drawing and photography have stuck with me through everything and been something that I've experienced a drive to continue doing nomatter what. Oh gosh I think it's love!! It awakens something in me that wants to push forward, to experience, to discover, to learn and essentially become so much of who I am that I could never be without. If you remember my post from a few months ago, I swore to continue doing what I love regardless of any other factors and although I've still experienced the same feelings that have made me want to give up, I keep thinking back and remembering why I started again in the first place.

"This time I've found my resolve...and it's here to stay!"

I'm not entirely sure what posessed me to go with 'Pretty Things'...it's not overly creative. I guess at the time I thought it would do till I thought of something else. I have no idea why I drew such a difinitave line between that and my blogging. Why did I think they needed to be seperate? Who knows... my brain confuses me at the best of times. That's just the way your resident Quirky Bean is most of the time :o) You should know that by know, you're here reading it! haha! But anyway back to what I was busy with... Why not rename the page 'Quirky Bean Pencil Portraits and Photography'? TA DA! Instant relief from non-matching ventures! Ok yeah I admit that was driving me nuts more than anything........ so I've tied being the Quirky Crafting Shmoogle Bean in with my little venture, 'Quirky Bean Pencil Portraits and Photography' and now... I am happy :o)

 

 

I spent about 3 hours last night re-designing the page which, let me tell you, was A LOT of work! But I got there in the end and I am rather happy with how it looks! I used the same fonts and colours as I used when designing my blog and I love the way the two now tie in together (again IT MATCHES WOOOOO!)

 

There are only a few things that I still need to work out and probably need to do it soon (the lack of concentration isn't helping this matter). You know how I kind of ramble a lot here and the point of course being that I don't really have a direction in life or indeed much at all in general? I don't want my photography to be that way. I mean hey sure I can ramble all I like here... whether you read or not is your choice, you're not paying me for my rambling. Oh man I'm doing it again... (SORRY!! I told you it was gonna happen)

 

I need to sit down with a large sheet of paper, a pen and really truly have a think about the kinds of things I want to achieve from this. A brainstorm if you will of the directions I see myself going in, what kinds of photography services will I offer, at what price should I offer them, how much are my skills really worth, how much portfolio work should I do, how much of my time am I willing to commit to this? So as you can see there is a lot for me to go over... to be honest it is a little daunting, but again, that drive that so regularly sees me give up and go no further is there telling me that this is what I want, this is where I want to be.

 

Suppose that day will be today! It's not yet 10am, so that leaves me plenty of time to get to it!

 

I had another idea too... I'm not sure this will happen any time soon... but I am more thrilled at the opportunity to continue creating things and crafting and crocheting my heart out and working that into my photography. My head spins when I think of all those delicious props and things I could be working on in the future and storing in my very own studio room *sigh* what a life! Perhaps it's just a pipe dream, but we'll see right?

 

 

Now THAT'S a mustache!

I have been getting much amusement out of this website thismorning...

Now THAT'S a mustache!

Source: thechive.com via Tash on Pinterest

Frankly I can't stop laughing!

Friday arvo ramblings!

Howdy Beanies!

How are we this windy afternoon?? I was almost blown away trying to hang out washing earlier today..we've had wind gusts of 65km/h with a possibility of them reaching 100km/h overnight! Scary! O.o

Guess what I did today? Apart from get hit by a flying twig whilst doing my washing thismorning...


Yep you guessed right, not much LOL I did manage to make this absolutely ADORABLE Dr Suess theme earflap hat... ain't it cute!! It's for my youngest nephew as a Christmas pressie :o) I think he'll love it! I'll be making his brother a 'Thing 2' hat to match, they're gonna be the cutest kids in town! There's a link for the free pattern under the 'Handmade for Christmas Challange' tab up top there...

Sooooooo today is Friday!! YAY!! And HOLY COW this week has flown! But that obviously means that it's the WEEKEND and here at QC Shmoogle Bean HQ, in our reasonably average lives we have plans! My hubby and I ideally spend our weeknights reading/gaming/watching anime (Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! is our current series of choice...sooooo cute!) together and we adore it that way! With the exception of Wednesday nights when we venture down to the pub for Trivia and a beer. Hey, if you're ever in Armidale, Australia you should totally come with! We welcome extra brain-power hehe This weekend however, we plan to spend Saturday morning in the garden giving it some much needed TLC (stay tuned for another 'Diary of an Inexperienced Gardener' post) and I THINK but not entirely sure (need to check up this) that I have a photoshoot in the arvo; Saturday night we're going to visit Vaun and her beautiful little girl Sophia (seriously this bubba girl is such a stunner!! takes after her mum!) and on Sunday we're going, and don't blame me for this it was not my idea, bowling and rollerblading with people who can actually bowl and rollerblade.....very much unlike myself. I am the world's most unco bowler (I sort of throw the ball rather than bowl it and NEVER break 50) and don't even get me started on how hilarious I look on a pair of wheels!! I'm sure I'll provide plenty of good 'ole entertainment for everyone else anyway! I'll see if I can get someone to take a photo of me on skates so you can see exactly what I'm talking about (and laugh!)

In crochet news...I'm being an uber yarn geek as per usual. I swear my poor husband will get lost in the balls of wool about the place one day! I made the Dr Suess hat as you saw and I've also been working away on my chevron blanket and these gorgeous coffee mug cozy's!

And for some other random tidbits of news:

• My favourite colour is.... none! I don't have one, I love all colours in many combinations, so there you go!
• Right now I am wearing odd socks because I'm too lazy to pair them
• Tonight we are having pizza for dinner
• I am listening to 'Just Ace' by Grinspoon at the moment
• I am in my pj's
• and my hubby is being licked to death by our puppies so I'm off to tickle him while he's stuck on the floor coz that's the kind of loving wifey that I am :p

Catch you on the flipside!

Xx

Retro rollerblading, zombies and too many drinkies

Goodmorning guys!!
Be warned, it's a rambling post!



What a morning I've had! I forgot how much a few drinks affects me :p I only had 5 and I was so sick thismorning! Oh well...spose it has been a while :p I seriously needed the night out though, everything was getting to me the way everything usually does and it all just sort of melted away.. it was nice :o) Let's face it, every now and then you just need a drink or two. So to catch up on my weekend so far:

#1 My baked goodies were very well received on Saturday! It was a lovely little get together! It turns out my friend Tiffy is between 9-12 weeks pregnant :o) She is so excited to be a mum it was rubbing off on me a little!!

I love these! Whisk eggs, oregano leaves and cooked bacon bits together, poor into puff pustry inside a muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes... TA DA! Except the wax paper stuck to them because I didnt have any greaseproof paper... so we ate a lot of it, but oh well :p

#2 Last night was Retro Rollin' in the 'Dale night at the indoor recreation centre... and I TOTALLY won best dressed!! I won a free movie pass, so that will be literally my ticket to Magic Mike next week tee hee! I most DEFINATELY suck at rollerblading....I'm not too keen on having wheels for feet but in saying that it had been about 12 years since I last gave it a shot, and I didn't fall over so I guess I wasn't tooooo bad. It was good exercise! I might head back next week and try and get a little better methinks... honestly I was embarrassing haha! It didn't help that a certain SOMEBODY kept skating past me making fun of me :p Then my hubby showed up and proved how awesome he was at the whole skating thing...and scared the pants of some poor girl on skates for the first time whom he whizzed past at some stupid speed. She squeeled and clung to the wall..It was a little funny.

This is the only photo I have of me before I went out...Im sure there will be more where I can show you my whole (prize winning hehe) outfit when the others upload their photos :D I went to Maccas for a coffee beforehand in my outfit... So many eyeballs look at you when you wear a swing dress in public!

And here is me taking a goofy shot of myself before I went to bed at midnight when I got home. Whilst drunk I had at the pub taken out my victory rolls and had super springy curlies..hehe! It was awesome!

#3 I will be finishing the AMAZING zombilicious prize for our 50 likers giveaway celebration today SQUEEEEEE I can't wait!!!!!!!! Stay tuned for that one peeps! I'll keep you updated on the fan page as to when that will happen.
#4 I seem to be coming down with a cold. I would attribute that to walking home in stockinged feet at midnight in an Armidale winter last night but I could feel it coming on yesterday morning, the walk probably didn't help though hey?
#5 I got woken up thismorning by the guy next door who decided that using a wood mulcher first thing on a Sunday morning was perfectly ok. GRRRRRRR man next door GRRRRR

 How was/is your weekend Beans??

Creation withdrawals...

You know what is really super dooper times a bazillion bugging me at this very second???????

The fact that I haven't tried a new crafty thing of some kind today!! Do NORMAL people worry about this stuff?? Seriously? Or am I insane? It's 10pm at night and I don't feel like I've done ANYTHING today simply because I haven't created something new! I FEEL LIKE I HAVE WASPS IN MY BRAIN! Figuratively speaking.

So now what?????? My brain is still buzzing...possibly from the two beers and tall coffee I had at Trivia tonight (which we lost and royally sucked BUM at by the way) and I absolutely need to do something before I can sleep soundly. BUT WHAT MY FRIENDS WHAT?! *shoots off to Pinterest to scour boards for an idea*
...and is now conflicted. That didn't really help! I could make a new headband or flower but really I have loads of them already... It's a little too late at night to sew, I can't bake and I lack certain supplies for other stuff. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm conundrum!

Then its hits me...'it' being an idea. I want to make something insanely girly and pretty. I haven't done much of that before...and I don't really have anything like that yet in my vast collection so hey! Let's do that! And what does that consist of??? Flowers and headbands... oh well, one more in my collection can never be a bad thing! So I consulted my 'Flowers of the DIY variety' board and put together a small collection of inspiration that goes something like this:

Source: smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com via Tash on Pinterest

Source: keyka.typepad.com via Tash on Pinterest

Source: google.com.au via Tash on Pinterest

Source: borrowedandbleu.com via Tash on Pinterest

Source: flamingotoes.com via Tash on Pinterest

And now I am off to dig through my stash of fabrics and lace and ribbons and things to see what I can come up with! And you're just gonna have to wait til tomorrow to see what I made!

Late night creation withdrawal dealt with!

See you tomorrow Beans! Im off to not accidentally glue my fingers together with hot glue....