The 'Tween' Room

Well, gone are the days when my baby girl slept in a pretty pink room that she called her 'princess room'. (See Pictures Here).

In my quest to simplify I have spent alot of time asking her what toys she likes playing with, what things she doesn't want anymore and what furniture she would like best in her room.

A couple of weeks ago I went in and began the task ahead. She is a hoarder. McDonalds toys, pieces of giftwrap ribbon, ripped up pieces of paper in piles. You name it, it was in there, including some things that I put aside in bags for charity which had SOMEHOW made their way back in there ;)

Finally after 6 hours it was done. All of the furniture was already there previously, apart from the dressing table. This belonged to "Little Nanny" who died recently. Chelsea was lucky to receive this and says she thinks of Nanny everytime she looks at it, which is so lovely.

I was thinking of selling the Ikea chair on ebay as we don't have room for it elsewhere in the house, but it makes a perfect reading chair for her in the corner, and helps it look grown up as well.

We are renting at the moment (subject to change however) :) so I'm not able to paint walls or do too much personalisation, but I love the end result all the same. What do you think?

Holy Sheet! Look what I made!!

I bought this set of sheets when Rhys was still in a cot because he is obsessed with the Wiggles. The fitted sheet somehow got marked and as he is no longer in a cot I just couldn't bear to throw them away!! I salvaged the fabric that was still bright and pill-free around the edges and made them into my first pair of shorts!! They have two pockets and just a simple elastic waist. I used a pattern found whilst op-shopping - I think its about 20 years old - but still good :)

I am so proud of myself - I have now made a pinafore dress for Chelsea, the Wiggles shorts, and I have also altered a Batik sarong from Malaysia into a strapless top for me. I am looking forward to making some summer pyjamas for the kids soon, again using recycled fabric - I love getting use out of something that would be otherwise classed as useless! I promise to upload photos soon...
Did I mention that I am an obsessive room-changer-arounder? Well, I wasn't satisfied with the computer in the kitchen any longer ;) I spend so much time on, and use the computer for so many different and varied things, that the smaller desk just wasn't feasible. We have an old verandah that was once apon a time built in to make a long room that comes off two of the bedrooms. It is difficult to use the room without just lining the walls with furniture and turning it into a long corridor. I decided to divide it into two parts. The far end (not finished) has the kids tv, a lounge and some books/photo albums etc. The closer end has my computer, my scrapbooking and sewing stash in an Ikea shelf, the kids' computer and the second lounge with chaise. It is FANTASTIC!! I love having a lounge to use as my own, without having football blaring or sandpit sand all over it ;) I have just purchased an Apple Time Capsule which allows us to sync all the computers wirelessly and my workspace just works so well.

I am hoping to start rolling out some scrapbook pages again, after a year or so off, but first I am organising all my photos from the last decade into year and month files, then backing up again. It has to be done, and now is as good a time as any!!

Yesterday was Fathers Day, and somehow, my husband managed to persuade me to let him get a new motorbike. It is a combined Fathers day, birthday and christmas present - for the rest of his LIFE~!~ - but I am glad he has something he really loves. The kids have just got a little quad bike and they are quite happy with it and have no desire to get on daddy's big bike - which is just a little too powerful for them!!

In final news, as of today, our block is officially UNCONDITIONALLY under Contract!!! Woohoo!!

We had an offer fall through a couple of months ago and we weren't fazed whether it sold or not, as we would build on it if we still had it in March 2011, but these buyers came along and we will officially be free of mortgage payments in a couple of weeks. Things couldn't have worked out better. We have done really well over the past couple of years and now hope to move on to our next house early next year, of course renovations are always an option with the Berderows!!

In my next post, I hope to post up some photos of Chelsea's room, which I redid last weekend. Quite grown up, but still - very Chelsea and Very PINK....

Suzi x

The weekend's shopping trip.... oh I feel so baddd!!!

1. My new Brother Sewing machine - private seller on ebay

2. Gorgeous Rockabilly vintage look dress - ebay

3. Kikki K 'Host' mushroom stamp

4. Havaiana's Octopus thongs for Rhysy

5. Jumbo Cupcake silicone mold - Deals direct

6. The almighty iPad - who else? apple... :)

ok. I'm feeling a little guilty right now.... I have overspent... and it feels GOOD!!! It all started when we went shopping the other day and had a look at the ipads in one store. Chelsea and I both have ipod touches, I have a Mac and Will has a Macbook and iphone. So instore, Chelsea automatically picked up the iPad and started playing. It looked so GOOOD!!!!! So sleek, and modern, and... shiny!!!

My one single most favourite feature of the Apple family is iCal. For all the PC users out there, its kind of like the calendar function in your Outlook, but many many times better!!

Being an organisational freak I list bills, birthdays, events and to do's into my iCal, and until now have been syncing this each night with my iPod touch, which stays in my handbag as my organiser/diary. The iPad just blows my mind with its size, the beautiful clear screen and the double page organiser!!!! I had to have it.... So I decided that to minimise the financial loss :) I would sell my ipod touch and my DS (that I no longer use) on ebay.

I bought the iPad. We have used it all weekend and I am so pleased with it. The kids have been playing games (educational of course!) and reading ebooks on it and they just love it. Its easy enough for Rhys to tap the screen and play toddler games too. Definitely a fabulous purchase.

Will took us for a surprise roadtrip today and refused to tell me where we were going. This was kind of hard for me as I couldn't help myself - How far? What should we wear? what shoes? Do I pack food for the kids? We ended up 1.5 hrs north at our family beach haunt Caloundra. The markets on a Sunday there are gorgeous under the old fig trees along the main street. I got 3 beautiful silk wraparound skirts for $10 each!!! Afterwards we headed up to Maroochydore for lunch and some shopping at Pacific Fair.

We were home early this afternoon and I managed to get a few items photographed and ready for ebay - tonights listings went off with a bang and I am quite pleased with the results. More cash for the kitty - for the house of course ;)

The house has been annoying me as I haven't had much time to organise the mess that seems to keep accumulating with two children. I am dying to clean out the wardrobe in Rhys' room which is acting as a storage cupboard (not pretty!). In addition, the play room is just not doing it for me at the moment. I haven't finished it from when my computer moved out and I'm dying to get in there and do... SOMETHING! One of those somethings will be to put in a table for my new Sewing machine I'm expecting any day now!!!! I am only a novice, but hope to step up and learn some things that I've been wanting to do for a long time now.

Hope your weekend was as amazing as mine was - I spent so much time with the kiddies and loved every minute...

xx Susan

Mmmm Radio Flyer Red.....

I can dream that it's summer - can't I?

A vintage Photoshoot

I am a lover of vintage toys, vintage clothes (although I can't find many genuine vintage for myself) and I love love love the notion of the 50's housewife, staying at home to keep house and look after the family. On a whim I decided to race outside this afternoon and capture the kids as they played. Nothing says Queensland like wearing summer clothes in the middle of winter!!!

The cherubs are both very photogenic and more than willing for me to snap away to my hearts content.

I heart kikki k!!!!

What a week! I pretty much neglected the cooking and had simple meals all week, partly because the house was in disarray. I have been wanting to create a computer/study nook in the kitchen ever since we moved in and finally got it finished this week. Previously this space had a cane drawer unit with the microwave on it, a box full of recipe books, a wine rack and the bread maker. The wall unit above had an unused stereo and alot of CRAP on top!!

I headed down to Ikea and picked out the Forhoja kitchen trolley and a nice stool that I have been eyeing off for quite some time. I dragged the computer, printer and all of my stationery out and bit by bit got it all stored away. The cane drawer unit underneath the printer was a bargain buy I got on ebay for $10 a couple of months ago! It holds computer cables, cds & bits and pieces in one drawer, ebay packaging, envelopes and tape etc in another. The top drawers of the kitchen trolley hold all of my everyday stationery. The baskets on the top left shelf hold paperwork in progress or to be filed, the cream leather box on the top right holds my gadgets like labellers and my camera :). On the bottom shelf I have a big basket with all my excess and spare stationery, and a cd box with all of my computer and photo related cds and dvds.

The fridge is a perfect magnetic board right next to me. Will has told me he likes the simplicity of the whole setup and I find it much better than having a huge desk that collects garbage and is used as a storage space!! My ex office has now been turned into a play room for the kids and has the Thomas Wooden train set, the train table and the Little Tikes mountain set up. The kids are in there every day playing cars and trains - so I know I have made the right decision.

It is now school holidays and the kids stayed at Grandma's last night. I got a phone call yesterday after lunch - it was my girlfriend ringing to say that she wasn't feeling well and had two tickets to see Fame the Musical at 3pm! We went to see the show and I feel so terrible that she didn't get to go - I hope she is feeling better. The show was amazing and we had a nice quiet child-free dinner afterwards ;)

Rhys is all about Thomas the Tank Engine!

The contract on our land fell through as the buyers were not approved for finance, when they told us that they were!!! Back to square one, and $120 worse off for solicitors fees too. We may be building that house after all!! Who knows what the future will bring.

I have been quite the amazing housewife this weekend so far! Will went to the football last night and after the kids went to bed I whipped the house into shape. The kitchen has really been bugging me for sometime. You know the bits and pieces that accumulate and make it look cluttered? Well I got in and cleaned it out. Its amazing how nice it feels to work in a kitchen that is sparkling clean and neat! Tonight I made a Bacon and egg pie - my first ever. William was in the kitchen sniffing around - I don't think he was happy that I was making this 'strange and new' concoction. On the table however, the family scoffed it down - definitely a keeper!!

****

Bacon and Egg Pie
8 slices multi-grain bread, crusts removed
250g bacon rashers, rind and fat removed, chopped
1 small brown onion, roughly chopped
4 eggwhites, lightly whisked
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated light tasty cheese

Preheat oven to 180c. Lightly grease a 3cm-deep, 22cm (base) flan or quiche pan. Using a rolling pin, roll out bread slices until 3mm thick. Arrange bread over base and sides of dish, overlapping to cover base. Place dish on an oven tray. Bake for 10 minutes or until bread is lightly toasted.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened.

Spread half the bacon mixture over bread base. Pour eggwhites over bacon mixture. Crack eggs over mixture. Sprinkle with remaining bacon mixture. Top with mozzarella and tasty cheese. Season with pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes or until eggs have set. Serve with steamed vegetables.

****

Whilst dinner was cooking, we got the new juicer out to have a go. Will was in that kitchen quick smart when he heard the motor starting up, and had taken over the cutting up of fruit ;)

I am very pleased with the Sunbeam juicer. There is no mess outside of the machine, all the components and parts fit snugly and properly and the motor is very quiet - I was expected loud and messy like you see at the shopping centre juice bars!!

The kidlets thought the juice was great and I'm looking forward to incorporating it into their diets - especially melon boy (Rhys) - he could eat an entire rockmelon in one sitting if he was allowed!!

Will washed his work car this afternoon, guerneyed the front driveway and paths and then played cricket with the kids. The weather is stunning - you would never know it was winter - the kids were running through the hose in the backyard!!!

Unfortunately I have to work tomorrow morning, I put my hand up last week because I felt like some overtime back THEN!! At least it is only a quick job and I won't need to be there for long - my ebay pile is building up and I need to get on top of it.

In the past few months I have just started researching our Family History, in particular, William's Surname. His family is exclusively German prior to his father marrying his mother who is english. I have racked my brains and found every website possible that could help me and last night finally cracked the code that showed me how they arrived in Australia.

The year - 1888, The Ship - Bulimba. It sailed from the UK to Java and then down the Queensland coastline, to where they settled, in Brisbane. One thing that has really touched me during the whole process is the fact that they were travelling with 3 children, one of whom apparently died on the voyage, a baby, not yet 1 year old. I trawled the net and found an article about the voyage on the National Archives website, apparently there was an epidemic of Scarlet Fever or 'Scarletina' as it was called back then. The ship was quarantined for two weeks prior to the passengers being released onto an island and then all of their little belongings that they had brought with them, were burnt.

What an event. At the age of 29 you uproot your life in Germany head for 3 months to a foreign country with your 3 children, the youngest of who succumbs to a terrible illness, and then have all of your most precious items destroyed. Welcome to Australia!!! These people must have been very strong in heart - along with the many thousands of other immigrants that have travelled here.

My Welcome Back Post....

Well, after a loooooong break from Blogging, I have been looking enviously at other people's blogs and decided to get back into it. I am a regular Facebook visitor though, it is so easy to keep up with everyone that way!

Rhys is now 2 Years and 3 months old, he is loud, cheeky and very very funny! Chelsea will be 7 in July and is in Grade 1. She has got some very good reports from school since starting last year. She goes to a local Catholic Primary School. Next week we are going for a tour and an interview for a Grammar School from next year onwards for her.

We got some amazing news last Sunday. We have had 'The Block' on the market for a couple of months now. We have decided to Buy and renovate again and the idea of building was becoming less than appetising after a few years of thinking about it. Last Sunday we got a phone call from the Real Estate Agent with an offer for our block. After a couple of hours of negotiation, we happily accepted their offer and are awaiting settlement in the first week of July. Wow!! No more mortgage payments and rates, I am really looking forward to saving this money instead! We hope to buy another home in the first half of 2011, we are living in a beautiful old Queenslander in an amazing part of town at the moment. For this reason, we truly won't mind if we have to stay here longer.

Will is enjoying his job heaps and getting alot of overtime. Thankfully, he doesn't have to go away too often, and is next week getting a work car. I'm pretty happy about this too - even more money to go into the savings, petrol, insurance, rego.

I am enjoying work, I have been there for 6.5 years now and I really found it difficult after Rhys was born to go back to work and feel good about being there. After having 4 months off and being home with my little family, the last thing I wanted to do was to go and sit in an office and palm them off with other people. We are the busiest we have ever been at work, and I thrive on routine and organisation, so my office partner and I do the best we can to make each day run smoothly and achieve lots.

Now that I have updated the blog, I promise to keep on top of it a little better and make regular posts!!

By chance I stopped at a Garage Sale yesterday and they had a Sunbeam Juicing Machine there for $30!! I have been holding out to buy one and looking on ebay, as they are so expensive brand new, so I snapped this baby up! We went to the markets this morning and bought loads and loads of fruit and veges, and some gorgeous bunches of flowers too, so William is expecting fresh juice now ;)

I think Dinner might be quiche tonight, steak for my fussy husband who doesn't eat it!

Suzi