Month: December 2014

2015 Here We Come!

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I’m again not making New Year’s Resolutions.

Instead, from now on I will continue to make a yearly bucket list!

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2015 Regular Bucket List
1. Walk our Jack more regularly {we’re both too chunky!}
IMG_4097
2. Practice, practice, practice my Free Motion Quilting
3. Swear less {at least when the kids are in earshot}

4. Be more creative with my cooking
5. Say ‘No’ when I mean it more often
6. Save more / BUDGET better – we’re saving for a holiday to …

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2015 Sewing Bucket List
1. Practice, practice, practice my Free Motion Quilting {you’re not imagining it – this made both lists lol Can you tell I really mean it?}
2. Make a Churn Dash Quilt. I have some Best.Day.Ever to use for this one … Soon. Very soon!
Best Day Ever
3. Sew more clothes for the kids – they LOVE it when I sew for them 🙂
4. Make a rainbow Plus Quilt
5. Make a Rainbow Reverse Wonky Star Quilt like this {A long-term goal that I’d like to tackle next year 🙂 }

{I found this gorgeous example on Pintrest from Flutter Kat! }
6. Start using up all my scraps! I love scrappy quilts!
7. Buy as little as possible – Use my stash all up!
8. Log Cabin Quilt

{I found this one on Pintrest by Red Pepper Quilts and I LOVE it!}
9. This Quilt :

{I don’t know where to credit, I found it on Pintrest and it’s link is an error 😦 So if it’s yours I’m sorry, if you don’t want me to use it please let me know xo}
10. A Drunkards Path Quilt. I actually have this one cut out ready to sew … one day soon!
11. Get my nephew’s and niece’s raggy quilts finished {I am actually aiming at finishing these by the end of January! Wish me luck! 😀 }

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I will no doubt add to this list, but that will do for now 🙂
Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2015 will be everything you hoped and dreamed of ❤

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

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Some Pics at Last!

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I actually finished this baby before Christmas, but just had no time to head out and take some pics in good light 🙂

Let me introduce Enchanted Flowers!
Front:
quilt 1
Back :
quilt 2
Quilted by Quilting by Fiona in cute Mushrooms :
quilt 3
Its bound in pretty blue with white flowers :
quilt 6
I love it, especially those sweet little pinwheels … I’ll be listing it in my Etsy store this afternoon 🙂
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I am doing some cutting today and then will have 4 quilts on the go over the next couple of weeks … There’s still 4 weeks of sleep ins school holidays and Mr Manic goes back to work next week so I am really looking forward to some peaceful sewing time in January! 😀

Don’t forget to follow my Manic Mumdays facebook page by clicking ‘like’ !
{There’s a button on this page over there to the left as well -> 😉 }

Have a great day!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Merry Christmas Eve!!

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Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Is it sad that the thing I am looking forward to most is the Pavlova??

IMG_2932
{last year’s efforts *drool*} heehee

Seriously tho, I am really looking forward to tomorrow! The boys are so excited! We won’t be having a big one this year. My brother is coming over for lunch but it certainly won’t be the HUGE family Christmas from my childhood. That’s one of the sad things about people having fewer children I think – no more squeezing 30 people into a house for a huge day week of fun, food and cheer. Oh well … fun is what you make of it. We will still have a ball together … might even squeeze some sewing in after lunch and/or dinner 🙂

Does your family have any cute traditions at Christmas time?
We get new pyjamas on Christmas Eve and always have something ‘junky’ for dinner – The kids have requested Maccas – yuk! And then we’ll watch some junky tv.

I remember how excited we were as kids going to bed on Christmas Eve after leaving some milk and bikkies out for Santa. My boys leave a bucket of water and some carrots or oats out for the reindeer as well ❤ We used to try and stay awake to see Santa. My babies don’t seem to tho, they crash like a sack of potatoes! haha

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Anyhow … Hope you all have a very happy and safe Christmas Day tomorrow!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Santa Claus is Coming Soon!

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Did your kids believe in Santa Claus? How long did it last?
My boys are 5 & 8 and still believers … Mstr 8 had a stumble in the first few weeks of Prep {he wasn’t quite 5} when one of the little fuckers darlings took it upon themselves to announce to the class the real story.
I remember when my younger brother and I found out. We had heard the whispers at school and decided to put it to the test! We got rough with our bikes and Mum warned us to be gentler with them. We started sprouting off that Christmas was coming up and Santa would bring some new ones … Then she was all like:

And so we were told haha – I was 7, lil bro was 6. Not sure how old my sister and youngest bro were when they found out … I must ask them one day soon!
Anyhow … I guess I am asking cos Mstr 8 is already older than we were when we found out and, if I’m completely honest I’m a little afraid of him being embarrassed if he’s the last one in his class and is teased.

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Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? I have been finished for ages … Just need to send some off before Easter is upon us heehee IN FACT! I am so organised I’m a little bit like this :

Anyhow … Must get back to my painting! we decided on a new colour and I am in love with it! I will share some before and after pics when I am finished this room … I’ll also have the latest quilt finish to share in the next couple of days. Just need to find some time to take the pics!

Catchya’s soon!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

The End Is Nigh …

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… The end of the school year anyhow 😉
My little man finishes Kindy today!! I can’t believe it – where has the year gone?

I have to admit, I was a little teary! He has had some beautiful teachers and support staff this year. So has my gorgeous big boy. We have been very fortunate to have these ladies in their lives!

So, I decided to make them some quilted cushions for their gifts this year {AND a big box of chocs each heehee} I finished the last of the 5 today! Here are 3. I did 2 of each of the end ones :
cushion 2

I am in love with them! I hope they like them too

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Because I have been doing these {and working, studying etc} I am only just getting to my latest finish … Check out my job for tonight! :

binding

And … on that note, sorry it’s a quick post, but I am off to dish up dinner and bind, bind, BIND! 🙂

Catch you soon

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

Colour My World!

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I love, love, LOVE colour!
Not sure if you know, but as well as sewing, quilting and painting/restoring furniture, my actual ‘day job’ is working at the paint counter at Bunnings! So colour plays a large part in my every day life 🙂 Does colour matter to you too?

So, that said, I am suitably excited that Pantone have released their Colour of the Year for 2015!

Goodbye Radiant Orchid, you were lovely!

And a HUGE Welcome to Marsala!!


“Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness.”
– Leatrice Eiseman Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute®

From what I can see so far on the net, opinion is divided!
What do you think? Love it or loathe it?

Personally, I was plugging for Calypso Blue or Scuba Blue. Or even Classic Blue … but I do tend to swing towards blues and greens in my own choices, so I am probably a little biased 😉
I do think it was time for a nice, cool blue tho. I am seeing so many blues in design right now!
I’m not sure about the warmth of Marsala – again, it could be because it’s summer and oh, so HOT here right now.
I can see how Marsala would be of appeal to the northern hemisphere who have hit winter now tho! It would go beautifully with greys and even some gorgeous earthy green/burnt orange tones …

How do you think it compares to the previous ‘Colour of the Year’s?

Personally I think quite a few are a little blah to be honest … But I do like my deeper, jewel-toned hues – I still adore Emerald – so it might just be me! haha

Oh well … It’s not up to me to choose.
I will watch with interest to see how much this colour influences colour trends in 2015.
I am tipping there won’t be much Marsala on my sewing table or paintbrush tho 😉 haha

Have a great day!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays

The Silly Season is Upon Us!

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Howdy everyone!

I am running round like a chook with its head cut off lately!
I seem to have no spare time at all!
And it’ll only get worse from here on in I reckon … I do love Christmas time now we have little people tho 🙂

I had my latest quilt done last week, going to bind it this weekend {all going well, keep ur fingers X’d for me haha} and then I’ll share some pics next week!

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We had our school’s Carols By Candlelight last week. My littlest man, Mr 5, is wandering round singing the 12 days of Aussie Christmas and Silent Night all the time now.

Mr 5’s main aim in life lately is to do pretty much every single thing his big brother does. Bless his beautiful, adoring heart ❤
Kinda makes me even gladder {it’s a word!} that my big man is soooo worth emulating ❤
Mr 8 brought his year-end report card home yesterday. There might have been proud tears! And I felt less silly when Mr Manic welled up too … don’t tell him I shared that! He got all A’s and B’s and ALL 1’s for effort which is the highest possible and is also the main thing for us. We always tell him that as long as he tries his best we are happy.
I would like to share a little excerpt from the general comments section – “It has been an absolute pleasure teaching Mr 8 this year. He is a motivated student and a simply delightful person.” – How could we not get emotional at that?? *sob!* “… He has worked diligently and consistently to achieve a high standard across all learning areas and has shown he is an extremely capable and unassuming scholar” Such a proud Mumma!! He is so gorgeous! There is much more, but they are the comments that got me going! I’ll stop now lol

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Do you have an Elf on the Shelf? We adopted Leonard last year and he made his first appearance this morning! It would have been the 1st Dec but I forgot where I stashed him he got lost on his way back from Santa’s place … I will have to think up some creative things for him this year – I feel a little outdone by all of the fantastic things other elves are going haha Check these out!

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Hopefully I will have another finish to share soon – I finally finished the gorgeous purple bed the other day! And tonight I delivered it! 🙂 Miss A loved it! I am so relieved! I have felt so bad that it took me so long! I will share some pics as soon as they have it set up and send me some!

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Anyhow, I am off for now … Busy, busy! Catch you soon!

KATE Sig for Manic Mumdays