Body parts and my new favourite thing...

On my mind today...I've got a body with 2 legs attached, a head and 2 arms...what's it going to be you ask?  well, that's my christmas present for my baby girl.  She loves "babies".  Always points to them at the shops - real babies I mean, and loves her big sister's baby too - always pushes her around in her little pram with the crooked wheels.  I started making the doll about a month ago from a pattern I bought online at Sarah's Dolls.  It's been an easy pattern to follow, but now I'm stuck trying to sew the head onto the body - not quite as easy as I thought it would be, so it's been sitting in the cupboard for a wee while....I'm waiting for it to sew itself on ???  hmmmmm.... OK,  I know that won't happen, so it's out again.

See the gorgeous hand dyed mohair in the picture?  That's from the lovely Jo over at  Indigo Inspirations.  ( I love her shop !)  And that is going to be my doll's hair.  According to the pattern I have to crochet a cap for the hair - another reason why I had to learn how to crochet.  I'm a bit nervous about that bit, but I'm determined!!

The bright, rainbow coloured wool fleece is also from Indigo Inspirations.  And is also for christmas presents but I should probably keep that bit quiet.  Have to leave something as a surprise hey !

I saw a sign the other day that said "55 more sleeps till Christmas".  Talk about a wake up call ! and there is still so much to do. The plan is to make the majority of presents, as is my plan every year.  So far so good, I know what I have to do, but I'll be busy busy busy if I want to get it all done in time.



And my new favourite thing is...

Orange citrus cleaner

I should have taken a photo before I strained it, but I forgot !  I found the recipe here at Just Like MY Nan Made - a great blog full of interesting things that I love.  So basically you just have to keep all your orange and/or lemon peels and steep them in vinegar.  I used orange peels.  And I juiced the oranges to make iceblocks for the kids which they loved.

So after I strained my finished citrus vinegar I diluted it 50:50 with plain vinegar and got to work.  I sprayed the kitchen surfaces and wiped them with a clean cloth.  It smelled so fresh and lovely!!...then I got carried away, and took my new citrus cleaner into the laundry, and to the bathroom.  Needless to say my home smells of oranges and I am in love.  I'll have to get more oranges and make a new batch because this one isn't going to last long at this rate !

This weekend...

Here's what we've been up to this weekend...

Ruby wanted to do some painting, so we found some cardboard things to paint and both the girls got to work.  Marlise didn't really need the tissue box that I purposely emptied for her coz it was more fun painting her arm, obviously !

And later, somebody got caught out sitting on the table having the time of her life with a spoon and the last little bit of chocolate icecream - thankyou big sister for giving it to her !!

Cheeeeeeze !!

And while all this was happening, my little fenugreek sprouts were quietly growing.

Fenugreek sprouts

I made sourcream for the first time by adding 1 tsp of store bought sourcream ( left over from the night before) to 500mL of cream.  Mixed them gently together, put a lid on the container and left it for 24 hrs on the bench.  Next day, thick sourcream.  It was so good with the nachos we had last night !

                                                               Homemade sourcream

Ok, look at this picture, do you think she's giving me a hint ??  She wants to go swimming maybe ??  And she insisted on wearing the jumper even though it's hot and humid outside.

So we obliged.  What's a weekend without some time for the beach anyway right !!  The weather has been getting warmer and warmer...
OK, so now I can't make these pictures bigger anymore, how come?

Nothing beats a bucket and spade and a beach full of sand.

My little table dancer

And finally, I made some laundry liquid.  I only have about one load worth of my last store bought powder left, so I made this up tonight - i've been saving the milk bottles up just for this purpose.  I found the recipe here at the DOWN TO EARTH BLOG.  It was so easy to make, and now I have the bottles sitting by the door cooling down.  I'll try it out tomorrow.

Homemade laundry liquid - another thing I don't have to buy from the shops...love that !