In The House Of Blue

More sewing, still not much studying

2011-06-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

Only two exams to go, and the semester is finished! It's been a very tough few months with lots of stress and sickness, but the end is in sight. I've been breaking up the study (a bit too much) with some sewing, and have finished the pillow from Kellie's 'In Spring' pattern. My background quilting is still very messy and uneven, but I'm learning to live with it. It's such a bright, versatile pattern, and I've started the quilt. I've extended it by about a quarter again, so it's going to be a HUGE project and will probably take me the best part of a year. Still, I have had a ball sourcing gorgeous fabrics from all over the world, and am really enjoying laying it all out. The sewing will be a different matter - it'll be a real struggle to stuff it under my domestic sewing machine, but I'll give it a red-hot go.

The boys are very excited to see that the ski season's started with huge snowfalls this year, so we're hoping to hit the slopes sometime soon with Lysh, Dean and Joshie. They're all kitted out, so it should be a great trip. Must get organised.

Bye!

Procrastinators unite....tomorrow

2011-04-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Study or sew, study or sew...hmmmm. It was a no-brainer. I am getting marginally better at raw-edge applique, but I still suck. I figured if I made something that was meant to be spewed on, it wouldn't matter so much. I don't think Ollie will notice the mistakes.

Better go hit the books. Bye!

Dusting off the sewing machine

2011-03-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

Sash and I had a wonderful time at a raw edge applique class run by the amazing Kellie Wulfsohn last month - I absolutely love her designs. I've always been terrified of applique, but was inspired to take the class so I could make the stunning Peak Hour quilt for Sam. Alas, when I showed it to him on her website, he declared that he'd much rather have 'the flower one'! After a bit of persuasion, I made him this t-shirt using one of the Peak Hour designs, and he loves it! I may have to make him a flower cushion in the meantime, but I'm sure I'll be making the quilt before too long. I have also made a half-arsed attempt at starting a winter pinafore dress for myself, but made a mistake on the front facing and can't be bothered unpicking it. Not to worry, exam season is coming up and I'll be scrounging around for EVERY excuse to procrastinate rather than study, so expect to see lots of finished sewing projects in the next month or so!

And finally, a quick photo of my littlest boy, just because he's so gorgeous I could eat him.

Bye!

Smile

2011-03-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

One of the down sides of being the family photographer is that there are always very few photos with you in them! The whole-family shot can be almost impossible. After literally years of saying that we should organise reciprocal family photoshoots together, my good friend Celeste and I finally set a date and made it happen. With 9 children between us, it could have been a shambles but everyone (including the babies!) was beautifully behaved and we had an awesome morning. But best of all, here are the results. Huge thanks to Cecil - you are so talented, and we love the photos! xxxx

Dear Nikki....

2011-01-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

....thank you for reminding me about the existence of this blog! I think you are the only one who still checks it, so am addressing this post to you. It'll feel a bit like chatting to you in person, except I can talk and drink wine at the same time! I love that about you (amongst other things).

Look how my little men have grown up since the same time last year! Alex and Ben finished their first year of school in December. They have done so amazingly well, and I'm really proud of them. Tears on their first day, and tears on their last day - from Mama of course. My baby Ollie has just started solids, and is growing waaaaaay too fast. I'm sure I ordered one that stays a baby for several years, but no such luck. He is such a happy, fun little dude, and his big brothers are just in love with him. Will I ever stop wanting more babies?! Probably not.

We had an awesome time at Phillip Island, the weather was perfect and it was all very relaxing. The highlight was seeing the newly hatched baby penguin chicks waiting outside their burrows for their parents to return from sea at dusk, and then being fed. Magical. Plenty of beach and pool time, and even a boat trip and a chocolate factory tour - didn't want to come home. Still, not long now til Kennett River, and once I can get my head around the ridiculous amount of stuff we have to pack, I'll be very excited! Better stock up on redjuski!

So lovely to talk to you today, see you soon.

Kirst

xxxxx

Test Post

2010-11-29T15:40:00.001-08:00

Testing.

Hitting the books

2010-03-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

It was off to school for more than just the twins this year - I headed back for yet more postgrad study on 1 March! After much angst around whether I could juggle a pregnancy, three (soon to be four) little ones, two part-time jobs plus a demanding study load, I decided to jump in and give it my best shot. Our baby is due just 3 weeks after exams, and given that Sam was 4 weeks early, I'm a little nervous......but what will be, will be.

A recent photo of the big brothers-in-waiting too. They are very excited about their new sibling - this is going to be one seriously loved baby!

An early glimpse

2010-02-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

Our new little one at 19 weeks. Already looks like Sammy's profile shot at the same gestational age!

And there they go...

2010-01-31T22:09:00.001-08:00

Well, we did it! After months of planning, excitement and apprehension (from me!), my big boys finally took that big step into the world of school today. What a bittersweet moment for me - seems like just yesterday that they'd made my dream of motherhood come true and we were bringing them home from the hospital. They couldn't wait to get into their new classroom and meet up with several classmates from kindergarten, and very happily waved goodbye to Steve and I. Our world will never be the same. Love you, my big schoolboys.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T17:32:00.000-08:00

Farewell 2009, and welcome 2010! Hope everyone had a great Christmas, and a safe and happy New Year. We're enjoying the sun and sand at Warrnambool again, due to go home tomorrow but would rather stay for the month - it's been beautiful. Big year for us this year.....

The Graduates

2009-12-16T02:22:00.000-08:00

Well, kinder days are officially over for my big boys. Their Christmas concert and 'graduation ceremony' was last week, and they had their last day today. The concert was just gorgeous, with Alex and Ben playing reindeer in the play. We didn't know about the caps and gowns until all the children appeared dressed and ready for the presentation. Having held it together during the concert, I lost it completely when I saw them all dressed up - water works. I'm surprised I could hold the camera still long enough to take these photos! So, that's it and it's ever onwards towards school. Their uniforms are neatly folded in the cupboard, ready for 1 February 2010. Whoa, will Mama be a mess THAT day!

All three boys are super-excited about Christmas, and the energy level in our house has been rising by the day. They'll be beside themselves by Christmas Eve. Me, I can't wait for some beach time and no timetables - not long to go now.

Birthday Season

2009-09-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Six down, two to go - birthdays, that is! Mum kicks off Birthday Season in our family in late May, and then Dad closes it in late September - and we all fall in between those dates. Clever, really. Mum, Steve, Alex, Ben and I have had ours, and Sammy turned 2 today - my big little boy. Just Jono and Dad to go, and before we know it, it'll be Christmas.

A few photos from the boys' birthdays - and some cakes. Alex and Ben helped me to make Sam's digger cake, it was very much a team effort. The twins took in in turns to distract Sam whilst the other one helped me in the kitchen - awesome job! Alex in particular is showing huge promise as a food critic - with an emphasis on the criticism: 'That icing looks funny Mama, it's the wrong colour - but it's OK, people will still eat it.' Ah, the beautiful wisdom of a 5-year-old!

Love you boys, you make me feel like the luckiest girl alive. xxx

My 8 Sisters....and some spots

2009-08-17T03:54:00.001-07:00

I have just spent the last few days on our annual girls' weekend in Daylesford, and have to say that I think it was our best one ever! Gorgeous house with amazing views, wonderful sunny weather (shame about that cyclone on Saturday night!), great food and most of all, amazing company. When we girls get together, it's a bit like a weekend-long session of laughter therapy! Love my girls, love it all. Sash and I even managed to sneak in a bit of sewing, a bit of shopping, and had THE MOST decadent pastries for lunch on Saturday. I'm still thinking about those, Sash. And if that lamp's still in the shop next year, I'll know that it's meant for me! Bring on Daylesford 2010 - can't wait.

Sunday brought a return to reality, and that meant my little spotty boy - poor darling. He is very uncomfortable and not sleeping much, but still smiling - what a little trooper. Steve did a heroic job of holding down the fort, everyone still in one piece when I got home despite the Pox outbreak. I haven't left the house all week and am starting to get cabin fever, but it's back to work for a few hours tomorrow. Thank goodness for my awesome Mum who has (as always) come to our rescue and made things so much easier for us this week. Love you more, Mum!

Go, Diegos, Go!

2009-07-08T00:50:00.000-07:00

It was character dress-up day at Pre-school at the end of last term, and after careful consideration, Alex and Ben decided that they both wanted to go as Diego, Dora's cousin from Dora the Explorer. Unfortunately the costume turned out to be very hard to get. Their panic-stricken mother spent many hours online and on the phone to interstate suppliers, only to find two costumes in exactly the right size at the local toy shop. Hurrah!

Here are our two Diegos with their trusty wildcat friend, Jaguar.

Steve and I are off to Tassie tomorrow (sans children, who are beside themselves with excitement at the prospect of a holiday of their own at Grammy and Gramps' house) to celebrate his 40th birthday. It's sure to be nice and cold there......I'm packing my hat and gloves.

The Lazy Blogger

2009-07-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

I was reminded by Tam yesterday that I haven't updated my blog since January. I have been so busy taking photos of other people's families over the past 6 months, that I have taken very few of my own. So here's Alex in desperate need of a haircut, but with some nice gold light. He and Ben have been enjoying pre-school very much this year, and I can't believe that they're off to 'big school' in February. And wee Sam will be 2 in September - he's still my baby though.

Inspired by Celeste's recent run of frequent posts, which I've loved keeping up with, I'll try to be a more conscientious blogger from now on - please leave me a comment to let me know you've been by!

Sammy has just finished eating the biscuit I bribed him with so that I could write this, and now he wants me to sit with him and watch 'Brum' - possibly the most inane children's program ever made. Naturally, he loves it.

Low Tide

2008-12-28T00:39:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas - it's over again for another year, so that's a big sigh of relief and some down-time at the beach for us. The boys had a great day with lots of excitement, but did pretty well in keeping the day (relatively) tantrum-free. Mum cooked up a storm as always and we all ate waaaaay too much. But, best meal I've had since the last time she cooked for me!

We're in Warrnambool for the next week, and have been living by the pool and at the beach - bliss. The weather's been a bit variable, but the sun is shining now and the twins have been making good use of their new wetsuits - good for at least an extra 40 minutes in the water before the blue lips appear! Sam took to the beach like a duck to water - we weren't sure how he was going to like the sand, particularly as Ben refused to allow any part of his body to touch it the first time we took him to the beach! We needn't have worried - Sam took one look, went streaking off towards the shoreline shrieking with delight and leapt face-first into the drink. Yikes. I am clumsy as always and broke my toe the first night we were here - it's a lovely shade of purple and very sore, so just as well I can live in my Havaianas for the next little bit. I don't know what it is with me and my feet.

Aled, I'm with you on negative interest rates and live in hope - but not bated breath. The invitation is open indefinitely!

Happy New Year!

Kirst

The Reluctant Models

2008-11-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

I thought I'dtry to be at least a little bit organised this year and take some photos of the boys ready for our Christmas cards, instead of having the usual late-November panic shoot. Well, it's likely to take until then to get a decent photo of them, as they are suffering from serious 'model fatigue'! Ben will sit still for approximately 28 seconds, before squirming off and lamenting that he's bored. Hmmm, very challenging. Even the Freddo Frog bribe is losing its impact. Time to bring out the big guns, I think - that's right - the promise of Thomas toys. What a sorry state of affairs. This was the best of a bad bunch, and although Alex is out of focus, I might claim artistic intent and use it anyway.

We are over the moon to have my beloved aunt and uncle from England visiting at the moment. It's been so wonderful to spend some time with them and to introduce Sam, and for them to catch up with the twins - time flies and they grow so fast. Hopefully it will inspire the rest of the family to make the trip! Come on, the Pacific Peso has never been cheaper, it's worth about a handful of bottletops at the moment, so there's never been a better time to head on over. The fridge is full of beer and the BBQ is firing up, and we need to make use of this 5-bedroom house......!!

Love,

Kirst

xxx

The House of Blue gets even bluer...

2008-10-17T05:43:00.000-07:00

Nope, we're not expecting another baby boy (although I wish we were!)

Our not-so-little kitten, Biscuit, was unwell last week and during a trip to the vet it was revealed that...yes...our girl is a boy! There seems to be so much blue dust floating around in our house that even girls turn into boys after a while. I am hanging on to my tiara and pink fluffy slippers for grim life though, so no problems there! Whilst it was nice to have another 'lady' around, I have to confess that I love being the only princess in our castle.

The boys seem to have taken the news well, although I don't think they really get it as they've continued to refer to her by her pet name of 'Miss Muffet'! Poor Biscuit is heading for a serious identity crisis, I think. The photo is of him with his 'bestest friend', Gordon the unlucky goldfish. I think this picture could have serious comic appeal with the right LOLcats caption, so have a think and get back to me with your suggestions!

Life is busy as always, and I was shocked to see Christmas decorations in the shops last week. So the countdown begins. I am looking forward to our holiday in Warrnambool even more this year - for a year that was supposed to be relaxed, it's turned out to be a big one. We are staying at a different resort for the first time, and I am very excited about the fact that it has an on-site day spa! Hmmm, I see some father-son bonding time coming on.....Mummy will be well taken care of!

The photography is going well, and I am booked solid until Christmas. I won't be giving up my day job any time soon, but am loving the opportunity to practice, practice, practice and to try some new tricks as well. Off to bed now - it's past midnight and I'm photographing baby triplets tomorrow morning!

My baby turns 1

2008-10-02T23:47:00.000-07:00

I had very mixed feelings about the arrival of Sam's first birthday - pleased that he had made it to this important milestone in (better than) great shape, but also sad that my littlest boy is growing up! I've enjoyed his babyhood so much - I'm sure lots of mums can relate to my wanting to press the 'pause' button for a few years. He loves and is loved by his two big brothers, quick to smile and slow to cry, he charms just about everyone he meets and life with him has been full of joy - looking forward to many, many more years ahead.

Happy Birthday, our Sammy Lamb.

xxxxx

Winter's Last Gasp

2008-09-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

I had to quickly get these shots posted before Spring is in full swing. The boys' first experience of snow....amazing to behold! We took a run up to Mt Macedon which had a good few inches about a month ago - more than enough to make a decent snowman. All in all, the twins lasted about an hour, which was a pretty good effort. Just as we were about to leave, Ben said "but there's one thing we haven't done yet..!" and promptly threw himself on the ground and started madly flapping his arms and legs - snow angels, of course! He was very quickly joined by Alex as they laughed together. Bliss!

A Delicious Engagement

2008-09-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

It seems like such a long time ago that I took these shots of the gorgeous Mel and Danny. The last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind with the runup to Linda and Steve's wedding, a visit from Carlie, Hank and Daniel (and a trip to Falls Creek for the boys!), twins club stuff, a bout with the latest vicious virus doing the rounds and all culminating in the BIG DAY last weekend! Phew! Lots and lots of photos to share, but I wanted to get these completed first.

We had a fab lunch at a great dumpling place in Little Bourke Street (I think....) I'm sure Mel will be able to provide the name and also correct my dubious geography! The three of us ate like kings for the grand total of $35! Off to Section 8 for a steaming glass of mulled wine - utterly divine and just the thing for a chilly Melbourne winter afternoon. The best part was finally catching up with the newly engaged couple, who are just radiating happiness. Huge congrats to you both, and sincere thanks for letting me snap these shots - it was great to try out a more urban backdrop as a change from the more traditional family/children photos I usually take.

In other news, the recent baby boom continues with the arrival of Celeste and Rodney's beautiful baby girl, Lysh and Dean's precious boy, and Nikki and Justin's scrumptious little man. A huge, warm welcome to Milla Isabelle, Joshua Graeme and Lucas, respectively! I have been lucky enough to meet Milla and Joshua, still waiting for the chance to have a snuggle with Lucas - once I am certified disease-free. And I have to say that I am more than a bit impressed with the matching sets completed by Celeste and Nikki - two perfect families, well done! Your children are blessed.

Til next time.....xxx

Two bellies and a baby

2008-08-13T00:35:00.000-07:00

Wow....can you hear me clucking?! What a day - I loved catching up with Nikki and Celeste, and their beautiful bellies, not to mention their gorgeous children who are about to become big siblings. Plenty more cuddles of the delicious Sarah too, and how well does Lisa look?! The hardest part of this post was choosing which photos to include. Thanks so much to my stunning (and patient!) models. Looking forward to lots more bubba cuddles and photos in the weeks to come.

I think I tempted fate with my last post as we are shivering through the coldest week of the year at the moment - snow on Mt Macedon and I think Ballarat has also received a dusting. Brrrrrr.

Linda's hen's celebration is next weekend, and I'm madly searching for the perfect outfit. The theme is 'Op-Shop Formal', so the race is on to find the ugliest, most outdated frock in Melbourne! I am determined to find something made from tafetta in a horrid shade of melon, and have several shops still to visit before I give up hope. The evening will definitely be worth some comedy photos! Til then,

The first gentle suggestion of Spring...

2008-08-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

Despite the freezing temperatures, our jonquils, snowdrops and daffodils are starting to make appearances in the garden. You can't help but feel optimistic that warmer weather is on the way!
Spring has sprung in more ways than one - a huge welcome to Sarah Jade Westlake, and congrats to Lisa, Rob and Katelynn! I have had more than my fair share of cuddles and have loved it all. Next cab off the rank is Celeste, who is very very close to the finish line and doing really well.
Several people have been asking me how Lysh is doing, and she's great. A few updated photos here.
I spent yesterday in the Yarra Valley at a photography workshop, and we visited lots of wineries and drank plenty...oh, and we did manage to take a few photos too! It was heaps of fun and I learned lots, particularly about the intricacies of my new camera. It was good to get out to some completely different locations - poor Alex and Ben are thoroughly fed up with being my models, and have to be bribed with Freddo Frogs if I want to take even a simple shot of them these days. They're definitely their mother's sons....give them chocolate and they're happy!

Happy Birthday, my gorgeous boys

2008-07-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

They were four last week - how did that happen? They were only born a few weeks ago - or so it seems. We had a lovely day with lots of fun, starting at the balloon shop just after breakfast! Morning tea in the park with friends from the twins group, lunch at Grammy and Gramps, home to make special birthday cakes and then dinner with Grammy, Gramps and Uncle Jono....it doesn't get better than that! When they woke up the next morning, Ben asked me 'Mama, is it my birthday again today?!'

My new job in the Forensic team at ISIS is going well, I've been there for 3 weeks now and just starting to get my head around it all. It feels a bit strange not to be working for DHS after 14 years, but it was definitely time for a change. My clients have been interesting to say the least, and it's going to be a big challenge to help them bring about change in their lives - and a steep learning curve for me.

Steve's new job is also going well, if you disregard the incident last week when some cretin from the IT department upgraded Steve's laptop and inadvertantly erased his entire Masters thesis in the process. Some very tense hours and days ensued, but a version has been retrieved that should be workable. Nightmare - at least he's learned the hard way about backing up his work regularly. Hindsight is always so perfect.

I'm also posting a pic of Jono taken on Steve's birthday last week. He's snowboarding at Mt Buller this weekend....perfect conditions.....wish I was there!

Kirst xx

I heart my D300!

2008-07-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

After much research, debate, drooling and financial calculations, I finally took the plunge and upgraded my beloved D70s to a D300. Although I feel a bit like a crop-duster pilot who has been asked to fly Concorde, I am loving my new camera and am learning heaps. Couldn't help the gratuitous SP with my new baby! The picture of Sam is the first shot I took with the D300, so is now preserved here for posterity.

The gorgeous Mel and Dan have recently become engaged (hooray!) and have agreed to let me shoot some engagement photos of them in the city - I'm keen to try out some black and white shots in the laneways of the CBD. This will suit their personalities perfectly and it should be heaps of fun - plenty of places for great coffee in between shots, too!

In other news, I hosted Lysh's baby shower last weekend, which was a riot - we had lots of laughs. She is looking wonderful and finished work last week - big relief. Looking forward to some lazy afternoons on the sofa before the big arrival!

One Yummy Mummy

2008-05-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the honour of photographing Alysha's beautiful new shape. She was the perfect model and is just glowing. I cannot wait to meet this tiny person in August and have lots of baby-cuddles....it might satisfy my cravings for a little while! My fave is the black and white shot, Lysh's expression says it all. This is one lucky baby.

We have been bogged down with the usual welcome-to-winter coughs and colds. Poor little Sam even lost his voice, and Ben has been coughing all night. Not much sleep to be had here, and I'm starting to look and feel a bit worse for wear. I'm going to book our 'beach week' for after Christmas in the next few days, so that'll cheer me up and create some light at the end of the (very cold) tunnel. I couldn't resist this photo of Sam in his furry hat though - snug as a bug in a rug!

xxx

Busy Days

2008-04-28T01:08:00.000-07:00

I've been 'reminded' by a few friends that I need to update our blog regularly, so here's a recent photo of Sam taken with my new(ish) portrait lens. Check out those eyes. I've been asked to do the official photos for the Multiple Birth association this year, and am very nervous. Don't know if I'm up to it, and am thinking of upgrading my camera...but then, you should never blame your tools! Lysh has agreed to let me take some pregnancy photos of her next week, so I'm looking forward to that. Hope I can do her gorgeous bump justice.

Things have been frantic with lots of fundraising activities going on. We had a sausage sizzle at Bunnings yesterday for the MBA which went very well, despite the almost sub-zero temperatures. Still, there were lots of laughs and camraderie to keep us warm! Standing at the hot barbeque was definitely the place to be. Mum brought all three boys down to visit, and I think Alex and Ben each consumed their own body weights in sausages. Mmmmm....healthy. Love that tasty lard. We have another date booked for the Melton store in May, so I'll definitely getting my thermals out for that.

Biscuit is doing extremely well, Sam absolutely adores her and squeals with delight whenever he catches sight of her. Unfortunately he's a bit little to understand the 'gentle pat', and has been caught grabbing for her as she saunters past. She hasn't been deterred though, and seems to love him as much as he loves her. Awwww....

Hope everyone is keeping warm in Melbourne, and enjoying the spring thaw across the pond!

Kirst

Introducing Biscuit

2008-04-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you have a clucky mum, animal-loving twin boys and a 3 week old orphaned kitten?! Meet Biscuit, the newest addition to our family. Fate brought her to us (or me to her) after a chance meeting with her sister in a Ballarat patchwork store. After hearing that there were three more kittens in need of some love and 3-hourly bottle feeding, what could I do?! She is doing extremely well, the boys love her and even Tigger seems prepared to tolerate her - the highest accolade.

As for the quilting weekend, I was thoroughly spoiled by the gorgeous Sasha, who also helped me with some practical solutions for backing Sam's Peter Rabbit bed quilt. I will get there in the end.......!

First Post

2008-04-11T16:02:00.000-07:00

Well, our new blog finally seems to be working....now if I can just figure out how to upload photos. Fingers crossed! I am off to Sasha's house for a quilting weekend shortly, so will post photos of our wonderful creations in a few days. My new sewing maching arrived last night and I am very excited - I am turning into a complete granny.

Hope everyone is well. xxx

In The House Of Blue

More sewing, still not much studying

Procrastinators unite....tomorrow

Dusting off the sewing machine

Smile

Dear Nikki....

Test Post

Hitting the books

An early glimpse

And there they go...

Happy New Year!

The Graduates

Birthday Season

My 8 Sisters....and some spots

Go, Diegos, Go!

The Lazy Blogger

Low Tide

The Reluctant Models

The House of Blue gets even bluer...

My baby turns 1

Winter's Last Gasp

A Delicious Engagement

Two bellies and a baby

The first gentle suggestion of Spring...

Happy Birthday, my gorgeous boys

I *heart* my D300!

One Yummy Mummy

Busy Days

Introducing Biscuit

First Post

I heart my D300!