My Creative Space

Taking over the derby world, one butt at a time!

 My creative space is full of derby shorts commissions this week, which is exactly how I like it!
 I love sewing for derbygirls because choosing your 'boutfit' (the uniform in which you skate) is a real creative endeavour, it expresses who you are and celebrates difference.

So this week I've been doing bold yellow stars, nostalgic girly ruffles, and sporty silver speed stripes.

  And a little bit of quilting for myself on the side :)

Head over to kootoyoo for more creative spaces!

At My House

 A big list of unticked boxes...

An enormous Tim Burton-esque intruder!

 Prince Panda who returned from work to vanquish hairy invader...

and then had to check extensively to make sure he hadn't flicked spider into the open window of his own car!  Ha! Ha!  Thankyou Panda xo

For the Love of Rice!

One of my favourite things is my multigrain rice.  But alas, the shop closed down, so I have been trying to figure out how to mix my own.

 It contains the black rice, some medium grain white rice, green split peas, yellow split peas, red lentils and barley.   The foremost one is the original multigrain rice.

I thought it looked nice in a jar, so I put a bit of braid around the top and gave it as a gift to a friend.

 I love my multigrain rice because it is an excellent meat substitute, I have used it in nachos, lasagne, and vegie burgers.

Vegie Burgers

• Slow cook, either on the stove or in the microwave, 1/3 cup multigrain rice, let it cool.
• Saute some garlic and onion. (If you can't be bothered you don't need to do this step.  Today I just added some dried garlic powder to the mix instead.)
• Mix rice, seasonings (salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, whatever else you feel like) with one egg and 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs.  Today I also added frozen corn, because I had it, and I thought I could get away with it.
• Form into patties, coat with extra breadcrumbs and sit in the fridge for a while, or until you need them.
• Cook on a grill or bbq like a regular burger.

Every Tuesday over on her blog (froggoosebear.blogspot.com), Emma features her own and others "Easy Peasy Dinner Winners", which is a wonderful resource for easy, family and budget friendly recipes.  I have got many tasty ideas from her, so this week I can join in!

They'll Curse Me When They're Older

The only thing harder to find in a sunshine busy weekend playground than a little boy in a red t-shirt, is a little girl in a pink t-shirt.

So, $1 revolting fluro singlet + two old stained singlets = Ta da!

Hi-vis vests for the playground!

 And see how the children love them!

Four Things

I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses to Chunkychooky's meme, that I'm going to join in too.

4 Things I always carry

1. Handkerchief
2. Earrings
3. Mobile Phone
4. Muesli Bar

4 Things I have in my bedroom

1. Sewing Machine
2. Pile of To-Do sewing and craft projects
3. Half read book on the night stand
4. Mess which is Panda's fault

4 Things I would like to do but haven't

1. Make a fabulous quilt just for myself
2. Gain a sense of peace and stability about my financial situation
3. Show the kids Australia
4. Write a magnificent epic rivalling Dr. Zhivago or Anna Karenina

4 Things I often wonder

1. What my life would be like if I was folding a different man's underpants
2. If my children will be happy and successful
3. If the neighbours can really hear me when I scream at the kids
4. If I will be able to enjoy good health long enough to do and see the things I have dreamed of

So thats that.  Hope you enjoy reading!

One Dollar Friday

I love $1 Fridays!  Anyone who wants the address of my favourite everything $1 opshop is more than welcome to e-mail me.

 Today I have scored a rainbow dress for Spawnette, a cute 'Roxy' t-shirt which just so happens to be in one of my rollerderby league's team colour, an embroidered silk dupion handbag, and a revolting fluro singlet.
Why the revolting singlet?  Ha ha, check back with me in a day or two and all will be revealed!

A Quilt for Mum

How right that now on this beautiful sunny spring morning, the quilt I have been working on for my mother is finally finished!

 I began it so many months ago, no long after my father's death.
It contains fabrics from Dad's quilt, as well as the three quilts for my children.  It has fabric given to me by my sisters, fabric my mother gave me after a trip to Cairns.  It has a piece of the 80's shorts I wore to the roller disco!  And it also has pieces of one of my Dad's shirts, I've left the buttons and the pocket on.
  I chose the bluebird motif because I remember my mother singing to us "There'll be bluebirds over, the white cliffs of Dover", and she used to have jewellery with the enamel bluebirds on it.
  Everything except the stitching together of the squares is by hand.
On the back I have used a retro sheet from the op-shop.

 I chose the design for the border because I feel that for Mum it had to be simple, and pleasing.  The interwoven design also represents the weave and continuity of family.

Where Have You Been?

A few people have noticed I have been a bit lax with my posting lately.  Where have you been Screamstress?

Out fighting crime, naturally!

Fighting the avalanche of washing waiting to be folded/washed/dried, and that threatens to overtake most of the floor space.

Fighting the urge to feed the spawn 2 minute noodles for dinner (again).

Battling with my cryptonite enemy, Oestrogen, which every so often weakens me and renders me unable to perform simple arithmetic or see the sense in anyone else's point of view.

I love to know I've been missed, so keep watching the skies (or the kitchen sink, which is my superhero hangout most of the time!) xo Screamstress

Feeling Hopeful

I went down to the city on the weekend with a few of my - I was going to say 'girlfriends', but it doesn't do them justice, hmmnn... lets start again.
  I went down to the city on the weekend with a few mighty women I love for their resilience and intelligence, for some op-shopping and lunch.
It was a lovely day, and when I reviewed my haul in the evening I felt hopeful.

Hopeful that I will be able to forego TV and use my quiet evenings alone reading a beautiful story I have been wanting to read for a while.
Hopeful that the sun will soon be shining and I will be able to wear my new cute ($2!) sandals.
Hopeful that my black rice will be delicious, and I will be able to make my own version of my favourite multigrain rice (the shop that stocked it closed down :( )

We also have a caravan and annex on our front yard!  We have the use of Mum and Dad's caravan now, and I am hopeful of happy sunny family holidays.  Just seeing that rolled up annex door is a picture of happiness for me.  Summer holidays with family and friends are some of my warmest carefree memories, and putting all the worry aside, that is one thing that I would like to give my children.
  

Happy Anniversary Panda

Today is my 7th wedding anniversary! 

Wow, in seven years we have lived in 6 different houses, had two pregnancies and three children, moved 3000km north, then back again, lost one father and two grandfathers, done lots of the 'for poorer' and hardly any 'for richer'.  With the Panda I have skiied cross country in the Australian Alps, snorkelled with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, slid down waterfalls, been eyed off by a dingo on Fraser Island, had a steam train ride in the Tasmanian Wilderness.
  When we told our families we were moving to Cairns, my Dad said "Well, you could stay here and have an ordinary life".  My life with the Panda is rarely easy, sometimes its not even comfortable and stable, but its also not ordinary either.  Many happy returns xxoo

Sunny Days

 The weather is slowly improving, and the grass is soooo green!  The White Cloud entertains the spawn old-school style, which I love (and so do they).

 

Big S loves his 'Lightning McQueen' jumper, which cost his Nona $30, and he is forever trying to pick it out of the washing.  When I found this plain black jumper for $3.50 I had the idea to applique it with some offcuts from the quilt I made for him, and Voila!  A second favourite jumper. 

 I tried to get a good picture, but everyone had to get in on the action, as usual!

When I have a scattered brain, I find a good rummage soothing.  It must be the primal drive to forage and gather, but it does help me chill out when I have too much on my mind.  I'm lucky that the op-shop down the road has everything $1 in big bins, perfect for rummaging.

 Today I got a green top, and Astro Boy t-shirt, and a 100% wool hand crocheted retro poncho.  I don't know where I would ever wear it, but I couldn't resist all that hard work for only $1!  I might find a friend who would like it.  I also got a big bag of covered coathangers for $2, I'm not sure why.