some craft, then a story with rewards....

hi all!
we have RAIN in adelaide today - actual proper rain, not just mist that makes everything muggy!  it is lovely - little human and i have already been out to stand in it - ah!

well, as promised by the title, first some craft....

i have long promised the most favourite of all creatures, duckie, a quilt.  little human picked two fat quarters from my 'kids' tub in the stash, and this is the outcome.

little human had to make sure duckie was ok.  i made it double sided and machine stitched the binding on for hopeful added strength :)

i also used some of my winnings from Shauna's giveaway (thanks again!) to make this dolly quilt and pillow for the little human's friend Morgan.  her 3rd birthday party is in a few weeks. (the model is the little human's dolly, known as baby)

and yesterday, i was lucky enough to get this gorgeous block from my swap partner for this month in the Christmas swap - Fiona.  isn't it lovely!!!  and complete with handmade christmas tag too

if you haven't been to the Christmas swap blog site in a while, head over there - there are some winnings to be won!

also, tonight is FNSI!!!  check it out at Crafty Vegas Mom

i haven't found time to make my way around the blogs much lately - very disappointing. i hope to be inspired by everyone's creations soon!!!!

now to the story.....

i love my little human - i do.  he is nearly 2 now, and is growing into a lovely kid with a good heart and a sense of humour.

but sometimes, the two year old comes out in him, and he is a cheeky monkey

you see, on wednesday, i was at the shops with the little human. he is now at the stage where the pram is apparently for babies and so he walks along side, holding onto the safety strap. when he gets tired he sits down and rides for while. all good. he occasionally gets distracted and lets go and wanders off a few metres, but is usually pretty good at coming back when threatened with having to sit in the pram!

so on wednesday, all is going as usual. in fact, he has been so good that when we have done all our jobs, i say that we can go to the shopping centre playground for a run around. great - he runs around like a crazy thing, jumping, sliding, climbing. runs in and out to me for hugs, all normal.

then, for some reason that is unknown to me, he decides that he should run out of the enclosure and down the mall at full speed without looking back.   he gets about 10 m from me before i realise that if i don't get him, he might do a Forest Gump and just keep on runnin'.  so i leave the pram, my handbag, the shopping and sprint after him.

thankfully i get him before he gets hit with anything or smashes into a little old lady etc, and i carry him back to the pram, strap him in and head for the door.  he realises at this point that the play is over, and he goes into meltdown - 'more play, more play' at the top of his lungs, in between screams, sobs and cries.  i calmly repeat the mantra - we don't run away from mummy, so no more play.  we are going home.  this of course does nothing to calm him down, everyone is staring at us and he is hysterical for the next 1/2 hour

eventually we get home, get playing something else and all is well.  i smile my mum smile and laugh a little mum laugh at toddler behaviour.  ha ha ha

i then realise that i am in EXTREME pain in my lower abdomen, and work out that i must have pulled muscles whilst in hot pursuit.......apparently the 6 month pregnant body is not designed to be quick over the 50 m dash.

so, i have spent thursday and today on the lounge, feet up, with the lovely hubby home from work and looking after the little human.  the pain is getting less, and i am sure by the weekend i will be back to my normal self (just no running!)

the reason for telling the story - one, so you can laugh at me! and two, while resting, i have been having a look over some old magazines, and enjoying the different projects in them.  i also realised though that i have quite a few, that while interesting, are full of things i will never make.  and so.....

A GIVEAWAY IS IN ORDER!

the prize is 3 Australian Patchwork and Quilting magazines, complete with pattern sheets, delivered to your door (well, postal address anyway). for those interested, they are vol 18 no 11, vol 19 no 1, and the latest edition vol 20 no 1.

there are a few ways to enter the draw and have more than one chance to win....

entry one, just leave a comment to this post and say you would like to be in it to win it!
entry two, let me know you are a follower, or become a follower and let me know
entry three, make mention of this giveaway on your blog and then post that link in a comment

that easy really! open to all, and open until 5pm Sunday 27th of February 2011 ACDST (ie the time in Adelaide, SA, Australia). winner will be picked at random using random.org based on comment number

well, back to the couch to put the feet up again.....hope you get a chance to aswell at some stage today

pugs and kisses
crafty
xx