we have a play stand

There were a few reasons why the play stands sat half made for a long time.

1. When I cut them out I wasn't precise enough and I didn't think they would work

2.I was worried I wouldn't get the joints right

3.As much as I wanted them to fit in our current small play space they really weren't going to 

4.Because of above reasons they sat for a while in the hot shed and the wood warped. I assumed they would't be any good

I even started to save money to just buy a set because I didn't think these were going to happen (or had I forgotten these maybe? cant remember) but I used that up when my favourite cloth nappies (bambootys.awesome.) had a clearance sale (worth it, totaly worth it they are all I use now)

I'm so glad that we re-found them and decided to finish them off! 

 getting ready to glue

 in clamps and crossing fingers that with warped wood it will turn out ok

 being happily surprised that its almost perfect! It rocks very slightly (about a millimeter difference in leg lengths, possibly because of the warped wood, possibly because I cut it:) Were very please how it turned out!

 its nice to see the shape I scribbled onto scrap paper come to life

Weve still got to finish sanding and glue the other one and then they're all ready for the new house which we move to in less than 3 weeks!!! I cant wait for cubby house and puppet show fun at the new house

works in progress

my stitchery is coming along nicely. I'm colouring in the back ground with colour pencils

 dads helping me finish off play stands I started making an awfully long time ago (I got a little over my head. ok a lot over my head:)

We got the house!

 So... were moving!
We went to see our house (notice no brackets around 'our' this time? that in its self is rather exciting!!) this morning and it looks great.
It seemed a bit smaller than I had hoped and a different layout to what I expected which I was a tiny bit disappointed about but Benny said its bigger than our current place (I find it hard to judge size of places without furniture but Benny's better at it so I trust his judgement:) and our current place is working well for us so I know this place will too.
I especially felt better when it occurred to me that my reason for being disappointed  was actually just that I'd been planning (obsessing over:) how id arrange rooms based on how it looked in the photos and I now realized it wouldn't all work how i'd thought. That's ok, plenty of time to day dream more plans, and it will be completely different when we actually move in and can see what fits where.
There is also somewhat of a bonus too. there is a fenced off block of land behind us that is for us too. I didn't think to look over the fence as I was so busy taking everything else in but it should be a good spot for the chooks to run wild and there are trees that the day care kids might like to climb

In the excitement I finally started this stitchery that I had meant to make ages ago for on the wall here. It will now be a house warming present for the new apple blossom play room;) Its going to have an apple tree with children on swings and planting seedlings

The other day I found this gorgeous little second hand handmade wooden table and chairs on a facebook local for sale page, its waiting at Mum and Dads until we move. (was too lazy to crop out the car but that didn't come home with me)  The top needs a few repairs but the rest is in great condition and perfectly solid. I love when you find exactly what you've been looking for second hand, It makes me feel so lucky

 In other exciting news I got a super fun package!
I did a swap with Steph, we both made some toys and summery Christmas ornaments.
As I told Steph earlier, the ladybug has good luck stitched into it, when I went out to weed our front lawn after receiving it I saw like 15 ladybugs, it must have been a family reunion

I'm in love, aren't they gorgeous!

There's lots of exciting things happening in the next few weeks so before I know it it will be time to move.
I'll be getting a package, its coming all the way from Yvonne in Holland because I won my first give away!
Summer solstice is soon and then there will be Christmas, new year, trips to the beach and visits to the gym (which is actually one of my funnest things each week, I love it!) Lots of family and fun days of celebrating and before I know it it will be the 13th of January, moving day!

Our new house??!

 Benny agreed that once it got to December we could start looking at rentals in our new town-to-be (right, we'll just pretend that I haven't been checking them daily this entire year. Can you tell someones a bit excited to move?)
I've been concerned because during November there was very little coming up and in order to comply to Family Day Care policies I need appropriate fencing, safety glass etc which rules out places that would otherwise be good.
 Anyhow this house just came up. Benny has 1 main requirement. He wants a shed big enough that he can do up his old Skyline (car)
When this house came up I discounted it because it didn't have a shed listed. I looked at the photos again and noticed that there was one on the property so gave them a call just in case. The realtor (who was super friendly) said it wasn't included but it was worth applying because sometimes the landlord is willing to compromise on such things in order to find tenants.
So... I filled out the forms, obsessed over the photos some more and waited very impatiently until this afternoon.
I got a call (from another not quite so friendly realtor. Who sounded rather impatient with how excited I was:) We got the house. I can do day care there. I asked about the shed...
"Um, what shed?... Yep ill ask the owners and call you back on Monday". MONDAY!!
So now i'm still in suspense not knowing if we will be able to have it or not. I so want this house.
I forgot to write in the application that I only look after 4 children at a time and was worried they would picture their house full of 20 crazy wild children trashing the place and say no to us. I was so convinced we wouldn't be chosen. Yet some how we got it. Maybe.
Oh my, this will be a long weekend!
Id like to assume the shed is indeed part of the deal. In the same box I wrote about my family day care I said that we could ONLY take it if they were able to include the shed. There's no way they would have chosen us without being able to meet our specified need right? Surely that would waste there time as much as ours. ...But what if they had read loads of applications and chose us, forgetting about the shed?
Please excuse me while I drive myself nuts over thinking this for the weekend:)

Anyhow, let me show you around the house that may or may not be ours. (Pictures thanks to the rental listing:) Here is 'our house' (staying positive right?:)

The new apple blossom playroom, with golden light streaming in

 a neat little kitchen The window sill would have a few pot plants. I would look out the window and be able to see the veggie patch I would put in and the little people playing. That doorway leads to where Benny's computer would be so needs a baby gate. Not that I've planned our new life in this house that isn't necessarily ours yet. Of course not.

 A lounge room. Luckily that odd looking fish tank wont be staying:)

 The bathroom is much nicer than our current one. Oh how I long for a newer bathroom that actually looks properly clean when you clean it like my old one used to. So much more gratifying (probably the only thing I miss about our old shoe box first house)

 Picture this space with my day bed in front of the window, huge sand pit where the gravel is, our table and bbq.... Benny and I sipping ciders and enjoying the sunset.... ok now i'm getting carried away... just a little

... raised veggie beds, a teepee with something-a-rather growing up it, tree stumps by the grass for the little people to jump onto a soft landing....

And see those bushes? Rosemary. Don't they just scream "i want to be made into Karens summer solstice wreath next year?"

Throughout this house hunting process I keep telling myself- our house is already out there waiting for us. If we miss out on one it wasn't meant to be and the right one is still waiting for us.
Lets hope this one is meant to be but if not I know ours is still out there waiting to show its self at just the right moment. I'm crossing my fingers and toes for this one though