not all Chemo and cancer

There is some crafting too xox

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3 weeks in....

There has been a few tears, a few melt downs, lots of learning and accepting, loads of talking, and most importantly, lots and lots of smiles and laughs!






Her treatment is going really well. We are back in hospital after a week of being out. 2 weeks of iv antis to come but is just a wee bump. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Maybs and I had been staying at Ronald McDonald house, or Ronnie Mac for those in the know ;) We got to meet Good Charlotte last week as part of McHappy Day! So awesome!





She is such a rock star!!

Maybs decided to dye her hair pink, blue and purple. Seeing as though it is going to fall out, why not have fun!















Maybelle also decided that instead of letting her hair fall out, she'd take control and shave her head when she was ready. Thursday was that day. And I have never ever been more proud. Her strength and courage amazes me every day. She's not perfect oh no! And she's still Maybelle. But her spirit is shining. And that is remarkable!







Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The messages, emails, tweets, phone calls, texts etc have been reassuring and uplifting. There is a reason the blogging community is so wonderful because it really is a community.

Very special shout out to Fi, dear dear Fi! You have been a rock. You, my dear, are my super star.

There is a facebook group, ALL about Maybelle if you find it, ask to join and I'll add you. I think that how it works lol!

Much love and gratitude xox

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Cancer

Not a word I ever though I would use here but here we go....

Our gorgeous, spirited oldest child, Maybelle, has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is treatable. It is curable. It is bloody scary. And I can not believe this is happening to her and too us.





What started as her feeling flat, progressed to changes in skin colour and bruising, and now hospital, blood transfusions, bone marrow testing and Chemo. All in a matter of weeks.

It is just plan bad luck. Nothing we did or didn't do caused it. It isn't fair and I'm really pissed that our family has been dealt this. Like we haven't already been though enough!!

But we will march on. We will do what needs to be done. It is a very very very long road ahead of us. Anything from 2-3years of treatment. She will loose her hair. She will be very sick at times but she will always be our Maybelle. Even when the steroid rage kicks in ;)

I'm ok. Kinda, sorta. I know I don't any idea about what's to come. Part of that's ok, part of that is bloody scary. I know I have THE most amazing people around Maybs and I to support and love us through this. We are so bless that under all the crazy that is my family, they are all there. 100% no questions asked. As with my beautiful friends. I already owe a few of you a night on the town and it's only round 1 lol!

In the coming days we'll de setting up a closed facebook group to inform people on mass so the family and I can concentrate on Maybs and her recovery. Once set up, I'll add a link and please feel free to ask to join.

And the little miss herself? She's ok. So much to take in. She knows she has a cancer called leukemia and we have to have Chemo to kill it. The childrens hospital is amazing and I'm sure that has helped her tremendously.

I'll leave you with a picture of her and her new toy......




An iPad!!

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My Place & Yours

This week I had to join in MPAY again because I have the bestest pin cushion ever!

No really. I do.

Isn't it the best!

I picked it up from this fabulous shop The Crafty Squirrel

Morgan has loads of handmade lovely's as well as super cute crafty, vintage gifts and things.

A must visit if you are down this way :)

Clearly, this is one of my many 'helpers'! Hard to believe that when I started blogging she was a baby and now....the terriblest of threes xox

Things you don't see in the NT

Yesterday the 'rat had a hail storm. A first for the 2 youngest. They loved it!

We were lucky though. This is the only damage around our house. Others....not so lucky.

And these picture, taken 17 hours AFTER the storm! I can only imagine how it looked yesterday.

I thought it had snowed overnight and we'd missed it!

Hope y'all are well and dry xox

My Place & Yours

It's back! Vic is once again at the helm. This weeks theme is on the shelf. And while I haven't played before I really really really want to show you whats on my shelf! 

Yep. We now have 3 wonderful blythe girls!!! 

They are all wearing dresses I (poorly) made.

This shelf is in our living room. Its one of those peek a boo slot things in between living "zones" or whatever....

Pop over to Vic's to see more nifty shelves xox

starts

You may think that these prolong periods of silence from me means I am not creating. 

You would be mistaken.

While life is, different, and I am still adjusting, I am indeed sewing!

Last day of term had me visit Mill Rose Cottage for a tea set class with the ever amusing, insanely clever Jodie aka. Ric Rac. Thankfully I had Bec there to keep me safe ;)

It was a wonderful day! Truly just what I needed 

Sometime at the end of last term I had a house full of delightful visitors. 5 extra kids and one very crafty mum, The Fi's :) Always a blast having them stay. Sewed anything? Well yes, thanks for asking

Don't Look Now's Lilly Pilly quilt. Perfect for us with 6 birds hiding in the tree :) I purchased it as a kit about a year ago from Ballarat Patchwork.

I did try my best to do like the pattern says, however Fi convinced me to do what I know (easy or K.I.S.S) and just heat and bond the lot down. I am very grateful for her suggestion! Still a lot of work to go but VERY happy with is so far!

And lastly for today I did a Harlequin Stars class at Ballarat Patchwork!! Its a foundation pieced stunner. Emma at has made not one but 2 of these amazing quilts this year. I managed a block ;)

You need to pop into Ballarat Patchwork and check out the full quilt. 

It is a m a z i n g! 

There is more to show you but I need a lay down now. Hard work blogging when you haven't done it in ages teehee xox

Slowly settling

Hello friends :) I've been given a gentle shove to update you all on the land of Bianca Jae. Gentle as in I'll travel 3 hours to your house, stay over night, take pictures for you and then email them to you. Yeah, that gentle, thanks Jules ;)

We have been in Vic now for about 4 weeks. Climate is hard. But we are treating it like the build up. No one is to talk about how cold and horrid it is. We all have to live it. To be fair, kids have acclimatize much faster then me. Sooky la la I am

We have had an extremely busy time. Not just with the normal moving house, settling into school and kinder, unpacking, organising etc. 

We have had family visits, family trips, crafty visits, 2 birthdays and fathers day. Sadly all with out dad.

 

This little miss turned 3 :)

This little miss turned 8 :)

And what's that?! A baby?! It's Baby CP and he is just devine. Almost makes me clucky enough for another. Almost ;)

And who's this?! Boy one and Little Miss Narioka! 'Helping' with the clips ;)

Julie and Abbe were brave enough to come and visit last week. It was so lovely to have them there for the night. Really did help take the sting out of missing the NT.

I've been working on my grandmothers flowers garden. And also a block of the month stitchery but Jules didn't take any pictures of that ;)

Truthfully, this move has been super hard. We did it in 5 weeks from when the decision to move was made until the last box was off the container. 4 of those weeks I was on my own with the kids. Without the help of beautiful friends and family I would have well and truly ended up in the loony bin. No really. Lock away the key kind of loony. It's been really hard to keep my shit together. It has become kind of all consuming. I know I'll find my feet soon. I know it will get easier. Right now, I'm a little lost and a little lonely. 

So moving is hard my friends. Hopefully soon the dust will settle, we will wind our feet and our family rhythms will return xox

ps happy now girls? ;)

and then we said goodbye

The Top End has been good to us.

Not counting the cyclone, kitchen fire and robberies

I started this blog and opened a little shop.

Finally got on the correct medication for my bipolar

We have welcomed a new family member. Born at home just as it should be.

My kids have learnt to swim and walk on grass.

The kids have run freely under the sprinklers for hours on end, not caring how much water they are using/wasting.

We have all held snakes, frogs, lizards and crocodiles.

I have watched the love of my life become the man I knew he could be, despite so many doubting him.

We have grown and changed as a family.

The time has come for us to leave The Top End.

It is very bitter sweet.

We are returning to Victoria to be closer to family. And while that is exciting, I am a new auntie!! it is also heartbreaking.

Everybody from the Top End is from somewhere else. You know I can count on one hand how many people I have meet that were born and bread here? True story. Most people are without family. So, they make their own.

So even though I am going too family, turns out, I am leaving family too.

You know who you are. You know that I love you and will miss you. And this isn't really a good bye but a see you later. We love this place and our top end family

And we will be back xox

Dry season :)

My favourite time of year.

So many visitors, so much sun!

Katherine Hot Springs

2 of my beauties and some yellow flowers on a stick

Edith falls (I walked up there!!) 

Upper pools at Edith, thats me swimming in the middle ;)

Snap! Snap! He's just a baby really

My 'I'm-terrified-of-lizards-and-snakes' girls being not so terrified after all. 

So proud :) 

Blissful sun set at Mindil beach.

As you can see, not a lot of sewing, although if you pop over to Jacquie's you'll see I did sew while she was here. And she also mentions the reason for my lack of blogging. And the charger is still lost. xox

Still here :)

Yep! I am! Life and stuff keep getting in the way of the computer and I. But I have....oh 15 mins. to fill you in. But on my iPhone.

1. New Meds started for the newly diagnosed but always had bipolar 2. Check!

2. Mum comes to stay for 2 weeks. Check!

3. Dad, stepmum, sister and 2 bothers also come to visit. Check!

4. Husband starts new job. Check!

5. Husbands new jobs takes home overseas with no date on coming home. Check!

6. School holidays survived. Just. Check!

7. Catching up with beautiful supportive friends. Check!

8. Getting all clucky over a beautiful blog friends turned real life friends baby boy. Check!

9. Updated my madeit shop. Check!

10. Made a queen size quilt. Check!

Mums quilt. She decided, as she does, that she'd like to make a quilt while she was up. From my stash, you know, to help me out (really help Hubby out by taking some of the stash lol)







Fabric - Nicey jane by Heather Bailey and some Blue Wrens in ink by Ink and Spindle, kindle donated by Kirsty :)







Mum just loves all the ink and spindle prints but given that she is a get in and get it done kinda lady (I know! Not like me at all) there was no chance of her waiting for yardage. I was a little unsure of the combination, I like things to match, but I think it's perfect! And it looks great on her bed :)

Pattern is from material obsessions book 1, with a few wee changes including adding at extra row. Very easy to assemble and lightly quilted with straight lines.

So. Anything you want to fill me in on? Any news or, you know, plain old life you want to share? xox

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my creative space

Today. Sewing on binding. Mel made the top and I helped quilt and bind it. I like hand sewing the binding on. It gives me time to think. Currently my head space is a bit like this.....

When will "they" find the magic pill to make fat go away?

If I diet really well for a week, why cant I just wake up skinny?

What IS for tea?

Why is mental illness still so taboo?

If I was diagnosed with any other illness I would have blogged about it already instead of sitting on it for a fortnight. Why is that?

Do people care about other peoples shit or is it nice to live in a blogtopia where everything is shiny and nice?

I do like shiny. 

Is it my new meds making me feel sick or am I acually starting to get sick?

I don't have time to be sick.

Mel's sick.

I could make her some soup but it's still too hot here for that.

When IS dry season going to start??

I really am sick of the rain.

Hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my day off.

What can I do other than post stuff?

Hubby's last day in the office, should have lunch with him.....

......and on it goes ;)

Best I get back to binding before I make all your heads explode

Other not so mental spaces at Kirsty's

xox

My creative space

So I have some news....boy one and small child are going into child care one day a week! That is huge for me. Well, for all of us. I will now have Fridays all to myself. First time in 10 years!!

And of course, they need hats! You would think living up here we'd have hats everywhere...but no. We have quite a shady yard and although you will get burnt, the sun doesn't seem to have the real bite it does down south.


Boys one in pieces ready to sew. The pattern is from Tie dye diva and the hat is reversible!! Yay!

Here's my first attempt finished. Made with spotlight fabric from the stash.



Few puckers but I reckon I've got it sorted now :)

Pop over to kootoyoo to see who else is being creative today xox

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wordless wednesday

 

 

Dotty Spotty

Dotty Spotty is all finished :)

Quilted in diaganal lines

Srips of colour on the back so if it's used on the floor it wont show up too much dirt :)

Finished size is about 110cm. Overall happy with it. Still not sold on the unisex thing...

What do you think? Would you call this unisex?

And another thing.....how do you take good photo's of quilts?! Seriously, I suck at it lol! xox