:: rain, broken toes and a super cute heart ::

The kids are back at school - where did those six weeks go?! - and had quite a wet and wild start to the school year.

After weeks and weeks of no rain and super hot days, ex-TC Oswald hit town the Friday before last.  Saturday and Sunday were particularly scary - really wild wind and LOTS of rain - and flood warnings had us all anxious and worried - since the 2011 floods really don't seem that long ago.

{{wish you could see the horizontal sheets of rain}}

We lost power - just for a day - but a weird knock-on effect was my oldest breaking two toes. Really. 

No power meant choosing what to put on ice in the esky ... the ice-blocks didn't make the cut ... so I yelled up the stairs for the girls to come down and eat the rapidly melting ice-blocks ... they came running, and sadly my oldest kicked her foot as she ran through her bedroom door.

{{first-ever first-day-of-school shoe shot}}

Our hearts go out to the many people whose lives have been turned upside down by this ex-TC Oswald - everyone who was flooded and who have had their homes, business and lives so terribly affected by the scary weather last week.  

I lost a bit of my machine-sewing-mojo this week, and so was very happy to see this gorgeous pincushion on Vanessa's V and Co blog - the perfect little hand-stitching project, and an awesome way to conquer my fear of french-knots.

{{lots of loopy french-knots}}

{{decided I couldn't stick with just one colour or working methodically ... }}

{{ ... bring on the colour + random}}

{{heart-sprinkles}}

{{V and Co, Bliss and Lucky Penny for the border}}

Aaaaand done!!

{{finished}}

Vanessa's tutorial is excellent, and as I got closer to finishing the heart, I finally got much faster and better at those french-knots.  And I'm finally feeling ready to get back to the machine - first up will be a cushion made from Vee's fab new design (pics soon) and Lorena's feathers. 

Hope your weekend has been a good one.  xoxo cat