Dear Boss

I would like to apply for some leave. Stress leave, rec leave, call it what you will. I have had it with my co-worker. He is constantly demanding, does not take direction, and is breaching all the workplace policies.

I love him to bits and would never work with anyone else (except of course his big brother who is currently in the education and training department till 2.35pm) however I do believe that he has crossed the line. He has no respect for privacy, follows me into the (ladies') toilets, refuses to leave, is constantly trying to hide under my skirt, and demands to flush.

He steals my tools. He broke my computer. Today he tied me up with my tape measure....around my neck. It was absolutely an occupational health and safety issue. I believe there may also be some need for a mental health screening - he believed I was a fish and that the tape measure was his fishing rod. Clearly delusional, he is a hazard to person and property.

I have had some questionable co-workers in the past, but this one takes the cake.Literally. And then smears it all over me.

Unpaid leave is fine. Fitting actually, seeing as I work 24/7 with no pay whatsoever.

Ah.....there's noone to backfill my position you say? No relief staff whatsoever? But wait....you say in 3 years time I can have a few hours off each day?

Well........I guess the deadlines can wait till then.

come see mangolime in real life!

If you live in Darwin, I am having a stall at the Childbirth Education Association (CEA) modern cloth nappy showcase on Friday August 6th at 10am - details are here. A proportion of all sales goes towards the CEA. Come say hi - it would be lovely to meet you.

The mangolime family are (obviously) back from school holidays - it was all fun, seeing whales, seeing good friends, seeing real waves! Now I am sewing up  storm for the next stocking which was scheduled for late July but may need to be pushed back a couple of weeks so I don't sit in front of an empty stall at the afore-mentioned fundraiser!

And I am all inspired by dresses. And (as always) echino. A winning combo let me tell you. So many dress ideas are popping up in my head at the most inconvenient moments.....coming soon.

off to noooooooosa

The mangolime family are off to Noosa tomorrow for a week to meet our dearest friends and have a winter (!!) holiday. See y'all later.

3 little maids are we

There have been 3 little girls in my life turning 1 year old in the last couple of weeks. 3 little pairs of chubby legs toddling, 3 little fine haired touselled heads, 3 pairs of chubby silky cheeks. I am lucky to have these 3 little stars around me. Happy Birthdays to Amelie, Luka and Georgina.

For their birthdays I made each a kimono dress, adapted from this free pattern by the talented Amy Finlayson (of Habitual blog fame). As little A says, its "a bit fricky mummy" but that may be because I made my own bias binding and tinkered with the pattern a bit to make it into a dress and change the inside ties for snaps (better for little ones I think). I also added a contrasting piece of echino solid purple to the bottom of one, with decorativen topstitching.

I am loving making clothes so much that I am embarking on a whole new range for mangolime. Not these kimonos unfortunately, because you can't sell these from the pattern, but I am dreaming (literally dreaming....is that pathological?) of many other pieces of clothing in all my beautiful fabrics. Hmmm.....more to come.

How to get children involved in nappy-making

School holidays are bubbling along here. We have been camping, and playing and watching fireworks and visiting. There have been a lot of late mornings in pyjamas and a few french toast episodes. And not much sewing. However, this may be the answer! J, 6years old, is a budding documentary maker. He prefers instructional documentaries, youtube style, like "this is how I dance to Mamma Mia....like so". Here is his take on nappy making (excuse the crappy quality):

Hmmm, note appalling occupational health and safety practices. I do indeed cut nappies on the floor. With a rotary cutter. Only while Mr A (2 years old) is alseep mind you.