two in green

Just a few images from a little treasure walk we went on the other day.
Both kids wearing green t-shirts.
Carrying their own little bags (both made by mama, of course) for collecting all sorts of lovely little treasures.

in fairy land

Just a couple of images from our little fairy party yesterday. Mishi turned 3 on Friday (still to write her birthday message), and we had a little celebration over the weekend. 

I'm hoping my father-in-law has some good photos, as I didn't get time to take many more than this. 

We made tissue and fabric flowers and hung them from the roof. I was imagining what it looks like in fairy land, with all the flowers being quite bigger than the little fairies and elves. I had a whole image in my head - but of course not the time to execute it all. I was very happy with our pretty flowers. 

{thanks Steph for the reminder}.

The little cupcakes were meant to look like mushrooms and pink flowers, they all had beautiful butterflies fluttering in them. The sugar butterflies are from a fellow Bris-Stylette - I don't normally use a lot of sugar or have lollies, etc at our parties, but these were so pretty and for the little three year old fairy I thought it would be a lovely topping for our cakes. 

Do head over and have a look at Bel's new shop - I was so happy with them. I do quite like these little birdies too - perhaps another party!

We're off to have more cakes for morning tea. While most were gobbled up yesterday, I managed to save a just a couple for lingering over today. 

*I was much too busy being the hostess yesterday to enjoy any cake, so am yet to taste them properly - but was told they were delicious. 

*Thank you to my sister, who was such a great help with everything yesterday. She looked so wonderful too - as a white fairy princess, with her tutu-petticoat and red plaits. (no photo, sorry Sylv).

just a few corners

I'm heading off to bed.
Have a course, in the city, tomorrow - so must get my brain development sleep!
These are a few photos from the corners around where I sit at my little computer.

+some new notice boards I've been working on, some wooden, hand carved Indian printing blocks
+some of my own hand printed 'Potter's Daughter' fabric,
+my Buddhas, Ganesh, a funny lion/dragon thing I bought many years ago in Thailand, and a little soldier from a collection of my mum's things.
+a collection of seedpods, bowls, tins, boxes, shells and (small) animal bones
+an embroidery of one of Mishi's drawings - a shark
+a little embroidered brooch from Rebecca {who has a little giveaway on her blog at the moment, of her super sweet tissue pouches}.

Good night my dear friends. xxx

51 versions of me ~ 5

i had a little sleep.
have not been sleeping well, of late. kids wake up in night, either they come into my bed, or i end up in their beds.
so short afternoon naps are very pleasant to be able to have.
i kept waking up, hearing noises. i am not used to sleeping in a quiet, alone house. (many noises outside).
both kids at school. husband at work. me sleeping! sounds like a delicious life, doesn't it.
(house is a mess, still have to wash the breakfast dishes, will have to wash school uniforms + kindy sheets this afternoon. feeling guilt over being a stay-at-home-mum who doesn't keep house very well. still sound delicious.)

anyway, before my little nap.
i wrote down a list of things
things i need to do
want to do
need to do.

did you read this blog post yesterday. so, i didn't need to write one - pretend i wrote that. though, of course, my pictures wouldn't be as beautiful, or beautifully matched. {even in her non-creative-phase, she's creative. grrrr}.

i got a lot of things down on paper.
really worked things out in my head.
directions to move to.
things to be happening, get working on.
where to go, what to do.

and then, i had a marvelous little day dream of where i will be in six months time. creatively. work-related. design/sewing/products/range/brand.
won't share yet, but hopefully soon i can show you that it's falling into place.

so you like our blue sheets. what a lovely colour to sleep in. our bedroom walls in our last house were close to this colour. i miss the colour of our last house. this house is dirty white. we will find our very own new house soon, soon, soon.

so - today. i feel good. optimistic. about myself. in my mind and body.
{tomorrow may be a different story - but today is now is the moment is today}.

*** I would like to thank you all for the sweet, lovely, thoughtful and totally ego-boosting comments over the past little while. I feel so lucky, blessed, and happy happy happy to have so many wonderful friends who offer me little gifts so freely, easily and thoughtfully. I truly appreciate each and every comment that you leave me.

a treasure walk

After dropping Ari at school on Tuesday, Mishi and I walked home collecting treasures in her little bag. She loves taking little handbags and purses with her on our outings.

We found some special magic fairy stones - she picks them up from the ground and looks up at me with the most amazed and excited expression on her little face. Such joy in finding a stone that the fairies have left for her.

Picked flowers from the 

roadside garden beds. 

Or blown, 

scattered 

across the path. 

Found dried 

seedpods, 

discarded feathers 

and leaves in late 

Summer 

colours. 

We came home and got out a giant piece of paper. 

Pencils, treasures, sticky tape. 

What a beautiful morning to spend with my little one. 

Just us two girls. 

Drawing fairies, 

with leaf wings, 

flower dresses 

and pencil shaving 

hair.

baby cakes, hearts and an ant

My kids like having "something sweet" for afternoon tea.

We all sit down, at our outside table (where we eat most every meal at the moment), and share our treats, an afternoon coffee, or warm milk, and some conversation. Talking over our day, or trying to decide on our dinner (every day, the thing of trying to decide what to make for dinner).

Yesterday we baked some little cakes. Some for Ari to take for school lunch. And some for us to have for afternoon tea.

Very easy to make, very delicious, and quite good for you - in the scheme of chocolate cake. 

As you can see, they don't last very long. These photos were literally taken click, by click, by click - my camera could barely keep up with the little hands disappearing cakes!

Recipe (if you're interested) goes a little bit like this* :: Chocolate Beetroot Baby Cakes

Cream together 50g butter + 50g soft brown sugar (you can also melt it together in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, if your butter is too hard - like ours was!). Stir really well, to cool it down a bit, then beat in 2 eggs. Add 75g cocoa powder, 100g finely dessicated coconut and 1-2 finely grated fresh beetroots. Stir well. Then add 2T plain yoghurt and 1 cup milk. Gently stir in 100g self raising flour. You want a fairly wetish (but not totally runny) mixture, that is easy to transfer to your cup cake cases. So add more yoghurt if it's too dry, or more coconut if it's too wet. 

Spoon into little cupcake cakes, and bake until nicely cooked. (Our old oven is so unpredictable, I can't honestly tell you what temperature it bakes at; but most little cakes take about 12-15mins in 179 degrees C, oven. I do so so so miss our beautiful new oven, at our other home, and can't wait until we buy our own home again so we can have a beautiful kitchen!).

We bought these heart shaped cupcakes, at the insistence of Mishi - she wants them for her birthday party. (The little round ones have been in quite constant use for a long time). I've been using silicon cupcake moulds for quite a while now (year or so?), and while I guess the plastic isn't a fantastic thing to be using, I have never had any cakes that haven't unmoulded with ease, and don't have to use papercases all the time. (I have, in the past, had big issues with metal cupcake tins not unmoulding easily, and having half cakes fall out inside of the whole cake slipping out easily - I do recommend these little silicon baking cases, if you're having those issues).

*baking with two smalls means that measurements are never quite accurate, and stirring is a bit erratic. And given my personality, I never follow a recipe, making the cake and quantities up as we go along.

 

{can you see the little ant who was enjoying our tasty cakes, too}.

now :: then

Doing this 52 Fridays self portrait challenge has made me really look at myself a bit closer.
My whole self, not just the corner of my eye that I see looking in the rearview mirror while driving the kids to kindy, or doing the shopping. {As I don't generally wear makeup, or style my hair in much of a particular way - I somehow rarely spend much time looking in the mirror. We do not have a full length mirror in our house, so I look at bits here and there, but not the whole overall me - and not with an objective eye.}
I've noticed that I frown a lot. Sam tells me so, too. But until you see if yourself - and look - you don't really know or take notice. My mum used to frown a lot, too.
Not in a frowning way, just - that's the face I make. The face I own.
I wonder, though, our faces are an expression of our life. The deep lines etched into our faces are part of what our days take us through. Someone who scowls or smokes their whole life will have lots of little lines around their mouth, someone who frowns will have furrows in their brow. Someone who laughs easily, happily at life will have soft lines at their eyes.
I do not seem to have soft lines at my eyes.
I seem to have furrows and frowns on my brow.

but, oh, but look at these photos from just over a year ago. I look more than a year younger. I look at ease, happy, carefree.

So - I've been wondering, thinking, pondering. Does this mean that the last year of my life has been filled with stresses, furrows, frowns. And why.
When was the last time I was that happy?
Or have I spent too much time trying to get to somewhere (a new, dream house; a new, successful working life; my won business; my own sense of self; time without my children.....).

So - I'm challenging myself, through the 52 Friday's challenge, to find a happier, carefree, more laughing me.

in the reading chair

Each night at bedtime, this week, I have been reading Wind in the Willows to the kids. There are few pictures in this, mainly writing. Beautiful, lyrical words, tumbling out of my mouth. 

I'm so enjoying reading this to them. They lie quietly in their bunk beds, listening. I read by the light of the illuminated world globe. 

Sitting on my second hand cane chair. With my Red Seed Studio cushions - some new ones that I made for a little photoshoot (for a magazine).

Last night they both fell happily to sleep, listening about Rat and Mole and Toad on the open road, in their canary yellow caravan. 

We have a copy of this version, illustrated by Michael Hague. The dustcover is torn and fallen off, so our cover is a brown cloth with gold lettering. Quite beautiful to hold and read. 

Inside is a note, written with ink and a beautiful hand:

" To Michele, 

                With much love 

                           from 

                             Laine.

                                    January 1981"

{And yes my siblings, I do understand that this means that it is officially my book, but for now it is. For now we are enjoying it, and loving it. As I'm sure you're enjoying and loving other things.}

51 versions of me :: 4

I finished my skirt.
And can I tell you, that I think I do so very love it.
For today, I dressed up a little bit (well, no makeup, but some jewellery). And I worked out how to work the self-timer on camera (after owning it for this many years, it took me only a matter of moments to do it!).
I've named the skirt, but not ready to tell you yet.

This is the first day of something.
A finished skirt.
A tiny little photo shoot.

I do wish that I could learn to smile in my photos. A natural smile. Instead of that frown. Perhaps, this year I'll learn. Through 52 Fridays. This accepting of who I am.

all the beautiful things

like rainbows

and rabbits

and butterflies

and day moths.

i would like to see fairies

i would like to see dinosaurs

oh and lovely people

{sylvie's a lovely people, and grandma's a lovely people}

i would like to see flowers

colourful stones

{red equals Ari. purple equals Mischa.}

my creative space :: a pink giraffe

today i'm making the skirt that's been in my sketch book for a short while. and in my head for a longer while.
i bought this fabric at spotlight, when we were there for tulle for the ballet tutu. it's not often that spotlight has interesting fabric (years ago they used to, but not now) - so i grab it when i see it. i knew i wanted to make a skirt out of this, so instead of getting my usual half a meter (is that what you do, when you don't have a project in mind?), i got 2.5 meters. which means i've got heaps left over after my skirt. i'm planning on using it to line a bag i'm working new designs on.
this makes me think of a pink giraffe. how fun - to be a pink giraffe.
skirt is still in production. come back tomorrow, i plan on wearing it for 51 versions of me.

and yes, those are a whole lot of pin tuck pleats. which i love sewing. a small amount of my pleat, tuck, ruffle inspiration, if you want.

For more Creative Spaces, visit Kirsty.

 

India in New Zealand

I have just booked a workshop with an amazing textile artist.
India Flint uses found, collected, 'windblown' leaves, flowers, natural colours to dye and manipulate fabric. Mainly using wool and silk, she produces pieces that just sing.
Well, they make my heart sing when I look at them. And my head jump with ideas, and thoughts, and new works.
To be honest, I don't know a whole lot about India Flint - not much more than gleamed from her website, blog and briefly looking through her book (which Sylve owns).
But those images are enough for me.
The workshop is in New Zealand, a place I have never visited, though have longed to see. I'll be spending almost a week on an organic farm, wandering the fields searching for leaves and pieces to make into natural dyes.
Almost a week, spending time with myself and others with similar interests. No kids. Just my own journalling and thoughts and ideas and notebooks. And of course the wild organic farm.

And, by coincidence, talking with my dad on the phone last night. He has just been spending time looking at India Flint's website, so he got all excited for me about the workshop {well, as excited as my dad gets}.

Now, I'm off to book flights and organise visiting my dear dear (old school) friend who has just moved back to NZ, from the UK, and who I haven't seen for about 6+ years.

unusual tragic alive

the disco bots went to kindy

Finally finished these. Quite a while of procrastinating, and then a while of them sitting quietly on my sewing table. And then another short while of not having a dolls needle meant the bots sat with no limbs for a few days.

I finished them up on Friday morning before kindy, while drinking my morning coffee. On the verandah. With kids pushing at me,  and coffee going coldish.

I'm quite sure the disco bots had a lovely time at kindy.

The kids named them - "Mushroom Flower Butterfly" and "Sparkles".

With many many thanks to Jodie, who sent me this pattern (because of this reason).

The Disco Bot pattern is really easy to read, well written and a nice simple one for most beginners to sewing. If you look closely you'll notice that I obviously didn't take enough notice of Jodie's instructions where she says to take care when you cut and sew; as my robots have unevenly sized arms. Thankfully my kids don't mind about that, and say it's because robots are made out of recycled bits of stuff so they wouldn't be the same sized anyway.

On my softie list now is Parsley + Beet, and waiting patiently for an Ernst pattern, as I know Ari would love to have another turtle to join his clan.

the seeds of HOPE

Have you been over to the wonderful Craft Hope Etsy shop?

I just had a little look around, and found - lo-and-behold - this calendar, that I mentioned loving, way back here. So, even though I already have a little calendar that I'm enjoying looking at. I figure I can get just one more.

Do have a look at the Craft Hope shop - you may just find something there that takes your fancy. All funds go directly to Doctors Without Borders, who are working so hard in Haiti.

The amazing crafting community has so far raised over $20,000 for Doctors Without Borders, through Craft Hope. I think that is an astounding example of how just one single person can make a difference in this giant world we live in. How even though we live in this giant world, and are separated by seas and mountains, we are all of the same heart and mind.

A quote I've always loved is:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful 

people could change the world. 

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." 

Margaret Mead. 

This, also by Mead, is very fitting:

"I must admit that I personally measure success

in terms of the contributions an individual 

makes to her or his fellow human beings."

*image from the Craft Hope site, used with thanks.

51 versions of me #3

Straight up I'm going to admit that this photo was taken yesterday {Thursday}, because I was all dressed up, I had a few spare quarters of moments to stand still, and Sam was there to take the photo of me. Which means a whole me, rather than just bits from stretching my arm out as far as I can to make the camera far away as possible. (Perhaps I should read the instructions on how to do the timer thing).

We went to see Angelina Ballerina at the Playhouse. The English National Ballet. It was for kids, still was quite a lovely show to see. Mishi was mesmerised. She + Ari thought that the mice were real mice, just really big. In fact, as big as real people. But mice all the same. Mishi loved the costumes - those pretty pink sparkly tutus. I'm sure all the other girls in the audience loved them too.

You should have seen all the pink tutus all those little audience girls were wearing. It was a almost a sea of pink tulle in all different hues of baby girl pink.

I made a special skirt for Mishi, which I'll have to blog about another time. As this is Versions of Me, and not versions of my daughter.

So - these photo:

This is my Veronika Maine skirt. I love the print on this, and the waist band - those pleats that don't add bulk but add detail and texture. I don't normally ever wear my shirt tucked in (always feel so self conscious), but I feel this skirt deserves to be shown off. Sam said it looked good - and I trust him, because he'll tell me lovingly and honestly if my bum looks fat in something. {Come on, let's all be honest, as much as it hurts us to have our loved ones tell us that, wouldn't we prefer to go out looking our best, if something looked better on us than what we'd chosen?}.

And my new shoes. Finally finally finally, some new shoes. I actually bought two pairs (a red pair as well, YAH!). I never find shoes that I like, so finding two at the same time was fantastic. And the service in the shop was wonderful and friendly and helpful. And local. Always a bonus.

Jewellery all by Sam, of course! A new design of necklace that he came up with for his mum for Christmas (I got the prototype). When he has a moment to spare, and isn't taking the kids skateboarding or cleaning up the house, I'm sure he'll get some more made.

I think I like the first photo best. I can see the things I don't like about my body. But, I'm not going to talk about them now. You won't see them. That's the way life is - we only see our bad parts, other people don't.

I'm going to only start looking for the good parts. To appreciate the good parts.

So - the parts I like best right now are my sense of style. The way I dress. I think I am finally of an age where I feel like I know what looks good on me (mostly, some days not so much). And I also appreciate wearing beautiful clothes, and understanding the difference between quality and cut and different fabrics. I like that about me.

school lunches

Ari starts school next week. 

I'm quite freaked out. But putting on a very brave face, for him. For myself.

We weren't going to send him to school this year. Were planning on holding off for another year. But I realised that he would be a whole lot older than all the other kids in his class, if he waited another year. And, I know he's ready - intellectually, socially and (probably) emotionally. We'll have some tears, I know. But, we'll also both be okay. 

Really - one of the big things I'm a bit fearful of is sending him with the wrong lunch. I want to make sure he'll eat it, and be happy to eat it. And that there won't be any lunch box teasing happening. (Being a vegetarian, and coming from what one may perhaps call "hippi" parents meant that we could have been prone to lunch box teasing as kids. I was lucky to be amongst a group of kids with similar upbringings. I don't know what it's like in the playground now). 

Aside from the food I put into the box. I'm worried about the actual lunchbox itself. I've spent a fair bit of this afternoon doing as much web searching as I can manage. With a good bit of help my Ms Peppermint (who knows a whole lot about a whole lot).  I'm still not entirely sure which way we'll go. 

I really like these, from ECOlunchboxes. I would make my own fabric bag, but if you're not a sewer I think these prints are fantastic. So bright, and fun - as well as versatile. Unfortunately, it seems as if they don't ship to Australia. 

Other choices are the LunchBots, which I can get locally from Biome (they also have an online store). We may end up with these ones (due to convenience), but I read on one of the sites, that the lids may be a bit hard for younger kids. We'll see.

I did consider the little fold up sandwich wraps or snack wraps, from 4MyEarth. They do ultimately have plastic lining (even if it is PVC & phthalate free), and I'm trying to steer away from that. 

There are a few other choices at Life Without Plastic, that are of the Tiffin style. We're going to check out our local Army Disposal Store and see if they have anything similar (those places normally come with a much more realistic price tag - kids loose lunch boxes, after all!). 

There's a heaps of totally fun, kid friendly (adult approved) prints over at Kids Konserve. And a lot of ideas for different lunch packing. I'm going to explore this site a bit more. 

Also, some really cute Tiffin Tins here.

There's a pattern in Betz White's book for making your own lunch bag and sandwich wrap, which I'm going to look into. Problem is - it says to use PUL, which is polyurethane. I'm not entirely sure what this is, and can't seem to find much info about it at all. But it sounds a lot like plastic to me. Do you have answers? I'd love to make some of these sandwich wraps, but they'll be no good without the plastic lining. 

So - you see my dilemas? And I haven't even barely started to think about the food to put into the container I choose. 

They do say that ignorance is bliss, don't they?


EDITED 23/01/10 :: ECOLunchboxes wrote back to let me know that they have an online stockist who posts to Australia, called Naturally Sustainable.
Also, thank you Jacqui for sending me a link to another place, 3GreenMoms, who sells sandwich wraps. These one have really cute prints on them, which appeal to me more than any of the others.

weekly list

I think that if I put it all down here, then I may hold myself more accountable to getting it done. Do you think?

Anyway, here's my weekly planning list. {A short while ago I moved myself out of my office in the small side room, and moved the kids play room in. I still haven't totally finished setting up my new office space in our front room - which means I have nothing hanging on walls to put my planning lists on - so I'm putting it here}.

Sunday ~ This morning I finished tidying the kids play room (yet again! Mishi has hit the "cutting paper into a million pieces and leaving all over the house" stage, which is quite annoying to constantly pick up). This afternoon I need to continue tidying their bedroom - which is a crazy mess at the moment. I'd like Sam to come home (from his weekend away) to a tidy, clutter-free, clean, happy house. Space to live and think and work.

Tonight I'm going to cut some pieces out for some new sewing I've got to get working on.

Monday ~ We have go down the street (to the local suburb), to post some parcels. And also look at a little empty shop for something special I'm planning with a friend (more on this later). We also have to head out to the dreaded Spotlight, to buy a long dolls needle to finish making my Disco-Bots (more on these later, when they're all finished). These Bots have been in the works for a tad too long, and I need them finished before the next kindy day (Friday), as these are meant to be kindy friends.

We're also going to try and squeeze in some watercolour painting time - but that will depend on how slow the service line is at the fabric shop.

Then we'll pick Sam up when he gets back into town, after his long drive home.

Tuesday ~ I'm hoping to spend the day sewing. Making something for Craft Hope's Haiti shop. (I'll let you know once I've sent the details off to Jade). And also some new projects for wholesale accounts and my online store. Or - perhaps we'll spend the day just hanging out and playing and chatting, as a family (Sam has a week off work, which will be lovely).

Wednesday ~ We're heading to the State Library for a day of fun with the kids. My older sister and her two creatures will be visiting for a few days. Between my younger sister and her creature, my older sister and me there will be five kids and three adults. Lots of fun!

Thursday ~ We're all (eight of us) going to see the English National Ballet perform Angelina Ballerina. We plan on dressing up, and having a beautiful day out at the ballet. Picnics and performers. {Some new picnic placemats might need to be sewn in advance for this event}.

Friday ~ The kids will be at kindy. I'll spend the day sewing and working on new designs.

Saturday + Sunday ~ As yet unplanned, but will probably include getting Ari ready for school (buying backpacks, making library bag if the fabric has arrived yet). Also, some housework may need to unfortunately be involved somewhere along the line... Perhaps even a visit down to my grandmas house (the kids' great-grandma), who we haven't seen for a teeny bit too long.

Does that sound like a week jam packed with too many things? Well, that's life at the moment. So much happening in my head, so much needing to happen every day.

Please don't think too badly of me if it doesn't all happen as planned. Life gets in the way much too often around here, and I can't always control what happens.

These photos are of the clean play room. I am hoping against all hope that it's clean tomorrow!

51 versions of me :: #2

Today I am:
a tired mother.
who left her son, crying, at kindy. and felt terrrible. and sad. and drove home lonely without chattering of children in the car.
yet knows that her son, indeed both children, are perfectly fine at kindy and will be fine at school in just a few short weeks.
a mother who played blocks with her son, stacking up the wooden pieces and adding the stained-glass coloured pieces. to make an airport. and looked through the colours to a different world.
a wife who dropped her husband in the city, early this morning. dropped him off for a weekend away, a working weekend {full of fun skateboard demos and things like that}.

a quiet woman.
in a messy house.
who wants to ponder all day
with the grey clouds
and the still air
and the subdued street noises.

a person who must get on with things
to make them tick over
to make them easier
and not prolong the inevitable
(like the washing or the washing up or the cleaning of the play room for the 20 billionth time).

i am an artist enjoying the possibilities of the day
of tomorrow.
of planning watercolour painting with my children.

today i am
melancholy
yet content in the stillness
nostalgic
optimistic
open
at ease.

{PS - thank you all for your kind words about my new hair colour. how lovely to have sweet friends to notice and comment. yes - i have dyed my hair, it's much darker than i planned, but good all the same.}

EDITED :: looking at these photos, I realise how tired I look, how tired I am. And just a reminder to you all, that this au naturale look is an everyday look for me; I'm not a make-up person, perhaps a slick of non-animal tested mascara and some lipgloss. But barely I get my hair dried before I get out of the house.
Wooden bead necklace is an Ari original, made at kindy. I'm really loving wearing it. Thankfully it's not a macaroni necklace!
And those bare cupboards in the background were a lucky find at Lifeline this morning, and a bargain at only $15each.

gathering

Right now I'm drawing in all the richness around me.

I'm so enjoying having my tumblr page - to collect things I find online. If you don't have one, it really is a wonderful way to keep track of all those things that pass by your eyes each day (when online). I've just changed the template, and look at the beautiful mosaic it formed.

There's been some big changes here, which I'll talk about at another time.

At the moment - new designs are forming in my head. The journeys I go on during my day - inside the house, outside the house, on the phone, in my head, in my conversations, in my memories - are all merging and combining and joining and making making making......

It feels good to have some new works and designs and ideas happening. To have the creative forces running again, to be open to them, to have them spilling out.

But at the moment, I'm gathering and just jotting down thoughts and images and ideas. And then, soon I'll start the drawing and painting and making.

I'll show you some more inspiration soon. The drawings my children hand me hourly are simply simply simply just so right. I keep wanting to turn them all into designs, and screen prints. So, now I must take their eyes and hands and let them guide me to understand my own eyes and hands.

Take care. E xxx