a very nice lunch indeed
{love how the sunlight came streaming in, just as i was taking this photo. glorious}
mostly it seems that between Sam or me, we are running here and there doing things (into town for shopping, picking up our new fireplace, gas hot water system, helping out at preschool rostered days, doing reading with school kids, helping the school kids in their little garden projects, yoga, mowing the large expanses of grass, doing house plans, planting seeds for a Winter garden.........).
but sometimes we've found ourselves quietly settled in our little home, at our lovely wooden dining table*, looking out the window to where our new house will be built.
we found ourselves in just this spot, on Friday. with the house just tidied and swept, the rugs taken outside and beaten, the beds all made, and the warm late Summer sun shining down on our roof.
a simple lunch of toasted bread {as we have no electricity we have no toaster, which means we use a camp toaster over our gas open flame cook top. camp toast tastes so different to machine made toast}, with homemade pesto {more on that later, a lovely saga i'm enjoying}, delicious farm-bought tomatoes, the last of the Parmesan cheese (Australian + vegetarian = no animal rennet), and fresh basil leaves. of course a sprinkling of freshly cracked pepper and pinch of Himalayan pink salt.
combined with the bird calls, the warmth of the sun (we've had a lot of rainy days here), the cicadas, and the scent of the basil. looking at these trees that i am loving more each day.
it really was a very nice lunch indeed.....
{and a few photos of the delicious, juicy lychees we've been nibbling on lately. i'm really loving this spot on the table; lighting our candle for dinner each night, and adding new flowers, stones, collections to enjoy.}
{this aromatic basil has part of our life for the past few days. lovely lovely}.
{camp fire toast..... yum yum}
{a corner of our little kitchen}
*we found it under our last house, covered in mud, with an ugly laminate cover that we removed and sanded back to beautiful timber.
honey blossoms & jumping ants {life in the country}
Are you getting bored with seeing these tiny iPhone photos? I know I am. Internet and computer still haven't happened. 45 tedious minutes on the phone to telstra Saturday evening did not end in a working wi-fi connection. We are looking into different options.... {telstra is the only provider in the area, for phones, so we had no choice but to leave optus, who has served me better than well for the past 15years. We were sad to have to say goodbye.}
These are a few random images taken in our little home the other day. Books on the shelf - a few gardening ones, some house building ones, one about composting toilets (just in case you're interested, we're currently using a bucket), a much-used bird book, and a dangerous creatures book that Sam is avidly reading. Jumping ants are his current obsession. Nasty looking ants, they also have a horrible sting; and we've found a few nests nearby.
These honey scented gum blossoms were found on the forest floor, while we were at the creek helping my dad pump water. We were meant to be learning how to use the pump, but it's one of those pieces of machinery that needs just the right jiggle to get it working. I enjoyed walking and looking and remembering all the spots I explored as a child. If this rain stops, I'll take the camera and let you in on the adventure.
And just to clarify - I've had a few queries about us living in the shipping container. No, we are using it as storage for all our belongings, though it will turn into Sam's workshop/shed/garage at some stage. While we build our new home we're living in a sweet little, though very 'rustic', one roomed building. We currently have no shower (though refreshing creeks nearby, and bucket showers are a lovely thing in themselves. And my dad has a wonderful shower just up the hill), no electricity, and very minimal solar set-up. It's a bit of an adventure for the kids, which they are enjoying in varying degrees depending on the time of day.
Slowing down. Appreciating quiet moments. Enjoying sitting, watching, listening. Isn't that what life in the country is all about? I just wish it came with reliable Internet access....
- Posted from my iPhone
sunset over Mt Warning
coming home from the beach.
beautiful afternoon swim in the ocean.
visit to my grandmas house.
sunset over Mt Warning, or Wollumbin as the local Aboriginal people call it. Wollumbin - Cloud Catcher.
All photos taken from the moving car window.
- Posted from my iPhone
beautiful afternoon swim in the ocean.
visit to my grandmas house.
sunset over Mt Warning, or Wollumbin as the local Aboriginal people call it. Wollumbin - Cloud Catcher.
All photos taken from the moving car window.
- Posted from my iPhone
{weekending} watching, exploring, enjoying
Slowly, little bit by tiny amount, things are settling into a sort of routine around here.
Mornings on our little verandah, watching the early sun creeping through the trees, settling on the leaves and branches. Straining our necks while we watch the teeny little 'red-brown finches' flitter and flutter, building little nests for their late Summer babies. We can't wait to see how tiny the babies will be - the adult birds are only 6cm or so.
The weekend is upon us {first week of school + preschool successfully completed - Mish asked to go back to preschool today!}. We have plans for ::
> cutting the long Summer grass - think Sam with the big brush cutter strapped to his chest.
> reading and drawing ideas for our new vege garden plot - lettuces, herbs, tomatoes, greens.
> pouring over the bird book; kids learning local birds, me remembering the birds of my childhood.
> swatting march flies, and learning to live with mosquitos.
> swims in the beautiful creek - no need to get the shower set up when there's creeks nearby!
> rearranging + sorting the shipping container; I'm itching to open my tubs of fabric, get out some hand stitching for these long Summer nights.
> many moments of sitting, looking, listening, enjoying, almost disbelieving that we are here!
{top image is Mish's watercolour of our new garden plans. Blossom tree, purple 'petunip' flowers, and an empty chicken/chook pen, and she declares they're all hiding.}
** all photos taken with phone camera.
- Posted from my iPhone
{crochet} Stanley Rabbit & Little Doll
These two little ones sit on my windowsill, just above our bed in our new little house. My mum made the sweet little doll, a long long time ago {when I was a girl, so perhaps it is 20-25yrs old}. she has a little hat as well, which is still packed somewhere. Both the hat + dress need repairs, for which I feel inadequately skilled - so it's a no kid touch treasure.
Stanley Rabbit was made by, and given to me (while on our NZ holiday) by the delightfully fun and craftily amazing Kate {greedyforcolour.blogspot}. He's the sweetest little guy, with his hands in his pocket and a shy little sideways turn of his foot. I have not let either kid claim him!
The dress below was also made by my mum (creative, multi-skilled, artistic woman she was). I would guess it to be not too far off 30yrs old. It fits (about to turn) four yr old Mish. I'm sure I wore it year round, with longs under it in Winter. {perhaps I will find some photos in my dads photo draw at some stage}.
Little spots like this, in our tiny house are proving to be important and necessary. When most of our belongings are packed away in here (see below) for the next year or so, we're all trying to carve out spaces of 'self', while living so 'cosily' (or cramped!) in this one-room house.
- Posted from my iPhone
3 little puppies
One day, some time ago, in the heady days before Christmas, school holidays, house packing, flooding throughout our city; a sweet sweet parcel arrived from our lovely blog friend (Jacqui) + penpal friend (Hazel).
Stickers and NZ native wood bird finger puppets (no photos sorry) for the kids, and these three adorable puppies - a green brooch for me + a necklace for each of the kids. I love love love my little green friend with white floppy ears. I wear her proudly - her little orange collar matches perfectly with my orange floral skirt.
These are styled on my Kikki K 2011 diary - which is super cute and fun, yet also very practical with lots of space.
(Jacqui blogs at HazelnutGirl, check her link out in my sidebar, her stitching and crafting is as cute as her daughter!)
Posted from my iPhone
this creek,oh yes,this creek
We have spent every day since we got here (one week ago) at this creek. Doing what my siblings and I have done since we were kids :: slipping out of our clothes; skipping and jumping over rocks; building dams and towers; dipping our bodies into the (not the warmest) water; giggling; shouting; painting ourselves with ochre rocks -reds,whites,yellows,browns can all be found here.
I grew up in this creek and it gives me endless joy to sit with my little ones and be with them while they explore and play. Learning the ways of being a bush baby seems to come naturally to children. {I was scared my kids would be too citified, but it seems all is okay}.
Thanks to Shanti (see comments on previous post for blog link -will have to work links out another time), who pointed me in the direction of the app blogpress to use on my phone with photo blogging. If you're reading and seeing photos above, then it's working. Yah!
{here :: being present}
I'm still here.Sort of.
Living in a very present :: now :: conscious way.
One tiny house.Four people.Lots of happiness.
For the first time in a very long time,longer than I can remember, I am living and happy to be living right where I am. Dreams&ideas&wishful thinking has taken a backseat to playing in the creek everyday with two little (naked) ones; listening to the radio in the evening with Sam as we wash-up (no electricity means no tv,CDs,computers,minimal (I)Phone games); going to bed early under the mosquito net with a good book and a torch.
Of course we are still talking,planning,thinking,dreaming about the big house we are to build. But we sit on our little verandah and look directly to the spot where our new house will be. When a long-held dream is sitting looking at you, then somehow it's easier to happily be in the moment. To let the dream evolve by itself and not have to be propelled along.
Until we organize Internet options (phone plans aren't that good for blogging or browsing), I'll be scarce around here.I'm trying to work out how to upload photos to blogger from my iPhone (4), anyone know. I do miss my laptop,don't much like the web world in minimised,app form.
Hope you're all well.I'm missing you. Promise I'll be back soon with beautiful photos to make you jealous of out 'tree-change'.
Living in a very present :: now :: conscious way.
One tiny house.Four people.Lots of happiness.
For the first time in a very long time,longer than I can remember, I am living and happy to be living right where I am. Dreams&ideas&wishful thinking has taken a backseat to playing in the creek everyday with two little (naked) ones; listening to the radio in the evening with Sam as we wash-up (no electricity means no tv,CDs,computers,minimal (I)Phone games); going to bed early under the mosquito net with a good book and a torch.
Of course we are still talking,planning,thinking,dreaming about the big house we are to build. But we sit on our little verandah and look directly to the spot where our new house will be. When a long-held dream is sitting looking at you, then somehow it's easier to happily be in the moment. To let the dream evolve by itself and not have to be propelled along.
Until we organize Internet options (phone plans aren't that good for blogging or browsing), I'll be scarce around here.I'm trying to work out how to upload photos to blogger from my iPhone (4), anyone know. I do miss my laptop,don't much like the web world in minimised,app form.
Hope you're all well.I'm missing you. Promise I'll be back soon with beautiful photos to make you jealous of out 'tree-change'.
{water} Brisbane Flood 2011
I don't really have any words to write. Cannot fathom how I feel about these floods that have ripped through our communities. 75% of the whole of Queensland State has been affected by these waters. Homes, businesses, belongings and most tragically of all, lives, have been lost as the rains and the water kept on coming. Kept on rising past the river banks, past the levies, past the front steps, past the roof-line of many many houses.
In our home, we are safe. As are the rest of my family and friends living in Brisbane. I feel blessed that we weren't in the flood lines. My sister's house had water come in underneath, but nothing seems to have been ruined too badly. The business where my husband works, in the city, was - still is - under water. The whole of Brisbane CBD is still in lock down, as the water stays not having anywhere to move to.
I've started and abandoned many blog posts about this devastating natural disaster. I have felt heartwrenchingly useless. I have sat and watched 24-hr news, unable to tear myself away from the scenes of people's homes flattened.
We have walked about our streets. Seeing other people also walking - everyone has the same drawn, unbelieving, anxious face.
There are many news items, that you can read, if you want. If you live in another country perhaps you have seen some footage and know a little of what has been happening. Basically the many weeks of rain that this area has received has resulted in the biggest flooding disaster that Queensland, or even Australia, has ever seen. And there are more affected areas across other states - spreading down to NSW and Victoria. Reports of more king tides, mean that there is possibly more to come in the next weeks.
What is to come now is the clean up. The city of Ipswich has already started to slow, tedious, terrifying job. Search and rescue workers are still looking for missing people - the horrendous job of looking through flood debris, cars, buildings..... hoping against all hope to find survivors. In Brisbane we are waiting for many more days for the water to recede. People are waiting, in evacuation centres, at friend's home, before they can go to their own homes to see what awaits them.
There are many things I've noticed around the websites I normally read, of people doing the little things they can to help. First and foremost, donating money - any amount, even the $5 you would normally spend on your morning coffee. The Premiers Flood Appeal is probably the best place to donate (there are reports of scam charities, so beware). After you've donated money, you can help out in other ways too.
Monkeemoomoo is hosting a Dolly Drive, to make soft toys for local children who need a smile.
Bris-Style are holding a Handmade Ark Appeal, where you can buy directly from member's Etsy's shops with all money raised being donated.
Make It Perfect are hosting Auctions to raise funds, which start on Sunday.
RicRac is offering a beautiful giveaway - all you have to do to enter is make a donation to the appeal.
If you live anywhere near where rescue workers are, or people in evacuation centres, then do as Digella Emporium has suggested, and take some baked goodness (along with hand sanitiser) down to SES, Police and other volunteers.
I suppose that any other donations - clothes, furniture, bedding, etc - will be well received at a later stage. Once people can move back into their homes, and assess the damage - and clean up all that stinky flood mud.
I know, remembering other disasters in other communities, that it's the long term as much as the right now that matters. Look at your fabric stash, your bookshelf, your beautiful collection of vintage treasures and imagine it all g.o.n.e! For me, I think perhaps down the track a bit (once houses have been rebuilt) these may be the things that people will appreciate receiving. If you have fabric, yarns, knitting / crochet needles, books...... that you could part with to share with other people - perhaps you can start putting them aside for that day when someone in our community needs to have something to remind them anything other than the flood.
At this stage, I wouldn't know where to direct you to deliver or send these items - maybe in the next few weeks things will be clearer as to all the ways we can help.
I was really inspired by Anna Maria Horner's quilt drive, when her local community was affected by flooding last year. While I'm in no way a quilter, I am a sewer/crafter, and am trying to think of things that I can personally do to help someone (even just one family) start to rebuild their homes again.
{All my belongings are currently packed into boxes, ready to move out of the city. And while I feel it's trivial of me to say that I can't unpack to start making quilts or dolls or any number of other things; I also know that it's no use me promising to make something unless I physically can sit down and finish it. We do have lots of clothes, some furniture, kids books and soft toys that we will donate to whichever is the best place before we move. After that, I will start to make things as I can for people's homes - even a new cushion on their couch or a tea towel in their kitchen would be a welcome addition, I would think.}
*all photos taken either from the Green Bridge, UQ ST Lucia or Fairfield streets on 12th + 13th January, 2011.
flittering glittering flags of New Year love
Wishing you peace, love & light for the New Year.
Blessings for your dreams, wishes & little happiness
thoughts to keep your body, mind & soul nourished.
planning a new dress
We're heading off on our holiday in just a little time. {Sam + me, no kids, 4 glorious days of no kids. Did you hear that N.O. K.I.D.S!! And we're staying at a lush looking 4 star resort over the bay of Tauranga. Yah to the NZ-Aussie$ exchange rate}.
Going to my dear friends wedding. And a wedding is an excuse, no a need, really, for a new dress. Being a fabric + sewing + designing type of person I really have to make my own, don't I! No flitting off to buy some off-the-rack mass produced thing. Oh, no, not for me.
As I'm running out of time before we leave (and also planning our house packing, and still have to make the wedding gift) I'm designing something simple to make, with no darts and minimal zip / button hole details. I'm hoping to sit down tonight and start a prototype (a muslin or toile), so perhaps I'll have something to show you soon(ish...).
As we've got a new camera (oh it's lovely), I don't have any photos to show you of anything from our daily happenings. Still haven't worked out how to get the photos from the camera to my computer (think I might have to go via Sam's computer, which has more editing programs than me). So, I'm leaving you with a few images from wedding dress inspiration - things that are feeding ideas in my mind. It's a casual garden party wedding in Summer time NZ; so I'm aiming for something simple and pretty, enough twirl for dancing and walking through lush NZ fields and visiting a really very pretty.pretty.colourful.warm.bright.home. (and meet a blogger who I've loved reading).
I love the soft suppleness of this. The silk is just the most beautiful colour. Of course, I won't be using silk as I'm aiming to use what's in my fabric piles. (Some lovely herb-dyed organic cotton + vintage kimono pieces, perhaps).
This one is on a similar idea, but with more structure at the waist, which is what I need for my body. So the dress don't look, as my husband said, 'frumpy'.
And I can't believe how much I love love love this beauty. Even the colour (which would never work with my skin tone) is something I'd consider for another time.another dress. But I think it's the layer upon layer of tumbling frills.
*all images used with thanks from original sources.
Hopefully I'll be back soon with some photos of our holiday times.
wishes & peace
I want to thank all of you who visit and read this little blog. Who encourage me with your words, ideas, input and just being here. Thank you for another wonderful year of connections a(nd getting to know myself more.)
We are heading out of town for a week. A quiet (fingers crossed) Christmas in the bush (not our new home - we are house-sitting). Sam won't be joining us there until late on Christmas eve after he finishes work and drives down. So, it will be me and the kids.
I'm hoping to get some sewing finished for everyone in my family - some little things for the kids that I've been too sick to work on over the past few weeks. And just the teeniest little something for Sam too, nothing much really, as we are buying ourselves a new camera (and neither of us actually need anything!). I have piles of glorious fabric (this, this, this and this) that I am excited to be sewing up. I'm just planning simple things - lots of straight lines and not much need for brain use or complicated thought processes.
I don't think we'll have internet while we're away, so I won't be back in this space until some time next week when we are back home. (If the country internet works, then I'll be perhaps popping in with some fabric / sewing show+tell).
I wish you all beautiful holidays, time spent with family, friends and loved ones. Wishes of calm, thoughtfulness, peace, love and light to you all. And of course some delicious food, and the enjoyment of preparing and then sharing your holiday table.
With love, Ellie
{These are the little pouches that I ended up making for Ari's school class, as a farewell gift. Mishi and I filled them with a little bead, and Ari's love note. He handed them out on the last day of class, and I do think all the kids (plus the parents) quite liked them. They did take much longer than anticipated - though I'm realising that everything always does for me lately. I made about 25 or so, and I think they took me 2 - 3 hours (plus a whole lot more of procrastination about it and fabric choosing).}
tutus + gumboots
this is what ballerina-fairies look like. when it storms she's prepared for all manner of puddle jumping.
I do believe that shoes on the wrong feet does help with the puddle jumping. {Isn't it funny that despite the 50% chance of getting the shoe on the right foot, it often ends up on the wrong one. She's most definitely getting better at knowing, but it's always the cutest reminder when she gets it wrong that she really still is my little one. who-is-not-quickly-approaching-four, thank you very much!!}.
:: flying
I made these little bunting type flag things for our open studio day. So quick to stitch up - I used bias binding tape and a heap of fabric scraps left over from another project. I didn't plan or square or colour co-ordinate. I simply stitched and picked up the next fabric piece, and added it on as my machine flew down the line. It's very important to have projects that are quick, simple, with no worry about straight lines or good fits. The exact type of project my mind needed.
:: Lately I feel like I'm flying without a safety net. Or any proper landing gear. And I think I'm running out of fuel..... I wish I was gliding more elegantly. But I'm not. I'm spluttering about. Looking for a clear place to land - there are no clear places anywhere in sight {there's patchwork fields down there, made up of fabric projects in the works, or piles of fabric waiting to be started on, lego and more lego, drawings and Christmas cards, the final bits of work I need to do before I can pack up and go on holiday, the clothes to be put away - some to be sorted & given away.}.
Perhaps tomorrow I may see a clear field to land this little plane in. Or better yet, a strong breeze may come and lift me up - from under my wings and help me soar up into the cloudless sky. Perhaps.
on learning to breathe {embroidery with children}
This afternoon we got all my fabrics out (from the big piles of boxes that I brought home from the studio, in anticipation of sorting and organising and culling), to decide which ones we would use to make this little project. While we were planning what fabrics to mix&match, and how many girlish or boyish types ones we would need, we also talked about what gift we may make for the teachers.
I had originally suggested I would make some hand-cut-stencil screen printed tea towels, from the kid's drawings. Well, I ran out of time for that - with only two days left of the school year. We eventually decided on some little embroidered coasters for them to use in the classroom. (That's after Ash looked through my crafting books and presented me with numerous day-long, one yards' worth of fabric projects).
So, all afternoon we had the embroidery threads and some large eyed needles for the kids, and little embroidery hoops. And some lovely designs. I must say that I was totally amazed and impressed with how all three of them had changed since last time I embroidered with them (which I must admit was too long ago).
Ash got straight into it, threading his needle, and only needing help to tie knots and separate the six strand threads into three strands. He quickly finished one - a beautiful spiral - and set about putting his other fabric into place on the hoop, and then completed his next one with even more thought and concentration - a bird with mountains in the background.
Ari decided that he didn't want to make coasters; instead he made a piece to hang on the wall, that will stay in the wooden hoop. He needed help threading the needle and tying knots but no help at all with the size or length of his stitches. Straight away he knew what design he wanted, and thought carefully about the colours and placement of stitches. Last time he sat and did embroidery he continued to loop the thread around the wooden hoop, meaning lots of work for me to have to unstitch the errors and keep fixing it; and lots of frustration from him. This time there were only two times that happened, and Ash managed to fix it each time, with no frustration from Ari.
Mishi took it upon herself to make a wall piece as well, and happily stitched little blops of colour and threads around her fabric, and sometimes around the hoop as well. At one stage I looked over and noticed she had new colour on her needle - she had cut the thread to length and threaded the needle all on her own. She kept on happily the whole time, cutting and rethreading the colours she wanted, telling the boys 'just do it like I am'.
I only wish I could have had a few more moments of sitting and enjoying it with them, rather than being constantly asked to snip threads of change colours and rethread the needle or get more fabric, and some other thing. It was a noisy afternoon indeed. But, much more relaxing than any other activity we've done for quite a while, and with wonderful looks of concentration and thought about what each teacher would like. Learning to stop and breathe, to not worry about the things I'm not doing, and enjoy what I am doing. That's my constant lesson - if I only have one moment in each day that is more than nothing.
I didn't, of course, actually get the time to start cutting the pieces for the school kid gifts. And so declared to Ari that we would not being giving any of the kids gifts, as I would prefer to spend my time making something for him (or another family member) than for 25+ school kids. {What a mean mumma I am! Or perhaps one who is thinking a little more sensibly than the one who offered to make such gifts with only 2-3 days left of school term....}.
{no embroidery session would be complete without Barbie and a kid-made plane}
So, anyway - I will be turning Ashey's little pieces into coasters, and Ari's will need backings on them to use as wall hangings. If I get up early enough in the morning, they may be able to give them as gifts tomorrow.
PS - this fabric arrived today in the post. What fast service and beautifully wrapped little piece. Oh, I can't wait for the rest* to arrive (tomorrow??). I'm so excited about the quilt making.... think I will really have to make one for myself as well.
stuff and more stuff
moving, and having to pack up our things, our stuff, our possessions......
are they our life?
do possessions + things = life?
next year we will be living in a very small one room house, while we build our slightly bigger home. we will be storing things in a shipping container, as we cannot store everything in our 'little house', and we are not ready to give up all our possessions/stuff.
some stuff we are planning on giving away, or selling, or will donate. our couch, which has served us well for the past 10 - 11 years won't be coming down with us. as comfy as it is, we have out grown it style wise, and will either make or find another one when we have a new loungeroom in a year's time.
also our tv - i am actually very excited about giving this up. we will have minimal electricity, due to solar power and no mains power at either our little house or our new home. i am sad + ashamed to say that tv has become too much a part of the daily life of our family, so i am very glad to be saying goodbye to it. {we will, i'm quite sure, get a new smaller one at some stage down the track. but i'm hoping hoping hoping that living in the country with endless things to do and play we will not want to watch very much}.
things like books and the treasures that we collect will be the hardest to think about getting rid of. books are a lifeline to me. something i grew up loving and cherishing; my parents instilled a deep connection to books and the stories and adventures they provide. i love going to visit at my dad's, and sitting at his book shelves and just looking looking looking. {i am very pleased to be moving closer to these bookshelves, and being able to borrow more books more often!}.
we will keep our books, and plan to build some wonderful shelves designed perfectly for storing and showing off books.
i know we have a lot of display/collection things - little bottles and ornaments and things like that. they hold special meanings to me, so i'm not sure i'll able to part with them. but i am planning on having (building) a cupboard in the new home that will house these things, and i can choose and edited collection to put on display. rather than having everything all at once; which is what we mostly have now.
with the time of 'giving', yet mostly 'receiving' (for the children) upon us, i am trying and trying to educate our children, and remind ourselves, that we don't need more and more things. little conversations with the children about why they think they need a new toy, or some other something else. it is hard for children, as they like the whole giving and receiving and unwrapping and excitement of it all. {and to be honest, as adults we do too - i love thinking about a special gift to give someone, and then taking the time to choose a fabric to wrap it in, and tying it up, and making a card for them. what i don't like is the guilt of gift buying, and the shopping centres, and the way that gifts are often chosen out of desperation, not long-thought. i don't like all that money being spent on made.in.china plastic items from major department stores. when there are countless other more ethical, environment, sustainable, community options.}
this year, with my family - as in other years - we are not giving gifts. nothing for the adults or the children. i mean my siblings, and nieces and nephews. instead us sisters (the mums) are taking the kids (the cousins) for a day out to a special place, with a picnic and lots of fun. it will be a surprise location for the kids, to add to the excitement of it all for them. also, we are probably going to give a gift from World Vision Smiles. a pig, or a goat, some chickens, pencils or school supplies, a cow, or a beehive are all wonderful options that will help out a whole community, they are fun items that my kids can have a connection to (and also understand how it can make a difference and what it can give to another child), and they cost no more (often less) than would generally be spent in the major department stores.
of course. there will be some handcrafted goodness. but that's another story. this is the story of stuff. (a ramble in fact....)
have you seen this. go now and have a look at the story of stuff. she's got lots of other ones to look at as well, so i'll understand if you take a while over there. but come back for some more ramble, hey!
about more stuff. yesterday i picked up my fabric and bits and pieces (nice words for "stuff") from the studio. there is a lot of fabric there. it will take up a lot of space in the shipping container, won't it. hmmmmm. what to do about all this stuff. the collection of stuff.
i am planning on spending the next week or so (until we go and housesit at a friend's house in bush) sorting through my stuff. editing and culling and boxing up things. i am sure there will be big piles that i'm willing to part with; i'm hoping anyway. and perhaps some decluttering (another word for getting rid of "stuff") of my fabrics and notions that you may be interested in adding to your own collection of stuff. {ie - i am planning on selling + giveaway some of those big piles of fabric over the next month, so stayed tuned}.
just my little ramble about stuff and possessions and the craziness of gift giving at this time of year. before you go and buy something, stop and think about it. where it came from, how it was made, what it's lifetime is, what will happen with it in 6 months time. think about the real needs of the person who are giving your gift to. even your neighbours or those people who you feel you 'have' to give a gift to, will understand and perhaps even really appreciate you giving a goat or a wind up torch to a child in need on behalf of them. and in the process you'll be educating someone else about the story of stuff, and reminding them + yourself that you have the power to say no to more stuff.
there - a motto for those who managed to read the whole way through this. you have the power to say no to stuff!
*all images from the Smiles Gift Catalogue.
are they our life?
do possessions + things = life?
next year we will be living in a very small one room house, while we build our slightly bigger home. we will be storing things in a shipping container, as we cannot store everything in our 'little house', and we are not ready to give up all our possessions/stuff.
some stuff we are planning on giving away, or selling, or will donate. our couch, which has served us well for the past 10 - 11 years won't be coming down with us. as comfy as it is, we have out grown it style wise, and will either make or find another one when we have a new loungeroom in a year's time.
also our tv - i am actually very excited about giving this up. we will have minimal electricity, due to solar power and no mains power at either our little house or our new home. i am sad + ashamed to say that tv has become too much a part of the daily life of our family, so i am very glad to be saying goodbye to it. {we will, i'm quite sure, get a new smaller one at some stage down the track. but i'm hoping hoping hoping that living in the country with endless things to do and play we will not want to watch very much}.
things like books and the treasures that we collect will be the hardest to think about getting rid of. books are a lifeline to me. something i grew up loving and cherishing; my parents instilled a deep connection to books and the stories and adventures they provide. i love going to visit at my dad's, and sitting at his book shelves and just looking looking looking. {i am very pleased to be moving closer to these bookshelves, and being able to borrow more books more often!}.
we will keep our books, and plan to build some wonderful shelves designed perfectly for storing and showing off books.
i know we have a lot of display/collection things - little bottles and ornaments and things like that. they hold special meanings to me, so i'm not sure i'll able to part with them. but i am planning on having (building) a cupboard in the new home that will house these things, and i can choose and edited collection to put on display. rather than having everything all at once; which is what we mostly have now.
with the time of 'giving', yet mostly 'receiving' (for the children) upon us, i am trying and trying to educate our children, and remind ourselves, that we don't need more and more things. little conversations with the children about why they think they need a new toy, or some other something else. it is hard for children, as they like the whole giving and receiving and unwrapping and excitement of it all. {and to be honest, as adults we do too - i love thinking about a special gift to give someone, and then taking the time to choose a fabric to wrap it in, and tying it up, and making a card for them. what i don't like is the guilt of gift buying, and the shopping centres, and the way that gifts are often chosen out of desperation, not long-thought. i don't like all that money being spent on made.in.china plastic items from major department stores. when there are countless other more ethical, environment, sustainable, community options.}
this year, with my family - as in other years - we are not giving gifts. nothing for the adults or the children. i mean my siblings, and nieces and nephews. instead us sisters (the mums) are taking the kids (the cousins) for a day out to a special place, with a picnic and lots of fun. it will be a surprise location for the kids, to add to the excitement of it all for them. also, we are probably going to give a gift from World Vision Smiles. a pig, or a goat, some chickens, pencils or school supplies, a cow, or a beehive are all wonderful options that will help out a whole community, they are fun items that my kids can have a connection to (and also understand how it can make a difference and what it can give to another child), and they cost no more (often less) than would generally be spent in the major department stores.
of course. there will be some handcrafted goodness. but that's another story. this is the story of stuff. (a ramble in fact....)
have you seen this. go now and have a look at the story of stuff. she's got lots of other ones to look at as well, so i'll understand if you take a while over there. but come back for some more ramble, hey!
about more stuff. yesterday i picked up my fabric and bits and pieces (nice words for "stuff") from the studio. there is a lot of fabric there. it will take up a lot of space in the shipping container, won't it. hmmmmm. what to do about all this stuff. the collection of stuff.
i am planning on spending the next week or so (until we go and housesit at a friend's house in bush) sorting through my stuff. editing and culling and boxing up things. i am sure there will be big piles that i'm willing to part with; i'm hoping anyway. and perhaps some decluttering (another word for getting rid of "stuff") of my fabrics and notions that you may be interested in adding to your own collection of stuff. {ie - i am planning on selling + giveaway some of those big piles of fabric over the next month, so stayed tuned}.
just my little ramble about stuff and possessions and the craziness of gift giving at this time of year. before you go and buy something, stop and think about it. where it came from, how it was made, what it's lifetime is, what will happen with it in 6 months time. think about the real needs of the person who are giving your gift to. even your neighbours or those people who you feel you 'have' to give a gift to, will understand and perhaps even really appreciate you giving a goat or a wind up torch to a child in need on behalf of them. and in the process you'll be educating someone else about the story of stuff, and reminding them + yourself that you have the power to say no to more stuff.
there - a motto for those who managed to read the whole way through this. you have the power to say no to stuff!
*all images from the Smiles Gift Catalogue.
G+T season
Did you know that we've hit upon G+T season..... well, except that I have soda instead of tonic. But a G+S doesn't sound the same does it; how about just gin & lime.
Despite the rain, and none of those sweltering Brisbane Summer afternoons having arrived yet; it's still been lovely cutting the lime and pouring out a glass of soda, then topping it with a (rather biggish) splash of gin.
The other day we bought a new drink, for the kids + me to have a taste. Black cherry was a bad choice, tasted like medicine. So, I added it to my gin & lime, and it was a lovely, though a bit unusual, taste. I'm going to admit that I did buy the cherry pop because of the retro bottle. We'll taste the grape flavour next time.
I hope your festive season has started with some good and relaxing traditions that require you to sit down and enjoy the sky, birds, and a moment or two of quiet.
*these photos were taken at night time, so have a bit of a dark feel.
things for {other} kids
Ari and I have been talking, for a short while (as I'm not too organised with the gift doing this year), about what he might want to give any of the kids from his class as little end of year treasures. Generally I'm not much in for having to give gifts to random (as in 23+) kids, especially as christmas gifts. But, I'm thinking of it more as the fact that he's had a great year at school, and they really are a lovely bunch of little kids (5-6yr olds), and that we're not going to be here next year.
I haven't been able to think of anything that a) doesn't cost a heap of money to buy/make b) doesn't take me hours and hours of thought and making process & c) isn't something that they'll either throw in a corner in their room, to become a pile of stuff.
We all know how those piles of stuff build up.
And then, I came across this lovely tutorial. Quick, easy, colourful, I can use basically whatever fabrics I have in my stash, and make a whole stack in a few hours. This is perfect for little kids - they can store treasures, collecting cards, stones, or sweet little hankies. I am not a tissue person - in case you haven't guessed that aspect about me (one less wasted tissue, I think) - so I'll be searching for some (cheap) but pretty hankies to include in this pouches. I suppose I could sew up my own hankies; but what sort of fabric would I use??
If you have any other ideas of things I could make, instead, please let me know. I'm planning on bringing my sewing machine home from the studio, and will have to get these made over the next few days. As there is one week of school left. WOW - that's gone so quickly....
PS - it's raining again, here. Sylv + I have decided not to do the Southbank YDM today, as I really don't want my clothing range to get wet and damp in our soggy weather. There's no end to the rain anytime soon....
*images used with kind thanks from Sew Mama Sew & JCasa *handmade. Thanks Jennifer for this perfectly timed tutorial. And weather radar from Bureau of Meteorology.
new spaces
We have visitors staying at our home, for a few days.
Some very good friends from Cairns, who will be moving back to Japan (via a white + cold Christmas in Canada).
They are staying in our sun room.guest room.office space.
As I can't be separated from my dear little computer (mainly you my little blog + email) I have moved myself out of the office space and set up in the front room.
It's nice having a new space to be in. With no piles of (unpaid) bills and bits and pieces of stuff piled up beside me {like on my proper desk}.
The mirror behind is a little distracting. I am not so used to looking at myself, or having to ignore looking at myself. But perhaps it's not a bad thing to do for a few days. I did take these photos last night, as I could see myself in the mirror from the glow of the computer screen.
Anyway, I just wanted to show you my new little space that I'll be occupying for the next few days. Well, for moments over the next few days anyway. There's a bbq to organise, and a market to pack the car for, and a workshop to present {I'm excited as I'll have a good friend there, who I haven't seen for a while}.
I do quite like this little set-up. I enjoy being able to rearrange my house as I like, each day or week. Sam is used to coming home from work and finding things have been moved around. A whole room rearranged in one day. Isn't that fun to do.
Without the computer, this table in our front room looks slightly glamourous. I've been enjoying coming in and seeing it with tidy surfaces and spot to sit and read.
........
i am tired.
ari woke me at 4.30am. it was so light outside (Summer is here, afterall), that i thought it was closer to 6am. but it wasn't.
he climbed into bed beside me. and sniffled and wiggled for an hour or so. got up and down. and out and in. and snuggled up to me. with his warm little body.
at 6am the alarm went off.
we all got up.
sam made coffee. which we sat and drank, in the front room.
mishi got up some time later, while i was washing the dishes from the night before.
i am tired. off to bed now. to sleep. tomorrow is another big day of things to do. things to plan and think about. school lunch to make. washing to do (and hopefully no rain so it can dry). an end of school afternoon event to make food for (one week left of prep - can you believe that!!!).
{these are taken on my computer camera. no lights in this room. except the glow of the computer.}