I made this! {linen & metallic}

I made this little soft sculptural crochet bowl. It's the most beautiful waxy linen thread, and I stitched metallic yarn thread through it as I was working, as well as some other scraps of yarns and off-cuts of threads. 

It feels just perfect in my hands. And is holding my crochet stones and bits and pieces. 

Now I want crochet baskets / bowls everywhere, for everything. {well, except maybe not for my breakfast eating}. 

I need to work out how to make them firmer, sit straighter and not so floppy and soft. Of course, that's all to do with the materials I make it with. So - explorations into what I crochet with coming over the next few weeks. 

I am on a search for copper yarn that I can stitch with. Something that's not too thick and heavy, but also not too fine. A jeweller's wire perhaps? This thread (above) is good to work with something else, but isn't copper wire or anything. But it does give the most satisfying shimmer and sparkle to the natural linen texture. 

What are you working on lately? 

What's making you happy this week?

Would you be interested in a tutorial for this little crochet bowl? 

Enjoy your week my friends, 

E xxx

the trees // the forest

 

Living in the forest is as much a part of our lives and who we are and who we become, as is living in a city. The way people talk about (only in the movies) New York being more than just a city, is how I feel about this forest of ours.

She's a towering wonderment.
Encircling us.
Protecting us.
Sometimes secluding us (five trees fell onto our driveway during the January storms, meaning we couldn't get out. Hmmm - no pictures, what was I thinking!).
Educating us.

And yet, we are nothing to do with it at all.
These trees. This forest has been here long before us, and will be here long after us.
The tree that grows majestically beside our home is older than me, as old as my dad, but will go on living for another century if it is left alone.
These trees are babies compared to how big they can grow. They'll become fat giant towers.

I stand in my garden and look all about. Up and up and up. And there one only has to look and be to breathe again. The sun comes out and the birds sing and sing to their hearts content. Or when it rains and rains and everything grows and grows in this tropical climate.

It doesn't matter what I do today. For tomorrow this will still be here, reminding me to stand tall and breathe deep.

a + m

 I am making some changes to this very old blog that I once wrote on about the kids. Have decided we will start using it again, though differently. I won't delete what is already there - but as the 'abouts' will change, I wanted to keep them here as a memory. And also to make me take the time to record those little creatures of mine more and more. 

Was: 2009

A is 5.
He likes to draw and invent things.
He just received his very own camera for his birthday.
He is currently collecting parts to make a rocket ship, with his cousin.
He reads stories about dinosaurs and spaceships.

M is 2 1/2.
She likes fairies and princesses and all things pink.
She likes to draw.
She likes to read stories to her baby dolls.
She designs clothes with her mum's fabric scraps.
She is helping her brother, A, collect parts for his rocket ship.

Now: 2013
A is 8 1/2
He loves reading and can devour books in a day or so.
He is an explorer of all things.
He likes to invent and talk about inventing. Today he said 'if you believe it can work, then it can'.
He is sometimes shy, but is good at talking with adults and asking for help. He likes ordering at the restaurant, when he feels comfortable.
He says to me "mama can I ask you something", and I know he will want a cuddle. He is such a cuddly and affectionate boy.

M is 6.
She still likes fairies and things pink and purple. But she likes other colours now as well.
She loves drawing, and is very skilled at foxes and clothing and people.
She is writing and illustrating a book about some foxes.
She makes clothes for her Barbies and her dolls, using fabric or tissues, or wrapping paper, or even simply just washi tape.
She helps her brother sort the parts when they play Lego.

* The other blog may take a few weeks to get worked on, and start being regularly posted to. I hope that both of the children will be active on it as well. I will let you know. 

feeling floral

Summer is over! Yep. Done. And it rained most of the time. 

My garden, what there was of it, is a big overgrown heap of weeds and grass and green. It's surely looking lush. And moss and lichen really are super pretty. But what I'm craving most right now are some blooms. Oh yes oh yes. 

I keep seeing Spring happening all over Instagram (another of the wonderful things about the web is being able to experience other climates and destinations without leaving home). It's so wonderful seeing flowers opening and new fresh beginnings. 

Here the leaves have slowly started turning. The peach trees and the persimmon trees are the first. Almost as soon as Autumn arrived, the baby persimmon tree started to change it's hair. And I love that. 

But this here is really what I want. To brighten these grey gloomy days that have been dragging on for oh a teeny bit too long for most of us around here.

*All images can be found on my Floral pinterest board, with links to sources. {my internet doesn't like these rainy conditions and is being too temperamental for individual linking}.

it's been a while {this post is dedicated to the letter 'c'}

concrete
crochet
overflowing creeks.

 

that is my life at the moment.
rain rain and more rain.
the creeks have been swollen for what seems like years and years.

We have been flooded numerous times, school was closed one day and other days we simply didn't go at all.

Between the rainy moments we have been mixing and pouring concrete. Making walls for our living room. They are taking much longer than necessary - I cannot know the reason why; there surely are lessons there somewhere...... We are plodding on and on to get the walls made and finished. For once we have walls we can lay the floor and put in doors and windows, and then ceiling lining. And then. Oh and then.

a room. a space.

Will be ready for us to move into. Something new and fresh. And made by our hands, and the hands of our family (my dad and my brother-in-law and us). 

And then we will make our kitchen. And who knows we may even be moved in before my good good best best friend visits from New Zealand in 6 weeks. 

(a girl can always dream, can't she....). 

In between the concreting I have been crocheting. What else is one to do when the rain continues to pour and fall and fill up the yard. Tea drinking and crochet seem to have become big past times at the moment; And I am not complaining!

Thank you for those of you who keep visiting here. I always hope to come back more often, and life may have some changes over the next months so I may have more of a routine and therefore be able to visit here more. Here's hoping it all happens as planned. Here's hoping you can visit again soon, and I can be here and we can share tea and crochet and stories and laughs. How are you? I do miss you all when I can't be here; let me know how you are, won't you xxx

*as usual, you can find me on Instagram, search @petalplum

stitching things together

Late last night I started stitching this little piece.
Black linen (a tea towel) with white-ish silk thread.
Sashiko style stitches.

I was thinking of my Cumulus Purses from years ago as I formed it.
Stitching by hand - the whole piece.

Oh golly. How can come thread and fabric stitched together make me feel so full and happy.

I plan this year to do more of What Makes Me Happy.
And thread and yarn do so make me happy.

Will you join in, in making happy xxx

I would like to organise some making creating gathering events - stitching friendship / making happy / eating delicious afternoon tea. Would you be interested in joining in, coming along, bringing your friends, making new friends. Creative Gatherings - an idea I'm working on with my neighbour.

the sacrificial lamb :: but not wool

So there are only a handful of days left until the end of month one of 2013. hmmmm. well. um..

The other day my neighbour said that January is like the sacrificial lamb.

And maybe she's right. It's been all about the holidays and just being with the kids and dealing with their needs (and their moans and their wants and and and......). But I'm just being with it. Have learnt that fighting it is no use; I neither get anything done nor feel good. So this way at least I'm feeling at peace with just being, and having lots of wonderful laughs with my family.

Which means that my 5 things list really isn't gonna happen. Nup. Giving that up. February it is for all the work stuff and making and me time.

So, what have I been doing. Well some of this. And it's been fun and my whole family is loving it and getting excited about it. Even the cat. Yep - the cat is excited about my crochet tshirt yarn rug.

I've had the start of this sitting in the cupboard for well over a year waiting patiently. The other day for no reason at all I pulled it out of the basket and started cutting up more tshirts and starting hooking. And kept on going. 

I've been told, by the tallest person in our family, that it needs to be big enough to lay on. I'll be needing some more tshirts from said person's cast-offs then, I do think.

This rug is a good use of old tshirts and a wonderful new addition to your floor. So quick and easy to stitch up as well - though do be prepared for lots of furry tshirt bits all over you and the floor (maybe don't be wearing black). I can write a tutorial if you want, but I do think that there's probably lots out there if you do a search. Also, mostly I'm just making it up and adding extra stitches as I see fit (and sometimes unpicking a little if need be). It's simple single and double crochet, using a size 10 crochet hook and hand-cut tshirt yarn. If you don't know how to cut your own tshirt yarn; well there's lots of videos and instructions for that as well. Oh this internet thing sure is good isn't it!!!

I haven't even managed to barely get onto my computer these past days, but perhaps I'll be back soon with some other little home-makings I've been doing.

Maybe it's not so much a sacrificial lamb as the making of yarns and tales {tails} with my own little lamblets. What do you think? 

*and before you ask - my kids are every bit as internet aware as you or I (probably more so really). They know that photos of one's feet is very bloggish/IGer-ish, so of course they wanted to do that. And of course, I obliged.

////

The magnolia is blooming.
I can smell the perfume when I walk outside.
And inside as well, one bloom in a simple vase. Oh - the things that can make one smile and a tear well in my eye too.

A little bee was taking nectar. Full yellow pollen on it's back legs. Oh little bee.

Friday is my mama's birthday. I am thinking I will perhaps bake a cake for her. To think of her. And talk about her with my little ones. Maybe we'll light a candle and smile and cry a little too.

My mama planted this magnolia tree many moons ago. A lifetime ago, in fact. And now here it is, keeping me company in my here and now lifetime.

What things keep you in the past. In a good way. A simple jig to remind me.
What is it that brings a tear and a smile?

5 things

I can't really believe it's already the middle of January, almost anyway. How did that happen??!! A whole lot of sweltering hot days, and kids-in-holiday-mode whinging surely didn't help with my creative productivity. I think I keep waiting for back to school when I have my head to myself again. Whereas at the moment every seven seconds someone needs me, or something from me. If I go outside or sit in a quiet corner (trying to hide) there's the call of "mama, mum, where are you?". You know that call don't you!

So. As a way to get those plans and goals that are floating in my head out into to reality, I thought that if I blogged about them, then I'd be more likely to get things done. School holidays and whinging kids or not. Maybe? Let's see!

Here's 5 things I'd like to achieve before January is over:

1. Have my new website ready for launching. So share with you what I'm working on. 

2. Have new stock made for said website launch. There will be crochet rocks, for sure. There will be. There will be.

3. Start proper planning on the new workshops and lessons I'd like to present this year. Screen printing workshops, perhaps sewing classes, and also maybe (just maybe) continue on with the creative talks we had happening last year at the Hey Maker! shop.

4. Start, oh, please at least start, the makings (or perhaps solid plannings) of a new outfit for myself. I'd like to make at least one new outfit a month, this year. What shall I start on? Tell me your favourite clothing patterns, please - I do so need a new dress.

5. Write and re-test at least one crochet rock tutorial.

Ok. Sounds simple enough. Though really there's a lot there. I know it's high hopes getting all that done. But to get a start would be great. Less time on instagram might help a teeny bit as well.......

Have you got things you're itching to get done?

What's stopping you? Are you blaming the kids, or the weather (too hot / too cold / too windy), or the lack of space to do your making? 

Tell me, please please do, how do you overcome those hurdles to get your making made?

*I finished this crochet piece today. If the light is good tomorrow, there may even be a tutorial for it and what I did with the finished piece, this week.

{sunset} what do you wish for?

as the sun set on the final day of the year, we gathered at the river's edge to spend time with family. with the cousins. and my sisters. we missed my brother, who lives so far away.

we had a simple meal of hot chips, and fish (for those few who eat fish). a perfect way to see out the see and think about the new year. a swig of sweet cider. the kids running and playing and climbing trees. me with my crochet work in my hand. a blanket spread on the grass for all to lounge and relax and chatter.

we went home after dark. after watching this most glorious of sun sets across the river. the colour changing each single split second of a moment. more glorious and vibrant and amazing than any photo editing program could enhance. we did not watch fireworks - who needs coloured gunpowder shooting into the sky after a display such as this!!

we drove home and climbed into bed, much earlier than mid-night. and awoke with a new day beginning. a new year beginning. new dreams and plans and wishes and intentions beginning.

i asked my family what they wished for this year. all three of them said the house built / a bedroom for myself. me? i wished for world peace! ha - actually i wished for family peace and contentment.

what do you wish for?

things about living in the country

We're not necessarily getting better at this country living thing, but it is getting easier. Bit by bit. 

All the times I think of complaining, of the living in this tiny little shack with no bedrooms, and no bathroom, and no sewing room, and not spare.space.for.ourselves.whatsoever. Every time I want to complain, I go outside and look around. Up and down and out and in. All around. 

Those are the wonderful and good and ever so amazing parts of living in the country. {We do not live in the 'country-side', instead we live in the forest or bush}.

Looking up I see the trees stretching for years and years into the sky. This tree that lives and grows right near where we have chosen to also plant ourselves is more than 80 years old. It looks like a dinosaur tree, covered in moss and ferns and orchids. With little birds building their own lives within the spiky leaves. And also a giant goanna that climbs up the rough bark and slips into the massive basket ferns that live there. 

Looking down I see tiny ferns and moss and fungi. Ants and beetles. Leaves and buds and twigs fallen. The earth beneath my feet is the same earth that my mother walked upon. And I walked upon with my siblings when I was young. 

Looking all around I see this circle of trees that we live in. Like a fairy circle with trees around us in a ring of life. And the birds that call this valley home. I am trying to encourage the kids to draw each bird they see on our daily adventures. There's lots of birds, and I do think it would make a beautiful journal seen through the kids' hand drawings.

Right now, as I type this, there is a carpet snake in our kitchen. Yes. Yes. You read correctly. A snake curled up in the corner behind a cupboard in our actual kitchen. Remember, we live in a shack with lots of easy-to-access broken windows and chinks in the wall (our kitchen has stone wall in some parts). A carpet python isn't poisonous or dangerous. She has sat there quietly all day, and simply wants to go outside. I think she came in last night during the storm. Our cat will not venture into the kitchen; we had to feed him in the loungeroom! It's good having a snake in the kitchen as it keeps the native mice and rats away. 

Driving to the creek, the kids sit in the boot of the car. No seatbelts. Or perhaps sit on my lap while I drive, turning the steeringwheel as I drive. These things are ok in the country. We don't have traffic jams on our way to town; we have cows across the road, or geese honking at you. One day a turtle was sitting on the road and I had to help it back to the creek. You must slow down for birds. And laugh at the brush turkeys racing across the road. 

Looking up I see the stars. Every star in the sky shines brightly at night. Twinkling and shimmering on us. At night when you go outside you need a torch. We go outside every night - we have no inside toilet. Sometimes cold in Winter, but always so much more beautiful than a regular indoor bathroom. {And not as cold as here!!!}

There are other, oh so many other, good and wonderful things about living in the country. I am counting my blessings to live here, and enjoy all the good and wonderful things about it.

*these sunflowers are from my neighbours garden. She threw handfuls of seeds into a well dug patch - the flower head seeds are intended for chicken feed once they are spent. We did have sunflowers last Summer, and I *intend* to have a flowering garden again this year. Last year was busy with being away from home, and my whole garden suffered badly. 

ah Summer days......

We are right in the thick of school holidays right now.

It's been a good mix of sleeping-in and being woken up super early (ummmm 4am on Christmas morning!)

Bed time has been stretched past regular time - I blame day-light-savings for that. High Summer in day-light-savings doesn't get dark until 8.30 or so.

Our days have been taken up with seeing family, and just hanging out. Lots of swimming in the creek - each day the kids get better and better at their swimming. And we all sit and build towers and waterfalls with the rocks. One of the best family experiences is to sit for hours (minutes, who knows - you loose time when rock-moving) and rearrange rocks to form new water-ways along the creek. The other day we saw an eel down stream and all sat crouched peering under the rocks trying to get a better view. 

Meals have been easy and quick - salads and various forms of simple extras (tofu, fresh corn, vege sausages, fritters). Of course one or the other of the kids whinges at salad, but us adults make it anyway and pile up their plates and encourage them to eat. 

It's been hot some days, and mild the next - always humid. We have luckily missed the heat waves they've been having down south. A big Summer storm last night, with crazy lightning and thunder so close it shook the house. We slept while the clouds argued and clashed and banged. And the rain fell (not enough to flush the creek out of all the fallen leaves, or water the ground, but some).

Small bits of stitching and crochet work have been happening around family life. Sometimes into the quiet of the evening working with my hands (sometimes with a g+t to accompany it, and a good conversation with my man). Hopefully within a week or so I'll have something decent to show you.

Ah Summer days. You are good. Swimmers hanging on the line to dry, sarongs being worn around the house. A cold beer always in the fridge. 

things i am doing

They are all playing Lego. Do you know / like / remember that noise of scraping through the Lego box? Oh, it's a sound from childhood for me. It makes me super happy that my husband loves Lego as much as I did; actually more. He was a Lego champion. He enjoys spending hours with the kids sitting on the floor scraping through the box to find the perfect piece of Lego to add to the construction. He teaches the kids about building and how to make strength in their makings. It's a good thing. 

{though, did you know that there are giant garbage patches of Lego and plastic spread across our Oceans? Crazy scary isn't that! Best to buy your Lego from Ebay or at op-shops, or make sure to pass your Lego down to the next generation - maybe the neighbours or your niece or nephew. Girls love Lego too, you know!}

That's what they're doing. 

What I am doing is this: {not all at once, of course!}

Business by Design - helping push me and giving me some extra tips.

Making a new website - new things, new beginnings, new ideas, new motivation.

Adding this to my to-do plan list - this is the year of dedicated blogging around here!

Re-reading this, and re-doing it all

Planning some tutorials for this blog - anything you want to see that I make? Let me know. 

Sending love and thoughts and hopeful wishes to all those near the bush fires.

Taking notice of the wonderful things in my life. 

Counting my blessings. 

Aiming to do daily yoga, with my little one beside me. She does naked yoga - my mama would have loved that!

Also, deciding what I might nibble for second breakfast/snack/lunch today........

That's what I'm doing...... What are you doing?

a list of things

I am not writing / making new year's resolutions. Mainly because I never actually keep them. And because I've been trying and trying to write something down and can't narrow any "real" resolutions to make. Instead I've decided to just make a list of things to do this year. Sounds a whole lot easier, doesn't it? Can't really 'break' a list can I! 

So, here goes. My list of things I want to do this year :

+ make myself a whole heap of new clothes. I really need a new wardrobe - to get rid of some things, and bring in new things. I'll probably start a pinterest board of things to make (when my dodgy country internet will let me actually pin things!).

+ finish a quilt or stitched blanket thing. Perhaps maybe, just maybe maybe, overcome my fear of binding and do that as well. 

+ regular yoga doing will be good too. Probably mainly at home, but maybe also at a yoga class. 

+ writing - more writing (on this blog, and in a journal, and also for magazines maybe as well). 

+ update / relaunch my website. I am "rebranding" myself this year; currently working on a new website and new things to put on said website. 

+ go on at least one date with my husband. One date in a whole year would be nice, wouldn't it. I think maybe last year we did manage to go on one date...... did we?

+ do more making - art doing, craft making, screen printing, stitching, drawing, painting, photographing, dyeing....... Just making and creating.

+ do it on my own - and with the kids. Making that is!

+ be more organised. And less rushed and ill-prepared. Plan and tidy and be on time, rather than rushing-to-the-finish-line.

+ also crochet work - I'd like to make (finish) a blanket or rug or wearable item. Not only crochet stones and crochet spoons. Though things like that are good too, as they make me happy. 

+ more hand written notes and letters. Yes that sounds good. 

+ more photos. Better photos. Planned photos - planned photo shoots. {also backing up and saving all photos, and also putting them into books. Maybe from blurb}. 

+ spending time with other makers / artists who inspire me and get me. Oh - that's a good list thing.

A good list to start. Maybe I'll add to it. Or take things off it. Maybe I'll be able to cross things off it, as in done and done things. Yes yes. 

Have you made a list?

Or perhaps new year resolutions? 

What are you planning or doing this year? Shall we share and enjoy and encourage each other? That would be good.

us

there have been many challenges in our lives lately.
but always i have these people - and it doesn't matter if voices are raised, and tensions are fraught.
a simple single cuddle
a smile
an early morning chat
a hand held while walking
a single moment after dinner while walking down the street of some silly photos in front an excellent wall in our town.

those little things make up for everything.

here's wishing simple moments of peace and love in your days.

chocolate icecream and ......

I am eating chocolate icecream, while my family is all tucked up in bed (including the cat who has been sleeping on a piece of my fabric on a box for the last three days; he's only been up for food as far as we can tell). 

I should be writing my speech for tomorrow's school presentation. I am expected to speak in front of the whole assembly, important p&c president type things - not sure it's something I can wing, so I should write some words down on paper.

This week on instagram I followed a little theme that was happening, choosing 4 of my favourite photos from 2012. While I can never choose 4 favourites, what I found while looking through my massive archive was that the images that spoke to me most were of these crochet stones and also of my natural plant dyeing and stitch work. These images jumped out at me, sang to me. Make me realise that these are the things that have made me most creatively fulfilled this year past. And that I want to focus and dedicate and commit to doing more of next year. 

I am waiting until after Christmas to start any new year's resolutions, as I'm busy up till that point. But I have made a "my crochet stones" pinterest board, and intend to add many many images to that over the coming months. More crochet stones in life I do believe will be a good thing. And if they are crocheted using my own naturally plant dyed yarns, then that is even better. The best thing I think will be if those stones scatter off to live in other homes and find their way into the hearts of other people. 

What do you think about that? 

What made you happy, content, creatively fulfilled this year? 

Was it something as simple as a little creek or beach pebble. Oh golly - I really am simple of heart, aren't I? and that I feel is a good good thing. 

*second image is from Lisa Mitchell's blog. I do like that little saying - makes me think that big things are inside me, ready to grow.

an Instagram version of finding the silver lining

This past year has been so busy and full and running in circles that it's taken me a while to take notice of all the amazing wonderful that has happened. 

So much wonderful. 

I have met and become friends with some people who I feel I will be real true friends with for ever. That's probably the best thing ever. 

People who get me, who want to get me, who want to learn to know me, who want to hang out with me, and who like what I do. 

Isn't that pretty bl**dy cool!!!

I'm at the point now where I'm thinking.planning.writing.dreaming.deciding what direction to work towards next year. In terms of creative-ness, and craftiness, and making, and doing. In terms of making a business out of what I like to do, and what I can do, and what I have been doing.

The meeting of some of these people is spurring me in directions I think I would never have considered moving in. That's good. That's excellent. Having inspiration and motivation from other creative people.

I wanted to share just a small snippit of the creative wonderful-ness I'm enjoying this week (mostly links from Instagram, as I still find that place so good for every day spirit-lifting)

look up and down by my Instagram friend Lisa Solomon (IG name is @lisasolomon)

Alex Falkiner - everything.EVERYTHING that Alex does is freaking amazing. Go follow her on Instagram for starters (IG name is @alfalky)

Foxs Lane - Kate simply is well.... you know what. Go check out her blog, and her IG feed and decide what fantastic words you can think of to say about Kate (IG name is @foxslane)

and lastly the real-life, in-flesh, I-can-hug-her friend who has been just the bestest find this year. Jo makes me laugh, and she gets me, and she's super the coolest gal I know (really), and much too humble for her wonderful goodness and amazing talents, and the things she does. She's wonderfully good and nice too. And her whole family are swell as well. Jo says great words like fab and swell and awesome. (IG name is @oliveandthevolcano)

*I think that photo is about finding the silver lining and all that. It rained today and was sunny as well. I think that just about sums up life - it rained and then was sunny, and rained again, a bit.

once upon a time we made a gingerbread house

I've been seeing a whole lot of festive happening all around, on blogs and instagram and pinterest.
I'm feeling like a miserly mama that I'm not indulging in all this with my little ones. Just not feeling it this year, for a few reasons.

And mainly, we won't be at home for Christmas. And mainly our house is so tiny that any extra 'decorations' simply become mess. And mainly we have no time to stop and do making. And mainly my mind is thinking about how wonderful our new home might look with all those lovely festive decorations - when our new house might be built is a whole 'nother something. And mainly I'm feeling sad and low when I think too much about some things. And the festive cheer isn't creeping in.

I have not done any baking at all in the past months. Except for little cakes I made for Ari's birthday for school class. I didn't bake his at home birthday cake. And I haven't baked anything for the kids at all, or us or...... Baking is festive isn't it.

This morning Ari decided he wanted to make rocky road for his teacher gifts, and for our bus driver. So he searched for recipes, mainly so we knew quantities (how much chocolate makes enough rocky road for one person's gift?). While searching through our celebration and baking books we found a picture of a gingerbread house. And so, I decided that we'll make gingerbread houses again this year.

The kids will take them into school for their end-of-year parties. Ari is excited - he wants it to be the best. He wants to show it off. That makes me happy. That even though I haven't baked for months, we will bake gingerbread and build houses and decorate them (with lots of lollies and sugary icing. oh yes. oh yes).

Two years ago we made gingerbread houses. We were house sitting, and had a beautiful kitchen to work in. I feel like I never showed those pictures to you back then - so here; our funny tumble down gingerbread house, that had so many construction (and possibly baking) issues, but was wonderful all the same! The kids smashed it in with spoons and laughed and gobbled it all up (of course it was shared with all the cousins). Oh - my baby ones, they look exactly the same, and totally different.

What festive making and baking is happening in your home?
What's your best gingerbread recipe?
Have you ever built a house?

taking a moment

the fact i haven't been here on this blog is proof that life got just a teeny bit hectic. ok - a whole lot of hectic actually.
without going into everything - shortened version is this:
+ Ari got really sick and was in hospital for four days. on a drip and oxygen. he had (has) pneumonia and a bacterial infection on his lungs. his asthma made it all worse. the dr was surprised he hadn't fallen over and stopped breathing. {parent of the yea award for not realising how sick my boy was!!!}
+ i opened a shop. oh yeah. told you that. well, it's sort of turned into an almost full time job. haven't had a full time job since before kids. and i wasn't ready for it. physically, mentally, emotionally. it's taken a lot from me. it's given me a lot too - a lot of wonderful and good and learning and experiences. and new friends.
+ i realised through all this (and bad sleeping and all the rest) that i seem to have an strong reserve to keep on going. something underneath pushing me along. despite the fact that i look terrible (bags under bags - i think tired is an understatement), i'm proud of myself for pushing onwards, upwards, forward - taking the lessons and trying to learn them. and taking the good.
+ Mishi's behaviour is not getting better or easier. still lots of before school crying, whinging, clinging, moaning. getting dressed is an issue. we sort of are at a loss as to what to do. she's like a teenager - saying things like 'i hate myself'. where does a 5-yr-old get that!!!???

Anyway. today i am at home. the first time home alone for more than two months, i think.
clothes are in the machine doing their washing thing (yep - we bought a new washing machine, and it's fancy - it has a glass lid!). the dishes are happily waiting for me when i get to them (which will have to be before it's too hot to plunge my hands into hot washing up water).
Lisa Mitchell's new album is playing. have you heard it? the first song is just so strong. so real. so perfect for my life right now. we saw her live recently - and i think the whole audience possibly almost cried when she sang this opening song, in the darkness with just one faded spotlight. oh. oh.

home alone. making for the Sew & Tell market on saturday. doing little quiet stitch and crochet work. no machine sewing needed (all done - yah!). this is what i NEED this week.

hope you are well my friends. thank you for those who are still visiting this neglected space. xxxx

* i really love this post that Kate wrote recently. Kate, you are a wise woman - I am working on my "what makes me happy" list and trying to make it happen.

oh yeah - ummm, we made a real shop

So, yep. This is real. A real shop opened and running. Customers and products and selling and talking and connecting. All real.

It's the Hey Maker! Workroom + Shop.
I am seriously super proud of all that we've done to get to this. It's beautiful and wonderful and lovely and good and.... oh so many other words like that.

So - with big big BIG thanks to all all helped (especially my husband who did lots of setting up in the days before, but mainly putting up with my fits of madness!).

Come and check it out for yourself. We're in Murwillumbah, on the corner of Commercial Road and Proudfoots Lane. You'll see the yarn bombing in the trees and signpost outside.

Ok - over and out for today.
It's hot here. And dry. So so dry.

{*very top left image, of our shop, is by Megan from The Byron Life, used with kind thanks. All other images by me}.