Some stuff

I haven't blogged for a while, have been suffering the change of season sniffles, and keep forgetting how to upload photos! My husband is home today so I have some help!!!! So here are a few images of what we've been up to. I am in preparation for the biggest craft fair we have in the area at Easter (Come and check us out if you are in the area, Gillybean and I will be hanging out!)

So this is what happens when you choose two minutes of peace and quiet because you just have to finish cutting out one last softie!


A few bunnies for Easter, each one different, a variation of my first ever own softie pattern.


Some beautiful seed pods found on one of our Friday ambles, We also found a walnut tree in a local park with some very new walnuts starting to fall.


We've had working bees for firewood and painting and i've done a big change around in the sewing and toy room (theres nothing like a big sort out to get re inspired!). Yesterday we popped into Nelson for a trip to spotlight for notions etc, a play at Tahunanui and a fix for both of us. Struan found some great new music and i got a stash of inspiration from the newest edition of world sweet world, Frankie, and a UK sewing mag called Sew Hip. Check them out! Struan and I are inspired to join in with the badge swap for world sweet world, an idea inspired by girl guide badges, you can sew some badges, send them in and get some sent to you when you complete an environmental action. Click on the link to find out more!
I better go off and do some sewing. might share more photos later!

herfst stukjie (autumn display)

When I was young I used to reallly look forward to our autumn walks, especially through a particular reserve where sweet chestnuts grew. We used to collect stuff and arrange them in an icecream container or similar and have them on the table as inspiration and beauty. Ican remeber we even planted real toadstools in there. The very red and white fairy- type poisonous ones! The other day the children and I decided that the weather had turned enough, there is a definate chill in the air, and the rains have come: the nature table needed changing. This is our version of an autumn display_ no toadstools were harmed in the making of this one!

I also love to knit, and with the colder weather comes the need for winter woolies! On my needles at present are some socks for middle Maaike, her favourite colours(this week). Socks are my newest challenge. No longer content to mind numbingly knit and purl for weeks! Though there will be time for that too.

And the eldest goes to a dressup party this weekend. On the invitation was a request for handmade toys only- good on them! So a couple of moopy bunnys from here

Family Friday

By Friday Anoushka is generally tired from a week at kindy and I am tired of pick ups and drop offs, so I've made a general decision to keep friday asa home or walk/picnic day. So yesterday we went off for a wee walk around the inlet and cemetary then a swing by the beach and around back to the car. Anoushka walked particularly well, Maaike coped okay ( i only had a single pushchair) and even Tobin had a little wander. I had just found the website wildpicnic so had my eyes peeled to see what we could see. We found some purslane



And some of this? Any ideas? I'm pretty sure its edible, just don't know name, maybe Orach?


We had a nice time!

And there were some puddles left over from the recent rain!

Seasons change

Well, all I can say is, the holidays are over and life has gotten busy again! I'm trying very hard to be more in the moment, with the children, which means there is craft happening in the house but its theirs, not mine! There is a lot of swallowing impatience walking to kindy ( what does it matter if we are late, its only kindy, she's only four!)- if they want to walk holding hands all the way, let them (soo cute!) There are also more home days, when we are tired or its a perfect day for a picnic, or just because. So far so good (And there is always knitting, I can knit while Anoushka holds the books for me to read).

A rare moment today: Sometime with middle child while her big sister was at kindy and baby Tobin was alseep in the pushchair: We had a picnic morning tea and gathered rocks and pine cones and found a perfect birdsnest for the nature table.

I'm very excited about my children's creative instincts: Anoushka made her pony a dress with fabric offcuts and sellotape. thats how I started....