Away from my blog....

It has been too hard juggling a clean- inspection ready house, an extra child some days, kindy dramas etc and my blog (especially without a proper camera). This images were take in that time with the idea of posting more regularly (which obviously didn't happen), on our digital video camera, but it is a palaver to upload them. We have spent a few days in Totaranui, Golden Bay at a DOC camp, which is hugely popular in summer, but we only had to share with a handful of campers/ trampers and tourists. We even got the children tramping: only over to the next beach but it was a stretch for them...! We were lucky enough to see and watch some native birds : a weka, kea, paradise ducks, kereru. On the way home yesterday we stopped at a GREAT children's store called Grasshopper where we found a cD with songs about new Zealand's indigenous creatures for children Its very good, and funny! Its called "little blue and the living treasure band" by wildbeet productions.
We are at an anxious stage with our farmhouse purchase as it seems another offer will come in (cash unconditional) so we have a week to sell with no one interested at present. Everyone project/ pray for us please!

knitting

As you may know, our house is on the market and therefore I have packed up my sewing stuff, boo hoo! And of course I actually have inspiration at the moment! Spring does that to me! So I am throwing myself into knitting as a tidy and instant antidote to cleaning!!!! unfortunately I am also inspired in the knitting department with many projects in my mind, and I am labouring over a vest for Struan's birthday ( I know its passed already!). I don't want to start anything new until its finished otherwise he may not receive it until next year! So I surf the knitting and yarn sites and knit. The vest is from the book son of stitchnbitch. A very cool book for patterns for males. I have been enjoying the knitting patterns in the Living Crafts magazine, and yesterday found The Backwards loop, a very cool site with beautiful yarn and patterns. Anoushka is knitting a gnome for her friend, and we are watching the garden start to awaken from its winter rest. Today is a grey and drizzling day, perfect for knitting! What are you knitting?

Happy 30th birthday Struan!

An early birthday breakfast on a cold but sunny day. My lovely turns thirty now and commented this morning that he didn't feel any different despite having been nervous about it this week! he certainly kept his nerves quiet! The girls did some lovely stitching on linen as hankies for him to carry in his pocket. And of course any birthday money he gets goes straight into music:Age Pryor, Dan Sperber and Tiki Tane:all good new zealand artists!
locals check out the new deli on high street, Motueka for lovely goodies, local and imported. Can recommend their hot chocolate and elderflower cordial!
The beautiful daphne from the lady who delivers my raw mik, in a jug from the op shop. have a nice day!

Open Home and surprise!

A BUSY weekend, trying to prepare for an open home in the pouring rain! And I knew we were having a wee party for my husband! He didn't guess, which is amazing! A lovely afternoon and a few pics: The winter rosehips and my first daffodils.

How time flies....

Wow, nearly two months, how slack of me. I certainally haven't crafed much to write home about, but had a lovely inspiring morning with a group of crafty mums. We have been painting, readying our home for sale in the hope of a move to the country. Check out our listing here.
I recently celebrated my 30th too. Here are some grainy photos of the lovely things my husband and children gave me.

Thats all for now.

Our journey to homeschool

Ahh, what more could a crafty mother wish for?! The eldest daughter has started knitting, this was the second time she asked. The first time a few months ago we did a few rows together, but this time its really clicked! We use a little rhyme to remember the steps, and after only a week she could sit on the couch and do a few rows without any help! She knows when she's got a "problem" (her words), and sometimes can sort it out herself or she'll ask for help. What more of an excuse do I need to sit and knit in companionable silence!? She often does a few rows while the other two go to bed.

And the photo of the pink blanket/coat at the lantern festival at kindy last week. This week though she has been home by choice. We asked her why she wanted to be home and she replied that it was more fun. I/We must be doing something right if home is more fun? Days seem to flow nicer at home and I have more energy to really encourage their creative endeavours and extend on interests a bit. We are slowly making the commitment to home/unschooling as it sits with out philosophies on life etc and seems to flow on from some of our other parenting choices. At this stage and it may seem like a cop out, she can go to kindy (if she wants, why force a four year old to rush places ?) and "if it doesn't work" for whatever reason school will still be there! (GULP!)

On one of our home days the girls made a garden, digging it and composting it and we've planted a few raspberry suckers and strawberry plants for instant gratification. Now we've got he seed catalogues out and are choosing or thinking about what else to plant. Of course now I am reading and dreaming and making lists and thinking about light levels etc. Spring seems so far away but will come soon enough....

A month of flurries...

Wow nearly a month gone buy in a flurry of creating and crafting, baking and making for a three year old's birthday and general maddness. I finally unblocked my knitter's block and finished the other sock for husband.. still don't think I've seen him actually wearing them... and in the following week,knitted a pair of mittens, a cardigan a nearly finished the rainbow cardigan as "specified!" by the now three year old. She has specified a lot recently, yesterday insiting I wear a pink skirt and pink higheals to pick up Anoushka from kindy. I kept trying to hide them (the shoes) but as we were leaving she came running out with them and said "you can't forget these mama!" So I wore them while trying to juggle four children (an extra for carpooling) their stuff etc while sinking backwards into the winter mud! not the most practical shoes for picking up children at kindy. Now I would love to post a whole lot of photos of the various creations from the past month but the camera is broken and apparently not worth fixing! Posts maybe boring black and white for a while. Here is one photo though of the birthday girl and her new woollen coat, with (my)machine quilting lining and poodle buttons, and a button on hood. Anoushka has a similar one made of an old pink blanket and sheet for lining. One day I may find a photo of that too. In the meantime, happy crafting, knitting, playing, enjoy the winter or summer wherever you may be!