Friday, April 20, 2012

I blinked, I missed it!

The Schools Hols are rapidly drawing to an end.
My absolute favourite hols these ones ... weather has been
good and bad, but I must admit to favouring the 'bad'.
Lots of rain, lots of guilt free PJ time, hanging with friends,
watching movies, making up dance routines, (Little P that is)
although I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day!
Plan on getting busy with the sewing machine next week.

Friday, February 24, 2012

For my Dad

I'm thinking of him. without going into the long story that it is,
my Dad and I haven't lived under the same roof since I was 13.
This is my favourite picture of us together,
in fact, it might be the only one of just the 2 of us.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

lovey, dovey.

Love Rules OK?!
Card is made by Little P.
Pop up style.
Valentine's Day is an anniversary for Big D and I.
It's the first time we kissed ... if you get my drift.
It's been 16 years since that first kiss.
Life propels us in a continuous motion forward.
It's unpredictable (control freaks beware).
It's that unpredictability that makes it exciting.
I think it's best summed up by Tim Minchin (from Matilda The Musical):

'Just because you think that life's not fair, it
Doesn't mean you have to grin and
bear it.
If you always take it on the chin and wear it,
nothing will change.
Just because I find myself in this story,
It doesn't mean that everything is written for
me.
If I think the ending is fixed already,
I might as well be saying I think that it's OK,
And that's not right!
And if it's not right,
You have to put it right!'

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Fairy

Stuck for a gift idea? This came from a friend of ours (thank you Sarah).
Inside the lid is the recipe for cranberry and white chocolate cookies.
Bloody brilliant!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Traditions

Our favourite thing to do at this time of year is to take comfort in making
our own decorations & wrapping paper, we also love to make our own jams/chutney's etc.
Big D and I have done this since little P was born.
It's fantastic now that she's 8, because she is wholeheartedly involved
in both these traditions.
When you have your own household traditions for Christmas,
beyond just decorating the tree, it seems
to take the edge off the mass consumer mentality that goes on
outside the home. Yes Christmas is a mad time of year, and people really
go crazy with the spending ... trying to fill a void maybe? keeping up with
the Jones's maybe? What ever the reason, it's just stuff, it's not going to
make you feel any better about life. Where as actually making stuff can,
there's something comforting about getting out the
hand made decorations every year, they are without
doubt, our most favourite!
It really doesn't take much time to make things,
and they aren't going to be 'perfect' but that's
where the love is .... hopping in the car,
driving to the shops, finding a car space blah, etc
takes a lot more time, and a lot less thought.
(pics from Family Circle 'Homemade Jams & Preserves' brilliant book).

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Grow some baubles.

Baubles, hand made fabric ones ... simple and easy to make, good for using up scraps.
I was doing paper mache with Little P, which naturally lead on to
'fabric mache' - photos soon from that experiment!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Hip (H)op - happy!

Orange and white floral and spots, linen mix I think.
Geometric pinks and orange.
And my favourite ... stripes.
Also found this rather fetching piece. Love the cross-stitch effect.
Made in Japan, cute as a button!