13/52

13/52 - Portrait Challenge - A portrait of my children, once a week every week for the whole year

J - "Mum, I'm building you a house" 

M - You are such a bright spark, bringing colour to our lives 

Joining with Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

One of my favourites from last week was Mel's collection of her children all helping with their newest sibling....so adorable 

xx

Easter Eggs

An afternoon with nothing planned than a strong cup of tea, my girl and me.
We selected pretty fabric, the glue and a brush
and with loads of chatter and a laugh we merrily created an Easter Delight.
A hunt in the backyard found us lovely fallen branches and with a bit of twine and
yellow trim our table decoration was complete, and embracing the upcoming holidays.

Do you 'decorate' at Easter time?


Joining in with these creative folks

xx

The Exhibition

On the weekend we held an Art Exhibition.  The week before we drew up an invitation and delivered it to the special recipients.  The night before the Exhibition we delved into the depth of "the bottom" draw where many a prized artworks are lovingly stored.  We sorted and with a critical eye selected only the best.  Each piece was named by said artists, an accompanying description sometimes added and the decision to "sell" selected works was borne.  The curators job was to delicately display the artwork, turning what was affectionally known as the spare room into The Gallery.

Once the artwork was in place, the door was closed until the official opening of 3pm.  The invitees arrived having to pay a small admission fee to cover expenses such as blue-tak and washi tape and were given a special brochure detailing some background history about each artist.  They then perused The Gallery, admiring the exhibited works, discussing and listening to the Artists describe each peice.    

Delighted Artists were busy writing out receipts as a flurry of purchases were made and artwork bundled up and taken to a new destination.

Such a fun was had by all, and such a magical way to display children's artwork and to allow extended family to marvel at their accomplishments.

xx

making memories

Flittering through week after week, swim classes and piano classes, school and kinder, this term is coming to an end and if I'm honest, I'm looking forward to the break.  This week I endeavoured to get into the Easter spirit with some inspired craft and general happy stuff slotted in-between the mundane. It's reminded me again of the joy of watching my children create memories I hope they keep with them forever...when they look back as adults and laugh at the silly stuff we did together.

1. Crochet hooks..I'm hoping to make a beanie for all of us this winter.
2. My gorgeous little felt angel I won in a giveaway by this spirited blogger
3. A cr-afternoon painting Easter delights and chatting to my girl
4. Just like her brother, she finds wonder in listening to music
5. The "receipts" from the very successful Art Exhibition that was held on the weekend*
6. Trying on their new swimmers thanks to Grandparents that ventured to warmer climates on their holiday**
7. Since moving the keyboard out of the spare-room and into the dining area, watching you play and practise is quite a joy.

How are you feeling nearing the end of the term..ready for the break?

Linking up with Em @ The Shack

*Check back tomorrow when I post about the Children's Art Exhibition in more detail. 
** The town of Mulwala were I grew up and my parents still live was severely damaged in the tornado that struck North East Victoria on Wednesday.  The clean up will be long and the emotional effects lasting.  Please keep those affected in your thoughts and prayers.   

12/52

12/52 - Portrait Challenge - A weekly portrait of my children, each week for a whole year 

J - Music is such a joy to you.  You listen to it constantly, play to it and learn it. 

M - Such anticipation as you prepare for your very own art exhibition

Joining with the lovely Jodi @ Che & Fidel 

xx

A portrait that I loved from last week. 

In my wardrobe : geometrics

It's been a while since I did a fashion post.  Lately, if I do one, it's because I've made something, and feel thats a good enough excuse to show it off.  Honestly, I love poking about blogs and checking out what you folks are wearing, and how your wearing it.  I relished the days when I'd link up with fashion loving bloggers to share our wardrobe delights and I love poking about over this way,  here* and there....it's like real life fashion catalogues.  So I put the feelers out there again on Instagram and a few lovelies gave me the confidence to plunge into the fashion post realm again.   So I dusted off the tripod and had some fun in my favourite spot beside the house.

Tell me, do you like an odd fashion post?

wearing;

|| Top from Pinclove
|| Jeans from  Country Road
|| Necklace vintage (from mum's collection)

*this lady has serious maternity style don't you think? 

failure and success

In life there are bound to be failures and success.  Time when you nail a project and moments when you don't.  If there were a time to coin that phrase to a particular event in my week it would be to my crafting adventures.  This week has seen a monumental fail, but also a delightful success.

A project started on whim, false confidence hoping it would see me through...the actual making was not so hard, rather the deciphering of the pattern...  resulting in a garment two sizes too small and no way of rectifying it.  Surprisingly I wasn't disappointed, or even upset with myself.  If anything, I had accomplished what I set out to achieve.  I crocheted a garment.  A wearable garment....just in the wrong size.  I'm happy though it has found a new home (thanks to Instagram)

To balance it out my daughter and I set about creating a wonderful Winter Pea Coat for her.  That, was a success....more photos to come when I can coax her into modelling it for me!

How do you handle crafting failures?


Happy creative day lovelies xx

balance

I've been thinking about balance quite a bit lately.  Balance in all aspects, but mostly just day to day balance.  I feel I'm still transitioning with the whole school/kinder she-bang and to be honest pining slightly at the loss of our days of no routine.  Days when I was in charge and planned their worlds.  I miss those days, now it just seems there is always somewhere to be, somewhere to go.

My stay-at-home mother role is shifting now as my lovely little people in my life head out and have others help them with their learning, discovering and exploring of this wide and wonderful world.   It's hard to adjust to that increase in time they spend out of the home, and then still fit in all that we want to when they are.

Balance is an evolving concept.

Once upon a time, I used to harvest so many figs from my tree.  Now the birds and bats get too many.  So last night I made a contraption* to balance it out more evenly.   If only it was so easy to make a contraption to balance out life.

How do you transition when life shifts focus?



*a cut off bottle top stuck to the end of broom or mop (use tape if it's loose) - use the rim of the bottle edge to cut though the stem of the fig and then the fig drops in the container.  In case you're wondering...yes I do have a ladder, but it's not big enough to get all the figs.  And this is quite fun xx

a change...

This week (and last) I bunkered down at home and changed things around.  Well, mostly bed linen and just a few bits and pieces, but it's true you know....  A change is as good as a holiday...ok ok perhaps it's not really...a holiday would be nice (and one is one the cards) but I do like changing things around the home, especially when a season is coming to an end and a new one approaching.

1.  My daughters bed now with the quilt that used to be on our bed end.  The vintage pillowcase from my mother-in-law and elephant a gift from by brother during his trip to India.
2. The fallen figs racked up every evening so we don't squish them under foot.
3. She makes him laugh this special laugh that no one else really can
4. In breaking news:  I have a fringe.  And thinking about a return to a few fashion posts on this wee blog here.
5. A embroidered doily, a thrifted glass jar || that's what's adorning my dining table of late
6.  Hallelujah to Friday pizza night.  Home made goodness enjoyed by all.

Do you like changing things around your home?

Joining in with Em @ The Shack 

xx

11/52

11/52 - Portrait Challenge - A portrait of my children once a week every week for a year

J - Eager for some solitude when you come home from school, just you and what you love 

M - I caught myself wondering "when did you grow up so fast" a lot this week

Linking in with Jodi @ Che & Fidel

xx

fig frangipane

With all the delicous fresh figs I'm picking off our tree on a daily basis, I knew it was only a matter of time before I whipped up a fig inspired dessert.  With a little nudging from my pal down the road, I set about making a fig frangipane...which in essence is like an almond tart, with figs.  This pastry...is just the bees knees...so buttery and tasty and although it takes a bit of time is well worth the effort.  Do refrigerate for the recommended times or it won't bake well.  Oh and if figs are readily available to you..you could easily substitute this with pears, apricots, plums or peaches! 

Here is what you need. 

For the pastry;
150g cold butter
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
For the frangipane filling;
100g butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar (although caster sugar will work too)
1 cup almond meal
1 egg 
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
5-6 fresh figs 

Place the flour and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blitz for a moment. Add the butter and blitz until you have a coarse sand-like texture. Tip this out onto a work surface and bring together with the palm of your hand and work until you have a lovely, smooth disc of dough. Wrap this in plastic and pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until about 5mm thick and drape into a loose-bottomed tart tin. Return to the fridge for another half an hour.  When your ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180 degrees and then blind bake the pastry for about 15 minutes. 

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy and add the almond meal, flour, vanilla and egg. Mix until smooth. Spoon in the frangipane mix and smooth out. Half the figs and place skin side down into the mixture and bake for 25 minutes or until the frangipane is golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with ice-cream or cream 

xx

The Cats Pyjama's

This is the Cat, 

And these are the Cat's pyjamas. 

On Tuesday the Cat wears ocean pyjamas and dreams a dream of humpback wales, swishy tails, sea turtles, eels and flippery seals.  What a dream of ocean delight for the Cat in the night....

....On Thursday the Cat wears road pyjamas...and dreams a dream of a big red rig, diggers that dig, a tractor, a trike and a fast motorbike.  What a dream of road delight for the cat in the night. 

On Sunday the cat wears Monster pyjamas and...stay awake all through the night! 

__

After many a trip to the local library to borrow this book and read it umpteen times a day and each night before bed, I finally purchased a copy for my daughter.  Before giving it to her, I crafted the idea of bringing the book to life...the story of Cat and his pyjamas.  So I set to work with a little Cat toy that was in our collection and with a snippet of fabric here and there, seven matching pyjama's in the same theme of the book were made.  Cat can now wear Space, Ocean, Garden, Jungle, Road, Sky and Monster pyjamas whilst enjoying the book.  A little carry bag made from the scraps to transport his night time wardrobe around.

Have you ever brought a book to life?  Created something to help tell the story?  Now that I have, I'm looking at my children's books in a way I never have before...

And if you have children and haven't read this book, please do.  It's one of our favourites.  The Cat's Pyjmamas by Catherine Foreman 

Joining in with this creative community. 

xx