Making A Difference

There is a great saying 'Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does' or something like that.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about how much our lives, our decisions, our behaviours are linked to others - how in this tangled web of the 'human family' we do belong to each other and even more than that: who we are and how we live doesn't just effect us it effects people who will come after us.
(or maybe I've just been watching too much Touch??)

On Tuesday the Unfolding Hope drive to raise money to free people caught in slavery finishes.... and how easy and convenient it would be to pat myself on the back because I did something for someone else and then go back to living however I want to/choose to without regard for others....
Sometimes it feels 'too hard' and 'too exhausting' to be intentional all.the.time, sometimes I get 'compassion fatigue'.... and I can't say I am intentional all the time (in the morning I'm down right selfish....you don't want to know me before 8am) but if we profess to 'love others' with our mouths then maybe our actions might need to line up with that?

So what I'm asking myself and what I'm asking you is 'how does my life make a difference in the world?'
I want to live my life generously, and I recognise to my shame I am so selfish - with my time, my finances, even in my friendships... I have a long way to go..... but my heart is open and I am willing to exercise this very short and weak generosity muscle and one day.... one day.... it will be strong.
If you would still like to donate to unfolding hope you can find out more about it at the top and you can click on the donate button on your right to make your own difference.
For those who have donated - money, promotion, time, goods for prizes, enthusiasm - my sincere, sincere thank you for helping me take another step on my generosity journey - you inspire me and I consider you my personal trainers.

Miriam x

Making Me Smile

A little one's first round of mini-golf

Chinese lanterns on a dark evening

Cousins to stay in the holidays

Natural treasure hunts in Christchurch's beautiful gardens (so well organised and exciting for 5 wee boys)

And friends to enjoy them with

Biking to school Bounce (almost 3.5) biked from our place to school and on to kindy, then home from kindy, then back to school and home and to a friend's place on Tuesday - a good 8km a least - so proud of him.
and I'm loving libraries - free books people, for everyone... such a wonderful and amazing concept
and I am in love with the colours of autumn - it's such a treat to live in a city that has so many amazing trees

check out other grateful lovelies here

Make My Week #17 - PJ party!

When I did my mad men challenge last month I also ended up with new blogs to read. And one of the new blogs I read (Did You Make That?) has been hosting a PJ sew-along.
What you need to know - yes I wear flannel pjs. Isn't it one of the great mysteries and sorrows of the world that one doesn't look anywhere near as adorable in one's flannel PJs as one feels?

The singlet is from my draws and I sewed the doily on. Flannel was a hand-me-down from a mother's stash.... (call it an estate stash if you will).
Cost $0 all from my stash -whoop! Thanks Karen for such a fun challenge. Check out other ladies in their very respectable and non-inappropriate pjs from 28th of April - here. Apologies for the 'come hither' stare I'm not much of a bedroom model - these were the best of a very average bunch!

Karen also asked everyone to say what was on their bedside table so in light of sharing:

But Is it Real by Amy Orr-Ewing - a great book for people who have intellectual and other objections or questions about Christianity as a faith for intelligent rational people.
How to Keep the YOU in Mum by Karyn Riley - a book I will be reviewing at some point this year.
The latest Burda magazine - quite keen to make this one -

and a book from the library -  Love Vintage a passion for collecting fashion - totally gorgeous book full of beautiful pictures of clothing through the 1900s - tempted to add it to my book wish list.
What are you reading at the moment?

Does this count as my clothing make for the month? I think so!
other crafty spaces over here.

Wardrobe Wednesday - Inspired

This week I am inspired by some  'the classics' - The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland (you'll be glad it's not Winnie-the-Pooh and Wind in the Willows - yes?)

Are you feeling my inspiration?
I bought this dress on sale from Classic Clothing (I know, again!!) but I needed the tights to complete the look. I finally found the tights the other day but they only had them in size 3x-4x - but they seem to work alright. There is a rather generous gusset/rump in them that thankfully isn't seen!

I wore this out the other night to a pre-school music group coordinators meeting (you know in a cafe over a mars bar cheesecake!). I wondered that it might be too costumey looking but I was stopped by a stranger - older woman - and told I looked lovely so I'll take it, it was okay! I'd love to find some shoes in the same blue to wear with it.....

I'll leave you with The Atlas' favourite pic (he took all of these) - mouth closed! I guess he doesn't see that much!!

Dress - $40 Classic Clothing, Tights - $25 Cosmic, Shoes - $2 NZ made op-shop, Ribbon - spotlight, Beads - 50c op-shop
Check out what's inspiring other ladies this week. There are some great posts to read - why don't you join in?

What is your go-to colour when you feel you need a lift?

B.M.W.B #17

I may have accidentally called last week #17 but here we are at week 17 - deja vu anyone?

This week I've enjoyed enjoying my children. Calling to mind what I love about them. Watching them be themselves - relaxed, uninhibited, and so privileged without even knowing it. I really have been so taken by that fact lately that we live with such privilege and hopefully we take it seriously.

Have you had a moment to read about Unfolding Hope and make a donation? Please do. Please use your powerful position on behalf of the silenced.

Enjoying their company.

Seems to me the holidays are perfect for such special connection. Some of my holiday photos.

This year I am making more of a conscious effort to have quality moments with my boys. B.M.W.B (becoming the mama I want to be)  is my way of recording and hopefully inspiring other mama’s too. Please inspire me with the little moments you are snatching with your little people OR with ideas I could do with mine. If you have blogged about it please leave a comment so we can all visit and encourage each other.

Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be

On Taking Risks

I quite like feeling competent and talented.... and truthfully without taking any risks these are easy feelings to come up with.
If I do what I know I can do well and bemoan lack of opportunity for really having a chance to show my talents I can convince myself that it is the world missing out on me rather than me not being good enough.
This weekend I attended a masterclass with an amazingly talented woman, which both excited and terrified me - how exciting to spend a day focused on something I loved, how terrifying that I may discover I am not 'the best' at what I want to do.
Interestingly one of the really strong themes that came through for the day was about being comfortable that you are enough and not having to 'try' to be.
How much of our daily lives are a performance - trying to prove that we are who we say we are? or who we would like to be? When it comes down to our dreams are we really sure that, with some work and energy, we are enough....... are we brave enough to really go there?
Are you taking risks with your dreams? Are you getting out of the boat to see if you can indeed walk on water?
For a long time, too long, I have equated criticism with rejection - I'm not all there yet - but in creative pursuits, and maybe in all things, if you truly want to grow you have to be able to hear truth that hurts and embrace it because of what it will produce in you long term.
We are SO privileged to live in a time, in a country, in a culture that allows us opportunity to stretch ourselves in the direction of our dreams..... the question is are you prepared to go to that vulnerable place?

This Week I'm Loving

School holidays.... yes I do love them (and we've especially enjoyed grandad coming to stay!)
and I am SO loving this wee vid made by a man who is dear to my heart and featuring a wee man also dear to me.
It's Friday and the weekend is coming, oh yes and a weekend with good things in it too
What has made you laugh this week? Go on tell me
Other people loving stuff here

Make My Week #17 - map bunting

A very quick and easy project this week.

I actually have a set of this planned with letters stenciled onto it for the boys' room but I can't find my letter stencil so you'll have to enjoy the second set.

At the moment I have just pinned it above our bed, temporarily.

The maps are from the 1950s and 1960s and I could only bring myself to cut them up because they were deteriorating.

I have got a gorgeous pile of ones in pristine condition dating to the 1930s - mainly from national geographic magazines that I picked up for about $1. The Atlas and I will have to decide what to do with these ones.

More creative people here.

Wardrobe Wednesday #16 - Colour Blocking

So continuing along the inspired theme
I've been having another epiphany about shapes that are good for me (after my dress fail that will never see the light of day!)

This is me doing colour blocking.
I love this skirt so much, it's an op-shop number that had the most awful 80's jacket to accompany it - the jacket went straight back! The skirt is a fantastic feminine shape.

 Top new from my shopping trip the other day I love this colour it's inspired by my big sister I call it Naomi blue. Probably a much better colour on her but I'm a little rebellious like that from time to time!

The top was originally $40 down to $15 and then half price on a specials night - $7.50

Shoes $2 bought for fun to go with a costume but I'm kind of liking them now.

Beads $2 from the Sallies.
Outfit total less than $15 - so I guess maybe I am inspired by price tag too this week  every week!

Pop over and see what is inspiring others this week. Did you see my sister there last week?? She looks nothing like me.

B.M.W.B #17 - Paints

I am the world's most disappointing when it comes to getting the paints out. So in order to force me to rectify it I gave the boys tubes of paint for Christmas....

and we just got them out this week....

Flip and I also had a wonderful trip to creative junk where I let him go wild to buy bits for making his birthday invitation. We found all sorts of treasures and spent rather a time cutting out letters, making stamps and sticking together.

Here's a very sneaky peak.

In about a month I plan to have a wonderful birthday party post inspired by the likes of Simoney who has whole pinterest boards dedicated to the fun she has making parties for her children. (check out the links for awesome inspiration)

Today we have a trip with Grandad to see Rapunzel... children's theatre is very rich down here in Christchurch.
In the holidays what is something fun and free you do with your children?

We recently discovered another amazing place for riding bikes - bottlelake forest
This year I am making more of a conscious effort to have quality moments with my boys. B.M.W.B (becoming the mama I want to be)  is my way of recording and hopefully inspiring other mama’s too. Please inspire me with the little moments you are snatching with your little people OR with ideas I could do with mine. If you have blogged about it please leave a comment so we can all visit and encourage each other.

Simple. Intentional. Achievable: becoming the mama I want to be.

As Close As I Will Get to a Vlog

For those who have been around blogging for a bit you will have seen wee vids on people's blogs called vlogs (I guess verbal-blog??)
A vlog is generally a great way to 'see' and 'hear' the person behind the blog.
as a professional idiot (although no one pays me for it!) I'm not sure I'd do a vlog that would achieve anything other than make you worried about my mental and psychological state....
But I did speak at my church last night and one friend said to me afterwards, 'it's just you but at the front with a microphone'.... so if you've ever wondered about what I sound like or the kind of things I say with microphone in hand you can do it here.

And here is a photo so you can pretend I am doing a very long vlog!

Make My Week #16 - Patching

I just finished another patchwork/ faux quilt using 'granny' sheets.
This time I added a pop of pink. It's very similar to the one I have created to giveaway for the 'Unfolding Hope' fundraiser.

Hand quilted together just on the pink squares.
*** actually there are some exciting new developments on the prizes front *** make sure you donate and follow us on FB details in this post.

I'm not sure who this one will be for but maybe I'll let the winner of the original one decide
What makings are happening at your place this holidays?