Holiday Makes

one thing i love about holidays is the enforced effort to find a small craft to do

Last year I went to a class to learn how to make these necklaces and so I took all the bits with me on holiday and whipped some up for the present box.

Everything I needed fitted into a small drawstring bag which is a good thing because the rest of the car was jam-packed with ..... well who needs a list.

I'm still getting it all perfect but I am pleased with these and I already have plans for some new homes for a few of them.

Joining in with lovely Leonie and looking forward to seeing what everyone else is making too!

Wardrobe Wednesday - Do You Inventorise?

Okay I realise I may be taking some language liberties here - apologies!

Also apologies for the lack of comments last week - we were away on holiday without connection or reception so when I got back I had to choose for more visiting over less commenting - but I did love checking you out all the same!! :o)

This week I'm keen to know do you ever do a stock check on your wardrobe?

I've been watching Gok's Fashion Fix lately where he goes through someone's wardrobe and itemises all of it - like 14 pairs of trousers, 26 tops, 4 dresses.....

I wonder what I'd count?

Do you ever count or do you just concentrate on the gaps - 'I need a pair of jeans' 'I need a dress for a work do'.... that kind of stuff?

This dress is one I picked up at an op-shop. It had a broken strap.

I love it. It's so easy to wear on a hairy leg, saggy tummy day when it's hot. Light, stretchy, undemanding! Everyone needs one of those wardrobe savers in the summer.

Outfit:
Dress - op shop
Necklace - handmade
Ring - also handmade

summer's kinda easy right? (and my hair is a mess - ahem)

So what is Wardrobe Wednesday?

• It's a chance to take some time once a week to peel off the polar fleece trackies (I have a pair too!!) and put on something that gives you a chance to have a 'play' in your wardrobe, to make yourself feel pretty/ stylish/ like a woman or at least not slummy!
•  It's a time to celebrate and hopefully to embrace your body however you find it - post baby, young or old your body is lovely and functional and precious and I want this place to be a place for you to see other women (ordinary, beautiful women) who don't live in designer homes on designer budgets with designer bodies.

How to play?

1. Link in your specific blog post not just your general blog

2. Link to a post about clothes - that's what we're here for

3. Please add a link back here so other people can come over and see people's clothing posts too - the old fashioned way or grab a button

4. Be encouraging and visit people - leave a comment now and again too everyone loves to get encouragement

Here's the button copy and paste away

<center> <a href=" http://createhopeinspire.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Wardrobe%20Wednesday"><img border="0" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o516/CreateHopeInspire/WWbutton.jpg" width="160" height="160"/></a></center>

What do you think would you be up for an inventory challenge??

Tasty Tuesday

One of the baking books I bought last year was called 'Recipes from Back In The Day Bakery' a recipe book from Southern?? America.

Aside from everything being in imperial weights and the sticks of butter??? and use of graham crackers?? (I use digestives I think they are the most similar) there are plenty of tasty treats asking to be made.

These are called Pecan Sandras and they are almost like a melting moment in texture - soft and buttery but quite mouth-filling as well, does that even make sense?

but they have pecans and nutmeg added in and as much as I thought they sounded a bit ho-hum they are actually tasted really good.

Been trying any new recipes lately??

 

B.M.W.B - On Not Always Being Right

I've just had a week away with my boys but instead of talking about what I have done with them I want to talk about The Atlas, I know, in a becoming the mama I want to be post!!

Right from the very beginning one of my big parenting philosophies has been to facilitate The Atlas having a great relationship with our boys - in my case this has been very easy. The Atlas was always going to be a super involved, enthusiastic and willing Dad.

But I think in these early years especially when Mama really is the only answer to feeding (often) and when Mama spends 100% and some, of her time with the baby it can be easy to feel like you know it all. When Dad picks up, changes, burps, settles.... it can be so, SO easy to start giving corrections from the sideline.

In my limited, ahem!, knowledge of the male psyche I can say this doesn't help - a man constantly told he is doing it wrong will soon stop attempting at all.... and so then we mourn the missing relationship of a dad with his child.

Sometimes becoming the mama I want to be is holding my tongue and genuinely valuing that actually The Atlas has so much to teach me about being a parent (and he really, really does) and also he has a world of stuff to download into 2 very special little minds about being a man.

This week I'm celebrating not knowing it all.....'it takes a village to raise a child'

do you ever struggle to hold your tongue for the long term good??

Thanks so much to those who have been linking in their joy in the journey and their great ideas I feel so inspired by your input.

off the grid

Apologies if I haven't read your email, or responded to your comment, or visited your blog this week

I've been out of cell phone range

far from the internet

enjoying the holiday pace with some VIPs (my 3 boys)

I've thought of you though.....promise xxxx

 

These Are The Things We Talk About

Flip - When you do a blow off you have to say pardon me and then the smell goes away. But if you say it too fast it doesn't work so you have to say it again.

Bounce - (Flip and Daddy were talking about boogies in golf and I was making jokes about that being gross) That's what makes your boogies green because they have been out on the grass.

a constant source of entertainment!

Wardrobe Wednesday - Why I'll Never Be a Fashion Blogger

But I would like to be considered a style blogger. :o)

I love clothes and I love dressing up but I am not fashionable. I couldn't tell you what the latest trends are and I certainly won't give them my affections unless I think they deserve them.

There are a lot of things I won't wear, particularly types of fabric or certain prints. There are some styles (by which I mean the general description like boho, preppy, 50s...) that you won't see me in either.

So I'm not a follower of fashion. But I do believe in personal style. I like to dress with a sense of fun, I care about how I look, I think about how I dress. I'm just not really worried whether a certain silhouette is in or out and whether the print I choose is right on trend.

Mainly I want to be unique in my approach. I want my clothes to say something about the person I am and I want them to be an extension of my own creative engagement with the world.

Recently I watched Bill Cunningham's New York and I loved that he was the same. It wasn't about what or who was in it was about beautiful outfits that caught his eye.

How about you - are you a fashion follower? 
Do you like to play around with new trends and integrate them into your wardrobe?
Are there things you will not wear even if they are in fashion or are you a bit flexible?
Do you want to stand out or blend in?
And what is your take on the word style versus the word fashionable? 

I'd love to know :o)

Outfit:
Pants - Classic Clothing
Shirt - Op Shop - made over
Shoes - the yellow ones I wore last week Andrea Biani
Bracelet - one of my grandmother's
Ring - measurement tape in silver - gift

So what is Wardrobe Wednesday?

• It's a chance to take some time once a week to peel off the polar fleece trackies (I have a pair too!!) and put on something that gives you a chance to have a 'play' in your wardrobe, to make yourself feel pretty/ stylish/ like a woman or at least not slummy!
•  It's a time to celebrate and hopefully to embrace your body however you find it - post baby, young or old your body is lovely and functional and precious and I want this place to be a place for you to see other women (ordinary, beautiful women) who don't live in designer homes on designer budgets with designer bodies.

How to play?

1. Link in your specific blog post not just your general blog

2. Link to a post about clothes - that's what we're here for

3. Please add a link back here so other people can come over and see people's clothing posts too - the old fashioned way or grab a button

4. Be encouraging and visit people - leave a comment now and again too everyone loves to get encouragement

Here's the button copy and paste away

<center> <a href=" http://createhopeinspire.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Wardrobe%20Wednesday"><img border="0" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o516/CreateHopeInspire/WWbutton.jpg" width="160" height="160"/></a></center>  xxx Have a stylish week xxx

Tasty Tuesday - Hokey Pokey Biscuits

These are another biscuit recipe from the Ladies A Plate book.

 I made the standard version and then tried them with wholemeal flour and chocolate chunks.

We liked them both.

What's your go-to biscuit recipe?

I'm going to check with some of the authors about putting some of their recipes up. Hopefully they say yes :o)

B.M.W.B # 4 - Letting the Day Roll

I love holidays with my wee men. In our family I want to create a real sense of team - everyone having ownership, everyone's input being valuable. I love that at my boys ages (6 and 4) it's really easy to do these things.

So this week when Flip suddenly requested playdough we let our day take a new direction.

I let them pick their own colours and we found some glitter to add too. I let them add things for the mixture, Flip read the recipe for me too and they both kneaded the colour through themselves and then they played and I chatted - 'oh who's making me a biscuit', 'look those bears are in the spa pool'.

They felt so proud of there personalised creations. Another thing we might do another time is add some kind of scent (spices or essential oils) to add another element for the senses.

Here's the recipe we use:
1 c flour                              2 tsp cream of tartar                               1 Tbs oil
1/2 c salt                            1 c boiling water                                      food colouring

Mix flour, salt, oil and cream of tartar
Add boiling water and mix
(if you want to knead colour through let it cool a bit before you give it to children to play with)

I have so enjoyed reading the posts you've been linking in.

There are a couple of mama's I've especially asked to link in with the beautiful posts they have written about parenting this week. Do come back in have an inspiring read of other people's great ideas.

What are you loving about parenting??

Becoming the Mama I want to be is about taking time to enjoy the journey of parenting, to honour it's value and to hopefully inspire and encourage each other. I'd love to have your linky if you are keen.

You can grab the button code on the right if you'd like to :o)

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

If you'd like a wonderful book for your shelves do check and enter the giveaway here.

for more about B.M.W.B

Wanting a Bit of February Stash Busting Fun?

This year I want to work with my stash better - instead of buying a whole lot of stuff I want to work with the whole lot I have.

As a crafter I really aim to have little or no waste coming out of my sewing room. I try to pay forward lovely fabric I won't use and when the scraps get too small and the cotton reels are empty I take them to kindy for the collage table.

This year I also want to start making a lovely, mis-matched, small squared quilt. A bit like the lovely one above. So each time I finish making something and there are scraps I've decided to cute some 3 inch squares and then move the rest on.

So now I want some new scraps.....

enter the Make.Life.Beautiful stash busting scrap swap. A variety of scraps in a variety of sizes sent in the mail. You'll be paired up with someone who has similar taste - sound fun? Pop over here for all the details  (which is the same place I stole the quilt photo from!)

These Are The Boys I Love

Big brother is 'reading' TinTin to little brother.

Sweet little things.

Joining in with Meghan

Don't forget to enter my giveaway OK?

 

Stitching A Story

I've been doing some more stitching. This one has taken me some time - small stitches in snatched moments here and there.

I have no set pattern most times when I start just a general feeling of how things might turn out. This stitching is just an exploration apart from its story I have no set idea or picture as inspiration.

I like to have a 'story' for the things I do. I don't always have one but I really like things that have a story for the person who makes them even though the viewer/user may put their own interpretation on it.

This one is based on a verse in Micah 7 that talks about God throwing our sins into the depths of the sea.
I like to think of the sea being vast so that where I have failed spectacularly there is abundant water to cover my sin.

I like the use of just one colour in stitching - despite the way I dress I do love monochromatic colour in stitching. Sorry about the photo quality I took them at night.

Joining in for other lovely creative sharing in at Show and Tell and Our Creative Spaces.

Do you have a story to the things you make?
Are you a make it up as you go along creative?

Wardrobe Wednesday - On Taking Risks and Feeling Average

Well here we are at Wednesday again and I'm looking forward to seeing what you all have on and hearing what you have to say.

This week I'm taking a risk - cropped top. Not so cropped it reveals my midriff let it be said. After (and even before!) 2 children my midriff is a sea of stretchmarks and really not what I would consider my best asset.

I don't actually mind the look but really I spent the whole day conscious of yanking it down (I really dislike the look of people adjusting and re-adjusting themselves when they are obviously uncomfortable in what they wore). So I can't say I'd do it again without some kind of absolutely-will-not-let your-bread-dough (rather than muffin top)-show.

The other thing I've been thinking a bit about is how we feel generally. On the whole I'd say I have fairly robust self-esteem. I'm pretty good at liking the me I am becoming and I'm hardly ever on the self-loathing bandwagon. However for some reason (perhaps it's too many Christmas puds!) I've been feeling very average, that's the bad average rather than the I'm okay in the scheme of things average. So today I've been thinking about actually how I feel doesn't change the way I look at all. Sure it may effect my confidence or the vibe I'm giving off but whether I love or loathe my body it changes nothing about it at all.

Kind of reminds me of the verse in the Bible that says 'who of you by worrying can add an single inch to your height?'. Point is.... this is my body and it is healthy and functional and wonderful.... so on the days I'm feeling on the blurgh side of average I'm just going remind myself it's more fun to celebrate what I do have and ignore that whingy one when she pops her head in after too many late nights and too many chocolates.

Okay, self-lecture over show me your stuff gorgeous ladies!

and you know I totally cropped my face off that last photo because it really was an awful face I was pulling!! :o)

Are you taking any clothing risks at the moment?

What's your strategy when you are feeling on the rough side of average?

Outfit:
Top - handmade
Jeans - handmedown
Shoes - new from Andrea Biani
Beads - school fair
Bangle - op shop

So what is Wardrobe Wednesday?

• It's a chance to take some time once a week to peel off the polar fleece trackies (I have a pair too!!) and put on something that gives you a chance to have a 'play' in your wardrobe, to make yourself feel pretty/ stylish/ like a woman or at least not slummy!
•  It's a time to celebrate and hopefully to embrace your body however you find it - post baby, young or old your body is lovely and functional and precious and I want this place to be a place for you to see other women (ordinary, beautiful women) who don't live in designer homes on designer budgets with designer bodies.

How to play?

1. Link in your specific blog post not just your general blog

2. Link to a post about clothes - that's what we're here for

3. Please add a link back here so other people can come over and see people's clothing posts too - the old fashioned way or grab a button

4. Be encouraging and visit people - leave a comment now and again too everyone loves to get encouragement

Here's the button copy and paste away

<center> <a href=" http://createhopeinspire.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Wardrobe%20Wednesday"><img border="0" src="http://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o516/CreateHopeInspire/WWbutton.jpg" width="160" height="160"/></a></center>
Thanks for playing today. I do enjoy your company. Please remember to pop a link in your post so other people can come and browse.  Miriam x

Tasty Tuesday 3

This weeks recipe comes from the delightful book 'Ladies A Plate - the collection'

The Atlas is not very partial to sweet food but he makes an exception for things like Ginger Loaf so when I saw this recipe: Mollie Newell's Ginger Cake I thought he'd like it.

We shared it with some friends and it was very popular with everyone. Nice spice level and moist and light and no icing or embellishment required, a winning combination!

I'm enjoying the challenge of reaching for new recipes rather than making the same old ones again and again.

To see more of what I'm challenging myself on this year try here.