Over the last few weeks I've been doing some recommendations of great gifts for children in your life. Today I thought I'd throw it out to the adults!
I often mention the website felt to people and so many haven't heard of it. So as my personal campaign to raise awareness for non-landfill, artisan, NZ made, quality (you get the general feeling right?)......choices for gifts I am sending you to my recommendations for myself!
I had a browse the other night and I came up with this wonderful selection of lovely things - beginning at $5! and this really is just a tiny example of some of the cool things that are there - I spent a bit of time in the jewellry department but there is so much more than that!
So if you have a special person you need to buy a gift for in NZ can I recommend this wonderful website? It is the brain-child of a fellow Christchurch woman Lucy Arnold - whom I have met a few times. She is lovely and talented and not at all in your face - just quietly getting on with providing a wonderful place for kiwi's to buy beautiful things.
This Christmas if you can't make your own you can still give handmade......
Monday, November 19, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
A Day to Love
Here we are enjoying our 'annual' trip to The Show
The tractors were a major hit
as was the plane ride
I so loved having a day with the boys who make every day a gift
The tractors were a major hit
as was the plane ride
I so loved having a day with the boys who make every day a gift
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Make My Week #46 - Hoop Birth Record
I first saw this neat embroidery on Cat's blog here
and when I saw her last month I asked if I could copy it - I kind of free-handed it rather than properly followed because, well you know how I roll :o) (unless you are new in which case I'm not much of a pattern follower)
I have made this for my brand new beautiful niece and seeing as she is unlikely to see or remember this post I thought I'd debut it here.
My niece lives in London so this also has the advantage of being very light to send.
What things do you make that are light to send internationally?
Joining in with creative inspiration at our creative spaces - blue button down on the right.
Did you enter my November giveaway??
and when I saw her last month I asked if I could copy it - I kind of free-handed it rather than properly followed because, well you know how I roll :o) (unless you are new in which case I'm not much of a pattern follower)
I have made this for my brand new beautiful niece and seeing as she is unlikely to see or remember this post I thought I'd debut it here.
My niece lives in London so this also has the advantage of being very light to send.
What things do you make that are light to send internationally?
Joining in with creative inspiration at our creative spaces - blue button down on the right.
Did you enter my November giveaway??
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Wardrobe Wednesday - The Confessional Edition
Every Wednesday, Every Wardrobe Welcome
HiI have a couple of confessions I'd like to make and I hope we can still be friends afterwards. Okay?
1. I kind of like to be matchy-matchy. I know it's kind of uncool to choose a couple of colours and use them right through an outfit without a sneaky pop of surprise. Perhaps it comes back to a lack of confidence with colour mixing or it might be my little thing for monochromatic schemes but I do like a bit of matchy-matchy now and again. In the blue dress picture with the yellow shoes??? Totally would have worn blue shoes but I was travelling and it was what I had - I didn't mind the yellow but I totally could (and probably would) have matchy-matchy'd it.
Blue and pink combo - even wearing my pink train necklace, probably decided the blue earrings were too much for the outfit.....
Yeah so I hope you can still respect me.
2. I don't look after my shoes.... I think this might be because re-healing them or whatever usually costs more than I spent on them in the first place. Maybe I'm lazy... that would be why none of them get cleaned or polished past a crazy wipe when I see something on them while I'm wearing them.....
Do you have any fashion crimes you'd like to share??? Go on... don't leave me alone out here....
Outfits:
Dress - Sailor Spy
Bracelet - 50c Matakana Op-Shop
Tights - Glassons $5
Shoes - Cotton On $15
Scarf - Op-Shop Melbourne $4
Cardi - $3.50 Salvation Army Store
Necklace - Handmade
Sunnies - Dollar Store
Singlet - Hand-me-down
Skirt - Hand-me-down
Tights - Hand-me-down
Shoes - one of those pairs that are falling apart but I wear them and don't fix them anyway.....
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.
- 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
Here's the button copy and paste away
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
B.M.W.B #46 - Family 'Scavenger' Hunt
On Saturday afternoon while Bounce and Daddy were out on a birthday date Flip and I made a family scavenger hunt. It was his idea and we chatted about how to do it.
In the end everyone had their own list 5 inside challenges and 5 inside challenges. We wrote up Daddy and Bounce's ones together and I wrote his as a secret and he mine.
Then when Daddy and Bounce came home we played the hunt with a dice. If you rolled a 3 or more you chose inside or outside and did one of the challenges on the list then you stamped it off (very complicated rules you can see!!). Bounce never rolled a 1 or 2 so he won.
It was so fun. The boys had put up the tent on the lawn so we all sat by the tent and ate our dinner together. I do love the lazy pace that some weekends have.
Can you believe it's 46 weeks into the year already??
Time to start thinking about Christmas and making things together for that!
Thank you so much for those who have taken time to encourage me on this B.M.W.B journey.
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.
Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be.
Remember November giveaway post here
Other posts about parenting
In the end everyone had their own list 5 inside challenges and 5 inside challenges. We wrote up Daddy and Bounce's ones together and I wrote his as a secret and he mine.
Then when Daddy and Bounce came home we played the hunt with a dice. If you rolled a 3 or more you chose inside or outside and did one of the challenges on the list then you stamped it off (very complicated rules you can see!!). Bounce never rolled a 1 or 2 so he won.
It was so fun. The boys had put up the tent on the lawn so we all sat by the tent and ate our dinner together. I do love the lazy pace that some weekends have.
Can you believe it's 46 weeks into the year already??
Time to start thinking about Christmas and making things together for that!
Thank you so much for those who have taken time to encourage me on this B.M.W.B journey.
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.
Simple. Achievable. Intentional: becoming the mama I want to be.
Remember November giveaway post here
Other posts about parenting
Monday, November 12, 2012
Books We Recommend
Thanks so much for the lovely feedback you've given me on the recommendations we've made so far.
Today I wanted to talk about 3 books that I think are great for different reasons.
Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne
For me so much of a picture book is in the illustrations and the ways in which they interact with the text. Anthony Browne is such a master of this kind of story telling. His illustrations often speak louder than the text. Many of his books are for older readers but Bear Hunt is one I have bought for a 2-year-old, given to Bounce for his 4th birthday and one Flip (6) loves as well.
The message of the story is certainly that the pen is mightier than the sword or perhaps the pencil is mightier than the gun. Bear is being hunted but in each encounter he draws a solution to the problem. Flip can read this book alone - such is the simplicity of the text and they both really love the bear's ability to thwart the hunters at every turn. As well as this the background illustrations give all sorts of fabulous moments of entertainment as well - can you spot the flower made out of lips?? For children who love art and illustrations this book would be a winner every time and simple enough to enjoy with the very small.
Julia Donaldson is the author of The Gruffalo and many others but this one appeals to me a lot more than those. This was a chance buy with a voucher we received and the boys adore it. The illustrator is different from her other books and has a lighter touch and uses colour in a way that really appeals to me. Jack sets off on a quest to find the fruit of a the flum, flum tree to save his granny from the moozles (purple spots). Before he leaves granny gives him a patchwork sack (see why I picked it up??) filled with all sorts of odd objects. As the adventure unfolds it is granny's sack that saves the day over and over. Both my boys love it and Bounce can do a really good job of recalling the items in the sack and what they were used for - which to me demonstrates the level of engagement with the story.
Belle, The Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Stroud
I picked this book up in Melbourne at a book sale. Gee's Bend is an area in America famous for it's quilting and so I picked it up more for me than the boys. (I haven't read it to them yet). The story details a small boy asking an older woman why she is allowing the Donkey to eat all the collared greens it likes without shooing it away. The old woman responds that the donkey is a hero to her. As the story unfolds it transpires that at the urging of Martin Luther King Jnr the residents of Gee's Bend had taken the ferry to register to vote but then the ferry is 'cancelled' on voting day and the donkey takes them the long journey to make their voices heard. This same donkey (and not a mighty war-horse/ stallion) and those same 'ordinary quilts of the people' in the end were given the honor of transporting the assassinated King to his final resting place. I can't even talk about this book without getting really emotional - the story of hope and triumph and the use of the ordinary and undervalued (as donkeys and quilts were then) elevated and recognised as important and valued.... a beautiful book for an older child, giving a beautiful and gentle glimpse into a sad and terrible and hopeful part of history.
I hope that these might introduce you to some new favourites or remind you of some old ones. Do let me know if you would like any other kind of recommendations (for older chn, boys, girls...)
*** these posts are not sponsored*** links are only provided for your convenience I make no commission from them (not that I would mind if I did :o) ** the first 2 titles should be easy to locate at your local bookseller also.
If you love books you might also like my November giveaway here.
Today I wanted to talk about 3 books that I think are great for different reasons.
Bear Hunt by Anthony Browne
For me so much of a picture book is in the illustrations and the ways in which they interact with the text. Anthony Browne is such a master of this kind of story telling. His illustrations often speak louder than the text. Many of his books are for older readers but Bear Hunt is one I have bought for a 2-year-old, given to Bounce for his 4th birthday and one Flip (6) loves as well.
The message of the story is certainly that the pen is mightier than the sword or perhaps the pencil is mightier than the gun. Bear is being hunted but in each encounter he draws a solution to the problem. Flip can read this book alone - such is the simplicity of the text and they both really love the bear's ability to thwart the hunters at every turn. As well as this the background illustrations give all sorts of fabulous moments of entertainment as well - can you spot the flower made out of lips?? For children who love art and illustrations this book would be a winner every time and simple enough to enjoy with the very small.
Julia Donaldson is the author of The Gruffalo and many others but this one appeals to me a lot more than those. This was a chance buy with a voucher we received and the boys adore it. The illustrator is different from her other books and has a lighter touch and uses colour in a way that really appeals to me. Jack sets off on a quest to find the fruit of a the flum, flum tree to save his granny from the moozles (purple spots). Before he leaves granny gives him a patchwork sack (see why I picked it up??) filled with all sorts of odd objects. As the adventure unfolds it is granny's sack that saves the day over and over. Both my boys love it and Bounce can do a really good job of recalling the items in the sack and what they were used for - which to me demonstrates the level of engagement with the story.
Belle, The Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Stroud
I picked this book up in Melbourne at a book sale. Gee's Bend is an area in America famous for it's quilting and so I picked it up more for me than the boys. (I haven't read it to them yet). The story details a small boy asking an older woman why she is allowing the Donkey to eat all the collared greens it likes without shooing it away. The old woman responds that the donkey is a hero to her. As the story unfolds it transpires that at the urging of Martin Luther King Jnr the residents of Gee's Bend had taken the ferry to register to vote but then the ferry is 'cancelled' on voting day and the donkey takes them the long journey to make their voices heard. This same donkey (and not a mighty war-horse/ stallion) and those same 'ordinary quilts of the people' in the end were given the honor of transporting the assassinated King to his final resting place. I can't even talk about this book without getting really emotional - the story of hope and triumph and the use of the ordinary and undervalued (as donkeys and quilts were then) elevated and recognised as important and valued.... a beautiful book for an older child, giving a beautiful and gentle glimpse into a sad and terrible and hopeful part of history.
I hope that these might introduce you to some new favourites or remind you of some old ones. Do let me know if you would like any other kind of recommendations (for older chn, boys, girls...)
*** these posts are not sponsored*** links are only provided for your convenience I make no commission from them (not that I would mind if I did :o) ** the first 2 titles should be easy to locate at your local bookseller also.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
November Giveaway
Before November disappears entirely I want to make good on my monthly giveaway promise. I have so enjoyed doing these monthly giveaways. I recognise that generosity does not come naturally to me and so I have loved creating intentional opportunities (even if they are small!) to make it a habit.
Every December 1st I give my boys a book about Christmas so that over time we will gather up a large stash of them to read together during December on our lead up to Christmas. A while ago a friend recommended this book to me, I subsequently found a copy second-hand and then I found another one on TradeMe and because I liked it so much I bought the second one so I could give one away!
This book is about a little boy who lives in a caravan park and wants to enter the competition that the council is running for people to decorate their houses for Christmas. Being of meagre means he uses what he has and waits with great anticipation for the judges to come and visit his house (and they don't).... what could be such a sad story is in fact a beautiful and uplifting tale. I won't spoil the ending but I think this is a story anyone could love and enjoy.
It's also a New Zealand book which makes me very happy. There are so many great children's books and I'm always thrilled to find New Zealand ones to add to the collection.
Currently it is unavailable on Fishpond, Book Depository, Trade Me and Amazon doesn't appear to have it at all - so this could be your big chance!! :o)
If you would like to enter to win a good condition, second-hand (I know people have mixed feelings about 2nd hand and that's okay just want you to know so you are informed!!) copy of this book, leave me a comment. Tell me a children's book you love or a Christmas tradition you have.
I'll draw the winner on Nov 25th so hopefully I have time to get it to your family before Dec 1st so you can read it during the Christmas build up too.
Because I love the journeys and friendships blogging creates if you want to enter and you follow my blog (any old way) then remind me in your comment and I will enter you twice.
Have a wonderful day
Miriam x
Every December 1st I give my boys a book about Christmas so that over time we will gather up a large stash of them to read together during December on our lead up to Christmas. A while ago a friend recommended this book to me, I subsequently found a copy second-hand and then I found another one on TradeMe and because I liked it so much I bought the second one so I could give one away!
This book is about a little boy who lives in a caravan park and wants to enter the competition that the council is running for people to decorate their houses for Christmas. Being of meagre means he uses what he has and waits with great anticipation for the judges to come and visit his house (and they don't).... what could be such a sad story is in fact a beautiful and uplifting tale. I won't spoil the ending but I think this is a story anyone could love and enjoy.
It's also a New Zealand book which makes me very happy. There are so many great children's books and I'm always thrilled to find New Zealand ones to add to the collection.
Currently it is unavailable on Fishpond, Book Depository, Trade Me and Amazon doesn't appear to have it at all - so this could be your big chance!! :o)
If you would like to enter to win a good condition, second-hand (I know people have mixed feelings about 2nd hand and that's okay just want you to know so you are informed!!) copy of this book, leave me a comment. Tell me a children's book you love or a Christmas tradition you have.
I'll draw the winner on Nov 25th so hopefully I have time to get it to your family before Dec 1st so you can read it during the Christmas build up too.
Because I love the journeys and friendships blogging creates if you want to enter and you follow my blog (any old way) then remind me in your comment and I will enter you twice.
Have a wonderful day
Miriam x
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