B.M.W.B # 31 - Watch Me Grow

Blogging has meant I have taken a lot more photos of my boys but taking up this challenge - becoming the mama I want to be has made me watch them more. There is a difference between snapping photos and actually watching. There are photos to record and there are photos to add significance to the person being photographed - you are important and I want to capture this special time together.

Watching without a cell phone in hand, or dinner on the stove, or over my shoulder from the computer (these things still happen in my house more than I'd like them to) isn't the kind of watcher I want to be. I want to be good at real watching.

So this weekend I accepted the invitation to 'come and watch me mama' as this little one played and played making the rocket launch. I was invited many times and when I went to watch I intentionally watched. At his level. Talking to him. Making enthusiastic comments.

I'm far from perfect but I am so loving that this special project is making a difference to the people who matter most. Are you a focussed watcher or do you find yourself easily distracted?

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.

And Then It Was Friday

It's been a busy week and I've felt a bit tired and blah this week, so the perfect time to remind myself that my life is in fact overflowing in all the best things.
I loving parcels in the post - fingerless gloves from this lovely felt shop image. (image from felt)

A pay it forward book giveaway started by Meghan and forwarded on by Ange....

Doing another giveaway - please enter if you are keen
Lunch with The Atlas - Bounce has just started one full kindy day and so The Atlas and I went out for lunch - like on a date. Love this man.

and an ATM that dispenses coin rolls - whoot! All my small change pocket money issues solved. I really, really am excited by this - I bought $20 worth of 10c, 20c and 50c pieces today. (found this image online - mine are NZ currency!)

See what other lovelies have stopped to enjoy here

Make My Week #30 - Stitching and a Giveaway

I have got a black work embroidery book out of the library a couple of times now and felt very inspired by it and when I asked for traveling crafts recently a few people suggested some stitch work so I had a rummaged through my extensive craft book collection and found one with some black work stitches in it.

All of this is just free-hand rambling rather than following patterns which is good because the fabric is very fine and it would have been a nightmare to be counting carefully.

I made the first one in response to a verse in the book of Job (in the Bible) that spoke to me. I realise it's fairly random out of context and personal meaning - suffice to say it is about how I feel about bearing the scent of hope in my life and how I hope that might affect/ give hope to others.....

the others are wee brooches I whipped up for fun playing with stitches and with the words from my blog title. One of the 'inspires' didn't turn out as I had envisaged it (happens when you make stuff up as you go along!) so I made another one.

So to the July giveaway -  this month I want to make a personalised hand stitched brooch for you. To enter all you need to do is leave a comment with the word you would want on a brooch. You can also say which style you like best if you want to. I'm happy to send one of these wee chaps anywhere in the world. Entries close Friday 3rd of August 2012.

On the subject of giveaways - bookworms and people who like great ideas for kids head over here pronto - your choice of book giveaway and a great blog to read - yes please.

For other crafty stuff I have made lately look here
For other people's crafty makings head over here.

Wardrobe Wednesday - Apres Ski

Okay so I can tell you with all certainty I don't look glamorous or even presentable every day.

In the spirit of sharing I have included a selection of my holiday outfits at the Mt. John Observatory, on the ski field, ice skating. I know I am SO stylish!!! ;-)

This is my actual outfit of the week. I bought this at SaveMart in Timaru on the way home (we took a little detour).  One strap needed re-sewing, very quick job - a reason for getting rid of a dress?? Maybe its original owner hated mending as much as I do.

Outfit:

Dress - $11.99 SaveMart Timaru
Top - Zara UK
Necklace - homemade, you like?
Shoes - The Warehouse - $5 on sale

I have been inspired by some layering going on by some of the Wardrobe Wednesday ladies. I love that this dress will also work for summer. Super comfy, stretchy, lightweight....

See what others are wearing over at Nin's place.

Leave them a comment they'll be stoked.

B.M.W.B #30 - Saying Yes

Last week we spent a beautiful week in Tekapo as a family.

We spent some time at Roundhill Ski Field. The Atlas used to be a snow boarder and Flip has had a couple of lessons in the past on skis. The Atlas took up skiing because he has this beautiful thought that he wants to develop things that he can grow with in terms of hobbies with the boys. He and my mama have been gently encouraging me to maybe have a go myself.

Several years ago I had (under duress) a snow boarding lesson in Austria - let's just say it wasn't successful and the board may have got broken (by accident not in anger I must point out!). I don't love snow - wearing all those clothes (no I'm not a nudist! I just don't like all those sticky plastic layers!!), being too hot on the inside and cold and wet on the outside... stuff. We had good weather - This year I said Yes.

As much as you read a lot about how much we mama's need to learn to say No. I most often need to learn to say 'Yes'. I can be too passive, it's easy to say 'not now' or 'Nah not my scene' (especially for me and sport). I'm not all there yet I want to say 'yes' more. Yes to trying new things that I can do with my boys, yes to going to the park, yes to another story, yes to jumping on the tramp.

I don't need to learn to say No. I need to learn to  say yes.
So I said yes. I had a skiing lesson. I liked it. I liked how happy The Atlas was to see me doing something sporty with a smile on my face. I liked being part of it instead of an observer.
Sometimes being a good mama is about learning lessons myself rather than doing more exciting things with my boys. What lessons are you trying to learn?

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.

Joining in with blogger, mama and all round beautiful woman Simone for best in blog - just linking the old fashioned way as the button doesn't seem to work for me!

These Are The Days

of taking time as a family

of cherishing the joy that our family unit brings

of realising, again, what a stunningly beautiful country we live in

of seeing how much 2 little boys grow each year

trying new things

gaining more skills

These are the days and the people I will treasure all my life

Make My Week #29 - Come for Tea?

Cup of tea that is!
Last year at Christmas time some of the chch bloggers had a Christmas party and swap.

Delightful Kirsty gave me a wooden tray with a dophin on it and some gorgeous fabric (which is currently on special at her shop in a different colourway) with a challenge for a make-over. Being that 6 or 7 months have passed I imagine she has forgotten entirely about it. I gave it a makeover and here is the result.

Sanded, cleaned, fabric'd, varnished several coats.
Now I just need a friend over for some tea and biscuits - anyone keen?
See more of my crafty makes here
The dining chairs I did last year
Some coasters using a similar approach
See what other crafty types are up to -click on the 'Our Creative Spaces' button on the right.

What are you making at the moment?

Wardrobe Wednesday - Auditioning

I bought these socks ages ago with visions of long, lean legs with mini shorts and cute glasses - then I tried them on (and they only came up to my mid-knee) and realised - mmmm not so much for me!

But I do love the socks and heels look so this is what I wore - absolutely nowhere at home packing for our holiday and to the supermarket. (Obviously the heels didn't stay on that whole time!) Always good to audition outfits don't you think?

I like my legs they are strong and muscly and they get me all sorts of places but I'm not sure that the long socks and micro lengths are right for such 'shaply' legs. At knee high they are okay but the problem with the other look is your mid thighs really need to be at least as good as the rest of your legs.... these people do exist but they aren't me!

What look do you adore but doesn't work on your body?

Outfit:
Denim skirt- made by me
Socks - Farmers
Shoes - Moda Bella on sale about 5 years ago
Top - Merino hand-me down you can see one bit poking out of one sleeve
Jacket - bought at a Dress for Success sale for $15 label Sportsgirl. Never sure how to wear this or even if it suits me - so I am auditioning it - verdict?

Check out the rest of my Wardrobe Wednesday's here
Or what I am wearing on Pinterest
Clothes I have made

Other lovelies:

B.M.W.B #29 - Simple Things

It's winter and it has been the holidays and yet my boys still want to have water play!

So last week when we went to Creative Junk I let them pick themselves some treasures and they both chose spray bottles. Flip discovered his was dirty in the bottom so we put some water and a wee squirt of dish washing liquid in it and then I let him and Bounce (who incidentally feels exactly the same about pretty much everything Flip does!) squirt away to their heart's content in the kitchen sink.

I baked and they stood there happily. I love that my boys aren't at that stage yet of thinking 'this is so lame', instead they were thrilled they could have water play even when it was too cold to be outside running about squirting each other.
What 'totally uninspired' activities are your kids delighted by?

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.

Hello Weekend

Happy Friday

May you find yourself thrilled and delighted by small things this weekend

Make My Week #28 - baby quilt

The Atlas has a work colleague about to leave to have a baby and so I asked if I could make something special. Bless him he even let me show him some stuff I liked on my quilts pinterest page and I have another board of quilt loveliness here too.

The quilt is made from pieces all from my stash and inspired by lots of different pictures I like. It is free motion quilted. I actually hand basted each piece on and then basted the whole thing before I started which took an evening but was well worth it in the long run.

I added the border as an after thought and I love it. I was going to have the Suffolk puff blossoms all over the ground under the tree but the crafters I had over in the planning stage recommended them on the tree and I think it's a better choice.

I backed it in super soft brushed cotton. I have included a putting it together collage because I quite like the sense of development. I am pretty random in my approach - cut and place and hope for the best.

I'm pretty pleased with the results and I think The Atlas was too.

It always amazes me how irresistible a quilt (even a half-finished one) is to lie on and play on and we don't even have a cat! The boys just couldn't keep themselves off it.

I need some inspiration for a winter craft project that I can take on holiday and do by hand - I don't crochet and my knitting is pretty atrocious.... ideas???

Find more creative inspiration here
Here are some of the things I've been making this year.