Yeah I Made it 39/52... for the Ladies

Babes,

Our church is participating over the year in an anti trafficking fundraiser for women in Nepal. You can find out more here.

Saturday is a women's breakfast, because you know us ladies we like food and we ain't gonna lie. Tickets are sold for the breakfast with all profits going to the charity but then they also have stuff you can buy on the day like merino infinity scarves and baking on vintage plates, and let's face it baking done by someone else is always more tasty! (or, contains almond essence and glace cherries - blurk! Don't you hate it when that happens??!).

So a non-crafty friend and I whipped up 18 polymer clay necklaces to sell. When I say whipped up what I really mean is ate chocolate and chatted while doing damage to our thumbs. Evidence below:

I always find it supremely rewarding when people's practical gifting can be used to bring real and meaningful difference to other people. We spent just below $50 and will possibly make nearly $200 for the cause. That's a good return on a blistered thumb in my books.

It's a little thing/philosophy of mine that rather than thinking we can't make a difference perhaps we could all just start with what talents we have and see how those pan out for us.

love you more than spending frenzy at a charity event xxx

things that surprise - in my neighbourhood

Living in Adelaide in the summer is not easy for me - once the temperatures start to soar I feel my heat anger (h-anger, if you will) start to set in. I really would happily spend the whole of summer inside and never venture out into the heat at all... I dislike it that much.

So it's good for me to be caught by beautiful outdoors things in summer.

Next to the trees where the boys slack-lined on Saturday, (which happened to be very hot and sticky) there was a group of enormous trees and singing and flying and landing and hanging were hundreds and hundreds of bats.

I have never seen a bat in the wild.

I thought bats were nocturnal.

It was absolutely incredible and very awe inspiring to see these creatures/mammals flying around and nesting in the trees and to hear them singing (is that what you call it?).

That night seeing the bats was Bounce's grateful thing for the day, I think it was mine too.

I discover these are in fact a megabat, perhaps batman has some competition!

Maybe venturing out on the weekend was worth the heat and the sticky.

Do you ever find delight in the most unexpected of places?
What has surprised you lately?

love you more than a grey-headed flying fox xxx

Waitangi Day

Ah Aotearoa

arohanui beautiful place  

I miss your geography, your people, your obsession with marshmallow and chocolate...

I miss, I miss, I miss

May we travel forward little country with honour, may we address our past faults, acknowledge injustice, set to right wrongs, and extend compassion and forgiveness

May we be a shining light all the way from the ends of the earth

Toward a future together

love you more than our national anthem xxx

I Got Broken

Leaping for the monkey bars and missing - just a little bit broken but oh so brave.

Grateful for a beautiful friend who dropped Bounce and I to the hospital and took Flip back to her place for the afternoon, fed him dinner and dropped him home.

Blessed.

love you more than a hospital with good reception (if I ever meet one!) xxx

Hello Yellow

So I organised my first ever swap a while ago and had fun putting names together except when it came to mine.

As the swap was anonymous (until receiving) I felt bad for whoever got me.

Turns out I was the lucky one! Leonie from Kiwi at Heart got the short straw and received me to give to.

With the slowness of post I think her hopes were dwindling that my parcel was ever going to arrive, but lo and behold it arrived yesterday.

Hello Yellow!!

Leonie chose yellow and absolutely crammed my box with yellow treats  of all kinds. I unwrapped them with my boys who duly ohh-ed and ahh-ed over each item.

There is so much it's hard to know where to start so I hope the pictures will tell the proper story. We used the new washi tape immediately to hang up this delicious rainbow garland.

We had to have toast straight away as well and Bounce said, 'Things like that, (toast) that have smiley faces really want to get eaten.' So cute.

I love the patterns that Leonie sent too, which came from the previous owner of their house - so me!

Then there was a Mother Teresa quote magnet, a bible verse magnet, handmade cotton dishcloth, stationery treats and yummy kiwi foodie treats too.

I'm sure I haven't even described each item properly but I was truly thrilled and delighted by my warm yellow colour hug. Thanks so much to Leonie and to each of the swap participants who invested such beautiful time and thought into their parcels.

love you more than an inspiring quote xxx

Hello City Living

This week I am grateful that I can walk into town - in about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace,

pulling my 'bag lady' trolley.

And I can get prizes for party games, gifts for the birthday boy

catch up for a quick bite with The Atlas (even though my phone died - I just looked in his shared office window like some shameless hussy).

Print some things out at the library

and then finish off at the markets where I can buy all the veges, fruit, and meat that we need for the week

and discover a fantastic new shop where I bought some seriously lovely look muesli (and carob buttons, oops!).

and walk back home again.

All done in a couple of hours - no driving, no looking for a park, no hassles.

Today I'm grateful for city living and bag lady trolleys!

What are you grateful today? I'd love to know.

love you more than all the things ticked off a long list xxxx

sometimes things happen that make your face hurt from smiling

Last month I entered a wonderful competition launched by Offset Warehouse - think lovely fabric, ethically sourced and made.

 Zoe of So Zo blog (she is the great brain behind Me Made May and Self Stitched September) was one of the mighty 4 who Offset asked to come up with a theme for a challenge using their fabric. People were asked what they would make for the 'everyday awesome' theme Zoe proposed.

And Zoe chose me!! Which means I will be receiving a bundle of beautiful fabric and sewing a garment with only three other people (selected by the other bloggers) and then it will be over to the public to decide what they like best.

Honestly I feel like I am a winner to have been selected, from here on in it's all icing my friends! I am so, so excited and the fabric I have chosen is so beautiful online. Hopefully it comes quickly in the post I have only until 9th of April to get it done. To read my entry on Zoe's blog have a look here.

Love you more than a email that makes you dance xxx

Thankful for...

Surprise parcels that arrive when you've given up hoping!

New blog friends - Juanita has just moved here too so we're creating our own Adelaide bloggers internet dating phenomenon. ( not sure the Adelaide bloggers are ready for us!)

Tickets to shows

More blog connections and fabric - the ASG had a fringe event with lots of fabric and lovely Sarah from Ask Sarah. Yes I look crazy... yes I do!

A new blog card with a new sentiment on the reverse.

A family picture at a fringe event (see tickets above)

People who put the great british sewing bee up on you tube. ( even though hit keeps getting taken down - come on BBC the likelihood of us ever getting here: slim to none, and if we do I'll watch it again, I promise!)

This simple, moving Lent journey. A couple of minutes each day to reflect and enjoy other peoples creative thoughts. Lovely.

 What about you? Got something to be thankful for this week?

love you more than a packet of squishy dark liquorice xxx

2014

Here I stand at the edge of a brand new year, holding my breath.

Hoping not to make a false start.

I wanted to start this new year with my favourite image from last year.

Last full school assembly, Flip and Bounce invited up to be prayed for as they left and they stood there holding hands, heads bowed, united - my sweet, sweet little ones. So loving, little hearts filled with faith... and I allow myself in these moments to be so proud of the people they are, so blessed by their presence in my life.

I know I'll have other words for the year but as we look to leave these shores in a week these are the words echoing in my heart as I treasure this image.

Unified

Whanau

Strong

these are the things I hope for most as we embark on such an unknown venture.

May 2014 bring us all good new adventures and may we find a strong sense of whanau in the people who surround us, may we stand united in challenges and triumphs and may we have strength of character, strength of heart and a faith that anchors us unswerving in all things.

Love you more than a resolution achieved xxx

(I'll hopefully post a couple of catch up posts from 2013 - project 52, advent swap and make my week - nothing like tying up loose ends!!) x

Adventy Awesomeness

Don't you love the feeling of starting you day with something lovely - like a wrapped present for you?

Here are the amazing ways I've been blessed by Cat this week:

Day Four:
I am totally loving washi tape at the moment and these colours make me very happy.

Day Five:
My boys were very excited that these were like Paddingtons '5 pence pudding', having never seen a Christmas pudding in real life.

Day Six:
I must confess to a wee cry about this one! I love Gillian's work and it was the night after the Chch bloggers santa swap and this beautiful piece is partially made from liquefaction silt. Also Cat and I met one another through the earthquake way back in 2011 - very meaningful. It will be a very special piece of chch I take to Australia with me.

Day Seven:
The boys insisted I take the photo with the candy canes making a heart - aren't they sweet. I can't believe how much Cat has managed to make! Her knitting skills are boss.

Day Eight:
Yum - not so many of these left I must confess!!

Day Nine:
My Christmases are going to be filled with lots of special memories with all the wonderful handmade decorations I have been given. And always in twos so the boys can each hang one.

Day Ten:
Breakfast anyone? Just me then, don't mind if I do!

If you want to see days 1-3 go here.

Love you more than a laden Christmas tree xxx

How Things Unfold

Last night I spent a most pleasant evening in the company of some beautiful women swapping gifts, stories, laughs and sharing calories together.

This wonderful selection of chch bloggers:

It's interesting how unexpectedly friendship creeps up. These women are very dear to me, I like them and I like the things I learn from them. I didn't think about the fact that last night was probably the last (and first for some of them) I would see them for quite a while. I'm glad about that because I would have been a bit (lot) emotional.

And so I sit here eating left over lolly cake and brownie for breakfast and I reflect on how much I might have missed out on if I hadn't taken that step out from behind the screen.

What richness of shared experiences, stories laughed at, pieces of someone's pyjamas! I might now have.

Christchurch bloggers I am so thrilled to be counted among your company. Privileged in the things I have learnt from you. Honored that you would be prepared to share your real life journeys with me.

You are fascinating, intelligent, interesting, creative, talented, kind and hilarious women. I am grateful for the parts you play in my story.

xxxx

love you more than eating naughty leftovers for breakfast xxx

(photos care of Sophie, used without permission - yeah I know I love living on the edge like that!!)

Sweet Things

Grateful today for sweet people

who drop over unexpected gifts

and that feeling of discovering a treat when you arrive home!

also grateful for pink and yellow and gingham

joining in here

Love you more than a vibrant colour combination xxx

5 Years Ago Today...

we welcomed you... little bundle of energy. Fast and furious you came and we only just made it to the hospital but not quite to reception.

You are sweet and soft, and the way you always choose me and want me to snuggle you close makes me so happy. I know these days are limited and that in time you will be 'too big' for such things. So I treasure you my snuggly wee one and both grieve and celebrate your growing.

And that is what parenting is I guess - celebration and grieving. As the bond grows so grows the independence, the writing of your own story, and all this is as it should be.

We love you little fellow. We wanted you and you were given to us and we hope we will do justice to the high calling of parenting you.

You are clever and you are kind. You are capable and you are helpful. You are a beautiful person on your own and you are part of our team and of the great and beautiful family of humanity.

It is with sadness and joy I watch you today as you enter your classroom, filled with anticipation as I am filled with hopes for you - for kindness, understanding and friends mainly.

I love you and I will always love you and not just to today but every day I am grateful for the person you are in my life,

for your questions and answers for the way your favourite phrase at the moment is 'in any case' like "I hope I don't get wet, in any case skin is waterproof"

for all I have learnt and am learning in parenting you and for your wonderful companionship for the last five years

for the way you want to watch football with daddy in a sheep costume,

for your ongoing love of teddies and the fact there is no room on your bed but you still want to add to your collection, for the way you play with them, make up voices for them and share your world with them,

for the way you adore your brother

for you - plain and simple - the happy and grumpy, the generous and demanding, the quiet and the noisy, the sleeping and the exuberant, you - just as you are

Happy birthday wee man. You are our boy and we are proud of you, you will always, always, always have a place on our team xxxx

Life

I have a child who brings me offerings from the garden

there is cherry blossom in my pocket

cheese scones are baking in the oven

2 children play together

I will pause and thank God for today

joining in here

love you more than a washing basket full of folded washing xxx

Friday Surprise

The Atlas took today off to surprise me

and now these wee ones are reading with the best daddy in the world.

Happy Friday

don't forget to enter Wednesday's giveaway

Love you more than a well-loved book we just found again xxx