Wardrobe Tuesday - Study Attire

When I study - my exam is this morning and yes I would like your prayers! - I want to be able to be comfy and lounge about in odd positions on chairs or the floor.

Sitting up-right and sensibly doesn't seem to be my natural persuasion.

So, more often than not I end up wearing my only pair of jeans. I also only own one pair of shorts - this is slightly frustrating so I must rectify it.

But I still want to look a bit like me!

I picked this jacket up on sale the other day from Pagani - which isn't a shop that usually spins my wheels. I like it with my jeans and I think it will be super cute with summer dresses too. Yes I am wearing my sunnies inside - hay fever is not my friend!

I also made myself a brooch like the decoration Bounce made. I rather like it. I quite like the fact that the little lemmings on my t-shirt look like they are plunging into the jacket.

So it's a comfy compromise. Although I do often get stopped by people at school - sometimes ones I don't know - when I wear jeans..... that's how infrequently I wear them - people stop me to comment! :o)

Joining in with lovely ladies at Kelly's tomorrow. Click on the WW button on the right to go straight there.

Final thought - what shall I wear for my exam and do you think 5 pens is enough for a 2.5 hour exam? I like to be over prepared for these things.

Love you more than an orange lemming xxx

B.M.W.B - Making it Happen

Flip found a 'Kid's Baking Book' I had in my recipe book collection.

'Look Mama this one is really easy. We could do this.'

So I said yes and I set a date - tomorrow afternoon.

Sometimes, I find it so easy to say 'yes that looks good, let's do that some day' and some day never comes.

and I wonder if they will stop asking and suggesting one day?

and when it really is easy and fun maybe I just need to do it now or set a time for it tomorrow?

At this time of year there seem to be a million more balls to juggle and things on the calendar and urgent 'have-tos' but when you are 5 and 7 it's also an exciting time of year. There are end of year concerts to talk about, books to read, sports to play, hoses to run under..... and those things don't always happen at other times of the year.

This season I am particularly challenged to be actually present, not just physically present with the boys.

Eye contact, one thing at a time, less things, more laughing, more yes, more crazy plans.... those are the things I am aiming to 'make happen' in November and December.

I know presents and social engagements and tidying, baking, cleaning.... stuff... it all has to happen too but I am determined it will not be in the drivers seat.

How about you? Do you stay as engaged or are you like a beggar at a smorgasbord overladen with things/jobs/expectations like I am?

If you need a break - whip up some icy pops together. If you don't have the right gear a plastic cup and a teaspoon will do just as well - milk, flavoured milk, smoothies, cordial, juice, fizzy... any of those will be fine. (and if you are really desperate some coloured water might just cut the mustard too!)

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. 

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

Button code on the right if you want it

Love you more than an iceblock under a tree on a hot day xxx

45/52

Little boys on grandparents day at school.

I do feel very blessed to have grandparents in the boys lives that love them so much

and boys who are so excited to spend time with them.

Meaningful and Inspiring

I have met so many people (including myself somedays!) who have an ambition to be a writer.

Some of them get on and actually write stuff...

and re-write, and sharpen, and polish and sweat and re-work

and take their ambition seriously

and then more often than not they face the slog of finding an agent (which is not free) and presenting to publishers and chewing their nails and getting rejections and cycle after cycle...

and some go down a different road.

Recently 2 very lovely clever kiwi bloggers have self published gorgeous books for little people.

Sarah's have all gone - but there is an eBook which you can get here and you can even make your own little tree to match from the pattern here. Keep an eye on her blog though because I hear she's thinking of new print run.

Sarah's book is a beautiful book filled with NZ tree's and sounds like a perfect addition to any nature loving little persons collection. It is a quest and a book about finding your place.

Simone's book is currently ready to roll off the press.

The Christmas season (almost) upon us and Simone's book beautifully captures the nativity in a fresh and cute way. Maybe you could think about it for your Christmas collection.

Last year Simone's story was turned into this super sweet film


her book tells the narrative from behind the scenes of heaven and it features photos of a fabulous variety of little people (which I love because isn't that the point - this was a story of good news for the whole of the world!).

You can order the book directly from Simone here including NZ postage. $16 for one, $26 for two copies or $35 for three copies. 

I am so encouraged by both Sarah and Simone who have tenaciously followed their dreams and put the hard work in to make their dream a reality. Each of them have produced something they can feel incredibly proud of and I think the books, in different ways, capture the spirit of what it is to believe and have faith. Meaningful messages from beautiful women.

So if you wrote a book what would it be? I'd quite like to sew the illustrations for a book.... 

Love you more than the smell of a new book xxx

Conversations

Bounce: My school is really good

Me: What do you like about it?

Bounce: Just the kindness is really great.

Love you more than a new book in the reading folder xxx

We Recommend - For Baking Babes (and a giveaway my honeys!)

Now a baking babe may be a smoking hot mama who knows her brownies from her blondies ( I don't like white chocolate so you're getting no blondies from me!)

or... a baking babe could be a littler person who loves the chance to get let loose in the kitchen.

Anyway, this week I'm recommending something we've had a huge amount of pleasure from Edible Ink Pens. Basically they are like felt pens that you can use to write on food with and the food is still edible. The gift that goes on giving all year round.

Now and again I use these to smuggle a marshmallow into the boys' lunchboxes with a love note on them.

We've used them to make snow men

they are also super fun for adding features to faces

I imagine the fondant icing artist types could have an absolute field day designing things.

or you could draw on lickable tattoos! (that comment isn't supposed to be R18 either!)

and we used them recently for the party - little people drew their own teddies on a fondant cup cake topper.

My friend also used these to make this amazing cake for her wee one.
She said: The americolor pen I had was one of the blue ones, it was great for colouring the larger areas, had plenty of ink/good ink flow and kept working!!

Of course you could always buy a 10 pack separate them out and give them to friends with a packet of marshmallows or cupcake cases. Perfect for the food loving friend or the kind of present I'd actually be stoked to get in those 'bring a $5 gift' Christmas parties. (Which I know I should roll my eyes about but I totally love. Last year The Atlas had one at his work where you take other people's presents - you know the one? - and he felt so bad about taking something someone wanted the next day he took it into work and gave it back to them, so they got 2 gifts and he got none!)

Now I know these things aren't the easiest to locate - believe me I have tried.  So I am very excited I found a fab place to buy these and they post so if you think Santa would like to sneak some of these into your stocking then send him this way. (Or if you live in Hawkes Bay they have a store as well).

or...... you could win a pack of 10!!! I know, busting your gumdrop-buttons right??? Right here. Because Cake Stuff are awesome, yes, yes they are.

Now I know you are really thinking of how much your children would love a set of these for biscuits and cupcakes and marshmallow snow men making, and you're not thinking at all of how much fun you are going to have planning your next party and never sharing them....I have mine hidden in a secret place in the pantry and I'm not telling you where!

So you could win a pack of 10 Americolor food pens - as featured in the photos above, usually $34.95.

How you ask me? Well here are your 4 chances:

1. Visit Cake Stuff and tell me something you'd like Santa to put in your stocking (don't get lost over there okay there is a lot to look at and you may need a tissue for the drooling!).
2. Link up a recommendation post this week
3. If you follow me some how (email, RSS, Bloglovin...whatever) then I want to give you another chance because I appreciate your company for the journey.
4. Tell me a way you would use these - go on inspire me.

Separate comment for each please :o) you know you want to make it easy to be picked.

I will draw the winner on Nov 20th and send them out to you in the mail. I have also drawn the winners for the Sami's giveaway - congrats to Therese T, Jackie, Louana, Alex, lil Abs and Sunshine Leonie. Holly won (and has received) the cufflinks from Linkz. If you are a winner please flick me an email with your address and I'll do my best to get them in the post this week.

We Recommend for Christmas 

our posts about genuinely lovely things

If you'd like the code you can find it on the right.

Love you more than a chocolate and marshmallow hangover 
(the only kind of hangover I've ever had!) xxx

Wardrobe Tuesday and Make My Week

On Friday after the big school drop off The Atlas and I went out for a coffee (hot chocolate and juice) together. Unfortunately he had to go on to work so I had a little wander around the shops and found some beautiful $200 shoes that I wanted ....

instead I bought 2.5 metres of fabric for $20 which I thought wasn't so bad for my 'baby started school' therapy.

So on Saturday afternoon, after the birthday party, using an original 1950s pattern I made myself a dress. 'Grandad' (my FIL) thought I was making curtains, but I must confess I do think this fabric would make the most happy caravan curtains so I wasn't insulted.

I rather love it.

The full skirt was my addition as was the green ric-rac around the neckline. I do love ric-rac!

The fabric is seer-sucker I think - at least it has that kind of texture and it has red/pink rabbits on it too.

Shoes are another Melbourne purchase and I think they hold their own but don't detract from the main event. Sweet clip made by Holly. I think I need to buy some more I love it so much. Bangle is silver and bought for cheap in a second hand/antique shop. Under neath is my red full petticoat.

This dress reminds me of a daffodil, in colour and in cheerfulness. I had pondered going for a straighter silhouette but I'm glad I went this way in the end. I got stopped by a few people at church to comment on it so clearly it makes other people happy too. Not bad for a $20 spend I think, everything else was already in my stash, including the duvet cover offcuts I used to line the bodice.

Joining in with Kelly, on Wednesday and Leonie on Thursday

Love you more than a spring daffodil xxxx