Trust Me

This scene had the makings of a very good day. Trust me.

A bagful of beauty, a scarf and some clinking metal knitting needles. Well, Bliss.




Carry on.

Little things make me happy

I wasn't going to blog this. This is a gift from a reader, now friend, and I am never sure whether these things are mine to talk about publicly.

I am blessed with having found many friends through this space of ours, and some very kind souls send me things from time to time, and I usually keep those things private, because, well unless I have permission to blog it's kind of like a trust broken isn't it?

But sorry Debs. Had to blog this - because along with the endless gifts of others dotted around our home, whenever I spy this little bit of happy peeping out it lifts my spirits so much. It is simple, pretty, beautiful colours and a little tangible piece to say 'someone in the world really loves you'. And it's a chicken. I mean, come on. That appeals to my wannabe farmer girl in me.

If I've never thanked you publicly for any act of kindness anyone has shown me it isn't for want of thinking about you. Little acts of kindness keep me afloat in so many ways.

Thankyou. To all of you. You rock my world.

Slowing Down

We kid ourselves constantly by saying 'we don't have time', that life is 'busy'. We can't find the time for friends, family, crafting, inventing, art. But the truth of the matter is - is that 'time' is all we ever really have. It is ALL we have. Our life is in fact a parcel of time, freely given, to use with freewill until we visit the grave. And we prioritise our time constantly. We make space in our lives for the things which are truly important to us, and the things we do is simply our beliefs in action - if you believe something to be important you find the time; if you leave something out, well, that speaks volumes too.

And it's true, with so many things to fit into family (and homeschooling family at that!) time, some things are left by the wayside, put on still pause for when you are not so needed, ruefully hankered after as you play one. more. game. of Blokus.

But stopping, every so often, to look up, listen, watch, observe, it's amazing to find what's happening right in front of us right now as we're busy making other plans.

Life is this very second, so as I move through the days with these little people at my side I am reminded, when I take time to stop, to make the right choices, prioritise the right things. I must remember to always take time out in every day to slow down, stop, watch and listen, because for all it's painful toil, life is so very, very beautiful.

:: Just to add ::
If you want some Ramadan craft ideas to slow down this month with your little ones, you can find some inspiration over on Green Prophet (a voice for environmental and sustainable issues in the Middle East) - I am honoured to be included in the list. So if you have five minutes, if you can take the time, slow down and pay them a visit.

These walls of ours...

A year or so ago I nailed these crates to our sitting room wall for somewhere to display nick-nacks. I really love them, they have a rustic charm and they have turned a large, boring flat space into something more engaging.

But still, there was something missing... Of course, a plethora of prints! And so with the help of arty friends, some of my own images and etsy finds I created our 'seasonal wall' - Images that keep us in tune with the outside when we are in the very heart of our home.







I think it works somehow. A hotch-potch of nick-nacks and granny things with a little modern tweek.


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Sticks and Stones

Sometimes, when the boys are busy with their work, or when we are sitting around the table for an afternoon of family art, I sit and play with paint, pens and ink and dream up all manner of doodles in my daydreams.

I have begun to cocoon myself with stones, sticks, journals - in fact, anything that I can paint on, and carve a little work niche for myself in this busy home of ours.

It is important, I think, that we as adults allow ourselves the time to create - to keep that spark of creativity alive within us. It is all too easy to give in to chores and 'important' things and to lose ourselves in the process - to erase who we are and confuse it with what we do.

But to create these pockets of calm, these oasise of crafting and creating is no less important than the other work we undertake each day. If fact, it may be more so - for through our example our children soon follow. Once they see me sit in quiet concentration it isn't long before they too sit and concentrate and make. Maybe not for long, but at least they know that this work of ours, whatever it is, that it is important.

From Scraps to Riches :: a Patchwork Table Runner

It's funny, isn't it, the things that mean the most to people? I can never seem to throw a scrap of fabric with a good pattern away, however small, and I've built up a tidy little pile of pieces, and I do love just pawing through them and seeing all the colours and patterns together.





Last week, after washing our table runner for the umpteenth time and wishing I could find another I liked in my thrifty treasure hunting, I had an epiphany, and then reached for the scrap bin and began to stitch things together any old how with the intention of making another runner for our table.



It seemed that log cabin worked best and it really wasn't long before four big blocks sat waiting for a border to bring it altogether.





It was a couple of evening's worth of work which satisfied my need to make 'something', whilst resulting in something totally necessary for our home.





And I love it that I am able to make these things for my family, that with each stitch there is a tangible message of love and care. Often it is the subtle messages in our lives that speak the loudest, isn't it? The time that someone takes our of their lives to do something for us, well, that speaks volumes and builds up our subconscious feelings of self worth.

And yeah, it's only a table runner. But like all things handmade, it's also so much more than that.



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Samplers

Been playing around with these fabrics this weekend :: a slew of golds, mustards, greys and blacks. This sampler (a simple mat) has whetted my appetite for more; I intend to make matching placemats and napkins and anything else that pops into my tired little head. Liking the fabrics together and geometric patterns always do it for me.

Anything you've made lately you'd like to share?


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Bluebell Woods

The whole wood was carpeted with bluebells. A whole sea of blue. We had to stay on the footpaths and leave in-depth free investiagtion for another time.

I have memories of spring walks and bluebells from when I was a child. I hope my boys remember these times too.


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