Those Boys Bake

Those boys of mine, they bake! Did you know that? They love to mess up my kitchen and make yummy things. Scones, cookies, bark. We have sweet things down flat. Now all I need to teach them is how to chop an onion without removing their fingers and peel a potato in under ten minutes and I'm ready to take early retirement!

But a few more cookies first...

Making Light

One afternoon the babes made these rolled candles out of beeswax sheets. A simple craft whilst I baked. They are so easy and so quick to make that we usually end up with a drawerful by the time they are done.

Adding their light makes the afternoons a little bit sweeter as they clean the air for us. Gloomy days made bearable by making light.

He Shoots! He Scores!

Every so often the midget snaffles my camera, and thus begins a solid half hour (at least) photo shoot. He's very careful, he knows the lens is king, he's learned the basics of good light, and I enjoy watching him get absorbed in the process. He'll talk to himself as he shoots - "Ooh, that's a good one", "yes! I like it!", "Wow, mummy is going to LOVE this one" - and I love to hear this chatter and the thought-process verbatim.

And I do so love scrolling through his shots (and the eldest's, as he comes in and joins the fun too), seeing what he finds interesting to shoot. And sometimes, well sometimes we get a forehead shot or some little feet poking out - love those - cheeky little monkey glimpses.



Now, if I could have my camera back?

My Eldest Sews

After the initial success of the midget's foray into cushion making and selling, the eldest decided he wanted to make bags to sell.

The first one he made I snapped up, not out of charity, but because I actually dig it. It's small and funky, and appeals to the punk in me. Large enough to handle all the basics of keys, wallet, phone etc, and slings over the shoulder easily. A no fuss funky bag.













Since then he's received one commission and would like you all to know he can make bags in ANY COLOUR and any size, and his mama sells them in her shop. He had thought these would make excellent nature bags for when you go on adventures - you can take books and notepads and magnifying glasses, and also have enough room to bring some treasures home. But since he's seen me with mine, I think he's realised bags are for everyone.

Oh my children. This first flutter of being out there in the world all by themselves has made me realise how much letting go I've got to do in these following years. And in so much as I'd like to protect them from everything, and insomuch as they make me proud, I can't help but marvel at how painful this growing process is. Not for them, but me.

Having children, well, it's like having your heart living outside of your own body, isn't it?

Mummy, I want to make a Cushion

"Mummy, I want to MAKE something", said the midget after finding me fiddling with my sewing machine and brushing him off with 'in a minute's. "Mummy... I want to sew a cushion... can you turn my sewing machine on for me?".

And so I did. I set the machine up, and left him to get on with it.

And after several trips to fix various problems, rethread needles, untangle bobbins, and help cut the right shapes, I decided just to hang around and help him out unconditionally. Mama sewing - well, that's what bedtimes are for, right?

He sewed a cushion. Then he wanted to sew a cushion cover "with buttons, Mummy".























And that is exactly what he did.

But unwilling to stop making, an idea came to him ... "I'm going to make more cushions and sell them. Will you help me sell them, Mummy?"

And so two more cushions and cushion covers later...











Ready to put online at some point.

He already impressed an aunty who has commissioned him to make her a cushion for her sitting room (how to make a seven year old stand three feet taller...), and if that wasn't enough? Behold ::



He is seeking more inspiration for other things he can make and sell...

Oh this boy of mine...