wednesday colour...

A little colour to brighten your week.

a rainbow at my feet...

Sometimes we look for beauty in our everyday. Other times, the beauty finds us.

Huckle & I had walked up the drive to collect the mail. On our way back he stopped to collect some treasures from the ground. I stood & watched as he busied himself with the gravel & leaves. I was smiling, thinking how lovely it must be to explore & discover the beauty of gravel & leaves. As I was looking toward the ground, I noticed a rainbow. A wonderful, scattered leaf rainbow covering the whole driveway. I walk this driveway everyday & only today do I notice this great delight. I squatted down beside my little man & together we collected a rainbow.

It's truly a marvelous thing to find such beauty amongst the everyday. To know that no matter how rubbish the day might be, or how many times you've walked that path before; if you take a moment to look around, you're sure to find something special.

Do you think this way too?

What unexpected beauty have you discovered recently?

hello spring...

I know it's not officially spring yet... but the weather has been quite delightful of late & when the going is good, the good get's going... outside that is. Winter is a tad (did I just say tad? I mean very!) miserable up here on the hill. There's a great expanse of grey & a lot of soggy ground (think mud & lots of it). The winds howl & going outside isn't for the faint hearted. Yep, that's me... faint hearted Kitty. 

So yes, I am clicking my heels & skipping about. For winter my dears, is on it's way OUT! Can you feel my excitement? 

Each day we try & get out into the garden (even during the freeze). We admire the view & notice the changes amongst the rolling hills. The sky is never the same, but the grass is forever green. 

There's so much happening in the garden when spring is around the corner. Our great big willow bursts to life with new shoots & pretty yellow flowers. Two very cheeky alpaca's have taken to nibbling away on them, along with anything else that takes their fancy. The apricot, nectarine & almond trees have begun to blossom, with the cherry tree not far off as well. The ground is starting to dry up, soon it will be ready for spring plantings. Work needs doing in the vegie patch to get it ready. Today Huckle & I started with a spot of weeding. We also fixed the border of bricks, dug up some ever-multiplying potatoes from last season & scattered a collection of lemons over the freshly weeded section. Can you guess who this was? He's such a helpful little man.

Can you feel spring around the corner? Are you too, happy to wave farewell to winter?

Here's to a lovely week ahead. Have a good one.

mama inspiration...

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

How magical is this sunset over Western Port Bay. Can you see the insects flying about?

Today was all about making happiness for Huckle. He was very upset & I think the teething, sore toe & a slight fever was all a bit much. Much of the day was spent grizzling or thrashing anything in sight... books, teddies, Mama. Crying after tripping over, when usually he'd get straight up & keep going.

I didn't handle it as gracefully as I would have liked, it's been a long week for me too. 

Tonight has been spent reading a few new to me blogs & I now feel inspired to do it all again tomorrow. I'm grateful for Mama's who blog & share their stories. It's like having a community of like minded spirits, right here in my home. 

So much of motherhood is instinct (& fumbling through until it works), but it's also about learning from each other. Taking what resonates with you & working it into your everyday. Over time it becomes part of your rhythm, part of you & hopefully you will inspire another Mama.

I'm off to rest my weary head & restore my energy for whatever tomorrow shall bring. 

finding peace...

Sometimes life gives you lemons... lots of them, but you know in your heart that you're strong enough to take those lemons & make some mighty fine lemonade (or limoncello, if you're that way inclined). 

In the grand scheme of life, our problems are not that bad. I know that. But they're still there & they're real & they take a lot of deep breaths & hard work to get to the other side. 

A dear friend emailed me this quote yesterday, it's just what I needed to hear. Thank you so much Celia. 

Courage does not always roar.

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying,

“I will try again tomorrow”

……

Mary Anne Radmacher

Amongst all the chaos that life brings, we're left to find peace & happiness in the everyday. Some days, it can be found in scrubbing your pots. Other days it can be found in a family adventure to the shore. 

We spent last sunday exploring the beach at Kilcunda. Frolicking under the bluest of blue skies & watching our little man delight in all the beach has to offer. 

Days like this day are so precious. I am forever grateful for this little family of mine.

my creative space...

It's been one of those weeks. To sum it up... 

Tuesday - an hour & a half at the doctors, ingrown toenail (poor little guy), immunisations, out of sorts grizzly Huckle, who also has 4 teeth coming through, dogs barking incessantly at sheep through the night, very little sleep.

Wednesday - Samuels eye playing up again, swollen, blurred & double vision, more doctors, drive hour & a half uptown at short notice, hospital, specialists, treatment, grizzly Huckle very unimpressed with being stuck in the car or doctors office for 2 days in a row. 

Thursday - I am one very exhausted Mama & Wifey, doing my best to keep calm & look after my boys. 

Sometimes though, I would very much like to scream & pull my hair out & ask the universe to give us a break already! I'm pretty certain we've had our fair share of "character building" these past few years thank you very much. 

There's a month of treatment ahead of us which hopefully works it's magic for the second time. Then in early october, my collar bone gets plated back together & then we have six fun weeks of recovery. Aren't we a barrel of fun!

Today was all about doing nothing. We went about our day not expecting much, but a bit of rest. I meditated by scrubbing my pots into glorious wonders (hello salt & bicarb!), a doona cover morphed into little mattress cover, two apple & date loaves were baked & scarecrow pie was eaten for tea. 

You can imagine how pleased I am to see that I actually did get something done today. It feels a tremendous achievement. 

There's been some messing around with watercolours of late & I've drawn a favourite truck for the umpteenth time. There's much more practice needed, as I'm a little clumsy with the brush. Oh well, you have to start somewhere don't you. I'm liking the look & can't wait to paint some more old trucks. This one has been gifted to Samuel, to sit upon his desk.

Check out some more (non whingy) crafting happening here. 

my creative space...

Ooh, Mr Internetweb has perhaps changed his tune & is working (for now anyway). So while the going is good, a posting I shall be.

My creative space isn't really mine this week, it's my husband's. 

We've taken a new venture into his passion for making furniture. .

He's been busy working away on this piece, which is now for sale. What once was an old industrial postal sorting bin is now a handsome island table. I wish I had a "before" photo to show you, it's come a long way.

Click on the S & K DESIGNS button on the right to see more. 

If you're up for a bid, you can also find the ebay listing here.

My creative space has involved logo designing, html, photographing pieces & writing descriptions. Please forgive the nakedness of the website, there is still so much to add. It's been slow going, but we're getting there. 

There has been action in the studio too. A hat for Huckle that is too small for his big noggin, a pair of shorts that fit just right, a hoodie almost finished, vintage sheet fat quarters cut for this swap & lot's of pattern tracing from the Oliver & S book.

Phew! 

What have you been up to?

More spaces over here too.

wednesday colour...

A little colour to brighten your week.

Our internet has retreated to the time of the dinosaurs & is highly lacking in the speed department. Hence this post is being uploaded from our lovely local community centre. I'll see you next week when the ice has melted. 

Til then, isn't this flower so very pretty. 

Ciao.

wednesday colour...

A little colour to brighten your week.

Terribly sorry for rehashing an image from Saturday past, but how lovely is this rose. Sadly it fell away, as roses do. Lucky for me (& you too) I can now look at it as I please, regardless of the season.

Did you know this is my 699th post?!?! I feel a bit like a sitting duck, afraid to move over to 700. Gosh it's almost been 4 years too. I'm so happy to have started this blog. It's the best diary I've ever kept, one that I've actually kept up to date. With pictures & all. Hurrah!

Perhaps I'll do a celebratory post... but then again I may totally forget, or be too distracted. I'm a mother with a Huckle. I'm a very busy (said with a quite matter-of-fact tone & a cheeky glint in my eye). 

I shall leave it to the universe to decide. Sir Universe, you have precisely 24 hours to make my mind up for me, don't dilly dally. 

Til tomorrow... 

tales from the chook house...

Well, after the Otto dog killed of 5 chickens, we were left with three girls that weren't yet laying.

Otto went away to live with his uncle & soon after eggs started appearing. Perhaps they were waiting until they felt safe.

They're now giving us three eggs a day, six days of the week. Lovely little chookies, they are.

Every morning Huckle collects them & carries them in his basket. 

Still to this day, no egg has been harmed. He is a very careful little man.

Do you have chickens? I really do recommend them. Delicious eggs, pest control (we haven't seen a snail since we've had them) & free manure for the garden.

When we move up town, we'll be sure to move to a council that allows chickens. Most Melbourne councils allow up to 6 chickens before requiring a permit. I'm determined to take a little "country" with us.

I hope you Sunday is lovely. 

We're off to Kongwak market for some local vegies, treasure hunting & yummy food.     

in the garden...

Spring is just around the corner. The past week's wamth (warm for us, that is!) gave us a little taste & there are glimpses in the garden too. Flowers blooming, new buds appearing & herbs thriving. 

I'm a little bit excited. Are you?

sorted...

At least one part of my life is organised. 

I've found the perfect storage for my button collection. 

Now to build it some runners so it can slide under my sewing desk.

Oh & fill the rest of the compartments, of course! Ha ha.

Many of these buttons were scored at a Buttonmania vintage sale. Others were picked up from oppies.

Do you have many buttons? How do you store yours?

my creative space...

I've been managing to get in a lot of sewing time lately. Huckle is sleeping a bit better during the day & he is also content to play while I sew. Hurrah!

I've sewn two pairs of flat front pants using the tutorial from made. They were very easy to make & are such a lovely fit. I picked up both fabrics from spotty & lined them with fabric from the stash. The brown pair are lined with flannel & the blue are lined with jersey. This makes them super snug & warm. Perfect for outdoor adventuring. 

I'm really quite chuffed with how they've turned out.

I've also been hooking another calm cowl. Whenever we watch a movie, I snuggle up next to my beloved & slowly work away. So far this cowl has seen Salt, Empire Records, Benjamin Button & The Big Blue. It' quite fitting really, for the lady it is going to is an avid movie watcher.

There's been botched PJ pants for me, a hoodie in progress for Huckle & some other top secret business going on too. It feels great to be productive. 

I'm joining in with the gang over here.

today...

...we built a cubby house in the lounge. 

In our cubby we built block towers, read stories & ate apple & cranberry loaf for morning tea.

...we had cups of tea & sandwiches on the picnic blanky on the lawn.

...Huckle collected sand in a laundry basket for reasons unbeknownst to his mama & dada.

...Huckle marched between the sand box & the picnic rug to gobble up sandwiches. 

He can really put the sand in sandwich.

...we watched, as a wild duck tried to befriend one of our ladies, intently following her about.

...we played in the late winter sun & enjoyed the mild temperature, whilst tonka trucks went about their business.

... I traced a whole pattern & cut out all of the pieces.

... I sorted my button collection into an old type drawer.

...Samuel worked on a piece of furniture he's making.

... we daydreamed & thought of the adventures ahead.

... I made a mismatched dinner. Fried eggs, spinach crepes, baked potato, beetroot, lentil & goats cheese salad. It was delicious!

What was your day like? Was it filled to the brim like ours? Or was it mellow?

However it was, I do hope it was lovely.

I'll see you tomorrow with some crafty capers.

wednesday colour...

A little colour to brighten your week.

Another whole week has past with no words. There will be words soon. I'm caught up in the living & not really bothering to say much about it. Everything is well & good. I've been super productive on the crafty front & will try to post my trials & tribulations tomorrow. I hope everything is happy in your world & if you're in Victoria, I do hope you're lapping up this gorgeous sunshine.