Socks or Stuffing?

This is a photo of Big R's Christmas Pressie. When I saw it I thought of him and well I kinda liked it myself a fair bit, so in the end I wasn't sure if it was one of those psuedo-presents that you buy for someone else that you are really buying for yourself. And well he did like it a lot and even though it was for him and not me, it didn't really work in his study, and well, look how great it looks in the Dining Room? Worked out for both of us, no?

Thanks to everyone who has requested some wool. I have been busy packaging up and posting the pillows. There is still some available so let me know if you would like some. It is quite cool to send it all over the place, who knows how it will be used but so fun to imagine Rosie and Bear ending up somewhere in Michigan or Melbourne? Socks or stuffing?

The Cupboard under the stairs

My horoscope this week said that I need accept that things are not going to return to "normal" and that I am in transition to the new "normal", which frankly is a relief.

The tumble of December made me think I was going to get a chance to relax through January and plan my future in a leisurely fashion, but that was not how things have turned out. I have been busier than before and trying to get all the plated spinning, which has strangely included cleaning out the cupboard under the stairs. Perhaps a physical manifestation of the tidying up of my brain including the bit of grey matter that is covered in cobwebs and mostly left in the dark.

And so the new "normal" is starting to look a little more organised and quite comfortable.

Office Crafting

It is a very bad photo, but I made these little drawing books for a couple of last minute kids birthday gifts. Whipped up using old postcards on the Office binding machine. It got me thinking about Office crafts... there has got to be a book in that, no?

Not sure what was going on in this game, dressed and ready for something... perhaps a little water tennis?

The Great Fleece Giveaway

The Shearer came to visit today and have left Rosie and Bear feeling a little lighter. I have always wanted to do something meaningful with their fleece, but I never have and in the spirit of the New Year am trying not to horde too many things.

Rosie has white wool and is a corriedale x polwarth (I think?) and Bear has black/brown wool and is an Australian Merino (very fine wool). The fleece is unwashed and uncarded but could be used for a spinning, needle felting or just stuffing softies.

So if you would like a free bag of wool and are happy to pay the postage* I would love to send you a pillow-like package of their soft fleece, compliments of the season.

If you would like to share a little of Rosie or Bear please send me an email to littlesnoring AT iprimus DOT com DOT au, or leave a comment.

*note: I have weighed some bags and checked out the postage rates, to the USA - small bag $8.50 / large bag $14, and, to the mainland (Australia) - small $5.30 / large $9.30. Let me know which you prefer in your comment or email and I will send an invoice via Paypal.

** I still have some left..

If children were adults would you play with them?

The thought occurred to me the other day that I wouldn't be friends with my kids if they were adults. If an adult displayed the same tendancies most kids have ie; self-obsessed, bossy, demanding, whiney, messy, ungrateful, self-centred etc, then I would not be their friend!!!

But more than just being their friend, we have to make food for them, be nice to their friends (even if we don't really like them), wash their clothes, change their sheets, buy them things, look after them when they are sick (even if it is 1am, 3am or 5am and we are sick as well), drive them places.... all this for the rest of our lives!

They suck us in we they are babies and then we are stuck.... in love with a monster...

Sometimes, I just don't want to be the adult in the relationship. I often catch myself standing with the other adults (the Parents) wistfully watching the kids playing on the swings or jumping in the pool and think to myself... I want to do that. How come I get stuck with these boring grown-ups, how come I am not having as much fun as them!

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[ just feeling sorry for myself, and hoping no-one will notice I have already broken my NY resolution ]

Tilleke Schwarz

Ooooh I am in love...

I got two great books in the post today (along with two yucky bills, which get cancelled out because of the greatness of their travelling companions)... The first one is collection of the work of Tilleke Schwarz who the makes the very coolest embroidered art... very cool a little bit grafitti, sketchy, interesting, odd, but it is all hand stitched.

Discovered link from Whip up

Post 101

This is the 101th post in the nearly two years since I staked a claim at this blogspot. Not even close to once a day but in this world of speeding pixels, slow as a snail seems to be ok, in fact, slow is a perfectly legitimate speed, after all there is slow food, slow growing, probably slow parenting.

I propose to join the slow blogging movement. Is there one? If not here is begins.

(until perhaps tomorrow when i may post again just cause I am on a roll)
((and in the spirit of procrastination and pointlessness, herewith, a button for the movement))
(((feel free to proudly paste onto your blog before your next unexpected but prolonged blog break)))
((((Join the revolution... blog sporadically, or stop, or never start))))

Vale Mary

So the urgency of discover the family roots and leaves just seems a little more urgent.
I received a call yesterday from a stranger who is a family cousin in New Zealand. He rang to say his mother Mary had died. Mary was my Grandmothers cousin and had reunited with this side of twigs 3 years ago.
I am sure she was a little touched with Fey blood and it wasn't just because she had a great heart, painted beautiful fairies and was an extra in Lord of the Rings - although they might have all been signs!

She was the last of that generation and it fills my heart with sorrow.

New Year Resolutions

Yeah, yeah, yeah, heard it all before, going to post to this blog every day.... we will see.

But seriously, it is a good day to start thinking about what I would like to get done this year.
- I really want to try and get on top of the family story, update the photo albums, discover more about my mysterious grandfather and his lineage, write the family tree.
- Think about the power of story in our lives and ways of expressing these memories on cloth.
Then of course some of the usual suspects,
- lose some weight and exercise,
- healthy, happy family, and,
- make some of my thoughts less private but updating this blog every day in January and beyond

So 2008 is only a few hours old and already I am making grand statements . . .