Completely Necessary Things

My to-do list is towering over me.
Should I even list the things-that-must-be-finished (or started)?

Maybe it was escapism.
Maybe it was misplaced priorities.
Maybe honesty?

Whatever it was, this week I absolutely had to sew two tiny dresses for the two tiny bunnies of two tiny besties.
It was fun.
It was totally unnecessary.
It made the girls giggle.

Looking at the adorable playmates (both sets), I'd say it was worth it!

(They are reversible for extra playfulness!)

Rockstar Party

Since this boy is a total rockstar (and owns a rocking name), this party theme was perfect for Zeb. Here are the details:

Invitations: I gave Tim a simple idea and a photo of Zeb and he created these rad invites. Fun invites set the tone as soon as they arrive in the mail. And these ones sent a ripple of excitement, no doubt!

Decorations: Layered invitations on the wall were the background for a DIY rock sign using cardboard letters and flashing fairy lights. I printed some of Tim and my favourite band shirt images, and displayed them with some converse shoes and punk Lego figurines.  

Food: Fruit kebabs displayed on foam heads (with punk styled make-up)

White chocolate shutter glasses with edible glitter (made with chocolate molds)

Orange jelly in the shape of a guitar

Other party favourites (Twisties, red licorice, sausage rolls etc)

Cake: A combined effort, with all of the gum paste shapes (lightning bolts, flames, guitars, band shirts, stars, microphone, and mouth) created by my sister. Zeb chose the colour scheme!

Activities: Decorate You Own cardboard guitar (with band stickers that we found at a clearance sale).

Pass the parcel (with mouth lollies in between wrappers, and an inflatable microphone for the winner).

Then plenty of free play!

Take home treats: Pop Rocks and shutter shades

It really was an awesome day and Zeb has wonderful friends who made it great (and big thanks to my Mum and Dad who helped at the party and in the week leading up to it).

 

Boy, it's your Birthday

There are the usual things to say.
Brilliant.
Beautiful.
As Boy as ever.

Growing.
Changing.
Thriving.

All are true, but also.
This birthday,
I can't help wonder.
How will I parent a young man who is all of these things?

And so I went to bed and the answer came at four in the morning,
when he crawled next to me, distressed by an earache.
In a still, small, boy voice, he said "Mum, I'm alone in my room"

Five, fifteen and beyond, I will be close when he calls for me.
Happy birthday Zeb-boy!

My Faith Library

An in-home library is the stuff of my dreams.
One big room filled to the brim of books. And I would go there everyday to read for awhile, or at least to smell the books, touch the books and peruse my collection. Perhaps today a charming classic? Tomorrow some fabulous foodie-lit?
In actuality, we cannot have a huge book filled space. Instead we have pockets of books all over the house.
The loungeroom.
The kitchen.
The dining room.
The playroom.
The girls' room.
The boy's room.
My bedside table.
Even my hallway cupboard.
Not the toilet, sorry.
And this is good too. Though I might not be wowed by my huge collection, or notice them all at once, everywhere I go there are books. Right there in the background of each space, books.

So too my faith. It is not a do-it-on-Sunday-in-a-big-burst type of thing. But it impacts my everyday, and every room of my heart: my mind; desires; work (or projects); relationships; parenting; and the more hidden things that you might only sometimes get a glimpse of on this blog. God is in every part of my story. I hope as you read what I write, you might see his character. His generosity, his creativity, his patience, his sacrifice, his forgiveness, his passion, his gifts, his love for you no matter who.

In the books and the fables
In the this-is-me labels
In this is-this-me?
Is this me?
In the hear-me hear-me
Say-my-name
In the touch-me need-me
find-me need-me
In the aching pain
In the love
In the music
In the beats
And the taste
In the heat
In the need
And the need 
for embrace
In the colour 
In the gaze
In the meaning
The desire
In the flame
Of the voice
And the spirit
Of the fire...

It is (God) you seek.

The clip: YHWH
The poet: Sh'maya

Catch Me If You Can: Galentines Day

Made famous by Parks and Recreation,

Galentines Day is held on February 13, 

to celebrate the lady friends in your life. 

Back then, we did.

Hearts and flowers.

Delicious treats.

Pretties and glitter.

Audrey in Funny Face.

And love bags (which everyone helped fill by bringing something small to share).  

Girls, I am grateful for your blessing in my life.

Thank you!

Happy Handmade #6

For the boys (or really it could be for the girls, but this one was for my boy). He was going to a Star Wars party. He likes dressing up (I think it's in the genes). He chose Han Solo. With good intentions to make him an outfit, but no realised costume (or spare time) by the day before, it wasn't promising. And then I heard Han's voice say 'Never tell me the odds'*, and I decided to get ultra creative. I went to a dollar store and Big W to get supplies:
Black pants;
Black gum boots;
White skivvy;
Tea bags;
String of brown leather;
Red dog leash;
Plastic gun;
as well as a black vest from home;
and brown leather belt and gun pouch from the dress-up collection.

At home I just took three shorts steps to finalise the costume.
Firstly, I used the tea bags to stain his skivvy the perfect colour (honestly, a fluke!), and I cut a small opening at the front.
Then I hot glue gunned the dog lead to the side of his pants and added stripes with a sharpie pen (this didn't ruin the pants, the red pulled straight off after).
And finally, I used the caribeena (from dog lead) and some leather strapping to hang the gun pouch from the belt.

Oh, and added an ewok sidekick too...

* Artistic licence taken. Haha.