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.

Happy Handmade #5

Giving a second hand dolls bed new life with a mattress, pillow and patchwork quilt.

It doesn't need to be perfect, just colourful and unique.

Happy Handmade #4

More dresses (and this you just can't buy).

Matching outfits for my niece and her doll, Lula.

With box pleats, pockets for little hands, and a dash of bright yellow binding inside, this is a cute and classic style for busy girls. The pattern can be bought here. I found the fitting perfect, with this one made in a size 2. I simply mini-sized and added an easy-open velcro back for the matching dolls dress. 

I so hope they go out together and get stopped by all kinds of Grannies who have stories to tell of their own matched outfits when they were young! 

Happy Handmade #3

Kitty + Pinny = kawaii cute 

A gift for a little lady who missed her grey cat Benny.

Pattern adapted from a pinafore my girls wore when they were three.