Introducing Boudicea. She was an orphan and has been with us since she was teeny. It’s kind of like having a toddler in the house again. She is everywhere, really fast. Specialises in ambushes from her hideyspot under the bed, … Read More
I had this dress cut out and waiting for sewing attention for at least a month. You can see the original review post for the SewKnitlove Sarah dress pattern HERE. I wanted to see what the dress would be like with … Read More
So much of life is on screen these days. Banking. Planning. Learning. My writing, my work. Keeping in touch with friends around the world. Throw into that mix a kid who identifies as a gamer. We have a screen agreement … Read More
I wobble between loving my facebook feed and needing to take a break from it. I love that it has me feel connected to people I love scattered all over the world, and for the ways some posts inform, inspire … Read More
We had to move last year and it’s taken awhile to land at our new house and land. We’re getting there. I have been appreciating how warm and dry our new home is. And no risk of flood up here … Read More
Gotta love a dress with clouds on it. I’ve been wearing it layered up on these cold winter days with jeans and a cardi. I realised that my winter wardrobe is pretty much all dark colours. A stark contrast to the … Read More
We often have extra animals in various stages of rehabilitation. Both of us have a tendency to stumble across animals in need, or they hear us coming and throw themselves in our path. We raised an orphan duckling who even grew … Read More
I bought a beautiful book. It was birthday week after all. 200 Women. The full title is 200 Women who will change the way you see the world. And it’s true. The book really does change you, in the very best … Read More
On my birthday we checked out this new Mexican lunch bar, Cielito Lindo. It had only been open 2 weeks and I hope it stays. It’s the best! Lovely people and the most authentic simple Mexican food I’ve had since I was … Read More
I opened the mailbox on my birthday to find this beauty. A gift from a wonderful woman. I feel extraordinarily blessed to have some incredible people in my life. So much love and skill has gone into this. I love … Read More
This is where non-fabric enthusiasts can keep scrolling past! On my birthday I went to The Fabric Store for the first time. Yup. After we’d eaten at a great new Mexican lunchbar. The thought of going to just fondle fabric … Read More
This shirt has brought so much joy. I love denim and was intrigued to find this simple short sleeved top in the op shop last week. I altered the length to perfection but was unsure how the embroidery on light black … Read More
Moon Circle: Rediscover intuition, wildness and sisterhood A book by Lucy AitkenRead from the Lulastic and the Hippyshake blog The moon circle Lucy describes reminds me of the ideal parent-child relationship, a connection of complete acceptance, one of unconditional love. … Read More
In my mind, these pages are full of news and photos of a very full and wonderful summer. Sorry that posts have been a bit sparse. I have been thinking, and talking to others, about what to do with this … Read More
Introducing this week’s culinary highlight. I have tried making variations of the Green Goddess dressing many times over the years but none as good as this one. It’s a landmark day folks. Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen’s cookbook, It’s All Good, … Read More
When I talk about Twin Oaks Community, I still say ‘we’. A part of me is still there I think. I still have dear friends still living at Twin Oaks. I talk about life there because communal living is rich … Read More
This time last week I was up to my knees in silt and debris at a friends place, cleaning up after a big flood. The stream in their valley broke it’s banks. Those banks are at least 2-3 metres high. … Read More
Taking inspiration from Pip (over HERE) in taking stock: Making: the Fen dress. Longsleeved this time, in a navy linen I’ve had stashed for the just the right pattern. Cooking : lasagne. The ingredients were out on the bench but … Read More
I was hanging out with the amazing Alia Bland of Little Bee the other day. I told her about the happy shirt I made as part of my plan to wrestle 2018 into being a great year, and she told … Read More
Have you seen this book? It was pretty trippy finding it on the shelf of the airport bookshop. It’s price tag states $0.00. You decide how much to pay. The guy before me paid $1000! (I didn’t pay that much.) … Read More
I took an unpaid week off work over the holiday period. It was so good! I took naps, I read whole books in one sitting, took long walks on the beach, swam, ate amazing food and hung out with the … Read More
‘Tis the season of summer fruit. Our fruit bowl is the place to be at the moment. The local fruit and vege shop had $1 rockmelon, honeydew and organic grapes this week. I loved the rockmelon so much. It brought back … Read More
I try to step out of the madness and go camping every year before Christmas. It gives a head start on summer and serves as our end-of-year celebration. We set up camp at a regional park which is enclosed by … Read More
My son took this photo of me. Me, up a tree on a glorious summer day on a recent camping trip. I can’t remember the last time I climbed a tree. I think that’s why he ran for the phone … Read More
I used to despise Christmas. I was uncomfortable with the consumerist hijack of a religious holiday and the societal pressure to have your Christmas look like a Hallmark card. I was sensitive to the highlighting of poverty as people stretched … Read More
In our last moving house episode I unearthed this cup. It was mine when I was a girl. It used to be stained on the inside from Ribena – does anyone remember that stuff? We loved it and I remember … Read More
Nothing says spring like lambs. We are on lamb duty while friends were away. We first met Pia when she was a day old. Her mum had abandoned her and she spent her first month living in a house and … Read More
We’ve had the craziest of weather lately. Hail, wild winds, rain, rain and more rain. The tiniest bit of warmth and peek of sunshine and everyone is all smiles and so grateful. Last summer we hardly swam at our beach … Read More
The boy and I just went on a roadie to some hot springs. We rented a cabin and it was one of those decorated in the seventies with formica and lino and that particular shade of orange that screams ‘seventies’. It … Read More
Do any of you follow Lucy on her Lulastic and the Hippyshake blog? I bet some you do! It’s pretty cool over there. Well, Lucy has started up a website (and a movement!) called Parent Allies. I wrote a thing … Read More
I was in Sydney for work last week. The UK office made a wee (understandable) mistake in booking the hotel so it was an hour’s walk into the office every morning. It was a welcome bit of exercise and fresh … Read More
After the first day of walking to the office and to meetings in the city my feet really hurt. Three days of epic city walking I have massive blisters on the soles of my feet. I realised something. I spend … Read More
My neighbour has been online dating like a beast. Not that I’m looking but she’s been egging me on to do the same but I just can’t do it. Besides, if I were wrote an honest dating profile it might look like … Read More
My son and I were talking about different parenting styles today. The conversation grew out of overhearing two mamas at the mall. Their kids were all within earshot while they commiserated about how hard the school holidays were and how … Read More
We had big plans for a road trip up north to see dear friends. I got as far as packing but life had other ideas. Gah! I had to be a grown up and prioritise important things like viewing a … Read More
It’s been a great guava season and not much else great happening. Even the ports on my laptop are fried so I am reduced to taking photos on my phone. Hence the blurry guava. Gah. I have to-do lists in … Read More
Oh my goodness, how to respond to the lovely texts saying they hoped I was spoiled rotten for my birthday today? My lovelies, I am a single mama. There was no breakfast in bed, no gifts, no cake, no sleep … Read More
This rainbow of winter fruit and vegetables at the farmers market made me so happy. You can’t beat freshly picked local produce. I have plenty of greens and fruit from our place at the moment. Kale, celery and chickweed are … Read More
Last week I submitted my final contributions as Editorial Assistant to Organic NZ Magazine and wrapped up my Web Content work for NZ Soil & Health – the publisher of ONZ Magazine. One of the competitions I organised for this upcoming … Read More
