It’s nearing dinnertime, you are tired, small ones are tired and you have no idea what to make for dinner. It’s the witching hour in many families. Sound familiar? Here’s one of my go-to fast food recipe’s: Sesame noodles.Ingredients:-handful of … Read More
I have been wanting to make underwear for the longest time. Uh huh. I know, i know.It’s just that i like to have a go at making well, pretty much everything. And you all know how much i love upcycling, … Read More
So, every now and then i have a backlog of posts tumbling around in my head and for some reason they’re not making it to you. Then i declare a ‘seven days of blogging’ bonanza…where i commit to blogging for … Read More
Once upon a time, back when i handstitched bags and purses from old pairs of jeans and rainbow colours of embroidery thread and sold them on the streets of Europe…i earned the name ‘the bag lady’…in the nicest possible way … Read More
So, we have had monarch butterfly caterpillars living inside on their swan plants this season. We brought them in as they were getting eaten by something outside. Watching them grow and caring for them has been a job Jed has … Read More
I had been meaning to make some cushions for my couch upstairs (in my bedroom/studio/library) for ages. Dodging into my local charity shop last week with tired cranky small person in tow, i found these beauties. I was in and … Read More
I bought this as a New Year’s gift…for myself. I love that it asks me to strive to live my best life, the juicy passionate one my heart always sings out for. And then, on the other side, reminds me … Read More
Three days into this ‘seven days of consecutive blogging’…i bring you…THE lemon tart. Actually, i threw blueberries in at the last minute and that was perfect: We were expecting a large family of friends over for dinner. The dinner was … Read More
We had a few rainy days lately. Here’s what we got up to. 1) Blowfish! I found Joel Henriques blog, MadebyJoel (the man is a genius) and had to try this myself. Immediately. So we did. Breakfast can always wait, … Read More
So, every now and then, when i have a backlog of fun stuff, thoughts and peeks into our life to share with you, i declare a ‘seven days of blogging’ bonanza. This is day one. In the middle of my … Read More
Finances don’t quite stretch to getting contact cards designed and printed yet. I whipped up a set myself. I bought the white standard cards from the stationers and am using the teeny weeny but still beautiful scraps of vintage fabric … Read More
For the small person who loves to help the mama sew, this is pure genius. For someone who loves to rummage in the fabric scrap bin, and is learning to use proper scissors, just perfect. Made of sturdy wood, it … Read More
These are some of our favourite books at the moment. Koro’s Medicine by Melanie Drewery is especially good. Get to that library!One of the things i promised myself if i came back to NZ to live after my 16 years … Read More
We have two magic boxes in our harry potter-like cupboard under the stairs. One is the craft box. The other box has six different kind of paints and various painting tools in it. The newest edition is non-toxic facepaint. Ignoring … Read More
Remember the ‘mama sack’ ? To the woman who asked me how on earth i managed to keep Jed so “beautifully dressed when clothes cost so much these days”: The $2 vest is handknitted and new, picked up from a … Read More
This is a Jed stash after a brief rummage in a thrift shop. Even when tired he’s got thrifting mojo working for him. Those tractors were way up high on a shelf, which, fixated on finding vintage sheets, mama failed … Read More
The days are heavy with the sound of cicada’s making the most of the summer days. There are hundreds singing out there today. And that’s just in our garden. Little friend piwakawaka here. Or fantail. Native to NZ and just … Read More
They keep on coming. Caterpillars, vegetable bugs, neighbours and birds are getting their fair share too. I love the continuity and connectedness i feel when i preserve garden goodness at harvest time. I flash back to making strawberry jam for … Read More
The wonder and the serious work that these boys put into harvesting the first round of beans was just incredible to behold. We’d been eating the young green beans earlier in the summer but there was something magical about choosing … Read More
I have missed my long evening walks since Jed was born. These glorious late summer evenings are shrinking and i am determined to get out in them. SO! Into the stroller he goes with favourite books and puppy. The mama … Read More
Such yumminess. The chubby hands AND the tomato. I don’t like eating raw tomato. I wish i did. Every year i try. Once i grew eighteen different varieties in search of the one i could love raw. Apparently it was … Read More