word play

 What was the first word this wee boy learnt to spell? Funny. To a four year old boy.

I found these magnetic letters in a thrift shop years ago. They usuallly live on the fridge.
Writing and drawing in the sand is popular around here. Or a whiteboard...impermanence is the way forward it seems. It's led by the wee man but he gets so frustrated sometimes. Trying to model taking deep breaths and the importance of practice. Hard when your brain leaps ahead of itself and wants to write words like 'transform' and 'arachnid' but the physical limitations of being able to shape those letters and words is not quite there yet. I try and support wherever his learning takes him but also, sheesh, there is time you know? Being a kid is special times. Time enough to learn to write 'arachnid'.

this moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This moment is a weekly event instigated by Amanda Soule.

Pop on over to her blog to see her moment and be sure to read the comments...and be linked to many other magical moments worldwide.

Sew Fun workshop

I have persuaded the lovely Angela Carter of Mermaid's Purse to run the Sew Fun Workshop with me.
All you people who have been asking and asking me to run a workshop again...here it is!
And it is going to be fun. That is for sure.

Learn to sew in good company...you walk away with something beautiful you make yourself...and empowered to make MORE. (Warning: Creating can be highly addictive, the workshop facilitators cannot be held responsible for any ensuing loss of sleep, or obsessive hoarding of fabric :-))

City, the loveliness otherwise known as the NZ Cupcake Queen is providing, yes! Her delicious cupcakes for morning tea. (Reason alone to come to the workshop if you ask me).

Saturday 19th May
10-1
Titirangi Community Centre
Auckland

Buttons to share and workshop page here on the blog will come this weekend but i am so excited i wanted to give you a little heads up. Email me or leave a comment if you are interested in the workshop. Numbers are limited. We want to make sure everyone gets the attention they need. Cost is $75. Special price for this Sew Fun workshop's launch. Given its Ange and i giving the workshop, we're talking modern designs with a vintage twist, and quite possibly upcycled and vintage fabric involved. Just sayin!

There was a time in the US when i gave a range of workshops internationally (Plants as Medicine, Creating Healthy Culture, How to give a rocking good workshop, Living Holistically to name a few) and i truly loved that work. I am stoked to be plotting workshops in NZ finally. Yay!

stumbling along

 I have just been stumbling along lately. Busily, and fairly happily, but it is one of those times in life when a bunch of the big decisions that need answering are all clamouring for my attention at once. House, learning journey's (i don't want to call it 'schooling'...i'd like the term to leave space for more choice than that implies), kidlets...you know...just life in all its beautiful complexity. I've been burning the dinner, forgetting stuff and just feeling tired lately. I am doing things to feed me. Sneaking them in where i can. A cup of tea on the deck, a foot bath, a walk down to the garden, a visit with a friend. I find myself sitting still just every now and then and just breathing deep, stilling my circling mind, and just breathing. Only a few minutes sometimes but it really helps. A little bit of mama-time in the day. A kind of natural meditation for busy people if you will. 

And i am eyeing up the sewing table. Those of you who have been around these here parts awhile know that sewing (especially done late at night) is considered a form of therapy right? Well, i stumbled across Liesl Gibson's new range of patterns for women. Lisette. For 50% off at Spotlight. (Discreet cartwheel in a quiet aisle ensued). This last one is my very favourite, but despite sending various folk in to search their local store, not a one in my size was found. But, i did get to give this one to a dear friend and that made me happy. Btw, Liesl is the woman behind the gorgeous childrens Oliver and S patterns. That is one talented lady.

 Now, a late night scramble through my fabric stash...this new acquisition of a vintage print perhaps? Hmm.

klikko

 We have tried to keep plastic toys, actually plastic throughout the house, to a minimum. When Jed was a baby he was surrounded by mostly natural materials. His favourite kete contained seashells, smooth river stones, pine cones, driftwood, different textured fabrics and other such heady delights.
Sometimes though, there are things too special to ignore, just because they're made of plastic.
This is one. Klikko.
With the basic shapes of squares, triangles and hexagons plus two and three way connectors, so much is possible.

 A great way to build and learn about 3D...because of these nifty connectors the shapes can move...a hexagon...can fold inn half...

 ...turn into something three legged...

 and loosening one connector, can stack up.

 Hours of fun. (For mama as well as small people, ahem...who said it was all the kids anyway?!)

Then there are gears and handles for more engineering experiments. We built this boat, you can also build animals, space stations, ferris wheels, cranes...anything you can imagine, or find in the book or little DVD that comes with it. I found this set on trademe. Happy about it? Remember that little dance i do when excited (often, sadly, in charity shops)? Uh huh.