remembering

There was a brief moment of holiday bliss in our 'anything-but-ordinary' holiday. I find myself remembering those peaceful and uncomplicated moments with sand between my toes or listening to my children splash contentedly while my hands are busy making...even one horizontal moment with the afternoon sun and a book. Ahh holidays...come back again soon!

weekend wonder

[inspired by Ruth Asawa and her extraordinary sculpture, my wire crochet experiments...]

This weekend there was a pause in the class-prep-chaos as I took our 10yr old daughter away for a mother/daughter weekend. We had decided we would take each of our children away for a night of fun + connection when they turn ten as the world unfolds for them in more and more grown-up ways. We decided on a girly-celebrate-city-life weekend and had a wonderful time by day and night wandering, eating, talking and being inspired!
My 10yr old is a delight to share time with!
These are just a few of my instagram shots from the weekend - hope you enjoyed the stunning weather as much as we did and I can't wait to see many of you this coming week in our holiday classes xx

[BY DAY: the overhanging pool was her favourite/wire crochet experiments by the pool/such a stunning city icon in full bloom + sunshine!/couldn't keep her quirky sense of humor away from this fun journal!]

[BY NIGHT: Brisbane festival lanterns/lazer light show/night time fun with my girl!]

[most of today was spent wandering every inch of the art galleries...she loves these spaces as much as I do!]

weekend wonder

What a weekend..the Daddy in this house celebrates his birthday and Father's day all on one weekend! He asked for something low key and revelled in a long morning ride, delicious breakfast, long read of the paper in the sun and dinner around the fire with friends!
There was so much to do, I have few snaps but rest assured, enjoyment was had by all....these girls LOVE the man of the house!

:: while pencils are colour coded + sharpened inside...he relaxes in the sun outside!

:: a little gift-given-wall-art around our home...a new guitar stand and a round of golf!

a woven life

[all images The Daily Purl]

Handwoven fabric has always held a particular fascination for me. The way that the texture of the fiber dances over + under, warp + weft...slub + silk...the hands that select and then weave back and forth until a beautiful pattern emerges...a slow work.

As I've gotten a little older, I have come to see my life a bit like a woven piece of fabric...threads carefully selected and interwoven into a beautiful cloth. Unless the threads are woven, they stand singular and insignificant, but pair them with others and they sing.

I have the tendancy to compartmentalize my life for ease - a single ball of thread - if I just manage this 'ball' today, I can keep all the other 'balls in the air'. Drop one and they all fall. But if I unravel all of the balls of thread a little - risking chaos and tangles - and work them together...a little of this and a little of that, I am fully aware of the impact one thread has on another. I think we were made to 'work all things together for good' rather than work too hard on any one thing. Certainly my family/work balance is much improved if I take this approach.

A beautiful woven work is one that engages all threads in a dance of texture and grace, risks the unravel but is honoring to all threads.

All images are from a new-to-me blog, The Daily Purl. I absolutely adore her work and images - the artistic snapshot of her daily living I find inspirational. and the beauty is endless. Do pop in and take a look.

making + sickness mash!

Oh my poor neglected blog, this last week has been a blur of family sickness + stresses and somehow I just couldn't find the words to write in the midst. So instead of summarizing, I will just begin this week with a few snapshots of the sweet, amid a bit of sour....

weekend wonder

[the last flower left...]

Sometimes the timing of things....if they have to happen, can be borne with more patience than, say, well...at most other times! I am talking of sickness, arriving in our household last week in a way that meant - stop! And with the fashion series over the line and running, I have had breathing space before the next lot of decisions need to be made. If I need to curl up on the couch with a 3yr old and read 'Courdory' over and over again I am able to exhale and roll with it!
In the spaces of these days, when sickness has threatened me also, I have slowed enough for creativity to meander and catch itself in a waiting lens...

:: favourate folage - spinning gum.

:: crochet alpaca bowls after their first felting...

:: with lots of wind + cold here this week, these doors are closed and I watch the wind in the tree's outside...

:: lines...

:: 'moments'

:: building bookshelves in the girls room

:: the children set up camp outside to enjoy the sunshine!

:: 'tumbled'

:: I find that when I create...it begets creating in my children - eldest making a birthday gift for a friend.

:: excusing the lack of tripod...our sweet 'toy' eco fireplace having its first run!

weekday weave

Some beautiful images came in this week of our knitting class last Saturday! I love the joining of the two pieces of knitting - mother + child into one lovely vase!

:: lots of smiles and giggles and extreemely talented knitters... and only a little frustration!

I have been attempting to see this week 'slowly'...giving myself permission to take in new inspiration and to create. Of course this doesn't always go to plan with the 'bounce' of a 3yr old by my side but we try....!

:: the flowers from Saturday's class are opening gracefully to the light

:: Some painting and indecision...

:: then some stitching and indecision...

:: and all the while the watercolour's and that georgous brush-grip keep drawing us together.

:: when she is not offering me 'whip-balm' that is! Nothing better on these chilly days.

And when the chill indoors is greater than the warm rays of the sun outdoors, we make a pretend campfire beside the tee pee...

with the vege garden at arms length for some 'tending' and neighbour-children to chatter with...

and we watch the Australian flag flutter gently in the winter breeze to remind us of current events and we are oh so grateful for seasons of warm, slow blessing and creativity!