Spring fair craft :Cardigans:

When my dear friend Tracey volunteered to knit me some little
cardigans for the fair, I had such a nice time fussing around
over colour combinations and wool.
And they turned out beautifully......all seven of them. She really
is a champion knitter.
Then I was left with the most pleasurable task of sewing
on the buttons-which luckily I had in my stash. Before I took
far too many photos-because they were just sooo lovely.

And you may be interested to know that they all sold~which

is kind of fortunate, because I would have been in grave danger

of buying one back. Now I might just have to embark on a little

knitted cardigan project of my own........

Thank you Tracey :)

Spring fair craft ::Puzzles::

My life has been quite busy recently~ and very craft focused.
Getting things ready for the annual fair at my children's school.
Each family is asked to contribute a not insubstantial number
of craft items to be sold as part of the fair.

I knew from the outset that I just couldn't make enough craft
on my own. So I was very lucky to enlist the help of a couple
of kind people, who have skills that I do not.
The first was a friend of my Dad's, who very patiently cut
out 4 rainbow jigsaws, similar to one my children already have.
They were sent to me, assembled and neatly wrapped~as if by
magic ! (Thank~you !)

I then had the lovely, most satisfying job of painting them, one
rainy Sunday afternoon. I must admit it took a bit of courage to
begin with~I was worried that I would somehow mix up
the pieces and paint the wrong colour combinations.....
but luckily all was well.
I used food colouring, which colours wood nicely,
doesn't wash off too readily and is food grade, so its
safe. It has such a lovely translucency, and I was so very
pleased with the end result.

In many ways it was nice for my children too, to see the process

of creating something beautiful. The painting and careful

wrapping, then taking it to sell on their school craft stall.

::A Birthday::

My little boy turned 5 on Thursday. I felt
such a pang, when he first uttered the words
"I'm five!" on his birthday morning. Almost
like I didn't want to hear.........how can this be????
That this beautiful baby boy, who came into our lives
so smoothly, by candle light, in front of the fire
has turned five!
But I know that I have soaked in every moment
of those 5 years. I have been there for all the joys,
milestones, delights and stresses.
And for this I am so very glad. They are years of my
life so blessed and very well spent.

Happy Birthday Little Clogs!

A few thoughts on birthday tables....

In a lot of ways I believe that less is more, when it

comes to children's birthdays. Sometimes its as much

about the little things, that create a sense of occasion,

as it is about choosing the right presents.

With this in mind I find that creating a birthday table

is such a lovely part of my children's birthday celebration.

I hang bunting, spread a cloth and decorate the table

with flowers and a birthday ring. On the table I have a

felt birthday crown and a plate of little cakes, one for every

year of their life so far.

Somehow with all this in place, there is already a feeling

of plenty~ and I feel comfortable giving a few carefully

chosen gifts. The table is lovely for them to come out to on their

birthday morning, and it stays set up for a couple of days.

...................................................................................................

Interestingly I wont show you the photos of my boy blowing out

the candles on his cake, with his little friends. I only realised as

I looked at the photos later......that I had only put 4 candles

on the cake!

Could it be that I am in denial of the number 5???

::Bluebells::

Sometimes there are just not words......

Although you may be relieved to hear, after all

my longing last year, a move to the UK is no longer

strictly necessary. A carpet of Bluebells proved to be closer

than I might have thought. (Thank-you Hirani!)

(But perhaps if I were to unexpectedly inherit, from a long lost

relative say, an English Country Estate~I might reconsider.

Georgian perhaps... with bluebell woods, walled gardens

and the odd lake or two..!!)

A little slice of heaven.....

Can you imagine.....
One sunny Sunday going on a painting expedition
and happening upon a whole grove of Magnolias?









The scent, the carpets of petals, the delicious light airy
blossoms, the soft mossy ground.........what a gift.

Can there ever be too many blossoms in Spring?
I think not. And to just pause and breathe in the
beauty and exuberance of this fresh growth, is such
food for the soul.

::Early Spring::

I love the misty delicacy of early spring. This year it seemed
to last such a long time~and yet be gone in a moment. All the
blue skies and sunshine have made me almost forget, how a
few short weeks ago I was trying to hasten spring. How I
felt there would be no end to the grey and rain.

The plants that I bought at the nursery, because they felt
like another step closer to spring.




And the cold rainy day that I set up the spring nature display,
feeling like it was really too soon, but giving in to my desire
for something spring-ish.



And how very grateful I was for this song,
which I sung to my little Kindy children:

"I have seen a mother bird~
Singing in the rain.
Telling all her little ones~
Spring has come again....."

(Author unknown)




But then slowly it crept along and I found
myself lying in bed at dawn listening to the
birds singing~and just being so very open
to their songs.....and now spring has come
at last!!

:: Winter Goodbye ::

"Winter goodbye, winter goodbye,
You may no longer stay.....
Springtime is on it's way.
Winter goodbye, winter goodbye"




I know there are things about winter I will miss. Cozy
book-ish days, crisp frosts, darkness and cold.



But somehow I need to farewell this winter. To let go of the long
journey that it has been. One of spiraling into myself, of deep
thought and reflection~to the point where I ached for spring.

Now I need to open myself to a kind of blooming from within. A
chance to outwardly show the efforts of this long inward journey.
For new things to manifest and for my life to flow in fresh
directions.

"In every winter's heart lies a quivering spring,
and behind the veil of each night, waits a smiling dawn..."

Kahlil Gibran