Why paint with brushes today when they are performing in their own perfect picture on the stairs. I love everyday art installments that happen just by the random gathering of stuff and I love that blogging gives a platform to record it. 
I haven't played along with my creative space for a few weeks now and I feel as though I am missing out on all the fun. I am so looking forward to catching up with a few new 'old' friends. Speaking of friends, one of my favourite people in the entire world came for a cup of tea this morning and gave me a packet of origami paper. Needless to say, it was sudden mating season for cranes around here. Now the benches are littered with them and they have even begun to nest in my wool. Hugo is fascinated by origami and has been making curtains (from what I have observed, you fold the paper in half and then twist it a bit) and other interesting things so I guess you could say I am sharing my creative space with him.
Somehow the new scarf I am knitting for my niece overtook the need to put washing away.
The fact that it is raining and the fireplace is roaring had more that a little to do with it.
And I might just skip taking the dogs for a walk in this weather too. I kind of like how rain makes you rewrite your day.
In the weak afternoon light, the peppery scent of Stock gently guided me back to the world.
And as the sun strengthened, warmth entered my room, lighting up the boys' ukulele and reminding me that there is life beyond napping (unfathomable as it may seem).
There it is, my old friend the hexagon blanket. Every night it greets me with love as I let the best of my creativity pour through my hands into it. There is such an element of magic to the making of things. Once more, roll on evening so I can get back to work. The crochet 'hexagons' in the top photo are actually impostors being five sided pentagons rather than the required six. I must have been very tired one night. Instead these are going to become part of a scarf so I guess before any more blanket work, I had better stitch those pieces together. They can be my portable blankie - not that I need one because I am very sophisticated these days...
A little shot of our cows eating dinner in the hill paddock next to our house. I love this light because it means that in any second, a bright blue motorbike will come whizzing up the track and then all the fun begins.
Isn't that Number 164 a character, you would not believe the story she just finished telling me before I took the photo. You can see it in her eyes though. You know what she's talking about.
Some days it feels as though everything is so harried and children such whirlwinds, that peace will never be found again. Then strangely, the house quietens, the dust motes slow mid-track and breaths become deep and restorative.
Sharks, sting-rays, giant squid tentacles, rats, enormous moa eggs, dinosaur bones and Egyptian mummies. A perfect holiday for two little boys (especially when one is supposed to be at school...).
It has softened out slightly this morning but I was still rather startled to see my face so bluntly framed. Am getting nearer to that pixie cut every day. I think the hairdresser was aiming for scary dragon lady because she made me try on my glasses at the end and was very excited. Much more than me. Anyway, time to pack the car and explain to Hugo on the way up why we will not be eating the dinosaur bones (they are very chokey) on the way up to Auckland.
Oh dear. I was so sure Archie had three weeks for holidays so it was quite a surprise when my father-in-law rang with the news that school had started back a few days ago. I can't believe I forgot to send my son back to school!!!! Apparently they had been trying to ring me and hadn't been able to get through (damn that habit of taking the phone off the hook during nap time) and had suspected I was not quite aware of having to return my son. Archie was devastated when he overheard his grandparents discussing this turn of events and shouted that he was NOT going back to school this week. Needless to say, he was extremely relieved by my decision to keep him home for the 'extra' week of holiday.
Little glimpses of a Sunday morning. The sun was shining for a little while and I had to rejoice in it by photographing the spots where it fell. Archie is as pale as a sheet this morning so it will be another day taken slowly. I think wearing pyjamas and dressing gowns for most today will help with that kind of a pace.
It was a wet and stormy morning with an exhausted Jonno home early from calving. We all snuggled upstairs on the big blue couch underneath layers of warm blankets and watched 'Wallace and Grommit'. Sheer, giddy heaven. What else was I to do but finish off the project I began yesterday.
I have to admit I am thrilled and so pleased the whole confetti thing worked. I had a few moments where I just thought they weren't going to be heavy enough but so far so good... mind you, what was I expecting, that the jug cover would miraculously float away?
I have been around my friend Belinda for too long and have come to the conclusion that I too need something to prevent flies from falling into my water. I'm just loving Susan Cropper's 'Vintage Crochet' and have used one of her snazzy patterns.
It's a milestone day. Archie began to knit and did really well!!!! We went to a cafe (just the two of us) and snuggled into a comfy corner well fortified by hot chocolate milk and cake. Later on for Hugo's sake we reenacted the cafe scene at home. Their polite 'cafe conversation' was hysterical.
I'm really, really, really greedy for colour again. I saw these cottons in the shop and almost cried with the sheer giddy relief of falling in love. And I knew that when I bought them I would be healthier, more creative, have longer hair, parent my children better, keep a tidier house.... actually I just thought they would keep my hands busy and my eyes happy and that they did. By the way, the tea cup wasn't crocheted from this yarn, I made it last night and thought I would include it.
With all of the boyness of my last two posts, I thought I had better add a touch of colour - the flowers at the bottom were being worked on while the boys were making glasses. I tried to get them involved but making bat-like head gear was much more fun. Maybe Jonno will want to have a go at them when he comes home. Probably not though.
We unpacked our craft supplies for stained glass windows but somehow a reddened mist of craziness descended and we made supersonic glasses instead. Hugo had a bit of help but Archie's bat glasses were completely his own work. I wonder if he will make me some Dame Edna Everedge glasses, complete with jewels and sparkle. I had better be nice.
