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. (joining with SouleMama)

- Jane x

Mossy Wood... Woody Moss?

I wear my denim version of the Grainline Moss skirt all the time. Like, about three times a week in all weather. So, it made total sense to make another. And ever since I saw the sample of this Kokka woodgrain fabric that we ordered in for The Drapery, I had been imagining this.

 It's a mid-weight 100% cotton, very stable, and ideal for the Moss. It's a little bit silly, but not too kooky for fun everyday wear (in my opinion, anyway!). I was pushed along in my desire to make this when I saw this awesome best-Moss-ever.

 The fabric looked like just a straight woodgrain until we unfolded the sample and saw that along one edge, it has these crosscut sections lined up. We had a good giggle thinking about the placement possibilities of these circles in a dress. But for the sake of an actual wearable garment, I decided against a couple of big circles on my butt or whatever, and just popped a couple of slices in the pockets and around the waistband.

 Inside the pockets, I used some scraps of Nani Iro brushed cotton, which is so cosy to tuck my hands into!

Apologies for the unspectacular-other-clothes-and-hair styling but on a Sunday morning, this is, honestly, better than it usually gets.

As per my denim Moss, this is a straight size 14, made in the 'mini' version without the band around the bottom, but with a couple of inches extra length.

I had a helluva time putting in the zip fly on this one, and really should have gone straight to the online photo tutorial on the Grainline blog. But, having done it before, I thought I'd be fine and followed the written instructions. Sorta. Got my left mixed up with my right, misinterpreted a diagram... basically sewed the thing on three different kinds of wrong with unpicking in between. But I got there. I felt like I should make another five zip flies in a row to cement the technique in my head but that would be simply annoying. Until next time, zip fly.

- Jane x

Monday at The Block

It's raining, it's pouring
it's getting somewhat boring
we mustn't complain
about the rain
even in school holidays and hey at least we got out on Monday and anyway the kids have been taking it in turns to succumb to some fever sore throat thing and lie on the couch lah dee dah something ending with 'oring'.

Yes. At least we got out on Monday to my parents' block!

 My dad recently had this huge fire pit thing fashioned by an engineer.

 Fungi aplenty in various shapes and colours.

 My favourites, the sundews.

 Echidna diggings - there was a heap along one of the paths, perhaps they like the soft ground after lots of rain. Look, nose holes!

 Clem making a strange face (this hardly looks like him) but he thought these hakea nuts looked like ducks.

 'Bug words' inside bark. (Clem said they are writing 'yum'.)

 Can you spot the red, red robin below?

 Clem and Grandpa found this old jar.

 Cleaned up a bit, it had cup and pint measurements on the sides. (Can't be too old since I assume that is metric cups, but it felt like treasure.)

We had sausages and potatoes and damper for lunch and spent a lot of time wandering about picking up fallen branches and putting them on the fire to help reduce the summer bushfire risk. Honestly I can look at the world with a vastly improved attitude after a day like this. And I'm trying to hang onto that feeling this grey, grey week! Is it grey where you are?

- Jane x

Wintry days and a new 12 year old

It's been cold and indoorsy here lately. Clem is on a big tent-making thing and has been sleeping in this construction on his bedroom floor for about a week. Andy actually moved Clem's mattress down there for him so it's really very comfy. However, we currently have no chairs around our dining table a.k.a. my sewing table. Am perching on various stools. Dust/fluff level in Clem's room high and rising.

 For a short time this tent below meant we had to climb in order to get into our lounge area. The construction slowly incorporated just about everything Clem could lay his hands on in our back room and spread in a trail off to the right of this picture. (And pegs - argh - where do all my pegs go??)

 One morning Jasper found a silverfish crawling on the floor in the general vicinity of this masterpiece, which gave me the creeps. After the boys had left for school Andy and I packed it up and thoroughly cleared and cleaned the area. It took Clem an hour after school to remember the tent and ask where it had gone. I think you can't do these things by halves. Clean slate. I told him it was because of the silverfish and also so he had a nice clear space to do some more making. And he industriously set about making a new mess with cardboard, scissors and stickytape. He's in a big stickytape phase as well as tent phase it seems. I have to admit I am quite fond of the stickytape phase.

Clem has become much more confident about making things with his hands lately. He surprised me by wanting to stitch a felt creature by himself. In fact he did quite a decent job and did not get too frustrated.

 As our youngest child I suspect we (maybe just I) have been too willing to jump in and offer help, or respond to his requests. I have been trying to more consciously encourage him to give things a go, persist and think of his own solutions. Mind you - speaking of persistence - we haven't finished this little project yet, despite his pestering me about it. Must get back to that. Before the silverfish do, urgh.

 The ring around his neck is an old one I gave to Andy many years ago and Clem recently found down the back of his couch, after it had been lost for years. What treasure!

Jasper turned twelve. He's not taller than me yet but he's not far off. He had some friends over for pizzas and then out to the movies to see How To Train Your Dragon 2, which he'd been plotting and planning about ever since he found out - some months ago - it would be released close to his birthday. Here he is with Clem and a couple of his mates, very interested in some books... about Minecraft, haha. (Computer game where you build stuff out of redstone and lava and spawn zombies and cows, or something.)

 Clem gets very excitable in the company of a bunch of older boys.

 (I think the facial expression above is pretty funny.)

Meat seems to be the favourite pizza topping for boys. Pile on the meat.

 And then, more Eton Mess.

 Twelve candles on a meringue.

 And after all that excitement, a nice quiet day around home today.

The sun came out after some torrential overnight rain and a generally grey and cold week. The front yard is overflowing with weeds and we gently herded / terrified a few of the chooks up there to have a good scratch around. I think they were struggling to believe their luck once they got there.

School holidays have started which frankly around here mostly means even more juggling of responsibilities than usual. Deep breath. Onwards!

- Jane x