Winterish

Since I post most of my sewing adventures over on The Drapery blog these days, I've not been here much. But I think I miss the documentation of regular life, and sometimes I have some lovely photos of the kids or the dog or something we did and I think I should do something with them, so I'm going to try to be back here more often. I think.

Just in case I'm giving the impression that it's all sunshine here in winter, the beach trip was a rare break in the grey, wet and cold that has permeated pretty much the entire last two weeks, which were school holidays. Brr. I'm afraid new-to-us Netflix has had a hammering. The tonne of firewood we ordered about a month ago is not going to last.

When I cleaned out Clem's schoolbag just before he left this morning (better last minute than never), I found the drawings above. It was quite the tiresome, repetitive battle to get him ready in time for school so it was nice to be reminded of his sweeter and more interesting side.

Here's something else he did. While we asked him about fifty times to get out of his pyjamas and get dressed because we needed to go out.

No, the dog has not had rainbow facepaint. In winter the sun angles into our back room and right through some refracting crystal balls we have hanging in the window. It's a little bit Bowie though, isn't it? Andy calls her the Thin White Dog.

Jasper turned 13. We gave him his longed-for Wacom tablet for drawing on the computer. He's extremely keen on computer animation, visual effects and so forth and it turns out Adelaide actually has fantastic education resources and employment opportunites for these areas. But he's not even in high school until next year. I have a feeling this passion is going to stick, though.

That's all for now folks, but I will try to be back sooner rather than later. Thanks for reading if you've dropped by and made it this far!

- Jane xx

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

pictures of lately

I've been trying to get around to blogging without a lot of success lately - school holidays and general, you know, stuff. So here's a bunch of pictures with a few words. No particular order, just how they came out of iPhoto.

This one turned six. He insists that overnight he became unable to fit into quite a few of his clothes.

I've been learning the basics of grading patterns up in size, because my sister-in-law wanted a Washi Dress and we sure owe her big time for loads of boy-looking-after lately.

Clem had a party with a bunch of little school friends at home. He wanted me to make him a Miffy cake, which I think he may have had every year since he turned one. Dear boy, I would make you a Miffy cake every year as long as I live, if you asked for it.

The party was very, very noisy, except when we offered large bowls of strawberries and blueberries. Seriously. Quieter than cake or honey crackles. Impressive.

Big boys had fun with party balloons.

The baby chicks hatched on the day of Clem's party. Even when this one was just fresh out of the egg I thought something was not right with its eyes.

I am fairly certain it was blind, poor dear. It got along okay huddling under the mamas for a couple of days. Andy gave it a name - Jerome - which was probably asking for trouble. As the other chicks became more adventurous and the mothers walked around with them more, they sensed Jerome was not robust. They turned on him. It was very sad, but quick. I picked him up, held him, Andy made sure he was not suffering and we buried him. Luckily this was when the boys were all at school. We told them what happened but I am glad they did not see it. Life and death in the backyard.

I made this 'Gathering Apron' by Sew Liberated, essentially as a sample for the shop but also because I think it's adorable and I totally want it for myself. It's in natural linen, which really this pattern just begs for. I had plans to do a really corny photoshoot with me wearing it and a bunch of baby chicks peeping out of the big pocket, but it never happened.

The rest of the chicks are thriving. Out of twelve eggs there are six surviving chicks which isn't a great hatch rate, but never mind. We are suspecting we have two roosters and three hens here, and the one that my mum and dad's chook hatched is also a girl (fingers crossed). These photos were taken about a week ago. The chicks are already a whole lot bigger again and have a lot more feather development.

Jumping to grab food from its mum.

Plomp. Look at that little wing! I could watch the chicks just about all day.

This scary, dangerous gum tree that has been overhanging out backyard is in the process of being removed. At long last. Yay. Will think no more of difficult process it has taken to get there.

I found a skink in our laundry. The laundry skink. I love the way they shape themselves to a surface: a rock, a hand. Smooth and slinky, now a garden skink.

Well. That was random, as Jasper would say.

- Jane x

a 12 year old! (and a very insistent 5 year old)

Well this dear glowing face turned 12 last week. Charlie is much loved by his youngest brother, who insisted on taking his own pocket money to Haighs to buy Charlie some chocolate as a gift.

Charlie loves to draw and I bought him 'Drawing and Painting Imaginary Animals' by Carla Sonheim which is a simply delightful and inspiring book. The bedroom he shares with Jasper features some fabulous wall cracks that, as the book demonstrates, can be wonderful starting points for all kinds of illustrations!

He also asked for, and received, more Tintin books. I think I have talked him into letting me cut and style his hair like Tintin for Book Week at school this year :)

Charlie is a happy soul, enjoys his own company and doesn't ask for much. Which is fortunate really because he has two very squeaky wheels for younger brothers. Clem has been pestering me incessantly for new pyjamas ever since he laid eyes on the fabric he is wearing above, in our shop. And so, during quiet moments at the shop, on Charlie's birthday, I found myself sewing pyjamas for Clem (sorry Charlie). He put them on as soon as he saw them (after school on Friday, in the shop) and wore them non-stop until mid Saturday afternoon. Pestering + appreciation = happy Clem + happy Mama. And a happy 5 year old means a happier whole family, really.

The printed knit is organic cotton/spandex by Lillestoff and the stripe is some Farbenmix from my stash. Top pattern - Ottobre Best T-shirts, legs from Growing Up Sew Liberated, a rough combination of size 2 width and size 4 length with added seam allowance and cuffs. I just love soft, stretchy, forgiving knits! And I do wish I could rock a pair of stripey leggings like he does.

- Jane x

things he said

Our littlest one is getting bigger and I think I'm okay with it. The 'last time' things were hard: last day of Kindy, last day of childcare, last regular Thursday morning with Grandma. School? He's loving it and he has his big brothers there to take care of him. I've been really busy. I'm far more positive about it all than I predicted I would be.

I've been keeping a record of the funny little things Clem has said. The following is the contents of a document that's been sitting on my computer desktop and added to for a while now. I don't wish he'd stay little forever but I sure do want to preserve the memories of his littleness.

gingerbread cook

“My tiny ear is very dead.”

"hometel" (what 3y.o. Clem called our hotel base on holiday in Sydney)

“Mama can eyebrows grow?” (Yes) “Mama I guess we’ll have to cut my eyebrows when they get longer and longer and longer until they get down to my tummy.”

“I keep trying to swallow that slug thing down but it comes back up. In my throat. Mama it’s slimy. Do you have one?”

idly singing: “tiny kangaroo bounce… tiny kangaroo bounce… tiny kangaroo bounce” (for Tie Me Kangaroo Down)

“Mama did you have teeth when I came out of your mouth?”

birthday schoolboy

Seeing Georgie Parker on Better Homes & Gardens: “Mama, how did she get there? Did she just crash out of the walls from Play School and just drive there?”

“I’m not four years old. I’m four years new!”

Clem, feeling his chest: “Mama, is your heart hard?” Me “Well it’s a very strong muscle, but it’s not hard like bones.” “Well can it get… can it be broken?”

turning five is exhausting

Long day, Andy out at a meeting, giving cranky Clem a Yakult as dessert and as I popped the straw in he said "is that the last straw?" ... I had to laugh.

Clem: “Mama and Dada, look, I made a butterfly!” (making a shape with his feet) Us: “Oh that’s beautiful darling!”  Clem: “And now…” (changing the shape) “… a dead one.”

“Dada, did you know your hair is part of your eyebrows, because it’s almost starting to touch it.”

don't be fooled by the sweetness

About Justine Clarke, children’s singer: “Mama, Justine doesn’t fart, never ever. And she never ever goes to toilets.”

Clem on the toilet: “Owowowowow it’s a spiky one… it’s a puffer fish kind of one…” (I collapse laughing) “Mama it’s not funny… well it’s a tiny bit funny.”

“Mama is as beautiful as a bird.”

Me to Charlie, about a small school t-shirt: “It’s not the end of the world.” Clem: “Mama, when is it the end of the world?”

Clem, looking at the clothes I chose for him for kindy: "Mama, they won't like that, or that." Me: "Who won't?" Clem: "The girls!"

just hanging

Clem went on an excursion today: "There was an explorsion at kindy this day and we saw a worldpool. And the person talked about the Aborniginal stuff."

I took Clem to visit his baby cousin and afterwards he asked me "How did they know his name is Curtis?”

Doing a wee at the same time as Andy: “You’ve got a giant willy. It’s got smoke coming off it.” (er, it was a cold night)

"Mama, one day I would like to grow some snapping plants. But when they get too old, can you put a string around they mouths so they can’t bite you? Make it very strong?"

"They’re not called women. They’re called womans!"

saying goodbye on his last day of childcare

"Mama, because you eat caffeine coffees, that’s why you’ve stopped growing. But I don’t want to stop growing."

Clem: "Mama, what's at the end of the rainbow?"   Me: "A pot of gold!"   Clem: "No."   Me: "Oh, what then?"  Clem: "Purple!"

reluctant to leave his last day of childcare, doing an endless puzzle

(discussing the goldfish in the pond outside and why they hadn’t reproduced) “We had a daddy fish and he laid some eggs and maybe when he was sitting on them they got too hot so they didn’t hatch. And he died because he got too hot as well.”

"Mama, ‘bye’ in French is ‘konichitty – bood – yeah’."

"I don’t have very listening ears because they’re blocked."

I commented that the piece of wood he was holding had been eaten by termites.

“Termites? Hahaha! It’s ter-na-mites! Not termites. Haha!”

"I’m five and I’m completely five and I go to school!"

all dressed up on his first morning of school

family of five with the newly minted five-year-old

(By the way, a few days later, I cut their hair. All of those mopheads. Not too much, but this was getting ridiculous.)

I do hope that's not quite the end of the 'funny Clem words' document. But he is bursting with pride about his growing up and for the most part, so am I.

- Jane x