my boy

the wonderful lisa at parallel botany sent me an email to inform me of a fantastic project that two lovely blogs madebyrae and made have put together. and for the whole month of February they will be celebrating the boy and crafting projects related to the little men in our lives since they seem to get lost in the world of crafting for little girls.

i am excited to see what they come up with because as you may have noticed i am always on the search for handmade goodies for o and when i find the time to undergo a few myself.

image: madebyrae

corners

the idea for the felted acorns goes along with the nature table that i want to create in our home for things that we find on little walks and such. the nature table is a waldorf home essential that it typically changed seasonally.

on my search for some inspirational tables i also discovered the blog of soule mama who has her nature table in the front entry of her home. i think it is a wonderful idea to have it right at the entrance to the home so that it can collect wonderful bits of the outside. the blogs keeper is amanda blake soule who had two fabulous books both of which are on my list to get. with some many things to look at online i never get the chance to look further into little things that i find inspire me until it jumps onto my screen as amanda's blog did today. just never enough time to read about what everyone is doing when you have your own life to live but this blog was a welcome break today as i took a little look into her life as an author and mother of four.

image: soulemama

cusp

i am just taking a moment amongst all the unpacking to breathe and catch up on some blogs. lisa at parallel botany posted about a site i hadnt seen before ofifteen magazine which is full of great posts with the addition of articles by other bloggers which i love as well.

i like to read my horoscope from time to time because it can be great insight into whats to come or just give you a second to reflect on the current situation. i am on the cusp so i tend to read both cancer and leo and find a balance somewhere in the middle. it amazes me how true they can seem.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Happy Birthday lovely Cancer! This month, you will be spending extra time with yourself, ignoring some of the past energies (or individuals) that haven't been very useful in the past weeks. A certain someone from your past, re-enters your life, and you won't be so sure as to how you should feel about this. You might actually find comfort that your emotions are in better control since then, and it's just not that important to you anymore. This could definitely be in your favor as you are looking forward to having some serious summer fun this year! Grab plenty of colors in 'cherry red' to scream excitement! You're ready for a new makeover and you'll be sprucing up your summer fashion, but whatever you'll be doing, you will definitely be splurging some of this extra time and money on you! There is a shift in the air in the next few weeks, and you should start to feel your life changing directions, and getting back to the REAL you. Reconnecting with your own belief system or having a chat with someone who really knows you, could do you a world of good. With your head so full of intriguing ideas - you will need to share some of these personal thoughts with someone close to you - so new thoughts can keep coming to you! Your intuition is extremely strong this month Cancer, and with all that will be keeping you busy - you might not want to take the time to listen to it. Save some quiet time to listen to your own heart, and keep a dream journal by your bedside. Writing down your dream experiences can help add some comfort to the changing weeks ahead, as your inner beauty begins to glow, to match the new and improved you!

Leo (July 23-August 22)

You'll be reorganizing your lifestyle and your work desk this month Leo. You've been off in many directions lately, where everyone seems to want a little piece of you, which has kept you quite scattered for the typically 'in control' pussycat that you are. Now you are determined to make sense of who you are, where you are headed, and how you are going to get there. During this process, you'll be cleaning out closets, drawers, and filing cabinets, in order to make room for some of these new motivations that you have been thing of! During this domestic clean-up, rather than throwing out items that lost their sparkle - try having a garage sale or advertising on ebay, to make yourself some extra cash for that new piece of emerald jewelry you've had your eye on! You'll also be cleaning up your 'own act' in some way, by either freshening up your beautiful home or redesigning your 'personal style' in order to attract the right opportunities and/or individuals your way. Seriously, if you're going to be treated like royalty, you definitely need to look the part! This royal movement to improve yourself will help bring out your natural shine! It will also help you to grab attention and turn some heads in the work place, if looking for an advancement, new clientele, or a new job. Keep an eye on your spending this month Leo, as you may have a lot more money being with-drawled from your checking account than you planned, with all your 'over the top' enhancements. Use that smart head of yours and try to prioritize, and you will be a lot farther ahead than you originally gave yourself credit for!

five. four.

its done. the house is clean and i have left the keys for the new owner. the actual possession date isnt until tomorrow but it feels so good to have that part done. i am not even sure what to do next since i have been so busy. perhaps it is time to take a moment to relax but some how i am sure i can still find a ton of things to do.
i might take a few minutes to just catch up on some of my favorite blogs and a new food blog that i adore as well.

images: sprouted kitchen

seven.

mixed in with all the sadness of leaving those i love and joy in joining another that i love is also a little bit of fear. and it is only because of how vastly my path is going to change.

i have had the role of a single working mother and that has been some what time consuming so there has been little time left for me. as i move forward into my new life which will include having my partner by my side on a day to day basis things i imagine will change. also my role as Os mother will become even more full time because i will be able to stay home with him. i hope to find a better balance in the new slightly different roles that i will be in and with that i am able to rediscover some thing s about myself that i may have forgotten. i think many women and especially mothers strive to find that balance.

whenever i need some inspiration it always come my way. a few days ago i discovered a beautiful blog and her journey that she shares. denise lynette andrade is so brave in what she puts out there. in each of her posts there is nothing but complete honestly and the story of her path that she has so graciously shared with the world has been a difficult one. i would strongly recommend checking out her blog as she is also an amazing photographer.

image: boho photography

the stone soup

my mum pointed me in the direction of this wonderful food blog. the name caught her attention as it did myself. the authors story of the name for the blog is very sweet just as the original story is as well.

Sydney based, Jules Clancy shares wonderful recipes and complete menus (which i love) including some really great aussie classics. this pavolva sounds devine with mango and of course passionfruit. 

but i think it is the twists on the classics that sound ever so tempting. this fig and walnut version is fit for winter as the post explains. there are a heap of recipes that i am sure to use for future meals in my new life in Oz.

images: the stone soup

busy bee

so much to do and so little time. i have exactly two weeks left before i am to move out of my little house.  i feel like there a million things on my list but slowly i am getting there. purging has been the most difficult thing for me and i occasionally stumble wishing i could take it all with me but it is liberating when that feeling passes. 

i just wanted to share one of my favorite projects with you from the purl bee, for me the best source of craft inspiration. 

i adore these sampler pillow cases. and as always the step by step instructions with photographs included would make these a breeze to make. these are on my (fun) list of things to do when i get to Oz that is. back to packing and purging for me.

images: the purl bee

bloesem kids

sometimes i am blown away by the fact that i havent come across a specific blog before but that might be because there are just so many good ones out there. i had heard of bloesem before but never taken the time to look further until i found bloesem kids. i love the feature knock knock which are open houses! this post in particular caught my eye, can you guess why?

this is the home of roddy & gingers owner virginia. i would really like to have a studio space to work in such as this as i imagine it would be very easy to get inspired. both sites are pretty great so two more go on my reading list!

images: bloesem kids

caravan of curiosities

free people clothing also has a blog named the caravan of curiosities.

the fp girls, as they call themselves, post about art, culture and fashion. the blog design itself is so nicely done but they have some great posts as well as updates about the store. 

images: free people

lap top lunch boxes

i ve seen the odd post or mention about bento boxes lately and i am starting to think it is a great idea. i dont really have  anywhere that i need to take a lunch with me right now but i see picnics in the near future.

the shop from japan with love carries a great variety of japanese home wares and as cute as the cute bento boxes are i am still drawn to the simpler of the bunch and enjoy the natural lunch time brand. these are some of the lovelies that i just ordered. i cant think of a more stylish way to have eco friendly lunch. the shop owner sophia takami is so lovely, she is canadian and lives in japan with her husband. she also has an etsy store for more japanese goodies.

there are of course blogs for ideas on what to pack in them. like this one and this one.

images: adventures in a bento

the parenting passageway

i came across an interesting and informative blog so i thought to share. the blog introduction sums up the feel and intent of the website so much better than i could hope to. 

A passageway, as one would guess, is a conduit to the next thing – a way that allows movement from one place, condition or stage to the other. This blog is entitled “The Parenting Passageway” as it is intended to help support and encourage parents as they journey from being a single individual and/or the duality of being a couple to being an awakened parent and unified family. The ideas here are not completely new, but hopefully will still provide you, the reader, with some “a-ha” moments of clarity to ponder in your parenting journey.

blog author Carrie writes some very enlightening articles in addition to the other great resource and books she posts about. topics include Waldorf education, home schooling, conscious parenting but also fun stuff like art and fairy tales. i will be a frequent visitor as i enjoy being continually inspired by like minded people and there is always more to learn.

image: oodeladie via flickr

blogisphere

although i am very new to the blogging community. i have been pushed (just what i needed) into getting this all started thanks to the blogging course Blogging Your Way run by decor8. the course sadly came to an end the monday just past but it has been a wonderful experience.

along with all that i have learned there are some wonderful bloggers that i had the pleasure of sharing the experience with. here are a small handful of bloggers that have a delightful variety of things to say.

fresh365: vegetarian recipes! need i say more. this is a wonderful collection of new and interesting recipes that are sure to inspire anyone.

by gosh by golly: gaelana is a single mother, boutique owner, entrepreneur and so many other things while maintaining her idea of the good life. she shares all sorts of interesting finds. 

the red thread: australian artist lisa shares the things that inspire her work and some other really great discoveries, she always has new captivating finds. i am a huge fan of the little story book tiles she creates which would be great to fill any corner of your home. 

bondville: another great aussie blog. steph features australian artist, finds neat childrens clothing and so much more. 

i would definitely recommend having a look at what these ladies have to say.