and the winners are..............

Well, we didn't really need to randomly pick people for the pay-it-forward!..... Lovely ladies who left comments, I thankyou most humbly for leaving your sweet comments, and am so thrilled to send you a wee parcel just for you!

If you could please email you address, and I will endeavour to pop it in the post by the end of next week...who knows it may just turn up in time for Christmas!!!

Francesca, from Fuoriburgo , Laura, from Arohanui , and by special arrangement Dee (who is very due with here 4th bubba -yeehaaa, another sweet babe to cherish!), from Dee-construction.

These are very sweet Mama's who love their babes, this world and creating things...so pop on over to their sites to check out their world's!

So, if anyone else would like to be part of pay-it-forward, check out these lovely ladies blogs for any coming announcements they may have about it....YAY!

Thanks for playing with me gals.... xxx

US - a photoshoot

we had the privelidge of working with Mike Hill, a local photgrapher....he spent some time having a bit of fun with my tribe....here are some of my fav shots.

Was lots of fun, just been a bit silly on the beach, hunting for wee fish caught in the rocks, playing rugby and scrabbling round the rocks and trees....

sweet girl

I did something tonight that I mean to do everynight - but fail dismally at!....and that is read wth my 2nd gal.... its easy to read to wee people, and for me anyways, trickier to make the time to read with bigger people.

So, today I found a wonderful story that will (I hope) facinate us both. It titled "The lacemaker and the princess', and is set in Marie Antionette's court....I'm hoping it'll be wonderful, and the blurb promises to look at both sides of the revelotion at the time (in a slightly whismical way I would think) and the choices we must make -whether rich or poor..... while giving wonderful detail about noble ladies fabrics and laces, fashions and fripperies.... (don't you just love that word - fripperies)

My Nyah, is dramatic by nature and is passionate about words and conveying meanings (I have found her standing on her bed spouting poetry - so you get my drift am sure )....she is delicious and I find her refreshing and quite enchanting at times.

We lay on my bed with the wind whispering in the viole, showing us peeps of the lavender sky outside and read to each other..... sometimes you just have to write down these moments, so you can draw on the memories a wee bit fresher........I love way Nyah wraps her arm or leg around you, the way she fiddles with her hair while she reads, and the expression and volume (at times) she conveys her interpretation of the lacemakers story..... the way for that moment she lives the story as her own. Nyah my gal, you are indeed your mama's daughter, and we are kindred spirits.

we're off....and a GIVEAWAY reminder too

Guess what?? We are off with a bunch of other families to the first camping trip of the season...pretty excited about that! and pretty frazzled too, as we leave in about 5 hours and I haven't done enough...and have packed too much!(and am on here instead of icing the cake I put too much flour in and now feels like a brick- a friend suggested that it would do for sinkers if the kids didn't like it!-HA).

I figure that the man really DOES like feeling frustrated with me, and ENJOYS finding places to stash my over abundant packing...so in a special way I really AM doing him a favour - ahem.

Righto so also am here to remind any lurkers out there to pop a comment on the last post - or this one, to be randomly selected for the giveaway/pay-it-forward chance...YAY for cool handmade stuff. I have indeed been making the odd pretty or 2 to spice up the packages I'm making- super fun!

cherrio cherubs off to ice a chocolate brick....x

THANKS SO MUCH...and a GIVEAWAY!

A few weeks ago, I was so very fortunate to be randomly picked by Janelle at Heartfelt, to recieve a pay-it-forward parcel; created by her (the talented lass!) from her home. Well guess what- it arrived and I love, love, love it! Check out the fabulusness!

A cool handmade teatowel in awesome retro farm print...a handcreated christmas kiwiana tiki, and some lovely postcards too!! I feel VERY spoilt!! Thank you so much Janelle! You are a talented, clever and inspiring gal, and I'm really thrilled to be on the recieving end of pay-it-forward!

But guess what (again!)?! Its my turn now- woohoo!....so ....if YOU would like to join in pay-it forward, leave a comment on this post and I will randomly select 5 wonderful people in 2 weeks time to join in!...tis jolly fun, and as wonderful as it is to recieve gorgeousness in the mail, it'll be just as wonderful to create something for YOU!

ps....if you are randomly picked (assuming there are more than 5 people who might sometimes read my crazy ramblings!), it will be your turn to recieve a wee parcel, and then bless 5 others with something you create (and beleive me simple is the key! - don't be put off by the 'create' bit)...cool huh!

So thanks again Janelle - and all the best for the new heartfelt arrival anyday now xxxxxx

12!

yup, my first baby (the one I experiment my parenting on!) turned 12 over the weekend! What the heck is THAT all about!...I swear it was only yesterday I had this sweet baby girl handed to me after a VERY LONG, and very tiring birth (and I could write an ode to the stitches!), you had masses of long hair, the chubbiest little cheeks, and gazed at us with blinking screwed up eyes - ....she asks from time to time in our 'grown up' chats - "ma, was it worth it?!' and I reply 'yes my sweet girl, every second, every stitch, every stretchmark - and I would do it every week all my life just have you'....

'Saye Haana, you light up my life, and bring untold delicious joy to it. I love being your Mama, and look forward to one day walking beside you, while you walk beside your girl. Maybe she'll ask 'Ma was it worth it?' and then you will know, in a different way, how very precious it is to have YOU as ours.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Josaye. xx

(the apron above is one I made for her on her 12 birthday, made from ticking and black n white polks dots, with the black and white handbag trim....)