ideally speaking...

it always happens like this.

ideas. they come from out of the blue.

take yesterday, for example. i had a headache (probably from the backlog of ideas in my head...groan!) so laid down to try and sneak a quick 5 minute nap. i thought i was concentrating on my throbbing head, but then, boom! there it was. this:

from nowhere! in it's entirety (ie, where i would take the photo, how i would make Danny 'taller', how i would get them to fake holding a bunting, etc, etc)

i put stickers on their forefinger and thumb and asked them to put them together. i wanted to capture them looking at each others' hands - which would then appear like they were looking at the bunting. yay! they are so obliging :)

i love how it turned out. one more idea has been released! hurrah~

....

some outtakes:

("but why do we have stickers on our fingers??")

when do creative ideas most often come to you?

damage control

::damage control::

::somebody really loves the new chicks::

::maybe a little TOO much??!::

make my week #12 - super hero dolls!

as well as the Library Lovers i also made these (very primary-coloured!) superly heroic boy-dolls this last week.

it's no secret i really struggle with primary colours so after the initial creative burst of "ooh, something new!", i really had to force these dolls onto completion.

hopefully they find loving homes...but if they don't it's kinda handy that there are 3 dolls - because that's also exactly how many boys i have.

aside: this post is so late because the lil black chick (featured in foreground here) met its untimely end at the hands (paws?) of our much-too-feral flea bag cat which meant me n JR had to scramble with some major damage control to avoid mass hysteria. damage control has ended up being EIGHT new 10-day-old baby chicks...(and probably one less feline!)

RIP 'Blackie'

(if that's possible when you're in the belly of another animal. oh dear~~)

please, somebody, change the subject! tell me what you made:

winner, winner, chicken dinner

i had to!

Clare sent me a picture of her lil librarian self and her hubbo at university...

they looked exactly the same as the dolls! freaky~

(plus it was originally Clare who suggested i make a 'librarian' doll)

in my head she was a first year English major and he was a second or third year music-something major. i really enjoyed reading the other suggestions - wonderfully amusing in an escapist kinda way, thanks :)

Made my Week #11

a collection of moments that have made my week:

:: a homecoming ::

:: sun on the back of legs ::

:: notes of love ::

:: forgiveness from children ::

:: nose-kisses ::

:: freshly mown lawns ::

:: brothers playing peacefully ::

:: sunshine on rain-wet leaves ::

:: small chubby pointing fingers ::

:: siblings singing and chanting their Daddy's arrival home from work ::

continuing to recieve these moment-gifts and refusing to let this year slip by unexperienced.

been doodling

::before::*

* please accept my sincere sympathy if you prefer the "before". i'll make sure you don't get a similar one for your 2011 birthday present.

(and am totally loving the stories behind the Library Lovers...will let you know who the closest guesser tomorrow)

library lovers

a pair of BA students were caught having a quick smooch in the library.

but then pretended to be 'studying hard' when the librarian on duty was alerted.

a friendly (but very awkward) reminder later, they library-lovers left for home.


oh wait.
they don't have a home....


tell you what, if you're a follower and can guess their major and year of study - i'll give them to you. oh, and give them some names too if you like (just so they're not eternally known as the 'library-lovers')

(ps. after seeing these photos, i'm pretty sure i'll add some blusher to the lady's cheeks)

on par

i was tucking Ty up and said to him, "you must be so glad your Daddy is home"

he replied, "I am. My feet are still 'clicking'. "

(i could hear him twitching his feet non-stop under the blankets)

oh, and don't be fooled by the kid standing there, he'd tell you he can't stand on his own if you were to ask him!! he is so much like Monte (who also hit golf balls before walking) and i wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he beats Monte's record for being slowest to walk. at least this time i won't be pregnant and lugging an 18mo around though i suppose.

make my week #11 - a welcome home dinner

we put a delicious morroccan chicken casserole in the slow cooker and left for the airport.

you canNOT imagine the excitement by this stage:

and there was plenty of 'close-your-eyes-and-hold-out-your-hands' after dinner.

(woah, can anyone say spoilt?!! they're going to want to him to go away every year!)

day 14: together again. at last!

one more sleep!

i've said it here before but it's worth repeating:

"...just because [a wise woman] is capable of reading the name of the appoaching station, she should not believe she has arrived"

Maya Angelou.

in other words, just because your husband, who has been away for 2 weeks, is due back tomorrow it doesn't mean he IS back.

if i have learnt anything from today is has been this: you need to rally just as much, if not more, on the last day as you do the first!

day 13

and i'm suddenly really shattered.

but boy, do we have an amazing welcome home party planned for tomorrow!

(ps. i've turned off comments because i am kinda feeling uncomfortable with the "supermum" comments. i appreciate your virtual-support more than you could know as you have suffered patiently with me through this solo-mum thing, but trust me i am as human as the next person. the prayers of many have sustained us and my only goal, daily, was to be as faithful as possible. He is infinitely gracious. thank you! xO)

almost there!

day 11: Hamilton zoo

day 12: 'nightshift'

(i never do nightshift usually. two weeks of it has been...well, let's just say it's been great "character-building" and leave it at that!!)

::

::

and in case you thought this solo-mothering interval was all roses and fairytales...this is what happened 1 second after the above photo:

can anyone say "meltdowwwwwn"!!!

haha, Ty and Danny both wanted the book. Monte's about to hit Danny and Jada's terrified mum's going to announce she's Had It and won't read the chapter book tonight.

(I did)

2 more sleeeeeps!!

day 10's a downer

day 10.

it absolutely would have been a 3-coffee-day today if i wasn't so sick of the awful coffee i have been drinking (at my own hands, i am certainly no barista) the last 10 days. ack!

yes, the Pity Party was determined to gatecrash today.

i stoically managed to (mostly) keep them out but a few dribs and drabs found their way in... :(

and so, some visual perker-uppers from my birthday present to myself, Spaces by Frankie:

it really is quite yummy!

(in lieu of a 3rd coffee, i am off to watch a chick flick and eat some chocolate. then maybe go to bed early so there will only be 3 sleeps to go instead of 4...hurrah!)

make my week #10 - super-mini bag

yawn.

glance away.

nothing new here.

hoping your week was a little more creatively inspiring than mine! x

the countdown continues

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

(Bon Jovi called. he wants his hair back)

Heather hearts Christchurch

did you see all the softies Leonie has collected so far for the Softies for Christchurch? aren't they amazing?:

(source)

hey, wait a minute! look who's in amongst it all...

remember "Heather"? the L'il Magoolie Valentine's Day giveaway doll?

well, Sarah from Cotton Kiwi won her...and then, about 10 days later, donated her (there are some seriously generous people around) for the kids of Christchurch.

Heather's had a very interesting journey so far and i'm so excited that it is continuing in such a special way.

and this one, who has been waiting for just-the-right-home for So Long will be joining Heather too

thanks Sarah!

and thanks Leonie!

x

made my week #9

through the week i have sometimes wondered, 'what if this was my life? forever, with no more JR?'. an elderly widower from church called yesterday and after inquiring after us, i asked how he was. his voice cracked as he answered, "oh, i am so weary and lonely".

i replied, 'yes, i only have this for 2 weeks...'

with an empty laugh he quietly replied, 'yes, only two weeks of Misery'.

and so, as usual, there is so much to be deeply thankful for:

glee.

new life. amazing!

day 4 at Raglan beach - 9 to go


poor 4th child. so neglected.


hurrah! an up-close, real-life digger!

day 5 - 8 to go

if i look totally smashed in the last photo it's because i am. (but seriously, which mother isn't?)

and yes, there is an extra babe in the picture. my older sister, from the south island, stayed over with her precious son last night. so delicious~

x