Treasure!

Over the holidays, I watched the movie Amelie again, for the first time in a long time. If you know it, you may remember that Amelie goes on a mission to return a small box of treasure, found hidden in a secret cavity in her bathroom. After some delightful detective work, she finds the now grown-up owner and returns the box to him anonymously; and the memories that flood back as the man rifles through his childhood box of treasure, welled up with emotion, leave Amelie changed – she resolves to do good all her days.

While I watched the movie, Judah’s treasure box sat on the couch next to me. It was given to him at Christmas, lovingly and beautifully made by Kim and filled with the most wondrous things: an old fashioned metal robot, shells, a metal cog, a small spanner, random chess pieces, a spinning top, a hand-carved zebra from Africa, dice, rocks and a wooden spoon. Judah has added his own small treasures: a five-cent piece, an old metal fighter plane, a small plastic frog, and tiny corkscrew shells he finds at the beach.

The box was the catalyst: before we knew it, he’d embraced collecting and treasure, moved on from robots and mechanical things, and jumped headfirst (arrrrrr, me-hearties!) into the world of pirates roaming the high seas.

Obsessed, I tell you.

Actually, I can’t begin to tell you how fun this phase is; there are plenty of hand-drawn maps and more cause for armour (yeah, I didn’t know that pirates wore armour either!), eye patches, and toilet roll spyglasses with bright cellophane stuck to one end. Beach visits see him spending a considerable amount of time scanning the horizon watching for approaching tall ships, and digging in the sand at random intervals, just in case visiting pirates buried their loot.

At home, the treasure box now lives securely in a treasure chest; his fanciful stories have scary monsters that morph into hooked/peg-legged pirates (that fly through the sky chasing our magic dog, Ella and superhero sister Lou, who eats cake while sitting on the sun), and driving sees us playing a version of ‘Where’s Wally,’ pirate-style.

For the record, pirates seem to camp out a lot in trees, hide in clouds, and like visiting McDonalds for ice-cream. Who would have guessed?

Personally, I love treasure. And I wished that I had my own small wonders still tucked away somewhere, safe in a rusty box or buried beneath one of our old Queenslanders in the cool under-the-house dirt. My box may have contained paper dolls, pressed flowers, small hand-drawn pictures, pages from picture books and magazines, little dolls, and handwritten notes in envelopes with crinkle-edged stamps.

What would your treasure box contain?

Nat

Holiday Lessons

Yes, we totally dropped off the radar.

Sorry, dear readers.

It actually all started when my computer broke down the week before Christmas. I was horrified at first, and then sunk into the lack of technology like a pig in mud. There is a lot to be said for taking a break from life for a few weeks – Dave and I played long treasure hunting games with the kids, swam, ate and ate, and had random afternoon naps; the kids rode their bikes for hours, we went on long drives, dug up the gardens, cooked the most delicious food, and watched lots of kiddie movies.

It really was heavenly.

And I actually managed to learn a few things while on our long, lazy holiday:

1. Yes, it is possible to go back to sleep in the morning if you close your eyes long enough (and if there’s a pillow over your head to muffle the outside noise).
2. Holidays = messy house, frequently empty fridge. It also means that no one really has the motivation to do anything about it, which makes it a lot easier to turn a blind eye and indulge in fantastic takeaway.
3. You can never have too many swims in one day. And lazy after-the-kids-are-asleep swims are the perfect way to wind down.
4. Holiday breakfasts may just be the best kind of breakfast: there’s very little guilt involved, you’re able to take your time (perhaps even read the paper or pour another mug of coffee), and can then crawl into bed or onto the couch for slow digestion.
5. Having a little girl that loves pretend tea parties is really the most delightful thing. Thinking that we’d always have a tomboy, the emergence of the very girly Lou really is a thing to marvel at; and all those endless cups of pretend tea and cake, the tucking and re-tucking of dolls into makeshift beds, and a sudden obsession with pretty skirts and beads, adds a lovely (sometimes sparkly) shine to the house. 

Even though it may feel like an age ago, did you have a holiday over Christmas? What did you do?

Nat

Ps. I’ve been writing. A lot. And isn’t it a novel thing, to write with a pen on paper? I think it took me two weeks to write without an aching hand!

Image from here.

Happy birthday, little boy…

It’s my Judah’s third birthday today, and I’m reeling at the idea that a whole three years has passed already since I held him, newborn, small and sleepy, in my arms. Today we’re celebrating with cake, smarties, the beach, and small and tall friends and family over for a big hearty dinner (and more cake); there’s a pile of lego in our lounge room for the first time, and much contented fixing is being done…by all of us. And there’s a bedroom strewn with colourful streamers, the floor filled with balloons, and a very excited little boy who’s been singing happy birthday to himself most of the morning.

A big and kinda grown up three years old. And such a loud, comedic, creative, energetic, kind-hearted, joyful tumbling and rough-housing boy - we've been blessed beyond measure.

Do you do something special to celebrate a birthday?

Nat

Finding Inspiration

I find inspiration in everyday places.

Whether it’s walking into a material shop stocked to the hilt with beautiful fabrics, or brainstorming about what new thing I can make for my sweet niece or handsome nephew for Christmas, small slices of inspiration can be found hiding in every nook and cranny. You just have to know how to hunt it down, and how to recognise it when it’s finally found.

To help my inspiration process along, I collect things – beautiful buttons, ribbon, material, or interesting knick-knacks that I come across. I’ve often found that having these little bits around can spark an idea, remind me of something precious from my childhood, or just give me the nudge to try out a new idea.

And something I’ve always loved – drawing and sketching – also plays a big part in my creative process. My house is filled with bursting journals and random scraps of paper covered with little images, which may (or may not) become the beginnings of something in the future. I’ve often found that the practice of sketching can lead down a path which may not have been planned, but which sees the creation of something you may not quite have imagined yet.

Sometimes plucking an idea out of the ether seems like a total impossibility. And sometimes creativity gets… stuck. When all things fail, I always try to look for a need (which somehow relates to your area of skill), and attempt to fill it in a different way. Like, for example, I noticed that when I started making our Quill & Ink dolls, that there were only a few options on the market for dolls for boys – real boysy cuddling companions (who like getting dirty, climbing trees and making mud pies almost as much as their owners do). And after a little thought, finding some old fashioned names, and sourcing the perfect fabric, it was a lot easier to take the leap to make Charlie.

Charlie, Spencer, Luca & Thaddeus

My two-cents worth of advice?

1. Enjoy the process! Creativity, imagination and making something new are amazing things.

2. Take notes while you’re experimenting and making, so that when you’re happy with the final product, you can re-create it.

3. Don’t worry if things go awry; few things ever go smoothly first time around, but you’ll learn lots of valuable lessons, and what not to do for next time in the process.

How do you find inspiration?



Kim

Parenting 101

Image from We Heart It

Now, I confess - I’m not even close to being an expert! – but the following are random observations from my own very partial, biased and often quite naive perspective on parenting toddlers:

1. Boys like to fix. I’m not sure if this is an innate, male driven thing, or whether it’s just my boy, but Judah’s a great pretend fixer. Give him a screwdriver and a mission, and he’ll stay happily engaged in the fixing of said thing for more than just a couple of minutes. Fixing also includes medical and dental. I had a check-up with a toy drill, a screwdriver, and an oversized plastic nut and bolt just yesterday.
2. Boys are very affectionate. This surprised me. I assumed that the girls would be the ones for cuddles and kisses, but it’s Judah who’s on my lap the most, and who wants the longest bedtime cuddle. I like it; it’s like the slate is wiped clean every night, no matter how much of a wretched a day we’ve had together.
3. Mothers are the hardest working people around. Not only does raising children require a super set of skills, it also requires unlimited patience, love, affection, energy, compassion, and a freaky second sight, which allows you to pre-empt any accidents, dangerous situations, and potentially tantrum-ous conditions. I love my own mother to bits, but I never really understood her until I had children of my own. Now I think she’s a superhero.
4. Nothing beats the glow of a newborn, and the sweetness of family during the newborn phase. But, as lovely as newborns are, and in spite of how beautiful they smell, and how wonderful they are to hug and snuggle up to, I must remind myself that it’s not the greatest excuse to think about having another baby. Think instead: two hourly feeds, vomit, never-ending nappies, and no sleep.
5. When everything is hard and frustrating, as raising children sometimes is, the best way to break the tension and to soothe a stand-off situation is to laugh.
6. Don’t be afraid to use television to your advantage. Now, I’m not saying to sit your kids down in front of it for eight hours a day, but if it allows you to have a cup of tea and ten minutes peace to recharge – do it, and don’t feel guilty.
7. Little girls are very clever, and are born with all the skills necessary to efficiently and effectively wrap everyone around their little finger.
8. Going outside cures most tantrums. If in the midst of a crazy tear-your-hair-out horrid fit of temper, open the doors, put on a hat and defuse the tantrum in an instant by letting them escape into nature. Note: this does not work when in public. Public tantrums seem to be a toddler right of passage.
9. Don’t fight with a fussy eater. Apparently toddlers live on air.
10. When in the midst of a horrid day, remember - this too, shall pass. Hang in there, kiddo.

Do you have any tried and tested parenting advice?

Nat