It has been a subtle shift yet one that has taken over the way we live. In what seems like a past life my beloved and I were spenders. Yes there was the obligatory "save for our house" fund that always consumed the majority of our pays. But the rest, the fun money, soon filled the pockets of others as we drank coffee, bought shoes, dined on the water's edge, saw the world.
Caught in a consumerist trap we nodded our heads in agreement to advertisements spruiking the latest must have. We purchased with greed and the thrill of the hunt was not in the quality of the things we bought but the amount that could be stuffed into bulging plastic bags. Throw away fashion and the like.
With the incredible blessings of our little people came a drop in wage. My wage. And with this a tightening of purse strings. Treading water in this new world of think before we spend I did what I do best, I threw myself in boots and all. I've sewed, I've knitted, I've read books about how to squeeze every last drop out of our weekly groceries, we've planted vegetables, I've op-shopped, we've gone without.
But is there a feeling of wanting? Well actually no. I feel an incredible sense of pride as I cast my gaze around our home and struggle to find one room, one corner, that hasn't been touched by my hands. Everywhere there are reminders that making do not only solves the immediate problem at hand but also enriches our space...our world. And our purchases? We now favour a less is more philosophy and only part with our hard earned dollars for things of quality, often artisan or handmade.
When she was a wee one my baby girl chewed her cot good and proper as she teethed leaving a rather grizzly sight of gnawed timber and white paint flecked teeth. At the time we bought the latest and greatest plastic snap on device that Bijou managed to remove faster than we could attach it. Her chomping phase soon passed and with it the plastic teether..quite likely in the bin.
Fast forward a few years and the little man now slumbers in this cot. Faced with the task of not only hiding these unsightly marks but more importantly, protecting his emerging teeth I didn't head to the nearest baby store but opened my sewing cupboard and hunted about. A vintage cot sheet, a strip of leftover cotton quilt wadding and an hour or two of measuring, pinning and sewing and I had a lovely little solution. Just some fabric. some time and my two hands.
In the background is Remy's most adored Bruno handmade by the gorgeous girls of Quill and Ink Handmade.
Darling, it's just too divine! And yes, perhaps the best blessing of motherhood (besides the wee darling children) is a discovery that less is more, thrift is great, and over consumption not that important! love your cot bling! No doubt it will endure the dribble and the teeth better than the plastic horror! xx
ReplyDeleteVery clever Steph and that bit of detail makes it so much better!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post! And wonderful lessons to pass on to your children. I too have so much more pride in my home because of all the work my husband and I have put into it with our own hands.
ReplyDeleteLovely post! I love your solution to the cot issue - very clever. My eldest did the same as yours, chewing the white rail - I can still remember finding her with little flecks of white paint all over her chin :) I too thought of constructing something similar to your solution now that our cot is being used for our baby girl so am so grateful you've shared your photos to give me more of an idea of how and what to make myself. Thanks!! x
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