simple play - playdough

We turned our backs to grand adventures the past school holidays. Our time was peppered with some little day trips to inhale clear, Winter air but for the most part we stayed at home.  Long and slow days with spice laced porridge and stewed fruits for breakfast, soup for lunch and simple play in between. Much knitting for Mumma also.

One crisp morning we took a thermos of hot chocolate into the back yard and set up camp in the morning sun. Me sprawled out on a fabric sea of blue flowers looping yarn over wooden needles and them, moulding silky dough into creatures and cakes.  Natural hued and adorned with nature's treasures.  No special tools, or fancy cutters, just hands and a few sprigs of herbs, shells, some flowers and imagination.

Steph x

We've found this simple uncooked play dough is lovely. It's quick and easy to make as well.

2 cups plain flour
4 tablespoons of cream of tartar
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 cup of salt (the finer the better)
2 cups of boiling water

Simply add all the ingredients to a big bowl and mix. Keep mixing until it starts to come together and then give it a good knead to smooth it out.

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"A portrait of my babies, once a week, every week."

Bijou -  Snacking on edible flowers at our community garden and looking oh so grown up.

Remy -  He has a double crown so always wakes with the most delightful "Alfalfa" tuft.

Steph x

Joining in with the beautiful Jodi.

paper free wrapping

The Japanese art of tsutsumi or gift wrapping is both inspiring and incredibly beautiful. Typically large cloths are intricately folded to create simple, yet elegant packages.  But inspiration needn't take the form of replication. To translate this time honoured art into every day gift giving, simply replace the delicate shibori with a vintage pillowcase and the fine pleating with some slightly more crude tucks and folds held tight with a torn fabric bow.

Sometimes the contents of the parcel in their muted tones and subtle patterns are best left as is. The gift of a beautiful printed tea towel or tiny hand knitted garments needs nothing more than a piece of jute twine and a wisp of nature to adorn it. Why conceal the loveliness beneath swathes of paper?

And the jumble of op shop baskets often yield delicate treasures, rattan or wicker and filled with home made biscuits in a large glass jar (also second hand).  Or some jam and a loaf of artisan bread tucked into a woven vessel would be received with pleasure and gratitude.

Gift giving on a simple scale is a great joy of life. And when it's packaging impacts gently on the earth , the pleasure is heightened. Presents with much heart and little burden.

A small change; paper free wrapping.

Steph x

Other small changes we've made:
reusable coffee cups

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"A portrait of my babies, once a week, every week."

Bijou -  Bathed in blue light and thoroughly present in her creating; so serene.

Remy -  The absolute image of his Papa bear.

Steph x

Joining in with the beautiful Jodi.

lately

Lately ....

She watches the clouds from a shady spot on the grass,
We decorate the front doors and windows with snowflakes,
Ruby red strawberries are being picked in abundance,
Woollen projects are dotted about the house,
Good coffee and pastries are being savoured in the Winter sun,
Little pots of homemade yoghurt are filling the fridge to bolster tummies against seasonal maladies,
Grand tree shells become homes for forest sprites,
Earthen cups are filled and refilled with tea.

What have you been doing lately?

Steph x

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"A portrait of my babies, once a week, every week."

Bijou -  Those pixie features.

Remy -  Tree climbing and stripes.

Steph x

Joining in with the beautiful Jodi.

winter - into the wild

This time of year in all its tea drinking, blanket wrapping ways nudges us inside for longer periods of the day. King Winter blows windows closed and air, although infused with sandalwood, spice and warming soups, can become stale. Moods can sour too.  So on crisp mornings we pack a thermos of something warming and nourishing to drink, don thick socks, knitted woollens and gumboots and head out into the wild.

Under a canopy or the clearest blue we set out. Open and sun dappled walking tracks lure us and without the burden of Summer's humidity we walk further and discover new little woodland nooks to fossick about it. Limbs move quickly and sporadically in response to the cold; we exhale hot breaths into the cold air. But it isn't long before the gentle exertion warms our bones, turns our cheeks pink and we start to explore.

Nature's palette is subtly altered and wildlife is quieter and more elusive now. Our eyes become sharper as the minutiae about is less vivid; we have to search harder.  But it's there. High up in silver leaved gum trees the flying foxes are napping, their calling less squabbly and raucous at this time of year.  Male brush turkeys never cease their incessant mound building and the tiny black specks of native bees buzz in and out of a giant, ochre hued tallow wood tree. She finds a crumbled piece of abandoned termite mound and claims it as a treasure. He is content with a stick and a speckled leaf.

On these days we step away from all that is structured and organised and wind our way through tangled, growing places. There is no right or wrong way of being just instinctive exploration and natural fascination. We fill our lungs with clear air and blow away Winter's cobwebs. We walk into the wild.

Steph x

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"A portrait of my babies, once a week, every week."

Bijou -   She has simply adored being at home with "her Remy" this school holidays.

Remy -  Still half asleep and full of snuggles.

Steph x

Joining in with the beautiful Jodi.

a small change - reusable coffee cups

There is no denying we have become a coffee society. On seemingly every street corner we have thoroughly embraced the ubiquitous European trend of sipping espresso and people watching. And it seems that no outdoor event is complete without a mobile barista.  As a result, the use of takeaway coffee cups has skyrocketed in the past few years  and it is now estimated that Australians alone use 2.7 million cups per day!

Contrary to popular thought, most disposable cups are a mix of paper and plastic deeming them unrecyclable (nor biodegradable) and headed straight to landfill.  While some businesses are flying the environmental flag by using eco friendly disposable cups and lids it is a simple change we can do that can make a profound difference; using reusable cups. By using our own cup we not only lessen landfill but cut down on the amount of disposable cups being produced hence saving energy and resources.

Ours were an impulse buy one morning on a beach side stroll. Happy babies in the sand called for coffee and slowing down and so a takeaway coffee spot was hunted out. Hot coffee was savoured in the sun and the $25 I handed over for our two cappuccinos was soon forgotten.

But to turn this small change into a new (and lasting) behaviour it's essential to choose something with an aesthetic conducive to your lifestyle; do you like how it looks and feels, is it easy to clean? And to reinforce the  habit, keep your reusable coffee cup somewhere convenient. We keep ours in the glove box of the car and I pop them into my handbag when we head out.  We chose Keep Cups for their high quality BPA free plastic which is easy to clean, lightweight, cost effective and recyclable at the end of its life. Baristas have welcomed our reusable cups and some cafes go as far as offering a discount on coffees.

A small change; reusable coffee cups.

Steph x