our emerging traditions

One of the things I love about Christmas, now that we have children, is watching as our own Christmas traditions begin to evolve.  What makes a family tradition? I think it's about cherished memories, the element of ritual, a sense of meaning or significance... and there's something about what you decide, as a family, to repeat year after year. 

I'm guest posting at Childhood 101 today. Come on over and tell me about your family's Christmas (or other significant) traditions. Which ones wouldn't you give up - even if you were away from home this Christmas?

x Sarah

The photo - Doots found a self-sown white poppy in the garden. It inspired her to dress in head to toe white, as an angel.

sewing for boy

Sewing for girls is such a pleasure, don't you think? Pretty florals, spots, bright colours or pastels, or whatever, really.  I still struggle with boy style. Oesch is the most boyish of boys too. If it doesn't have wheels, he's not really interested. But he does love to help out in the kitchen and I've been meaning to make him an apron for, oh, about two years now.

Note to self re: fabric choice: next time, just use a plain colour, or maybe denim and trim it with a bright (but boyish!) bias binding. 

This black print, with green gingham binding and red side panels... what's not boyish about that? Well, apparently green gingham is a bit girly. And apparently red is for girls too. So I added a helicopter patch in a desperate attempt to override any (heaven forbid) girly traces. Helicopters = instant boy appeal.

Not what I'd usually choose to adorn an apron. But then, I'm not a boy. Der.

And for the record, my battle with bias binding (in my best Iron Chef voice) is O V E R. Thank you, Ms Leisl Gibson

Oh, the pattern is from Oliver + S Little Things to Sew, which I am steadily working my way through. The apron is for Oesch's Christmas stocking, therefore no photos of boy wearing apron. Hoping to show you more of my Christmas gift making soon.

x Sarah

honey lemon day

Oh dear. We've all got raw throats and hacking coughs today. It's time for a cozy home day.

The kids have been playing so nicely... tiny dolls house dolls have been dressed and fed, taken to the zoo and put to bed. Train tracks have been designed and constructed and adorned with elaborate duplo signal towers.  We've made paper boats and laughed as a brave little blackbird hopped in through the open back door to pinch a stray piece of toast crust lying on the floor. 

He left a poo behind on my kitchen floor by way of thanks.

It's so nice to have a day in sometimes, but still, this throat is driving me crazy. Time to try the old lemon and honey remedy.

It's not something we had in my family. Mum swore by a salt water gargle instead, but I don't think I'd be able to convince the kids to try that, so I'm introducing them to Stephen's childhood tradition. But of course it shouldn't be too hot. Even I prefer it just warm - it's gentler on my throat.

Child-friendly honey and lemon sore throat remedy:

Place a generous squeeze of lemon juice in a teacup

Add a heaped teaspoon of honey (luscious unheated Tasmanian honey is my preference)

Top with warm water (boil the kettle and let it cool down)

Stir until honey dissolves

Serve with love and sympathy

wings

A little while ago we were invited to a pirate party. I knew this would be a problem for one of our crew... Doots is allergic to pirates. She really dislikes the whole aarrrgh scene.

I knew the invitation was on its way and I was interested to see how she would respond to the challenge of dressing up all piratey. She didn't skip a beat.

I'll go as a parrot, she announced. Bless her!

 I thought I'd whip her up a little parrot costume. I searched around and came up trumps with these from Christie (you can follow the trail of links to the original source.)

I used soft yellow wool felt for the base and began cutting out all those rows of 'feathers' on the Friday afternoon. Continued through Saturday. Sunday morning, the day of the party - ta da - they were finished and ready to try on. But no, they were apparently 'too heavy'. The wings were unceremoniously dumped into the dress up box.

She went as a cat instead.

I asked her if she wouldn't mind wearing them while I took a few photos. And of course she flapped and soared and tweeted long after the camera had done it's work. Kids!

Oh, and by the way, Oesch was more than happy to be kitted out as a fierce sea-faring rogue. He looked outrageously gorgeous (but I don't have a photo).

I'm really enjoying sewing dress ups and thinking of a construction vest for Oesch next, and perhaps some animal hoods or masks. Do you make dress ups? Got any great ideas for me?

x Sarah

well hello!

Gosh, it has been a while and I feel a bit nervous writing this post, like dipping my toes into a cold lake. Could I really dive in again?

I've been thinking a bit about why I haven't posted since July. In part, it's because Oesch has given up his daytime nap and I don't have that regular spare time in the afternoon. There was also something said back then by a family member which stopped me in my tracks, and made me wonder if blogging about my children was the right thing to do. 

Perhaps my inspiration has been elsewhere lately. I've been going to bed earlier and getting up earlier to exercise while rest of the house is asleep. I've been trying to eek out some sewing time, and spring cleaning the house (not that you could tell).

Meanwhile, Doots has had a huge breakthrough in kindergarten this term. She is really enjoying it and talks about her adventures there even on her home days. Words cannot describe my relief. These pictures might express the new lightness we're all feeling as spring time weaves its magic of growth and renewal.

A new easel on the front verandah has inspired all sorts of painting.

I love watching Oesch paint. So much exuberance and life in those pictures.

Mum came to visit for Grandparents' Day at school. Doots soaked up every minute of her dear Nanna being here (as did Oesch). 

Spring also brings the odd rainy weekend, perfect for board games, open fires and sewing little sun hats for tiny little people, who might just need a bit of shade if ever the weather clears up...

This one is for Ange's gorgeous bub. It's from Oliver + S's Little Things to Sew. The car print is perfect (for his traffic engineer mum).

And the lining side is a perfect neutral to match any outfit!

The model would like one for herself. 

Boo!

 I sewed 15 metres of mini bunting in spring colours... for the school fair.

The kindergarten stall had a bird theme so the thrifted farmyard curtains I've had for a while were perfect.

And Doots wanted to make something to sell at the fair too, so we revisited this idea from last year.

She packaged them up as gift tags in cellophane bags of five...

popped them in a box and made a beautiful label.

Unsurprisingly, they sold like hot cakes.

Spring time means gardening of course, which for these children really means filling up watering cans with water, digging in the dirt and spraying the hose everywhere.

Oesch has figured out how to turn the tap on. Look out.

We've had to employ serious measures to keep the chooks off the tomato seedlings this year - strange, they ignored them last year!

 A while ago I had ambitions to make this Little Red Cloak for Doots (from here).

We went fabric shopping together to choose the fabric.

Et voila... I love Oliver + S patterns. I love the quality of the construction and the finish, and I always feel like I've learnt some new techniques by the time it's done.

After initially complaining (too big! too big!)...

she decided that actually she loves it.

She imagined she was the poppy from this story instead of Little Red Riding Hood. And after a recent episode with a certain pair of parrot wings I lovingly crafted for her (I'll tell you about that next time) that's perfectly fine with me.

I'm so glad to be back, I've got lots of blogs to catch up on and I'm not going to leave it so long between chats again!

x Sarah