WEEKLY STILLS

It was a bit of a funny week for me. I said goodbye to breastfeeding and hello to a clingy me and whiney baby. That's probably a bit harsh on us both but it just felt a bit much last week. There were a few other things going on and I had that whole self doubt and struggling for independence thing going on. It normally takes a couple of days to settle back into a rhythm after time away and I think that just combined with other issues. A bit of perspective was required and provided by my rock of a husband. Thank you rock. You rock. All is well and it was actually quite an adventurous week, capped off by a mission to Geraldton and back from Friday to Sunday. Needless to say we are all recovering from a bit of cabin fever this Monday morning and are enjoying stretching the legs. The trip was for a lovely wedding on a pretty property in Walkaway just out of Gero. The superstars Nana and Grandy travelled from Perth to meet us there and babysit the little cherub for the night. The bride looked beautiful, the lanterns were lovely, there were fireworks, hilarious and heartfelt speeches, delicious food and many glasses of champagne to celebrate. Although cooped up in a car for 22 hours all up is not ideal it sure was worth it. I love the changing landscape along that route. The Pilbara red dirt transforms to sand and ant hills and there's lots to see; bushes and shrubs littered with cattle and goats, scavenging wedge tail eagles having their lunch by the side of the road and pastel pinks and blues as the sun sets on our stunning state. We're pretty blessed to live in this place. Here's to a happy week ahead!

Pics as follows:

1. Home again

2. Blocks and the baby

3. Little legs

4. That want to climb everything 

5. Flying high wih Dad

6. Little feet out the side 

7-9. A morning walk with the baby on the back

10. White bougainvillea 

11. Dried out seed pod tree

12. Baby sausage roll

13. Making mobiles 

14. Planking

15. Colourful cupcakes

16. A pom pom from a pretty lady (from a delicious slice that didn't last very long!)

17. Afternoon light

18. His favourite walking device / helping 

19. Pom poms

20. Climbing 

21. Pilbara colours

22. Roadtrip!

23. Roadtrip knitting

24. Carnarvon bananas

25. Roadtrip pom poms

26. Pretty 

27. Pretty

28. Pretty

29. Picturesque porterloos

30 & 31. Wonderful wedding

32, 33 & 34. Back home we go

Also I love this photo Nana captured of the trail of adventure on the beach.

Monday making coming up later today.

x J 

37/52

'A portrait of my son, once a week, for every week in 2014.'

George post fuzzy wuzzy rollover. 

I've been trying to capture you doing one of these funny rollovers for a while now. About a month ago you started doing them. When you are tired or feeling playful you are pretty much guaranteed to perform this ceremony with any soft or furry item lying on the floor - be it your sheepskin rug, dear monkey or bunny, Nana's ladybug toy or the soft cloud blanky on the lounge room carpet. You proceed to approach the item at rapid excited crawling pace, scrum your head down, feel the item's softness with your whole face and roll onto your back spreading your arms up like a snow angel. It is hilarious to watch.

If your dad or I are lying, sitting or standing near your selected soft item of choice you roll onto the thing and end up affectionately snuggled up next to us.

Here you are post rollover with a big happy smile.

Linking up with Jodi's lovely 52 Project.

WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?

Today's post is about one of the craftiest ducks I know - Sam Haslam.

Fellow potter and nutter Sammy is an inspiration to me on the crafting front and my mumming adventure. She is an expert juggler of two beautiful boys and her own business called Sewn by Sam. Sam is a a good laugh, a trained seamstress and a lover of colour. She exudes effortless style and creativity seems to come to her the minute she picks up a blob of clay or piece of cloth.

Sam sells her ceramic and clothing wares at regular local markets and through her Facebook page here and Made It website. 

I live in my Sewn by Sam cotton pants and relish the chance to put on my blue beaded necklace on a ladies night out free from George's little grabbing hands! 

One of the things that we often chat about is how to match up product pricing with consumer expectations. The pictures here give some insight into the process of making ceramic jewellery. It's a fiddly business. Sam cuts out the bead shapes, underglazes them, fires them, clear glazes them, fires them and then puts them together with earring backings or necklace wires and cords. Similarly with her pants, dresses, tops and kids clothing - there's a lot involved and a lot of love gone into creating a handmade item. Sometimes people don't consider that, and with the ease of modern machine manufacture I think the value of handmade items can sometimes be overlooked. Well there's no overlooking going on here! This blog celebrates handmade and the makers :)

In Sam's words here's what she's making:

1. What are you making?

I am making earrings and pendants. 

2. What is it about making that thing that you particularly enjoy?

I like to make earrings as my customers like the hand made type of earrings.

3. How do you make that thing?

They are made out of earthenware clay.

4. What will you make next?

Hmm, not sure at the moment, maybe some colourful beads.

5. What would you be doing if you weren't making that thing? 

Laying on a beach on an island sipping cocktails. Or just taking care of my two young boys.

If you have any questions or comments for Sam or I please leave a note here or on Facebook :)

Happy making!

x J 

WEEKLY STILLS

A wonderful week looking at the world with wonder.

A week summed up by this quote:

Over lunch my Aunty admired how George views the world with such joy and awe; everything is interesting and new, he is not restrained with his emotions and he makes his wants and needs clearly known! 

I know that as he grows he will learn the ways of the world; manners and mindfulness, how to behave and how to treat other people. He will probably become weary of strangers and go through periods of shyness and reservation.

I hope that he never looses the fascination with the little world that he currently knows. That spark of joy at a new discovery or friendly face.

I will do my best to nurture his sense of wonder and intrigue, to investigate, study, marvel and understand the world around him.

He is currently snoozing on me like this:

I'm not sure if my own sense of wonder at the world has always been there or if it has been ignited since having George or even since having this blog.

Either way I took a leaf out of my baby's book this week and thoroughly enjoyed looking up, looking down and looking around.

Pictures above go a little something like this:

1. Dangly jasmine in the laneway

2. Bed, bath & table beautiful blankies

3. Salvado rd flowers 

4. Nana and Grandy's veggie patch 

5. Subi strolling lavender

6. Brioche bun clouds

7. Subi strolling bottlebrush 

8. IKEA rainbow

9. Subi strolling lemon tree

10. I love bunnings

11. Subi strolling cherry blossom 

12. Subi strolling daisies and bright purple 

13. Pretty lady and a birthday sparkler 

14. Subi strolling bougainvillea 

15. Subi swan 

16. Subi strolling yellows and whites 

17. I love bunnings 

18. I love bunnings 

19. I love bunnings :)

20. Pink and yellow

21. That pink crane again

22. Kings Park everlastings and a kangaroo paw

23. Spring has sprung - a little red pom pom

24. Home again, home again jiggity jig

25. Throwing in a baby photo for good luck

Wishing you a week of wonder wherever you may be.

x J

Linking up with the lovely Beetleshack's weekly collection.