Star Crossed Slouchy Beret

Hi! How have you been? I've been pretty absent from this space. But I made a thing, and here it is. It's the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson.

I finished knitting it while we were on holiday in Singapore. I haven't blogged in almost a year, so much to catch you up on. We are still in the bus. Still at the same location. We sold our house in the country, paid off all our debt and decided to take the kids on a replica holiday of one Ian's dad took him on to Singapore when he was 9, the same age Charlie is now. Perhaps I'll get around to doing a little blog post of the holiday. For now let's keep it to knitting! Got to ease back in to these things you know!!

I enjoyed knitting this beret, quick and easy. It is a free download on Yarn Canada :) I have ordered some cotton yarn to knit another for a friend who will be losing her hair. If you have any soft and non irritating yarn recommendations for chemo patients let me know. This pattern calls for worsted weight.

Anyway, I hope you are well and happy!

Much love
Margret

1 Year Bus Anniversary

Happy New Year!!

Happy Anniversary to us!! One whole year ago today we moved in to Bessie on New Years Eve and stopped sleeping in the house. People wondered how we would cope being a family of four living in a bus. I wondered how we'd go being a family of four living in a bus. After a year I can tell you Bessie is more than big enough. I follow a few van-lifers on Instagram and I feel silly saying we live in a tiny house. We live in a mansion compared to those guys!

Yesterday Ian and I got started early and we pulled everything out from the storage lockers under the bus, assessed it and applied the one year rule. I love having a clean out and can now see the storage area floor in different places and can see clear from one side to another. So satisfying. I feel so organised.

Speaking of organising, I'm very excited about Netflix's new show starting tomorrow on January 1st, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo! I know what I'll be doing after my morning meditation, binge watching Marie Kondo while the sun comes up (I will not be counting in the new year in....)

[link to trailer]

So I love the idea of being organised and my perpetual New Years Resolution every year is to get organised, which is always a work in progress, not really a goal you can ever tick off. I've been inspired by Gretchen Rubin this year and I'm doing something different. Instead of resolutions I've made a 19 for 2019 list of big and little, serious and fun things to tick off. Nowhere on that list does it say get organised but if I tick a few things off I will definitely feel organised! Especially if I tick the check box next to "get current on the family photo books" ha!

There are a few habit items on my list, like drink 2 L of water daily, but there are two habits I didn't need to put on there because I have happily established them already in the last couple of months. I have wanted to meditate regularly for years and now I do it first thing every morning. I had weekdays locked down but it was until I recently decided to get up at the same time everyday instead of sleeping in on the weekends that I'm doing it seven days a week. So those are my two new habits, I meditate daily (for 15 minutes, nothing arduous) and get up before 5 am even on the weekends. Here is the Youtube video of a mother of 10 who gets up before 3 that inspired me and from her I also found out that Mark Wahlberg also gets up super early at 2.30am! I love Mark Wahlberg. I never thought I was a morning person but becoming aware of other people getting up crazy early makes getting up before 5 seem very doable and quite pedestrian. Hopefully the extra early morning hours on the weekends will also come in handy in getting our photo books done!

What are you excited about in 2019? What was your highlight of 2018? Did you learn a new skill? Get something done you've been meaning to do for a long time? Learn something new about yourself?

much love and Happy New Year!!
Mx

Alive and Well!

I'm sure even my mother has stopped checking this blog to see if I've updated it. In any case this will surprise her if she hasn't! Gosh, so much to tell!! We'll start with my excuse for not blogging since March... after essentially being out of the workforce for 8 years while having babies and mothering I am now working full time... as a motorcycle postie! I've been doing it for five months now and I've pretty much gotten the hang of it. It is a fun job and I enjoy it. Working full time doesn't leave a lot time over for other stuff though and it certainly has been an adjustment. I have finally acclimatised to the pre 5am wake up but must make sure I get to bed early which means in bed before 9. Sometimes I feel like a crotchety old person who's favourite thing to do is stay home and put my pyjamas on, even on the weekend. Anyway...

We are still living in the bus. It's going well and I love our cozy home. I feel like Bessie is the maximum size I can cope with while working full time, so I'm glad I'm not having to manage an entire house right now. We've had a couple of location changes which were quite stressful at the time but I am happy with where we are right now. Ian isn't happy with paying caravan park rates as it isn't much cheaper than low end rent but councils are still catching up with the tiny house movement and I feel much better knowing we won't get a move on notice.

Craft and personal projects have predictably slowed down, but I am almost finished another Baby Cable Yoke Jacket for a very special baby due in just over a month. My 365 project has totally gone by the wayside and I'm a little sad I haven't been picking up the camera as much but now things have settled slightly I am picking up steam and I've got a professional head shot job coming up which is very exciting.

I hope everything is chugging along nicely for you wherever you are. What have you been up to? Are you a bad blogger like me?!

Mx

Safflower Quilt

I am pulling my finger out and getting this quilt that was finished in December up on the blog because the beautifully written pattern is on sale right now for $2!! I have bought another 5 copies to give to my quilting ladies.

I actually waited for this pattern to be released and had it marked on my calendar so I could get it on day one. I had a special quilt to make for a special childhood friend, and I knew this was the perfect pattern for it.

This was such a fun quilt to make and also my fastest to date. I started it mid October on my birthday (that was my birthday present to myself) and had it finished by early December in time for my friend's birthday. It was also fun having a secret squirrel project and a deadline.

My friend had given me the stone coloured linen from her mother's stash (intended for clothing not quilting) and I had white linen on hand. I love the subdued effect of these two neutrals together. Perfectly understated, just like her mother.

There were a couple of firsts for me with this quilt. Following a pattern, outsourcing the quilting (for time efficiency!) and finally making my first label. I am totally happy with how it all came together, and most importantly my friend loved the memories of her Mum wrapped up in this quilt.

I loved making this quilt and if you are into quilting I believe you will too. The super special low price at the moment is a fundraising drive for the designer's fur baby surgery this Friday. However, even at the normal price it is more than worth it, and I could't wait to buy it!
Buy it here https://lemonsqueezyquilts.com/products/safflower-quilt-pdf-pattern

I have only made one quilt for myself (the first quilt I ever made) but I will definitely be making myself one of these quilts to keep.

It is starting to cool down here and soon it will be quilt weather! Do you have a favourite quilt pattern? I would love to know what it is.

Much love
Mx

New Year, New Digs

We celebrated New Year's Eve by going to bed early for our first night in our new home. And I say home instead of house because of course we're now living in a bus! We are still in the process of moving our stuff in and I'll take photos of that once we're done. But these are our before and after bus reno photos for now.

I hope you enjoyed your New Years Eve and wish everyone a health, wealthy and wise 2018!!

Mx

Cardigan is finished!

Surprise Mum! A new blog post xxx

Mia's cardigan is blocked and has buttons. I am super happy with how it turned out. And since there is not much need for a cardigan like this in the middle of summer here I am going to wrap it and put it under the tree so she has one more thing to open.

I am working on a special secret quilt that needs finishing for the weekend but after that I will be free to start cutting out the fabric to make this gorgeous Cascade Maxi Dress for Mia as a surprise Christmas present. And then if I have time I will fingers crossed get a pair of overalls made for Charlie to put under the tree so he can dress up as Mario and Luigi. Which reminds me, I should be looking for a red long sleeved tee and a green long sleeved tee to go underneath. I would happily purchase a pair of overalls, actually I would much rather buy them (save time and money!) if only I could find them. I have scoured the internet and eBay and the shops and overalls are just not in fashion for kids right now...

We are still in the midst of getting ready to move in to the bus which will happen in a couple of weeks while we are still here so we can give Bessie a dry run so to speak and see what we are missing and how much we still need to downsize. So I have a couple of blog posts to do soon, a Bessie update, the secret quilt, finally a house tour after all these years!

Mx

Details 
Pattern - Top-down Baby and Children Cable Yoke Jacket by Kyoko Nakayoshi
Yarn - Filatura Di Crosa Zara Plus Baby
I used this this video to learn how to attach the buttons - Sewing Buttons on Knits
And I learned to weave in ends via this video - Weaving in Ends
There is also a video about using a crochet hook to make button holes I will have to find again that I wish I had seen before I made the button holes. Will update here once I have :)

Cardigan Update

The lost ball of wool has not been found but thankfully I was able to source another ball from a store over east at great expense (that one ball plus postage cost half of what I paid for the other 9 balls together!) But what's a girl to do? I was just glad I found it. I couldn't change colours half way up the hood!!

Apparently I should have ordered two extra balls, I guess lengthening the arms took the extra I need to do the rib edging. Anywho, I'm going to buy a contrast yarn to do that this weekend hopefully, I'm thinking a buff or a tan.

Mia's cardigan enjoyed the weekend to bali and was knitted by the pool and also at the salon where you can order cocktails! Amo Spa, we'll definitely be seeing you again next year. It was such a great time to hang out with my best girls and eat at amazing restaurants, get massaged every day and look after no-one but myself :)

Oh, and turns out I never did order those double pointed needles, winning!

I've also started a new quilt on Sunday, my birthday, which I'm very excited about, but I will save that for another post. I hope you're well and happy wherever you are.

Mx

Meet Bessie

Full name Bessie-Bob (we had a girls vs boys naming conflict ;). Big changes coming round here for our family. We are planning to sell our house and move into Bessie at the end of the school year. Hubby has been ready to leave our small town for a year or two but it has taken me until the last couple of months to come on board with that idea. We are both on the same page now and I'm glad because being on differing pages was not good for our marriage.

We are lucky to have such loving and supportive families who are both concerned for us and encouraging. My family are unsure how we're going to go living in a tiny home (though Bessie is pretty big I'm not sure she counts as a tiny home) while Ian's Dad has generously loaned us the bus.

Most people assume we're going to be off travelling but we just want to be closer to Perth and mortgage free without paying rent. We don't know exactly where we'll be but we're trusting the universe that it is lining up somewhere awesome for us to park Bessie (been listening to a lot of Abraham and loving it!). In the meantime I am busy pairing down our belongings and throwing around the phrase 'not gonna fit in the bus'.

Once we get the house cleaned up and ready for sale I'll finally be able to do a before and after post of the renovation on the old bowling club we live in (only three years after we moved in!). I'll also have a before and after post after we clean up Bessie and modify her to fit the four of us and our stuff in. I do so love before's and after's.

In other news I am waiting for double pointed knitting needles to arrive but finally googled Magic Loop and am knitting the sleeves of Mia's jacket on my cable needles. If I'd done that before ordering the dpn's I wouldn't have needed to order them! At least I'll have a knitting project to take with me in a week and half when I fly out for my now annual girls weekend in Bali, I am so ready for some sun!!

I hope you are getting as much rain as you need wherever you are but also a sunny day or two thrown in as well.

Much love!
Mx

Knitting

I haven't had a project on the go for a while so I am enjoying having this gorgeous jacket on the needles for Mia. It's a bit exciting for me too, it's the first garment I've ever knit (not counting scarves or beanies or wrist warmers!).

I have finished knitting the length of the body and I was hoping to start on the sleeves today but realised I have no idea where my double pointed needles are and if I have any the correct size even if I do find them...

I'm knitting the size six for my four and half year old so I have until next winter to finish it just in case I take my time, but I'm so excited seeing it take shape that I might get it done before the end of this winter.

The pattern is The Baby Cable Yoke Jacket by Cotton and Cloud.

I hope you've got a project you're in love with on the go.

Mx

Medical Medium and Abraham

I've always been looked at as being a bit different so it doesn't bother me to admit that two of my new favourite places for information are The Medical Medium (Anthony William) and Abraham (a non-physical consciousness accessed by Esther Hicks). Anyway I can't help myself from telling everyone I come across that has a condition or illness to read Anthony's books so they can heal.

I asked The Universe/God for answers about my fingers after I was fearful that they were showing arthritis at an early age. I'm only 40 and I have a long life of doing things planned out for these hands, and I felt like my body was betraying me or at the least letting me down. I am so grateful that I came across Anthony William who showed me differently, your body is always protecting you, it never forgets its job and attacks you as they say it does with autoimmune disease. He has written two books so far and I can't wait for his third book to be released late this year. The information in his books and on his blog and radio show is pure gold. I now feel like I have the answers I need to heal my fingers. I have started with celery juice and am including more fruit back in to my diet. I am cutting down on (and hope to eliminate eventually) dairy and eggs and will be vegetarian again (at some point!). I'm taking baby steps to make sure my new habits stick before I make the next change. I have given up my beloved greek yoghurt. I have lost a couple of kilos and I am not as bone crushingly tired as I have been in the past.

The hubby and I are going through a bit of a tough time negotiating with each other what out lives are going to look like in the near future. I find listening to Abraham and Esther on YouTube helps to keep me grounded and grateful for my present moments while letting go of my worries for the future. I am trying to let go and trust the universe that our lives can be so much more than what they are now if I will only let go of the perceived security of the house and community we live in. I remind myself that I've felt this fear of change before, like when I left my government job with the post office to study architecture at University. I was scared to leave the security of my job but leaving was the best thing I could have done and has added so much to my life.

I would love to hear your healthy coping mechanisms for tough times if you have any. I like this moon mediation that Anthony William recommends and am going to give it a try. Though last night when I walked over to the next street to pick up our dog that keeps wandering off to go visit her best friend I couldn't find the moon and it wasn't cloudy! I must remember to look tonight and make a habit of it. Here is Buffy (the black one) with her best friend Skittles.

Much love to you
Mx

Home Safe

Sorry I forgot to call to let you know we arrived home safely Mum! Went to Perth for the Craft Fair this weekend and was disappointed with the amount of exhibitors. Will let myself off the hook from going next year after going for the last 5 or 6 years straight.  It's been a fun couple of weeks of gastro and laundry here. So I'm a bit behind on things but looking forward to catching up this week.

I have been reliving some teenage years the last couple of weeks too, re-watching season one of Twin Peaks in preparation of the new season that was released last Monday. I enjoyed the re-watching but I'm not sure about this new season yet.... will have to see.

I hope you are happy and healthy or close to a toilet if you feel like I did last week. Much love xxx

Mx

Lucky Me

Because this lady is my Mum! Today is Mother's Day and Mum won't read this till tomorrow but it is the best Mother's Day present I could give to my Mum. A new post on the blog! I will never forget what Mum always wanted for Mother's Day whenever we asked her, and probably her birthday too, was peace and quiet, just one day of the three of us not fighting or whinging. At the time I thought what an un-consummerist thing to want. But OMG now I get it Mum!! I TOTALLY GET IT.

Love you Mum. You are the most giving, selfless person I know. And I'm proud to be my mother's daughter.

I am now off to watch episode one of season one of Twin Peaks. I've just started my free trial of STAN and am hoping to get through the first two seasons before the new season starts on the 22nd!! Gosh how I loved Agent Cooper, this will totally take me back to high school.

It is also Photoshop Week this week on CreativeLive so I'm going to be torn as to what to watch. So much watching to do!!

Mx

p.s. I hope you like your portrait. There are more to come xx 

DeFunkMe for Free!

A very exciting time in our house at the moment. Hubby (Ian) is launching his book DeFunkMe: the BASIX and for the next two days it is available for free from Amazon Kindle.

I wrote about Ian's depression and subsequent treatment a couple of years ago. At the time I said it was the best money we ever spent and I still feel that way, though it was expensive and we are still paying it off!

I am so proud of Ian for telling his story and sharing what he has found to be effective in turning his life around. The book is a well written how-to covering six essential areas to help anyone live a better life. And anyone in the midst of depression can take hope in Ian's personal story. 

Too many people are silently suffering and don't know where to turn for help. Grab a copy of DeFunkMe:the BASIX and check out the blog defunkme.com.

Much love to you all!

Mx

Less Screens For The Win

On the eve of term 2 I can happily report that the school holidays have been a massive success. And by crikey I needed a win. Just reading back over my last two blog posts reminded me how awful I was feeling. The screen restriction has been a breeze and a gift. I actually feel like I've gotten my kids back. They have by no means turned in to angels that never bicker and do exactly what I ask the first time I ask them, but hey, I no longer feel like crying and rocking in the corner. Winning!

There has been more outside time (though Charlie still prefers the indoors) and I have printed off many Power Ranger and princess colouring pages. I'm not sure what else we've done, oh yes a bit more book time, and a lot more playing with toys. Anyway, it has all been positive and well worth it. Surprisingly the kids kinda just accepted their fate and didn't push back on the new rules. I guess they really can tell when you mean it vs when you don't have the resolve to back your boundaries up. Luckily this Mumma finally means business!

On another note, today is Anzac Day, so thank you to all our service men and women, those who have seen war and those that haven't. I hope that there is no more need for any more lives to be lost or damaged by such sadness. Thank you Dad xxx

Mx

I don't know if fireworks are a bit too exuberant for the sombre mood of Anzac Day but this was on the first night of the school holidays (if you don't count friday night) and I had only hours before picked up my new camera and then there were surprise fireworks in the city. The new camera is very exciting!!

Screens

We've had our appointment with the behavioural optometrist for our six year old who insists he needs glasses. Sorry Charlie, optometrist says no. In fact what he needs is waaaaay less screen time. I'm sad to say that our boy would probably rather wear glasses than miss out on screen time.

I was very diligent when Charlie was a baby and did not let him watch tv (even though in hindsight I think I should have used it as a tool to give myself half an hour here and there instead of getting so stressed out I ended up losing my sh*t and screaming in his little face once). Things changed as he was heading to two years old and I was feeling seedy and tired with my second pregnancy and needed to rest.

Mia on the other hand did not have the total ban on screens as a wee one and she is not anywhere near as addicted to screens. That's not to say she hasn't spent a few days while Charlie is at school doing not much else. It makes me wonder though if Charlie's love for the screen has anything to do with not having any early on.

Things are about to change again as I see-saw my way through how much screen time is allowed, coinciding also with my new commitment to firm boundaries and not raising a pair of entitled adults who can't do anything for themselves. The optometrist (who used to be a teacher) scoffed at our restriction of 1 hour of screen time after school on school days, saying that wasn't a restriction. Our new rules for screens are half an hour on non-school days. The optometrist I could tell, was still not impressed with this allowance, but I have a feeling she wouldn't have been happy with anything less than zero screen time, which I don't think is either realistic or desirable. I don't know. Part of me doesn't think half an hour on weekends is realistic either. If we stick with that 100% he'll never be able to watch a movie again.

How much screen time do you allow your kids? And if you have any tips on getting them outside please share! Kids are coming home tomorrow and I've enjoyed my time whilst missing them and the life they bring to our house and not wishing them home early. Anywho, Happy Easter and I hope you're enjoying your long, long weekend.

Mx

Bad blogger, sad Mum

[February]

And by sad Mum I don't mean you Mum, I mean me. I am still having issues with my Lightroom catalog, but that's probably not why I haven't posted since February. Life. Maybe it's because my Mum always told me "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". I don't want to have a big whinge (though I could have a cry) but I don't want to pretend everything is sunshine and roses when the truth of it is that I feel like I've been losing my grip on the kids, the house, everything, and the tears are right there just behind the surface.

The good news is that the school holidays officially started at pick up this afternoon, and I will have from Tuesday till Sunday to catch my breath and gather myself while my children spend time with two sets of Grandparents and a pair of Aunts.

I will be fine, and things will get better. At least I'm helping the other Mum's around here feel like they are winning at parenting by comparison! I sincerely hope you are feeling like you're doing a better job than I am at the moment. And I will take solace from the late 80's and Yazz The Only Way is Up.....

Mx

I wonder where the balance is with blogging crappy feelings? I feel like this could be a very unsatisfying post to read where I kinda say I'm not travelling well but don't give any details. On the other hand, I don't want to bang on about feeling like I'm doing a shitty job. I love my children dearly but I was so appalled by one of them and their behaviour today that I think it's the first time that I didn't also like them. Thoughts that I've been too much of a walk over and wanted them to express their feelings but has that led to a complete disregard for the feelings of others? I read a quote this week "A lack of boundaries leads to a lack of respect". I think we have a problem and I need to grow a mother's backbone, for my sake and the kids.

January.... and February

Goodness me! Well we are well in to the new year and I have gotten out of the habit of posting without the weekly project. I am doing a 365 this year though and have not missed a day so far!

We spent a week and a half in Perth in January having a sort of holiday. We did some fun family stuff and I did three photo shoots. I'm very happy with how my photography is going and am excited to be adding to my portfolio.

February has been a pretty big deal with both my babies going to school! Mia had her first day of kindy. She waltzed in the first day and announced her arrival. She literally got to the mat and say's "I'm here!" right, party can get started then. Since then she tells me she hates school. I shouldn't be surprised, our little rooster does not like being told what to do or when to do it. Oh I knew they were going to have fun with her....

Luckily for me, I'm feeling fine about the kids being in school. Another session with my kiniesiologist has pretty well sorted me of that issue. I'm still not a huge fan of schools and think they are outdated but Charlie is loving year one and happy there. We will have to see how we go with Mia.

What I'm not feeling fine with is the idea of not staying here where we are. Over worked hubby wants to call it all quits and build a mini home and drop out.... We are giving it until the end of the year before we make any decisions but the whole up in the air-ness of it all just makes me anxious.

But I could be ready for an adventure! I just don't know!! I vacillate between the safety and security of what I know and the possibilities that life could be different and even more amazing. The issue is that I'm perfectly happy with the way things are, things could be better, but then I worry that things could be worse :| It could be wonderful living in a bus or a mini house on wheels and having more of Ian. Then again, it could suck living in such close quarters and swapping our current problems for the same problems in a another location with less space.... Gah, I do not like uncertainty. Perhaps there is my solution. We like the saying "what's in the way is the way" maybe I need to embrace the uncertainty....

I am posting this with January's photos only as having an issue with my Lightroom catalogue. I will contacting adobe again to get it sorted as soon as I have time. It will give me an excuse to post again once I have access to my photos again.

I hope the new year has been full of fun and love for you so far!

Mx

Project 52, Week 52!

Made it! Good bye 2016, hello 2017!!

We had a visit from Nanny and to finish the year off my friend and neighbour came over and let me photograph her. Turns out you can only watch so much Sue Bryce before you can't help but believe in your self. I love watching her so much I bought the subscription to her education site and my word of the year is PHOTOGRAPHER! I haven't done of word of the year since 2013, the year Mia was born, which was "survive". I needn't have had such low expectations for coping with 2 babies, it was much easier than expected thank goodness.

I hope your expectations for 2017 are high!

Mx

Project 52, Week 51

We've rounded the last corner and we're almost there!! It's the last week of the year. Last week was good fun, we had Vac Swim so were at the pool every day and we had Christmas, best day of the year according to the kids :)

We also had a summer storm which knocks out the power very reliably for few hours every time we get summer rain. That was fun on Christmas Eve, luckily I wasn't hosting anything and not trying to cook!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with people you love.

Mx

Project 52, Week 50

Week 50 was the last week of school. The Kindy/Pre-Primary Christmas Concert, and the start of Vac Swim and the school holidays. I've enjoyed it immensely. I think I will mandate that we always stay home for that first week after school finishes for the year and just chill out and go to swimming lessons. I actually feel like I'm on holidays, probably for the first time since having kids. 

And we had a lovely visit from Grandma. Here we are at the kindy concert a year apart. My babies getting taller and taller.

Merry Christmas and much love xxx

Mx