my creative yarning along space

image from grrl+dog

 Lift up a flag on the bare hill, raise your voice to them, wave the hand that they 

may enter the doors of the nobles.

Isaiah 13:2

Pass through, pass through the gates!

Prepare the way for the people.

Build up, build up the highway!

Raise a banner for the nations.

Isaiah 62:10

All you people of the world,

you who live on the earth, when flags are raised on the mountains,

you will see it,

when a trumpet sounds,

you will hear it.

Isaiah 18:3


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My Creative Space this week and yarn along have been consumed with The Bunting Swap and what it means.  I don't think it is really just a little swap of bunting pieces, but something deeper.

I have been reading up on meanings behind flags, bunting, banners and standards.  Dating back to the 17th century; bunting and flags were used to celebrate festivals and proclaim faith.  They were a sign of unity.  Brooke Fraser even sings a song about flags - it is quite fitting!

Photo courtesy of Giggleberry (The Queen of Bunting who is participating)

It got me thinking about the unity we have as bloggers, as mamma's, as home-makers.  Some of us may not feel united, may not feel part of anything - maybe something has happened.  Maybe all is well in your world now and you can give, make a piece or two or three for the swap.

I have been reading a blog for sometime of an Australian woman who is very well known in the blogging world.  I'd love to send her some bunting - (you know the Sally Seltmann song "I'm a little bit shy") - sometimes I am.  I may drop her a line.  I probably should.

So, as we all know bunting is wonderfully pretty - it brings joy and colour - and I love it!  I have had so many wonderful responses - about 25 participants so far making anywhere from 1 to 30 pieces individual pieces to post off across the world.  How many more can we get?  If you have already put your hand up and not mentioned it - please spread the word on your blogs.  I think this swap has a strong calling to it.  

Himalayan prayer flags are synonymous in the Hills I live in - I think these flags we make in The Bunting Swap will be a fresh representation of love, joy and kindness - fruits of The Spirit.  Please sign up if you haven't already - it is open to everyone, not just Australian bloggers!  Here are the details: 

1.  Must be made out of whatever scraps you have in your stash

2. Can be any shape you desire

3. Finished measurements to be approximately 15cm x 20cm

4.  Any materials can be used other than paper

5.  If you want make and send only 1 piece of bunting - you will receive one 

6.  If you make and send 5 you will get 5 (etc etc)

 ( I want at least 50, so I will be making and sending out 50)

7.  Individual pieces need not be made into a garland of bunting - use as you desire....  Sew onto a cushion, or skirt, or dress - or frame - or make into a loom artwork

8.  Items to be posted in a small letter size envelope to keep postage to a minimum

9.  Pieces of bunting to be mailed out by October 15, 2011 (Date has been extended from Sept. 28)

10.  If you want to take part - email me:  Rachael and subject line "Bunting"

squigglyrainbow@hotmail.com

I will need your postal address included in the eamil

*Please tell me how many pieces you wish to make, 

and I will email you your list of recipients once I have details*

11.  Pop this button on your page and PLEASE spread the word... it is a great reminder of how kind and encouraging this crafting, parenting bloggy world is!  Once the button is on your page - please

 link back to this post or even blog about it!

My knitting for this week has been a little slow going, I am trying to use up the rest of the gorgeous charcoal alpaca yarn I bought from the Bendigo Mills.  A vest or sleeveless sweater for my Mr DCT is the plan.  I am modifying this Patons pattern to be sleevless.  My reading has been The Word. 

I really should get cracking on my bunting though!  Maybe I should knit some!

Much Love Rach xo

blah

I made this last night.  Mr DCT has finished night shift, now it's time to return to normality for a few days.

I am enjoying mixing up funky vintage fabrics.

Mother guilt got me today.  With the children being sick, they have watched a bit of television and spent time on the ipad.  What is with my mother guilt that goes with that?

Today it did my head in.  Seeing the sun wash going to be shining all day - I dispersed the likelihood of it being another day hibernating with sick kidlets.

If my kids were sick and spending their days drawing and reading books, I wouldn't feel so guilty.

Maybe it was an off day for me - Maxabella chatted about 'scratchy' days today.  Maybe mine was a tad itchy.  Maybe I'm too passive, too gentle.  'Right' - no screens, let's do some construction, drawing, moss artwork.  They just needed me to put my foot down.  

I am missing those kinder days, maybe it is just those sun-shining days.

We all felt better after some creative fun.  Master J made some boats.

Miss G was 'helping' Master S with his smurf drawings.

Master S loves his beanie and reading at the best of times; he decided he wants to be an author today.  (Super Master S is meeting Emily Rodda this week at Fed Square.)

Mr DCT had a tad of post-night shift syndrome.  I was not very patient.  He thought my moss painting is causing him to lose hair.  Maybe it is, oh well.

I enjoyed the kookaburra's today; and watched this one eat a mouse.  After Mr DCT reminded me of my poor chicken husbandry skills (post-night shift syndrome).

If one is needing calm - I have the perfect recipe...  Transplanting moss.  Miss G and I were back to it today.

I think we will leave the rest to grow once we have finished the 'nest' and heart and one of the birds.  I made another mix today and we re-painted with a new improved recipe:

1 Cup of moss (without excess dirt)

1 Cup of fermented, passed it's use-by date Organic yogurt

1 tablespoon of Organic sugar

Blend

Paint

Do you get mother guilt?  Do you feel like you are not making the chop?

Are you part of The Bunting Swap?  I hope you are.

Much Love Rach xo

grateful

This week has brought about three very sick little kidlets in my home.  A trip to hospital.  The beginning of my first ever crafting/blogging swap (The Bunting Swap).  Some romance with my Mr DCT.  Our first egg from the chooklets.  My first Spring - Summer 2011/2012 dress design off the machine.

I am very grateful for the new blogs I have been discovering.  It truly blesses me to read and share your lives.  So my grateful post this week is about reading other blogs, learning through them, relating to them, gaining the boldness to begin my own (thanks to Dee) and enjoying the gorgeous pictures!

Much Love Rach xo


ps - join in each weekend with Maxabella for gratefulness love!

what's on your mind?

I've been dreaming of the bunting swap last night - it is very exciting.  The three children are now sick on the couch - poor kidlets.

Spring has sprung at our house - albeit the grey skies today - we have our very first ever, especially special.....

EGG

and the forget me not's are popping up all over the yard (one of those extra special delights of moving and experiencing our first Springtime)!

That is what's on my mind that I'm loving!.

Hope your day is blessed!

Much love Rach xo

bunting

Once again Pinterest is an amazing source of inspiration - I love that it is like flicking through a magazine, without all the other bit's I'm not interested in.  Our Creative Spaces - is also another fabulous source of inspiration!

I am a self-confessed lover of bunting - the more whimsical it gets, the better.  As the sun is shining here in Melbourne's outer hills, and our renovations are taking place.....  It is time to get into the yard and get it ready for many a summer bbq.

When we bought our house, the garden, although it had many wonderful heirloom plants; it had not been tended to in over 20 years.  We have been clearing and pulling some plants.  One of these area's is at the rear of the house - where we will make a temporary outdoor area while we consider our future plans for the house!

This is what it looked like at the time of purchase earlier this year.... 

Now please mind all of our mess - bikes - outdoor furniture - plants - the clearing of overgrown flora.  This is what I am envisaging...

The Plan

You have all heard of cushion swaps, fat-quarter swaps, brooch swaps.... right?  

My plans to create a gorgeous few rows of bunting across the white timber got me thinking.....  I could just sew something up by myself.  Then I got dreaming how lovely it would be to incorporate triangles, rectangles, doilies, pieces of bunting (single 'bunts') that friends, strangers, bloggers, anyone made.

It would bring a whimsy delight to sit outside on a summers day and see a few pieces of bunting amongst mine - that others had created.  Maybe a bit of an artistic way to remember this little community of readers - or just to enjoy bunting even more?

What do you think?

Okay, so I am thinking it will go like this....

1.  Must be made out of whatever scraps you have in your stash

2. Can be any shape you desire

3. Finished measurements to be approximately 15cm x 20cm

4.  Any materials can be used other than paper

5.  If you want make and send only 1 piece of bunting - you will receive one

6.  If you make and send 5 you will get 5 (etc etc)

 ( I want at least 50, so I will be making and sending out 50)

7.  Individual pieces need not be made into a garland of bunting - use as you desire....  Sew onto a cushion, or skirt, or dress - or frame - or make into a loom artwork

8.  Items to be posted in a small letter size envelope to keep postage to a minimum

9.  Pieces of bunting to be mailed out by September 28th, 2011

10.  If you want to take part - email me:  Rachael and subject line "Bunting"

squigglyrainbow@hotmail.com

I will need your postal address included in the eamil

*Please tell me how many pieces you wish to make, 

and I will email you your list of recipients once I have details*

11.  Pop this button on your page and PLEASE spread the word... it is a great reminder of how kind and encouraging this crafting, parenting bloggy world is!  Once the button is on your page - please

 link back to this post!

FINALLY & Important :   Please still take part even if you do not write a blog - I really want you too!

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Here is some inspiration care of Pinterest...

Let your creativity take you away - I would love to upload some great new pics of YOUR creations to Pinterest.

If you do not write a blog of your own - please still take part.  

Much Love and Bunting fun to you - Rach xo

yarning along

Green is still the colour for my Master S and he chose this yarn himself for his new beanie.  I was amazed how the type and colour of yarn really affects my thrill of knitting.  I prefer to only use natual fibres, this is a New Zealand 100% wool - but the colour got to me while knitting.  

However seeing these pictures of my beautiful boy, it really looks delightful on him!

The sun has been shining here and I have been out in the garden; gathering ideas and thinking how I can make this home more homely.  I really don't know how long we will be here, but while we are here - I feel the need to create and make it a home.

I have a bunting project up my sleeve and will blog about that tomorrow!  It is very exciting and taking me a bit of courage to get started.

I have come back to this book from this blog.  It is not an easy read, but most certainly a blessing and I am learning lots!

I am loving Yarn Along and following Ginny's blog.  I am in need of another book to read... any recommendations?  I don't like anything sinister or spooky or violent though - something nice... suggestions welcome!

Much Love Rach xo

PS...  I am hoping to host another Squiggly Sunday post - please let me know if you would like to be a guest blogger!

impatience

I don't know if it is a bad thing, but I have realised I am a bit too impatient to wait for my moss to grow via the painting method.

Upon reading some green graffiti articles, I remembered that moss can easily be transplanted!  How exciting!  My boys really are not interested in helping me as I thought they would be - however they have accompanied me on some moss harvesting walks.

Miss G is still in bed, we had a trip to Emergency yesterday and she most likely has Influenza B, which presents with excessively high fevers and laryngitis symptoms.  Poor Love, she is still asleep.  Master J is also home with a slight fever.

This moss artwork is a bit addictive, especially as it is so green and I get to work in the outdoors with this almost-Springtime sun!

Transplanting moss is as easy as peeling it, soaking in water (I used fresh rain water that was in our bird bath) and then pressing it against the surface you want to moss.  My investigations assured me that pressing very hard was fine.  So that is what I did.  I have continued to spray the moss with a fine mist of rain water using a spray bottle.

I decided to use a few different varieties of moss I found in my yard.  These are the varieties I have; Dicranum, Dicranella Heteromalla and Hypnum moss.

I'm off to hang out the washing.  Enjoy the sunshine!

Much Love Rach xo

Squiggly Sunday

It has been many weeks since I last posted for Squiggly Sunday - I may need to organise my posts better.  Sunday is often a day that I am with the children and Mr DCT is at work - or we are out and about as a family.  Blogging takes second place.

Here is the next part of my Master S's story.  If you are reading for the first time, Squiggly Sundays have been a place where I share my life story.  Quirky, distressing, real as it is.  You can find previous posts here:

The very first; followed by this; Squiggly Sunday part 2.  Then some high school days; followed by meeting  Mister DCT and Miss G.

So here is part 1 of my Squiggly Sunday post about my middle child, my first born son, my Master S.

And now part 2 - Master S

There is so much to write - and life has been so busy here.....

My darling boy, who is so big now - and so grown up.  Looking at these pictures, prompting memories.  He was so unwell for his first few years of life.  Master S lived with constant chest infections.  Due to the lack of experience with BWS in Australia - our doctors could never really pin point what was causing Master S to be so unwell all of the time.

In my personal research and eventually finding a wonderful GP when he was about six years, we concluded it was due to his enlarged tonsils and andenoids among a mid-face hyperplasia....  In laments terms, this means that he had an under-developed middle of his face - albeit his tonsils and adenoids being bigger.  This causes greater susceptiblity to colds and flu and upper respiratory infections.

Miss G was the most nurturing big sister.  Her love for her baby brother was so genuine and motherly.  She too would get a little sick after being so affectionate.  The many trips to the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne we observed to be a significant contributor to germs - after each visit Master S was ill within a few days.  The worry of having a darling baby sick all the time - it's hard to explain.  Those of you that have experienced it will understand - my only way of  describing it is with simple words; faith, love, worry, tears, nausea, sleeplessness, faith, love and worry.

We would notice in the next few years, some of Master S's habits (licking ballustrades and licking counter tops) actually caused him to be sick.  We didn't understand at the time what this sensory behaviour was about - we just thought it was something boys do.

My babies turned 1 and 3 three days apart from each other - they almost look like twins.  Miss G is so petite and Master S grows on the 98th percentile (another Beckwith-Wiedemann characteristic).

As time rolled on in 2002, we knew one of the biggest days of our lives was ahead of us.  As parents one makes the best decisions they can at the time, based on the circumstances.  Our Master S due to the size of his tongue had developed a sever food aversion.  He reverted back to bottles at the age of 12 months.  He could not close his mouth.  He had constant drool and a disturbing rash on his neck and upper chest due to the constant dampness of his clothes.  No sooner would I change him and he would have dribbled all over himeself.  Master S could not sleep through the night - he had sleep apnea.

We had visited the Maxillofacial and Craniofacial unit at the Melbourne Royal Children's Hospital and worked towards a surgery date.  Surgery for a glossectomy; also known as tongue reduction surgery.  Few of these procedures had been done in Australia at the time, our surgeon had performed less than five when Master S was operated on.

It was the most difficult decision to make - it was not like emergency surgery when it is a life or death matter.  If it went wrong - we would be to blame  (so I felt).  We chose what we felt was best for our boy.  We wanted him to be able to eat.  He could not close his mouth without biting his tongue as his tongue filled over his teeth-line.

So on October 15, 2002, our son had his tongue reduction surgery.  Approximately two thirds of his tongue was taken away and a new tip was made.  This is us before surgery.

My darling, brave boy in the intesive care unit.

The black piece of cotton is an emergency tongue stitch.  If huge amounts of swelling occurred and blocked his airway - we were to pull his tongue forward with this.

Watching Hi-5 was the only thing that settled Master S.  Thank goodness for hospital television.

One of the most difficult things was that my baby did not smile.  He did not smile for 8 days.  He did not eat for 10 days and we were not allowed to be discharged until he ate.  

I had such a fright when his tongue began to reduce in swelling.  I thought his stitches were falling out - however I was informed there were hundreds of stitches in my boys tongue.  

He recovered reasonably well.  It took about 8 weeks for swelling to go down completely.  We began to do our regular things again - especially with Spring in the air and no more winter colds and flu.

Master S would kick doctors when we saw them.  His timidity began to increase, he was 14 months of age now.  We hoped our appointments with specialists and doctors would slow down... if only we knew!

I am so thankful for all of those appointments.  At times I wish many people I know could just go and sit at McDonalds in the Royal Childrens Hospital - take a look around; and be thankful.

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Another Squiggly Sunday snippet for you....

Sorry they are so slow coming.  Miss G is currently on the couch with influenza - so my nurse duties are calling!

Much Love to you Rach xx.

more moss

Miss G is sick on the couch with the flu, the sun is shining - so that meant a day at home with Miss G on the couch, with the boys and I outside!

Remember I posted about some garden inspiration?  I am lining up some willow branches, however we could get started on some green grafitti today!  So exciting!  Master S told me it is a 'bit over the top' - it is definitely quirky - but I love it!  

First we used some home-made buttermilk (you can use beer or yoghurt as well).  The recipe I used called for 1 cup of buttermilk, 1 cup of moss and a tablespoon of sugar.

Blend it all together - ours was quite runny; I guess I will see in time if it has worked!

Start painting!

A number 9 for our chimney!

And voila - you have a masterpiece!  Mister DCT smiled as he returned home this afternoon; "looks good - I 

like it" he said.  Wow.

Spray with water daily to keep moist and stimulate growth.

It will be so cute when it looks like this...

I don't know if we will stay where we are living, but I need to make it fun while we are!  

Today I am so grateful for the sunshine - seriously good medicine!  Enjoy your weekend. 

Much Love Rach xo