catch-up

bubbling, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

I am feeling pretty happy this week.

I finally got round to picking up another sewing project, I'd felt like I'd maybe lost the sewing bug. I hadn't, it just got hidden under mounds of washing, yummy crumbles, too many apples (and chestnut spiky thing-ies) to pick up from the front yard, and sunny mornings too good to stay indoors.

But then the afternoon came this Tuesday where one child slept and one was at kinder, I'd prepared madly all morning, the washing was on the line, the table was clear a simple stir fry was on the menu, for dinner. Tuesday is mad for me, I get the kids ready for my one school pick up of the week that a friend does for me. The two little kids and I spend the morning at home together. We dash out at 1.30 to take Eliza to kinder. I won't even tell you how hard it is to keep Circe awake the whole drive there and back. One wink of sleep and it's a power nap, don't like those. I am out again for 4.30 and 5.00pm pick ups from after-care at school and kinder. Yes it's crazy. So a quiet me time in that kinder period whilst baby Circe sleeps is so rewarding. In that nap I managed to make... a strap for a bag.

I'd really wanted another bag, a smaller one for wallet phone and keys. My recently purchased Linen Wool Cotton book had a great pattern for a messenger bag. I altered the size, added an internal mobile-phone pocket, and used linen instead of wool and hemp. I thought it best to make it tailor my needs and petit-ness. Often bag straps in particular are too long if you are too short like me.

Later that night I finished off the bag, there was a frustrating unpicking episode. I ought to listen to my husband, he always says pin it and then turn it out, I hate it when he's right. Despite the unpicking the end result is a well made great little bag

I love the size and love the orange sugar and spice lining, makes me happy every time I open my bag.

Leading up to making the bag this week I had been on the look out for some vintage linens at the op shop. I have my few places I visit weekly, funnily enough I see the same one man each time I am there, I wonder does he realise he sees me every time he's there too. I wonder why he needs 6 bags, does he resell them, he seems to look for specific items. I wonder whether he is as intrigued by why I am buying 3 vintage linen sheets and 4 belts. Of my sheets purchased my favourite is the floral brown and yellow, I am seeing a lining for a black denim bag in that, and a summer dress and skirt for next year. Besides Pip Lincoln will have a new book out for the Summer and I will need fabric for that. The others may become toddler dresses, summer bloomers for Circe and shared with my neighbour.

...

I am inspiration found and bound for the drawing board after tonight, Dawn Tan's pop up shop was at Harvest textiles.I had noticed a sign up on one of my many car trips to and from kids too far school from home trips. That day I said "Bea did you see that?"

"hah? what?"

She has her head in a book from the moment I pick her up till well after I get into the house everyday. "Dawn Tan is having a pop up store at the textile place," I say.

Her face lights up when I tell her I will take her. I wonder whether she ought to have her head less in a book sometimes and maybe talk to me on the drive home.
I like taking Beatrix out, she appreciates things some other kids wouldn't. We took along her best friend whom also love the work.

Beatrix loved seeing Dawn's work up close, especially the project on all that she ate for a week. We'd seen this project featured in Frankie. We were so inspired we tried it out for a day, I might add here that she is a mighty talented watercolour-ist my little Bea.

But I booked a spot for me in one of Dawn's watercolour class, I cannot wait.

...

After my post last week on Ceres (my local environmental park, organic market- farm) I returned Wednesday to spend another sunny morning and took some shots I promised to deliver!

So if you'd like to see more take a closer look off to the side there at flickr and you will find more on the organic market and get a feel for the place and the kind of lovely laid-back morning one has there.

If you are perusing my blog from overseas note the cost per banana, due to recent cyclone Yasi, ouchh expensive, but hey those poor farmers lost everything.

This has been some of my week, the weekend involves, more picking up of apples and spiky thigies as a prickle under foot of a 17 month old is nasty. We have a couple of brunches one to attend and one to host, we have a friend's gorgoues son to meet a little better on their visit to Melbourne. There will be some baby swooning on my husband's part I am expecting. I wonder whether I will sneek a moment to make that denim bag some time tomorrow, maybe an extra hour from the end of daylight savings will help, ha that never happens when you have kids.

Ceres

spectrum, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

This is one of my most favourite places in Melbourne and lucky for me it is in my local area. Ceres spans 10 acres and although in the midst of the suburbs you feel like you are out in the country. I came here on Wednesday to buy some fruit and veg at the outdoor market.

My two little ones and I spent 2 hours just in that area, we ate olive rolls, drank a latte ate some of the goodies we had bought.including some amazing blueberries from an area we are familiar with. The beauty of buying here is that all produce is organic, a lot of it grown on site or as locally sought as possible. The food miles are written on each sign for every item. There are no Californian Navel oranges here, if it's out of season they don't have it.


I had to have a muffin, these are phenomenal we split an apple and walnut one, it was so good we went back for a banana coconut. I wish I made muffins that good. Although I had not come along with other Mums like many of the others there had, people are friendly and the environment is so communal, it's ok if your child hoes into someone else's muffin, hence why I also bought two. I will post at a latter date some more photos from the market, I forgot my camera that day.


The photos above were taken on the Saturday, I went back this time taking my son and our neighbour's boy. I plan on coming weekly, we are wanting to buy less from the supermarkets and more from the Farmers and markets like this one.In the current price wars in supermarkets in this country, some produce is being so downgraded to make it cheaper it is scary. Laws on labelling are not up to speed yet and I want to know what is in the food I am buying, I am no saint but I try to make good choices where possible, grow or make my own if I can.

friday still life - yard bombs

treasure chest, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

Recipe Wednesday - Chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies

125g butter softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups self raising wholemeal flour

1/2 tsp salt

big handful of choc chips

1/2 cup of pecans

Method

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla.

Add lightly beaten egg gradually, beat well.

Mix in flour and salt

Add chocolate chips and pecans, mix well.

Shape into small balls, flatten and bake on greased tray in moderate oven for 10-12 minutes.

This recipe is adapted from "The little pigs cookbook," put out by a child care centre and a long-time staple in our house.

These biscuits come out just right for dunking in milk!

Drawing on nature

fig III / lactic, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

I excitedly snapped the first figs from their little branches today, careful not to get that sticky milk substance on my hands, it's like glue. Living in a very multicultural suburb in Melbourne's inner North, fig trees are in every second yard. Hanging over back-lane fences or along the railway lines pomegranate, quince, olives, persimmon, all are also wonderfully abundant this time of year. Circe my seventeen-month old shared a back-yard fig with me today, both her first and the season's. They have been a long time coming and are smaller than usual although still plentiful.

While out there eating it, I noticed only today that my amazingly tall corn (I mean it stands at probably 7 feet tall!) has several stalks which are producing beautiful pink silks. If anybody knows why I'd really love to know. The seeds were from Diggers, I noticed that the upper flowers are also pinkish on these stalks. I am very proud of one particular stalk which has 7 ears of corn, yeah. Circe will be so thrilled just these last two days she has a new word, "corn." Thankfully she is dwarfed by my super corn and will not be able to yank out the corn before it is ready, like she does with the tomatoes. I cannot wait, however, to hold her up to it so she can pick her own. It doesn't get better than that.

After the lovely fig-morning, there was some protest today about going to kinder. A sore tummy and a sad look on Eliza's face tugged at my heart strings. It was gloomy outside and Circe too was looking sleepy, easy decision really to stay at home.

A quick feed for the little one, some snuggles and right to sleep she went. I made Eliza a bed on the floor in her room, drew her curtains gave her a hot water bottle. Lots of cuddles and the glow of her owl lanterns sent off to sleep, too!

Two children asleep, and my house was quiet and peaceful. I could have done one of many household tasks, instead I sat with watercolours, pen and my moleskin, not even a cup of tea. I drew and painted for an hour, a lovely way to spend the quiet time I do believe.

one autumn day

ic I, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

For the moment I am enjoying the close of a beautiful Autumn day, the air from my open window is still and fresh. Earlier I was outside and heard the low whooshing sound of the fruit bats making haste as they heard the sliding of the back door. The figs are late this year.

I sat quietly out there a while listening to the rustle of my corn in the nights breeze, almost eerie. Today I wondered about the day, how we fill it, how it will never be this same day again. As I sat by this corn I remembered the afternoon Eliza and I planted it, her finger pushing the seed into the ground. As I let her be I wondered whether it would actually grow. When she stands by it now they quadruple her size. Days like those I push the moment into my mind, knowing that in a few months I will think back to this day as the passages of time take little corners in my mind.

My husband sits out there at night and listens, for him the sound is calming soothing, the memories of the Missouri corn fields still fresh in his mind. My heart longs to see the corn fields in Missouri, I have only seen the stalks cut to the ground, acres and acres as far as you can see. I wish I could plant up my entire backyard to see what it would feel like, a corn maze.

I am thankful for the moments I can capture with a click of my camera. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't see something beautiful, whether it be a big red apple in tiny hands or raggedy Ann slumped over my tiniest shoulders, the golden light of morning highlighting her slightly auburn hair.

Some things though I will just have to remember, like the angelic sounds of my 7 year old boy singing "Somewhere over the rainbow," there is almost nothing sweeter. He is in choir at school and just sings all day long, it is truly beautiful. Instantly though I am feeling dissatisfied at myself for not getting round to booking drumming lessons for him, as his drums sit gathering dust in the lounge rooom. Now I wonder do I book some singing lessons also or will I never get around to that either?

In my house right now I am listening to my two eldest children playing slamwich with a sleep over friend, their laughter coming in from the other room warms my heart. Earlier they rushed in from outside to tell me that the ice cream truck was parked over by the park. As anybody can remember this is so exciting when you are 3 or 7 or 10. How could I say no, I was once just like them, my brother and I always begged mum for money when we heard that sound. I love that some things are still the same.

I am missing my little three year old she is over the road having had an evening fire with toasted marshmallows and is now staying for a sleepover. Although I will miss her little shape in her bed tonight I know that she is safe and snug alongside her best friend. 

Despite my seven year old crooning that nothing happened today I am feeling like It is Ok to have days like these, he is happy right now cuddled up to his Dad in the cocoon of his Bunk bed, his belly filled with home made pizza and chocolate ice cream, his dreams dizzy with tyre swinging his body still from sleep. The days are beautiful even in our sleep.

friday still life - breakfast spread

breakfast spread, originally uploaded by various brennemans.