Beautiful Blogger Award

The rules state a recipient of the Beautiful Blogger award must:

*Add a link and a note of thanks to the person giving the award.

*Pass the award on to the most Beautiful Blogs you love.

*Share 7 things about yourself.

Thankyou Alecat of Serenades and Solace for awarding me with this award today. The last 24 hours have been rather tough ones with my Ess having an allergic reaction while we were out at the markets, little Eee performing her usual tantrums and my Generous Gentleman sharing some work news. It's not all new. However, yesterday it got to me and I spent hours awake last night worrying about things which I usually try not to let worry me as I know they are in good hands.

So worn and weary this morning, I found this award which has very much touched my heart today - thankyou.

I'd like to pass it on to some friends old and new:

Jeanne of A Peaceful Day, whose blog I recently found. She shares a wealth of information about her experiences homeschooling her daughter. She has wonderful taste for art and literature also. Her days are somewhat sad at the moment so I hope this award will cheer you a little, Jeanne. 'Your blog has been a blessing to me. I'm sure Alecat will join me with a little bit of envy that you live in the country with a lovely garden.'

Nina of Nö's Familie, who is a faithful friend, always able to offer a kind and helpful word. It is a delight to watch how she raises her two cherubs in southern Germany.

Mel of One Crafty Mumma whose creativity never fails to inspire me to start yet another project. Thanks Mel.

Millie of Needles and Haystacks, a lovely lady in Ireland who always has a lovely comment to make, a friendly smile to share and lovely sewing as well.

Sarah of The Best Days of My Life whose inspirational writing always speaks to my heart.

And 7 things about me?

:: I'm 28 weeks pregnant with my third little one.

:: I'm really enjoying the learning curve of homeschooling my girls.

:: I tend to store up my worries for a rainy day and then they all come out. Everything - large or small. I'm sure my husband thinks the rain won't stop falling from my eyes.

:: I seek beauty in the smallest and simplest of things.

:: I'm quite small, barely 5 foot tall.

:: I'd love to take my family to explore the Great Barrier Reef.

:: I love chocolate!

Kreativ Blogger Award

Please forgive a little break in transmission, we have all been a little unwell. Perhaps I have been hit the hardest, so my brain has been taking a break. However, I am on the mend and so pleased to be the recipient of the Kreativ Blogger Award, thankyou alecat.

Being creative each day is essential for it to bring me joy and I am glad that I have so many opportunities to be creative in my everyday life as a mother of littlies. Each blog post is a creation in itself but I am also glad to share some of the other things I make along the way also.

In the spirit of creativity I have decided to challenge myself to write 7 things, which are somewhat descriptive of me, using only one word or phrase, as I have written honestly about myself previously. So if I prompt any questions you'll have to ask me in the comments.

Okay, the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave this to you!

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link the person who nominated you.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.

5. Nominate 7 other bloggers & let them know they are nominated.

1. Eldest

2. Pioneer

3. A stitch in time

4. Voice box, recorder, clarinet, ocarina, piano etc.

5. Committed

6. Faith

7. Resourceful

I'd like to pass this award on to some other lovely creative people in blog land.

Juliane of Fröken Skicklig

Salihan of Salihan Crafts

Mel of One Crafty Mumma

Erna of Blij als Mij

Nina of Nö's Familie

Honest Scrap Award - Received with thanks!

Thankyou Alecat, for passing the Honest Scrap Award on to me.  I am delighted to have received this award as I trust it is a reflection of the 'honesty policy' I live by.  It is my aim to be truthful and authentic in all I do and all I say.  It is wonderful to see this acknowledged.  Thanks!

To keep this award, there are some rules by which I (and future recipients) must abide:

1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award.

2) Share "ten honest things" about myself.

3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.

4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it.

Now ten honest things about myself:

1. I am very glad to have received this award today as I have a houseguest and am finding having someone in the house constantly takes my mind from any blogging or crafting etc. that I might have on the go.  This has helped me think of another post - although I fear this one might take longer to write than some ;)

2. My houseguest is my Dad.  I am enjoying reconnecting with him again and seeing him with my children, his grandchildren.  Yet, I confess, I am frustrated.  I want to be able to accept him more for who he is, as my father and a grandfather of my daughters.  I desire for him to share more of his life, to have fun, to play, tell stories.  This he does very briefly when I ask him to, it is not spontaneous.  Each day I pray, each day it improves.   One day I hope to be able to do this with no reservations, just full acceptance.

3. Music has always been part of my life.  I cannot remember not being able to read music.  I have sung with my siblings, in choirs - in schools and out, have led worship in churches, have learnt, then played piano from when my father asked me late at night if I'd like to, as an 8 year old child.  I have organised little musicals and concerts with my siblings and of course, my career has been in educating families with very young children how to enjoy the routines of everyday life with music as an integral part, through Kindermusik.  Now I live that life, singing with my littlies, when they allow me ;)  (You'll know what I mean if you are a singing mother).

4. Being creative has always been part of my life.  For as long as I can remember I have been able to read a pattern and 'make things'.  As a child I remember sewing, patchworking and embroidery, making clothing and doing latchwork (among numerous other things).  I made many of my own clothes from a very young age and loved going to the local fabric shop, Sylvia's Fabrics, with Mum to choose fabric and patterns.  Most of the clothes I worked in were made by my own hand.  I made my own wedding dress with my Mum and also my daughter's bridesmaid's dress.

5. I grew up in a country town and my heart will always be in the country.  I live on the outskirts of the city now yet feel like a country girl as I travel 30mins to visit our markets to shop (actually longer than I travelled to shop as a child as we lived "in town") and participate in most activities we enjoy as a family.  I love the solitude of the country, the need to create your own fun for entertainment and sense of space all around.

6. I love to cook and find this a wonderful creative outlet.  This is very fortunate as I have a family to feed who seem to be getting more and  more ravenous with age.  It is very fortunate that I love to cook as we eat very little processed food as My Generous Gentleman and I made a decision to invest in our health in this way.  We make most food ourselves.

7. My GG and I both have a passion for growing vegetables (although I do all the work in planning, planting, nurturing and cooking). He helps with the manual labour.  We'd both love more space and our own place - he more than me at the moment as I feel very satisfied with my life at this stage.  In truth we are learning from his Dad and also eating most of his fruit and veg while we wait for a place to plant trees and improve our soil, our soil.

8.  At the end of this year we will have only been married for 3 years, yet it seems so much longer.

9. I absolutely detest washing dishes and am so very fortunate that while my husband doesn't enjoy, he gets much less stressed about it.  He is my dishwasher while I complete other chores and play with the girls.  I am eternally grateful for this.

10. I absolutely love caring for and nurturing my family - while it can drive me to absolute distraction at times (I have a very busy toddler).  I thrive on finding activities to enjoy with my girls which are creative and educational and am actually finding that school is getting in the way by taking up so much of my and my daughter's time and energy.  Your experience of homeschooling definitely tempts me on occasion Alecat ;)

So now to offer this award to 7 others in no particular order.

Sarah of the best days of my life for inspirational and honest writing

Beth of Beth Brawley Taylor for inspiration and encouragement.

David at Shaping the Space for sharing with truth, honesty, maturity and hilarity.

Juliane at Fröken Skicklig for delightful inspiration, honesty, integrity and fantasy.

Homestay Mama from Home to the World for authenticity, maturity and wisdom.

Julie of Towards Sustainability for ideas, honesty and inspiration for a more authentic lifestyle.

Melissa of Day to Day for continuing inspirational crafty ideas shared within the context of true family life.

I do very much look forward to reading your replies.

The Spirit of Christmas Award

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Joy, peace, hope, faith, love, charity, celebration, family - all important aspects of the Spirit of Christmas. 

I have been awarded the Spirit of Christmas Award and I must say I am really delighted about this.  Thanks so much to Mandy of The Old Dairy.  I do really enjoy Christmas. It is a very special time of year. I have loved it as a child and now I love it more as a mother of two beautiful girls.

Here are the rules for this award. You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award. The person whom you give this award to must also be a lover of Christmas. Link back to the person who you received this award from. List 5 things you love about Christmas and pass this award on to as many people as you like from 1 to 45. But please pass on to at least one person to keep this award going...

I never thought I would be good at receiving and passing on awards but I want to participate in this one.

Five things I love about Christmas are:

1. The celebration of a precious gift in the birth of a special baby years ago and also the celebration of my first baby - a personal precious gift just 5 years ago. 

2. The opportunity to create special projects - food, decorations, gifts etc. together as a family for a greater communal purpose.

3. Time to move away from the regular routine of work and Kindy etc. to reflect and enjoy being together with family.

4. Singing special Christmas carols together and celebrating the gift and joy of music.

5. Building anticipation in children as we create a special environment for them enjoy the wonder of surprise.

I'd like to award the Spirit of Christmas Award to two women who have helped with inspiration as we countdown to Christmas and enjoy festive preparations together.

Thanks Mel you are such an inspiration to me and my family.  Mel has given us 30 days of Handmade Christmas to date at Day to Day with ideas for gifts, decorations and more - for children and adults alike.

Also thanks to Tamar at Tarisota who has given us 20 days of Christmas recipes to date.  Some of these look absolutely delicious.  We made these Christmas cupcakes today with a bit of a twist as they are for Ess's fifth birthday tomorrow.  They are absolutely delicious straight from the oven with a beautifully crisp top and delicious soft centre.   As is my usual practice I substituted the S.R. flour for our spelt flour with Bicarb soda and Cream of Tartar and the results are fantastic.  The iced and decorated versions will be uploaded tomorrow.

An Award

Thankyou to Mandy from The Old Dairy for giving me this award.

I'd like to pass it on to the following 5 writers of blogs which I enjoy:

Julie at Towards Sustainability.

Amy of LucyKateCrafts.

Mette from Erleperle in Denmark.

 

Mel at Day to Day.

Erna at Blij als Mij in Holland.

Thankyou all for your wonderful inspiration.