27 January 2009

banquet

We celebrated Chinese New Year on the weekend. It was a really fun way for the owlets to learn about a different culture and symbolism. We love celebrations in this house and any excuse to eat together!


There was craft too. The owlets made some masks and costumes for the lion dance...


....And here is the performance! Little Owlet elected to join the band rather than dance, so her position was gallantly filled by Huz. Ok, so its a little nerdy, but so rock at the same time!! Unschooling is fun!



We had the option to celebrate Australia Day which we know here as Invasion Day. We felt Chinese New Year was easier to grasp for now, but will look for an appropriate way to mark the day next year...

25 January 2009

garden gnomes

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All was quiet for just that little too long so I got suspicious and happily found my two owlets with dirt under their fingernails and a huge haul of spuds! Mmmm Dutch Creams for dinner...


Things have been pretty quiet on the craft front. I've had a severe lack of fabrics around the place so not much to inspire creativity. I've managed a hairclip... Today we took a roadtrip to rectify the fabric shortage situation.... And I have some markets to prepare for (!!), so I'll be more than busy in weeks to come! Stay tuned.

19 January 2009

Too cool for school

We've been paying more attention to this education business now that Huz is back at work and the year is in full swing. The application has been sent and this is our first real proper year as unschoolers. When the enthusiasm for a particular subject happens its lovely to see where the day goes. Its such an organic thing... learning. Today Big Owlet found a piece of blue fabric which reminded her of a cubby we made once. It was an underwater cubby. We decided to make another one, only fifty times better, bigger, bluer... This one had sea life decorations pinned to the inside, soft pillows all over the floor, a high roof and sparkles everywhere. Naturally, we spent some time looking at water themed books, having a craft explosion and making starfish shaped jam sandwiches.





I pulled out my flute in the afternoon and showed the girls how that worked and Big Owlet became determined to make a noise on the thing. And she did. Throw in some bike riding round the backyard and a spot of gardening and we had a pretty well-rounded educational day!

We've been indulging Little Owlet's particular interests too. Her favorite things are birds and guitars, so it was brilliant to find them all wrapped into one art installation at MONA FOMA on the weekend. Quite mesmerising and the girls completely loved the whole exhibition as it was interactive. Must remember to get out and look at art more often...

15 January 2009

making me smile - part 2


Awesome 1960s/70s knitting patterns... Men in neck scarves and silly wooden poses where nobody quite knows what to do with their arms. These were another tip shop find. Not sure if I'll knit them, but I love to look at them all the same.

Summer in the garden! The apricots are a day or two from perfection too. Yay!

Busy days 'round here, as usual. I spent a lovely weekend with Mum & Dad who popped down for a visit. Unfortunately the dinosaur of smelly feelings returned for a brief visit too which got in the way of things. Now we are back in form just in time to welcome friends for a weekend visit. That's one thing about living somewhere beautiful like this... Summer is busy! I'm desperately needing to make something soon so I'll try to make my next post a crafty one.

4 January 2009

Lovely weekend

We've had such a lovely time with Swayer home for the last couple of weeks. This last weekend was particularly lovely. We were all a little aware that the holiday ends tomorrow and we get stuck into our year so we did a bit of everything...


Just time to make some new pants from old. Size 3 jeans that still fit around Audrey's tiny waist, but came up to her knees, so with some fabric found at the tip shop, we went all Punky Brewster and added some fun to the wardrobe.


January is when Hobart becomes festival city!! We spent saturday at the African Cultural Festival and the Taste Festival at Salamanca. Lots of yummy food. We had Ethiopian injara, Congolese donuts and mmmm real raspberry icecream... then a spot of african dancing...


And today was the maiden flight of Audrey's kite, now known as "Rainbow Rosie" (everything is called Rosie or Daisy these days, of course). We took it to the Hobart Kite Festival at the Cenotaph. Lots of blue sky and just enough wind. Then off for fish n' chips and a play at a friend's house and gardening after dinner. Just perfect.

2 January 2009

making me smile...

fresh vegies from the garden most days...


The anticipation of lovely things to come...





Totally inappropriate messages on children's hankies...


And the knowledge that my owlets live in an environment where the phrase "time is money" has no relevance or meaning to them... We are so lucky.