my creative space :: inspiration

It's been a while since I last read a magazine, or for that matter, a book. I keep trying, but I fall asleep after the first sentence...



And my waking hours are full of owlets with questions and wriggles and so, I don't read much...



I can manage hours worth of picture books though. So I've been making sure on our library visits we bring home books with pictures so beautiful, they inspire us all, or remind me of my own childhood when they were first read to me.



I'm loving the return to colour and simplicity and the detail. I'm snaffling away some ideas for our upcoming "arternoons". Big owlet has asked me to "teach" her everything I know... And so at least one afternoon per week will be set aside for art and passing on knowledge. Sharing my happy place with her.



But first, some reading. Who doesn't love a book about an owl on a knitting extravaganza?!



We've been playing with paper dolls too, bringing some old illustrations to life. I remember having this exact same paper doll when I was an owlet.



And now the owlets are loving her all over again. Yes, it is possible to sleep and eat with a paper doll. Just in case you were wondering.

More spaces here.

worldly wednesday :: Cambodia

Another short trip this week. Actually, I felt like a week off cooking the feast, to be honest... and that's ok. Each week is an overview and if the owlets show extra enthusiasm, we do more. It helps lots if we can personalise the experience. Like if we know someone in the country we are looking at, or if there's a movie we can watch together...



Anyhow, this week we went to Cambodia. And thankfully, surprisingly, there's a Cambodian restaurant in town. So we went along for a cheap and cheerful meal. And it was great! Curries and leafy salads, chicken satay and rice. Yum.



Everyone enjoyed it.



Then home to watch some youtube clips on Cambodian Ballet and shadow puppets. Followed by a quick discussion on the country's history, as much as an owlet could absorb of it anyhow... and a chat about what some people we know are doing there and what it might be like for a child living in Cambodia.

It's quite interesting how common themes in handicrafts are occurring in our travels. It gives us a chance to really look at them and have a go if we can. I'm looking forward to this week and throwing ourselves into it with a bit more revived enthusiasm!

Starting this week, I've decided to make Worldly Wednesday a linkup. I thought it could be a great way to share information learned, and make a great postcard from one family to another.

unschool monday :: eating out

Our owlets love to eat out. We do it whenever we can and have done since they were all tiny babies. Little owlet loves it in particular. They love the food, the company, being in a different place, people watching. Big owlet reads the menu. Little owlet reads it upside down. They look at how much things cost, learn about choices, think about nutrition, try new flavours, learn to wait, share food... It's a great life learning experience. Something my parents did with us whenever possible, growing up. Fun for all of us.



Tiny owlet's first food meal was at a restaurant. She knows the drill now and loves it too.



I'm often asked if I'm worried about whether the owlets will have access to the "real world" if they are unschooled. The simple answer is that they are already living in it.



A couple of weeks ago, I was at a cafe with little owlet and tiny owlet, just doing our thing. Having some milk shakes, waiting for big owlet and Huz to finish kung fu... Little owlet got up and walked around the table a couple of times, singing. She's always singing. I quietly said "Remember, when we're in a restaurant, we sit at the table". She said "Oh, that's right", and sat down to finish her milkshake. You forget when you are four. Your body takes over sometimes. A little reminder helps... A woman at the next table came over to "congratulate" me for "teaching my children how to behave in public." (This happens quite a bit when we're out, although the owlets are no angels). "You don't see it often these days", she went on. "They should teach it in schools."



My first thought was that kids in school probably do enough sitting still and being quiet... But still, it was a reminder of how important it is that we just spend time with our kids, in all sorts of social situations. "Real life" situations. And that they feel comfortable in said situations, just by spending time in them.

flea market finds :: chairs

We went wandering today... To some of our favourite places, in search of some bits and pieces for the kitchen. Alas, the second-hand-shop gods were not looking out for us where the kitchen was concerned, but we did see this chair. That curve. Eames. LCW. Yes. Well, it's reproduction, of course, but the design is brilliant and the quality amazing and it was an absolute bargain. Tight budget* or no, we had to have it for our mid-century home which, although eclectic, is now housing a few mid-century bits and pieces.



Like the pair of Douglas Snelling chairs we picked up off a nature strip before hard waste collection a while ago. Actually, when Huz brought them home, we didn't know who designed them, but we did so love their shape. That curve. Then I saw a post here... and there it was. Looking a little more taken care of than our pair which are just ok for sitting. Just. A little project for the future... Along with finding more corners to put all these lovely chairs in.

More finds here

* Actually, we can probably count it as home educating expenses because we're all learning about design and history and have a comfy spot on which to perch to learn about such things, no?

our classrooms

As natural learners we understand that the whole world is our classroom. Here are some of the owlets' learning spaces from the past month...

Left to right, from the top... The car, the dining table, night time nature walks around the neighbourhood, the kitchen floor, the coffee table, a picnic table, the toy basket, the Salmon Ponds, a ride at a mall in town, the museum, a walk around the block...

Inspired by Unschooling Sarahs

{this moment} :: babywearing

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

my creative space...

I made something! I've been meaning to make daytime/night time reversible bags for the owlets for ages now. I thought they might make the process of getting ready for things a smidge easier.

Now little owlet is going through, umm... a phase. It takes her hours to get ready for bed, or to go out. She spends a great deal of time singing, humming, playing and everything else. It takes an average of 10 reminders for her to start the getting ready process. She just forgets. Completely away with the faeries... She's so much like me. *sigh*

So big owlet loves me making stuff for her. Its her favourite form of nurture and connection with me. She asked me to make these yesterday and when tiny owlet napped for longer than usual, we stopped to make them out of some old sheets and scraps of left over skirts. I have the sewing machine in position for such emergency craft situations. Big owlet was thrilled to have a go each step of the way and it's so lovely working with her. I'm hoping we get more windows of time to work on things together, as we did when it was just us all those years ago...

More creative spaces here