My Heavy Heart

image from {here}

It’s with a heavy heart and a lump in my throat I write this post today. You see, I am one of those lucky people that have had a best friend that has been just that since birth.

Today, she and her mother left my house after a holiday here in their old home state to return back to their over-seas homes, my friend to Conventary in the UK, her mother to Huston, Texas USA.

This year we will have known each other for 25 years.

I miss her...

I reallymiss her terribly.

I miss her when she is here, because I know that she will go. I miss her when she is not here because she is so far away.

Each time I see her, it’s like we have never been apart, but it still hurts.

I ache for the day when she will be back, and a goodbye will simply mean I’ll see you tomorrow.

I know, that in heart she never really leaves me, but I just want to be able to reach out and touch her, to see the laugh on her face instead of just hearing it.

I believe in soul mates, and she is mine.

I am normally, a very positive person in general...

...But today, my body hurts, my eyes are sore and my heart is heavy, and I just don't feel like being happy.

"But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,

All losses are restored and sorrows end."

~ William Shakespeare ~

Happy Half Birthday

My sweet girl was 6 months old yesterday. Yes, you heard that right a whole SIX months old. Before I know it, we will be celebrating her 1st birthday.

She is such a sweet thing. But has a huge personality, she is loud, but in a good way and adores her brother. She is moving around the place with speed, into everything and has a keen eye for lego ;)

I am loving watching her grow, I am loving how different, yet how similar my two sweet ones are, I love watching them interact with one another. The princess loves having her big brother read to her, he reads his favourite books which he knows page from page, her favourite is Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox - I think it has something to do with all the funny voices that he uses.

Thankyou dear beautiful girl, for choosing me as your mama, I can't wait to see what the next 6 months has in store for us!

Introducing My First Waldorf Doll

Meet Jenny, the newest addition to our tribe. She has a few little touch ups to go and then she is all finished. 

Jenny is my first ever attempt at making a waldorf doll. I'm pretty happy with the results - I made her from a bought pattern, but now that I have been through the process I have an idea on what I would change, to make it my own style. I enjoyed every single moment of making this sweet girl.

Jenny is actually named after another Waldorf Doll maker, who I found when Googling Waldorf dolls a few years ago. (If you read this Jenny, I hope you don't mind) But it kind of works in two ways as Jenny is my mothers name as well, so she can pretend its named after her if she wants ;)

Making a Waldorf doll was a daunting thing for me to start - there are a lot of fabulous doll makers out there, (I will list my favourite at the end of this post), and after looking at a few I became nervous about how mine would turn out.

Once I actually received my doll kit in the mail though, the nerves left and it was filled with excitement. Every step of bringing Jenny to life was enjoyable, from shaping the head, to stuffing the body. The aroma from the wool stuffing is something that I can't explain well with words, but the smell of it, it makes you feel like you are making something 'real', something that has 'life' something that has 'heart'. Watching the doll come alive from a piece of fabric, limbs forming, the face shape is just something you have to experience to understand. Even the feel of her little buttocks just make her seem more real.

I will bring you some more photos of Jenny in the next few days, she is in need of a few more clothes - the dress she has on now is her cousins and its a little on the small side (must of ate to much at Christmas).

If you want to check out some fabulous doll makers who's work and words have inspired me I highly suggest not going to look until you have a few hours free - once you start you may not be able to stop ;)

Little Jenny Wren

Poppy, Bean and Bloss

Fig&Me

Waldorf Doll Journey

There is so many heart aching in Australia right now, I feel strange writing a post that doesn't reach out in someway, to let them know that I am aching for them to. But, I guess thats the beauty of Australia. We pick up and move on with the whole nation holding us up.

Tonight, I am going to share with you a new journey I am taking. I have talked about it in a few posts earlier, and its the journey of making a Waldorf Doll.

My doll kit arrived in the mail today, I was so excited I near snatched it off the water logged postman. I opened it up, and took stock of the unfamiliar fabrics and stuffing. I waited ever so patiently for the prince and princess to fall asleep before exploring it some more, and started on the head.

I've always imagined what it would be like to make a Waldorf doll, but actually getting in and doing the work for exceeds anything I could have imagined. See, Waldorf Dolls are made from all natural materials, including the stuffing. For those of you that have never handled wool stuffing, it has a smell to it. At first I turned my nose up, because I am used to working with polyester (or poly-fill) stuffing. But as I was shaping my head, the aroma of the wool slowly came in line with my senses. It has a beautiful, soft, natural smell. It brought back many memories of shoveling my grandfathers horse stables at the farm, of sitting in the big old arm chair that was covered in spider webs whilst watching him work with the horses. I know I'm new to Waldorf Doll making obviously, but I guess, this is what making these dolls is all about.



So, this is the progress so far, the shaping of the head. This is one of the elements of the Dolls that makes them extra special. On to the body tomorrow, wish me luck!


P.S; Tomorrow, all shall be quiet here in a virtual moment of silence. A mark of respect for Lori, Tony and their family. I will also be sending love and strength to Lori tomorrow via Twitter as she farewells her husband under the hashtag #LoveToLori. You can read here for more details.

Auction for Lori

Meet Violet the cat. Violet is sending a helping hand to Lori by lending herself to be auctioned off to help out Lori and her family.

The prefect addition to your family, she really is a sweet little thing, doesn't nag for food or scratch the furniture and certainly will never run away or use the pot plants as a toilet. (made from abitofwhimsydolls pattern).

Sarah from 'Just Me' is organising the auction to raise money for Lori, if you are able to help with donations you can find Sarah's blog post {here} with details. If you are unable to donate, keep an eye out on Sarah's blog for when the auction is underway.

She is doing a fantastic job, and I am totally in awe of her, words can not express how awesome she is, along with the many others that are standing by Lori and will continue to do so for many years to come.

There will be a few more items to come from us for this auction, and I will share with you what they are once photos have been taken.

(Please note: Local Readers, a cousin of Violets has also been donated to the raffle organised by the  Penguin Leo's Club to raise money for the QLD flood victims. They will also be holding a Car wash in Penguin this weekend to raise funds for the Relay for Life and the QLD floods)

Dear Queensland

image of Rockhampton taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12116919

My heart is aching for you. Please stay safe.

If can can spare a few dollars please consider donating to the Flood Appeal

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Yawn

image from {here}

Sleep. Its over rated right? RIGHT?? Ok, don't answer that.

For four and a half years I have been battling the sleep monster. And I am tired.

I could write a book on the things I have tried. Co-sleeping, new bed, new covers for said bed, diet restriction, books, movies, kiddy meditation, blah blah blah.

Do I just have to face that the prince just doesn't like to sleep? Will I have to battle with this for the rest of his childhood? At least when he was a baby he would settle after a feed in my arms, now that he is a walking, talking big small person his night wakings are painful. Four times last night, two hours of sleep gone. Two wakings is a good night.

I'm going mad, any help out there?