prairie mouse

back to school

its that time again when the lazy days draw to a close. the heat doesn't. our kids are sent back a month too early when the summer is really in its blaze of glory. but unless we choose to homeschool, back they go with their drinks frozen and the promise of something freezing on a stick waiting for them at the end of the day.

today, prairie and i went out for a fresh new supply of lyra pencils. i think they are fantastic pencils but as some of you will know, they are not the cheapest option and kids being kids.................so, what could i do other than write her name on them? our dear friend, jules, who came back from texas bearing a ziploc bag supply also bought us a packet of lovely scrapbook paper that looks like fabric. ah ha - perfect for the pencil task at hand.

now to wrap my head around getting out the door two hours earlier than we have become accustomed to doing and what to put in the lunchboxes. bibbity bobbity boo. need. fairy. godmother.

summer days

its nearing the end of the holidays here and is very very midsummer. you know that when the cicadas start their song in the morning thats where you are on mother earth's calendar.

we had some very dear friends come for a sleepover this week. i have spent my summer reading foodie books so it was only fitting that i put some of this new found knowledge into action to feed our guests.

this was a wonderful big loaf of irish soda bread filled with cheese and olives that was supposed to be baked in a bundt pan but i put it in a loaf tin instead. there were 9 of us and there was even some left over the next day. it came from this great book, eating with our mouths full. we had it with two lemon roasted chickens and green salad.

and to follow up i just had to make this old classic. from nigella lawson's new book. there was always one of these cakes floating around in my childhood. i loved making the top, tiling with the pineapple and the cherries. we had it with cream in a can and some people were squirting it straight into mouths! the youngest member of the party loved it so much i gave him more the next day, the cream that is. there was no cake left!

and being the perfect guests they brought me the perfect hostess gift - a jar of their very own honey from their very own bees. i stand in awe. after reading the secret life of bees (which susie you have to read) the relationship between bees and human is unbelievable. the honey is pretty damn fine too!

today, on our own without our large extended family, prairie and i have been sewing. she was given this sweet little kit for christmas from her cousins and had pinned it all up so today we got out her little machine and she sewed it up. we hung it in the baby plum tree. so festive (though we will bring it in) but for now i like to think it celebrates what we are so so lucky to have - true friends!

new frocks

isn't frock a funny word. these two girls, posey and indie however needed new summer ones. as you can see they are much loved dolls. the big one, indie, i co-made with a girlfriend (we always joke that she is our child) and the smaller one, posey, was the first doll i made by myself, at a workshop. they are classic waldorf dolls, handstitched and made with 100% natural fibres. there have been many dolls since then but these two remain close to my heart. they are off to a sleepover tonight with prairie. oh, i suppose i better whip up some new jammies!

a basket full of 'ghan

i was getting in a row or two while i had my coffee this morning and thought that this looked like a big bowl of gelato. i had to leap up and find a sunny spot so i could shoot it and share it with you. pass the spoon!

fresh start

i have lots of work on but have not been able to settle into it. partly, its the middle of summer here and deliciously hot and partly, everything was still sitting there from last year. so, yesterday i tidied it all up and recovered the little tabletop ironing board i use. today, i have actually managed to get something done!

we love texas

our dear friend jules (hey girl!) went to texas for christmas. she came home bearing gifts for us including a beautiful doll from mexico (she nipped off to guadalahara for a few days as well)) for prairie and ziploc bags for me - can't get them here. there is a version of, but ziploc rules! prairie got out the fimo before jules came home and made her a doll in her likeness, complete with shopping bags because boy, did that girl shop!

goodies

michael's sister, who lives in london, asked me what i would like for christmas. anything cath kidston i replied in a flash. she so kindly obliged and brought out with her these two darling tins plus a notebook and a towel. i was so spoilt.

and look what i managed to fill the tin with. kay, from salvage, where i did the christmas window, gave me a box of buttons for christmas. you can imagine the spine-tingling thrill i got when i opened the box - not the odd special button that you have to sift through for - no siree - every single button is a sweetie and look, look at those polka dot ones that i am so in love with. sometimes i just open the tin and gaze!

this, in return, i made for kay. supposed to be for christmas she was not finished till this morning so became a new years gift instead. i tried out a new dress with some vintage flocked dots i got from kay's shop.

it was great working with kay and i am very happy to say that she has asked me to do her easter window so i am already thinking about little fluffy ducks and the like!

the wild west

straight after christmas we headed south to visit michael's family. they live about 5-6 hours away in a town called new plymouth that has not only fantastic west coast surf but a lone mountain called egmont or by the maori, taranaki. about an hour away we always stop at this particular spot. this is our west coast. very very wild with sand so black it twinkles like a night sky. i wouldn't swim at this spot or one would find oneself fast tracking across the ditch to australia! even though this is on the main road it is so isolated. there is a tiny old fashioned camping ground with the sweetest weeny cabins and cartoonish caravans. here are tommy and prairie enjoying the wilderness.

apart from christmas, the big reason for going was to celebrate michael's parents 50th wedding anniversary. my contribution to the celebrations was the cake topper. congratulations love birds!!

michael's dad's hair isn't really like this but i just couldn't bear to cut it.

they both had a heart painted on their leg!

continuing on their path!

i hope the new year is going well for you x