prairie mouse

easter bunny

i just remembered that we had to make a contribution to the easter basket for the raffle in prairie's class. i had started this for the window (sorry kay!) but thought i better finish it for the basket. phew, i can check that off now!

the party

it all started with my big idea - how about for your party i make some ragdolls for the girls to decorate? (thinking there might be about 6 on the guest list) but because it is the beginning of our school year and there are some new girls, prairie wanted to include everyone.

17 in total plus the prototype!

we put 2 tables and market umbrellas on the deck and i hung all the little felt dresses up like washing. the goodies on the table were covered with a cloth when the girls arrived - nothing like a little suspense!

i put out bottles of glue, a tin bucket full of wigs and lots of little bowls of decorating goodies, plus a couple of pincushions loaded with needles, threaded and knotted.

i wanted to photograph all of the dolls but it was too hard as the girls were all leaving at different times and they glued and stitched till the last second before they were dragged away. this is prairie's doll sporting a yellow ensemble with matching clutch.

i have to say that though there was a lot of preparation it was the calmest party i have ever hosted. i had to literally force them outside to do a treasure hunt and then had to take the food out to them! i loved that one girl would make earrings for hers then the next thing there were all these different versions around the table. same with the handbags or even the highlights they did in the dolls hair (i never would have thought of that!) when they were going out for the treasure hunt i heard one of them say 'this party rocks'. what more could i ask for!

bon anniversaire

this was taken 10 years ago when prairie turned one! happy happy birthday sweet girl xxx

the window

you will have to look carefully as there is so much reflection but this is how i spent my sunday morning with the lovely kay and a little green fairy. the birdcage is now hanging and the preserving pan is filled with soil and a layer of straw waiting for the wheatgrass to push its way through.

there is a little side window as well and this bunny fit perfectly. he was made by my friend karen as a housewarming present. i felt he needed a little necklace for the occasion - managed to sneak in some yo yos!

now its time to get ready for a certain young lady's birthday. i cannot believe that she is turning 11 tomorrow. how fast........... x

easterville

this is where the box of easter goodies went.

the sideboard

the mantelpiece

the mudroom - sorry about the light

and lastly, the mousies have all departed so thought i better put something else in the shop.

have a lovely weekend. i am doing the easter window on sunday so will have photos next week x

early easter treat

i want to thank you all for your mousie love! two of those girls skipped out of that dusty old shop the very next day.

i wanted to share this little surprise i bought last easter and tucked away and forgot about. i got all my easter things out wanting to get into the swing as i am installing the easter window next weekend. when i opened the crate this was at the top to my great delight. i had bought it after easter half price after many droolings. i love the bright green gingham box as well.

i ended up having an easter potter about here all morning - tis easterville downstairs here now!

mousies for sale

i have finally managed to get something into my long neglected dusty old etsy store and that something is these three mamas proudly holding their offspring!

it really is the end of summer because on the weekend i made a huge cauldron of ratatouille. this heralds harvest time for me and i love being able to pull out pots of it in the middle of the winter. its perfect winter fare but on a cold dark night it sings the song of summer!

i did not though, take photos. the ingredients looked beautiful - peppers, eggplants, zucchini, red onions, baby yellow carrots (with their tops on), garlic, basil and thyme. i was so excited about ripping in and getting it stewing away that i let that bloggable moment slip by! maybe next weekend - i'm thinking there will be another brew going down!

will you be?

i came home from being out the other night and prairie had been making things to take to school for the big heart day. this was one of them. she found some felt (not a difficult task here) and after assuring michael that it was alright to use as it was acrylic she made this. she glued it together and stuffed it with the paper that was left over from the cards she was making. i love seeing what is made when i am not around, i'm sure i would have had her sew it and stuff it with something soft but i love it just the way it is.

happy valentines to you all!

more honey

we spent the weekend away in a little old gold mining town named coromandel. in fact the whole peninsula is called that. its about two and a half hours away and a good part of that drive is up the coast on a really windy road. very beautiful, charming and untouched. we stayed with old friends who live in a hundred year old villa. an old plum tree grew up into the back deck and when you were sitting in the lounge it felt like a tree house as an old grapefruit tree was in that window. i never want to come back to the city when i go to places like that.

this is the toilet (there is one inside as well) and its a working unit. such a sweetie. i love tiny buildings especially if their paint is peeling and nature is slowly creeping in.

we came back with a great big jar of coromandel honey and a bucket of freshly laid eggs! the ever faithful 'munk' joined us for the weekend and hopped in with eggs for the shoot. to the left you can just see randy the guinea pig, also jostling for fame!

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.