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If you don’t already own these crayons, you need to race out and buy them. I never race out and buy anything, but these are utter drawing heaven. Ivy and I can hardly put them down!

Ivy is having her first “holiday” at Nana and Pop’s in a very long time. It is strange without her here, but I want to make sure she is ok with staying away from us occasionally (and we also had a wedding to go to!). I was a terribly homesick kid during primary school and only ever stayed away from home on school camps. Apparently she was fine last night and only woke asking for me a few times without being too upset. I have just finished talking to her on the phone, she’s always with me so I never get to hear her on the phone and can’t believe how grown up she sounds. She is having a ball of course!

Did you get homesick when you were a child? Do your little one’s spend any nights away yet?

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1. I have finally in the last couple of months made the “no going back” switch to manual on my camera. It has resulted in many disasters but it’s only up from here! 2. Wild orchids on my new kitchen benches. 3. An abundance of fresh lettuce in my garden at the moment, so worth the very little effort they have required. 4. My little handmade range is growing. I’m aiming for a “launch” at a December 1st market, then online after that. I’m loving what I have so far, so I hope others will too. 

Thank you so much for the nice comments that you have left on my last posts. I love to know who reads this space of mine and I really appreciate you saying hello x

 

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I find different photos that I love from our wedding day each year. The top is one of my favourites, it was so exciting looking down at the little chapel watching everyone arriving and I love that you can see my (secret) baby bump in the photo. We spent our fourth anniversary hanging plaster in the kitchen, just the two of us after Ivy had gone to bed. So romantic.

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 I am having a giveaway on my facebook page this week. Just “like” anything you love on my page, let me know on my wall that you would like to enter and I will do a name draw next Sunday night xx

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   1. An ivylovesjack package. 2. Ivy’s finished (and now well worn) winter coat. 3. A shrunken top that I knitted from this gorgeous pattern (I ended up knitting three I love it so much). 4. Flowers from our yard and my home-made scented soy candles. 5&6. A little self-dressed girl with the doll I finally got around to making. 7. Ivy’s cheeky little horse.  

I’ll be back in this space soon if anyone is still out there :)

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  I haven’t seen much of Australian winters in the past 9yrs, but I must say that I do love winters here too.  I love the rainy days at home, the fire is always going to cosy next to and the bush seems as beautiful as it could possibly be.  It’s nice being near my family too, we all have birthdays in winter and it will be the first time I will celebrate my little twin nieces’ birthday with them.  My mum and dad can come out cutting wood with us to share a morning bbq in the bush.  I miss Queenstown terribly, the snow, friends, the buzz of Winterfest, the amazing restaurants and cafes, but there are sacrifices with everything in life and spending winter here is all ok too.

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Here are a few vintage outfits that I am trying to pop on my facebook page (I desperately need a good computer fix up, or a newie).  The vintage swan top and brown shorts and not for sale, but you may see some similar things in my soon-to-be-launched ivylovesjack handmade range.  There will be dresses, some jackets, cool pants and pretty tops!!  I hope you will love them!

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Listening to this.

Cleaning up a carpet of rice bubbles, after eating them straight out of the container with a spoon while I was doing the washing (her choice of boots for the occasion).

The start of a damn cute romper.

Our next phase?  It may involve some sheep, a little horse and a big orchard.  Fingers crossed!

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   I love having a wood fire.  It is the cosiest, most comfortable and wholesome warmth.  Growing up, we always had a fire in the lounge and a little potbelly stove in the kitchen next to the dining table.  There was hardly a moment that there wasn’t something delicious simmering away on the top of it… soup, stew, caramel dumplings.  We have a fire in our house now, but I can’t wait to put in a big old wood stove when we build a house. 

With wood fires comes woodcutting and it has always been a fairly regular weekend activity in my life.  I have nice memories of it as a child (except for the huntsmans).  Mum would always pack a picnic and we would light a fire and cook our lunch while we were out there.  I still quite like it actually :)

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:: Admiring lovely pictures from old books, while Ivy makes masterpieces on her side of our desk ::