Day 7/12 (Daily craft effort)

I purchased a pvc table cloth in preparation for this project! I dispensed paint, glue, glitter (SO much glitter) and glitter glue at liberty. We painted all the backs first. The first ones were dry by the time we'd finished. It was then that I realised that we had made A LOT of shapes, and this was going to be Some Task. The girls had a wonderful time, especially since I had chosen to restrain myself from being a tyrant concerning correct glitter procedure and application. They were free to unwittingly waste it to their hearts content.

That naked tree waits patiently. Such art requires time.

Lost in creation

Kybe was still at it when all others had left the table, determined to finish the assignment.

Bells and curling ribbon

We only have a few of them to hanging stage as the girls were all crafted out and experienced some trouble getting the ribbon through the tiny holes. This will be my job tonight instead of folding washing. Woot!

We swept up the glitter spills for use in future wild applications

Day 6/12 (Daily craft effort)

Some emergency babysitting meant that Salt dough decorating day had to be delayed. No way was I game to let FIVE kids at the paint, glue and glitter! Luckily the girls were distracted and totally forgot about it. Three packets of Plasticine provided 2+ hours of quality entertainment. They were so clever with trading colours if anyone needed more than their ration. It doesn't take long though, for the colours to become smooshed together to form a greyish brown. I have a snaplock bag to keep that colour-compromised stuff in to be used for objects were colour discretion is not required. It's so cheap I buy a few packs at a time when I'm in that section of the supermarket.

Day 5/12 (Daily craft effort)

So now for the salt dough decorations. This recipe works well, except we probably should have rolled them half as thick as we did. They weigh the tree branches down! Jaeda and Makybe had so much fun kneading the dough we set some aside to play with after the shapes were cut and in the oven.

We made a LOT of dough

Totally absorbed in industry

The hardest part was waiting two hours for them to be cooked!

Tomorrow's craft effort will be the decorating of them. More fun (and mess) to ensue...

Day 4/12 (Daily craft effort)

Despite the Daily craft effort being not-so-daily an effort on my part for one day out of 12 the girls sallied on all by themselves. I was inadvertently napping on the couch, and was roused by a summons to the tree to witness their handiwork in action. Patty pan tree decorations! 

I had been planning to make the cookie cutter salt dough decorations that day, and I was impressed at the girls' initiative and resourcefulness to carry on with the plan regardless the lack of salt dough shapes.


The other thing they've been enjoying immensely is a little key and padlock set I got for each of them to practice fine motor skills. They LOVE finding things they can lock together with it. I've kept one of the spare keys from each set for emergencies.

By the way, I just LOVE this smoothie.

So this is not MY actual smoothie. My camera just ain't up to doing it's thing right now, but my smoothie is green from all the baby spinach, and was inspired by this one by Kimberly Snyder, except with two additions. For anyone who cares to know you'll require a blender, a young coconut (scoop out the meat and include it, and be sure that no shell bits make it into the blender or your smoothie will be gritty), at least two handfuls of baby spinach, juice of one lemon and one pear diced up, skin on. I whiz mine on a low setting until it looks under control, then on full speed for a good minute or so. Serve over ice. It's a good shot of green power for your system, electrolytes, all manner of vitamins and antioxidants! Dare you to give it a go.

Day 3/12 (Daily craft effort)

Day 3: Pretty tea light candle jars


I found a huge bag of "confetti"- massive confetti- in the $2 shop. It's basically a whole lot of tissue paper circles. SWEEEEEET. So we painted PVA glue onto a clean jar, arranged the "confetti", and then painted more PVA over the top to finish. 

Ain't that just the biggest confetti?

SO very pretty with the tea lights inside.

Doing their thing.

It was then decided that we would try to make Christmas gifts for people we love in our daily craft efforts. I've already thought about experimenting with printing photographs onto tracing paper to stick onto the jar and be lit from behind. Hmmmmmm.

Day 2/12 (Daily craft effort)

Day 2: I had saved up some packaging from the recycling: cardboard cartons, nuttalex container and toilet paper rolls. I laid it out with some tissue paper from yesterday, some different tapes and glues and waited to see what would happen. Jaeda was soon frustrated. "I want to make a ballerina, but nuffing's right" I suggest a ballerina robot, her little face lights up and off she goes, almost crackling with the energy of creative process. She pounces upon materials and tries out methods of fixing pieces together before she arrives at a solution, which involved MUCH masking tape.

She actually forgot all about the initial ballerina idea. It was definitely a girly robot none-the-less. Once it was finished Jaeda set about making a tray of tea and cakes for the robot.

Then she made robot children and a car. These were played with for the rest of the day. What amazing value. 

The twelve days of craftsmas

In an effort to be more consistent with encouraging moments for creative flourishing, we've decided to do a make something every day for twelve days in a row, which leads us right up to Christmas. We're the third day in and the results have been so inspiring. I'm experiencing an inspiration snowball effect with all sorts of ideas for new crafts being conceived so prolifically I can hardly keep up with the jotting down of them! And the girls are jumping in to what ever on the menu, often expanding on my original plan. 


Day 1
"Stained glass" suncatchers- the idea for this one came from Rachelle at Tinkerlab here. It involves Contact book covering and shapes cut out of coloured tissue paper and cellophane. We cut a long piece of Contact (this brand has the least static cling and is easiest to work with), placed the coloured shapes on to fill half of the area, then fold the other side over. The girls loved sticking them to the window and seeing the full affect of light through the colours.

Day 1: "Stained glass" suncatchers

Two lines!

There they are!

Preggers for the fourth time, and we are just as excited as ever. I've felt so blessed having the opportunity to give birth and then get a front row seat to see this person unfurl and expand. I am astounded at the development of a being inside me- how a tiny heart begins to beat on the 28th day after conception. How when the teeny child is the size of a strawberry, the workings of the inner ear are complete. The little thing is busy just about doubling in size every week. And I am eating like a pig. And looking at bassinettes on ebay. And thinking about how we won't fit in a sedan anymore. Wondering if,...just maybe,... we might get a son this time. But totally into the thought of four girls at the same time. Who IS that in there??!! Absolutely looking forward to seeing who it is and what they will bring to our family.


I've been thinking about a water birth this time. Electronic equipment came between me and the water last time, and the time before that baby was already crowning by the time we got into the delivery suite!! 


Disappointed though, that I can't birth and stay at my favourite hospital. They kick you out 4-6 hours after delivery these days. Drat it. So now I have to decide whether I want to travel 45 minutes up or down the freeway, without a seat belt on. I have to travel on my knees and wobble my hips side to side during contractions, and I'll uppercut anyone who tries to make me sit down.


Childbirth is SUCH a rich experience. I never tire of hearing birth stories. And natural is so rewarding. No drugs or panic. Just concentration and primal noises all the way. 


It's in us to do it. 


We are WOMAN, hear us ROOOOAAAAR!