Hello winter

A weekend away; pizza nights; knitting socks and hats; pottery; painting in my sketchbook and winter growing – mushrooms and micro greens… 
Even though it’s dark and more than a little cold, I’ve been busy! What about you, what are you up to? Enjoy your weekend, Ill be busy… making! J xoxo

Blowing away the cobwebs

We spent the last few days visiting a small seaside spot on the Coromandel Peninsula; Opotere. Unfortunately it rained. A lot. And when it wasn’t raining, it was windy. In fact it would be fair to say most of the time we were there it was rainy and windy. The day we came home there was a break in the weather so we headed out for a walk through the Opotere Reserve and to the beach. There was a lot of exploring, running and shouting to be had after being locked inside for days…

As you can see it is a very beautiful spot. We will have to go back again, in the summer… Maybe with our tent! What have you been up to this week? Anything exciting? xx

A break away and some Christmas pillowcases

In the midst of the busy (or should that be silly?) season, we have decided to take a pause and make the most of the beautiful weather we are currently experiencing by spending a few days away at the beach…

Beaching = happy kids!

Yes those are my toes. You’re welcome!

Ill post some more photos when we are home in a couple of days, but what I wanted to share today are these Christmas pillowcases I whipped up this morning – I’m embarrassed to admit they’ve been in my to-do pile for the last three weeks.

There was really no reason to put them off; pillowcases are super quick to sew, requiring little prep and only three seams (and some over sewing so the edges don’t fray).Just use another pillowcase for a template – there’s really nothing to them!  If you’re quick there’s still time to make pillowcases for some kiddos you know… in fact, I think my husband would quite like one made for him too! They are a lot of fun… and are certainly good for encouraging children, who are excited about Christmas nearly being here, to get into bed!I’ll leave you with a final photo taken from the top of Mt Maunganui this morning.  Paradise! I hope you are enjoying the lead up to Christmas, and are finding some time to relax? Love to all! Janette xox

We were at the beach…

And now we are home again. It was lovely to be away, spending time at such a beautiful spot. As you can see, we spent most of our time on the beach; sandcastle building, treasure collecting and fishing. Hope you are having a lovely week – xo J

Summer holidays

We’ve just spent a lovely few days camping on the east coast of the north island at Ohope.

The campground is in a beautiful spot, with a lovely windswept beach on one side and an estuary on the other.

The campground was pretty busy – as is any beachy spot this time of year – but we got out early on a couple of mornings and had the beach all to ourselves.

We are also spent a morning wading in the mud when the tide was out in the estuary which the kids adored, finding all kinds of creatures…

…and generally squleching a skwerching about!

The kids also managed to catch a few giant fish from the jetty… don’t worry they all went back in.

This really is a very beautiful piece of New Zealand…

We had a lovely time camping together as a family, the children really had a blast. Carter especially, he really didn’t want to come home and Im pretty sure living in a tent is an almost three year old boy’s idea of heaven!

But boy is it good to be home! My own shower (no trek across country to the communal showers, a long wait for a piddly shower – all the while trying not to look at the hair in the drain and sand on the floor – and then to find by the time you get back to the tent your feet are as sandy and dirty as they were before you left), 47 trips to the bathroom per day because no one can combine their toilet stops, dinner cooked in an actual kitchen (not over a gas burner) and including freshly picked vegetables from our garden, children tucked up in their own beds, in their own rooms by 7pm (not 9pm cause it sure is noisy and bright in a tent when you are in a campground – and fun to bounce around on the beds right next to Mum and Dad) and tonight, joy of all joys… my. own. bed. Good night!

Shell Chimes

Last week we went and spent some time staying with my parents, their house is only a couple of hundred metres from the sea.

‘Our’ little beach is closed right now because of the Rena Disaster.  This tiny spec on the horizon is what is causing so much heartache.

One afternoon we went to another beach not far from home, of course I got as far as sitting in the dunes.

I’ve mentioned before we’re a family of collectors…

As is usually the case we came home with a lot of shells.

This time we made a wind chime with them…

It’s reminding us of the beach, even though we aren’t there.

For whatever we lose, its always ourselves we find in the sea.

– e.e. cummings