les moments doux de cette année / this year's very special moments

• not having to return to work at the beginning of the year!
• having Thomas at home for 3 months while he was doing his CE2/French school year by correspondence.
• Luciebelle's arrival - a dramatic one but what a special moment when I finally got the chance to see her.
• the renovation on our house finally completed. We love our house.
  
• crafts, crafts, crafts, and the beginning of our crafts group. Love it!
• the new skills I learnt this year (my knitting and sewing in particular) brought fulfillment, happiness and a real sense of achievement.
  
• my birthday was very special this year. Nicholas was away and my closest friends organised a little party for me. We had fun!
• my birthday again - having high tea with Sandra in some beautiful location - extra special.
• the closest people in our life were so generous with their time to make sure that I would cope during Nick's travels this year when Luciebelle was a tiny baby. I don't think I could have done it without you all.
  
• Hannah introduced me to the delights of op shopping, it's so much fun.
• all the special times spent with my kids and their father.
• watching my children grow up.
• coffee with a friend.
  
• friends. I feel so lucky to have such close friends. They have a very special place in my heart.

My wee Luciebelle

Major milestone for wee Luciebelle: she is sitting up.
Yeaaah!
I'm very excited for her.

And I had to post this photo too because I find her sooo cute there!
And because her grandparents have gone on holiday and I know they'd love to see her.

Stress and the beach

Apparently, stress has a major role in the ageing process.
Learning to cope with stress and doing activities that reduce it (like meditation) will help slow down the ageing process.
My own solution (amongst others): going to the beach.
It works every time. (and the kids just love it!)
What do you do to reduce the stress in your life?

Agapanthus

I find it easier to come up with a picture a day
than a thought a day.
What's going on with my brain?
Is it on holiday too?

A photo and a thought a day

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. " (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

I only started my blog a couple of months ago, and since then I have wondered which direction my blog should/would take. In my profile I say that I wanted to try and inspire people in some way, but I have since realised that this is no small goal, and it is harder done than said. (So I congratulate all of you who manage to do just that, inspiring others).

I loved crafts, but my passion is photography. So I thought maybe that's where I should start and I have therefore decided that I am going to post a photo a day. I will make sure that this photo is of the highest standard I can achieve that day. I know from experience that even taking one good photo a day is actually a difficult task, but what makes me excited about this project is the fact that it is going to help me a lot with my photography, and make me get out there and shoot (which I haven't done so much since Lucie Belle's arrival 7 months ago).

So a photo a day, for this whole year, starting today.

And just to make it more interesting for people who may come across my blog, I am also going to post a thought a day. Why not? It will give me something to think about, and something to share with others, and something for others to think about hopefully. These thoughts may lead to interesting discussions, new friendships, who knows...?

Happy New Year to you all!

Dolls, fairies, and a new world to (re)explore...

I decided that this year, I would seriously get into Noël
and so, Thomas (8), Aston (6) and I started
working on a series of Christmas ornaments for our house.
we got out some paper, scissors, glue,
lace, broderie anglaise,
wool, paint and old-fashioned wooden pegs

AND WE HAD FUN

Nous avons décidé cette année (mieux vaut tard que jamais) de créé nos propres déco de Noël. Et donc Thomas (8ans), Aston (6 ans) et moi nous sommes munis de papier, sciseaux, colle, dentelle, broderie anglaise, laine, peinture et pinces a linge en bois

NOUS NOUS SOMME ECLATES

Voici quelques unes de nos créations / here are some of our creations

I found that the fairies were the most fun.
ok, our are pretty basic, but they really inspired me.
looking at them, I kept thinking of these dolls that I adore,
made in France. They are the Steiner Waldorf type of dolls (if believe, please correct me if I am wrong)
and they are the most divine dolls I have ever seen. They are not art dolls, they are for playing with, looking after, hugging, etc. Have a look at their blog http://www.happytoseeyou.fr/, it's magical.

And somehow, I discovered these other blogs by seriously talented people
who make dolls, some for playing with, some that are quirky, some that are real objets d'art.

My favourites are:
http://harem6art.blogspot.com - I want one of these dolls for displaying in my house, very funky
http://papillonbleuuk.blogspot.com/ - great dolls and photography
http://dollandpea.blogspot.com/

I think I may have found a new passion.
after all, maybe we never do entirely grow up...
we just bury it all deep down
but if we look hard, we can recreate the magic of our childhood,
and as crafters, we can take joy in the process of making dolls,
and the satisfaction of knowing that other little children will have hours and hours of fun with them

And Joyeux Noël to you all (just a couple of days late...)

Kids' play

les petites choses de la vie...
qui font apprécier la vie
les enfants et leurs jeux
une telle spontanéité
je pourrais passer des heures
a les observer


the simple things in life...
that make one appreciate life
kids and their games
so much spontaneity
I could spend hours
watching them

a blanket and a rattle

a paddle of water

some grass and a bit of mud

a chat with a friend

another baby to play with

sticks and space

a path for a run
surely somewhere interesting to go to

and at the end of the day
a big cuddle with your mum
(it makes it all worth it, doesn't it Hannah?!)