Steptember is coming…

and I signed up, along with a couple of workmates.

steptemberFrom Wednesday, 2 September I will be taking on the challenge of completing 10,000 steps a day, for the entire month of Steptember to raise vital funds for the Cerebral Palsy Society.

The average office worker only takes around 3,000 steps per day, so 10,000 steps a day is going to be quite the challenge.

But it’s for a very worthy cause.

Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood. One in two people with cerebral palsy are in chronic pain due to the tightening of their muscles. Many will never be able to take a single step without assistance.

If you’re not sure where to start, a donation of $55 could support research actively preventing CP in newborn babies

You can donate to my fundraising page: (http://bit.ly/1JuNI9k)

Any amount you contribute would make a huge difference to children and adults living with cerebral palsy and of course encourage me to complete my 10,000 steps per day!

Thank you so much,

Paula

P.S. You’ll receive an automated receipt as every donation over $5 is tax deductible (NZ donors only)

August WIPocalypse

WIPocalypse is a monthly-ish blog hop hosted by Measi.  This moon’s task was to choose a WIP and tell the story.

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This is Mediterranean Mermaid. Long time followers will know all about her; but for everyone else, this is why she’s still a WIP.

Our youngest, Mase, often has asthma flareups. Bad ones. End up on nebuliser ones. It’s long hours, often alone as there are other children at home, so I had to have a project that was permanently packed & could go anywhere with me. Lynne suggested Jug (as in, she carries an amphorae).

But so far in 2015, and with winter nearly over, we’ve kept Mase under control. Small flares, nothing major. Poor Jug hasn’t been worked on for nearly a year (I even brought the beads earlier this year in preparation),

It’s hard to feel for her tho!

28/8 Hi Five for Friday!

LISTENING: TobyMac (eclectic Christian artist with a recent release but solid back-catalogue) and of course, Elise’s podcasts.

tobymac

READING: I finished Anchored (review to come) and started something I thought might be fluffy but has turned out to be a very thought-provoking romance series from Susan May Warren. Self-forgiveness. Massive concept. Her Christiansen family series, in case you’re looking for something new-ish.

CRAFTING: well not yet,but I love this suggestion from Simply Vanella about what I could do with my black linen. Isn’t this perfect?

DW2886 chalkboard cross stitch

http://www.123stitch.com/item/Design-Works-Be-Happy-Chalkboard-Counted-Cross-Stitch-Kit/DW2886

Also I found this ceramic owl HALF PRICE at Farmers so I can re-create one of Carols photos. Think I will choose Serenity, as that is my OLW for this year.

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DOING: Celebrating. Mason’s awesome anniversary report. Zac’s official rep selection for one of the Auckland U12/13 restricted weight sides. A bunch of awesome parents in this rep side. LAST Under 6 game for the season tomorrow – it’s been a long year! Freebie December Daily foundation pages (OK, they started out as lotto ticket wallets but that’s two standard and two pocket pages right there, peeps – and I left the lady looking up Ali & Becky’s websites). Springtime flowers seen during lunchtime walks.

Let me know what you find to celebrate this week!

Fabric Dye fails issue two

Under advisement, I decided to try the iDye range of products. First attempt is the black. Follow recipe, even down to the time. It soaked it up a little too well.

Second is a lot more like I wanted. It’s pale & the only fault is mottling, which I think is down to either not pre-washing (I did soak) or that it was only in for five or six minutes at quarter strength.

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I think I’ll use the purple fail for Fairy Tales and without doing a floss toss, I think it should be fine for Raven Queen.

And as for the black, who knows?!

A Last First

Thursday is usually You Can Quote Me, an image or thought linked to my One Little Word,  Serenity.

Today is going to be a little different.

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That little thing on the 32ct mermaid tail? That’s my last child’s first tooth. This morning was the last time I get to be the tooth fairy (I’m assuming some kid at school will burst his tooth fairy belief today).

It’s bittersweet to be watching this boy grow up. He is an unexpected gift from God, even during the tantrums. We’re blessed to have him.

Today’s lesson then is to hold on tight to the good memories. They will bring you a feeling of peace even in moments of pain.

WIP Wednesday & Smalls SAL

Yay, Wednesday already! Work finished the fiscal month (oddly) early, rather than rolling it over into a 5 week month, so I’m like the duck – serene on top, paddling furiously underneath. It makes for a long, long eight hours! Luckily the children are just as tired so last night, they took themselves off for reading time just after seven. Bliss! A quiet house!

sunday's progress. primrose urn

sunday’s progress. primrose urn

WIP-wise I have put a few more threads into Persephone but mostly I’m forcing myself to work on the next NZXS RR. It’s just not my cup of java at all, from the aida cloth to the flower urns – I am reminding myself that THIS is why I said I’d organise a round robin or two! Once I had added the leaves (all the yellow and green was done last night, the urn on Sunday) I did like it more. It’s a very quick little piece. I do like the bird.

tuesday's progress

tuesday’s progress

I also finished Summer Queen, my contribution to Rachel’s RR. I converted some beads and of course the metallic DMC, as I loathe that stuff. Kreinik all the way! Look Zeb! I’m using my birthday notebook!

Summer Queen

Summer Queen

paula's summer queen bead conversion

paula’s summer queen bead conversion

You Can Quote Me

YCQM is a semi-regular post that relates to my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity.

I’ve made the decision to move YCQM to Mondays. Monday is the work day with the most pressure and demands, and of course, the most time spent in meetings (I’ve been absenting myself from one to regain a precious 30 minutes. For 6 weeks in a row I sat in the corner with no tasks and nothing to contribute. Once you start playing on your phone, you know it’s pointless to be there).

So. Monday. Hello.

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Book Review: The Feast Nearby by Robin Mather

The-Feast-Nearby-book

Subtitle: How I lost my job, buried a marriage and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering and eating locally (all on forty dollars a week)

Mather was a food writer and critic for several publications over a long period and the book is essentially a story about her return to contentment after a horror week that involved her husband announcing that he wanted to divorce and being made redundant from her role at the Chicago Tribune.

She doesn’t dwell on the miserable and looks to find the good, even in the little things. Thoughtfully written and thought provoking. My takeaway lesson from the book is that I need to buy local more, grow more and eat more seasonably. Unless I get a glasshouse, it’s not OK to have salads in August.

Author blog (which hasn’t been updated in a while, TBH) : http://thefeastnearbywordpress.com and there’s a Q&A session here: http://www.domenicacooks.com/2011/06/q-a-with-robin-mather-author-of-the-feast-nearby/

Also it’s well worth perusing the blog and book for the recipes included – several have a long family history. You know those will become favourites!