Friday, June 25, 2010

What are you doing this weekend?

Well school holidays have begun here in Victoria and I am going to boast here because I DON'T have to go and talk to teachers about reports! Yes! Three great reports!!!!!! Finally these teachers are seeing the light and realise what star qualities lay in these three rascals!  Tully even got four B's!!!!! And not for fluffy stuff!!!! Angus got great feedback and Martha is trying really hard!! What more can I ask for.....OK there is more a full term without having to have a conference with the school. Square pegs in round holes - what to do?

Which brings me to the weekend?
G is taking Miss Moo to Nana's in Canberra for the first week, so it will be the boys and me over the weekend. Angus is playing his 50th footy game God bless him - I have to make a banner for him to run through (how???!!!-surely not to the scale of AFL level? Surely?) So the boys and I will have a bit of a

"mum and boys" weekend....I am also going to continue with my running program and am booked in for a massage and I have a few crafty things planned too....sounds like a plan to me! And you?

The Envelope Project


There is a fun little project going on over at meet me at mikes, you decorate an envelope, pop a few goodies in the envelope and send it off. One lucky random entrant will win the lot! I put in a few gift tags and a tiny stamp set....

I 've go that Brownie feeling

I have not posted for a week or two as things have been SOOOO busy....I must say I was overwhelmed and delighted with the response to my last post about beauty and body size...I am glad to read that not too many of us are going to be told by little fashion men that our shapely curves are ordinary and walking, starving skeletons are the beauties. We'll talk more about this later!

Last week was a very exciting week for Miss Martha Moo...recently she joined Brownies. Her Dad and brothers are heavily involved with scouts and cubs and Dad (who is a Cub leader) was I think a little offended when she pointedly told him "don't you get it? I need to be with GIRLS!" Fair enough, so off to Brownies we go....So last week was the "Campfire" celebration of 100 years of Guiding. Miss Moo and I rugged up, packed our back packs and picnic rugs and marched off to the park in which they met up at....OK so the songs were a little lame and I was definitely NOT sure about the ode to Baden Powell which included lyrics of "I 've got that BP spirit all over me" ahemm!    But Miss Moo had a BALL, she was with her new mates, sung her heart out and just enjoyed the "belonging"...it was so lovely to watch.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Social Paradigm of beauty




OK, Here I go again.....well I can't craft ALL the time!


Above are these cutsie images of women from yesteryear...sure we think they are charming and pretty and *sigh* that those were gorgeous times.


But I am posting this in response to a more serious issue. The above images were actual women, there were beauties in their time, most were models and held as the "ideal" : sexy, womanly, healthy.  Ah but time have changed I hear you say,  yes Times have changed and in most ways it can be argued for the better and in some ways less so. In body image contexts, LESS so it would appear.  If these women were in hope of being a model in 2010 they would be plus size models!!!! 


On Sunday I was watching the channel 7 Sunday program(you can read more here. I watched an interview with Alex Perry : Australian fashion designer.  The journalist was doing a piece about young models who were told to reduce their already underweight bodies. These woman are speaking out about the absurd body "ideal" set by the fashion industry and the terrifying strategies used/ suggested to achieve such demands to keep their dream jobs.  Some of these tall slim beauties are now, puzzling as it may seem, "Plus Size Models" and have been black banned by top fashion houses never to have their now BMI correct bodies used again.


Alex Perry was asked if he felt the industry should take a stronger responsibility towards the well being of its young employees (remember some of these girls are too young to get a job at Coles on the checkouts for pocket money).  Alex responded, in what I saw as, a flippant and very defensive way. He said, and I paraphrase here, that he would never make size 14 up clothing to make a fat girl feel better about herself. That if he did, he would only be ordinary (?) No way "love" he said, it is just not going happen on his catwalk.  He also, in a scathing way that made him look incredibly shallow and dim, rejected Naomi Wolf's suggestion that the fashion industry's perpetual use of emaciated girls and projecting unrealistic body images as "what is beautiful" was in fact oppressing women. He mocked her and called her "love" too. He really couldn't see the connections!


Boy was I angry! Well Alex, I am not ordinary and my size 14 body is strong, in fact it can look great at times and I don't need your over priced clothing to make me feel good about myself. I reject your concept of beauty...These skeletons that stride the catwalk with ankles that appear ready to snap at any given moment. The music is loud at these shows to drown out the collective growl of the model's stomachs. The make up is heavy, it has to be because such as thinness doesn't have a glow. Can't they see the ugliness? Any POW will tell you the agony of being starved. The effects on a person's health and mental health can't be argued, there are too many stories of tragedy.


I accept this is a "special" world, this world of modelling. I love fashion items too, oh I would die for a pair of Vivian Westwood shoes swoooon! But ethically, it is now falling way too short of the mark. Healthy slim looking  women size 12 at 180cms are now Plus Size models? Oh puleeasse!


Hey fashion world the ecological concept of "reduce" does mean the size of your minions!


More discussion on this later! So much more to consider I realise....As mothers', women let's generate some public debate, let's influence that social paradigm of beauty as we cannot rely on top designers such as Alex Perry to use his influence - he's told us he simply won't.  

Monday, June 14, 2010

A bit of thrifty Happy

$1.00


this lot of small bowls match my big bowl. I got these plus some kids tapestry canvases, a brocade diary Miss Moo Moo desired all for $2.50
This was a bit exy - silk and truly vintage about 60's era : $18

Some white milk glass for $2.00 and 50cents

I think I can talk about it....a little bit

Thanks for your concerns dear bloggers, I must say I feel a bit guilty to raise such alarm....the "disaster" that I referred to in the previous post was heart breaking for me, the collector - thankfully not me the mother, daughter, wife etc.



Some of you might remember that Miss Prudence from time to time shows off her vintage white china vases from her mantel piece. And this little baby is my ALL time fave. It is actually the palest pink and is numbered and perfect condition. When she arrived I was a little disappointed she was pink not white - but I fell in love with her difference which stood out ever so subtly amongst her white friends.

You might also recall that on Saturday night we were going to light the fire (an annual event for this ducted heated dwelling in the burbs). Well Garrett was feeding the fire WITHOUT removing the firescreen, which of course a something he would corrected the kids from doing, but he did it with a stupidly long piece of fuel. Crash! I shrieked and truly thought I would need medical intervention. I did seek a cigarette (damn it) and medicinal red wine.  I did keep calm on the outside even though I wanted to murder him (which still isn't ruled out as a vengence act).

This is all that is left of her.



Sunday, June 13, 2010

Separate Ways Saturday

Ahhhh, Saturday finally. I woke up ever so slowly and let G get reacquainted with his off spring ie all breakfast demand went to him because I can play possum HEAPS better than him. Not long after coffee was brought to me with favourite child "Mactop"- I love that kid.  I did some blogging and pondered what it was I would do on Saturday. The sky was lovely blue - a walk? Hmmmm, whatthe? Sky is now grey can only do one thing : Crochet.  Crocheted Beanie using advice from Kate and it was done in a flash.


Then it was breaky time and all the rabble had left the house, eldest child was hiding in his room also enjoying the quite...So I cooked a nice egg and muffin and headed back to bed to consider next Saturday task.


Wasn't hard, down to the craftroom where I made cards ALL day, taking a break for some exercise on treadmill.  The night was topped off with lighting the open fire (an annual event) thai and vino (excuse me Miss Prudence aren't you doing weight watchers?) by the fire. But disaster struck......I can't talk about it moment as I am still in shock it is so terrible, I shall report about it later.

Today is Sunday and we are going to take that country drive. I'll tell you about that later!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Some sewing from sewing class


You might remember I mentioned I have been taking a sewing class. My sewing skills to date have been very average (curtains, super hero capes, library bags, painting smocks and PJ pants) so I set my goals small. First I wanted to refine what skills I had and use some of the mass of fabric I have (don't we all know what I am saying here!). So you have seen my little house on the prarie nightie. So here is my first attempt at a lined bag, it has pockets for phones etc.





I also made two pairs of PJ pants for the boys in record speed! Wow, using an over locker and Helen (teacher ) showed me how to make them really fast. I bought this fabric over six years ago with a plan to make matching PJ pants for Garrett and both boys. I only had enough to make two pairs for the boys now! If I recall correctly the fabric was about $1.50 a mt so it saved me a few dollars and made a tiny bit of room in my new craft room.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Eight Questions



Over at foxs lane, Kate is asking eight questions. I love how you incite these communal activities in our community Kate, how you really reach out to us all and bring us in....so glad I could be part of this!
  1. What is your favourite meal?  Ahh the burden of having to choose! I do LOVE oysters, natural with lemon juice and cracked pepper. But I am a real food to match the mood kid of person, eg soup and toast on a cold day, a lamb salad in summer, etc...
  2. Do you have a quirky eccentricity?  Personally I think I am quite normal but if you ask me there are major issues out there!  My family / friends cite many "quirks" that drive them nuts -  I simply don't know what they are talking about.
  3. My middle name?  Oh a true bone of contention with me. My middle name is Rae. I am named after my father, apparently it didn't occur to him to hold off to see if he would have a son in the future before honouring himself! OK so he didn't have a son and my name is Lynda Rae and it sounds like Patsy Kline's love child!
  4. I am passionate about : social justice and people being treated with kindness, dignified and respected.  I feel I live a very blessed life and I feel very strongly about "paying it forward", I love to share my good fortune. I am passionate about preserving social history, family history via anecdotes and tales. I am passionate in my faith in God, my family and  my beloved husband (he is soooo good).  Well you can see there is a lot of passion in Miss Prudence!
  5. Thongs or Birkies:  thongs but I have yet to experience birkie
  6. Who was I before I had kids? I girl that was tardy in routine, had a lot of shoes, partied tooo much for her own good. A girl who was a kick arse advocacy worker in the disability field, who lived right on Sydney Harbour and looked over the water with great joy every day. A girl that slept in. A girl that could spend a day on the couch to read a book.  A girl that spent a lot of time alone. A girl who had lots of friends but was still alone. A girl that was in a rush and forgot to take in a lot of the moment. A girl that had not learnt to love herself yet. A girl that had yet to experience some great saddness, but thought some petty dramas were the end of the world. A girl who had too much to say at the wrong time, maybe should of shut up more.  A girl who should of saved more, travelled more and worried less.  A girl I had to be to get to me.....I'm glad I was that girl.
  7. Have I been arrested: no but I certainly have received a few stern warnings for protests, smoking spliffs in public and for helping a woman pack up her violent partner's stuff and dump it on the kerb - apparently this is illegal is he lives there! I also got a talking to for popping a bloke in the eye because he wouldn't stop kicking another person in the head whom he had knocked to the ground. He tried to run away when the police came but they got him and he actually tried to get me arrested!!!  Now I don't want you to think I am this violent crazy woman, I just really hate bullies and that passion thing I mentioned earlier can bring out the inner superwoman - and she gets me into trouble ALL the time! LOL
  8. This weekend I will: treat the next five days off as a mini holiday. I will begin weight watchers. I will take my family bowling and we might go for a country drive. I will begin a to seriously make an effort to return to a non-smoker status. I will get some exercise and work on my terribly run down state.  My wonderful hubby comes home from NZ tomorrow so I plan to smooch a lot too!

I'll be back soon, promise!

Thank you to all those who have emailed me asking my whereabouts....it is so lovely to be cared about! xxxx I have been busy busy busy!  Parenting solo - but I have been busy crafting and have lots of things to show you all very soon!