Puppet Theatre Craft Time

Puppet Theatre Craft Time
We had fun with this craft the other day - click on link below and find details ;)

All templates and instructions for this wonderful crafty idea available at Craft Projects.

Wedding cake with a difference ;)

I had an engagement party to go to on the weekend and (since we are building our house and renting at the moment) decided to get creative.

I used the following items and scored some real bargains to create a very pretty gift.
- 2 bath towels
- A scented candle
- Some body wash
- Some massage oil
- Heart shaped chocolates
- Wrapping paper
- Fabric ribbon
- A few long sewing pins
- Roll of clear cello
- Carboard scraps from around the house
1. Wrap some cardboard in wrapping paper as the base.
2. Cut some cardboard into a circle and affix with a stappler or a pin.
3. Unfold one of your towels and cover the round cardboard to form the bottom 'cake layer'.
4. Use two sewing pins to hold them in place (I used some with a pearly white head so it blended in).
5. Then using the second towel, roll it up and insert into the bottom layer and fiddle around with it so that it neatly fits creating the 'top cake layer'.
6. Wrap ribbon around the bottom layer and tie up to keep extra secure.
7. into the 'top layer' stuff some of the toiletries that you purchased.
8. Scatter the chocolates around.
9. Lay the finished 'cake' on to the clear cello and wrap up securing with matching ribbon.




The great thing about this gift is that as it is a hamper style, you can really suit any budget depending on the quality and quantity of items used. I managed to spend JUST less than $30 on this gift. However, it was easy to see how you could spend VERY close to (and probably more than) $100 if your budget allows.


Enjoy; Lauren x

Bugs, hills and sitting still : Developing masculinity in a feminine world.

Gen 18:19 "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."

As I grew up I had 2 brothers, now I am surrounded by boys again with a husband and 2 little boys in the house. It has become apparent to me that these days that the world is increasingly trending to a society that values feminine characteristics. We have seen how the “metro sexual” movement has affected the perception of male expectations of hygiene, dress code, behaviour etc... I believe the increase of the popularisation and glamorisation of the ‘male gay presence’ on TV has played a role in this being so prominent today (but that’s another story).

I am very aware that although my boys are 1 and 4 years old, I am conscience that I am raising future men and am sowing seeds for them as husbands and fathers and for them in their future friendships and in their careers whatever they maybe.

There is a great juxtaposition involved in raising boys that is becoming more evident to me every day and that is the challenge of balancing masculinity and sensitivity. Part of preparing them for success in life is to teach my boys good manners, how to be kind, to be sensitive to the things of the Spirit and how to have a soft heart for those people God places in their world. However, here is the challenge for parents today, to keep that soft nature but not by emasculating them and keeping that God given strength that was put into them intentionally by their maker.

God made us differently. He placed in men a different kind of strength than he did to women. And He did that intentionally. Sometimes we would love our boys to sit still, be quiet, not see the world as a giant playgym and take risk after risk without seeing the potential dangers that make a mummas heart skip a beat!

If you have EVER had a moment like that with your boy or boys, take comfort by looking at the big picture. God created an inner strength in his boys and this is necessary for them to develop into strong men for them to support, protect and stand up for their future families. I am grateful every day for the man God put into my path and made my husband. He personifies to me this balance of a soft heart for God’s people but a man with strength who looks after his family.
I am beyond grateful for him as a role model to my boys.

So, no matter what age your boys are, help them take risks every now and then. Let them be the hero and climb up that tree or that hill. Allow them to build the Godly characters of courage and strength. Let them run and use their energy and don’t freak out when they touch bugs (even though I can’t stand creepy crawlies). One day down the future, you will have a daughter in law that is grateful your boy will kill the bugs in the house!

Lauren x

Adorable Bunting

I know things have been a little quiet in bliogland lately.....I have had some big things on and am back for sure. Tonights post is dedicated to BUNTING! I am a little smitten with this stuff latley, whether its miniture paper bunting on a scrapbooking layout or fabric bunting to decorate a room/ event. Here are some pictures of this lovliness that just take my breath away for a second ;)

Who needs a living room?

I found this link on twitter through a retweet and was GOBSMACKED!!!! My boys would LOVE LOVE LOVE this to play with. Even if I could afford this incredible set up, I would need a spare room to put this baby (which they'd grow out of in a few years). BUT fun to dream right?!?!?

An outdoor playgym also by Cedar Works
(of course located in Maine- USA)

Banana Cake Recipe

This recipe was requested to be blogged, so here it is. It is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee and a chat with a friend :)

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mashed banana (you will need 2 large, very ripe bananas)
• 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease base and sides of a cake tin.
   

2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Gently fold in sour cream and bananas. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda over batter and gently fold through.

3. Spoon batter into cake pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. I cooled mine overnight in the tin and popped it out the next morning. It came out perfectly :)

Lauren x

Family Creed

I saw this image on the blog "This Blessed Nest" and LOVED the idea of having a family creed or similar up for display. It started me thinking about things I would add or subtract. I wonder what would be on the wall in your house?



You could do it another way than Vinyl, but here are some of these places for vinyl wall lettering I found:
- Sticky Words (US company but have ordered from them before).
- Cool Art Vinyl (Australian)


Lauren x

Healthy Dinner Idea : Fish Parcels

I bought some frozen and skinless fish fillets the other day in my grocery shop. They cost me $12 but would last 3 meals, which is good value in my books. So I turned two fillets into a delicious meal as follows. Like alot my cooking, I make it up as I go and you can alter the ratios to your taste.

Ingredients:

Grated ginger
1 Finely chopped chilli
4 chopped fresh garlic
zest and juice of half a lemon
zest and juice of a lime
2 slices of lime and lemon
1 bunch of corriander chopped (even using teh stalks and roots)
salt and pepper
olive oil


Method:
1. Lay out a sheet of foil and then a sheet of baking paper on top of the foil per person.
2. Lay out the above ingredients on to the centre of the foil and then place the fish fillet on top.
3. Wrap the parcel up and seal.
4. Bake in a preheated 200' oven for about 10-15 mins.

I decided to serve it with a stirfry. Mix some bok choy, chilli, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, red onion, sesame seeds, salt, pepper, lemon juice and lime juice in a bowl. Heat up a wok or frying pan and then stir fry for a minute or too, just until the bok choy is a little tender but still crisp.

We just loved this dinner and felt so healthy after eating it, I definitley recommend it :)

Lauren x

Product Review ::: from Boys Germs

Here are a few of my favourite finds from a wonderful website called "Boys Germs". Have a browse and I hope you like these awesome products like I did ;)

Personalised Name Light from mylight from about $140 (different options available).





Not your average blocks from A + R for US$158.

Gumboots from Little Elk $49.95

Dorothy 'mini' lamp from Lilly and Lolly $145

Bubble Clox from Lilly and Lolly $39.95

Tyre wheel and wrench spoon from Wrenchware US$19

Table and Chairs Set from Hip Kids for $110

Enjoy;
Lauren x

Chalkboards

Unusual and quirky interior design/ decorating fascinates me. I found these pictures and had to share cause I thought it was a cool idea. The idea of having a chalkboard in a kitchen, especially a wall sized one captured my attention! How awesome would that be!

Lauren x

Cherish the Moment

This weekend we took our kids to a park by a beautiful river and shared a lovely sunny winters afternoon. My darling Hubby caught this picture and I love it. It just reminded me how special my family is to me and that in our busy lives, it is so important to take time out and have a 'go fly a kite' moment with your loved ones!