Those funny feelings...

Some pictures from our weekend

- impromptu swim at the beach- 

- checking the tent wasn't mouldy...camping next weekend- 

- homemade bread - thanks to my friend Meagan for her yummy recipe - 

- free ranging (shy) little chicks -

- the view out my favourite kitchen window- 

- lots of funny feelings in my tummy....I'm expecting another little one in June. There is something so comforting when you feel those first little movements, don't you think? - 

I also had some time on Saturday to craft (such a treat) and have added a few more items to my ETSY shop - I'd love to know what you think

...

   

hope you had a great one too

...

My sewing table....

I finished off this little doll on our recent farm stay holiday (I hope to share some pictures soon)

She is mix of many techniques that I have learnt over the past year. The body itself was constructed using a little pattern from Carla de Jong. Carla makes all her dolls by hand (no sewing machine!) and I can say that this little doll is no different. It actually isn't as crazy as it sounds......I find cotton/bamboo velour very hard to sew on the machine as it moves so easily, so by hand was much easier. 

Thanks to the very talented Shannon for the inspiration for the little dress :)

I tried a new technique for her hair

I have just started crocheting Molly another wig (hair)....the first was my very first attempt of crochet and is a little holey.  

More peg dolls. I have just opened my ETSY store, currently only one item for sale, however exciting none the less. I hope to add more of the things I make and a few little kits soon. Currently working on some butterfly peg people (inspired by these ones I made for a swap a while back). 

I am also in the middle of creating a little felt chicken pattern.....I hope to share a tutorial with you once I have finished. 

x 

Little chicks

After many months of thinking about it and then thinking against it, WE GOT CHICKENS! 

We decided to buy 7 week old chicks so that we could raise them 'organically' before they begin to lay eggs - to ensure our eggs were as nutritious as possible.  Usually chickens (well these chickens) begin to lay around 22 weeks, so it looks like our fresh eggs are a little way off...... 

Here are our girls......four little red(ish) hens and two little black ones......all yet to be named. They are hybrids - the red ones, a cross between a Rhode Island Red and a White leghorn and the black ones, a cross between a Rhode Island Red and an Australorp.

Although I had wanted my other half to build the coup, he decided that the materials would cost more than purchasing an 'IKEA' style flat packed coup, which was apparently ergonomically designed for chickens ;)

So we ended up with this very fancy looking chicken cage......my dad (who lives in the 'bush'), is looking forward to showing his mates what city chicks live in! 

A homemade wooden hand rail the perfect height for our little one to go up and down and visit the chicks 

 Thanks Sal, Mel and Shannon for all the advice

If you have chickens and any advice or tips.....please do share :)

Thankful

:for freshly squeezed organic oranges:

:delicious beetroot, goats curd and toasted sesame seed salad:

:evening meal with my sweet girl with candlelight: 

Reading list....food for thought

Over the past few months I have been doing lots of research and lots of reading. 

Some books I suggest reading if you are interested in health 

(and raising healthy children):

Deep Nutrition: why your genes need traditional food - Catherine Shanahan 

Primal Body Primal Mind, beyond the Paleo diet - Nora Gedgaudas 

Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Diet, Weight Control and Disease - Gary Taubes

The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability - Lierre Keith 

If all this is a little daunting - the below is a perfect start, quick and easy to read...... 

I quit sugar - Sarah Wilson (E-book) 

I also cannot recommend this more...even if you're not pregnant, it is a great introduction and easy to read:

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby's First Foods - Nina Planck 

Some great blogs:

The Nutritionist Coach (Living in the Sunshine) 

OVVIO organics

Sarah Wilson

Since making changes to our diet based on the information found in the above resources, I can say our family is thriving. My dad recently converted from 30 years as a vegetarian to eating meat (grass fed organic meat) - after reading Primal Body Primal Mind and the Vegetarian Myth.

Just some food for thought.

 -

Catching up....