the not so lovely

Today we witnessed something truly and utterly disturbing. It was something that I have witnessed before, but had wished my children to be sheltered from forever. 

How does one explain domestic violence to a six and a three year old?

Just up the road from our school, while buckling my kids into the car,  a young boy, about 12, was involved in a horrendous and violent argument with his much older sister.

Every fibre of my body was torn, and that sick feeling of uselessness is still nestled deep in the pit of my stomach. I so wanted to help this boy, who was sobbing through obscenities. His adolescent frame was hunched on the ground, cowering over his fallen bike. 

I wanted to help him, but I could not move. For moving left my own children vulnerable. I buckled them in, closed the doors and watched, making sure that my presence was felt and that it would somehow curb the fury.

The police arrived, but the boy had become extremely aggressive. He was filled with the rage of a grown man. His young face distorted, his muscles tense, hands clenched. 

How does a child come to know that kind of rage?

The boy was running up and down the road, two policemen fencing him in while another came to take my details. I told him that I had not seen the argument start, but the boy had taken a 'flogging.'

The mans response stunned me.

'I doubt the boy is blameless,' he said. 'He's known to us.'

What does that mean exactly? That he has made some mistakes and deserves to be beaten? That he is somehow responsible for his actions, or reactions, even though he doesn't yet have the capacity to think as an adult?

While giving my details the boys parents arrived. His mother stepped from the beaten up car and started screaming words that have no place in any language.

And while hearing these words flying between mother and son, and father and sister, all that was left for me to hear was the resounding story that was left floating in the spaces between.

Tonight I feel so, so, sad. Somewhere in my little town is a boy who has had his life stolen. Had his choices peeled from around him, by the people who are supposed to love him and nurture him.

steiner v's state

Well, it seems as though we have decided to take our son out of state school and enrol him into class one at the local Steiner school. 

Even though I know this is the right decision, I feel like such a traitor. His current school is such a lovely little school, he has some lovely friends, and I have made  some lovely friends, but in the end, it is what it is, and it isn't right for Daniel.

Then I think, I should stay and try to make a difference, to support the school and contribute to change. But when is that going to happen? I can't see it happening in the short term, when it is important for my children.

When will our leaders realise that our children are children, and stop treating them like little adults. Stop pushing academia on them. Let them learn at their own pace, and stop pressuring teachers into an unrealistic and unproductive curriculum. 

The change has to come from a national level. It seems to me that there is only so much one individual can change at a local level.

my creative space

It's that time of year again...

when I convince myself that even though I have struggled to do anything crafty all year, now I will miraculously be able to make all our christmas gifts.

So I have embarked on that journey, as mad and overwhelming as that may be, because in the end, even after all the late nights, it is so nice to give someone something you have made, with love.

The kids are in on the project to, although they seem to be lacking in enthusiasm already.

Pop over here for more crafty inspiration

Thanks to Roald Dahl's 'Georges Marvelous Medicine' my children are into mixing up all sorts of wonderful potions. I am terrified they will get to it and mix something dreadful while I am not looking, and then drink it, in hope of growing out through the roof of the house. Thanks Mr Dahl!

AHGGG

What is it about builders? I was warned and I didn't believe. They all told me, "watch out, they won't do what you want. They will do it their own way." But we talked to our builder. He seemed great. He was happy to do all the little things I wanted. Happy to use low VOC glue and recycled wood. Happy to follow the Specs. That's what he said.


But he didn't. He hasn't. None of the Tradie's have! They have all just gone off and done their own thing, and now are pissed off at me because I am making them do it again. If they had just done their job in the first place, it all would have been OK.


Oh what a naive fool am I.

my creative space

Who knew renovating could be so stressfull? OK. Everyone does! But honestly, I didn't excpect myself to be having anxiety attacks over light fittings.

Turns out I have very expensive taste and I guess that is what my anxiety attacks are really about. I'm not good at making decisions that are reasonably permanent and cost lots. I'm good at the easily changeable, cheap, op shop kind.

Of course it doesn't' help that I have two very distinct sides to my taste palette. There is the more eclectic, just a bit messy and chaotic side, which likes loud clashing colours, crazy mosaics and granny rugs. This is in competition with the super clean lined, minimalistic, neutral coloured designer in me.

So how then do I make the two huge enamelled green industrial shades I have work with the sleek brushed silver wall lights I have just ordered. I'm just going to throw it all in the pot and stir, so stay tuned! 

All in all it's all going well, perhaps a little slower than expected. It is extremely exciting to see it all taking shape.




For more creative spaces visit kootoyoo

my creative space

It's been a while since I've been here. During the craziness of trying to renovate in the wettest winter in years, children, writing a novel and life in general, the blog has slipped down the list of proirities. Actually, I need to write that list out soon and reorganise it. I suspect these are a few other things that could be bumped to the bottom, or removed altogether, like perhaps house work or picking up after other people.

My little girl turned three in August, and after much deliberation about what to giver her, with one week to go, and in a completely delusional state, I decided to make her a Steiner style doll. And I did it too!

I decided to make it with the kids, instead of keeping it a surprise, and I was amazed at how much they enjoyed the process. Eloise has an extra little bit of love for this doll, knowing that she had taken part in her conception. 

We are pretty proud of how Dolly turned out. She is made out of my old white nightie, dyed in tea - with some spices to give her a lovely aroma. The wool stuffing I had lurking in a box in a dark corner, under some other 'stuff', and the hair I had left over from a crochet project. We made up the pattern as we went along with thanks to many websites on the subject. I'll list them soon, for those who might be interested. The lovely dress was found in the local op shop, knitted by someone with love.

This was another project that I started a while ago. The green apple pants by 'mer-made-it' had been grown out of and I couldn't bear to let them go. So, out came the scissors and the needle. The waist was let out and then I crocheted some extra length on the bottom. 


The hilarious thing is that it got put aside for a little while. I did a few stitches here and there, and then it waited for me to sew the ends in. In the meantime Eloise grew, and she grew and she grew, and the pants only just come half way down her shins. She wil still get another spring out of them though. 

What are you up to this week? Play along at kootoyoo.

my creative space

As with many of you out there, we are experiencing a very wet and cold winter school holidays, so all my creative stuff at the moment is centred around the kids. We have been having such a lovely time. We did some very unsuccessful, but fun, wet wool felting, box creations, photography, drawing and yesterday we turned the kitchen into a potters paradise. Seriously, I think it is the messiest the kitchen has been for a long time and that is a serious statement.

 I had forgotten just how wonderful it is to play with clay. We did some really great faces and tomorrow, hopefully we will decorate them.

Daniel my 6 year old loves the camera and I think he has quite the eye. These are not just random. Every single shot he did had great composition - some a little blurry, but then so are most of my shots these days. It's hard work taking shots quickly when you hate using the flash! I do quite like blurry photos as well though. They really do seem to catch the essence of my life much more than sharp photos do.

pop over to kootoyoo to play along.