D.I.Y: embroidery hoop wall art.

Pretty simple right?

Just take a group of various sized embroidery hoops and stretch a colourful collection of fabrics over them all.

(As you can see.. I still have to glue the raw edges around the backs of the hoops.. oops!)

Then lay the hoops on the floor first to get a pleasing arrangement... or just keep filling the wall with nail holes, whatever your style is!

A fun punch of colour and pattern to any space.

Here's a couple other inspirations too... this and this! 

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For those of you wondering, we just created this play nook for the kids in the corner of our Living Room.  Yes, where the massive T.V stand used to be... what a great purge.

No more T.V, stereo, clutter, junk, stuff, etc!

Upon seeing this blank wall space I said to the hubs:

"I should fill that with fabric hoops"

To which he replied:

"Of course you should, heaven forbid there's an empty space for more than five minutes around here"!

 Oh, the dry wit... but really, he's a very patient 'minimalist' in light of my decor style.

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Hoop you have fun creating your own colourful corner!

Mel ;o)

[M.M.21] mama's mode/mood:

Welcome back to Monday Mamalogues, friends!

'Linking up to share the beauty and breakdowns of motherhood'. 

I'm not proud of every moment as a mama.

Sometimes I'm just a hot mess.

I lose my patience, I fuss, I fume.
And as that crazy old saying goes: "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy".

Because parenting doesn't come easy.

There are moments that will strain and stretch you.
And if you're already battling sleep-deprived exhaustion, you'll feel ready to snap.

For me.. it's that cry-whine my kids have mastered.

You know, when they don't get their slice of life cut exactly to their liking.

The squeals that are unleashed... like fifty knives scratching down a chalkboard.

My eye starts twitching, my blood starts boiling.

I want to throw something very, very far.

Now, as of yet, I'm not a yeller.

But I can seethe the words out through my gritted teeth with such a snarl somedays.

"That's ENOUGH whining... I don't understand you when you WHINE... STOP it!!" I'll spit.

(If you're not a mama, you'll likely think me impatient... but if you have a kid, you know these graceless moments checker our day-to-day parenting).

 These are the scary moments that reveal our true heart condition.

Whether you're a parent or not, we all have sponge-like hearts.

 The stresses, angers and frustrations of life squeeze out our true attitude.

That statement kind of scares me... because I don't like what I see in my own heart.

I don't like how easy it is for me to start seething inside.
Or how quickly I give in to a bad mood or pity party.

Especially on Sunday mornings!

The day we're (trying) to get ready to meet with our church family and praise God... is the morning I feel most frustrated, exasperated, rushed, angry and exhausted.

My heart is like a rumpled heap of dirty laundry... and I get overwhelmed by the thought of tucking it all in and pretending it's pretty with the crowds.

Yesterday was no exception.
Despite coming home encouraged by a great message, the dam quickly broke in my heart, spilling out all sorts of frustration and anger... when the kids wouldn't go down for their naps according to my *schedule... my plan* (especially since I really wanted to nap myself!).
Exasperated I sat at the table, fuming.
All the while wondering why my heart is so fickle to love and rage like this.
Then I saw this raw post packed with truths (worth the read!), 
and then I hear this:
"A comforting theme throughout the Bible is that God is not near the sufficient, but the broken and desperate heart that has come to an end in itself".

And I am reminded afresh that this is not just about me.
Striving, straining, stressing to be the Mom that can 'handle' it.
  I'm reminded that we mamas are the 'mood setters' for our home.
Is my nest charged with exasperation of celebration?

So, in my mess, in my brokenness.. I can be encouraged.
I am in the perfect place to let Christ's love and strength work through me.
When the squeezes of life grip my heart...
...may those Living waters flow out.

Day by day I keep learning the lesson afresh,
mama Mel ;o)

What mood do you set for your home?
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A.musing.mama! 1.7

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Yep, I'm guilty of this all too often.

Spinning around the house like a Tasmanian devil.

Whirling through the loads of laundry, 

Splashing through the dirty dishes,

Reading various books, er.. blogs.

Holding one kid, then cuddling another....

Yes, that sweet wonder of a man can get lost in the daily chaos.

Do we even remember what eye colour our husband has?

It's a pretty crazy irony to stand at the altar and commit our life to someone, 

only to ignore them in the daily clutter of life.

And how often do we expend our energy on every other little thing in the day... and then give the depleted sag of a leftover lump to our man?

That just ain't right.

Let's make the time to sit across from each other and have some intentional 'eye contact' time.

To hear how each other are doing, for reals.

To drink our afternoon tea together.

To read, and pray together.

To laugh, to tease..

..and, stuff. 

For us, this time is only available in the afternoon.

When the baker man is *awake*.

While the kids nap.

Undistracted attention.

I savour this time of day.

So this one goes out to the one I love.

I'm looking at you Ben.. with those big gray-green eyes...like the colour of fog over a marsh.

Now, go stare at your man (but not in a creepy deranged way)!

Mel ;o)

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Want to catch up on previous 'true to life/motherhood' comics?  Click here!

hair razing.

Sooooo.. I just can't hack this whole 'grow your hair out' torture.

It was like trying to watch astroturf grow.

So, I decided to do a quick trim... and now it's all Pulp Fiction style again.

So, I decided to slap some leftover red dye... and here we are.

Let's just buzz it off and try again, shall we?

Samson and I are polar opposites... hair is my *weakness*.

the red head,

Mel ;o)

 

a list of happy things:

+ paint palettes.

+ summer skirts.

+ new leather sandals.

+ pretty pink peonies.
 

+ snuggling children.

+ dinner ready.

+ quiet times reading/praying.

+ friends who 'get' me.

+ family.

+ chocolate cake.

+ colourful fabric.

+ new wedding band!

***

Just a few of the highlights of my week so far, and how goes yours?

Oh, and yes.. I ordered a new wedding band since I seem to have lost misplaced my chunky big amber one (for the past year)!  I love these stacking, spinner, 'meditation' rings I've seen lately.  Opted to get a frugal version of it from Etsy... and it's a beauty.

Three spinning rings within it (silver and copper).

"A cord of three strands is not quickly broken"

Ecclesiastes 4:12

 You may have guessed I'm not a 'diamond' type gal.

Keep it chunky, keep it weird... much like myself, thank you.

What's making you happy this week?

Mel ;o)

more summer sewing:

Hello again lovelies!

Recently I've been working on a few more little sewing projects, and thought I would show you the random assortment today.

The last post I showed you had some fun summer skirts... and I'm still at it:

Navy + white striped jersey cotton.

Extra material run through the waistline as the belt ties.

Of course it's hard to see the shape of the skirt when you pose if front of a growing garden... duh.

 So yeah, here you can see better.. I did that beloved 'mullet' skirt style that I love seeing every where right now (short at the front, party at the back, right?).  Fun!

(Not so fun.. Mr.Hudson going for the power sockets and answering machine buttons behind me.. again).

 I whipped this cute 'flapper' hat up for our daughter since they seem to have already lost the previous ones I made for them last summer.

I followed a pattern, but extended the brim.. (doubled it really) so she'd have a lot of sun protection, and look like a cute pirate with the flap way up there. 

 My sis-in-law has her birthday the week before mine.. so I sewed her a fun crafting bag/purse.

It's made with upholstery canvas.  And while I tried to follow a pattern, I am convinced the instructions were wrong... and after trying to re-read them frontwards and back.. I just decided to 'wing' it and use my own favourite bag as inspiration!

 Leopard sparkle print infinity scarf.

Saw this material and totally thought of my blogger bud... since it's jersey cotton I opted to make a quick scarf.  Um, for the record I attempted a new approach... sewing up the opposite ends before the length, and ended up with this mutation:

 A super long tube sock instead of an infinity scarf?!!

It's all good.. I can still wear it... and hide when I need to as well.. raaawwwwwr.

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Sew there you have it.

Any creations you've been working on out there?

Happy tuesday, I'm off to work at my paint store!

Mel ;o)

[M.M.20] imperfect parenting.

Welcome back to Monday Mamalogues:

'linking up to share the beauty and breakdowns of motherhood'.

Do you ever wonder if you have what it takes to be a good parent?

You know, to not screw up your kids completely?!

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Sometimes it feels like we're navigating ourselves through a gauntlet (read: guilt.let!).

We wonder if we are engaging our kids effectively enough.

Are they playful and social  - or are they the first one to bite the other kids?

We worry that we are getting enough nutrition in them.

Whether it's all organic - or macaroni and cheese!
Whether they use cloth diapers or disposable.
Attachment parenting or hyper scheduled.
Formual or breastfeed.
Homeschool, unschool, or pre-school
...the list goes on.. and on.. and on.
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At every step and stage of child rearing there are a thousand (differing) voices hollering:
"are you a good enough parent for your child??!"

And there's an ocean of books and opinions out there telling us how to 'best' parent, too.

We can find ourselves drowning in the choices and voices.
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It's good to be reminded right about now, that kids are resilient!
No matter how we succeed (or fail) throughout this parenting journey.. our kids are growing up into their own little personalities...
And you know what?  Your best is enough for them.
Perfection is not required of you.

(Granted, that 'coming-of-age' moment when you first realize that your own parents don't have ALL the answers in the world.. is a bit shocking).

But now, as I look back, it seems that the best impact a parent can have is through a role of loving availability to their child.
(For me - that love is the outflow of holding to the God of love).
Not perfection, not all the answers.
Just being there.
In all our mess, in all our weakness.
Living out love.
One day at a time.

You're doing a good job mamas.

*What's one of the best lessons your childhood taught you?*

mama Mel ;o)