Chunky Crochet Blanket

Some months ago I took up crocheting and, as I tend to do, jumped in boots and all with the promise of a blanket for my sister Miss Boo. 

And then I discovered that crochet blankets take something I don't have in spades- patience and commitment. 

However, I am very, very pleased to be able to report my first blanket is finished!

Now, when I say blanket, it really is more of a lap quilt. The pattern I used is here.  I have altered the original pattern a little but I definitely have Chucks For Chancho to thank for inspiring my first finished major crochet project.

Cheers!
The Captain.

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Let Them Eat Cake!

First Mate turned 8 today (let's not even wonder about where those years have gone!) so it was decided that a Minecraft birthday cake was in order. 

I don't mind the whole 'kids birthday cake' thing to be honest. I'm pretty crafty and like a challenge so when the request came, I was happy to oblige. 

As with almost everything, I first turned to Pintrest for some creative inspiration. And I was not disappointed. 

It turns out that half the mothers in the world have been tasked with making Minecraft cakes and in true motherly style, have plastered their achievements all over social media. Because let's face it, no one will ever appreciate your efforts as much as another mother who had spent her night elbow deep in green icing, delicately carving the face of a Creeper out of chocolate twirls. 

I'd love to share the Pinterest pictures I used as inspiration for my cake but unfortunately I couldn't find the original sources to be able to give adequate credit to the original creators. 

Instead, please feel free to delight in the marvel that is First Mate's Minecraft birthday cake- a collaborative effort between myself and thousands of other Minecraft savvy mums from around the world!

And, just to do my bit for global cake making inspiration, here are a few other birthday cakes I've made over the years. 

Happy birthday First Mate!

The Captain.

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Yarn Bombing!

A few months ago I visited the local Education Campus, as I have done many times before, only to find this....

I'd heard of yarn bombing before but this was the first time I've seen it first hand. And can I tell you, I totally love it! How can you not smile when such beautiful craft work just pops up overnight somewhere completely unexpected.

Check out some of these gorgeous yarn bombs from all around the globe.

What an amazing way to spread joy around the community. Have you seen any gorgeous yarn bombing in your area?

The Captain.

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Teepee Treat

I am very blessed, that despite all things First Mate 'hates' about school, reading isn't one of them. He spends a great deal of time pouring over books of practically any genre and we are frequent flyers at the local book shop.

This is something I want to embrace and encourage.

My quirky little man also has a penchant for cosy little spaces. He is for ever dragging out sheets to build cubby houses and has a toy box full of blankets beside his bed which he uses to build his 'nest' every night before he goes to sleep.

Enter the new reading teepee I surprised First Mate with this afternoon. 

I'm totally in love with its cute design and bright colours.

And for just $19 at K Mart, how could I go wrong?

I couldn't wait to see the look on First Mate's face when he got home from school.

As an added surprise I picked up the new Minecraft book First Mate has been begging me for for a few weeks now.

Favourite books close at hand for cosy bedtime reading.

Surprise! A very happy First Mate dives in to immediately christen the new reading teepee.

I just love his passion for reading. What a teepee treat!

Yours from the trenches,

The Captain

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Op-shop hopping!!

So, some exciting news! My sister, Miss Boo, has literally come from the other side of the country to join First Mate and I in our sea change adventure. She's lived away from the family for several years now so needless to say I'm uber excited to have her back in close proximity.

Miss Boo and I are quite different individuals to say the least but one thing we do share is our love of op-shops.  We have started to suss out the best second hand stores around our new town. 

Half the fun of op-shopping is just checking out the weird and wonderful things that people have once owned, but we certainly enjoyed picking up some cute little bargains in the process.

How amazing is this beautiful organ.  We had an organ in the house when I was growing up but it was no where near as extravagant as this one! 

Such a sweet old sewing machine. Miss Boo just so happens to be in the market for a new sewing machine and had it actually worked I think the funky retro-ness (is that even a word?!) of this one might have proven too hard for her to resist.

However, we did each succumb to a vintage handbag.  Miss Boo models hers above and mine looks darling on my accessories ladder. Not bad for $4!

But my most exciting find was this gorgeous old solid timber cupboard for $50. I instantly fell in love with it's square shape and solid features. 

It's only taken me two days but I've finally managed to rearrange all my furniture to fit it into my house! 

You haven't heard the last of my new favourite wardrobe.......

Yours from the trenches,

The Captain.

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A sea change is as good as a holiday.

Sooo... let's just ignore the fact that I've neglected my poor blog for, oh, eight or so months.....

Let's pretend, for a moment, that the stresses and pressures of my crazy life didn't distract me from the diligent and witty recording of my everyday observations.

Let's get back on track......

First Mate and I have made a sea change.

After much deliberation and planning we've swapped the hustle and bustle of city life for the calm and quiet existence of a regional seaside town. A calculated risk that, so far, is definitely paying off for both of us.

Stay tuned for more correspondence from the (new) trenches.

The Captain.

 

Posted with Blogsy

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Who Am I Again?

Today is Father's Day, and probably a timely moment to talk about what life is like as a sole parent.  Not as a single parent who shares parenting responsibilities with an ex partner (and I'm not for one second pretending that is without it's difficulties), but a sole parent where the child's other parent, for whatever reason, is not part of the equation.

I've been a sole parent since very early on in my pregnancy. How that came about is a long story but the fact remains that, not by my choosing,  the First Mate and I have been on our own from day one.

Being a sole parent is hard. Is it necessarily harder than being any other type of parent? I couldn't tell you because I don't know any different. But this gig is tough and I'm always on the hunt for ways to make it easier.

You often hear single parents talk about having to be both Mum and Dad to their kids. It's very common for well meaning people to bestow their pity upon me for having to play both roles to my son.

Image from aquablutopia.blogspot.com.au

And for several years that's exactly how I felt. As though I had to try and be two different people, bring the same amount of love, energy, time, money, fun, attention, discipline, knowledge and resources into my household that two parents would be able to provide.

And I failed.

Because it's impossible.

I am only one person.

And while I'm busy trying to split myself down the middle to be best father to First Mate that I can be, I'm only able to be half the mother I need to be.

So at some point, I made the decision to stop trying to be a father. I will never, ever be able to do that.  Ever.

But I can be a mother.  First Mate deserves a whole mother, not half of one.  And I deserve to just be me, not half of me and half of some else. Because, believe me, that's exhausting.

So, to all the sole parents out there, give yourself permission to just be one person. It will help you become whole. xxx

The Captain. 

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This Little Piggy Goes to Market

I love markets.

I mean, I LUUUURVE markets. Barely a weekend goes by that I don't visit some kind of market, fair, stall or bazaar.

There is something about food, crafts and good old  trash 'n' treasure that brings the community converging into a melting pot of culture and language. Professions and socio-economic status don't apply as we collectively fill a bag of snow peas for $1.99.

There is something about being at the markets that makes people happy. Everyone you meet has a smile on their face and an interesting story to tell.

I don't know if  it's the aroma from the coffee van mixed with freshly cooked gyoza……

I don't know if it's the stunning vibrant colours at every twist and turn…..

Perhaps it's that crisp, instantly recognisable but indescribable smell of fresh fruit and vegetables…..

What ever it is, there is something about this assault on the senses that has the power to make this battle weary mum think she can handle anything!

What's your favourite local market?

The Captain.

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Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows- The Motherhood Fallacy

When you first laid eyes on your first born child did you get that overwhelming sense of undeniable love and adoration? Did you feel that you were suddenly made whole and that nothing could ever be as perfect as that little person they placed on your chest? When you brought them home from the hospital did you spend hours watching them, holding them, not wanting to let them out of your sight? Did you, despite the sleepless nights, just know that motherhood was the most amazing thing you had ever experienced in your whole entire life?

No, me neither.

This is how motherhood was sold to me. And to you too I bet. It's natural, it's beautiful. Yes, it's hard, but it's so rewarding and as soon as you meet your baby you will fall in such deep love that it will all be worth it. And the 3 am screaming, the pooplosions, the vomiting would all be forgotten every time you see your baby smile.

Well nearly 7  years on, I'm still waiting to experience this promised euphoria. And I don't think I'm the only one.

It is such a taboo in our culture to admit you don't readily take to being a mother. From such a young age we are bombarded with romantic  ideas that Motherhood comes naturally to you simply because you happen to be born a woman. That once the baby arrives, you will instinctively know what to do and how to handle every surreal parenting situation that should arise.

And who are the worst perpetrators of perpetuating this fallacy?

Other women.

I call this the Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows Effect.

Image from cautionredheadrunning.blogspot.com

Men don't talk up parenthood. You don't hear new dads saying to their friends "Mate, you so have to have baby. Seriously dude, it's the most amazing thing you'll ever do with your life. Just get her pregnant, don't worry about it man. When the baby comes, you'll just instinctively know how to be a good dad."

It doesn't happen.

But women, they will crap on until they are blue in the face about how wonderfully blissful it is to be a mother. How fulfilled their life is now. How they were nothing until they had that baby.

But have you ever tried admitting to another woman that you are struggling as a mum? That you haven't bonded with your baby? That you don't particularly draw any fulfilment out of this Motherhood caper? Well I have. And with the exception of my village (see this post), the response I generally get is that of shock, disapproval and such looks that I wondered if I had sprouted horns and a tail that I hadn't noticed.

You can't say that. You just don't talk about those kinds of things. Motherhood is Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows remember? Everyone else says so. Everyone else loves being a mother. Everyone else must be right. And I must be doing something wrong.

And even if someone feels the same way, chances are, she'll be too scared to admit it.

So ladies, we need to start talking about this. To each other. We need to stop perpetuating the fallacy and start having honest dialogue. Motherhood is hard. There was a 16th Century English Philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, who said that life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short". I think we can apply that to Motherhood… minus the short part :-)  Yes, there are many women who relish Motherhood and roll around in it like the proverbial pig in you-know-what. But I think there would be equal numbers of women who feel lost, lonely, regretful, overwhelmed and very detached from the screaming bundle of 'joy' writhing around in front of them.  And if they dare speak up about how they are feeling, instead of receiving the support they are so desperately crying out for, they are treated like lepers and cast out by their own kind.

The sisterhood really needs to step it up on this issue. Let's start talking about the good and the bad. The easy and the difficult. The fun and the heartbreaking. Let's be equally open about our mistakes, our downfalls, our fears and failures when it comes to Motherhood . Not to focus on the negative but to bring the balance back to realistic. If a woman is struggling with being a mother, she shouldn't need to feel ashamed or embarrassed, she should feel empowered to share her worries with a fellow mum. She shouldn't be treated as though she is unfeeling or unworthy, rather guided with compassion and understanding.

I know there will be ladies reading this who feel the same way as me. To you I say, you are not alone. You are not heartless. You are not less of a woman. You are not a bad mother. What you are doing is bloody hard. And if reading my post makes you feel just a little less lonely, a little less overwhelmed or a little more confident, then that is Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows to me!

So start talking ladies…..

The Captain.

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Morale Boosting #2

Back here I spoke about the importance of morale.  Here's a few things boosting my morale at the moment.

 Nutella Cupcakes

Just three ingredients folks!

No, I'm not kidding.

A friend posted them on Facebook and there was no way I wasn't trying those bad boys out.

These ones are straight out of my kitchen but head here for the original recipe.

New Rug

Gotta love the Rocklea Markets. 

My great new bargin rug brightens the place up a bit.

Auslan Books

So excited that my new Auslan books have arrived from Deaf Australia.

I learned Signed English many, many years ago but this year have been doing an Auslan course (Signed English and Auslan- not the same thing).

I'm loving feeling more and more confident with my Auslan communication skills.

New scarves

Another market bargain- five scarves for $20. How could I resist.

Especially after the First Mate reminded me to make sure I bought a black one, not just coloured ones because 'black goes with everything Mum'.

I love scarves.

I love scarves so much I might even devote an entire post to them.

Stay tuned for that :-)

What's boosting your morale today?

The Captain.

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