Just lay back and relax

I have not mentioned before but I am in love with yoga! Tuesday nights is by one night a week where I know I will get some dedicated me time, I am also very lucky to have a very inspiring yoga teacher that lives in my village. I if you are familiar with yoga classes you will know that there are moments of relaxation and breathing, Vivian hands out eye cover that are scented with lavender and they work wonders! I have thought how boring they are in the navy blue so I have made a batch of my own to sell to the ladies of my class, and also put some of the money towards the natural play toddlers group they I run. They are amazingly easy to make up from scraps, I'm not going to tell you how, but I recommend giving them ago even if your not into yoga. x x

Steiner inpired table top puppets.

I would like to share my first table top puppet. I have made it by hand which was really enjoyable as I do tend to use my sewing machine alot, this gave it a real sense of slow creation, time and thought. Puppetry is such a wonderful way for children to be imaginative and use a medium to express themselves. Puppets are just so entertaining, colourful and fluid with wonderful stories that to be introduced to this at an early age is a great gift. The fact that this style of puppet is accessible for the very young too. I enjoyed this so much I am planning to make more, soon!

DRESSMAKING join the go slow clothes movement

DRESSMAKING join the go slow clothes movement

I would like to invite you all to join me in the Go Slow Clothes Movement. This is simply aims to celebrate and support those that make or refashion your own clothes. By making or refashioning we are  breaking the curse of fast fashion which actually comes at a price to the environment and those that work within the industry. We are also celebrating the fact that we are not all a standard shape and by making our own clothes we are able to look good in clothes that fit properly. Finally if you make you love, which means are clothes are cared for and last longer which is a positive outcome in a material/ throw away society. I have created gadget/ picture, please feel free to put it on your own blog to show your support, just remember to mention this blog. There is also a go slow clothes group on flickr.com to join and share photos (only one photo per day please).
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1721158@N23/

Thankyou for your support.

Also feel free to come and visit my other blog charlottesewfarsewgood.blogspot.com, yes you've guessed it it's about my sewing journey that I started in Jan this year.

Letting Go

There are many parenting blogs and a lot of them relate to babes in arms. As much as I love to read about this time in your lives (as it doesn’t feel that long ago my youngest son is now two.) I thought I would like to share some of my feelings towards my eldest son Luke.

Luke will be seventeen in a few weeks time and in many ways I feel I am well practiced at letting go, or at least I’ve made a few steps in the right direction.

One of the biggest steps since starting school, sleeping over at friends or staying with a relative for a few days was that Luke decided he wanted to live with his father full time. Although many people said this must have been really hard for me the truth is, that it wasn’t. Luke would only live a few miles away and I knew that it was what he truly wanted, he had always been so very close to his father and he had found our parting a few years previously difficult. I also knew that he was going where he would be loved and cared for and he could always come home whenever he wanted.

Another step was when Luke started sleeping out. Amongst his friends here in Devon it is popular to ‘camp’ out or party! Again this step felt natural, I was confidant in Luke’s ability to camp sensibly and respect the area in which he used. He had been a member of Woodcraft Folk for many years. Yes there are the dark thoughts of them drinking or dabbling in substances, but again I really believe this is apart of growing up. As long as you are open, give plenty of up to date information and make it clear that it’s OK to contact you and talk about it that hopefully the darkness of this area will not take over.

‘So what part of letting go worries you?’ I hear you ask. Well even though Luke is growing up, he has left school and attends a local college, now he needs a job! When I was feeling strong and positive and I was able to give him an opportunity that would be so very exciting. A chap I knew ran market stalls at the festivals and he needed staff. Luke was to join a team and be paid for his trouble; Luke was overjoyed his first working destination is to be Glastonbury!!

The biggest music festival in the UK, one of the most famous festivals in the world, tickets sell out in hours, the site is as big as a local city, and Luke is on his way.

The good points to this experience, is that it is an amazing experience for a young man who loves music.

He thinks his mum is cool for organising it.

He will be earning money to save for the Apple Mac he needs for his music course.

The likelihood is that he will be able to do this summer work for years to come.

Festivals are wonderful places to be (Luke is no stranger to this environment).

But on the flip is a mother finding hard to let go.

If you have been to festivals, you will know there are always ‘casualties’ and I would hate for Luke to be one of those, having over done it feeling lost and alone.

Working away from your home environment can be hard.

What if rains all the time (this is a high possibility), my mothering instincts to keep him warm, dry and fed are all left at home.

Festivals are where people feel free to act in the extreme, I hope he cope with this on his own.

I hope his boss will look after home well.

Although I am immensely proud of my son and have actively encouraged him to do this to me this is the hardest part of letting go I have experienced yet.

So this time next week Luke will be at Glastonbury festival. I wish him luck and love, I hope he works hard has fun but comes home safe and with stories of adventure.

Juno magazine, a review.

 Juno magazine, a review.

Juno magazine states its aims are to enrich family life and relationships by encouraging reflection, self acceptance and peaceful parenting, building a sense of community and celebrating the roles as parenting and homemaking, with all of the associated joys and challenges.

I think it does this pretty well! I wait in desperation for my next copy to come in the post, this can feel like a long time as it is only published three times a year.
It is the best parenting magazine around by far. It supports parents/ carers who want to enrich our children's lives, with understanding there are obstacles and difficulties which they don't shy way from discussing. Juno celebrates the alternative without being judgemental, I enjoy reading different points of view without feeling that I must conform.
 I feel there is a real sense of community as well, it encourages readers to become writers (if you are successful you get a years subscription). Of course there are regular feature, columns and refreshing articles that link with the well known ( steve Biddulph in spring 2011 issue)
It really is worth a look, there web site is also good has plenty of older articles to re read, and an option to purchase just the one trial copy, or get a load of back issues!!

Hello

This is the first post on my new blog! I would like to welcome anyone who would like to join me and share views on family life in all shapes and forms.
I am not a religious woman but love and respect our earth in which I have a spiritual understanding.
I believe in the great outdoors and creativity.
I wish I had more time to per sue the hundreds of interests I have.
I parent in my way, although I am influenced by countless people. My family are special and I always strive for them!
Welcome. x x x