se7en

It has been a while since I had a little girl who was wild about fairies and since fairy parties were the order of the day… everyday!!!

But suddenly this past summer we had two small girls of just the right age: the moment between everything being just too tricky for little hands and too big for everything to be magical had to be captured!!!

So cakes of fairies…

And fairy cakes have been the order of the day…

This was the summer I knew we had to get into reading about fairies and doing fairy stuff… So we began where we always begin… with a couple of classic books…

1. We didn’t just read the water babies, we got totally into this one and we listened to the audible book and eventually watched the movie. Walking past any puddle of water, every drip, every drop will never be the same again!!!

2. Pookie is a small rabbit with wings… a classic bunny fairy – too sweet for words and settled in our hearts!!!

3. Cecily Mary Barker has written simply the most captivating fairy stories… and her illustrations are so incredible, it is hard to believe that there isn’t a fairy behind every cluster of berries.

4. We have had various books within books and collections of Flower Fairy books from the library, each week throughout the summer.

5. Peter Pan, oh Peter Pan is a family favorite!!! You have to read the real thing… no shortened versions or cartoon will do… the real thing is magical!!!

6. We found Betty Bib quite by accident, in the bargain bin!!! Well what a find!!! Her books are delightful collections of crafts and recipes and stories and poems and well everything fairy-ish… Delightful doesn’t even begin to cover it!!!

7. Of course the Faraway tree because lets be honest no childhood is complete without these tales…


And the se7en + 1th Books:

8. And if you are looking for sweet and delightful fairy craftiness then you can not beat Usborne books… really!!!

A lot of fairies have been made…

But the most fun we have had after reading all these fairy books is the possibility that there is a whole world of fairies just waiting for us to discover… many a fairy walk has ensued… Armed with a little evidence in my pockets, we found traces of fairies all over the show.

Well not everywhere…

Some places, no matter how hard we looked, there was no evidence of them. Though we knew they were about…

We knew they must be at the waterfall…

Hang on… we missed something…

And what about here… did we disturb some early morning tea?

Or a meeting amongst the ferns?

Could there possibly be seaside fairies…

Definitely something was happening between the bamboo shoots…

But wait… there’s more!!!

Fairy evidence abounds…

You just need to know where to look for it!!!

Another meeting…

Had they left their Christmas decorations up?

What about here…

Hang on…

Was this a grand entrance…

Of the little variety…

And a spa!!!

Just so you know… they are everywhere!!! We definitely had a summer of fairy fun!!!

You know how important it is to read great biographies and you know how from time to time we have recommended brilliant biographies of great christian heroes for children. Well a huge number of the christian biographies that my kids have read have been written by one particular author, Irene Howat. When Christian Focus 4 Kids asked if would like to interview Irene Howat we were bowled away with excitement and jumped at the chance.

1. We have so enjoyed your books but we don’t know you at all, can you tell us something about yourself? Where do you live, what do you like doing? Do you live with family? Do you have a favorite book?

I’m married to Angus and we live in a village in Ayrshire on the west of Scotland. We have a cat called Topsy and a Labrador dog named Sheba. Angus was a minister and he is now retired – but still working. I like painting, reading, pottering in the garden and cooking. I have lots of favorite books but probably my most favorite one just now is a little book of poems entitled Through Stone. They were written by a friend of mine called Evangeline Paterson. She is now with Jesus.


2. When did you know that you would be a writer? Did you always know or was there a life event that compelled you to write?

I have written for as long as I can remember. I’ve also painted for as long as I can remember. Since I was a girl I have had difficulty walking. In 1986 the problem became very bad and for a time I was unable to walk at all. I now use crutches. But that was the life event that made me sit down and start writing seriously.


3. Where do you find your inspiration and how do you keep track of your ideas?

People are my inspiration – both the people I write about and the people I write for. I keep track of my ideas on the computer.


4. How do you select the people you write about? Do you have a special yearning to know more about a particular person? or Do you have a long list that you are working through?

I usually start by thinking of a subject, e.g. prayer, and then try to think of people who are good examples, e.g. George Muller and prayer. Sometimes I have to do quite a lot of research to find people to fit the subject.


5. How do you do your research? Where do you find the background information about the people you write about? Do you use the internet or books… Do you ever get to explore the real artifacts like diaries and letters from the past?

I use books and the Internet and, yes, sometimes real artifacts. I like visiting historic places and seeing documents for myself. For example, I’ve visited the church where Robert Murray McCheyne was minister and seen the pulpit from which he preached. I’ve also stood outside the house where he was born and the house where he lived as a young person.


6. How do you do your writing? Do you work randomly when inspired or do you work on a schedule? Do you write on a computer or do you write it out on paper first?

I work to a schedule or I would never work at all! I work two parts of the day, either morning and evening or morning and afternoon. Morning isn’t a full morning as I start after coffee time.


7. Do you have a special place that you work at home or in an office, at a desk or the couch? Could you describe where you work?

Yes, I do have a special place to work. I have a study upstairs in our home. It is a little room with worktops round two sides. As well as my desk chair there is a comfy chair – for the dog or the cat, whichever of them gets there first! I have a full bookcase in one corner and lots of box files, on for each project. There is also an exercise bike to help keep me fit! When I look out of my study window I see fields with either cows or sheep, depending on the time of year.



And the Se7en + 1th Question…

8. How did you become a Christian?

I became a Christian when I was 16 years old. I wasn’t brought up in a Christian home but I had an aunt and cousin who were Christians and who loved me very much. It was through their love of Jesus that I came to faith.

We so enjoyed interviewing Irene Howat and learning a few truths about the life and times of one of our favorite authors!!! Thank you Irene for answering our questions, and the questions within the questions, so thoroughly!!! And thank you Christian Focus 4 Kids for the wonderful opportunity!!!

Yes I received a pile of artworks on my keyboard today… and I wasn’t actually intending to post another gallery for you all, but I have to share this poem by one of my hoods… And a post has to be illustrated – so thats me… followed by a poem for the mothers of this world.

Mothers are fantastic things
They rule like queens and not like kings.

They wash and cook and scrub and clean –
They’re almost like some tough machine.

They read you books, they tell you tails
Of hippopotami and snails.

They take us out on curious trips,
In ancient cars and dodgy ships.

They teach us what we need to know,
And get us where we need to go.

Every mother has some kids,
They know how much by counting heads.

Some have two or three or four,
Some have less and some more.

So you can see quite plainly that mothers help a lot…
If we were left without them, we would surely rot.

After three years of a thriving keyhole garden we had a serious crop fail!!! Not only did our plants fail to thrive but they were eaten alive. Followed by a young man in a plaster cast for weeks and no trips out into the garden to grub around, for obvious reason. It was time to get some garden inspiration. When I heard that the Matt Allison was getting a new vegetable garden growing for the Foodbarn Deli up the road I knew it was time for us to make a visit and get some professional inspiration!!!

And just who is Matt Allison, he is an urban farmer, and a dad and a blogger in Cape Town!!! You all know that we live with a Jamie Oliver fan and I was browsing around as one does and discovered his first blog: I’m no Jamie Oliver… Only to discover that he had has a new fabulous design/garden/project/lovely to look at blog called: Curate This Space. Here he is in action…

And this is what he had to say:

Planting Thoughts started in 2010 when Matt Allison began growing food at home in planters as part of the growing global urban farming movement. Currently we manage, service and farm over an acre of arable land on various urban farms around the greater Cape Town area. The produce we grow is made available to local communities through our CSA, providing both the public and local eateries with fresh, seasonally grown food. We also offer opportunities to bring urbanites closer to their food through our volunteer program and offer support to consumers and chefs alike through a range of educational workshops. To keep up to date with what we are doing follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

So we asked him a couple of questions:

1. Was there a trigger in your life that got you gardening or were you always a gardener?

Yes, when our young son Nathan was born I started to evaluate our eating habits now that I’d be responsible for another life other than my wife’s and mine. We started eating healthier meals, which led to growing our own food.

2. If you had to eat one genre of food forever what would it be?

Gosh, that’s a tough one! I’d probably choose Italian food, it’s simple, rustic and they let the ingredients speak for themselves.

3. Is there one book that stands out from all the other books in your life?

I’m constantly reading and taking in new knowledge, but I guess in relation to our current change of life choices with regards to food, Michael Pollan’s ‘The Omnivores Dilema’.

4. You are what you eat. Do you prefer chili or chocolate?

Both! Covering a fillet steak.

5. If you could take a month off, anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Probably somewhere in rural Scandinavia living in a cottage in the woods amongst the birch trees.

6. Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall… What’s your favorite and why?

For planting Summer because of the selection of vegetables, but Winter for that ‘stay at home with a roaring fire with family’ feeling.

7. If you suddenly had an afternoon free to do whatever you liked what would you do?

Rifle through the goods at a car boot or thrift store.



And the se7en + 1th question… should be a gardening question:

8. If someone only had time and space for a “one pot farm” then what would you suggest they plant?

Lettuces, Asian greens and herbs like basil, thyme, chives and marjoram.

Meanwhile, we looked and learnt…

Se7en + 1 gardening tips my gang learnt and popped into their journals:

1. Feed your garden with compost and good garden soil.
2. Rotate your crops often.
3. Plant together: corn (and sunflowers)/beans/squash – these are called the three sisters.
4. Don’t plant your plants too close together.
5. Some plants are seasonal.
6. Keep the chickens out of your vegetable garden.
7. Wear comfy clothes, it is hot work gardening – even on cold days.

And the se7en + 1th tip…

8. The only way to keep bugs at bay is to be vigilant.

We were totally inspired by all the hard work…

And the rows of planting…

And we wish them all the best with their gardening adventure up the road… which is on a much larger scale than our own!!!

Thanks again to Matt Allison for his time and patience and willingness to share his knowledge with my team of potential farmers!!! And of course we are all fired up and inspired to get our Winter Vegi garden into action!!!

Welcome to our Friday Fun… Here are our fun links from around the web this week, not to mention slow progress on the dreaded garage…

1. In remembrance of Maurice Sendak… and you know how we love those Wild Things so much!!! It wouldn’t be right not to mention the passing of Maurice Sendak this week. Publishers Weekly had an excellent post.
2. If you don’t follow Shaun Groves then you should!!! He is among other things a blogger that writes for Compassion International. Right now he is in Tanzania and I loved this post he wrote on Simple Kids this week: Six Things Adoption Has Taught Me.
3. How did I not now – where have I been… Apartment Therapy has a new Out Door Channel… How totally cool is that!!! Packed with great goodies and inspiration…
4. If you aren’t on instagram… you should be!!! It is fast, it is fun and I have found it to be a wonderfully supportive community. You can find us at se7en_hoods… but don’t look for us, head straight for these guys… I know you want to: 15 best instagram accounts for food lovers from Bon Appetit. If you like good food you will love lots of these!!!
5. And I know you need something crafty to look at… I totally loved this: Mini-viewer… on Bloesom Kids…
6. Not to mention these totally adorable cars on Krokatak – eraser cars… Those little cars leave me so vehicle inspired… expect some sort of vehicle project really soon!!!

7. It is time for The Magic Onion’s annual Fairy Garden Contest… Such cute fun… even if you don’t make one head for the posts that have linked up… loveliness!!! We maybe unable to resist!!!

And the se7en + 1th Thing…


8. I wrote about our hesitant start on the Great Garage Challenge last week… I got such a great response from all of you that I really had to do something. I will mention that progress is extremely slow… slower than that… But Week 2… is in progress and it is no longer a blessed thought and is requiring some action.

I believe emptying it out is the place to start…




A pile of donatables… We do not need beach chairs!!! We live at the beach – we don’t sit there!!! Anyway I did get hold of a telephone number for someone who may take everything, so I am optimistic about that…



A pile of boxes… because the father person loves to keep the packaging and will think nothing of returning an item to a store ten years down the line… in its original packaging!!! Many boxes can be moved along to the land of recycling, simply because we no longer have the item that was once in there…

A pile of punctured bikes… time for my kids to master the art of tyre repair… lots of it… I am hoping to have a well stacked bike rack, with road worthy bikes by the time this series is over!!!

So it is a work in progress… Its not that nothing has happened, things are getting sorted. I guess what I don’t like about is that I want company with this project and NOBODY wants to help me!!! I know why – I am too mean!!! I want it done just so: No keeping stuff for a rainy day; if a project hasn’t been attempted in a number of YEARS… then move it on; kitchen cupboards that we never intend to mend… must be moved on. I live with a family of “just-in-case-ers.” I stand alone. Me against the garage monster. I am not the bravest adventurer… but I think when I have a pile of stuff actually gone I will feel so encouraged… today the boxes we don’t need will be flattened for recycling and on Monday I must organize to have the stuff to donate removed. Meanwhile, send ice-cream: crates of it… It is the only way I will get through this!!!

Meanwhile, I have an awesome Saturday Spot and Sunday Snippet this week… all ready and good to post… You have to come back and read them, I know you are going to love them!!! That’s us… Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!!

It’s a lazy day around here and this is what we are making the dozen… by the squadron!!!

It all began with many boxes of matches… This is what happens when you have eight kids who constantly need matchboxes for projects… What do you do with all those matches? Well you build an air force of course!!! You create a mini-airshow!!!

This is what you will need…

Let’s meet the Players:

• Some stiff card – really any stiff paper: colorful or plain, magazines or gift wrap… stuck on card will work fine.
• A match
• A pencil
• Scissors
• Craft blade – and a careful person to help little people
• Clear Adhesive.

Let’s Play the Game in Se7en + 1 Steps:

1. Place your match on your card and draw the wings and rudder that you are after.

2. Remove the match and draw an extra half fin to form your rudder.

3. Cut these little bits out.

4. Help your little crafter make a slit down the back of the match.

5. And your rudder fin will slide in easily, and won’t need any glue.

6. Add a dash of glue… to your wings and stabilizer…
   

7. And lay your matchstick on top…

And the Se7en + 1th Step:
8. As soon as your glue is dry you are ready to fly…

These are a little addictive to make and before you blink you will have an entire squadron…

Here’s our gallery so far…

Hope your weekend is full of fun!!!

I know you are all dying to see the winner of last weeks GiveAway Fabulous Giant Animal Fold Out Book from Priddy Books. I am going to be super quick about it!!!

Here’s the book…

Here’s the book lover…

We made a quick animal island… covered in animals, one for each comment… What else could we do for an animal book!!!

Let the games begin, we quickly chose a winner…

And it was all up to a butterfly…

And the winner is…

Comment #15…

Comment #15: Sharlene // May 4, 2012 at 11:21 pm Not only would my children love the book. I would too.

Sharlene, look out for an email from us… I will be getting your book off to you as soon as possible!!!

Thanks again to our fabulous sponsor: