rosy

it's funny how when i'm feeling tangled up in the messiness of life, i instinctively head outside to my garden. i dig dirt, i pull out weeds, i plant seeds or cuttings that have been waiting patiently for me, i admire the changes in the plants- who's flowering, who's growing, who's going to die of thirst soon if i don't give them some water. my garden is my own little world. its just me and them. i could, and sometimes do, lose myself out there for hours. and then i come back inside and whatever the drama was, it seems just a little more insignificant.

today i wandered around a nursery with Amelie. there were lots and lots of nice flowering plants. and some interesting herbs too. i oohed and aahhhed and could have taken many of those plants home with me, but in the end i came home with a rose bush.

funny i know. i never buy rose bushes. but this one, it smells like some heavenly place. oh my god. and its pink. and every time i look at it, it makes me smile. she was just what i needed. so i have planted it right near my front door. we will pass it at least twice a day, and hopefully after the smell of the manure i put around it dies down, we will smell those divine flowers. my farmer boy...he is another story! when i said excitedly...come and look at the present i brought myself today. he saw it and swore! not a flippin rose bush! he detests them! hahahaha....probably something to do with his childhood and the fact that his mum loves them and had magnificent gardens, with roses. but thats just my silly assumptions of course... and he doesn't like the thorns. but really. just don't touch them. instead close your eyes and inhale! and i also told him it's a reminder to stop and smell the roses. it already had him laughing, lovely rose bush!

i've also got some more bulbs for the kids to plant....they are loving the garden too. well the younger two are. it's autumn, she's so kind and mild and calls us to be outside. now if only the billions of flies would die.........

i highly recommend giving yourself a present. something you love. something that will make you smile.

x manda

badging in my creative space

my little babushka babies have found themselves onto cute little badges.

do you know what addictive fun it is to make badges? i love my badge maker.

so yesterday Amelie and I badged up a storm.

and then I thought they would look cute if they were babushka shaped....which you can't do with a badge maker...but you can do with some iron on stiffening stuff and some woollen felt for the back. and voila! a cute little doll to wear on your clothes. yep...cute i think.

i'm getting so caught up in this little world of babushkas my poor children are going to be eating babushka shaped mashed potato at this rate.

babushka badges in my www.babushkagirl.com.au shop

happy thursday!

manda x

more creative spaces over here

growing

so many new visitors to my blog in the last week or two...Hello! and a gigantic thankyou for all the love and encouragement from sweet blog friends, Kelly and Beck and Kate and Sally....for helping me get my little book out of it's nest, into the world. it's been a fun beginning...

i've finally finished those poor babushkas that sat patiently waiting to be handstitched closed. they will be in my shop in the next day or two...

look at my gourd! that photo was taken about two weeks ago...its now probably double that size. i LOVE it. everyday i tell it how amazing it is....and i have to duck almost to the ground to get past it now...the plant is threatening to take over the house...it's now growing across the roof. i thought it was funny and amazing in the beginning. now i'm getting a little nervous.

and see that pretty orange glass? my farmer boy gave it to me for my birthday. its old and i love it.

topsy turvy

its been a crazy fun week

i always seem to wish i had three of me to do all things i would like to be doing

if i did have a few more of me, this is what i may do with them::

i would put one to work on my house. she would clean it sparkly clean.

i would send one out to the garden, which could be mistaken for a jungle right now. they could mow the lawn, pull out weeds, plant seeds, move dirt to pots, kill some wasps for me, ....extend the chook pen.... hmmm maybe two of me are needed for outside.

i would take another me with me out to my studio/room and we would organise it into the beautiful space it could be. there are mountains of fabric and stuff out there to climb. there are pyjamas and dolls and badges and a quilt and flags and cushions to be made. and more.

i would have another me in my kitchen cooking food 12hours a day because my kids are so so hungry. and i so so can't be bothered standing in a kitchen all day. i don't find it fun.

another one of me would play and make and read and build and sing and listen and be patient with the kids a lot more than i do now.

i would put another one of me in bed and let her sleep for a week...aahh just the thought of that is nice.

hmmm maybe i would send another one to the beach for a holiday.

okay so really i have just this me in this one body. so today i might get to finish these doll cushions because it makes me uncomfortable seeing stuffing hanging out the bottoms of them. i'm going to resist the urge to mow the lawn because that is exhausting and kind of pointless. i'm going to write some letters, and draw pictures with the kids and every now again i will say to Veda... you hugged Taylor Swift...and we will both giggle .

HappY weekenD x

A dream came true

Last night i took three excited girls to see Taylor Swift in Melbourne. It was Veda's 13th Birthday present...(from back in October)..Taylor Swift is her idol. My girl , my amazing, beautiful , strong and sensitive girl, was determined to meet Taylor Swift. I'm not sure how many other thousands of girls had the same idea....but her chances were slim. Well.....my girl danced and sang and glowed...she has her parents partying genes (god help us!!) Halfway through the night, her and her friend got called over into a VIP area to be up close with Taylor as she sung on a smaller stage. THEN Taylor went down into the crowd and they each got to give Taylor a big HUG! I was on the other side of the floor watching it all on the big screen.... I knew Taylor was walking through the crowd and I knew my girl was over there somewhere.... and then I saw my girl hugging Taylor Swift up on the big screen! ! ! ! So exciting...

Well Amelie and I jumped up and down and screamed and danced in pure delight. I couldn't have been happier at that moment in time. I'm sure Veda couldn't either! A dream came true for my beautiful Veda.

It was a perfect night. I won't ever forget the look on her face...up on that big screen...and moments later when I found her. The sound of excitement in her voice as she phoned her Dad just afterwards.

So SO cool.

balloons and fire

birthdays at our place always mean the kitchen is decorated-bombed with balloons and streamers and when family from the city arrive, birthdays also mean lots of fire making by all the fire lovers in the family. there's also usually a full or near full beautiful moon shining over us.

i hope being 40 is going to be as fun and love-filled as turning 40 has been.

and now we have a public holiday long weekend. thank goodness!

you all win

today is my birthday ! i am 40 !

i don't feel it. but i do feel super happy, so loved, and so lucky.

so on this fine sunny day i decided to give a book to everyone who said hi on my colouring book giveaway post. yay..thats right. you all win :-) so can you please email me your details ?

mandapaino@hotmail.com and then i can get your books in the mail, on their way to you!

i'm having such a nice day. i've been smothered in love and kisses and balloons and cake and love and presents. happy happy.

manda x

babushka fabric

hi there :-)

i got a nice parcel in the mail today

a delivery from Spoonflower of some fabric samples i ordered

this could be a new addiction

making your own fabric designs is much fun

it would be fun-ner if i could use a computer with more skill.....but nevertheless.....

next is what to do with it

i stuffed two cushion/dolls

i personally think they are a little weird

i gave one to my little friend Clover

hoping she likes her of course.

i want to make flags...because i love flags. so does my sister-she wants some babushka ones... and my dad loved flags too <3

i have a mouse living in my kitchen . i need to catch it because they are sneaky dirty little creatures....when in my kitchen....outside i don't mind them so much.

bye x

Ta-Daaaaa!

she's here! my Babushka Colouring book!

a babushka shop is coming soon. if you really want one now....you can email me :-) they are $15each plus postage.

but today I want to give one to somebody. or maybe two. or three.

So leave me a message ....say hi..... and you may just be one of the first people in the world to have a book full of my cute babushkas to colour in.

front cover back cover
this is how the pages are set out
and every time i go to fall into bed...there is always someone in it. i smiled when i saw this little friend.

see you soon :-) manda x

p.s i found how to link... facebook.com/babushkagirl easy!

opposite of the drought

i was taking photos outside of our driveway which is now a river, and Rosie stole my attention with her love eyes she has for me :-)

this week has been one of trips backwards and forwards to the printer. and its a long trip unfortunately. Amelie would hear the phone ring...then see me with that look on my face and say " oh not the printer again"....there was bribing with hot chocolates and marshmallows. then last night the rain poured down like we have never seen before. so so much rain. this morning we woke to wetlands! it has stopped for now but there is more to come on saturday apparently. oh mumma mia..... the farmer boy has pumps going here and there trying to get water out of places it shouldn't be. he stood in inches of water milking cows this morning. oh the resilience of farmers. sometimes i wish i had magic powers so i could help him. it feels so ironic considering the drought we have survived through.

and so i got a phone call from my boy this morning telling me don't bother trying to get out the driveway today....a day off school for the kids. one was happy about that and one not so happy. such different kids they are. now it feels like its the weekend.

i've been cooking banana muffins and chickpea soup trying to warm the insides of my farmer boy. he was happy at lunchtime so i think that plan worked.

and now i'm taking a breath and hoping the rain isn't causing to much grief for people everywhere...and hoping even more that there's not too much more to come.

autumn is here! with a big splash!

x manda

oh and i've set up a facebook page for my babushka colouring book... search for Babushka Girl because I have no idea how to make a link for it now, and Amelie is trying to kick me off my laptop so she can play games on it. come join me over there if you like :-)