Czech Paper Art

Here is a craft that I came across during our time in the Czech Republic. I spotted them in the windows of Czech homes and apartments on our walks to and from the grocery shop on cold, grey, wintery days. It seems that some Czechs really know how to cheer an otherwise gloomy spot with their simple, artistic designs.

Paper cut outs (not unlike traditional fold-and-cut snowflake designs, only more intricate...)


I bought a few packs of these designs (for the equivalent of about 60c each)
and cut some out.


After sorting out some bits and pieces recently I came across them again and was especially delighted that I had these ones cut out already ...





just don't know if I would have patience for it at the moment with two more children and a big to-do list...

I like the fact that they are made from two things - paper and scissors.

On a rainy day why not sit down with a pair of scissors and paper and wa-la - you could invent some art to frame on your wall for next to nothing! Might look nice mounted between two sheets of glass in a frame against a coloured feature wall.

Any other inexpensive/simple art ideas you have come across? Please post them my way!

See more pictures from the designer here (please note the site is Czech - but term Fotografie might just lead you in the right direction;)

Bird Feed Experiment

Today when Rosa and Owen went down for a sleep Joshua and I dug out some wood pieces, a saw, chisel, some screws, hooks, some fence paint and brushes and set to work making a stand for our bird feeders. Ta-da!

Over the next few days it will be out with the binoculars, and sitting by the front window to observe our local birds (we positioned it so we could observe from front window) and conduct an experiment. We are on the lookout to see which bird feed is most popular with birds in our yard

This type of large sunflower seed-

Or this smaller mix of seeds-

So stay posted in a week or so (whether permitting) and we'll keep you informed!

When we finished our stand the younger two woke up and the three had a jolly romp around...

Nice to be outdoors again after a chilly morning!

Green Testament Girl

Rosa has really taken to this little green New Testament. She took it to bed for her nap the other day, layed it snuggly on her pillow as she does with her Lou Lou (doll), made herself comfortable and slipped into the land of nod.

Today she has been carrying it about again (even matches her jumper!)

Why don't you have a read?

Tinker Tailor ....

My big boy has been having a go on the sewing machine. We had a simple panel print of a friendly snoopy given to us by David's Aunt. Josh very slowly (only because Mum insisted on this:) sewed around the edge. Without too much unpicking he managed to do it by himself. He even stitched up the opening without too much blood!

One very proud tailor!

Good job Josh Tom!

Cranky

It has been one of those cranky days...hmmm... well actually the day wasn't cranky. I was. Groan. Somehow I just couldn't work out why Joshua wasn't understanding the way I explained division to him... or rather got annoyed that he just didn't listen while I explained... (wish I had remembered my own struggle with this...) Owen and Rosa were at eachother's throats. Owen would nudge her or sometimes just look at her and she would squalk...then I got involved in a small painting project (bad idea) and fel t cranky that one would need to go to the toilet or be playing in the sand pit emptying sand on the other. Oh... just wish I could have been a calm, collected, sweet Mum with nothing but gentle/calm words to help them back on track, with uplifting words of encouragement...but .... well, I was cranky. No excuses. Just shame.

Later in the day my Bible study on Matthew came to mind. The study from Matthew 14 that showed Jesus' compassion on the people. The same people that had been following him to watch one of those awesome miracles - just to be able to boast about it to their friends so they could come and gawk too. Those people that just wanted to be fed, to have their sicknesses healed. Those people who missed the whole point of his message and wanted to make him king by force. Jesus had been absolutely flat out. His cousin had just been murdered brutally. His disciples had just come back from mission trips to various places. They needed Him. He had withdrawn to a mountain to be alone. The people followed. A whole crowd of them (there were 5000+ later in the day so likely quite a large crowd). I have just been gob- smacked at how Jesus could feel any compassion on these people. He actually felt compassion towards them!

So glad to have a God like that!

(no photos in this post - a cranky Mum doesn't make a pretty picture:)

fuzzy things

Is it a bear? Is it a rugged up Russian Citizen in winter? No, just the Campbell boys finding inventive ways of using old car seat covers!

This is what my boys came up with to keep themselves entertained in a dull moment during holidays!

Oh, and the hats are the covers for the head rest - perfect for keeping the winter chills away, don't you think?

sword

This sword has been through the wars.

I made this sword with Joshua last holidays. Unfortunately it was drawn and destroyed by a young warrior. The sword once hanging in its place was discovered, seized and squelched... so this holidays it was in for repair again...

Got me thinking about swords. The Bible speaks a lot about them. The Lord commanded the use of it in the OT - to wipe out/utterly destroy peoples and nations of other Gods. In the NT. Jesus tells Peter to put it away - that those who live by the sword die by it. At the same time he also tells people that he came not to bring peace but a sword. In the NT we read about the tongue being like a sword... Lots of different contexts there all jumbled together in my thoughts...

The Word of God is like a sword...

Why do boys love swords, weapons and things of danger and destruction?? (thinking like a girl here) I pray they would want to lop off, to cut out, to rid themselves of, to destroy the temptations, sins, thoughts and evil in their life - to live whole heartedly for their Master.

The sword really does have a place, doesn't it? I guess a butter knife just wouldn't cut it now would it?

Bombard

Bombard. I have been thinking over that word the whole way home from my Bible study tonight. Why? I don't know ... guess I sometimes feel bombarded... Bombarded by the world.

bombard: address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage

What do you think of when you think of the word bombard? I think of billboards - the ones that put rubbish right at your face/right into your mind that I wish would just stay out... that I pray would not occupy any room in my thoughts. I think of stuff - worldly stuff hurling at me. I think of thoughts that fill my mind that just shouldn't .... everyday yicky, guey, muddy stuff, thoughts about self, anxious thoughts, wishes for earthly stuff, plans, more plans, goals more goals/desires, etc. etc.... just a continuous, persistent bombardment of ... well stuff.

In a fleshly body there are always earthly thoughts. How nice it is when rather than standing as a target for bombardment I willingly turn aside and saturate myself with Christ - to soak in His goodness, to be at peace. To be in Him.

I really prefer the word saturate (a willing soaking in the stuff of Christ!) to bombardment (unfortunate/unapreciative target of yucky stuff)

Just some thoughts..

Thanks,...got me thinking Jacki

skirt

Here's a little skirt I made for my Rosa... I've been tellin' my sister about it as they both have girls they like to sew for every now and then. The tutorial showing how to make it is online here.

Must say the skirt is still quite big on her but i must say she had fun prancing around in it ...

enjoy all you sewers (no, I mean the ones who sew... really I do!)

Cousins

We had a great little visit with my cousins who come from the cold land down south (Melbourne... bbrrr...)on Saturday. While they were up here helping at a conference and enjoying some vitamin D they decided to drop in! YAY!

Joshua asked Kylie to play a few pieces on the piano from a CD she and Jason made. Their CD, F.A.I.T.H simply trusting (CD with Kid's songs) has been a big hit in our house.

Not only did we enjoy our time together, munching some breakfast but we were able to catch up a little on what is happening in eachother's lives and were encouraged to see their love for the Lord.

Daddy is Home

Daddy was in Adelaide for a work trip most of this week. We sure missed having him around. Nice to have you back Daddy!

Recipes

Here are a couple of recipes I thought I'd share:

This first one is really easy if you buy a pre-made pastry base as there is no cooking required (nice to have ingredients ready for a quick dessert if someone is coming over on short notice):


Crushed Pineapple Sour Cream Pie

Pre-made Pie Crust
1 can of Crushed pineapple (400g tin?)
1 packet of instant vanilla pudding mix
25g white sugar
230g sour cream

Beat all ingredients together well. Pour into prepared shell. Chill



Green Chicken Curry


1 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped

1-2 Tbsp. green curry paste

11/2 cups coconut milk

500g of chicken thigh fillets cut into bite sized pieces

100g. beans cut into short pieces

6 kaffir lime leaves (in fresh section of woolies - or can buy bottled leaves in Asian section...)

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1Tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. lime rind (finely grated)

2 tsp. soft brown sugar

1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Heat oil in pan. Add onion and curry paste - cook 1 min. Stir constantly. Add coconut milk and bring to boil

Add chicken pieces, beans and lime leaves, stir to combine. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 min or until chicken is tender (if substituting chicken breast don't cook quite as long - can get tough).

Add fish sauce, lime juice, rind and sugar. Stir. Sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander leaves just before serving.


Serve with rice.

Yum... my hubby 'specially likes this recipe -



...ok, so we like coriander in this family...

Mum and Mawwage

What a weekend! My dear mother-in-law, Emilia celebrated her birthday. She is such a precious part of my life - and in the life of so many others... in fact the cake in this picture was given to her by a neighbour who also just loves her dearly and wanted her to have it with the kids ! Not only a Godly example to me of trust in the Lord through the challenges of life (and recently loosing her beloved husband) but an absolutely wonderful help to me as a Mum - always serving, always looking for ways to lighten my load, to help little ones when they have sniffles, always encouraging them to try their best .... oh I could go on...

I just love her!



This weekend David and I celebrated ten years of marriage! Thanks Lord for these ten years - all the fantastic times - the snuggles, the sharing of life and for getting us through the tough times (for helping my husband put up with my weird and wacky side, my foibles, my sins, my emotional ups and downs and my smelly feet!) and for helping us to look back and see the Lord's hand in it all. My husband always has a ready hug, an intellectual comment, some big shoulders and such a steady, faithful love for me and more importantly for the Lord. I am blessed beyond words!

Ten years!







We went away for a night and enjoyed some quiet time in a lovely apartment with views over the river! We even saw the Kookaburra Queen go by... where my very nervous David proposed ten years ago!

Secret agent Joshua on a mission

We have been hearing all about the fantastic time Joshua and Owen have had at Kid's Club this week. Josh has been coming home, learning memory verses and filling us in on some of the stories he has been hearing each day. The theme for the week was related to robots, secret agents and space (just what a boy like mine loves!)...using the Bible story of Esther, some other ones (I guess I will hear more about these this week) and something about an asteroid about to hit planet earth (hmmm... I guess the stories all hang together but this is how my son interpreted the week :) Here is my very handsome secret agent: