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Findlay-Claudine has an infectious, rolling giggle, Fin chortles. Especially when tickled by big-sis. He looks like he would chortle doesn't he!

Claudine-At the 'come as your favourite book character' night at the library. Still, inimitably Claud; all dirty and nose-picky.



My photos have gone all weird and grainy. Please laptop, don't die, please, I'm begging you...


Week 39 I think, of the Portrait Project at Che and Fidel

A Snip? : Op-Shop Show-Off: September 24th, 2013

I've seen these variously described as bonsai tree pruners, needlework scissors, vintage twine snippers and as "... ideal for all kinds of historic re-enactment scenarios". However, despite their ye olde look these Spear brand scissors are modern, cheap and of the Made in China variety. I almost baulked at the price tag ($5, Salvation Army) but was won over by their handsome looks, lineage notwithstanding; and their utility-they are very sharp. I, I shall call them present string snips.



What would you use them for?

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Claudine
My little spring-sprite prancing to Glazunov and pretending to "poop" out eggs!
She is wearing a Whole Family Rhythms inspired jasmine crown (I won their Spring workbook, lucky me). She wore the crown none stop. Plastic tiaras no longer required in this household-hurrah!

Findlay
Dribble, dribble, dribble. Chew, chew, chew. Drool, drool, ping! First tooth officially popped.

 Participating in the Portrait Project at Che and Fidel once again by the skin of my teeth-Fin is sick again :0(



*My favourite this week was the magical portrait at the end, of child riding dog. wow.

Chris Weaver Tablewear: Op-Shop Show-Off: September 17th, 2013

 

This piece of pottery gives me that pleasant, slightly giddy feeling I get when I look down at my feet at the beach and see a shallow tide wash over wind blown sand ripples. Ahh.

It's maker, wild-west-coast potter Chris Weaver has a show at Form Gallery, Christchurch right now. If you can get yourself there I can promise you'll be over taken by all kinds of pleasant feelings, lust likely the primary one (they are very affordable in the way that craft is and art isn't). Or you could just find one of his quiet, evocative pieces of tablewear, in this case a leaf bowl ($3) down the op-shop if you are my very observant husband. Or two, since he also found an antique iron inspired sugar bowl last year! 

I'm not surprised at all at the lack of appreciation of his genius that has meant these have been donated to an op-shop, I see all kinds of wonderful how-could-you-ever-part-with-it things in those places, I am just simply, joyfully, jump-up-and-down grateful.

I don't use the word genius lightly. I have a piece of his celadon pottery, a salt cellar, from the 2006 Canterbury Potters Exhibition where he was guest potter, which I can say unequivocally is the most sublime piece of pottery I have ever beheld. I know it's irritating for me to say that and not show you a photograph (it's behind perspex to protect it from earthquakes, kids and cats, which makes it difficult to photograph-and makes me a hypocrite!) but also because like any truly great piece of pottery it is the feel of the thing in your hands (or even the feel of it in use) which is the biggest part of it's joy. 

This does not have a makers mark, but if you like to pick up pottery at op-shops there is a great resource on the New Zealand potters website which can assist you to identify NZ pottery with a makers mark.


p.s Chris Weaver also makes his own pottery tools, from native timber driftwood and other beach gleanings. See, told you. Genius.


  

Driftwood Pottery Tools

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Findlay: You were a dear wee newborn the last time you grass-basked. Now look at you: all tree trunk thighs and grass-grasping, on the very verge of forward motion...

Claudine-Is so happy her self-shorn hair is regrowing ("I'll be a princess by Christmas mama"). Me, I am so happy the flicks and curls are reoccurring!


Just another week in the life of my kids, and of the portrait project at Che and Fidel.



*My particular favourite from last weeks collection was this jolly jumper at Piper and Poppies

Dotty for Spots

My creativity has extended this week only to repetitive cutting out ala a preschooler, in order to provide Claudine with this frugal mama's version of the polka dot wall stickers I've seen around the mama blogger traps. There is however quite an art to arranging them (too close together and the room feels awfully cramped) and so I shall play with the big kids and claim these as my Made by Hand endeavour and Show and Tell them, alongside Claud's magnificent family portrait. Now there is some creativity; Terry is the beetle-like creature, I'm the unicorn-like creature and the boy baby appears to have an afro. Heh.

Pretty as a Picture: Op-Shop Show-Off; September 10th, 2013

I know most people participating in the Portrait Project  are keen on turning their pictures into books of the snapfish kind, and I'm not ruling it out for the grandparents, but not content with looking at our dear wee darlings grubby faces all day long we are keen to get these photos up and around the house too, and have been on a serious photo frame hunt. A serious but unyielding photo frame hunt. The op-shops are full of second hand versions of the expensive-yet-cheap-looking photo frames you get in photography shops, and photography shops the unblemished version.

Perseverance paid off in the end though as this absolute beauty turned up in a box of old picture frames at Rangiora Sales (known to locals as Rangiora Auctions, though it hasn't run auctions for half a century), a place well worth a visit if your in the area and have a half day to spare, it runs the gamut from spare parts to antiques. Wear warm clothing though, it's always absolutely freezing in there, even in midsummer.

Leather backed (I've yet to identify the leather, it looks like snake skin) and made of oak, decorated with a art nouveaux style gilt-metal flora, it was perhaps a Canterbury School of Art, arts and crafts era student project. I think it suits this favourite photograph of Claudine so well, not to mention suiting our Arts and Crafts bungalow, and is now in pride of place on the mantelpiece. If you are at all interested in that era or style, Simplicity and Splendour, The Arts and Crafts Movement in New Zealand, by Ann Calhoun will be in your local library if you are in New Zealand and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Ok, so one down, only another 103 to go!



Seriously though, any tips on where to find good looking photo frames so I can have a corresponding photograph of Findlay on the other side of the mantel would be most welcome.



If you have a second hand lifestyle related post you'd like to link up here, please do, we'd love to read it  x

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Findlay-black and white is hard; luckily posing is just an extended game of peek-a-boo to you.


Claudine-Whispering sweet nothings into her bunny's ear, so gentle and loving.

Participating in the Portrait Project once again this week, over at Che and Fidel.

Here are myy prior portraits, if you'd like to take a gander.

*my favourite this week was this timeless pastel portrait at Typically Red.

A Basket Case: Op-Shop Show-Off: Tuesday September 3rd, 2013.

 

This woven pandanus basket is the double of one I brought home as a keepsake after we were married in the Cook Islands (20c, the Rangiora Charity Barn). If I remember correctly weaving is done, by women, only on one of the more remote of the islands and then brought in by boat to Rarotonga for sale to tourists. Much Cook Island weaving is exquisite, art-gallery worthy stuff, but I fell in love with these rough and ready to use ones (I also ditched the fancy necklace I'd planned to wear for the ceremony for a woven coconut husk fibre and Cook Island black pearl one I picked up there too). My original basket is a handbag for 'best'; this one is looking pretty dangling from a door handle, reminding me of relaxing beach holidays past, whilst earning it's keep as a cell phone, wallet, & keys receptacle.

35/52 Portraits of my Children in 2013

Claudine-As tractor mad as her little brother. Her tractor driving nana thinks it's genetic.


Findlay-Keeping his eye on the bird Claudine rescued from the mouth of the cat (her first animal rescue ala Diego). 



Taking part again in the Portrait Project at Che and Fidel.



*My favourites from last week were this little escape artist at Creating in Colour, this amazing face at Bluebirds of Happiness and the little mud dowser at The Golden Adventures of a Very Dark Horse.