All Hallows Eve - Halloween party 2012

On Samhain eve when the veils between this world and the spirit world clear what shall you be doing? The evening sky will darken and the otherworld will come to life. Fairies will prance and dance and weave their naughty magic around us. Dear friends long since past will smile down upon us again. Candles will burn and feasts will roast and with love and tenderness we will prepare to honour our beloved.

A blessing for those that have passed

 

On this night of Samhain I mark your passing,

O Sun King, through the sunset into the Land of The Young.

I mark also the passing of those who have gone before,

and all who will go after. O Gracious Goddess,

Eternal Mother, You who gives birth to the fallen,

teach me to know that in the time of the greatest

darkness there is the greatest light.

 

(taken from Scott Cunningham's Wicca)

 

 

 

So as we celebrate our Halloween parties lets take a moment to remember what this beautiful holiday is about. We have all lost someone special in our lives and tonight we honour them. Light a candle in your window and let them know you are thinking of them.

 

 

May your parties be blessed with love and light.

 

 

Love you mum (r.i.p)

 





Back from beyond

Hi, 
Well life has been busy and blogging has taken a backseat, with crafting even further back. I have been working like a bat out of hell, raising my two children, studying and well trying to sleep in between. That's all going to change now!

Yes thats right I am reducing my workload. All for happy reasons I assure you. There is a third addition to our family taking shape under my shirt. We can expect our happy arrival in around 4 1/2 to 5 months if all goes well. After having the last 3 months rate as some of the worst in my life. Yup your right I had every symptom a poor pregnant lass could have with an inability to keep down my food leading the way. I am now on the other side feeling more energetic and ready to enjoy myself.

First on that list of enjoyment is less work and more creativity. While I will still keep my study going I am going to dramatically reduce my workload with the aim of finishing up by the end of November. So blog I'm back!

I've joined a course presented by the lovely Heather from Beauty That Moves called Wholefood Kitchen. I'm going to get my family eating healthy and conquering the world. Plus I love to cook this way. So most of my posts to come will probably involve recipes such as this yummy vegetable couscous I made for dinner last night. Now the kids and hubby ate it too! Hubby had a piece of lean steak with his though and the kids had a sausage on the side. Ughh, I know I have work to do right!

Happy living
Michelle

Mandalas

Mandalas are a sanskrit word meaning circle. They are a tool that has been used in meditation for countless years . Mandalas are my current obsession. I must make one for my wall and thus for my yoga practise!....

A gorgeous example. Many traditional ones were made from coloured sand. Delicately poured onto a cement surface, then sealed.

My work in progress. I am designing it in watercolour pencil. Once I am done I will go along again to paint it which will  intensify the colours.


Michelle

Loving this song at the moment! Actually loving all the wombats stuff.

Monsoon season is upon us!

Yup its a bit late this year but the rain has come. Wet, stormy, windy, thats the monsoon season. Just in time for the kids to go back to school next week and me to work.

I am doing well with my frugal challenge. I have started to save the difference. Eventually  maybe I will have enough for a deposit to my dream property! Wouldn't that be awesome. Daintree rainforest here I come! We all have to have dreams dont we :0)

Frugal Challenge

Day 3 NO SPENDING! WHOOT!

Day 4 $40.19 , which did include a new lunhbox for my daughter for school.

Not doing too bad I think but the test will be when the extras that I already had in the cupboard run out!

challenge update

And we are off and racing. I'm crossing my fingers, toes and shoelaces that I can keep to this. Of course I can!

DAY 1  no spending!

DAY 2 $33.99 spent on groceries


I have containers of chinese greens and beetroot that have germinated. So in a few weeks they should be gracing our salad plates. I'm growing my own sprouts because they are super food and I get a huge bag every 3 or 4 days.

I'm gathering together a big colletion of my thrifty dinners recipes. We had polish Pierogi last night whih is a simple dough filled with corned beef and sauerkraut then boiled, fried and eaten, yummy! Occasionally I shall have to splash out on steak or hubby will disown me :0(

Stay thrifty.

Gotye cover

Love this cover of Gotye's 'Somebody I used to know'

Frugal challenge

Yup I'm a few days late as per usual but hey! I am here. Now the nitty gritty of it. I am going to put myself on this challenge for a month. At the moment we spend about $300 a WEEK! on groeries , so thats just got stop. I've been tossing up on a good price range for me. A range that is challenging but still obtainable.  I think half that is a good plae to start. So thats what I am aiming for $150 dollars a week to feed a family of four and pets of 3. I have deided to leave my organic produce delivery out of this because we alone pay $4.50 per kilo just to have it flown in. But I will not eat the crap that is on the shelves here. It is old and not appetising at all. So lets get spending!..... less.


Cheap snacks for kids.
Home popped poporn!
Crackers and cheese!
Pikelets!
Fruit! (well duh)
Carrot sticks and home made dip!
Home made muffins!

Some things to do to help the bill.
Grow your own greens and herbs! (so so easy)
Soure your local produce!
Join a food co-op!
Home make as much as you can (tastes better too)

I am sure these lists will grow as I go. Are you doing the frugal challenge? Good luck!