1. clothes for the girls, 2. butterfly coasters, 3. ric rac & simplicity costume pattern, 4. game spinner, 5. small wooden box, 6. inside the wooden box, 7. children’s Boikido puzzle, 8. children’s book ‘The Window Doll’, 9. ‘Hey Hey Witch Way?’ game board detail

I’ve decided it’s time to start blogging again. Not that I meant to go away….life just sort of took over! I have lots of plans I want to gradually kick off in here and I am really excited and inspired. I’ll be honest and say that life with two little ones took a lot more adjusting to than I ever imagined, but things are definitely good and getting better! It’s been a long year with little sleep, loads of sling wearing, cuddling and baby rocking….oh and chicken pox too!

Sneak Peek: 16 zines set to wing their way around the globe for Nikki-Shell’s ‘Handmade Zine Swap’. Just a couple of tiny additions to make before I pop them in the post. I thoroughly enjoyed making these. They’re the first real crafty thing I have done all year. Apologies for being a couple of weeks behind, I seriously underestimated how much time I would need to put together my vision!!! Hopefully the recipients will enjoy the results. I’ll give a little zine review when more land in my mailbox.

Caitlin will be 9 months next week! She’s adorable and she sparkles when she smiles. She’s busy exploring the world around her, crawling and cruising anything she can stand at!

Eloise will be 4 in December. I can’t believe how fast she is growing up! She had her first ballet concert in August (and do you want to know how many times we have watched that DVD???). I am loving her take on life, her impromptu performances and her lively conversation. She is great company and always makes me laugh. We’re having many adventures!!

Lets see what happens from here…

This little chicken does not like to sleep very much at all!

She is almost 5 months. Yesterday she weighed in at 9.3kg.
That’s over 20lbs of cute already!!!

1. Susannah in the park, 2. Chocolate Cupcakes, 3. Lennox Bridge, 4. purple haze, 5. Jon Stevens, 6. coffee & the city, 7. Lake Tekapo, 8. lemon curd tart, 9. Are You Fulfilled?, 10. Snowmen family in TX, 11. the perfectionists, 12. blog meet gift from susannah

If you’d like to play follow the instructions —->HERE

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a book launch for ‘The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif’, the compelling story of Najaf Mazari, who fled Afghanistan in 2000. He is now settled in Melbourne, where he owns a rug shop selling beautiful traditional Afghan rugs.

I had the honour of working on the cover and text for this project, and it was lovely to finally meet those involved face to face including Najaf himself, Robert Hillman and the publishers from Insight Publications (hello Iris and Cathi!).

It is such an emotional and beautifully told true story. One of the things that struck close to my heart is that Najaf is around my age, and I could not imagine having lived through what he has been through. The thought alone of him being separated from his wife and daughter for 6 years is incomprehensible. It certainly puts things in perspective.

From the cover blurb: ‘A poignant and powerful, yet often humorous, story of suffering, injustice and survival that explores the resilience of the human spirit. Najaf’s memoir gives a rare insight into what compels people to leave their homes, families and histories behind in search of peace and security for themselves and their children.’

An extract from the book was published in the Weekend Australian Magazine, March 29. You can read it —> here. You can also hear Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman on ABC radio —> here.

For more information please visit:
Insight Publications
Afghan Traditional Rugs – Melbourne
Mazar Development Fund
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre