Treat them different , love them the same.

I've often had one boy or other say to me that one of the sibs gets special treatment!

Yes they do i always answer.

I treat you all differently because you are all different.

But i love you all exactly the same.

Its a gentle little home that russ and i have created.

The squabbles are few and far between. Lots less now that they are older. But even as small kids( i don't mean toddlers who are still learning the whole sharing the world with other people situation) they would all cheerfully get on with each other.

Today as i was huffing and puffing on my treadmill on the back deck i was watching through the glass sliding door and was a bit overcome at the gentle men in my life.

In the background i can hear Alex practising his accoustic for his first gig at the high school speech night. In the kitchen Russ has just got home from work and is putting the roast on for dinner. (my turn to cook tonight but my work at my desk here at home met with computer complications so i was behind schedule. He stepped in like he always does. Bless him)

Jake has spent the afternoon at the beach without sunscreen (Life lesson there) and his big bro Ben is putting some aloe vera spray cold from the fridge on his back, quite enjoying the shock value I'm sure, but also cheerfully helping his brother out.

If there was an audience not one of them would do what they do.
But when its us, at home, there's a caring for the rest of the tribe...............



............................



.............a bit like monkeys really!

My Newsletter article for November December 2007

From Linda with Love.
I Love Christmas! I always have. The celebration of the reason for the season. The time for family and sharing and special food and yes, also the gift giving.
Don’t get me wrong, I love being on the receiving end of a beautiful gift, (especially the ones in velvet boxes.) But one of my greatest joys is the giving of the perfect gift. As the final layer of paper is unwrapped there is the little gasp of breath and then the look of delight, as they catch your eye; and for that moment they can see that you are in tune with them! Love it!
As wives and mothers our pre Christmas time becomes a
“survivor” style marathon of shopping, card making, card writing, card sending, gift buying and wrapping then sending , School break ups and concerts and find a gift for the teacher , work parties and secret Santa gift buying: Christmas decorating: Food shopping ahead of schedule and then back again for the perishables ; will the shops be open? Pre cooking, then storing don’t touch it its for Christmas and on and on to the ultimate goal of a fuss free perfect Christmas day. What would happen if we missed a task? Would the family get together and vote us off the island?
Are they expecting The Martha Stewart” Christmas, or is it just us?
Would Christmas still be Christmas without the fuss?
You betcha!
So here is my Christmas wish for us all. I hope the shops sell out of tinsel and you have to make do with homemade paper chains and that the whole family help you make it! I hope that wonderful rain comes through in a fabulous summer storm and takes out the power and you make do for Christmas dinner. It’s the sharing of the food, not the food itself! I hope you make something for your gift to your loved ones. Watch their faces as they unwrap it! Come and see me if you want ideas! Wrap it in brown paper that you have decorated yourself!
Don’t send cards at time this year. Send them in January instead or even better, ring your Christmas card list and wish them a heartfelt Merry Christmas over the phone. Want to thank someone? Do it personally, shake their hand and tell them what they have meant to you this year!
And lastly bring your family close around you and tell them what they mean to you at this blessed time of year and truly celebrate the season.
Merry Christmas to you all. Love LindaX
(Disclaimer: Of course the frenzy of materialism referred to above in no way reflects on card making, scrap booking or any kind of paper craft. They are, of course, an essential service and as such, compulsory for our well being.)

My Happy Place

I’ve always got two or three books on the go at the same time. My formula has always been one book to learn something new, one for pure entertainment and one book for my soul.
My book to learn from can be a scrapbook magazine or reference book, or a cook book, or a basic guide to something. I’ve tackled the idiots guide to politics, travelling the world, designing your own backyard, lots of handicraft books, autobiographies, how to write the great Australian novel. Its exciting how much there is to learn!
My books for pure entertainment are frivolous things; the less brain required the better. I especially love old Harold Robbins, or Jackie Collins. You get the idea! These are what I turn to when my brain is tired. I’m so used to reading before I sleep that these are a perfect remedy to drift to sleep by. I do tackle other crime solving, mystery type exciting books, but I know what I’m like and I can’t afford to be lying awake all night with my nose stuck in a gripping read!!!
And then there’s my soul food. My Bible has always had a place next to my head where I sleep. Sometimes there’s been a little layer of dust, but that reflects the changing tides of my life. (It’s dust free at the moment!) I’ve walked with the Dalai Lama, visited the Seat of my soul with Gary Zukov. That men are from mars, women are from Venus makes sense to me! Dr Phil has helped with relationship rescue. I thought if I spend time and feng shui’d my home maybe I’d find the contentment I’m seeking. I’ve enjoyed reading of other people’s journey of faith. I know what’s amazing about Grace!
But my greatest sense of inner peace, contentment and joy has always been in meditative handiwork. I’d not realised until recently that it was my time of prayer.
It’s common for many women that we sometimes can’t find twenty minutes of uninterrupted time. It’s during those times of busy hands that our minds become free to wander. When others see that we are occupied, they leave us be. It can be as mundane as ironing, or knitting or crochet. (Or for us scrap booking or card making) the simple repetitive actions of our hands free our minds to wander.
In the centre of our home, in the heart of the family living area I have carved out a space for my craft. It’s the crossroads room, where everyone passes through to go to another part of the house. It has the highest traffic of any room in our home. It’s there that I sit surrounded by clippings and snippets, colours and patterns to create my legacy to my family; and my mind can drift away!
I count my blessings, and think of all the fabulous events of the day. I think of my hubby and sons and contemplate their journeys of the moment. Then in my mind I travel to other family, and to friends, to events unfolding in the world. I smile to myself at the stories of divine intervention, and place in context the ills of the world. In front of me, amazingly a project is completed, almost without being aware of it.
I always have an ear open for the family. I overheard the other day from one of them. “Wait til later, mum’s in her Happy Place”
Take care, God Bless and enjoy your Happy Place!
Love Linda



A little snapshot from our last retreat

Happy Holidays

Its just extraordinary how tired we were. That first week all we did was sleep and since we have a lovely new stove and we both love cooking so much, the other thing we've done is eat!

We've had one week at carlo point camping. ( weather beautiful) and planning to go again this week! How fast the time goes, then only another week and back to work.

I've included a photo of out stopover on Fraser Island. There's a great spot thats in the middle of Fraser, hervey Bay and Tin can bay that we can get to by boat. The fishing was great although on the day we were there it was "Fish playing with people" day and of course nothing was biting.

Here are my fellas soaking up the sun. A snap of me (thanks Russ ) after a stern talking to about how there needs to be photos of me for posterity. I had to use my angry eyes but he gets it now! Look at that lovely beach!

How glamorous!!!


Also a nice shot we've taken to getting of our shadows, and Alex reminding us that he is after all thirteen years old and a boy!


Its cold and rainy as we pack our gear this time. The weather people have promised sunshine for wednesday. Ben and Jake&Jess will be coming on Saturday for the night. We've promised angel steaks from the rainbow beach butcher for barbeque dinner. (they're a special cut of beef obviously, the other kind are way too hard to catch )

We're taking Max as well. That should be interesting...nothing adds a special something to camping like a fox terrier thats been playing in the mangroves. We'll take his little house and a lead and he'll be fine!

Not taking any papercraft this time. Took a lot for the last trip but did nothing, so this time just sketching and maybe some watercolours.... hey twinkling h2o's would be fun...and I could always do that onto some cards, and alex likes painting ...................
til next time
ttfn

Road Rager

Road Rager.

The other day I had a lady in a four wheel drive absolutely furious with me! It seemed I was completely ignorant of the “rules” and was giving way at a give-way sign (???), just where she wanted to turn. How inconsiderate of me!
I then had an amazing conversation with my boy Alex (13) at how angry people are all the time. For what seems like trivial reasons. They go from zero to fury in moments.
He suggested “Maybe they are too busy to know their own feelings; it’s quicker to make it everyone else’s fault”

Pretty insightful I thought.

So I imagined that lady’s world. It’s after school time and she’s negotiating an all terrain vehicle through suburban streets. The car is full of kids , tired, hungry and full of news. Going to an after school activity or several. Probably squeeze a trip to the supermarket in before home/ homework/dinner/family time.
So mix that with some whinging in the car, the petrol light might be flashing, her mobile phone is going , and someone announces that they can’t find their clarinet ( or soccer shirt, tennis racket, glasses or retainer…whatever) its little wonder that that pause at a give way sign would seem like the last straw.
I can understand that… trust me I’ve been there!

Taking a moment to take stock of how she was feeling would be my gift to her. The time goes too quickly in our family lives for us to race it away.
Our commitments can sometimes control us, but what are the more important lessons.
How to keep to a schedule, or how to laugh and let go.
To run yourself into a frazzled heap meeting the deadlines you’ve set yourself;
Or stealing some time back for you and the kids and have an ice-cream and a play in the playground . Leave the mobile turned off and grab your camera instead.
Trust me! The memories that they will treasure as your families grow to have families of their own are not how you always made it on time to after school sport, but “hey remember when we were stuck in traffic and we had a fart noise competition and Mum won cos her’s was the loudest!”
I told Alex.
“You have a lot of empathy for a boy your age kiddo!”
” Do I? he asked “How do I get rid of it?”
Teenagers!!!
Ta ta for now. Linda
PS Please be nice to little orange cars. Imagine I’m a giant orange M&M or smartie!

Thoughts from Linda
Why is it that we are so afraid to engage people? We offer “arms-length” compassion in case what they require of us will deplete us somehow. Doing just enough of the kind and good work to look the part, but not getting our hands dirty with the gritty, grim real life “helping” that requires a giving of ourselves to make some one else feel better.
We see people everywhere who are burdened with life’s challenges and we deliberately choose to keep our distance in what’s become a typical attitude of not wanting to get involved. Imagine a world where we all not only listened to each other but heard what we were saying as well. Everyone carries a bag of worries. The battle we are waging at the moment, be it a money worry, insecurity about your love, career challenge, conscience for a wrong doing, health concerns or grief. Everyone! Imagine if completely at random you were able to help to carry that bag of worries for someone else, share their load just by asking a kind question from your true heart and then listening to the answer?
One of my joys in this craft is that I see women of all ages nurturing each other while they share common ground. To the happy sound of snipping and cropping, pasting and painting I hear hearts unburdened, support being given, listening to each other. There’s time to hear the whole story, (usually accompanied by pictures) and then the peace that comes from putting it all in context, filing it into our memories, moving onto the next project. We leave feeling grateful to the “family” we have found at Daisychain.So, how are you really?

News Years Resolutions

Every year I have the best of intentions to start the year. After all, its a clean slate! I can start as I intend to finish . I'll be fitter and heathier! I'll be slimmer and take better care of myself. I'll be more organised and manage my time efficiently. There'll be no late payments of Bills or forgotten birthdays. I will remember to send a card to all my nieces and nephews. I will write an old fashioned letter every week to my mum and my in-laws. This year i will be in touch with my christmas card friends before December.

Like I said the best of intentions.

We set our expectations of ourselves so high , then beat ourselves up when we don't achieve them. There you go, another broken resolution! There's always someone else out there to commisserate with , they'll share that cream bun, light that cigarette and point out as if to comfort you; their own broken resolutions. We're all the same!

This year I'm changing my direction.
This year it won't be about ME but about someone else! My rules are simple and summed up in this little prayer that I clipped from the newspaper a couple of years ago.

"Can you say today in parting with the day that's slipping past
That you helped a single person of the many that you passed.
Is a single one rejoicing over what you did or said?
Did one whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead?
Did you waste a day or lose it- was it well or poorly spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent?
As you close your eyes in slumber do you think that God would say,
"You have made the world much better for the life you've lived today!"

So my resolutions for the year?
I'm going to give more and be less self indulgent! I'll talk less and listen more, sometimes you don't get the point of a story until right at the end.
I'll stop counting time and start relishing moments. When I scrapbook, there'll be much more journalling from my heart to remind me of my riches!
I'll make beautiful cards to give away for no particular occasion, just to make someone smile! I'm going to cast a goodwill eye on my entire home and all those sad old possessions I've been accumulating and no longer need can go to charities.
I'm going to put a tin of cat and dog food in the Sippy Downs Animal Shelter Donation bin at the super market every week. I'll buy raffle tickets whenever i see them being sold. That a tough job sitting there selling tickets. (Even if i buy just one.)
I will write to our parents, maybe not weekly but often ( Hey I could send them a card!!!)
I'm going to write on my blog every day.
There, that seems more achievable!
Have a happy new year!
With Love from Linda.

Speed wobbles

A photo of one of my peaceful places.

Today was one of those days where for just a little while i lost my footing, and got the speed wobbles. It doesn't happen often. I pay way too much attention to myself, get full of self pity, and lose sight of the big picture. If i didn't have a focus on what and why I am here then I'm sure my knees would buckle.
And like a team of soldier bees protecting their queen my men rally around me. My littlest man seems to be there for more hugs. My bigger boys make me laugh. My Main man covered my face in kisses and gave me the biggest hug i nearly broke!The nurturing is so timely and perfect; they probably don't even know they're doing it! I feel so wrapped in love i'm lifted back on track again. I'm truly blessed. Now ......where was I?

All about Jake

Here's my gorgeous boy!
You never cease to amaze me.
I had to wait for this layout to come home so I could scan it and put it on WigWam.
This reminds me so much of you , and all your different facets!
You tell me think its incredible that I've got a blog, pretty cool for a Mum!
I wouldn't know where to begin if I didn't have you to guide me!
Thanks Darling! Love you xmum

God's Bubble Wrap Suit

Gods Bubble wrap suit.

Whenever I face a huge hurdle that seems too big to overcome; I stop and remind myself that God knows how far he can push me. In fact it’s all part of The Big Plan; it’s been in the pipeline for a long time and as usual I’m not privy to all the details. He knows what he’s doing!

So there I am, frightened and working very hard at convincing myself that I’m in his hands. He’s the only one who knows what’s in my deepest heart. He’s never done me wrong before. Sure, we’ve had some close calls where I’ve been slightly worried. Are you sure you know what you’re doing? That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me? But he’s always manages to pull it off, yet again! You see He gets to look at the blue prints of The Big Plan…. I don’t!

I just get to trust that he’ll take care of me. I let him do the worrying. He’s given me an invisible bubble wrap suit and nothing can harm me and I can lie gently in his hand and he’ll carry me safely to the other side of my obstacle.
And once again I’ll be able to say “Hey thanks God!”

A reason a season a lifetime

It’s a delight to tackle those old albums of photo’s and treasures. Once I get the dust bunnies off them I love that first look through the collection. All those wonderful treasures that I felt were important keep, but look at now and wonder “what was I thinking?”
There amongst the photos of my life are all my dear friends from over the years. The ones with whom I had so much in common; I’d shared lots of first’s and made lots of memories and now years later, I scratch my head and wonder where they are?
I used to feel very sad at how friends would come and go from my life. Mum and Grandma always said ….” True friends are like diamonds rich and rare, false friends are like autumn leaves found everywhere.” This didn’t ever explain it well enough for me. Let me share with you now what I really believe to be true. This was sent to me years ago in an email (from a dear old friend Sue Redfern) It struck a chord with me then and reminded me that I’m part of a grand plan and since then I’ve added my own spin to help me understand.

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime!
When someone comes into your life for a Reason it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with a guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are!
Then suddenly the relationship will end. It maybe that there is a falling out between you, they may move away, they may die, or they may just walk away for no apparent reason. It’s important to remember its because our need has been met, our desire fulfilled. Their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered, and now it’s time to move on.

Some friends come into your life for a Season because your turn has come to help someone to grow, share and learn. Friends for a season are those friends you gather because of common interests, children and sports, maybe colleagues from work. Because of your shared interests you seem like soulmates and it’s a joy to spend time with them. But only for a season. As your circumstances change, so do the things you have in common and there is a drifting apart. The relationship is no less precious.

Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build on to have a solid emotional foundation. Lifetime friends live different lives; that from time to time run parallel with ours and allow us to reconnect. We pick up where we left off! Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you learn to use in all your relationships and areas of your life. When I look at photo’s of all my friends from the past I’m sad that I don’t see them , but also very grateful. They have added all the dimensions that make me, ME!

Why wig wam?

Okay so I have had a play around with the blog. I've added those articles from the newsletter that are from my heart. I've worked out how to add photo's and so now its all systems go!
I have the shortcut on my desktop to streamline the time from idea to writing. I've worked out how to rough draft and if i need to , go back and edit.

Why Wig Wam for a gooses bridle do you ask? Its a funny old saying that my Gram used to say as an answer to our constant questions of "What are you doing Gram?" one of those nonsensical answers that really mean " I'm not sure I'm in the middle of the creative process!" or even just "I'm doing a whole lot of nothing!"

I miss my gram often and wish I could go back and pay more attention to the things she said. How can you know as a little person what will be the most important things to remember. I do remember her heating our socks on cold mornings in the wood combustion heater. Serving us sneaky portions of doorstop toast with cream and sugar sprinkled on it. Helping her write cheques when we shopped. She'd write the numbers then i'd write the words for the numbers. I thought it was for me to practice, but now I know it was probably because it wasn't her strongest skill. I was only about eight or nine then. What must the bank have thought of those round childish letters.

creativity

“It’s alright for you, you’re artistic. I haven’t got a creative bone in my body!”
If we had a dollar for every time we hear that at daisy chain we’d be rich!
But creativity isn’t about having to create that perfect scrap layout or card. We all have imaginations, we all work with the same products, and although our photos may vary they are all of a similar theme.
So why can one person seem to create from absolutely nowhere a thing of absolute uniqueness and beauty, while others struggle to find colours that “go”?
According to recent research into explaining creativity (Hidden secrets of the creative mind; Time Magazine January 16 2006) it has less to do with a sudden burst of magical inspiration and more with the kind of problem solving skills you would use to get yourself out of a traffic jam. Creativity is not one brilliant flash but a chain reaction of many tiny sparks while executing an idea.
We’ve all heard it before that it just fell into place! Like a domino effect. So to use a scrapbook layout as an example the steps would be deciding on the project, choosing your photo’s, matching the theme with the patterned papers, then coordinating plain cardstock. Crop and mount your photos, build the foundation to the page, place your photos then add embellishments, and ephemera and “voila” a layout emerges. Not planned, but grown from lots of little decisions.
Insight is another form of inspiration where you may have been thinking about a particular project, considering and dismissing many ideas until at an inopportune time when your thoughts are elsewhere you will suddenly think of a solution. When we take time off from working on a problem we change what we are doing and can activate different areas of our brain. If the answer wasn’t in the area of the brain we were using it might be in another! Hence those bursts of brilliance as you zone out watching TV , soaking in the tub or drifting off to sleep. Mine happen in the few moments before I completely wake in the morning .
Collaboration can also get those creative juices flowing. Daisy chain has such a wonderful sharing culture that an idea from someone in our team will snowball right though all of us ( and we love it) That’s why you’ll often see us sitting in at each others classes! Just sitting with a group of papercrafters in a workshop can give that one seed of an idea that will grow and grow! I’ve always found this to be helpful for when you’re feeling stale and need fresh inspiration!
So my advise to turn yourself into a creative genius.
Stop trying so hard. Relax and enjoy it.
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, art is knowing which ones to keep. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
Be systematic about the process, it really will evolve by itself. Build the project step by step. Move onto something else if you feel “blocked”
Spend time with likeminded people to share ideas. Enthusiasm is infectious.
Just do it! While you wait for the lightning bolt of inspiration, you are wasting precious creating time. Enjoy!

Love Linda

radio's

From Linda with Love. September /October
On our recent camping trip I had the task of tuning the radio in to get the best reception so Russell (“It’s good to be the king!”) could hear the lions game on Saturday night.
It made me nostalgic for those times when tuning the radio was a lot more every day. I don’t think any of our radios in our cars or home requires tuning! It’s all automatic now. But remember the first portable music devices way before MP3’s or ipods? Those little transistor radio’s and the never-ending battle to get tuned into the station.
Remember holding it to you ear! It was even worse at night when there seemed to be so many more radio stations to sort through. And just when you thought you had the best reception it’d suddenly disappear and you’d madly scramble the dial searching for it only to find an even better reception just a little farther along the dial!
It’s a little bit like life really. Just when we think we’re on the right path we get bumped and lose our direction, only to discover that we were on the wrong path anyway and that a little further on a new and better path is waiting for us. So good in fact that you can handle a few bumps of the “transistor” and still stay firmly on the “station” without a hiccup.
And it’s not by accident that you need to have those bumps! That’s how you discover, on reflection, that you weren’t really tuned in after all.
Scrap booking has helped me to tune in. I’m revisiting times in my life when I thought I was on the station, but really I was struggling with reception. Now I’m tuned in to what will be remembered and what won’t. What’s important and what’s not. The Photo’s I take now are thoughtful. The stories to my layouts are full of detail. I relish the time with my family and don’t yearn for “time out”.
Today we did lunch and the movies. My biggest boy painted the back deck. Middle boy is delighted that his cat caught a mouse and is now a working cat! (A light moment in his busy year 12 schedule) Littlest boy wanted to learn how to iron a button up shirt, but quickly refused to practice on any more shirts in the ironing pile. ( Smart kid) The King is battling the remote control on the TV. Football on two channels oh no! And I’m savouring being in tune with the moment. I think I need to do a layout on radios!

catch up

From Linda May/June 22/4/06

Some of you may know that my family has recently become the proud owners of a boat. Yes we are fisher folk! My husband is over the moon and it’s fabulous to see my fella’s so enthusiastic! It’s certainly taken our family time to whole new level. I’ve hardly had to bait a hook yet! Don’t they look after me!
There isn’t a lot of fish being caught that is edible and each time we venture out and return empty handed the price per kilo of the fish we’ll eventually catch goes higher and higher; but how can you put a price on the precious time with our boys?
In the blink of an eye they’ll be grown and have families of their own.
I’m scrap booking those early years at the moment from when they were babes and fresh into our hearts. I get a little misty eyed and wish I could go back and blow one more raspberry on a little round tummy!
I sit in our little boat and listen to them talking to their Dad and learning of all the things they need to know to be men. It’s a lovely peaceful time to sit and reflect on where we’re going and we’re we’ve been. I’m taking lots of photos and even keeping a little journal of these times. That’s what scrap booking means to me! Taking a small slice or glimpse of your life at a particular time and recording it in all its richness so that in years to come you can instantly be back there and savor the moment!
Maybe I can exaggerate the size of the fish just a little!
Ta Ta for Now
Linda

so much to say

What a handsome boy!Darling Ben trying hard to look "bad"!

I'm not sure about this blog! Its probably a little more frustrating than I thought. I've so many things spinning in my head to say and my life just seems to get so busy that I'm not having time to sit here quietly and compose.
I keep thinking of and rejecting heaps of little juicy morsels. I want to rewrite my thoughts on friends for a reason a season and a lifetime.
I want to talk about nasty girls and how relational bullying from our early high school days continues in to out adulthood.
I want to talk about my scrapart and the joy that sharing this with others in all my classes brings me.

But today I want to talk about my darling Ben and his latest news.
Finally after nearly two years and lots of procrastination he seems to be finding his path. Two very strong offers of apprenticeships. One in Caloundra. One in Emerald with the mines that will mean leaving home (gulp) in less than a week. Its taken our eldest so much longer to settle on a path. Nearly a year at uni though has not been wasted. He's still full on with his volunteer work and is growing into a good solid strong man who one day will make a good husband and father.
I will be so satisfying to see him settle, and finally be making money of his own.
Love you boys!
Xmum
PS Just heard that Ben missed out on Emerald. Kinda glad as it would have meant going tomorrow and I need more time for goodbyes than that. Still a chance for the caloundra one though. fingers crossed!

we need everyone

Some people are protagonists. we need them like we need heroes. they make us sit up and take notice. they make us angry enough to react and think and talk about whta happened. we need the germaine greer's to fire up our loyalty to our heartfelt causes.
I'm seeing a synchronisity in watching events unfold.

Here we go!

This is my first posting!!
Its all a little overwhelming. Luckily for me I have Jake my wizzkid son to help me steer through this technology.
This is a card I made for a couple of friends who renewed their vows recently. It was the first photo we found during our test drive of the blog and looks lovely on the blog.
More tonight as I get this site customised to suit myself.
ttfn Linda