Homegrown goodness....

You all know how much I love my chooks....and I love them even more now that they are happily laying eggs for us!



This morning we thought we would make the most of Mr H starting work late and have a yummy family breakfast....a Dalli Omelette....and boy was it yummy!

Go on....make one for yourself....all it takes is 2 eggs, a dash of milk, some tasty veges and some freshly grated cheese.....



and then you get this all to yourself. I can't think of anything better than this and a steaming fresh cup of coffee in my favourite mug.



Happy Sunday everyone! ENJOY IT!

Its beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....

The sewing machine has made a comeback after a busy few weeks celebrating both Mr H and Baby Moo's birthdays! I have been relishing in the joy of being able to get my creative hat back on and have a few hours of 'me' time....although sometimes I do wish that I had a little factory in my garden shed full of sewing machines and a production line.....ah to dream...

I am off to the markets in my local town in a few weeks and decided to get the Christmas fabric out and start spreading the cheer! I have lots more ideas up my sleeves but this is the first few bibs of the batch.....aren't they gorgeous?

While I was sewing, I find myself in a dreamland.....and that dreamland consists of having something like this as my back room.....minus the man in the leopard shirt (what the?) and add a lovely little lady who cuts all my fabrics for me.....one day!

To blog or not?

Over the past week, I have had so many people ask....

"Are you going to continue blogging?"

"Moo is one now....that means you have to say BYE to your blog!"

"You haven't posted in over a week....is your blog finished"

To be honest with you....I have been really thinking about whether or not to end the blog or not. It is such a terrific way to process feelings, vent opinions, and try to send a message that motherhood is to be fun challenge not a daily chore.

I also love blogging about my little creative buzz and listening to all of your comments.

Its a fun way to burn some time when days on the farm are lonely and endless.

So guess what....I am going to keep this going....until I really feel that I want to end it 100%. I may not blog for days or weeks....but keep an eye on Mama Butterfly because I promise that I will continue to make you laugh, smile and cry.

Thank you for the support. I love your comments so keep them a-coming!!

A beautiful afternoon in the garden....

Our baby girl turned one on Saturday....can you believe it? I couldn't! I found myself completely overwhelmed with feelings and emotions....exhilarated to think our baby is happy and healthy - and devastated that she is growing up so quickly!

We celebrated with a fun afternoon in the garden with a few friends and family. Obviously we wanted to invite all of Moo's very special little friends and it was a great afternoon. Poor Moo was violently ill on the Wednesday before with a 24 hr tummy bug and her mood was not 100% by Saturday.....so she definitely had her party and cried too!

Here are some pictures (and details) of her special day.....

Handmade Pinwheels for all the kids. They were more of a hit for the parents as it was a lovely breezy day! Such simple fun!

I sewed up some FUN bunting for our door! Our poor cottage is a bit of an eyesore due to it's age so I really wanted to 'dress' it up with some country charm! It was so simple - yet so effective!

Fresh daisies were on all the tables in mismatching jars! Mr H also picked some wild sunflowers for me on the morning of the party!

The perfect garden party (although it was VERY hot!)

I made pink and white tissue balls for our tree and placed lanterns in various sizes and colours along the veranda. I also sewed up some special bunting to put across the yard to match Moo's birthday invitation!

Moo had a special ONE cake and we also made smarty cookie lollipops for the kids to take home! They were a HUGE hit!

My beautiful family!

I am so blessed that my beautiful family travelled to be here the day before the party to help me prepare! We were all so exhausted after the party! Needless to say - I definitely don't think I could do it every year.....but it was LOTS of fun!!

Put you in perspective....

Today I stumbled across a blog called 'Casper the Great's Heptoblastoma Journey Blog' .

I found myself glued to the laptop reading from the day Casper was diagnosed through to his mum's last post. I have shed so many tears for Casper and his family. It all sounds so difficult and so emotionally and physically draining. Casper looks like such a gorgeous little boy - and has such an amazing family supporting him through his FIGHT against Heptoblastoma.

After reading the blog and wiping away my tears for Casper - I found it really forced me to put my life into perspective. I have been complaining about Moo & I being in isolation in my cosy home due to exposure from the chicken pox which she did not end up getting. I was whinging about her being out of sorts due to having cabin fever and how I felt completely drained by the pressure to keep her entertained and happy.....

and then I read this blog and realise how lucky I have got it. I am sure Casper's mum would love to have weeks at home with her healthy toddler instead of being in isolation in hospital due to Casper's next-to-none immunity and nursing him from all the drugs he has to have to help him fight off this cancer. How she would love for her biggest worry to be how to entertain Casper instead of how to keep her boy alive.

It's amazing how life sends you these messages to stop whinging and appreciate the life you have. It also makes you think and pray about the poor families with sick loved ones. I always find myself praying as I drive past hospitals and stop to think about all the families and patients. I would love to have special powers to find the drug to stop all these horrific cancers....but in the meantime we all just have to hope and pray that this drug is found quickly.

So today, stop and think about all the things in your life and be thankful for them...stop whinging and instead be grateful.

In the meantime....I know that I will be praying for Casper and his family....and I hope you do too. X

And the winner is......

All of your honest moments were humbling and beautiful. I couldn't decide so I put all your names in a jar and picked out.....

EMMA JANE

Send me your details and I send the gorgeous Family Rules your way! I would LOVE to see a picture of these hanging proudly in your home. X

Testing the friendship....

We are under house arrest at the moment due to Baby Moo being exposed to chicken pox a few weeks ago. Obviously, I don't want Moo to infect all our little friends in town so we have been staying home to wait out the 'incubation' period (21 days) and trying to entertain ourselves. Did I emphasise on the TRYING?!

After 14 days at home - we are going CRAZZZZZZZZZY!

Moo is getting SO annoyed with me - you can just see it in her eyes that all she wants to do is get out of the house, go to town and play with all our gorgeous friends. Doing the groceries doesn't cut it - she wants to PLAY!

Yesterday was a day where both Macie and I both cried. I cried from just sheer frustration of being torn between doing what's RIGHT and then doing what we just want to do! Macie cried from a severe case of cabin fever.....

So today - we spent the morning in the garden, played with the hose, visited the chooks, and even had a very special visit from our neighbour! Hooray - we got to speak with someone other than Mr H!

Anyway - another couple of days at home should give us the all-clear and then it will be visits to town, swimming lessons, playdates and lots of other things to look forward to.

That is....if she doesn't actually get the chicken pox....then it will be another 2 weeks at home....

actually....i don't even want to think about that.

Do any other Mama's out there feel this frustration?

Too fast?

I have mentioned before - and I will mention again - my love of the Womens Weekly. It is the one and only magazine (give and take a trashy mag here and there) I get each month and I love reading it from cover to cover.

This month has not failed to impress me and also to get me talking about some of the great articles with intense interest and debate! Poor Mr H always seems to be dragged into the debate with me - god I love him!

One article in particular grabbed my instant attention - 'Are our girls growing up too fast?' (page 82)....obviously I was interested - since I am now a Mama to a very beautiful daughter.

The article talks about the modern-day pressures on little girls and all the absurd items on the market which are targeting them and ripping their childhood away from them. It goes on to mention the padded-bra outrage, the news headlines about a beautician turning away a woman who bought her 9-year-old daughter to have her legs waxed and then the party planners who organise a Day Spa for 10 year olds to have a manicure, pedicure, their hair done and THEN have their makeup done - all while travelling to and from in a bright pink hummer or limo!!

Needless to say, I felt like I was living under a rock - I had NO IDEA that this was all going on. I had no idea that in 2006, parent groups pressured the Federal Government into conducting a Senate inquiry into the sexualisation of children. Along with that, I was shocked to read that 'its not uncommon these days to find kids as young as eight and nine engaging in oral sex and simulated intercourse'. Consequently, the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show in the period of 2007-2008 the number of teen pregnancies rose by 10 per cent....and they are saying that it all starts at such a young age - when our little girls are feeling pressured into growing up too soon?

Obviously I am aware of most of the commercial items available for children - you only have to walk through the 'tween' section of Target and K-Mart to really realise what is available for our daughters.

To be honest with you - I really don't know what to think about this article. Sometimes I believe that there are too many statistics, too many 'groups' and too many researchers that are ready to blame something or someone. Sadly, I believe there is no 'accountability' anymore. No-one is willing to take responsibility for their own actions.

Don't get me wrong - I do think that SOME of the products out there for our little girls are absolutely ridiculous and should not even be offered on the shelves at our shopping centres (especially the PADDED bras...OMG!). BUT shouldn't we as parents be making the right choices for our daughters? Shouldn't we know the difference between what is right and wrong to ensure that our daughters grow up to be happy within themselves and FEEL beautiful no matter what?

We can CHOOSE what we want our children to be dressed in, play with, etc etc - and should feel liberated that we aren't feeling 'pressured' into buying mini-skirts and padded bras for them. We can CHOOSE whether or not to buy them the teeny magazines with all the rot in them, and we can CHOOSE to be in touch with our children to make sure they aren't feeling pressured or depressed.

We can CHOOSE to create a happy environment for our daughteres to feel free, happy and BEAUTIFUL. Not to compete to be the MOST beautiful girl in the class - but to teach our girls that each and everyone of them are beautiful in their own special way.

I am a firm believer that life is all about choice and accountability. If we make a choice that may be wrong - then we need to take accountability for our actions?

So, if you have a beautiful daughter, do yourself a favour and go and purchase the Womens Weekly to read this article. It may make you think twice about your actions and your purchases and more importantly - it may save your little girls childhood.

(Quotes from 'Are our girls growing up too fast' October 2010 WW Edition)

Each and every one

I have been reading all the comments to my 'Honesty' Giveaway and each and every one has blown my breath away.

Thank you for sharing so much with me. Each and every one of you are so amazing in your own individual way. Thank you for teaching me how precious life is and to treasure every single moment.

And if you are wondering what I am talking about - read the comments to my 'Honesty' post....it is guaranteed to make you take a step back from 'your' world and give you an insight to how many amazing, brave and strong mamas are out there.

Each and EVERY one of you are amazing. I feel honoured that you read my blog. X

Harvest time....

Harvest time for the wheat and chickpeas is just around the corner but we had our own little harvest of our vege garden over the weekend....

Would you believe that our 'Rocket' went literally nuts! It overtook the whole vege garden and consequently our poor little onions and chives didn't survive. The carrots are still growing along with our cauliflowers!




The rocket has been evicted from the Vege Garden and given to the chooks who loved it!

Talking about the chooks...they are back to their gorgeous QUIET selves after the dog massacre! So quiet that one particular lady loves to peck our toes! I absolutely love letting them out and seeing them interact with Macie. They absolutely love her and she loves them too. She is not one bit scared of them....if anything I flinch more than she does! What a little farm girl in the making!



I particularly LOVE this photo - every afternoon they all bolt for the pen when they see Mr H heading over there!! You can just see them going 'WAIT FOR MMMMEEEEEE!!'

Honesty GIVEAWAY! Don't miss out!

I always credit myself to be a honest person....perhaps sometimes a tad too honest!

But today it paid off!

Recently, I purchased our gorgeous Dalli Cottage rules from ministyle.com.au! It was taking forever to arrive so I contacted the lovely Penelope - to be told that she would send out another one immediately.

Within days I had received not one but TWO packages from Ministyle both being the fantastic print! It appeared that with the floods around Queensland - our mail had been delayed.

So without hesitation I told Penelope that I have received an extra and would post it back immediately!

And guess what....? For MY honesty....Penelope told me to keep both prints! HOW LOVELY is that!

So....I have decided to do a giveaway of my extra print! Leave a comment about your most 'honest' moment and be in the draw to win this gorgeous print! Entries close on 10th October 2010.

Be sure to visit Penelope and her team at Ministyle....they will guarantee you a terrific shopping experience. X

the latest with Dalli....

My little business has been going nuts lately....much to my delight! I have been receiving orders left, right and centre and have been keeping the postie fit with all my fabric arriving in the mail!

My latest creation (which I had so much fun making) has been a 'one-off' dress to be placed in a raffle for The Jillian Cupples Bursary.



The Bursary is a very special cause which I hold close to my heart. My dear friend Georgie who I went to school with since Year 3 (I think!!) lost her beautiful sister, Jillian, in a horrific car accident. Jillian was such an amazing lady - only 28 years old when the accident occurred. She was the most loving daughter, sister, friend and teacher. After the accident, they promised to always ensure that they would keep Jill's passion for education ALIVE!

So this is how the Bursary has come about...

This Bursary is to assist families wishing to send or who have their daughters enrolled at Fairholme College Toowoomba (the school both my sister and I attended from Years 1 - 12). We know a child’s education is very important; however it can be costly for parents. Parent’s will always find away to provide their daughters with the best education they can by finding the tuition and boarding fees, however it is the extras that often parents find hard to afford. Example new uniforms, sports coaching/equipment, music lessons, extra tuition fees this list is endless.

The bursary recipient will be decided by the committee from the recommendation of Fairholme College staff, to be given to the young lady on the Fairholme College Founders day each year starting 2011.

Fairholme College was chosen as the recipient school as it was Jillian’s alma mater. This is where Jillian discovered her love of learning and helping friends and fellow school mates achieve their full potential anyway she could.

There are so many terrific prizes in the raffle along with a Dalli creation!! Be sure to visit their Facebook page to order tickets and support such a fantastic cause. At the end of the day, our children are our future.

Further contact details: If you would like to purchase raffle tickets please contact Georgie Cupples: 0400 493 449 or if you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the Fairholme College Fondation/The Jillian Cupples Bursary: 07 4688 4688