Formspring Friday

(A picture of Otto, cause because!)

Have got any tips on helping babies to sleep better during the day. My one year girl thinks 25min naps once or sometime twice a day if I'm lucky, is the way she wants live, I tend to disagree. Hmm, we have only just really mastered this one now (at almost ten months) and I can't guarentee how long it will last.. but we have found Otto sleeps much, much better in a really dark room, with a radio playing lightly and snuggled up with his dummy and snuggy blanket (much to my horror!). We are lucky in the sense that we are still breastfeeding so, if Otto is cranky before he goes to bed, I can soothe him by giving him a feed. Am sure you have tried all of those things though : ( All I can really say is 'good luck' and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Delete Your Response so you have 3 bloggers in your house - do you all share 1 computer? (we find this difficult in our house)
Three bloggers! Jeepers, we do too. Well, we actually own three computers (geeks much?) but the laptop gets the most use. We all do our blogging on it, and most other things. The other computer that is inetnet able is in my studio and I use that when this one is busy etc.

what are the first 5 websites in your "history" ? We have the history turned off! Works best for us that way.

whats one thing you would love to do at least once in your life, if money etc wasn't an issue (no limitations). by squidgyums
I want to go and see my friend Anu in Finland. Obvsiously there are other friends and family I would love to visit around the world, but I would love love love to see Helsinki and would delight so much in seeing Anu and meeting her wee family.

Desert Island - one food item, one drink item, one book, one CD, one movie. Name them!
Peanut butter, just juice, Mishka, 500 days of Summer.

How long do you spent on the internet in a day?
Too bloody long. But really, all up? maybe two to three hours. God that sounds awful! I'm trying to cut back.

If you could have a kid-free weekend what would you do?
I would pack Abraham and an mp3 playerful of good music into the car and we would go on a roadtrip! Somewhere with lots of thrifting stops along the way, a nice restaurant for dinner and a comfy bed at the other end.

Did you do well at school?
Not really. Not as well as I should have done. I was very distracted by the social aspects of high school and didn't put much effort into my studies at all. One thing I sort of wish I had done differently.

Who taught you to sew?
I took sewing in High school and was fairly dreadful at it. I taught myself how to sew 'properly' When I moved to Nelson aged 19.

Favourite TV show?
Go Girls! Also love Outrageous Fortune, Nurse Jackie, House and Bones.

Formspring Friday!

Here we are again! I had so, so many fun questions this week! Pretty please keep 'em coming, I am having a ball answering them all.
So, without further ado:

Do you have a "parenting philosophy"?
I'm really not sure.
We are fairly strict parents, I think. We really enforce manners and good behaviour at all times. We try not to yell too much (I fail a bit at this, Abraham is great at it.) and we do not hit our kids. Instead we use behaviour charts, a naughty seat and removal of prviliges/toys. All of which have worked well for Aesop.
We endeavour to encourage our children to be confident, honest and true to themselves but also considerate of others.
I'm not sure that is a philosophy as such, but it pretty much sums up our parenting!

for the non 'knitties' amongst us - what is blocking?!! (as in professor vest blog of 13/4)
Blocking is basically stretching the knitting out, when it is wet, into the shape it is meant to be. It helps to get the right shape but can also help when things are knit a little short, or narrow etc. There is a great explaination here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATdiyknitter.html

Favourite junk food/takeaways?
Mmmm I absolutely love a good, mild, curry. We get 'chicken madras', a garlic naan and a huge helping of onion bhaji. Heavenly.
But I must also confess to being quite partial to a BK chicken with bacon. Oh yes, there's a reason I'm not thin.

Your boys have such cool names, so if you had a girl baby what would you call her?
Olive Poppy Larsen : ) Olive after Abrahams Nana and Poppy because I like it. (Despite the Olive Oyl/Popeye thing... in fact, maybe even more because of that! (And thanks!)

night owl or early bird?
Hah, neither really. I work best during working hours!

Delete Your Response
Where is your favourite nz holiday destination?
I haven't been on many NZ holidays to be honest! But if I were to give advice to someone coming to NZ I would tell them that both Nelson and Waiheke Island were must-visits.

Do you mind the fact that so many fellow bloggers have adopted your Formspring Friday idea? (hehe)
I adopted it from someone else too! I would love to take credit but, alas, I think it's a fairly common bloggy thing to do.

Fav song to sing in the shower?
I am terribly embarassed to admit that, at the moment, I have been singing a lot of Miley Cyrus in the shower. Oh the shame.

Who do you write your blog to? Like do you have a reader in mind when you write your posts? Do you think, hhmmm, mum will read this and so on? Or is it all just for you?
I mostly write to an imaginary person. Someone who I imagine to be reading my site, but not specific people I know who read it. Does that make sense? I guess I try to write a blog that I would like to read. That said, I do censor myself on occasion due to knowing that certain people will read it.

Any plans for more babies??
We are still hmm-ing and haa-ing over that one. We would like one more but lately Aesop has been really ,really hard work and somedays I really feel like I don't know how I would cope. We also worry a little about money, but in an ideal world: yes.

Delete Your Response
When you take photos of yourself do you use the cameras self timer or did someone else take the shot for you?
I use the self timer, always. I tend to only like photos of myself if I have taken them myself! Weird.

Do you consider yourself to be a good dancer?
I'm a terrible dancer! I have nil rhythm and just sort of step and jig around the place. haha.

How many tattoos do you have? Where and what are they of?
I only have the two roses on my chest. But I hope to get a doily tattoo on my 30th birthday, possibly on my forearm.

Whats your favourite vegetable and fruit?
Can I do top threes? I love me some guavas, feijoas and figs. They would have to be my top three fruits. Vegies? Potato, Kumara (New Zealand sweet potato) and courgette. Mmm-mm.

Sea or lake?
Neither much. I'm not big on swimming, partially down to not being keen on sharing too much skin. But in terms of scenery I would say the ocean.. the utter emormity of it is quite stunning.

What's your favourite season and why?
I like most all the seasons, other than Summer. I think Autumn might be my absolute fave though.. cold but not too freezing, all my favourite fruits are in season and the leaves falling and weather turning is beautiful.

Why 'toast' and life?
'Toast Clothing' is my (currently on maternity leave. hah!) clothing label. And since this blog was meant to be about my return to sewing, as well as my life, Toast and life seemed fitting!

Do your boys drive you mad sometimes?
SO funny you should ask that today. I have just finished yelling at Aesop : ( I am not an 'earth mother' type AT ALL. We are on school holidays at the moment and I am counting down the hours until my very-lovely-but-incredibly-moody-and-attitude-filled 5 year old is back to school.

Formspring Friday

A day late, and not many questions this week. I'm really enjoying answering questions so, pretty please ask away if you ever want to know anything (the box on the right!).

What is your favorite book? :)
I don't really get much time for reading these days so I can't really think of a favourite book, sorry. Terrible, huh?

Delete Your Response what do you love most about NZ?
I'm not sure what I love MOST, to be honest. But I can tell you that I love that our 'huge big serious' news stories are things like politicians using tax payer money to take their wives on holiday, instead of who is going to attack us next etc. I love our kiwi twang (fush n chips!), I love how rough and ready we are, I love the scenery and I love love that we live in a country/town where we can, if we choose, walk around safely (even at night) and accidently leave our things outside and still have them in the morning. Basically, I heart New Zealand.

Delete Your Response what is/are your addiction/s?!
Op shopping! internet! eating! Nothing too horrendously damaging, but all very time consuming!

Delete Your Response Are you religious at all?

No. Not at all. I do collect religious icons, but that is purely for the aesthetic value.

Delete Your Response what do you think is your favourite thing of everything you've ever made? by squidgyums
I'm very fond of my new dress but I have a feeling my yoyo quilt will be absolute fav.. when I finally finish it!

Delete Your Response cliche I know, but if you were a crayon, which colour would you be? by squidgyums
I used to think I'd be one of those crayons with all of the different colours. But these days I think maybe I'd be a mustardy yellow.

Delete Your Response knitting or sewing... which do you enjoy more?

Sewing is more of an instant gratification but there's just something so satisfying about knitting away at something and making an entire garment from a single strand of wool! I would have to say knitting at the moment, but I always have at least one project, of each type, on the go at all times.

Delete Your Response Have you travelled the world? by speckledegg
No, not really. I have been overseas, visiting relations in the UK and Wales with my parents when I was younger, and then a year long exchange in the Netherlands as a teenager, but otherwise, no. And to be honest I don't have any desire to, so far.

Formspring Friday

Another week of great, and sometimes hilarious, questions. Thank you! So much fun to answer them. Please remember if you eever want to know anything the quesiton box is right there on the right! And if you get a formspring please let me know so I can return the favour, I try to ask the ladies I follow at least one question a day! Okay, so here goes..


Why?
Is a hip-hop group with a great song called 'Darla' about eating eggs. Check it out!

If you could have any movie characters wardrobe, who would it be and why?
I'm tending toward Selma from 'Dancer in the dark'. A horrendously sad movie but her wardrobe is so perfect. Vintage nana-ish dresses, woollen cardis, headscarves and sensible shoes. But it might also have something to do with the fact that I think having Bjorks real wardrobe would be a dream come true too.


Best decade for fabric?
Late sixties- early seventies. Crimpelene and mod patterned cotton moving into paisley needle cord and amaaazingly patterned polyesters.


On a scale of 1-10, how awesome is your husband?
12!


Do you use a hair straightener or is your fringe just naturally so perfectly placed?
I'm not sure i'd call it perfect, but yes I def use straightners! Not sure how I ever managed without them.


what are your fav blogs???
I have so many amazing blogs that I read every day. My fave blogs this week? craftykin.blogspot.com, eyeonkope.blogspot.com, greenvalleycrafts.blogspot.com, nzgreenbuttons.blogspot.com, podandthreepeas.blogspot.com and nzvanette.blogspot.com


Whats your best op shop find EVER
OH MAN. Too hard! Could it be my green cabinet? My blanket chest? The 1940's wool coat that fits like a glove? The statue of Jesus in my kitchen? Oh waaait! My 'Falconware' Budgie vase. Worth a few hundred dollars, mine for just $2... and more important than the price, I love love love it.


Have you ever kissed a girl and liked it?
Ha ha. Im not a fan of cherry chapstick. I do enjoy kissing my friends on the cheeks though.


so how did you "meet" your twin if you've never met?!?
She found me on the interweb!
We used to see each other around Nelson, and everyone each of us knew said we looked alike and some even got us confused, but we never found a reason to meet or speak to each other. (So many uncanny coincidences.. we would have been in the same year of art school had I not decided not to go, we had friends in common and she nearly came to a stitch n bitch group, prob at my house... etc but yet we never actually met.)

Thoughts on reality tv?
It depends. Most of the time I would say 'Cheesy as anything.' But I must confess there have been a few where I have been just as fascinated as the rest of the population.


will you be having any more kids?
Yes! We plan/hope to have one more. Not sure quite how we will be able to afford three children but love is more important than money, right?


why is a mouse when it spins??
Ummmm, I'm not sure but you could ask my compost bin.. for some reason it is full of mice!

if you could change your name, what would you choose?
I'm quite fond of my current name actually. Though if forced to cchange it I'd choose something old fashioned like Doris, or my nana's name which was Marjorie. And a surname? Smiles. Marjorie Smiles. Perfect.

Formspring Friday.

(Totally unrelated again, I struggle with picture-less posts.)

My questions for this week:

Do you still make bonnets? Your bonnets rocked.
Thanks! Not often, I was very kindly allowed to make a few from the pattern (not mine) for craft fairs and local sales but not online. I'm planning on making myself a new, padded one for chilly mornings this winter though : )

what's your favourite thing to bake?
Fresh fig tart! oh, and choc chunk cookies, though I end up eating much more of the dough than the actual cookies.

if you were an animal, what would you be?
Right now I feel like I'd be a sloth. But Aesop says I would be a morepork (a type of owl) because I stay up so late or a dragon because I growl him so much. hahah

if you could meet any person, alive or dead, who would it be?
My 'twin' Amy. We have text nearly every day for a year and a half (or longer?) and spoken on the phone but never met!

What is your favorite food? :)
Fresh ciabatta buns with margarine, ham-off-the-bone and just a little salt and pepper. Mmmm hamwiches.

if you were in an orchestra, what instrument would you play?

I have less rhythm than a brick so as I am now no orchestra would go near me. but in another life? The trombone!

if you could go back to any age you've been before, but with the knowledge you have now, which would you choose and why?
I would love to redo high school, and focus on school work instead of who was kissing who and who wasn't talking to who. And know that frankly, nasty people are usually either jealous, insecure or just not worth thinking about!
Delete Your Response
If you were a music genre, which one would you be?
I'd be one of those indie bands with a girl and a guy singer. Or an out-of tune barbershop quartet. Does that count?

Delete Your ResponseWhat is your favourite blog at the moment?
I'm loving craftykin (http://craftykin.blogspot.com) but also loving seeing snippets of my friend Rachels life in her new blog ( http://shelambcatrabbit.blogspot.com/ ). They are both so very talented and super inspiring.

Delete Your Responseif you had a daughter, what would you call her?
Olive Poppy Larsen. Although, as a few people have pointed out, that sounds a lot like olive oyl and popeye, and olive and poppy are both plants. I don't mind.. Olive is Abraham's nanas name and I think it would be perfect.

Do you like living in Whakatane?
It has its moments. Has taken awhile to find our 'place' and settle into a group of friends etc, but the town itself is beautiful and we plan to be here for a long time!

What's your favourite toast topping? by Showyourworking
Margarine, natural peanut butter (ours is made in nelson), anatoths rasp jam and a sprinkle of rock salt!


Awesome. Anything you want to know, or if you just want to make me smile a little bit, the question box is on the right and I'll post all my answers for the week each Friday!

Formsprung!

Also, I have added a formspring box to the sidebar. I had no idea, until a few weeks ago, what the heck that meant but basically it means people can (anonymously) ask you annnnnything their heart desires and you can, well.. answer their questions.
Not sure why people would want to ask me questions but it struck me as a bit of fun, so scroll down and ask away!
What will the internet think of next?