the Nest » breastfeeding

Hope and Possibility!

Emily — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:00:40 +0000

Happy New Year! Wow, are the days flying by… I hadn’t meant to take quite a lengthy sabbatical, but never fear, things have been as busy as ever around here!!

We are slowly getting back to our rhythm in the house now the twinkly lights and baubles have been packed away…

today we went walking in Portumna woods- what a beautiful mild January day it was!- lichen spotting

(sporting a handy magnifying glass-thank you Pat!!- and my lichen book. We even came home with several samples which we are compiling to make a herbarium)

(Truly, we are turning into a family of nerds)

When we took down the Christmas tree, we moved things around in the sitting room to give me a space to paint… and this beautiful cupboard to put all the necessary “stuff”

(Once I get “my” cupboard properly organised I’ll take a few proper photographs)

and so I don’t know myself having somewhere to store all my bits and pieces, paints, brushes etc etc. I am painting/ art making in the house for the moment, as the studio is too far from the house and I really have to take any few minutes when I get them during the day or, usually, evening (needless to say I’m appallingly untidy and disorganised so I (and my beloved husband) hope this arrangement will curb the flow of creative accoutrements from invading the entire house)

I am also moving things around here on the blog… bear with me, my time is very limited, and usually involves a babe-in-arms nursing or pretending to nurse while all the time has one eye on the screen trying to type with his foot (I jest not)

I love this time of the year- Its so full of hope and possibility. I have so many plans and dreams and hopes for 2012!!! Thank you for reading, and looking forward to a year full of great things!

Craft♥Advent Day 3: Flavoured Oils & Sugars

Emily — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:28:34 +0000

This craft today is a quick one: but a really lovely, useful present: flavoured, fragrant oils and sugars are delicious additions that anyone who cooks will be delighted to receive!

The first is Vanilla Sugar- (you can also make lavender sugar)

In a large jar (I used a kilner jar), fill it with sugar, and into this put a vanilla pod (or stalks of lavender) and leave for a couple of weeks to infuse. That simple!!

The flavoured oils are as simple: decide on what flavour you want: herbs, chillies, peppercorns are all a good choice. I chose organic rosemary and peppercorns in olive oil. In a glass bottle, you put your herbs or whatever you have chosen into the oil to infuse for a couple of weeks.

Made now, these, decorated with beautiful fabric tied around the lids with handmade tags, are a simple, beautiful and useful present for a loved one in your life!

Whilst On a Roll…

Emily — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:47:46 +0000

All or nothing with me, that’s what I say…

Some photos from the past few days/weeks of life around here…

This little girl has never faltered in her unwavering adoration of her chubby-cheeked brother (and he just jumps for joy when she or one of the boys come into his line of focus… he bestowes big open mouthed sloppy kisses freely)

This little girl is also in the process of taking over our kitchen/living room with her elaborate games involving hundreds of dolls, her wooden-pig farm, Peppa Pig and family (thank you Deirdre!)

There is a lot of this… he is infinitely more philosophical when in close proximity to a breast and often the longest and happiest chats are supplemented with a bit of nursing (and isn’t his jumper just gorgeous? Made by Tara, it thankfully still fits- aren’t handknits just magical- and I simply love that cow button!!)

Winter was cold last year- colder than it had ever been in my memory… a porch at the back door should act as a bit of a buffer-zone against the elements: (the immensely beleaguered talented harassed and hard-working) Fergal and the boys put it up in little more than a weekend, and already has become a warm, sunny spot (and houses all those piles of wellies, wet coats, wet smelly dogs and wet cats that want, but aren’t welcome, to be in the kitchen!)

I’ve constantly give thanks for being so blessed with not just a wonderful family, but blessed over with fantastic friends… these are little flowerpot-shaped cupcakes with the most light and mousse-y green icing, topped with these show-stopping flowers, made by my friend Sophie who out-does herself every time! (I need to do a talented-friends-show-and-tell: seriously, between handknits to die for (I really need to learn to knit), baking, sewing and general crafty goodness, our home is becoming a showcase for our very gifted and accomplished buddies)

Saturday Sunshine: in Egg Tempera

Emily — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 23:46:45 +0000

What a dark, damp Saturday we have had. Many times we stood at the kitchen window open-mouthed, as the rain hammered on the roof, rendering it almost impossible to hear anyone speak, as rivers of water flowed past the house. These dark days really start to make it feel like winter, and we have been preparing for the inevitable weather for the past few weeks (heavy curtains hung, unused open fires temporarily blocked up, fuel in the shed: stacked and stored ready)

I have been eyeing up half a large kilner jar of last years mincemeat, but I am insisting I hold out making the first batch of mince pies until November (besides, I’m currently obsessed with making (and eating) apple-tarts)

So in the dark of today, I thought we would make our own sunshine:

with egg yolks!

I read Cenninis book years ago, and was always amused by his instruction that to paint (in egg tempera) young peoples skin tone one needed a town hens-egg, and for ruddier country peoples complexion, one needed a deeper yolk from a country hen.

I had 5 yolks from two days ago when I cooked (disastrous) meringues (-I forgot to turn down the heat…) so we mixed these with some watercolour paint to make the egg tempera.

I always loved the sheen and quality of egg tempera, and thankfully this wasn’t lost on little (and not so little) ones (our eldest son usually doesn’t partake in these art and craft activities anymore as he is a practicing moody teenager)

What we did: we poured the egg yolks into a bowl (there is a filmy sack around it which you remove, and sometimes if they have been sitting uncovered, there can be a hard coating too)

Into small pots (kept from our Floradix multi-vitamin bottles: ever so useful for so many things) we put some watercolour paint

(my watercolour tubes were in the studio, across the yard, and I really couldn’t bring myself to dash out in the torrential downpour)

so we used watercolour dyes, which weren’t as strong as I had hoped. Nevertheless, no-one seemed to notice or mind. We mixed approximately half and half-paint and yolk, mixed thoroughly then began to paint. It dries quite quickly, so really beautiful effects can be achieved by layering colours, and the paint feels beautifully soft to use.

Just as I began to use some of the paint, our smallest person decided that he needed to nurse. Right now. So tomorrow I am hoping to mix up some more and to use it on the art-angel-dolls I have been making. And to finish these little collage pieces I have been putting together in order to make into printed cards:

In the midst of everything else, it feels so good to be creating in tiny moments that pop up during the day

And Autumn Marches On

Emily — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 13:57:55 +0000

I’m here typing with our little man in my arms- he is laughing in his sleep- something he does a lot: I am frequently woken at night with him gurgling and shaking with laughter curled up beside me

(if only he would remember his gaeity when he is screaming in the car. Clearly, we have discovered, he does not like the car )

Yesterday was promised fine, but ended up a very damp squib- a bit like our entire summer and autumn this year…

But inbetween torrential showers, we had moments of extraordinary light: colouring everything golden. I took a trip out to the newly weeded hen run, where Flash II, the Cockeral (offspring of the very handsome Flash I) presided over his ladies (apart from Mother Hen, who is a bit of a feminist and takes none of his guff- just does her own thing, with her chicks in tow)

I have been delighted with our Virginia Creeper that took off over Pebbles’ dog-run this year- it is so beautiful this time of year:

This is the time of year for apple tarts too; my friend Fiona brought out apples from her mothers garden (her mother, Mary, of “Marys Cake” fame), and when it came out of the oven, Michael noticed the cross in the centre had turned into…

a heart…

Hallowe’en is fast approaching

(I have to admit, I don’t like the Hallowe’en festivities at all, but love the pumpkin carving and baking)

The boys grew their own pumpkins this year (might try to make Erins pumpkin pie- yum) but they practiced on marrows this morning with pumpkin-faces the lady in the charity shop gave them yesterday (they were telling her about their pumpkin-growing and she was so impressed she gave them a bag of free Hallowe’en stuff)

At least we have found a use for all the overgrown marrows in the polytunnel