Hundreds and Thousands mag...

http://www.hundredsandthousandsmag.blogspot.com.au/

So my sisters-in-law Mezz & Taz are clever makers and they're collaborating on a very exciting project. I'd love to do something like this some day. Hopefully I'll get to be involved with their baby too.

Go check out the cute cute photos they've been taking in preparation.

Thing's I'm doing.. a list

Thanks Pip & Mezz for the inspiration. Here's a list of things...

Making : A latch hook Mary and Jesus rug. It's quite kitsch and awesome.
Cooking : Not much.. We have been busy and stressed and I am spending way too much money on eating out.
Drinking : Coffee, coffee, coffee. Lovely single origin espresso from my work-local cafe Wee Genie
Reading: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Wanting: Peace of mind about miss 12's passport. It's not looking good.
Looking: Forward to being less busy next year.
Playing: With the idea of doing some post-grad study.
Wasting: Organic spinach... (wilty-sloppy! eww!)
Sewing: With miss 12 is fun!
Wishing: The citizenship document would show up for miss 12!
Enjoying: The sun shining today
Waiting: I feel like life is one big waiting game right now.
Liking: The thought of spending next year at a slower pace.
Wondering: If we'll be in Vietnam this time next month.
Loving: My wonderful friends and family that have rallied together to help us recently.
Hoping: The government becomes more loving towards asylum seekers.
Marvelling: At the loving way in that my boss (and friend) interacts with the people around her.
Needing: To look on the bright side.
Smelling: Thurlby "Blokes Soap"- we have just started stocking it at Green Collect
Wearing: My favourite Metalicus dress
Following: This lass's blog
Noticing: That I have been eating my feelings a lot again recently.
Knowing: I will get fit again one day.
Thinking: About asylum seekers a lot.
Feeling: Like there is so much I'd like to do and that I want to leave my mark on the world by making a "thing".
Bookmarking: Dates in my diary for great things that are happening.. Tavi, Women of Letters, family birthdays etc.
Opening: A block of hazlenut milk fairtrade chocolate.. I'm back on sugar.. lol
Giggling: At a hilarious Vine of a fellow high-fiveing another guys bare butt.
Feeling: Like I'm on a roller coaster.

PRIZES! Winter upcycling challenge for charity update..

I currently have only a few entries for the challenge!

If you haven't entered yet please see THIS POST  for details!

I just wanted to let you know that I am gathering some lovely prizes . Prizes will be drawn at random so no matter how good/creative/useful your creation is, you'll have the chance of winning something nice! All prizes are being purchased by me. I am not sponsored by any company or organisation (I do work for Green Collect though.. for the sake of transparency! Ha ha!)

Prize #1 :: A delightful Marimekko Mug (for no reason other than they are my favourite!) It may not be this design, but it will be this style..

Prize #2 :: A $20 Green Collect gift voucher

Prize #3 :: A hand made upcycled blanket cushion made by yours truly! Something like this but maybe not as "tigerish". I made this one for my footy mad husband::

So get making people!!!

Flick me an email if you'd like to participate.. as I said check out THIS POST for details!

Holding out hope...just

This foster parenting palava is quite the adventure. For those of you who know us and/or follow our adventures via social media, you'll already know that we are trying to get everything organised so Miss 12 and I can go to Vietnam as part of her school's bilingual Vietnamese program.

It will be a wonderful adventure, visiting ancient villages, bustling manic cities and spending a week actually going to the sister school in Nha Trang. It will be so much fun.

But we are coming up against so many brick walls. First was her birth certificate. As we are not yet her permanent carers, it was up to the Department of Human services (DHS) to get this for us and it took a good couple of months just to get it in our hands. Then, I went to submit the passport application and was informed that her birth certificate wasn't enough.. I needed to provide proof of her Australian citizenship. Which meant I needed to get my hands on a copy of one of her biological parent's birth certificates to prove that they were Australian citizens at the time of her birth. Either that or go through the immigration department citizenship office to obtain a proof of citizenship document.

We tried the first avenue and got in contact with her bio-mother. We had arranged for me to pick her up and drive her to Births, Deaths and Marriages. DHS gave me money to pay for it and the plan was that we would then go together to the passport office to submit the form. She wanted to get her birth certificate anyway so it sounded like a plan that would benefit both parties.

I drove across town to pick her up but when I knocked on the door she wouldn't come out. I called her phone and she said it wasn't a good day. Becoming a little nervous that it might not happen, I asked when we could do it.. she said she didn't know. A couple of days later, the DHS worker went to visit to attempt to take her to get the certificate but again she refused. For someone who wants to prove she cares for her daughter, this would be the perfect opportunity to show it, but no..

Next I went to Immigration. The person I spoke to at the citizenship office made it seem like our challenges would end with them. She told me to fill out form 119 and supply lots of certified supporting documents, plus a fee, and we should be able to get a proof of citizenship document. So I did all that and posted it off.. we all kissed the envelope..

I called the immigration department yesterday and was informed that the application was, for some reason, invalid. The operator couldn't tell me why but advised that there was a letter being sent which would explain it..

That was yesterday. I'm waiting for the letter.

For the first time in this whole adventure I am feeling that maybe it is not going to happen. Maybe the stars wont align like I want them to. Maybe our prayers wont be answered.

I sat down with Miss 12 last night and told her what is happening and that we need to remain hopeful but also be prepared for the worst. We need to make a plan B in case it doesn't all come together at the last minute.

Her little face. My heart broke a little.

So that's what is happening for us. If you're a the praying type, please send a few out for us.. if you're an immigration worker that can help us or if you have any ideas, please get in touch.

I don't know what to do now..

Gahhhh..

Polenta pancakes of awesome

3/4 cup polenta

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup flour

A pinch of salt 

Pour boiling water over polenta and allow to sit for 5 or so mins. Combine the eggs and milk and stir into polenta mixture. Stir in flour and salt and mix until smooth.

Heat a heavy based pan & grease with a bit of butter and olive oil. Over a moderate heat, cook as you would  regular pancakes. 

Enjoy with butter or as a side instead of your usual carbs. 

Sneaky zucchini cake

Mr. 2 is going through an "EWW THAT'S YUCK!" stage.. If its green, it's yuck. So I've decided, while also offering him his regular dinner-type veggies, I'm going to do some sneaky veggie hiding too. 

I went looking for a "veggie cake" recipe & stumbled upon this fantastic recipe over at scandifoodie.blogspot.com. I have adapted it to make it nut free- so here's my version:

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

3-4 zucchini (about 250g grated)

450g plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp mixed spice

180g chocolate

225g brown sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sultanas

125g melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

250ml milk

Preheat your oven to 180C and grease a large cake tin (23 cm). 

Squeeze out excess water of the zucchini by placing in a clean tea towel & squeezing. Sift the dry ingredients, except the sugar, into a bowl and add sultanas. Melt the chocolate in the microwave and set aside. Beat together the eggs, sugar and butter. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture and the milk & when combined, add the zucchini.

Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 45-60 minutes or until a a skewer comes out clean.

Morning : a non fiction narrative

A sharp thud between her shoulder blades and her eyes spring open. Then another, and another. Violently tearing her from the deep, dark solitude she escapes to in the wee hours of morning. 

The searing pain lingers as she realises where she is and what on earth is going on. Toddler feet. Toddler feet jabbing her back like some kind of blunt weapon. "OW OW! STOP IT, STOP HIM!" She attempts to say with some kind of authority, although in her half awake state she has little chance of sounding coherent. Turning to face her attacker, sweeping his legs back under the doona in one swift, surprisingly coordinated movement, she takes in his face. His lovely face, smiling, sleeping. 

What might he be dreaming? Perhaps her vertebra were a trampoline or a splashy puddle? Maybe all that remained on her back was the ruins of a magnificent sandy masterpiece? 

Smiling to herself, she pulls that warm little body close, breathing in his sweet toddler morning breath, his hair and the faint smell of laundry powder on his flannel pyjamas. Her heart swells. 

She forgives her attacker.

*written as part of Blog Fast- http://www.katesaysstuff.com/2013/07/the-blogfast-club-morning.html?m=1

Winter upcycling challenge for charity : It's a thing!

Hello dears,

I had an idea.. Seeing as there are quite a few of you crafty people around these parts I thought we could perhaps try and do a good thing with our great skills and creativity!

It's pretty cold in Melbourne right now so this challenge is inspired by trying to keep warm!

Here's the challenge outline:

Make an item that helps you keep warm

It must be made from mostly upcycled/reclaimed materials

It will be auctioned on my blog and the proceeds will be donated to Green Collect (*see below for details)

I will choose a random contributor to win a great prize (details TBA at a later date)

Submissions will be accepted until August 31st 2013

Please email me at gomumma(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like to be involved!

I would love you to get involved and for you to share this with your crafty friends. I don't have a massive pool of crafty readers so please tell your friends and share on your social media pages if you think you know people who might want to show off their skills and raise money for a great charity!

Lovely upcycled products made and sold by Green Collect

We recorded a song for you.. and Ms.Clare Bowditch

Hello friends!

Please enjoy this little song Mezz, Byron and I recorded. This is our entry for Clare Bowditch's Winter Secrets competition. Enjoy! Feel free to click "like" if you're so inclined!

xxoo

Nice things in pictures...

Family celebrating over Japanese food. Three birthdays; Pop, Little Bro Dave and April.

My latest crafty endeavor- a huge latch hook rug of Mary and the baby Jesus.. totally kitsch and wonderfully awesome!

Me and my wee doppelganger

 A secret recording project with Mezz & Baz.. will be revealed very soon! Stay tuned!

Ash & Mezz selfie.. We've recently re-discovered the value in making time to spend together. We've now been best mates for 15 years. I'm very much looking forward to going to the Women Of Letters event that is happening later in the month with Mezz. We used to sleep over at each others houses and have teenage adventures on trains.. Now we do grown-up things like go to literary events. Haha.