The Simple Things

As per usual it has been a while....

...but that is what happens.

I was just reading a few of my later posts and although I haven't voiced it I have actually been doing a lot of what I have said - enjoying the simple things in day to day life!

Like, after a day at work/school, kicking off shoes to enjoy the sunshine...

I heard my youngest say "Shoes off like mummy"

I helped him take his shoes off, but it was some time later when I saw what he had done - 

- Oh how my heart melted!

Just like mum x

New Year's Resolutions.....

.....we all do them, don't we?

Well actually...

...I never really did when I was younger. As the years keep on rolling by,

I have in fact begun to make them - though I tend to neglect (forget) them.

 Then the end of the year is rolling around (yet again) and I start to think of the chance of new beginnings a new year brings.

 

This summer we headed up the west coast on Xmas Eve so that we could be in Nelson for camping with extended family over the New Year.

Beautiful, albeit long and the need to celebrate Santa, we took our time and stayed a few nights in a couple of places along the way.

 

Madeleine taking in the sights.



We had superb weather and gorgeous scenery.... 
Mum and I had a collection of "light reading" for the trip and one of the articles in a certain magazine (for the life of me - I do not remember which one!) was about complaining.
Do you know that we complain on average about 30 times a day?!!

It struck a cord with me. I complain ALL the time and I bet that you do too! I'm not saying that I (or you) are a Moaning Mertle, but we do, without even realising it!

Whether it be about the weather, how we slept or even how our day is going, we would more than likely complain about it....

 

Once I became conscious of this fact, I tried my hardest not to complain - but knowing,  I was absolutely. Without doubt. Going to be asked, "Good night sleep Dossy?" by another human being the following morning, would keep me awake at night. As I tried to figure out, how to complain, without complaining!
 

I knew what my night had consisted of. Baby, child(ren), snoring (husband), heat and creepy crawlies had kept me awake for most of the night. So how do I say that without complaining?

 

 This is where complaining gets interesting.
You see, you CAN complain, but you have to own it!
It is not the weather's fault, after all that it is raining. It's just raining, and the garden likes it, yes? Nor is it the baby's fault he couldn't sleep, (though I do believe it is the husband's fault that he snores!). You can complain if something isn't right... the waiter brought the wrong dish?



No problem.
Explain that it is not what you ordered and tell him how to fix it (bring the right dish). 
Baby didn't sleep?
Try saying, "Baby didn't sleep well. Will try something different and I am sure it will be better tonight".

 

So you CAN complain BUT only if you own it and/or have a solution to the problem.
It is simply a habit that needs changing and in doing so I am hoping for a more positive outlook on life!

Sounds so simple yes? My dear husband is jumping for joy, and has a twinkle in his eye when he asks how I slept!

Happy days.... my wife doesn't complain!

If you would like a little more inspiration, you can find plenty of articles on the internet...  I quite enjoyed a few. Lauren Stewart from the tiny Buddha has an easy 10 steps to complain less and Tim Ferriss shares his experience of less complaining here on Huffingpost.

Wish me luck my dears as there are still TWO weeks of the school holidays to survive!

xx

 



A Belated Bday Present....

 

 

The saying goes.... "better late than never"

Hopefully my little niece has a patient nature as I am a tad late in finishing these wee shorts!

Need to pop to the post office today before I procrastinate even more and another week passes - but I thought that I would show you all what I have been up to (sorry they are wrinkly - but a quick snap then wrap).

 

I started stamping/printing my own fabric during last year - a great project to do with older kids. Will endeavour to post a tutorial later, it is super-duper easy and fun!

 

The hearts have been hand printed, they have bled a little, but to be honest I quite like that, adds to the charm don't you think?

 



 

Love the little details on this pattern, like the pockets and the faux fly.

I hope Miss Two rocks them!!

 

De dah - wrapped and ready to post.

 

 

 

dossy xx

 

Wowsers! It HAS been SOME time....

.... a new year or 2 or even 3 (who's counting?), a new addition to the family and ALOT of changes - never to late to continue ah!

You will have to bear with me as I find my feet again in the land of bloggersphere - I have many thoughts and ideas, just need to make them cohesively appear from mind to reality.

I think the main theme for me is to remember to keep things simple and to let ideas to grow organically and delight in the nature in which the grow.

You may have noted the name change - dossy designs has been put in the "not enough time" basket, but a basket I shall return to when my new direction has found it's way. For now I am wanting to focus on the now, to find the things that bring delight to my life, my everyday, my now!

Let the fun begin and the joys of everyday delights shine

dossy xx

The Christmas Countdown....

Master Charlie has been asking for our Christmas Tree to go up for days now, and to him it must feel like a life time! Shops have already decked their halls, the town tree went up last week, and yesterday I heard my first Christmas carol in a shop! I love Christmas.....   but I feel like the sparkle is being lost due to the ever extending Christmas "period".

Now I have just realised that I should start preparing for xmas at the first sightings of these early festive birds. Beacuse, as I am going to make most of my presents this year....  (if you are on my list proceed with care, otherwise this could be a spoiler post!) I would no be desperately running out of time.  Most of my family, ALL of my nieces and nephews, are in the northern hemisphere and the postman kindly left me a pamphlet informing me that all parcels should be sent by the 25th November to guarantee safe arrival before xmas!!!!!!

That does not leave me much time....   in fact four days.

Four days.

Six Kiddiliwinks.

One Sister.

Two Brothers.

Plus Two Bubs in Mums' Tum!

Can I pull this off????

If I had been less cynical of the commercial extension of advertising for Christmas and had used it as a kind reminder that I need to start getting prepared...  then I may not have ended up leaving it all to the last moment!

Darling Hubby would at this point like to point out that the kind postman let me know of such pending dates very early in the month!

I guess then, I only have myself to blame....  stink!

On a brighter note... 

I have finished SuperUber Mini-Man Pants!

I must say, I am quite chuffed with how they turned out.

Trying to get this mini-man to pose is hard work... but I think he's hit the nail on the head, and models these pants well!

They are a little big at the back as the little dude these are being sent to is still in nappies, so hopefully they should be nice and snug on him.

Will try and get some close-ups before they're posted.

Best get to work on the xmas stuff.

Wish me luck x

Finally.... One for the BOYS!!!

It has been a while, but I have unpacked my "sewing room" and with that the mountains of projects I have sidelined due to the move came tumbling out........

.....and they are still tumbling!

I have managed to complete one (almost) project. Most surprisingly it is not for Little Big Leine, or for Little Miss Mabel (in fact it's not even for Master Charlie either)! Though it is for a boy.

Actually it is a surprise, who it is for. With Xmas just around the corner, and birthdays that fall in December andnot to mention the fact that I am going to be an Aunty again, twice over! There does need to be a certain degree of secrecy!

Shhh.... you were never here!

Boys, man.... 
Girls, as we know, are easy to sew for. One can add flowers, frills, ruffles and bows to their outfits to make it that little it special. To sew for a boy, and to make him look super uber cute cool, takes a little more thought and effort.  Obviously these are my thoughts.

I love it when I hear Master Brown tells his sisters that he "feels like a rockstar".

How cool is that?

Anyway...  the project!

I made a pattern of these super cool, super skinny jeans....

 ... and then I took a pair of old man trousers from the Sally's.

Here's a pair I had already unpicked before  the move!

Then I salvaged some pockets from a project gone wrong!

And then I refashioned them into a super groovey pair of mini-man pants!

 As I said, they are finished (almost)... a little bit of tweaking and I need a little mini-man to wake so they can be hemmed AND photographed... then I can add the finishing touches and finally show you!

Fingers crossed they work.. they already look pretty damn good, if I can say so myself!

xx

Why is there SO little time?

.....  or so much to do in so little time....   ahhh sigh!
I have so much to do, I don't know where to begin. Seriously, I don't know where to begin.
I have mentioned that we have moved in an earlier post, and I must admit that the renovating and redecorating is eventually worth it... in fact I love it! But the gardens.... holly molly, no wonder the phrase "grows like a weed" is common among mothers with young children and  grandmothers with gardens. My garden looks like a jungle!!!! And the inside isn't yet finished... what is one to do?

I would like to be inside baking and making the inside of the house equally as delicious, as well as making some delish clothes for my kids to wear... don't even get me started on making delish clothes for other kids to wear.  sewing for other children.....

Just before this post becomes all doom and gloom, we have had a very productive weekend here. I have even managed to make tv a privilege.... one must work (according to age) a certain time to be allowed a tv privilege....  he he  - many weeds were pulled under theis new constitution!!!!   Happy mum and dad....

This actually wasn't this weekend... but too cute not to include in a gardening post! Little Miss Mabel with her "Spoon"

The big kids and I managed to clear the vege patch and get these in....

Yum and double yum....

Have NEVER grown anything more than a herb or a lettuce in my life...  so very excited about the corn! Will it work down here in the deep south????

Dunno.... fingers crossed.. because nothing beats fresh corn!

Yum!