THESE DAYS

Warm pumpkin, beetroot and chicken salad with goat's cheese and toasted walnuts
Dancing with her dolly (she calls her 'baby') to Louis Armstrong
Choc coconut walnut slice (dairy, gluten and refined sugar free) - first seen here, recipe here
Everly found a cute fork and spoon set at the op shop / She played with them the whole day
Pretty in pink / I found her sticking alphabet magnets on the dishwasher door
Sticky jam crepes for breakfast / Best way to eat them according to Everly - open your mouth wide and shove 'em in!

Joining Em in a weekly collection of snaps from our days.

4/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Oh, this girl! She makes my heart sing.

Joining in with the lovely Jodi.

PLAYDOUGH FUN

A little tub of pink homemade playdough came home with us in a party bag. The next day we were both grumpy and tired, after a rough night with little sleep, and I was frantically thinking, "How am I going to get through today?!". Then I remembered - the playdough! Out came a chopping board and some cookie cutters, I plonked Everly at the kitchen table, still in her pyjamas, and left her to it. She played with the playdough non-stop for three hours. (Helloooo, time to catch up on my favourite blogs!)

Everly broke it into little pieces of 'food', stirred them in the container using a crayon, blowing on them to cool them down (I am amazed at her level of imagination at this age!) She placed little pieces into teacups and stirred them with a spoon. It continued to provide hours of fun over the next two days, too. We cut out flower shapes and pushed them onto popsicle sticks. We made a layered birthday cake, Everly poked in the 'candles' and we sang "Bird-day".

Until it dried out and we had to surrender it to the bin. This week's task - make a batch of playdough using this or this recipe. (I vividly remember watching my Mum cook the playdough in a big pot on the stove, but I've always wanted to try the no-cook version.) Apparently it lasts longer if you store it in the fridge?

Do you have a favourite recipe for play dough?

THESE DAYS

Fern (haven't killed her yet...) / Lots of hot days equals lots of water / Crayons are the best dominos / Yummy late night desserts of peaches and raw cream / Washing the dishes in her own little kitchen sink and making cups of tea / Washing the dishes in the big sink / Snack time - organic sulphur-free dried apple, dates and banana / Dried apple is her favourite / Snack for Mama - orange cake made with spelt flour and coconut oil / Practicing her pouring / Drinking from Mama's big cup / 2013 is going to be good / Billy / New make-up bag found on sale / I finally collected my organic co-op order so am madly using coconut oil in everything! / You will often find us like this on a Saturday, Everly drawing and me reading, side-by-side at the kitchen table (snapped by the husband, because he said he liked our matching pink tops!)

Linking up with Em from The Beetle Shack.

3/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013.

This week I couldn't decide between

- my serious one, my deep thinker, my teenager in a toddler's body

- my funny girl, a little comedian who likes to drop farts for a laugh (ahem), with a grin that lights up the room!

Joining in with the lovely Jodi. 

THE NURSERY WITH TIM COULSON

I first stumbled upon Tim Coulson through Jodi, when he photographed their little family. I was even more enchanted when he returned to their home shortly after Poet was born to photograph them now as four, where he beautifully captured the magic in their everyday.

I have always loved photography, sitting for hours on the laptop looking through photographer's blogs and websites, and recently I decided I wanted to improve my own photography skills so I could better document these precious days at home with Everly, and to remember what I'm grateful for - family, happiness and love.

On Saturday I attended The Nursery, a photography workshop, where I finally met Tim in person (as well as the lovely Kesh, and the beautiful Roo who has the brightest blue eyes and the cutest smile!) After following their life through Tim's blog and instagram, it was almost surreal walking into The Reading Room at the beginning of the day and seeing Tim, Kesh and Roo in the flesh. It oddly felt like catching up with friends you haven't seen in a long time - a little awkward at first, but quickly just like old times.

Tim talked to us about emotional shooting - the key to his art (there were quite a few teary eyes during this part of the workshop). He explained shutter speed, aperture and ISO. We learnt about all the different settings on our camera (who knew?!) and the best way to edit and file our images (something I'm terrible at and aiming on improving!). We went outside for a live shoot in an alley to watch Tim work his magic, and then we walked to nearby Light Square to practice our newfound photography skills.

I have been through primary and high school, three years of university, numerous workshops and courses, and Tim is hands down the best teacher I've experienced yet. He has this amazing ability to create calm in the room, to lift the mood with a little joke, to ease fear, to explain potentially confusing technical elements in such a way it's absorbed quickly and easily.

Tim wholeheartedly believes he has found his purpose. And I believe it, too. Because it shows in his voice when he talks, it shows in the raw emotion he captures in his work, and the way he so generously and humbly teaches his craft. Kesh talked to us at the beginning of the workshop about Tim, how he got to where he is today, how he quit his unfulfilling job in marketing, how they sold their house, how they sacrificed so much to go on this journey. I am the same as Tim - I can't work in a job that doesn't make me happy. I have to be truly passionate about what I do, to my core. At the moment, that's being a wife and a mother. But one day, I'd like to do something more. I don't know if photography is it, but I can feel I'm getting closer and closer to my purpose each day I put myself out there, take risks, and meet new people who are truly passionate about what they do.

Thank you Tim, for sharing your knowledge and passion. I am so very grateful to have learnt from you.

Above are some of my favourite shots from the day, I hope you enjoy them.