Where Wishes Come From

Under Water

2012-01-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

I feel like I've been under water for the past week. Like my head has been filled with a vile liquid that seeps incessantly from my eyes and nose and dulls my senses so much that even the everyday clamour of family life has been reduced to a muted din. As if I am in the bathtub, ears below the watermark, and everything is happening outside and separate. Voices booming and receding. Indistinct.

The head cold has dripped slowly down onto my chest where now it rattles and wheezes and growls in my lungs and I sound like I have an "80 a day" nicotine habit. It has been rather unpleasant.

Luckily, Devo has been very kind and whisked the little girls away for whole hours at a time so that I could rest and recuperate in small increments.

This has been my view quite often this week, as I hunkered down under the duvet as much as any busy mama possibly can. Watching through watering eyes as great swathes of cloud swept across the sky sometimes bringing rain and sometimes revealing the light behind the mountains. Sometimes a misting drizzle would swallow those mountains altogether and I would wonder if the people who live there had been swallowed up too or if, in fact, it appeared to them that we, in the town, had disappeared.

I have been reading this. It is suiting my prevailing end-of January mood.

I have been enjoying quiet time with the little visitors to my sick-bed. They have started to randomly hug and kiss each other. Unprompted. It is unbearably cute. Scenes like this make my heart sing. I yearn to lift my head out of the water so that they make me well again.

Grey

2012-01-21T15:18:00.000-08:00

The end of January. The days are coloured grey.

Photo by Devo

We eagerly await the monthly paycheck as the bills stack up on the kitchen counter. There will be a paycut... but, for now at least, there is still a job... we resolve to not worry until we are given reason to.

We will not let everything be swallowed by the grey cloudy skies, nor swept away by the sharp, gusting winds. We will hold tight and let the colour in our days stand out in stark relief against this pale, frigid backdrop.

Sweet girls in bright pink snow-suits happily play amongst the granite walls of an ancient settlement.

Early signs of spring. Crocus, daffodil and primrose petals gleam against the dull earth. Other

things are growing too. Her hair is long enough now to be worn "little girl" style.

Even the most mundane of days can bring unexpected magic.

This silvered, prehistoric beauty made a visit to the neighbour's garden. A rare thing, surely.

Photo by Devo

His keen, yellow eyes shone brightly against the ashen sky as he surveyed this new terrain. With nothing to interest him in our dusky suburbia, it wasn't long before he spread the vast expanse of his wings and flew eastwards, towards the sea. He taught us the surprising allure of grey against grey.

Begin again

2012-01-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a warm and peaceful start to 2012 so far. I spent a cosy New Years Eve with my youngest sister while our other halves rocked a local venue with their respective bands.

On New Years Day we took a blustery family walk on the seafront where strangers asked permission to photograph the girls in their bright-pink suits.

Later, we warmed our toes by a blazing wood fire, that crackled in the most pleasing way and entranced the little girls. They sat and gazed at the leaping flames and snuggled in close to Dada, while they nibbled on the last of the Christmas gingerbread.

...........................

I wrote the above on January 2nd when things were, indeed, exactly as I described...

...and then, the next day, I went back to work... and life's wild roller coaster dragged it's briefly neglected carcass up to the crest of that first, huge drop where, for the first day or two, precariously suspended, I had the most wonderful view. I glimpsed an entire year before me full of wonderful opportunities and ambitions. A million goals to grab, a million resolutions to be made, a million fleeting moments to capture and wrap up in my heart and remember, remember, remember.

I sat there on the brink, knowing inside that it was merely a momentary calm, before that first drop, the big one, where all of a sudden you're falling and gasping for a breath and reaching out to grab something and willing it all to slow down again. Slow down. Slow down so that I can see clearly again, all of it, that is my life.

I've forgotten already, most of the resolutions I had made while I balanced on top of that hill, with my empty diary spread before me, quietly awaiting those first tentative appointments. The festivals and birthdays and weddings. The doctor and dentist appointments. The meetings and project deadlines. The yoga classes and date-nights... and now, already, even the margins are filling with scribbled shopping lists and gift ideas and appointments awaiting confirmation and ideas for things I might like to try and a multitude of other chaotic scrawlings as life again picks up it's pace and leaves me scrambling in its wake.

I am trying to take a moment to breathe. To evaluate. To take something from this article, posted on someone else's Facebook page, that made me realise something and inspired me to make a relatively big change (more soon).

I am trying to remember to take an hour out of a day to do something new.
Like... faerie hunting in the winter forest...

...or rediscover my love of Theatre, a love that has been pushed to the bottom of the 'to-do list' for far too many years...

And so, the only resolutions that really matter... the ones that have managed to shine through the general fog of my days almost two weeks after New Years Eve, are as follows...

1. To make my life lighter and less fraught. To fill it less with things I don't really want to do but feel obligated to do and more with things that will make me smile and allow me to breathe.

2. To absorb every ounce of everything that this brings:

... wrap it up in my heart and remember, remember, remember...

......... of course, there's always the weight-loss resolution too... but who wants to remember that!

Nearing the end

2011-12-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

Has it really been almost an entire month since I've been here? My goodness, I hardly know where the time went! It seems I must have clambered aboard that old crazy Christmas train and just kept on going, and going and going... I like train journeys, and this one has been no exception, but I'm ready for it to draw to a close!

There have been many things I've wanted to share. Some of the 'building' work that's been going on around here:

Melon cubes as building blocks!

Built with help from Dada

Carpet on our Stairs - after 6.5 years of not getting our act together,
my brother and cousin finally made this happen! I am so grateful.

I wanted to share some of the Christmas craftiness that's been happening around here too.

The lanterns the littles made for their grandparents for Christmas, that welcome back the sun, as the evenings from now on start to stretch out tiny bit by tiny bit...

And the peg-dollies that were hidden in the last pocket of our Advent Calendar, somewhat overshadowed on Christmas Eve by the gifts received at the family gathering, but taken down from the tree everyday since for a kiss and a cuddle.

I've wanted to share all the Santa related excitement too:

...and to let you know how difficult it is to photograph this pair together these days, with both of them looking at the camera:

seriously, this is literally the best shot we've managed to get for ages now... and they're being forced into it!

The girls had a wonderful Yule. Family and friends have been so generous and they will be kept busy getting to know their new toys for months to come.

There have been gorgeous parcels too, from loved ones far away, but always in our hearts.

And here, at the last stop, I feel so lucky. The end of 2011 quietly rumbling to a halt with my nearest and dearest all in good health and good cheer and a bright and shiny-new 2012 to look forward to.

Happy New Year!

It's beginning...

2011-12-01T11:37:00.001-08:00

...to feel a lot like Christmas... The countdown to the Winter Solstice has begun.

We packed Christmas parcels in the day-job today for some of the parties we'll be hosting. I did some Christmas shopping during my lunch break and when I got home we introduced the girls to their first Advent calendar.

There was much curiosity.

The chocolate coins were a resounding success... hopefully the raisins in tomorrow's pouch will have the same effect!

I'm following this. Everyday Lilla a are posting a festive craft for children aged 2-6. My littles are still quite small, but we might try some of the crafts over the coming weeks. You can buy a set of cards with all 24 crafts here. Such a nice idea. We might get the cards, so that we'll be ready for next year.

I'm also enjoying reading this. Good Stuff indeed!

Shoes

2011-11-22T13:02:00.001-08:00

"Shoes Mama! Shoes Mama!" she cries, first thing every morning as I rush about the house barefoot, my toes curling on the cold kitchen tiles. Her arms are stretched out to me. Her strong little hands offer one of her Dada's shoes and one of her own. She is very concerned when I am barefoot. She is very concerned when she is barefoot. This girl loves shoes.

This girl wouldn't even walk until she had the right shoes. We had spent a considerable sum on a pair of sturdy leather 'first-shoes'. They were pink. We thought that would be enough, but no, they wouldn't do at all. We didn't realise that there needed to be sparkles for this girl to be interested in walking anywhere. The moment those sparkly lace-up shoesies were put on her feet, she stood up and walked, beaming her broadest smile...and never looked back.

This smile....

We recently bought her a pair of winter boots. She cried that night when we took them off at bedtime and ran straight to them the next morning, still in pyjamas, asking for them to be put on her.

When we went to see a colourful children's band playing in our local bookshop, she pushed her sturdy, little self up to the front of the crowd, stood directly beneath the musicians and studied their multi-coloured shoes.

Much as this girl loves music, that day was all about the shoes.
Lots of days are all about the shoes...

...and that's fine by me... afterall...

"Give a girl the correct footwear and she can conquer the world"

- Bette Middler

The Package

2011-11-20T05:00:00.001-08:00

In the end we had resigned ourselves to the fact that no package would be arriving. It had been sucked into a vortex somewhere between Colorado and Wicklow. Or it had been incinerated by heartless customs officers.

My swap partner had received her package and was disappointed that mine had not arrived. We had been so in sync with the whole process, even posting our packages on the same day, unbeknownst to each other.

There was nothing for it, but to begin again... or ... maybe just...

...wait for another couple of days...

For, lo and behold... on a dark, rainy evening, when I had been soaked to the bone on my walk home from the bus stop and I was tired and cranky and in need of some cheer... there was the package! Having casually arrived with the postman who offered no explanation for its tardiness, there it was, fully intact and just waiting to be explored.

All wrapped up in a map with a heart marking the spot from whence it came <3

A bundle of little bundles. Treasure upon treasure spilled out of the gorgeous drawstring bag that will be perfect for on-the go crafting...

... little notebooks, marked with an 'S', with feather bookmarks...

a beeswax candle, seated in a found telephone pole insulator part...

Seeds to plant - to create a mini Colorado in my garden - and beautiful words to read...

Something for each of my senses. Sage, ready to burn. It's sweet, earthy smell permeating the entire parcel.

Colorado quarters and a dollar coin...

Home-made elderberry cordial with vodka...mmmmm and mmmmMusic too. Amazing music that has filled my weekend and my heart.

All these things. And so much more. I am overwhelmed by the generosity and the creativity and the thoughtfulness and the tastes and sights and sounds of Colorado. Parts of another world taking their place in mine.

It has been a wonderful experience to join this bio-regional swap and make a new friend. Thank you Mary for inspiring us all!

Oíche Shamhna

2011-10-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

A grey, misty day. Constant drizzle and a gusting wind that never ceased. We stayed indoors and began to remember how to generate our own light. Now that the dark half of the year has arrived this is something we will have to perfect, but today there was magic in the air that helped us to begin.

Despite the gloom of the day, Samhain definitely brought us some light. It was not a sunny, Summer light, reminiscent of salty seaside days. Nor yet an orange, fireside light, warm and toasty. This light was different. It had a luminosity that is hard to describe. Something of a moon or starlight. But more. A heartlight?

Introducing the babes to Samhain celebrations that we will build on year after year has been wonderful. That is the heartlight that will be stored and will last far and beyond this year's dark cycle. This light, like starlight, will stretch out across the ages and flicker in my heart for eternity.

Apple-Cinnammon Pancakes

Licking the bowl clean

Watching two pairs of bright eyes delight in seasonal treats and sparkling fireworks filled me with joy.

Discovery of the existence of chocolate covered raisins results in unbridled joy!

Two little creatures, innocent and unaware of why they were in costume, the significance lost on them for a few years yet. They whirled and twirled, delighted with their reflections, and learnt a new chant... "apples or nuts"... "apples or nuts". Not the fashionable 'Trick or Treat'. Not yet. For now the chant of my childhood... "any apples or nuts? any apples or nuts?"

We practiced on the way to their grandmother's door. Excitement building under the darkening sky. Ghostly children whooped and called and rushed around us. "Hello!" my little ones cried, completey unafraid, "Hello!"

More sweet things at Nana's house. A warm welcome and sticky, chocolate faces.

Tired eyes too. An eventful day. So many new things to process at the beginning of this Celtic New Year. They are sound asleep now, Oíche Shamhna magic colouring their dreams.

Flickering candles are colouring my evening. Their flames mimic my heartlight.

Preparation

2011-10-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

The clocks go back tonight. The darkness is settling down around us and Samhain is almost here.

Today we made our preparations. In the morning, while the girls napped, I baked a brack. Not a traditional Barmbrack, but a Tea-Brack. It is moist and delicious and the girls love it, which is always a bonus!

After dinner, Devo carved a pumpkin. A local black cat showed up, just as he began. Perfect timing!

Lile helping Dada draw the face

The girls were a little nervous at first, but when we turned the lights back on they got a little braver. Sábha called it a monster. All monsters, to her knowledge, are friendly so it wasn't long before this "monster" was one of the family.

Later, I made some treat bags to hand out the big night.

We are ready.

It's here

2011-10-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has marked a definite shift. We had enjoyed a positively balmy October until now. Unseasonably warm. Golden sunshine warming golden leaves.

St. Stephen's Green

Hot dusty streets. Outerwear left behind to face stuffy bus rides, something rarely done, even in high Summer, in Ireland.

At the bus stop

Flocks of birds feasting on the bounty of unpicked fruit on our local trees. A banquet of elderberries and pears from the neighbours and our paltry offering of the seeds that grow on our pine tree.

High in the Pine Tree

Starlings in the Pear Tree

There have been simple Autumn pleasures and time spent out of doors to soak up the last of the warmth and the last of the brightness of the lighter half of the year.

How glad I am that we had those last gorgeous days of sun, because on Saturday we went for a drive in the countryside and I saw how the sky was suddenly grey and dim. The sun choked with thick cloud. I saw how the rain started to fall, whipped up by a northerly wind that quickly set about stripping the trees of their tenacious leaves, and I pulled my coat tighter around me.

All day Sunday that cold wind howled and drove the rain hard into the dripping trees. The wind retired today, exhausted by it's late night wuthering and howling, but the torrent has not ceased. The rain has poured steadily down all day today. A constant heavy soaking, cloaking us in a damp, misty cocoon.

I have been concerned by the level of the river. I live high on a hill, but loved ones live in the valley that has flooded several times before.

Indeed, there are floods all over. Rivers in the city streets. Cars abandoned.

Early today we went to an indoor shopping centre to get Winter boots for the little ones.

I'm glad we left early. The centre was evacuated this evening. Water, water everywhere.

Winter. It's here.

Drawing

2011-10-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

"Drawing" she says. "Drawing"... "Would you like to draw?", I ask. "OooKaaay" she says, with a big smile, as if it was my suggestion all along. We find what she needs and she settles down to work. Any canvas will do. The notebook Dada uses when he's writing songs for his band or the tiniest scrap of bedside paper.

The drawing sometimes strays onto the table top, or the floor, or even the bedsheets, but she is learning about where we will accept it.

She draws when we visit places. Handfuls of coloured pencils that we sometimes need to pry from her grasp when we are leaving.

She completes other peoples' pictures on their behalf. Adding her marks to eyes and hands and hair and other features she can name.

One of her favourite places to draw is out of doors. The garden wall is her largest work to date, an ever-evolving mural that changes as she adds to it and as the weather takes parts of it away.

Lately, she is experimenting with new types of canvas. Faces.

The primal, human urge to make her mark is so strong within her. I can hardly wait to see how it will develop.

The exhibition has opened and the night went well. The photographer was happy, (phew) and there were lots of people interested in the charity's work. It runs until Nov. 18th if you'd like to pop in for a peep.

The swap package is in the post (finally). Look here for a sneak peek from my new friend Heather in Colorado, of what might be in my package. I can't wait until it arrives!

Samhain is almost here.

Please Read

2011-10-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

So, I feel like I wasn't quite emphatic enough about how grateful I feel that I have a warm, comfortable home, full of lovelies, in my last post. I really do know how lucky I am to even have a roof over my head and food to eat and clean water to drink and proper sanitation and babies to cuddle and a husband to love and books to read and music to listen to and an oven to bake in and a sewing machine to make on and access to the world wide web and all kinds of other crazy luxuries that too many people in this world can't even imagine having.

I've been volunteering for The Children's Relief Fund for a little while now, helping the Director,who is blind, organise a photographic exhibition to raise awareness of the plight of homeless children in the Philippines. It is opening this month (see poster) and I really hope it's a success. If you are in the area please do stop by and learn a little bit about a hidden world, so far removed from our own. Thanks for reading.

Home

2011-09-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

We have been moving out ever since we first moved into this house. It was never meant to be forever and it wasn't love at first sight. It was a bridge. A stepping stone. A means to an end. An end that is still a little far off to see clearly.

We had a five-year-plan:
Buy house in our home-town.
Renovate.
Hang out for a while.
Sell.
Move on to bigger/better things just outside our home-town...

We are now in year 6. The plan has gone a little awry.

Granted, year 5 of the original plan passed in a haze of babies and before that the economic slump had already happened and our house has de-valued rapidly and significantly. Thankfully, we are not in as bad a situation as a lot of people. Nevertheless I sometimes feel somewhat stuck and a little disappointed that I don't yet live in that lovely house in the almost-countryside, surrounded by green but within walking distance of a pretty little local shop or two. I would like for my girls to grow up in that house. Yes, that house would be very nice indeed.

It is comforting to know that we haven't actually found the above-described house and missed out on it. In fact, that house probably doesn't even exist within our price-range... whatever that might be... and so I may at some stage have to come to terms with the fact that...gulp... I may not ever live in it... but for now I will dream...

Last weekend we travelled a winding road to visit my brother and his fiancée in their fantastic, newly-built home. Set in two acres of green with views over a lush valley and sheep running in the fields. It is idyllic and I'm so happy for them. You may think I could be a mite jealous... but no. The house is so much theirs I couldn't even imagine living there. It is home to them and not to me.

I don't need to be jealous anyway, because last week my girls reminded me how to appreciate what I have. They have found a new house. They have settled in and seem quite happy, despite a notable lack of wardrobe space.

It is a place to drink (imaginary) tea and put babies to bed. A little nook to snuggle up in, with books and cosy blankets.

A place to hide and peep, to create, to laugh and play.

A place of warmth and comfort and love. A place to hideaway from the rest of the world.

A home.

All Change

2011-08-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

A step forward into Autumn. Summer left suddenly behind.
Trees weighed down with fruit and evenings drawing down closer and closer.

The neighbours' Pear tree

A bough broke on my parent's apple tree from the sheer weight of its bounty. The leaves of the Sycamore outside my window are beginning to rust. It is time to prepare for the colder weather, still on the horizon, but just palpable in the cooling breeze that rustles through the weary branches.

Pears from the neighbours' tree

Autumn is always a time of new beginnings for me. There are new notebooks sitting on my desk. Empty pages awaiting my nervous first marks. Later they'll be filled with non-consecutive scrawls and scribbles, but for now they are pristine. It reminds me of going back to school.

And, yes, I am always learning. Today I am learning about Heather. I am taking part in the bioregional swap over on this wonderful blog. (I'm sure there is still time to join in.) I am planning and gathering and making and trying hard to compile a worthy representation of my environment to wrap up in paper and post far, far away.

Even though it is now, so certainly, Autumn...there is still time... just a little time... for one last fling. One last hurrah for Summer. A great big PICNIC! Some time to dance outdoors and eat and drink and look and see and cheer and sing and whoop and call goodbye to Summer at the top of our voices.... and then halloo hello to long-known, but almost forgotten, thoughts of future fires and warm woolens and time spent indoors with cosy lovlies.

A Kind-Of, Sort-Of Holiday

2011-08-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

We visited the vast wilderness of the south-west last week. Travelled the long road down, down to the very tip-toe of Ireland. Next stop America. A magical place with ancient history still visible to naked eyes.

A place with higher mountains than our own Wicklow ones and rolling fog that envelopes you in a warm damp embrace. With rains that can change from soft and persistant to heavy and tempestuous in the blink of an eye, and as quickly again the clouds can blow high and away to reveal the glorious sun-soaked landscape of greens and lilacs and hedgerows filled with crimson flowers.

The sea of that place is bigger too. The wild and untamed Atlantic crashes onto hidden, sandy beaches where we hold tight to our little ones as they gaze in awe at its power.

Where we kept a sharp eye out for a glimpse of a friendly dolphin,

and held quiet yearnings to explore secret caves beyond the heaving water.

I was technically working there with the day-job, running a holiday for Irish speaking families, but managed to squeeze the little bits of my own family time in and around the events planned for other people. I am left with fond memories of the girls first sort-of summer-holiday. Next year we might stick around for a second week and have the place all to ourselves!

Look who's here

2011-08-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

They have just arrived. After a long journey. All the way from Vietnam. Stuffed in my sister's suitcase. They are tired and a little rumpled, but we are so glad to see them. We will make them most welcome. They have already been covered in kisses. We've asked them to take off their hats and stay awhile.

They were happy to oblige.
I got a gift too.
A coconut bowl.
With the most beautiful crackled glaze.

I love it.
Thanks Cáiti and Niall.
Welcome home.

Little bits of Summer

2011-07-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

That's all you get in Ireland. Tiny little bits of Summer, dealt out in tiny little increments, an hour of sunshine here and there, the sun appearing for glorious moments between the gentle showers and rolling clouds.

And so, we have to be quick and ready, at a moments notice, to grab Summer as it tries to hide behind another looming cloud. Ready to run to a beautiful place where we can snatch those precious sunny hours and absorb the light and the colour and the atmosphere and store it all up to use when the rains come again, as they will, to remind us that Autumn will soon be here.

Yet, while we dash to and fro and chase the inconstant sun we have discovered some new things.

That we have a water-baby -

And a baby that is not so inclined -

We have made new friends in the sculpture park -

And tried new things -

And even when that pesky rain keeps us indoors, we keep ourselves occupied with music -

And art -

Temporary Cártaí Rúbaí studio in my sister's house.

And amazing dinner with family -

And these things warm us too.

This weekend brings Lúnasa, marking the beginning of the harvest and the end of Summer. I have baked some apple cinnammon muffins in preparation. There are plans for baking bread to eat with the Josterberry jam my parents made. There are plans to enjoy every last ray of sunshine that comes our way.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2011-07-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

A belated announcement.
The winner of the giveaway is:

The draw from the Facebook Giveaway...
which had considerably more entries...

Well, since only 3 people entered, I feel mean doing a draw for only one person to get a prize, so each of the three will receive the same prize... if I can figure out who 'Anonymous' is.... if not... then Doireann and Irmhild will each get a prize! Hooray!

P.S. Just to be clear - the prize is not a chicken dinner.

Giveaway Greetings

2011-07-08T03:46:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the weekend and the arrival of the new button badge machine to Cártaí Rúbaí HQ, as promised, and without further ado, here is the GIVEAWAY. The first I've ever done - eeep!

The Prize

To get your hands on the prize of 4 Cártaí Rúbaí Cards and 4 Cártáí Rúbaí Button Badges, all you have to do is leave a comment here. A winner will be selected at random on Friday the 23rd July 2011 at 8pm GMT.
This giveaway is also running over on the Cártaí Rúbaí Facebook page (see right) so you can pop on over there right now if you like and be in with a second chance of winning. All you have to do there is 'Like' the page and 'Like' the post with the same picture as above attached! What's not to like? ;)

P.S. Just to clarify, I will be doing two draws. One for Facebook and one for here. So that means there are two prizes that are the same.

Getting around to business

2011-07-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Another post about Cártaí Rúbaí... wonders will never cease? I'm just stopping by for a minute to let you know that I did go to the fair and that this was what my stall looked like on the day:

Also, the mystery 'product-line expansion machine' has arrived!

And I've managed to find a tiny bit of time to figure it out and make this:

(drum-roll please...)

Ta-Da! The first ever Cártaí Rúbaí button badge! Currently enjoying pride of place on my husband's lapel.

If you would like to get your hands on a badge just like it AND some other Cártaí Rúbaí treats stay tuned because I will be announcing a giveaway very soon!

Yes - I am finally getting around to business and it's beginning to feel quite good... but just in case you think I'm suddenly turning into one of those hard-nosed, career-driven, entrepreneurial-types... let me assure you that this is still what I spend most of my days doing:

All the things I could be telling you about

2011-06-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

I've just realised that Where Wishes Come From is nearly two years old... and I still don't really know what this blog is about...

I started it as a practice run for the blog I was eventually going to have that would be all about Cártaí Rúbaí - my little Irish language greeting card company. When the card website was being completed the designer suggested that I start the 'real' blog so that I could attach a link from the site... but I was heavily pregnant... and feeling a bit overwhelmed... and besides, I was enjoying sharing little snippets of my life through this blog. It was 'real' enough for me.

"Just attach Where Wishes Come From", I said. "It can be a sort of 'girl behind the business' type thing - like what this girl does". Who was he to argue with an emotionally fraught, pregnant woman?... And so here I am... still writing about pretty much everything EXCEPT Cártaí Rúbaí.

Maybe it's because things have been relatively quiet with the business since the girls were born. I mean I am still getting orders out and my head is full of new designs (though, said designs have yet to materialise in printed format) and there is constant interest etc... but I suppose my focus has been elsewhere since April 2010.

These days, though, as I have started to find my stride as a mother of twins and as our days have fallen into a steadier rhythm, things have started change. Cártaí Rúbaí is starting to come into focus again for me and I have a feeling it will start to find a more prominent place in my days.

So, although I'd love to be telling you all about our Father's Day trip to the farm.

or the amazing Midsummer's Day wedding we went to

or the project I've undertaken, that I've decided to call 'The Summer I Sent Parcels', which was inspired by this lovely idea and has already given me so much pleasure

Yes, I have a friend that works for Gucci. And yes, she is amazing.

or the volunteer work I've started on behalf of this wonderful organisation

or the article that was written (ages ago now) in Irish Quilting Magazine about 'Make and Do Mondays' - the craft night I run in a local pub.

or myriad smaller quieter happenings...

I won't.

Instead, I will tell you that Cártaí Rúbaí will have a stall on Sunday 26th June 2011 (terribly short notice, I know) at the Peas and Pods Market in Greystones Lawn Tennis Club and I'm really looking forward to it!! Do visit if you happen to be in the vicinity, it promises to be lovely.

Also, there will be an article about Cártaí Rúbaí in Gaelscéal sometime very soon - I might even share it here when it's available!

AND... I've just bought one of these:

I'm beyond excited about it! Can you guess what it is?
The 'Cártaí Rúbaí Product-line expansion' project is in the works!

And anyway... I can always write about those other things another time... and maybe one day I'll even find a bit of time to figure out what this blog is all about... suggestions welcome in the meantime!

This week I am thankful for:

2011-06-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Strong women who have a positive effect on the world around them

My Primary School Principal at her retirement party

Occasional sunny days during Ireland's rainy summer

Spending time with little cousins

Glamorous grandmothers with fabulous sun-hats

Trips to the park with sisters

Sábha's sense of adventure

Lile's sense of discovery

Sábha's first work of art

..torn in half before I could rescue it

..but taped back together and given pride of place on the kitchen wall

Lile's amazing sense of humour

Shopping for first shoes with little girls

Hanging out with beautiful, seldom seen friends

Almost (almost) too-pretty-to-eat, edible gifts from Nadia

Last-minute Rock and Roll dates with my lovely Devo

Alice Cooper curtains.... in the distance

Future Fashion

2011-06-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

They love dressing up.... those girls of mine.Capes are a particular favourite...

As are sunglasses...

Head-gear and footwear are also quite popular...

They look in the mirror and 'ooh' and 'aah' at how pretty they look.
They also like to play with my earrings and watch me as I do my hair.
They seem to be 'girly' girls.
They make me smile. A lot.

Lost in the big wide world

2011-05-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a little bit quiet around here of late... not that it's ever been particulary... erm... noisy? It's just that I've been off galivanting and having a wonderful time. That's ok isn't it? It was my birthday afterall, and then lots of other nice things happened too, so I've barely switched on a computer in the last couple of weeks - even in work!!
I was 33 on the 21st of May. To be honest I'm lucky to still be here. The Rapture was scheduled for 6pm the same day and I had to cram a lot of enjoying myself in early in the day so that I could settle down at 6pm with a glass of champagne, my nearest and dearest and all my birthday gifts around me to await my fate.

All dressed in black for our own potential funerals!

It did get a bit stormy... but we're all still here... so I'm reckoning the planet has a few more years left in her yet! At least I'll actually get to try out my new sewing machine. It would have been an awful waste of money if the earth had swallowed it mere moments after I'd opened it.

Appropriate 'wrapping paper' on my new sewing machine!

The following day, bright, breezy and without a chance of rapture, the birthday celebration continued with a blissful night away in beautiful Bellinter House. Eating, drinking, strolling, luxurious sleeping... you get the picture I'm sure.

The following day my day-job moved office. I am beyond delighted. I am no longer trapped in a dank basement with no natural light. We are now located on the second floor of a Georgian building in Dublin. Our office has duck-egg blue paint on the walls and two huge windows.

Best of all, I have a view...

...of sky, and trees and city life. I can even tell what the weather is like at any time of the day!

You'd think all of that would be enough excitement for one week, but no, there were still more adventures over this past weekend, and a bit of a reveal too.

I spent this weekend in the company of some wonderful women in Enniscrone in Co. Sligo. My sister's best friend Sij is getting married shortly and we celebrated her Hen night(s) by surfing (don't worry, there will be no pictures of me in a wetsuit in this post)and eating and drinking and making merry and gifting her with tokens of our affection. It was a fantastic weekend. Full of positive energy and sisterly love. And the patch that I made, was revealed...

...along with its sister pieces...

... as part of the tribute to her and her love.

When I got home, on Sunday afternoon, I took the girls for a walk with my Mama and my Nana.
We went to visit a local garden that is taking part in the Wicklow Gardens programme. The woman who owns it is a friend of my Grandmothers. She runs flower arranging classes that my Grandmother regularly attends and her garden is gorgeous.

Tilly, the friendliest dog in the world!

Mamó and Sábha

The little girlies had a wonderful time wandering around the perfect lawns, quacking at the ducks, woofing at the dog and being chased by their mama (only to stop them decapitating the flowers!)
All in all, I've been a bit lost in the big world. Revelling in the things that life are made of. Friends, family and festivities.

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String...

2011-05-16T04:33:00.000-07:00

There has been a flurry of packages arriving to our house of late. Something for each of us. It started with a tiny mock-parcel I made for Devo, for his birthday, to represent the gifts that were ordered (a bit late I'll admit) and on the way!
Inside I had folded up little print-outs of the covers of the books I had ordered for him.

The real thing finally arrived - on a slightly larger scale - and he had great fun actually receiving his birthday gifts. I mean, he appreciated the little parcel an' all... but actual books are a lot more fun to receive than pictures of books...

Another package arrived in my office for me last week. It was this book that I had ordered on a bit of a whim, on the recommendation of this lovely lady. It is a really delightful book and has some gorgeous projects that I'm dying to try. I'm so happy I bought it.

Just today TWO more packages arrived! Two in one day is beyond exciting! One can't quite be revealed just yet as it has another gifty purpose but the other is far and away the more exciting anyway!

A belated birthday gift for my little girls from CousAunt Jo, CoUncle Jordan and little Mary P.

Beautifully wrapped and completely adorable backpacks!

A ladybird.

And a bumble bee.

And inside?! Maracas! A ladybird and a bumble bee, of course. These are a big hit, as anything that rattles or makes noise is very popular with this pair.

I can see these backpacks being incredibly useful for years to come. They are by LittleLife, and are such a clever design. They have tons of different styles and I see that they are currently running a competition to win a back-pack. Why not give it a whirl and see if you can't get your hands on one of these for a tiny lovely person in your life?!

Not only are packages arriving but there is quite an important package currently being assembled to leave this house too. Here's a little sneak-peek at one of the (yet unfinished) items it will (eventually) contain.

Curious? All will be revealed soon!

A missed celebration and a tiny victory

2011-05-09T05:27:00.000-07:00

So our Bealtaine celebration didn't quite happen. There were plans to bring in the May. There were also plans for sun-shaped sugar cookies and a bonfire. Alas, Devo and I succumbed to a horrible tummy bug and felt wretched for both Bealtaine Eve and Lá Bealtaine. The only celebratory thing I could muster up was to gift my tiny girls (who thankfully avoided the illness) with some little hand-knit bee finger puppets from this shop (but they don't seem to be available online).

I don't feel we missed out too much, however. Luckily, recovery was swift enough to resume enjoying ourselves once again by welcoming an old-friend and her two adorable boys into our home for an afternoon of catch-up chatting and play. Niamh is one of my oldest friends and has, for many years now, lived in California. The last time I saw her was 3 years ago when her eldest boy, Zen, was just 3 months old, and she has returned this time with a new little bundle, 10 -week old Ty. It was so good to see her and get all the news.

We didn't leave it at a mere afternoon meet-up either. Niamh organised something of a school-reunion at her parents house another evening and served a delicious meal. There was a small group of girls, some of whom I hadn't seen since school-days, gathered around the table catching up on 15 -years (really??) of living! It was great to see them all again and hear about their lives, all so accomplished and full of fun. Re-connecting with the teenagers we used to be and marvelling at how grown-up (sort of) we have become!

On Saturday my tiny girls and I travelled early to Co. Kilkenny for a family christening. It was a really lovely day, warm and peaceful in the countryside setting of the gorgeous old farmhouse where my cousin, her partner and their baby boy reside.

There was food aplenty (as there always is at our family gatherings!) and little cousins to play with.

I'm looking forward to visiting again soon! It's such a nice place to be.

And so, to the tiny victory. It actually seems even tinier now that I'm trying to verbalise it and maybe a wee bit silly... it's about rubbish afterall...

Anyway, we pay for our waste disposal on a 'pay as you go' basis. It has been useful for us to do this as we often don't need to put our bins out for collection every week. Also, they text us every Sunday night to let us know what bins to put out for the folowing morning's collection (refuse/recycling/etc). I like this service a lot!

BUT! It has really irritated me since we signed up that there was no facility to easily check if our account was in credit or not when we put out the bins. This has resulted several times in the bins not being collected at all (because we were out of credit) and leaving us for an extra week with stinky overflowing bins. NOT NICE.

The last time I called to top-up our credit I mentioned to their customer service person that I really liked their text service and would they maybe mention to the powers that be that it would be useful if, when they were texting me about what bin to put out, they might also include how much credit I have left??

This was a while ago, and I had no idea if it would even be passed on or not as the person on the end of the phone hadn't seemed terribly enthused at the idea (maybe it means more work for them?). Last week, however, I got a letter from them, not a personal one thanking me for my brilliant idea or anything, but that's ok.

The letter states:

"Our free text alert service continues to be a popular reminder of which bins to put out on which day. Waste company name will shortly add the customer's pre-pay credit balance to the weekly text reminder"

It's possible that I'm not the only one who thought this would be a good idea, but I kind of feel like I made it happen...

You have no idea how happy this letter made me:)

A victory, tiny as it may be, is still a victory!

Little Bits of Easter Morning

2011-04-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

Customised 'Incredible Hulk / Yorkie Easter Egg' for Devo

Take a peep in at the egg itself - now that's attention to detail!

New Cardigans by Mamó

Spring Time Celebrations

2011-04-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

I feel like I haven't stopped celebrating since the last time I was here! Spring has just been so full of wonderful occasions to have fun and the weather has been so clement that I have spent as much time as possible out of doors.

I'm beginning to think that this might be my favourite time of year. I love all of the seasons for different reasons, but there is something positively magical about Spring. Green shoots emerging from earth that, so recently, seemed barren and cold. Stark branches suddenly covered in bright blooms and fresh new leaves. The days yawning and stretching themselves and now, the late Spring brings a strengthening sunshine, carried on a warm breeze, that hints at Summer's return.

Also, did you know that almost everyone I know seems to have been born in Spring? There are oodles of birthdays in March and April. Not only my little ones, but both of my sisters, my husband, various cousins, an uncle, an aunt, my mother-in-law and several friends all celebrated birthdays recently and there are still more to come before April is out!

As a result, I have been enjoying a lot of family-time lately - just hanging out in nice places with my own little gang or spending time with extended family too.

We also had some of my favourite visitors for an all-too-brief stay. My cousin Johanna, her partner and their adorable little Mary Penelope came to town for a grand total of 26 blissful hours. There were walks (yes, plural!) on the beach, a sunny lunch, some laid back drinks and lots of chatty catch-ups. We threw in a couple of yummy ice-creams for good measure too.

Tomorrow is Easter. In our town you always know it's Easter when a local gift shop puts impossibly cute, fluffy little chicks in its window. They always draw a crowd.

I intended to celebrate Easter some time ago, in line with how it would have been celebrated by my ancient Celtic ancestors, but with all the 1st birthday preparation hoo-ha, it never happened. This week, however, I have decorated our first 'Easter Tree' and hung it with some really kitsch eggs from a local discount-shop, some fabric chicks and yellow ribbons from my Mama and a couple of small chocolate eggs for the small sweet girls.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. There will be new outfits for the babes, dinner with my family and lots and lots of chocolate, I'm sure. A real celebration.

And with Bealtaine just around the corner it looks like we will be celebrating for a little while yet!

Pink and Green Party

2011-04-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

So, my tiny girls have turned the big ONE. They are now officially one entire year old and not really so tiny anymore. So, we threw a party. A fabulous party. As promised, here is the (extremely picture-heavy) 'Pink and Green Party Post'

We had a very busy week preparing for the party. It had suddenly become vital that all the little (and not so little) DIY jobs, that had been put off since their birth, were completed before their big day. At 11pm the night before the party, our kitchen looked like this:

The contents of the music room balancing on the kitchen table!

Somehow, with a lot of late-night elbow grease, everything got finished and our little house managed to look its very best for the big day.

In fairness, bunting makes everything look better!

Lile and Sábha woke up on their birthday morning, with sleepy heads, to sunshine and balloons.

Balloons Before Breakfast

After breakfast, their Nana arrived, with matching Horsies! So much fun, and a gift I hope they will enjoy in the garden all summer.

After a little nap the girls donned their Pink and Green Party outfits and tried on their mama-made birthday crowns.

The party table was set-up, with lots of Pink and Green treats, and the cake. Oh, the cake!

It was so pretty I had to make Devo cut it. I just couldn't bear to destroy it! It was absolutely delicious and made by a very talented cousin - who also happens to have a twin sister!

She also made the gorgeous cupcakes!

When the guests had all gathered, it was time to sing the Happy Birthday song and to give the girls their very first taste of cake!

The eating part was very serious business on the part of the girls - just look at their expressions! Sábha ate the fruit and some of the cake, but wasn't too sure about the icing.

Lile scoffed the lot, and helped her sister finish hers (actually, she stole it from her!)

It was a really great day, the twinnies had the best fun ever and we, as parents, enjoyed every minute. The girls received so many beautiful cards and gifts and we are so, so grateful to our wonderful family and friends for making the day extra special. I'll remember it forever.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-04-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

My Mama and me in 1978

Happy Mothering Sunday to all the lovely mamas out there, but especially to my own lovely mama.
Today is my very first Mother's day. I have been treated to pancakes with maple syrup (my favourite breakfast), in bed, no less!

Devo has also taken his mother out for the afternoon, with the girls. So I have a couple of delicious hours, all alone in the house, to do as I please. Perfect.

P.S. The girl's first birthday was yesterday and we had a great day. Expect a Pink and Green Picture-filled post soon!

Did you know?

2011-03-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Blossoms and Blue Sky

The cherry blossom trees on my street are outdoing themselves this year.

Palest-pink confetti-petals are raining down gently and piling up in delicate drifts everywhere.

I just had to share.

Almost there

2011-03-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

The twins' first birthday plans are continuing apace! The Pink and Green theme is certainly beginning to make its presence felt.
There are Pink and Green treats arriving by post:

Pink and Green Decorations waiting to be hung:

Slow progress is being made on the Pink and Green Birthday Crowns:

and Pink and Green stuff and things are sneaking into the cupboards and chests throughout the house, hidden away until the big day!

In other news, there has been a St. Patrick's Day funfair,

a sunny Saturday trip to the park,

and a Supermoon!

Less than a month

2011-03-04T14:02:00.000-08:00

In less than a month Lile and Sábha turn one.
A year old. One whole, entire year.
A full year will have passed since they arrived and turned my life upside down and inside out and I fell head over heels in love with the two sweetest little things in the world.
A year of learning and relearning. Of new experiences and celebrations.
Of tuning in, to little murmurings and tiny cries and babblings and shouts.
A year of feeding and changing and playing and feeding and changing and playing and loving and loving and loving and LOVING.
A full year of broken sleep and of endless fun. Of meeting milestones and of cosy cuddles.
A year.
The year.
And my, how that year has flown.
I can hardly believe it!

Lile and Sábha model their new leg-warmers, crotcheted by their Great Nana.
(Please ignore the less than scenic background)

There will be a celebration to be sure. I am plotting and I am planning.
There will be a theme of Pink and Green.
There will be crowns for the birthday girls - an absolute must for girls' who share the middle name 'Coróin'.
There will be cake by a talented relation.
There will be lots of excuses to look for inspiration for the party table (check out picture 11 - *swoon*)
There will be fun.

I am looking forward to it.

Cúinne Baile 4

2011-02-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

I went out to find some light

2011-02-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

... and after the storm... there it was...

Imbolg (Christianised as 'Candlemas') was wet,windy and really, really wild!

A part of our tree was felled, in fact...

and from the new piece of sky it revealed, the fresh Spring light poured through our kitchen window.

The babes were still quite sickly and we stayed indoors, safe and warm and, even though they didn't feel too well, they still enjoyed playing with their new Nature Nesting Blocks.

We ate sheep's milk feta for our unphotographed lunch and baked some unphotographed goodies from this book.

In the evening we lit a candle, to welcome back the Spring sunshine.

Now, a week later, everywhere I look, I see the Spring emerging, triumphant, from Winter's cold, hard grasp.

So many things...

2011-02-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

There are, oh, so many things going on at the moment! My head is all awhirl lately!
Last Friday was mine and Devo's 10-year 'Together-aversary'. 10 years since we got together. Wow! Sometimes it feels like so long ago and sometimes it feels like it was only yesterday...

Early Days

To celebrate, we went to the cinema. We hadn't been in ages and ages. I had forgotten what a good night out it can be and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. So nice to escape for a little while and be 'just us' again.

On Saturday, Sábha got sick. A horrible tummy-bug. She's still got it. She's also passed it onto Lile. The Doctor says it will pass soon. It can't pass soon enough. Poor little things.

They have been sleepy and clingy. Sábha fell asleep in my arms on Monday. She slept so heavily and for so long that she left an imprint of her ear on my arm! It reminded me of this guy.

We had made it 10 months without any illness. Life is so much easier when they are well!

We are starting to think about their first birthday. I can't quite believe it!

Yesterday, I had an interview with Irish Quilting Magazine. I was talking about the craft night I host 'Make and Do Mondays' (see right). I'm looking forward to seeing it in print!

Of course, I did manage to make it to Tourmakeady for work. It was a wet and misty day. A 'soft' day, one might say. I had been looking forward to views of the lake... but the views were somewhat swallowed by the clouds. It was still beautiful.

Tomorrow is officially Imbolg. We will have a small celebration, babies permitting! There will be candles lit to welcome back the sun. There will be sheep's cheese and a small gift for the small girls and, if there is any time, something treatful will be baked. I am so happy that the spring has returned and that the days are beginning to stretch themselves - it is time.

Way Out West

2011-01-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

It has taken me almost four hours to get here today... from one side of the country to the other... and I noticed, once again, how the fields got smaller and stonier the further west I travelled... until I arrived here.

It was late afternoon and the light was failing when I took a walk around the town.

Westport looks cold and bleak in these pictures, but it really is a pretty town, with lots of nice shops and cafés. I found one absolute treasure trove of a shop that I would have liked to have bought 'one of everything' in... I almost did!

There are new spoons for the girls, cookie cutters for upcoming festivities, a cake tester with a pink heart (I truly have needed one for so long), a gas lighter for our sometimes dodgy stove, tea-time treats and a mug for Devo which reads " Sex and Mugs and Rock n' Roll" - I love it!

I'm tired and weary tonight. Soon I will go downstairs for something to eat... but mostly I'm looking forward to a big sleep...

A soft grey rain is falling outside my window and the weak and wintery light has left the sky.

Tomorrow I journey forth (or sort of back) to the shores of Lough Mask... more soon...

Swings and Roundabouts

2011-01-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

We made it to the playground yesterday.

The girls enjoyed the bouncy horsie.

...and were decidedly under-awed by the swings!

Oh well!

A great escape...

2011-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

is sometimes needed. A little time. Just a little. Just sometimes. Just me. Not for any particular reason... just because.

I awoke this morning to something even louder than the calling babes. A strong wind was blustering about the house and a grey rain was rattling at the windows. My plans, for bringing the tiny girls to try out the toddler swings in the park for the first time, were scuppered... and so we'll have to wait for less inclement weather.

A day indoors can be lovely. There are lots of nice homely things to do and games to play and most of the time I love staying cosy while the world storms around us... but there was a murmuring voice in the wind today... a persistent little voice... that called me out into the wild afternoon for a little lonesome fairytale adventure.

Through the magical castle gate and into Eye-Candy Land!

Where there are pretty tea-cups

and sweetly scented soaps.

Pretty perfume bottles.

Sweety sweets.

and treaty treats!

Snuggly woolens

and woven birds!

Tempting things for the tiny twins...

and glimpses of the castle's rain-swept enchanted gardens.

But best of all, in this magical land there was time... a little precious time...

for warming soup and the exciting climax of a story.

And oh, it was a great escape!

If you go chasing rabbits...

2011-01-10T03:44:00.000-08:00

2011 is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. My local Chinese take-away calendar tells me this of Rabbit:
"Luckiest of all signs - talented and affectionate, yet shy. You seek peace. Marry a Sheep or Pig - not Rooster."

It seems that all of 2010 has been preparing this year. Last year was the year of the Tiger... but Tigers have not been too plentiful in these parts! Instead, bunnies have slowly been taking over our home...
There are snuggly rabbits:

And playful rabbits:

And cuddly rabbits:

And rabbits peeping out of books:

And rabbits to measure how tall you are growing:

And rabbits to hang or to hang from:

And a rabbit who likes to read:

And rabbits on my new shoes:

And even badly photographed rabbits for christmas:

Brooch from my cousin in London, Ring from my brother - both featuring a rabbit and a top-hat - completely delightful coincidence!

I am looking forward to spring and perhaps a chance to see some live rabbits!

New Beginnings

2011-01-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! 2010 has been good to me and I'm so looking forward to 2011. I have no real plans just yet for this year but my head is brimful of ambition and I'll have to stop and think awhile and take note of all I want to achieve and experience this year. Of course there'll be surprises too I'm sure... and I am eager for those too.

These last few days of the fading year have been full and fabulous! On the 30th, two dear friends of ours were wed. The day was misty and magical and the wedding was one of the best I've ever attended.

This couple are so perfect for each other and are so much in love, it was just beautiful to bear witness to their special day.

The whole day was infused with their infectiously fun personalities. The bride is a true creative and hand-made so many aspects of the day - from the invitations and menus (made from recycled 7" vinyl records), to the centrepieces on the tables (featuring over 400 Ferrero Rochet chocolates re-covered in silver foil!), and the bouquets (which I'm raging I didn't get a picture of, they were made of fabric flowers and oddments of costume jewellery - brooches, rings, earrings - you name it - they were really unique)

The cake bore testament to their mutual love of rock n' roll, as did the band, aptly named 'Till Death Do Us Party'. We danced. Oh, how we danced! (And when it was late, and our legs were tired, Devo and I sneaked away home for our first night without the girls since they were born in April.)

Favours - M&Ms with their names and FACES on them!

Today, as the new year dawns, the newlyweds embark not only on their new life together, but on a cruise in the Carribean! I wish them all the best in the world for an amazing future together.

Christmas greetings to you, one and all...

2010-12-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

I hope you are having as wonderful time as I am, so far... and it's only just begun! The magic started for us here on Christmas Eve morning when the most wonderful parcel arrived from my cousin Johanna in London.
There were perfect gifts for each of us, beautifully wrapped and beribboned and its arrival caused great excitement here!

Parcels from London at Christmas were a huge part of my childhood. My mother's sister (Johanna's mother) always sent incredible parcels to us and we were allowed to open them on Christmas Eve. They were the precussor to the Christmas Day frenzy and in the days before English high-street chain-stores arrived on these shores the contents always amazed and delighted us. My mother, of course, sent parcels to London too (full of Irish treats!) and Johanna has the same fond memories as I do of the postman ringing the door-bell at Christmas time!

Johanna now has a little girl of her own and we have decided to carry on the tradition between us. I posted my package for her last week and I really hope that it arrived on time. I love that we are carrying it on, it really adds something special to an already special time of year.

In the afternoon we went to visit the girls' great grandmother and she gave my girls some beautiful jumpers that she made herself. I am delighted with them as I adore hand-knits and they are perfect for the current weather conditions!

In the evening, we hung the girls' stockings by the fireplace and tucked them up all snug in their beds... I'd like to think that they have dreams of sugar-plums in their heads... but they are not even 9 months old yet and haven't got a clue what Christmas is!

When they wake up they will see that Santa has been to visit and brought them, oh so many presents!

Yule-tide Greetings!

2010-12-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

Today is the winter solstice and the beginning of Yule celebrations. There was a lunar eclipse this morning and I got up early to watch, looking forward to a magical start to the festivities of the next couple of weeks. Alas, it was very cloudy and I saw no trace of this rare event. The morning was magical for quite another reason anyway.

It snowed last night. And boy did it snow! Big fluffy snow that settled in deep drifts over everything and made my heart leap with excitement and my head dizzy to look up.

Snow cushions

In the morning, before the rest of the world stirred, I took a peep out of several windows to marvel at the still perfection of undisturbed snow, though I didn't venture outside until it was light to snap some pictures.

I didn't want to mention the snow of past weeks the last time because it was a bit of a pain. There was too much work to do. Too many things to prepare. And though snowfall will always make me stop and smile and relish the time spent cosy and indoors... it sort of got in the way a few weeks ago.

This time, however, it's different. Work is all but complete. Preparations are all but made... and if things don't get finished, I've decided it doesn't matter a jot. We'll manage, and just maybe, this season, usually associated with gluttonous excess, will be simpler and more magical instead.

Snow Face

Let's not talk about the weather

2010-12-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Suffice to say that the weather has been about as extreme as it gets in Ireland. Thunder and lightening and snow by the sky-ful. And now, the beginnings of a thaw... but lots of ice... if that makes sense. At any rate, all we've been doing lately is staying cosy.... that's literally about it...

So, with a lack of exciting events in my own life - I've decided to blog about my little brother. The gregarious, ever-excited, unstoppable Éanna!

Me pushing Éanna in the park in 1980/'81

Using a cucumber for balance at 8 months old...
as I look on... and eat the rest of the cucumber...

Éanna is having quite an exciting year thus far. He is building a house in the countryside. On a magnificent two-acre site with stunning views over a valley to the front and an ancient woodland to the rear. It promises to be fabulous and I can't wait to visit!

Éanna riding bareback on a traveller's horse!

He is studying Arboriculture, and dreams of one day working for Coillte and spending his days driving around in his Jeep and looking after trees. A far cry from his current desk-job with the national broadcaster.

He recently turned 'the big 30' and threw an amazing fancy-dress birthday party, where everybody dressed up as either super-heroes or cartoon characters. Éanna dressed up as Marvin the Martian. Complete with size 17 shoes... seriously.. do people have feet that big? He wore his own shoes inside the big shoes!

Most exciting of all, however, Éanna also recently got engaged! To the lovely Sinéad, who I already consider my sister-in-law. We are all looking forward to the wedding and wish them every kind of happiness for the future.

P.S. All photos in this post taken from slides, taken by my father, Sam Gallagher - aren't they lovely?

What the trees tell us

2010-11-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

I was looking out my window this morning, at the cold, grey day and at how naked our tree has become.
Two weeks ago it still looked like this:

But the blustery weather of late has stripped it utterly. There are precisely four leaves still hanging on, in golden-hued defiance of the deepening Winter. I was reminded of a children's poem, printed in the first book I was ever given:

Morning Is A Little Child
by Joan Walsh Anglund

The book was given to my father as a gift for me, on the occasion of my birth, by the owner of Dubray Books. Then, just one shop, known as The Bray Bookshop. My father was one of their first (and possibly best!) customers. He even had a tab, like a bar tab, with the shop until very recently. Imagine!

I still have my book and have already read it to my girls. It has beautiful illustrations and simple, but evocative poems for children. This is the one I was reminded of:

A leaf is a letter
from a tree
that writes, in gold,
"Remember me!"

One man's trash...

2010-11-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

I have an uncle who, in the days before we all separated our rubbish, donated gently used items to charity shops and brought everything else to the recycling centre, was a bin-man. He used to find the most weird and wonderful things left out for curbside collection.

He sometimes brought us found items, like books, records and toys from another era. Once or twice there were paintings and just once he brought my parents a huge decorative plate depicting a chinese man, a tree and some pigs! It still hangs in their kitchen.

I recently stumbled upon this incredibly beautiful blog and was instantly reminded of another treasure that came, via my uncle, from somebody else's trash.

From an ancient dusty envelope, wherein I stashed it after I had claimed it as my own and carried it with me from house to home, I extract a rare gem.

A book. Delicate and unbound.

With a simple inscription.

To dear Miss Cherry, From Lam Hang Ching
Lam Kook Ching

And the most complex beauty contained within.

The most amazing thing about this little book is that these are not prints. These are actual Chinese papercuts, cut by skilled hands from impossibly fine paper, collected from exotic sounding places Shantung, Kiangsu, Nanking and Kwangtung and presented in this simple paper book.

I have no idea of its history, who the dear Miss Cherry was, or why it ended up being thrown away. It was published by Guozi Shudian of Peking - Importers and Exporters of Books and Periodicals, which after a brief 'google' appear to be publishers of communist propoganda during the 1960's. Is this propaganda?

I am considering contacting the Chester Beatty Library to see if they can give me any further details and to advise me on how to preserve it. I often toy with the idea of framing each piece... but I'm afraid the light might dim the vibrant colours. For now I'm happy to leaf gently through it from time to time and just marvel.

Strange Fruit in Bloom

2010-11-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

So, I'm back at the day job. Three days a week for now. It's fine. I'm coping. Daddy is coping too. So far, so good. The commute hasn't magically improved any, but sometimes it feels nice to be in the city, and free to do as I choose. Well, on my lunch break at least!

On my break today my co-worker and I spontaneously visited Sweny's. It is not Bloom's Day and I will (shamefacedly) admit that I've never read Ulysses, but I've been meaning to have a peep inside the shop ever since it was re-vamped last year.

I'm so glad I did. It was the most pleasant experience and one I hope, often, to repeat. The shop itself opened as a pharmacy in 1853 and traded as such until 2009. It is now a shrine to all its history, with particular emphasis on its mention in James Joyce's Ulysses. The cabinets are full of curiosities, some common pharmaceuticals and lots of second hand books to peruse. It also sells the infamous lemon soap, as it has always done and holds lunchtime readings and other events. I think this girl would love it.

I bought some lemon soap. I had to. It's sort of a must. I also bought a book. I can't help myself when it comes to books. I started to read it on the train home. So far so good.

And then something extra wonderful happened! My co-worker and I speak Irish together always and we chatted away about this and that as we browsed. When we came to pay the shopkeeper, who was dressed in an immaculate white pharmacist's coat, he spoke Irish too! What a surprise! It's not often that happens in Dublin, I can assure you.

We were on TV tonight

2010-11-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

The show we were a part of finally aired tonight! It will air again next Friday, but in the meantime it can be seen here. I had posted on my Facebook page that it was going to be on and then I had pangs of regret because the babies were ten weeks old when they filmed us and I couldn't remember a damn thing I had said. I was sort of terrified that I would just look like a crazy person talking about tea and babies....

Completely unrelated picture

but it was ok... It's a beautifully filmed piece of television. The different stories are really heart-warming and I am (edited to be) quite coherent... which is nice. I have to say, the whole thing brought a little tear to my eye. I'm so happy to have it to look back on and to share with the girls when they are older and I'm so grateful to have had such a huge event in my life marked in such a significant way. My sister Cáit was also marvellous and I'm glad she was a part of it. What a lucky girl I am!

It's almost Hallowe'en

2010-10-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

... and I'm reminded of some photos I took last year of a place that gave me shivers everytime I had to go. As in 'go'... if you know what I mean...

What started out as a fun evening on a romantic anniversary getaway has left me a bit traumatised and certain that I'll never 'go' alone in a certain establishment on the Dingle Peninsula again!

We thought 'Foxy John's' would be a great place for a night out. "Half bar - half hardware store" we thought, " What's not to like?" The only thing we worried about was if anybody had a tipple too many would things get out of hand and was it customary for the locals to reach for the ratchets and chisels in such an event? In hindsight we were foolish to worry about such trivial things! Far darker things awaited us.

The night started out well. We marveled over the quaintness of such a place and enjoyed leaning against the shop counter, entranced by the array of goods available to us, as we consumed our beverages.

We were having a great time... until the inevitable happened... and the quest for 'the ladies facilities' began. '"They're upstairs" was the curt reply, from the barman, to my question of "Could you tell me where the ladies is, please?" and so I went through the little door at the back of the pub/shop and began my fearful journey.

No sooner had I left the cosy banter of the pub and the warmth of the company than I felt a chill creep through me. It's just the old fashioned decor, I told myself, it's odd and kind of 'retro' in a way... nothing more... and on I went up the stairs.

There was nothing to indicate that any of the darkened doors on the first level were my goal... but what could have been behind them... I tried not to think about... on I climbed to the next level and finally saw a sickly glimmer at the end of a long, enclosed corridor. Here, surely, I must go...

It was the only way forward. I felt like turning back... but at the insistence of my bladder... I travelled on...

and found, at last, my journey's end. The bathroom. With its shabby, pale green walls, bare bulb, slanting floor and... bathtub... of course...

Though these photographic depictions may seem inocuous enough, it is difficult to convey, by camera, the overall atmosphere pervading the place that frightened me and made my imagination run riot. Who had bathed in that bath in times long past? Who had peered into that mirror... and perhaps peered there still...

What was in that little cabinet on the wall?.. What fiend might be blocking my path at the bottom of the corridor from whence I came?.. My head swam with feverish thoughts and I longed to be transported to a happier place by only closing my eyes! But I could not close my eyes for fear of what might happen if I did!!

As you can imagine, I don't think I have ever 'gone' faster in my life! And I fairly ran all the way back to the relative safety of the bar... returning only once (accompanied by a curious acquaintance) to capture these pictures and share them as a warning, to all who venture into Foxy John's, of what awaits the ladies!

It's all better!

2010-10-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

My poor sickly little laptop came home from the doctors a couple of days ago (hooray!) and is none the worse for wear for its little holiday (double hooray!!). It has a brand new hard drive (the other one was failing and it was lucky I brought it when I did - yikes!) So I'm now also the proud owner of an external hard drive where I can back up all of my precious 'data'. Lesson learned!

So now that I have reinstalled some crucial programmes I can actually start using it properly again and get back to blogging!

Remember this? Well it's finally going to actually be on television - and I can't wait to see it! Well, I'll probably be mortified. My babies were only 10 weeks old and I can't remember a single word I said to the tv crew as I was probably still in cloud cuckoo land, but hopefully it'll be ok...

It will be broadcast on TG4 on Sunday 7th November at 9.30pm and repeated on Friday 12th November at 7.30pm. We're going to have to have a TV party both nights... I must get planning!

I have a lot to do over the next week or so as, sadly, my maternity leave has come to an end and I return to the day job on the 2nd November. The day my twins turn 7 months old. I'm not hugely ecstatic about it, as I have been enjoying being a stay-at-home mama, and could quite happily continue in the role... but needs must and all that... so I will try to keep it together and adapt to cramming even more activity into my daily life!

Luckily the girls will have a stay-at-home daddy until after Christmas, which is truly fantastic.

Also, Make and Do Mondays are going well and the last one was lots of fun, with lots of new faces stopping by. I'm really looking forward to the next one!

Oh! And it's almost Hallowe'en too. That will be fun!

Cúinne Baile 3

2010-10-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

The fireplace, with birthday invitation.

What to write..

2010-10-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

... almost a month later. How bad am I at this blogging mularkey?? I was reminded by this lovely post, by Ciara at Milkmoon, that I never even mentioned the one year birthday of this poor neglected little blog. (It would have been some time in August...I think... yes, August 17th) and now here we are in October!

How time flies when there are tiny twin girls eating it all up!

Well, the first of the 'Make and Do Mondays' has been and gone and was quite a success!

There was crochet and appliqué and knitting and painting and softie-making and upholstery and yummy cupcakes by Emma and Faye and a raspberry cake by me and bottles of Prosecco and lots of nattering! There was even a man! With his own sewing machine!!!

It was the original intention that Make and Do Mondays would be held once a month, but due to popular demand they will be held every second week. So the next one is on Monday (obviously) October 11th. Hooray for people who like to create!

In other news, Lile and Sábha have started on solids and are now not only eating my time, they are gobbling up everything in sight! There has not yet been one thing they haven't loved. Broccoli included! It's wonderful.

Sábha

They are also getting lovely and chubby!

Lile

My little greeting card business, Cártaí Rúbaí, appears to be quiet at the moment, but I'm busily working away on getting orders out and trying to gear myself up for the coming Christmas Fair season. It will be a busy one and I have a lot of work to do if I want to be ready on time!

It seems I found things to write about afterall and maybe (fingers crossed) when my laptop comes back from the doctor (I finally brought it yesterday) I'll be around here a little more... even a little more would be better!

Make and Do Mondays Anyone?

2010-09-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

So I've been off the blog radar for a while (again)... mostly because I still haven't got the laptop fixed... But I have been busy, busy, busy too. There have been lots of outings (enjoying the last of the summer weather), some moral supporting of a dental surgery patient, some gigs, lots of card selling (hooray!), some visiting, a reconciliation and a sleepover.

I suppose one of the most fun things I've been up to is working on organising this:

Known originally as 'Gentlewoman's Wednesday' my friend Colette and I decided that it was just too difficult to craft with little people around so we decided we would de-camp once a month to Make and Do Mondays at The Harbour Bar in Bray, projects in hand, to enjoy crafting and chatting in peace. We might even bring cake... sure why not!

If anyone is in the area on the inaugural night please pop in for some prosecco! Bring the crafty projects you have languishing in knitting bags and pushed to one side on desks and breathe new life into them - we'll be in the conservatory - how gentlewomanly!

On the Fritz

2010-08-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

First my camera ran out of batteries and I can't seem to remember to buy some new ones. Ever. Even when I go out especially to buy batteries I come home with four tubs of baby formula, two bars of chocolate, some orange juice and some baby weaning spoons which I won't even need for at least another month.

Then my laptop decided to die. Well, I hope it's not actually dead, because there are lots of photos and documents and music on it that I'd quite like to still have. The photos especially. "Surely you've backed-up", I hear you cry. "Oh, so you're an idiot", I hear you groan, when I shamefacedly admit that I haven't. I have been reminding myself for ages to buy an external hard drive or at the very least put photos onto discs and get them printed. I have obviously done neither.

The computer still switches on, but it won't go past a certain point. Some expert will surely know what to do?...

So, I'm back on the old desktop, which has been chugging away like a trooper since 2002 (I think... ages and ages anyway). My snazzy new printer isn't compatable with it, so I can't do an 'Old Slide-post'. I have no photos of a 'Cúinne Baile' (no batteries in the camera). I have no photos of the lovely christening I was at today (again, no batteries in the camera) or of Devo's first gig with his new band (the photos are on the dodgy laptop)... so I'll just post this:

which was taken by my friend Col, with his iphone, when he came to visit last week. Lile looks just how I feel, and Sábha understands exactly. That'll do.

Happy 1st Birthday Mary P!

2010-08-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's cousin Mary Penelope's first birthday today!

The Twin Thing

2010-07-27T10:46:00.000-07:00

I was given this photo when I was pregnant. I meant to share it then, but I never got around to it. It is of my Great-Grandmother McKay, sitting with her three eldest daughters, and behind her her sister holding my Grandfather and his twin sister Nan.

I came across it as I was tidying my desk today and thought I'd share it anyway. Family legend has it that my Grandfather and his sister only weighed 2lb each when they were born and they had to be fed from a tiny spoon, as they didn't know how to suckle - it's a wonder they even survived! My Great-Grandmother didn't even know she was having twins and when Nan was born first she thought 'Oh lovely! Another girl' (or something along those lines...) and went about getting herself tidied up. All of a sudden my tiny Grandfather made an appearance and then there were two!

I'm not sure where the photo was taken, but I imagine it was somewhere in Co. Cork as that was where the family happened to be living when my Grandfather was born (they traveled a lot with my Great-Grandfather's work in Customs and Excise) The house behind them looks both grand and decrepit with it's big window and a cornice of some sort around the door - but there's a broken pane of glass and everybody looks a little disheveled. I wonder what is growing on that frame in the foreground - raspberries? beans? roses?

It's really a 'snapshot' of an era (late 1920's/early 1930's Ireland) rather than a 'portrait' -it seems that they gathered for the photo on the spur of the moment in their everyday clothes. I'm sure for a 'portrait' their bob's would have been coiffed and their Sunday best donned - but I love it all the more for that - for it's simplicity - how easy they all seem together, the expressions on the children's faces and the imperfections in plain view.

New Website - Finally!

2010-07-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

www.cartairubai.ie

Naming Day

2010-07-13T01:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we celebrated Lile and Sábha's Naming Day. The day was wet and foggy but that did nothing to dampen our spirits and the sky cleared for just long enough to enable us to do the ceremony outside. In fact the mist hanging in the trees and the heat in the air lent something of a magical feeling to the day.

Devo and I composed the script and our dear friend Rory was our celebrant. He did a great job and we are so grateful to him.

We performed the ceremony under an arch wound with flowers that we put together ourselves. After the ceremony, the guests were asked to write notes to the girls, on luggage tags, and tie them to the arch.

I have collected all the notes and I can't wait until the girls are old enough to read them for themselves. It was such an amazing thing to have all of our family and close friends there, to see how loved our little girls are and to celebrate how important their arrival has been to us.

Also, I have to mention the venue - The Grove Bar, Willow Grove, Delgany in Co. Wicklow - beautiful venue, with a perfect little garden, great food, friendly staff and a knack for making everything run smoothly! If you are ever looking for a venue for a celebration of any kind I seriously recommend taking a look, or you can just go for lunch someday - they do nice lunches - or pints even - they are a pub afterall!

One last thing... because my part of the 'Parent's Promises' sounded something like this "We will hup glub glimp baw ack sob bleur whinge... pause to wipe away tear... We promise to ehp eep gleer fyoo and reel ag chow hey chure" - due to excess emotion - I will now post what I actually wanted to say:

We will teach Lile and Sábha honesty, generosity of spirit and tolerance and will do our best to teach them about responsibility, not only to each other, but to the world in which we live.

We promise to try always to be realistic in our hopes for Lile and Sábha's future and to accept the choices they make as they mature.

Clearer now??

Gentlewoman's Wednesday

2010-07-04T04:34:00.000-07:00

A short while ago, Devo and his friend Colly invented a special, monthly night out called 'Gentleman's Wednesday'. They get together, have a quiet drink or two, chat about music, fatherhood and who knows what else and are home at a reasonable hour. Very civilised indeed!

While they were out, I was sitting at home with the girls and Colly's partner Colette was also sitting at home with her two girls. Colette and I had chatted previously about getting together to do some sewing at some stage so we decided that, while the lads were out enjoying 'Gentleman's Wednesday', we would meet at my house and have our own 'Gentlewoman's Wednesday'. There would be sewing and tea and cake and chat about lovely things- way more civilised than the lads huh?!

Last Wednesday was the first. There were some successes - there was tea and cake and a certain amount of chat. Colette managed to make a little dog called 'Roadkill' which her girls have completely fallen in love with!

Colette's 6-year old daughter, Ollie, by far the most successful 'Gentlewoman' of the night, managed to make several pieces, even though she only learned to sew that very night!

(Bird finger puppet, flower, heart, diamond, spade by Ollie!)

And I managed to make absolutely nothing - because my little 'Gentlewomen' decided that sewing was BOOOORING and that screaming for no apparent reason, in perfect rotation, was way more fun! Maybe by next time I'll have taught them some manners...

A Birthday and another Blog Buddy

2010-06-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

It was a busy day last Saturday. There was a barbecue in my aunt's house in the afternoon for my grandmother's 84th birthday. The weather was fabulous, the food plentiful and my Nana looked glamorous and gorgeous as always!

(Sábha and Lile in their great-grandmother's arms)

There were also a lot of tiny babies there! Five babies, all born in the same month - April. Of course two of the babies were mine but the other three belong to three of my first cousins. It was great fun getting them all together for the first time. I'm sure they'll be great friends in the future.

(Babies from L-R Aaron, Sábha, Lile, Connor and Heidi)

In the evening Devo, Lile, Sábha and I went to a Summer Solstice party, thrown by the lovely Ciara of Milkmoon fame. There was a beautiful sunset, a bonfire and lots of friendly folk. Ciara was a wonderful hostess and it was really nice to meet her in non-cyberspace!

It felt strange taking photographs at Ciara's place when it has been so beautifully documented by her already - seriously - I could never do it justice so check out how well she captures her surroundings here and here.

We would have loved to have stayed longer, but we're still getting used to being out of the house for long periods of time with the girls!

It was a really lovely summers day. I'm so grateful for all the wonderful family and friends I have.

Blogger Meet Up

2010-06-25T03:10:00.000-07:00

I had a really nice day yesterday hanging out in my kitchen with the lovely Lorraine from the all-new Homebird blog. Not only did we have lovely chats and endless cups of tea but Lorraine very kindly brought with her the most decadently delicious home-made Courgette cake, with lime curd filling and cream cheese frosting. Yummy! It was completely demolished over the course of the afternoon as you can imagine!

Lorraine and I also had a little blogger trade-off. I traded some of my Cártaí Rúbaí greeting cards for a bottle of her fabulous home-made elderflower cordial. Great for me, as I had really wanted to make some but knew in my heart I would never get around to it (this year anyway, with the babes being so small) and hopefully good for her too as she shouldn't have to worry about buying birthday cards for a while!

Hooray for blogger meet-ups. More soon!

Fathers

2010-06-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

Happy First Father's Day to Daddy Devo from (L-R) Sábha and Lile.

Happy Father's Day to my Daddy.

(1978 - another slide from the stash with a label attached that reads: '2 to 3 months. Learning the rudiments' - of bongo playing - sorry Dad I still haven't mastered it!)

(The label attached to this one reads: 'Muck's 21st Birthday 13/July/'78 What a clever camera!'-

I am loving the captions Dad wrote on each slide as much as the discovering the pictures themselves)

We are also thinking about Devo's Dad today and telling our girls about how much he would have loved them, because we know he would have loved them very much indeed.

(1975 - baby Devo in his Daddy's arms)

P.S. My mother's name is not Muck by the way. Muck is my Dad's pet name for my mother as her maiden name is McKay... make sense??

Cúinne Baile 2

2010-06-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

We have so many 'things'. A lot of them live on these shelves until other places around the house are ready to house them... or until the book collection gradually forces the 'things' to find other spaces.

This is only one set of shelves. There are more....

Are we famous now??

2010-06-10T14:32:00.000-07:00

A camera crew came to my house today to film a segment for a new episode of 'Cogar' for TG4. The programme will be called 'An Cupán Tae' (The Cup of Tea) and will be all about how prevalent the cuppa is in Irish society and how all big occasions in life seem to be marked by sitting down for a cup of tea.

Our segment will be about how a birth always brings people together and how our kettle has been on the boil constantly since the girls were born 10 weeks ago! It also features one of my beautiful sisters and how important our friendship is and how I hope my girls have a relationship like ours in the future.

My Mum brought two of her friends around to meet the babies and they all ended up on camera too, sitting around my kitchen table drinking tea (obviously!) and eating a yummy lemon cake they had brought with them. I don't think they were really prepared to be filmed but they were great and I think it really added to the piece!

Lile and Sábha were totally professional babies - quiet when they needed to be and all eyes open and smiley when it was their turn on camera - although Lile did burp quite loudly during one of the interview pieces... but it was her first time being 'on set' so we'll let her away with it! I'm a very proud mammy needless to say and it's going to be so cool to have a copy of it for them for when they are older.

It won't air until Autumn/Winter, but you can be damn sure there'll be a post about it when it does! I can't wait to see it!

We are so grateful to Tristan, Mary, Neil and Philip for spending a lovely day with us!

The new printer

2010-05-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

I got a new printer for my office and although I have only had a very short time to play with it thus far, I am in love with one particular function-

It scans slides... old photographic slides!! It's amazing!!

My father is a photographer and so there are millions of slides at my parents house that haven't seen the light of day in years and years and years. In fact, most of my baby photos are in slide format, and since having the girls I've been dying to see some baby pictures of myself to see if they look like me.

(Sábha looks just like me, Lile is all Devo!)

I love these two pictures that have been rescued from obscurity, especially the one of me standing on the backseat of my parents car in the late 1970's. Check out my clothes!!! The patch on the knee, the flare in the jeans the actual backseat itself (why don't they make cars like that anymore?), and the blur of my toy accordion playing!

This could become a bit of an obsession for a while...I've asked my Dad to dig the slide stash out of the attic...

Cúinne Baile 1

2010-05-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start a series of posts showing little corners of my home. We've been renovating slowly for years now and I can finally see through the fog of 'what needs to be done' and appreciate the little corners that are - for the most part - 'done'!

This is the tiniest part of our fairly sizable garden and the part in which we spend most of our time. Devo built the brick bbq over the past few weeks since the girls were born. It's his first time doing brick work and he's done an amazing job. We hope to spend as many summer days and nights as Irish weather permits hanging out here!

(The table and chairs were taken from our kitchen because we had a big party for my birthday and needed more space than our little 'table for two' garden furniture, though they might end up living outside for the forseeable future!!)

Something you may not know about me...

2010-05-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

I have a small Irish language greeting card company. I run it part-time as I have a 'day-job' too. As my current day job is juggling twin girls, I'm at home most of the time and I'm doing little bits of work on 'Cártaí Rúbaí' including finally getting a website finished and online (that will be happening any day now!)

I've decided to link this little blog to the website to give people an insight to the girl behind the business. I'll make a big deal of it here when it all happens!

Also, I may start doing bi-lingual Irish/English posts...

Due Date

2010-05-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the day my twin girls were due, but they were 5 weeks old on Friday!
They were ready to take on the big bad world a little early. Well, Lile was ready and Sábha had no choice but to follow her.

(Lile on the left, Sábha on the right)

We've had so much fun with them so far it's hard to imagine that they might only have been born today...

They have arrived!!

2010-04-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the long delay. (I feel like I write things along those lines far too often...) Anyway - The Bumps Have Landed!

My two little girls arrived 5 weeks early on 2 April 2010. Lile (weighing in at 4lb 7oz) and Sábha (weighing in at 5lb 4oz) are the most perfect tiny humans I have ever seen.
They have been in special care in hospital since they were born, which has been tough going, but the staff are amazing and they are coming on in leaps and bounds.
We got to bring Sábha home today, which is bitter sweet, as it is incredible to have my little girl sleeping here beside me but it was very difficult to leave her sister in the hospital by herself.
On the positive side, we should have Lile home with us before the weekend, so our little family will be complete and we can wholeheartedly begin the sleepless nights and endless love.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-03-14T03:03:00.001-07:00

... to my Mama and all the Mama's and Mama's to be out there!

Just look at what my unborn twins sent me via e-mail this morning:

Children adapt to technology so quickly these days!

Um.... where did February go?

2010-03-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

Seriously. Time is flying. I can't keep up!

I am 30 weeks pregnant now, and I only have 8 weeks to go (the hospital I'm attending don't let ladies expecting twins go further than 38 weeks). I only have 4 weeks left in work and about a million projects to finish or at least get off the ground! We should really get the nursery sorted... and I should probably pack a bag for the hospital... so many things...

A new obsession

2010-02-05T10:28:00.001-08:00

I have, in the last few days, become slightly obsessed with making tiny pincushions. I bought a pack of adorable flower-topped pins (featured) for a fashion designer friend who recently celebrated a big birthday, and what better to give with them, I thought, than a pincushion!

I found the instructions here and have decided to add this feature to the pink and green one and give it to her with the pins. They are such a fun, quick and easy project to do of an evening, that I just had to make one for myself!

I'm trying to think of other people to make them for, otherwise I'm going to end up with a house full of them, but most of the crafty ladies in my life are knitters and I'm not sure knitters are too often in need of pins....

What my husband brought

2010-02-05T10:21:00.001-08:00

Devo went to Amsterdam last weekend and brought me home some pretty presents. A tin-toy butterfly that tumbles and an enamel sign advertising some sort of Dutch coco. Just look at that wrapping paper too - isn't it perfect?!!

9 Years Together-aversary

2010-01-28T07:50:00.001-08:00

Devo and I got together today, nine years ago. We always celebrate it. I love having anniversaries 6 months apart. Our together-aversary in January and our wedding anniversary in July. We never have to have to wait too too long to have an excuse to treat ourselves!

Here is the link for the picture - isn't it sweet?!

Friends I have made

2010-01-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Made as in Made... with my hands...

There are more somewhere...

Snow Days

2010-01-10T03:51:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been very cold these past few weeks and eventually it snowed. And that snow got trampled and driven on and so turned to ice. And then it snowed again and again and a few more times after that and all of that means that last Wednesday we got stuck in traffic for 7 hours, for a journey that usually takes about 30 minutes, and also that I haven't been back to work yet - which is nice in a way, extended holidays are always nice, but I'm also starting to go a little stir crazy because it's dangerous for me to walk outside in my present 'pregnant with twins' condition, in case I fall over and we can't really drive anywhere either. It is seriously slippery out there.

So I haven't been anywhere since Wednesday. And now it's Sunday and I'm getting bored...

We Irish really don't know how to cope with this kind of weather. We normally get snow for a day or three a year and that's it. But it's been 10 days now and the country is coming to a standstill. What's funny is that people from other countries would look at these photo's and see just a mere 'sprinkling' of snow - nothing to worry about - to us it's a national disaster!!
So during this house-bound period I haven't just been idle and staring out the window waiting for the weather to break. Nor have I been watching TV to numb my brain - we don't have one. Rather I've been tackling a 'I'll get to these things some day-list'. Those things you'd like to get around to doing, but don't think you'll ever really find the time because they're not entirely necessary. So these are a couple of things that have been keeping me occupied over the last day or two.

I knitted (with my very basic knitting skills) a warm headband for my Mother. I also knit a big flower corsage and sewed it to the side and then promptly forgot to photograph it before I excitedly gave it to her... but suffice to say it's the colour of oatmeal and she loves it (she's a headband kind of girl).

Inspired by my ancient, tattered, much loved and never to be thrown away nursery rhyme books and also by my cousin's new baby girl Mary I made this sock lamb as a belated Christmas gift, because as we all know, 'Mary has a little Lamb' or rather she doesn't, yet, but she will whenever I can get to the post office:

He's a bit funny looking, I hope she likes him....

I have been thinking I might scan and print one of the pages from my old books and frame it up to accompany the lamb, but I'm not sure which one yet.... but at least the consideration and 'doing' of it is another thing to do to fill the endless days of the big freeze and stave of the threatening cabin fever!!

More of that baby news I promised

2010-01-03T14:16:00.001-08:00

So, the biggest part of this baby news is clearly evident in the picture below:

Well, maybe not 'clearly'. Scans, or worse, dodgy photographic reproductions of scans are notoriously hard to read and I assume I'll have to just spit it out and tell you that I'm expecting TWINS!

I know - it's crazy! I'm still getting my head around it - but look at that scan again - it's true! I'm so excited!

The picture above was taken when I was 13 weeks pregnant...

... and this is what they were up to at my 20 week anatomy scan. You might find it hard to decipher, my dad thinks all the scans I've shown him are pretty much like weather satellite pictures, and I don't entirely disagree, but if you look really carefully and forgive my blurry photo, you will probably be able to clearly see a foot kicking a head... see it? Charming huh?? So well behaved already!!

And this is what I look like, 21 weeks pregnant, with twins, making sure that at the very least the christmas tree is behaving itself.

Happiest of New Years

2010-01-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

So we didn't get a white Christmas, so what...

We got a white New Years Eve and Day!

It hasn't got the same ring to it, but it's still beautiful!!

(photo taken, around midnight, by Devo of snow falling on our shed roof - what a view!!)

T'was the night before Christmas...

2009-12-24T23:05:00.000-08:00

The tree is trimmed and the gifts are wrapped.

The cards are displayed, and it's time to rest.

I'm looking forward to a day of good food, good company and good cheer.
I'm also looking forward to getting presents.... as many as possible.... just to satisfy my inner 6-year old... I love Christmas!!!

Wishing everyone everywhere a 'Nollaig Shona!'

In other, more seasonal news..

2009-12-20T05:20:00.001-08:00

My Dad:

and, Santa Claus.......
The same person???????

(My Dad would probably kill me if he knew I posted this... This picture of Santa was found on a poster in the city and we could not believe how uncanny the resemblance was. My sister actually thought Devo painted or photoshopped my Dad into the image. So funny!!)

It's going to make a fun Christmas card for my parents!

Some of the big news... finally...

2009-12-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

I seriously need to make a little more time and put a bit more effort into this blogging thing.... I have the best intentions in the world... but things just seem to be getting on top of me lately...

Anyway, I promised some big news, quite a while ago, and here it finally is:

Yup, I'm knocked up! 20 weeks along actually, and all going well so far, thankfully. Obviously I had intended sharing this news a little sooner, but I've been a little preoccupied and a lot busy.

I have a scan tomorrow and then I'll share the rest of this big news stuff!!

Oíche Shamhna

2009-10-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Hallowe'en!

This was my costume - Regan MacNeil:

or, as she is more commonly known: The Exorcist girl!
"Your mother cooks socks in Hell!"

Yummy!

2009-10-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Superman, Batman and Spiderman cakes at Donnchadha's 35th Birthday Party.

Well done baker Emma!

Bad Blogger

2009-10-19T07:31:00.001-07:00

So, I've been a little bit bold/lazy/incredibly busy lately and I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. It's not a case of not wanting to, it's just that I've been a bit frazzled lately! There have been some pretty big things and some little time consuming things going on and, as I'm not fully ready to share the big things quite yet (exciting posts to come - yay!!!) I'll just give you a litany of the little things that have kept me from blogland...

I've been going out on weeknights, which I don't often do, and so I've been exhausting myself!

One night I went here:
The Loft Market Fashion Show - 7th October
Celebrating creatives in the city ...
THE LOFT MARKET, A COLLECTIVE OF SOME OF DUBLIN'S MOST PROGRESSIVE AND CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE TALENT, IS CELEBRATING ITS THIRD BIRTHDAY WITH A CUSTOMER EVENING AND FASHION SHOW.

It was a great night. A good friend of mine, Bébhinn manages the Loft space and produced the fashion show. She is also a very talented designer and has a stall in the Loft. The show was great with a wonderful showcase of affordable, Irish design. I nabbed myself a fabulous turquoise necklace by eve ella at a 50% discount!

The very next night I ate here, with friends who were visiting from Co. Offaly. I ate so much it hurt..

I also went here, with my entire family, to celebrate my sister's graduation. She is now a fully qualified primary school teacher and we are very proud of our Múinteoir Cáit!

Then my husband went into a recording studio with his band and recorded two songs. Then there was a mad flurry of activity to reproduce the cd, make cd-stickers and covers and organise a party to launch the songs on their myspace the following weekend. Enjoying anything crafty - as I do- I of course was involved in the production line!!

Also, I happen to have a full-time job, so that takes up a lot of time too. These past weeks have been busy. I've been editing a children's comic book and also preparing for our AGM. The AGM was yesterday and so today I am on a day off - which is nice, because I'm very tired. The day itself went well. We had children's entertainment by 'The Mad Scientist' and an Irish language 'market' selling DVD's, CD's, Cd-Roms, Board games, books and greeting cards. The meeting went well and we got some new members for our voluntary committee - so that's good I suppose!

My youngest sister was helping me out on the day of the AGM. She nearly didn't make it but she didn't let me down. She had been out the night before and whilst inebriated managed to fall off her friend's back and land on broken glass. Fun!

She arrived at the AGM with one hand bandaged, convinced there was still glass in it and a sprained finger on the other hand. When we had finished working I brought her to A&E and she got an x-ray. There (thankfully) was no glass in the wound and they just cleaned her up and sent us on our way. Waste of 3 hours, but better safe than sorry!

So that's most of the little things that have been going on. The big stuff would just get lost amongst it and it deserves space of it's own. I promise I'll fill you in soon!

Road Trip and some Recommendations

2009-10-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

We're getting our garden done at the moment. It's quite exciting to be getting it under control after four years! It's almost all done bar the planting - which we can take our time about I suppose. Last Thursday Devo and I hitched a little trailer to the car and went on a little road trip to get the wood for our fencing from a great place outside Ballyconnell in Cavan. It's called Woodford and they are seriously the best value in the country!!

On the way home we stopped off in Virginia, Co Cavan, where we lived for two years to see what's been going on in the town since we left.

This is our old house there, it's part of an old millhouse, which was pretty and our garden backed onto the river:

All was going well on the journey, we got a good deal on the materials, the wood was strapped down tightly in the trailer, the weather was good, the traffic was fine... when suddenly we had a blow-out on the trailer. Everything started lurching all over the place and we pulled in quickly to the side of the road - pretty much in the middle of nowhere....

We checked the damage and realised we would need assistance. The load was fine but the tyre was in shreds... and we had no spare...

So we sat there for a few minutes trying to figure out who to call. We have roadside-assist on the car insurance, but it does not cover trailers... It was verging on disaster and panic stations when all of a sudden Devo spotted a van passing us with 'Dial-a-Tyre' written on it and a number to call. We called it immediately and within 2 minutes the van had been summoned to turn around and help us! It was such an incredible stroke of luck. He changed the tyre, gave it a thorough check and didn't rip us off. It's a great service. Everybody should have their number on speed-dial!!

What he's really capable of

2009-09-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Since posting the other portraits Devo made of us for fun, I've been thinking about the amazing portrait he painted of me for my birthday the year we got married. It's inspired by the photography of Man Ray and in particular his 'solarization' style.

Here's the portrait:

and here's one of Man Ray's famous photos:

I think my amazingly talented husband managed to capture the essence of the style - and in oil paint no less! I love it!

Fake pet

2009-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

We don't have any pets at our house. We're not really dog people, you can't really play with fish and though we'd both love to have a cat, we can't have one, because Devo is really, really allergic to them. For example, the last time we 'kitten-sat' for his niece's little cutie his eyes swelled up and he had to go on steroids! So, no kitties for us!!

But it's kind of worked out ok because we live in a neighbourhood where there are a lot of cats and one in particular has become our fake pet.

At first we thought it was a boy cat because it's kind of a toughie and has been through the wars. Now I think it's a girl though, because she's tiny.... I know there is a more scientific way to establish these things, but does it really matter?

So this is our fake pet - Toenail:

So called because she is missing most of her tail and Devo is really into spoonerisms...

We have no idea what her real name is, or where she lives - all we know is is that she randomly arrives at our back door, wagging her stump (like a dog) and miaowing loudly to be fed - and as we don't stock catfood in our cupboards she usually gets smoked salmon or tinned sardines, so no wonder she comes back for more... In return we get to play with her for a while and pretend we have a pet cat.... and then Devo runs inside to wash his hands....

Portraits

2009-09-16T21:08:00.000-07:00

These are the portraits my husband made of us both whilst playing on paint.net

I think they're hilarious, but I hasten to add that we don't really look like that in real life. For starters, I have a nose...

The man in the path

2009-09-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

He lives in the path that travels the length of the park, but isn't in the park, around the corner from my parent's house. He's been there for years. It seems he's recently lost a leg, so I decided to take a photo before he disappears completely. Doesn't he look friendly?!

So Proud!

2009-09-07T02:10:00.001-07:00

I bought The Sunday Times yesterday to spend a lazy Sunday eating and reading. I immediately nabbed the Style section and was leisurely flicking through it when, all of a sudden, a flash of recognition hit me. There from the pages smiled my two beautiful cousins Johanna and Aoife!!

There was a full page feature on their fabulous café in London 'The J&A Café'. It is just over a year old and doing phenomenally well. They count Greg Wallace (of Masterchef fame) and Designer Alexander McQueen among their regulars and one of the days I was there Henry Holland and a whole host of models were there hanging out!

(The article, you can try and enlarge it to read but it's very blurry, it's not available on the Sunday Times site unfortunately)

It's a family business with really great home-made Irish food and unbelievable attention to detail. The girls are incredibly hard workers and deserve all their success.

(A stack of copies to send to the girls in London, the article was only published in Ireland, I suppose because of their Irish connection)

I'm unbelievably proud of them and I can't wait to get over to London again to see them and also to meet Johanna's new little baby - Mary Penelope. So exciting!

What was on top of my wedding cake

2009-09-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

I found this photo of my wedding cake topper in a file of random pictures. I think my husband took it. Five years later, it's sitting on my bookshelf and makes me smile when it catches my eye.

My mother hated it and thought it most inappropriate.... but to us it was perfect.... thanks Nadia!