Emily Shaw

Emily is a former ACPA award winning editor and journalist turned stay at home mum and blogger. She lives on a farm in regional NSW with her husband and their seven children where she spends the time she should be doing housework reading books, writing and sewing.

DIY Lamb Baby Toy

   These are adorable and very easy to make. You can even sew them up with scraps leftover from other projects!   What you’ll need: Pattern (at bottom of post) Main fabric in white Thin white cotton for underside Flesh /white coloured felt Bias binding (or make your own using strips of fabric) Embroidery thread. […]

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Quiet Time Activities

  With Baby Number 5 due to grace us with their presence soon, I’ve been accumulating a store of ‘quiet activities’ to entertain my rambunctious Master 2. Not a naturally quiet child, Master 2 has only just started looking through books and barely sits still for more than 30 seconds. However, the silver lining is

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DIY Lamb Costume

  Miss 5 was recently a lamb in a school assembly production of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ and in search of a quick and easy option I used a few things lying around the house to sew up a very cute ensemble. Because this is very quick and simple it can also be adapted

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Book Review: Subverted

   It may only be early in the year but I’m calling it as I see it. Subverted is one of the must read books of the year. No, I’m not exaggerating. It’s no secret that I’ve researched a lot about feminism and its consequences and that, in my case, my passion for this area

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Family Holiday Hacks

  Holidays are an important part of life. They are a great way to recharge and return home with a renewed and refreshed attitude. A priest friend of ours insists that families should go on holidays at least once every year and that those working, must use their annual leave as a matter of priority.

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DIY Saint Bag Tag

   Starting school, or rather sending our children off to school for the first time, can be a daunting experience. But what if we could invoke the intercession of a Saint to keep our little students safe and well? Well, obviously we can, and here’s a simple craft activity that will keep them at the

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DIY Maternity Rashie

  A recent holiday saw me 6 months pregnant and in need of a maternity rashie but rather than spending $80 for an item I’ll probably wear a handful of times at best I made my own and you can do it too. And my DIY Maternity Rashie cost me about $7!   What you’ll need: A

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DIY Art Display Frame

  This is a relatively simple project that will provide a nice place to display your children’s artworks.  What you’ll need: A large wooden picture frame Poster board or other heavy weight card Fabric in a neutral colour Scrapbooking letters Scrapbooking papers or glue Small pegs Twine Staple gun and staples Craft glue   What

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A Fresh Start

  A new year holds lots of promise for us. A new beginning, a fresh start, it beckons us to make adjustments in our lives, based on the previous year. New years resolutions are made, and often, swiftly broken. I had given little thought to new years resolutions and was caught, somewhat off guard, by

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