The Gentle Art of Saying "No"

Since my last post, the littlest buttons have turned four. It's an interesting age, full of questions, challenges adventures and new learnings - for them and for their parents! Sometimes, setting boundaries can be exhausting can't it?

When I was studying teaching, I remember completing an activity on creative ways to say "No!". I'm sure most Early Childhood teachers have done something similar. This week, My Creative Space is all about saying 'no' in a really clever way! You might be able to use this list in your parenting, when your husband asks if you've been shopping, when someone asks you to whip up a project or two or when you're tossing up whether or not to begin a new project. All I ask is that you use this list for good and not nefarious purposes (such as hiding excessive fabric purchases!).

A DOZEN WAYS TO SAY 'NO'

1. The LOOK - you know what I mean...we all have one. The one that says, "Go ahead and do that but be prepared for the consequences!"
2. NAME and TONE - Say their name and use the TONE that matches the LOOK (in number 1)
3. I'll think about that.
4. Say yes but mean no - 'You can do X after you have finished Y'.
5. Distraction - "X, can you come here and help me with this, please?"
6. Say hello! Just remind them that you are there and watching.
7. Is that safe.
8. Will that make Mum/Dad happy or sad?
9. What will happen if you do that?
10. What do you think about that idea?
11. Talk to me about what you are doing.
12. Is that a good choice?

I'm sure you have lots of other strategies that work. These are just some of the tried and true ones from Button Central. For truly creative pursuits, visit here.

P.S. I can't say any of these are a fool proof way of hiding expensive fabric purchases from Mr Button but I have had some success with #5 when used in conjunction with Grand Final Football games!

Thought for Thursday

I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun.

Katharine Hepburn

Just in case you need reminding!

Having Fun at the Beach!

That's what we'll be doing for the next week! I might pop in from time to time but only if the weather isn't playing nice. We're all very excited about the holiday...the little blonde headed, stompie wompie, real gone surfer boy, in the photo above has been dressing himself in boardies, sun shirt, goggles, thongs and sun hat since Wednesday! I think this is a delicious photo of him!

Tradition

It is birthday time for the littlest members of Button Central. One of our family traditions is a 'birthday suit', so to speak. Each year I make a special shirt for the Birthday Prince or Princess. Some members of the family have quite convoluted requests but Will and Molly were happy for me to decide. I say these models were Cute as Buttons!

The One That Got Away

Image: Renee

As I was browsing through Renee's photos from the Boutique Markets fashion parade, I spied something familiar in the background of one of the dog shots.

Just behind the the dog leads, at the start of the carpet, you will see the elusive blonde haired and blue eyed model who went to extreme lengths to avoid strutting his stuff. He was caught on camera as he made a fleeting appearance in pursuit of a smooch with a dog. I thought I'd pop this one up so you could see the complete set of Little Buttons.

Thanks to Miriam from Bubba Chenille for his pants. He quite fancied himself. He just wasn't prepared to be fancied by the rest of the world!

If you're looking for us tomorrow you will find us in Ipswich helping Liesa celebrate Handmade Heaven's first birthday. Cute as Buttons has been a part of this heavenly venture since day one and we are delighted to celebrate her success. She has some great giveaways and specials to help celebrate and online shopping is most welcome.

Just for fun!

Today I made this for the Molly Button who has recently discovered the joys of twirly skirts. It took no time at all and I am positively delighted with the result and the twirling it provoked. Will Button, twin brother of Molly Button, donned said twirly skirt after it had been discarded and proceeded to name all the Babushkas one by one and have a bit of a twirl himself. At that point Mr Button left the house muttering under his breath and calling all Buttons outside for some rough and tumble. Last I heard, he was explaining that twirly skirts are not acceptable de rigeur for footy.

Of course, one of the side benefits of using this little piece of fabric is being able to make lots of these with the leftovers.

I have three ideas floating in my head for them.

Some more of these cause I do love making them and giving them to people.

Or something like this on a tee to go with the twirly skirt. Please note the date on this post, Kathy had completed Christmas outfits for her twins by November 17 and was finished early enough to blog about it!

I also have a hankering to try something like this. She is, of course, totally correct about the addictive nature of the self covered button. These kits really should come with a warning and a number for some sort of help line.

Celebrations!

Ahoy there, Blogging Friends! The posts have been a little scarce of late as there have been so many exciting things to celebrate. Firstly, our landscaping is finished and beautiful. We've spent lots of time communing with nature and have had visits from koalas, wallabies and our resident scrub turkeys. I'll show you some pics later in the week.

Secondly, The Handmade Expo turned 1 and we had a great time joining in the celebrations with them at their new home at the Ipswich Turf Club.

Lastly, the little Buttons are 2 tomorrow and we are all geared up to have a whale of a time. I've just finished sewing the buttons on their shirts for tomorrow so thought I'd show you some photos of the finished products. When I was visiting Karen's blog, I noticed the Babushka shirt she made for her littlest girl and thought I'd rather fancy one of those for my Miss Molly. I have changed it a little and incorporated some chenille hair and button eyes. I think she's luscious. I know you've seen Pete the Pirate before but just thought I'd show you Will's birthday version.

Apologies for the dodgy photos...I keep hoping Tania from Myrtle & Eunice or Taryn will conduct a photography lesson via their blogs and help me develop my previously unexplored talent for photography!

I can't believe that those teeny, little 1.5kg bubs are turning 2. How very blessed we Buttons are!

Boys and Their Toys

There are big things afoot in the Button household. After almost 8 years of living in our house, we decided it was time to call in some professionals and get the front yard landscaped. We live on the side of a mountain and our yard is fairly steep. Who am I kidding - it is ridiculously steep and even the dog avoids running up the hill because it tires him out. I think the small buttons penchant for starting at the top of the hill on their bikes and scooters and flying, helter skelter to the bottom of the hill may have prompted Mr Button to make the necessary phone calls to find someone willing to take on the job.

It started with trucks, rocks, and bobcat on Monday morning and will hopefully draw to a close at the end of the week. The little buttons set up their chairs on the verandah at 7:01am Monday morning and that is pretty much where they have stayed all day. Will is almost 2 and is currently obsessed with machines and Bobby. He has clung to the rails and ooh and aahed his little heart out. The workers have been treated to shouts of Hooray, spontaneous rounds of applause and sundry cars, trucks and favourite toys being tossed over the railing as gestures of his goodwill and appreciation.

This morning it became too much for Will's verbal skills. He could only look on in awe and wonder as the Big Digger and the little Dingo thingy passed each other dirt. He shook his curls and stared at me with eyes of wonder - I knew what he was thinking. "Does it get any better than this, Mum?"

Parenting

Let me start by showing you a photo of Cooper. Cooper came to visit us at the markets on Sunday with Liesa and as I mentioned yesterday, was doing a grand job of modelling one of our new designs.

Now, let me refer you to Liesa's Handmade Heaven blog. It seems Cooper decided to stretch his Mum's parenting skills on Sunday and she has appealed to fellow bloggers to find the best way to handle this kind of thing. On the topic of Toddler Tantrums, sadly, I have nothing of real value to offer except to say that I do try to keep smiling and also to chuckle knowingly. I do this in the vague hope that onlookers will think I am still in control of my child and not about to burst into tears and sit in a corner rocking to and fro.

The little Buttons all have different approaches in their tantrum throwing. Paddy's have always been loud and dramatic and are a bit like a summer storm - over quickly without too much damage. Molly is showing a tendency towards hissy fits and is doing a fair impression of hair tossing and crocodile tears at which point Mr Button totally caves and she gets whatever she wanted. Will started early with the tanty throwing and would lay on his stomach and wail whilst beating his hands and legs on the ground but he seems to have developed a more sophisticated and enlightened approach of recent times. These days, if he is being taken in a direction he no longer wishes to go, he just drops to the ground like a log and refuses to move. There is usually no warning that this is about to occur until your shoulder pops out of it's socket or the shoppers behind you start falling over his prostrate body and cursing parents who can't control their children. He doesn't make a sound, just looks up at you with those magnificent blue eyes and waits for your next move. I think he'll make a great chess player because he's usually two or three moves ahead of his parents.

If you feel like a great giggle at another Dad's expense, check out this blog. We're heading out for haircuts tomorrow and I really hope our experience is different to his!