Let me paint...

...you a picture. I think it might be helpful for us both.
Golly gee we live a mad existence. Mostly in our heads. I've just posted a Facebook update about my frantic life as a stay at home Mum. Yeah, I know "stay at home Mum" is not a phrase I associate with being frantic either. In my head I spend my days pottering about busily but calmly. I plant a few petunias while the sun is shining and bake cakes with the chooks eggs the kids excitedly collect. I make sure those rare and magnificent orchids my Gran gave me get in the ground before they shrivel up. I spend long hours finger painting happily and reading story after story. I do it all with love. While I'm at it, I keep the house clean and tidy and ensure all our clothes are washed, dried, ironed and put away. I love to make cute little frocks from vintage fabric for my daughter and superhero capes for my son. We go for walks to the library and do the shopping. We play in playgrounds and visit friends and relatives for cuppas. I even throw together the odd loaf of bread. Lately I've been making christmas decorations with the kids, planning for Santa's arrival and organising a summer holiday. Then there have been some lovely, relaxed Christmas/end of year get togethers and information nights. What jolly good fun! Oh, and I write a blog and run this little business called buntyandsars. Maybe you've heard of it. It keeps me sane with all this chilled out, stay at home Mummy stuff.
I don't think writing all that down has helped with my crazy brain. I'm a bit short of breath, actually.
I think our perception of Stay Home Mum (a term I really hate) is a hangover from simpler times, pre equal rights. I think in the past, women were expected to be home makers and accepted as little more. This restriction in it's time and place was no doubt infuriatingly frustrating and I never for a minute wish us to revert to dumping the home load on Mum at the expense of her sense of place and self.
Mum's are forever undervalued at home and in society. I keep telling people I feel like the engine in a car. No one really appreciates all that I do until I break down.
Then again, maybe it's self imposed. To me, it's important that my kids have a Mum who is present. It's important our home is not a public health risk. It's important we maintain a garden to teach the kids about their food and nature. It's important they are exposed to oodles of books. It's important we eat food made at home, not in a factory. It's important to create magic at Christmas. It's important to spend time with all kinds of people, as grown ups and as a family. It's important to get out of the house, to change the scenery, to get away from it all. Then for me, just me, it's important to create beauty, in my home, in my garden, in my drawing and in that dinky thing known as craft.
It's an awful lot, and probably sets up the expectation from others. I know I'm not alone in wanting to fill every nook and cranny with valuable activity, but let's not assume it's a normal state. The best days are the ones where I've told all those demands to shut up, get in the back seat and buckle up because I need to concentrate on my driving.
Am I complaining? A little. Am I happy? Very.



Now, that love job I do along with all those other love jobs. My beloved buntyandsars. She's on the Christmas train at the moment. I've done a few markets lately and I've got a couple to go. Both on the same day, mind you, with an overlap just to make it exciting. If you can't be in Buninyong on Saturday the 19th December from 10, then be in Daylesford that afternoon from 3. Somehow I'm going to be in two places at once and WILL need a pep up. Please come and say hi!
After what I'm calling my double whammy, buntyandsars is going into the workshop for a bit of an overhaul. I've been sitting down with a pencil and working things out, trying to understand what you all value most about buntyandsars. I'm thinking lots more illustrations, some new colouring in goodies and a bit of polish and a buff to the overall look and feel of the brand. I'm also sussing out some different markets. I'd love some feedback, after all, I consider you all passengers on the buntyandsars bus and you are very important! Look out 2012, here I come...

PS. I believe it might be worth a trip to Red Brick Gallery in Ballarat. They have some lovely colouring books and caravan illustrations in stock...(te he!)

PPS. Oh, and if online is your style, www.kidsstylehub.com.au have my complete colouring range (and plenty of other locally designed and made goodness!)