I’m always in awe of those clever women who make parenting look so easy and fuss-free – I can still remember how exhausting it was when my two were very young and needed constant entertaining. The heroine of this week’s reader’s home has found a good method for spending quality time with her kids, and it won’t break the bank balance either!
By day, Jane Aubrey is a high-flying advertising executive, working in Auckland’s central business district. By night and at weekends she’s mum to two energetic offspring, Charlie (6) and Ella (4). The family’s cute 19th century, inner-city cottage is bursting with character but it’s also bustling with feathers, glitter, paint, stickers and glue guns because the Aubrey family have a shared passion in common – they’re all mad-keen crafters!
“Every weekend I sit down with the kids and we decide what we’re going to create,” says Jane. “I let them choose all their own materials and colours and they make what they like.”
As the children fly from room to room, there’s always a pad and felt pens at the ready, or a puzzle waiting to be done. Today Charlie’s been busy doing Mathletics on the computer, and he’s just about to launch into building a castle – oh no, it’s now the Eiffel Tower!
Ella’s designed her own jigsaw but she’s tired and hungry so will need to be fortified with a quick bite of dinner before attempting to put it back together.
Relaxed and serene, mess doesn’t bother Jane and she sits happily in the midst of chaos, perfectly presented and coiffed. And what does husband Giles do while all this activity’s going on? He’s the programme manager at Gen-i keeps and has just finished building an impressive deck with an outdoor fireplace which he made using recycled bricks recovered after the Christchurch earthquake.
Throughout the house, keen decorator Jane has created clever little corners such as the “love wall” where special photos and framed sayings build a beautiful picture of this family and their lives.
The couple are justifiably proud of their magnificent bathroom, which was completed recently. The elegant wallpaper is from Resene’s Bloomsbury House Collection, and the ultimate finishing touch is an Ung Drill mirror from Ikea.
In summer the Aubreys tend to live outdoors, and their craft supplies sit almost permanently on a huge wooden table that has seen many happy shared meals and parties.
When the children tire of the glue gun and paintbrushes and need to let off steam, they head for the climbing wall at the side of the house. Although the section is small, Jane and Giles have made good use of all available space and Charlie and Ella have plenty of room to play.
