The proverbial horse

Image from here

I've been wondering what the likelihood of my being able to just drop back in to blogging; as though I hadn't been Missing-Presumed-Dead for over 12 months, and without explaining the absence; is.

I feel that I owe some sort of explanation, and have decided to say, more so that I have a record of having said it than anything, that: These last 12 months defeated me in a flat on my face with a mouth full of dirt kind of a way; and then dusted me off and dressed my wounds and left me transformed. And, like a Transformer* (the morphing robots, not the power supply for downlights): this side of the transformation is better. Definitely better.

So this a farewell to that poor dead horse I flogged for so long, with gratitude for how far it got me before it died; and a tally ho (the urging call, not the cigarette paper) as I saddle up a new horse and a new year and move forward.

It's nice to be back.

*Disclaimer: I owe having a Transformer related metaphor in my blog to the big and small men in my life, who unabashedly love Transformers and who have apparently subliminally implanted Transformers upon me. And when I say Transformers, I refer to the cartoons and comics of my childhood, and not the modern movies, which I am led to believe, are something of an abomination.

This week

My long long awaited woven labels arrived. I celebrated by losing the postage notice in my excitement and almost not getting said labels from the post office. But we got there in the end! The labels arriveth, and so exciting things are finally afoot.





In other news, we got home last night to find the christmas tree semi-horizontal, pine needles and the odd decoration strewn about it . It would have been all-the-way-horizontal, if it weren't for the low bookshelf it had crushed on it's descent. I am counting my blessings that not.one.drop of pine sap infused water spilt, which is a christmas miracle for sure. For now, it's leaning up against the wall and The Man made me promise not to attempt fixing it on my own - in fear of the rug being soaked in sticky water - so I will have to wait for him to get home tonight and we'll fix it together. I'm saying "stay away from the tree" more than any reasonable person should, but it's precarious state is making me nervous. I took these photos this morning, and tried my best to hide the slant. May your week be merry, and may all your trees be upright xx

taking deep breaths

(image from here)

I've stopped tearing away the days from our tearaway calendar in an attempt to stop time, but I don't think it's working.

Christmas is coming, I'm still mysteriously coughing like an elderly smoker on her emphysemic death bed*, housework waits for no woman, the rain keeps falling, and the shop is still parked.

I need indulgent desserts and a desk under which to secretly consume them, stat.

The Man keeps reminding me that I'm doing my best**, and that's good enough. He's right. Right??

*I am not elderly, emphysemic, a smoker, or on my death bed, and I mean no disrespect to you if you are or know someone who is.
**If by best he means frequently found rocking backwards and forwards, surrounded by biscuit crumbs, repeating the words "The shop will open soon"

Inspiration

Sometimes I feel as though inspiration is like the ocean. On a clear day, I can float calmly in it and watch the fish swim by and nod to the other bathers as they, too, enjoy the vastness and potential of inspiration.
Other days, the waves come all at once and I find myself sitting on the shore; half drowned and gasping for air, with sand in my mouth and my boobs popped out of my cozzie.

Today is one of the latter. I'm overwhelmed with inspiration and don't know where to start. I think I should make a list; for organisations' sake, but also so that on the days when I feel like I'm in a desert rather than an ocean, I'll have a List of Exciting Things To Do.

Do you ever get dumped by the sea of inspiration? How do you regain your composure?

In other news, here are some unrelated photos from around the house.

I promise not to ever post without a photo again**

I didn't mean to have this whole week or so away from this space; but it was a busier time than I expected, and it felt long, and quite draining - and then all of a sudden it's today and I realise I haven't posted for ages. Do you remember way back here when I said I had been battling a chest infection for a month? I thought I was on the mend then, but I haven't been able to shake it, and am still coughing. So this week had me in and out of pathologist offices - doing some tests and hopefully getting to the end of this sickness. I feel worn out - and rather annoyed that sickness and other life things keep presenting themselves; but I guess that is life, isn't it? I fall easily into the trap of wishing things would hurry on by so I can get on with life (whatever that really means), without realising that these interruptions and frustrations are life, too.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to an appointment free week this week, and will be head down, bum up in the studio for much of it. Watch this space for the shop opening.

Thank you all for visiting even though I was awol - you're the bees knees and I'm really starting to feel like a part of a little community xx

**I'll make up for it with a new colour set this week, pinky swear.

Tuesday

The 9th of November: today is my birthday. I unashamedly love birthdays. I have friends who worry each year about age, and where they thought they'd be versus where they are; but I seem not to be afflicted with that particular worry, thankfully. (I have plenty of other worries instead)

The Man and I had a delicious lunch and tea at The Boat House cafe, in Palm Beach. I had never been there before, and only found it by chance a few months ago looking for another cafe's contact details online. It's an excellent location, and perfectly decorated, too.





Then we stopped at Wirreanda Nursery on the way home and I picked out a beautiful Aeonium Arboreum as my gift.



The rest of my bounty is a scarf, some tea, some tea cups, and a metal bookmark. Thank you, everyone!



Now we're having a relaxed night at home, sipping tea from the Morrocan glasses from The Man and listening to the frogs outside.

A good birthday indeed.

Weekend

I know it's Wednesday already, and probably really too late to be posting about the weekend, but I took the photos, so I thought I may as well share them anyway.

We had a birthday party to attend



Seeds to plant



And this stunning fabric, which I cut off an old lounge suite on the side of the road, to wash



I hope your weekend, however long ago, was lovely.

Meltdown

I had a bit of a meltdown on Monday, and it's taken me up till now to feel completely better again. Just one of those days where everything became a bit much - I suppose we all have those moments, right? (right??) At any rate, late on Monday afternoon there was a rainbow clearly visible from the window in my studio, which was a welcome reminder that storms often give way to beauty. (if only my photo did it justice...)

Friday

I've always thought it funny to hear people say they do their best thinking in the shower. Sometimes if I feel stuck on an idea, I have a shower in the hope that inspiration will strike. It usually doesn't.

Tuesday

A visit with a favourite small person



And then home for dinner with the man



Lovely

This isn't a bird blog, I promise

It was a long weekend here this weekend, and we were looking forward to a nice dinner out and getting lots done around the house. But between a very rainy Saturday; a last minute all-day babysit on Sunday; and me getting the dreaded lurgy yesterday; we didn't do any of the things we hoped to. Oh well.
We did have some cockys (sulphur crested cockatoos) visit us on Saturday afternoon, a common backyard sight, except that they were much closer to the house than usual - I think they were enjoying all the rain-displaced bugs in the lawn. They are so common here that I sometimes forget how amazing they are - such big birds and so white.

Thursday

A late breakfast at Rolador cafe, in Newcastle. I recommend their smoothies. Yum.

A little escape

We went up to Newcastle to visit my sister and her family on Wednesday. I try to visit once a fortnight or so, but usually only go up for the day, and usually not with the man. It was nice to be out of Sydney and near the water, even just for one night, and it made us miss our previous home, Byron Bay, even more. Sigh.

We visited the Centenary Centre, a wonderful, magical place full of antiques, vintage stuff, retro stuff....as far as you can see. Heaven.
These photos were taken with our Bloggie, which takes great movies, but not-as-great still photos. I can't wait to go back there with my camera.













I could have bought just about everything in the place; but showed excellent restraint and limited myself to a modest pile of vintage fabrics. I'll post photos tomorrow.

An afternoon with a duck

He's quite the male model, don't you think?

I confess

I’m not finding this super easy, trying to get my little business off the ground, and also trying to get a bit of meat on this blog.

I’m looking forward to finding my rhythm; losing the initial self consciousness that comes with putting yourself out there; and remembering to take. Photos. Of. Everything.

In the meantime, I keep remembering to when I actually journaled, daily, with pen and ink. I would sometimes use this ink my grandfather gave me, and a post office pen (don’t ask me why). The ink is all but dried up, but I treasure the little bottle with it’s shabby label, and it always survives clean outs and moves to take pride of place somewhere in my workspace.

Do you have these worthless treasures, too?

Yesterday

wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped. But I did meet a friend for a cup of tea, which is always nice.

I got the most horrible look from one of the other patrons when I pulled out my phone to take this picture. (I forgot my camera)

Maybe phones in lieu of cameras offend her.

It was lovely tea though.

I hope you had a nice day yesterday, too.

comfort food

After a month of a chest infection, my body and I are feeling tired and spent. All I feel like doing is drinking tea and eating drippy honey toast. But I think I’m finally on the mend now.

I hope you are feeling well and enjoying the start of spring, or autumn, depending on where you are.

Iron

The man broke the iron. There was a floorboard-denting kind of a crashing thud from the studio followed by an “uh oh” which is enough to make me want to both see and not see what it was that just went kamikaze on the floor. I have to admit, I was relieved it was only the iron. 




I iron strictly for crafting purposes, and even then, only if I feel like being really good. I didn’t even iron The Man's shirt for our wedding, and if it weren’t for the stack of applique on my table, I wouldn’t be rushing out to buy a new one today.

So, farewell old iron. You were good to me, and I really didn’t appreciate you until now that you’re gone; and I have to get out of my ugg boots to go buy your successor.

The Very Beginning

A very good place to start.

At least I can cross it off my list now.