Friday, January 21, 2011

Bed Nooks

I love little nooks, all kinds. Bed nooks, book nooks, brekkie nooks, any kind of nook at all. I don't really have any nooks in my home right now, apart from a couple of spots where I have pushed chairs into corners and declared those spots to be reading nooks.
But I'm always looking for inspiration both for the home we are in now, and the home(s) we may be in in the future. I hope one day to have bed nooks, reading nooks AND a breakfast nook. That would be dreamy.
For now I am loving this little blue bunk bed nook, ever so cute (picture found here).

 This bunk bed nook with brilliant yellow curtains is just perfect. I have looked at a whole lot of nooks online and so many of them are 'design magazine perfect', which just isn't me, but I can imagine having something like the nooks above and below in my own home.
This reading nook (found here) is a converted cupboard.........AWESOME!!!

 And this mishmashed up bed nook (image found here) with it's crocheted blanket and sigh-inducing quilt would be just the perfect spot to get comfy and read my favourite magazines.
I guess by the time I get my nooks we may even have some more pets so............why not....bunk beds for cats!!! I never would have thought of suitcases for cat beds (bunk beds at that), but the amazing LoveNostalgicWhimsy on Etsy did. She makes these to sell. Adorable.

What I (almost) Wore.

A summer outfit for under $10. Easy peasy. This is my 'What I (almost) Wore' due to the fact that I had serious doubts over the length of that dress, and got changed, ha ha. But it certainly would have been a bargain basement outfit if it had been worn.
 The dress came from Wayne's World. Yes......Wayne's World, the shop. For those of you who are not familiar with Wayne's World, it is a two dollar store. And yes, again, I shopped for fashion in a two dollar store. The dress was $5 and has previously only been worn over jeans, and after this brief trial in the privacy of my own home, will continue to be worn only over jeans. Way too short as a dress for someone who spends her days picking stuff up off the floor/ground.

The belt (I apoligize in advance for any horrific 80's/90's flashbacks any of you may suffer after seeing this) came from the op shop, I think it was about $1.
White sandals, also from the op shop, $2 I think (it was a while ago).
So that's a total of $8.
If only that dress (isn't that print cute) was just a smidge longer.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Day to day.

This is what we have been doing a bit of in the past week or so. I have been starting my days with Green Smoothies, which really don't taste as bad as they look.
 Really. I started having green smoothies a couple of months ago, for a couple of reasons. Mainly I had become even more tired than normal, to the point where I couldn't even exercise once a week. Completely wrecked, was the feeling. Also because I'm not very good at eating breakfast, and wasn't eating well in general. (I consume a huge amount of sugar, trying to cut back)
This smoothie is about two cups of water, two bananas, some mango (I got a tray of not-so-perfect mangos for next to nothing before Christmas and chopped them up and froze them), a couple of handfuls of spinach and rocket leaves, and a bit of protein powder thrown in as well.
Green smoothies aside I know that the best thing to make me feel better is to drink loads of water during the day and get plenty of sleep, two things I am still working on. I find it so hard to go to bed early as I have so much to do at night.
The sun is shining again but I have found the kids still at each other and seeming to forget that they have the ability to entertain themselves and don't need me to do it every minute of the day!!
So I have been packing up just the most basic of food and calling it a picnic, and heading to the park for a few hours each day. We have covered quite a few parks in our area doing this.
The 'picnic' usually consists of rice cakes, rye (or other) wraps, avocado, tinned tuna, cherry tomatos, and whatever fruit we have. Plus a thermos of water and green tea bags for me.

I have actually managed to read a page or two of a magazine or book doing this. Unheard of for many years, this 'reading' business.

 Although one trip to the park did result in a foot injury for Ruby, and subsequent trip to the Doctor, antibiotics and three times a day foot soaking. But it's all good now, and fully enclosed shoes mandatory. Sorry kids.
 We play, we explore, we soak up the sun, appreciate what we have, and rest (well, not so much on the resting)
And locals will wonder for days about the little boy with no face they saw at the park.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Just a Reminder

        Because sometimes we forget to just be ourselves.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Felting (beads)

I have found an activity that is just perfect to do with kids on rainy days (I would say ages three and up but if you have younger ones that really love their crafty stuff, go for it!)
 A little bit of a disclaimer here: I am not a huge fan of felted goods. I think it's the texture that puts me off.
I had seen the Felt-a-licious on-line workshop promoted on Emily Falconbridge's blog and thought it looked interesting, but not enough to sign up for it (with my aversion to felt and all, lol). Not long after I saw with gorgeous little felted play scene on Emily's blog and thought maybe I would give felting a go after all. I think this is so cute, I would play with it myself.
By that time the workshop was over but I was still able to sign up and have access to all the tutorials and videos that the workshop participants had.
I thought it would be something good to do with the kids, but I didn't have any immediate plans to tackle it (so many other things to do!).
And then the rain set in, and we spent a morning making felt beads (and also a little phone pouch which is as ugly as sin and I can't quite bring myself to photograph it)

We were wet felting, using wool tops (also called wool roving) which I didn't photograph before we started but you can see some here in Nicole Lawrence's Etsy shop (Nicole is a long time felter who ran the workshop with Emily).
We pulled our wool tops apart, dunked it into warm, soapy water, squeezed out the excess water and started rolling.



I have to say I think the whole process is pretty therapeutic.
Here is Ruby with one of her beads (a bit cracked but please don't bother us with the details).
She loved doing this. So while I don't love, love, love felted stuff, in general, I don't mind the beads and this is one of those things where, for me, it is the process of making them that is the best part (often I'm just chasing the end result).
Some of our beads which we will string together to make a little bracelet.
We have felted a couple of times since our first go (still just doing beads), and I have bought Ruby some wool tops (roving) of her very own which will be part of her birthday  present in a couple of weeks.



P.S. My blog is getting a big make-over and I am super excited about that!!!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

A Creative Space

I am a little obsessed with creative spaces at the moment. Creative spaces to live in as well as those more specific creative spaces that we carry out whatever it is that we do, we make, we create.
Some people are lucky enough to have dedicated studios *sigh*
Others claim their creative space on the kitchen table, even the ironing board, permanently set up holding creative endevours waiting to be taken up when all the chores are done.
I'm know I'm not the only one claiming the spare room, declaring it to be the 'craft room' (although I do prefer to think of it as my little studio, however humble it is).
And what is a creative space to me, is the junk room to my husband.
For the purpose of this post I will refer to it simply as 'my room'.
My room is the spare bedroom, and I feel incredible lucky that we actually have one.
It has a double bed in it, the main purpose of which is to hide all the boxes of Christmas decorations, boxes of photos which are crying out to be sorted and housed in beautiful albums, and boxes of general paper crafting supplies.
It also has an old wardrobe which is home to all of my fabric, sewing notions and other bits and bobs.
My room also has a very old style computer desk on which I have my trusty printer, as well as shoes box sized boxes of gift wrapping goodies, and other odds and bods.
Then there is my desk where I have my laptop and external hard-drive (will be needing another one soon), and a very impressive collection of clutter. Stuff piles up on the desk very quickly.
My sewing machine actually lives under the desk and boots the laptop off when it's time for it to be used (which it won't be until it is fixed after my son 'fixed' it for me).
The double bed mentioned above, is also a great place to put things while they wait to be dealt with properly.
And the whole room in generally is the spot where my husband will open the door and throw in anything he doesn't want to have to look at in the rest of the house.
any of this sounding familiar?
I dream of the day when I have a room which is well organised, really wonderful to look at, and just generally inviting.
I have plans for having lots of storage space.
Especially for all the little things. I have a lot of those.
A wall like this (found at Making it Lovely blog here) would be so lovely, wouldn't it?



That wall of shelves makes me swoon. A little bit of pretty like this here from Danielle Thompson who does 'pretty' very, very well.

I love this idea of a little sewing nook like this, all neatly packed into a cupboard that can be closed up when you're done (my husband would love that too......all. out. of. sight.)
Image from Heather Ross.
 But I think this is my dream, this really does take my breath away. I am in awe of this little studio, it's an absolute delight. It belongs to Jenny B Harris of the Allsorts blog.


So completely wonderful, and giving me loads of ideas.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Turning my face to the sun.

My heart remains heavy and my mind fairly hazey. So todays offering is a short and sweet 'What I Wore'
 I wore a skirt-from-a-tea-towel which I got on sale from this talented Etsy lovely last year.
NB: op shop = thrift store.
Witchery top which I got from the op shop a couple of years ago. Necklace, I think my sister gave it to me and I think she got it from an op shop. I love this necklace, I also have a white one, and I always feel a little bit Betty Rubble (the Flintstones) when I wear them.

 Well, I had no shoes on so that's it for what I wore. Rather amazing that it's not a picture of me in jeans or shorts because that's what I wear 99% of the time.
Really the person who should be doing 'What I wore' in this house is my son.
He has regular outfit changes and is quite particular about his clothes. And he loves to accessorise with bags (shoes, not so much), his favourite one being this pink duck bag which he is sporting in the picture below.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Queensland Flood Appeal

I cannot overthink this post and cannot put down too many words. The sadness is overwhelming me. Flood devastation is all around us. It's estimated that approximately 75% of my state has been affected by flooding in the last few weeks.
 Many lives have been lost, thousands of homes, and who know how many have lost their livelihoods. Crops have been wiped out, shops have been wiped out. And so many more of us feel useless, what can we do? Australia is lucky enough to have an army of willing and trained volunteers, the SES, who are working day and night doing a million different things, to help others.
When a small flash flood came through our little town last Friday night the SES sandbagged until three in the morning. And that's the very least of it.
So many towns have flooded. Gympie, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Emerald, Alpha, Condamine, Theodore, and so many more.
And then Toowoomba, Grantham, Withcott and just the entire Lockyer Valley really, which I can't even bare to say any more about. This video shows parked cars being washed away, nothing else, but gives you an idea of how fast the water did come up.
Had trouble embedding the video so here is a link


And now Brisbane. And talk of possible cyclones up North. It's all too much.

 I have listed these canvases for sale in my Etsy shop and 100% of the sale proceeds will go directly to the Premiers Disaster Relief Appeal.
 Canvases aside, please consider giving a direct donation if you are able to do so.
 If you cannot spare money simply spare your thoughts. For those who are gone, those who have lost loved ones, and those who are working tirelessly hoping to see an end to this onslaught of tragedy.
And believe that tomorrow will be a brighter day.

Friday, January 7, 2011

oh Lula, where are you?

I love magazines. Really love them. I crave them. A magazine fresh from the newsagency shelf, all pristine and smooth, just waiting to be read........this is one of my favourite things.
It's a long time love which started when I was in high school. Dolly, anyone?





Dolly was the teenage girls bible when I was at school. I was completely devoted. I can even remember the cover of the first one I ever bought. I would read each issue over and over. Dolly has stood the test of time (that is the current issue in the image above), but I think the girls that read it now are a lot younger than I was when I was reading.
I moved on to Cleo, Cosmo and a bunch of weekly gossip mags. I was ever so sophisticated, lol.
The huge selection of magazines on the shelves these days makes my heart sing. There really is a magazine for just about any interest/topic you can think of (there is actually a magazine called 'Bacon Busters" - it's aimed at pig shooters)
While there is everything you could possible want or need to read, learn or look at, available online, not to mention the environmental issues involved with printing and distribution of actual magazines.............I just cannot go past them.
These are the mags that make my top 4 these days.
Frankie is an Australian magazine, and it's a very good one. A bit of art, a bit of craft, some fashion, and well written articles, what's not to love.

Although, quite frankly Frankie, I do find your covers a little boring. They just all look the same to me. I feel a bit bad saying that because she is otherwise a top mag.
Another local mag which is totally worth looking forward to each month, is Peppermint.  In her own words Peppermint is "vintage organic recycled fair trade sustainable fresh. green. fashion." It's beautiful  to look at, the feel of her recycled paper is luscious, and it's always got interesting things to read.





Boho is an American mag and, to me, very similar to Peppermint. I really should make a choice between the two of them, rather than buying both.
But the last of my top 4 eludes me right now. Lula. She is dreamy, whimsical, and oh so pretty. She is not on the shelf of every newsagency so I was quite surprised to discover her on the shelf of my local newsagency. I found her at issue 8 and then had the pleasure of issues 9 & 10 as well. But issue 11? Nowhere to be found. My newsagent told me she was due to arrive last October (yes, three months ago!!), but she hasn't and they were none the wiser at to what Lula is up to.

If there's anyone who knows where I can get my grubby little hands on the elusive issue 11, I would LOVE to hear from you. Or if anyone can actually get their hands on a copy and would to do a little magazine swap with me, I would be very interested in that too. I have found out I can actually subscribe to Lula from Australia now and I think that would be an awesome birthday present for me to give myself, but it would still leave me without the current issue. Can anyone help this magazine junkie curb her Lula craving?