Stuffability

Getting inspired to start sewing again.

2011-09-08T12:39:00.002+10:00

An artsy-fartsy kind of mood.

2011-06-02T10:38:00.004+10:00

I've had a creative urge again lately. I've been clearing out alot of the clutter and I think it has made me look at things differently. Like the pile of picture frames waiting for collages. Instead of faffing around with glue and paper, I decided to do some digital pictures instead. Using photos I've taken and shapes I created for various other projects, I played around until I was happy with the final product.
Here's the first that was printed and is now up on the wall-
I also framed a photo that I took on a recent trip to Hobart.

Another digital print is framed and hung, but I don't have a photo of it yet. I'm also working on another one. As I am a very frustrated painter (I can't produce what I see in my head!) I really like the digital option, as it allows me to manipulate the image so that I can play with it until I'm happy with it. I can also remove elements if they're not working. I have a long way to go before I'm as good as many digital artists out there as I only know the basics of my program and am doing alot of learning through doing. But that's half the fun.

Winter-bring it on!

2011-05-17T09:22:00.003+10:00

It's been a cold Autumn so far. I haven't been out enjoying the changing leaves as much as usual this year as it's been too wet. We've got the fire going already and the girls have had there yearly dose of colds, tag teaming each other with no sign of this cold letting go. I've had to postpone donating blood on more than one occasion because of this dreaded lurgy.
But despite the cold and the colds, we've tried to get out and about when it's not raining. This weekend, after a week of being cooped up at home, I told the girls to dress warmly, throw in all of their snow gear and jump in the car. A day trip to the snow was just what I needed. We've had some great early snowfalls and as the season doesn't officially open for another month, it doesn't cost anything to get on the mountain and I figured it would be reasonably quiet. I threw the snow chains in the boot as I've never actually driven on snow before, despite going to the snow many times. We drove up to Marysville where we stopped and had some lunch, after the girls had played at the newly built playground in Gallipoli Park. The town is slowly coming together, although I can understand if the residents are feeling frustration. Just as we sat down to eat at the very quiet Fragas Cafe, a busload of daytrippers arrived and promptly filled the place. It's good to see that the region is still getting busloads of visitors. About 1.00pm, we left for Lake Mountain. The drive up was a lot quicker than I remembered. The landscape looked very different after the Black Saturday bushfires.
We came upon the snow before we knew it. I was a bit nervous about driving on the icy conditions but the car has a Winter mode so I engaged that and took my time. It got to one lane at some point and it was a bit nerve wracking to pull over to the side, not knowing how deep the snow was and whether or not I'd get stuck. There were a few cars in the carpark when we got to the top and many had just parked where they stopped. We got out, got our gear on and went off exploring. As the facilities are still beinbg rebuilt, the public toilets weren't open. Thankfully, a staff member from the resort allowed us to use the staff amenities. Poor Ruby didn't savour the thought of going behind a a tree in the snow!
We wandered through the fresh powder snow, over a metre deep in some places. We took a few photos, walked down to the Toboggan Run and then back to the car before heading home via Warburton.
When we got home, the open fire was roaring thanks to The bloke who'd been home trying to get the concrete retaining wall built. (That's another post entirely.)
We can't wait for the ski season to open on June 12th. This year, the girls will learn how to ski and I'm looking forward to getting on the snow after many years!

Kick starting the blog again.

2011-04-11T16:17:00.004+10:00

I'm waiting for my bread dough to rise. Whilst browsing lot's of fabulous other blogs, I realised that I really should keep this one going. Not because anyone reads it, but because it's good to actually write something of my own rather than just reading everyone else's blogs.

I've been doing a little bit of sewing lately, and none of it is for the shop. I'm making cushion covers for a friends mother and I recently made some quick little owls for my girls. I'll post pics of the cushions when they're done, but in the meantime, here's the owlies.
I'm also trying to use up some fabric in my studio. I have teetering piles of fabric all over the place and it's not a very good work environment. I spend more time moving stuff around than actually sewing. I had some wool samples lying around so a couple of weeks ago I had a play around with them. I made a small brooch cushion for myself, a buttoned cushion(which Ruby has claimed) and a larger buttoned cushion which still needs to be stuffed. Not sure what I'm going to do with the large cushion. I might put it in the shop if my other daughter doesn't claim it.

To Do lists

2011-03-07T13:55:00.003+11:00

I have a large to do list at home. It is actually a notebook and contains things like "pay camp fees, fix button on shorts, choose shower for en suite"etc. I keep it handy for the bloke to find in case he has a spare moment and is at a loss what to do ( a rare occurrence). I've crossed a few long standing ones off the list lately, which is a good feeling. But I've also been thinking about my personal to do list. Things that don't have to do with the house or the kids or the bloke. If I publish it here, maybe alot will get crossed off it this year.

Return phone calls the day that people ring, or no later than the following day.
Bake more, buy less.
Plant nursery purchases the day that I buy them, not a week later.
Don't plant vegetables that I or the family don't like.
Ride down the shops instead of taking the car.
Make stuff to cut through the fabric stash.
Stop buying fabric.
Put a shopping cart on the website.
Update the website.
Send regular newsletter to website subscribers.
Try to wear every item in my wardrobe at least once this year.
Stop telling my kids to clean up their rooms before I turn out the lights at night. Just kiss them and tell them I love them.
Have regular visits to the hairdresser. (By regular I mean less than every 3-6 months.)
Have regular visits to the massage therapist.
Resist the urge to buy something on the spur of the moment.
Clear the pile of not hung photos and artworks.
Keep my drawing desk tidy.
Eat a proper lunch.
Read more books, less blogs.
Get passionate about something again.

I will try to keep this list updated and may add to it in the future.

Summer

2011-01-31T11:30:00.003+11:00

Clockwise from top - 1. Girls enjoying the daybed 2. Re-arranging the DVD shelves 3. Spillway at Lake Eppalock 4. Rye Carnival 5. Floodwaters at Lake Eppalock 6. Takiing part in the Sketchbook Project.

Hello 2011

2011-01-10T18:02:00.003+11:00

The New Year is here. Hooray. I look forward to what 2011 brings.

It's been a creative end and start to the year as I make a late start on my sketchbook for Arthouse Co-Op's Sketchbook Project. I've had the book sitting on may desk for ages but was waiting for the creative spark to appear. It arrived about 2 days before Christmas. I won't get it finished but I will post it off by the due date anyway. As my chosen topic was "Great hopes and massive failures" it seems fitting that it will remain unfinished. I've really enjoyed working on it as it's making me more aware of my strengths and limitations. I'm accepting that there is a lot I can't get onto paper as I see it in my head, but I am also surprising myself on occasion by what I can do.
More pics as I upload them.

Posting over here at the moment

2010-12-21T16:59:00.002+11:00

Modern In Maroondah

December is not far away.

2010-11-13T14:41:00.002+11:00

And for me, that means a slight freak out, but in a good way.
I'm off to New Zealand for 8 days with my best friend, a former Kiwi native. We are going to stay with her Mum, which will be strange in the sense that I've only met her mum once and I feel like a schoolgirl staying at a friends house. I'll have to watch my P's & Q's and remember to be on my best behavior. We are flying in to Auckland then driving to Whangarei. I'm really looking forward to it as my last O/S trip was way back in 1992. This will also be my first holiday without the bloke and the kids. It's a busy time of year with lots of school activities but I know the bloke will be able to handle it. I'm just hoping his business doesn't suffer to much- I'm sure the phone will be glued to his ear the whole time I'm away. My Mum is on standby to look after the girls if need be.

I'm trying to get organised for Christmas before I go away but I'm not having much luck with presents. At this rate, I'll either buy up big in NZ and have to pay for the extra luggage or else do a mad runaround 2 weeks before Christmas. I'm going to try and make a few gifts, I just need to get my materials sorted. Christmas has come around way too soon again this year and it's hard to get in to the festive spirit when your clambering around trying to get everything done.

Spring 2010

2010-10-13T20:06:00.004+11:00

Yep, it's been a while between posts both here and over at Modern In Maroondah.
Things have been happening. Life has been happening. Mostly good things, which is a nice change. I've become aware of my demons and I'm dealing with them bit by bit.
Crafting has taken a break. I wasn't enjoying it anymore- it was becoming a chore. I felt like I was always trying to prove myself, but to whom I don't know. I think the online crafting community was beginning to have a detrimental effect on my sub conscience. I saw too many wonderful things and I lost my way.
I've given up the markets to focus on my family.
I love spending time with my girls and I particularly love the rare occurrence of the whole family together on the weekends. D-man has been working ridiculous hours and we need to take every opportunity that comes our way to just hang out at home or go for a drive.
I've put down the pens and paintbrushes for a while and have ventured outside to get my hands dirty in the garden and my muscles aching with some serious physical labour around the house. Rather than wait for D to do all of the heavy landscaping, I'm giving it a go. It may not be perfect, but the satisfaction of a finished project outweighs the imperfections.
My health is good even if some of the joints need work. My mental health is good- but that's an ongoing project. I'm beginning to see where the problems lie and how food has played a role in my ups and downs.
I'm going on a holiday. No kids, no partner. To another country. Whoot!

I told myself I'd get my s**t together this year. It's taken 10 months, but it's a start!

Trying to get my thoughts across.

2010-08-17T16:35:00.003+10:00

*Sigh*
Have you ever had a moment when you really need to say something, but all you end up doing is becoming a crumpled mess of tears and the only message that gets sent is how unstable you are?

Yes? Well, me too!

I tried to sit my kids down to have a talk with them today about their behaviour towards each other and how it is affecting me. Lately they have been fighting over the most menial of things, like who is supposed to close the car boot and who put what books in who's room and who should then clean them up!!
Everyday there is something that causes an argument or a snippy word said that causes more arguing. I know it's all part of childhood behaviour, but they are only 10 and 8 years old and it shouldn't be happening everyday.
I was feeling fragile before they got home today (a whole 'nother issue that I need to figure out) and their arguing has been on my mind for the last week. I was going to sit them down and talk it through. Calmly! But as soon as I started, I got angry, my voice broke and the tears began flowing.....

....I think they got the general gist of the message. I left the room and retreated to the safety of the office. I had so much more that needed saying- that still needs to be said, but it's slipped from my mind at this moment.

*sigh*

She's taking shape.

2010-07-11T13:43:00.002+10:00

Something I'm working on, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

Coming along slowly. I think I'll wait to the kids go back to school before I really get stuck into it.

Well, hello there!

2010-07-04T16:56:00.006+10:00

I'm baaack!

Yep, it's been a while, but I've been around. Reading other blogs, checking out stuff on Flickr and generally hanging out on Facebook.

I made a promise to myself that I would rein in my FB addiction, particularly whilst the kids are home on school holidays. I was going to stay off the computer completely, but I'm doing a painting for the eldest child and needed some kawaii references. She has given me specific ideas for her painting, which when finished, will be quite detailed. It's going to have a sort of dreamy, big eyed girl as the main focus, with lots of little creatures and critters surrounding her. I expect it to take me longer than the school holidays as I'm doing bits here and there when the girls and I aren't off somewhere doing exciting stuff. Also, I can't paint when I have an excited 10 year old looking over my shoulder!

Here's a sneak peak!
I found lots of inspiration on Flickr. There are some seriously talented people around. Here's a few of my favourites.
1. Masquerade, 2. Making a Scene, 3. Untitled (2008), 4. rose, 5. Attack of the Whatnotz, 6. Fragment No. 40, 7. mommy and me apple trees, 8. Pierre likes to be prepared for bath time, 9. Caia Koopman - Golden Guineas, 10. Scan10006, 11. Original Illustration - Boy with Souvenirs by Kevin Kidney, 12. Kawatta, 13. all-around-me, 14. The-Octopus-Mustache, 15. consumption, 16. Untitled, 17. Octopussy Print Pivot12 ~ by Tammy Allen-Gambrel, 18. Vintage Love!, 19. evolution, 20. Tiki Time

I will try to post more often, but sometimes life happens and the less important things get pushed aside.

Procrastination

2010-03-18T10:31:00.001+11:00

Directions

2010-03-10T10:33:00.003+11:00

Hmm. March is here and things should be swinging, but still I'm faltering. The kids have been at school for a month now and the routine there is good, but once they are at school, I'm still floating on a cloud of procrastination. I did alot of market sewing last month which felt good after 2 months away from the sewing machine, but a dismal market means that I have no desire to sew this month, despite some great ideas. I'm also struggling with whether or not I should continue the market next season (we finish this season in June.) The Healesville market seems to fall on every long weekend this year, including Easter and Queens Birthday. Because of this, I've been unable to go away with D-man and the girls. It also means that the market crowds are low. Despite it being a very pretty place, Healesville doesn't seem to draw the holiday crowds like Mansfield or places by the bay. I'm thinking that the solution to this is to either find a new market that falls on a different time each month, or to continue at Healesville but return to being a casual stallholder so that I can opt out of any dates that fall on a long weekend. This is probably the better option as I really like the market setting at Healesville and I don't want to have to build my customer base from scratch.
I also said to myself that this year I would get my stuff in shops. I have been invited to sell my bags in some local stores but of course, I never followed that up. Now I fear that the door might have closed on a few of those offers. I think the best option is to put some kind of package together to send to shops that I would like to have stuff in and leave the rest up to them. I just have to find shops that are fairly local or interesting. I think the problem is that I just want to make stuff, but without the pressure of having to sew just to sell something. And I'm not good at networking and promoting myself, nor do I want to spend all of my time updating a website or online market site when I'm not getting the traffic to those places either. I guess I'm trying to tell myself to stick with old school selling. Face to face. I still get a thrill when I see someone at the market using a bag that they bought from me 6 months ago. I guess that's why I do what I do. I just need to convince myself.

Ethikl- A new online marketplace

2010-02-17T12:28:00.002+11:00

Joystuff bags can now be found online at Ethikl, a great new market place for handmade and fair trade items. Check it out here.

What, we're halfway through February already?

2010-02-16T12:30:00.005+11:00

Yep, the New Year is but a distant memory. The kids have gone back to school, D-Man is back at work and I'm in the studio enjoying the peace and quiet and time to create.
The year started off with highs and lows, the highs being a (much needed) holiday to Merimbula for a week and a brand new sewing machine, whilst the lows were a bout of tonsilitis, a back injury and an empty bank account until businesses resumed. Things have levelled out now and all is well in the world.
I've had a break from the markets for a couple of months, which I've really enjoyed. I have gone back to my sewing this month with renewed enthusiasm and a head brimming with ideas. I will make the decision whether this is to be my last year of the market and whether or not I will scale back the production of bags and concentrate on personal projects, like dressmaking for the girls and clothes and homewares for myself.
We've been landscaping our front yard since late last year. I'm well and truly over the mud being traipsed through the house! We taken about 80 cubic metres of dirt from the front to create a flat area which we will turf and plant out. It should give us another outdoor area with a water wise garden and lawn that requires little to no watering and very little mowing. I am also going to plant some deciduous trees to provide shade and some privacy to the front of the house. Hopefully, D-Man will have the structural work finished by end of March so I can concentrate on planting the garden before winter.

And on a personal note, I chopped my hair off again. The older I get, the less I like having a lot of hair around my face. I'm quite pleased with it and I use the tiniest amount of shampoo. I think I'll keep it this short for a while.

Website rebuild complete!!!

2010-01-20T16:44:00.005+11:00

Lady M

2010-01-19T20:51:00.001+11:00

Lady M, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

I've made a few more pincushions lately, on a slightly grander scale. My next market is not until March, so I've been having a break from bags and trying to get some more pincushions and bootstuffers and other items finished. I've also rebuilt the website. You can see the new layout at www.joystuff.com.au.

Joystuff on Apartment Therapy

2010-01-15T10:32:00.001+11:00

I received a lovely email from Beth from AT to enquire about posting my decal door on their site. Of course I obliged!!
You can see the post here.

Welcome 2010

2010-01-05T23:30:00.002+11:00

I've neglected the blog.
This year I vow to say what I need to say.
With more pictures.
And less words.
We're off on a well deserved holiday.
Back soon when I've washed the sand from my toes.

Open for business!

2009-09-30T15:06:00.002+10:00

After a well deserved break and a freshen up for the shop, Railway Bizarre is open for business again. Drop in and see the lovely Wendy at 42 Railway Ave, Ringwood East.(It's almost across the road from the train station-how's that for handy?)
Opening hours are 10-5 Tuesday to Saturday. If you visit on a the 1st Saturday of the month you can wander around the Car Boot market in the station car park.

Helloooooo.

2009-07-31T16:12:00.003+10:00

Yes, the poor old blog has been very neglected. I tend to be over on Facebook, or reading other blogs rather than tending to my own. Or I'm over at the Modern in Maroondah blog if I've had the opportunity to walk the neighbourhood and take photos of houses and gardens with a contemporary edge that I find inspiring.
I've been spending the last 2 weeks at the sewing machine. The change of market venue has meant we start a month earlier than previous years. I was enjoying the break from sewing a little more than expected so of course this week was a mad rush to finish everything before heading off to Healesville bright and early on Sunday morning.
I was pleased with what I produced, but I'm not pleased that the heightened stress levels has resulted in me having one helluva head cold. I'm going to be a pretty sight as I greet shoppers with my watering eyes and flowing, shiny red nose!
I hope the new venue works well. I'm a bit apprehensive, but we'll have to give it some time, particularly as it's going to be wet and cold this weekend.
Things at home have been quiet. Not much has been happening on the gardening front. We got the vegie gardens in a couple of weeks ago, so once I finish building the climbing frame, we'll get some broad beans in to start. I found a sprouting onion in the vegie box the other day, so I planted that in the hopes that it will produce more onions, or maybe just some really pretty flowers.
D-man is keen to start work on the garage overhaul and the landscaping of the front garden. He has some big plans for the front. It's a huge job, but I trust his vision.
Other than that, I need a holiday and am tempted to scrape up the money to take the kids to Qld for a week, whilst the grandparents are holidaying up there. We'll see how that pans out.
Anyway, enjoy the eye candy.

Time poor and very sore.

2009-06-23T16:52:00.002+10:00

Ahh, where have the months gone? The year is halfway through and i am still in the same rut I was stuck in last year. Chained to the computer/sewing machine with a head full of ideas and not enough hours in the day to get through them all.
And to top it all off, I have minor health issues that are driving me crazy. I sure many of them could be remedied with regular exercise. Unfortunately, a recurring back/shoulder problem has halted the exercise regime as well.
I've been doing a lot of gardening/rearranging around the house in an effort to keep mobile. Unfortunately, this tends to have a snowball effect in regards to ideas and plans that pop into my head. No sooner am I halfway through one thing when I get the urge to start on another. Last week it was paint the front door, trim the plants, pull out the dead and overgrown plants, rip out half of the garden, plan new front steps, plan new front garden. It's the same inside the house. I tidy a room and the next thing I know I've moved the furniture three times and then it's off to the hardware store to choose paint colours for the wall that's been unpainted for three years!
The self afflicted frenzy is doing my head in. I need to find some sort of peace. But all of the things that usually bring me peace-eg. sewing, gardening, walking and taking photos, painting and cooking are currently causing me pain and a further sense of restlessness. I feel a holiday is in need, but the finances have put a halt to that.
I've just spent the afternoon culling my list of Flickr groups I usually peruse. And recently, I deleted a lot of my bookmarks and said goodbye to those Facebook contacts that I really had no reason to add as a friend in the first place. It's baby steps, but I think I need to disconnect myself from the computer in an attempt to find some clarity.

I made the front page!!!!

2009-05-18T10:08:00.001+10:00

of MadeIt today. Go on, take a look.

Hello

2009-05-15T16:38:00.001+10:00

I've been over here lately.

Compostopia

2009-04-21T11:36:00.005+10:00

Looking from the far bottom corner up to the house.

We've been landscaping our backyard. It's a long and laborious project as Damien and I have very different ideas about what we want. He's all about the hardware whilst I'm more about the plants. But together, it's working quite well. We've lived at this house for almost 5 years now. When we moved in, the previous owners had cut alot of the trees at ground level, stuck some plants in the wrong areas and mulched the entire garden. We thought we had trees along the back fence, but it turns out that the trees were on the neighbours side and they were hanging over our fence. When we trimmed everything back and removed the trees that were dead, dying or a weed, we weren't left with much. I shifted some of the plants that were in the wrong places and planted fast growing shrubs like hakeas. Once they took hold, the transformation was very inspiring for me to keep going.
I should point out at this stage that we are fortunate to have a large backyard. Our back fence runs 52m. But the yard is narrow and runs on a slight downward slope. We've dug out an area near the backdoor so that we could have a flat surface of grass for the kids to play on. It was the best thing we ever did. This also meant that alot of the garden beds are raised. It makes it easier on the back, but it does mean lots of good quality dirt and mulch to stop the garden beds from drying out.
So to cut a long story short, we have been hard at it again these last couple of weeks working on the lower section of the yard. This is the area down the back, behind the crumbling garage. A new garage is high on our priority list, but finances and council red tape has meant we have a garage full of everything but cars, as it has no power and is just big enough to hold all of Damien's 'stuff'. We've been making a path down to the small shed where I keep the gardening stuff and sometimes paint. It's also where I put my potting table as it's nice and shady. We were going to continue the concrete steps we did last year, by adding a path. The cost of concrete weighed on my mind, so whilst Damien was in Canberra, he grabbed a heap of 50mm thick pine that was being discarded and that has become our new path. (We ran out, but managed to get a fair bit done.) It needs to be gone over with the whacker to get it level and solidly packed in. I love how it looks with the garden edging right up to it. After the rocks were placed along the edge of the path and the lower level was flattened, I realised we had quite a bit of room next to the small shed. It was currently being used as a graveyard for old signs and a couple of canoes (or canoons, as Schnoob calls them.) I gave it a tidy up and then put the question to Damien- why didn't I put the vegetable garden here? I'd been searching for a viable spot for years, but because we didn't have much flat ground I found it hard to find the perfect spot. It was right because of the sun, but we didn't have anywhere for a tank and I didn't want to take up the space where the new shed was to go. Damien had grand plans for a large shed and as I seem to have comandeered most of the yard, I figured I'd let him have whatever he wanted as far as the shed went. When I discussed the idea of putting a garden down the back, he said that he had planned for that all along. So he got home from Canberra on Saturday and by Sunday night, he had completed this.

Compost bins

2 huge compost bins, with space behind to store all of my gardening tools. We had some branches off the lemon tree that we mulched, so one bin already has quite a bit of stuff to get it going. I'm really excited to be able to produce large quantities of compost, rather than having to pay for the stuff. And we'll be able to use the garden waste bin to collect water, 'cos I don't think we're going to have any garden waste from now on. Stayed tuned, the vegie garden plots will be next. We just need to find out where Damien can source some more free timber.

Playing with pattern

2009-04-15T21:40:00.001+10:00

abstract pattern repeat primary, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

I pulled out the sketchbook yesterday and scanned in a couple of marker drawings. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew, the day had disappeared and I had produced this fun, retro inspired pattern on CorelDraw. I couldn't get the depth and texture right, but the colours are fun. I'd make a cushion out of this if I it was fabric
1

School holidays

2009-04-15T12:50:00.004+10:00

Chicken pox, salvage yards, nurseries, camping, motorbikes, easter egg hunts, friends over, playing with the kids next door, late nights, sleeping in, sewing, drawing, dress ups, tv, taking photos, gardening..........

This is what we've been doing these school holidays. What have you been up to?

Ewwww!

2009-03-24T10:00:00.001+11:00

This is why you're fat..

I think I just lost my appetite for a year.

Found via The Vegan Lunchbox.

Bushfire fundraiser

2009-03-19T21:14:00.001+11:00

Croydon West Primary School
Hinkley Ave, Croydon West
Tomorrow Night March 20th
5.30pm-8.30pm
Art Auction, Market stalls and lots of fun for the kids.

I'll be there peddlin' my wares and donating a significant portion to the Bushfire Relief fund.

Come along and say hello to me and my kids!!

This weeks inspiration

2009-02-16T17:15:00.001+11:00

1. Mid Century Oil Painting, 2. Vintage Sofa, 3. Atomic Era Fabric, 4. Atomic Mid-Century Modern Creamer, Cathay by Taylor Smith and Taylor, 5. Bubbles in the Wine, 6. Annette: Sierra Summer (1960), 7. Annette: Sierra Summer (back), 8. Just Bubbling Over, 9. Hope You're Feeling Better, 10. Fountain, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. To-day's Wall Lights, 14. Untitled, 15. Living Room 2, 16. Living Room 3, 17. O-Cel-O, 18. Kotex, 19. Avon, 20. Pepsi, 1958, 21. Monsanto, 22. My pink & green vintage bathroom, 23. Flamingo picture, 24. A pair of pictures, 25. Monday Washing, 26. billy buttons, 27. My amazing new vintage elephant, 28. .fair day..., 29. Popsicle Space Cards, 30. 1960s or 1970s vintage wallpaper, 31. wonderful wonderlier, 32. Pastel Kitchen 2, 33. C O L L E C T I O N, 34. blush, 35. Spring Things, 36. Untitled

More ways we can help.

2009-02-13T10:25:00.003+11:00

I was lying in bed last night mentally walking down the main street of Marysville and trying to picture the town as it was before the bushfires. I could remember the drive in to town, the majestic trees and the flowering camellias that seemed so out of place but so beautiful amongst the native Australian flora. I was in Marysville in September of last year, on a beautiful Spring day. the trees were just sprouting their new growth and the air was perfumed by the Spring flowering trees. The surroundings smelt pure and fresh and clean. The girls and I walked the length of the main shopping strip (Murchison St), marvelling at the rainbow lorikeets that congregated on a bird feeder suspended from a massive tree, right next to the ski equipment shop. We peered through the doors of the Cumberland Resort and I took photos of the hardiboard house next door to the resort, due to it's magnificent gardens and the fact that it was a time capsule for houses built in the late 50's, early 60's. We went into the Australiana shop with the magnificent Rhododendron growing in it's front courtyard, the petals from the spent flowers littering the paving below.
The girls chased leaves that they placed in the open flowing drain(more of a kerbside river than a drain) as I wandered around the candle store or took a look through the antiques store. We had lunch at the bakery on the corner, then played at the playground before walking the river trail of Gallipoli park, amongst large gums shedding their bark and huge tree ferns. We didn't go to Bruno's sculpture garden as we had been there only a few months before.

I decided this morning that I would try to help the township, and other towns affected by the bushfires, by starting some kind of green bank. There may be organisations already putting these things in to place, like nurseries and horticulture students, but I wanted to do my part. I was inspired by Pip's post on planting seeds and the idea just kind of rolled on from there.

So here's what I intend to do:

Collect as many pots as possible and plant seeds, be it gums, camellias, rhodos or any other easily collectable seed that will survive in the Australian environment.
Take cuttings of what's in my garden and grow plants from these.
Talk to the teachers at school about getting the kids to do the same.
Maybe purchase plants from nurseries (depending on my finances) which can be divided up and repotted.
When the time is right, deliver these plants to the affected communities to help them turn their environments green again. After the fires, people will be concentrating on rebuilding their houses. Landscapes and street planting won't be high on the priority list (understandably!)
This is a long term project and I will be undertaking a lot of it in Autumn when the weather begins to cool.

So feel free to join me on this. Start your own 'green bank' at home. Talk to your workmates, or your kids teachers and see if they can help out. A lot of land has been burnt. A lot of wildlife homes have been lost. The lungs of the state have taken a severe beating. We can't replace one hundred year old trees in our lifetime, but if we plant something now, our great- grandkids have a chance of seeing these majestic beauties.

Kids comfort packs

2009-02-10T10:39:00.001+11:00

It's all too surreal

2009-02-09T12:31:00.003+11:00

I just can't get my head around it.

Please help by donating to the Australian Red Cross.

Doom Kitty

2009-01-28T22:31:00.005+11:00

This is Doom Kitty from the animated cartoon Ruby Gloom. If you haven't seen Ruby Gloom, it's on ABC kids at around 7.00am or something like that. It's what I like to call, "fairy floss goth". It's fun and the girls like it and it's got a really catchy theme song. We love the show so much that it inspired this...........
Yes, her name is Doom Kitty. Or DK, or Sprinkler, 'cos she was jumping about like a kid through a sprinkler on a hot Summer's day.

Queenie is not impressed.

Oh, hello 2009!

2009-01-15T12:41:00.003+11:00

Yes, it's been nearly a month since my last post. I've been busy. Here's the scoop.

The days prior to Christmas were madness. We were buying a new car so paperwork had to be shuttled back and forth and bank accounts watched. I tried to pay as many people as possible so I could have a rest from the business for a couple of weeks.
Christmas lunch was lovely at the In-Laws, but I did fill a twinge of regret as I'm still not on good terms with my mother. My mum and dad dropped in prior to Christmas to drop off the girls' presents, but the tension was there from the moment Mum refused to get out of the car because she didn't think she'd be welcome. *sigh*
We stayed home between Christmas and New Year. D-man had a few jobs and I had market sewing to catch up on. We left for the caravan on New Years Eve and stayed until 8th Jan. I had to come home to do the market and had a fairly successful day.

The girls went back to Mansfield to spend a week with D-man's parents. D-man and I have had a few date nights, going out to dinner and just hanging out watching DVD's (we have now watched all 3 seasons of The Mighty Boosh and are abouot to start on the boxed set of The Goodies.) Last night we went to the night market at The Queen Victoria market and had coffee and a wander around.
I've done some more market sewing as well as quite a bit of Op-shopping. I've found some great fabric, books for the girls' (like the Richard Scarry box set) and today I scored a whole heap of Hobbytex stuff for the measly sum of $8.

Pottered around the backyard some more. We made a sculpture from some tubing offcuts and set it amongst the natives down the back.

Done a few more drawings in the sketchbook.
Wasted time on the computer reading blogs and playing Pathwords on Facebook.
Made some resolutions in my head but as yet have not changed a thing from 2008. I think I'll go and dye my hair red.

Woohoo!!

2008-12-19T14:46:00.002+11:00

School has finished for another year!!

I always find the last term quite hard. We run late, I run out of bread and I can't manage to get the kids in bed before 7.30pm and then they get all cranky.
But from now on and for the next 6 weeks they can stay up late, eat lunch at 3.00pm (that they have prepared themselves. If they want one slice of devon on a toothpick for lunch, I'm not going to stop them!) and get dirty and dusty and crusty and relaxed.
I must remember to cook them dinner though. It's easy to watch the sun go down and then realise that the kids haven't been fed.

I probably won't do much blogging over the next few weeks. In fact, I hope to stay off the computer quite alot these holidays. I hope to get in lots of walking, swimming, bike riding, gardening and general lazing about. Summer can start now, please.

I'll leave you all with a gift I made for my yoga teacher. She gave me some curtains for my sewing projects which had previously belonged to her mother. I knew that she was trying to do more meditation so I made her a special meditation pillow.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who have stopped by this blog over the past couple of years.
Be well. xx Joy

A foggy brain...........

2008-12-04T19:05:00.001+11:00

sketchbook021008, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

I have composed so many posts in my head lately. But none seem to make it to the screen.

Scattered thoughts.
Tender emotional state.
Frantic, fluttering hands.

And it's got nothing to do with Christmas.

The kids are tired and emotional.
I'm emotional and harried.
D-man is just tired (and working too hard!!)

Next week should be better. The market will be over and I can concentrate on trying to get into the Christmas spirit. I have vowed to get the girls in bed earlier as they have school swimming all next week. That usually wipes them out by Wednesday. There will be no after school trips to the supermarket or shops and they might even get to watch tv.
I will be back at yoga and hope to hit the pool again too.

As for the emotional turmoil that is my family, well, I'm trying to deal with that, but obviously I'm not doing too well. After 2 months, I still get teary when asked how things are. A wound has been cut so very deep. I don't know how to make it better............

Curriculum day- Education MY way.

2008-11-17T19:41:00.003+11:00

The girls had a day off school today.
I decided we should go out somewhere.
Somewhere cultural.
Somewhere visually exciting for them and for me.
Somewhere that the journey to and from wouldn't be nightmarish due to traffic.

We ended up here.

It was brilliant and inspiring and glorious and an immensely enjoyable day trip.
Forgive me, but I forgot many of the names of the artists. I know that the kinetic sculptures were by Phil Price. I would like to buy every single one, but doubt I could afford a single one.

I will dream vividly tonight!
And the girls will have something to talk about next week for Show and Tell. And pictures, if I remember to print them off.

Lest we forget

2008-11-11T09:55:00.001+11:00

Lest we forget, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

Drawn by Delaney- aged 9

Trying to find the right words to start.

2008-11-10T10:22:00.001+11:00

So, I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth. I've been doing a lot of blog reading (lurking!) but not much writing myself. I know I want to write, because I have to get this thing with my mother/brother off my chest. But it's too hard to write at the moment. I need peace and quite and a clear schedule. A morning when the bookkeeper is about to arrive and when the in-laws are due back from the hospital(nothing major) is not the right time.
So I shall mull on it a little longer.
I'll go back to ticking things off my to-do list, like planting a tree down the yard and folding the washing(Yes, i have to put it on the list otherwise I'll ignore it!!)

On a brighter note, here's a little cocoon that we've been keeping an eye on. We hope to see the butterfly emerge. Fingers crossed.

Poor Queenie

2008-10-20T13:10:00.002+11:00

We have a tabby and white cat called Queenie. She is a lovely cat, although she doesn't like being held and she's not much for being nursed. But she adores sleeping on No. 1 childs' bed and nibbling on D-Man's calloused hands.
She's a bit of a target for the neighbourhood cats. On more than one occasion she has been bailed up by the door by alarge white cat from down the street and until recently, her food was being stolen by the cat over the back fence. We locked the cat door to allow Queenie to go out but to stop other cats coming in.
Early this morning, I was awoken by Queenie in our bedroom, growling. I figured she'd been scared by a cat outside and had taken refuge under the table near the window.
As the growling continued, D-Man got up and turned the light on, only to be confronted by a long haired black cat in the hallway. The cat ran towards the other end of the house.
Terrified and unable to find the exit, it shot up the vertical blinds in the kitchen, ran into the lounge where it got tangled in the timber blinds, before heading back into the kitchen to perch, frozen by fear, on the kitchen windowsill. We couldn't get near the cat for fear of it knocking a large glass vase off the sink. D-Man mentioned how close it had come to crashing through my collection of West German vases. I grabbed a blanket from the lounge to use as a sheild in the doorway, and to maybe throw over the cat if it decided to jump at me with teeth and claws at the ready.
It sat on the windowsill. D-Man slowly raised the blinds and the cat climbed up the flywire screen. I told D-Man to grab the spray bottle from the loungeroom and spray the cat in the face with water. I just wanted it to jump down from the windowsill so we could direct it out the back door(which was wide open.)
After almost emptying the entire water bottle on the cat, it jumped down and ran towards me,in the loungroom. I was holding a floor cushion and made a move to throw it at the cat. It got the hint and shot outside.
Poor Queenie is a nervous wreck. She won't eat unless I stand in the laundry with her (after I check first that there are no furry intruders.) She is flighty and jumpy and it will take a lot to get her confidence back. I think we're going to have to invest in one of those cat doors that open by a sensor on the cats collar. And if we decide to go away for a few days over Christmas, I think she'll have to have a holiday at a Cattery. Or a kitty spa.
The girls slept right through the whole shenanigans.

Something a little less crafty.

2008-09-23T18:13:00.003+10:00

I have a new little side project I'm working on.
You can have a look at it here.

Weekend away.

2008-09-16T20:28:00.002+10:00

I had a lovely weekend away just passed.

Then Monday began with a family row (brother and mother, not partner and children.)

I won't go into it. It's raw and upsetting.

Instead I will focus on a weekend of glorious Spring weather, riding motorbikes across lush green paddocks, catching up with friends, barbequeing on a campfire, sleeping in the caravan to the melody of wind and rain, exploring and photographing the natural surrounds, kite flying, solitude, serenity.

I'm hanging on to it with my fingernails!!

New Spring bags.

2008-09-05T14:25:00.002+10:00

After working with wool felt in grey and brown for my last collection of bags, I really needed a change of direction.
The change of season combined with warming afternoon sun provided the inspiration I needed.
Behold the Sunny Spring Days collection:

You can see the rest of them over at my Flickr site.

Tuesday night TV = awesome!!

2008-08-26T23:12:00.004+10:00

We're not big tv watchers in our household (although the girls would change that if they could!). But this week, the tv has become a welcome respite. D-Man is away in Tamworth all week and I have a shocking cold, so my tolerance to noise and shenanigans is at a low. I've let the girls watch DVD's once they've completed their chores to save my sanity, vocal chords and their ears.
Tonight after dinner when they'd showered and put their jarmies on I allowed them to watch WIPEOUT! I must admit, the first time I saw this show I nearly wee'd my pants with laughter. Now, I can take it or leave it. Once you've seen it, the personal injuries grow old. I do enjoy the voiceovers, though. Anyway, getting back on track. The girls watched this whilst I drew in my sketchbook, occasionally looking up to see what they were laughing at. They were tucked up in bed by the time I sat down to watch Grand Designs. The host, Kevin somethingorother is both infuriating and endearing, the way he bags the design at the beginning and then gushes about it's success at the end. I think it may be a program plot point that he does this.
After Grand Designs finished, I was going to continue my drawing but ended up channel surfing for half an our until ABC's arts program began at 10.00pm. It was about the plight of artist's at MREAM, a place I was unaware existed.
After this finished, I caught three quarters of Hot Docs on SBS, discussing the pros and cons of the typeface Helvetica. As someone who worked in the sign industry, helvetica was a font I came into contact with on a daily basis. I felt an indifference to this font. Whereas I felt and still feel extreme dislike towards the font Arial, I love Fontdinerdotcom sparkly. It was very interesting. I was also interested to see what Neville Brody looked like. As an avid reader of The Face magazine in the late 80's, early 90's, his work definately sticks in my mind. I still have a few logos he designed, contacted to a suitcase holding vinyl records.
I was going to retire for the evening, but my attention was piqued by the promo for the following documentary. It read only as "Great Expectations" in the tv guide, but upon starting, it was subtitled as "A Journey through visionary architecture." That sounded like something I'd be interested in. I am- it's still going. But feast your eyes on these gems of architecture.

It's late. I should be sleeping, trying to shake this cold. So I'm off. I think I will have some very interesting dreams tonight.

Meme seen around the traps.

2008-08-26T15:02:00.002+10:00

I've read this one a couple of times. I thought I'd give it a go. Give people an idea of how I became the person I am today.......or not.

Eye Color: blue
Hair Color: dark brown with a smattering of grey at the front. I'm hoping it develops into a cool grey stripe, like the newsreader on tele whose name escapes me.
--Dyed or Natural: usually dyed a darker brown, but I'm letting it grow out to see what happens with the grey.
--Curly or Straight: fairly curly. Some days it looks like I've had a perm, other days it's just a half curly mess.
Right- or Left-handed: right handed.
Tan or Pale: Tan. (Naturally through everyday exposure to the elements, not tanning salon of cream. Yuck!)
Jeans or Khakis:Jeans. I live in them.
Country, Rap, or Rock: Rock. Although I stay away from commercial radio stations like Nova and Fox. Give me Triple J, Triple R or PBS anyday.
Heritage: Not sure as I'm adopted. Probably just anglo with a bit of something mixed in.
Shoes you're wearing today: Paisley print birki's.
Your weakness(es): coffee table books, coffee and potato chips.
Your perfect pizza: must have pineapple, salami and anchovies. You can keep the prawns and the olives. And don't get me started on pizza shops that put chicken on a Hawaiian pizza. Wrong on so many levels.
Favorite colour: Orange at the moment.
Favorite place: my bed. Or outside in the sun and fresh air.
Goal you'd like to achieve: to be debt free and then own a holiday property.
Your most overused phrase(s): Shut the door!!
Your thoughts first waking up: Is it the weekend yet?
Your best physical features: My eyes.
Your bedtime: Usually around 11.30.
Your most missed memory: If it's a missed memory, then how can I remember it?
Pepsi or Coke: Yuck, neither. If I want something fizzy, I'll drink soda water or a beer.
McDonald's or Burger King: Usually neither, but if I'm starving and nothing else is around, I'll go a Maccas Caeser deli roll.
Single or group dates: When I dated, it had to be one on one.
Adidas or Nike: Not into the sneaker brand phenomenon.
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Not a tea drinker. Although I am fond of T2 fruit teas and chai.
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate everything but icecream. Vanilla ice cream.
Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee. Milky but strong.

DO YOU:
Smoke: No. Gave up when I met my partner. He said he wouldn't go out with me if I continued to smoke. I figured he was worth it so I gave up.
Cuss: On occasion, but not around small people or my parents.
Have a boyfriend/girlfriend: Yes.
Take a shower: Yes.
Have a crush(es): No.
Think you've been in love: Yes, and I still am.
Want to get married: No, but I'd like to have a great big party.
Believe in yourself: Yes. If I don't, how can anyone else?
Believe in God: No.
Believe in your government: Umm, that's a tough one. It's a case of the evil you know and the devil you don't know.
Get motion sickness: No. Unless I try to read in the car.
Think you're attractive: I don't cause people to run from the room, screaming.
Think you're a health freak: Definately not. But I do know that moderation is the key. (I just need to follow that mantra)
Get along with your parents: Yes.
Like thunderstorms: Yes.

IN THE PAST MONTH, HAVE YOU:
Drunk alcohol: Yes.
Gone on a date: No. My partner has been away interstate so it's been date night free.
Gone to the mall: No.
Been on stage: No.
Eaten an entire box of Oreos: No.
Eaten sushi: No.
Been dumped: No.
Gone skating: No, but my kids have.
Gone skinny dipping: No.
Stolen anything: Only a few zzzzz's on the couch.

HAVE YOU EVER:
Played a game that required removal of clothing: In my wild youth a think a game of strip something was played.
Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Yes. I'm so glad I don't do that anymore.
Been caught "doing something": No.
Been called a tease: I think a disgruntled suitor called me that once.
Gotten beaten up: No.
Age you hope to be married: I'm perfectly happy with the setup I have so marriage doesn't feature in my hopes and dreams.
Number of children you'd like: In my heart I'd like five, but my head knows that the 2 I have is just fine.
Describe your dream wedding: What's with the wedding fixation?
What do you want to be when you grow up: Taller.

WHAT YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX:
Best eye color?: Blue
Best hair color?: Dark.
Short or long hair: Not too short.
Height: Tall.
Best first date location: Anywhere that you can be yourself and you can talk.
Best first kiss location: A doorway.

IN THE NUMBERS:
Number of people I could trust with my life: 8
Number of CD's: Lots
Number of piercings: 7
Number of tattoos: 3
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: Once.
Number of scars on my body: One from a recent skin irritation.

"Sometimes I feel like a real square."

2008-08-20T10:47:00.002+10:00

I've been working on a new collection of bags. The theme kind of emerged as I was working with industrial remnants of wool felt, used in upholstery and office partitions. In keeping with the clean lines of felt, I wanted to make a series of 8 bags that were simply adorned and unfussy, using squares and rectangles as the source of inspiration. I'm happy with the final results. I've been waiting for the weather to clear so I could photograph them. Despite the grey day, I persevered and managed to take pictures before the rain started. I'll post them over at Flickr. I'll be taking these with me to the market when it starts for the 08/09 season at Yarra Glen on 7th September (Father's Day).

People say the strangest things.

2008-08-13T20:00:00.002+10:00

Whilst sitting in the cold gynamsium this afternoon as the girls had their own mini olympics at Fun Gym, I was gobsmacked by the conversation that took place between 2 mothers sitting beside me. They were talking about who know's what, when the topic turned to the Barbie movies, like Fairytopia and Mermaidia. 21st Century Disney movies for todays techno savvy toddlers, the animation in these movies is reminiscent of computer games not unlike Tomb Raider. The characters are smooth and flawless and quite empty of emotion whilst the backgrounds are merly chunks of colour with very little detail.
Anyway, getting back to the discussion. I was quite happily reading my magazine as this conversation took place,but snippets drifted past my ears and caused them to prick up. Did I just hear that correctly? Did that woman just say that the male characters in these movies were hot? HOT! I silently fell off my chair!! Yes, they were swooning over a pixelated Prince Charming. I feel quite ill at the thought of ever having to watch another Disney Barbie movie, but sometimes you just have to keep your kids happy. But if I want to watch a kids movie that has some eye candy for Mama, then give me The Pirate Movie. Or Open Season. Because Ashton Kutcher is so hilariously funny in that movie that you kind of understand why Demi think's he's hot.

The house with cheese for a door.

2008-07-29T14:52:00.001+10:00

The house with cheese for a door., originally uploaded by Joyflea.

Do you know how frustrating it is to have a specific colour in mind, but not able to match it to paint your front door?

I wanted mustard but instead I got cheese!

Oh well. I'm quite happy with the whole effect of the red bricks, black trims and cheesy yellow door. It's much better than the mossy green trims we used to have and the faded timber door. My next job is to change the glass panels in the door to make them a bit more modern, and maybe paint the window trims. At the moment, they are off white. I think they need to be more of a dark putty colour. It's the little things that make a difference.

Few words.

2008-07-16T19:21:00.001+10:00

sketchbook140708, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

A lot has been happening, but I have few words to say.

Just floating through the days at the moment.

Survived the school holidays.

Took in some galleries and some scenery.

Trying to get a schedule happening.

Trying out new things.

Still drawing........and enjoying it.

Reading lots of blogs and looking at lots of inspirational Flickr photos.

Chugging along.

Mantra

2008-07-14T22:17:00.001+10:00

sketchbook120708, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

Yep. There's piles of laundry that I wish would magically put itself away....

Darn fairies must be on strike or something!

Showcase

2008-07-07T09:32:00.002+10:00

My firts ever Etsy showcase item. Woohoo! That's me on the denim jacket.

Ten Years ago.

2008-06-24T19:49:00.002+10:00

I've seen this meme around the traps a few times now and figured I'd give it a whirl.

What was I doing ten years ago?
I was 27 years old and I had fallen completely head over heels in love. I had met my partner, the D-man, through work, and we had started going out seriously at the beginning of 1998. We had very different interests and where I would once find this a problem, I now found it very exciting. I was introduced to water skiing, sprint car racing, drag racing and REAL camping(as in out in the middle of the bush, not in the middle of a caravan park!) We went for rides into the city on the back of D-mans motorbike and I got my motorbike licence. I tried dirtbike riding but threw that in after I got thrown over the handle bars and got pinned by the bike. I was the healthiest I had been in a long time as I had been teaching myself how to surf and spent many weekends with a group of friends down at Jan Juc and Torquay being pounded by the surf. I was content at my job as a vinyl signmaker, but could feel the niggle of boredom sniffing around my heels.

I was living in a flat in Toorak and I never really felt at home there. I asked D-man if I could move in with him in his house in Ringwood as he had no furniture and I needed a housemate. He agreed, thankfully.

What are 5 things on my to-do list for today
Finish invoicing, make a hairdressers appointment, list brooches on Etsy,fold washing, get cat food.(Oops, forgot that last one!)

5 snacks I enjoy.
Anything savoury(dry biscuits, chips, salted nuts) fruitcake,stewed apple,toast,popcorn. (The biscuits and toast are my downfall. I've been known to seriously hook into the carbs in the mid afternoon.)

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire.
Stress, help each family member fulfill a dream,take a nice long holiday whilst paying subbies to handle D-man's business,retrofit the house to make it as environmentally friendly as possible,buy some large plots of land on the fringes of the urban sprawl, with the hope that they will hepl keep some green belts flourishing and wildlife secure.

5 places I have lived.
Mt. Waverley, Nyora,Malvern, Middle Park, Eastern suburbs.

Go on. Give it a go. You know you want to.

Felt pins.

2008-06-23T17:14:00.002+10:00

I had some strips of grey wool blanket left over from making the cushions.

I had a jacket that looked a bit boring, and a shirt with a food stain that wouldn't budge.

The solution: Felt pins.
I was going to go the bird/flower/kawaii route, then realised that cute birds/flowers and even cuter kawaii characters weren't really my style. I like cute in my stationery and cards but not so much my accesories(although I make exception for the silver apple necklace I picked up at Kleins for $4.00!). So, going with what I know and like best, I opted for a mid century mod theme.

I have a huge box of acrylic felt colurs that I picked up in my op-ahopping travels as well as factory remnants of fuzzy felt outlines, picked up at Reverse Art. As much as I would have liked to work in wool felt, I couldn't justify not using up the acrylic stash first. It isn't so good for the really fine stuff, but on the solid pieces, it's fine. I made 11 in total and am yet to decide which one I like best. The girls are arguing over the pink one, so I told them that in the school holidays they can make one of their own.
At the moment, they are looking fine on the lingerie mannequin.

Loungin'

2008-06-18T19:42:00.003+10:00

Aside from all the lovely drawing time I've had lately (at the expense of the housework!!), I've been crossing some things off my to do list. New cushion covers for the floor cushions has been on there for a while. I finally remembered to buy some large zips and set about cutting out the fabric. I roughly measured up an exsisting cover and cut out the new pieces. The charcoal and white diamond fabric has been in my stash for a while. I purchased it on Ebay about 5 years ago and realised it was too heavy for bag making once I picked it up. It has wallowed on the shelf for all of that time until recently when I decided it would look great on the grey couch. Unfortunately, once I started cutting I realised I didn't have enough for both front and back for two covers. I was going to use a vibrant print on the back but decided against that when I couldn't decide on a colour scheme. I remembered I had a grey wool blanket in the laundry that I bought to cover the couch with, but it was too small. I figured it to be the perfect backing. After overlocking all of the edges, i attached the zip and then sewed up the cushions.

I couldn't be happier with them. Not only are they comfy to lounge on, durable and less likely to show up the dirt than pale green covers, but as we discovered yesterday, the wool backing is the perfect play surface for fuzzy felt.

Dual purpose cushions. You've gotta love that.

If I was 20 years younger...

2008-06-04T15:19:00.003+10:00

sketchbook020608, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

......I might have been seen around the streets tagging my name on factory walls and down darkened laneways.

But then again, I was a bit of a goody two shoes when I was 17, so I doubt I would've had the nerve to flout the law for the sake of 'throwing up a good piece'.

The Game

2008-06-02T14:11:00.003+10:00

The Game, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

It goes like this:

The method:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name

Bag, bags, bags.

2008-05-28T14:29:00.002+10:00

It's been a busy month of sewing. My last market for the season is this Sunday and I wanted to have a lot of new stock. I wanted to use some of my winter fabrics. I've made 8 new bags in total(well, 9. But I'm not happy with the 9th bag so I probably won't take it with me!) Here's a sneaky peak of the latest 4. There quite a bit of detail going on in most of them.

If you have nothing to do this Sunday, drop by and say hello at Yarra Glen racecourse. I'll be blue from the cold.

Still sketchin'.

2008-05-19T20:05:00.002+10:00

sketchbook130508, originally uploaded by Joyflea.

I'm enjoying this sketching caper. I'm learning alot about my abilities (or lack of, in some cases!) The house is looking a little shabby though. Maybe I should put the pen down and sweep the floor once in a while.

You can see the whole set so far over here.

And the award fot the worst mother goes to.....

2008-05-08T16:32:00.002+10:00

Yep, I did it again.

I did some furniture shuffling today. I took a small chest of drawers from Schnoobs's room to use in the office. Before I could use these drawers, I had to clear them of Schnoobs 'stuff'.

I threw away countless boxes that had been made into teddy houses, along with paper confetti, ribbons and all manner of wool scraps. We have a rule that any box houses that come home from school can only be kept for a month, then it's into the bin.

Schnoob got home from school and thanked me for cleaning up her room. She then went to put her Mother's Day stall purchase in a hiding place so I wouldn't see it before Sunday. Then she burst into tears and unintelligable wails.

What was the cause of her anguish?

I had thrown away her gift she had made me for Mother's Day. A gift she carried home at the beginning of the week, concealed under her school jumper.

Thankfully, the bin was clean after being emptied yesterday, so No.1 child helped Schnoob retrieve it.

And I vow to play with it with Schnoob and Big Ted for as long as is required for forgiveness.

Generation Why? & Zzzzzzzz

2008-04-30T20:10:00.003+10:00

I'm a Gen X'er.

I sometimes feel the generation gap between myself and Gen Y's.

My kids will grow up to be known as Gen Zed. (And the gap will widen, no matter how hard try to stay "with it").

I remember the thrill of discovering blogs for the first time and the frustration at not being able to manage my own when I took the plunge.

I have a vague grasp on HTML and have built my own website. (Which is bloody hard work to keep updated!)

I started a Myspace page to stay in contact with a friend overseas, but found it daunting and vaguely messy to manouvre and have since let it wallow in www wilderness.

I have a Facebook page and found a friend I'd lost contact with for 20 years. We now chat via email (when I have something interesting to say and not to whine about the kids.) Other than that, it remains largely untouched.

I spend alot of time on Flickr, posting photos of things I've made and drawn, hoping to garner some positive feedback, or maybe even some constructive criticism (It'll hurt, but I'll suck it up!) I rarely post pictures of my family because there are always freaks lurking in cyberspace. I see lots of lovely images from other talented souls and it inspires me constantly to keep going with what I'm doing.

I have a love/hate relationships with computers. I spend and awful lot of time sitting in front of one yet I feel no remorse when I am out of the house and away from the glaring screen for days at a time. if I am stuck at home and I have not internet connection, well, that's a different story.

I won't allow my children to use the computer at home, despite them being very competent with the basics (learnt at school since Prep.) I guess I view it as I do the television. There's better things they could be doing rather than staring at a computer/tv screen.

"Where is this post going?" I hear you cry.

I'm not sure.

But I read this and had to post it for others to read because I found it to be very pertinent in this age of techno savvy teens, tweens and anything above and below.

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008

FROM THE HEART....

I need to write this.

I've been traveling alone in Japan for the better part of three weeks now, and It's been so remarkable an experience for me that I can't book a ticket home yet. I haven't spoken very much out loud these days, but I've been thinking to myself in what feels like surround sound. I can see so many things clearly, and feel so connected to myself and the world around me that I need to share the perspective with you.

I'm already aware that when I sing, say or write anything, 50 percent of the response will be in support of it and the other 50 will want to discount it. This blog, though, is directed to 100 percent of people reading it. If my blog truly does have any cultural effect, then it should be used for more than just pictures of sneakers and funny youtube videos. (If you don't think my blog has any effect, than you can't by definition be reading this right now and therefore don't have to respond to it in any way. Isn't that tidy?)

What I'm about to write isn't about fame or success or celebrity or the media. That's my business.

This is about us all.

This is about a level of self consciousness so high in my generation, that it's actually toxic.

This is about the girl in her bedroom who poses in front of the camera she's awkwardly holding in her outstretched hand. She'll take a hundred photos until coming up with one she's happy with, which inevitably looks nothing like her, and after she's done poring over images of herself, will post one on her myspace page and then write something like " I don't give a f*ck what you think about me."

This is about the person trying out for American Idol, who while going off about how confident they are that they were born ready to sing in front of the world, are trembling so badly they can hardly breathe.

This is about me, the guy who walks through a throng of photographers into a restaurant like he's Paul Newman, but who leaves a "reject" pile of clothes in his closet so high that his cleaning lady can't figure out how one man can step into so many pairs of pants in a week.

This is about a young guy who maintains a celebrity blog that subsists on tearing other people down but who has wrestled with a lifelong battle for acceptance as a gay man.

This is about us all. Every one of us. Who all seem to know deep down that it's incredibly hard to be alive and interact with the world around us but will try and cover it up at any cost. For as badass and unaffected as we try to come off, we're all just one sentence away from being brought to the edge of tears, if only it was worded right. And I don't want to act immune to that anymore. I took the biggest detour from myself over the past year, since I decided that I wasn't going to care about what people thought about me. I got to the point where I had so much padding on that, sure, I couldn't feel the negativity, but that's because I couldn't feel much of anything. And I think I'm done with that.

I'm not the first person to admit we're all self conscious, Kanye was. But what I want to do is to shed a little light on why we're all in the same boat, no matter the shape of the life we lead: because every one of us were told since birth that we were special. We were spoken to by name through a television. We were promised we could be anything that we wanted to be, if only we believed it and then, faster than we saw coming, we were set loose into the world to shake hands with the millions of other people who were told the exact same thing.

And really? Really? It turns out we're just not all that special, when you break it down. Beautifully unspectacular, actually. And that truth is going to catch up with us whether we want to run from it or not. The paparazzo following me to the gym ain't gonna be Herb Ritts and the guy he's following ain't gonna be Bob Dylan. It's just a matter of how old you are once you embrace that fact. And for me, 30 sounds about right.

What now, then? I can only really say for myself: Enjoy who I am, the talents and the liabilities. Stop acting careless. In fact, care more. Be vulnerable but stay away from where it hurts. Read. See more shows. Of any kind. Rock shows, art shows, boat shows. Create more art. Wear hoodies to dinner. Carry a notebook and hand it to people when they passionately recommend something and ask them to write it down for me.

Root for others.

Give more and expect the same in return, but over time.

Act nervous when I'm nervous, puzzled when I don't know what the hell to do, and smile when it all goes my way. And never in any other order than that.

And when it's all over, whether at the end of this fabulous career or of this life, which I hope takes place at the same time, I should look back and say that I had it good and I made the most of it while I was able. And so should you.

I'm going quiet now.

John

POSTED BY JOHN MAYER AT 09:58 AM FROM ...

....................................................................................................................................................................

I reflected on my teenage years recently when I revisited my old High School. Memories came flooding back of sitting on the school oval with our skirts around our thighs as we tried to get a lunchtime tan.

My teen years were okay. Not great, but okay. (Although I do have some mad, funny memories of crazy things we did.)

I had bad acne, was a late developer and had very little interest in boyfriends until my later teen years. ( I had mad, celebrity crushes, but what girl without a boyfriend, didn't revel in fantasy life?)

I have plenty of bad photos and bad poetry and bad art to attest to these angst filled, hormone addled years of confusion and uncertainty. But thankfully, they have been kept safe in a box for only me to see.

My issues with my body were MY issues, not for some strangers eyes on the other side of the world.
My crushes and secret loves, fumbling discoveries and boozy indiscretions were to be buried amongst my memories with some fondness, but more often than not, a shudder.
I'm thankful that my youth was not captured on camera phone or videoed for YouTube. I want my 15 minutes of fame to make me feel proud, not humiliated or embarressed.

I am scared of how my parenting skills will be tested in about 2-3 years time, when No.1 child hits the tween years.

I get more pissed off with technology, the older I get. I know I should embrace it with open arms. But I can't seem to shake that feeling of evil.

Pure evil. *sigh*
...................

Sketchin'

2008-04-23T14:38:00.003+10:00

I have the urge to paint and draw at the moment, but I don't have the time to lug everything out of the cupboard, set it up on the table and then clear it away by dinner time. So I have opted to have this A4 sketchbook close at hand and scribble something in it everyday.

I'm not expecting masterpieces. I just need to get alot of the creative stuff that's cluttering up my head, out of my head.

Here's today's effort.
I hope to do at least one a day, maybe more.

We're going camping this weekend, so I'll be sketching by campfire light.

Just doing stuff.

2008-04-21T10:56:00.002+10:00

Still working on the backyard renovations. We put turf down, so the dust has subsided. I really must get around to cleaning the window sills.

I did a soy candle making class with some of the girls from yoga last week. I had to take Schnoob with me because her teacher was on strike that day. No.1 child went to work with D-man.
Soy candles are easy to make and the smell is gorgeous. None of the waxy smell like most candles. I chose a melon cucumber scent, which smells delicious. Schnoob has taken it to school for show and tell today. I am currently burning a soy melt scented with Nag Champa. My house smells wonderful.

I went to my old High School for it's 50 year celebrations on the weekend. It felt really strange going back after 20 years. It's changed but still the same. The girls were very interested to see where I went to school, and some of my schoolwork(which other students had kindly donated.)

I caught up with friends and had a bit of a laugh about the things we used to get up to.

*Sigh* I really must do housework today, but just can't bring myself to. I think I'll do some sewing instead.

Silence is golden.

2008-03-26T17:19:00.002+11:00

After spending a nice relaxing couple of days at the caravan, it's just D-man and I back home. The girls are at their grandparents house until the end of the week.

And it's Oh-so quiet!!

I can hear the lovely rain falling outside.

I can hear it running along the guttering.

I can hear it dripping into my many buckets placed around the backyard.

I'm very relaxed. I spent yesterday sorting out holiday washing and just doing a general tidy up around the house. I headed into the studio for a short spurt of sewing, but that ended up in the bin. New patterns and slinky fabric were not really where my head was at. After a luxurious sleep in today, I spent the morning in front of the tv sorting through my box of fashion pages for some ideas and inspiration.

D-man lobbed home from work and joined me in front of the tube. We haven't sat down and watched mind numbing tv together for ages. He decided he needed a haircut so I grabbed a ride to the shops with him where I stocked up on magazines (House and Garden and Tattoo art, an unusual combination!) We returned home and he jumped in his van to go back to work so now I have a quiet evening all to myself. The rain makes it so easy to just sit inside and enjoy some downtime. I'm completely ignoring the pile of washing to be folded and the dirty kitchen floor until the weekend, before the girls return home.

Friday afternoon I will meet my girlfriend in town and we're going to the homeshow. I've never been before (I'm not fond of crowds, especially with children in tow,) so I'm looking forward to it. I'm wanting to get some ideas for our bathroom, which I hope to see renovated by the end of the year.

I hear a cup of coffee calling my name.....

Album cover books

2008-03-13T09:37:00.002+11:00

As mentioned in my previous post, I've had a bad shoulder recently, caused by sitting at the sewing machine all wrong. I've had to limit my sewing and computer time as it aggravates the injury. Housework is also a no go, although I have done a little bit of work around the yard. I paid for it in pain that evening.
As I'm not the type of person that can sit around and do nothing, I found myself working on a new project late last week.

Journals or scribblers, as I like to call them, made from old album covers and various papers lying around the house.

They are A5 size with approximately 50 pages. I have used copy paper, graph paper, printed and plain coloured paper, some pages out of an old dictionary, craft book pages, wallparer samples and the remnants of many half used scribbler pads.

The front and back cover are from an old album cover and protected by a thin sheet of clear plastic.

Each book is bound by a plastic comb binding.

A friend suggested I sell these, but I don't think I'm going to. They're a bit rough on close inspection and some of the covers have scuff marks on them. I'm going to keep them in my bookshelf and when the need arises for something to scribble on, I'll throw one in my bag.

Dust.

2008-03-11T21:42:00.003+11:00

This is what my back patio looked like this time last week. A bit of a mish mash of concrete slab, wood tiles and a stone/dirt area.

As fellow Victorians would know, we had a long weekend this weekend just past. And that can only mean one thing when the D-man isn't working.

Backyard reno!!

By Monday evening, the deck was 80% completed. I left him to his devices on Monday, preferring to take the girls' swimming at a friends house and catching up over fruit platters and dip. I couldn't help much anyway. I have tendonitis in my right shoulder and very little strength in my wrists at the moment.(Sewing injury!) I shifted a bit of dirt around the studio, dropped the wheelbaroow on my leg and ended up with a nice bruise. The girls had the best time, helping their Dad with the demo saw and burying themselves in the piles of dirt. Why did Schnoob choose to wear a white dress that day?

Tomorrow, the skip bin arrives and we will get rid of the concrete and alot of the dirt, and finsh off the second part. Then the sculpting of the yard and the renovation of the garden begins. And then we start on the front garden.

Hmmm, might need to do something about that water tank. And perhaps perform a rain dance.

Clumsy.

2008-03-11T13:38:00.002+11:00

I've been in the studio today working on a few bags. My next market is looming. (April 6th, Yarra Glen Racecourse, if you're interested.)

For some reason, I keep stabbing myself with pins. About 20 times now.
I never stab myself with pins.

I think I need to take a break and do something else. Like take my backup machine to be repaired, because my trusty Janome is starting to play up. And if it breaks down now it will be at the worst.possible.time.imaginable!

Updated.

2008-02-27T23:38:00.003+11:00

I've been adding new stuff to the site and giving it a bit of a spruce.
Items can now be purchased through Paypal.
Give it a look and tell me what you think.

Any clues on how to check my site stats?

Score!

2008-02-27T18:49:00.002+11:00

I know I said I wasn't going to buy anything in February, but I couldn't leave these beauties behind.

I found them at a Trash and Treasure market out near Wandin. It was starting to rain so I think the stall holders were happy to get rid of stuff so that they could pack up quicker. I got these for $8.00 each, including the plants.
They've brightened the outdoor outlook tenfold!

I also got two more plant stands from D-man just before Valentine's Day. I'll try to remember to post pics.

....like a lizard drinking.

2008-02-19T12:14:00.004+11:00

Yeah,it's been busy here at Casa del Craft.

Here's a quick rundown.

A 6 year old birthday party organised and survived.
The 8 year old having her plaster removed and running around like nothing happened. (Although she still has some stitches in and the doctor advised her to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Yeah, right!)
D-man disappearing to Brisbane for a few days. He's becoming too fond of driving the truck whilst on the lookout for a new driver.
Both children attending way too many birthday parties. I'm over buying birthday presents!!
Various trips to the dentist for me. I have a tooth that was being repaired and this weekend, it broke in half. I think it's a goner. I will find out today. There's another gaping hole carved into my credit card!
Running around in search of a new sliding door. Man, glass is expensive. Particularly when you have to replace the unbroken glass as well.
Lot's of sewing. And cleaning. The studio has a fan so it's a great place to be when it's warm. The air flow is much better than the house. It hadn't been tidied up for a while and the fabric was beginning to take over the work table and spill out from under the bench. I sorted out what I wanted to keep and what was to go back into storage. It's a much more conducive work environment now. I've been working on wall hangings made from remnants of rattan blinds and fabric samples. Here's one I finished on the weekend.

I'm working on another at the moment, completly different in looks and colours. I hope to list these on the website when I'm done.
Speaking of the site, I'm slowly getting the prices listed with the Paypal button included. I had some problems with the computer the last week back so I'm a bit behind in computer related tasks. I hope to sort it all out soon.

In case anyone was curious on the progress of my 'Make do, buy nothing new' month, it's going good, but not great. I was invited to a home party for "The Chef's Toolbox" and spent a bit of money there. But we do need new steak knives so I'm letting that go. Also, I ended up renegging on the handmade option for kids birthday presents. I just didn't have enough time. But as far as clothes, house, garden and op shopping go, I've done really well. I've only purchased something from the op shop if it was required for a current project. I've picked up quite a few items and put them back, as my little mantra repeats itself in my head.

Make do instead of buying new!

2008-01-31T17:47:00.000+11:00

Yes, this is the mantra I am going to live by this month of February and perhaps longer.
We have had a huge cleanout over the holidays and taken quite a few bags to the recycle bins. Each time there has been mountains of stuff on the ground around these bins and twice I have been in op-shops when they have refused donations due to a glut of stock. (Don't get me started on ways they could get rid of stock!!)
After the Christmas presents and birthday presents that the girls have recieved, they certainly don't need any more stuff. And I have found my long searched for TV cabinet/bench, so I really don't need to purchase any more furniture. I was going to make January a shop-free month, but after No.1 child's injury, well, you can't help but spoil them a little.

So here is my plan.

I will not buy any more clothing for myself or the girls. If I feel the urge, I will make or refashion something from what I have at home.
I will not buy anything for the house other than normal grocery items. This includes plants and stuff for the backyard.
I will not buy myself anything at the market. Normally I sell a few bags and then spend the money on something I don't need. I need to save that money and put it towards something that I really want. (Like a new tattoo.)
If there are presents to be given away, it will be handmade, all the way. Preferably by me using what I have.
Definately no Op-Shopping. I have enough fabric to last me for the next 10 years. I think I need to start working my way through it. I will, however, gladly accept fabric donations from friends and family.

Exemptions.

School clothing/shoes if required.
Underwear. I need some new bras and am keeping an eye on the sales.
We need to replace our door. I've been looking on Ebay, but it's an unusual size, so we may need to get one made to order.
Schnoobs party supplies. I'd like to make a lot of the decorations from stuff picked up at Reverse Art, but I won't beat myself up if I run out of time and have to go to a party shop.

I had a bit of a last minute look through the op shops yesterday and came away with some goodies.Souvenir linen lobster print tea towel.

Hand towel in candy pink.

3 tops in super soft jersey

A bright red travel case and a floral double bed flat sheet. When the in-laws stayed last weekend, I realised I had no large flat sheets to put on the mattress. This should do the trick nicely.

Some fun printed traffic themed cotton. It has strange Chinglish and spelling mistakes!

Cotton/rayon upholstery samples in black and brown. It has a chunky, linen like texture.

Some more ties to add to the ever growing collection. I have another batch of tie bags to make so I'll have quite a few colours to choose from.

Red wool remnant and green tweed wool remnant.

I was also given this bedspread by my yoga teacher, to use for bag making. It's a gorgeous mustard-y gold velvet. Someone has put a lot of effort into this, with the scalloped skirt. If it was large enough to fit my bed, I wouldn't cut it up. But alas, it's for a double bed and we have a queen, so bags it shall become. (I imagine a carpet bag style is in order.)

Karma kicked my arse big time.

2008-01-28T11:52:00.000+11:00

See, I knew that complaining about other people's children would lead to no good.
Where do I start?
I am officially as wrung out as an old dish rag after the awful events that unfolded on Australia Day.
I will be brief and to the point. (Hopefully!)
I decided on a quiet weekend at home as all previous weekends had been jam packed. The girls were tired and cranky and just needed some hanging around the house time. D-man had gone off in the truck to do a few jobs before coming home in the afternoon. He planned to take them motorbike riding on Sunday.
We were all doing our own thing. I was in the studio doing some sewing, Scnoob was in her room playing with her toys and No.1 child was at the kitchen table making drawings to give to her school friends.
No.1 child came out the office door and up to the studio to ask if she could have something to eat. I said she could and suggested she have a fairy biscuit, or perhaps some dip. She ummed and ahhed and went back into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she called out "Muuuum", from the kitchen, which usually preceeded most questions. I was about to answer her when the sound of breaking glass stopped me. A short silence ensued, then a scream from No. 1 child made me bolt out of my chair. The sound was too loud for a dropped glass or plate and instinctively I knew that the glass in the back sliding door was broken. I ran down to where No. 1 child was standing stock still, a huge gash in her right shin. As I ran to her, all that came out of my mouth was a constant, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God! I mentally slapped myself to pull myself together, scooped up No. 1 child and took her into the bathroom, all the while telling her not to look at her leg and that she was going to be okay. She kept repeating that she tripped and she was really sorry she broke the glass. I told her that the glass was not important, but getting her to the hospital was. I wrapped a hand towel around her leg, called out to Schnoob (who was crying from the shock of what had happened,) to jump in the car, grabbed keys and phone and drove to the hospital, which thankfully is only 3 minutes from home. We went straight into emergency and got seen to right away. I forced myself to look at the cut, (making sure that Schnoob and No.1 child didn't see it,) and felt a slight sense of relief in knowing that she hadn't severed any arteries or serious veins and that it was a very clean cut. The nurse cleaned and bandaged her leg after the doctor had taken a look at it and wheeled the TV into the room to give her something to do whilst I waited to hear from the plastic surgeon.
By this stage, No.1 child was in good spirits, the pain medication she was given in arrival obviously doing it's job.
I rang D-man who was on the other side of the city. He cancelled the rest of his work and said he would be at the hospital as soon as possible. The doctor arrived to confirm that No.1 child had been placed at the front of the queue on Sunday's surgery list and that we were to return to the hospital at 8.00am the next morning.
I rand D-man again to let him know we were on our way home and that we would meet him there. He arrived home about the same time we did. No.1 child was placed on the couch with a pillow under her leg and a stack of DVD's within reach. Schnoob took up her position in front of the TV for moral support. D-man and I cleaned up the glass.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep too well on the Saturday night. I keep seeing the accident repeated in worst case scenarios, or stressing about the surgery. She had had a general anaesthetic before, but you can't help but worry.
(Okay, I'm rambling about small details now, so I'll be brief.)
D-mans parents drove down from Mansfield on Sunday morning to look after Schnoob whilst we went to the hospital. We arrived at 8.00am as directed, but she didn't head to the theatre until around12.30. The poor little poppet was starving!! We kept her amused by drawing, doing word finds and making puppets from the latex gloves. She also got the TV for a while and watched all the movies that she would never get to see at home, (namely Bratz and Barbie.)
Surgery took about 30 mins and then it was the long wait for her to be able to eat and drink something and make sure that she was able to keep it down and that her toes could move etc.
Her leg was bandaged from her toes to just below her knee and featured a plaster slab for support. She wasn't too keen on the weight of it, but we told her she would probably only need the plaster for a week.
She ate and drank as soon as she was allowed and had no adverse reactions. We were discharged around 6.30pm. Thankfully, D-mans mum had cooked dinner so we didn't have to worry about that when we got home. We filled the script and took No.1 child home. She ate some more dinner (she'd had fish and chips at the hospital) then it was time for bed.
She's had a few teary moments which is completely understandable. I don't think it had all sunk in until she was on the way home yesterday. She worries about what her school friends will think and that she won't be able to ride her bike when her friend comes over. She can't understand why she has to have the heavy bandaging or why she has to use crutches. She says that she wants to stay home from school, but we'll be sending her on Wednesday. I think once she gets there and sees her friends again, she'll be fine. She'll be frustrated that she can't use the monkey bars, or play chasey or even play in the sandpit. But she's got a good bunch of friends and I'm sure that they will invent a game that she can join in. I think she was a bit disappointed that she didn't get a real plaster cast. In this heat, I'm thankful she didn't get a real plaster cast.
Today we are going to get a calico bear so that all of her friends and family can sign it.

Some important lessons I have learnt:
Make sure that all rugs are secured with non-slip rubber.
Have safety glass in all doors. (Our house was built in the 70's and it ahd the original glass in the door.)
Emphasise to the children NOT TO RUN IN THE HOUSE.
Get off my arse and get the kids a snack.
That accidents DO happen.

I'm not an awful witch woman, truly I'm not.

2008-01-25T14:26:00.000+11:00

That last post sounded awful.
I don't hate children. I like children.
I just don't cope well with more than one when I have a headache.
I think I should sign on for an episode of "Grumpy Old Women."

I do it because I love them.

2008-01-25T13:49:00.000+11:00

Youngest daughter Schnoob has a friend over to play today.
I'm finding it really hard to hold my tongue.
From the moment her friend has walked through the door it's been tense and uncomfortable. Schnoob has been like a puppy, bounding from room to room saying, "Let's play this game." and "Come and have a look at the cubby/trampoline/backyard!" All of her suggestions have been met with a grunted, "Nah, I don't want to do that." Her preferences were, "Can I have a look at your Mum and Dad's room, or behind your sister's closed bedroom door?"
I suggested that they have some lunch to boost the sugar levels and maybe elevate the mood a little. It was like pulling teeth, but finally they agreed. After lunch was finished, I suggested that they play dress ups, or perhaps with the dolls. Schnoob got enthusiatic about the dress ups, but the friend wasn't very impressed. I could hear whispers- "Go on, ask your Mum." Schnoob asked if we could go to the park. I said no, we were staying home today. I walked in to the yard to take some clothes off the line and left them to their business. When I came inside, Schnoob had pulled out the making basket and had started to stick things together. Her friend reluctantly joined in. I made my escape to the computer and perhaps and hour of peace. I've been listening to their conversations. Friend has declared that our house is boring. She said that her house was much better because it wasn't so boring. She didn't give specifics as to why our house was boring. It could have something to do with me saying no to putting the TV on.
I'm sorry, but do kids today have no idea how to make their own fun?
Do they have no imagination?
Or am I just over reacting because when it comes down it, I really don't like other peoples children. (Particularly girl children.)
That sounds horrible, doesn't it.
I'm not saying I dislike the children per se. I dislike their brashness and blatant disreguard for other peoples property. I dislike that they expect to be waited on hand and foot, without barely a please or thankyou uttered from their mouths. I dislike that society is raising a generation of children who believe that they can have whatever they want, when they want it and that their opinion is the only one that matters. I dislike that when Schnoob has friends over to play, she suddenly believes that the rules no longer apply!!
Thankfully, No. 1 child and her friends play quite happily for hours with the dolls or in the cubby house when they get together.

Hang on a minute, it's very quiet down there in the kitchen.....
OMG!! They are happily playing!!
(It only took 2.5 hrs.)

In pictures

2008-01-02T12:07:00.000+11:00

Stormy Summer afternoons

Unwrapping Christmas presents

Working on the reference journal when the studio was unreachable due to landscaping and mud.

Sewing some clothes to help reduce the fabric stash. This top was made from 2 old printed sheets.

Being impressed by my new studio decking. I did some crazy paving down the back whilst D-man worked on this. We won't tackle the planting around the front until March, when it cools down a bit.

We've also spent out time resting under fans, watching late night television, going to the movies and taking the girls to see the grandparents on the back of the motorbikes.

I hope everyone else is having a nice relaxing Summer break like us.

Things I'm loving......

2007-12-20T18:00:00.000+11:00

Summer rain. (And not just a drizzle, but lovely, ground soaking rain.)
Shade trees.
The end of the school year.
Catching up with family and friends.
Simple summer meals.
Alfresco dining.
An unplanned 6 weeks.

Things I'm not digging quite so much........

All of the topsoil in our backyard being washed away by Summer rain.
My one large shade tree being decimated by elm leaf beetles. You'd swear it was Autumn if you saw the leaves in my backyard.
Tired, cranky children who are not coping well with the excitement of Christmas and the end of the school year.
Family arguments.
Running out of food because I forgot to do the grocery shopping and realising when it's dark at 9.30pm that we've yet to cook dinner.
Being attacked by mosquitos which have bred in abundance due to the many buckets of rain water in the backyard.
Bored whiney children on steaming hot days when it's too hot to leave the house.

In case of infrequent posts (which I'm sure of), have a very Merry Christmas everyone. Be well and be safe as 2008 approaches.

It's beginning to look a lot like.........

2007-12-07T10:28:00.000+11:00

.................I'm running out of time!

I am so unprepared for Christmas. December has arrived too soon. I'm a bit stressed.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.

But I'll get over it and things will fall into place. They usually do.

So where have I been? What have I been up too?

Well, lot's of sewing actually. I had an order of 10 bags for my yoga teacher. (Okay, she wanted 6 but I made extras so she had more to choose from.) I finished them and took them to class yesterday. she was very happy with her selection and I was very happy that I don't have to pay for next term's fees. I need to find more people I can barter with.

Here's a few of the finished bags.

Also on the crafty front, the girls and I did some Christmas card making. I took a trip to Reverse Art and grabbed some cardboards scraps and some other decidedly Christmassy looking bits and pieces. Then we picked up some glitter and some Christmas stamps and away we went. I haven't changed the table cloth yet. I'm loving the glittery effect as we eat our dinner.

I'm a bit in 2 minds about kids giving all of their friends Christmas cards. It's expensive to have to buy packets for friends and family and then school friends as well. And not only are the girls receiving cards, but now trinkets like pencils and sticker packs!! It's consumerism gone mad!! Truth be told, I don't get into the spirit very much. We are not religious at all and it was never a really big deal in our family as we got older. I just find it quite a stressful time of year and could quite happily skip Christmas altogether. But I won't, because it's all about the girls.

I've also been working on the website some more. It's getting there. Just a few more changes and some new stuff added and I should be able to leave it alone for a while.
My shoulders will thank me. Our desk is not conducive to long hours on the computer. The pins and needles and general lack of feeling in my left arm will attest to that. (No, I'm not having a heart attack!)

When it all get's too much, I retreat to the couch where I have commenced watching the Gilmore Girls. I've gone all the way back to Season 1 and am currently up to Season 4. I've been furiously dropping hints and hopefully will be unwrapping Season 7 on Christmas Day.

I'm just a big luddite.

2007-11-21T16:51:00.001+11:00

Aarrgh!! I thought I had the website all sorted, but when viewing it on a friends' computer I noticed some glaring errors.

The text wasn't embedded so it reverted back to standard text.

I'd neglected to make the frames around the images transparent.

Some of the images were very slow to load.(High resolution pics!)

I'm also having problems adding the paypal buttons. It seemed simple in theory. Fill in the info and paste the button onto the page. But I just can't get it to paste into the right spot. And I can't find an HTML editor that I can understand.

*Bangs forehead on desk repeatedly*

I'll work on one page a day....that should fix it.

...................................................................................................................................................

On another note, I have just returned from a lovely 4 days away in Beechworth. I took heaps of photos, so that's another post for another day.

The stove is calling, I'd best go and make some dinner for the billy lids.

We needed the rain, but.....

2007-11-08T10:13:00.000+11:00

... I would have preferred a little less of it on Sunday!

Yes, the market got rained out. We drove all the way back from Mansfield on Saturday night, after the girls had been collectd from The Block by the Grandparents. It rained, (with an impressive display of lightening!) the whole way home, and continued on through the night. Despite the soaked surrounds, we grabbed the car loaded with the market gear and made our way to Yarra Glen racecourse. The rain did not let up the entire time.
On arriving at my site, I noticed that none of the regular stallholders had set up. One side of the track was a river and my side was beginning to look like swampland. Even if the rain stopped then and there, it was going to take a while for the water to dry up. I jumped out of the car and went over to speak to the girl in charge of traffic direction She was soaked to the bone and rather stressed.
I asked her what the go was with weather like this, as I had never encountered a bad market day yet. she said we had the choice of either sticking around and trying to sell something, or else we were welcome to go home. A refund on stall fees wouldn't be issued, but that was the least of my concerns. I didn't savour the thought of months of work being blown off the marquee and ruined by landing in the mud. I figured that if people did turn up, it would be to buy specific items like plants and produce and not handbags. So, we turned the car around and headed back home.

On our way back to Mansfield later that morning, we drove past the market to see if many stall had set up. The bit where I am was completely deserted. There were a few people milling around, but not enough for me to warrant sitting in the cold and wet and soggy grounds for maybe one sale. I was happy to be warm and dry,(if not a bit sleepy from the late night/early morning) and on our way back to the caravan (which was leaking as we left thanks to the downpour!)

So, I had hoped to have lot's of pictures of the stall set up with the new tablecloth and the mannequins, but alas. it is not to be.

My next market isn't until the 15th of December, so I might get busy and list everything on the website. I was hoping for some spending money for my weekend away in Beechworth in 2 weeks. Maybe I shouldn't have been so hasty in closing the Ebay store.

Finishing up pre-market stuff.

2007-11-01T21:52:00.000+11:00

I decided not to make any more bags this week, so I could concentrate on the market stuff I've been meaning to do for ages.

Like make the table cover to fit the table properly, rather than have a large piece of fabric held on by clips.

I used the denim I've been using as a cover for ages and filled the gaps with some lovely Florence Broadhurst Hessian print fabric in yellow. No, I didn't pay $143.00 for a metre of it. I actually paid less than $5.00 for about 2 metres of it late last year.(Or was it early this year?) Another little Reverse Art fabulous find.

Getting back to the table cover. I added a large front pocket to hold the mailing list clipboard. This should give me a little more space on my table. I've got heaps of stuff for this market, so I need all the space I can get.
I added some self adhesive vinyl (a left over from one of Hubby's installation jobs.) in translucent crystal to 2 of these lovely(but too skinny) ladies. These mannequins were discarded when Westco refurbished all of their stores, so Hubby rescued them for me. He knew I'd find a use for them one day.
I hope to hang them at the front of the stall with a bag slung over them, so it might draw people into my marquee.
Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain on Saturday night(don't like setting up in the wet) or until after 2.30pm on Sunday!

Hand shadows

2007-10-25T09:26:00.000+10:00

This was so cute, it made me tear up.

I must be pre-menstrual.

P.S. I meant it when I said I was having a blog break. Really truly.

It's finally here!!

2007-10-23T18:17:00.000+10:00

YAY!
The Joystuff website is up and running. (Yes, I went with the design I stressed out about. I figured, what the hell, I knew I wasn't copying anyone and that's all that matters.)

It may still have a few kinks, but I'm getting there.
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I hope to add a cart of some kind, or a way of paying with Paypal to make your shopping experience a breeze.
I'm going to phase out the Ebay store and concentrate on markets, word of mouth and the odd web surfer that stumbles upon my page.

I'd love any feedback on what you think of the site. Click on the email link and let me know what you think. Ta!

P.S. Due to way too many hours hunched over the keyboard building the site, I'm having a bit of a blog break and generally limiting my computer usage to work only. I've got a market in a few weeks so I must get busy sewing, labelling etc.
Cheers, Joy.

Blog Action Day

2007-10-15T19:47:00.000+10:00

I was going to get all deep. I was going to be quite meaningful. But as I sit down to write this post, I can't seem to settle on a point of view.
The environment.
An issue that seems to be constantly smacking me in the forehead at the moment. That and breast cancer awareness. God forbid there should be any other newsworthy subjects in the media, because you won't hear about them.
My head is abuzz with talk of the environment on a daily basis. I have touched on the topic in my reading matter many times, and not only about the decline in the environment and the general destruction of the planet, but the other side of the coin that suggests alot of what we read is merely hype to help secure the mighty advertising dollar.
I worry about what's in store for my children and my grandchildren (should I be lucky enough to become a grandmother, that is. Nothing is a given!) And I do my bit as best I can. Energy saving globes, buying organic produce, reducing waste and recycling like my life depends on it. (Maybe it does?!) I educate my children to respect the earth and to turn that bloody light off.!
I guess that what frustrates me most about this current hot topic is that yes, it is something that we need to take notice of. And yes, we all do need to make a difference and do our part. But we need to dig deeper.

Green bags are a product of petroleum companies and they will still end up as landfill.

Photovoltaic solar panels are very expensive and need to be replaced after about 8 years. The old panels cannot be recycled and end up as landfill.

Organic produce is being sold in supermarkets now, but it is still packaged in foam trays with plastic covers.

Compost that is not adequately turned produces methane gas which is harmful to the environment.

Grey water that is not used properly can cause respiratory illness and can also contribute to a rise in the mosquito population.

I don't mean to sound bitter.
I love our planet.
I want it to be here for a very long time.
Who knows.
An asteroid could hit us tomorrow.

Save the planet. Just don't take out a loan to do it!!

Note: To anyone who reads this and thinks I have something against environmentalists and women suffering from breast cancer, I don't. I just hate the way that the media latch on to something and push, push, push it until people either pour lot's of money into these things, or they become desensitised.
I fear I am becoming the latter.

Op shop eye candy.

2007-10-09T17:32:00.000+10:00

Needlepoint girl

Yes, I've been absent for a while. I've been chained to the computer in my spare time creating the website, so all other computer work has been pushed aside.

I was going to head into the studio and do some sewing today as I haven't set foot in there for 2 weeks. But as school went back yesterday I had no excuse. Except yesterday, I HAD to clean the house. I had let it go a little over the school holidays and just couldn't look at the mess one more day. Also, the bookkeeper comes over on Monday afternoons so I try to make the house look a little less like a pigsty. But rather than head straight into the studio as was my original plan, I had the urge to do some Op-Shopping. I'd done a little over the holidays, albeit very half heartedly. So I hit the shops today and came home with a rather nice little haul. Here's the deets:
Lovely floral tray

Needlepoint book

I also picked up a book on creating collages from the 70's and some fabric remnants, including a large piece of grey wool suiting. What a lucky girl am I.
I'm all ready for a good studio day tomorrow. If I remember, I'll post pics of what I achieved.

The name game Meme

2007-09-24T21:16:00.001+10:00

Had a chuckle reading this over at Steph's.
Thought I'd give it a go as I have no interest in watching TV at the moment.

Here goes:

The Name Game

Combine the phrases to make your “names”…

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) - Blossom Outlander.

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) - Cookies 'n cream choc chip

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) - Jtay

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) - Green cat

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) - Louise Melbourne

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) - Tayjo

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) - The Orange martini

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) - Lawrence Charles

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) - Eau Dynamisante allsorts

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) - Lorraine Charles

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) - Cutler Corryong

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) - Autumn Daphne

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) - Orange cardiganie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) - Crumpet Flowering Gum

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) - The Sew Windy Tour

That killed a coupla' minutes. go ahead and try it. you know you want to.....

Sock creatures

2007-09-24T20:40:00.001+10:00

I took the girls to the library today. We all got some books to read, and I grabbed a few interesting ones. The one that particularly took my eye was "Stupid Sock creatures" by John Murphy.
You can check out some of his amazing creatures here. I'll be looking at all of those lonely single socks piling up in the laundry, in a whole new light!!

Stash busting.

2007-09-20T13:57:00.001+10:00

After organising the studio, I found that I had boxes of fabrics with no home, but I couldn't quite bring myself to get rid of them. Most of these fabrics were upholstery samples, collected when I worked in South Melbourne, (nearly 10 years ago now!!) Although I really liked them, I didn't want to make handbags out of them, as that was what I had used mostly in my early bag making days.
I came upon the idea of making this after visiting my Mum and Dad a couple of weeks ago. I sewed the fabric samples of an upholstery book into lengths, then cut out the shape, before sewing the 12 peices together. Then, wanting to use more of the bits and peices I had lying around, I stuffed it with shredded fabric scraps, collected over a few years.
My poor hands from cutting and tearing fabric over 2 days!!
I didn't have quite enough scraps to fill it, so a trip to Reverse Art scored me some really thick batting offcuts, similar to mattress filling, or acoustic insulation. It was enough to fill it to full. I blanket stitched circles to the top and base (to cover holes from my peices being too short) and stitched the stuffing hole closed. Then I carried it into the loungeroom for photographic purposes. (It's a heavy little beast!!) It is now in hiding in my bedroom, as it is a gift for my parents' birthdays in October and I don't want the girls' jumping all over it and splitting the seams.
Now it's back into the studio to continue some more stash busting. "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to bust I go....."

Doorstop dilemma.

2007-09-14T19:07:00.001+10:00

After much umming and ahhing, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and purchase a copy of Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing book. I had heard great things and I had high hopes for some new and fun sewing projects. Alas, when it arrived about 8 weeks after the initial order was placed, I have to say, I was dissappointed. I don't quite know what I was expecting, but for some reason, it didn't match up to my expectations.
Despite this, I decided to try making something from the book, something that looked simple and uncomplicated.
Yes, that's right, a doorstop.
How hard could it be? I read the instructions from start to finish (something I rarely do!) and cut out the pattern as directed. I sewed it together using the seam allowance stated, but knew something was not quite right when the pattern pieces did not match up. The top and base pieces were too small to meet the side pieces. So, I improvised and sewed it together as best I could. The corners were horrible. In fact, they weren't corners at all, but some weird lumpy mess. I perservered and dug out bags of past it's use by date rice, left over as handbag weights from markets years ago. (Out of 10 bags, only one had been nibbled by mice!) I filled the doorstop as full as I could and pinned the gap closed. I placed it on the floor (using two hands- it was that heavy!) and looked sadly upon it's bulging, misshapen form.
It was not standing all pert and pretty like the one in the book. And it was huge. Barn doors wouldn't blow closed with this beauty propping it open.
The shape was all wrong, the size was all wrong and the fabric I used (an old cushion cover) was too soft, hence the bulging. So, I took a break from sewing and after a quick snack, decided to try again, but this time from my own pattern. I basically just draw it again, but smaller, and discarded the fiddly corner bits. Looking around for some strong, heavyweight cotton, my eyes spied upon my collection of vintage towels. They looked heavy enough. So, I cut and I sewed and voila! The finished doorstop, which is sturdier, slightly smaller and ever so practical.(It even features a waterproof nylon base!) And my lesson learnt?
Work from my own patterns and sew the way I sew, using the books as inspiration only.

Like a punch to the stomach.

2007-09-11T16:10:00.001+10:00

It's been full steam ahead around here at the moment. The interior of the studio is finished, so I'm in the process of moving in. I will post pictures when it is clear of clutter and everything is in it's place. I am so over shopping for things like hooks, storage boxes and shelving and look forward to next week when I can sit down and sew.(Power was connected yesterday.)

So anyway, on another note.

You may remember I mentioned my dire lack of website development skills. I have registered my domain name and invested in a basic web page builder. I was doing really well with the design and layout of pages and was happy with the colours and typestyles. My photos were taken from old pattern illustrations, with my handbags photoshopped in, as shown below. I thought I was going along great guns until I realised that the font I had chosen for the headers needed to be saved as an image if they were to show up on other people's screens. That's where things came undone and the pages are stuck wallowing in a folder on my computer, added to the Things-to-do list.

So, there I am, doing a bit of web site browsing today, when head to peruse the site of a fellow Aussie handbag maker, whose work I love. (So bright and well made.) Imagine my surprise when I notice her front page has been recently updated, with images not dissimilar to mine. (Retro pattern illustrations with her bags superimposed into the picture.) The wind was knocked out of me so fast...!

Now, I'm not pointing any fingers in regards to copying, because I don't know if this person even reads this blog. What disapoints me so much is the fact that she has recieved a lot of exposure of late and I'm a relative unknown. If I was to continue with the website and upload it with the images so silmilar in their ideas, I would most likely be labelled a copycat by anyone who was to view both sites. All because of my lousy website building skills or by being a tightarse and not paying a professional to build the site months ago. Harrumph!! Just when I thought the tight muscles in my shoulders were starting to relax!!

Getting there slowly.

2007-09-06T21:02:00.000+10:00

Phew. Well, the market came and went and was a mildly successful day. I sold 4 bags, which covered my stall fee and then some, which I'm always happy about. You can check out the new bags for this market here. I was on my own this time, as my friend, S, who usually comes along to help and keep me company, had left for France to check out the World Cup. (It's a Kiwi thing, I guess, this rugby business!) Hubby stayed home with the girls and had a lovely Fathers Day working on the studio. I told him he could join me at the market for some quiet time, but he was determined to make headway on construction.He did well. So well in fact, that I have moved some of my furniture in. And realised that I had way to much stuff spread through out many corners of the house. There is some serious culling to be had, as I have vowed to be less of a hoarder and less cluttered.
Loungeroom clutter just prior to big cleanup.

Clutter is doing my head in at the moment. I've managed to clear away a few piles and I must admit, I'm loving the tidy loungeroom.
Office clutter

My health has been good this week. I've been keeping a food diary for about a month and have begun to understand my triggers for indigestion and other digestive disruptions. I've also found a yummy dandelion tea that replaces at least one coffee per day. That's go to be a good thing. For the last three weeks of term, we are doing sunshine yoga and after today's class, I'm hoping this program continues to feel as good as it did today. It was full of lot's of upper back and shoulder stretching and helped to relieve my knotted muscles. I haven't felt his good for weeks!
We're going to a 50th Birthday party this week and not only are the girls going to their grandparent's for the night, but I get to wear a dress. I've even roped Hubby in for a spot of shopping to buy him some new clothes. He hasn't bought himself anything stylish for a few years now and it's a little bit dressier than jeans and a shirt. Should be a fun night.
Anyway, I'm off to continue unloading shelves of fabric, ready for Hubby to help me move them into the studio.
Cheerio.

Thought I'd stop by....

2007-09-04T20:50:00.000+10:00

to say hello.

This is going to be scattered, 'cos I'm tired and forgetful today. I've been working hard.

Firstly a big thank you to Steph for nominating me as a

I was pretty chuffed about that. Thanks Steph. So now it's my turn to nominate some lovely ladies whose blogs I frequent(or should I say, lurk about.) I'm not going to list why I like these blogs, because my brain is not functioning properly to do that. Just check them out, and you might like them too.

Poppalina, Gooseflesh, Muppinstuff, Meshells little corner of the world, Miss Minnie.

Okay, I was going to make this a catch up post, but I'm going to save that for tomorrow. For know, it's time for sleep.

'Night all.

A woman of few words.

2007-08-23T21:07:00.000+10:00

This is how it is lately:

Market in one week from Sunday. Set oneself unrealistic goals of production and expect to reach said goal without disrupting family life.

Disregard nagging pain in shoulder due to late night sewing and go to yoga class, where upper body strength (and core strength) proves to be non existent.

Spend a whole weekend painting exterior of studio with the worst invention ever(texture paint) even though you know you can't move in to said studio for at least another month (electricals, trims etc) It's mocking me through the window.

Plan a day of sewing after the previous week had turned to the proverbial, only to have smallest child fall ill with tonsilitus.

Continue to surge on through back pain, shoulder pain and headaches. Blame it on poor diet and begin to keep a food diary.

Hit the snooze button at least four times rather than get out of bed and do half an hour on the treadmill. Could help ease the ailments of late, but bugger it, sleeping in is better.

See Hubby for about 1 hour over the past week. His work is becoming all consuming. It's wearing us both down and the girls are really missing his evening tuck ins.

Spend 1 WHOLE DAY organising the girls costumes for book week. I had 2 weeks notice.

Keep spying piles of clutter building up around the house. I'm spending at least an hour a day straightening up the piles, when I should just be getting rid of it. Big clean up in store!!

Stop leaving everything to the last minute.

Crave refreshing sleep. I sleep deeply, but dream so vividly that I wake exhausted. I'm thinking a trip to the dentist is in order. ( I need a new mouth guard to prevent teeth grinding)

Wish I could focus on something other than the unmovebale spare tyre around my waist. It's really starting to get me down and it's certainly not healthy.

Relax, slow down and enjoy life without feeling guilty. My body would thank me.

Buzzing.

2007-08-09T20:10:00.000+10:00

Well, I guess that last revealing post scared everyone away. There's nothing but tumbleweeds in the comments.
That's okay. I've been doing lot's of blog reading, but very little commenting myself. It gets my mind of the more pressing task of actually doing some work.
My mind is buzzing like a swarm of bees at the moment. I've recieved my 07-08 market season dates and am now preparing for September. I wanted to have all new stock to start the season off, so that means about 25 bags in the next 3 weeks. Yes, it can be done.
I've chosen 3 themes to work from with about 6-8 bags per theme. This week saw 3 completed with another 2 not far behind. Tomorrow will be a powerhouse day as I have no appointments or need to leave the house (except if the promised sun shine taunts me so much that I'll have to jump on the scooter for a once around the block!!)

In the meantime, I keep looking out the office window and being taunted by this:Front view looking up the yard

It's getting there. Poor Hubby hasn't had a weekend spare lately and he's working so hard during the week that I don't want to hassle him when he's home. Once the roof is finished and the internal linings go in, things will move pretty quickly.Side view, similar to when I look out the window.

It needs to, because I'm running out of space!

8 Things.....

2007-08-01T17:05:00.000+10:00

Hmm....I've been tagged by Steph for this 8 random things meme. I've seen this one a few times around the blogosphere and have had a giggle at many revealed quirks. But trying to think of my own quirks and useless factoids has turned my brain to cotton wool. Despite that, I'll give it a whirl. Here goes....
1. I constantly have whole conversations in my head with make believe people. Sometimes I think I should have been a script writer.
2. I love discovering new Op-Shops. I get all giddy when I stumble upon one I haven't ~~ransacked~~ visited.
3. Spelling errors really bug me, especially in advertising. In saying that, I never use spell check despite my dyslexic typing.
4.I could quite easily spend a whole weekend in bed, sleeping. Before children, it was not unheard of.
5.I hate looking over the edges of high places like bridges, lookouts and mountaintops. But I absolutely loved jumping out of a plane (tandem, of course!)
6.I love camping with the barest of amenities and getting really grimy and crusty. The bath/shower when we get home feels all the more heavenly.
7.I'm definately low maintenence. No make-up, no waxing, no nail polish and a haircut every six months if I'm in the mood. My biggest indulgence is a long bath with candles and a glass of wine.
8.Okay, I'm having troubles with thinking of anything else. So I will end with this useless titbit. I am not overly fond of chocolate, but put a box of Savoury Shapes or a bag of chips in front of me, and I will quite happily finish the whole lot in one sitting. (I'm talking party size bag o' chips!!)

I'm not going to tag anyone for this. Feel free to partake if the mood arises.

Snowplay.

2007-07-22T21:52:00.000+10:00

I just love that word. Snowplay. It's got it all, right there.

So anyway, I've been a bit run down of late. I found the school holidays rough this time around. I never wanted to be that Mother that looked forward to that 7.30am alarm heralding the kids going back to school, but I became her. I breathed a sigh of relief as I dropped them at the gate and made my way down the street to wander aimlessly around the shops. Not once did I hear the words, "Can we have this?" uttered. The week has passed and I've mellowed. I've had coffee with girlfriends, been back to yoga class and even started back on the treadmill. But I've also been spending too much time on the computer. A surge in Ebay sales had me checking bank accounts and double checking addresses (not that I'm complaining about selling stuff!). Plus I've had a catch up week with the book keeping 'cos nothing got looked at during the school hols. And on top of that, I've been trying to get my website together. As my knowledge of website building is pretty limited, there have been a few late nights trying to nut things out. When I developed a persistent eye twitch, neck pain and severe indigestion, I figured something needed to be done. So this weekend saw a mostly computer free weekend (except for right now!)
Hubby and No.1 child left for Mansfield on Friday night to help out a friend with some heavy lifting work, leaving Schnoob and I at home to have a relaxing couple of days. We used Saturday to catch up on sleep, pyjama time, late newspaper reading and tv watching before heading over to enjoy cuppas and cake with Aunty S. (She's not my Aunty, she's my closest friend, but the girls call her Aunty 'cos it just seems right. Plus she's Godmother to No.1 child) Schnoob was so well behaved playing with Lego and spreading biscuit crumbs and she didn't even kick up a fuss when I put her to bed before Iron Chef started. I promised her that I would take her to the snow today if she got a good night's sleep, so that was a good incentive.
She woke me around 7.30 am today like I asked her to, and after a quick breakfast, packing a picnic lunch and checking the ski reports, we headed to Mt. Donna Buang. I took the girls to this very mountain last year, but alas, there was no snow. Not so today. It was beautiful. Blue sky, shining sun and at least 30cm of hard packed snow. We attempted to make a snowman but failed dismally, so I photographed exsisting ones. Then we hired a toboggin and had an absolute blast scooting down very fast hills, until Schnoob had so much snow down her pants it was starting to hurt. Luckily, I packed a change of clothes this time. After we were exhausted from snowplay, we made our way back down the mountain to Warburton, another favourite destination of mine and the girls. We had our picnic lunch by the waterwheel, browsed through the many and varied 'alternative' shops where we purchased a CD, some wooden flutes and a silver bracelet for me, a couple of 60's and 70's knick knacks, shampoo soap and wool socks made in Finland. I almost bought a gorgeous teak rocking chair, but for $250 I ummed and ahhed as the wool fabric was quite stained and had some holes and would probably need recovering, and some of the webbing underneath felt cracked and broken through the fabric. Besides, I wasn't sure if it would fit in my car. It was lovely, but I didn't need it as my goal is to get rid of some of my furniture, not add to it.
So all in all, a lovely couple of days. Sometimes it's nice to give one child your full attention. Particularly the youngest, who has had to share you from the day they were born. And No.1 child, who is definately Dad's girl, had a great time motorbike riding, driving forklifts and doing all sorts of farm-y messy stuff whilst having the full attention of her Dad. And being allowed to
basically, run amuk.
My eye twitch has gone.
There's surely something to be said about fresh air and quality time with the family.
Might have to do something fun next weekend.

And so...the end is near....

2007-07-13T14:11:00.000+10:00

Yes, the school holidays are drawing to a close. It's been a very wet and cold two weeks, but we have managed some outside time (even if it means extra washing!!) I was hoping to finish off some crazy paving and put a few plants in the ground today, but the rain has forced us inside. And we can't even head to the shops, as I'm waiting for the electrician to come and wire the studio so the roof can go on this weekend. (Yippee!) Although I have held off for most of the holidays, I may have to resort to putting a DVD on, as all crafty resources have been depleted (or thrown away in the Big Cleanup of July 12!!)
I managed to finish some Yoga bags and put them in my Ebay store. Check out Joystuff Handmade for pics.I think I need to go and lie down on the couch now. That short spurt of cleaning up outside has made my back ache.
Any excuse to stay inside where it's warm.

Australia Garden, RBG Cranbourne.

2007-07-10T19:40:00.000+10:00

Week 2 of the school holidays and I was beginning to feel a little bit stir crazy. The girls' bedrooms look like bomb sites, the kitchen floor is like a rented flat after a housewarming party and the girls can't be civil towards each other for longer than 5 minutes. I figured our best bet was to get out of the house. I was going to take a drive to Healesville Sanctuary but after checking the website, baulked at the admission fee. My second choice was The Royal Botanic Garden, Cranbourne as there didn't seem to be fees involved. So we jumped in the car and trundled down the South Gippsland Highway amidst very heavy fog. I figured that the fog would lift as the morning warmed up. It did lift eventually, probably closer to lunchtime. It didn't really matter though. I took coats, we were all warm. I declined the guided tour, prefering to just wander at my own pace and allow the girls to run riot. The lady at the front desk gave them some chalk, so the first stop was the Kid's garden. After they had let off quite a bit of steam, we wandered the rest of the garden. I happily snapped away with the camera. I love native flowers. I was hoping to get some ideas for our garden.
After we had walked the entire garden, we hit the cafe for lunch. (I had the most delicious lasagne!!) Then of course, over to the gift shop, where I got myself a new frangipani soap(as my previous one was now soap chips) as well as a sandlewood sachet for my undies drawer, and a couple of books on growing succulents. The girls got a toy each, and promptly fought over them when back at the car(despite choosing their own toy!!)
Check out the rest of the pics over at Flickr.
I wasn't ready to head home, so we made our way through The Dandenongs for a quick peruse through the shops in Belgrave as well as trying on some jackets in Sassafras. It was beginning to get very cold and the sun was going down, so our day out had come to an end. Of course, as soon as we walked through the door, the bickering and arguing started. I think we might be out all day again tomorrow, at this rate. It certainly helps with my sanity.
They have just gotten dry from their shower and are ready for bed. Ahhh! Peace and quiet.

A bit of a rant.

2007-07-03T19:30:00.000+10:00

*Sigh* Day 4 (if you count the weekend) of the school holidays and already I'm feeling washed out. I haven't got my groove yet and the girls are constantly fighting and bickering. I can't blame the fact that they're tired anymore, because they have had a few early nights since school finished. I think they're going to work with Hubby tomorrow. I'm sure that'll set him back a day or two.
We had grand plans of trips to the park and learning to sew......but right now, I'm enjoying the fact that they are tucked up in bed asleep.
Maybe things will go better tomorrow.

So anyhoo, let's get to the subject of my rant. (No, the bit about the kids was just the precursor.)
What's with the Salvation Army Stores? Oh, ahem, sorry. The Salvos, as their $600,000 statewide corporate rebranding now prefers them to be called.
Now, I've been shopping in their Op-Shops for years and was always really happy with their prices and their mix of designer and dodgy gear. I've also picked up some great furniture for the house at very reasonable rates. But over the last 2 or so years, I have noticed some very interesting changes. I think Ebay is partially responsible for this, but it shouldn't be. Let me explain.
I've been collecting West German pottery vases for about 8 years now. My collection expanded when we moved into our new(3 years ago) house, as I had room to spread out. I have sourced all of my collection in Op-Shops and have not spent over $10 for any one vase. But lately, I have picked up many second rate, chipped and sometimes cracked West German vases and other Mid Century collectable items only to hastily place them back down when viewing the price. Over $30 for an item that was not only donated to them, but similar in size to a pottery vase beside it priced at $2.50. The only difference, it was made in West Germany and not Japan. This is not just about vases, as I have enough of those. It's the principle.
Here's a few changes in prices over the last 6 months.
Jumpers and sweaters- were between $2 and $4, now $7.75-$8.75
Jackets and coats(regardless of brand, excluding leather and suede)-were $10.00, now $22.75!
Skirts-were around $3.50, now $5.75
Hardcover books (like crafting)-were $2.00, now $3.75 to $5.75
So you can see where I'm going with this. Not only has there been a significant price hike, but everything has been priced with .75 cents added, to ensure that extra $1.50 or more when the customer purchases 2 or more items. It's sneaky marketing tactics like this that really make my blood boil.

The Salvos are supposed to be a not for profit organisation, run primarly by volunteers. 85% of their sales are pumped into charity, or so their website claims.
Now, you can understand my dismay and surprise when I was turned away one January to donate goods. The lady said that they simply could not take any more goods, that the racks were full to breaking point already. I asked her why they didn't have a half price off everything day and watch the stock walk out the door, or $1.00 on all clothes or something like that. She said that they wouldn't make enough money in one day to cover staff wages. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't think volunteers were paid a wage.
It would seem, as I have been told by a little bird, that they are not paid a wage per se, but that they do recieve a percentage of the days profits. I can't back that up with any hard proof. It's just something that I was told by someone who has dealt with the organisation on a professional basis.

It's something that I am beginning to see more and more in the various Op-Shops that I visit. Each particular store has less and less respect for the other, whether it be Salvos, Vinnies, St. John of God or Diabetes Australia. Everyone is clambouring for the current trends in order to rake in the highest profit. It's become less about selling unusual and unwanted items for a discount price and more about savvy marketing and getting their share of the pie. It's disheartening and I think it will begin to drive people away. Are the Salvos stores and other Op-shops in this country creating a rod for their own back?

Discuss.