Happy New Year 2010

Greetings all,

Wishing you all a fabulous NYE & fantastic 2010. I don't usually list resolutions as running a family of 6, i put them first & worry about myself later. Please don't think i'm feeling sorry for myself, i'm not, i know my children will be independent & living their own lives before i blink & i'll have too much time to think about myself, i rather enjoy the motherhood cycle. However, after 2009 gave me a taste of a whole year of 4 children in 30 hours of primary school each week - i know i have more pockets of time up my sleeve for my old favourites of Yoga, salads & quilting.

Yes, quilting - i might run a successful patchwork business but really only have time now for orders, or "quilting for cash" as my husband refers to it, instead of filling my home with my own handmade efforts. So, top of my list & kicking off 2010 is this patchwork quilt for my husband's new man lounge (King Furniture Delta II in pear upholstery) so i went with butch blues, greens, a good dose of Amy Butler fabrics including her old fabulous prints which i've been hoarding since she started designing fabric . . . better yet, i whipped it up in 24 hours from scratch. As it's for our home, a lovely old king size Sheridan sheet went on the back & edges. Granted it's a fully machined, basic 30cm square block pattern, alas, does the trick with pure wool wadding from Retro Mummy (Hi Corrie, so great to see you at Christmas in Sydney).

check out the gorgeous weather here today, hard to believe an hour after this shot, it was raining!!

Well 2010 has the potential to be my busiest & most successful year of Posie yet, what with Handmade Market being so incredible here in Canberra & my new website. With my business plan from 2001 loosely describing a life of 4 children in primary school & a large productive studio; constant orders & high end markets; a wholesale label stocked in over a dozen stores; awesome website & regular media coverage come 2010 . . . well it's a scary reality, it's actually come true!! I feel so lucky, sure i've worked hard but i'm proud that my passion is still my driving force. It seemed all so vague & un-real dreaming all this up . . . i feel so humble my life has turned out this way with husband, children, career etc. Best of all i have avoided returning to the real world (pharmacology or some lab coat clad science based job) & made a go of working from home.

As for my resolutions, i don't drink or smoke, so have to start with the other super obvious one . . . i still have weight to lose. Such a bummer to gain weight AFTER having babies?? Turns out it was just carbs, oh how i love carbs & how they love my belly & thighs back. So i'll continue with Tony Ferguson, over 10kg down & i'm ready to drop the next 10!! So losing weight, tick!! How typical for a woman to want to lose weight.

I want to add to that more exercise, by this i mean my love of Yoga, which not only tones you but relaxes you, so i will get back to this . . . tomorrow. I think i'll do it after school, with the children or while they do homework, as they like to join in & hell, i can still call out spelling words & multitask while in many poses, so . . . daily yoga, tick!!

Eating better, ties in with weight loss & yoga of course, but my husband bought me a most excellent cook book which i'll review shortly. So did you know it's much better to eat fresh pasta, than dry, so while pasta is not my favourite of carbs, it's an easy one for the family so i'm going to start making my own pasta. My husband makes excellent homemade pasta with the KitchenAid (along with sausages, icecream, the man can make anything!!) but i would like to rival him, i'm keen & willing. Also ties in with our faboulous herb garden & almost-ripe tomatoes in the garden. Make more of my own food from scratch, tick!!

I'm thinking those biggies shall do the trick, better for me & the family. It does mean i'll be cutting back on all but fundraising in my volunteer P&C schedule (sorry school). I will appreciate our local area better by walking our dog further each day & getting back on my bicycle, which i loved in Darwin. So a long daily walk bike ride with or without the puppy & children is so going to happen!!

As for business wishes, well don't want to give away any secrets as i have big plans BIG IDEAS coming, alas, i want to grow Edna&AliceMay & have her in more stores, finish off the Posie site by mid January & sort out the studio for a bumper 2010 year of production.

Wishing you all every success in the world, love Posie

Silly Season Silliness

Merry Christmas everyone,

Well one family Christmas feast down, one to go. So fabulous when both you & your husband were born & raised in the same city, your extended families who you visit at Christmas time are in the same place. Well almost, sometimes we go to siblings' homes . . . north of Sydney (Central Coast), sometimes south of Sydney (Southern Highlands). Either way to do 2 big family days in a row, it's ace!! Let's hope these angelic faces continue . . .

NOTE: daughters 1 & 3 just refused to have 'nice' photos taken today

So today was my family's Christmas, celebrated at my eldest brother's place, around the corner from our parent's home, where we all grew up. It went something like this . . . eating, swimming, eating, swimming, gifts, eating, getting splashed & a whole lot of laughing. I hope everyone has a handy big strong uncle who is happy to spend hours tossing children around the pool like we do!! Tomorrow's it's my in-laws turn & we're armed with a fabulous turkey & gazillions of gifts for them!!

How much fun was this, the perfect way to wear out children!!

Wishing you all a fabulous day with your families & friends, love Posie

Charing to Christmas

Greetings all, well it never surprises me when i go a month between blog posts.

Let's just say the big market weekends (Mathilda's, Handmade, MOCCA - which was lovely, really adorable, my children had a ball there, including winning basket balls & the cake stall) just have one last Old Bus Depot market go to. Also wrapping up the year, P&C reports, carting endless art & craft to the car, personal Christmas shopping . . . well all that plus on line orders, thank you, it all leaves little time for the small business owner who has a bunch of children & a husband to love too.

So i won't apologise, just offer up some images of the latest goings on. Which include our eldest going to a year 6 disco, twins turning 8, our son dreaming of being a reindeer & let's just say . . . with 4 children using crockery, we break a few plates & bowls in our house, so i treated the family to 2 new Royal Doulton dinner sets (at half price) from the Gordon Ramsay range (see giant box full of foam). Think simple white design, a bit of a curve, generous mugs & a little pattern in the edges where they are turned. The childen have been warned if they break any pieces, Gordon will swear at them. I don't have an ounce of affection for the man, other than the fact he also has 4 children with twins in the mix & CAN design lovely flat wear. If you'd like to check out where to get a bargain for every day dinner ware, may i suggest Peter's of Kensington who delivered in 2 days, at this time of year interstate & everything. Extremely happy!!

While my wonderful husband is on leave, we have enjoyed home grown herbs, an entire back garden make over, homemade sausages, homemade icecream & just all round relaxing life with swimming & dog walking. In my sleep i manage to sew & clean, but the washing doesn't seem to fold itself??!! Shame about that. Only 2 more days of uniforms then plain clothes Friday & i'm done with yellow shirts for another year. We're in Canberra for a 3rd year so amazingly, we don't have to move this Christmas or seek out a new home, school or friends, ahhhh . . .

So long, farewell, i hope to post before Christmas, one last market this Sunday, deep breath, love Posie