my creative space 'from the factory floor'

Greetings all,

Ah, Thursday again, i lost 3 days this week to a migraine & actually in the heat, i felt extra dizzy even though i was drinking water like a fish.  Somehow i managed to make 18 pairs of pants for the Shop so i actually have stock to sell. 

 So live from the factory floor (which is what it's like during mass production in the studio) this is what you'll find . . . disgruntled & non compliant models . . . 

 a pile of trousers which need pressing . . .

 oh, i grabbed a passing 9y.o. girl as a suitable model for boy's size 4 pants . . . no she wouldn't put down the rhino & lift up the pink Tshirt . . .

 i am so in love with these fabrics, i'm going to make myself some skirts . . .

 i'd even like this print in a dress!!

 Australia Day is over for another year, we enjoyed this Lamington Swiss Roll, yumbo!!

 Special mention to Toni from Make it Perfect, who put on this amazing effort to band together handmade raffles, auctions & donations . . .

big pats on your backs everyone who created or entered or just donated!!  Pretty excited that this little blog raised $775 from the auction & raffle, i was part of the whopping The Red Thread mega raffle prize (by donation of fabric, not winning, sigh) which raised $3260!!  I entered dozens of auctions & raffles, i won some hair clips, yippee, my girls will be wrapped.  Who says blogging is daggy or weird, NOT Queenslanders who are going to benefit. 
Happy Creative Spaces everyone, thanks Kirsty for hosting, love Posie

last chance to bid on the Qld Flood Appeal auctions . . .

Greetings all,

So . . . until 9p.m. tonight, this pretty handmade patchwork quilt is up for auction on my blog.  Please bid over at this original post NOW or leave a supportive comment for the people in Qld for your chance to win 4 Japanese FQ of fabric as a g i v e a w a y. 
AUCTION CLOSED:  Congratulations to my lovely gal pal Sheridan from Chalet Girl & Sew it Together fame, for winning this quilt at $120!! 

GIVEAWAY WINNER: Congratulations sweet Cathie from m.e (Melbourne Epicure) who has won 4 Japanese FQ fabrics.

 Combination of flower sugar & sweet broiderie fabrics, ahhh.

 My $5 donation raffle is live until midday Wednesday 26th January (Australia Day) so check it out here, for your chance to win an autographed copy of Handmade Living, pencil roll, fabric & more + runner up prize of 4 Japanese printed FQ fabrics.    

 The Master List of handmade auctions & raffles through Make it Perfect are incredible!!

 Now for some cooking entertainment . . . from the post on Poh's recipe for Pumpkin & Red Capsicum soup, i did it, i chopped, i simmered, i processed, i seasoned, i did the squeeze of lemon to taste & tastey it was . . . da dah, mine is JUST LIKE THE PICTURE only i must love chives more than Poh . . . like Tupperware reheatable container??

Finally, a little hooray for a very brave soldier (not my husband) over in Perth with the Special Air Service (they're the best soldiers in the world) who won the highest honour, the Victoria Cross medal for Valour, in Afghanistan.  It's the 2nd one since the Vietnam War.  Extra special that he's the father of beautiful twin girls too!!  I wonder if he can make Poh's pumpkin soup too, probably. 
Have a fantastic week everyone, love Posie

i'm grateful for . . . finding inspiration to cook

Greetings all,

Honest & for true, i'm not a good cook.  I lack confidence, imagination & taste buds when it comes to cooking.  Baking & party food, i'm your gal; cooking a family meal . . . makes me want to cry.  This wouldn't be such a big deal for most, but . . .
a) i'm a housewife, have been home full time since 2001, i have all day to try;
b) i have 4 growing active children at the dinner table each night;
c) this is my 14th year of marriage, i'm 35y.o., i'm an adult, i'm horrified;
d) my mother was a chef - but never let us in the kitchen, blame??;
e) my husband is away 90% of this year (like last year & next year);
f) my first job was as a kitchen hand & i was great (at preparing raw food);
g) my children won't eat anything from a tin or box & don't count 'eggs' as dinner;
h) my children don't like takeaway & we can't afford it anyway;
i) my children are not fussy, i feel i abuse their non-fussiness with bland meals;
j) my best friend from preschool is head chef at one of Sydney's BEST restaurants;
i have a whole alphabet or reasons . . . oh the humanity, i grew up with fantastic food!! 
Why can't i cook & how have i gotten away with it for so long??  I plan meals, i have all the ingredients, i have KitchenAid appliances & Le Crueset saucepans . . . it just goes wrong when heat is added & my easy going children eat what i put in front of them, bless their hearts.  I am judged, not too harshly.  They only get dessert once a month for their suffering too. 
I can, however, enjoy a great cookbook immensely, i have wonderful resources & ideas.

 Now if Poh can't get me excited, inspired  & cooking well, who can??

 She's an artist turned chef, with flair & incredible talent!!

 Look at these sweet illustrations for each chapter.

 It's filled with her experiences with a variety of chefs working in Australia, French born Emmanuel Mollois laughs that his children put "vegemite on croissants"!! 

 My children's favourite page in the whole book!!  They call this 'soft boiled eggs & daddies' instead of soldiers.  Cute.  Still, it's an egg & not considered a proper dinner by my children (or Poh, seeing it's in her breakfast chapter!!)

 It's like a craft book with recipes, doilies & floral fabrics, ahhhh.

 I mean, look at this vintage cow jug!!

 Ducks in Tasmania, everything is better, fresher, organic & glorious in the Apple Isle??

 Look how happy she is, cooking, i want to be happy cooking too!! 

This girl certainly didn't need MasterChef to launch her, she had the talent & personality already.

 A mix of patterns & collage, beautiful artistry.

 Spicey styled stacks of colour.

 I can cook desserts, but how pretty, had to include it!!

 Really, look at this, edible rainbow balls.

 This Asian infused section is stunningly good.

 Her styling is unique, colourful, eclectic, fun & delicious.

 Combing red with pale blue (my favourite colour combination) + cake, drewel.

 I have the tools . . . i have the cookbooks . . . i finally have the inclination . . . i have to get the cooking with heat part right.  If there is one thing i have to master this year, this month, this week . . . it's cooking something with flavour & a bit of flair.  Stay tuned!!  I'm inspired & i think if i practise during the day, there is less pressure come dinner time/ show time.  I think i've hatched a plan.  Guess what, last night i tried Poh's pumpkin & capsicum soup, it worked, i'm on my way . . . simple (especially if you have confidence around a food processor) & delicious!!  FYI this book was only $22.50 on sale at Big W (RRP $40) go grab a copy, it's handmade homecooking bliss!!
For more "i'm grateful" posts this Saturday, check out Maxabella Loves.  I know my husband will be reading this in Brisbane & he'll be 'grateful' too.  I think cooking is sexy, my handsome soldier can cook anything, perfectly, yet another reason i love him.  Have great weekends everyone, love Posie

PS don't forget to bid like crazy & buy up a zillion raffle tickets for the amazing handmade goodness here - check the master list, it's impressive!!  I've got a handmade patchwork quilt auction & book, pencil roll, fabric raffle.

are you ready to OPRAH??

Greetings all,

Excited about the Oprah in Australia Show on tonight??  I am.  Very sorry to miss out on the real thing in Sydney last month, but I’ll be bursting come 7.30p.m. when the special feature is on.  Put the children to bed early, i'm watching television!! 

Oprah sends me emails, advice, links & special offers each day, thanks Oprah . . . today I followed an email link to Life Coach Martha Beck . . . 10 Life Lessons You Should Unlearn. Ok Martha, let’s see what you think we should change about the way we think.  I saw blog posts talking about Gywneth Paltrow's parenting tips (she has a newsletter with tips for we mortal mothers, thanks Gywnnie but no thanks) BUT this is for adults & you can start working on these 'life lessons' with your children, after you've sorted your self out.  I should have titled this post 'free therapy' actually!!

1. Problems are bad. Finding the solution to each problem is what gives life its gusto. 

2. It's important to stay happy. Focus on something that makes you miserable. Then think, "I must stay happy!" Stressful, isn't it? Now say, "It's okay to be as sad as I need to be." This kind of permission to feel as we feel—not continuous happiness—is the foundation of well-being.

Great advice, tell me more Martha . . .
3. I'm irreparably damaged by my past. Painful events leave scars, true, but it turns out they're largely erasable. Take an issue that's been worrying you and think of three reasons that belief may be wrong. Your brain will begin to let it go.

This just saved you thousands in therapy, already, by point 3!!

4. Working hard leads to success. Baby mammals, including humans, learn by playing, so play as you did in childhood . . . watch for ways your childhood playing skills can solve a problem.

5. Success is the opposite of failure. Studies show that people who worry about mistakes shut down, but those who are relaxed about doing badly soon learn to do well. Success is built on failure.
I can feel Amy Chua gasping, this could not possibly be more opposite to her Eastern ways of parenting children to success!!

6. It matters what people think of me. Ridiculous! Right now, imagine what you'd do if it absolutely didn't matter what people thought of you. Got it? Good. Never go back.

7. We should think rationally about our decisions. Your rational capacities are far newer and more error-prone than your deeper, "animal" brain. Instead of weighing pros and cons intellectually, notice your physical response to each option. Pay attention to when your body tenses or relaxes.

Brilliant, especially for adults, i'm unlearning this one!!

8. The pretty girls get all the good stuff. I unlearned this after years of coaching beautiful clients. Yes, these lovelies get preferential treatment in most life scenarios, but there's a catch: While everyone's looking at them, virtually no one sees them.

9. If all my wishes came true right now, life would be perfect. Check it out: People who have what you want are all over rehab clinics, divorce courts, and jails. The joy, not the thing, is the point.

Appears it's a bonus not to be gorgeous or famous.

10. Loss is terrible. I'd smile when I was sad, pretend to like people who appalled me. What I now know is that losses aren't cataclysmic if they teach the heart and soul their natural cycle of breaking and healing.

I particularly like this last one as i don't take on anyone's negativity, i don't have a poker face & i can not fake nice to people i loathe. 

So enjoy Oprah tonight & if you're cruising blog land, don't forget to check out the master list & today's featured auctions & raffles at Make it Perfect, have raised $45K & counting for the Qld Flood Appeal.  Keep the bids coming & raffle ticket buying.

Bid on my patchwork quilt here, donate $5 for a raffle tick for my book, pencil roll & fabric goodies here.  Thanks for your support, love Posie

are you READY for the auction & raffle flood appeal MANIA??!!

Greetings all,
Sure i'm doing a raffle, auction, donation & making quilting blocks for the Qld flood victims, but i'm also super keen to enter the raffles my handmade loving clever bloggie friends are doing too. 
I thought up this quick & easy raffle ticket buying method . . . get your credit card, go to the official flood appeal website, donate $5 & have the receipt emailed to you; find the blog raffle(s) you wish to enter, use that receipt number, then file away the email receipt for your tax return.  

I did 20 last night, i have my receipt numbers ready for the motherload of raffles launching tomorrow.  If i find an auction requesting a $10 ticket, i'll use 2 of my $5 receipts!!  Go for it, quick & easy & good luck!!

 The Make it Perfect coordinated Flood Appeal i'm working with, launches all auctions, raffles & donations tomorrow/ Monday.  It's huge, well organised & all 'donations' by way of raffle tickets & auction wins go DIRECT to the official flood appeal website.  You'll find hundreds of handmade things to 'win' in the most feel good donation atmosphere on line!!  Spread the word & get your non on line 'what's a blog' friends involved too.  My whole family is entering (without a single blog between them) so that's an extra 20 adults & $1K donated, all keen competition for you!! 

 Bid on my handmade patchwork quilt auction in pretty Japanese fabrics here . . .

 donate $5 a ticket & enter my book, pencil roll & fabric + crafty goodies raffle here . . .

 this fabric is part of a mega raffle at The Red Thread, live NOW . . . over $1200 worth of sewing machine YES AN AWESOME SEWING MACHINE, fabric, pattern & more handmade goodness, donate $10 a ticket . . . here!! 

 I'm taking the day off tomorrow, says the mother of 4 in rain soaked school holidays, to quilt up my 12.5" blocks for the Quilts for Queensland, an amazing can-do concept RetroMummy has organised, like me, her husband works in Brisbane too.  Join in, get sewing with your gorgeous bright & colourful cotton fabrics, the finer details over at Corrie's blog here . . . 

 Now for some animal survival images of the Qld floods (i find the human tragedy ones too horrible to post).  Today i would have done a post on 'have fish, will travel' as we took our fish with us to Sydney, in a big plastic tub with a battery operated filter, really, the fish came on holidays with us. 

 Kangaroos are so timid & flighty, they must have been wrecked to hop in a boat & not fight it!!

 Crocodile in the town of Gympie Qld, sure, of course!!  Now people are arguing if this is a genuine photo??  I doubt you'd stage it, that is one big crocodile to position, pose & ask to smile, he he.  I would say yes, it's real . . . with crocodiles, anything is possible.  We lived in Darwin for 6+ years on 2 Army  postings, my 4 children are genuine Territorians, born in Tiwi, they had crocodile softies in their cribs.  If the NT News doesn't post a crocodile story on the front page atleast 3 times a week, something is wrong.  Crocodiles get into people's pools, golf courses, garages, walk down the Stuart Highway, they can be anywhere.  The fact they can walk just makes them more scary than sharks!!
EDIT: Carol from Naturally Carol has spoiled my fun & confirms a Gympiite was just having fun, the 'crocodile in the middle of town' photo isn't real.  I'm a bit disappointed, if it was Darwin it would have been true!!  Oh well, safer for everyone in Gympie.

 I'm no lizard expert but i'm guessing a big goanna??

 Possibly my favourite animal rescue story "there is a cow on my neighbour's roof".  Thanks to Kylie for alerting me to this one, her husband was asked to organise a helicopter??!!

 Too cute, green tree frog hitching a ride on a brown snake!!

In much safer conditions, our fish on holidays.
Thanks everyone, every little bit helps, donate or create or volunteer to clean up!!
My husband is busy knee deep in mud in the Lockyer Valley, it's very sombre. 
My God Mother & her husband have all but cleaned out their fencing business sheds on the Bremer River & moved onto friends' houses to clean out.  I can assure you that Queenslanders are feeling the love & support.  Love Posie

i'm grateful for . . . finding ways to feel less helpless

Greetings all,
Joining in Maxabella Loves today to share how grateful i am that i'm able to find positive ways to feel less helpless during a massive natural flood disaster which is happening 1500km away from my home in Canberra, but is in my country.  I am lucky to be able to sew & have a business which can donate to help fundraise for the Qld Flood Appeal via auctions & raffles (coordinated by Make it Perfect) which all go live on Monday (many are live NOW!!)

 I'm auctioning off this pretty handmade patchwork quilt, bids so far at $100120. . . bid NOW!!

 I'm raffling off an autographed copy of Handmade Living, a patchwork pencil roll, 8 Amy Butler FQ & a bundle of crafty goodness, value over $150 . . . $5 raffle ticket details HERE!! 

I'm donating 12 F8 fabrics to a MASSIVE raffle over at The Red Thread, oh boy, it's a biggie . . . check out Lisa's amazing raffle HERE on Monday!!

 Best of all . . . my handsome soldier & awesome father of our 4 children,
he lives in & is posted to Brisbane for 3 years . . .

 he's still on leave & we miss him terribly . . .
but he's in Queensland preparing to go back to work,

 & today he starts directly helping the people of his current home state,
on the ground, in the sludge & we're so proud of him.

I'm grateful my family has found active & positive ways to feel less helpless & can directly assist those in great need in Queensland.  Please support these auctions & raffles, possibly the most lovely way to donate, love Posie
UPDATE: my God Mother & her husband have all but cleaned out their fencing business sheds on the Bremer River (imagine 3m of water over the TOP of the largest shed roof!!) Thanks to a team of 15 helpful strong men, Ipswich will have new fences soon.  Now they're all cleaning up the damaged & flooded once-beautiful homes of their dear friends around the Brisbane River.  Thank you everyone for your messages of love & concern & hope for my family - the most generous people on earth, but hey, they're Queenslanders!!