the calm, after the storm . . .

Greetings all,

Quite the tumultuous week & now the calm.  I'm a talker, my husband is not, he used to say "you don't have to externalise every single thought" but it's how i roll.  Blogger beware!!  Saves a lot of baggage too.  I tell him exactly how i feel, no games, no faking, just raw honesty.  90% of the time i'm coping brilliantly but with end-of-school children who are tired & emotional, i'm exhausted & my aching hands are plain annoying, we're not ourselves.   

After a teary late night phone call from Afghanistan, talking about Christmas apart, selling an investment property & buying a farm . . . i came home from Athletics this morning to this on my door step. 

 Eric from DesignABunch (the stunningly good florist next door to Shop Handmade in Canberra City) called to say he had just left flowers & i passed him in my street, big waves & smiles!!

 The card was so beautiful, to think a tough soldier can phone in from a war zone, such beautiful words for a florist to relay . . . i truly married a special, thoughtful guy.  I don't like mushy romance, to have my husband sitting with me beats all the views in Paris, dinners in Italy & resorts in Singapore.

 Christmas flower arrangments are now sorted, look at those glorious long stem roses.

 Look at that red velvety goodness, i'm so lucky!!

So here is to cruising into the last week before Christmas with rested happy children & mother.  I close my Shop in 5 days, some huge savings in there people, up to 60% off including Christmas table accessories & stocking fillers.  I've removed all the 'sold out' items weekly to make it even easier to shop.  It's a serious sale, i'm closing my entire business down (after 11 years) in Easter 2012, with a massive remnant sale in February when school resumes.   

Don't miss out on the Donna Hay & IKEA GIVEAWAYS on my side bar, both close tomorrow night. Good luck folks, i hope you're as lucky as me, love Posie

things i'm loving . . . 'yoga'

Greetings all,

Oh Yoga, why did i ever stop worshipping you??  Ok, i was extremely dedicated to Yoga in my early 20s & only stopped when lowering-my-head-during-pregnancy did not bode well with my 24/7 morning sickness x 9 months.  Between pregnancies though, Yoga was my best friend (remember i don't drink alcohol, tea or coffee - i had have a treat while the babies slept).  Of course having lots of little babies, zero babysitters & unaffordable gym creche, i did Yoga at home with DVDs, it was great, often in my knickers & bra, on my way from the laundry to the shower - such is the life of the stay at home breastfeeding mother.  I could do anything, i'm flexible & headstands kept me level headed, chasing 4 children under 4.5 years, in fairness the baby was easy to pin down, the girls, they were runners!!

Yoga totally rebuilt my body after twins, still in my mid 20s & i lost all the weight & blubber, rocking size 9 Lee Riders . . . but my hips were held together with a brace!!  Then i had another baby, dropped the Yoga & um, well, didn't pick it up again.  I hit 30 & pretending i couldn't remember what was top of my personal To Do List each day . . . i let it slide, along with my core body strength, tone & my clothes were shrinking.  Slacko!!
More recently, i've been suffering from stress & exhaustion, i've left Shop Handmade & shut down my on line shop, pretty much my entire business - for a break to focus on my mind, body & soul.  It's amazing how pushing the responsibility of raising 4 children with a long distance husband, managing the addition of high school to the mix, worrying about elderly parents & that handsome soldier who keeps heading to war zones . . . along with my ailments of carpal tunnel, irritable bowel syndrome (sorry to talk bottoms), bad insomnia & a surprise middle ear infection . . . guess what, i'm wrecked & my balance = terrible!! 
So to slowly rebuild myself back up to the high energy, capable & positive bundle of creativity i normally am/ have to be . . . i've been going to the gym to focus on Yoga/ Body Balance/ Pilates daily & . . . 2 weeks in, i am feeling better.  Tension in my neck is the cause of my migraines these days (mid 30s) & tonight at my Body Balance class . . . i could feel all the tension leaving me + i haven't had a headache in 2 weeks!!  So rather than beat myself up for letting myself go, i'm just proud i've resumed my dedication & will continue, it's a true gift to yourself, especially as a mother & on a Friday night. 
For more Things I'm Loving this Friday, check out Paisley Jade.  If there was something you used to do/ love/ keep meaning to make time for, DO IT, NOW!!  Have gorgeous weekends everyone, no more excuses!!  Love Posie

PS image is from 'typesofyoga.net' & i'm hotter than her!!
PPS like Lego - i have the new Lego Hero Factory to giveaway, it's scary good!!

things i'm loving 'type writer letter key bracelet'

Greetings all,

Well above all i'm TOTALLY loving school holidays - i often feel i need them more than my children (we have quite the hike into school & i'm telling you - 3 years on my own with these 4 children is quite the workload) but to have 2 weeks off + my husband & new plans for my business, it's bliss!!  They all had fantastic school reports too, my little super stars.  High School reports are posted to you (exciting) & very proud of the As, comments & all round glowing enthusiasm our eldest has for high school.

This week's Things I'm Loving with PaisleyJade is this super fabulous custom design type writer letter key bracelet i requested from Green? Recycled at Shop Handmade.  It's a fun way to have my family with me - all their initials + PP for Posie Patchwork (designer Tamsin's little addition) & how cool is the red cash register key in the middle??!! 

I completely adore it.  I was very unfussy about colours, key styles & mixing it up, i completely cherish the result.  Sorry folks, Tamsin from Green? Recycled is so tiny & exclusive to Shop Handmade, she doesn't have her own website. 

Have gorgeous weekends everyone, i'm expecting to hear lots of Harry Potter movie reviews in blogland - my husband is taking our guys, love Posie

why my home won't be winning any style & design awards this Winter

Greetings all,
A lovely mummy fresh from the gym breezed into Shop Handmade & purchased a couple of dozen ceramic dishes in all sorts of sizes & colours for her dining table - which was ready for a Housing Design Awards photo shoot.  I wish.  While i have amazing plans for the homestead we're going to build, i have a vision of organisation, storage & casual, comfortable styling . . . reality is, i live in Army housing, our house is too small for our big family & the laundry is too tiny to even house an airer for Winter washing. 

 So as my eyes rest peacefully at this part of the lounge room . . .

 this is the reality . . . i'm sure the Italians who designed these dining chairs & the Stokke folk planned them to double as flannette-sheet-dryers . . .

 or the Biggest Loser trainers would like to see a treadmill acting as a giant clothes line!!

 It's not often i lounge about in my knitted booties, but i'm letting the last of my head cold leave . . .

 & enjoy OffSpring, i ponder about life like Nina (now on twice a week, loving that) . . .

 pretending my cushions are styled nicely, not where the children let them land . . .

& like i cared that our puppy had helped himself to a blanket!!
I do love a neat & tidy home, at least one where the laundry is in . . . the laundry & puppies aren't lounging on human blankets, i also don't mind a bit of honesty in stylish blog world.  Keeping house . . . sometimes i throw up arms & consider watching the likes of OffSpring as a much better headspace than primping & preening a home which a stampede of children will dishevel again in the morning.  No, i will straighten the cushions, wash that blanket & fold the blankets, i have to wake up to a tidy house, but the washing, well, it's -1C when i drop the children at school, those sheets are only going to dry indoors.  Love Posie

i'm grateful for 'Maxabella Loves'

Greetings all,

Exhaustion, elation & adding a bloggie friend to my real world life - that was my Handmade Market experience yesterday.  Exhausted from huge preparation for the market; elation it was it's usual amazing success with the 10 000+ strong crowd of handmade lovers; & the fabulous Maxabella Loves herself came to visit, with her gal pal (new to blogging & too embarrassed to name her blog, i'll hunt her down!!)  While their families watched the Trooping the Colour Parade around the corner (Canberra is ace for entertainment opportunities) the ladies went a shopping at the market & played with me.

My day didn't launch well, my 3rd girl woke with a migraine.  She had all the typical symptoms - headache, nausea, sensitivity to light . . . so i left for the market as late as possible after treating her with what my mummy used to do for me as a 10y.o. migraine sufferer . . . & carried her into the market in her jammies to rest while i set up.  The hero of the day is her best friend's mum who was taking the twins out anyway but insisted on caring for my unwell child at her house.  I packed her clothes just-in-case-of-instant-recovery-when-seeing-bestfriend & she did sleep, but also trampolined, ran around, ate 4 bread rolls & 2 sandwiches on top of morning & afternoon tea + milk shakes (nothing NOTHING puts her off her food).

Then the doors flung open & the crowds poured in.  A couple of hours later Bronwyn from Maxabella Loves quite literally leaped over my stall screaming "Jennie Jennie, it's me, i'm here" & we hugged, giggled & acted like old school friends.  There were 20 ladies around my stall laughing with us.  I knew we'd get along like a house on fire but she's so much larger than life, talks a million words a minute & well, is JUST LIKE ME!!  I think we actually hold back a bit on our blogs, perhaps frightened we'd scare you with our over enthusiasm for absolutely everything we embrace in our lives.  It went well, we've made another date for the school holidays, where we'll throw our children together & i get to show off my handsome soldier.  Thanks so much for coming Mrs Maxabella, it was sheer delight to meet you, cloak your jackets & share my handmade world with you. 

 I was tagging & setting up my display baskets up to the last minute & of course, forgot to take fabulous images of my pretty stall.  I took these after i had packed up half my goodies, argh!!  Check out the Handmade blog for amazing photos of the stalls by Tania McCartney.  Jealous, wish i had 'help' & could cruise around, shop, chat & take snap shots too.  Tania cleverly didn't have a stall, that's the trick!!

Oh yum, this hit the spot . . . Belgian waffles with homemade icecream & chocolate sauce, sprinkled with nuts & icing sugar.  I'll admit this was round two, round one (witnessed by Bronwyn) included a good dose of strawberries & was divine (i inhaled it); this deliciousness was just for my girls.  Mmmm.
So after the Handmade Market organiser's father (bless his sheep farmer's big heart) wheeled all my gear to my car & his granddaughter entertained my girls, who had been returned at the market end, i journeyed home.  No idea what was bouncing on my EFTPOS machine in the back of the car, but it sounded like we had a stowaway processing sales, beep beep beep, it was freaky!!  I unpacked the car, my no-so-well daughter showered & then we started on the trip to collect my son (at home of Shop Handmade owner's family, he told me i ruined his day by picking him up just as they were about to eat Chinese).  Last stop (after 7p.m.) . . . my eldest daughter, who spent the day with her friend-who-is-a-boy, after movies in city, they were at his place in Murrumbatemen - we were invited to stay for dinner, wood fired pizzas, i collapsed into a big leather chair & barely moved. 
By the time we got home, i had a huge headache (i do put pressure on myself to make the most of these amazing quarterly Handmade Markets, with 4 children & a husband away) so i went to sleep early - with 3 littles ones tucked in with me (??) & left my high schooler to do the evening rounds (lock doors, let puppy in, wipe down counters, blow out candles, tuck us in with a goodnight kiss - she's terribly reliable when she wants to be, she enjoys a bit of power!!) 

So grateful for my fabulous opportunities, children & friends, including hostess of 'I'm Grateful' Maxabella Loves.  Love Posie

my creative space 'hot under the covers'

Greetings all,

Embracing Winter is the trick to enjoying it.  I thought i'd dig up ye olde hot water bottle cover recipe (which consists of laying a hot water bottle onto fabric & cutting around it) & mix it up with different fabrics, organic batting, quilting stitches, bias binding, fabric buttons . . .

 I took half a dozen into Shop Handmade today, they're already featured on FB (thanks Tania).

 I have many more cut out, in screen printed fabrics & boy's themes too.  The quilting takes ages, but it's fun.  I also like the smaller hot water bottles (no idea where to get them but we have some which came with covers from Peter Alexander) so if i find the mini bottles, i'll make some covers!!

 Oh look at this one merchandised with Sheep's Clothing & Soft&Lush at Shop.

 All this heat inducing goodness - just in time - those are snow clouds above school this afternoon.  My darling husband is coming home this weekend, leaving sunny warm Brisbane for a Canberra forecast of -6C on Sunday night.  He's already researched that woollen underlays & doonas are 30% off at David Jones.  Mega investment pieces for the next 15 years of marriage.  He might be a soldier used to roughing it, but when he's home, it's all about comfort.

My oil cloth bunting is in Shop Handmade too, super cute cubby house mini style & a larger version for outdoors.  Happy Creative Space folks, i'm sewing up more hot water bottle covers.  Love Posie

PS i could start every new post with a 'thank you for the comments on the previous one', you're all so awesome out there in blogland, THANK YOU!!  Seems i'm not on the only one who didn't shine on Mother's Day, sigh.  The IKEA giveaway was huge & stay tuned (follow this blog) as next up it's a mega LEGO giveaway!!
EDIT: did anyone else lose all their comments for today's post?? 25+ comments just up & disappeared??

i'm grateful for 'knowing my breaking point'

Greetings all,

Oh boy, am i grateful for knowing my breaking point.  Let me use this bed break as a metaphor for my week . . . snap.  No, i didn't snap, i'm very patient & calm under pressure, but a child's bed snapped (the children all got new-expensive-to-last-to-adult-investment-beds & mattresses only 6 months ago, argh!!)  I've had a few niggles of annoyance building so i've taken action & struck another job off my list-of-committments . . . the P&C . . . farewell volunteer work, meetings & fundraisers.  I've always enjoyed the P&C, but it's time for a break. 

Previous breaking points/ wake up calls have included . . . hitting a huge kangaroo at midnight between a must-attend-family-event in Sydney & a must-attend-Tournament of the Minds contest in Canberra the next morning; parking tickets; being burgled; & most recently . . . the neighbour's wall jumped out to clip & blow my tyre, so a creepy tyre repairman could announce in front of my children "you really f***ed the rim, i'll have to bash the s*** out of it to fix it, that's $400".  When i lose focus, crap happens, expensive crap, often insured but still crappy!!  I loathe being distracted, unfocused, over committed & rushed.  This week we almost lost a fish as i forgot to clean the tank, not on my watch little fishy!!

This year i've reduced my work load by culling my on line website, closing my wholesale label Edna&AliceMay (i had products in 50 stores around the world, did you know, i didn't until i counted) & only scheduling 6 markets in 2011. Working at Shop Handmade makes me happy, especially with my husband away (read: adult contact) & doing big markets are a blast. I've been going to the gym & increasing my cooking skills - i want to spend more time doing these positive things, which benefit me & my family.

 I don't have time to hunt down facts & figures for reports or begging volunteers to stand behind a school BBQ.  I don't have the need to please & i do say "no", i find the work easy, but dealing with negativity for free??  If this bed didn't break, i think i would have banged my head against it - it's how i felt last weekend, a new term looming with unresolved P&C stress. 

 I need more time up my sleeve to put out 'fires'.  I actually don't like being busy - there is a difference to being a high energy person who gets a lot done each day . . . i like to do things properly & enjoy them, not rushed or half hearted.  I also believe there is a big difference between responsibility of committments (self imposed have to type things to keep a family running) & stress (beyond your control).

First 'fire' . . . this Charlie&theChocolateFactory grandparent style bed sharing situation . . . i'll undo the bed frame & march it into Harvey Norman to demand a new one.  That's this weekend, i wonder what 'fire' i'll have to 'put out' next weekend??  Please not the washing machine, car, fridge, vacuum or dishwasher, they are my lifelines.  But if there is something, i'm available.

I marched into Shop Handmade on Monday & declared my plans to reduce my committments, to find Rachel had made us curried egg & cucumber sandwiches for lunch, glee!!  Then Julie invited me to Mother's Day dinner so i didn't have to make my own, joy!!  True friends, they read your mind, they know when to deliver & help before you do. 

So this weekend i will finish my P&C reports; tax; buy groceries; cook & bake; housework; yoga & pump; write letters; answer emails; press uniforms & sew market stock.  This is an 8-day-weekend right??  I feel so much better when my life is up to date, under control & smooth, just saying outloud "i'm at breaking point" it's not failure, i think it's success: identify what needs to change.  I don't like losing my sparkle, i'm sure i'm not alone in my desire to take control of my time & energy.  More Gratefuls at Maxabella Loves.  Love Posie

EDIT: Woke up feeling energised & stress free.  This time next week handsome soldier will be here for a whole 9 day holiday (yahoo).  Don't miss this IKEA giveaway either, drawn tomorrow, ah, Mother's Day!!

i'm grateful for 'charms & travel'

Greetings all,

Thoroughly exhausted after a big term of school.  Finally on holidays, yahoo!! 
So many things to be grateful for this week, like fabulous schools, wonderful teachers, the vouchers i get in the mail from where i buy sneakers, school shoes & uniforms (read: i spend THAT much on these items, they send me $50 sympathy vouchers).  But, this week i'm going to be grateful for an unsung piece of jewellery from my childhood - my charm bracelette, filled with trinkets & memories of my travels.

Now i was one very lucky girl who went on a dozen round-the-world trips with her family before i even started university, i had travel crazy parents - my father in the Australian Navy travelling the high seas & his dream to take my mother back to England to see her family + their love of Asia (on the way to Europe) & always ALWAYS home via America, so we could double the baggage allowance, just in case my mother's holiday shopping couldn't spread over 6 people already??!!
People tell me they chose to have children later in life as they wanted to travel first.  I thoroughly appreciate my travelling childhood - but we also have the 'have children, will travel' attitude of my parents.  I often get strange looks when i say we take our children with us on holidays or board a plane with them - have to say, their best behaviour ever is on the plane, in hotels & the joy or being tourists on a new adventure.  They eat anything & will try new customs, we're pretty thrilled how flexible they are.  They have even worked out who is studying which language at high school so they can travel together - i absolutely love that!! 

 Let me share some of my journeys . . .
Carribean sailing ship, German cow bell, Welsh dragon, some French tower, San Diego zoo dolphin, Cornish pixie, Belgian deer . . .   

 . . . Hawaiian pineapple, Australian slouch hat, Singaporean rikshaw operator (sans rikshaw), St Christopher blue medal - patron saint of travel, Hong Kong lion, silver half frank coin . . . 

 Dutch clog, Hawaiian cultural centre, Chinese san pan, Austrian eidelweiss, New Zealand kiwi, tennis racquet from Wimbeldon, Mickey Mouse from LA Disneyland, mototaxi from Macau, Mexican hat & a royal carriage from London.

 I have more charms to add from additional countries in Europe from two massive European trips since university with my husband (honeymoon & 2nd honeymoon).
I was so thrilled when my non-stop-travelling parents insisted on starting my 3 girls with charm bracelettes of their very own.  They have been lucky to gain charms on their own travels to Hong Kong, China, Macau, Singapore & Disneyland.   

Basically i'm a sucker for charms (like this pretty pendant from Schmooks at Shop Handmade) & i am constantly told how charming my husband is too!!
Happy gratefuls with Maxabella Loves this Saturday, i am promising myself to wear this gorgeous charm bracelette more often & finally add all my charms on (from Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, Italy.)  Love Posie
PS for those of you who visit Shop Handmade in the school holidays - i play full time mummy to my 4 children & only work there during school terms - so sorry if i miss you!!
EDIT: thanks for no comments so far saying i was spoilt - we knew we were very lucky to travel so far & wide & often.  My husband didn't travel until he was 21 & considered me incredibly spoilt & unworthy of EVER having the window seat again.  He often gets upgraded to business class on our family trips & i happily sit in economy with all the children, so who is spoilt now??  I said he was charming!!

i'm grateful for 'new adventures'

Greetings all,
Thanks for the massive love & support on my new adventure.  The Handmade Hen's Night was in a gorgeous, classy, pretty, fun, crafty, exciting & . . . a huge success.  Let me take you on a tour . . .  

early afternoon i set up a display table at Shop Handmade as a teaser to our customers . . .

 then i set up the real thing & boy did it have everyone interested!!

 I raided the children's bedrooms of trinkets & accessories . . .

 DesignABunch florist next door gave us flowers for my milk bottles . . .

 i laid the centre of the table with vintage shabby trinkets.

 We borrowed a dozen chairs from Sour Cherry cafe on City Walk . . . 

 the Bs & Js were a huge hit, they loved & appreciated the details.

 Then the coolest thing happened, we learned it was a surprise Hen's Party . . .

 there are 12 ladies hiding in the Shop, can you believe it??

 The groom staged a plethora of bizarre scenarios to time their arrival just right . . .

 the friends put on a delicious buffet of food.

 After giggles, nibbles, champagne & reunions, we started the sewing lesson . . .

 they loved it, didn't want to leave, they learned new skills & did some shopping too!!

I had a ball, it was all about the right time (my children are older), right place (Shop Handmade), right audience (Handmade lovers), right stage (experience, confidence), right theme (vintage styling), right partner (thanks to Shop Girl Rachel who stayed on until 9.30p.m. after a long day & provided the screen printed fabrics we played with).  Some people are hungry in business, always moving onto the next thing quickly.  I do what i do because i have  'obstacles' - husband always away & moving, no family support, lots of busy children - so i'm very patient & let things grow slowly so when the opportunity arises, i'm SO ready.  I think it prevents me from ever getting overwhelmed, letting quality slide & my solid plans mean i can literally pull this kind of event out of thin air (we were asked if we could do it on Monday afternoon).  I'm very proud of what we've achieved.
So i'm very grateful for my new adventure, for the opportunity to decorate, teach & share my love for Handmade - its truly a way of life for me.  I hope this is the first event of many.  For more Grateful posts, check out Maxabella Loves.  Love Posie

things i'm loving 'love'

Greetings all,

Just loving the 'love' supplies which are so easy to find these days at local shopping centre.  While i'm using many of my own props from around the house for the Handmade Hen's Night as decorations tonight, i couldn't resist this giant cork board love heart. 

 Apparently the bride is into all things Handmade (thus Shop Handmade being her favourite Shop in the whole wide world) & loves Frankie magazine too, so i'm checking the latest issue for some vintage inspiration.

 I'm filling IKEA jars with pot pourri, confetti, buttons, lavender & love to pretty up the senses.  

 I've created a sewing guide & am making up little thread cards for our bakers dozen of crafty ladies, i am so loving the different textures of silky & cotton threads.

 For more 'Things I'm Loving' this Friday, check out PaisleyJade's sweet blog.

Alright already, just throw the Handmade Hen's Night & bring us the images & details, i hear you!!  Very excited to be back up & running with full speed internet - very much realising how much usage 4 school children put on my internet monthly allowance with their assignments, it's ruining my blogging access. 
Thanks again for all your excited comments & dreams of pressing your noses up against the Shop windows to check out the VIP party tonight, you're so awesome, it fills me with confidence & love.  I've sent the bride-to-be's hen's night host some sneak peeks of images, she is thrilled, yippee.  Wishing you all gorgeous weekends, love Posie

my creative space 'Handmade Hen's Night'

 Greetings all,
Thanks for your support, love & interest in my last post, yippee, i'm very thrilled to reveal that i'm hosting/ teaching/ creating a Handmade Hen's Night.  For a very cool, craft loving bride-to-be who dreams of all things vintage, pretty & handmade . . . we're holding it at Shop Handmade - the hen's favourite shop in the whole wide world, of course!!  So how could we (Shop girl Rachel & i) resist holding a VIP function in the middle of the Shop where girls can squeal, shop, sew, snack & send their gorgeous friend off into wedding bliss.  Shop will be closed from 6p.m. (regular trade) to the general public for this private function on Friday night.  You can peer in the windows though & be jealous.   

 Will i ever get tired of using these French blocks??

 Trial run of decorations & setting up on my studio floor.  I'll get fresh biscuits, but seeing it's a Zumba party for my children & their friends tonight (8 children for dinner), they'll get eaten!!

 Little flags, rose lights & pot pourri, smells & looks delicious.

 I'm going to put a B tag on the pink suitcase & a J tag on the blue one.

 The crochet chocolates will be pin cushions, of course!!

 So imagine 180cm of trestle table goodness laid out for a dozen crafty ladies.

 Trying to make Bs & Js but my CriCut blade is blunt & i can't find the official cutting mat either??  I might just use the Sizzix or hand cut, small hiccup & laziness not keeping equipment maintained.

So wish us well, i figure if we make any tiny mistakes, the champagne might cover them up, non??  It's Shop Handmade's birthday in less than 10 days, 1 year old, ahhhh. 
Thanks for all the well wishes for my middle daughter's chin - it's Chin Watch day 5 & healing nicely, well, from a bruise point of view, it's pretty horrible in it's 5 shades of purple, red & brown.  Thanks for pointing out how clean her nose is, this particular child is always immaculate.

For more creative space invading, check out the queen, Kootoyoo, love Posie