maybe i'm a little twi-hard . . .

Greetings all,

Ok, so i've had a headache for a couple of days & no amount of water, rest or head massaging (read: drilling my knuckles into my temples) is helping . . . so i took to a dark cool cinema this morning to see the first release of the new Twilight movie.  You can call me keen, i don't mind.  I discovered a must-be-used free ticket & after a few goes with lighting, playing the movie & getting the sound on (in a coordinated fashion) the movie was finally running.  I had made brownies before school & packed myself a lunch box with cashews, a turkey sandwich & bottle of water too.  Throw in validated parking & my Twilight experience . . . was free!!     

Look, i haven't read the Twilight books or taken a side for Team Edward/ Jacob, i don't even think Kristen Stewart is a half decent actress . . . i just find the movies entertaining.  I'm not after an intellectual brain drain.  I especially love the stylish decor, gorgeous actors (Vampires not Voltaire) & fashionable clothes as the back drop to the movies.  The scenes filmed in Canada were breathtaking & the wolves were more . . . believable . . . if you know what i mean - they weren't doing that awkward wolf talking like the other movies.  Jacob even acted 'happy' which suits him better than broody.  

I was expecting a bunch of school girls giggling in the cinema, nope, it was me, 4 housewives & a husband.  We chatted on the way out (complete strangers - bonded by the fact we're all at a Twilight movie at 9.30a.m.) & we liked how ALL the characters from each movie, were listed at the end.  

So the verdict . . . i really enjoyed Breaking Dawn Part 2.  I'd take my daughters & see it again.  It was much better than Part 1 & i would happily watch any spin off movies from the characters.  This finale in the saga had heads rolling (literally) & the girls were totally kick arse (Alice, Rosalie, Bella.)  I'm still trying to stomach the baby being named Renesme, i wonder how they kept a straight face calling her that??  Truly!!  She's a beautiful young actress though. 

I treated myself to a little Christmas decorating shopping (after my movie savings) . . . i love rustic, wooden, red & white themed ornaments i would use all year round.  I think the stars are a bit witchy wicker.  

I took the children swimming on Monday & realised six of our beach towels are at my husband's bachelor pad in Brisbane, so best i top up the collection here in Canberra.  As i said on Instagram tonight, "i've never met a tassel fringed towel i didn't like" & at 25% off Country Road VIP sale, i couldn't resist these four. 

A lovely day, good movie, great shopping & delicious lunch.  Off to bed to see if i can have another 9 hour nap like last night, it was bliss, even if i wasn't well.  Love Posie

my creative space . . .'Sew It Together' craft weekend

Greetings all,

Yay, Sew It Together is on this weekend - i have to say, there is no blogging community like the crafty one & we have some of the best get togethers EVER!!  I've just finished the fabric packs for the goodie bags for Sheridan - our leader - who cruises in to Canberra tomorrow, then i'm off for an airport run to collect half a dozen of the first interstate arrivals.  I can imagine that many crafters in my car will be louder than my children!!  

There's a lot of talk about how the husbands will cope for the weekend while we craft care free, well i know my husband will be fine (he's such a natural parent) & this year it's local . . . tonight he made chocolate caramel slice.  Our daughter made a batch in high school cooking class today, however, was reluctant to share, so i boldly announced i had the ingredients, we'd have a cook off (when i say 'we' i meant 'my husband'.)

 While i'm still not sewing since hand surgery - partly unmotivated, mainly busy with other things around the house - i decided to change all the linen on our high schooler's bed, including a new wool doona too.  Her room (half of my studio) is really cold at night, she's loving her new bedlinen, including owl flannel sheets & when i find a European pillow insert - a lovely Euro pillow too.  It was a surprise while she was at volleyball the other night, she loves me.  You really can buy a teenagers love!!  It's all from Bed Bath & Table, around 30-40% off.

 I love these colourful wall paper suitcases from Lark, i did buy them for my studio, however,  they look so pretty here & i love that this child is still into colour.  The whole room is very Dutch inspired, i was always a big fan of Room Seven (daughter of the Oilily family.)

 In our spare time, we've been cleaning out the garage (no royal 'we' here, i'm doing the heavy lifting.)  I normally do this myself but i need my husband's tough love approach to tossing things out, especially as i no longer do markets, i don't need the props!!  Seriously, we have boxes which have remained unopened for 4 interstate moves, so we cracked them open & shredded the tax returns from the last millennium.  So happy to find all the school photos from NSW & NT.  We also tossed the last of our garden chairs, purchased in 1998!!  Already 2 trailer loads have gone to the tip, i'm on an organisational high. 

 Our ducklings are one week old, could they be cuter??  The children gave them a bath - adorable - they loved it (FYI ducks are so messy, they fill their bills up with drinking water & spray it all over their cage, they love to be wet, so you have to put their food up high & dry) & we loved watching their dry-dance.  As always, the runt/ little one/ last born/ had to be helped from shell is thriving, i think we have a gift with special needs farm animals.  Bless our hens too, still laying eggs in the -5C nights, some during the day too, nice surprise when i clean out the coop after the school run.

 Our 4 children sat in a circle watching these sweethearts dry themselves.  They don't have much oil or any feathers yet so we let them do their own thing.  Then added their friendly chick gang to the mix on the lounge room floor (that is 4 Hamburgs & 2 Pekin bantams) who are growing very fast & feathery.  The children sit them on their desks while they do homework - these chicks & ducks are amazing spellers & mathematicians!!

Let's just say - making up creative excuses on what i have to keep in the garage, baking new recipes, a craft weekend & raising these ducklings indoors, while they soak everything, is keeping my creative brain active.  To all of the cool ladies attending Sew It Together this weekend . . . welcome to Canberra!!  For more creativity, check out Village Voices My Creative Space.  Love Posie

our creative space . . . 'Spring cleaning & sticky hook magic'

Greetings all,

In my huge effort to Spring clean the house, declutter & get-things-up-off-the-floor . . . i've been busy with those sticky hooks.  We live in a rented Army house, we have to leave the walls unmarked (ha, our children would have to wear straight-jackets not to mark the walls) but those 3M hooks allow us to hang things, then remove them without a trace.  I wish this was a sponsored post, they're expensive but so good!! 

 Our study nook consists of 2 cheap IKEA desks; Flash Trash old trunks as seats; cheap finds from TYPO;  bird cage from The Reject Shop; Provincial lanterns; & cork board decorated with sports ribbons.  Everything but a power point, which would be handy, so we have a fantastic tripping hazard of an extension lead across the hallway.  Perfect - child trips & drags laptop off desk, both crash onto tiles together!!

 For authenticity - school holiday child in jammies at midday with unbrushed hair.  Child: stylist's own.

I found this TOWELS hook contraption at Bed, Bath & Table, $25.  Stick up a couple of hooks, hang rack & da dah, 4 towels for 4 children & they have each discovered the ability to hang their towels, all week.  Their arms aren't painted on after all.  It's meant to sit on screws/ bolt to the wall, but the hooks are holding nicely.  One day i'll hammer & bolt as many things i want to MY walls.
For more crafty creative spaces (not just peeling & glueing hooks to walls) visit Our Creative Space today, i'm just offering a public service of how to get things up off the ground to free up more time to be creative!!  Love Posie  

things i'm loving 'chunky rings' & i'm grateful for 'happy trinkets'

Greetings all,
I'm combining this week's Friday "things i'm loving" with Paisley Jade & Saturday "i'm grateful for" with Maxabella Loves . . . pleading exhaustion for my bloggie laziness.  Things are pretty wild here, i'm really feeling the strain this week of being a solo mummy of 4 children in 2 schools, with different committments & social circles.  I have filled in countless forms, cleaned countless rooms, Zumba'd countless jiggles this week.  If you can imagine living apart from your husband for 3 years, having to do the bins, the car, the lawns, the garage, the tax & never being able to drop the ball with the discipline on the children, it's full on.  I'm 14 months into it & finding my groove again with the school year dominating my routine.  It's week 3, i'm grooving.
Today was particularly insane - i drove 200km - morning & afternoon school runs; collect an overcoat for the highschooler's Winter uniform in one direction; a Year 4 Writing Matters book way south; 2+ hours at the gym; fresh food market; fuel; hardware store; take homework to school which was left behind; bakery; post office . . . argh!!  

So, to more Zen part of my life, Things I'm Loving . . . chunky rings.  I think they're fun, a great splash of colour & style . . . red glass from Venice; silver Origami box ring Kidson Jewellery; blue fleck glass Murano; blue resin & nude resin Little Slave; silver chunky one from a school market stall & stone ring from Nightcliff Markets NT.  My husband loathes them, he likes to holds my hand & i have to change rings as he finds them so uncomfortable.  Ha!!  Must admit, sometimes i struggle when wearing these rings if i have to get something out of my handbag or pocket.   

 Now for my I'm Grateful offering . . . happy trinkets - inexpensive, not particularly practical, but make my heart sing.  This 6 pack of milk bottles just stole my heart today at Bed Bath & Table.  What is not to love, the style, whimsy, memories of a milk man . . . for under $15!! 

 Neatly tied together, i couldn't resist, slighly clunking together . . . i love it when a sound takes you back to your childhood - racing out to grab the milk bottles before the birds peck through those red foil lids!!

 What to do with them??  Vases.  Pencils.  Buttons.  Confetti.  Petals.

Right now, they are sitting on the shelf.  I'll never tire of that lamp - my children check their hair in it every morning!!  So that's it from me, grateful i had $15 in my purse to blow on a childhood memory & a lovely tale to tell my children of how we got milk when i was a preschooler.  They are not 600ml/ pint sized bottles, but they're very . . . practical??!! 

Have gorgeous weekends everyone, i'm tackling my studio, i have to half the space i use to create an extra bedroom as the children want a room each (twins share).  I can do it, it won't be pretty, it is hard work but it will make the children so happy.  I've been greedy with the space i hog in this house for my craft long enough.  I'm downsizing business as the children get older!!  Love Posie

it's my birthday . . .

Greetings all,
Yippee, it's birthday time, not my blog, but ME!!  Having a blast, especially with my husband sending flowers on Valentine's Day & flying home for my birthday.  It's been a great week, month, year already!!  So what did i get (read: buy myself) . . .
a new day handbag (my night handbags don't see much action, they sleep safely in their Oroton dust bags).  I wanted something fun to replace my small Fossil green leather satchel, due for retirement.  I went to the regular Fossil store, didn't really see anything that suited me, so went to the outlet & picked up this beauty plus 2 new purses, all on sale.  I love it, it's small with excellent internal pockets & it's sweet how my children plait the tassels while i drive (or they suffer through another school meeting or information night). 

 I've always wanted a simple angular hat stand in the hall, can't believe my husband let me get this, as his dream is a full on mud room in our homestead plans . . . but this is fabulous & does the trick.

 I'm very easy to please, my love for Sheridan coloured bath towels lives on - can you believe one still exists from the original half dozen we bought when we got married!!  So when David Jones had 30% off Sheridan this week, we picked up these for the children's bathroom, so soft & fast drying!!  We chose gorgeous grey ones for our ensuite, slowly replacing the towels in the house.  I like rainbows for the children, matchy matchy for us.

 When handsome soldier was visiting we did a big lap of the Canberra Centre & i picked up this cute lantern, i am a bit of a lantern addict.

 My parents sent me Country Road vouchers for my birthday which i cleverly timed with my "spend $300 get $100 off" coupon, picked up a new anorak, maxi skirt & knit top.  Then headed to Trenery with my complimentary "Happy Birthday $30 voucher" & got this cute scarf for the $10 balance.  My husband bought me the camel coloured cape, how cute is a wool cape in Winter??

Darling Sindy (not her real name) sent me a Country Style subscription, love it, will put my feet up tonight & start reading, after i sign about 25 notes which i've dug up out of school bags!!  Thanks Sindy, it will be inspirational for our farm planning style.

 How happy does this blue tin jug make you feel??

 I've always loved flowers, fresh from the garden.  As a child i'd follow my English grandfather around, pruning & nurturing our garden on his visits to Australia.  He was a professional gardener at a huge estate house in Yorkshire, a very proud man indeed, but so willing to answer all my questions cheerfully & flick worms at me.  He would constantly look at the sky & say "look how blue it is, all that blue".   

 Finally, this is me, aged 36 & feeling pretty grown up.  I've never worried much about my age as the baby of my family, i've always felt youngish.  Well . . . until i walked into Esprit yesterday morning, looking for Tshirts for my daughter's year 7 camp.  The sales assistant burst out from behind me with a loud & ambitious "hello, can i help you" & i said "i'm just looking at extra small Tshirts for my eldest daughter".  She said "your daughter, i'm guessing, she's 20??"  OH YOU GUESSED WRONG SALES ASSISTANT!!  Of course my husband was in his own private hell, in a clothing store, sitting on the 'boyfriend chair' outside the change rooms & didn't hear it.  I thought, oh, i was feeling pretty hip today in my maxi skirt & cute cardigan, no, i look old enough to have adult children.  I did find a XS T, it was reduced from $40 to $12.45 so i took it & ran.  I told handsome soldier on the way out of the store & he laughed so hard i thought his head was going to explode.  

So i thought i'd come home & show the world that i really don't care, this is me, no make up, aged 36 & so long as my husband still thinks i'm beautiful, that's all i need!!  Judging from the fact my high schooler lets me get out of the car, hug & kiss her each morning & afternoon, i'm feeling pretty hip too.  Love Posie  

things i'm loving . . . 'flamingo fairy lights'

Greetings all,

Playing along with Paisley Jade's 'things i'm loving' today & on this hot, sticky, humid, now stormy afternoon with additional children in my unairconditioned home on the last day of school holidays . . . i'll keep it short & sweet.

I'm loving these totally cool flamingo fairy lights, yep, a whole long ling of hot pink fun!!

 Kind of looking forward to nightfall to see how they light up my little part of the house, hopefully a whole lot better than this terribly lit photography!!

Under $20 from Typo, bought them this morning while trailing a million extremely well behaved & patient children around the Canberra Centre, through Lincraft, Bed Bath & Table, Kikki-K, Typo & the car park where i was 50c short on parking, i had to go back to the car twice for extra change.
Meanwhile at Shop Handmade today, Jamie Durie's new designer reality show Top Design is taking applications (more details & application forms here), how exciting for a wannabe famous designer in the making . . . happy Fridays everyone, love Posie
PS trip over to Paisley Jade for more things i'm loving, she has a cute icon & everything, i just can't upload it, i'll try again next week!!
EDIT: the Jamie Durie Top Design applications went off a treat - watch out Australia, there is serious talent coming out of Canberra!!

post market merchandising

Greetings all,
So how can you make your tax deductible small business dollar last forever . . . invest in gorgeous merchandising ideas you'd want to keep on display in your home!!

I do the entrance displays & decorations for the Mathilda's Market in Canberra & this was my double effort today, as we have 2 entrances into the ballroom where it's held.  They are only metres apart so i thought a matchy matchy style subtle Christmas look would work well.

For my regular readers & Christmas-theme-lovers . . . you'll be pleased to see how my bird ornament collection is really coming together & it appears that i love red too!!  You don't have to spend much, sure the trees are new from Bed, Bath & Table, but i waited patiently for their 15% off sale.  The picnic basket was $5, some feathery bird ornaments from a $2 shop & lanterns are $14 from the Reject Shop.  Don't go & buy up all the lanterns in Canberra please, i dropped one in the garage when i got home & smashed the glass.  I need them for next Saturday's Handmade Market as it goes into twilight hours!!

I was next to Red Berry Designs, how gorgeous are these mobiles??  After dinner last night my eldest daughter made origami cranes out of the Haig restaurant napkins, impressing the wait staff & my parents!!  She read the '1000 Paper Cranes' book this year, incredibly sad, i remember doing it in senior primary too & crying in class.
Well i'm exhausted after a very long draining weekend & market.  My husband loved the praise & comments in the last post, now he's making a butterflied leg of lamb for dinner.  No, there is nothing he can't do.Now have you checked out the latest giveaway to win a copy of Handmade Living, a sewing craft kit & fabric . . . follow this blog & leave a comment now!!  Go two posts back.
Have lovely weeks everyone, love Posie

i finally have a Christmas theme

Greetings all,
Well after being berated by many a Christmas decoration sales person & Christmas decorating enthusiasts (Tania!!) for NOT having a theme thought out for Christmas . . . it appears i finally have one.  Birds.  I've been scouring Myer, David Jones, Bed Bath Table, Typo & The Bredbo Christmas Barn for decorations, before i realised . . . i did have a theme after all.  I'm liking silver, white, red.

 With a good hint of aqua blue.

 I still love the hearts which are everywhere right now, giant jingle bells & a few angels for good measure.

There are more Babushkas to be added too. 

Christmas theme or not, these are the things i have found i'm naturally drawn to for our tree.  Tonight i'm working on more handmade items to add to the collection from Shop Handmade, yes, more birds, hearts, angels & fun things, like GingerBreadMen & jolly Santas!!  I bought 3m of felt today.  Then add the lot to the decorations we have stored in the linen cupboard, we'll have a beautiful tree.
  Off to chomp out some die cut paper garlands too.  I'm loving twine, washi tape, folk printed stickers . . . love this time of year, the preparation is as much fun as the giving, joy, Summer & smiles on Christmas Day.  Getting the children involved makes it even more beautiful.  Love Posie

market stall merchandising . . . i'm going with my Euro theme

Greetings all,
Busy sewing up a storm this week for Handmade Canberra's UpMarket on Sunday, very excited as it's the first for the year.  It's normally on a Saturday & the next 3 are all Saturdays, but i can't tell you how handy it is to have a day up my sleeve to pack & prepare.  Then it will be time to crash on Sunday night, revive myself for Easter Egg decorating at school on Monday. 
So check out this handy wooden medicine cabinette i bought at our local Revolve centre at the tip, $25 & it's a fantastic size.  I instantly thought of laying it on a table, open & using it as a craft  First Aid supply centre at markets.  So i've filled it with . . .

Art Viva 1960's newspaper tubes (60mm & 40mm), Dumpling Dynasty sewing kits, Cavallini stamp kits, Jurianne Matter paper craft, children's learn to sew card kits, Lark knitted pin cushions, Craft Books, Tres Divin ribbons & MT washi masking tapes in all their pretty colours from Japan. So now i have all the non-handmade-by-me things in one spot!! I'm allowed to sell these things as they promote your own sewing & handmade, the rest of my stall is fabric & handmade products - um, all 4 trestle tables worth!!

Onto themes . . . i've continued with my Euro direction & purchased a subtle Eiffel Tower & matching planters to display products & look eye catching on my stall.  They will be filled with products in French fabrics.  Also used a damaged hula hoop, wrapped in pale pink polka dot fabric & with 7 x $2 sticks of faux flowers from a $2 shop, i tied them to the hoop with organza ribbons to make a pretty hanging feature for the centre of my marquee.  Can't wait to put it up!!

I'm using up some gorgeous European prints from AGES ago, time to share them.

Of course it's the weekend before Easter so i have some Lark knitted eggs to sell & the cute wooden bunny is from Bed, Bath & Table (they're having 30% off Easter things in store).  The lovely open handled basket was a whopping $2 from Revolve!!  Also, see that huge tool box, it was $5 from Revolve & is still empty, trying to work out the perfect product to display in there.  Finally, more $5 letters from Typo, to spell out POSIE on my table.  I'm aware i bought a T for the I, i thought an upside T would be more stable as the table gets bumped.  Um, realised the P is not self standing, so P is propped up by a cute wooden mushroom, ahhhh, thank goodness for blue tack!!

 
Yippee, new Kristen Doran prints, love her!!

This is how Canberra looked on the way to school . . . brrrr . . .

 

only to look like this an hour later??!!  Canberra pretty much has beautiful blue skies all year round, even when it snows, looks gorgeous until you go outside & loose feeling in your toes. 

So i went shopping on the way back to school - um, shoes $130 original price, but i got ALL of this haul, killer peep toe heels & cute grey sneakers for me; hat, body wash, black sequin beret & silver headband for my girls, the lot was $80!!  Nothing like a further 30% off all sale items at Sportsgirl.  The black shoes are really comfortable too, i can reach the top shelf in the pantry now!!
Have happy weeks everyone, see you at My Creative Space on Thursday, until then, sew sew sew.  Love Posie