when i was a little girl, i was a tom boy

Greetings all,

I was a total tom boy growing up, my best friend was the boy one house over & we played for hours in my back garden.  I had huge rocks, climbing trees, a swimming pool & then my dreams came true, my father built me a tree house.  My father was the son of a carpenter & everything he built "would hold the Sydney Harbour Bridge" as he hammered in a zillion nails to all manner of structures.  When my big brothers were little, they had horses, in our back garden, in St Ives!!  Seriously, 4 horses on Sydney's North Shore!!  As a child i played in the barn, clearly zero fear of spiders & let my imagination run wild.  

 Now my tree house looked nothing like these fancy images - the base was the neighbour's old ping pong table - but it had a balcony, ladder, windows & a shingled roof.

 It has a steep stair ladder & was among the Jacaranda trees, you had all manner of exits.  We could reach out & eat Mulberries.  Life was ace.  

 We were even allowed to sleepover in it with friends!!  Bless the 1980's.  My mother would bring midnight snacks & hot chocolates out on a tray like room service!!

 My tree house still lives on, solid as a rock, my children play it when we visit Sydney.  I'm going to be more heart broken than i realise when my parents sell our family home next year.

 One of the best things about planning our own home, is dreaming up things like a tree house for the children or a fancy viewing platform to show off the best views to guests.   

In the latest Smith Journal (Frankie Magazine's brother) they had a great feature on tree houses, ditto google images for tree house eye candy.  When we finally buy land & plan a house, i'm going to do some carpentry courses so i can fiddle around with off cuts & build something amazing.  Don't you love the branchy hand rails??    

I might be lady like now . . . take away the sequins & fluff - give me gum boots & a hand saw - i'm right back to my roots.  I've spent the day gardening (weeding really) & tossing all the off cuts to the chickens & ducks.  I even gave them the leftover roses from our Friday the 13th party, which were gobbled down with gusto.  Can't wait to go out into the chicken run tomorrow & slip over in extremely-organic-poo.  I might sew with precision but i'm very clumsy & a slipper-overer, normally with a public audience.  Have gorgeous weekends everyone.  Love Posie

my creative space . . . 'craft retreat'

Greetings all,

I strongly believe the nicest community in blogland is we crafty folks.  Sure there are those protective of their images, patterns, products, & others who complain about people stealing their ideas . . . yet for most of us, we blog to share.  Even better, lots of us attend all manner of blog based events focused on craft, like Sew It Together.  It's positively the most pleasant way to meet fellow crafty bloggers, sitting at classes & around tables with our needles & fabrics, crochet & knitting, chattering away.  Shock horror, the average age is below 40!!

When SIT was in Canberra a weekend ago, i sat next to Julie from Relish, a fellow Canberra girl whom i'd met briefly at handmade markets - too busy to chat - so this was my chance to talk her ear off.  I couldn't help but covet this pretty hexagon pencil case which she received in a swap (craft swaps are amazing, they even involve a dance!!) 

 At the bigger craft retreats/ events, there are sponsored goodie bags & lucky door prizes.  Last year at SIT i was one of the last pulled out of the hat, yet thrilled to pick up a prize from pin-up-girl Gillian of Silly Gilly - vintage sewing goodies - this year i hit the jackpot & scored a 'Wendy' Polly Pratt dress ($176) which basically voided the cost of the craft weekend, as i was going to purchase a dress anyway.  

If you love a beautifully made dress in stunning fabrics, check out Anna's Polly Pratt blog & sale, with dresses at $100, starts Friday night: ends Sunday 8p.m.!!  Thank you Anna, love you & the generous pretty fabric donation to Aussie Hero Quilts for our girlie soldiers serving overseas.    

The Saturday night of SIT included more pop up shopping stalls (including a $2FQ clearance sale from me, that was like Boxing Day sales, thank you ladies!!) & i picked up fabrics from other stalls, sharing the love, along with more of Claire's Craft Schmaft patterns.  FYI Claire is looking for pattern testers right now!!

 The Sunday of the SIT weekend was a paint & stencil class.  I was so impressed with what Sheridan of Sew It Together had learned from Lotta Jansdotter herself, i quickly ordered the same Lotta hard plastic stencils on line & they have already arrived!! 

 I had a little stitching planned for today, however, i just did a big slip over at the shops this morning (while holding my husband's hand, i slid down his side, he let me go) in new ankle boots from the Trenery sale, damn new leather soles & jarred my tennis elbow.  He just stood there looking at me on the floor, trying to work out what happened . . . especially confused as i was laughing.  So it's an icepack, Mollie & Frankie for me instead.  

 So do consider joining in a blog event that suits your interests, you're guaranteed to meet lovely like minded folks & enjoy.  For more creative spaces, check out Village Voices My Creative Space today, love Posie

AEIOU link party May 2012

Greetings all,

Welcome to this month's AEIOU: a mid-month-link-party of self-belief, improvement, acceptance, love & learning!!  It's a get together to celebrate life's highlights.  Your AEIOU might go a little something like this . . . 

Awesome – something you baked/ created/ photographed/ a bargain you found

Exciting – share your news/ event/ holiday/ a gorgeous butterflies-in-tummy moment

Interesting – teach us information/ discovery/ facts/ a chance to show off your quirky side

Opportunity – embrace the unknown/ put yourself out there/ show off a new experience

Understanding – learning to appreciate/ forgive/ love/ unleash what helps you grow
. . . you might like to do a full AEIOU or just one or two particular themes . . .

To kick things off, here is my AEIOU list for May.  

Awesome - how stunning is simple Winter produce??  Such beautiful shapes, colours & super fresh taste, from Farmer's Market.  My children seek out the fruit with leaves attached -  more authentic.

 Exciting - thrilled to add a new recipe to my repertoire . . . the Ragu!!  It's a simple &  delicious belly warming Winter dinner.

 Interesting - as i flick through the pages of magazines like Peppermint, Mollie Makes & Frankie, i feel like i'm reading about my handcrafted industry from the outside.  It's very competitive & i'm comfortable that i've stepped down, after a successful decade consumed by sewing at home.  Lately i've bumped into many designers who are shocked i'm closing down my business, they say the most lovely things about my craftsmanship, passion, attitude & presence at markets.  Nice to know you're missed!!  But also very happy under my pom pom blanket on the freezing weekends, reading magazines rather than manning a stall.

 Opportunity - a school mum had to sell her farm & move closer to the city, which meant leaving, relocating & giving away many of her animals.  These friendly Silver Spangled Hamburgs found their way to our place.  They're very happy in the coop outside, but the cold snap has halted egg laying.  Baby chicks are still living indoors, under lights.    

 Understanding - i like technology served up to me on a platter, need to know only, just tell me how to send emails & blog, thank you.  I'm pretty pleased with how i'm getting around my first ever Mac computer & loving it's new location in the living area, with all the children's laptops (such is education these days) - research homework is very efficient.  The children love the mysterious black apple (where the in fared wireless gadgets connect) spooky.

Now it's your turn . . . do join in . . . links go live on the 15th of each month, this is a party to celebrate you!!  Love Posie  

magazine weather

Greetings all,

Where did Summer go??  This is midday, frowny face. 

 "Grey skies are gonna clear up . . . put on a happy face!!"

 Or detour to the newsagency for some magazine candy, add a little pink bowl of sweet chilli chippies (yummy treat) & it's a lazy school holiday afternoon.

 Yes, i bought Dolly, yay, with free jammies.  I buy the odd teen magazine for my teenager - you heard it here first, earth shattering revelation!!  I remember my mum wasn't cool enough to buy glossy teen magazines when i was 13 & my big sister wouldn't share . . . so i relied on my best girlfriend's supply.  We'd giggle, gasp & hypothesise 'what would we do??'  I'd rather my daughters read these magazines at home so they can ask me questions, rather than their equally ill informed peers.  Sure you can google facts - but where is the emotion or specific-to-you information?? 

 The most offensive thing i found was an image of Suri Cruise in heels??!! Oh that girl has attitude, look at her, spoilt much?? This is why i don't comment on celebrities often, i end up sounding righteous about them living in unrealistic bubbles . . . however, i'll take this opportunity to ask if anyone else thought Angelina Jolie looked like she had period cramps at the Golden Globes, she looked uncomfortable.  Anyway, i rated my flick through Dolly as pretty decent, good fashion & accessories (not trashy & very affordable) with articles on overcoming girl bullies, boy crushes & other mainstream topics. 

 Oh & look at gorgeous Dianna Agron from Glee & her super pretty hair do.  I'll be taking that picture to the salon in 6 weeks, i'm growing out my boy band hair to be cut level/ even/ bob length again.  Of course i'm blessed with her beauty too, life has been good to me, ha!!

 As for the rainbow . . . i've not been sleeping well, but i cannot recall a day my children have woken me up (i'm not a sloth, they just never wake before 7a.m. even as new born babies, ever, times 4 children, lucky me) . . . so one of my girls treated herself to this for breakfast - the smell from the oven was delicious + a drizzle of chocolate melted properly, she knows how to live & lick a bowl of melted chocolate clean too!!

How is the weather in your hood??  I know it looks like Northern Hemisphere Winter in these shots, but it's actually 30C & i'm reading magazines in a tank top, not snuggled under a cosy blanket.  I'm still taking the children to the local military pool in the rain, we have it all to ourselves - other mums must think swimming in the rain - children might get wet??!!  I have laps to do & children to wear out!!  Love Posie

i'm a bit late to Mollie's party . . .

Greetings all,

Last Friday my lovely newsagent rang at 8a.m. with the exciting news she had finally secured ONE copy of Mollie Makes magazine.  Her darling husband spent hours on the phone trying to source one.  I ran in after the school drop off & collect my bounty & high-5 my newsagent Rosemary, who admitted she had a peek. 

Not only am i a tad late to the world wide Mollie Makes party, starting with issue 4, but . . . to my crafty unholiness & complete disrespect to my handmade sisterhood . . . i didn't open it until last night.  I know, i'm shocked myself, but i wanted to savour it. 

 The inside pages are delicious, not too much advertising, plenty of handmade eye candy & beautiful rooms, real designers studios & interesting 'how to' projects.

 I would love a kitchen/ breakfast table & formal dining table in my homestead (greedy, gimme) if so, this is exactly where i fancy myself eating porridge . . . blue & white, mix match & simple.

 How about some Summer lazy afternoons under a make shift tent, lit by lanterns - as you'll still be there after dark.  Dreamy!!  Love a grown up cubby house.

 Don't you LOVE Anna Maria Horner??  She is the queen of colour, pattern & modern bohemian style.  I worship Amy Butler but Anna doesn't play it as safe, she's more daring, i like it!!  This is her studio, filled with everything a designer & mother of 6 could dream of.

 I couldn't devour the Mollie magazine in one evening & wanted to view it in a different light, so i took my stack of unread magazines on an excursion to Commonwealth Park this afternoon (between dropping off my son's forgotten lunch & school pick up, i had 2 hours to kill in the sunshine as i was not going home again).

 When i looked up, this was my view.  Lake Burley Griffen, Old Parliament House, Parliament House, yes that is a bloody huge flag pole!!

 Some of the locals came to say hello too.  They were so close, i wish i had some bread, i'm sure they don't survive on 'nature' as this is a manmade lake & they were SO tame.

My eldest daughter thinks the clouds look fake.  It was gorgeous, relaxing, i could have happily dozed off here & forgotten i had children or anywhere to be.  Still getting through the magazines, The Block is really interesting, i enjoyed the television series; i flicked through Frankie - although i consider this one of their least inviting covers, smile darling; Vogue Living will have to wait; & Country Style just makes me want to cry i'm not already living in the country.  Oh it will come, not soon enough though, give me space, freedom, a home of my own.  Love Posie