a heavy week, bring on a new one

Greetings all,

Gosh that was a heavy week, something major happened (good, bad, exhausting, fantastic) every single day, i'm glad it's done & dusted, as this week is going to be spectacular, for no other reason than it's a new one filled with promise.

Today is Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, celebrating the end of World War I.  This is an image of allied soldiers, taken in France on 11.11.1918 (in the Australian War Memorial.)  I hope they knew we'd be remembering & appreciating their efforts & incredible sacrifices with our hearts, minds & souls, forever!!

 I made a mobile for our bedroom this week, yes i'm 37 but i had these ceramic clouds to use, somehow.  Then i was day dreaming, looking at some Christmas decorations on my desk . . . rain drops . . . the penny dropped & da dah, i created some rain clouds.  They fit in perfectly with my metal sign on the wall.  The mobile was near impossible to photograph but the way the shadows landed created an interesting effect.

 Now all our hens are laying, we have an abundance of eggs each day, which is fantastic, so we're making ice-cream & baking up a storm, like tonight i made lemon meringue pies, six individual ones.  Plus we have some cartons to share with my husband's soldiers.  

 I've finally deleted all the images off my phone & filed them on my desk top.  This was one of the last from Floriade, pretty non??  I'm slowly working my way around the iPhone, all the functions, it's fabulous.  I also sorted out my InBox, felt like all the weight in the world was lifted off my shoulders.   

 I put a dent in the Christmas shopping last week, felt like i hadn't been to my favourite stores in ages.  I couldn't resist this neon pink tree, nice contrast against the afternoon sky on Friday. 

Wishing you all lovely weeks filled with wonderful opportunities & happiness.  I have a few giveaways live (listed on the right) & more launching soon.  Follow & stay tuned, good luck, love Posie

Snap It 'three'

Greetings all,

I'm still over consumed by Harp's blue eggs, they are so beautiful.  Look at them lined up, three in a row.

 Just spent a gorgeous morning out & about in the city, a spot of eye candy shopping, then lunch with my husband.  It was all kind of relaxed & impromptu as handsome soldier left his lunch behind on the kitchen counter . . . so i brought it in & to fill in three hours before midday, i took to the shops.  Here are my favourite three purchases.  

My head is spinning with the gorgeous gifts for Christmas i've set to memory, i start early as we have big families + our own set of children, i pace myself & don't go overboard when i plan.  Quite frankly, our children would prefer a farm & animals than material things, bless them.  I could totally see us heading off to the coast in January with a lamb, calf, piglet & foal in the back of the car??  My husband can't!!  I want a farm so badly, i need space.
Playing along with Faith Hope & a Whole Lotta Love's Snap It today & test driving my new iPhone 5 - he got a leather jacket & screen shade today, very cool!!  I'm getting my head around Instagram, slowly does it, me & technology.  Follow me at posie shoots . . . auto correct keeps changing it to Posie Hoots, which equally like!!  Enjoy, love Posie

i'm grateful for . . . 'little changes making a huge impact'

Greetings all,

Spring is a great time to turn-out-your-life & turn-over-new-leaves . . . warmer weather is inspirational, that said, it snowed at the supermarket yesterday!!  I loathe the expression 'busy mum' & 'juggling family' as it sounds like you're too busy for life because of your children or you're on the brink of dropping someone.  If you schedule & make time, you can do everything, truly.  I was a full time working mother back in the 90s with a husband overseas, i did it all for 2 years, everyone was happy . . . cloth nappies, breastfeeding, homemade puree food, exercise . . . . i wanted it, so i dedicated myself to making it happen.  Fast forward 11 years of being a housewife . . . running my family is my full time job & i cherish the opportunity, so i do it with gusto - we make our own pasta, juice, herbs, vegetables, chickens laying eggs & i maintain the house.  Above all, my family comes first no matter how much time they need, which is why i tear around during the day ticking off my chores, errands & exercise so i'm available in the afternoons/ evenings/ weekends.  Having my husband home for these 6 months is making life SO manageable with 4 children, as he cooks the weeknight dinners, yay!!

High school is the business end of parenting, you have to be undistracted & dedicated.  I love the time i'm alone with my daughter, often in the car, to gauge where she's at.  Teenage moods can change like the wind, no warning, we've had smooth sailing, yet are prepared for the outbursts & inexplicable drama sparks.  Over-reacting because i'm too busy, is the worst way to handle them.  I thank her for being so normal & easy, to remember she is loved, it makes such a difference in how much she communicates & responds to my advice.  I couldn't resist this LOVE cushion for at TYPO this week, i told her she can scream, punch or cuddle it, depending on how she feels.  She rolled her eyes, that means "thanks mum, i love you too."

 On the 12 Week Body Transformation programme, the pasta suggested is wholemeal, so i tried my hand at making some - 350gm wholemeal flour & 4 fresh eggs, fantastic results.  I bake with wholemeal flour & we always make our own pasta . . . so why hadn't i combined the two & made wholemeal pasta before??  Delicious!! 

 A lot of my girlfriends are turning 40 & finding hormones & age = diet disaster so they're trying various diet & exercise programmes.  I went into the 12WBT with a calm mindset, i don't feel like i'm denying myself anything, like baking these goodies for my children's recess, i actually feel like i'm feeding my body & soul better with thoughtful nutrition.  I'm ready for this, it's working & i will stick with this mindset approaching my 40s. 

 I would often treat myself with sushi, treat??  Honestly, the calories in one sushi roll are almost an entire meal, i was eating 2 for a snack or lunch on the go??!!  I figure the money i save on sushi, i can treat myself to a pedicure every other month.  I went with OPI Greenwich Village polish, not quite the rich apple green colour i had hoped for, it will be orange in October!!  FYI the pleasure of a relaxing pedicure lasts way longer than a sushi roll!!  The chicks peck at my toes if i don't wear gum boots in the coop.

 My middle daughter would have to be our easiest child, under the radar, perfect school reports/ sports results/ class captain/ beautiful behaviour/ lovely friends/ incredible hair . . . i'm very careful not to be so grateful that i ignore her . . . the invisible child who doesn't cause any grief.  We pair up & do her favourite things together, like braiding her hair.  Sounds so old fashioned but with requests like this swirling hair do, we're braiding for an hour or so.  We talk, we tickle, it's fun & she knows she's special.

Next week i will be grateful for my next two darling children, they both have tonnes of personality!!  For more Gratefuls, check out Village Voices, love Posie

a week of Olympic proportions & flash back to Seoul 1988

Greetings all,

I often use 'Olympic' as a huge-prolific-amazeballs adjective . . . we had one of those Olympic weeks: children thrilled to be back at school with their friends; successful parent/ teacher interviews; my eldest is in a new Volleyball team in a higher grade; dinner out; my husband started work locally; even the chickens are laying more eggs since the Winter Solstice!!  I wrapped up the week with a clean house; read a few magazines; wrote thank you notes; lots of exercise; cooking new recipes; tending to animals; somehow became the marketing manager for our school fete + consulting with Jan-Maree of Aussie Hero Quilts about her trip to Canberra next week (including a sewing Saturday at Duntroon) 415 patchwork quilts have been sent to our troops overseas already!!   

Olympic Poster of the Day: Seoul South Korea in 1988.  

Olympic Scandal: attention London Olympic organisers, there are two very different Koreas,   perhaps you might like to check the flags (at the North Korean Women's soccer) as they are separate countries.  'Peace & good will' at Olympics = don't upset the North Koreans!! 

 Then a Friday treat - brunch with Tania McCartney.  While we gobbled down panini, exchanged 'just because' gifts & chattered a million miles a minute, we hit our favourite haunts - Typo, Seed, Pepe's Paperie, Laura Ashley - then Tania dashed to meet some authors for lunch (socialite) i had time to kill at Kikki-K, Fossil & Witchery.  Lots of sales, the sequin & tulle skirts cost me less than $40 (total value $150) for my eldest to wear to discos, socials, parties - baby steps, she's not a girlie girl - so the sequins were met with a screwed up nose, however, amazing what you're teenagers will do when you pay the entry fee &/ or drive them to said discos, socials & parties!!  Plus i met her after a volleyball clinic with sushi, she loves me!!  Actually Tania sighed her daughter wasn't frilly either, would live in jodhpurs if she could, alas, i have two extra frill-sparkle-sequin loving daughters to dress & hand these down to.  

Tattoos & London cup cake wrappers (thanks Tania) i baked my English Mummy's fairy cakes for my little athletes today.  Adorable stationery - Squirrels with acorn push pins, Oh Deer stamp, dotty tissue paper, quirky clips, note cards & book (bunting, hello!!)  A bunch of little things that pulled at my heart strings.  I saw the Amanda Paino fabric on Kate from Foxs Lane blog.  Just realised that is not the current issue of Mollie Makes magazine, ooppss, i flick through them constantly. 

I was up at 5.30a.m. to catch the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics, thrilled to find two of my girls already up watching, had to wake the rest.  The athletes parade - Italians, chic as ever; Australian team uniforms matched the French, only with bottle green jackets - we looked very smart (for once!!)  Very excited to see Patty Mills (a Canberra born & bred Basketball player) out there.  Then the Americans came out, oh Ralph Lauren, berets off to your classic style!!  We particularly enjoyed the Pacific Island & African nations with their glorious national uniforms.  Actually, i would have put the French in cravats or scarves (the ties were a bit bland) like my new red, white & blue Witchery birdie scarf!!  How i'd love to dress an Olympic team.

Now i don't have pay television & am suffering Eddie McGuire.  We picked up various faults in Eddie's opening commentary, including . . . this was the first Olympics where every team has both male & female participants (not quite) . . . & how ANZACs fell alongside British troops during the first few days of the battle of the Somme, France in WWI (no Eddie, they hadn't arrived yet!!)  Who researches this stuff & worse . . . who lets Eddie on television??  Just let Andrew Gaze do all the talking please (5 x Olympics, Sydney Olympic flag bearer, son of Olympian) as he actually knows how it feels unlike over paid, non athletic, television executives!!  What did you think of the Opening Ceremony??  I loved Daniel Craig with the Queen (corny but forever-hunky-in-a-suit); David Beckham looked pretty pleased with himself captaining that boat; the music was ace, although Paul McCartney was a bit off key; the cauldron was AMAZING!!  I didn't realise the British were such fans of the National Health System??  All my English relatives complain about it!! 

  Want to join in a blogging challenge during the Olympic Games??  My Limp Bits of cooking/  crafting/ photography improvement here, starts Wednesday 1st August with cooking.  Love Posie

first day of shopping after surgery, retail therapy

Greetings all,

Thanks for the awesome feedback on the last post, including a Member of Parliament, sorry to bump big Ben off the top of my blog for gratuitous retail shopping showing off, but it was my first day out alone in the city for ages. 

I covered the basics of stationery & accessories at Kikki-K & TYPO.  Mollie Makes arrived in the mail, along with bills - i'm paying for my anaesthetist's yacht too it seems.  Did i mention i had cortisone injection for my tennis elbow while under the general anaesthetic, not brave enough to do it awake.

 Seed feeds my inner child with their playful style, i do share with my actual children but the plaid scarf & flower bottle is pour moi.

I picked up some gifts for friends & birthday parties, then walked into Laura Ashley, on a whim i might find the birdie dress i adored in Brisbane in January.  Not only did i find the dress, it had a 60% off tag too.  I so want to go back for the butterfly version.  

 

It's a blank canvas dress - can't you see this mixed up a million ways, with cardigans, tights, dressed up or down, teamed with cream or colour??!!  Best of all, my shopping was light enough to carry all by myself.

 

 We actually have some exciting events mid year when my husband comes home, adult parties, like weddings & 40th birthdays.  Totally warrants some new frocks.  I do need a bed side table lamp, not sure how i can introduce that into frock-necessary shopping??
Argh, on super slow internet as handsome soldier hogged the monthly usage to update all his Apple software & today i discovered a glitch in my ability to drive - i can't do a reverse hill start, as i still need 2 hands to operate the hand brake.  That was fun in the school car park, with a numb left thumb in a 2 tonne car.  Today my hands have yellow bruising, with tiny bandaids on my wrists, such a smooth recovery.  Have gorgeous weekends everyone, 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  

i'm grateful for . . . giving myself the weekend off

Greetings all,

How am i, glad you asked.  Feeling achey, run down & exhausted, even my hair hurts right now, so i'm allowing myself to relax this weekend with little on the 'to do' list other than get through some magazines & maybe some knitting/ lounge craft??

I dragged my lethargic body to school this morning & drove home via the newsagency (stalking Mollie Makes before my subscription commences with issue 5).  This Dolls magazine purchase is pure "buying a magazine because of what is on the cover" marketing genius, look at those eyes, she had to come home with me + 2 free magazines!!

 Also in 'free magazine with purchase' mode, came these build/ design/ decorate a house choices making 5 magazines for $20!!

 They can go on top of this pile of magazines . . . backed up from the school holidays, i had such big plans to relax more & read/ flick/ indulge but gazed lovingly at my husband instead.  Feeling like i do right now, they'll all get devoured shortly.  I really liked Marion from the little bits of MasterChef i caught, so her cookbook fell into my trolley this week.  She's so inviting & friendly, i hope her recipes are basic & my basic level.

 I'm not fluey or viral, just tummy achey & extremely tired, i'm not sleeping well??  Argh.  My hands are all but paralysed from carpal tunnel & i think i'll have to consider surgery more seriously one day sooner than later.

 In the mean time, i've been playing around with some TYPO letters . . .

 i've closed my website down (after 10 years) so i can catch my breath & will reopen for a few weeks each season, i can not tell you how much pressure that has lifted.  In the 'custom design' section where you can choose a fabric & a product to be made up, i think it might be cute to rename it "Pick&Mix".

 How cool is the mirrored 'M'??

Wishing you energised weekends, lucky you for having a spark.  Me, i'm telling myself it's ok to recognise i need a rest, we've already had a big week with SRC/ class captain inductions & a certain high schooler has been awarded the Semester 1 Academic Award, very proud!!  5 more weeks until my next husband visit, yahoo.  He really is in the Army you know, not prison, it just feels like it sometimes with him interstate & all.  Can you see all of this building up on my shoulders??  

Maxabella Loves asks what we're grateful for each Saturday, i'm sharing my weekend off from everything other than essential mothering, my children can talk among themselves while i put my feet up.  Love Posie
PS any school sewing class horror stories, comment here to win a cool crafty prize & celebrate my 400th post!!
PPS many thanks for the encouraging comments on the wardrobe revamp in the last post, we've gone with honey yellow & beeswaz polish with brushed steel knobs, to be revealed in a post soon.

i'm grateful for 'bargains'

Greetings all,

Thanks for asking Maxabella, this week I'm Grateful for BARGAINS, SALES, CLEARANCES & "70% off already reduced ticket prices".  I know it's harsh on big retailers & department stores but i think they're kind of being slapped with a turn away from mass consumerism/ made in China & thoughtless spending, instead, we're watching our pennies & choosing to spend our precious money where it counts . . . small business, local handmade, Farmer's Markets & the like.  I love designer gear & quirky things, but can't afford them at full price, so this is my big chance to buy things beyond my financial reach!!

I needed more of those wooden crates from Provincial, thanks to friends seeing them on my blog & saying "hey, next time you're there, pick me up . . . six", even the sales assistant said "we've had ladies in here saying they saw our baskets on your blog".  Yay!!  Anyway, between Provincial & the car park, i had to walk past TYPO.  Oh dear, how many $5 clearance tables can a store have?? 

 Keep Calm canvas, giant ampersand, wooden toadstool, bird peg stand - all $5 each; washi tape dispenser 50c (i got a few) + more $5 peg sets.

 Love Rules Without Rules canvas $5, mushroom pillow $10.

 Embroidery hoop picture $5 (i got a couple) + some $5 lanterns, 50c pencils, $2 note pads, $1 Mexican paper garlands.

 This Eiffel Tower print is HUGE, so great to find something for my son's bedroom . . . now he has this canvas, yep, $5.  You could cover over them - the frame alone is worth more!!

 Committing to 2 trips to the car, as i had a French washing basket, 6 crates, 4 canvases, a magnetic board (wooden frame had a crack so it was reduced to $25) & 3 wooden trees (er, um, $5 each reduced from $50) my arms were breaking.  On the way back to TYPO i spied Country Road - their outlet was closing down with "70% off already reduced ticket prices".  My bounty . .  . oatmeal track pants, grey track shorts, 4 scarves, 3 tops, a grey wool wrap, a peach cardigan + a black dress reduced from $249 to $27 & a few things for the children (skirt, tank, dress) including this purple kaftan . . . i just knew if i didn't buy it, i'd regret it, even though the ONLY one left was a size 4 & it was for an almost 10y.o. it was a $60 reduced to $12.50 risk.  Sure enough she loved it & it fits beautifully, this child can wear any style/ colour/ pattern - such is her amazing complexion. 

 I picked up these desert books from the regular Country Road store sale last week, my boy's feet are growing so fast!!  Love the laces.

After all that shopping, a girl's got to rest.  I was suffering the last of my head cold, i think it's gone now, it's really hard to blow your nose with arms full of bargain shopping & eyes streaming.  I really looked after myself with the right drugs, rest & healthy food.  Ok, so my Friday wasn't too tough, i caught up with a school mummy & we saw Bridesmaids at the cinema, loved it - quite a different movie to what i expected, very funny, with heart.  Then a sushi lunch & a tour of a local organic chocolate factory (stay tuned for that post on Monday) then an after school P&C party.  Now i'm curled up on the lounge in my woollie boots with some choice magazines, Skype'ing my husband & sipping hot chocolate.  

Have gorgeous weekends, i really should do some sewing!!  Love Posie

a spot of shopping with my broken daughter

Greetings all,
Well it started off an ordinary day . . .

 freshly squeezed orange juice & pancakes (large & small) . . .

 Ok, well ordinary in by my household standards . . .

 seriously, does he still have to wear food aged 7??

 Until thump . . . my middle girl who can trip over her own feet from a standing start & get a concussion . . . tripped over in the hallway & thumped her chinny chin chin on the door frame.

 Oh yes, it's a beauty, no wonder she had a headache & sore jaw.

 So we dropped the big sister, twin sister & little brother at school, & hit the shops.

 Thought these cute bags would be great for an Easter Egg Hunt & Scandinavian stamps for some fun card making.  

 Picked up this calendar half price, to chop up & make into tags in the school holidays.

 Oh look at these super pretty lights, seriously Typo do them so well & inexpensive.

 Aren't they just lovely, i got them for the high schooler.

 Kikki-K is 10 years old, this is their HUGE booklet to celebrate.

If you rush into Typo - they have these aprons for $10 with any purchase, so yes, i will Keep Calm & Cook On thanks.  I picked up the Best Ever Brownie Mix from The Curious Chocolatier at Shop Handmade today, can't wait to make them.  My husband makes incredible brownies (i think it's a Saturday Disney recipe) but couldn't resist Heidi's blend.  I'm baking anyway for another cup cake fund raiser for Japan at primary school, mmmm. 
So donk your chin on a door frame & enjoy a day shopping with mummy - that's how we roll.  She's feeling much better now, just a bit tender.  Love Posie