social commentary Sunday . . . 'knowing when to take a break from blogging'

Greetings all, 

My blogging journey has come to a stop-start-halt lately, i've just lost the passion, enjoyment & time for it.  While i started my blog 6 years ago & blogged regularly during 2010 to 2012 while my husband lived interstate, sharing 'our life' with him . . . i'm finding less & less time to post about craft, lifestyle, animals, baking, children, my husband & our happiness.  

My studio is only working on large commissions, not pretty blog-worthy-craft; i'm spending many more hours in the garden, tending to animals, exercising & preparing healthy meals, less blog-worthy-cakes; the children are growing fast, i am not missing a minute & considering next year we'll have three teenagers - it's incredibly busy with sports, academics & their social engagements, i'm not comfortable posting lots of images of teenagers, especially as they are not allowed their own social media; my husband is here & being a wife takes up a lot of time, i'd prefer his company than reading blogs . . . as for our happiness, we've never been happier, with exciting dreams.  Spending less time on the computer is a good example to our children too.  

I've been using my non-blogging-time making more calls to my elderly parents, catching up with people who bring me joy & soaking in the lucky life i have as a housewife.  I refuse to be 'busy' as it implies i don't have time for the things i love.  I still adore the idea of a blog & the blogging community is lovely; trolls - their loss, i click delete & refuse to engage with them, absolutely not worth a second thought; stalkers - go get a life, especially the ones who know me personally, it's creepy you read my posts (& pretend you don't) yet don't communicate with me directly!!

So it's for positive reasons that i am taking a break from blogging.  I want to offer the world quality or nothing, i won't blog for the sake of blogging.  I'll be hanging around on Instagram, which is so much fun, friendly, engaging & fast . . . i find it like mini-speed-blogging.  While blogging has been a wonderful adventure with 700 posts, 15000 comments & 2000 hits per day, if i was paid to blog - i'd reconsider taking a break, i just can't maintain 'free' work - yes, 'work' . . . i put great consideration/ thought/ ideas/ effort into my posts: an extension of my business & the personality behind it . . . i'm closing down the on line store & no longer attend markets, as i'm starting a new chapter in my creative life.  Stay tuned. 

 I'd love to be invited to blog conferences . . . i have great ideas & lots of inspiration to offer; i'd love to be given freebies & opportunities . . . i do fantastic & thoughtful reviews; i'd love to sit in a particular niche . . . but i don't . . . no babies (our youngest is 9) or live in the cities where the events take place, so i'll hum along doing my own thing.  While i've always been popular & social, i really enjoy my own company & avoid cliques at all costs.  Blogging has changed a lot over the years with awards, sponsorship & obvious circles, a lot is self-congratulatory & below average quality.  It wasn't my end-game to make money from blogging - i started as i had my own home-design-studio business to promote & make money from - i was never 'discovered' (even with 10000 social media followers) & that's Ok.  Maybe, one day??

Just to wrap up a few things, like my last giveaway & ensuring i organise all pervious giveaway winners receive their prizes (apologies for the delay) the lucky people who won the LEGO Hero Factory packs are:

Claire Hewitt of Clairey Hewitt blog,

Sash of Indigo Elephant blog &

Beck from Baby Laila blog.

Congratulations.  Please email me your delivery (street address for courier) for delivery. 

 Thanks everyone - it has truly been a wonderful experience, i appreciate all your comments & connections.  This isn't good bye or farewell, just a see you later for now.  I feel it's really important if you know your blogging journey is stalling, that you take a break.  It might be Christmas time before i blog again, but i will be back, renewed & thoroughly reinspired, love Posie

PS all images are recent snap shots from my Instagram account Posie Shoots with lots of stories & gorgeous engagement, you'll see why i completely adore this social media platform!!

social commentary Sunday . . . 'truth, lies & blogs'

Greetings all,
This week's Social Commentary Sunday i've picked a topic which i ponder - the truth & lies on blogs - does it matter if what you blog is the whole truth or a white lie??  Really, is it hurting anyone if you gloss over the stress & kitchen disasters to pull off a flawless dinner party??  Or post an imagine of Johnny winning a race, but you omit it was D division & his competitors were on crutches??  Whatever, don't you think it's your blog, you can be/ say/ share whatever you want??  I notice may bloggers suffer all sorts of illnesses from depression to physical inabilities & blogging is their connection to like minded people & the big wide world, good for you, if it captures the most important feeling in the world - acceptance - fantastic!!  Your readers' perception is their reality anyway!! 
My blog is about my family life & design work, i use my own images with a good dose of sunshine & happiness.  I've had negative comments & emails referring directly to posts on themes like "my fabulous children running free" or "all the things i do for my children's schools" . . . like i'm some kind of hyper-over-achieving-A-type-personality who tries to make other mothers look bad.  Ok, i'm all of those things except i would never try to make another mother look bad . . . it's not a competition ladies!!  Everyone is in a different place/ stage/ family situation, there is nothing to compete against.  Funny how 'good parenting' is completely different to showing off a fantastic cake or amazing knitting!! 
MY facts, i would never knowingly lie on my blog, i want an honest account of who i was during my 'blog years' as i'll refer to them to bore my grandchildren, but i'm not going to publish every dirty look my teen gives me, if my twins have wrestled over a piece of clothing, or my son is in a huff because none of his sisters want to play with him.  It's not relevant to what i want to blog about - i blog so my husband can keep up with his us while he's posted to an Army base 1300km away for 3 years 4 years!!  Yes, a life anyone would envy, right??  I'm not a whinger, i support him, this is what he is doing for our family & financial freedom - like a working mum - every family is different & circumstances are constantly changing. 
I spend 90% of my time alone with the children; when my husband is living with us, he'll be away 40% of the time; he's just so damn handsome, i can't resist loving him unconditionally!!  He goes to war, it's what his job requires; we have lots of children to keep occupied; i am a housewife; they are all in school now; they keep me busier than ever with homework, sport & social events; i have zero desire to go back to being a pharmacologist in a lab!!  Ok, i'd have the prettiest Amy Butler patterned lab coat ever, but it wouldn't make me happy.  Yes, my husband does say i 'pimp him out to war zones' so i can continue on as a housewife. 
I can't imagine anyone wanting my life, but if you did, i'm pretty sure you'd find my attitude the only way to go . . . to deal with this lifestyle 'situation'. My husband won't be in the Army forever, but we'll always have these sporty, smart, social children to nurture, so i am dedicated to all of them, it works, it drives better behaviour from all of us, 'tis how this family rolls & it suits my personality, i LOVE being a wife, a mummy & at home.
Some of my favourite people like Corrie from RetroMummy blog have closed off anonymous comments as they have negative stalkers & the sweetest Tina from Rubies' Place blog shut down for a while, as mean emails put her off blogging & nearly stopped her altogether!!  These are not shock jocks with wild views to provoke extreme reactions, they are beautiful mummies blogging from home about pretty craft projects, delicious baking & happy days with their children.  What on earth is there to attack??

Shockingly, i have 4 children who get along really well, they have to, sometimes when we arrive in a new city, they are the only people they know.  See how holding our family unit together tightly is incredibly important to us??  They are very social & always the class captain, so i rest easy knowing they are fine.  It's not boasting to say they don't have learning or bullying issues, honestly, if they did, it would make my life just another degree more challenging as i have zero back up resources like family close by.  I've had to make them strong, independent & resiliant, as sometimes they need to support me!!

My message . . . embrace your fellow mummy blogger, some of us do find parenting easy & stimulating.  I had babies who fed & slept, entertained themselves = starting off this motherhood role on the best foot possible, energised & not sleep deprived.  I know i'm lucky, it's not lost on me, i'm no faker, this is my real life, i hope i give mums not having such an easy ride, some hope & blink - your children are in highschool - they don't do anything but sleep!!  My children are my full time job, i've made many changes to the balance with my design work over the past decade, like life, their ages, needs & desires constantly change, as does my work.  I refuse to ever have to defend my life or choices on this blog again.
Thanks to Gill over at Alice Becomes for suggesting this as a blog topic, who agrees - does it really matter if blogs are a little glossed over with some fairy dust sometimes.  Love Posie

top of the morning to you

Greetings all,

Happy New Year!!  As my piggie calendar tells me it's 1.1.11 so a top of the morning to you all.

 Truth be told, i've had a migraine for past 3 days, but blogging & housework in small doses was possible.  What a joy to wake up to a 90% migraine free head + all these wonderful, meaningful comments - you guys are the greatest, i've never thought of myself as 'inspirational' i'm just an Army wife & mummy who sews a lot!!

 My chipper handsome soldier is making pancakes for the children . . .

 & i should start removing the upsidedown birds from the Christmas tree.

 It's hard to put away super fun decorations like this Oxfam reindeer from our gorgeous friends Rob & Lisa (thanks you two!!)

 But the recycling needs to go out, 'twas a good Christmas (says me, the non drinker & starting today . . . non chocolate eater).

So if you're in Australia, no doubt you're having a scorcher today or humid blast of hot Summer rain, we're swimming our cares away!!  Wishing you all the best in 2011, love Posie