attracting beautiful people into your life

 Greetings all,

You might have noticed i have reduced the frequency of my blog posts.  It's for many reasons, best of all - i was heavily involved in blogging over the past 3 years as my husband was living interstate & overseas - now he's home . . . i'm spending that 'blogging time' being a real wife.  Plus life is busier than ever with teenagers, baby animals & planning our future . . . i'm finding Instagram is like mini blogging, it's my new simple favourite form of social media.  I'd rather not blog than blog for the sake of blogging!!

For the past couple of years, i've been cutting back on my design business & reinvesting my time, energy, positivity & friendship in new places.  I've been much kinder to myself, now my 4th child is in senior primary school, i spend my 'day time' doing things i love - like gardening, reading & dreaming.  I'm slowly getting back into sewing for pleasure . . . surgery on both my hands last year, gave me the time to reassess every part of my life & ditch the extraneous babble.   

 I have let old friendships slide too.  Seemingly fun at the time, however, on reflection i've realised they really weren't positive relationships at all . . . they involved business, as in, what they could suck from me, rather than kindness in my direction.  As everything has an upside - i've absolutely soared since closing that chapter, in every aspect of my world - from my happy personal life with my husband home; harmonious children excelling in school, sports & leadership roles; business opportunities i'd never have accepted if i was still 'so busy' doing the small stuff; even materialistic . . . we bought our dream car, brand new & made huge inroads towards our future farm plans.  So you could say i am the one winning at life.  Ridding yourself of negativity has untold blessings on your life & who you attract.  

 I've found new lovely people with aspirational outlooks on life.  Like my favourite florist (whom i discovered on Instagram, after they opened a new local store) & we clicked.  I use 'delivering fresh eggs' as a friendly excuse to pop in & say hello (they are busy busy busy!!)  Yesterday, i was struck down with a migraine - so my husband delivered the eggs - & he was presented with these glorious yellow flowers, with a quirky note from the fabulous LouLou Moxom!!  Serendipitous things like this never happened while i was being dragged down by a negative force, so so so glad i saw the light, jump shipped & never looked back.  I highly recommend it - self respect is restored, i assure you.  Wishing you enlightened weekends with gorgeous people & a bunch of fresh flowers!!  Thank you Mrs Moxom & Mrs Whitney - you are a true quirky delightful duo.  Love Posie

"if this is love, then love is easy, it's the easiest thing to do"

 Greetings all,

In light of Valentine's Day last week, i'm doing a love post.  I truly believe McFly's lyrics in their Love is Easy song . . . "if this is love, then love is easy, it's the easiest thing to do" . . . love should be easy, joyful & natural.  My husband & i often come home from a night out/ trip away (without the other) & say "thank goodness we're together, & happy!!"  It's not the "i'd rather be with you than be alone" . . . last year five of my acquaintances separated from their husbands . . . it happens, they realised the love was gone.  I understand marriage, monogamy & commitment forever, isn't for everyone . . . i tell our children that some people would look at the six of us & think "OMG, imagine having 4 children" or "who'd want to be married??" . . . everyone is different & desires different things, love comes to them later in life, or tragedy strikes . . . people are together or alone for unlimited reasons.  
I love marriage, i think it's beautiful & easy.  I saw an 'Agony Uncle' style programme the other night & the question was asked "when did you know it was time to get married" & the men said "when my wife told me it was" which made me giggle.  We definitely talked about it in advance, however, it was still a surprise when my then boyfriend asked me to marry him - had asked my father . . . & minutes later my mother presented us with an engagement gift, wrapped with a card - she knew, as well as i did, i was going to marry this boy.  Then we went ring shopping.  

 If there is one thing i've learned in my 30s, it's that i don't care what other people think.  I was never a self conscious type & i don't mean this in a belligerent way . . . my love for my husband is not hurting anyone, if someone poo poos marriage, commitment or love to me, well that's their choice/ decision/ issue.  Each to their own.  Everyone strives for different goals.  That's what makes the world go round & keeps things interesting.  For me, meeting the right guy has made so many amazing things harmonious in my life, right down to wanting/ having four children & desiring a life on a farm.  I got this sorted out when i was a teenager, hit the love jackpot early & we've cruising along ever since.  Some people think it's boring if you don't fight with your partner??  Or that i'm on permanent honeymoon as my handsome soldier keeps coming home from war!!  Nothing affects the love my husband & have for each other.  In fact, we thrive on the milestones, as they are all steps to the bigger picture . . . unashamedly, life in our late 40s with four adult children & knowing it will be 'just us' again.    

My school teacher niece & her electrician boyfriend came to Canberra - to take our old Jeep Cherokee - to live in Sydney with them.  We gave it to them - we bought her cheaply years ago from friends who were moving overseas.  It was such a great feeling watching twenty somethings drive off in something which might be a big part of their future . . . marriage, maybe children.  He's joining the military soon - their story is surprisingly similar to ours, as is their love story - it's an easy one.            

A lovely quote which has stayed with me "the best thing for a father to do for his children, is love their mother" & i believe that is true.  We had our babies in our 20s, loads of energy & fun, plus they were sleepers & never ill, be breezed through it all . . . now we're at the business end, with teenagers & team parenting has never been more important.  

I just spent my 19th Valentine's Day with the love of my life & he brought home roses, that's about 5 bunches of Valentine flowers in all those years, they make him sneeze . . . they were beautiful, sweet & thoughtful, best of all, a genuine heart felt surprise & to our audience . . . our children . . . we are showing them a decent example of how easy, happy & harmonious love can be.  I can't watch shows where couples are at each other's throats, arguing constantly, yelling & not resolving anything . . . worse - manipulating & undermining their partner - that's not entertainment, it's awful, nasty & mean.  Love Posie

the silly season gets sillier

 Greetings all,

To expel the crazy of Christmas out of my life - i've always planned well in advance, as we have large families & parties to hold in December too.  This week we'll be bringing home 14 children from school to a party here, then deliver them to a school disco.  For me, with a lot of preparation & organisation, it's quite effortless . . . busy/ crazy/ noisy . . . but my children will have a ball, everyone will be fed dinner & i'm saving a dozen parents the trip to the other side of Canberra, because i can, thanks to my husband & the fact we have two 8 seater cars!! 

Amazing what you can do with a $3 packet of balloons, twine & removable hooks on the ceiling!!

All the fans & tissue shapes are available in my on line shop, they're reusable & inexpensive, yet pay for themselves over time.

 I'm making almost all the food myself, as it tastes better, i have the time & it is more cost effective, i even want to give making candied pop corn a go.  

 Thanks to playing on Instagram these past couple of months, a whole new group of 'friends' have opened up.  I hit 1000 followers this week.  I popped by the new Moxom + Whitney florist in Braddon, after welcoming hugs & giggles, Loulou presented us with this gorgeous bunch of blooms, which are sitting front & centre on the party table.  How delightful are people in this world??

 Ok, back to party preparation & fluffing tissue pom poms.   

If you are local &/ or have friends in Canberra, please direct them to the Downer Hall (just north of Canberra city) tomorrow evening, 4-8p.m. for a gorgeous little market event.  I'm having a huge sale, enjoy.  For more Christmasy decorations & festive fun, check out KidSpot Village Voices My Creative Space, love Posie

snap it 'new'

Greetings all,

What's new pussy cat??  

Finding a new way to make use of the ceramic toadstools we bought from Paper Pear Gallery . . . our German Shepherd decided he wanted to play with them = the stems broke off . . . but still just as cute laying down??

 I'm swapping buying sushi as a treat . . . for a new habit . . . like something the whole household can enjoy!!  Aldi roses, $5/ dozen, will last a week then be tossed to the chickens.  

 I have this lovely Nigella Lawson Mortar (handsome soldier accidentally broke the pestle) so it's laid dormant in the cupboard for years.  What to do with it now??  Maybe rose petals??  New ideas??  Don't bother saying 'buy another pestle' as my husband never liked using it anyway - he'd prefer a whopping big granite manly mortar & pestle.

 Spring is coming . . . fresh, happy, very yellow, new daffodils in the neighbourhood.

 Planting fresh herbs in the barrels . . . i'm growing these wonderful 'Asian salad' assortments, they look fantastic, a variety of leafy greens & new cooking ideas.

Playing along with Faith Hope & a Whole Lotta Love photography blog's Snap It Wednesday.  What's new in your world??  Are you a new follower??  Welcome!!  Love Posie

PS don't forget last few days to enter the Taronga Western Plains Zoo family pass giveaway here!!

things i'm loving . . . 'printed crochet'

Greetings all,

What a week of howling stormy weather, super slow internet, high school athletics (next stop: state finals) & market sewing panic.  Not a lot of time for blog reading.  Bring on school holidays i say - 3.25p.m. can not come around fast enough for me today!! 

Then i catch my breath to find Queen of Handmade Market has left flowers on my doorstep.  I haven't had a chance to say how much i appreciated your comments about my mummy & her Alzheimer's, it's still raw, i'm unsure how i feel, beyond sad.  It's lovely, heart warming & so kind of you to care.    

 Busy with new fabrics & products, these Kristen Doran crochet screen printed beauties will be on my Market stall this weekend, loving her style.  Buy a cushion, purse, brooch or the fabric panel to make your own handmade goodness.

While i'm still learning the yarn version of crochet, Paisley Jade is quite the amazing crochet queen . . . Things i'm Loving this week with my hot little hands, will have to be the screen printed version.  Wish me luck here in Canberra this weekend, Saturday & Sunday, it's going to be huge!!  Plus Floriade, then school holidays, it's all super exciting!!  Love Posie

our creative space . . . 'instant cake decorating'

Greetings all,

An oldie but a goodie, when you need to decorate a cake, instantly - add fresh flowers.  It's Spring & there is so much choice for stunning fresh flowers, but how beautiful is a single, perfect, red rose??  Even better on a chocolate on chocolate cake!!

Our wedding cake was a large square chocolate mud cake with a smaller square on top, on an angle, with white chocolate ganache icing & a trio of oriental lillies on top, da dah!!  So pretty, simple & effective.  More creativity?? 

That's all folks, it's been a loooong day, love Posie

social commentary Sunday . . . 'celebrating Mother's Day' & IKEA giveaway winners

Greetings all,

EDIT: SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: IKEA GIVEAWAY WINNERS . . .

chosen by me - Jill at deux chiens et un garcon who wrote:
"as an old ikea employee(mid 80's) i still feel connected to those cheery sheets and doonas.  so lovely for you to offer as a giveaway.  I love sun dried sheets, warm bath to get all nice and crispy clean and then rubbing my feet along the goodness and snuggling down. Little man still loves his ealry moring visit/breast feed to begin our days.  Wishing you lots of man cuddles in the near future and for all your dreams to come true.  xo jill"

chosen by my husband - Laurel at Miss Muggins who wrote:
"I desperately need a new doona cover. I foolishly let my 16 year old borrow it (we did a swap for a week)and she got fake tan, blue pen and nailpolish all over it!  I can visualise Mr M and I snuggling in clean new bedlinen - and Miss A can keep her grubby mitts off it! ha ha!"

& chosen by the gadget, 1-93, comment 22, Mikaela at Mikaela Made who wrote:
"At the moment I'm sleeping with a coverless doona, so this would be perfect for me =P What keeps me warm? Like you Posie, hubs is good, but we also have the two labs and kitty cat snuggle with us on a weekend morn under the covers in our big bed, it is bliss! We are savouring these moments now as I guess it will all change in 4.5 months when baby #1 comes along..."

Congratulations ladies, all very special mummies & a mum-to-be, Happy Mother's Day!!  All worthy winners - a former IKEA employee; a mummy whose teenager ruined her linen; & a school teacher sleeping under a coverless donna!!  Please email me your postal address & your IKEA bedlinen will be at your place via courier shortly.
Thanks to IKEA & One Green Bean for this lovely giveaway, pleasure as always.

It's Mother's Day in Australia, yay for we mummies!!  Ever noticed that people poo poo Valentine's Day & similar "unnecessary commercial greed" occasions, yet no one messes with the day we worship our mothers & shower them with cards, gifts, jewels & flowers. 

I'm celebrating Mother's Day without the prompts, pomp or ceremony of my husband guiding the children to present breakfast in bed & behave flawlessly, but . . . some lovely mummies are taking me in for dinner tonight.  I have flowers ready for 3 super gorgeous mummies - mother of Handmade Market, mother of Shop Handmade & mother of my eldest daughter's friend-who-is-a-boy . . . this extra special lady has 4 sons, is living in a barn while they build a house in the country (this is her 4th Canberra Winter, brrrr, she has stamina & oozes positivity) + this week her number 3 son broke his arm, so she's been sleeping in a hospital bed - ONLY a mother could handle all that with grace & a smile. 

 I just adore these women, i'm talking wet-my-pants depth of laughter & our children have sleep overs kind of friendship!!  We're all mums, thrown together here in Canberra, mostly through our husband's work, left to create a community & network for ourselves.  You never know when amazing people are going to drop into your adult life, even when you're not advertising.

Wishing you all sunshine & happy memories today, a bunch of flowers (??), a day off the have-to & swap it with the love-to.  I'm off to Pilates, then bake dessert (meringue mousse), curl up with a magazine on the lounge & hear my children playing happily in the garden (read: away from me, tee hee).  Then jump in the car which has magically filled with fuel & head out to dinner.  I really find fuelling up the car such a chore, it's always so windy at service stations!! 

Remember my measure of motherhood is a full fruit bowl, mmmm, look at this seasonal goodness from the Farmer's Market.  I'm doing better already (thanks for yesterdays comments - you are the best cheerleaders in blogland, i love you!!) 

Finally, last chance to win this IKEA bedlinen, 3 sets to giveaway, drawn at 9p.m. tonight/ when i get home from dinner, just in case, i might be late, can you believe i'm a talker??!!  I should press the school uniforms & organise Monday lunch boxes now, humph.

Just because it's mother's day, please help yourself to an extra entry, to celebrate yourself or a mummy in your world.  Don't be shy or feel greedy!!  Leave a comment at the giveaway post & come back tonight to see if you're one of the lucky 3 winners at this post!!  Love Posie

PS 'twas carbonara for dinner (egg yolks) so i had the egg whites for the meringue - clear & clever thinking, i feel so alive, Autumn air, fresh produce, sewing, i'm giddy with calm.

i'm grateful for . . . things that make me happy

Greetings all,
I'm joining in with Maxabella Loves I'm Grateful For today . . . all the things that make me happy.  I'm pretty easy to please & today, even a $79 parking ticket i found on my windscreen for spending 6 minutes in a 5 minute zone while helping a friend out this morning, can't bring me down!!  Merry Christmas parking dude, you're clearly excellent at your job!!
Last night the Handmade Living. launch at the Shop was fabulous, today we're using the book for recipes & styling ideas for tomorrow's Handmade Living High Tea.

 Cake decorations make me happy!!  Thanks Donna Hay, you are also excellent at your job, in a much sweeter way than a parking bully.

 Love the relationship between my husband & our eldest, she's even starting to forgive him for buying her a massively baggy large Little Athletics shirt!!  My husband isn't trying to be cool with his hood up, he has horrible hayfever & we went to a Christmas Tree Farm today straight after athletics.

 My twins are best buddies, i love it, they are so different, they barely ever clash & their love for stationery & little desk projects makes for a happy weekend.

 At the Handmade Living. book launch, guess who won the Kellie Christie headbands lucky door prize??!!  How perfect, especially as i only took these two children with me.  Thanks Kellie, i can assure you they went to a good home.

 This girl, number 3, always stops to pick flowers, she lives in her own world, truly.

 Handsome soldier vacuumed today, without any request, true happiness!!

 Then he told me the shoes i chose to wear to a tree farm were ridiculous.  I tripped & slipped a few times, especially while fleeing the 3 spiders' webs i walked into.  He is always right!!

 Boys . . . do rocks & dirt ever fail to make them happy??

There you have it, so many simple things to put a smile on my face.  More on the Handmade Living launch later (when i can steal someone else's photos seeing the camera i took didn't have a battery in, d'oh) & lots of shots of our Christmas tree in all it's birdy wonder.  Love Posie

another fateful trip to the Floriade flower festival . . .

Greetings all,
I waited all week to find the least windy afternoon to take the children to Floriade, Canberra's famous month long Spring flower festival.  Please excuse their combination of school uniforms & overcoats + wind swept messy hair.

Mercifully they have signs to explain the flower displays, from ground level - you have to use your imagination.

It's a beautiful setting in the city by the lake with the resident swans.

The white tulips made me think of Rosalind from Grace Designs.

All good things must come to an end, i am terrified by gnomes (& clowns) so my children couldn't wait to show me how many children chose to paint their gnome as a clown in the gnome painting competition.  Shudder.

Out of Africa, Questacon, sandcastles (Old Parliament House) & some sculptures.

Views from the Big Wheel - at $7 per child (gulp) i'm glad the shots they took were so fantastic.

I love the tree at the wine bar & the swan on security who chased us out.  Plus no trip to Commonwealth Park or Lake Burley Griffen is complete without playing at the Castle Park.

Now i've distracted you with the beautiful images of the perfect afternoon out . . . i'll confess my trips to Floriade are always doomed.  Floriade 2008 i managed to lose our small digital camera.  We found it a year later in the pram, success. 

This year i topped that by letting my children run into the maze on our way out of the park . . . like a horror film "four go in, only two come out".  Yes, that's right, i lost my two eldest children in a maze.  So with the friendly hurry up announcement over the PA system "we hope you've enjoyed your day at Floriade, the park is closing in 30 minutes" . . . then a more terse "the park is closing in 5 minutes" of course, i'm was the only person left.  So i waved the security golf buggy down to help find my missing children.  To cut a long story short - crackled walky talky descriptions of my children - tuns out they lack any sense of direction & used the bathroom without telling me.  Success, i had a full set of 4 children by the time i got to the car park . . . after the walk of shame past all the volunteers who no doubt muttered "they looked like trouble when they walked in".
Have great weekends, i'm off to get tracking devices for the children, love Posie