ever say "no thank you" to an affirmation??

Greetings all,

Now i am a huge fan of the Brave Girls, who send these incredible affirmations to my InBox each day, they so often nail my emotions about life, love & relationships (scarily so) but today i read this one & said "no thank you."  

When your life is fantastic, you have to seize that feeling.  You never know what is around the corner: health scare, child dilemma, car accident, tax audit, husband's work, holiday cancelation!!

I have a truly blessed life . . . a wonderful childhood with a large family, travel crazy parents & the best education in Australia's greatest city, Sydney (don't even try to argue with me!!)  I got into all the sports teams, friendship circles & University courses i desired, then met & married my teen love - avoiding relationship baggage . . . had four dream children - i truly have zero complaints.  My husband says i have way more than my fair share of self esteem & confidence, so i share it - with meaningful compliments & fun with friends.  I don't have a self sabotage tendency either (no drinking, gambling, cheating, debt) other than clothes shopping & weight gain from stress.  Those have both been nailed recently by slowly closing down my business (income) & losing 9kg on Michelle Bridges 12WBT in the first 5 weeks so far.  The stress is dripping off me too!!   

I have issues, my mother with Alzheimer's, my father just took a spill & my husband might have to go back to war next year.  I'm realistic . . . these are not things i can control, so i process & accept them.  I have always believed that only i can stuff up my own life, i am responsible & can blame no one for any choices which go askew.  That doesn't mean crap people don't cross my path, i've learned to trust my senses & walk away, quickly.  

See why i shunned this Brave Girl's message, very happily so.  I have managed to switch my business acumen & determination to focussing on myself, finally.  My husband kept saying "be selfish, go to the gym at night, i'll supervise dinner & homework" but i actually love that part of my life - in touch with what the children are learning - then i realised that HE wanted to spend time alone with the children, so i do that 6p.m. Spin Class & freaking enjoy it!!  

The funny thing is, right now, i could not be more ill, i have a throaty cough, a runny nose & it's day 3 of a migraine, ick.  So to read that 'pain is a gift' & nod knowingly, i've been there, however, the fact i can't relate to their message today . . . that is an affirmation unto itself.  Plus it's the middle of school holidays, i've always adored the extra time with my children . . . i have four happy beings who don't fight, they argue from time to time but never nasty fisty cuffs or horrible words, they play happily for hours on end.  I work hard for harmony, i spend months raising them solo, i don't do drama or unhealthy sibling conflict.  They are not spoilt with toys, but company & they know - only boring people get bored - so find fun or solitude.   

While i get many migraines each year, this has been a cracker, yet to remain connected to the world from my pillow, i've discovered low-lit-non-blinding Instagram & the lovely community there.  It's light, happy & stress free, just what i needed if i was going to add another social media to my collection.  Here are some of my images, between naps, i'm Posie Shoots if you're keen.

I'll work out a few Instagram collage apps, i'm still a learner on the iPhone 5.  Any suggestions are appreciated.  Now, go take hold of your life, dust off the clutter & embrace the day.  Or like the Brave Girls suggest, deal with your pain, sort it right out - of your life!!  Love Posie

migraine & the medicinal power of Lego

Greetings all,

Many of you woke up fresh yesterday & commenced the 2011 school year. Me, i woke up with a migraine & 2 more weeks of school holidays. I get about a dozen migraines a year, they wipe me out for a couple of days. Have to say, my children are excellent when i'm down, even when they were babies they sensed i was ill & they were especially quiet, but i was prepared & I pulled this ace out of my hat.  Surprise Lego!!

 A local toy shop had 30% off Lego so i stocked up.

 My boy trying to cheer me up.

 My 3rd daughter got a box of family style Lego, cute puppy.

 Daughter 2 got a sea plane, with all sorts of things to open & spin.

 The big Atlantis box had this whole under sea space ship thing.

 I think the Legoman in the middle has gone crazy.

 How cute are the flippers??

 After slaying aliens, they had a cup of coffee (FYI my eldest daughter built this with my son & staged these little scenes, then took the photos over 2 hours, while i dozed off on the lounge!!)

Oh no, an escaped alien . . . she looks angry!!  Yep, i got a haircut today . . . dragged myself through the shower & into a bra, i figured if i felt ill & couldn't cook or sew, i could sit in a chair & have someone pamper me & cut my hair.  Also bought the children sushi for lunch, no sandwich duty today.  Yet another 'no appointment necessary' scenario for you . . . walked in at 11a.m., "we can't see you now, but you can have an appointment at 1p.m."  I said "could i have one later say 3p.m." & let's just say the words "no you can't make an appointment" came out of her mouth 5 more times!! 

My husband called from Brisbane between hair salon events to see how i was feeling & begged to pay for me to get a real hair cut at a real salon with real service from a real appointment, no, i'm determined for them to get it right!! 
So this is what i got for my $26, a hair dresser who told me she smoked through her pregnancies "but i had big babies, so it didn't harm them" & a new look fringe.  It is straight, i've had ice on that side of my head all day.  Look at my colouring, could i look more drained or headachey??  'tis me, i'm real, some days this is as good as it gets.  Love Posie

my creative space 'reindeer stampede'

Greetings all,

Christmas decoration shopping for our home & my market stall just took on a whole new meaning . . . seems ALL these reindeer had to come home with me from Lincraft as they are ALL vitally important props in Christmas (well that's what i told my husband).  Now to decide on how to decorate or leave plain??  Any ideas??

 Prices range from $3-10, not included in the 30% off sale this week as snappily stated by the nasty shop assistant i had to endure!!

 Look at these naughty reindeer from Allana C, gobbling away at the GingerBreadHouse!!

 I'm back on Tony Ferguson weight loss diet (more just a very sensible eating regime) & after a little morning snack from The Flute this morning in Fyshwick then a trip taste testing our way around the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets . . . my husband made me a very sensible lunch.  Tony Ferguson is brilliant if you don't drink tea, coffee, alcohol (i don't), you can resist bread, rice, potato, pasta (i can) & only have time for a brisk walk for exercise (i do).  The weight falls off. 

Check out the new Handmade Market postcards, yahoo, only 30 days away!!  Check out the website & FaceBook to win a copy of the Handmade Living. a designer collective book!!

Finally, the reason we were on the south side of Canberra this morning . . . picking up this delivery of Creationary which i won from the clever & talented Jho from One Red Robin blog.  Thanks Jho!!  I have to say, it couldn't have gone to a better home, we are Lego mad, we love board games, our children are creative to the core & the words "let's go back to school to pick the children up & take them home to play with this now" slide out of my mouth at 10a.m.  Funnily enough my husband didn't swing by the school on our way back to north Canberra.
So that's it from me this week, i am recovering from a migraine, which came on strong during a P&C meeting last night (coincidence??) & i had to leave & came home very very very sick indeed.  It was a blur of throwing up, shower, sleep & waking up like i've been hit on the head.  Argh!!  So today i rest, enjoy my lunch & get ready to put my game face on for when the children finish their homework & challenge them to a game of Creationary!!  Bring it!! 
Happy Creative Spacing everyone, love Posie 

Feeling Poorly . . .

While i have lots of exciting new fabrics, concepts & recent handmade gifts to share with you all, AND i really only wanted to add a meaningful new post every 10 days or so, i just have to ask if anyone else out there suffers migraines?? Coming off a 3 day bender (oh, i don't drink, i get migraines & if you know a migraine, it's like the WORSE hang over ever) i am now completely deaf with blocked ears. Said ears are now bubbling from whatever my husband dripped into them, one single Japanese water torture drop at a time, . . . so i've decided to not even try to talk to him tonight, as i kind of sound like i should be in a geriatric nursing home "what did you say, who, yes please, why not, i can't hear you" has been repeated over & over very loudly tonight . . .
So i thought, i know, if i can't read a story book, talk, sew in a straight line, or listen to Grey's Anatomy (don't worry, i'm taping it for when my hearing resumes) i might calmly while the evening away on the laptop. Don't do anything silly like update your business websites with giddy information or delete them altogether, so i'll destroy my blog instead. I've changed the colours & layout, as i was never really a brown & orange girl anyway. I've settled on this template & colour scheme - why do so many free templates look like banking brochures??
It's yet another public holiday in the Territory tomorrow - having serious doubts how my children will be educated with 3 public holidays in the past 2 weeks!! Now, time to rest my giddy head, in the knowledge my husband will still be here in the morning, not at work. Yippee!! That said, he will duck off to the gym for a couple of hours, & then so will i, ah bliss, i might just leave my iPod headphones at home!! Love Jennie