my stay-at-home week plans . . . feeling a bit sore & sorry for myself

Greetings all,

On this waiting-for-surgery-roller-coaster to fix my carpal tunnel ridden hands, after 10 years of sewing every day, i have to find new things to fill the void (& blog about).  Basically my hands are numb in the morning, i come home via the gym & ice them.  Today i needed bubble wrap to ship out some orders from my huge on line sale & had this sudden hankering for rice paper rolls.  They are so cheap to make from scratch.

 The rice paper spring roll sheets & noodles = $5 & the prawns about $4 for 450gm.

 A BBQ chicken on special $9, how gross does shop bought seasoning look??  Especially with my finger prints in it. 

 Felt pretty smug as i walked straight past the herbs at the supermarket, knowing i had a herb shrubery at home.  Dill haters need not comment.  I have 2 mega dill bushes & 3 coriander, i've never been this successful with growing these delicate beauties before. 

 I picked a colander full of dill, coriander, parsley, mint, shallots, basil & oregano (i know, just like how the Vietnamese make their rice paper rolls, if they were in Italy!!) 

 Setting myself up for a week worth of delicious lunches & afternoon-hand-resting-movie-watching, i got all these movies for under $12!!  I miss so many movies, so on $1.95 day i can catch up.  Don't worry, i'm not turning into a lardy lounge potato, a movie is great way to pass time on the treadmill, i do hill climbs with my hand on ice, brilliant!! 

 Now to bundle up these orders in bubbles & post out this afternoon on the school run.

 Big sellers are the French Style suitcases, Ladybird note pads, Kristen Doran screen prints, Divine Twine, Dumpling Dynasty tins & Rosie Flo colouring books - all on special!!

Do you ever visit Australian Women on line, there is a nice interview about me, love Posie

some more Handmade market eye candy . . .

Greetings all,

So you wanted more Handmade Market eye candy . . . how about some incredible origami/ paper folding/ cleverness (images by Rosalind at Grace Designs).  This is exactly the kind of special something something i'd have under a glass cloche in my homestead, a show stopping unique handmade object which i would gaze at daily with wonder & heart flutters.

 Those Mookah sisters know how to style a stall.  There is something just-so-spot-on about their taste, quality & design.  Leisa said "we don't do pretty like you".  My personal choice isn't pretty either, some soft vintage in the girls' bedrooms but our homestead will be all about texture & linens, bold screen printed pattern & 'durable', like our leather King Furniture Jasper lounge.

 Props & signage is a great addition to your stall.  I love vintage lettering - on a wooden block - yes please.  I really want to cut back on my range/ variety so i have more space for props & merchandising than just baskets of products.  I've been trying to do this for a while, less is more & all that.

 The truth about child labour & the Posie production line was revealed . . . my girls were hand sewing behind the stall (& softie bombing my accessories tree.)  The customers loved it, commenting they wished their children could sew/ crochet/ knit/ embroider - i'm just raising them the way i was brought up . . . when you're not playing in the garden, swimming, walking the dog or on a bike, you're doing something crafty with your hands. 

 I came home to a freshly baked chocolate on chocolate cake on Sunday afternoon. I couldn't eat it, i had a shower & a lie down . . . each child lifted the ice pack off my eyes & asked if they could have my slice.  Look at these faces, do they look like the kind of girls who would take food from their sick mother??  You betcha!!  Thanks for the photo Rosalind.

What's on the cards for me today - turning out the garage, urgh.  My husband will read this & cheer.  Bring on the garbage bags, i feel SO good after Spring cleaning, love Posie
PS on my super go slow internet connection i can only add a few images per post, frustrating to say the least + on going comment issues, come on Blogger!!

welcome 300 followers

Greetings all,

I’m thrilled to find 300+ bloggers out there follow this little blog, welcome & thank you. I only got back into regular blogging & added a follow button this year to keep my nights occupied while my husband was away for 9 months, so glad I did!! I did an ‘about-me’ style post when I hit 200 followers, so to bring the next 100 of you up to date on who I am & what I’m about, here’s a new egocentric babble. I invite you to do a similar post, we all love interviews & sharing, especially in a new year, ‘tis a friendly blog world.

Who Am I?? I’m a housewife; married to my teenage love who is a soldier; we have 4 fabulous children – our eldest daughter is about to start high school, twin girls who are 9 & a boy who is nearly 7. I also work at Shop Handmade Canberra (a dedicated handmade shop front in the city) & do handmade markets. I’m also in the Handmade Living book, with a dozen projects!!

Where Was I 5 Years Ago (2005)?? Just moved from Sydney to live in Darwin (again) on an Army posting; a few years into my patchwork & design business; loving being a mum at home with 4 children (1 in school, 2 in preschool, 1 at home) & sewing around them. We took the children to Singapore, Kakadu & Sydney on holidays that year. I also did my first market stall.

Where Was I 10 Years Ago (2000)?? I was 25, married 3 years, living in Darwin on an Army posting; I was a pharmacologist working full time in the oil industry; our first born had a nanny. We bought our first property & I made my first proper patchwork quilt for my sister who said I should find a way of turning it into a small business. Oprah would call it an “aha moment”. I love Oprah.

Where Will I be in 5 Years (2015)?? Our future is really exciting, we’re looking at land outside Canberra to buy & build a big homestead, start a farm & let our children run free. My husband will probably be in a different job, I’ll be turning 40 & our 4th child will be starting High School!! Our simple life plan is fully solar & wind powered, living off our land & animals.

What’s the 2011 Plan?? Give our eldest space to develop her personality & be there when she needs us; daily Yoga; cut back on carbs & lose weight; keep up stock at Shop Handmade; keep my studio tidy; make patchwork quilts for my children; improve my cooking; be thoroughly prepared for my markets; balance my volunteer work better; use up my fabric & save more $$.

Random Things About Me?? I’ve been bitten by a Funnel Web Spider; I’m terrified of clowns; I love housework; I ran in the Sydney Olympic Torch Relay; I studied 3 years of psychology at Sydney Uni with no desire to be a psychologist; I love maths; I loathe reality television (I’ll watch diet, cooking & decorating though); I always wanted 4 children; I’m a great runner but terrible swimmer!!

Good & Bad of 2010?? We were burgled; we discovered where we want to live; I had my purse & mobile phone stolen in Venice; we went on a second European honeymoon; my mother’s Alzheimer’s is getting ugly; I visited my parents in Sydney a couple of extra trips this year; handsome soldier spent 9 months away; he came home safe from war; we’re not getting a new car; we saved $$!!

So that’s me in words, I love my husband & our children, we have a simple life with big plans. I'm lucky to have a lot of love in my world & don't take it for granted!!  Love Posie

PS if you want to enter some great holiday giveaways, check out the previous posts - an IKEA lifestyle book & Tangled movie tickets - all you have to do is follow this blog, leave comments at each of THOSE posts to enter each of THOSE competitions, good luck!!

a lovely dainty Sunday morning High Tea, ahhhhhh . . .

Greetings all,

Phew, all but ONE pre-Christmas committment is over, relief!!  Well i have 3 patchwork quilt orders but that's different, they're can-do-in-studio-no-make-up-or-high-heels things.  Today was the delicious, delicate & delightful Handmade Living High Tea at Dalton's Books Store. 
Considering this weekend alone i've driven an extra 100km to rescue my husband who broke down off the Federal Highway (ruptured hose, cost $4 to fix) but got splattered in coolant; worked on 3 seperate P&C fundraisers & got covered in BBQ grease at two of them; attended a fancy book launch; Christmas Tree chopping & walked into 3 seperate spider webs; baked & picked flowers; created 2 terrariums; taxied children to birthday parties . . . it was nice to finally do something lady like, calm, quiet . . . a High Tea.

. . . beautiful food . . .  

. . . designer project tables . . . 

. . . lovely people . . .

Rachel - Shop Handmade, Julie - Shop Handmade, Handmade Living & Handmade Market, Tania - author Handmade Living, Tina - illustrator of Handmade Living.

I'm off to shower, after the final windy shift at the hardware store BBQ fundraiser this afternoon my hair is all knotty & i just feel blah, everything aches.  Back on the diet tomorrow; i've got the teacher's gifts sorted; more stock for Shop Handmade & 2 lunch dates with my husband SET IN STONE this week.  Will be lovely as next weekend my twinnies are having a bunch of friends sleep over (kill me now) to watch Gremlins - remember that movie??!! 
Have great weeks, love Posie

Posie is having a BIG SALE at the Mathilda's Market in Canberra

Greetings all,
Time for a bit of a Winter Sale at Posie!! 
In just ONE WEEK i'm leaving the brrrr of Canberra Winter & solo parenting life, for a few weeks in the European Summer with my husband!!  I know, that's without the children, WITHOUT them, OMG, first time ever & a husband on war leave, yippee!!  So to share the pure joy & glee i'm feeling, i'm putting all my non-handmade goodies on sale from 25% off at the Mathilda's Market tomorrow!! 
Most of you know my life story - soldier's wife & mother of 4, husband away for 10 months this year (typical for us), i have my businesses split into 4 . . . on line retail/ wholesale/ markets & i work at Shop Handmade 4 days a week where i have a whole wardrobe & cot full of handmade goodness . . . plus family duties like P&C roles, homework, cooking, cleaning, dog walking, i have zero help & that's my life.  Sound like i need a bit of a recharge??  I like my independence & i'm a workaholic as i plan an EARLY retirement.  Something along the lines of when our 4th child starts Uni, i'll be 45 & will escape to a coastal cottage & sew while my husband surfs, tends the garden, feeds the animals, ahhhhhh the dream . . . no wars, no homework, no bake sales, just us!!  

So back to reality & . . . tomorrow, imagine these shelves beautifully set up with all sorts of sale items & deals!!  Lark, Dumpling Dynasty, LadyBird, Rosie Flo, Djeco & more . . .

Also my children (but one, the fella is coming with me) are at friends' places so no babysitting fees (well babysitter cancelled for a Christening, so i had no choice) so i'm already ahead & have quite the skip in my step today.  Call it a sale or holiday fundraiser??  More on the trip later, just be happy & excited for me, OMG, my husband, him, love of my life, i keep getting all teary just thinking about meeting him at the airport (trust me, i won't recognise him, beard & all) so he can find me!!  Love Posie

the Handmade Market come down . . .

Greetings all,
Thanks for all the best wishes for the Saturday Handmade Market, you're all so sweet, especially to follow up with emails & asking if i was in a post-market-coma as no blog post yet.  Yes, tired but truth is, i leant my camera memory stick to Tania McCartney (who is responsible for these images which i stole from the Handmade blog) & i haven't downloaded my own yet!!  We like to share at Handmade!! 
Here is a quick whip around from the day, starting with my smaller-than-usual-cosy-managable stall, Danielle Kathleen, Little Slave, Retro Mummy & Schmooks.  I went into this market remarkably calm & with my heavy work load of late (Shop Handmade, Posie on line, Edna&AliceMay wholesale & all those children of mine) i decided to be more craft enabler with fabric, buttons, badges & cards.  Gosh it lifted the pressure, i thoroughly enjoyed the day, even went to the bathroom TWICE & took my middle daughter who came home with her 3rd Allana C giraffe & enjoyed cupcakes, pop corn, chatting to designers . . . it was glorious weather & with a lighter Winter crowd than the regular 10 000 market goers, it was fabulous & another success!!
Thanks again for all those who came along, sent well wishes, are supplying Shop Handmade, working on a submissions for Handmade Living & just all round loving supporters of the Handmade movement.  I'm having a ball & will be dragged kicking & screaming from Canberra at the end of the year.  My husband is teasing me about coming back to Canberra soon, i just kind of want to skip the leaving bit!! 
If you missed the Market - come to the Shop, it's busier than ever, over 100 designers in Shop & new stock arriving daily!!
Want some gorgeous knitting needles & craft goodies, don't miss the G I V E A W A Y in the last post.  Winner to be announced on Thursday.  Love Posie

Happy Mother's Day - make a weekend of it ladies!!

Greetings all,
Well it's Mother's Day this Sunday in Australia, wishing you all a lovely day!!  We had a blast at the Mother's Day stall at school, made a small fortune for the P&C (um, 5 times the profit they used to make before i took over, if i can blow my own trumpet for a moment, toot toot). 

After 6 hours of selling gifts to excited primary schoolers, i went in for a 4 hour shift at Shop Handmade where i was met with this beautiful huge vase of flowers, organised by my husband for my Mother's Day, ahhhhh, love you far away soldier!!

 How awesome are our customers & a record sales day too - even when i left after 8p.m. there were STILL 20 people in store, sipping champagne, munching hot snacks from Sour Cherry & such a buzz in the air.  Well done Julie & Rachel, love you ladies, Happy Mother's Day to you both!!

Here is my space in the Shop, a wardrobe, top, shelves, racks the lot, plus the cot filled with patchwork quilts & coming soon, more cushions!!  The Art Viva knitting needles are a hit too.

Gorgeous lovely dolls from Tiny Concept, wow, to think these 3 Babushkas had any hope of being sold to customers beyond the Shop Girls was just ridiculous.  Silly me thought they'd be ace for my 3 girls but my son is a bit of a fan, bless him, does he have ANY other choice being raised in this house??!!

After a big night out it was an early morning off to Goulburn NSW, famous for it's Big Merino & big it is, aka Rambo!!  Check it out, a reinforced concrete shrine to the sheep (in particular fleece & wool) industry.  You can't climb up & look out through the eyes anymore, bugger.

How impressive is the 1888 wool press in the Merino museum, for a numbers freak like me, love that date!!  I started my business in 1999.  Anyway, i had to keep telling my son it was a Merino as in sheep bred for fleece & meat, NOT a casino.  FYI i was raised Methodist & we don't gamble!!  I also studied permuations at Uni, you can't beat the casino, so to avoid disappointment, i don't even buy scratch'n'win cards, just in case you thought, hmmmm, bet that Posie leaves her children in the casino car park . . .

There are quite a few sewing shops in Goulburn, i found these Singer tins, fabulous aren't they??  Well let's just say, after they kindly let my son use the bathroom at the 2nd shop - i had to buy something & due to the unpleasant smell he left, we shall never return!!
I treated my boy to a ram at the Big Merino tourist shop.  I asked him what he might like to name his sheep (so hoping he'd chose something Australian like 'Dag' or 'Jumbuck') & after much thought he annouced to the Shop . . . "I'm going to call him 'Naguwakyta' which means 'thirsty' in Japanese."  What??  I am sure they will remember that freaky son of mine in Goulburn for a long time!!Now for my all time favourite sheep joke (you need to know in advance that 'dags' are the bits of poo which stick to the fleece around a sheep's bottom & in Australia a 'dag' is a friendly/ joking name to call someone when they are being a bit of a moron, silly or well, a bit of a dag) . . .
Question: have you ever been to a party up a sheep's bottom??  No??

Answer: well you must have been one of the dags hanging around outside!!If you don't think that is funny, not sure i can still be friends with you!!

Finally, on a classier note, some lovely things for Mother's Day - yes, i have goodies coming from the children but these bolts of Thea & Sami screen prints arrived & make me happy.  They will be for sale at Handmade Market + used in the Handmade Living book (applications close Monday 10th May - approvals announced by 14th May, little extension for you crafty folks) & look at the gorgeous tea towel Thea sent with my order, ahhh, thanks Thea!!  See how it matches my other self purchased gifts - the Red Stitch talking pears & Yardage Design apron from Shop Handmade.  With all the colour in my life, i do love a good monotone & natural linen.

Have lovely weekends, everyone, love Posie