28 days

Parliament is in...

Aren't these little cuties?


I saw them ages ago in a catalogue and called the store, only to find they hadn't even got the stock in yet. So they took my name and number, and I figured I would never hear from them again.

That was maybe 2 months ago now and just a couple of weeks ago, I got the call and they put them aside for me, and held them until I managed to pick them up on Sunday. Let me just say at this point, I didn't get there as early as planned and when I called to ask them to hold them a few days longer they happily obliged, thanking me for the call.

When I got there, Fred remembered my name, got them out of storage and we discussed which ones to buy and a few ways to set them up. He was really lovely and so helpful. (thanks Fred!)

There are 4 different options/sizes and they are all under $10ea.

Pretty cute hey? If you like them (and you want them too) just go to Domayne in QV Melbourne. There were quite a few in stock when I was there, though I don't expect they will last for long - they're a real hoot!*

*sorry - I just had to!

Selling up to go traveling...

I chose this image because (as you know) it's just 37 sleeps to the USA, but also because this is my car - well it's the same version as my car - a 40th anniversary edition to commemorate when the Mini won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964.

Mine doesn't have the checkered roof or details, but it has a number 37 on the side (the number of the car that won the race).

I love it, though recently I have been considering selling it and going traveling for a year. What do you think?

Any buyers?

* I just wanted to say a very big thank you to everyone for your comments and suggestions re travel to the USA and apologise for not getting around to many blogs lately (and those I do visit I haven't been leaving many comments). Planning for the big trip has been keeping me busy, but I am still here and lurking about. And I will return!

42

You guessed it.
42 Sleeps to USA.
(Not that I'm counting!)

Coming soon - Project USA.

There are days when I really want a drink...

I don't really drink alcohol.
Mostly it's because I don't like the taste.


It would be nice to sit with friends and share a bottle of wine, to enjoy a social gathering over a few drinks at the end of the week or a hot summer's day. But to this day I have never managed to find a wine or beer that I especially like. So I figure, why bother?


But there are days...
when I am over the slog
when my patience is wearing thin
when all I want to do is scream bloody murder...
when I think that having a few bevies to calm the turmoil inside my head, might come in handy.
That drinking myself into oblivion might soak away the voices and frustrations. Where my sorrows will be drowned and silenced.

Somedays I believe that waking up with a hangover, might just be preferable to waking up with the head-hurting knowledge that groundhog day is waiting for me to get out of bed to start all over again.

Actually, it's 48 sleeps from today... (oopsie)

Oopsie.
Slight miscalculation.
I have 48 sleeps from TODAY before I leave for the states.
(Not that it really matters, but I just wanted you to know).
Not to worry.
The countdown has begun.

48 Sleeps

On this day in 7 weeks I will be getting on a plane to NYC, USA.


I will be away for a total of 6 and a half weeks. I can barely believe it is happening! It seems like an age since I have had a holiday and I really do need the break, and 6.5 weeks is bliss.

My Mum (Mom) and I will be traveling together. We have agreed to spend 4 weeks together and 2 weeks 'doing our own thing', so that I can get the escape from 'my world' that I have been craving, and we can hang out together for the rest of it. Thankfully we are good travel companions, so it will be a great combination.

There has been some planning (though this weekend will see more when Mum and I get together) and this is where it stands at this stage...

Arrive NYC, August 5th.
Head straight to Maine for the first week or two. We will hang out with friends and visit Camp Tanglewood where I worked as a summer camp counsellor 20 years ago. I would love to rent a house (or better still be invited to house sit or stay with friends) on the Maine coast.

Picture all those New England postcards you may have seen of little seaside towns with stark white homes and tiny shops huddled around a small bay and that's where we'll be. With luck we will see the Northern Lights.

For those first one to two weeks, my ideal would be relaxing in the summer sun and soaking up good old USA hospitality. No pressure to do anything but grab a book, write a journal, do some drawing, take a walk, sit in a cafe and watch the world go by.

Be still. And breathe. Deeply.

From there it's largely unplanned. At this stage we are going to stay in the northern states as I traveled to California and other southern states 20 years ago.

What I do know... There will be a trip to Niagara Falls. Maybe a few days in Boston. Two weeks of mystery adventures. And then, across the last two weeks I will be in Washington DC for the long weekend in September (where I hope to meet a lovely blogging friend), traveling south to Southern Maryland to visit another friend (due to have twins in the next few weeks) and then ten nights in NYC.

It already sounds busy, but I don't want to over plan as I want to leave some of it to chance. Though I am keen to organise accommodation in NYC so that we can head there and not have to worry about where we will be staying.

I'm expecting there may be some readers who are a little envious (I know this because I know the jealousy I have experienced when reading posts about other blogger's travels) and maybe wish you could be doing the same trip... that right now you are thinking of all the things you would do if you were in the USA for 6 weeks!

I would love to hear your thoughts.

If you had 6 weeks in the USA where would you go and what would you do?
Is there anything you just wouldn't want to miss?
Have you been to NYC? Would you recommend anywhere to stay?
Are there markets you would like to visit? Stores? Galleries?
Hidden treasures you'd like to share.
Workshops you would like to take?
I would love some specifics. Or just general comments are fine too.

1000 Journals

Well, it's Sunday night and it's 11 o'clock. It's been a busy weekend already and normally by now, I would be tucked up in my bed, with the working week looming grimly.

This Sunday night however, I am happy to say is not a normal Sunday night... 

Thankfully tomorrow is a public holiday (Happy Birthday to the Queen) which means I will be able to ease more casually into what is normally a manic Monday morning and I will not be regretting this late night of googling and blogging.

But before I go, I really wanted to tell you about a great movie I have watched on ABC2 tonight. Hopefully you caught it too.

It was called 1000 Journals and is the documentary style movie about 1000 journals that were despatched by 'someguy' from San Francisco into the world in August 2000 and what has happened since.

I loved it. It was surprising and inspiring. And as a lover or journalling and all things creative (and being the nosey person I am), it was compelling viewing. And of course as soon as it was over, I jumped onto the website to take a look.

The covers are different on all 1000 journals. This one was designed by Australian artist Russell Tate.

Make sure you go take a look at the 1000 Journals website. Go see how it all came to be... Many many pages are scanned and waiting to be viewed and explored. People's stories and creativity is there for all to see. And if you love this 'stuff' as I do, you will find it hard to go to bed on time too!

There is more to life...

"There is more to life than increasing the speed."
 GHANDI


It's been a busy week here and the long weekend is just a breath away. I do plan to take a bit of a break at some stage...
though in the meantime...

Tonight am off to see Banksy's movie "Exit Through the Giftshop" at ACMI.
On Saturday I hope to head to the Sister's Market in Brunswick.
Sunday I want to head to Camberwell Market.
And Monday? I might get to sleep in! Catch up on some reading. Watch a movie.

And amongst all that, there's sure to be a bit of planning and dreaming about my impending trip to the USA... (more details next week).

I may even get a bit of blogging done (and belatedly return some comments to all my neglected faves)!

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

If this a mid-life crisis...

A few weeks ago, I did something I have been wanting to do for years.

When I was in my 20's, my boyfriend at the time, convinced my not to do it. When I was in my 30's I had more or less discarded it, though I continued to envy and admire women who did it. And now, in my (early 40's) I have finally done it too.

Having chatted with a friend about it, who was keen to come along, we went off on a Saturday a few weeks back, and went to The Piercing Urge where I met Sam (pictured) who pierced my nose. Yes, I got my nose pierced.

And I am pleased with the result. And I like how it looks. It is not huge or ugly. In fact is is small and (I think) rather discreet. People who have said anything have said they liked it (apart from my Mother and an Aunt, who I knew would not really like it and they said as much)... and the rest have declined to comment either because they don't like it, or, as a few people have said, they weren't totally sure whether I had always had it.

So. Why did I do it?
Because I wanted to.

And because I can.

And because I figured, at 42, it's about time I do stuff I want to do, instead of worrying about what others might think of me.

And whilst it might be a little unexpected and they might not approve, my Mum still loves me, and my Aunt still loves me, and whilst they may not like nose jewelry, they do understand that what I do with my body is my decision. And they will soon get accustomed to it in any case.

Besides, if this is my mid-life crisis (and this is the 'worst' thing I do), then hopefully that means I may live to be 85.

Zero Coke Zero...

One of my theories on life, is that diet soft drink, in particular Diet Coke and Coke Zero, are going to be the nicotine of my generation.

I believe that in the years to come, it will be revealed that big corporations have been aware of the addiction and health issues connected with phenylalanine and that they are equally as detrimental to health as nicotine. And, that like nicotine, in the race for the mighty buck, companies turned a blind eye to the health risks (maybe even hiding them under the carpet) and continued to financially benefit from people's addictions.

Let's face it, a chemicals that make a sweet drink free of calories and the additional caffeine cannot possibly be good. In fact, a doctor that my mother saw a couple of years ago, said that Coke (despite it's sugar levels) is preferable to the diet options which he considered paramount to poison.

Don't get me wrong, I actually like the stuff. In fact, I would almost admit to a slight addiction myself. I crave it as a quick pick-me-up in the slump of my work afternoon, and I get a headache if I don't have one. It is probably my drink of choice when I go out, as I don't often drink alcohol. I don't drink a lot of it, but regardless, knowing it can't possibly be good for me, I should have given it up years ago.

The final straw (ha ha) was an article I saw on tv recently where a young woman was talking of her addiction to Coke Zero. She drank 70 (yes SEVENTY) litres every week. That's 10 litres every single DAY! Crazy!

She can't even remember the last time she drank water. She admits to bad moods and headaches if she doesn't drink it. In fact, when her partner didn't buy it one week, she hit him in her fury!

The health official on the show (asked for his professional opinion), said that the additives in the drink, had the worrying side effect of disturbing the absorption of calcium into the body and thus will have a serious effect on her future bone density. And other side effects too including weight gain!!! Seriously!

So why am I drinking this stuff? Well, I have been asking myself the same thing for months without any reasonable answer, and so on May 31st, I drank my last Coke Zero. I'm going cold turkey. And on June 2nd I'm doing ok. No hissy fits or cold sweats. Mostly I'm feeling a little bit pleased with myself. A bit like giving up cigarettes for a smoker.

But now, I am looking for an alternative, because I still would like to have something with a bit of fizz sometimes. I have heard of a brand called Zevia which is a natural diet soft drink alternative and I have a friend who says it's good.

Any other ideas anyone? I would love to hear about them.

The Big Apple...

The decision is made.
Finally.

I am so so SO excited, I can barely breathe.
6 weeks in the sunny U S of A.

Wooooo hoooooo!

Now... anyone got any advice, ideas, suggestions?

Bring it on people... because now the decision is made, anything is possible!

Air Mail...

This little surprise landed in my post today.

So much nicer than another bill.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Feeling a little bit stuck...

And I'm feeling like I'm going nowhere fast.

But before I whinge TOOO much and you leave because you can't stand to hear another whiny post about me not knowing what to do or which direction to turn, I am working on it.

I am doing morning pages again (the main exercise from The Artists Way which I always find effective and stimulating) and I am reading "Finding my own North Star" which I am really starting to get into. Thanks to Kate one of my first blogging friends, for the recommendation, it's definitely relevant.

Funnily enough (in a sad sort of way) as I'm reading each chapter, it's actually all sounding very familiar, confirming I am waaay off track. Oh boy, am I off track! This book could well have been written for me!

Hopefully soon, as well as describing the smog filled life that I am living and confirming that this is not where I want to be, it's going to give me some answers and help me (help myself) to get outta this mess.

Has anyone else read this? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Friday fun

Is it just me, or is this just the coolest camera?
Yes, it's made from LEGO! And it works - holding up to 80 pics.
Why buy it for the kids?
I don't have kids, and I want one for me!

I first saw it here.
And if you want one too... you can buy it here!

Undosay... if only I could!

Many times I have wished I could take back things I have said.

undosay!

Sew it Together... a lovely crafty gathering

Well, it's Monday night and I have promised myself a computer free night, but before the week disappears, I just want to tell you a bit about my weekend. A weekend where I got to hang out with over 60 amazing crafty lovely ladies, all connected by the world of craft, sewing and creativity and everyone of them bloggers.

First up. It was busy. It started straight after work on Friday when about 30 of us met at Nikki's studio to meet and greet and enjoy a few nibblies with one or two drinks... and really I didn't stop until I hit the sack on Sunday night. 

Today at work, when asked what I did on the weekend, I could happily say that I caught up with friends. Now, understand that I had not actually met most of the people I spent time with on the weekend, but   (being lovely bloggy readers) you will understand that having spent most of the weekend with creative bloggy people was heaps of fun. And that whilst I had never met the majority of these people before, I already counted them amongst my friends

Across Friday night and the Sew it Together day on Saturday, there was much squealing, smiling, hugging and laughter as people met one another (more often than not for the first time) and as people put faces to blogs and made connections with people they had met and got to know only through their blogs. Throw in lots of crafty inspiration, sewing, good food and sharing of tips and tricks, and it was always going to get noisy and be lots of fun.

What a treat to spend time with such lovely women and make connections that had begun on the internet! And make lots of new friends too.

Sheridan and Susie (and others) made the trip from QLD. Trash came along all the way from the UK (well she was here visiting family but what great timing... and it was so nice to meet her and sit next to her on Saturday while we all sewed and knitted up a storm together)!  

I was lucky to hang out for most of the day with these lovely ladies... Deborah, Rachelle, Jan, Lizzie, and Jodie travelled all the way from Ballarat! Imagine! Crazy hey!

I also got to spend time with Holly, and Cathie and Sandra and Nikki, and I met the lovely Karen and Juddie and Ellen.

There were lovely prizes, swaps and even the paparazzi were there!

If you were there and I haven't mentioned you (sorry - there were so many new faces and names to remember), please make sure you say hi and I will come and visit you!

Sheridan, you did an amazing job organising it all. Thanks for all your hard work, it was a fantastic couple of days.

And then, as if I hadn't had enough excitement for one day, I spent Saturday night making kiddie cocktails for one gorgeous 11 year old and her friend!

Happy Birthday Violet!

Stitches & Craft loveliness

Last Friday, I took the day off work and headed to the Stitches and Craft show. It's always a treat to take a Friday off work, but to be spending time doing crafty workshops and meeting lovely crafty people and bloggers is hard to beat.


And then, as if Friday wasn't enough, I also went on Saturday too to catch up with more crafty goodness.

I created a sock owl, in Claire's workshop. Go take a look at her blog and say hi at Craft Schmaft. She is gorgeous and the workshop was lots of fun, she was so patient and looked after us all (even when I took the LONGEST TIME EVER to decide what colour sock to choose. The owls were all so different and so so cute.

Then, how could I possibly go to the Stitches and Craft Show and not do a workshop with Sandra from Pepperberry. I actually met Sandra last year at the same show at Flemington, where we found ourselves in a few of the same classes. She is AMAZING and I love her creations! And she has done such incredible things in the last year. Truly, I don't know how she does it all.

She has such an incredible energy and is obviously loving what she is doing, it's impossible not to be inspired.

I also caught up with other faves Nikki, Michelle, Cathy, Jodie, Bec, and met lots of lovely new blogging friends too... Caitlin from pippijoe, Holly from two cheese please, Jacqueline from Zippyzippy in Horsham, Gillian from Silly Gilly fame, and Kim from Emiti Crafts (she is new to blogging, so make sure you drop by and say hello).

I know I met lots of other crafters and bloggers too, so I am sorry if I have forgotten to mention you here, but it was lovely to meet you all and thanks for dropping by and saying hello to me. Leave me a comment and I will come and visit.

And, as it is Friday already, I am excited to say I will be meeting lots of these lovely people again, and lots of other crafty bloggers too, as we all head to Sew it Together, tonight at Nikki's studio, and then all day tomorrow in the city. Hopefully I'll see you there.

Yay!

Exhibition Invite...

My friend Melati and her brother Siddhartha are having a combined exhibition in celebration of the Australian Landscape. And you're invited.

It is opening this Tuesday night and then runs until the 23rd of May. 

It's being held at Melbourne Central, so if you happen to be in the city it's the perfect opportunity to drop by and have a look at their beautiful work.

Colourful chaos...

I have been wanting to re-hang my printers tray on the lounge room wall, since I rearranged my studio and didn't have any suitable wall space left. Finally last weekend I managed to get around to it... 

I stuck a hook in the wall and using the same wire from before, I hung the tray up and it worked exactly as I had hoped. Pleased with my progress, and congratulating myself on my decision, I got to work and filled it with cotton reels and lots of little bits and pieces that I have collected that are small enough to fit in the holes. And it was looking good. 


And then, just as I was adding the final bits...


I heard a tiny ping ping ping as each little bit of wire cable snapped in quick succession and, as I tilted my head to listen to try and work out what was going on, the wire snapped, and the printers tray with all it's collection fell off the wall!

Made quite a crash too. Who would have thought that tying wire in knots to make it shorter, would weaken it!!! Lots of stuff scattered EVERYWHERE.


Surprisingly, I didn’t even swear! No really! Who’d have thought it was possible.

But seriously, I was like a character in a cartoon scene. I was left standing there with a cotton reel in my hand... chaos all around me, and a look of stunned silence on my face. Is there such a look as stunned silence? Believe me, there is!


Thankfully nothing damaged or broken, though it did seem like a waste of over an hour and it has taken me another week to buy new wire and hooks and eventually re-do everything!

I'm very happy with the result. I think it's looking good. 
Again.

And order is restored... just as I like it 
(until the next bit if chaos hits that is!)
What do you think? 

Don't be afraid...

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated.

You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.

DAVID LLOYD GEORGE

Anzac Day 2010

At the going down of the sun,

And in the morning,

We will remember them.

*Photo by Jacinta

Morocco, Anzac Day, 1989.

Lovely bloggy surprises in the post today...

I won a prize on Cathy's blog a couple of weeks ago and today it arrived in the post!

How exciting. I love getting post (well, not the bills, but good post).

And it was choc full of lovely surprises. 

Beautiful original Tinniegirl artwork and a mix cd (which I love by the way, as it has a few classic 80's tunes and a few newbies as well)

There was a copy of MixTape zine...

With an article about The cadence of Crafting, by Cathy herself. 

And lots of other bloggers I recognise too... 

Kate James of Total Balance and her blog Everyday Calm,

 Alison from Lark,

 Holly from Two Cheese Please 

and lots of other crafty and arty people and interesting articles to read too.

Thanks Cathy, it was an absolute treat. Love it.

Drawing on the right side of my brain...

Some years ago, I was introduced to the Betty Edwards book, "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", you may have heard of it.

It's an extraordinary book that promises to "unlock the artist within and open up a new world of creative enjoyment."

Through it's tasks and lessons, you will soon discover that drawing is a skill that can be learned by every normal person with average eyesight and average eye-hand coordination-with sufficient ability, for example, to thread a needle or catch a baseball. Contrary to popular opinion, manual skill is not a primary factor in drawing. If your handwriting is readable, or if you can print legibly, you have ample dexterity to draw well.

The results in the book certainly show some incredible results, and whilst I have loved the book and done a few of the exercises and tasks, I have barely moved further than the first few chapters.

Just recently I read a post on Kate's blog about some classes she has been taking and it has inspired me to start... again...

Sophie Balchin has studied with the son of Betty Edwards, is a teacher in Melbourne, and she runs regular evening classes and workshops. Her evening classes are a combination of Betty Edwards' methods and her own tips, tricks and lessons that Sophie has learned along her own artistic path.

And so I have decided to pick up my drawing pencils again and do one of her classes.

It starts on Monday May 3rd and runs for 6 weeks (3 hours a week) and is $240... and I can't wait. I have spoken to Sophie on the phone and she sounds lovely and I am really looking forward to meeting her and doing the class.

She's looking for extra numbers, so go visit her website - drawing potential - give her a call, and take the plunge. Come join me.

Hang on in there...

It's nearly the weekend...

One Little Acorn...

Image by Malcolm

(Thanks Mal)

Biting my tongue till it hurts...

When someone says something that's rude or offensive about someone else, I have no problem speaking up in their defense.

I don't like racism, disrespecting people less fortunate than ourselves or unjust behavior. Basically, I believe we all deserve to be treated fairly and as a result I will often stand up for the underdog.

And yet, when someone says something insulting directed at me, I am usually so speechless I say nothing in response. Mostly I am in shock that anyone would say something so incredible. And because I am in a state of disbelief they don't get a response. And they get away with it.

Later it just makes me angry. And whilst I hate confrontation, I just wish I was capable of responding at the time and calling the offender on their behavior. Saying something witty and sharp. To put them in their place.

I wish I could put them on the spot and confront them.
And tell them they suck.
Either that, or give them a quick sharp slap across the face.

Anyone for a game of darts...

I need a holiday...

For months now, I have been talking about taking a holiday. An escape of some sort. I know I have spoken about it before. But I am still here, and my annual leave has barely been touched.

I never wanted to be one of those people that had 2 weeks away each summer, only to begin to plan my next summer holiday, to the same destination, the moment I returned. I wanted to be adventurous. To go to new places, experience new things. Spread my wings and see a new part of the world each time I went away. I had travelled broadly for the 8 years I lived overseas and planned to continue to do so.

As it turned out, it didn't quite go as I had hoped...

It occurred to me just last week, that the last time I took a holiday, a proper, more than one week away type holiday, was January 2007. Before that it would have been a one week trip to Darwin, I think in 2005. Before that, maybe 2003 or even 2002. It's 2010 already!

Seems in avoiding what I saw as 'ordinary', I have somehow managed to go without a decent holiday altogether! What the fuck have I been doing?

For whatever reason, even though a holiday well and truly beckons, I can't seem to make my mind up as to what to do, when to go, or even where to go. There are any number of excuses for not making a decision, most of them in no way logical or sensible. And my passport remains unstamped. The furthest I have travelled in the last 2 years is Canberra, a mere one hour flight from home!

I am driving my friends mad.
I am driving my family mad.
But most of all,
I am driving myself mad.

I have considered...
Thailand
The UK
Cambodia
Vietnam
India
New Zealand
The USA
A caravan on the coast of NSW (Aus)
A road trip around the coast of Australia
Cairns
Darwin
God help me, I have even considered the Gold Coast!
I have considered
Camping in the backyard!
Camping in the front yard!
An artist retreat
A health retreat
A retreat from the world...

Right now, indecision is my biggest problem.

I know it's not a problem of epic proportions.
In fact, I can barely call it a problem.
Not in the true sense of the word.
But I need a holiday.

Help me.

Easter break...

Wishing you all an eggs-ceptional Easter break. Hope it's eggs-citing and above all your eggs-spectations. Maybe even a little eggs-cessive!

May you be surrounded by eggs-traordinary and eggs-travagant friends and family.

Please eggs-cuse my terrible attempt at humour. It's been an eggs-hausting week (no eggs-aggeration) and my brain is feeling quite scrambled!