Sleepy

Sleepy, originally uploaded by Sjaek.

I am so sleepy..

matchbox treasures

For the International Championship League of Matchbox Stuffers :-), originally uploaded by borealnz

today I went for a walk and I found

a vintage suitcase, a pile of reader's digests from the 1960's, old receipts, a newspaper cutting about fake diamonds, a Sydney Opera House key ring and an old black and white photo of a naked woman (who looks suspiciously like the woman in the newspaper cutting).

What a treasure to find on a sunny Saturday afternoon. I wonder what it all means.

see, I can't help it, it's in my genes..

now pass me the chocolate.

it's lodged in my brain

Winter Book
5 Hole Pencil Sharpener
Library Birthday Card
Chalk & Chalkboard

from cute store Present & Correct.

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Only after I picked them did I notice they seem to have a school theme. I'm thinking of studying teaching again; the thought is lodged in my brain somewhere between memories of goldfish past and the impulse to touch babies booties, and it pops out now and then. Like now. (and I'm not disillusioned, I've worked with kidlets for years and know the terrors they are capable of being. But when they are good, they are very very good!) The children. The charts. The stickers and stamps with smiley faces. The learning. The smell of vegemite and grubby hands and pencils. Hmm...

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(edit) I enrolled into uni today, bachelor of education (primary). Let the journey begin!

cranky posting

manhattan: park ave and 32nd: cranky mailbox, originally uploaded by Polish Sausage Queen.

I have the 3 o'clock crankies. Grrr...
Not much is going right and this is one of those rare occasions when a cup of tea just doesn't help. I turned to read some favourite bogs to escape miss cranky pants (um, me,) and what I found has cheered me up somewhat:

feelin stitchy has posted my 'this is how I roll' sushi embroidery on their awesome blog that inspires me so often. It's awesome to find myself amongst the work there.

And Rebecca at Blinking Flights liked my 'reclaim your brain' embroidery pattern so much she popped it on her lovely blog and has plans to make it!

Miss Cranky Pants has left for the day, Miss Sweet Grin is grateful for the opportunites and friends found and can't wait to get home to do what she loves!

catching up

Sometimes I feel like all my time
is catching up
on things left behind.
Projects piled up ceiling high
sometimes just make me
grin, and sigh.
I don’t mind the calls I have to make
or icing chocolate cakes
I baked,
running out of milk or bread,
leaving things I know
still unsaid
I like finishing a good read
and poking holes for planting seeds
but the catching up I like the most
Is you and me,
and tea and toast.

Thanks Pip, for another great Words and Pictures theme- see more here!

I'm tempted to put this one with the bad high school poetry I posted a while back. Although I just penned it quickly in my lunch break and not while filled with teenage angst, it's about the same calibre! Oh well.

does he look remorseful?

So I really ought to be in bed, but I couldn't resist showing you my first plushie for this exhibition. His emotion is 'remorse'. or 'regret'. I can't decide. (Ok I know they're basically the same thing, but which word is better? Or does he just look worried?)
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He's going to be a set of three I've decided, soon to be joined by 'suspicion' and 'revenge'.

Apologies for the photo, bad light and a little blurry; better photos to come once I get my official photographer on the case!

aah

Creating a plush for tryout for entry into this exhibition. I love the teeny eeny green scarf.


Wanderings, festival and music on a Saturday afternoon.

Beer on the steps. Aah.

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How was your weekend?

Absurdly creative and awesome stop motion

Go Pig, Go! found at Wagging Tales

when trapped under a building by an earthquake

Don't panic. You may be trapped in your bed under the ruins of your house, under piles of rubble, unsure of whether you will be rescued or die alone, but that's no reason not to crochet. Like a 98 yr old Italian Grandma did for 30 hours. When she was rescued what was the first thing she asked for before being taken to hospital? a comb.

Doing it with craft and style. I love it.
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Read the full article here

Thanks R, for sharing this story!

you're nice

Thanks for being nice, stranger who saw me struggling with my bag and looking around for somewhere to lock my bike outside the video store yesterday. I really appreciated your smile and offer to drop my dvd inside for me!

Thanks delivery man, who waited after you made your delivery and held open the door for me so I could wheel my bike in early this morning! You rock!

Thanks sushi train lady, for smiling and being so patient when I forgot my eftpos pin, last night, again.

Thanks work colleague, for always making me a cup of tea when you put the kettle on, sometimes it makes my moment to turn away from work and find a steaming cuppa magically appeared on my desk!

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I've been checking out Operation Nice, and have been noticing niceness around me. Operation NICE was initiated to remind you that a little NICE goes a long way. If everyone was a little bit nicer to the folks they encountered each day, perhaps the world would be a more pleasant place. It has posters and buttons and lots of nice stories of people being nice and general niceness, I recommend it for days when you are feeling a bit disillusioned. It also has a lovely button you can put on your blog to show everyone how nice you are, see mine? Yes it's nice isn't it.

I'd love to hear your stories of moments of niceness you've experienced lately!

Another nice thing, very nice indeed, I won a giveaway from GeorgieLove hosted by PottyMouthMama! Yippeeeeeee! Thanks!

(p.s. click on the pic above to buy the cards! That would be nice!)

whatcha wearin wednesday

Today I wore a gray skirt that has superglue stuck on patches (from an incident at a bus stop. trying to fix a ring. long story), a white top and black vest, a fat black rose ring, my favourite wooden bangle and black nailpolish. And a green woollen scarf from a thrift store that is an old school scarf 'cause its got one of those old school name labels like your mum used to write on with a name, school and class number.

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I got changed and went for a run before I remembered to take a photo. I thought I'd show you anyway, rather than my sweaty running clothes. It's for the best.

collecting

words and pictures

I like collecting things.Like most crafty people I have stores of buttons and fabrics and felts and threads and ribbons and things that may.just.be.handy.one.day.

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Other things I accidentally collect are keys. Not sure why. I think it started when I moved house once and got left with a bunch of keys, so I put them in a drawer. Then we changed the locks at work, so I collected everyones old keys and added them too. Sometimes I find them. The ones I find are my favourite- where did they come from? what did they lock? how were they lost? Keys are new beginnings and old routines.

I'm not sure what to do with them though.. any ideas? Some hang in a strand from my ceiling and tinkle in the breeze. Most sit in the drawer.

I also have a bunch of boardgames. In the basket on the top there's also barrel'o'monkeys, uno, playing cards, dice and other-games-that-I-don't-remember.Love 'em. Want more. Must have people over more often for board game evenings like it was 1944 (before television was invented. I just wiki'ed it.)

When I was a kid I collected stamps. Seriously. I had two books, one for international and one for Australian stamps, and a little magnifying glass and everything. You can take the girl away from the stamps but you can't take the nerd outta the girl.

I'm lovin' Pip's words and pictures themes. I'm gonna go have a bit of a stroll and see what everyone else collects!

Head in the clouds

In the park this morning, little ghostly fungi.

While I was waiting at the traffic lights, all the tall buildings and skyscrapers had their heads in the clouds.

And tonight it rumbled and growled and now rains heavy drops that fall through the dark, bounce through the flyscreen and pool on the floor.

Ooh doesn't this look like fun

A call out for domestic & international artists for an exhibit of emotional plush art.

Artists chosen will be featured in a book that will accompany the show and will be available online and at Art Whino Gallery.

What emotions are we looking for? acceptance, affection, anger, annoyance, anticipation, apathy, anxiety, awe, boredom, compassion, contempt, curiosity, depression, desire, disappointment, disgust, ecstasy, empathy, envy, embarrassment, euphoria, fear, frustration, gratitude, grief, guilt, happiness, hatred, hope, horror, hostility, hysteria, interest, jealousy, joy, loathing, love, pity, pride, rage, regret, remorse, sadness, shame, suffering, surprise, wonder or worry.just to start.

I'm going to go and have a cup of tea and a ponder with a sketch book..

lets get lost

by prettyfnmess

song lyric sunday

This song never fails to cheer me up and always makes me dance my pants off! Go on, try it! I challenge you to listen to it without shakin booty. Impossible (especially in that drum solo).

(and I know it's monday. but its a holiday, so lets pretend it's sunday.)

Learnalittlegivenanloving

If you're always trying to get to the top You don't get to the bottom of nothing Then you're gone before you know it You'd better stop (stop) Learn a little giving and loving It's been done before C'mon, do it again 'coz if it's good Then you should share it round What's the use of keeping All the good things that you've found to yourself? Learn a little, learn a little, learn a little giving Learn a little, learn a little, learn a little giving and loving

You don't gotta keep no other man down For you to get up There's no need to worry Just don't give away your self-respect'coz if it's all you've got left The rest don't really matter now anyway honey But give away love (give it) And give it for free No strings attached Just don't ask for it back Learn a little, learn a little, learn a little giving Learn a little, learn a little, learn a little giving and stop Giving Learn a little giving It's been done before C'mon do it again Learn a little, learn a little, learn a little giving and loving

Gotye

vroom vroom

I don't know about you, but I tend to ignore my body and assume that it will keep going, like a beat up car. Yes I know it's a cliche, but I guess the analogy works or it wouldn't be a cliche, would it? Most of the time I don't pay much attention to my body and generally just take the whole lot for granted.
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I made my own book with a blue Volkswagen stitched on the front. 'Cause if my body IS a car, I would like it to be a quirky, cute, independent, striking and comfortable love-bug. (but not inspired at request of a murderous dictator. not that part.)

and yes, that is a embroidery hoop crease you see, not ironed out. Damn impatience.

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I'll use this book for open letters to body parts ( for example my knees. under-appreciated.) a journal of what i actually eat (yes, other people's Easter eggs count) and how I move. The idea being that by paying attention I'll take better care of myself, eat better (harder to eat junk if I find myself apologising to myself continually), and be more aware of how I move; also to foster some love for those little heralded bits (knee example works here too); before the whole thing breaks down on me.

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It's very pretty, and much easier than I thought. The inside is lined with brown paper, and I just stitched around all the edges using my sewing machine (popped in a ribbon for a bookmark first), then stitched in some paper.

And just to show you the back. I really liked it, seemed a shame to cover it up.

And something else I stitched this weekend. Cheese, I know.

off into the world!

I dropped off my very first toy as part of the Toy Society. (Edit: Drop#203!)

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Basically you make a toy then release it into the wild! Each one has a tag on it explaining that it really is for you to take home, and invites finders to log their find on the toy society blog.

You can see the blog here, and photos of all 191 drops so far around the world!

I decided to let the little yellow monster free, and made up a tag and envelope from brown paper and pages from 'The Jungle Book'.

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At first I wanted to leave him in the playground in my favourite park, and I tried to get up early so I could leave him inconspicuously, but alas, there were people and prams and kidlets everywhere. Plan B was a little park near my house enclosed by tall hedges and a squeaky gate. It was deserted on a cloudy morning and success!

Here he is, waiting patiently on the swing to be found.

It felt a little strange leaving him there and walking away, guess you get a little attached to the things you make. I do hope he's OK (and it doesn't rain!)

world's best housemates

My lovely housemate has a new blog Kaalinya. I look at it and it amazes me that such simple things around our house are transformed in such beautiful photographs!

Our other housemate left for the Easter Weekend but not before leaving a pile of chocolate Easter eggs for those of us staying at home. Bless!

I feel so lucky to share my life and a home with such lovely and amazing women. They make me laugh, bring me chocolate (and hugs) when I cry, and inspire me everyday. Our home has a lovely energy to it and I love it, even when we're simultaneously cranky there's an understanding in the air. I treasure sharing experiences and talking into the wee hours with them, or just that comfortable we're-doing-our-own-thing-quietly-but-in-good-company saturday afternoons.

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(p.s. thanks for the milk)

cup 'o tea?

I sat down and made tea cup pin cushions, using this tutorial .

I bought a box of tea cups a few weeks ago from an op-shop (and carried them all the way home), planning to make candles out of them. But these are cute too (and quite fitting that as I'm surrounded by empty and half full cups of tea I'll be plucking pins from tea cups as well).

I like to 70's thing goin' on with the brown. They're not as dainty or elegant as the antique/pretty/rose covered cups, but they're sturdy and handy. I'm already storing little bits and pieces in the saucers as well, and I'm glad I made two.

matchbox belts and fishing lure accessories

Spent some time lazing around today looking at my old craft books, mostly picked up from op-shops for a few dollars, but full of techniques, old and new. I love these buckles, particulary the matchbox and portrait ones (enlarged below).

also a necklace made out of a fishing lure? of course!

well goodness me

Goodness me I am so excited this morning I don't quite know what to do with myself. Four days stretch before me in which to follow my whims and fancies. So much time, so many things I want to do.make.read.plant.sew.draw.
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I want to draw some more embroidery patterns
I would like to make a teacup pin cushion like this one
I would like to put on robots and make my house sparkly and fresh
I want to write some letters and maybe join up for a swap
I would like to plant some seedlings and look after my lemon tree
I would like to have a go and making my own notebook like this gorgeous one
I would like to read some of the stack of library books on my bed

And that's just today.
I've been up early (thank you, daylight savings), and have been wandering through lovely blogs, making pancakes and drinking tea. Now what shall I do first?

Happy Easter Everyone!

If you'd like to download a printable easter card from the lovely bunny picture above, I found it here.)

I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.
Charles M. Schulz

Martha Martha Martha!

Do I think it's cheesy? Yes. Do I want it anyway? Yes.

Cute things

Cute things from this shop.


Octopus sock print
Antique leaf hair clip
peas in a pod necklace
cats in boat print

(and yes, I should be working, but window shopping is so much more fun! shhh... I'll catch up later, I promise)

Cold Feet

This Week Pip's Words and Pictures theme is "Cold Feet', which is funny 'cause this is the first week I've been home and gone 'ooh, my feet are a bit chilly'.

Every year this is what autumn means to me, that crossover from thongs and checking out your toes, to that point where you find yourself rummaging through drawers for thick socks, and pulling out your ugg boots. Suddenly a midnight pee means running down the hallway and trying to keep your toes of the cold tiles. Suddenly you only see your toes in the shower, and are suspiciously close to having a boot tan.

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I love the cooler weather (although I may change my tune mid-winter, just wait). There is a certain crispness in the air, a clarity. Things have a different smell in winter, the air seems clearer, and winter memories to me always seem to have a distinctness to them that hot, lazy blurred summer memories don't.

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I like being rugged up in bed with a book (my last two nights running), I like leaping out of bed and rushing back to dive under the covers. I like heaters and steaming mugs and watching the cold world from the warm side of the window.

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If you had to choose, would you rather be slightly too hot or slightly too cold?

whatcha wearin wednesday

Today I am wearing my green skull scarf. I am also vague and a bit cranky, so the words I'd usually go on with here, explaining where I got it (a punk shop), why it's my favourite (my favourite colour + skulls = excellent), how it makes me feel (apart from warm, a bit kooky); escape me. Well there you go, I found some after all.

I'm off to hunt down some tea and chocolate.

reclaim your brain pattern

A pattern I drew for stitching. Ironically I was watching TV at the time. Then I realised and switched on music instead.

I feel very vague today. Hmmmm. vague. See? Having trouble writing a sentence. Feel the need for chocolate and hugs. Maybe a hug MADE of chocolate. Mmm. Keep truckin' on. (Ooh that gives me an idea for another pattern...)

library bag

When I was searching through old photos for my 'the long drive' post (unsuccessfully), I came across these pics of a library bag I sewed for my neice. The little doll is all in matching fabrics (even her little undies; 'cause you can't go around wearing not-matching undies..) and fits in the little pocket at the front. It was fun to make, and I think it's cute as hell.

Now my sis has another one on the way, another gorgeous neice/nephew and I will get to make more cute stuff! Until I have my own. Then it will all be mine! Mwahahaha!

mean cornflakes

Today I saw a man passing me in the street, scowling and clutching a box to his chest. He wore little shorts, a wife beater singlet and thongs, and scrunched his face and stared at me. His feet flip-flopped as he hurried past. I laughed inside, bit hard to look mean when you’re hugging a packet of cornflakes.

song lyric sunday

my lovely sis over at fullstops of life started song lyric sunday last week and I've jumped onboard- love if you could too!

It was tough picking a song, I like so many, and different genres, I couldn't decide. Old, new, hard, fast, heavy, light. In the end I chose this one, next week I might go for something completely different..

I found this song in a compilation, a song by someone I'd never heard of, on soundtrack to a movie I've never seen. Actually, I don't even know how the cd came to be in my possession. As soon as I heard it I loved it, it has a raw thread in it that I like. I've posted song below as well if you'd like to hear it (I recommend)..

Anything at All

I can tell by the tone of your voice,
that this Isn't working out
I can tell by the look in your eyes,
you've made up your mind you haven't got a doubt
I remember when I first saw you,
remember the way I felt
and now your breaking me to pieces,
I don't know how I'll deal with this

but If I...
learned anything at all
it was to always be true to yourself and
I know that this isn't the end of it all
and I will fall...

Have you ever watched the shadows,
fly across the midnight sky
you know I used to watch the sunset,
but it seems that I haven't got the time anymore

but if I....
learned anything at all it was to
always be true to yourself and I
know that this is what I can do and
I'm gonna' try...

been thinking for days,
been sleepless for nights
but it all came to me,
driving home crying my eyes out

and if I...
learned anything at all it was to
never give up
cause I see all my dreams laid out in front of me
and for once it doesn't seem so tough
no, it doesn't seem so tough....

weekend

kite in the park

reading agatha christie

looking after the fish

mushroom canisters

new strings for my cello

sleeping cat

magnet on the fridge

dried lavender

duck holding my toothbrush

Pillow Fight!

Today is International Pillow Fight Day!

Quick! Grab a pillow and hit someone over the head with it!

Pillow Fight!, originally uploaded by Naomi Imagery.

Deliciously Crafty

Deliciously cute pattern seen on feeling stitchy and available here for machine or hand embroidering.

coming home

When the key turns in the lock, I know I can expect three things. First, in order get to the door beyond the path, one has to navigate world, that unruly, smelly, frightening outside. Rude bus drivers, bad-tempered children, condescending parents and incompetent colleagues, and that’s just the people. What of the rubbish and meanness and despair and hostility and bleakness?

So, first, there is the overwhelming relief when the key scrapes into the silver lock. Once the key is forced, stiffly, to just the right angle, the door swings open and hot burnt-cinnamon laced air is sucked inside. I close it hurriedly without shutting out Six.

That’s the second. Six will run to the door, her fat belly swaying underneath with each paw brought forward and her tail straight up in the air. Hungry again, fat cat. The dark lines around her eyes inquire. Once the door is safely closed and fur is weaving about my ankles, the hot air disperses and the cool smell of home soaks into me.

That is the third, and my favorite. There is nothing like the smell of your own home, and each house is different. There isn’t a sharp smell, like I imagine an artists’ house to have a tang of turpentine, or a taxidermists a flavor of formaldehyde. I don’t live near the sea, so there’s no scent of salt water, nor the dirt and vegemite smell of children. The smell of my house is subtle and mixed, like the soft dent in the couch filled with different color cat hair, or the grill that still holds the remnants of grilled cheese.
Some days someone in the bakery across the street doesn’t wash the trays properly before biscuit shapes are laid across them and submit to the huge ovens, and the blackened crispy smells drift and invade the street. Sometimes the greenie neighbours fertilize their garden with squished fish water and cow poo, and that seeps through the fence.

Most of the time though, when I lean against the cool wall inside the door, the smells that greet me are dust, bricks, lavender washing powder and mangoes.

vintage tins

mytins, originally uploaded by paulamills.

seedlings

lemonade award

Thanks to Nicki at Curious Me who gave me a lemonade award!
Take a squiz at her blog, she likes to do lovely crafty things and likes to drink ridiculous amounts of tea, just like me! I'd like to add her to my list too, but not sure if that'd stuff up the cycle- just take my word for it.

A Lemonade Award is given to bloggers that you feel show a positive attitude and/or gratitude.

Here's how it works:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great Gratitude and/or Attitude.

3. Be sure to list and link your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.

5. Nominate your favorites and link to your post.

So here's mine, the blogs I click on and that always cheer me up, make me think, and uplift me.

Pottymouthmama

Pip at Meet Me At Mikes

Amanda at Mammajoy

Melissa at art=love=life

Amy at Badskirt

Jessica at The Crafty Librarian

Kleio's belly

Brook, at Playing Grown Up

Mim at Fullstops of Life

Angela at Three Buttons

Sweet Jessie

Jessie at What Housework?

ok, a few more than 10? There's so many lovely ones, I wanted to include more...