hurrah! opening night! Leon loved! custom order!

These guys waiting patiently in the art gallery for the opening night of this exhibition.

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and here they are! So many creative peeps and artists!

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and breakdancers! How impossibly trendy is that?

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and HURRAH! Leon found a home before the exhibition started! He was snatched up here in the arms of the lovely Tobiah who was one of the exhibition organizers, and is Liquorice Tree. She makes amazing and.a.bit.creepy.but.in.a.good.way felted creatures, see them here!
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Tobiah is creating her nursery and has placed a custom order for a girl 'Leon', to sit on each side and guard her baby's crib! The nursery will be featured in a design magazine too! Wow!

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Can you tell I'm excited? I think the exclamation marks are giving me away! And then there's the book! I think I'm going to go and lie down!

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(all image credited to Tobiah's flickr stream) You can see more photos of the exhibition & opening night here.

that's, like, heaps

pb&j [embroidery], originally posted at KindOverMatter

does lipstick makes the sun shine brighter?

image credit

I have never been much of a lipstick kinda gal, preferring trusty lip balm or gloss on occasion, but months ago I bought a lovely shade of dark red in a post-breakup makin-changes kinda mood (I also changed the colour of my hair and cut a fringe, and ate faaaar too much chocolate). It's been languishing at the bottom of my drawer since then, until today when I, in heels and stockings for the first time in 2 weeks, saw it and thought 'why not?'.

I must say, I felt dashing. I caught my reflection in car windows. I reapplied after lunch. I pouted. I felt somehow more confident and splendid with ruby red lips, and am considering the dawn of a new lipstick age. I may even buy some different shades (gasp!)

Do you find a bounce in your step with lippy? Or is it just me?

I made this!

Pip at Meet Me at Mike's is giving away a copy of her lovely craft book. To be in the running for this crafty goodness (and the photos! Oh!) you need to post something that you've made. I haven't made much at all lately, but here are my map butterflies, I made them months ago and they flutter above my doorway in the breeze (not on the kitchen cupboards, like here..)

Apologies for the not-so-good photo, my trusty camera finally died and I am wandering around trying not to see lovely things becuase I can't capture them. Here is one of the last photos she took.

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And another that she chose to scramble in a very artistic way. Oh well.

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a blog showcasing the art and creativity of kids

post your little artists work on The Blog We Made, or just enjoy looking at the amazing pictures kids come up with. I still have a folder of paintings and cards and random craft made for me by the kids at my old center, and I treasure them. So cute. So artistic. Where does that artistic confidence and creativity go?

this just made my day

watch it with the sound up.

My Week in Pictures, or Titles in Capitals Sound Good

I've been visiting friends on their property near Coffs Harbour on the north coast of NSW. Gee it's pretty there. I only meant to be there for the weekend, but I stayed for almost a week.

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Me and a Horse Named Wally Who Likes Carrots Very Much

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Picking Wildflowers from the Top Paddock
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Cute Sheep But Actually Quite Annoying
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Playing with Stella, my Second Favourite Dog in the World
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Chickens are Lovely But A Bit Stupid Most Of The Time Plus I Would Like To Live In This Shack

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What a Sexy Pumpkin
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Plus we went ate chips wrapped in paper at the beach, went fishing, ate excellent pizza by the fire in the local pub, and spent hours reading and catching up.

I want to go back and stay for a few months, wake early and plant seeds, grow things, feed chickens, spend afternoons reading and sewing. Yes indeed. I will just need to let work know. 'I'm going to live in the country for a few months, mm-kay?'

joy

ladybeard., originally uploaded by clareowen.

Pip's Words & Pictures this week (or was it last?) is 'Joy'. So many options with such a great theme, but I decided to share with you (if you don't know it already) the lovely blog Kind Over Matter.
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Go and have a squiz, go on! You will find inspiring thoughts, beautiful pictures, kind etsy finds and feel good shops, lovely giveaways and all kinds of precious things. Also quote and affirmation cards to download and give away, and other ways to spread kindness. Plus links to lots of blogs full of kindness, like Operation Nice.
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It is full of beauty and simplicity and joy and always makes me smile serenely and think about lying in fields of flowers and blowing bubbles and such. Which is a nice thing to think about, don't you think?
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things that make you go 'aahhh'

Thanks Jayne for showing us this adorable clip. You rule.

duck duck goose

Rabbit and the Duck
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Shadow Duck Print
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Nursery Art Print

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Miniature Ceramic Duck and Ducklings

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Quack Quack Spring is Here
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Philippine Yellow Ducky
. Duck Mug
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Not Like the Others
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I'm looking at ducks because sometimes I miss my duck. Her name was duck duck.

toes + sun = good

(image credit)

I am officially on holidays.

Yep, holidays. When you can do what you like, when you like.

This is the first time in yonks I've had two whole weeks off, plus it's the middle of winter and everyone else is working. Why didn't I think of this before? Perfect for snuggling, creating, dreaming and solitude. Summer is great too, but this mid-year hiatus is awesome.

I've already made lists, but not only lists of things to do, but lists of things I'd like to do and lists of things of nothing to do too. I'm trying to remember to slow it down, to not accidentally fill it up with overdue dentist appointment, tax returns, house cleaning and uni work. Also creating, I have so many projects in my head and things I want to try/sew/conjure that I could spend the next two weeks in my own head with hands working fervidly. It will be gone in a flash and I don't want to look back and go 'what happened? oh no!'

Some of the things on my list:

- lie in the park in the sun. watch clouds

- visit old friends and new ones too

- have late lunches in local cafes

- draw, sketch, sew, create

- try to spend a whole day without looking at a clock

- go to the library. browse. wander.

- go someplace I don't usually go. Like the aquarium.

- visit an art gallery or museum. Buy postcards

-write some letters to my favourite people

-eat liquorice and oranges in a bubble bath. I'm not sure why. it sounds nice.

I feel like I'm missing something though. What do you like to do in your holidays? If you had today to do whatever you liked, what would you do?

she's apples and it's

I sure like these prints. You can see more at lucky bluebird art's etsy store.

favourite green things

This week, Pip's word and pictures is 'green'. I've posted about my love of green before, so this time I thought I'd show you some of my favourite green things.

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Vege seeds for the garden yum, nice way to spend a sunday afternoon

'Anne of Green Gables' one of my favourite books growing up

Succulent plant, a farewell gift from a parent when I left OSHC

Porcelian turtle who lives under my computer monitor and keeps me company

Shawl-in-progress with super lovely soft wool that will-be-finished-one-day

Thread. because I like thread.

Pepper grinder, a present from my favourite twin sister and used every day

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I love that this theme happens to be my favourite colour. Love.it.

I hope your weekend is just lovely!

not war

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another cross stitch keyring with a vintage map back (like this one). I like making these, they are cute and such a little project it is nice to have the thrill of finsihing so quickly! I'll post the patterns for this one and 'F** Winter' when I've drawn few more, I think I will make a skull next.

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buy this bookmark here
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You can see great cross stitch patterns at radical cross stitch and subversive cross stitch.

Knit Up Peeps!

I've posted about guerrilla knitting a few times, remember Knitta Please? Well the founding chickadee herself is in Australia, and coming right here to Sydney! She's been covering the world with knitted goodness, and I think it's freakin' awesome.

"I don't care if I get arrested. There is no freakin' way that I'm leaving this city without tagging something big," Sayeg says.

See the story in the Sydney Morning Herald here

Yeehaa! I'm crossing my fingers for the Harbour Bridge, or the Opera House, (so is pottymouth mama!) I have heard of a guerrilla knitting group in Newtown, but have never found the elusive crew. I think we ought to pick a landmark, statue or corner, spread the word and descend with knitting on a certain date to bomb or own bit of our lovely city. If you're not in town, maybe you could knit up a square or shape and post to me, I'll join them up and post photos of your knitting gracing famous public spaces!

Who's in?

how do you get concrete out of carpet?

This morning I was woken at 3am with a cat sitting on me. This is not unusual, but I remember thinking 'man, is she heavier than she was yesterday?' before I drifted back to sleep. Then I woke this morning with a strange white dust on my bed and sheets. Strange. I went to put my shoes on and reached under the bed. The seem to be covered in, white dusty paint? Ah, concrete? What the? Concrete on the doorway, on the furniture, in little paw prints all.the.way.up.the.hall.

So I have a kitty who has visited a building site a block away and managed to DUNK herself in CONCRETE. She is walking like she's in a half-body cast, her fur sticking out in stiff white spikes as she waddles and shakes one foot, then the other, in a vain attempt to get it off.

A bath in the laundry sink later (wet cats are hilarious. it's true.) and some hopes that she hasn't eaten too much concrete already, I stop in to see the builders on the way to work. They thought it was pretty damn funny, and luckily she hasn't ruined anything. Apparently the concrete was mostly set so the lime had deactivated or something so it was less toxic than it could have been. Still not recommended though.

I didn't have the chance to grab some photos of the scene as I rushed to work, but it was THIS ONE. She looks INNOCENT doesn't she. Not.

my creative space

This is part of the craziness that was last weekend. Now I'm off to wander to the library and sit in the sun.

what do you say most often?

(image credit)

I was thinking about it on my bike during the week, where I often zone out as I pedal up the lane ways and think about random things, like;

I wonder how may strawberries are in a jar of jam
I wonder if i should join the gym?
I wonder if leaves look purple to other people

and then I wondered what words I say the most.

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On my bike, I find myself saying 'thank you' a lot. To pedestrians who pause for me as I meander past, to drivers who sit facing me and wait in the narrow streets for me to pass, and of course 'good morning' to the corner shop man, the funeral director guys I pass, and the business man who I always intersect with at the same point.

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When I worked with kids, I'm sure it was one of those phrases that you tend to say a hundred times a day, until you don't really notice that you do anymore as it becomes pure absent minded habit. Like 'where are your manners please' and hopefully not 'put down that stick'.

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Receptionists have cheery greetings, Doctors always ask 'What can I do for you today?', fast food servers must say 'Do you want fries with that?' musicians might say 'from the top'.

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So I am wondering, what are the words you say most often in a day?

from meinwonderland

Pet's eye view camera

from geekalerts.com

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This mini camera attaches to your dog or cats collar and takes photos!

Just clip the lightweight digital camera to your pet’s collar and you’ll be able to take up to 40 photos to document their shenanigans. The camera has an auto interval mode that can be set to snap pictures at 1, 5 or 15 minute intervals.

Awesome! I want to know what kind of shenanigans my cats get up to when I'm not around. Actually, scrap that, that'd probably be a series of 10 photos of a food bowl, followed by 30 photos of the cat basket. Exciting.

I'd like to get a dog in the park and set up 5 minute intervals, a kind of documentary from the dog's view. How awesome would that be? I wonder if that cute dog comes with it.

ladders

(image credit)

I'm a day late for whatcha wearin wednesday, but that seems to be my modus operandi (ooh latin. a bit of a nerd eh?) doesn't it. A day late, lagging behind but not far. Ah well, today feels like Friday but it’s not and I’m trying to pretend it’s Wednesday. Yep. Well, yesterday and today I am wearing stockings. With ladders.

I have stocking issues. This is well known at my workplace, where you might wander into the kitchen to make a cup of tea and see me writhing in the corner and hoisting layers of clothing around in an attempt to hitch up my stockings that are sliding woefully down my thigh and pooling around my knees. Stockings are always too short. I have been vertically blessed (read: tall) and my.legs.are.long. You know that pretty graph on the back of stocking packets so you can see which size to purchase? I am not on it. I'm somewhere 3 cms off the packet. Like my legs which seem to be a foot longer than stockings.

Tights are thicker and resist laddering, but are less stretchy, and wearing your crotch low can result in an unattractive waddle, and the aforementioned hoisting process. I have a few pairs that I cut the crotch completely out, and that works well, the tights cover my legs and my skirt covers the missing crotch, but I can’t help but feel a bit naughty and a bit silly, like wearing no undies.

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I like stockings though. I like wearing them to work with heels and feeling professional. I like the way they make my legs shiny or dark, and I like the sound they make when I cross my legs under my desk. So I persevere. Even when the average time before ladders snake up my calf is one and a half days. I duly note brands that stretch the furtherst and last the longest, but draw the line at the thick flesh coloured stockings that nurses wear and give me legs that look the skin off an old custard pudding.
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I will persist. Most days I get out of the house without snagging on a fingernail or ripping down the thigh from yanking. Meanwhile, I collect stocking receipts in the hope that I can claim them on tax, and continue to writhe in the corner of the coffee room.