Don't give up cos you have friends Don't give up You're not beaten yet Don't give up I know you can make it good (I would have posted all the lyrics but frankly they're too much for me at the moment)
My girls are best friends with two of the most beautiful spirits (sisters) & we found out on Thursday that they'll be leaving our school at the end of the year. The image above is the smalls when they first became friends (2 years old).
The break's been good for me. I've been parenting, crafting, opping, filming & generally just slowing down a bit. I've only got a couple more things to take care of for people on The Nice List & then I'm done.
I had such a great day with Aunty Cookie and the Meet Me at Mikes guys yesterday. Finders Keepers was a fabulous day out. You can read about the day & see fabulous pictures of the stalls & the event over at The Design Files or Mikes.
Shaz gave me this lightly hot water bottle vase & it joins Kate's hand in the bathroom (ring is by Victoria Mason) .... I know you need three to make it a collection so shall buzz off to etsy now.
& a bit on finding & keeping friends too...
I'm endlessly amazed by the number of really truly gorgeous mates I've made because of this bit of online drivel. My goings on are hardly ever poignant, personal or even humourous. But something in the way I've presented myself has led me to a growing number of found & kept friends & for that I will be eternally grateful. xxx
I had lots of ideas for people to invite to a sensational dinner party with the date but in the end I've settled on my friends from school: Jo, Tan, Soph, Lise, Jen, Tiff, Megs & Myself.
The date will decline his invitation & we will all sit around drinking pretty drinks & laughing til our cheeks hurt.
Sure - we are all very different people now & our lives have moved us in different directions & around the world. Maybe if we met in the street today we wouldn't all be friends. BUT... there is something really special about a shared history & the easy, honest & kid-like way you interact with a friend you've had forever. It's priceless.
The photo with the pink cut outs is the final list but we need to add Jo & Megs into the pink voids. Can you match all my friends with their before & after shots?
This gorgeous fabric was purchased at my best Op Shop recently. It's really special & I want to do it justice. I've got a few ideas kicking around but nothing firm yet.
We had a fantastic time at Brown Owls last night. The clubhouse was jam packed with lovely crafty souls stitching away on their uniform panels. I'm really looking forward to next week. You can see all the stitching goodness over at our Flickr group.
Finally - a little note about friends...You know - you think you've got enough friends & in this busy life it can be pretty hard to keep up with the friends you've got. Then someone extra specially good comes along & you find there really is time & room in your heart for someone truly good & golden. Mmmm - it's like babies really - there is always enough love. Thank you.
I was tagged ages ago by the lovely Chalk & Cheese. I'd decided today was the day & then Arthur's Circus tagged me too.
Seven is the number of rings I wear all the time. It's ridiculous for a girl with hands my size & I look like a mafia wife but I don't care.
Friday is my favourite day of the week - I run like a demon, drink with friends & fall in a heap.
I love mornings best of all. The crispness of the air makes me feel alive.
My favourite piece of jewellery is my wedding band. One of my school friends told me it would be & I didn't believe her. I was so in love with my engagement ring I couldn't imagine that a little piece of gold would be more treasured - but it is.
I've known the date since I was 12 years old & we've been together for more than half my life.
Grant Caroll made me remember than 7 8s are 56. He tortured me with that table in year 4 it's just about the only "times" I can remember - I was always bad at tables.
I'm a details girl see image above...7 pins & 7 spots on the toadstool.
As for tagging other players - if you want to play consider yourself tagged.
Jill (me), Asterix & Miss Nettles. See Pip, I really am an authority on Pony novels (especially Ruby Ferguson).
My Siblings.
Together we shared a childhood jam packed with fun, adventure & laughter. They were my very best friends then & they are still my very best friends now.
Footnote: Come home BT & never leave CT. I love you both.
My lovely friend is walking this. I've done it - it's the hardest thing ever! If you'd like to donate to her team of go-get-em girls and support OXFAM go here. I'll be tracking her progress over the next 20 hours or so.
I'm off to support another of my lovely friends tonight. She is doing live stand-up - that's gutsy!
Last week Jhoanna & Pip both made predictions/suggestions for what lay ahead. I've gone with rewarding because it was easier & I'm feeling a bit slack.
-Being able to help out some gorgeous friends both with blogs & without...rewarding.
-Making time for 5 new beginnings - I'm addicted to beginnings...rewarding.
-Being challenged (& stepping up) by this lovely soul. She's given me so many crafty nudges over the last 12 months and it has meant lots of new beginnings...rewarding.
-Being reminded that when life gets in the way of the things you love it's OK to say "no"...rewarding
-Pushing myself on my Friday run when I really couldn't be fagged...rewarding.
Getting on with making & thinking about making this week.
I've been to the Op Shop this week too. As we're moving I've sort of given myself a loose set of rules about the things I'm allowed to buy at Op Shops.
I'm allowed: stackers (& other complimentary ceramics), fabric if I know what I'm using it for, clothes (for need only) & gifts for friends.
In my space this week I've got: complimentary ceramics fabric & a gift for someone special
Additional bits & pieces: mixtape postcard a music box beginning (which I think is getting flicked) the Flip video still the felting stuff still the beginnings of the nanna bag.
Pop in & add your link if you're playing this week.
I’ve become very emotionally attached to him - we’ve been through a lot together.
He began life as left over wool suiting & a remnant from an after 5 number…I’d been patiently waiting for the silver since November last year & I’m pretty sure he’d been waiting for me too.
Together we’ve struggled, fought & made a more than a few mistakes but we’ve dusted ourselves off and made firm friends.
I knew it was all going to work out because he never stopped smiling. Now he’s here and he is going to be hard to say farewell to. I’ve poured my heart & soul into this little fella.
You know…he’s a bit rough around the edges, he’s had his share of knocks & he’s got a few battle scars to prove it. But look at what those tough times have revealed…
a silver lining - it has made him who he is, given him character and fleshed out his personality.
He’s a good sort
He’s off to have his 15 minutes of fame in the Meet Me at Mikes window & then I know he’s going to make some somebody a very good friend.
You can find out more about the Softies for Mirabel appeal here.
I'm normally not that fond of the sewing machine - it's a means to an end in my opinion. But...I've had so much joy in the making of my silver lined cloud!
The smallest is having a little party today & requested rice paper rolls. She's not the best eater & frankly I had visions of me slaving over the blasted rice paper rolls & then the 7 year old misses taking one bite of them & leaving the rest to go into the rubbish bin.
So today the girls & I made:
Kiddie Rice Paper Rolls (which I am positive will be eaten). Shaved chicken breast Grated carrot Shaved cucumber
all rolled up & easy for the kids to have a crack at too. Not exactly gourmet but the small girl is so excited about serving these up to her friends. .
7 twinkling lights 6 stuffed mushies 5 glowing gifts 4 waiting sacks 3 chrissy trees 2 drinks with bubbles & a sp...i...i...i...i...ng santa
These gorgeous Christmas lights belonged to my Grandma & now belong to me.
Tonight we are going on an Xmas Light Night Tour (& it really is XLNT) with our ACE friends. It's a driving tour & Jo does heaps of research & plans the tour perfectly.
We are starting at Jo's with a couple of drinks & then heading out in convoy. Can't wait!
For about 15 minutes making this super speedy, super cheaty kind of dinner for some friends tonight. After school soccer & gym means I need to be prepared. As far as I'm concerned Friday night should be all about the drinks anyway. But it is very tasty.
Then spending the rest of the day on the sewing machine. The buttonholes are being quite good to me so I haven't resorted to buying the foot....yet.
I think that this Warburton trip must have had special significance. There seem to be a great many photos. I imagine Jessie would have had to carefully weigh the value of each shot before she took it.
Nothing like our digital age - click, click, click for the golden memories.
I wonder if these two were friends or relatives. Is one of these women Jessie or is she the photographer?
Thank you, Bricolagelife for encouraging me to study these images more closely & create a whole new reality for Jessie.
I used all of my cream blanketting at Brown Owls & I'm a little ashamed to admit I was feeling a wee bit sorry about it.
The very last piece was used to make this little madam & she so badly needs some friends... I took a deep grown up breath & sent my "field of dreams" Op Shop wish out into the world.
They popped up this week & for only $3 each!
Note: I fully appreciate that a pic of a couple of old cream blankets is not very exciting to many of you, but for me...a totally thrilling find.
Friday is the long run day which means I think a lot - probably too much.
Today I was thinking about craft & dating. This seems like a bit of a weird connection (stay with me).
One of my really good friends used to say that she was addicted to the beginnings of relationships. At the time it was true ... she had lots of love em & leave em boyfriends. Many of them had a fair bit of bastard about them too (which of course only made them more appealing). Brief affairs really, flirtations, experiments but satisfying nonetheless.
She's now happily married to a fine upstanding guy. Marriage, of course requires a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.
Then I started to think about me & the craft thing. I too love a new beginning. I like to think long & hard about the how. I flirt with ideas, experiment with techniques & then have a one night stand with the actual crafting. It's quick & it's usually dirty (with varied results) but satisfying nonetheless.
Crochet (I'm trying - really I am), knitting & quilting require a deep commitment, compromise & the making of promises you really mean. You need to be patient & dedicated & determined. The rewards are plentiful both along the way & at the end. Something to be really, really proud of.
I'm married to my bags & the music boxes but I'm one night standing with plenty of other stuff to get my new beginnings fix.
I'd be interested to know if you're married to your craft, married & cheating (like me) or all about the thrill of a one night stand.
I told Lara I was going to put this on Flickr "for her eyes only" to say thanks for being super specially good. BUT this girl said she'd post it on her blog if I did! You know she'd do it too. Safer here where I have some control!
It seems my big fat bogan wedding has been an item of interest to a few lovely folk.
This is me with my "I really (insert expletive) hate you" fake smile. My beautiful friend thinks that they taught fake smiling at my school. One of my very good friends from school is on Melbourne Radio & Trace reckons we have the same fake smile!
Reason for fake smile: Casual, relaxed, natural photography brief. Photographer turned up with an ironing board & tulle & made me do this!
Points to consider when critiquing the event.
1) I was 23 2) I was 23 3) I was 23
Thanks!
See more bogan shots here & here.
PS: I'd be pretty happy to trot the wedding dress out if anyone wants to host a wedding dress party!
PPS: I'm going to get the wedding video out - that's a real comedy!
I've been mucking around with spacing of holes & I'm almost ready to make a start. It won't be today though (I'm working). It won't be tomorrow (I've friends for lunch). It won't be Saturday either (I'm ferrying kids around all day). Pity about life getting in the way really.
Hoping that you're finding time in your life for plenty of makings.
Lovely space from last week right here.
Sorry about the Link man having an afternoon snooze last week. Hopefully he's had his coffee this morning.
Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
Adventurous Spirited Determined Thoughtful & just so good with the words.
This last point especially important for me at the moment when I feel as if I have no words left! I can go & have a pretty drink with this girl & think "coulda woulda shoulda" written something like that on my blog today.
I just wish she lived in Melbourne. We'd be firm friends I'm sure.
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