Planning

Hello Neglected blog. I am back with lots of plans for October - despite moving house again and supervising builders

With the graceful inspiration of Planning with Kids I am announcing my goals for this month. - What the go is at the start of the month you write up your goals then review again at the start of the next - to see how you went.

So Here we go

1. Making:

Kd lunch bag
J present (pretty sure he dosent read this but will keep hush, hush)
Finish Christmas avent stockings
Finish Hj Dolly Cot Quilt cover

2. My Business
Develop map for my web site re-development
experiment with making work documentation process
Approach darling brother to re-work web site
Blog here three times a week and plan these posts
Get Knot Ladies cranking

3.My Health
Commence eating and exercise diary on a daily basis
- really wanting to loose 5kg


4. My Family
Regular weekly family activities
- Monday night drawing
- Wednesday night bush walk & board games

Did I mention that I am moving house this month?

Water Colour

Like so many parts of my life I have only a few hours of a week to enjoy my studio and also what is at my core - creative play. sigh

Often I say quietly and gently to myself - just do bit by bit - keeping my hand in with only a few hours a week in my studio will give me a base (although slim) for when I don't have extra hours in a office.

Tonight I enjoyed water colours again and took a new tangent in my drawing inspired by Iamana who I happened to bump into in (now days very rare idle flickringing)

That couple of hours of just playing and enjoying my own thoughts and company - my mouth closed to conversation and diversion- is so very healing and completely renewing.

Making for posting gifts

Gee I finished up Uni in 1996!!! So that officially makes me OLD. And keeping me in check and order is my good friends from those days. We are scattered all over Victoria and maybe see each other once or twice a year. (I must admit they are heaps better at getting together than me - I always have some silly art project on).

I am missing them at the moment. My family and I are going through a major transition at the moment physically and I am having lots of inner questions about art and also all those years I worked on art that doesn't seem to have given me much of a professional foundation at all - other than my own shear joy and pleasure.

These girls have known me much longer than my husband and have witnessed me go through all sorts of phases and silly decision making and they just know how to make me feel good about myself. Thanks girls.

So writing a letter will have to do for the moment. Also it is Kel's birthday next week and made her a little pouch to pop Mum's new book inside. (pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing)




This bit of floppy sewing is a cover for all our letters to go in - the pattern adapted from a design from Meet Me at Mikes - but I must admit that the pattern and design in this book is missing a few instructions - and have adapted a few times.




This time instead of writing I drew - Oh I had forgotten you black ink and paint brush. I am glad you didn't forget me. xxx





Hope they make for special posty love surprises.

Only time at the moment for quick pencil sketches

Inspired by a friends art competition I started a drawing piece as a design for an embroidery work -but haven't got very far. This moving house thing seems to take up a lot of time. Thankfully our weekends aren't taken up by open house days any more.

Bulls are appearing all of their own accord in my work. What joy.

Lighting my life

Busy day today. It started with a yoga - gee my teacher is brilliant - she is in her mid 60s - vibrant and wonderful got me doing hand stands and backbends and really brought me out of my repetative negative rut xxxx Often I walk away from this class with lots of new insights into myself. Today I reflected on some of my tatics to stay distant from people - such as being a teacher or leader.

Then breakfast with another special woman my nan - she is in her early 80s and is managing at home still without her husband - sad but curageous. Nan tells me is often is shocked at how lonely old age is. Yet she is bright, loving and positive. I left with a lovely warm belly.

Then work for a few hours and ticked 3 things off my to do list. YAY

Then off to a Home Birth luncheon that my darling husband cooked to share; yummy mini pizza squares. Below is a picture of my hyped up children, myself and my darling midwife who, with me and my husband, delivered both our children in our home.



Here is another woman who takes my breath away and leaves me tinged green. Elsa Mora - she is American and some how I stumbled over her flickr then blog site - she is an incredible artist (snipper and crafter) and a shining beam on celebrating ourselves as women. (that is if, dear reader, you are a woman!)

Avent in cross stitch

Getting stuck into a project that I have thought joyfully about the past couple of Christmas's. A cross stitch Advent stocking.

Mum taught me how to cross stitch, with careful references to the revered cross stitchers in our family and close friends (Great Granny and also Wendy, Mum's best friend who passed away after fighting cancer).

As usual, the desired has been fired by a blog post by Soule Mamma back in 2007.


I have been collecting little trinkets and I will also make bits and pieces for the kids to open each day leading up to Christmas. In previous years I have simply made an Advent activity calendar in envelopes. I also spotted an great dead bush for our Christmas tree this year too.

I am looking forward to having a house with more space in it to enjoy Christmas this year (hopefully!)

Top article on birth

Reading for life.