Carefree.

The heat yesterday was so draining that I did not get to do anything that I wanted or needed to do. I plonked myself infront of the air-con, drank ginger ale and munched on pistachios. Perfect way to spend the New Years Eve day. I am not sure what the temperature actually got to, I know that my dog Jazz was suffering from it though. Mama bear came home early from work and we all (myself, Mama and my lover) decided to pile into Mama's car with Jazz, and head to Mill Dam.

Jazz & I chilling in the backseat of the car, it was very squishy in the back of the Astra, Jazz is a dog with "more-to-love" - so it was very cosy!

It was truly beautiful along the river - the water was so clear and cool, you could hear crickets chirping and the smell of the Eucalyptus trees was so much stronger in the heat.

Jazz had a blast! He was in and out of the water a million times. There were a few other dogs there - I am so proud of my Jazz, he didn't bat an eyelid at the other dogs; Jazz is just like a big Grandfather dog... so gentle with every canine that he crosses paths with.

This photo is from a couple years ago... just after I had won my holiday to France. It reminds me of how carefree I use to feel, without all the responsibilities that I have now days. I don't normally do the whole "New Years Resolution" thing, but this year I am going to promise myself to have a moment like this photograph again, at least once, in 2010. To just inhale and exhale and not fear for my next breath.

Welcome 2010...
Happy New Year!

Daily Wander

Every morning, I sip on my giant cup of tea and go through the "blog roll."
I love catching up on the latest posts by my favourite bloggers, even more so at this time of year where everyone is sharing their Christmas cheer with photographs and descriptive menus.

This morning, I got the delightful visual surprise with added goosebumps...

Tabitha has just posted some images from her Christmas day table setting - and oh my goodness... amazing is an understatement.

Isn't that just heavenly?

I strongly suggest you head over to Tabitha's blog, as she has oodles of more photographs of her beautiful setting... plus you should follow her as she is just a precious little creative brain who will definitely kick start the inspiration within you!
Love you Tabitha!

Crazy Little Thing Called Fashion.

Fashion is a funny thing.

Who decides what is going to be "in" and what is going to be "out"?
Apparently trends recycle themselves every 30 years or so... I never knew that before working in Fashion Retail, the things you learn from when you buy items from a store, come home to show them off to your mother: "I had one exactly the same in the 70's." ...followed by the common phrase: "I should have kept it!"


The store I work at has more than its fair share of Maxi Dresses - the modern design of these is a wee bit discriminative in my opinion. You need to be the perfect height, have the perfect size bust to fill it out correctly and not be too weighty in your lower half, to look any decent in them. I don't really like Maxi Dresses, mainly because I am not perfect. Like the majority. Go figure!


Playsuits... or jumpsuits... or silly-things-that-take-forever-to-take-off-when-you-need-to-pee!
Aren't these what children under the age of two wear to bed, or slightly older kids wear when playing in sandpits?


I must admit, I do have a soft spot for "tame" Harem pants (not your MC Hammer style) as they are incredibly comfortable and look great with plain tops... the lightweight fabric is a winner for Summer also.

Fashion really makes me chuckle - I love the days at work when we get the new stock boxes in - I get to open them up and unveil the newest "trend" item... more often than not, I hold it up and think: "how on Earth are you supposed to wear that?!" "where do your arms go?" "is that a deep v neck or is that the bottom?" "high-waisted or just skew-if?"

Fashion, oh how I love thee.

Have You Met Miss Jones?

I sure have!
I was very lucky on Christmas morning to unwrap a beautiful gift from my family.
My very own bird lamp by Have You Met Miss Jones.



Have You Met Miss Jones creates some amazing goodies from bone china... so delicate and detailed. I would love one of everything, pretty please.

Done & Dusted.

Christmas Day was once here, now it is fading into night.

And I am sick.
I have decided that next year, I will be having a two week break from all work around Christmas. I really struggled to enjoy this year's Christmas, due to being so sick and stressed out because of my bread and butter job, lack of staff and feeling pressured to work when I know I'm burning out. With Boxing Day soon upon us, I am dreading it - under-staffed and terribly congested in the head, I'll be stuck at the register... oh please, go fast Saturday, I am fearing how I will feel at the end of the day.

On the plus side, I got some amazing gifts from my gorgeous family and friends. We ate amazing oysters for breakfast (I summoned the strength to cook them) and a beautiful roast for lunch. The sun was shining for the first Christmas in years, so we ate outside on the deck. The plum pudding was incredible, the fresh berries were bursting with summer zing!

I hope that you all have had a wonderful Christmas and celebrated in true festive style!

Merry Christmas.

Eight Sleeps To Go!

I can't wait!
I have finished wrapping all of the gifts from me to other people... there is nothing under the tree with my name on it... yet - but I am hopeful that I haven't been forgotten!

Our Tree

I have just made another batch of Country Style Pate` ...it smells (oh and tastes!) delicious. I'll be having that on my toast for breakfast for the next week at least!

I have also made some more fudge - this time: coffee and peppermint choc - yum yum!
Just when you thought I would be over the kitchen, I am cooking a roast for dinner tonight - love the rain, always makes me long to be in the kitchen...

After Christmas, I reckon you might be able to roll me around - after consuming all of this food!

Dear Frankie

Dream Come True... would be an understatement!

The latest issue of Frankie Magazine is out now.

Amidst all of the other beautiful delights featured in this issue of Frankie, if you flick to page 68, you'll find a Guide to Brooches. On the opposite page, that would be number 69, you'll see a piece of That Vintage.

Feather Brooch Tasmanian Myrtle.

Available online in my Etsy store - with free shipping!

I am so proud!
Chink the Champagne Glasses!
Oh I love Frankie...

First It Was Valley Girl Now It Is...

Alannah Hill.

Another "Big Shot" in the Fashion Industry is ripping off artists.

I was going to write a long winded blog about this, but Natalie Perkins has nailed it already.

Please read: Alannah Hill steals Once Upon logo!

The Naughty Elf Collar.

I couldn't wait.
I just HAD to get some photo's of Jazz modeling his "Naughty Elf Collar" that I made for him as Punishment for being a silly barking git!


He even did a "turn on the cat walk, yeah... on the cat walk" to show the back view.
Such a poser.

Elfin' Dog!

My dog Jazz has been driving me mental lately.
My father is building our carport/garage outside and Jazz has developed a lack of love for Father during this process. I think it is a mixture of noisy power tools and being ignored. I have tried anything and everything to keep him quiet... instead he just barks and barks and barks!

So as punishment... (haha!)
I made Jazz this Elf Collar for him to wear all next week.
SOOO THEERRRREE!

I bought a cheap red collar from the pet shop for $15.00, two pieces of felt and cut out the pointy shapes, making sure that the green piece was bigger than the red - to give the two pieces some depth.

I then stitched the two pieces of felt together with my trusty Brother!

Finally stitching the felt to the collar.
Easy as.
10 minutes max.
Lifetime of laughter at Jazz, the Christmas Elf Dog.
(No photo's yet... Christmas week!)

Tonight

We are having a little shindig at home to celebrate the festive season and to say farewell to a good family friend who is moving to the big smoke!

I am The Chef for the evening.
So far...
Strawberries dipped in chocolate, homemade fudge (peanut butter, hazelnut and coffee flavour) country style pate, zucchini slice and portobello mushrooms with brie, outback red cheese and pepper.


Yum.
Can't wait to eat it all!
Plus plenty of platters of cheese, fruit and other goodies.
I love the festive season!

Oh Christmas - Why?

This blog entry will probably hit some little nerves - but hopefully spark some joy, memories and energy from within.

Maison de Stencils Pillow by maisondestencils

I have just had a rather interesting online discussion with my boyfriend... yes online, because he lives in his own place and I live in mine - online chats are pretty normal in this day and age, people!
I have just told him that I have packaged up all the biscuits and fudge that I have made over the past week, ready to give out to the Retail Elves tomorrow before I begin my shift at my retail job, just to bring a bit of Christmas Cheer to their hardest days of the retail industry calendar.

I then stated:
"I love Christmas."

My boyfriend then responded:
"Yeah it is fun, not as good as when you're a kid though."

That sparked a bit of a fire within.
Children & Christmas.

My family only ever went to Church on the Holy Days - Easter and Christmas. (Of course, Weddings, Christenings and Funerals also.) Other than that, I did attend Sunday School for maybe, a year? By no means are we overly religious - yet we have a belief, we just choose to express it in our own way.

We believe in love and life.

My family is small - not from the lack of "breeding" ability, but from lack of family connectivity. Family is such an education that continues on until the day you physically leave this planet. Family is hardwork. Heck! Life is hardwork. But I have learnt that through tough times, it is those who know you best, that stick by your side and love you unconditionally. Distance may sometimes be a hurdle, but it is only that - distance. Emotion is a lot stronger than any sea current. I sometimes crave big family Christmas Days, where people struggle to find enough chairs... and the bottom of the Christmas Tree is bursting at the seams with presents upon presents. But at the end of the day, it is about love and life - and realising what you have, not what you don't have.

No matter where our head and hearts lie, belief is the stem of practically everything. Whatever you choose to believe in, it all stems from "having a belief."

Without the Holy Days "on our calendar" - our commericalised-materialistic lives would not exist. It has taken me 23 years to finally understand this and recognise that the marketing, retail and advertising world have the ability to take advantage of peoples beliefs, hopes and dreams - and make money.

This brings me back to my Christmas Hope.
That you give at least ONE handmade gift this Christmas Season.
Support the hands that craft love and emotion, and give to the hearts of those who you love and express your emotion too.

Merry Christmas!

More Christmas Cooking

Anyone would think that I am trying to earn Brownie Points by being in the kitchen a lot this week, truth be known I am actually enjoying the apron strapped around my waist and getting my hands dirty with the lovely ingredients I have had the pleasure of playing with.

Namely one.
Chicken Livers.
Oh yes, you read correctly!

How delicious does this look?

I bet you are wondering what on earth is in my pot... let me list the main ingredients:
Chicken livers, bacon, onion, butter and garlic.
Hmm?

Another hinting photograph - what is it you ask?

Country Style Chicken Pate.
Yes.
I made a big batch of Pate today... and bought the bright red ramekins and I will be packaging them up as gifts for my mother's close friends who are all coming around on Friday evening for a bit of Christmas Cheer. (Stay tuned for the photographs!)

If I get more than 5 comments on this entry, I will post my mother's secret recipe.
Who is in?!

So, Nice Hair...

Did you want to like, graze in that field?
Over there?
The one with really long grass?
We can like, talk about Elk Business... maybe smooch and nuzzle?
Fall in love?
I love your hair.

Amazing Animal Kingdom hair styles by Nagi Noda.

Amazing website, check it out!

The Baking Army For The Retail Elves.

I went nuts yesterday.
I ended up baking just over a hundred biscuits!

Small Vanilla Star Biscuits dipped in Chocolate.
So yum - great with a coffee!

Large Vanilla Star Biscuits with Lemon & Custard Icing.

This was a random creation, as I ran out of icing sugar and figured the custard smelt yummy enough... haha so sticky sweet! But delish! With a slight tang of lemon!

My boyfriend questioned what it was that I was going to do with so many biscuits. I contemplated eating them all, then I thought that my wii-fit would be made obsolete then... so of course, in the full swing of the Christmas Spirit, I am going to package them up and give them to the hard workers in the Launceston CBD - also known as the Retail Elves.

I know that they will all appreciate them - as this time of year is the most insane for our industry (I'm sure you as a customer, would know this!) - the frustration of ques, refunds, exchanges, lack of stock and being oh so indecisive, all the while wearing a happy smile on our faces - this crazy time really drags the Retail Elves down and out... But I really love Christmas time, so I am going to try and change this vibe!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Baking.

My first batch of Vanilla Christmas Star Biscuits - Recipe.

They smell so jolly good, I am sure that they won't last very long!
Father has already pinched three.
(GRR!)

Tomorrow I think I might make the same but with a Lemon Icing... yum or what?
I love Christmas time.

The Reason Why...

I love Christmas Time.

Star Urchin Ornaments by kissadesign

Christmas Wreath by thechicadeeshop

And my most recent (handmade) Christmas purchase...

Gorgeous tags by rubyvictoria

What A Niche Weekend.

Oh My!
Talk about exhausted!

The Niche Market has been and gone - in an all mighty gust of shopping wind (or so it feels!)...
My friend Ebony (who did my other shoot) came along on the Friday, with her camera and took some snaps of my stall.


I have just counted how many button earrings I have left - 42 pairs. Not bad, not bad... considering I had made 263 pairs, and in the first hour of the market on Friday, I sold at truck load - yay!

I ended up doing a massive "quick" shop/trade at the end of the market on Sunday, I got so much - gorgeous tea towels by Red Wren, jams, hair clips and cute fabric purse by Black Eyed Susie, a couple upcycled journals by the lovely Isis, Christmas Doves by Dick & Dora, earrings from Pop Glass as well as Sewn Earth, vintage posies by Emma at Life As A Bird, big gorgeous upcycled soy wax candles by 3 Blind Mice, wine from Iron Pot Bay (consumed a bottle last night!) yummy cakes and biscuits from Hungry Kitty and of course.... an abundance of goodies from Annie at Red Bamboo.

I got a stack of candles from Annie but also a yummy bath bomb... which I was instructed to use in small doses - break bits off, you know? Well, I got home after the market, unpacked (actually, more or less dumped everything into my bedroom/factory) and showed off my goodies to my mother... then I heard the bath calling my name, poured myself a glass of Iron Pot Bay Pinto Grigio and grabbed the bath bomb (before mother could claim it!) and ran a nice hot bath... At first I chipped off bits of the bomb into the bath whilst the water was running, then I thought: "Hmm, what they hey!" - and threw the whole thing in!
IT WAS AMAZING.
My skin felt like silk the whole time in the bath, out of the bath and even this morning! And it's aroma was delicious.
Yum. Thanks Annie!

Thanks to all who came and checked out The Niche Market and for supporting a worthy cause - St Giles Tasmania. See you at the next one hopefully!

Thump. Thump.

My head won't stop pounding.
I actually think that I have worked myself way too hard.
I went to sleep last night with a thumping ache behind my right eye... woke again with it.

First day of The Niche Market was crazy - I don't think us little stall-holders quite expected it to be that way for a Friday! It was overwhelming! I worked out that in the first hour of the market being open that I sold 39 pairs of earrings. INSANE.

Today is day two.
Obviously.
And I expect to see you all there!

10am - 4pm, Academy Gallery at Inveresk, Launceston.

Photo's will come... maybe tomorrow evening, or maybe during next week.
Maybe when I feel more alive!

Time For Sleep

What a day...
I always leave things to the last minute - which includes packing up for a market the next day. I had my hair straightener on (for my hair - obviously) and the iron on to smooth out the well embossed crinkles in my cloths for my market table... and I was flitting from one room to another...

Straighten a section of hair.
Iron out some crinkles of cloth.
Straighten more hair.
Iron out more crinkles.
You get the idea...

I am pooped.
(and still nursing the head cold, which has now moved to my chest.)

(I wish this was my bed, kitty and all, but alas it is not!)

Time for bed.
The Niche Market kicks off tomorrow morning - bring it on!
See you there!

Minty Fresh.

So I finally got my hands on a copy of Peppermint Magazine.
After much anticipation... I can finally let the bird out of its cage...

That Vintage is featured twice in the photo shoot "A Little Birdy Told Me" - which is truly beautiful and I am truly thrilled with the outcome!

Please click me!

Please click me!

Off you go birdies, stick your beaks into the newest issue of Peppermint!

It's beginning to look a lot like Niche-mas...

It is almost here!
The countdown is dwindling down to a matter of hours before set up tomorrow!
Oh yes!


And guess who scored a head cold Monday morning.
Yep, all my days and nights of hard yakka and working my "Bread & Butter" job finally caught up with me and I have been cooped up in bed, for the past two and a bit days...

But as everyone knows...
The Show Must Go On!

I'm in the final stages of putting earrings onto their cards, making fridge magnets (hopefully!) and packing everything into their designated crates. I am so grateful that I have had an extra pair of hands - especially last night, Nathan came around to help stamp all the bags - what a legend! Goodness knows how many he actually stamped, he was a Top Stamper! Kudo's to him...

See you all at The Niche Market!

The Beautiful Ones.

I love having creative friends.
They make me feel even more creative!

One of my lovely lady friends Sharnee, who use to work with me at our "Bread & Butter" job - is a Stampin' Up Demonstrator and creator of the most beautiful handmade cards I have ever come across!

I asked her to make me up four Christmas cards in the gorgeous black and silver theme that she had featured on one of the "12 Days Of Christmas" card making blog entries.

Click on each image to see them in their entire beauty!

Sharnee's Blog: Alarnee Creations

Sharnee - you are amazing.
Good luck with the birth of your 4th precious (and beautiful!) child!