Good times ahead

Good Times Ahead from paige1887 on 8tracks Radio.

Just to set the mood. Happy weekend. x

Looking up

Some days I feel a little overwhelmed. Today is one of those days.

Thankfully as overwhelming as the sky is.... I find great solace in looking up, taking a breath and remembering my place in this world.

This song struck a cord today, music tends to do that.... on days like these.

Happy weekend. xx

PS. Due to a very underwhelming response I drew the giveaway early..... and handed the loot onto the only entrant. The lovely Miss Nynke. Enjoy. xx

Son of Evil Reindeer

Enjoying these two songs at the moment. They've stood the test of time. I keep coming back to them over and over. Son of Evil Reindeer is one of my favorite albums. I never tire of it. Those Scotsmen,with the thick Glaswegian accents, I love them.
My ear for melancholy prevails........although, it ceases to make me melancholic these days.

x

The whispering sad wizard.

I can't help it. I do love the whispering sad wizardry of Father John Misty's music (ex Fleet Foxes drummer & solo singer songwriter) ..... and this interview, Father John Misty treads the line between Fear and Fun..., well, it really made me laugh out loud.

Hhmmm, does that make me a sad listening enchantress......... ?

x

Baking and loud music.

Loud music, aprons and baking.
Such a great way to spend Sunday morning.
Listening to this album and this one (cute clip, don't be put off by the intro)
... the old and the new.

I'm completely smitten by A Daily Art Journal, 366 Sketchbook by Trisha Thompson Adams today.

Happy Monday xx

Lest we forget.

Enjoying this today. Lovely and gentle. The perfect mixed tape for a hump day holiday.

Songs for the Stripped Down from Release The Sunbird on 8tracks.

To all the Anzacs, my heart goes out. xx

odd jobs for a chilly night

These chilly Autumn nights lend themselves to completing odd jobs left undone over the summer...first of which is the above moss (seed) stitch scarf for my brother-in-law.
Next, I want to finish this quilt for another brother-in-law's dear new baby boy.

I love 8tracks. It makes working so much sweeter. Here's another mix I put together for you.
Enjoy.

Not for the broken hearted from stupendous joy on 8tracks.

Gotta love a fart joke in challenging circumstances!

Here's a mosaic of photos from our recent hike. I'll be adding more photos to the Flickr set over the next week or so, time permitting.
It really was an incredible adventure one I'd highly recommend. It was exhilarating on so many levels, physically & emotionally. At times I really had to dig deep and find my sense of humor in places I thought it had long vacated. As an adult I know I certainly don't laugh as much as I used to (I can see my poor father shudder at the prospect of me and my carefree ways creeping in) but it felt like a huge relief to laugh at the ridiculous. To see the humor in the fact that we chose to do this walk! Even though it was incredibly challenging we would break down into fits of laughter over the silliest things.... stupid things, like fart jokes or someone slipping....the site of our dehydrated meals....or an urge to pee in the middle of the night, waking the entire campsite. Basic things, things that would crack up a couple of kids in the back seat of a car...to the dismay of their parents 'trying to concentrate'. It reminded me that introducing a little more humor into my everyday would be such a huge relief. Really, why so serious?!
It's also such a great feeling knowing we've conquered 75km's of the 95km GOW, from Blanket Bay to the 12 Apostles.
We've decided to head down for another girls weekend to Apollo Bay in August. That way we don't have to wait a whole year for our next adventure (or fart joke!) and can finish the last (or first, rather) 20kms and complete the entire track!

Next year....maybe, Wilson's Prom or the Grampians?

Seems fitting that Chris Guillebeau from The Art of Non-Conformity has a post today on 34 Things I’ve Learned About Life and Adventure. Here's to more adventures, near and far, and definitely more humor.

xox

Happy Easter!

I've again been struck by music this Easter. It's really taken hold.
Music was the one thing that helped me conquer some of those incredible hills on our hike. My trusty iPod was loaded with energy inducing tunes which definitely made the walk that much easier and distracted me from my own negative talk, urging me to stop!!
Then there are songs, like old friends, they seem to know all the hidden corners and make you want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea laughing..... and crying (often at the same time), totally comforted.

Here's a little snippet of what's making me smile at the moment.

Lady boots from stupendous joy on 8tracks.

I've also been enjoying Susannah's 8 track mixtapes. Thanks Susannah. x

Can't get you out of my head

I took this photo yesterday while at the dog beach with Z and Barley. It was one of those perfect hazy Melbourne Autumn days.
It's incredible how being by the sea brings such peace. It made me realise how much I am itching to head down the coast this weekend for our hike and so grateful that we create this space for one another each year.
Good friends, fresh air, adventure, stepping back, taking time, I just cant get it out of my head.

Much like this all time favorite Flaming lips cover of Kylie.

Thank you to my amazing friends who help make this happen.

If you missed the interview with Paula, the inspiration for our hike, then I'll leave you with the link.
Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you back here next week.
Love xx

Send in the wrecking crew.

Loving the new Shins album.
Liberate yourself from the past.... send in that wrecking crew....& let go.
Love it!
x

and the winner is......Hilary!

Thanks to those who entered the Clare Bowditch and The New Slang's Modern day Addiction Album giveaway, for all the lovely comments and the enthusiasm for my coming interviews. The L.F. drew one lucky name out of a hat this morning and the winner is ...drum roll please...Hilary.

Hilary a big congratulations & please send me your details to stupendousjoy[at]gmail[dot]com so I can pop the album in the post. xox


PS. I'll be posting the next interview this coming Thursday!

An Interview with the charming Clare Bowditch &.... an album giveaway

On January 1st I made a very quiet resolution, to myself, to interview 12 inspirational people for 2012. I have a tendency to make 'quiet' resolutions. Another was to give up coffee for a year!  See, they're in no way small resolutions.   So you can understand my reticence to stating them out loud?! Aaargggh, what if I can't do it......
Slowly and very quietly I've been making lists, contacting people and sending out interview questions, only 4 questions, to people who've inspired me personally or en mass.
Most of these people I've never met but their stories, non the less, have impacted me.  They've made me happy, sad, want to get out there and get active, believe, create or stand for something.  They're all living their lives, beating their daily demons and saying yes to bigger pictures.  They're the sort of lives I love to see unfolding and love to think I am living.

: : :

The first of these 12 is the delightful Clare Bowditch:  Songwriter, performer extraordinaire...you may remember me talking about her performance in Eva Tales from the life of Eva Cassidy.... here.... she'll also be debuting in the hot series Offspring next season - can't wait. She's mother to 3 amazing kids - twins to boot, wife to Marty Brown ....a man of many, many talents..... and she's one, simply put, all round lovely lady.

For a bit of fun to get us started Ms Bowditch please describe yourself in one sweeping sentence.

Your intro sounds SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PERSON I WOKE UP AS THIS MORNING!  I am currently on day 3 of a 21 day Raw Food Challenge.  Apparently it gets better.....I really hope so because right now all I want is for someone to post me a hamburger in the mail.

How do you juggle songwriting, the dishes, being a mumma, a wife & finding time just for you?  You seem to do it all.  What's your secret?

Sometimes very poorly!  Often there is no juggle - it's more a crawl. A shuffle!  You know the one....

If there is a secret, it's that I never, ever demand  perfection of myself: I maintain the right to play, to try anything and to suck at it and try something new.  My house is often chaotic and happy.  I'd prefer it looked like something Gwenyth Paltrow's Goop team threw together but that's not where we're at right now, so on we roll.

The other secret is marrying a good man like Marty.  We are in it together (and yet somehow I get all the credit?  How does that work?  Actually that's not true - the ladies at school think he's pretty alright.  What with all the lunch making and kid-drop-offing, he's a pretty awesome Dad).

When did you realise you were really doing this music stuff 'for real'?

Marty & I realised we were doing it "for real" right around the same time we were going to become parents "for real", when we were 26.  Before that Marty was pretty serious about music but I was just kind've making music as one of the things I loved to do.  I didn't think I could ever make my living out of it and I didn't think I'd be a particularly interesting "famous person", so I never considered it in terms of a "career".  But then, when I was pregnant, I realised that it was the thing that brought me the greatest creative joy, and that I needed great creative joy in my life, and if I didn't "have a crack", I'd live to regret it.  It's something I talk about in detail in Rachael Power's book "The Divivded Heart", which is a read I would recommend very highly for all creative mothery sorts.

Where do you feel most inspired?

It used to have something to do with too much chaos and coffee and beer and bad relationships (Sheesh!).  That's what I thought, anyway.  Really I'm most inspired when I feel close to beauty and truth and love - not just the "happy happy" love but the kind of love that you would break your own heart over.  Other peoples art REALLY inspired me.  Babies being born inspires me NO END!  Also happiness really inspires me and I've recently made a point of seeking it out every single day - it is actually the focus of the album I'm recording at the moment.  I also feel really inspired by lazy "Tea & Toast" kind of days.  Any blogs like yours - they inspire me too!  Oh I'm so inspired right now!

Who would you most like to meet?

I'd like to meet my great grandmothers and their great grandmothers.

Thank you so much for taking time to answer these questions Clare!  You're an absolute super star and I believe, a wonderfully interesting 'famous person'.  Totally inspiring, honest and best of all... you're so.... well, real. I can't wait to see you in the upcoming series of Offspring & hear the sweet sounds of your new album when it's released. 

Lots of luck, love & Stupendous Joy to you, fine lady. xox

For your chance to win a copy of Clare Bowditch & The New Slang's album Modern Day Addiction leave a comment below this interview before Friday 17th February 2012. I'll draw one name out of a... hat, gumboot or whatever we have at hand and the lucky winner will be announced on Saturday 18th, here & over on my Facebook page. Good Luck.
* Be sure leave to leave your name & check back to see if you're the winner.  I'm happy to post world wide.

Clare Bowditch links:

• website
• twitter
• Facebook 
• yahoo

Happy Australia Day. x

Have a wonderful Australia Day whatever it is you do!
We'll be celebrating with a couple of mandatory Aussie traditions... good mates, a BBQ, beer & the Hottest 100.

#1 song? Any clues? I have absolutely no idea this year.
I'll be happy just to enjoy the ride. xo

savouring sweet sounds

Looking forward to The Shins launching this album late March.
Music feels like a forgotten friend I'm so pleased to be reacquainted with these last few days....may have something to do with digging out a couple of well loved albums..... Lisa Miller's Version Originale & Jimmy Little's...Messenger .

I also discovered 8 tracks and have been enjoying this mix. So many fantastic play lists straight to my computer. I love it.

The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils.
- William Shakespeare

Have a great weekend. x

70's Christmas vinyl

Back in the 70's my grade 2 teacher, Miss Minnahan, had a copy of this Evie album which she'd play in the classroom around Christmas. I was a little besotted with Miss M and I insisted we get a copy for home . The album was on continuous rotation in our house on Christmas day...right up until the late 90's. We weren't a particularly religious household but Evie definitely became a part of our Christmas tradition. I have no idea where the album ended up but no doubt the vinyl was almost worn through. "Come on ring those Bells, everybody sing" is etched into my brain and when i discovered it here on youtube it really made me smile.
It's far from the Christmas album I'm loving at the moment, A very She & Him Christmas. A collaboration between my all time favorite, M.Ward...and actor Zooey Deschanel. It's a heavenly little album. One I hope becomes a part of our family Christmas tradition.
Thanks Lise xo

Here's a little snippet.

A rainy day with Sally Seltmann

Hanging about at home.
Watching the rain.
Listening to this.
xox

Days like these

The sun is shinning, I've been jogging, washing's on, a pattern is ready to be cut out and whipped together, I have some unexpected free time and this album is blaring from the computer. It's an album that always brings a smile to my face.
I love days like these.

Clare Bowditch & Lanie Lane

I had the pleasure of seeing these two amazing ladies, Clare Bowditch & Lannie Lane, at The Thornbury Theartre a few weeks back. It was pure joy...so, I thought I'd share the joy with you.



I was also fortunate enough to see Clare in Tales from the Life of Eva Cassidy recently. She was incredible. I cried from the moment I sat down...this may have had something to do with it too (it was the first song played and also one of the songs we played at my mum's funeral. I'd rushed like crazy to get there so fell into my seat...and momentarily, into a heap). It's a pretty special song for a lot of people, all for different reasons. Music is amazing the way it transports people. Is there a song that gets you, every time?

xox

Turn the world upside down

Today I'm sharing a movie we've been enjoying at our house recently. We love Curious George and this song makes me so happy. Thanks Jack Johnson...I've never been much of a fan before now...but you've just turned my world 'Upside down.'
ps. I had no idea he was so good looking until I added this link either... what a smile!

Here's to seeing the world with new eyes.... every single day. xo