My heart's moving to the country

There's No Place Like Here: Hindsvik from Etsy on Vimeo.

Today I'm obsessed with moving to the country, so this video by Daniel and Valeria really stole my heart. I love this little house. Swoon.

Now I'm back to realestate.com.au to find us the perfect pad.

Baltic Beauty

Last night I was treated to a Baltic feast. Pure indulgence! Frank Moylan and Melissa Macfarlane really know how to make you drool! The Crimea, in North Melbourne, is their latest adventure (the pair previously made a name for themselves with The Farmers Arms, Dayelsford & Royal George Hotel, Kyneton) and it is a feast for all of the senses. Walking into the renovated pub is like being totally enveloped in a warm and fuzzy bear hug. So comforting is the feel of the place that you could be forgiven for wanting to take up residence in one of the small alcoves. Melissa's style is stunning, from the bold right down to the minute. The gorgeous light above was designed by Leanne Coates. It's hard to believe something so delicate is made out of brass!
The food was fantastic! I could go on and on but I'll just say....if you're in Melbourne.... go check it out for yourselves.

Thanks Berry for taking me along and thank you Frank & Melissa for another fun night. It was such a treat.

Washing over me

I love Takashi Iwasaki. His work really lifts my spirits. On a day when I need a bit of a pep I often find myself here or here trolling through his portfolio. His style is incredibly playful yet the stitching so delicate and precise. I just love the colours and whimsical nature. I have this picture stuck to the wall in my laundry, cut from an old edition of Selvedge.

Below is the view looking out of my laundry window onto our garden. The rain has brought with it plenty of mud and my windows are in desperate need of a clean. The aloe vera plant in the foreground has come full circle. I started growing aloe vera about 20 years ago while studying naturopathy and quickly converted my mother, who then inspired my grandmother. My Nan became a prolific aloe vera cultivator and would whip up creams, gels and random ointments fit for any ailment right up until she passed away late last year, at 89. This particular Aloe was given to me by my Nan a few years back.

What do you see?

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
Abraham Lincoln

Look closely at this photo and you'll see a silhouette of an elderly lady on the left hand side and graffiti, 'A Tree', on the right! On first glance, did you see them?

....at the time of taking this photo I didn't see either of these things. I was totally mesmerised by the bark and it's tonal layering. It makes me wonder what other things I just don't see??

Crafty Monday Collage

Here's a collage I made today for a course I'm currently doing. It was really fun taking the time to find images that speak of me. It's been so long since I've made one of these. I was reminded of the simple pleasures in cutting and pasting, all over again.

I'm still recovering from a terribly fun night out to celebrate a friends birthday on Saturday night. It's always a good sign when you wake up laughing the next day...and two days later you're still crying with laughter over the complete silliness of it all. Oh, thank you fine friends! I haven't laughed that much in ages xox

A revolution worth starting...let's play.

For anyone feeling a bit bogged down by the day to day grind of a 'serious' adult life it's well worth the 18 minutes to watch this talk. Grab yourself a cuppa and put your feet up, it's playtime.

Z & I are trying our hand at these neat sewing cards while bopping and grooving along to our beloved Justine CD. It's a great fun way to keep our little fingers and bodies warm on this icy winters day. xo

I was sent a video interview with Joseph Campbell recently and have to admit, I had no idea who he was. Now I can't stop stumbling across references to him, everywhere. So thought I'd share a little quote; "Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls."
— Joseph Campbell

with love

A growing pile of books sits patiently on my grandfather's chair waiting my attention. Days whirl past and my nights, of late, are spent on the couch hand stitching Z's quilt. I'm almost done.

Then, I promise, I'll be all yours....
Lotta Prints
Papaer Cutting
Denyse Schmidt Quilts
Thrift to Fantasy (this treasure is on loan from my lovely neighbour)
Built by Wendy Dresses
The Crafty Kid (a Mother's Day present from Z)
Printing by Hand

and one I picked up from the library yesterday Honey For a Child's Heart.

In the meantime, here's to savoring the sweetness of hand stitching for someone you love, with love....

Monkey mind mist clears to reveal spectacular blue sky

Z & I strolled the streets of St Kilda on Sunday afternoon in order to catch sight of St Kilda through a veil of mist. If any of you were out and about in Melbourne town you no doubt witnessed the incredibly misty morning. It was beautiful (albeit a tad cold).
I took a series of photos which you can peep at here. However, these three have captured me. By the time we returned home the mist had totally disappeared to revealed the most spectacular brilliant blue sky.
The colours after the mist lifted were so intense. Everything seemed to be jumping out at us. It was a little like...'oh hello, there you are. You really were there all along.'

(The mist reminded me a little of my monkey mind! Thick fog, lingering & totally illusory. He he.)

beyond my backyard

1. Cappadocian Restaurant, 2. Police Station, Istanbul, 3. Gorgeous Silk Quilt, Topkapı Palace, 4. Lovely lanterns, 5. Our guesthouse, 6. Near Cappadocia, 7. Anatolian Weaving Heritage Exhibition, Istanbul, 8. Mosque ceiling, 9. Istanbul window, 10. Mosque, Eastern Turkey, 11. Caravanserai Entrance, 12. Derelict building

I connected up the old hard drive last night and came across our honeymoon photos from Turkey. The time ticked away while I flicked through photos and rediscovered the joys of travelling in foreign countries (something that's been in the too hard basket since Z was born...completely my choosing). I was quite taken aback by the vibrancy and detail in the photographs. Time had blurred just how visually stunning this country can be. It made me want to pack up our home and head off on a year long adventure discovering treasure beyond my backyard.

Has anybody else been watching "My Family's Crazy Gap Year Abroad?" If not you can watch Series 5 & 6 on ABC iview here. Some are quite crazy, others inspiring.

If you are wanting inspiration for a 'Gap Year Abroad' 'For Better, For Worse' by Damian & Siobhan Horner is a really sweet read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Their website is gorgeous too. Just don't peep at the 'After Reading' section until you've finished the book.

I hope you have an adventurous long weekend! xox

Amidst the grey

1. Snapped as we were stopped at the lights., 2. Clippings, 3. Big Bunting, 4. Gorgeous Old Suitcases

Amidst the grey sky & freezing conditions I've found these moments of beauty today.

Rushing for the warmth, bundled up , head down, hands in pockets, go go go, I can often forget to stop and look around in winter...... So contracted by the cold I'm sometimes guilty of forgetting kind words too.

One kind word can warm three winter months. ~Japanese Proverb

My Dickens Foot Stool

(Before)

(After)

This little foot stool was found by the side of the road on 'Dickens' St. I have a habit of naming my pieces after the road they were found on hence.... I introduce to you..... the Dickens Foot Stool. I've recovered it in a Liberty Nautical print I picked up on ebay.

a meditative night ...in Austria

This photo was taken last night (on my phone) at a meditation meeting I attended in Firzroy at the ACU, College Hall. Totally unspectacular from the street the inside of this building is quite something. I felt like I was spending the evening in an Austrian Palace with the von Trapp Family.

400 Melbournian's braved the icy cold weather conditions to hear a panel interview with Dr Ian Gawler, Dr Craig Hassed and Charlie Hogg (Director of Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centres in Australia) on 'Meditation for Healing the Mind, Body & Soul.' A fascinating night, sprinkled with humour and hope. I came away feeling very invigorated by their down to earth approach to the mind and it's incredible capabilities.

I first started meditating a few years ago at The Tara Institute after reading Sarah Napthali's 'Buddhism for Mothers' (a book I can't recommend highly enough for any mum regardless of spiritual or religious preferences). I continue to go to Tara most Monday nights with my beautiful Buddhist buddy A. I find it puts me in good stead for the coming week. The technique I use to meditate was taught to me by the Ishaya's. I find it simple & hugely effective. Meditation definitely has an accumulative effect & it takes great commitment to find the time to meditate but boy does it make a huge difference to my outlook when I do it consistently.

All this talk of meditation must be inspired by the Dalai Lama's visit to Australia! I'm off to see his public lecture this Saturday with a couple of friends. I can't wait. We're also planning to stop by Federation Square to knit a square for the 'Knit in at Light Hearts' a worldwide knit in public day where you can learn to knit squares for charity and attach these, together with a message of hope, to the Light Hearts installation.

I do love Melbourne & Melbournian's for their inquiring and creative spirit....even in the depths of freezing temperatures and bleak forecasts. xox

The weekend

1. St Kilda palm trees, Botanical Gardens, 2. Meet the taller, leaner...me!, 3. Sun set in the gardens, 4. Bingo @ the retirement village, 5. St Kilda Marina, 6. Washing Monday

Here are some reflections on the weekend just past....& the washing well, that's Washing Monday, which seems to go hand in hand with Crafty Monday. One inspires the other. I know I've blogged about it before but there's something so satisfying about washing hanging on the clothes line for me. Maybe it's the sunshine and a clean, fresh start which really makes me... oh so satisfied. Simple pleasures, really, they fill my heart.

We've just completed week one of the Unravelling course. It's been great getting to know the other Unravellers and checking out their blogs, photographs and generally learning more about them all. 160 of us in total, it's quite a job getting through the long list, plus the discussions and assignments but here are a few blogs I've had a moment to peek at.

There's Susannah Conway's blog, who runs the Unravelling course.
Deea's blog, After-Thought, with it's beautiful portrayal of life.... Deea's mother passed away last week and her ability to create such beauty around incredible heartache is totally inspiring (not to mention, her style & music taste are both exceptional too).
Tracy at Shutterbean.
Lydia at Finding my Querencia.
Boo at Eliza Boo.
Arabella's Gratitude Project, An Open Window.
The list goes on. It's going to take me months to check them all out. So many talents, all with something unique to share. It's such an adventure making new friends scattered all over the world. There are so many perspectives, opinions and shared interests, it's going to make for an interesting journey. I'm loving the ride so far. xox

P.S. The L.F. just sent me a link to this Ben Iver, Calgary song. So Beautiful, I had to share.

Link Love

Things I'm loving.

Dew droplets on our morning walk.

Up The Wooden Hill. I love Lisa Marie's romantic style (and she too has been having fun with Instagram).

These Eames & Neutra house numbers produced by Heath Ceramics (found via Tiny Canvases).

The idea of making these wings for Z.

The prospect of ordering this fabric for the second chair we are working on (I just need to convince the L.F.)

This blog by Sandra Juto. Stunning.

& last but definitely not least.... the L.F. Happy anniversary. xox

Do my ankles look big in this?

Having fun with my new app today. Instagram is a hoot and just so easy to snap photos with...even when laden with bags, prams and bikes.