Exploring new frontiers.

I signed up for a an online course through Coursera a couple of months back.  Coursera is a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. 

The course is on 'e-learning and Digital Cultures'.  It doesn't start until late January but already the Facebook page is a hive of activity.  It's hard to keep up...... already!  In fact, I'll confess,  it's a little intimidating. 
I'm already learning about digital communities and platforms that I'd never even heard of.  I feel like I have a completely new world to explore and I'm wondering just how big my world will become once the course actually starts (and also wondering if my head will explode in the process). 

The power of creating a strong community online is alive and well over at the 'EDCMOOC' Facebook page.  BTW, 'EDCMOOC' stands for 'E-learning & Digital Cultures Massive Open Online Course'.  Just quietly, it took me a little while....... and a little google-ing to work that one out.

The more the merrier.  Join me if you dare.  I'll meet you in the study room.

xx

Friendship Love x

Recently, I 'met' a blog friend for the very first time.  I was rather nervous, a little like it was a first date.  We've known one another here in blog land for over a year, reading one another's posts, commenting and next we moved onto the occasional email.  Finally, however we went live and Skyped.  What a hoot.
This little link is for her.  Maybe a cup of tea here in Jan 2014?

xxx

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well.  I'm feeling relatively organised this year.  Our screen printing in done (photos to come I don't want to spoil the surprise), lip balm made and all are wrapped under our tree or weaving their way to homes across the seas right now.

xxx

There have been some unexpected challenges this Christmas but I am managing to hold onto my mantra...... as best I can...... & make time for doing absolutely 'nothing'.  I hope you have too.

x

Through the chaos

"Somewhere along the way the answer to the chaos became a quiet holy mantra...be still...be still...be still...be still."

 

I came across the above quote over at The Organic Sister.  It once again sang out to me.  Thankfully the LF and I had a rare night off and a slower start to Sunday resulting in some time to be still-er than usual.  Bliss.  
I hope you managed some stillness in your weekend!!  The Christmas frenzy is slowly creeping in.  The challenge now is on to hold this mantra till the 25th December.   xx

Hello there 'luminous stardust beings'

I do love Deepak and his diamonds.  There's something so serene and kind about the way he delivers information.  I really enjoyed this video on social media.  It's somewhat refreshing to see the choices we have in creating a more connected society.  With the crassness of so many sites these days it's sometimes hard to stop & see that the way we interact with these online spaces is a choice we make that's shaping our lives.  It's also nice to remind myself that I can resist sites that make me feel flat, deflated and totally disconnected from myself.

'The 4 things we humans want; hope, trust, stability & respect.  It's not rocket science.' 

Oh Deepak, I love you. 

Happy weekend. xx

Vodka & things.

I picked up a big bottle of vodka yesterday to start making another batch of this limoncello for Christmas presents after the success of last year.... my Dad has put in a special request.
I'm also liking the idea of making some of these as stocking fillers.
Saw this gorgeous film, The Intouchables, on the weekend. Such a beautiful feel good French movie.
Just finished reading this, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and was inspired by Cheryl's tenacity to finish what she started.  Hiking, alone for months on end on a rigorous track.... not sure I could do it?
Have started adding 1 heaped tblsp of coconut oil to my morning smoothies and  the texture and creaminess is sublime....if you add a little organic raw cocoa powder too it tastes like a Nestle Golden Rough!
Enjoying Modern Hepburn.
Adding this is to my reading list. I'm a big fan of Brene Brown. 

Enjoy your weekend (a short week for us Melburnians, yippee.) x

Hand printing on Fabric ::: revisited

1. Screenprinting, 2. Folk Birds - Tea Towel, 3. Dusk Lupine - Tea Towels, 4. pattern of the day-026, 5. Shipping Out I, 6. Untitled

I've decided (with a couple of friends) to hand print some tea towels for Christmas presents this year. Being complete novices we've been investigating the process, made trips to Melbourne Etching Supplies and Riot Art for supplies, watched youtube tutorials and consulted our copies of this Lena Corwin book and my beloved Lotta Prints book. I'm now hoping we'll be ready to roll next week.

We just need to come up with our artwork & choose whether to use the Drawing Fluid & Screen filler or stencil technique.

Here are a couple of tutorials I found which are handy if you'd too like to get crafty and print up some tea towels of you own.
Miss Daydream Believer's print studio
Anna Laura's screen printing using drawing fluid tutorial.
Craftgrrl's Cheap screen printing using an embroidery hoop.
Dakini Silk & Things tutorial.

I've also been pinning my favorites over here. If you have any inspiration.... or tips I'd love to hear. Please leave me the links below. xox

:::

I originally posted this (above) on the 9th November last year....  Christmas is fast approaching. We will be printing on the 18th Novemeber, so yet again the race is on to come up with a design. I thought I'd revisit some of my previous inspiration and share it here in case you are tempted to start your own tradition.

You can check out the results from last year here & here.

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I've printed.  I loved the whole process last year and my excitement is starting to build. xx

To the God's of creativity

A beautiful TEDx talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Love, Pray. xox