open

Phew! What a day! I have had one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. At lunch today I took a tumble crossing a very busy road back to work, my shoes lost traction and I went flying, it was terribly embarassing, not to mention I now have a very bruised and grazed knee. A little sorry for myself I am now feeling much better, the store is finally open! Please stop by to have a look sometime.

ok I am off to watch the final Chaser for the year!
Catherine xx

the store

Tomorrow is the day, I so pleased to share what I have been working on, nervous and anxious at the same time!
Catherine xx

Partridge and Pear

Hi there,

How gorgeous is the above design! I love Mozi and their christmas designs this year are no exception, the title for the design is the patridge in a pear tree, such a beautiful interpretation of the song.

I am feeling very rejuvenated at the moment, for the past few weeks I have felt rather blah and not much like blogging or feeling very inspired. However after a very quiet weekend of crafting, sunshine, voting and watching the election, and Jane Eyre (one of my favourite books of all time!) finally being on tv everything is pretty good in the world.

Catherine xx

Fast/Slow Week

Hi there,

Wow this week has gone fast in some ways and snail pace in others. I have been making slow process with my cards waiting for new supplies to arrive which has frustrated the process a little, so this weekend I plan a big bout of craftiness followed by the opening of the store. I have talked and thought about this for so long now, I think as the saying goes I need to just do it.

We had friends over for dinner on the weekend, and I took the above photo, it's of the beautiful roses in the garden and my latest collecting addiction, little dinosaur designs dishes, I am collecting greens at the moment but now I think the pinks are beautiful too, sigh!

Hope your week is going well, yay friday tomorrow!
Catherine xx

Sneak Peek

Hi there,

Just wanted to share a little sneak peek of my christmas cards and tags I have been working on over the past few weeks, I spent quite some time today on my trusty gocco printing away and enjoyed it very much, it can be quite meditative when everything goes smoothly. I have been attached to my scissors and cutting tool working on the designs, not much more to do. It's rather exciting!

Catherine xx

That P Word....

In Tasmania there are currently two big p words, politics and pulp mill. We live in an incredibly beautiful part of the world with so much untouched wilderness, enter numerous decades of governments determined that logging and foresty should prop up our state, and some very strong people equally determined that we should preserve this amazing landscape. One of the largest logging companies is planning to build a pulp mill and this has been aproved by our parliament in circumstances that have flaunted the process, without proper environmental standards set.

Yesterday we went to a rally with around 15, 000 other Tasmanian's, a large number for a little place like this, and attempted to make them change the decision. I felt like it was so important to be there and try to make a difference, it is worrying to think about the impact something like that will have on our future and the environment. Richard Flanagan spoke about how one person can make a difference, and it was encouraging to hear this, sometimes it can be easy to just resign yourself to the fact that change won't happen. Hopefully after yesterday those in power will listen and do the right thing.

Thanks for listening, just had to get that off my chest and write it down for myself!
Catherine xx

Super Cute

Hi there,

just a quick hello today, I have been busying working away on my christmas cards and tags and, if all goes to plan, should (hopefully! eek) have my etsy store open later next week. I am really pleased with how it's all going and I can't wait to share.

I wanted to show off my super cute new diary for 2008 (available here) early yes, but I do love a new diary. The anticpation of a new year, wondering what it will bring and putting in dates and events I already know about. My current one is rather battered and bruised from this past year but it's always in my bag, a necessary part of everyday.

Oh and I am so in love with the bright yellow cloud!
Catherine xx

This Weekend

Time flies when you have the first summer-like weekend of the season! It has been brilliant and oh so warm and sunny and I am loving:

the sound of: Swedish rock: the Hives, The Black and White Album, these guys rock and makes me remember how amazing they are live. If you ever get the chance to see them just go you will never regret it.

the smell of: all the amazing rose blooms in glorious pinks, reds, whites and yellow, everywhere you look with such an intoxicating but wonderful smell

the touch of: bare feet on green grass

the taste of: fresh mojito's in the evening with the windows still wide open, salads and yet more lemon creations

seeing: so many treasures and must-have delights in a new shop nearby, far too tempting by half and on a less consuming sight nearly 2000 Tasmanian's walking against climate change, I am happy to be a part of it.

laughing at: us dancing to music late saturday night,

remembering: remembrance day

inspired by: Ferry Staverman (photograph from here)

Abundance

We have an overflowing abundance of lemons lately, they are piled high in the kitchen and they are my favourites. The flavour, the smell and that bright warm sunny yellow, yes they are my favourites. When I was much younger and drew constantly with textas the yellow was always the first to run out of ink.

To make the most of these home grown beauties I have been cooking a lot of sweet lemon dishes lately, lemon tea cake, lemon viennese kisses (the pic above) and I am planning on some vanilla cupcakes with lemon butter icing, and some homemade lemonade (always best served with some freezer chilled vodka!). I am struggling to come up with some savory recipies, but nevermind, a roast chook with a lemon inside and lots of fresh basil is always a winner.

I am glad tomorrow is friday, I am still a little sniffly and flu-y, but surely all this lemon goodness will help me.
Have a wonderful friday everyone
Catherine xx

Bed at Midday....

Hi there,

so it's the middle of the day on a tuesday and I am sitting in bed, this is the strangest feeling. I have been here for the past few days home from work with a cold, sick days are not something I've experienced in a long time. The weekend was lovely and quiet, a haircut, lunch in the backyard with Angus and lots of cuddles and purring, baking biscuits, gardening with rd, watching movies, and sleeping.

The quiet time at home in the middle of the day has given me plenty of time to start hatching crafty plans for the next few months (and catch up on some day time tv). The next few months really are part of my favourite time of year, lots of cards to make, gifts to buy, things to decorate, and cooking to be done. That little excited feeling is starting to build up, I am sure I am way to early to be thinking about all this. It was accelerated when my hairdresser told me on saturday she had finished her shopping and was going to wrap all her gifts already! That's unbelievably organised!

Oh by the way if Caitlin, Anna and Amy email me their details for the PIF I will try my hardest to have them posted sometime in the next few months. I look forward to creating something new for each of you!
Hope everyone's having a wonderful week out there!
Catherine xx

PIF

I think this is such a wonderful idea, so I have joined in the pay it forward love via Sarah, the rules are as follows:

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog."

Oh the possibilities of what to make I am quite excited!
Catherine xx

Art Sydney

One of the great things we did while in Sydney was going to see Art Sydney complete with pink carpet and all. I was a little surprised by some of the work being quite traditional and a little more conservative, but some I really loved was quite young and vivacious.

I have to say I was all ready to go buy my first major piece of art, and as much as this was the Sydney afforable art show it was still a little out of my price range for now. There were quite a few pieces of work I loved but the one artist that struck me was Christine Polowyj I think the colours she uses are fantastic, they are so bright and I think the fact that they are faces intrigues me. Maybe next time I will be able to take one home like the many other people there walking out with canvases under their arms, it's such a fantastic idea.

Tales from Sydney

Hi there,

Well I am returned from an amazing week away, we did so much and yet still had plenty of time to relax and take in our surroundings. It really is a great city to explore with so many different places to visit. The weather was gorgeous and warm, and we were lucky enough to have a hotel with a pool and spa on the roof over-looking Hyde Park which we made the most of (of course!)



We wandered around Double Bay, Potts Point, Surrey Hills, and Coogee (where our friends live, so lucky!) had some great food and a few drinks, the Klaxons were really great but a little short and sweet unfortunately (I suppose it's hard when they only have one album out). The Arias were crazy, our seats were a fair way back but the bands were great, especially Operator Please and John Butler with Keith Urban (not something I thought I would ever say!). We kept our eyes peeled for Nicole but only saw her on the screen. It was strange though because it was obviously made for tv, we even had ad breaks and everything and halfway though they stopped filming so all the important guests could eat dinner, we just had to sit and watch. It was a surreal experience.


Art Sydney was great (more on that to come) and I did quite a bit of shopping, mainly little bits and pieces. Really the holiday was more about spending time together and away from work and the stresses of everyday life. It was great catching up with friends and having a laugh about silly things, playing a very bad game of pool and getting the giggles about not being able to open the hotel door with those card thingys.




Now I am back home and back at work with a terrible sore throat which I really hope comes to nothing, but really it's not so bad, home is always nice to come back to.

Catherine xx