how one bowl of icecream can singlehandedly save the environment

I saw everyone raving on the tweetvine the other day about these giant environmentally friendly bath rocks that allow you to enjoy your bath without feeling guilty about wasting water.

HAH! You fools! You don't need to spend your hard earned dollars on fancy plastic rocks! I'm no mathematitian but I'm pretty certain that you just need to be fat (like me) or pregnant (like me) and then your body mass takes up so much space in the bath you could fill it with the tears from one fairy (small, magical, watery tears) and feel completely guilt free about the whole "baths waste water" argument. I'm never going to feel guilty about being fat again. I'm saving the world with my body, people, what are you doing?!

Because it's cold tonight but I still feel like eating icecream with copius amounts of milo on top, I'm going to run a hot bath and combine the pleasure of bathing with dessert.

I will not feel guilty about filling the bath to the brim as I know that when I hop out it will really only be a quarter full.
I will not feel guilty about eating icecream with milo as I'm sure I need the calcium and vital minerals for the growth of my unborn.
And if I wash my icecream bowl in the water when I'm done, I think that would adequately burn any calories induced in the eating of the icecream and save any further water being wasted. WIN.

I am a WINNER!
I am delirious.
I am going to bed now.
(Please don't remind me I typed this in the morning.)

shake it like a polaroid picture!

Warning - I'm gonna be all lame here and gush about an iphone app. You take a picture then you shake it and wait for it to develop like a polaroid!! It's so much fun! (And it's completely hypocritical of me to love it so much as I really hate the Hipstamatic app that takes faux lomo shots - just use a Holga or a Diana people!)

But look at the pretty wisteria...

And I love how at this time of year the gutter is filled with pretty purple petal litter

And this is my new friend Zeppellin. He's the friendliest kitten in town. He lives on my parent's street and I actually cross the road to see if he's hanging out...

And here is my old friend Montalbano with his new friend, Gabi's crochet baby blankie. I got straight onto it and sewed up the left over hexagons and started working on the trim. And since Bano likes it and I'm also told the lovely Sally's Mister 3 even likes it, so I'm feeling pretty confident that my lil one will like it too. (And if not, too bad.)

Only problem is I got THIS CLOSE to finishing the trim in the pale green when I ran out of yarn. CURSES!!

Ironically every thing I've ever tried to crochet in that lovely pale green bamboo/cotton yarn has been promptly ripped up, I just can't seem to get it to work for me. So I wasn't surprised it wasn't going to oblige me and finish the trim without an argument. What should I do? Rip it off? Fill the gap with left over jade? Crochet the row again using a smaller stitch that might conserve more yarn? Ditch the entire project?!

sometimes courage needs a little encouragement

I was reminded that I need to find the strength within when I saw this lovely image on Pikaland by Nicole Daddona.

I'll admit to being a little paralysed by fear lately, or a nifty cocktail of fear, procrastination, laziness and exhaustion. I feel like I'm treading water, but that the water level is rising swiftly and it's getting tougher to keep my head above water. Trouble is, it's only me making the water rise!

I have so much support around me, I know everyone believes in me and deep down I even believe in myself. I'm just not making myself proud, if you know what I mean? I'm not getting things done. But I'm not in the mood for getting things done. Can't I sit on the couch all day instead? I need to encourage my courage.

I need to get on with it.  


I need to tackle some mammoth tasks and then I can quit feeling guilty about not being the amazing me I know I can be. 


Here are a few tasks to tackle. If I admit them to you, dear friends, perhaps you'll hold me accountable?!

* Declutter, repackage and transform the "junk room" into a happy room for the lil one to sleep in. There is a lot to do in the smallest room in our house. A lot.
* Do my tax before the end of the next financial year already.
* Work harder and smarter at my freelance jobs. We need the money.
* Stop freaking out and comparing my impending labour experience to that of certain celebrities. Like Kourtney Kardashian, for example, who didn't even break a sweat on her perfectly made up face when she reached down and delivered her own baby. I know I won't be sweat, tears or terror free when the big day comes, but the image of her completely calm labour is not inspiring me, it's giving me guilt trips like skinny models in magazines. 


That'd make a nice start I think. I will do the things that I think I cannot. Or rather, the things I do not really want to do, but know I must.



 

warm fuzzy "look everyone, I made this!" moments

So even though Spring is well sprung these days, what with all the magnolias and cherry blossoms and wisteria waving hello as you walk down the street, I'm still making room for some warm fuzzy moments in my life.

If I can be THIS PROUD of my recycled woollen turtleneck jumper transformed into a hot water bottle cozy then I can only imagine how proud I will be of the little baby I pop out after 9 long months. I bet there will be a lot of "LOOK EVERYONE, I MADE THIS!!!"...apologies in advance people.

Meanwhile, here is my new improved hot water bottle. Turtleneck jumpers are terribly unflattering on me, but I always get sucked in by the woollen jumper rack at Vinnies, so rather than return it back to Vinnies in a recent spring clean I decided to get crafty. Wish I'd thought beforehand to embroider something cute on it before I sewed it up but the urge to make overwhelmed my thinking process.

Have you ever got so sick of a project you'd been working on that you never bothered to finish it? Well, I think I've come across a solution - pass it on! My lovely neighbour Gabi had been working on a sweet hexagonal crochet baby blankie for a friend of hers since her friend found out she was pregnant. Now that friends baby is 1 and Gabi still hasn't finished the blanket but has grown sick of the sight of it. So she passed it on to me instead.

And I'm so excited! I just have to sew on 14 left over hexagons and edge it and it's done! Almost like I made the whole thing myself!

I better get cracking on this though otherwise I fear I'll lose the will to finish also, and it would be a terrible shame for this poor orphaned blankie to be abandoned twice!

"one time I looked at a diamond and it gave me a sunburn"

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
Uploaded by manandamazing.

Now that I have distracted you with THE. CUTEST. STOP. MOTION. ANIMATION. EVER I'm hoping you'll not be so mad at me for not upholding my regular blogging aspirations. It seems that turning on the computer and typing out intelligent, thoughtful blog posts on a regular basis is still beyond my capacity. Le sigh. Le sorry. All I can do is hope to improve?! Try harder?!

But I do want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for all your lovely kind comments regarding my new pregnant life. May I say it with flowers?

Thanks to EJORPIN for pointing me in the direction of FLOWER POWER!

I have been busy but my camera has not, must remember to recharge that battery! In the meanwhile might I share with you the wonderful MAEVE online magazine? A most lovely online publication indeed.

I'll be back soon with images of creative pursuits, I promise. I DO!

I spy with my little eye something begining with.....

B!

If you guessed BLOG POST you'd be correct. If you guessed BABY you'd also be correct.
Which brings me to my excellent excuse for my absence in blogland, and life in general, for the past few months. I'm just emerging from the fog of my first ever first trimester. Yes dear friends and readers, (if there is anyone still reading after my unexplained departure), I am pregnant.

Up the duff. Preggers. Bun in the oven. I'm legitimately fat now people.

And if the shock of discovering there was a very unplanned, surprise human growing in my uterus wasn't enough then the shock of discovering being pregnant isn't all glowing loveliness, long lunches and nesting by painting a nursery in overalls like on some paint ad, has certainly bowled me over.

The exhaustion. I've slept for weeks. I sleep around 12 hours a night and then nap several times a day. I think I sleep more than the cat right now. The endless nausea and aversion to any food smells. The fact that morning sickness lasts all day, and for me, is worse at night. My utter lack of appetite and thanks to some rather nifty hormone changes I've been constipated for a good two months now. Honestly, no one EVER mentioned to me before that being pregnant can make you constipated! Word up to the non mums out there - you've now been warned!

So while you've all been going about your busy, crafty, inspirational lives I've been walking around like a zombie, unable to muster an intelligent thought let alone think about picking up my crochet hook, knitting needles, camera or even stringing together a typed sentence. I've never felt so utterly devoid of creative impulses in my life and it's depressing me so much. I have to believe that all of my creative energy has been diverted to the being in my belly, who will in turn grow into a fabulously talented, creative, inspirational human being. (No pressure.)

And I'm trying not to think about how I'll never have a chance to indulge in my beloved sleep-ins for many years to come, how I'll have to transform into a responsible parent/housewife who cooks and cleans on a regular, you know, daily, basis, how we're going to fit a family into our one bedroom apartment, how our sunroom/study/junkroom needs to be emptied and transformed into a nursery, how we're going to lug a pram up four flights of stairs, how difficult and scarce holidays will be from now on, whether my partner will love our child more than he loves me and how I'm going to pass a baby through my vagina. (No pressure.)

So in order to return some normalacy to my life I've decided to return to In the Light of the Sun. Regular sunshine and regular blogging. That's my plan for bringing back 'me'. Of course, I can guarantee neither but I can try. And thanks for sticking with me, by the way, it's much appreciated. (No pressure!)

Evidence I saw the sun today as well as napping with the cat...

flickr friday faves

Wow, I cannot believe it's Friday already! Admittedly, my weeks are lacking in the usual routine of 8 til 6 Monday to Friday full time work, but all the same, where does the time go? How is everyone?!

Shots from Tassie will be up soon - it was VERY cold there! (So glad I wore double leggings.) But in the meanwhile I thought I'd share some of my flickr faves - the weather has been so grey and rainy in silly Sydney lately, I for one am in desperate need of BRIGHT, HAPPY, CHEERFUL IMAGERY!

Brilliantly crocheted smart car spotted in Rome via StartTheDay

A lovely Charley Harper illustration circa 1964 via liefpeng

Darling little stencil of my favourite royal - the Little Prince! via mmelox

Bright, happy peach blossoms via Caterina TD
 

I think my house would be complete with this gorgeous Blancucha wall decal. Isn't she amazing?! There's nothing more cheery than red balloons! I love the simplicity of her art.

I hope you're all feeling warm and cheery. If not, have you tried the new Snickers Hazelnut bar?!! I have been scouring supermarket shelves all over Sydney with no success, thankfully I have the best friend ever and she sent me some in the mail from Melbourne. Nothing beats hazelnuts and chocolate and lovely people who send you it in the post. Nothing! Another reason to move to Melbourne perhaps?!

hip hip hooray!

Hooray for holidays! I'm going OVERSEAS!! Well, I'm headed to Tassie for the weekend with my mum and my uncle to visit my cousin's family in Launceston. I've never been there before. It's rather exciting. I think the small gap of ocean between Tasmania and the mainland officially makes this trip an overseas one, don't you?!

Only problem is that it's bloooooooody freeeeeeeeezing down there. Even colder than Sydney and I already feel like I've layered and rugged up as much as possible. I just did a late night trip to Kmart for extra woolie leggings. I feel certain that in this current climate, one can never have too many pairs of thick woolie leggings. But don't worry kids, I won't wear them as pants.

I've already started the first rounds of many crocheted flowers so I can crochet on the plane and not need scissors, which I am feeling rather chuffed about. As for doing the laundry so I have clean undies to take...well, there is a few hours before take off!

Oh, and I will be taking my apple beanie to Australia's apple isle so stay tuned for some in situ action shots!

Much love to you all and have a wonderful wild and wooly weekend, wherever you are!

keep your chin up

Hi there! It's been three whole weeks! I would have blogged sooner but I was busy burying my head in the sand. Sorry about that. I have some rather enormous life changing news to announce but I have to wait just a little bit longer before sharing....rude I know. Please be patient with me! While I shake the sand out of my hair and wipe my eyes here is a happy inspirational image I've been using to keep me going.

Darling Dear by Stealing Hearts

Have you ever tried to make a paper cut before? I do have some time on my hands...perhaps I should give one a go eh?! Nothing like blind enthusiasm is there?!

 

self portrait in words

Characters for an Epic Tale by Tom Gauld

I like to read books. A lot. I especially like the books with good characters. You know, like Harry Potter, Holden Caulfield, Franny and Zooey, Kafka Tamura or Kilgore Trout. After reading this splendid post by the delightful Kate, I decided to write about me as a character. A sort of self portrait in words, if you will.

The Woman:

Often imagines her life as scenes from a film, mostly directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet and Wes Anderson.

Must be kept artificially warm at all times - takes excessively hot showers that scorch her chest tomato red. Will not leave the house without a cardigan, even in summer.

Useless at time management - always either far too early for appointments or late. Often calls ahead warning she is running late then manages to somehow turn up just on time. Then feels embarrassed about earlier unnecessary warning. Likes to read whilst walking, even though it's slow going both ways.

Tells herself these new grey hairs look more silver or even blonde than grey, really. Often thinking about her next meal. Desperately wishes she had a prize winning novel in her but is resigned to the fact that her slightly above average intelligence is unlikely ever to produce one.

Fiercely loyal and completely biased towards those she loves or ideas she believes in. Paralysed by passion - will cry if confronted with arguments against said people or beliefs.

Public transport brings out the worst in her - feels utter disgust and contempt for fellow travellers. Realises the hypocrisy in such arrogant and inhumane thoughts. Detests them all the same. Tries to connect with every cat she encounters. Mostly succeeds.

Cannot last the entire night without going to the toilet. Blames cat for waking her up at 4.30am for breakfast. Quietly fears her bladder contains more will than her mind.

Never believes compliments from sales people, even when she knows them to be true. She does have beautiful green eyes and her bag is gorgeous. But sales people are not to be trusted.

Loves the idea of wearing red lipstick but is wracked by anxiety every time she does. Likes to cheat at card games. Does not follow recipes, uses them only as a guide. Loves puns.

27 and three quarters. Whiskey drinker. Always gives money to accordion buskers.

So, how much to I have to bribe you into including me in your next award winning novel? Anyone got J.K Rowling's email by any chance? J.D Salinger's and a time machine? Haruki Murakami's perhaps?! 

Whatever is worn on the head is a sign of the mind beneath it

 

He likes to wear floral underwear, by Little Doodles.

So that must mean I'm bright, cheery and very good for you?!
Here's my latest crochet project - a red delicious apple beanie...






Turns out it's awfully hard to take photos of oneself wearing a beanie in low light. Curse this dreary overcast and rainy weather! Although - tis perfect weather for a bright and cheerful apple beanie!

Does what's on your head define your mind right now? 

handiwork

I've been doing it. Handiwork that is. Stitching hands or things on hand shapes!
And in the words of my favourite 80s effortlessly cool dude Ferris Bueller - "Never had one lesson".

Can you tell?

First up was a card for my sister in law to say thanks for trusting me enough to look after her darling lil one three days a week for 5 whole months! We have our last day together tomorrow. Le sigh.

The hardest part was getting him to hold still long enough to trace his hand...I had to sing some crazy songs to distract him.

Next up is a gift for my partner Tom, who requested fingerless gloves for his birthday. He's been warned the weather will be pretty chilly in South Africa, even in the offices they will be working in, so I have embellished a plain black pair of woollen fingerless gloves with a little love for him to remember me by. So if you happen to watch any of the World Cup shows on SBS this June/July then it's highly likely they will have been put together by my man, wearing my 'handmade' gloves!

I told him he could tuck them into his jumper but he said he would display them proudly. Awwww. Now to embroider his stab vest and stencil sweet nothings on his tear gas mask. EEEK!

And before you go I just want to say sorry for being such a stranger round here lately. Thank you for all your kind well wishes on my last post. I've plunged into unemployment gloom even before it's officially started and I think I reverted to my December headspace without realising. I promise to try harder at thinking positive this time! Someone will employ me! Bills will be paid! And in the meanwhile - blog posts will be posted! So do stay tuned.

decisions, decisions...

I often feel like I'm standing at yet another of life's crossroads. Or roundabout. Or a confusing LA-esqe multi laned highway turnoff/merge/exit. Sometimes it's just me standing there, staring blankly, sometimes I'm there with a close friend, my family or my partner.

At these times I often think of the New Jersey turnpike in the film Being John Malkovich and marvel at the crazy portal of life and the strange places it spits you out at. That, and Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, because a choice is necessary here, inevitable even, but you can never really know the outcome of your choice until you have lived it. Which can feel a little daunting at times.
Will the next choice I make lead to happiness?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Frost is a cheeky bastard of a poet, don't you think? Is he sighing with happiness or regret? Was the difference good or bad? You could argue, knowing how way leads on to way, we can always make another choice, right? But that choice will then be informed and influenced by the former choices. Snowball effect. Rippling in a pond. Dominos are tumbling down. I'm starting to hyperventilate. And still just standing here, staring blankly.

This handy flow chart gets straight to the point though -

Image by You Might Like This via the delightful Checks and Spots

Some more food for thought via Checks and Spots comes in video form. It was an entry in a competition called u @ 50 and here I am stressing about tomorrow, next week, next month etc but this makes me ponder long term happiness. Ah perspective. Now I'm worrying about not only my future future but that of the entire world. Although, if there's no world then there's no me, so the two are kind of mutually exclusive.

It's a palindrome, so you'll need to watch the entire 1:45 to understand the full message. And that also means that if you don't have sound then you'll have to read each line, then read them backwards in order to see the true meaning!

And on a final note I shall leave you with this to consider. A most excellent piece of street art spotted tonight at the top of my parents street in Bondi, albeit fuzzily captured by my iphone. Apt, I think, considering all that's been going on in my head right lately.

I love it. I love that it's quoting the 1998 Spice Girls song Stop.

I'm going to stop, make my happiness decision with a human touch, and be on my merry way. And if life spits me out at the New Jersey turnpike again, well, I'll just have to dust myself off and crawl back down the crazy portal that is life, right?!

thanks mum

My mum has put up with a lot of crap over past 28 years...

Since I was this little (and even littler really)

Until I was this big.

Congratulations Mum, the crap stops here!*

And yet she still thinks it's hilarious to take photos of you sleeping in the car...

so I guess it goes both ways eh mum?!

* Sorry I can't actually guarrantee the crap stops here. In fact I'm pretty sure it says in your contract the crap is never ending. Sorry about that. Thanks for putting up with it all the same. Also, you know it's not my fault!!

Sending my love to all the mums out there who put up with the crap on a daily basis. I think you are all cussing amazing. I hope I can be as strong, supportive, patient, kind, nuturing and cook as good as you one day. Thanks for being such great role models.

Happy Mothers Day!
xxx

leaf studies

Episode 3 of the 2010 Harvest continues!

And it contains some of my all time favourite greenery - gum leaves, soft spongey moss and sillouettes at dusk.

I wish I had a backyard like this...