February already

images by Emma Cassi found via Lobster & Swan


February already. Can you believe it? I fell in love with these images. Something about delicate lace, ribbon and vintage papers makes me feel romantic. I connect with delicate, feminine displays. Who wouldn't love a Valentine adorned with any of these things. So lovely and inspiring.

As for me, I'm still here. I've been absent, I know. I am going to create a new space for blogging the question is when? Lots of ideas but nothing feels right just yet. Still deciding on a name, etc. I'm particular that way but I know when it feels right I'll know it. I may simply go with my name if nothing else fits. We'll see? I did create a new header for this space though (for those of you reading in a reader). I love playing with these things. So much fun and pure pleasure.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful new year.

Oh . . . and because it sounded like fun. I've seen this at few places so I'm joining in. Sixteen random things about me. I'll post one at a time like Lobster & Swan is doing.

01. I studied pre-med for 2 1/2 years at university but then decided it wasn't for me. I still love the sciences, always have, but my heart wasn't in it. I don't have any regrets about leaving that discipline but I do wish I would have taken more Art classes. I'm an absolute believer in studying what interests you, what gets your blood pumping not what someone else thinks you should be doing.

About Those Postcards . . .

Well . . . I failed miserably at my attempt to do a postcard a day for the Christmas season. Urgh! I had so hoped to share the season and what's happening around here and look what happened. I'm not down yet! I may, that's may, be able to pull something together to make up for my bad blogger ways and not delivering my promised postcards. My internet access and time to work with photos seems to be very limited which put a damper on things. Mind you, they (the photos) weren't all going to be the gorgeous, blue skied, beach photos of the Indian ocean. No, I don't live on the beach, sigh. Would be nice though, would it not?

I'm also going to be leaving this blog, I'm pretty certain, and starting with a fresh new url & name. At least that's the plan. It's been brewing for a while and I feel like I want to do something different, have a fresh start and move in a little different direction. If that makes sense? Of course, not until after the new year. I'm not going to disappear all together from here or anything (not until I am up & running elsewhere) but I feel pulled to change and I'm thinking I need to go with it since it's been rattling around in the ol' head for quite some time now.

As ususally happens this time of year, I am completely taken in with everything related to Christmas and always hope to do it all but yeah we know how realistic that is. Rather than feeling less than marvelous for not being able to do it all, I'm just taking it all in. Enjoying the little bit of magic that seems to happen this time of the year. The sort of magic that is 38 degrees (Celsius) and an announcement over the loud speaker at IKEA that snow (a show of snow-like bubbles) will be falling in the main entrance of the store. Somehow the idea of bubbles pretending to be snow and hot, summer weather give the Christmas season a whole new twist in my mind but hey I'm adjusting! And let me thank God now for air conditioning because it is a must have for the Christmas season and I can admit right here and now that if I were without it I would be the biggest bah humbugger and grinch of 'em all. Just sayin!

Christmas Postcard: 3 Dec

Monkey Mia, Western Australia

Christmas Postcard: 2 Dec

Denham, Western Australia

A Christmas Countdown From Down Under

Christmas and summer were not two words I ever mentioned in the same sentence prior to moving to Australia. And as a born and bred northern hemisphere girl I can tell you it takes some getting use to. That.is.for.certain.

December 1st marks the official first day of summer here and while we’ve been having a fair bit of rain, and the wettest November since 1991, summer is fast upon us and so is Christmas. The countdown begins. In the spirit of things I’m going to do a postcard-a-day until Christmas. It’s my attempt at highlighting the season and spirit of Christmas here in Western Australia from my perspective. One that is so different than what I am use to.

Although, I am a native Californian and we don’t experience the white Christmases that most of our east coast states do it’s still winter and we do have snow in the local mountains just an hour and a half's drive away.

Everything is flip-flopped here. School is coming to an end (the kids are anxious, excited & counting down the days), the days are longer and summer activities are heating up. That means the temperature is raising as well. Exactly the opposite from the northern experience.

Last year the lovely Marta of m.writes did a wonderful Christmas countdown. I enjoyed every frosty, wintery, crispy photo she shared (thank goodness I can get my winter fix from other blogs). This year I bring you a southern hemisphere Christmas countdown. Bits and pieces of the Christmas atmosphere from down under.


*completely unrelated but this sweet story made me smile. what a great example.
a couple's first kiss

Christmas Postcard: 1 Dec

Two Rocks Beach, Western Australia

Fabric Covered Pin Tack :: How To

Here is a is a close up of the lovely pin tacks I made that I highlighted on my previous post about my pin board. The one on my board is larger(probably better as a magnet or decorative nail cover for a wall hanging) as I was experimenting with the project. I *love* this little project and have a few more ideas up my sleeve about them. You can make some too if you are so inspired. The tutorial for this project in case you missed it is here. Enjoy!

My Pin Board

1. handmade paper i made
2. books & letters ~ my faves
3. pin tack (made by me)
4. a piece of mdf cut out in my initial(thanks sweety) ~ i have plans to cover it with paper or fabric
5. my 50 cent tea cup from the op shop (it's just there because i thought it looked pretty)
6. yummy yarn ~ totally inspiring me right now
7. lovely embossed card front from a dear friend
8. butterfly i cut out from a piece of clip art
9. another pretty card from same dear friend
10. handmade card by my mum
11. a simple, no clutter, minimalist bathroom sink ~ just to remind me that less is more

It's been a really long time since I used a pin board/inspiration board. I've always been one to keep little bits and pieces. You know, like the pretty note card a friend sends or the lovely paper from a wedding, shower or birthday invitation that is just too nice to chuck out and you still want to enjoy it a little bit longer. The only problem is that if you are not organised (and I'm not always) things tend to get cluttered up and before you know it you just have a stack of "stuff" that becomes a pile that is crammed or stuffed somewhere else and then it's not being enjoyed at all.

That used to be me. I always had good intentions of re-purposing or organising the things I had saved but too often they became part of a pile that got neglected. Now I am more diligent about what I keep and I make sure I have a place for it. A proper place. It's no longer that mystery pile labeled, "What the heck is in there?"

My point about all of this was that reacquainting myself with the pin board again has helped me to enjoy those little treasures and also have a place to house any other piece of inspiration, photo or what not.

It's evolved a little bit more since I took this photo and it is still a little bare. Of course, I would like to paint the trim and spruce it up some but I figured if I waited to that I'd end up with a pile and that would defeat my purpose.

I love to see what others put on their boards. I'm guessing there might be flikr group for that? I'll have to see. What's on your board?

Only Sometimes Now

I’ve posted four times this week. I’m excited about that. Why? It feels good. Good like I accomplished something. I usually let perfectionism stand in my way with posting. Perfectionism is a funny thing. It can be a wonderful asset. Like say, when you are proofing or editing a project but man can it be the biggest stumbling block we put right there in front of ourselves. As if we needed an even higher hurdle to jump over in daily life. I’ve always been one for a challenge but making things more difficult than need be is not challenging, it’s just plain frustrating. I don’t know about you but when I get frustrated I don’t tend to put forth my best work.

I’m tossing perfectionism right out the window.

“Can you hear me perfectionism. I’m only calling on you when you are a help, not a hindrance. I love you dearly when you make me shine but too many times you have stood in my way. I am sorry but we can no longer continue on this way. I have to let you go.”

On with life. On with mistakes. On with stumbling and getting back up. On with allowing things to be ordinary and average. On with finding joy and beauty in the ordinary and average. On with recognising success does not come without failure. On with celebrating those failures as little stepping stones to a higher ground. On with embracing our flaws. On with living.

The perfectionist didn’t even plan these words. She just let her thoughts become words. That is a good thing.

Christmas Pattern Downloads

Yasmine at A Print A Day has designed and made available as downloads these wonderful Christmas patterns for you to print out and use (please remember: personal use only). I've just highlighted a few. She has also just added list pads and will be adding labels and tags to complete the entire set. She is so kind.

The timing could not have been better. I'm incorporating these into my December Daily 08 project and I wanted to keep the cost at a minimum. Free works for me. All smiles here and very grateful for generous bloggers like Yasmine. I've got a few other ideas brewing about how to use these papers. So many possibilities. I hope to share those soon.

While you are there check out all of A Print A Day's downloads. There are some really lovely and fun downloads available.

Thank you Jasmine.