Happy days

 Over the weekend our town hosted one of Australia's biggest Gay & Lesbian festivals, Chill Out.

It's always an amazing event and I love the way our town becomes full of colour and life, happy people celebrating life, community & diversity. This year it seemed to be bigger than ever, the shops and cafe's were full and everywhere there was a lovely buzz. The beautiful weather helped, the sun shone and the sky was blue, blue blue. My mum helped out at the Festival Day at Vic Park, she looked pretty cute in her orange top!

Our weekend was super fun. Bill had a friend stay over and together they began to build a tree house in the tallest tree in our back yard. They were so inventive, and brave! I went out a few times, reminding them to be careful (sure mum) and worrying about them falling. 

But I was brave too and let them keep climbing, building and making, reminding myself that this is what child hood is about. Taking risks, making things happen, exploring, finding ways to make things work, creating. All of this at about fifteen metres off the ground. Gulp.

 They used an old piece of hose to hoist up a platform..I couldn't stay to watch this bit...ahhh!

Fun!

On Monday we headed down to Jubilee Lake for a picnic with our friends from Footscray. Carm is one of my oldest and dearest friends & it was her birthday! I was SO happy to be spending it with her and her beautiful family.

The park was full of other families enjoying the long weekend, 

it was truly blissful sitting there under the big old trees, looking out onto the sparkling lake.

Heavenly!

Last night I reflected a bit on our weekend, on our lives lately. I'm so happy we moved to Daylesford in 2005, it was such a good move to make. It's not always perfect, but then nothing ever is. I love so many aspects of life here and the beautiful friends we have made. And after a hard year in 2011 I feel like this new year has already brought so many good things.

Maybe it's my attitude too. Life is so fragile, so precious, that I want to get as much as I can out of it. I don't have time to sit around, I'm into it! I'm finding some new energy (and some sore muscles) through Boot Camp too, something I've been needing for a long time.

Within all the happy days and positive feelings there are always pockets of grumpiness, neediness,

sadness and chaos but I'm not focusing too much on these things. Every day is a new day, every day holds some kind of treasure, something beautiful if I look for it. 

So it's Tuesday and a busy week lies ahead. The girls are looking forward to the Taylor Swift concert  tonight! Woo hoo! And I"m hanging out to see Charlotte on Friday night. We're off to the Doily Exhibition in Brunswick (I have a little doll in it) and then on to dinner. We're going to chat up a storm about our trip to the USA and make some plans. Fun! Thanks so much too for all the lovely comments on my last post. It seems I'm not the only one who has anxious moments!

So what's happening in your world this week? 

Go on, tell me.

See you soon lovely ones,

xo

Taking chances

I'm not much of a risk taker these days...I guess I play it pretty safe.

I don't jump out of planes, make rash decisions, I'm not that spontaneous & I don't stray too far from home.

When I was younger I guess I was lucky in many ways, considering the crazy life I led at times. I took chances, made mistakes, got into a bit of trouble and had some pretty sad times.  I did also had some bad luck, and was sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time. I don't dwell on those days now, I had so many happy times too. As I've got older I have grown more cautious, more reluctant to break out or to do things differently. Life has been busy and I guess I don't have that much time to think about myself or question why I am the way I am.

Lucy came home from her Creative Dance class the other day and told me how her teacher had encouraged the class to take risks in their dancing, to be brave. To challenge themselves, to stretch a bit further, try new moves, to have faith in their bodies, in themselves. What great advice for young dancers, what great advice for us all.

Recently I made a choice which to most people would be a no brainer. An exciting option that wouldn't need much thought. But for me it's been a scary decision, although I'm thrilled to bits as well!

I like my home. I like things being safe and predictable. I'm not crazy about change and I have a bit (ok a lot) of an anxiety about travelling. I really hate to fly.  It just seems so wrong to be up there in the sky in a flying bus, hurtling through the air.

 And then there's the what ifs. What if something happens, to the kids, to Mark, to someone we love? Sometimes these kind of fears can be paralysing.

This anxious feeling has been holding me back from living, in a way. And so much of me is not that kind of person. I love to see different things, to experience other cultures, other places. So...I'm facing my fears, well some of them.  

Yep, this June our WHOLE family is flying to America!!  We're going to spend time with our American family, Mark's sister, husband and kids, wow!!

The kids will get to see where Mark grew up, double wow. They'll be able to see what a beautiful country America is, the Mississippi River, the magical countryside, the amazing city of Minneapolis, the kind and generous people, the sidewalks, the diners, their cousins, summer in Wisconsin..and..

 so will I!

It's been over ten years since we were there as a family. Mark, me, Char and Lucy. Lucy learned to walk in San Francisco. And now we're going back, our gang of seven.  Can you imagine how much fun we will have? Oh boy. And don't even start me of the photo's I'll get to take. Oh yeah..did someone mention Thrift Stores??

So yep, I"m feeling pretty happy this week. Not just because we are so lucky to be able to go on this trip but because I bit the bullet when I almost missed out. It would have been easy to say no, again, but this time I said YES! I'm still nervous about the flight, I'm still a bit anxious but I"m not letting it stop me. Dammit. I'm taking a leap Mel! And yes something might happen, but it could anyway. So look out USA, here we come!!

Have you got any exciting plans? Have you ever let your worries hold you back? Have a happy week lovely ones, 

see you soon xo

ps: you should most definitely pop over to Manda's blog and check out her gorgeous new colouring book and giveaway...go on..it's so fab xo

Keep your eyes open

Do you like the new little doll I made last week? 

She was going to be a bunny but somehow she grew hair instead of ears. I'm entering her in an exhibition in Melbourne called "I say Doily's, You say Doyley's".  I can't wait to see what the other doily entries look like, I'm sure it will be a mixed bag! Fun!

I'm also working hard on stock for my shop, Rosie might find it hard to say goodbye to this little one,

but she has three bunnies of her own now so she can't be too lonely. 

Have you had a good weekend? We have, it seems like we fit a week into just two days! There's been a lot going on. It started with a bit of a scare on Friday at school pick up with the kids bringing out a warning about a grass fire nearby.  Luckily no one was hurt and the fire was brought under control quickly by the amazing local CFA. Where would we be without them? The fire burnt over sixty hectares but was stopped before any homes were burnt, or people hurt, thank god. On our way to Ballarat on Saturday we passed the burnt fields, a small reminder of the dreadful bush fires we had in a couple of years ago.

Even though it was a stinking hot day yesterday, the girls had fun at ballet and danced so beautifully.

 I managed to take some sneaky some shots of dear Sunday too,

looking out the window so thoughtfully - I wonder what she was dreaming of..

The girls and I like out Saturday routine, mostly. They catch up with ballet friends,  get to sing loudly to their favourite music in the car, to watch the beautiful country side out the window, stop for toilet breaks at amazing old churches,

to watch the shadows, the shapes of the hills, the hazy summer skies,

and all the birds and animals. Yesterday we watched these cows dipping their hot bodies in a dam. 

Last night I went out with some friends and we popped into the fabulous Jimmy's Bar, just around the corner in Vincent St. I loved everything about it, the drinks, the menu, the wooden tables and touches of glamour. It's so nice to have somewhere new and gorgeous to meet up with mates or to have a quiet dinner with my honey.  Today Sunday & I went walkabout - we found lots of special places like this red door, and this amazing old shed, below. We're so lucky to live in an area that is FULL of treasures..so many amazing things out there if you keep your eyes open!

What's happening in your world? Have you been having a heat wave like us? Did you love the rain when it finally fell? Our garden sure did. Another storm has just begun and there is lots of thunder and lightning. Rosie just woke to the loudest BANG! 

Better go and tuck that little chicken in and hope we can all get some sleep, and uh oh! our back room is flooding..better run.

Hope you have a happy week,

see you soon xo

things I'm loving right now

I'm really in love with this new bunny. I think it's her black cardi,

or maybe it's her little ric rac trimmed skirt. Although she will be in my shop shortly I would really like to keep her for myself.

Have you noticed I've changed the bunnies eyes recently? I've gone from plastic safety eyes to embroidering them myself. Not only is this more in keeping with the soft nature of my bunnies, it is also safer for babies. This means they can be a gift for a newborn with no safety issues. I'm avoiding buttons on cardi's too, for the same reason. Any thoughts on the 'eye change'? 

L\

I'm also loving our back yard, with all it's quirky bits and ducks and fruit trees. The ducks were enjoying a bit of water sport today, they have a whirl pool going in their clam shell. So funny!

A bit of crazy swimming in circles and then woosh! out of the pool with wings aflapping..!

Crazy!

I loved going to see Jess's exhibition on Friday night with Charlotte. Jess's creatures looked so fabulous and I wasn't surprised to see so many red stickers. I tried to snaffle up a blue elephant but alas, he was already sold.

 It was great to see Jess, of course, and lots of other lovely people including Catherine & Jess's mum and dad and the Foxs Lane crew. And of course Tania and her beautiful boy, great to see you Tania!

It was so fun hanging out with Char on Friday night, of course I loved that. We did a bit of posing & people watching in the city and then headed to Brunswick St for some churros - yum!

I'm loving spending time with my other kids too, and watching them all grow up. They are all such interesting people and I love to see how their minds work, and what excites them. It's such a privilege to be a mum, although of course it's not always easy is it? But there are so many gorgeous moments that the tricky ones quickly fade away. Rosie was on her way to bed the other night when I took these photo's,

"Mum," she said, "the clouds are racing!"

I'm loving being involved in a local oral history group. Last week we talked to a really interesting woman who at one point owned a general store near our town (see above). I also spoke to an older lady who moved to Daylesford when she was five, she had so many fascinating stories. Both women were so inspiring. Everyone has a story don't they?

Finally I'm loving taking photo's, I just can't help it. It's such a joy, I love the way I can record a beautiful vision, a funny old letterbox, a smile, the sky, a moment. It really opens up my world and gives me so much pleasure. 

What are you loving lately? Go on..tell me!

see you soon xo

Grey skies over East Street