Be optimistic

Somewhere along the line I think I went from an openly optimistic person to a realistic person and now worry I am verging on pessimistic at times - is this a sign of age? or environment? or something more sinister? I think (well, I hope) I am still an optimistic person at heart and that in due course I will work out how to overcome all the other stuff but in the mean time I thought this badge was a good reminder.

Be optimistic badge from here

Last year - this year

Happy new year!

I hope you've had a fabulous 2011 and that your hopes and dreams for 2012 are fulfilled - and then some!

2011 has been a big year for me and for my family; moving cities/states, welcoming a new baby, and in many ways it has been like starting fresh. I'm sure you can imagine that starting fresh can be both a good and a bad thing, maybe bad is not the right word - daunting, hard, sad and sometimes lonely but on the flip side empowering, exciting, challenging and full of promise!

I have made some fabulous new friends here in Melbourne and have I have also had the opportunity to re-kindle old friendships. Moving interstate has damaged friendships also, I suppose 'out of sight out of mind' and having busy friends leading exciting busy lives have been a few of the many reasons, and I too have been busy and found it hard to keep in contact, so all round that has been a bit of a bummer. The lovely thing is that the few times I've been able to visit home, we've been able to pick up where we left off, such a beautiful quality in a friendship, don't you agree?

Being able to pick up where I left off is my hope for this blog too, I've had an epic absence, a longer break then I have ever had before in the few years I've been blogging. I'm not one for new years resolutions, so instead I'll just say - see you soon.

A bit of sunshine

We've been away on holiday! We had a little trip to Tweed heads which was just what the doctor ordered, a bit of sun, a bit of a relax and a wedding celebration to top of a great family getaway (congratulations to the Phong and Bec!). We had all been sick with one bug or another for months (Blair's even ended up with a bit of pneumonia) but after a few days in the sun (and some antibiotics) we were all on the mend and in much better spirits. Bring on the warmer weather in Melbourne! (knowing me I'll be complaining in no-time that it is too hot!)

A beautiful kiss

I think this the most beautiful moment between the Swiss Miss and her Great Oma, it warms my heart every time I look at it. Captured by Uncle Gunar - simply lovely.

Documentation

One of the things which slows down my creative process is documentation. I think it is a very important part of creativity, being able to look back at what you've done and learn from it, keep track of projects and share them with others or feel a sense of accomplishment. But, actually getting off my behind and capturing images is a different story altogether and more often then not it becomes a rushed after-thought! Sometimes when I've made a gift it sits around finished for a few weeks waiting to be photographed before I feel I can give it... bad, very bad.

I finally popped these wrist warmers in the post today - hurray! I modified this pattern in a purple cashmere/wool blend - mmm, cashmere-licious!

In love with... Dear photograph

This blog {Dear Photograph} has such a lovely collection of photos. I really love the feelings they evoke - nostalgia, happiness and sometimes sadness. I particularly love the images with the old style photographs with the rounded corners and the warm fading colours, it makes me wish I could pop round to my Mum's and flip through the family snaps.

Images from Dear Photograph

On a side note, I've be having some technical dramas with my commenting system (trust me to try and do something snazzy and end up with it biting me on the bottom!) So I may end up giving it the boot, in which case I may not be able to salvage some previous comments, sorry about that!

Joining back in

Hello friends. My posts have dwindled over recent months down to zero, to the point where I was seriously considering saying my goodbyes and leaving the blogosphere – it’s been getting me down.

I’ve written and re-written this post about my feelings a bunch of times.
I’m disenfranchised with blogging.. blah.. blah
I’m not sure I want to keep blogging… blah.. blah
I’m not even sure I want to read blogs anymore…blah

I can never find the time.. yada yada
Wah wah wah.. whinge whinge whine.

And you know what – I’ve changed my mind.

I’ve had a crystallising moment of clarity - I should take it all a bit less seriously. What I am trying to achieve is an honest reflection of my life, things I like and things I make - when I get around to it.

Yep, I think I can still have a go at that!

I'm excited, I’m no longer going to over think it (one of my big pitfalls), I’m just going to join back in.

Here is a little gifted baby blanket I crocheted for a good friend's recent arrival. I like having little blankets for the pram and car (and when they've been out grown, a teddy/dolly blanket), with the added bonus they are very quick to come together. My Swiss Miss gave it the once over, so it has the 'baby drool' seal of approval!

Motivation

The person who I want to be and the person who I am don't always overlap - in fact sometimes those two people seem poles apart.

Right this minute, most of all, I want to be a motivated person.

It's been over a month since I last blogged, every time I think about that I feel sad - like the person I want to be is the kind of person who says and does interesting things on a regular and reliable basis - but the truth is - I'm the kind of person who does stuff sometimes but mostly enjoys sitting around drinking tea, watching episodes and having grand plans that don't often come to fruition (also I'm a full time stay at home Mum, but I'm talking purely about my 'free time' when the children are both asleep). I want to stretch my mind a bit more and in all honesty I could use my time more wisely then I do, I really could - and I want to.

Mostly I need a kick in the pants.

I have managed to work on one small project - a little softy sleepy sheep. I'm still working the kinks out of the pattern, I've not made a softy pattern before, so this is new territory for me (my aim is to post the pattern here when it is finished). In other news I bought some scallop edge pinking shears and snap pliers from ebay, I think I'm in love.

What do you do to get motivated? Any advice?

Comments

I'm always deliriously excited when I receive comments. I'm a bit of a lurker myself you see, I read many blogs but rarely comment. I should and want to comment more (and to those of you who are reading this now who have blogs which I in-turn read - I am going to attempt to comment more in the future, in fact I've set myself a goal of 10 comments this evening!). Mostly I'm worried I'll say something lame like "great post!" - which is slightly counter intuitive seeing as I would totally geek out with love if someone wrote that to me. I think it is a great way to form community and open up a dialogue in what can be a very one-sided conversation at times. I truly admire those who take part in commenting and get amongst it with sharing, encouragement and debate. As a side note to all my readers who just like to read and look, I love you too and keep lurking away, I totally get it and don't ever want you to feel pressure to comment.

I'm writing about this because I've installed a new commenting system. The blogger one can be a bit restrictive and I never quite known the best way to respond to comments. Please bear with me as I work out the kinks and let me know if you have any thoughts. Cheers big ears!

We go together like blogs and comments card by Sapling Press

Turning the frown up-side-down

I've had many posts on the stew but I've been feeling a lack of inspiration to complete them. I think it's because creatively I've had more fails then wins in recent weeks.

Do you have times like that, when nothing you create seems to come out how you planned?

My carrot and pineapple cake was too dry and slightly burnt, the seams came apart on the toy I was sewing and my 'free-time' is non-exisitant, what little I have I invariably waste on the computer or trying to catch up on sleep (my children are both sleeping well, more on that later, I just find my days so exhausting). I don't want to complain about it (I know - whinge, whinge), but it is what it is and I feel a bit defeated. I need a creative win.

After the sermon this week at church, I've been reflecting on how creativity is not just about creating, but also sitting back and enjoying the things we (and other people) have created. So instead of mulling over what I would like to achieve, I'm going to listen to more music, read some crafty books (just for the sake of reading, not planning what I'd like to make from them!), tell imaginative stories with The Boy (to the effect of "Once there was an little pussy cat, sat on a couch and aeroplanes and trucks' - cute city!), take in the changing season by chasing The Boy through the autumn leaves in the park and above all enjoy that my children are wonderfully made in all their complexity!

Above is one of my pages from I sleep in Haysheds and Corners.