christmas fun

Merry Christmas everyone, hopefully it was full of love, dear ones, simplicity, ease and deliciousness. 

We spent some really wonderful and relaxing days on the Coast with my family. It was such a delight to gently ease into Christmas and to have Christmas be a time when we can enjoy just simply being in each other's company. So much space was created for each other and for the kids. Over the few days we were on the Coast, books were read, songs were written, laughter was contagious, a film clip partly filmed and two little cups were filled with Grandparent love. In saying this we still had a cooking frenzy on Christmas Eve, juggling and dancing in the kitchen, wondering where the time went and whether it would all come together but then were soon rewarded with a relaxed and delicious feast. 

Framed photo by Cass from Panel Pop, an amazing and quite an emotional Christmas present, heartbreakingly it shattered within minutes of this photo, but have no fear Cass, I have ordered another. Deer is also from Cass, boat, a Christmas present from Poe and Suirya and the nutcracker wooden soldier, $1 from an op shop in Coffs (seriously).

Some exciting, inspiring and thought provoking Summer reads. xx

Sometimes my mum is just too much, I gaze, I am struck, I am in awe of her talent as well as being totally intimidated. 

Another gift from mum, is this not the most beautiful plate in the world?

I did manage a little day trip to Sydney by myself and just 'happened' to visit and delight in the Cornersmith, oh so wonderful, what a space, it feel so solid, so beautiful, so amazing and like it has always been there. Thanks to Ruth and Cam for the bonus Christmas gift of Spiced Cumquats. 

And now I put forth my embroidery piece that I made for Scott, "Dear head", not quite as amazing as mum's but I am totally happy with it, and before you ask, no, I didn't intend for it to look like Scott. The 'Dear head' will be ironed and framed and some point, and hopefully hung over the mantelpiece. 

Oh and before I forget, here are a couple of those op shop finds from the Coast a few weeks ago. Now they are with their intendeds I can share.

Two of these stunning sets belonged to Jen and Rod, they are from Hungary and blow my mind. 

And this little cup had lots of little friends and a big Jug to look after them all. Maybe from Czechoslovakia but can't remember exactly, simply stunning. This troupe are now being loved by Ruth, Cam, Edie and Oscar...yay. 

So great to share such wonderful finds with special friends. 

i am a bird

Ilo has been doing these utterly delightful dance performances, he is so loose in his movements but so focused on what he is doing, being. I love them, he has also been a whale and a lady beetle. Enjoy.

market

The markets (Artisan and monthly Bellingen) have been really wonderful and totally disturbing. Wonderful, seeing people really enjoy and admire what I have crafted, the days spent chatting, relaxing and watching the children playing with friends all day (reminding me of my market days as a child at Paddington markets). Totally disturbing, because I am putting my crafts out there for people to actually buy, yep, parting with their hard earned cash on stuff I have made, when previously stuff I made was always just gifted (i.e. thrust upon people whether they liked it or not). Even when I see people wearing my stuff and raving about it I still feel totally anxious, what if it just falls apart etc. Anyone else feels like this?
I know I sound like a wreck but I'm not, really, it was heaps of fun, we went really well and people were happy, we had some totally awesome days.  Will definitely keep going to a few markets, but in the meantime I need to tag the left over stuff and take them up to Wabi Sabi and Weave.
Oh the new red bird headband is actually reversible! How cool is that. I was pretty stoked.

sneaky catch-up in photos

Sorry folks, time is a ticking and we are heading to the Coast this afternoon, so here is what I have missed in pictures. 

Lovin the family

Fortuitously Manu and his partner James had a wedding in, of all places, Bellingen the very weekend we were back from Sydney (well minus Scott who was still away, but plus Mum, who gallantly assisted me whilst I drove from the Coast to Bellingen in the pouring rain, not fun). 

It was really wonderful spending so much uninterrupted time with the both of them and then as a bonus effortlessly succeeding with them falling in love with Bellingen. 

At one point, albeit after a few hours drinking at one of the "best weddings" either of them had ever been to (think gypsy, think Black Cat White Cat , on an amazing property, with people that you have known from years before, but never thought you would see again, set against a back drop of sun breaking through the clouds after days of rain), James was raving about how he has to tell everyone he knows about how amazing Bellingen is, only to be silenced by Manu, who advised him that maybe it is better left as a not so quiet secret. James concurred. 

Poe and Ilo loved the fact that they had a book reading service on hand at any point, they loved the fun, the ease and the comfort of having such special 'family' people around.

 James loved the fact that everything we did kept exceeding expectations; swimming in icy water at the Never Never Creek, pizza for dinner on an abandoned beach, delicious meals, lovely company all partnered with staying at a totally fancy and breathtaking location, it had been James's birthday and Manu had arranged that they stay at Casa Belle. 

On the way to Never Never creek I spied this amazing family by the side of the road, check out this great photo that James took (he is a little obsessed with owls, so you can imagine his delight when he saw this family). Enlarge it, I love how the parents are both facing in opposite directions and the baby is staring right at James. He has entered it in the National Geographic Photo Contest.

As is Manu's way, he and James ended up making a few friends for us in town, they are very social. So through them we are now more acquainted with Alex the owner of the 'Everything that's beautiful' Gallery in town along with some mysterious person named Kate, that we are yet to meet but Manu assures us that Kate and her partner have very similar parenting and life ideas and that we will be good friends. Thanks darling brother, please feel free to come back whenever you both want, (you know, just to ahh cement the friendships!) it was a pleasure seeing the both of you.

Yes, getting more tired and fearing that I am making less sense with every word that I type, also fearing I have lost the ability to spell as every word looks so weird as I look at it more and more, perhaps three posts in one night is enough.  And no I have not proof read this warble (or waffle?) nor do I intend to, sorry lovely readers, it is the price you must pay if I am ever to catch up.xxxx