jillian beans

hello harold!

2008-12-17T09:03:00.006+11:00

Look who has come to live at my house!

I was very very lucky to receive Harold the giraffe from Fiona's giveaway. He came yesterday in the mail and he's getting in the Christmas spirit by making himself at home under the Christmas tree. Thank you so much Fiona, he is beautiful!

My sister-in-law and wee niece are particular lovers of giraffes, so I bought Homespun magazine to make him a cousin some time in the future. There's also a great quilt pattern in there from another blogger I follow which may have a place in baby's room some time in the future.

I have succumbed to a revolting cold so I'm cosy at home today rather than spreading my germs at work. Perhaps I'll muster the energy to finish off some baby knitting then have something else to show you here. I knitted up this little bear for a friend on the weekend from this Little Cotton Rabbits pattern - my first (though very minor) go at stranded colour knitting and she came out pretty cute I think!

another creative collaboration

2008-11-10T21:14:00.003+11:00

This one a few more months in the making! Which is inspiring other creative impulses... kind of why I'd like to get back into this blogging caper. Now the next step is to be bothered getting out the camera to take pics of current stuff - eg this picture above is about 2 months old now as I haven't been bothered scanning any others in. This is probably the clearest we have though! Little one is camera shy already.

bugger

2008-11-05T09:25:00.004+11:00

Ok perhaps you can tell I was trying to do this. And I missed a day. But it turns out that was October. So I am now running my own IntNaBloWriMowafhaitbe - the "InterNational Blog Writing Month with a few hiccups as is to be expected".

For a quick post, here are a few of the blogs that I have newishly discovered and that are really inspiring me lately:

c jane enjoy it ~ the amazing story of a woman caring for her sister's children while she recovers from a terrible plane accident ~ the power of family and faith and love

photography by photobat ~ i want to learn to take photos like this!

fellow tasmanian black eyed susie ~ local crafty gorgeousness! i really like reading blogs by near neighbours

fresh md ~ reflections on motherhood and medicine ~ strangely both fascinating to me!

These might not appear in my blogroll --> as I have recently changed from Bloglines to Google Reader - I'll figure that out at some stage!

i can't stand susan

2008-11-03T22:10:00.004+11:00

Some girlfriends and I drove to Geeveston last week on a craft-related road trip (ooh there's blog fodder in that! more later) and I was totally jealous of my friend who wcould sing all the words to nearly every song on The Police greatest hits album. This one's particularly catchy so I have been playing it over and over to teach myself the words. And sometimes substituting the alternate words above in honour of my favourite road tripper!

stylin' up

2008-11-02T19:04:00.004+11:00

The craftiness didn't stop with the cake (did I mention the cake itself was made by another talented cousin?).

Mum spent weeks sewing my wedding dress, modelled on one we tried on in a fancy shop and pretended to be considering purchasing.

It's a one of a kind and something to be always treasured. Such a lucky bride!

my crafty family

2008-11-01T12:33:00.004+11:00

My cousin Ali made this gorgeous wedding cake-topper for our wedding back in May. The dress, suit, hair and flowers are all pretty much spot on to what we actually wore on the day.

Of course Stella had to be in on the action.

I am lucky to come from a family of such inspired and talented people!

revival

2008-09-04T20:17:00.002+10:00

Perhaps the slack blogger is on her way back... I have won a professional 'blog makeover' from this talented crowd! Yay, I never win things! I've followed Jenny's inspirational story for many years and felt a little bit celebrity-struck that she contacted me to tell me I'd won. Hooray! This might be just what I need to reinvigorate my bloggy habit. I have HEAPS to talk about.....

this is me

2008-06-02T12:56:00.004+10:00

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name

1. Jill about 1963, 2. Hot Potato II, 3. Gloria, 4. Soft purple, 5. BOB, 6. vintage tea set with cupcake, 7. The Weather Project, 8. Spring Trifle, 9. beinecke, 10. Loch Ossian Dawn, 11. Glimmer of Hope, 12. Queen of the Carneval

still crazy after all these years

2008-04-13T20:13:00.004+10:00

I'm still around.... I've often crept in here with the intention of writing a post but been suddenly arrested by the thought HANG ON! THERE'S SO MUCH OTHER STUFF YOU SHOULD BE DOING!

There comes a time when thoughts like that go out the window and it's just time to... breathe. Life is busy with wedding plans, postgraduate study, new job since just before Christmas, slow-moving home renovations, friends' weddings, post-Brazil duties, tap dancing classes, family, friends and life in general.

It's enough to make you want to snooze all weekend......

hopeless

2007-11-13T20:56:00.000+11:00

I have trouble updating this blog once a month let alone once a day... I don't know what I was thinking....

Recent crafty activity has been a bit of fun with my new Print Gocco (I really hope they don't stop making them!). I have been thinking lately that I probably do things a bit the wrong way around - I get a Print Gocco without developing any real design or artistic skill - I recently did a picture framing course through Adult Education though my grand plans of doing some painting or drawing haven't really gone anywhere - ah well those are the things that appeal at the time and they have both been a lot of fun and very satisfying to master.

I actually drew up this card design myself - I planned to use clipart but couldn't quite find anything that was perfect - so I'm quite proud of these little cards that we sent to all of our lovely friends and family to thank them for some very thoughtful and generous gifts on the occasion of our engagement.

a very very short post

2007-11-01T22:09:00.000+11:00

Just keeping my options open. Because you never know.....

Sunny days are here again

2007-10-26T21:30:00.000+11:00

These are a couple of pictures from a walk I did with friends from Fortescue Bay to Waterfall Bay on the Tasman Peninsula.

Spring weather is here and we are having fantastic bright sunny days plus a few nice soaking-rainy type days to keep the garden going. This walk was so beautiful with some really spectacular walking along clifftops for about half of the trip.

Most people take two days to walk the length - it's only 12 km but as my poor legs discovered, a pretty steady uphill slog for quite a bit of it. I had a great feeling of achievement at the end though - and slept very well that night!

A few more of these and I'll have my bushwalking legs on again - maybe ready for an overnight trip. There are so many places I'd love to see but I've never got organised to do a big trip since camping in school days.

Getting back in the bloggy swing...

2007-09-25T21:06:00.000+10:00

...with a few photos from our trip 'up North' in July.

We hadn't spent much time in the north-east of Tasmania so went off for a little trip to celebrate me being home and spend some time together.

People all around the world know this Gold Mine now where two miners were trapped for two weeks and one was tragically killed after a rock fall last year. The museum was very comprehensive and interesting - just crammed with nostalgic items that all told a story, and not just about mining but also about Australian life in another era.

Of course the highlight of the trip was being asked to marry my lovely fella - the place where we stayed was just perfect with rolling paddock views and a real playpus sighting in that there dam to top off a great weekend :-)

Tchau to South America

2007-09-19T22:20:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone, I´m homeward bound and just about as excited as when I was ready to go seven long weeks ago..... we were supposed to have 16 hours here in Santiago airport waiting for our connection from Lima to NZ, but due to heavy fog and snowstorms in Chile we had a 9 hour diversion to Concepcion (an hours flying south of Santiago) and only have a short time to fill in here now. A bit frustrating in part as we had to mess about with our suitcases and go through immigration again, but I have another stamp in my passport now, we saw some amazing glaciers and snowy peaks from the plane, and the weather looks clear so I think we will be on schedule from here onwards (touch wood/head).

Ever since ´Mysterious Cities of Gold´ was my favourite after-school cartoon and the Capybara (world's largest rodent) was my favourite animal at the Taronga Zoo, I think I have been destined to come to Peru. There´s so much to tell but it´s also really hard to put into words - I didn´t suffer from any altitude sickness here in Peru apart from feeling strangely breathless when walking up stairs etc (maybe that´s my fitness though) - one effect it seemed to have on me was to make the whole time here feel as if I was walking around in a dream. The perfect way to describe this amazing country I think.

The tour I joined was a GAP Adventures trip and was really fantastically organised and run. It ended up being three couples and me for most of the time, but we all got along so well and I only felt like a nigel every so often! The whole Inca & pre-Hispanic plus the colonial history of Peru is so fascinating. In Lima we saw some beautiful colonial buildings like an old Franciscan monastery with catacombs underneath, and big city cathedral built on an old Inca temple (sorry don´t have my notes with me and wouldn´t spell the names right anyway!!). On day two we flew to Cusco (highest we went, about 3600 metres altitude) which is the historic heart of the Inca empire, though the spanish conquest has had a huge impact on its appearance and culture. Fantastic food here and all the classic peruvian handicrafts - plenty of colourful weaving and knitting - llamas and tiny andean people - I really felt like a gigantor towering over all the locals! Helped to escape from the maddeningly persistent street sellers and beggars though with a few long strides :-)

From Cusco we took a train to Aguas Calientes (meaning hot water) which is the town at the base of Machupicchu. They have some hot springs there (hence the name) but after seeing the colours of the ´natural medicinal waters´ and thinking about the hundreds of dirty smelly Inca trail walkers who are soaking there every day I gave that a pass and read my book in the bar with the river flowing next to me and the shadows slowly creeping across the mountains.

Taking the bus up to Machupicchu the next morning at 5.30am was another moment out of a dream. We walked to the top of the site and watched the sun rise over the surrounding peaks. Apart from the famous ruins, it´s in the most amazing location - towering mountains on every side and steep, steep cliffs dropping down to the Uragamba River (meaning ´Ballet of the Spiders´) which cuts its way all around their feet. The river was actually called something more like ´Sacred River´ in Inca times and they believed that it was a reflection of the Milky Way, so the cities they built around the area are built in the shape of constellations - Machupicchu was built in the shape of the condor; Cusco is a puma and another site we visited called Ollyantatamba really looks just like a llama.

It was so amazing to be there, I really can´t describe it and the photos won´t do it justice either. My camera actually decided to take a day off after I took my first two pictures. You can imagine what that felt like, but luckily S came to the rescue and loaned me his spare so I still have some awesome pics. Speaking of travelling companions, two of them got engaged up there at sunrise so that was very exciting and romantic. We had a few celebratory Pisco Sours that night!

I´m glad we didn´t end up walking the Inca Trail as it sounds like a really hard slog (4 days and we just didn´t have time), but we did climb Waynapicchu which is the pointy mountain in all the classic Machuupicchu photos. Muito muito steep but it was such a great feeling to get to the top. Amazingly there was perfect phone coverage all over the place up there and it was the perfect time to get a hello message from a favourite person at home. That day was really just perfect. I got to be there right at the place I think I most wanted to see in the world right from childhood. I don´t think I really realised it until I was there but that was it.

The last few days we stayed at an eco-lodge in the Peruvian part of the Amazon rainforest. Another amazing time and completely different from the other parts of the trip. My highlight was seeing a two-toed sloth on our spotlighting tour on our first night, and also swimming in the lake where 30 minutes earlier we had caught a few little pirahnas. The guide didn´t tell us until afterwards about the black caiman (crocodiles) that also lived there but apparently they don´t attack humans......... often. Plenty of mosquito bites even though we were wearing long clothes and stinky insect repellent all the time. We were all pretty stinky actually when it was 29 degrees and 90 per cent humidity. The lodge was in a fantastic location - 45 minute plane trip from Cusco (it would take more than 24 hours by car apparently due to the condition of the road), then one hour in a bus and two hours up the Tambopata River on motorised canoe. Right in the middle of a national park and wildlife all around. Falling asleep each night to the sounds of frogs, monkeys and cicadas I had the best sleep of the trip so far.

Once again this wee email doesn´t come close to describing the experience. You should all definitely put Peru and the rest of the continent on your must-visit list. I honestly didn´t think that South America would really be my kind of continent but it is the most amazing place. I would love to come back and have a look at Chile and Ecuador one day. Definitely not just a once in a lifetime trip (as Wolf would say - what do you mean once!!)

So that was the journey. Maybe I´ll write another tying-everything-up kind of email when I get home (plus pics from Peru) but for now I am happy to be heading back to see the next things that I most want to see in the world - my fella, family and friends. Can´t wait to catch up with you all.

Tchau amigos, Jill xoxo

Music and passion are always the fashion

2007-09-18T22:15:00.000+10:00

Ola, Me again! Here in Rio de Janeiro and about to head off for a final churrascaria dinner together before we go our seperate ways and I head to Peru tomorrow.

Staying in a hotel only about 150 metres from the South Atlantic Ocean and Copacabana Beach, and you can even see it from our window if you kind of bend your neck the right way.

Not much time for emailing but a few pics to make up my word limit!

And I thought of some more things to tell you about Brazil: the condensed version. I can elaborate when I see you if you like...

Minimum wage is 380 reais per month which is about $230 Australian dollars. Beer costs only about 2 reais for a long neck which is how it's usually served, with enough vegemite glasses for everyone: cheaper than milk. Haven't seen much fresh milk either, even in the country, all UHT or frozen.

Forgot to tell you there is always cake for breakfast!! You just have to carefully check that it's not fish cake. Also forgot to say that the phone company 'Oi' - that means 'Hi' here!

74% of the population is Catholic which accounts for 134 million people. The Pope was here a couple of weeks ago - he must be pretty happy with this statistic!

Ah that will have to do. I'm home in 11 days but there is a whole other country to explore before then!

Signing off from Brazil (tchau)

Jill xo

PS. Pics are Typical lunch in Brazil - note rice and beans ;-)...

... the amazing view from the Sugerloaf or Pão de Açúcar...

... and the girl from Ipanema (sun!)

:-)

When my baby smiles at me I go to Rio.......

2007-09-17T22:10:00.000+10:00

Ola everyone,

Last day of exchange today! In some ways it has really flown and in others it still feels like we just arrived. It will be quite strange to have to navigate ourselves around and not have a schedule for every day - also to have to pay for things (in 5 weeks I have only bought myself a meal once) . The program has been really fantastic but we're all pretty tired and definitely ready for some personal space. Onwards to Rio tomorrow and probably a day of sleeping and lying by the pool - if the weather is good that is. It has been freezing here in Juiz de Fora, I'm wearing the explorers and scarf I didn't think I would need until Peru!

Thought I would jot down some random/funny facts about Brazil that haven't made it into an email yet, as we only have a few more days in this crazy country.

The main telephone company here is called 'Oi' !! :-)

A motel in Brazil is a very different thing to those in Australia. A hotel is a place for holiday accommodation, but a motel is a pay by the hour establishment for the 'purpose of sexual relations - Brazil is a very sensual country' (as explained by our very proper english translator). Most people here live with their parents until they get married but would take their 'namorado/a' (boy or girlfriend) to a motel for privacy and to show respect to their families. Also handy if you are having an extra-marital fling or pick-up in the local samba joint. We have seen some excellent names including Motel Love Story, Motel Free Love and Motel Sexy Love te he.

Kids only attend school either in the morning from 7.30am to 12.30pm or the afternoon from 1pm to 5.30pm. Many schools become universities at night so they are operating for up to 18 hours a day. Brazilians that we have met are very motivated to study and improve themselves - kids might go to school in the morning then a special english college in the afternoon. Many uni students are studying two degrees at once - one during the day and one at night. Many adults also study english or spanish as the job market is very competitive and you need all the extra skills you can get.

Someone told us yesterday that Brazil is one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world. Many young people that we have met have their own business - or two. Every man and his dog is out selling bits and pieces on the street to passing cars, or has opened up a little shop or bar in their garage.

There are lots of young women married to old men, though apparently only if the man is rich. It's quite difficult to guess the age of people over here. Women are ALWAYS in stilettos. Jeans are standard uniform at school and in the workplace.

Lunch is the main meal of the day and most people have a two hour lunch break from work. We went to the most amazing place yesterday for lunch - a 'churrascaria' which served all types of BBQ food plus Japanese cuisine. I tried sashimi for the first time - tuna and it was really good!

The advice given by our friend Micchi was to refuse all the salad, chips and extras that the waitors try to offer you and just go for the meat. W and K were very dedicated carnivores but I tried lots of different salads, fried bananas, BBQ cheese (like haloumi), fried potatoes and manjoica, sushi, BBQ garlic bread as well as the meat, all BBQed on long skewers over charcoal - chicken, pork, beef, chicken hearts (no thanks been there done that), fish and sausages. The best meat is this stuff called 'picania' (not sure of the spelling) which I think is beef backstrap with a thick crust of fat, served very thin and quite rare. Ooh it's making me hungry talking about it - must be lunch time.

Everyone has one of these, they are beside your plate - when you've had enough you turn it over to NO - if it says YES they'll keep on bringing the meat!

Tchau for now - only four more days of portuguese then I have to get out the spanish phrasebook!! Não fala espagnol!!!

Jill xoxoxoxoxo

PS. Peru photos now up on Flickr - nearly up to that part of the story!

bloody bonita

2007-08-06T20:59:00.000+10:00

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading, but I'm almost done with the Brazilian content so might as well finish off the series. I've uploaded all my Brazil pictures to flickr, with just Peru still to come. I've been back for more than a month but there seems to be so many other things taking up my energy and attention, being back into 'real life'. South America will always be there though........

Ola everyone,

Como vai? Things here are still good - muito bem. We arrived today in São João del Rei for the District Conference which kicks off tonight. Things are quietening down in a way - we only have two more stops and one week to go on our exchange itinerary - but quiet is not a word used very often here! The conference is likely to be good fun as many of the people we've met along the way will be here. The team of Brazilians who visited Tasmania earlier in the year will also all be here, and they are a bonza bunch of people so I'm looking forward to spending some more time with them.

Last email we had just arrived in Mariana. Next stop was Ouro Preto (meaning 'dark gold') and these would have to be two of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited. Or 'bloody bonita' as Kath and Kim would say in Portug-lish. The cities were both founded 300 years ago during a gold rush and Ouro Preto was the capital of Brazil for a while. It's built on a series of hills so there are amazing views of the crumbly old buildings and churches from all over. To get from Mariana to Ouro Preto we took a 100 year old train Maria Fumaca (Smoky Mary) through the denuded hills and a couple of tunnels - very cool. Headed 120 metres underground to an old gold mine which employed 3000 workers and extracted 35 tons of gold in its time. Also went to an outdoor concert by pop star of the 80's Guilherme Arantes - we all agreed he must be the Brazilian Phil Collins.

Now a quick pop quiz - do you know who it was who made the first airplane flight (the first autonomous flight of a heavier-than-air machine)? If you said the Wright Brothers I am sorry but you are sadly misinformed (as is about 90% of the world I think). The man was actually Brazilian-born Frenchman Alberto Santos Dumont on October 23, 1906! Apparently the Wright Brothers flew a motorised glider in 1903 but they were launched from a catapult and the claim was not witnessed or verified. Santos Dumont's plane taxied, took off, flew 61 metres and landed by its own means and the feat was ratified by official aviation organisations as the world's pioneer flight. Anyway, I was amazed to discover all of this and the Brazilians were amazed and horrified to learn we had never heard of Santos Dumont. We visited the house were he was born in the town now named after him. Very cool.

The last few days have been rest days where we were put up at a ranch house near Barbacena with our own personal chef and all the mod cons (too cold to use the big swimming pool unfortunately). After 3 weeks on the go it was a welcome change to be away from our enthusiastic hosts and having to be polite, interested, smiling and interactive all day! A bunch of them did turn up unexpectedly on the 2nd night but they brought their own live band and dozen bottles of 'vinho tinto' so that was ok.

After the conference we head to our last port of call, Juiz de Fora, our biggest city so far, where we are packing in more vocational visits plus apparently a huge nightclub and the best 'churrasco' (BBQ) restarant in the state. It's pretty tough eh.

Nice to see the end in sight, but sad to go our seperate ways. We all have 4 days together in Rio, and W's wife plus S's girlfriend T are flying in too. L and K head home on the 6th, W is off touring the rest of Brazil for 3 weeks and S, T and I go to Peru. Woo hoo!

Hope you're all well, I think of you often. Thanks for the emails and also thanks to those feeding my fella! I'm jealous of all the lamb roasts.

Tchau for now

Jill xoxo

on the road again

2007-07-28T20:49:00.000+10:00

Another moment to take a breath here so thought I would jot down some more thoughts. Usually I'm composing emails in my head as we tour around but I think this crazy existence is starting to feel a bit too much like normal life and I really have to think for inspiration! I've got my travel diary beside me so I can remember all we've been up to. Let me do another quick count - yes we're now in town number 10 and it must be about day 19 - half way through already!

The last few towns have all seemed very similar. Basic formula for a Brazilian country town is a central square which might have a fountain or bit of garden with a place for locals to gather, flanked by a church/cathedral and the prefeitura or town hall. Probably a police station close by too. Shops and houses are quite mixed up - the nicest houses are just out of the centre of town and the poor areas surround each town, usually climbing high up the hills.

Everyone (other than the very poor) has some kind of security - the houses a wrought iron gate with intercom to announce visitors and the apartments a burly security guard who has to buzz you through. We visited one closed community with its own gatehouse and guards.

The roads are mostly cobbled which we found charming at first but they get a bit wearing! Mechanics and suspension specialists do pretty well I reckon. They have speed bumps everywhere including on the highways. We travelled 45 km in about 1.5 hrs on the federal highway from Viçosa to Visconde do Rio Branco where the road has fallen away in places due to landslips, and the potholes are more like manholes - add to this the fact that this is a busy manufacturing/agricultural area and they did away with the railway system about 20 years ago - makes for some hairy commuting. All the cars have a modification which locks all the doors as you start to drive and all the (electric) windows automatically wind up when you take the keys out and lock up.

We arrived today in Mariana and it's the first time we have seen tourists! It's a beautiful city, the oldest in the state. It was founded around 1700 during a gold rush and has heaps of amazing colonial architecture. The region is an archdiocese and the insides of the cathedral are crusted with pure gold leaf. It's the cultural centre of the region too so while we're here it's all museums, history, music and culture - not complaining.

Vocational visits continue to be fascinating and challenging. We tend to attend the visits as a team so I've seen plenty of schools, council offices, physical activity programs, farms and abbotoirs as well as universities, hospitals and charities but many of our interests overlap so it's been enlighening for all of us.

Yes you read that correctly - abbotoirs - well meat processing plants - both chicken and pork - two days ago at "Saudali Alimentos" we dressed in white tracksuits and gumboots and witnessed the pork production line right from the little squealers to the smoked bacon and sausages. A very clean, modern, humane and hygenic facility - similar I imagine to large plants in Australia. VERY challenging but I am actually glad I saw it - not quite enough to turn me vegetarian (though we declined the product samples right afterwards) but definitely good to think about where our food comes from.

Had a good stay in Viçosa which is a university town about the same size as Launceston. The public Federal University there is one of the best in Brazil and has 15000 students - there are 30 applications for every place. It's a beautiful campus on 300 acres and has its own hotel, restaurant, school, supermarket and rainforest reserve. My host is a professor in the Food Science department working in the area of probiotics - so Yakult for breakfast each morning. Nice to stay for three days this time in a cool apartment with hosts who speak good english - I'm all about the cultural experience but sigh - sometimes its nice to be understood.

Ok, will see if I can get some more pics off my camera - sorry the file size is a bit big but I can't resize them here. Have taken about 500 so far (yes in 19 days) so hands up who wants to come round for the slide night when I get home?!

same same but different

2007-07-16T21:56:00.000+10:00

Wow this is a slow process - just added another bunch of photos to my flickr set. I have a good excuse for the lack of updates - we had a beautiful weekend away in Bridport complete with beaches, pelicans, platypus and a proposal. So it looks like the next big adventure is getting married. Wahoo!

Ola amigos,

Now in Manuminin, our 6th city in 10 days or thereabouts. We're heading more towards the mountains now, today went to an amazing national park 'Parque Nacional do Caparaó' and drove to the top of a mopuntain maybe 2000 m tall - bella vista over the coffee and eucalypt plantations and national park below.

A day of nice views, waterfalls (cachoerias), forest (floresta) and beautiful gardens (umm..... bem gardinarios?!?) was just what I needed after the last few days - kind of hit the wall yesterday with a day of nine vocational visits in a row (W and his pedometer said we walked 10 km - in one place they seriously showed us everything including the disabled toilets and storage rooms), trying to speak portuguese all day, having to pack up and move after one night, stress of a dodgy home hosts (not mine thankfully), heat, fatigue, etc. Pretty sorry for myself and missing home. Oh well it's all part of the experience eh! And today was better.

We have had some very interesting tours in the last few days. Yesterday we visited a coffee plantation and processing facility called Santa Clara (coffee club at work will be happy to hear we were given some factory-direct coffee - though I might want to drink it myself after getting a taste for it here for five weeks). They export to Australia so you might even be able to buy it there in Woolies.

The vocational side of things is looking up - we have visited two very impressive universities which specialise in health education, both less than five years old with some really modern equipment and facilities. I met a guy who is employed in a role very similar to mine and even better, eight years ago he was an exchange student in Moree so we could actually share a bit of information we could both understand!! One of them called 'Faminas' is beside a new cancer hospital which is the second biggest facility in Brazil. Huge contrast to the terrible facility we visited in Cataguases. But contrast is a very appropriate and frequently used word in this country!

On a professional level, my traffic policeman friends would be either horrified or having a field day with the traffic here (probably both). For a start Brazilians drive on the wrong side of the road. Or I should say they opposite side to Australia - though even with that disclaimer they are still often driving on the wrong side!! Double lines mean nothing. You pass people wherever you like and usually tailgate them as a warning you're about to pass. At least you know you're going in a straight line when you are driving in the emergency lane. Watch out for stray dogs and the occasional stray horse, plus the bicycles, motorcycles, horse and cart and pedestrians who walk wherever they like. They laugh at us when we put on our seatbelts! One of our hosts conducted four or five mobile conversations while navigating the traffic in the CBD. When I said 'oh in Australia you are not allowed to talk and drive' he said 'oh yes same here!' while dialing another number. The only time he put on his seatbelt was when passing the police station - then took it off again 5 mins down the road. Ah fun. Never a dull moment!

The food is still good - though we've all had a few interesting gastro-moments. The speciality here is Pão de queijo, a yummy cheese-bread which has a normal crust and the middle is all like melted cheese. One great dessert (and there are many) is a slab of white cheese (very young, a bit like sweet fetta), this fruity jelly-jam kind of stuff and a big glob of caramel sticky sauce - one of our hosts said when you put them together it was like Shakespeare - 'like Romeo and Juliet'!!!

Interesting food experiences include marinated BBQ chicken hearts, big slabs of pig skin in the fejoada and... wait for it... KFC frog. Well not really - we had dinner at a seafood restaurant (which had us worried to start with as the sea is a very long way from Muriaé) and frog is apparently a speciality. It was grilled and some was battered with secret herbs and spices - kind of like chicken but I didn't eat much.

Anyway that's probably enough for today! We move again tomorrow - on the road again - things are good and it's lots of fun.

Tchau

Jill :-)

PS. Apparently anyone who has been to Thailand will know the title of this post - when in a restaurant asking 'is this chicken?' the reply is 'same same......... but different'. This phrase is getting a good run here in Brasil.............

tu da bem

2007-07-09T21:09:00.000+10:00

Another letter from the other side of the world....

Ola amigos,

Wow (nossa) where do I start? This place and this program is like nothing else I could ever imagine.

We officially started the exchange in Alem Paraiba on Monday (I think - time is weird and we are chaufferred everywhere so no need to know the time or date really) and we're now at our second town of Cataguases - two nights at each.

Alem Paraiba is a smallish country town, about 34000 people. The first night we were there they organised for us a mini-Carneval, complete with a deafening 'bateria' of 50 men with drums of various sizes, fantastic costumes, 'mulattas' or samba-dancing girls wearing strategically placed sequins and not much else, singers and students of the local 'samba school' - the Carneval in Rio is essentially many different samba schools competing aginst each other - most small towns have their own samba school and carneval every year.

There were speeches and a million photos, as the guests of honour we had to dance the samba for the first time in front of practically the whole town. The boys tried 'capoeira' (a dance-like martial art originating from the time of slaves in Brazil) and were also invited to join the bateria (I would have like to try that but no girls allowed). Far out, I can't even describe it adequately. It totally blew us away and this was just the first night of the exchange program. The photos in no way do it justice.

Since then it's been a blur of vocational and cultural activities. In Alem Paraiba we visited a historic horse farm with a big mansion dating back to colonial times. Yesterday in Cataguases we visited two foundations for the less fortunate in the city, one entirely funded by the hydro-electric company here is a Cultural Centre where children can learn traditional dance for free; another had an amazing range of programs including puppet making, recycled art, computers where kids can do their homework, clown doctors, weaving, something like U3A, all funded by a large textile company in the town. We actually went to the factory today which was amazing too, seeing the transformation of raw cotton into thread then fabric just like you would buy in Spotlight. Maybe we do? We also went to the hospital here which is in pitiful condition. We think that our health system is bad - no way. Last stop was a nursery school for children who live in the poor areas - very cute but sad to hear of their family situation.

The social side of things is pretty huge too. On our last day in Alem Paraiba we we were hosted for a Brazilian BBQ or 'churrasco' at a cattle farm - another huge lavish house with swimming pool etc..... our hosts are not all serious - they admitted the next day that they were trying to get us drunk on cerveja (beer), cacaça (42% alcohol - like vodka distilled from sugar cane) and capirinia (lime and cacaça) so that we would be more entertaining when giving our formal presentation to the club that night but they were the ones who ended up too drunk to attend the meeting! The presentation went well actually - everyone could understand our portuguese which was surprising.

Last time I spent some time emailing here in this little room in the hotel I walked out and had a quick jolt 'oh that's right I'm in Brazil!'. Some things have been pretty confronting but we are really being looked after so well, and have each other for support and a sounding board, it's just an amazing experience. Next stop we are being hosted in families we've been told - but things change all the time so we just take it as it comes. Two mottos so far - 'go with the flow' and more importantly 'it's all part of the experience'!!

It seems to be getting hotter each city we visit. Today was around 28 or so but also quite humid. In summer it is more like 45 so glad we didn't come then.

'Tu da bem' is everyone's favourite saying here - it's all good. The portuguese is going ok. I can read more than I understand people speaking. It's my bad memory that gets in the way of being able to speak more. We have translators in Catagueses but they have helped us to learn a few more words too.

Better go - another presentation tonight then off to Muriae tomorrow. These places are all on Wikipedia if you want to see more.

Tchau for now

Jill xo

PS. My new futeball team is Flamengo - Vive Flamengo!!!

saude!

2007-07-08T21:56:00.000+10:00

I thought I might cheat a bit and recycle the emails I sent home from Brazil. That way you really get the on-the-ground, up-to-the-minute emotion and feel of the experience hey? It's not just because I'm lazy no no no....... is this the face of someone who would avoid the mundane return to an ordinary existence?
[This is actually the face of someone who has no idea she is about to drink a lot more beer (cerveja) than she has ever drunk in her life over an extended number of days - that's every day for at least the first 30 days in a row!]

Ola amigos,

I made it to Brazil! The flight was loooooong.... We left Hobart at 7am on Friday and arrived in Rio about 2am on Saturday - doesn´t sound too bad but it was about 30 hours worth, including stops in Auckland, Santiago (Chile) and Sao Paulo. Less said about the flight the better - though in my strange half-awake time-wierd world I spent quite a lot of time reflecting on how bizarrely easy it is to get on a plane and end up on the other side of the world without too much effort at all. At times the little map on our mini TV screens said we were travelling at 1000 km/hr and more than 10 km above the crust. Nossa! (new word for today - wow)

We were met at the airport by a fellow who is helping to coordinate the exchange, Jose, and Wellington who we met in Hobart a couple of months ago (useful guy to have around as he´s an English teacher). Jose has been hanging out with us over the last couple of days. We´re staying in a hotel to get over the jet lag and get used to the way things work here before the exchange officially starts tomorrow.

Teresopolis is about an hour out of Rio, up in the mountains. It was a shame we didn´t get to see any of Rio at all before heading up here but we have a few days at the end to check out the touristy bits and pieces. So far it´s all about the food - lunch is the biggest meal of the day and dinner is usually light - but when it´s a special occasion (like hosting 'important guests' from Australia) you will also have a big dinner - which means I am going to come back the size of a house!

It's all very tasty, lots of rich dishes with pork or beef, lots of casserole type things, sausages/salami, lots of fried or creamy or cheesy. Not many veggies! The ubiquitous rice and beans appear at every meal, must admit I haven't tried the beans yet. Every meal also has dessert, super-sweet cakes and custard type things. Breakfast is fruit then bread rolls with cheese and sliced meats, plus CAKE (bolo)! We have been a bit excited about trying everything so far but I think I'll need to pace myself a bit so I don't have to buy a whole new set of clothes :-)

Today we toured the facility where the Brazilian futebol team is selected and trains. The gun-toting security guard showed us through - they have their own barber, small-scale cinema, accommodation and special room for strategy and game plans. The Brazilian 'feminin' team was actually there for selection today though we left before we got to see them training. Very cool anyway. We also visited the 'Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgaos' which is a preserved patch of Atlantic rainforest. The Orgaos bit is because the rocks look like organ pipes! The mountains are crazy spectacular.... and this is all before we have even officially started our exchange.

Another exciting thing from today was my first purchase using 'reals' - Quanto custa? How much is it? The tricky bit is understanding the answer. All good so far.

Anyway tomorrow we head to Alem Paraiba, about 2.5 hrs drive, to meet our first home stay families. Alem Pariabanos are famous for making the best 'feijoada' which is Brazil's national dish - pork with rice and beans. Hmm.

Well that's it from this Australiano for now.

Boa tarde

Jill xoxoxoxo

PS. A few more photos on Flickr

Tu da bom!

2007-06-26T19:56:00.000+10:00

Hi friends, well hello to those of you who are still checking in here anyway! After the most amazing adventure over the other side of the globe, I'm back here at home in Tasmania where it is muito frio! Very cold!

The whole overseas adventure/cultural exchange/holiday/intense experience was completely amazing and I'm still really having it all sink in. I've been back for nine days but it already seems so long ago - at the same time I'm overwhelmed and amazed at the journey I've been on and the fantastic experiences I've had, the people I've met - all so recently and in such a short time.

I've created a new set on my Flickr site (even upgraded to pro for the occasion) with the first installment of photos. I'll be back soon with some words too - I think it could be a long process of storytelling if you guys are interested!

For now it's plenty of sleep, hugs, friends, family and familiar cuisine for this australiano.

list schmist

2007-04-22T17:43:00.000+10:00

Well lists are wonderful things but what I'm even better at is procrastination.... bagels!

I'd never made them before but they are so easy and delish!

I used this recipe from the wise old internet - for the blueberry version I just mushed in some defrosted blueberries after the first rise and sprinkled them with raw sugar rather than sesame seeds.

Five sleeps to go!

como vai voce?

2007-04-11T17:35:00.000+10:00

Hi chums! Countdown time has come around suddenly and there are only 16 sleeps to go. Wondering what I will get done and what is inevitably going to slide into the nether.....

TO DO
- polish the portuguese
- get the last few vaccinations
- find a good book for the plane
- work out if I can wangle some knitting on board? (30 hours is so long!)
- plant the back lawn and all my mailorder bulbs for springtime colour
- see everyone before I go
- make room in the freezer for the fella's frozen dinners (I won't be able to stock it with 7 weeks worth but some culinary love will make us both feel better)
- make jam from tonnes of frozen apricots (see point above)
- set myself up at work so all the important work is done but they still miss me when I'm gone (wouldn't it be terrible if they figured out they don't need me after all!)

Hmm that all sounds achievable - lets see!

i love macro

2007-03-21T23:21:00.000+11:00

Some more favourite photos from Bruny Island last weekend on my flickr page.

ola amigos

2007-03-16T15:27:00.000+11:00

(Now that was a pause of some time but I'm going to just pretend it didn't happen - I'm always apologising for something over here!)

Things have been so mad lately with work events and tasks, family celebrations and plans, time away and just the general and wonderful busyness of life.

I spose I should spill the beans and tell you the other thing making my life crazy right now is a trip to Brazil and Peru in not very many weeks time!

I have been really lucky to be selected on a team of Tasmanians visiting the state of Minas Gerais (NW of Rio de Janeiro) in Brazil on a vocational and cultural exchange for 5 weeks. We will be staying in the homes of Brazilians and being immersed in their culture and lifestyle, seeing the sights and learning all about their country. A major aim of the trip is to exchange experiences with people in vocations similar to our own, and come back with new enthusiasm and ideas for our work. My portuguese has a long way to go but things are starting to make a bit more sense!

The team I'm travelling with is a really diverse group and it has been a very interesting experience getting to know them and planning the time away. It does seem very strange to being going away to the other side of the world with people I hardly know but we have got along well so far and I think our shared experiences will bring us even closer together.

After the exchange I'm travelling with one fellow across the continent for a whirlwind tour of Peru. I can't believe I'm actually going - visiting Machu Picchu is a childhood dream. Did you know Paddington Bear comes from deepest darkest Peru?

So I go on 27th April and I'm back about the 18th June. Yikes! Leaving behind my lovely fella plus family and friends is going to be very tough. Talk about a once in a lifetime opportunity though......

remember christmas?

2007-02-12T16:42:00.000+11:00

It's been a while but here's the show and tell of a few Christmas pressies I made and gifted back in December. I had plans most of the year to make things but ended up sewing madly the night before for most of them!

This wall pocket was inspired by shim + sons - there are two levels of pockets to slip notes and lists into:

complete with 'designer' tag!

This passport wallet is for a travelling sister:

I also made about half a dozen sets of these criss-cross coasters - so easy and really striking! It was fun choosing the fabric colours and patterns. I didn't take any photos but the fabric in the gifts above did feature a bit.

basil

2007-02-06T21:13:00.000+11:00

We're growing some basil from seed.........

...it's so good on pasta with meatballs, rich tomato sauce and lots of parmesan cheese :)

Oh poo

2007-02-04T20:18:00.001+11:00

Flickr is down ("having a massage" the error message says) which means my photo-laden post plans are now "having a massge". But anyway.... hi.

One story from the weekend - we've decided to do some updating of the bathroom (our shower has turned into a bit of a water feature - and not in a good, getting people clean way - more of a mouldy, flooding the bathroom way) so we've been looking in plumbing showrooms and feeling like real home renovators.

Feeling enthused and in a renovating frame of mind, I purchased a nice shiny off-the-shelf spice rack from a shop which shall remain nameless (lets call it Eddie's Storage Universe) thinking it might actually... hold my spices?

These cardboard boxes are stopping the spices from all falling out when you open or close the door. I'm kind of warming to the look - sort of pop art do you think?

blogging: just do it!

2007-01-21T20:13:00.000+11:00

Why so hard to sit down and write out a post? I do love the idea of this place but wonder sometimes why I even have a blog in the first place.

I guess I started as a kind of show and tell, after being inspired to take up crafty pursuits by several blogs that I enjoyed reading. That's good fun, and it has kept me motivated to try new things and finish projects I've started. I've found though that my crafty energy comes and goes, and there are so many talented people out there that I often feel a bit intimidated and conversely uninspired to try things for myself!

I have trouble defining my audience - well I think its a very broad spectrum which may be another problem! I know that friends, family, my partner, a couple of (very cool and friendly) work colleagues plus global bloggy friends and anonymous persons visit either sometimes or often.... how much or how little to share?

I don't like to post anything too detailed for privacy's sake, and don't like posting photos of people without their permission, but I do want to be honest and reflective about life.

I have heaps to share and have been very slack... so let me give you some teasers and I'll have to come back and fill you in on the details (you'd better nag me so I don't take off on another bloggy holiday!)... FIRSTLY I made a few Christmas pressies which I have yet to show, one inspired by this person and one by this person :: SECOND I have some advice to ask on natural remedies :: and THIRDLY big adventure in 2007 is a big trip to deepest darkest somewhere... back with the details soon!

here comes the sun

2007-01-07T22:57:00.000+11:00

These photos were taken a while ago... all the rain is wonderful but I think it's time for a little more sun now please!

I had plans this weekend to get out in the garden but stayed inside instead keeping warm and dry. The world looks fresh and wonderful and I am starting to feel the essence of a new year seeping through. My resolution for this week is 'do it now!' Hence the rambly and unfocussed blog post. But sometimes that's just how life is! :)

hip hip happy new year

2007-01-01T20:53:00.000+11:00

Hello out there.... We arrived home today from a couple of days away on Tasmania's East Coast. It was the perfect end to a great festive week - to kick back and welcome in 2007 with friends and my lovely fella.

I'm sorry to have been so absent - there have been no major happenings though life is always interesting... I am aiming to be here much more often in the near future to update and reflect the year just gone and the one to come :)

still here

2006-11-22T21:39:00.000+11:00

a new place to snooze

2006-11-07T19:49:00.000+11:00

"Was there something you wanted?"

roll your own

2006-10-29T19:30:00.000+11:00

I think I finally get the sewing thing! This was so quick and easy to make! I bought the materials ages ago and agonised over my choices, but after looking at them in their pile on the shelf for a few months, I love the combination even more now it's all come together.

The pattern for this knitting needle roll is the one from Stitch n Bitch though I skipped the flap that would stop the needles falling out when it's rolled - I don't think I'll be waving it around so violently that I need it, but I could add it later if necessary.

It's got me thinking about some other types of 'rolls' or pouches or bags that I might have a go at in time for Christmas. Won't be able to write about them here until after the festive season though!

three

2006-10-17T22:39:00.000+11:00

A bloggy visitor tagged me for this meme - so here goes - I've tweaked it a bit....

Things that scare me:
the dark
climate change
politicians (or the thought that these are the people we have elected to make decisions for us all - help)

People who make me laugh:
my Aunties - Sue and Mary
Adam Hills
René Artois + friends

Things I hate the most:
discrimination
thoughtlessness
poor service

Things I don't understand:
war
Portuguese
what makes people tick

Things I'm doing right now:
working
drinking tea
waiting for 5pm

Things I want to do before I die:
have kids
make a difference
really know myself

Things I can do:
make people happy
knit
cook

Ways to describe my personality:
calm
resilient
positive

Things I can't do:
swim very well
speak another language
drive a bus

Things I'd like to learn:
to paint
how to cook bagels
picture framing

Favorite foods:
thai
potatoes
trifle

Beverages I drink regularly:
tea
tea
tea

What I'm up to this weekend:
gardening
dinner at Annapurna
lots of laundry

I'm counting these as part of my 100 things about me! So that leaves 26 to go!

too hot to sleep

2006-10-12T23:18:00.000+11:00

A couple of plants in our front garden are looking amazing at the moment. We have been very lucky to inherit some beauties like this rhododendron whose pink blooms brush against our bedroom window.

It's unseasonally hot today - Hobart is known as a very temperate place but at this time of year (early Spring) the weather is anything but predictable. And in Hobart, extreme fire danger + one or two very stupid people = a terrible two days of enormous bushfires very close to city suburbs.

We have a view from our new house out to some rolling green hills, part of a flora reserve and home to some very rare trees and plants. I look out at their grey green hues every day and have often thought of taking a photo to share here. Now they are glowing red and tomorrow they'll be ashen and black.

There's been a definite lack of crafty activity around here lately but I cranked out some little baby suits the other weekend - my first commission! A work colleague wanted some groovy beanswear for her new little grandson. Welcome to the world wee Arj.

a companion for crafting

2006-09-28T22:22:00.000+10:00

Shopping time! How excellent does this book look? Go, go to the website and look who has contributed - all my crafty idols!! Wow Anna, what an amazing project...

what i had for lunch

2006-09-24T22:49:00.000+10:00

Dinner actually. Even though the only book I've ever heard of about blogging is all about how no one cares what you had for lunch, I really wanted to show you this deliciousness which was my dinner. Went for a long drive yesterday and picked up some yummy and inspirational vegies and herbs at a roadside shop. My dinner for the last two nights has been Jill-style bruschetta with really ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, and a big bowl of tiny new pink eye potatoes with slatherings of butter.

So strange how my food moods change and oscillate. Sometimes I really wish I understood my body better - I wonder about hormones and moods and the inner workings which butt up aginst life experience to create such powerful feelings and cravings and desires. Not always this fantastic healthy stuff either - some weeks its all about every different kind of junk food or about not feeling interested in food at all... I mostly wonder briefly about this then put thoughts in the too-hard basket - so strange how I feel so old but also young and like I still don't have a handle on these things that make me tick.

(I've updated my blogroll over there if you feel like doing some browsing)

happy birthday to me

2006-09-20T10:10:00.000+10:00

(Shameless attention seeking post!!)
This is Edward the travelling bear - handmade by lovely friend Kylie, he's on loan to me today at work - though I think he's just hanging around for his share of the goodies!

virtual housewarming

2006-09-17T22:56:00.000+10:00

For those far away, some more pictures and a virtual virtual tour on flickr here (I went a bit mad with the notes). The house may never be this clean again so I took the opportunity and got snappy. Maybe a garden tour next weekend :-)

things

2006-09-10T22:19:00.000+10:00

Things making me happy:
- new magazine
- friends coming down from launnie next weekend
- next weekend we're having a wee housewarming doo
- 10 days til my birthday!
- birthday and housewarming coincide which makes for mega celebration
- finally got into the garden and did some digging and planting
- two work free weekends in a row with my fella (the life of a shift-workers partner) as well as a normalish week
- bought a new hot water bottle (the last one was about the only thing that got lost in the move - I think it is probably int he garage somewhere)
- once we find the old hot water bottle we won't have to fight over this one
- though the fighting over the hot water bottle is kind of fun

Things making me sad:
- our next-door friends are moving house
- work is going to be really crazy this week
- I have lost temporarily lost my moti-bloggy-vation
- noone wants to buy our car and things keep going wrong with it
- dad needs a general anaesthetic and won't give up the smokes

These are pretty darn cute though and make me smile:

...even if they kind of came out scaled for a 2 year old child (that's what you get for ignoring gauge and recommended yarn etc) :-)

sunshine

2006-09-03T23:15:00.000+10:00

I've been enjoying plenty of it! So much to write about and so few words which come out in the right order.....
(click through this pic to flickr to see some notes - more house pics to come when there are more sunny days to photograph)

getting away

2006-08-20T23:03:00.000+10:00

Beautiful Marian Bay today on a calm grey day - I love beach walking in winter - especially with a serendipitous group of amazing women + a sweet baby + a huge dog like this afternoon. We are such different and unlikely friends but there's always the most amazing conversations and thoughts provoked and wonderful warm company when we meet. Today I felt so happy in my skin and privileged to be living my life. I hope your weekend was the same :)

even more things

2006-08-18T23:07:00.000+10:00

Still going on this list of 100 things....

31. I am tempted to quit the list already but one of the good things about this blog is that it makes me accountable - if I start something on here I really need to follow through
32. On this note, I have a lot of UFO's over there in the sidebar which I haven't touched for a while but am feeling the itch to get back to them - there has been progress on the wee quilt though which I'll show soon
33. I've been knitting a scarf with the yarn of satan lately - feels good to get back in the knitty groove though I should really be tackling my neglected Samus
34. This week has been a bit of a downer - I am annoyed at myself how I allow others to make me feel things that I would rather not feel - that is, I wish I had more control over what influences my mood and my happiness levels, if that makes sense
35. I'm very glad it's the weekend now and I have several nice things to look forward to like a visit to the market, a girly dinner and a road trip to catch up with a couple of other particularly soul-enriching women friends

I think I'll stop for now as these are not really 'things about me' but more of a newsy update! I'll really have to get introspective and get to know myself so I can finish off the last 65 (yikes!)....

in crafty news this week

2006-08-13T16:52:00.000+10:00

I haven't told you about a fantastic purchase I made when I was on holidays the other month. We took the rare-weekday-off-work opportunity to go and check out Gowan's Auctions - they have a general auction every Friday where you can find the most amazing assortment of junk and treasure. Every so often at my last workplace a few of us would head out there at lunchtimes to check out all the cool old stuff but I hadn't been for ages.

This time around, the interesting stuff was pretty scarce but the last shed held all the goodies. A whole pile of paraphenalia obviously belonged to someone who had done a lot of sewing through their life. There were old retro patterns, boxes and boxes of fabric, buttons, trims and cottons, mannequins, you name it. I would have liked to go home with all of it but I was very restrained - most likely because it was about 4 days after we moved and the house looked like it just couldn't take another box of assorted stuff....

I did however make a successful absentee bid for a pair of sewing machines - no idea if they worked or not but they had that old reliable look about them - I bid $55 and got them for $25! Brought them home the next day and after a little TLC they both chug along very nicely! Both have heaps of attachments including more 'feet' than I know what to do with. Unfortunately neither come with instruction books but with some trial and error and advice from mum and aunty, I will figure it all out.

The groovy Brother Computer-Sew 1000 has been patchworking with me this weekend (surely very technologically advanced in its day) and the Toyota 9600 waits in the wings for a chance to stretch its legs. Hopefully lots of inspiration will strike now I have my own tools of the trade!

heeeeeeeeere fishy fishy fishy!!!

2006-08-12T14:05:00.000+10:00

I've discovered the magic of You Tube... permit me this jump on the bloggy bandwagon for a minute while I share this clip - does anyone else remember this?

I haven't laughed this hard in ages!!

home

2006-07-26T21:30:00.000+10:00

Ok, thoughts on the new house take II. We are here and it is home!

We had a fantastic team of friends to help us out and I got to drive the little truck which was good fun. Two and half trips later we had shifted lives from one side of the city to the other. If it was up to me we will still be living amongst and out of boxes but the fella was a great motivator and there are only a couple of things shoved in the cupboard for later.

It's so nice to be living here next door to great friends and close to family. Our last place was a bit out of the way but here, people are calling in all the time which I love. I've touched base with some people that I haven't seen much for ages - these major life events really bring people together - it's inspiring to see people so happy & excited for us and it kind of makes me stop in the middle of being grumpy about something or other (like dealing with internet and phone people eergh) and think 'hey this really is an exciting and amazing thing to be doing!'.

There are lots of things buzzing round in my head that we can do soon or later on; put a bath in the bathroom, deal with the feature wall of retro (not groovy retro) wallpaper in the main bedroom, plant a daphne and lilac tree out the front and put in a vegie patch out the back... more immediate jobs are the hammering of nails into walls (something every ex-renter relishes I'm sure!) and installation of Stella's cat flap... for now we are just living here and getting to know the house which is a pretty good feeling actually! Ah home. No place like it.

If I miss anything from the old place it would be the views and the neighbours we got to know (although we did complain about them a bit I admit!) and a couple of good friends down that way.

Here in our new abode I love the shady front garden, the great texture and warmth of weatherboards, sunshine, friends, a really quiet neighbourhood (so far), fruit trees and blossoms, the satisfying 'kerchunk' of the front door closing, homey conveniences like a dishwasher heat pump and shiny new washing machine, a craft room for me (! more on this later) and most of all sharing this experience with my lovely fella. It's all good :)

technology is out to get me

2006-07-24T23:21:00.000+10:00

I just typed a long and lyrical post about the new house and good things that are happening... pictures and everything... and lost it with the wrong combination of keystokes and a good dash of bad luck when it come to everything technological lately. Aarghh!

I'm not in the right mood to redo it now so here's a couple of highlights from catching up with my blogroll...
- making me gasp was this amazing doll by While She Naps
- French Toast Girl has totally revamped her site with amazing art, colours and textures - for a treat you must take a look at the stories here
- this bunny rocks!
- some interesting things to do with flickr
- cupcakes. oh my yes cupcakes.

Grrr. Taking my grumpy self to bed. I'll be back soon with house news, that is unless the computer blows up or something equally as likely in the next day or so. Sigh.

hello friends

2006-07-19T11:58:00.000+10:00

Shhh... I'm back at work after a blissful two weeks away - yes, blissful, even in the midst of moving and mess! Everything went smoothly except the transfer of our internet account - so we have no www at home and I feel like I have an arm missing.

I've secretly checked out a couple of favourite blogs but there are about 300 posts waiting in Bloglines - I'm looking forward to multiple cups of tea and happy hours of catching up when the connection is made (fingers crossed it is being fixed as we speak).

I'll be back soon!

time for a cuppa

2006-07-05T10:54:00.000+10:00

Yay for holidays! I've got two weeks away from work to make sure packing, moving, cleaning and settling in all goes smoothly and with a minimum of stress. Though I'm hoping that these things will be out of the way in the first week and leave some time for relaxing, sleeping in, catching up and chilling out!

The teapot collection needs to be carefully stowed. It's one of those collections which has created itself really - I bought one teapot that I really liked and the others followed as gifts - but I do love them and also what they represent - communal friendly tea-drinking and socialising and an oasis of calm and reflection in the middle of a busy life.

och it's a wee doggie!

2006-06-26T20:34:00.000+10:00

I finally felt the urge to stop reading about other peoples crafty pursuits and have a go at something of my own again! It's been crazy busy round here with work + friends + cleaning gardening and showing prospective replacement tenants through the house, so there doesn't feel like much time for crafting, but this little girl only took a few hours last night.

My old friend goooogle taught me to blanket stitch, though I figured out the lazy daisy on my own. Jenny's sweet pattern can be found here on her blog Allsorts - see another little Tasmanian pup here by Kali and the rest of the family here at flickr.

a few more things

2006-06-18T22:21:00.000+10:00

More on my list of 100 things about me....

17. Ok, I am still 27, until 20 September this year. Whoops - see what I mean about not remembering my age very well?
18. I have a new favourite TV show - The Chaser's War on Everything (ooh I think they have fun stuff on their website too!)- makes me laugh out loud and not much on TV does that for me at the moment.
19. I have a small collection of teapots. I like that it's small - I don't think I need any more.
20. I live with a Ford nut, and have a friend who is a Doctor Who aficionado, and another who loves Buffy, and one who collects frogs, and another into elephants, but I don't really have any consuming passions of my own - at least that I've discovered yet.
21. Sometimes I think more money would actually make me happier.
22. Then I think about how lucky I am really and kick myself.
23. I have always done varying amounts of volunteer work and nearly all of my good friends have shared in these experiences. I love that the important people in my life care so much about others and see volunteering as a way of life like I do.
24. I don't have any piercings and even the thought of getting my ears pierced grosses me out.
25. Most days I don't wear any jewellery (not even a watch).
26. I don't wear perfume either.
27. I think it's because jewellery and perfume make such a statement about a person - and I am not sure what type of person I am - or what type of person I want to portray.
28. I would like to wear chunky groovy jewellery.
29. I use Enjo.
30. But not as often as I should!

Gosh this is really hard - it's going to take me forever to get to 100! Do any of you out there (dear readers) have one or two to contribute? I know that some of you know me very well.... or perhaps if you don't know me there is something you would like to ask me about?

show and tell

2006-06-17T19:49:00.000+10:00

My feet are snuggly warm in new koigu leaf lace socks from my sock saviour Amber. The pattern is amazing and so beautifully knitted. They're the perfect size but I haven't worn them too long yet because I'm afraid none of my shoes are nice enough to go with them! I think they will be great sitting-in-front-of-the-heater, staying-indoors, reading-or-knitting socks.

They are certainly good inspiration to pick up the needles again. After swearing off socks, now I feel like I want to knit myself a whole wardrobe (sock drawer?) of hand-knitted footwear! And Amber so kindly included some soft red Lisa Souza yarn in my sockapalpackage to get me started again :)

sock saviour

2006-06-15T22:07:00.000+10:00

Wooooooooooo hoo! I have new socks!! Sock saviour Amber has sent me the most gorgeous pair of mottled green lacy leafy socks! The sock pal who was knitting for me originally dropped out for some reason and 'saviours' are people who have volunteered to make an extra pair so noone misses out. They are so soft and lovely, I feel very spoilt! Stay tuned until the weekend when I can take some decent pictures of them in daylight. Thanks so much Amber!

(I haven't heard if my socks have made it to their destination yet, though I found out just after I posted them that the person I was knitting for has dropped out too. A bit disappointing but hopefully they made it to her safely and she will get some use out of them!)

100 things

2006-06-08T22:15:00.000+10:00

I have seen this '100 things about me' on other blogs... in the interests of sharing a bit more of myself and generally being reflective about life I thought I might give it a go. It might take me a few days to get up to 100 though!

1. I'm 28 years old.
2. I always have to think about it for a second when someone asks me how old I am.
3. I've lived in Tasmania all my life and don't think I'll ever live anywhere else.
4. I love new stationery.
5. I've just started wearing contact lenses and I'm suprised how easy it's been to stick my fingers in my eyes every day.
6. Roast lamb is my favourite home-cooked meal, I think. With lots of vegies.
7. I had a really good Mee Goreng at the Vegie Bar in Melbourne years ago and I still think about it.
8. I have a science degree and I majored in botany and environmental science.
9. Now I work in PR and I'm not sure how that happened! I think you just need a bit of common sense and creativity to do my current job really.
10. I don't like to say I work in PR, I think 'communications' sounds less wanky.
11. I'm a perfectionist in some areas of my life and a total slob in others.
12. I'm nearly always late.
13. I'm a little bit afraid of the dark. I don't go outside at night if I'm home on my own. And even sometimes if I'm not.
14. I'm a Virgo and I really think I am a good example of the sign.
15. I have a cat, Stella. She is a very assertive creature (she has 'boundaries') but also very snuggly and I worry sometimes how attached we are to each other.
16. I love a good book and lately I've been reading Jane Austen, Jodi Picoult, Paulina Simons and Marian Keyes.

I actually splurged on a new book today (ok then, two books) as a special treat and I think now's the time to retire to bed and read a few pages. I'll be back to continue....

moving right along

2006-06-05T20:27:00.000+10:00

After choosing that title I've got the Muppets song in my head. Kermit and Fozzie.... "Movin' right along! Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon, we'll learn to share the load, we don't need a map to keep this show on the road..."

My workplace moved offices today - it all started on Friday actually, and I helped out over the weekend as well, but we are in our new digs now and I am amazed at how I am suddenly feeling a lot more enthusiastic about my job! Funny how a change of environment can inspire a real change in my thoughts and motivation. The picture above is a sample of the view from our lofty level two offices. Really gorgeous in the morning light and also as the sun was setting tonight.

Today was just a good day - for some reason I felt really valued and part of the team. I don't think it's a good idea to talk too much about work on a public forum like this, but to put me in context a bit, I look after communications and PR for a health and medical research organisation.

Some parts of my job are really fascinating and engaging. Sometimes I really don't like work. Work in general I think, not just my particular job. Perhaps I haven't found the perfect thing to spend my time on - my true vocation. (Sometimes I think my real vocation might be raising a family of my own. But that is a a whole other story eh. And not something I can think about too much.) But for now, work (and life) is about trying to accentuate the positive, be my own cheer squad and get stuck into things. This new vista is going to help I think!

(Unfortunately that mountain view is out the opposite side of the building to me - but I get to check out some really cool chimneys and buildings - and wave to my friend Kathleen across town on the 10th floor! Hi Kath!)

finished socks reporting for duty

2006-05-30T22:38:00.000+10:00

Woo hoo! The socks are finished! I can hardly believe it. The feeling of relief is immense. As I've mentioned before, I'm so bad with deadlines. It's always been the same - at Uni, at work - I am nearly always late for life in general - I don't know why I thought this would be different! I've been feeling very guilty about letting down my sock pal, and being a poor sockapaloooza participant in general... anyway, no matter - I'm done!

I found the Jaywalker pattern very well written and easy to follow, once I got the hang of what I was doing and got going on the skinny needles and spiderweb-ish yarn (I think it's going to feel like knitting with spaghetti when I go back to Samus).

It took me a while to work out the pattern on the first sock. I am really hoping they my pal fit as the pattern is not very stretchy at all and the foot wound up a bit short (the toe was supposed to be two inches but only took about one).

I've blocked them now (my first blocking experience) now and it has really helped to smooth out some of the knobs and wrinkly bits, and they are looking good I think! The macro photo below is probably the best indication of the true colour - here are the socks relaxing in a cool bath :)

As for the experience, now that I'm at the end I can say I did quite enjoy the process but it ended up being a bit stressful and mono-project towards the end. I am happier when I can switch between things and not have the pressure to finish on time. I might try another pair of socks for me some time, perhaps with some softer yarn and a different pattern, but not in the very near future.

I'll post these off tomorrow hopefully, then I can sit back and wait for my own mail-sock-love to arrive!

PS. The first photo was taken on my desk at work - we are counting down to the shortest day of the year so it is still pretty dark when I leave for work and very dark when I get home so not ideal conditions for a photo shoot - the socks are resting on my next lot of work-related deadlines - eeek!

home is where your cat is

2006-05-28T21:01:00.000+10:00

After being away for so long, I am suffering from a bit of blog-block so you'll have to forgive me if I waffle on a bit with not very interesting things. Life is busy as usual, but with everyday kind of stuff. Now that I think about it, I have missed blogging some bits and pieces and, as my profile puts it over there, taking the bloggy opportunity to reflect on the joy in ordinary life.

I really do feel a bit uninteresting sometimes lately. I tend to be quite unsure of choices I make and I look to others for affirmation. I imagine myself into other peoples heads and think up opinions on their behalf, then worry about what I think they are thinking of me!

Home and weekends are so good. When I am here with my fella and my kitten I feel so calm and content. There are good times ahead for our little human-feline family with a new house and neighbourhood, closer to friends and family and lots of space to create, grow and live!

These few weeks have been very up and down - characterised by busy and eventful work, lost then found cat, good family times, a wayward car, new life, tough times for friends, cold weather, lots of wood fires, exhaustion, nice hugs, junk food and cups of tea.

And sock knitting! I really have to leave this here as I am aiming to have sock II finished tonight. I have about one centimetre of foot to go then just the toe as the finale! I haven't received any socks in the mail yet and it would be so great to send mine off before they arrived. I'm so bad with deadlines. More on the process later when I bring you the finished product....

just dropping in

2006-05-25T18:18:00.000+10:00

Oh such a loooong silence! Set to be longer as I don't have time to write much. Stay tuned for a weekend sock update and a return to your regularly scheduled programming!

"For one human being to love another; that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation."
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

a very very very fine house

2006-05-11T22:48:00.000+10:00

Not much blog action going on here, mostly because I am too embarrassed about my lack of sock finished-ness. But things have been happening - we have bought a house! We will take up residence in early July. Woo hoo! It all happened very quick but we are very happy - it has lots of space and a nice garden with fruit trees - very handy location to family, work and play - and is right next door to some good friends to boot!

Now we're just navigating our way through the maze of paperwork and jargon. Yay for us :)

portrait of a sock

2006-05-01T21:38:00.000+10:00

Just a quick update on sock progress, as the deadline draws near... Well the deadline is rushing past and sock two is still in progress, but sock one is done! Twas done this time last week but life gets in the way, you know...

As Douglas Adams said, I love deadlines! I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

I can now reveal my mid-sock project too (Childs Cotton Hat from Last Minute Knitted Gifts), after the timely arrival of my parcel in NZ and the early arrival of baby Madeline Ruby. I love her already and haven't even met her :) Welcome little one.

Category: _works in progress, _friends

wildness

2006-04-23T22:11:00.000+10:00

Went up to Mt Field National Park on Easter Tuesday with a friend to breathe some forest air and show her a little of one of Tasmania's beautiful wild places. Mt Field is an amazing place as it is all so accessible but at the same time wild and untamed - it's just the gateway to a huge wilderness really and it was one of Australia's first national parks so people have been visiting for many many years - but something is always fresh and inspiring and raw. The picture above is Horseshoe Falls - venture over to my new flickr collection to see some more pictures...

PS. I am hoping that "tasmanian bush" is a good "big idea" for when I get around to making my first quilt - more on that later

PPS. Sock one is almost finished - I am on the toe - and I think I will be able to get sock two done in a week! Really!

Category: _inspiration

the heels are turning

2006-04-17T16:44:00.000+10:00

Sockapaloooza progress - I knitted the heel flap, picked up for the gussets and am into the instep in a flurry of activity over a few days late last week... although I was sidetracked by the lure of this book and whipped up something small and cute over two nights (two nights! yay for quick projects!). You will have to wait for show and tell though while it finds its way to (soon to arrive) something else small and cute.

Category: _works in progress

Happy Easter everyone :)

2006-04-16T19:17:00.000+10:00

my eyes are bigger than my stomach

2006-04-13T20:57:00.000+10:00

At least that's what mum and dad used to say when I couldn't finish whatever delicious thing I had helped myself to a huge plate of... in this case though I am referring to that itch you get when you are halfway through your current project and all you can see is new inspiring more exciting projects all around!

This is the main reason I have so many ufo's (as listed over there -->) on the go. I am knitting like mad on my sockapaloooza socks and think I might just start to turn the heel of the first sock tonight - wish me luck!

I did head out to the LYS this afternoon though on the first day of my week off (doing battle with Easter traffic - ugg!), to pick up the rest of my layby-ed yarn for Samus and I also grabbed some cotton to make a Hat for one of the upcoming babies (one is sure to be a girl - maybe a little girl kiwi?) from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (borrowed from library - multiple errata noted).

Other things that are filed in the "Hmm interesting possible future project" section of my favourites at the moment (apart from those over there -->) include interesting bumpy felting, vegetable printing, pincushions, and lots of things from knitty like cute kids cardi (but lace?), fuzzy feet and clapotis...

I'm also thinking about different things in screenprinting and maybe making something a bit more complicated and potentially frameable - I bought fabric to make a knitting needle roll a while ago but need a sewing machine - this little cardi melts my heart (and kids clothes are so much quicker to finish than anything for me) - and of course I'd like to try quilting and soft toy and bag making....

As Calvin says, the days are just packed. Thinking about things I could be doing, that is. Onwards with the socks! And by the time they are finished, I'll probably have a whole new set of things I'm tackling next.

sockapaloooza update

2006-04-09T17:44:00.000+10:00

There hasn't been much talk of sock progress on this here blog as things have not been going particularly well so far in this department. I am really disappointed as I wanted to love knitting socks like so many other bloggers out there seem to... but it's early days I suppose. I shouldn't give up so soon.

Since my jaywalkers last featured here, I have ripped them out 3 or 4 times after messing up the beginnings of the zigzag pattern but I am finally getting somewhere. I am just very frustrated with the thin yarn and pointy, skinny, slippery needles - the number of times I have dropped stitches, unknitted, forgotten to slip stitches, lost count... grrr! I once even accidentally pulled a needle out of a whole row, thinking it was my spare needle.

Anyway, this picture is supposed to be arty and interesting, conveying a sense of progress but not detail... about 4 cm into the pattern I realised I'd been decreasing by slipping stitches seperately instead of together, which doesn't sound a big deal but actually doesn't look quite right. I'm hoping some blocking will help make it look better, but they are beginners socks after all. I just can't bear to start all over again!

Hopefully next week I will have more progress to show, like a heel or similar. Easter break will mean lots of knitting time I hope! Sockapaloooza deadline is approaching!

homeishness

2006-04-02T21:13:00.000+10:00

It's been a nice homey weekend. The weather yesterday was crazy. Stormy, sunny, rainy, even hailing for a while, rainbows everywhere, white wash on the beach... totally exhilarating. I much prefer the wild weather to a gloomy overcast day like today, though I did get outside in the garden for a bit which was satisfying.

Yesterday we went to a couple of open homes (here and here for those who are interested) and disappointed the sales lady who actually said to us "oh you must be serious buyers if you're coming out in this weather!". Just checking things out at this stage we assured her. We haven't yet come across anything that's been instantly heart-winning.

On the wish list is a garage for the old car, some boys space for associated car bits and pieces, good sized living areas, space for a vegie patch and maybe one day a dog and/or a couple of chickens and/or child/or two/or four. Not too much to ask!

For now it's fun looking and talking and imagining possibilities. Our little (rented) house is ok for now! I pinched a bit of rosemary from a neighbour's yard and added it to my herb collection on the patio. Maybe one day it will be the start of a rosemary hedge in our own house.

busy busy

2006-03-29T22:17:00.000+11:00

Eeek! Must... stop.... take.... breath...

This is the first night this week I get to come home straight after work - no meetings, sports, volunteer stuff, random events - sometimes I feel like I do a bit too much. But all of those extra things are the little bits that really make life interesting I think.

Tonight was not really an evening for relaxing though, at least not until dinner was cooked for one half of the family come to visit (lasagne, mmm). They exclaimed over my most recent and deeply satisfying ebay purchase, these genuine retro 50's Nally canisters:

They're going to look so cool on my cupboard - when it is finally finished. I was going to look for some as a treat (and motivating factor) for when I finally got it done, but couldn't resist this perfect set.

The family couldn't believe they are now sought after and collectable. "Aunty So-and-so had some of those... we ditched those for the new fangled Tupperware!" (which is now quite vintage and collectable as well I added) :)

taking it slowly

2006-03-19T21:32:00.000+11:00

Autumn is here. The days are getting kind of chilly and very changeable. One minute it's perfectly sunny then the next time I look out the window it's pouring with rain. I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of summer but getting out in the brisk air reminds me of how good this time of year can be.

I've decided I need at least one day of staying put each weekend. Today the car sat idle (maybe sort of because of the aforementioned budget situation and lack of petrol) and I had a day of rejuvenation in my own neighbourhood. I did some reading, got washing done (in between rain showers), had two lovely visitors and got some fresh air in my lungs during a walk on the beach.

Life can be so busy and full. It's nice to be amongst my own things and take my own time about a day. I get a lot of pleasure from these simple things.

welcome maya lily

2006-03-11T15:00:00.000+11:00

I am really tired. This has been a week where a whole lot seemed to happen. My nose is still dripping but the cold is on the way out, thankfully. Poor Stella had an unexpected visit to the vet with a case of droopy tail which turned out to be a nasty abcess thanks to a chomp from the nasty cat next door. I'm glad she's ok (though very grumpy at being confined inside) but the size of the bill kind of knocked me for six. Eek! Who needs groceries anyway?

I was happy to hear of the birth of baby Maya, and this little suit will be sent off to Torquay this week. Especially nice to have good news in this week of terrible sadness for one family that I know from school days.

After dithering around, trying to decide what I'm doing for Sockapaloooza, I have just thrown myself into it and decided to try a pair of Jaywalkers. Not sure how I am going for sizing or gauge, but I think I'll just get started and see how they look as they take shape. Still a while to go so no need to panic yet!!

uggh. sick.

2006-03-07T10:21:00.000+11:00

The wedding was fab, with gorgeous weather, a beautiful bride, good company, old friends and just the right mix of dancing and pretty darn funny conversation.

The downside is that now I have been struck down with the dreaded lurgy, which was hovering around last week but then after a few days of chronic busyness, has morphed into this really gross cold. It's nice to be home from work but I have no energy to do anything.

The Samus cable gets picked up whenever I can manage one row of concentration - then I can safely do a couple of rows of non-tricky stuff - then have to put it down again.

I think Stella has the right idea - might do some of this myself today...

frilly bits for a hens do

2006-02-26T13:53:00.000+11:00

Last night was a wee hens party for a dear friend who is getting married next weekend. She's come all the way from sunny Townsville and a few of us old school friends went out for dinner then a bit of dancing to celebrate the start of her crazy week of wedding preparations.

Of course every bride needs hens accessories, so out came the trusty screenprinting gear! I am really getting the hang of cutting stencils now. The little hens came out so well, I was so pleased with their crispness and detail (Would anyone like a little linen hen patch? I have a few spare which I'm happy to post if some crafty people would like one to sew on a bag or something).

Now we're looking forward to dancing another night away at the wedding next weekend :)

another new thing mastered - kind of

2006-02-19T14:26:00.000+11:00

It's a rare and wonderful weekend at home with hardly anything to do except watch Olympic highlights and do some knitting. I've started my first ever cable for Samus!

It's quite tricky, though not as hard as I imagined. I have not quite got into the swing of knowing what comes next, so need to consult the pattern very regularly.

There have been a few stuff ups, but I've managed to unknit some and I think I can live with the others. I'm doing the cables for the sleeves first so that I have had lots of practise when it comes to the body. Mistakes happen whenever I'm not totally concentrating - Nick remarked "every time you pick that up you start swearing"!

big brother little brother

2006-02-14T21:48:00.000+11:00

This set was a Saturday morning production for my little mate Sam's 2nd birthday on the weekend. It doesn't seem like 2 years since he was small enough to fit into the suit on the right - but now he is a big little boy and looking forward to the arrival of a wee brother in about a month's time.

(I hope noone mistakes his shirt for a reference to that awful reality show!)

socks-a-go-go

2006-02-10T18:18:00.000+11:00

I've been surfing web sites and checking out online yarn shops for a while, wondering where I could possibly find a good source of sock yarn and other nice materials for my new knitting predilection. Little did I know here in Hobart we have a quite excellent LYS!

I had written this place off as it is in the midst of slightly dodgy suburbia, with a small and uninspiring shopfront, on a busy road, only open when I am usually at work or sleeping in on Saturday mornings - but I was lucky to have a parking spot at work for a few days last week and decided to take a lunch-time safari out there just to have a sticky beak.

Wow - it's full of wonderful colours and brands of yarn that I was sure wouldn't be available here. There were several sock yarns to choose from and I thought this varigated "Hot Socks" yarn from Germany looked like a good option for a beginner - plus I really love the colours. Hopefully my buddy does too.

I still haven't quite decided what pattern to use - I thought I might lengthen the legs of the Retro Anklets in this book to make the simplest sock possible. I'm not sure how to make sure the socks fit my buddy's feet - I assume with length I just knit til the foot is long enough but the ball measurement? Methinks a case of trial and error.

my new favourite internet thing

2006-02-07T19:53:00.000+11:00

I've discovered Bloglines, so now I only need to look at one page to know when all of my favourite blogs have posted about cute, nifty, funny, useful, enlightening, satisfying, wonder*full things. These blogs and the people who write in them have expanded my world.

(There you go, readers who are visiting here on a procrastination break from work! I know who you are ;)

in which the heroine overcomes the frustration of the turning of the heel

2006-02-01T22:38:00.000+11:00

Tiny test sock finished! I now feel suitably qualified to make socks for an army of miniature stumpy-footed people. On to bigger and better things.... well bigger anyway. Sockapaloooza matchups should be sent out any minute now. Don't you love the anticipation of a new project? I might just get a bit addicted to knitting socks :)

in the market for a panda

2006-01-31T23:08:00.000+11:00

"...the secret to life is obvious: be here now, love as if your whole life depended on it, find your life's work, and try to get hold of a giant panda. If you had a giant panda in your back yard, anything could go wrong - someone could die, or stop loving you, or you could get sick - and if you could look outside and see this adorable, ridiculous, boffo panda, you'd start to laugh; you'd be so filled with thankfulness and amusement that everything would be ok again."
~ Anne Lamott (via The Dish)

socks 101

2006-01-28T19:58:00.000+11:00

No one could ever accuse me of thinking about something for too long before jumping in and having a go. This attitute has served me pretty well in the past. Well - there haven't been too many stuff ups. Well - not that I can remember.

Anyway, I am feeling a little bit of pressure, having signed up to this sock swap. I know I am in the beginners group, but I thought a bit of preparation and research wouldn't go astray so that my sock buddy doesn't get something really dismal and better suited to headwear than footwear, etc. So I am studying Knitty's Socks 101 and am currently attempting to construct something recognisable from Kate's top-down sock training pattern.

After four false starts (so far), this is where I'm at:

Sitting at the table where I can most easily wrestle the double pointed needles - knitting temporarily stalled after discovery of an unwelcome extra stitch - sustained by a rapidly diminishing supply of kiss biscuits (though still a good number for pleasing geometrical arrangements)...

Biscuits were inspired by a new fresh jar of homemade raspberry jam sitting in the pantry from MIL. It is really yummy sandwiched between bikkies made from the Vanilla Angel recipe in Donna Hay's Christmas mag. The recipe was attractive as everything just gets bunged in the food processor - they came out a bit tough and may be better made in two batches with my "compact" processor - nicely saved by the jam though and satisfyingly buttery, crumbly and moist.

sockapaloooza!

2006-01-24T20:27:00.000+11:00

I am sooo excited! I've joined my first knitalong! Alison of The Blue Blog is hosting her third sock extravaganza, in which knitting bloggers and likeminded people sign up for a great sock swap fest.

I stumbled across her blog right in the nick of time and signed up as a beginner. Everyone is allocated a person to knit for, and we have two months to create a pair of socks and post them off to our secret sock buddy (secret from their point of view that is). Then a special pair of socks arrives in the post from a different person for me!

I hope my beginner buddy doesn't request anything too complicated. I was thinking it might be a bit sad to post away my first ever handknitted socks - but lets face it, without a kick in the pants like this I might never have started them! Once my sock knitting career is launched I can make another fab pair for myself :)

Right, off to research sock patterns and yarn. Thinking I might need to order online for this one. Any recommendations anyone?

PS. Look at the sockapaloooza button over there on the right! My first button! Woo hoo!

PPS. Speaking of socks, how cute are these tiny socks knitted by the aforementioned Alison? I'm also very inspired by Di's numerous pairs of delicate and lovely socks. I would be really happy I could create something as fun as these by Jane!

some like it hot (not me)

2006-01-20T15:48:00.000+11:00

Oh it is so hot! This photo is from this morning during a huge thunderstorm (edited to add: photo by Ian Stewart of Hobart). It was taken about 1 km from where I work in the city.

Unfortunately our building was spared so we all have to keep working away in the non-airconditioned heat. On Sunday it is predicted to be thirty six degrees, weather not seen in Tasmania since the huge bushfires of 1967 according to some.

advice needed please!

2006-01-15T17:51:00.000+11:00

Firstly, some more screenprinting show and tell.... I bought some linen and made these Jill-label tea towels for my mum's birthday. I'm very proud of these as they're wholly designed by me - I especially love how the daisy came out - it was inspired by a photo in a gardening magazine. I was hoping the purple would be a bit purpler but I think they look quite good anyway. Borrowed a sewing machine to do the hems. I think that may have to be my next capital purchase.

To the advice... as a novice knitter I don't know much about... well anything to do with knitting really. Maybe an exaggeration but I am having trouble deciding on a yarn substitution. I want to knit Samus but Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted [85% wool/15% mohair; 190 yds/171m per 100g skein] doesn't seem to be available easily anywhere here.

The weight suggested to me that it would be equivalent to a 12 ply but I've tried knitting squares on several sizes of needles and keep ending up with around 14 st per 4 inches instead of the suggested 19. I've just done a square of Jo Sharp Luxury 8 ply DK Pure Wool on 4.5 mm needles which has come out at about 19 st and 26 rows per 4 inches, which is good! But it's quite a different weight to the suggested yarn. I wonder if this will this cause any problems? Are there any knitting readers out there who could suggest another good substitute?

lessons learned

2006-01-12T18:53:00.000+11:00

Some more screenprinting, inspired by another baby, wherein the following lessons were learned:

Making words appear the right way around is tricky. Even when you think you have got it sorted out, you probably haven't, so have another look.
Pay attention when you are dolloping paint all over the place. Don't get so carried away with your own cleverness at getting the word around the right way that you spread the paint into places where the stencil is not.
Red fabric paint (Permaset Aqua) will wash out in cold water followed with warm water, some velvet soap and lots of scrubbing.

soy and spice

2006-01-11T18:45:00.000+11:00

To feed the hungry workers on Sunday (did I mention that mum and Annie also did some weeding in the garden? They are being invited for lunch more often!) I tried out a new recipe from Donna Hay's The Instant Cook (p88) - flat roasted chicken - soy and spice variation - yum.

It was eaten too quickly for a photo but this is what Donna's looked like:

You cut the chicken down its back (with kitchen scissors) and roast it flat so it only takes about 45 minutes. Maybe the quick cooking time is the reason it is very tender. The chicken sits on a bed of 5 cinnamon sticks and 2 star anise (not a very comfortable bed but I think the chicken is past caring).

Simmer together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 3 teaspoons brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon chinese five-spice powder in a small saucepan for one minute and brush it over. Bake at 200 degrees C (390 F) about 35-45 min or until cooked through.

I served this with pink-eye potatoes and a salad. If I was doing it again I might reserve some of the glaze to brush over while cooking (or even make some extra). Twas most delish!

from a long line of crafty people

2006-01-08T19:58:00.000+11:00

I had a great day today with my parents and my Annie working on and talking about projects and plans for future craftiness! Annie was patchworking; she and mum did lots of scribbling and discussing and hypothesising about what type of yarn would be best to attempt a Samus cardi in; and dad and I (well mostly dad) finally took another step with my biggest ufo!

We need more storage in our kitchen. I love those old fashioned kitchen cabinets - my grandfather had one - I especially like the quaint latches which were around I suppose before magnetic closures and self closing hinges. I found this one out the back of a dusty antiques shop. Nick was not convinced of its potential - paint peeling, rusty latches, weighs a ton, home to various 8-legged critters - but it's my first furniture restoration project!

A before shot:

and progress so far....

paint stripped, glass removed, ancient putty chipped away, belt and orbital sanded to within an inch of its life. Still to do: more sanding, more paint removal, find a couple of replacement latches and handles, replace warped plywood, decide how to finish it (thinking varnish and scandinavian oil?) and lug it up to the kitchen! By which time it will probably be time to move out!

New year, new you

2006-01-04T21:34:00.000+11:00

I had such a lovely week of Christmas and New Year - catching up with friends from far and wide, sitting in the sun, reading my new books, eating and eating and eating lots of yummy fresh food, watching brilliant fireworks, seeing family, doing outside things.... now it's back to work and the weather is back to grey and it all seems so ordinary again. I should have written this post days ago while I was still relaxed and inspired!

Anyway.... I do have some things I want to do this year. I have already started with resolution one - keep in touch with people better and mark special occasions. I've bought all the cards I need for January (sub-resolution is to make some of these cards so as not to send myself bankrupt) and spoken to a surprised cousin on his birthday (pleasantly surprised to hear from me I think!).

Other aspirations include spending more time with family, and saying no more often to things that will mess with this. Trying to keep up this blog regularly is a goal for the year - and not just for fun but also to be more reflective about life. I'd like to do more crafty things like more knitting, trying my hand at a quilt, making gifts for people, maybe even participating in swaps and -alongs!

Patience is also a virtue that I feel I will need to practise in 2006. I hope I can relax a bit and take things as they come. I need to slow down and appreciate the small and wonderful things in life. Please remind me of this if you think I'm forgetting as I rush through 2006 :)

El elefante

2005-12-31T13:50:00.000+11:00

My Christmas pressie to myself was a little screenprinting kit. I took it out yesterday to create a little baby shower gift for a friend who loves all types of animals! I really love giving special people gifts that are handmade and personalised. In my new crafty inspired state, this has been lots of fun.

The elephant stencil on these little suits was inspired by some vintage baby blocks on Hillary's site a few months ago (I can't find the original post - poo). I filed the photo away because I loved the simplicity of the design. I'll try my hand at designing my own stencils at some stage - maybe even with more than one colour - but don't have a lot of confidence in my creative abilities! I'm seeing inspiration in all kinds of places though - wrapping paper, childrens books, symbols on kitchen appliances - "I could stencil that!"

All over for another year

2005-12-26T12:41:00.000+11:00

Handmade presents go down a treat! These coasters were much exclaimed over - which strengthens my resolve to make more handmade pressies next year. One-of-a-kind Falcon GT wall hanging was also well received, though we don't have a wall big enough to hang it on. Which is not entirely a bad thing.

Only 3 sleeps to go....

2005-12-22T13:08:00.000+11:00

... and I have to finish MIL's special "brownie-points earning, some thought went into this" stitched coasters and Nick's mystery Christmas gift. And no, this is nothing along the lines of the sweater curse - I am pretty sure it will go down well. Ho ho ho.

French market bag Part Deux

2005-12-09T21:12:00.000+11:00

I expected that tossing the bag into the washing machine would be quite harrowing, but in the end I was so sick of the sight of it that I went ahead with reckless abandon. It was quite exciting once I had figured out how to make the washing machine use hot water, as we always wash in cold. I chucked in the bag with some laundry powder and let it go through one wash cycle (about 10 minutes). It wasn't doing much so I rewound the dial and added a pair of old cord pants. Lo and behold it came out fuzzy and shrunken after about another 7 minutes!

The bucket was thanks to Nick who has a vast array to choose from. I was planning to shape it on an normal old laundry bucket but the base did not shrink as much as the sides, so it is a bit more of a squat shape (no swatches for me - fly by the seat of my pants type of girl! Or some would say lacking patience). I knitted the bag taller than the pattern said. I also stretched the sides down a bit which helped. Voila!

I do love it. It's a bit floppier than I envisaged but once it's full of my next knitting project it will be just perfect. I am not tempted to do another one but did think briefly about knitting smaller bags for Christmas pressies - ha ha! Maybe I'll try the Sophie bag for a few special birthdays next year.

My next project... as a "She's Gotta Have It" knitter I am now hankering after something even more complicated and am determined to make it by hook or by crook! So I will shortly be teaching myself cables... to have a go at the Samus. Will probably be zipping over to Mum's house quite frequently so she can unravel my mistakes :)

felt like doing some felting

2005-12-06T22:29:00.000+11:00

I feel like using a cheesy title like that thanks to the marvellous Stitch n Bitch book which re-taught me how to knit in the last few months. I was inspired to take up the needles again after spotting Di's excellent French Market Bag on her site.

Only problem was, last time I knitted was under the careful guidance of Mum when I lived at home and I never had to worry about casting on or binding off, let alone picking up dropped stitches and knitting in the round! Very slowly and with much huffing at the double pointed needles I managed to create this: (!!)

(bag pre felting - about to be chucked in the washing machine with some soap and hot water)

Next installment soon... this juggling photos and things is tricky... rest assured there is a happy ending!

Meme

2005-07-27T21:11:00.000+10:00

10 years ago: Year 11. Studying science and spending Writers Workshop secretly mooning over various boys. Being a Prefect and a Good Girl. Crazy days in Antioch and being late for school on Fridays.
5 years ago: The Year Two Thousand. Climbing Mt Wellington and puking half way up. Travelling up the East Coast of Aus and being afraid of strangers. Starting Honours and continuing my long history of procrastination and work avoidance.
Yesterday: Work. Too-hot potato-leek-and-chickpea soup for lunch. Reflective grocery shopping and restocking the pantry yay! Shopping day is (mostly) always a happy day.
Today: Work. Not-so-hot but also not-as-tasty cauliflower-cheese-and-mustard soup, the smell of which Kathleen mistook for next-table baby poo.
Tomorrow: Work. Art of Christmas cocktail party - nibbling, drinking and merriment.
5 snacks I enjoy: choc sultanas, walnuts, Cripps chips, avocado on toast, popcorn
5 bands/singers I know the lyrics of most of their songs: the Beatles, the Waifs, Paul Simon, ummm....
5 bad habits I have: procrastination, sleeping in, not eating healthy, no work ethic, messiness
5 things I like doing: reading, sleeping in, walking in the crisp winter air, drinking tea with friends, cooking
5 things I would never wear: overalls, earrings, anything lime green, Brazilian thongs (the ones with heels), a stole made of a fox
5 TV shows I like: Australian Story, All Saints, the new Doctor Who, Home and Away, Enough Rope
5 movies I like: The Princess Bride, When Harry met Sally, Amelie, Singing in the Rain, Annie
5 biggest joys at the moment: Nick and everything to do with him, cuddly Stella, new babies, daphne in flower, my feather pillow

Other plans

2005-07-21T20:02:00.000+10:00

I am really drawn to the idea of blogging my life... but I have never kept a written journal past about 2 weeks because I just don't like looking back and reading what I have written. It's probably the perfectionist in me - I want to change and erase and perfect - and I just cringe at myself in the past... my life also feels particularly unblogworthy at the moment, and I feel like I should have something to report on - a journey, or project - lets just say my project is my life and happiness and reflection and I am going to try to chronicle it here. Without overusing the edit button.

As the Beatles said, "Life is what happens while you're making other plans".

(and I have come back to edit once already!!)

2004-10-07T13:05:00.000+11:00

"Salt water is the cure for everything: sweat, tears and the sea"
Isaak Dineson

2004-08-02T15:47:00.000+10:00

"Most people don't know
there are angels whose only job is to
make sure you don't get too comfortable
and fall asleep
and miss your life"
Brian Andreas

2004-05-17T14:23:00.000+10:00

"Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing,
there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language,
even the phrase 'each other'
doesn't make any sense."
Rumi

:-)

2004-05-04T16:05:00.000+10:00

"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful"
Mae West

2004-03-22T11:11:00.000+11:00

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness,
and nothing is so gentle as real strength."
Ralph W. Sockman

Human Clock

2004-03-15T14:30:00.000+11:00

This site is really cool! A different photo for every minute of the day. This gets a major thumbs up from me, as someone who sits in front of a computer all day and longs for variety and amusement! Anyone want to come visit me and my digital camera and be creative? We could be famous!

http://www.humanclock.com