26/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: A joyful moment captured, as he and Emerson play in his room.
Emerson: My little darling loves discovering the cat's resting places.

The emotional extremes and challenging behavior of my dearest four year old unraveled me this week. What power children have over a Mother's heart. Thank goodness for the sympathetic hearts, strong shoulders and wise words of the Mothers in my 'village'. Thank goodness for my husbands patience, understanding and support. Thank goodness for Cohen's beautiful heart and our connection.

And thank goodness that these difficult phases don't tend to last too long.

You are my cup of tea

Black loose leaf tea lures me out of my warm bed each morning. The kettle is my first priority of the day. All else may wait until I'm sipping a cup of tea. How welcome that first cup is. (And the second.) The end of the day finds me with a cup of peppermint tea in hand. It's a well loved ritual and one that has inspired these two works in progress - tea cup earrings and a tea pot brooch. They will be making their way in to the shop soon.

First though, they need names. 

Any suggestions my dears?

'Quilts 1700 - 1945' Queensland Art Gallery

Queensland Art Gallery's current exhibition, Quilts 1700 - 1945, will appeal to a wider audience that you would first imagine. There is the beautiful history and legacy of such craft, which will lure those with a historical leaning. There is the handmade element, the workmanship and detail, which will appeal to crafters, artisans and makers of any medium. Then there is the element of design - pattern, colour, texture, motifs - which have a universal appeal. Each quilt a practical work of beauty.

As I stopped before each magnificent quilt on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum, I couldn't help but think that those quilts were like the blogs off their day. A visual expression of ones creative self. A way to document, engage and reflect. An investment of time and patience. The beautiful, hand worked quilts, coverlets and even pincushions reflected the individual makers aesthetic and environment. Coverlet with Sundial for instance, portrays appliqued domestic items and flowers from the makers life. Maps figure in each corner, reflecting her interest in geography. Other quilts included textile panels which celebrated military victories and royal occasions, "revealing an engagement with the world beyond the confines of the domestic domain." While a more recent paper pieced hexagon quilt took three years to create using fabric recycled from old shirts, dresses and black out curtains, in the aftermath of World War II.

"Recycling materials bore witness to a wife's practicality. The paper templates used in patchwork during this period were cut from receipts, shopping lists and ledger books. Patchwork and quilt making also provided an opportunity for women to showcase her skills to family and friends." - from the gallery wall

Any plain fabric and wadding can make a simple, practical quilt. But is takes the makers hand and heart to create a quilt of beauty and meaning. The collecting, designing, cutting, rearranging, stitching, all an art in themselves. Quilts are like blogs. They both fulfill a human need to document and share. Different platforms for a similar need.

The exhibition really resonated with me. I found it to be a rewarding, well curated and enjoyable experience. If you are in Brisbane it's certainly worth a visit.

25/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: He makes my heart melt with random gifts of play dough jelly fish, or 'dandy-lion' flowers.

Emerson: She is the sweetest, snuggliest little hot water bottle ever.

Winter Design Market love

Bravo Juliet Designs

Zillpa

Sharon Muir Ceramics

Erin's Window

My dearest twin sister and myself. My super lovely treasures.

I am fit to bursting with inspiration after yesterdays City wanderings. The Winter Design Market was certainly a celebration of handmade, and full of temptation. Each stall was home to precious delights, lovingly crafted and displayed. Cushions, tea towels, baskets, jewellery, ceramics. I found it difficult to choose amongst all the loveliness. I am so pleased with my purchases though. A mint coloured resin vase from the lovely Bronwen Jones (which will be quite at home in my kitchen), and a hand painted ceramic brooch from the gifted Erin (because you can never have too many brooches). So many clever crafters.

The stalls, the displays, the lovely makers, all gave me such a great feeling about the handmade community and market place. I am inspired anew to create new pieces for my shop and eventually tackle my first market.

I shall pop back later with my 52 Portraits, and post about the Quilts exhibition tomorrow - another inspiration laden delight. 

Hope you are having a relaxing Sunday.

Family, home, work, self

Getting closer to the finish line - two repeats and a border to go.

It's a rainy Friday morning of what has been a great week. The kind of week where I feel I have gotten the balance of full time stay home Mama and working from home jeweller right. It's a great feeling. Often times I know I'm guilty of keeping count of what I haven't done as I try to balance family, home, work and self. On closer inspection, I have such contradicting expectations of myself that I can't win, whatever I do.

I haven't spent enough time at the bench. I've spent too much time at the bench and not enough time with the children. I haven't taken the kids out enough. We're doing too much and we need a home day. 

Last week I felt that everything was out of balance, mother's guilt was rife and I felt in desperate need of a little time alone, a little something - even if I couldn't put my finger on it. This week has still had it's challenges, the only thing that has changed is my expectations, and yet everything has changed as a result. It can be hard work. But at the end of the day, I am so blessed to be able to stay at home with our little ones, and work at something I love, while still finding time to pursue my other creative loves.

Tonight I am looking forward to a rare date with my darling husband to see The Great Gatsby. Tomorrow I've managed to secure an (even rarer) solo trip to the Winter Design Market and the Quilts 1700 - 1945 exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery. (Unfortunately no photography is allowed at the exhibition, but I shall report back nonetheless.) 

How has your week been?

What do you have planned for the weekend?

Are you a work from home Mama?
Any other Brisbaners going to the Winter Design Markets?

Eight Reasons to Smile

1. Blowing bubbles for the first time

2. An old cane laundry basket found at the markets ($2!) and piles of hand knitted baby clothes. Cane baskets make doing laundry that little bit nicer I find.

3. Emerson's treasures, old and new

4. Brave visitors at the duck pond and a fascinated little Miss

5. A coat of white paint to bring a bookcase back to life
6. A 'new to me' vintage dinner service my parents had hidden away
7. A sweet thrifted basket ($2.50)
8. Wonderful mail - Greer spoiling me with gorgeous wool!

What's making you smile?

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Have you entered the Sussan $100 Gift Voucher Giveaway yet? Winner announced tomorrow.

From the bench

1. 'Away with the cloud earrings' in progress. I'm pleased to have them back in stock in the shop. I've decided to keep a pair for myself and another pair have been sold as a birthday gift, so they may not last long.

2. A finished commission. 9ct yellow gold petal, pearl pendant using clients pearl - which she brought on a holiday in Broome. Simple and beautiful. I have plans for a silver version for the shop.

3. Traditionally knotted on coloured silk, with sterling silver lobster clasps, these beads were brought back from New York by another client. I find threading and knotting beads, or pearls, so calming and satisfying.

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Last week was a busy week at the jewellery bench, with sales, client repairs and commissions to work on. There will be more of the same this week. I plan to put aside some time to work on new stock for the shop too. My head is full of pearl and brooch designs, perfect for Winter wear.

In the meantime I was wondering, is there anything in particular you would like to see in the shop? Any older designs you'd like to see again? More pearl strands? Bracelets like those above? I really would love to know. 

24/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: Watching with awe and adoration as balloons are twisted in to shapes at a party.

Emerson: Her first baby-chino. (The same cafe, different child, two years ago.) 

Sometimes the life lessons we learn seem so profound that words alone can not do them justice. Indeed, the words we do find to use are so full of meaning, so weighty, that trying to relay the full extent of their worth seems impossible. Speaking or writing them makes them seem so flimsy and simple. So it is that I wish I could describe to you the realisation I had this week. I cannot change anyone else, only myself. I feel I could talk at great length about this. I could try to do the context justice. Write down the series of events that lead to my revelation  But better still, I believe that when, or if, you have found yourself in a similar situation where these words have strong meaning for you, then you will feel an understanding of exactly what I wish I say. Like sharing an experience with someone, that you can't quite put in to words. You can only catch the other persons eye and nod to confirm that you felt it to. There seem to be many such experiences in parenting.

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Two of my favourites from last week - flour flinging and a little more mischief. 

Sussan - $100 Gift Voucher Giveaway - Closed

Recently I indulged in a little shopping for myself, to celebrate my new glasses, symbolic as they are of putting eye surgery and recovery behind me. I wandered the shops with my two little ones and spotted the perfect shade of mustard/ chartreuse/ acid lemon through the doorway of Sussan. I ventured in and discovered a beautiful scarf, which had clearly been waiting all day for me to hurry up and find it, knowing how much I would love it. I ventured further in to the store. Mustard tights? On sale?! I added them to the scarf. Someone has been reading my fashion-mind!

The sales assistant greeted me cheerfully, she smiled as Cohen told her his name and age - if you ever meet him you can expect the same - and then told me about the sale items. I ventured further in to the store. And there, all alone and obviously waiting for me, or so I would like to think, a perfectly lovely chevron cardigan (which has since received compliments each time I've worn it.) I tried it on as the sales assistant chatted pleasantly with Cohen and I, and offered her assistance.

With Cohen's approval I made my purchases, feeling pleased with the ease of it all. Having worked for some years in retail jewellery stores I really appreciate good customer service. Even more so since becoming a Mama. Once home I sent an email to Sussan's, complimenting them on their clothes and service, and asking if they would be willing to offer one of my readers a similar experience. Thus, I am pleased to be able to offer a $100 gift voucher to Sussan for one lucky reader. To enter click over to their online shop and tell me what you'd buy yourself if you won.

Giveaway open to Australia residents only.

I will drawer the winner randomly on the 19th June.

Best of luck!

(NB. This is not a sponsored post. I approached Sussan and I am not profiting from this giveaway.)

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And the winner, thanks to Random.org, is number 13.

Congratulations flowerpress!

Thanks to everyone who entered and to Sussan for the gift voucher.

Lately

Left to right:

1. A 'new' vintage toy for Emerson

2. Knitting inspiration at an antique store

3. 50 cent thrifted goodness

4. Heart says yes, budget says no

5. You can pick the craft bloggers child - Mama knitted cardigan, vintage shoes, dress and toy

6. An excuse to play with alphabet stamps

7. Kind hearted. Imaginative. Arguementative.

8. Origrami mail - Hooray for Instagram postcards!

9. Cheeky. Affectionate. Fearless.

23/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013." Che and Fidel.

Cohen: He, with painted arms. Such sweet concentration.

Emerson: She, with painted face. Such simple joy.

This past week it feels as if Emerson's growth has been matched by Cohen's regression. My dear little girl now walks more than she crawls, 'talks' oh so much more, climbs as if it were the most natural thing in the world to spend half the day standing on the dining room table; unaided, and understands twice as much as she seemed to last week. While my dear Cohen attention seeks, argues and exhibits double the jealousy as ever before. 

So, I am picking my battles, reminding myself that this too shall pass, taking care to stop and actually sit down to have a cup of tea, or leaving Dave to bath them both while I pop to the shops - alone. 

And when my two little dears play together beautifully, I am breathing a sigh of relief and enjoying the sibling love.

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Two of my favourites from last week - oh, those eyelashes and that chocolate smudged face.

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Today is the last day of my 9ct Yellow Gold Pearl stud earring giveaway!

Beautiful days

Some days are so full they almost burst, and you go to bed as worn out and happy as a child.

More days should be like this.