What I'm Reading, Eating, Listening to and Loving...

Reading

I've just finished reading Lisa Congdon's latest book, Art Inc., an artists guide to building their career. I found it instructive and I think it would be useful for any creative business person.

For my neighbourhood book club, I recently finished Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None - the best selling mystery novel ever and one of the best selling books of all time. I love that book club challenges me to read novels that fall outside of my usual well worn genres. And honestly, this book did not disappoint. It also made for excellent book club discussion. (I am so lucky to have such awesome neighbours, who started a book club years before I moved here, and invited my to join before our house contract had settled, three years ago!)

Next in line is Tim Winton's Eyrie for the final book club of the year, and Meg Stewart's Margaret Olley: Far From A Still Life, chosen as a result of falling in love with Olley's work after our trip to the Margaret Olley Art Center. And finally as a book that was recommended to me, The Happiness Trap.


Eating

As the fabulous flush of Mulberries on our tree diminishes, we are eating fresh handfuls of berries picked daily, and baking with our frozen berries.

Mulberry Muffins

Mulberry and Strawberry Crumble Recipe

Listening to

You know I love to listen to pod casts while I'm working at the jewellery bench, and when I have run out of episodes of After The Jump, or Stuff You Missed In History Class, I have been trying out some newer pod casts, like the long form news style Serial, from Ira Glass and team, and the creative and inspirational Raise Your Hand. Say Yes. by Tiffany Han.


Loving

Afternoon sunlight peeking in our rooms.
The imagination that comes to life in my children with the addition of a cape and mask.
My Belinda Marshall 2015 Wall Calender has been pre-ordered. Swoon!
A Little Bit Crafty - with some of my most loved makers inside, this is on my wish list.
Jacaranda trees blooming in purple all over town.
Two passionate people with a start up worth supporting, The Nursery Project.

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Please share a few of your own reads, eats and favourites in the comments!

Yarn Along

The recent hints of Autumn vanished with the heat and humidity of the past few days. However, I have been holding on to the promise of Autumn with my knitting; while sitting in an air-conditioned room. And while I have been knitting, I have been making my way through the back catalogue of the wonderful free podcast, 'Stuff You Missed In History Class.' Clicking on the titles that appeal and settling in, those talented ladies have been keeping me entertained and filling my head with such fascinating facts as I knit. I'm much the wiser on such a diverse range of topics now, from the Hope Diamond, to the Domestication of the Cat. From Jane Austen to Frida Kahlo. From Mount Everest to Laura Ingalls Wilder. There is such a wealth of knowledge, my inner history geek is thrilled.

If you're new to the world of podcasts, and you have an iphone as I do, it's a simple matter of downloading the 'Podcast' app and typing the podcast title in to the search bar. Click on the podcast's logo, and choose from the list of episodes.

While speaking of technology, I have been converted, just a little, to the idea of reading a book on my phone. I don't own an eReader or the like. How I railed against the very thought of it! Until I couldn't get a library copy, or find an inexpensive copy, of our latest book club book, Walking on Trampolines. Instead I begrudgingly downloaded it though the iTunes store on my laptop, downloaded the iBook app, and proceeded to read it on my phone. And, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It meant I always had a book with me wherever I went, as I always tend to have my phone. This was handy as I rushed to Doctor and hospital appointments. Once I was used to it, I even curled up in bed with my phone and read during the children's nap times on the weekend. 

When I finished that book, I had in mind to read Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's most recent book, The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes, thanks to Ginny's glowing recommendation. When I could not find it at my local library, and didn't want to wait to get is shipped to Australia, I went ahead and downloaded it too. (She's such a gem, that Yarn Harlot, isn't she?) While I still prefer a 'real' book, with real pages you can turn and crease. A real spine to bend and crack. A real and beautiful object on my bedside table, or thrown in to my handbag. I must now admit that there may just be room for the occasional downloaded book too...

Have you been converted too? 

Or are you a paper back and hard back lover all the way?

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Joining in with Ginny.

Ravelry.

PS. Don't forget, you can find me guest posting at the Bespoke zine blog all this week. :)

Right Now

Stashing: Sale wool for a simple striped baby blanket and a scarf (40% off at Spotlight)

Knitting: A Cleckheaton Country Style Stripe scarf. It feels good to be knitting again.

Pet Sitting: The class guinea pig, Cuddles, for the weekend. (Poor wee thing, the life of a class pet can't be easy.)

Excited: About seeing the Designing Craft/ Crafting Design Exhibition on at Ipswich Art Gallery. 40 years of Jam Factory, here I come.

Doubly Excited: There's also a kids clay workshop running at the same time, which I am sure Cohen will love.

28 Weeks Pregnant: And starting to feel more tired and uncomfortable. I'm listening to my body and slowing down; trading nights at the jewellery bench for nights knitting on the couch.

Listening: To the 'Stuff you missed in History class' Podcast - how utterly fantastic. My new go to Podcast while working or knitting.

Writing: A weeks worth of blog posts for the lovely Bespoke blog. I'll be guest posting over there from March 17th - 23rd.

Nesting: I'm overhauling my studio at the moment. I've done away with an old rickety bookcase that will be replaced, I'm upgrading my desk and culling through way too many craft supplies. It''s all a messy pile of boxes awaiting decluttering at the moment. Hope to share some before and afters with you soon!

Reading: Wholehearted a journal, honey & jam, Fast Company

Anticipating: The arrival of a custom ordered logo stamp from a local Brisbane company. Love me some customised stationary!

Smiling: Each time I see the bunch of lipstick pink roses on my dining table. Life is too short not to buy flowers (even if only occasionally.)

Missing: The package delivery driver three days straight, because I have been at the post office each time picking up a package!

Hoping: You are having a lovely weekend!

Like like

Inspiration, tutorials, podcasts and sweet things that find themselves in my bookmarks (and an unrelated photo of my puss cat.)

The perfect knot hair style tutorial

Five quick fixes to make your blog instantly more readable

This American Life podcast 

33 ways to stay creative
Turn your instagrams into magnets (and use this code to get $2 off your order: FRIEND616P)
Giant crochet doily rug 
tweek studios, found via Pocket Carnival, love the chess piece wine stoppers
Vincent Van Gogh colouring book 
Rohan's post on the downfalls of owning stuff




Any bookmarks you would care to share? 
Where do your spend time online?

My Creative Space

This sweet interview with Alicia Paulson lead me to an old CraftSanity podcast. I spent a relaxing hour listening, knitting and drinking tea while both children slept. It was such a lovely and inspiring way to spend my Mama time for the day that I repeated it yesterday with Amanda Blake Soule's interview. 

In this way I finished the 'Autumn Leaves' top for Emerson. My first ever girls knit. I really enjoyed working on this piece. It wasn't too difficult, though it challenged me a couple of times, since I am still learning. I'm glad to have picked up some new techniques and I'm really pleased with how it has turned out.

Do you listen to podcasts? Do you have any that you would recommend, crafty or otherwise?

Pattern: 'Autumn Leaves' by Nikki Van Der Car

Yarn: Bendigo Woolen Mills Luxury 8 ply in 'Purple Storm'

Buttons: Vintage from the stash

Ravelry.

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More Creative Spaces here.