Lets go away for awhile

On Sunday I stepped through my front door for the first time in nine days. As eager as I was to get away, I was just as happy to return home again. As I unpacked our suitcases I reacquainted myself with our dwelling. I walked from room to room, folding clothes, putting away books, replacing toiletries. As I went, I noticed all the little details. The domestic comforts. The meaningful mementos. My favourite colours. Everything was familiar, but seemed to shine in a new light after our short absence. The home body in myself was content. Not long ago I had been feeling fed up with the constraints of home after my eye surgery. It's so good to really feel again that there is no place like home. Absence, it seems, does indeed make the heart grow fonder. 

Getting away was absolutely what I needed though. I enjoyed it immensely. I've returned reinvigorated and inspired. I filled my suitcase with new books, leaves, shells, sketches and notes. I felt the sand between my toes each day and the sun on my back. I walked over rocks and over dunes. I swam in the sea and I fished in the river. I celebrated my tenth wedding anniversary and my fifth Mothers Day. I explored the coastal towns of Yamba, Broomes Head, Maclean, Byron Bay and Kingscliff. So much natural beauty. I met up with the lovely Megan of The Byron Life - and the time flew by much too quickly. I packed handmade and locally produced goods in to my suitcase. I explored with my family. I watched my son catch his first fish, his first wave. I watched my daughter walk on the beach, and point at everything with delight. And I carried my camera all the while to try and capture some of the beauty and share it with you.

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All but the first and last three photos were taken in Yamba. The last few were taken in Byron Bay.

19/52

 

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

 

Cohen: My beach boy at Whiting beach.

Emerson: My sand girl at Broomes Head.

 

We're on holidays and I'm on a borrowed laptop. I'll be back soon with more. But I couldn't resist adding these two iphone photos to my 52 posts.

 

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Two of my favourites from last week - Piper and Poppies, Inked in Colour 

Kitchen Progress

1. Cabinets in and plastering in progress, 2. Doors and drawers on and a make shift bench top from chip board, 3. Hello kitchen island bench (and our old microwave), 4. Stone bench tops!, 5. Subway tiles in progress, 5. Grouting completed!

The past couple of weeks it feels as if our lives have revolved around having our kitchen renovated. From leaving the house with the kids for a week while the demolition and installation of the cabinets took place, to living in the house for a week with two children and no kitchen. From washing the dishes in a bowl in the bathroom sink (which then clogged!), to only being able to cook in an electric fry pan. From keeping the children out from under the feet of the tradesmen, to cleaning up after said tradesmen. 

I can honestly say I underestimated how disruptive and stressful this period would be. Thankfully it was well and truly worth it. There are still a few finishing touches to be made - a few handles to be attached, a few electrical fittings to be completed, the sink waste to be attached, a new blind, some open shelves, a plate rack, stools for the island, floor boards touched up where the old cabinets were - but the big things are done. And very soon I will be cooking, baking and jam making in my new, lovely, white, dream kitchen. Hooray!

And while it may not interest anyone else but me, I will be posting images for prosperity in the least, once the kitchen is all finished.

18/52

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

Cohen: Each week he seems more and more ready for school. Pointing out letters and numbers. Counting to Emerson. Wanting more than I alone can give.

Emerson: Each week she turns up the volume on cute. That giggle. Those clapping hands. That curl at the base of her neck.

Flipping through my childhood photo albums recently I noticed how slim they looked in comparison to my children's. Digital photography certainly has changed the humble photo album. I read that by 1980 about 25 billion photos were taken every year, compared to about 380 billion in 2012. Little wonder my album looks as it does. It's estimated that altogether mankind has taken 3.8 trillion photos. 3 800 000 000 000 000!

That is a lot of photo albums.

I'm loving this perspective from Ambrose Press and this attire from On the First Day of Marriage, two of my favourites from last week's 52 Project.

Stitch. Read. Covet. Blog.

Stitch: I could certainly be very happy wandering around my wooden floors in a pair of these socks come Winter. Whether or not the pattern would be too much for me is another matter entirely. But I do believe they are beautiful, beautiful socks.

Read: This looks like a fabulous new read. Blogger and baker extraordinaire Lorraine Elliott explores food, blogging and happiness in this new release. What more could a girl ask for? Congratulations to Lorraine!

Covet: I can see this brooch on my new navy velveteen blazer. I really can. I may just have brought it before I publish this post... There are others in Evie's store however, if like me, you see yourself sporting a cheeky hand painted face on your coat this winter. (Check out her super sweet tooth fairy pouches while you are there!)

Blog: Megan is the kind hearted blogger behind 'The Byron Life.' Journalist by day, Mama, crafter and simple living advocate always, Megan's blog is a delight and an inspiration. Her current series about North Coast Bloggers will have you settling in with a cuppa as you are introduced to some truly gifted, creative women.

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So dear readers, what have you been stitching, reading, coveting or blog-loving lately? Leave a comment below so we can share in the goodness.

Yarn Along

In the mail - Country Style magazine and Pia Jane Bijkerk's new book Little Treasures: made by hand (a Mother's Day gift to myself)

The sight of that second ball of yarn up there has been putting me off this blanket. Another 200 grams of wool once I've finished the ball I'm on. All those stitches. All that time. All that purple. 800 grams in total. I want to make it large enough to fit a single bed, but that last ball has me procrastinating and dreaming about casting on socks. Or a baby cardigan. Or anything...

I am a product knitter - I realised when reading about process knitters recently. I knit for the end product. And I love this pattern, and the yarn, and the colour. I can't wait to cast it off and let Emerson start using it. I shall probably continue to over think the addition of that ball of yarn until I get closer to the end of this ball, then decide - to join or not to join?

In terms of reading, I'm procrastinating on 'Cloudstreet' for bookclub as well. I kept anticipating the plot and realised I knew some of the characters names before they were introduced. It dawn on me that I must had read this book some time ago. I flicked ahead, but the trail ran cold. Clearly I didn't finish it the first time I read it. Since this discovery it has been sitting next to my bed, much like that extra ball of yarn. Luckily Country Style arrived in the mail...

What are you knitting and reading?

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Joining in with Ginny.

Raverly notes here.

Mother's Day Shop Update!

Silver Lining

In Bloom

Golden Peacock

What a Wonderful World 

 Peaches and Cream

September Flower

 Classic Hepburn

Left Bank Portrait Artist

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

I'm pleased to announce that my first major update since Emerson's birth is now in the shop in time for Mothers Day!

It has been so rewarding to get back to the jewellery bench, putting my tools to use and getting my hands dirty. A lot of time and energy has gone in to the designing, sourcing, making, photographing and written descriptions of these pieces and I am really excited about each piece.

The collection features cultured, fresh water and South Sea pearls set in solid sterling silver or 9ct gold. From handmade pendants, to hand knotted pearl strands, from simple studs to sweet drops, there is a range of pieces for differing tastes and budgets.

In stock in time for mothers day, all silver and gold items in the shop are Express Posted within Australia. All items are beautifully packaged and gift wrapped. 

There is only one of most items, unless otherwise shown in the photos. Keep in mind, if a piece you are interested in has sold, custom orders are available. Feel free to browse back through my sold pieces here. Please email me with your request.