twice designs

getting ready

2012-03-07T17:27:00.001+11:00

About a hundred cards to fold, fit with an envelope and seal in a cello bag. At least 20 brooches to finish and more to make... It must be market time.

Lovely friends!

2012-03-07T08:29:00.000+11:00

I have a lovely friend called Tiina who is super stylish and shares a love of Marimekko and Camper shoes. She also happens to have one of my brooches which she wears very very well. So here's the story. She was wearing it at work the other day and received so many comments that she thought she'd take some of mine in. And she sold 10 brooches in a morning!

These two are among the only ones left....

Thanks Tiina!

Canberra Handmade this weekend

2012-03-05T16:34:00.000+11:00

It's all mad mad mad making at the moment for Canberra Handmade this weekend. I have a big collection of scrabble pictures, including some new phrases plus I'll be taking lots of vintage map and car pictures with me.

If you're in Canberra pop in to the market - it's a gorgeous collection of handmade treasures.

Mathilda's Market

2012-02-23T17:09:00.003+11:00

My first market for 2012 will be Mathilda's Market at the Byron Kennedy Hall at Fox Studios in Sydney. It's on this Saturday at 9am.

Mathilda's is always a great market and it's good I'm on my own because otherwise I'll be sorely tempted to make some purchases elsewhere!

four letter words

2012-02-08T13:27:00.001+11:00

I'm not much of a swearer. At least not of the standard four-letter-word variety. I like "bloody" and "bastard" and "bummer" - although strictly speaking that last one isn't really a swear word.

But I'm bummed (there I go again) that those few offensive four-letter-words have spoiled it for the rest of the perfectly functional and often lovely four letter words in the English language.

I have a new series of wall art called "four letter words" that feature the more family friendly variety. Such as LOVE, HOPE, PLAY, GROW etc. I make them on archival-quality mat boards and use only genuine vintage alphabet letter cards. I make them in 6"x8" ($20) and A4 ($35). Here are some samples of the smaller size...

new start

2012-02-01T08:26:00.001+11:00

Jake started school yesterday. I feel a bit bewildered. Where have those precious years gone?

true love

2012-01-27T16:06:00.001+11:00

All of my kids enjoy a special bond with my mum and Mr 5 is no exception. Isn't love such a wonderful gift?!

hugo

2012-01-26T11:24:00.003+11:00

I didn't imagine I would be taking my children to see a Martin Scorsese film - at least not for some time - and yet last night Mr Neat and I took Miss 10 and Mr 8 to see Hugo, a movie that I'd describe as one of the best films I've seen in a decade.

Hugo is set in post-WWI France. Young Hugo Cabret is an orphan who lives and works in secret and the Paris railway. He is alone and every day is a struggle to eat, work and live without being captured by the station officer who zealously sends orphans to the Paris orphanage.

But Hugo has a purpose. He is trying to fix a mechanical figure, an automaton, that his father had found abandoned and in disrepair. Hugo's future seems inextricably connected to the workings of this beautifully made piece of machinery.

Through his attempts to procure machine parts he encounters the fiercely melancholy Georges Méliès and his warm-hearted god-daughter Isabelle.

Scorsese's film is about many things. It's a love letter to film makers and film lovers. It's a testimony to the power of kindness. It muses on the value of dreams and art and creativity. And there is a strong spiritual element that resonates throughout the narrative.

Hugo explains to Isabelle that machines have every part that they need. There is nothing superfluous. Everything has a purpose. Every piece is important. It's like that with the world. If you imagine the world as machine then every person is important. Everyone has a purpose. If someone loses or forgets their purpose then they are broken, they need mending. This is especially true of Georges Méliès but it's also true of the station officer whose brokenness goes far beyond the obvious physical damage wrought by WWI.

Hugo is deeply moving. And as a Christian believer I was particularly struck by the idea of purpose. It caused me to reflect on our purpose as created beings - to love and worship our creator in what we think and do. When we forget or refuse to do this we become broken and alienated from our purpose in life.

Beautifully made with a gloriously French score, Hugo is one of Scorsese's best films. Its PG-rating and the centrality of children means it will be classed as a children's film but it is a story that adults will love as well.

what are you reading?

2012-01-23T14:12:00.002+11:00

I've just finished reading one of Miss 10's Christmas presents. It's called The Mysterious Benedict Society and is the first in a trilogy. It's about four particularly gifted children and how they must work together to save the world. I know it sounds like a zillion other kid's books and movies but it manages to use a common enough concept to great effect.

Now she just needs to hurry up and finish the second one so I can read it!

What are you reading?

camera shy

2012-01-18T21:12:00.003+11:00

We've just had a lovely week at Forster with my lovely brother and his gorgeous family. Of course I forgot to take my big camera with the fancy lenses. But I did remember my handy waterproof number - it fits in my handbag. And today - on our last day - I actually remembered to take it with me when we went swimming.

Here is Mr 8 looking moody. Of course he didn't know I was taking his photo.

This is what happens when he does know.

too late for resolutions?

2012-01-17T21:38:00.000+11:00

I'm not sure why but the new year seems to afford more possibilities for self-examination and change. Of course we can strive to change at any time of the year, but now seems like a good time to think about it before the school year kicks off and I become enmeshed in washing, cooking and supervising homework. But it's mid-January already! Is it too late for resolve and resolutions?

2012 is a big year for me, not just because I'm turning 40 but because my youngest, Mr 5, begins school. So I will be overloaded with free time. Well actually no. I will be working two days a week, doing my crafting business and trying to keep my house tidy. But I will have more time. And I want to use that time wisely and well.
One thing I really want to do is to finish a book that Miss 10 and I started together about four years ago. It began as a story I told her and became longer and longer. But it only exists in my head. And I think I'd like to write it down so I can have some more room up there.
So here's the start:

"You may not know it but every family has a skeleton in the closet. Notan actual skeleton of dangly bones hanging up next to your school shirt – thatwould be revolting. But a nasty secret or something weird or embarrassing.Something you wish wasn’t so and perhaps you hope no one finds out about. It might be a strange uncle who lives in acave or a great aunt who dribbles and has a house full of smelly cats. It couldbe a cousin who irons his underwear or a brother who refuses to wear any. Whateverit is, you’re not alone because in every family there is a peculiar person or adark secret. Something creepy or even criminal that you would prefer no oneever found out about.

It was a matter of concern and consternation that Harriet and William Summer had not one, but two skeletonsin their family closet."

let's boogie

2012-01-16T07:22:00.000+11:00

Mr Neat has a knack for finding bargains. We have a collection of boogie boards picked up at Vinnies or council clean ups. When I was growing up, boogie boards were prohibitively expensive. Now, people throw them away when they're almost new. Which is good for us...

Mr Neat captured this shot of Miss 10 and Mr 8 in the surf. Love the look of concentration on Miss 10's face. Love that Mr 8 is chilled and taking it easy. Love that ominous sky. And that Mr Neat is right there with them.

no more ms cranky pants

2012-01-15T12:45:00.004+11:00

It's a new year and for me it's the year of the dreaded significant birthday.

I don't really mind turning forty but I have come to the sudden realisation that I am now actually a grown up and I have suddenly become less tolerant of things I may not previously have noticed. Loud music in shops annoys me. People texting and tweeting while having lunch with me annoys me. Ubiquitous tattoos annoy me. The superabundance of three-lettered blasphemy really annoys me.

But there's got to be more to being mature than a tendency to be cantankerous. So my quest for 2012 is to explore maturity, to grow up AND be nice about it.

gift ideas?!

2011-11-24T16:51:00.001+11:00

There's nothing I really *need* for Christmas. Although I could do with a drying rack in the kitchen. Married for 16 years and I still haven't got around to getting myself a drying rack. Well I don't really need that either.

But here are some fine and dandy things that I wouldn't sniff at. I especially love the "shop-front rocket ride" but at $10,000.00 it's a bit extreme. Perhaps the enormous crossword right down the bottom is more my thing. What do you want for Christmas? Apart from world peace of course.

christmas cards

2011-11-06T17:49:00.000+11:00

It's nearly Mr 7's birthday which means it's nearly Christmas!

I do love Christmas and while I especially love buying presents for people I think this year we'll try and give alternative presents from TEAR fund or World Vision or something like that. Maybe I can make some presents instead...

Here are some cards. They'll be in the shop. soon.

Mr 5!

2011-10-28T17:10:00.000+11:00

On Sunday Mr 4 became Mr 5 which was very exciting for all of us. Miss 10 was particularly excited for her little brother and wanted to ensure that I had enough presents for him. (I did)

The last five years have just flown by and we're about to enter a new phase of life. All of the kids will be at school next year. And Mr Neat and I will both be ages beginning with a 4 next year. What I want to know is, when will I start feeling like a grown up?

Crisis worsens in the Horn of Africa

2011-10-06T20:23:00.000+11:00

It has just been announced that until November 30 the Australian Government will match every dollar donated to the Horn of Africa famine appeal. The situation is really very bad with millions of people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia facing starvation.

I will also be donating 100% of the proceeds from sales at my etsy shop for the next couple of weeks.

To make an online donation visit: tear.org.au or the red cross.

Feeling hot!

2011-09-23T12:17:00.002+10:00

I'm so hot. But not in a good way. In a temperature-of-38.5-degrees-feeling-really-terrible kind of way.

Miss 10 and Mr 7 have been sick all week with a nasty infection and they have shared the love. Impossible not to really. So now they are on the mend watching cartoons while I feel like melting into a puddle and all the while trying not to think about the bathroom that needs cleaning, the clothes that need washing, the bags that need packing and the market that needs to be prepared for....

What do you do when you feel ill? As a lover of history I do the old, at least I'm not.... trick. So when I start to feel sorry for myself I say, At least I'm not:

in the trenches, fighting in WWI
stuck on the Kokoda Track fighting in WWII
in a medieval village about to have my head opened to release the evil spirits that have caused the fever
a slave in any evil empire - there are so many, you can pick whichever one seems worst to you!
in childbirth
working in some horrendous British factory in the 19th century
trapped in a refugee camp with no shelter and little food and water

So you see really things aren't so bad after all. I'm actually extremely blessed and soon this sickness will pass and I can do all those meaningless things like chores and those meaningful things like hugging my children and thanking God that I am loved beyond measure.

I hope you're well!
x Sarah

New wall art

2011-09-17T17:20:00.004+10:00

It's all a bit of a juggle at the moment. Sick kids, busy work, disastrous house and a looming market. Ever get the feeling that you're doing lots of things but none of them particularly well.

Anyway, I have no idea how much stuff to make for the Canberra market so I'm making lots. Here are some new pictures. Love the vintage typography.

Vintage map and car pictures

2011-09-12T16:22:00.002+10:00

Gregory's directories have announced that they are no longer producing printed maps. It's all GPS now. Which is kind of sad. Gregory's were one of the earliest producers of street directories and maps. Clive Barrass was the original map maker and his early maps are just gorgeous.

I am accumulating quite a collection of vintage Gregory's directories. The print quality, paper thickness and colour make these old maps so special.

And they look especially fabulous framed up with a vintage Japanese toy car!

Going in the shop, of course. And available with Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Brisbane and Adelaide maps...

new card packs

2011-09-07T20:57:00.001+10:00

I've made up some new card packs that will be going in the shop soon. They come in packs of four. $10 a pop.

Market mayhem

2011-09-02T16:55:00.001+10:00

What a week. I can always tell when things are busy by the dust tumbleweeds that gather near the corners of rooms and under doors and the creep of mould on the bathroom tiles.

For the first time Mathilda's Market was held at the Byron Kennedy Hall at Fox Studios. There were 134 stalls and I imagined I'd be able to pop around to see Mia from The Raisin did It or Sarah from Gifts Created. As it was the day was flat chat - which is what you really want from a market - but I was thoroughly exhausted by the sheer amount of people crowded into the space. It was quite overwhelming. The best part is catching up with return customers and hearing about what they've bought.

Looking at this unflattering photo of me makes me think I need to lay off the Cadbury's. (I know what you're thinking Amy, but I really like plain milk chocolate - totally unsophisticated, I know!)

Other nice news, the lovely Steph from Bondville featured me on her website here and here (via the gorgeous Anni from Milk and Honey).

New scrabble pictures for Mathilda's Market

2011-08-21T18:33:00.000+10:00

I'm doing a Mathilda's Market on Saturday at Fox Studios. It's an inside market so I won't need to lug my shelter or tables. But I will be lugging some of these:

New brooches

2011-08-17T13:09:00.000+10:00

Well these little beauties were intended to be cufflinks... However a little misunderstanding between centimetres and inches (what is it with America?!) meant that they were, well, just too BIG to be cufflinks. So they are sweet little badges, brooches, pinbacks, things you stick on a scarf or a dress or a tee. And I think I quite like them. Now. What do you think?

Fathers' Day cards

2011-08-13T20:00:00.000+10:00

Fathers' Day is coming and I've designed some cards for the occasion. If you'd like to get one for your dad you can visit Neck of the Woods or check out my madeit shop.

new cards

2011-08-07T17:14:00.000+10:00

Some new card designs. Available for purchase at the shop.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

It's still winter

2011-08-05T11:30:00.000+10:00

The sun might be shining and it might be a gorgeous 24 degrees but it's still winter and that means it's still scarf time. And according to the forecasts it's going to get cold again next week so... here are some scarves that are going up on madeit.com.au . Some are only $20! Bargain!

the reading dilemma

2011-07-27T20:42:00.001+10:00

I think reading must be one of my favourite things in the world to do. Perhaps I should qualify that statement. I thinking reading quality literature is one of my favourite things in the world to do. And yet when I finished a wonderful book and I want to dive right into another, I can't. It's like I need to have a little break and read something trashy or just ponder what I have read before I jump into the next work.

I've just finished reading Geraldine Brooks' novel, Caleb's Crossing. It's another absorbing, evocative work (she really is AMAZING) that completely transports the reader into a different time and place. Seventeenth Century Puritan America. But after I consumed the book and spent many days thinking on her characters and her eloquent prose I couldn't read another thing. It felt almost disloyal to pick up another book so quickly. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Another couple of quick literary recommendations:

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey
A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

the quest for clean surfaces....

2011-07-19T12:20:00.009+10:00

Mr Neat, the kids and I had a rather different holiday this time around. Mainly because Mr Neat is being Mr Boss at work and couldn't be on holidays. But we still went away. To Manly.

One of Mr Neat's former colleagues and his family went off to Japan for two weeks so we minded their gorgeous home a few minutes walk from the beach. Lovely.

Anyway the brave couple who lent us their house have two daughters and their house is so.... so neat. It's a cute old brick house that has been well restored (listen to me the real estate maven) but what amazed me was how easy it was to neaten everything. There were built in cupboards galore and everything had a home. So now I'm thinking, 'Is that actually possible in a home where I am a resident?' One of our problems, apart from me and my tendency to collect and create clutter, is an appalling lack of storage. We have an eclectic (read cheap a***) approach to furnishing our home. Op shops, garage sales, cast offs and side of the road numbers... I think the only new thing we've ever bought from a real shop was our bed. And that was 16 years ago.

So how to achieve this nirvana-like state of tidiness? Mr Neat has a straightforward approach. There is stuff in the way, therefore there is too much stuff, therefore we should chuck out the stuff that is in the way. At which point I get sweaty palms and I wish I weren't so sentimental and hoardy. No we don't have too much stuff, I argue, we just have too few places to put what we have...

But after dusting the sand off my head I realised that he could be onto something. Of course, for me, the first place to start is: The Study. That's a misnomer if ever there was one. It should be called the dump. Cos that's where I dump stuff when I don't know where to put it. In fact The Dump has become so cluttered recently that I can't actually do any work in there at all. I have to take a deep breath, grab what I need and scurry away to work *somewhere else*. So I'm going to go through the stuff in there and be ruthless.

Wish me luck!

x Sarah

PS Sorry for a really boring and really long post without any pictures.

big fat brooch sale on etsy

2011-07-18T15:34:00.000+10:00

Well I'm back from two weeks of slacking off and my first big job is to tidy out my hovel that I call a study. To that end I'm starting a rolling sale to shift some items that I need to be rid off. So to start with.... BROOCHES. On etsy. If you look at the left hand menu you can see some of the beauties on offer. They are less than wholesale. So please, buy up! They really are lovely bargains and you can just pop one in your present drawer for someone special. Also because the Australian dollar is so strong they are even BIGGER bargains! So what are you waiting for!

x Sarah

Sale time at Mosman Markets!

2011-06-22T10:20:00.000+10:00

twice designs is having a sale at the next Mosman Markets. There will be some fabulous bargains to be had! Scarves will be reduced from $45 to $30! Felt and Buckle Brooches will be only $10! Unframed wall art will be reduced too, starting at $10! A heap of cards will be only $2! Come and grab yourself a bargain!

x Sarah

swede soup

2011-06-07T19:01:00.000+10:00

this is a swede.

In the last view weeks we've signed on with a fruit and veg co op. One of the cool things about it is that we've had vegetables that we wouldn't normally buy. Like swedes. I'd never cooked a swede before today (Mr Neat wondered if it was like cooking a Norwegian. Funny isn't he!) So here's the rough recipe for the swede and friends soup.

2 leeks (white part only)
1 swede
1/4 pumpkin (preferably not butternut)
3 small white sweet potatoes
3-4 small potatoes (or 1-2 large potatoes)
1litre stock (I just used a tetra pak of stock but you can make your own or just use water.)

Heat olive oil in pot (I use my le creuset). Add sliced leek and cook slowly until soft. Add other vegetables and cover with stock. Simmer until vegetables are soft. You may need to add more water. When vegetables are soft, puree.

Eat up!

x Sarah

hello again!

2011-06-06T21:10:00.000+10:00

Well it's been ages and ages but it's nice to be back at the keyboard.

Where have I been?

Sadly nowhere. But I did get a job and it's been a bit crazy juggling family, working, church and crafting.

The other day the lovely Mr Neat minded the kids while I went on a photography course with my gorgeous sister in law Leanne.

We took pictures of fruit and veggies and flowers

boats and buildings ...

moving cars (one with the car blurry and the background in focus and one with the car in focus and the background blurry - that bit was kind of tricky)

and of course photos of the lovely Leanne

x Sarah

say cheese

2011-04-10T13:59:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago I took Miss 10 to the Annie Liebovitz exhibition at the fabulous Museum of Contemporary Art. It struck me that I hadn't been to an exhibition for ages - just part of motherhood in the burbs. But I would like to get to see more art and especially with the kids.

Anyway it was rather disappointing, I must say. I'm not really a celebrity-phile but even those were fairly soulless. Miss 10's verdict was, "Too many butts and bosoms." (Glad I didn't take her to see the Robert Mapplethorpe!)

Incidentally the Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition was very good - even if it was quite disturbing in part. So the best photographic exhibitions I've been to?

Sebastio Salgado was probably the best. It was certainly the most evocative and memorable.

But honourable mentions to:

* David Moore

* Cindy Sherman

* Max Dupain

* Olive Cotton

* Robert Mapplethorpe

Do you have a favourite photographer? I'd love to see a Dorothea Lange retrospective or anything by Ansel Adams.

Oh and incidentally our visit wasn't a complete disappointment. There was also an exhibition of the work of Bardayal ‘Lofty’ Nadjamerrek (1926-2009), an indigenous artist from West Arnhem Land. His cave-style painting on bark and paper were stunning. Miss 10 was suitably impressed.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2011-04-08T01:29:00.001+10:00

Vintage squeaky toys. Aren't they fabulous? I think I would love to start a collection... but I mustn't. At least I have no desire to collect combine harvesters. Poor Mr Neat.

Wicker and Stitch

2011-04-06T17:12:00.000+10:00

One of the loveliest parts of doing markets is the people you meet. On Saturday I met the gorgeous Angela of Wicker and Stitch and she has a written up an article on yours truly. I tell you I'm going to get a big head soon. Just as well I have my three little tornadoes to keep me from getting too big for my boots. (Terrible mixed metaphors, I know!)

new card designs

2011-04-03T19:35:00.001+10:00

As the youngest in my family I was always the clown. Whether it was dancing in my dad's mashed potato when I was a toddler or coming up with funny one-liners I learned that humour was a great tool in diffusing tension. I am somewhat averse to conflict (ie can't cope with it and run a mile from an argument) but I do love it when people are laughing.

This new series of cards is, as one customer politely put it, slightly left of centre. They make me smile. What do you think?

Hope you had a lovely weekend.

x Sarah

Card making kits

2011-04-01T14:12:00.000+11:00

I've been busy folding, cutting, assembling... lots of card- making kits in lovely kraft boxes. There are three kinds: vintage, flowers/butterflies/hearts & cars/trains/shapes. These will be my last lot using scrapbooking papers. From here on in it's all going to be reclaimed books etc.

Have a lovely weekend!

New wall art

2011-03-31T12:46:00.000+11:00

I found some lovely vintage snap cards from the 1950s and made these sweet pictures. Each card has a cute little rhyming couplet that includes some form of the word "snap". I'll be taking them with me to Mosman on Saturday.

Brooches for Amy, Janice, Jane (S/G), Julia and Jenny

2011-03-30T14:46:00.001+11:00

Well it's about time. I've toyed with making cards, pictures, softies and settled on brooches for the facebook giveaway for these five lovely women. Look at all those "J"s. Amy is the lone vowel among the umbrella handles. So here are the brooches girls. You get to pick which one you want. First in first - well you get my drift. There are two red, two blue and one green.

If you don't like any of them... well that is awkward. Just let me know and I'll send you something else!

monday ramblings

2011-03-28T20:00:00.000+11:00

It's council clean up time around my place at the moment. If you are not privy to this wondrous time on the council calendar it's when households can put out on their verge all the stuff they can't fit into their bins or aren't allowed to chuck out with their family rubbish. So old toys, paint, furniture, cardboard boxes - pretty much anything.
Mr Neat and I are old hands at council clean up trawling. About half our furniture has been acquired from the kerb. But most of the stuff we've seen lately has been, well lets just say, surplus to our needs.

The recent offering has proved no different. On my early morning walk there were parts of the footpath that were virtually covered with refuse. Enormous piles of grubby, broken junk about to be turned into landfill. And what I've been noticing is how much cheap broken furniture there is littering the streets. Which made me think / wonder why people buy cheap furniture.

Mr Neat and I have never spent much on our possessions because they are mostly second-hand. {I think our bed and the kids bunks are the exception.} Buying second-hand means you can get better quality gear for less than new poorer-quality gear. And it lasts.

Mr Neat has extended his spending ethos into most areas of his life. Books, CDs, clothes, wetsuits and shoes {I draw the line at undies and socks!} are usually purchased at our favourite local boutique aka Vinnies. And he always looks sharp and handsome. Perhaps I should call him Mr Thrift...

New cards

2011-03-23T07:40:00.000+11:00

I'm an old-fashioned type... That's the thing with puns. Once you start it's hard to stop. And then you begin to look for them everywhere. Well, I do...

Pray for Japan

2011-03-16T11:58:00.000+11:00

I have food and water. A roof over my head. My family are safe and well. These are riches beyond measure.

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have shocked the world. It has made me conscious of how fragile our lives are. How our sense of security is an illusion. How we are not in control of our destiny.

Here are some works by artists who are donating the proceeds of sales to the aid effort in Japan.

Natascha Rosenberg

Adam Glynn-Finnegan

New cards

2011-03-10T06:08:00.000+11:00

It all started with cards. And even though I make a bunch of other stuff now I still love making cards. Fun. Therapeutic.

New brooches

2011-03-09T05:49:00.008+11:00

I made some new brooches. Do you like them?

Photos

2011-03-08T08:20:00.001+11:00

Took some photos with the lovely Leanne the other day. It's been a while since I photographed anything besides the kids and products. I think I'm a bit rusty.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2011-03-04T15:17:00.000+11:00

Miss 9 is becoming, well, Miss 10 next week. A fact that makes me feel old and rather bewildered. Where did that time go?

This is Miss 9 when she was Miss 4. The days when she would not go anywhere without Lambie Lu.

So this week's finds are dedicated to my little love who isn't so little anymore.

counting blessings

2011-03-01T08:24:00.001+11:00

A few friends have been doing a gratitude journal where they take a photograph everyday and write down something that they're grateful for. It's like a mixed media version of counting your blessings I suppose. I'm so terribly disorganised that I don't think I could manage it but it's so encouraging to see others counting their blessings - it reminds me to count mine and be grateful for all the amazing things (and people!) I've been blessed with in my life.

Last week when I was unwell and a bit low a friend dropped around a meal and a posh tub of ice cream. Just thinking of her cutting up veggies and stirring the pasta sauce made me feel so loved and cared for.

I think when you're a mum and you do most (virtually all) of the cooking it is so special to be cooked for. I do enjoy cooking although it is not always received with the enthusiasm I'd like and sometimes it becomes a chore rather than a lovely way to care for my family. I'm very blessed that Mr Neat is not a picky eater and appreciates being cooked for. I just need to be patient and wait for our three to catch up. And until then ... be grateful that we have food aplenty.

Fabulous Friday Finds - Lovely Fonts

2011-02-25T02:43:00.016+11:00

Fonts are such a key part of design and branding. When I'm making cards or even birthday invitations for the kids I spend ages working out which font looks and feels right. Unlike some I don't *hate* Times New Roman. I don't think I've ever used it but it looks ok for a printed font. You want to get me worked up? Send me something in Comic Sans. Now that is a truly evil font. I'd like to get a tee made up decrying its wickedness.

The great news for people like me who like to choose is that there are oooooodles of free fonts out there. Jump onto dafont.com or fontsquirrel.com and you can find a zillion cool and groovy options (and some shockers too!).

Anyway here are some that I think are pretty good. They are all available at fontsquirrel.com

Have a lovely weekend, x Sarah.

lovely surprise!

2011-02-17T16:03:00.001+11:00

Please excuse my silence of late. I've been having computer problems - in fact my pc is about ready to retire permanently but I don't want to stump up to pay for a new one. So I've been meaning to write about this for at least a week...

Out of the blue a lovely and unexpected parcel arrived in my letter box.

A gorgeous set of handmade notes including a handmade box. Thank you Amy! I love them.

x sarah

Fabulous Friday Finds - swimwear

2011-02-04T11:01:00.000+11:00

It is just so darn hot that the only thing for it is to pop on a stylish cossie and head to your nearest source of clean water. Don't forget the hat, shades and sunscreen!

Actually for Scottish-blooded whities like me it's too hot to go anywhere and do anything. This week has been a week of heat-induced migraines and nausea. I'm a delicate flower you know! But hey, nothing wrong with looking stylish while we wilt. Here are some super Australian designed swimwear for gals - big and small.

babes in the shade - really well priced kids cossies and rashies for ladies

just amazingly totally fabulous swimwear from My Sister Pat - how I covet the red polka dot one above but you'll need to save your pennies!

These beauties are from Miss Fancy Pants who is having a SALE!

Instant gratification - spaghetti

2011-01-30T20:43:00.002+11:00

I could eat pasta every night. But I don't because my children would revolt. Most of the pastas I make are improvised although I have a couple of favourites that I make regularly. Mr Neat was particularly complimentary about this one so I thought I'd share. The measurements are approximates so you might have to adjust to get the taste to your liking.

Mr Neat's Favourite Spaghetti

2 spanish onions

4 cloves garlic
4-6 japanese eggplants (the small skinny ones)
4 trimmed bacon rashers

about 600g lamb mince
about 400g / ml tomato passata (I just pour in a bit over half the bottle)
large tablespoon fruit chutney
teaspoon brown sugar

I always use my big le creuset pot to make this but you can use whatever you like!

Heat small amount of olive oil in your cooking pot. Add finely diced onions. Cook slowly so they don't catch. I do a mixture of sweating and sauteing (Amy! Help!) Add finely chopped bacon and eggplants. When eggplant is starting to soften add the garlic. Cook until onion is soft and translucent. Be careful not to brown or burn the garlic. Add mince and cook through until well browned. Add passata and fruit chutney. Allow to simmer for a while until reduced. Add brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with al dente spaghetti and top with shaved parmesan or romano cheese.

And remember this will actually taste better the next day so you can make it the night before, bung it in the fridge and reheat it for dinner the next night. It also freezes. Oh and I use this sometimes as a base for Shepherd's Pie or as a filling for lasagne.

Fabulous Friday Finds - Kokeshi

2011-01-28T04:15:00.040+11:00

Kokeshi are the new Babushska (Matroyska). At least in my opinion. And they are just so lovely. Here are some old kokeshi, some new kokeshi and some you can make yourself!

softie doll from made by maisie
(proceeds go the QLD flood recovery)

x Sarah

"A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" and other stories

2011-01-26T02:15:00.001+11:00

One of the great things about the kids getting a bit older is that I can read on holidays during daylight hours. Sometimes not much but some days I could lose myself in a book. Bliss. So what have I been reading?

I've just finished Kate Grenville's The Secret River. It's not new. It came out in 2005 and is a companion novel to The Lieutenant (also brilliant) which I read first, cos I'm a dummy.

The Secret River about a former convict, William Thornhill, and his experience in early Australia. It starts with his impoverished, bleak childhood in London and the daily scramble just to stay alive.

Kate Grenville's writing just keeps getting better and better. She captures the sounds and smells of the age and the heartbreak of cultural misunderstanding and racism. It's a terrible part of Australia's history but Grenville doesn't lecture or preach. She tells her story, imbuing all the characters with believable humanity. It's utterly compelling and the sense of foreboding makes you wish you could get into William Thornhill's ear and warn him of what lies ahead.

Before that I read something rather different by the very clever and sometimes a bit showoffy Ian McEwan. Actually I shouldn't say that - I'm just jealous. So, Solar. Very modern and very British and with one of the most unlikeable (or is it unlikable - help Amy!)characters I've come across. Which makes it kind of tricky when Michael Beard, Nobel Prize winner and scientific genius, is the story. He's a serial philanderer, glutton, self-absorbed squalid human being. And McEwan writes him brilliantly. Yet I didn't feel myself engaged or enthralled as I read. Stylish and clever, indeed but remote. That said Mr Neat really enjoyed it as did numerous friends. So what would I know!

OK, now this is becoming a long entry. If you stay with me you deserve a prize.

Before Solar, I read the wonderfully titled A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. The cover kept telling me how hilarious this book was and indeed Marina Lewycka does keep the tone light and is generous with whimsy and a sense of the ridiculous. But there's no escaping the tragedy that underlies this tale of immigrant life in Britain and the stories from the old life that can't be forgotten.

Home stretch now. Mr Darwin's Shooter. Mr Neat bought it for me at our favourite boutique - Chez Vinnies for $1. What a scandalous bargain. This is a detailed and complex tale of the life of Syms Covington who shot, cleaned and prepared the specimens for Charles Darwin over a long period and rated barely a mention in Darwin's writings. A really enjoyable piece of historical literature that captivated me for days and then left me feeling somewhat lost when I was finished. But isn't that what good books are meant to do?

So now I need a new book.

What have you been reading?

Instant gratification - passionfruit shortbread biscuits

2011-01-24T06:30:00.014+11:00

Last summer my passionfruit vines finally gave up and died and I never got around to planting new ones. This summer was a sad passionfruit-less affair which has made me resolve to plant several new ones.

If you have a passionfruit vine or a fruit bowl full of passionfruit here's a fabulous recipe. You can swap the flour to make it gluten-free too.

ingredients
250g butter, softened
1 1/3 cups icing sugar mixture
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cornflour
1/3 cup rice flour
4 tablespoons passionfruit pulp (I sometimes use more!)
If the crunchy seeds bother you (or your kids), trying straining the passionfruit before mixing it in.

method
Combine butter, sugars and flours in large bowl of food processor. (I don't have a food processor so I just use my trusty sunbeam mixer) Process until mixture is combined. Add passionfruit. Process until mixture clings together.

Transfer mixture to lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Divide mixture in half, roll each half into a log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Cut logs into 1cm slices Spaces slices on a lined oven tray and bake for about 20 minutes at 170 degrees celcius. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

x Sarah

Anyone need some vintage napery?

2011-01-23T14:34:00.000+11:00

My mum and I have been going through some boxes from her garage and found some vintage napery - some crochet, some embroidery, some tatting.

It's mainly dainty sort of pieces in beiges and whites. I have seen some clever sort of people turn such things into beautiful clothes for girls, but such skills elude me!

If you are such a person or know someone who is or simply love a bit of old world charm, then leave me a comment or shoot me an email: sbarnettATbigpondDOtnetDOTau I will even post the pieces out to you (if you live in Australia, that is!).

x Sarah

Instant gratification - anzac biscuits

2011-01-08T16:28:00.001+11:00

As I am in a kind of creative and motivational wilderness there has been greater need to bake. Not that my waistline really needs this sort of therapy. But there's a need to make something, to finish something, to feel something has been accomplished.

In my house it is impossible to make anything in the kitchen without the aid of Mr 4. Anzac biscuits are the best thing to make cos you use one bowl - no mix master required - they take a few minutes to whip up, 15 minutes to cook and there's that cool thing that happens when you add the bi-carb soda to the melted butter and golden syrup.

So here's an easy recipe if you're lacking in the anzac biscuit recipe department.

ingredients:
1 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup dessicated coconut

125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon of cold water

method
1. mix dry ingredients together
2. melt butter in saucepan over medium heat
3. add golden syrup to melted butter
4. dissolve bicarbonate of soda in cold water
5. stir bicarb soda mix into melted butter
6. quickly pour butter mix into dry ingredient and combine
7. roll ingredients into balls and place on lined trays - not too close or you'll end up with one big bikkie!
8. bake for 12-16 minutes on 180 degrees C
9. cool on trays
10.eat!

x Sarah

if only i could draw....

2011-01-05T17:21:00.000+11:00

It's a source of great frustration to me that I can't draw or make visual art. My friend Cath-the-art-teacher says that everyone can draw so let me qualify my complaint - I can't draw well. And I wish I could. I look at the ease with which some, including the lovely Miss 9, can create something with a few strokes of the pen.

If I could create lovely things with pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, paint, collage - anything really, then I might visit these people - night owl paper goods.

Isn't that lovely - a picture printed onto timber. In the meantime, here are a couple of works by people who can draw.

The first two are by Canadian artist Helen Dardik and the bottom two are by Australian artist - Kristina Sostarko (inaluxe). You can find their work on etsy.

Hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year.

x Sarah

births, birthdays and apologies

2010-12-20T11:06:00.000+11:00

It's been ages. Ages and ages since I wrote which in the scheme of things is neither here nor there but still makes me feel kind of sheepish. I haven't been particularly crafty in the time offline but there have been a few things happening. Orders to fill and deliver - why did I think personal delivery was such a good idea?!

Mr 6 is now Mr 7 and has lost none of his cuteness, cheekiness in the process. Mr Neat has been working like a maniac so Chez Neat has become a Chez Messy. Miss 9 has lost two teeth and has been robbing the tooth fairy blind.

I've also acquired two new nieces. One whom I'll only see digitally for a while and the other a little closer to home.

But I suppose the real reason for my absence has been a lengthy visit from the black dog. At this point I must digress. If I've said this before, I apologise. I do tend to repeat myself. It's a hangover from my debating days where we called it emphasis, not saying-the-same-thing-over-and-over-because-you're-1-insane-or-2-have-nothing-else-to-say.

Where was I? Black dog. Yes. Winston Churchill's phrase to denote his depression. But to me black dogs symbolise devotion, warmth and excessive amounts of saliva. I miss my black dog - well the slobbery, hairy one. But in the absence of a better metaphor I'll stick with Mr Churchill's. The black dog has been visiting and has not yet seen fit to leave.

So apologies for my absence and craftlessness. I'm hoping 2011 will be a year of organisation, creativity, prayer and neatness. And regular blogging.

Have a safe and blessed Christmas.
x Sarah

thank you roseville!

2010-11-24T15:37:00.000+11:00

I had a great afternoon / evening at the Roseville College Christmas Fair yesterday and am really quite zonked today. I fell asleep reading to Mr 4 this morning. "Is it nighttime already mummy?" It was worth it though. I had a great response to my map and car pics and the new "almost art". Thanks to everyone who stopped by and chatted.
Only one market left for the year plus several orders to fill and then I'm done.
x sarah

almost art...

2010-11-18T14:33:00.001+11:00

I am not an artist. I'd quite like to be but I am a tinkerer. And an erstwhile (read frustrated!) wordsmith. So these little numbers are not art. But they're almost art. Cos if you put them in a frame they kinda look artsy to me.

Mister Pip

2010-11-18T11:58:00.000+11:00

I recently finished Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. It's set during a tumultuous time in Bougainville and centres on the reading of Great Expectations to a group of children - hence Mister Pip. It is intriguing and slightly whimsical until the heartbreak that has been stealthily building takes over.

One thing I loved about it was this vignette about the experience of reading:

"You cannot pretend to read a book. Your eyes will give you away. So will your breathing. A person entranced by a book simply forgets to breathe. The house can catch fire and reader deep in a book will not look up until the wallpaper is in flames."

So true. I wish I had written that.

Fabulous Friday Finds - Remembering...

2010-11-11T16:19:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was Remembrance Day. The 11th day of the 11th month. A day for remembering those who gave their lives for the safety and freedom of others. The symbol for Remembrance Day is the poppy.

christmas cards

2010-11-08T17:46:00.000+11:00

Going in my etsy shop. Any four for $10 or $3.50 each.

Fabulous Friday Finds - dollhouses

2010-11-05T10:43:00.001+11:00

One of the best bits about being a stay-at-home mum is playing. I've always loved to play. In fact I'd rather play than do most grownuppy things. If I'm not allowed to play then I love to secretly listen to my lovelies playing. Miss 9 was never really interested in dollhouses nor was Mr 6 but Mr 4 just loves them. And so do I! Check out my favourite ultra modern dollhouse by Wolfgang Sirch.

Balmain Art and Craft Show

2010-11-03T16:57:00.000+11:00

All packed and ready and sent off to the Balmain Art and Craft Show. It's my kinda market. I give them the goodies and they sell them for me! How lovely.

The secret of the pear

2010-10-30T18:41:00.000+11:00

The answer to the elusive pear mystery (see post on ABCD goody bags) is .... the gorgeous girls (sorry women)at dandi. Some lucky ducks received apples but I'm glad I got a pear. Thanks Leezar, Caroline, Mindi & Manuela.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-10-29T07:40:00.000+11:00

Well not finds per se. Gifts. Goodies. Little treasures popped into the ABCD goody bags. It was a lovely night and while I only managed to chat to a few of the 30+ people there, I met some gorgeous, talented crafty types. Thanks to Steph and Lisa for organising and to all those who ventured out from their sewing machines and computers to say hello. So here are some of the treats that I took home with me.

The gorgeous knitted teacup is from stitchybritt. The fabric bookmark is from we me. The gift tag is from paperlion. But I don't know who provided the lovely pear. I love it! Thank you whoever you are.

x Sarah

abcd get together

2010-10-28T10:17:00.001+11:00

Feeling a bit nervous. There's a get together tonight for artists, bloggers, crafters and designers in Rozelle. So I'll be popping along. Trying to be cool.

three days til Mathilda's at Paddington

2010-10-27T11:29:00.000+11:00

My second Mathilda's Market. My first at Paddington. Getting ready. Busy Busy. If you're coming stop by and say hello! I'm stall number one!

four

2010-10-26T18:54:00.003+11:00

Mr 3 is now Mr 4. But he insists he is a *little* four-year-old NOT a big one. I think that's his way of keeping the cuddles coming.

We had a pirate party for him and enjoyed a full ten minutes of sunshine before the rain came pelting down turning the backyard to a swamp and his glorious cardboard pirate ship into a sloppy mess.

All was not lost though. Four-year-old boys are just as happy scoffing food inside and playing cars as following my itemised plan of pirate-themed games...

Fabulous Friday Finds - Coasters

2010-10-22T10:00:00.000+11:00

I know. Coasters. But wait. Before you think coasters are just those cork-backed squares with rounded corners and dodgy Constable pictures adorning them, think again. You see I was swooning over the latest collection of inspiration at oh, hello friend and one photo was of some funky coasters which made me think. "Wow, I didn't know coasters could be funky! I thought they were just for people who worried about marks on their veneer furniture." Well how wrong I was. Here are some cool and groovy coasters for your admiration and approval.

x Sarah

New brooches

2010-10-20T16:30:00.001+11:00

Thanks to all who popped by on Saturday. As the wind blew a gale outside we were nice and snug in mum's cosy house sipping tea and munching on chocolate chip cookies.

So, some new things. I snaffled up some lovely lovely buckles and buttons a while back and have started making brooches with them.

Fabulous Friday Finds ... on Monday

2010-10-18T17:07:00.000+11:00

Okay so it's Monday afternoon and I'm only now uploading my FFF from last week. Shocker. it's all about craft. Craft books that is. There are some fabulous crafty books out there, some of which I am fortunate enough to own and others I can't wait to get my mitts on. (Does mitts have two "t"s, Amy? It looks wrong. But then so does "mits" I know you'll know!) Without further ado here it is.

x Sarah

Fabulous Friday Finds ... coming soon!?!

2010-10-15T12:10:00.000+11:00

Crazy busy at the moment and perhaps a tad disorganised. So Fabulous Friday Finds may be less alliterative and come around on Monday...

Things are taking shape for the shopping day tomorrow. Make stuff. Check. Make chocolate chip cookies. Check. (Eat too many, give some to neighbours. Check) Make another batch of chocolate chip cookies. Check. Make chocolate caramel slice. Check. Take stock to chez mum. Check. There's got to be something else I've got to do...

Oh yes, pick up the kids, feed them, ferry to cricket, watch cricket, bring home, feed again, wash them, read to them and put them to bed.... Nothing to complain about really.

Did I mention a giveaway

2010-10-09T05:32:00.001+11:00

It's a week until the twice designs shopping afternoon at chez mum and I've been busy busy making stuff and planning some treats for my lovely friends and supporters. So here are some pics of some of the goodies I will be GIVING AWAY next Saturday.

x Sarah

Fabulous Friday Finds - Suitcases

2010-10-08T04:05:00.009+11:00

Just back from holidays and what boring suitcases we have. Actually they're not even suitcases - just some awful bags from the $2 shop and some freebie overnight bags from a major department store. I used to have a fabulous square suitcase when I was a teenager. I wonder where it went. I hope it is being loved....

x Sarah

Fabulous Friday Finds - Bottles

2010-10-01T04:01:00.012+10:00

I had so much fun finding ye olde shoppe things last week that I thought I would continue with a focus on bottles. I have a few old bottles myself including a fabulous Fanta one that weighs a tonne! Imagine carrying a crate of them?!

My favourite among this lot - the one labelled *crass*. Now how does that happen?

Fabulous Friday Finds - Vintage Retail

2010-09-24T08:20:00.019+10:00

I do like a bit of retail therapy but I don't mean shopping for new clothes or going anywhere near those gargantuan shrines to consumerism. I mean op shopping, garage sales and auctions. Unless of course I could step back in time and at least appreciate the accoutrements of the shop...

(Actually I must confess I do harbour a longstanding passion for paper goods, stationery and haberdashery and not just the stuff you find at Vinnies!)

Happy Anniversary ... cough cough

2010-09-23T07:49:00.000+10:00

Fifteen years ago Mr Neat and I tied the knot.... We had a few days away earlier in the year which is just as well cos I'm as sick as a dog and the kids are all sick too! c'est la vie and thank the Lord for nurofen.

first aid ... Friday Fabulous Finds

2010-09-17T01:31:00.011+10:00

I once contemplated collecting vintage and antique first aid kits. I didn't get very far. But here are some beauties that I would include had I decided to embrace the emergency kit....

Aren't they cool! Have a great weekend :)

Brave Mr 6

2010-09-16T12:54:00.000+10:00

Sorry for not posting anything this week - I've been a little distracted with family / housey things. I had to take Mr 6 for a blood test today. Poor man. He was very brave and only squirmed a little bit. It made me think of my friend Amy who I was at school with twenty years ago! She used to like needle pain - as she called it... Mr 6 doesn't like needle pain. He said he tried to look at the blood as it went into the vial but he didn't really like the look of it. I didn't either.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-09-10T09:48:00.000+10:00

I do like stripes. I am partial to dots too. Actually it's line ball as to which I prefer. But today it's stripes. When I was about 12 I had a gorgeous pair of red and white striped trousers. They were fabulous and I reckon only my big toe would fit into them now.... if I still had them. (sob) all hail the stripe!

Have a great weekend! x Sarah

giveaway coming up!

2010-09-08T11:44:00.000+10:00

At the upcoming shopping afternoon in October there will be not one but TWO giveaways. The first will be a collection of twice designs lovely things (I'll let you know as soon as I do ;) ). The second will be a collection of crafty things that I can't use, won't use or aren't capable of using. I know that's a large category but don't fret it will be quality crafty stuff like jewellery findings, beads, barrette blanks etc.

If you want to know more about the shopping afternoon and would like me to post you an invitation email me here: sbarnett{AT}bigpond{DOT}net{DOT}au

For those who can't make it I will be getting myself organised and having an online show-me-the-love giveaway too!

In the meantime Mr 3 is eagerly awaiting his birthday and I have a pirate party to plan! Aaarrgh!

new card designs

2010-09-05T19:33:00.000+10:00

I must admit I've had fun making these cards. I've found a new supplier of paper and I'm really pleased with the results. It's recycled paper but is quite clean and bright and has a lovely weight to it.

So the new cards. They were lots of fun to make and Miss 9 was most impressed. "Oh mum, you're so clever!" Cue glowing insides.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-09-03T10:28:00.002+10:00

Words. Love 'em. Letters. Love 'em too. I would read all day and all night if I could (while eating, of course!) But I have a thang for words and letters on the wall too. Or shelf.... or floor.... Here are some goodies that I would love to call mine. (Actually I do have the first one.)

grab your diaries...

2010-09-01T11:22:00.000+10:00

Make a note of Saturday October 16 - twice designs is having a shopping afternoon. There will be some items on sale, some new things and lots of lovely gifts for Christmas. And of course there will be some delicious things to eat as well.

If you would like an invitation send an email to sbarnettATbigpondDOTnetDOTau

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-08-27T08:28:00.039+10:00

Well it's nearly Fathers' Day and one of my favourite things to give Mr Neat are cufflinks (attention grammar police!). In this regard he's much luckier than my poor Dad who was always given Computer Socks (they were designed on a computer so they would stay up!) or the ghastly smelling Brut 33 (aftershave).

I have some lovely cufflinks of my own (shameless plug) at madeit.com.au but let's have a look at what else is out there.

You can find the cufflinks here:

1. Britannia Patriotic Steampunk Cufflinks
2. Antique Cash Register Key Cuff Links
3. Star Wars R2-D2 Cufflinks
4. sterling silver connor cufflinks in vintage map custom location
5. Steampunk Cufflinks - Vintage Repurposed 15 Jewel Bulova Watch Movement Cufflinks
6. Monopoly Wooden Red Hotel Cufflinks

x Sarah

five things...

2010-08-26T10:12:00.001+10:00

Five things that made me smile this week

1. Mr 3 announcing he wants to be a "Rainy Man" when he grows up. A Rainy Man, in case you don't know, is a meteorologist - see rainy man is much easier to say. Especially when you're three.

2. Mr 6 keeping some food and liquid down after a day of vomiting (sorry to be gross but it was a cause for celebration - at least for me!).

3. Miss 9 coming home from school with a book on soccer for Mr 6. She bought it for him at the school's Book Fair with her own money.

4. Stripes. They always make me smile. Especially red and white stripes.

5. Mr Neat doing stacks of washing and folding while Miss 9 and I were at zumba. He's amazing!

Five things that made me go "grrrrrrrr" this week

1. Tissues in the washing.

2. Horror movies - I can't watch them but I don't even like that they're there. (How intolerant of me!)

3. Politicians who don't answer questions but who bang on with their five second audio grab in response to everything that is put to them.

4. Politicians.

5. Parents who drag their children across the road between cars when there is a perfectly good set of traffic lights with a crossing nearby.

Five things that made me cry this week

1. The end of Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. Everytime. I discussed this constancy of tears with my s-i-l and we agreed it had nothing to do with Ewan McGregor but the thought of how many fathers / husbands / brothers / sons didn't come home from WWII and how that loss is so unbearable.

2. The end of The Children's Book. Well it ends with WWI and I can't think about WWI and the terrible loss of life without shedding a tear or seven. (Marvellous book, by the way, by the amazing AS Byatt.)

3. Physiological tears as I choked on a small clear plastic star that Mr 3 had slipped into my drink of water. Poor Miss 9 thought I was a goner.

4. The world - such a tragic, violent, mixed up place. Twas ever thus but it doesn't make it any easier. I wonder if it is possible to be aware of all the evil/sadness/tragedy that happens, feel compassion and make a real contribution to fixing things while not being overcome by the magnitude of it all.

5. The human condition - well mine in particular. "For what I want to do I do not do and I do what I do not want to do." And the fact that number 4 is caused by number 5.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-08-20T08:02:00.000+10:00

Ooooops - I forgot last week. That is just so typical. Anyway seeing I stuffed it up last week I thought this week I might show some of my favourite stuffed things. They're not quite toys or even dolls and they're made by very clever people.

If you want to have a go at making a softie or a stuffie or whatever you like to call them check out http://www.softiemaking.com/ There are loads of free patterns and suggestions.

If you want to buy something lovely like the things shown, check out these gorgeous places:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mummysam
http://www.etsy.com/shop/flyingstartoys
http://www.etsy.com/shop/contemori
http://www.revoluzzza.com/
http://www.herzensart.com/portfolio/en/start.html

new brooches online

2010-08-18T21:20:00.001+10:00

New brooches listed online at www.madeit.com.au/twicedesigns The cool thing about these felt flowers is the finding / brooch pin on the back. It has a pin and a clip which means if you don't want to pierce your clothing / hat / scarf to wear it you don't have to! Just clip it. You can even clip it in your hair!

scarf sale on now!

2010-08-17T13:14:00.000+10:00

Winter is nearly over and so I'm having a scarf sale to celebrate! Some scarves are $20 off! Women's scarves are reduced to $30 and girls' scarves are reduced to $20.

Here are some examples:

Visit www.madeitcom.au/twicedesigns to pick up a bargain!

things I learned this weekend

2010-08-17T10:33:00.000+10:00

1. It is possible to give yourself a nasty burn from a tomato and cheese toastie.

2. If you are videoing your child's soccer match they will score a goal precisely at the moment you

a. get distracted by something
b. run out of batteries
c. turn off the camera

3. Don't try and stack/unpack the dishwasher or load a frontloading washing machine while wearing a long scarf. It will end in disaster.

this weekend

2010-08-12T13:53:00.000+10:00

This weekend I'll be at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church for their Epiphanies Exhibition. I've just finished setting up and have mentally spent a few thousand dollars on various artworks and crafty goodies. Come along and visit. I have scarves reduced to $35 and greeting cards reduced to $2 - that's less than wholesale!

Opening Night: Friday August 13 7pm-10pm ($20 admission)
Saturday August 14: 9am-5pm
Sunday August 15: 10am - 4pm

new cufflinks in funky vintage lucite

2010-08-10T13:01:00.001+10:00

I just love lucite. It's a plastic that was used mainly in the 1960s and 1970s and was invented to look a bit like glass but have a more flexible application due to its lovely lightness. Lucite cabochons make fabulous cufflinks - if I do say so myself.

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-08-06T09:23:00.000+10:00

This week it's orange!

new scarves on madeit.com.au

2010-08-05T16:20:00.000+10:00

Some new scarves to be listed on www.madeit.com.au/twicedesigns - that is if my computer stops crashing long enough for me to upload them!

Fabulous Friday Finds

2010-07-30T03:49:00.000+10:00

Being the appalling blogger that I am I thought I'd try and start (again) a regular feature on fabulous things I've seen this week. So here we go. This week it's all about paper. And there are some lovely papery goodies out there!

Darling Clementine 'Kangaroo' Notebook from the Lark

Dandy Thank You - 3PK Letterpress Greetings from Sweet Harvey

Ochre Poppies Letterpress Stationery from satsumalynn

Little Rabbit Card from Millie Paper + Cloth

Zebra Wall Art from Me and Amber

which one do you like?

x Sarah

it's raining

2010-07-28T14:04:00.000+10:00

It's raining. Again. And Peter Carey has been listed for the Man Booker Prize. Again. And politicians are talking double-speak. Again. And I'm procrastinating about ... well almost everything. Again.

Loving the sound of Mr 3 singing in his newly constructed, newly painted room. So I will blame his cuteness for my distractedness.

Actually I love the rain.

Upcoming markets

2010-07-22T11:53:00.001+10:00

Well I can see the floor in my study but there's barely a clear surface so I still have loads to do. And I need to get organised for the next few markets coming up.

AUGUST
Epiphanies Exhibition & Market
Friday 13th August, 7.00pm – 10.00pm

Saturday 14th August, 9.00am – 5.00pm
Sunday 15th August, 9.00am – 4.00pm
St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
582 Victoria Road, Ryde NSW

NOVEMBER

Balmain Art & Craft Show
Saturday 6th November
Sunday 7th November
2 Eaton St, Balmain