I spent the majority of my weekend at a yoga workshop run by Simon Borg-Olivier. It was brilliant. Totally brilliant.
I've never done that much yoga in such a short space of time before. I thought I would be incredibly tired today but I am feeling rather energetic and sprightly (for a Monday).
Hope your weekend was refreshing and wonderful too.
But I did finish another crochet facecloth - this time with a shell edging. I like it better than my first one, so that's something. I think they'll make nice presents too. They are wonderfully soft and nice and light.
I will be starting work on The Versatile Wrap skirt just as soon as I can be bothered drawing up the pattern and cutting out the fabric. I really hate cutting out fabric. I will be using these beautiful fabrics for this one.
I am so insanely excited about this movie (despite the fact that the acting in the trailer looks dreadful!). I've started reading the book again in anticipation.
This book (and series of books) dominated my whole high school experience. I read Tomorrow, When the War Began in Grade 7. I remember eagerly waiting for each book after that to come out - and then trying to savour it but just devouring it in days. I remember wondering what would happen to the characters next. I remember everyone talking about the sex scene in the second book of the series, and how we felt so grown up reading it. I remember talking to my friends about it. I remember wishing I was Ellie, and then being thankful that I wasn't.
The amazing thing about these books (and about John Marsden books in general) is that they don't talk down to the teens they were created for. They assume you are an intelligent and mature reader and are capable of such massive themes as war and sex and friendship and love. It was really refreshing at the time. I'm still very grateful for that.
Now I know that movies based on novels very rarely compare. But there's something a little bit magical about seeing books bought to life. Especially these books that I grew up with and cherished so much. I'm also hoping that this will bring a whole new generation of readers to these masterful books. To John Marsden! *fingers crossed* I'm also very excited about having an excuse to read them all again as an adult.
I was lucky enough to meet the amazing John Marsden a few years back and was an absolute blithering idiot. I was totally starstruck. Over awed. He was very friendly (while presumably thinking I was a complete loony!) and signed a copy of Hamlet for me (which is also brilliant - he rewrote Hamlet in modern language for young people - brilliant!). He is definitely one of my most favourite authors ever and I hope this movie brings him many more adoring fans.
I am having one of those days where everything seems a little pointless. Or boring, to be more exact. I would much rather be sewing or crocheting or knitting or dancing or singing or yoga-ing or writing...anything rather than sitting in a poorly ventilated office staring at a computer screen for eight hours. I am feeling a little teenage in my desire to shout out, "what's the point?!"
Of course I know what the point is. I'm trying to swing some Yogic perspective and tell myself that it's my Dharma. I'm dreaming about a holiday and I know that this is how I get to have one. I know. I know. Yet I still feel like throwing a tantie today. I. just. don't. wanna.
My one major dream has always been to become a writer. Not an office dweller. I am not a writer now but I still think I could be one.
Can't I?
P.S I don't think my life is halfway through, by the way! Hopefully more like quarter way through :)
The Shearwater Kaftan has been completed! And it fits me! I can't tell you how much joy this brings me. It's kinda ridiculous really. You see, this is only the 2nd piece of clothing that I have actually finished making that fits me. My other clothing endeavours have ended in tragedy - and lots and lots of swearing. So much so that I have avoided attempting to make clothes for a while. But...those days are over! I'm really happy with this creation. The pattern was quite simple and easy to follow, with no zips or tricky bits. I also learnt how to make bias tape for the neckline which was fun. And did I mention it fits me?!
I entered it into the Sew Mama Sew, Make it Wear it! Challenge as a way to motivate me to actually finish the thing. Which obviously worked, so thank you!
Now I just have to wait until this dreaded Winter is over so I can wear this. In September. On the Sunshine Coast. At the beach.
Next, I'm making this versatile wrap skirt, also by Make it Perfect. I'm keeping it simple for a little while to rebuild my confidence. I've got some gorgeous fabric to make this in too. I'll post some pictures soon.
So hooray all round! It was a successful sewing weekend!
It's a Thursday thing, but somehow I always make it a Friday one. Oops.
My crafting this week has been all about the crochet, baby! Mainly because it's such a portable craft and also because I've had the dreaded cold this week so I haven't really been up to doing much else.
I finished making a very basic, double crochet facecloth though. The next one I make will be a little fancier, I hope. I'm also experimenting with making a loop to hang it from too. The loop I made on this one isn't too sturdy, sadly. However it is lovely to wash your face with. Big thumbs up there. I make it from organic cotton which is lovely and soft and very nice to work with.
The weekend shall bring some more work on my Shearwater Kaftan (hopefully).
My creative space is hosted by Kootoyoo and I'm really enjoying reading what everyone else is up to here. I promise I'll actually join in on Thursday next week!
We had a wonderful long weekend in beautiful Daylesford and surrounds. It was glorious to get away from the city and be somewhere quiet and lovely.
We kicked the weekend off with a massage at Endota Spa and lunch at Frangos and Frangos (see the yummy mushroom pizza above). We drank mineral water, champagne and wine. We shopped at the amazingly beautiful Lark where I scored myself a Cath Kidston handbag - hooray! We drove around, relaxed by the fire, had a soak at the Hepburn Bathhouse and visited some wineries.
So I pretty much want to move to Daylesford. It was glorious and we will most certainly be going back again soon!
So here it is my - my envelope and it's contents for the very cool Meet Me At Mikes Envelope Project.
As you can see it is very much Japanese themed. It contains some Hello Kitty notepaper, a lovely piece of origami paper, an origami paper crane and a little stub from the Hakuhinkan Toy Park in Ginza.
Ok, so I know it's Friday but I really did mean to post about my creative space yesterday!
I have finally started work on the Shearwater Kaftan and so far so good. I managed to keep the kitties away long enough to cut out my fabric and then got started on the fun part. So far the instructions are pretty clear and I haven't had cause to curse the thing. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
I'm crocheting away a couple of things at the moment too. I'm trying to make a granny shrug and also working on some face cloths. Crochet is fun. And super good for doing in front of the tele when it's cold.
Check out some some other creative spaces too. I did that yesterday and then ran out of time to post myself!
I've been trying to do some sewing this afternoon but have given up in frustration. The reason for this frustration is pictured above. It seems that the cutting out part of sewing is virtually impossible when you have cats. Alex thought it would be amusing to run across the room and go skidding through my nicely laid out fabric. Multiple times. I didn't find it very amusing. Certainly not after the third attempt at laying out the fabric.
So being the lovely cat owner that I am, I thought I could distract them by laying out my quilt for them to have a snooze on. They love snoozing on the quilt. And under the quilt. So here they are snoozing away. Now I can't be bothered cutting on the fabric any more.
I'm having one of those weeks where everything seems...well...a little bit shit. I started the week with a visit to the dentist, so that should just say it all really. I've gotten myself into a grumpy little huff and have stomped around feeling all sorry for myself. Well, I'm done with that now!
I've been reading things like this, and thinking about this tragic story and I've realised that I really have nothing to complain about.
So, with that in mind, here's a few reasons why my week is actually amazing (and not shit at all):
I'm going to see the amazing Paul Kelly on Saturday night - hooray!
Yoga classes have started up this week after a week off. I really missed it.
Glee is on tv tonight
Good Food and Wine Show is on Sunday and we have free tickets
According to today's "Work Health Check" my cholesterol and blood glucose levels are really good, which means a low chance of diabetes for me
