Snippets from an Enchanted Wintery Week

Beautiful metal and mother of pearl buttons selected from a huge basket, in a local op-shop; you would have laughed to see me cross-legged on the floor surrounded by mounds of little plastic bags, I laughed at myself. The precious friend I was with smiled to see me happy as she browsed among clothes. The cost of these little treasures, $2!

Of course we could not visit just one store, or select one treasure, somehow by the end of the day I had spent the princely sum of $12 and had ties, fabric scraps, tortoise shell knitting needles, a little set of drawers, coasters, books, toast racks and more. Why toast racks? they are the best for standing my board journal covers in when they need to dry and I don't want to spread throughout the entire house.

Sweet Harvey who played happily with the cord from a skirt carelessly thrown on the top part of his tower.

Charles, who seems to get prettier as he gets older was rolling in the sun, delighting in the rare rays coming though the glass doors.

Phantom asleep, apparently comfortable on top of the little garden shed, able to keep an eye on all of us, and claim he had been outside for some fresh air.

My darling niece calling, "Come and find me!" as I stood not two meters away folding washing. Of course I indulged her and searched the whole garden before finding her in among my dry washing.

The same niece delighting in the large tub of plastic beads we spent hours stringing. Butterfly bracelets came first (one for L and one for her best friend S), then a bracelet for Gran (Shhh, don't tell her, it's a 'prise), a key ring for Daddy, a necklace for L and then a necklace Mummy and S can share(?)!

A little happy creativity, some different brighter colours - Winter you won't make me grey!

See Mum, I told you I look best in the morning sunlight, I really am orange you know.

Do Pelicans flirt? I am sure this one was as Archer and I went for a bracing walk along the foreshore.

Why didn't you tell me it was cold? What do you mean I smell? It's the weed that smells not me, promise...

I am going to shelter under the jetty, perhaps you should go inside for yet another cup of steaming tea, or hot coffee, another chat with neglected friends, another play with a borrowed child, another quiet hour in the cave, another enchanted moment.

Harvey Here

Harvey here, She says you have been asking about me so She needs photo's - yawn! Normally a yawn is a non-event, and I was more concerned about cooling down on the floorboards after too long in front of my heater, than discussing a yawn. But She says my teeth are looking good, and I guess she would know, it is just over a year since she paid a man to take the rest out and then didn't want to bring them home.

I have lived here a year and a half now and I am very healthy, She says I getting cuddly, I hope she's not getting any ideas about picking me up. That enormous black and white cat likes being picked up, so does Archer, must be a colour thing... The food's good here , I really like Indian bread with a little dal or curry spread on it, or vegemite and butter on toast, but I don't get those much. Dry bickies in the morning and chicken porridge or mince for tea, She has given up trying to figure out which one I want and just gives me both. Phantom will eat the one I leave behind.

Archer is still my best buddy, he protects me from the big sucking machine and keeps an eye out for me. I play chase with him during the day and when he is asleep at night I play with Charles, wouldn't want to hurt the young fellow's feelings. He worries so much. Look at him here, watching us both, she is chatting away to me and I am considering checking out those ridiculous socks she wears at night.

The socks were not tasty at all so I would really have liked a pre-supper nap . I like to sleep. And still she has that camera out flashing away, really, I am six and a half now, I need my sleep. Do you see how Archer is right here too. This post is all about me, so one face photo and one with the tip of his feet is more than enough.

It doesn't look like she is going to let stop, next she will want to check my ears and squirt the cold stinky stuff on my neck, gosh she may even want to take me back to the tooth man for a check up. I think there is some cheese in my bowl, perhaps I will get up. In a minute...

I look more handsome in the mornings with the sun shining on my freshly groomed hair, this lighting is not good for me, I'll pose a bit later in the week and see if She notices.

Time to Relax and to Play

I have spent most of the first week of the school holidays at school, marking, tidying, filing preparing and cleaning. While the the job is never done I am now at peace with my work. School with children is wonderful, school without children is so much more productive! My faithful Archer joined me each day with snacks, his bed and a nice warm heater he was happy.

At night I have played, these ATC's are a mix of vintage charms, original photo's, cheap embellishments, ephemera and lots of paints. Five of them are promised. If you would like a swap please let me know.

What do you record...

These are the waste paint covered journals I mentioned in the previous post. The picture of all four together is true to colour. I have given a couple of journals/notebooks away this week, the rest will appear for sale soon.

I give my little notebooks hoping they will be used, happy if they are full of shopping lists and shoe sizes, reminder notes or puzzle solving. Some friends tell me they are, 'Too good to use.' Please do, I can always make more. One of this weeks is going north on holidays, with a lady who has never travelled, another is being used to collect encouraging quotes. I heard this week an older one is being used to record things which make its owner grateful. What a blessing for be involved in people's lives through my little creations.

On my desk at the moment is a mess! But under that are two half finished necklaces, some ATC's and some earrings. I am so so looking forward to some chunks of creative time next week. Perhaps I will make a list ...

Repurposing the Repurposed

I've mentioned before that I can't bring myself to waste even a drop of paint; these cards all use repurposed paint. The top cards have as their background some paint slapped on with the intention that it would be a base coat. Earlier in the week the colours appealed to me and I began to doodle trees and birds. Last night I layered them up.

I covered some journals with my multi-layered waste paint paper (and that is a mouthful) last weekend, the left over scraps became the cards below. the top two cards were very therapeutic as I lost myself in doodling designs on the patterned paper. As a child I wanted to design wall paper; I loved drawing up repetitive signs and relaxed just as I did while making these.

The irony in this card production is that I have missed more birthdays than I have remembered this year. I've resolved to send "just because..." cards instead, and hope you'll understand if you have been waiting for a while.