Hundreds and Thousands...

The other day I got my hot little hands on my first copy of the gorgeous handmade magazine Hundreds and Thousands. I'm kicking myself that I didn't hear about it when Issue 1 was out, but I'm not too late to the party, and I'll be a regular from now on!

It has cute crafty ideas, yummy recipes, gardening and a dash of Nana love...perfect! I snatched a moment with a cuppa, my knitting and nestled down to have a read..

A little moment of bliss

And I loved every moment!

So if you can, get your hands on a copy, you can thank me later!!

Jo x

Easter catch up..

It's been a long time since I've been here. Life has taken over, children, work, stuff.

I have so many ideas floating in my brain, things I'd love to do. To sit and create, uninterrupted, for as long as I choose. To start a project and work on it till its finished. To not have to steal moments when I can, or wait all day until the whirlwind of a boy I have is finally asleep to be able to get my crafty fingers working. 

But then I remember how lucky I am to have little ones to interrupt me. How I'll miss these days when they have fled the nest. So I'm trying to be present, not wish these days away. 

Easter here was wonderful. All my brothers and sisters ( there's 6 of us!) were together at mums for the first time in a long time and we talked, laughed and ate our way through the weekend. Autumn walks on the beach, visits to the farmers market and, did I mention we ate!?

I had my first market in a long time, and after a slow start, I sold stuff! I had people look at what I'd made, love it and spend their hard earned dollars on it. What a great feeling. And even if they didn't buy, the feedback was wonderful. Quite the ego boost!

My corner of the market stall

I shared the stall with my little brothers girlfriend, and I perched my little table full of wares down and spent the day knitting and chatting, to her and to market goers. And it was great.

That night I had to prepare some goodies for my Mr 3's dairy free Easter. Not so hard, I just got some dairy free chocolate that he loves and using some Easter moulds I'd managed to find at the op shop, I made some marshmallow, and 100's and 1000's covered goodies. And of course I didn't manage to get any photos!

He also got a ceramic bunny to paint, and some colouring books. Fun!

And then the next morning an Easter miracle occurred! Well I may be exaggerating just a tad. 

I made a ginger cake to take to our family lunch, using my great great grandmothers recipe. I sprinkled a bit of icing sugar over, using a rabbit template to decorate, and wonders of wonders, a crack in the cake managed to form the cutest and most perfectly placed bunny eye!

The miraculous ginger cake!

I didn't say it was an impressive miracle...maybe I need to get out more!

 Anyway, I hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter, and managed to witness a miracle or two, no matter how big or small!

Jo x

Getting cosy...

Last year I entered some of my crafty woolly work in my first ever event. It was for the Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival. Fish Creek is a small country town about half an hour from where I live, primarily a farming town, it has a arty edge. Last year was the first ever tea cosy festival, and I fluffed around with some wool, some tea pots and some ideas, and eventually come up with 2 tea cosies that I was happy to put my name to.

My finished pair of cosies.

Being the first time I'd entered any of my work I wasn't expecting much, and while I didn't place in the tea cosy contest, I was flabbergasted to sell both my pieces. And if I'm honest, I felt a little bit sad to see them go. I'd spent so long playing with stitches, different wools and ideas, that I'd become quite attached to them.

But the day I got my first ever crafty related cheque in the mail, I must admit, mid crazy happy jig at the mail box, I did feel better about letting them go!

Butterfly Garden Cosy

I often wonder who bought them, who parted with their hard earned cash, in exchange for something that I made. I hope they are keeping many a pot of tea warm, that they are part of someone's loving kitchen, sitting in between a family at breakfast, friends having a heart to heart. And I hope they bring a smile to someone's face now and then.

Rainbow Fish Cosy

And now, to this year... I have a basketful of wool and a head full of ideas, now to just find the time to put the two together!

How about you? Are you a lover of all things cosy and tea related?

Jo x

Growing up, growing old and growing wise....hopefully.

My eldest boy started his adventure into high school last week, and my youngest little man had his 3 year old introductory interview. On the same day. Small things in the scheme of things, but they felt huge! Markers of how fast time is flying by.

Mr 12 is going to my old school. My old stomping ground. He'll even have some of the same teachers, although that may concern them more than me!

As I watched him drive off on his first of many bus rides to school, I reflected on how I felt at that age.  I felt so grown up, but so unsure. Unsure of how to act, how to look, who to be. I worried about others opinions a bit too much. I was never interested in sports, which was a big deal in our country town. That and farming.

I loved my horse,our animals, my books and my imagination. I would spend hours in the old magnolia tree, curled up in the crook of a branch, reading book after book. The bark of the tree was polished to a waxy sheen from where I sat. 

Or I would climb to the top of the hay shed and make a nest from the loose hay, flop myself down and escape into other worlds, be anyone I wanted to be.

And now I live in town. Admittedly a small town still, but there is something magic about growing up on a farm. There is always something to do, and somewhere to escape to.

I worry that my big boy spends way too much time in his room on his DS. He wants me to cave and let him have a T.V in his room ( I won't!) I worry that my youngest spends to much time in front of the T.V with dad while I'm at work.

My kids are growing up in a beautiful place though. We live by the sea. We have 2 dogs and 4 chooks.

We go to the beach, dig holes big enough to trap a man, and return home, tired, salty and leaving a trail of sand wherever we go.  I hope they look back with fondness on this time.

I look back at my childhood, and wish I'd had more confidence. Wish I'd known that if I wanted I really could do anything I wanted. 

But I'm happy, And I think my boys are happy too. I am growing older, watching them grow up and I aim to grow wiser along side.

 Jo x

A Cup of Tea with Me!

I've been doing an ace online blogging course run by the wonderful Pip Lincolne.  While my blog is still only in its infancy, the course has been great!  It has sparked inspiration and creativity not solely in my blog, but in my everyday life.  I've been writing again, I've been thinking, creating more and generally feeling inspiration all around me. I just needed the spark..


Anyhoo, Pip has set a challenge, and its the type of challenge I rise to, sitting down having a cuppa and a chat. So here goes....

1) Name, State and what you do on a daily basis...

I'm Jo, I live in a Victorian seaside town that goes from being a small quiet country town where everyone knows each other in the winter, to a heaving sweaty mass of holiday makers in the Summer. Some times this can be hard to deal with but before I get too snarky, I remind myself of what my eldest son once said. "Mum, they pay a lot of money to come and visit where we get to live all year"....Quite right too.

I spend my days first and foremost being a mum to my two boys,  Mr 12 and Mr 3. These two have been the making of me, given me direction and made my days shine.

I work part time in the local library, with a focus on early years. I do Story Time in the library once a week and do outreach to groups of kids and their parents that might need a bit of extra attention. So basically I get to read stories, sing songs,get crafty and share my love of reading and books with gorgeous preschoolers. Pretty awesome really.


2) Favourite things to do...

Trying to master a new stitch.

I must admit I'm terrible at narrowing things down to my absolute favourite. I'm always stressing out that I'm going to leave something out!

So, apart from work, which I love my favourite things include but are not confined to:

• Crocheting, knitting, felting and general craftiness
• Baking delicious desserts, cakes, biscuits...mmm
• Sitting in my back yard watching my children, dogs and chooks doing what they do.
• Escaping in to a good book, losing time and memories so I can completely inhabit another world.
• Slowly edging my way inch by inch into the ocean on a hot day, taking my time, building up the courage, just so I can get to that moment of finally diving under, to feel that cold rush and relief. Bliss. And the salt water makes my curly, unruly hair look good!
• Getting up before anyone in my house, to sneak a coffee, and some time to write, craft, read or just be.
• Spending time with my family. My mum, brothers and sisters are my best friends and I love any time we have together.

3) Favourite place to be...

Home is having a greyhound wrapped in granny squares on my couch.

Home. I love spending time at home, with my boys, just hanging out.
My local beach is a piece of heaven, and any time spent there is always rejuvenating.
But basically I could be any where, as long as my loved ones are there...soppy I know, but true!

4) Favourite things to eat and drink...

I love stumbling to the kitchen first thing in the morning to make that first coffee of the day, most delicious if enjoyed in solitude.

Cups of tea are a must for the rest of the day, in fact I sometimes suspect that my veins run with milky tea, not blood. My Nana was always making tea for all and sundry. I'm yet to re create that particular deliciousness that she would brew, but I love it nonetheless.

And I must confess, to occasionally enjoying a Gin & Tonic at the end of the day, best imbibed when children are in bed, and the day is at its end.

I love food, all sorts, where to start?

I love baking ( and eating!) my great great grandmothers Ginger Cake. So yummy, and I love cooking something that has been handed down through my family, from mother to daughter...

I could eat anything my mum made, happily till the end of my days.

I confess to a sweet tooth, chocolate is a particular weakness.

I have also just discovered Maggie Beers Burnt Fig, Honeycomb and Caramel ice cream. I don't think I'll ever be the same....

5) Favourite inspirations..

I find inspiration everywhere, in books, on walks, at the beach.
Spending time with or reading about, creative people gets the sparks flying too.
Frustratingly I have a tendency to wake at some ungodly hour in the night with inspiration and ideas pinging through my brain. I always swear I'll remember in the morning...I need to get a notebook by the bed

6) Something I want to know more about..

I have inherited a rabid sense of curiosity from my mum. I love finding out new things and learning new skills.
but there's a few that I want to conquer sooner rather than later..

• Spinning wool. I have two spinning wheels and so far have only produced lumpy, slubby, uneven bobbins.And I love it!
• I have an inkling, a whisper of an urge to learn to play the banjo. Just because.
• I want to know more about the world, about the lives of others, those less fortunate than me, and how I can help. 
• I'd love to know more about my family history, the links of the chain that came before me.

7) Some favourite blogs.. 

Aargh, so many!!

Obviously Pip's..a place to visit to be inspired and entertained. I always get something from  popping in for a visit!

Foxs Lane A window into Kates life, which always stirs the best kind of jealousy. The kind that makes you want to get off your butt and make your own version.

Another one that makes me feel like that is Soulemamas. Gorgeous.

I'm always inspired by Dos family, fun and unique.

And of course my fellow Blog with Pip students, a bevy of new and exciting stories to follow!!

Well, that's me. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Jo xx

Toys for Nauru..

As Christmas has been getting closer, and the low level hum of panic started to turn in to a roar, I have taken some time to step back, have a reality check, and get things in perspective.
While we are far from wealthy, and most weeks I count every bean to make it to the next pay check, I know we have it good.


I live in a safe secure house, with no threat of violence or persecution.
My children live in a country where they have access to education and health care.
We can sleep at night, knowing that we are safe, and will wake in the morning, still safe.
My heart can barely stand the thought of me or my loved ones being so unsafe and scared that we have to leave our country, face perilous journeys to seek asylum in a foreign country. And once there being treated like criminals, or worse.
It breaks my heart to think of anyone being treated this way.
And ashamed that my own country, instead of welcoming and protecting such vulnerable people, locks them in such inhumane conditions.

So this Christmas my children will be getting less presents than usual. And they'll be OK.
We'll be sending some, via Sarah Hanson Young, to the more than 100 children currently in detention on Nauru. Read more here: http://sarah-hanson-young.greensmps.org.au/toys-for-nauru
and here: http://scasites.org.au/noborders/providing-support-to-vulnerable-children-on-nauru/

And if you want to know more about how to show support to refugees visit Welcome To Australia here: http://www.welcometoaustralia.org.au/

I hope your Christmas is a safe and happy one, spent exactly how you like (or as close to it as possible!)
Jo xx

The Not So Ugly Duckling..

When I was a little girl, one of my favourite stories was the story of the Ugly Duckling. I had an audio book of it, a tape and book to read along with. I knew that story inside out and back to front. I listened to it over and over. I loved that little cygnet, I wanted to pick him up, snuggle up and tell him he wasn't ugly. I hated the animals and people who were mean to that little bird. I felt like I was the Ugly duckling and all the mean words and blows were inflicted on me. And when that little cygnet finally blossomed and realised that he wasn't ugly, he wasn't even a duck but in fact was a beautiful swan, I never failed to feel a little skip of joy. ( I was an imaginative and melodramatic child!)  

Throughout the years that story stayed with me, in the little corner of my mind, popping up when I'd least expect it.

 Throughout my teens I felt like the Ugly Duckling, the odd one out. The little bird that didn't quite match. But I forgot about the Swan.

Years later, I was in a friends shop. One of those old style second hand furniture and knick knacks shops where treasure really can be found. And there in a dark corner I spotted it. A gold painted frame. It was a dark painting, hard to see the details and in need of a clean,but the swan was what caught my attention, it was like she was glowing, leaping out of the painting. Of course she came home with me.

The first swan.

And that's how it started. two weeks later I was in one of my local op shops. And there on the wall, was a Vernon Ward print of two swans. 

A bit worse for wear, but still lovely.

Now I don't know if you are a treasure hunting op shopper and have felt this before, but I had one of those moments of excitement, mixed panic and a dash of killer instinct.  Where you spot something across the room, something that you MUST have. It feels like you're in slow motion, you're eyes are locked on your prize, and you walk/run towards it, hoping no one realises what a treasure is amongst them, hoping you're not going to have to elbow someone out of the way.  And when you get your hands on it, you look around with a grin from ear to ear, expecting everyone to be impressed with your efforts.  But their not, because to them it was just a picture hanging on the wall.

Since then, I've gathered together a bevy of Vernon Ward swan prints, and every time I look at them, I'm reminded of that little duckling, who despite feeling like he was the odd one out, became the beautiful swan, the one who everyone admired.

And you,

Do you collect? 

Do you have a story from childhood that still echoes into adulthood?

Jo xx