Monday, December 28, 2009

Party Tricks

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photo by Gianfranco Chicco via Sushi Zume. Similar collapsible hula hoops available on Ebay from Trick Concepts and on Etsy at Tara V Hoops.

After the gluttony of Christmas, and in the days before New Year, Holly Hula and her husband Hollis liked to encourage restoration of their usual more disciplined lifestyle by practising their party tricks.

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Samsam Bubbleman photo taken by Tarotastic via pixdaus

At bedtime, so as not to disturb the neighbours, Holly and Hollis would practise a more genteel form of magic.


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1. Primped Paperie 2. Call me Jasper 3. Stellar Custom Images

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Dates

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1. The Sketched Book 2. Zombuki 3. Elle Moss 4. My Folk Lover

It’s that time of year when pop up stalls selling calendars appear at the shopping centres. You know the ones. This year Twilight features heavily; and there’s the usual assortment of cats, dogs, flowers, and views of Paris. Me, I’m boring, using a chrome flip over desk number that gets refilled. I'm a 'one day at a time' kinda girl and do get surprised at times when I flip and find that I'm supposed to be somewhere in half an hour. This flip number has daily quotes to ponder. Todays ‘You cannot make a crab walk straight’ gets me thinking about the improbability of changing others and maybe ditto for self and my mind spins off..... I'm trying to do less thinking though, as my brain needs a little holiday. I think (there I go again) it needs to be filled with less intensity and more calm beauty. So I’m tempted by a few of these Etsy offerings - what an inexpensive way to have more art about. You could also make your own creations with these free templates.

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Extract below from New Year Letter by WH Auden .Auden’s poetry is rich in its language and rhythm, although I try not to read his literal meanings as I find that the pictures in my head as I read are very different to his intended message.

O Unicorn among the cedars,
To whom no magic charm can lead us,
White childhood moving like a sigh
Through the green woods unharmed in thy
Sophisticated innocence,
To call thy true love to the dance,
O Dove of science and of light,
Upon the branches of the night,
O Ichthus playful in the deep
Sea-lodges that forever keep
Their secret of excitement hidden,
O sudden Wind that blows unbidden,
Parting the quiet reeds, O Voice
Within the labyrinth of choice
Only the passive listener hears,
O Clock and Keeper of the years,
O Source of equity and rest,
Quando non fuerit, non est,

Susanna Hertrich's Chrono Shredder runs for 365 days until it has continuously shredded all of its calendar pages.

It without image, paradigm
Of matter, motion, number, time,
The grinning gap of Hell, the hill
Of Venus and the stairs of Will,
Disturb our negligence and chill,
Convict our pride of its offence
In all things, even penitence,
Instruct us in the civil art
Of making from the muddled heart
A desert and a city where
The thoughts that have to labour there
May find locality and peace,
And pent-up feelings their release,
Send strength sufficient for our day,
And point out knowledge on its way,
O da quod jubes, Domine.

ps And on another subject altogether, there's a giveaway happening over at Brisstyle and another here.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Good grief it's been a year...

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Yes it's been a year since I started this blog! A year! It's gone quickly but I also feel as if I've been 'blogging' for much longer. I suppose I was a 'lurker' for a couple of years, visiting favorite blogs but not 'following' or commenting. I started blogging tentatively, thinking that I'd set it all up and if I didn't enjoy it I'd just delete it. It's been fun researching stuff, putting it all together. I've learned so much. I didn't expect to have many followers. I didn't expect many 'strangers' to comment. I didn't expect to find such kindness, such caring, such love. I certainly didn't expect to feel so connected to other bloggers. But I do. To you. It's been a lovely blogging year.

Birthday Giveaway - Worldwide - Just leave a comment to be in the draw for this pack of 20 humorous napkins above - for mopping up any spills. I'll do a random number generation (sounds quite technical doesn't it) on 20 December.

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Photo from Ludwig Interior Design via A Gift Wrapped Life, a blog with classy gift wrapping ideas.



Congrats to Cloravik! I'll be in touch!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Josefin Searches For The Giver of Truth

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'Waiting' and 'House by the Sea' by Melbourne artist Catherine Campbell via My Folk Lover


`Josefin the Writer' by duo Olney Clark from their self-titled LP to be released in February, 2010 on the Friendly Police UK Label. Video directed by Hanae Seida.

I was listening to an abc radio national program this week where a learned person was talking about memory. He maintained that humans have been designed to forget – in order to maintain relationships and to cope with painful life events. A good memory, he said, puts a person at a disadvantage. It’s hard for them to move on, to forgive, to function, when the past is so crystal clear. But if nobody had one of these ‘disabled’ brains, who would be the keepers of truth?

I couldn't find the Josefin lyrics anywhere - bit early I suppose - so have written down the words that I sing in my head. Some of them will be wrong! I'm away for the next couple of weeks with limited internet access but promise to catch up with all comments when I come home.

Josefin the writer
has books locked in her head.
She must release them
onto paper.
She has
she has me worried
of how her thoughts do go
but it’s not to name it
but left to mind
to turn like you’ve gone away.

Why do,
why do our bodies
tire so much faster than our minds do?
Where does thought go
when it swims away?

She is the place
I send my mind
when I need to see things
not as they are
but as I long for them to be.
Josefin.

Josefin the writer
is collecting information
on the mechanics of a memory.
Where will,
where will she find love?
Will it stay with you
or another
or where will she find
a reader like me?

She is the place
I send my mind
when I need to see things
not as they are
but as I long for them to be.
Josefin.

You are the place
I send my mind
when I need to see things
not as they are
but as I long for them to be.
Josefin.


Supposedly 'big hair' is back!

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Photographs by Saima Altunkaya

And of course, books never go out of fashion.

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by Jolis Paon

Monday, November 30, 2009

Hunting with the talented Sarah Blasko

The fox is a group of 27 discreet species that are distantly related to wolves, coyotes and dogs — all from the canid family or Family Canidae. The fox, however, is not a dog, and cannot breed with a dog. It also cannot be tamed, and though these animals are quite attractive, they are not considered to be good pets, making both the owner and the pet miserable. via wise geek

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Upcycled Brooches/Pins from ReRead. [If you're in Brisbane this Sunday, check out these pins, plus plenty more handmade goodness from Etsy Brisstyle members, at the Brisstyle Indie Designers Market. Full details here.]

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Paying Attention

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Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention,
how to fall down into the grass,
how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed,
how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

[The Summer Day by Mary Oliver]

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Post inspired by three beautiful little girls who make sure I keep paying attention to the important things. Breathtaking photographs by Jacqueline Roberts in JPG Magazine.

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Cushion/Pillow Covers from all corners of the globe. Small parcels = little postage. 1. Revision Design Australia 2. Bambina 3. Gabriel Pardo 4. Heidi Devlin Home

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Better Gnomes and Gardens

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Gorgeous website alert! Have a look at Alannah Hill. For more garden eye candy visit Erin's Art and Gardens.

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left to right 1. Terrarium from Memories Under Glass 2. Purse from The Dainty Squid 3. Clock from Blue Forest Chalet 4. The Gnomes Book of Christmas Craft from Red Hen Studios 5. Apron from Boojiboo 6. Pocket Gnomes from Lillipilli 7. Stitch Markers from Sunneshine 8. Pendant from The Pendant Factory 9. Vintage Teatowel from Modern Card

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Vogue Feature 'Garden of Delights' featuring work from 1. Stephen Jones 2. Zac Posen 3. Oscar de la Renta 4. Marc Jacobs 5. Vera Wang 6. Philip Treacy Couture 7. John Galliano for Christian Dior Couture 8. Thakoon 9. Stefano Pilati 10. Nicolas Ghesquière 11. Manolo Blahnik 12. Christian Lacroix

Friday, November 20, 2009

and the journey continues...

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Well the mri results are in. There are a few lesions in the white matter of the brain but not enough to give a multiple sclerosis diagnosis so I am verrry happy about that. The diagnosis is peripheral polyneuropathy – a condition that occurs when the peripheral nervous system becomes damaged. In my case, probably caused by my compromised immune system - previously testing positive to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, shingles, cytomegalovirus (all linked to nervous system damage) – together with the congenital bronchiectasis and resultant aggressive drug treatments particularly for the ‘TB family’ bacteria. In retrospect I know that this condition has been around for a number of years but the symptoms have been explained as anxiety, lung infections, overexertion, depression. Anyway most of the symptoms have settled down – still have the ice block feet. tingling and weakness in left hand, and burning tongue and throat – but I can cope with these. Maybe they’ll go away as well, who knows…I couldn't get any answers from the neuro except for everybody being different in their prognosis. Supposedly no cure but treatment for any symptoms that arise. But I'm relieved that the wait is over and just look forward to getting on with life and leaving the last few weeks...well the whole of this year really (except for the love I've shared with so many lovely people)...behind!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Neurological Short Circuit

Hello my dears. My apologies for not posting soon. I've been unwell ...and in shock...diagnosed with a neurological disease. I'm spending time with my family and have been having tests. Have a lovely competent neurologist and am hoping for slow dehabilitation. So, definitely will be back when things settle down with the medication. Look forward to it very much. My love to you all, Chrisy

Friday, October 30, 2009

Red rabbits are running amok...

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'Chaos' Mixed Media Painting above, and words below from Saint Victor. His paintings, and his commentary, are spectacular. Go. Look. I know you'll enjoy them.

In this painting I represent Chaos as a gift as illustrated with the big red bow with Chaos sitting atop a crumpled purple cloth representing the fall of monarchies at the hands of the disenfranchised. Her striped clothes represent the cosmic tango between order and chaos, yin and yang, working together in evolutionary harmony. The tornado in the back- ground façade is the destructive force of nature which is not evil or punishment, it is simply a natural force of the planet we call home and chaos theory in the other panel represented as a seemingly unrelated series of events, equations or concepts that in retrospect reflect a highly organized pattern tied to a much bigger universal picture. She is shown with the attributes of the fertility god Pan, which was later demonized by the Church, in representing something life-giving as being condemned as evil. Above the façade we see the sunrise dawning as new possibilities and potential arising with every occasion of Chaos.

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Flying carpets / rugs....they're out there...

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from Ceccialdi

They're out there. Rugs zooming off to new owners. Not necessarily with little poppets hitching a ride, but flying about nonetheless. Yes a new rug is only a mouse click away. Have a look at these beauties from Buyster Rugs. They're not expensive. They follow ethical trading practices. And I can tell you from personal experience that their service is fantastic. Try CSN Rugs if you're in the US.

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For more lovely rugs, real works of art, do a bit of mouse clicking over at Etsy. Left to right, Crocheted Rug from Sago on Tuesday, Faux Bearskin from Fringe Collection, Handwoven Recycled Wool Sweater Rug from Five Forty, Nunofelted Rug / Wallhanging from Vilte, Handpainted Floor Cloths from Dwagonflies

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Of course you could whip up your own floor covering like these below. I know the next two aren't technically 'rugs' but I couldn't resist sharing these clever ideas. This first pic makes me yearn for a cement floored studio where I could splatter paint about.

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Here's one that's been painted onto a wooden floor by clever Genevieve Gail, with some tips on doing your own.

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Or paint a rug of your own in any design and color that your heart desires. In this one a piece of vinyl/linoleum is flipped, and painted on. There are instructions here if you want to try it yourself.


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Whether your rug comes to you flying through cyberspace, or flying from your fingers, keep your landing pad cleared and ready! And if your still hangin about here from the Halloween Party and giveaway in the prior post, be careful taking off on your broom; there are obstacles about...

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Headless Halloween Party n Giveaway

Welcome to the Sleepy Hollow Halloween Party. It’s scarey here, but there could be treats. What’s that? Shhhhhh… I hear a voice, a deep and tad menacing voice, drifting on the wind...

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What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted spectre, beset his very path!

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How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scourings! (from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving)





And as the headless rider rode off into the distance, he was heard to cry............

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I think he’s dropped some treats from his saddle bag. Look there below, it’s magnets of cream and gold, and tags for writing your own cautionary notes. Mich from Mich Vanetta and Koot has provided this tempting giveaway.

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To get your hands on these treats, see below. Don’t forget to leave a separate comment for each entry.
1 Entry – Leave a comment on this post
1 Entry - Follow this blog
1 Entry - Follow Mich’s blog
1 Entry – Visit one of Mich’s Stores, either Mich Vanetta or Koot and leave a comment with a link to your favourite item
3 Entries - Blog, tweet, facebook this giveaway and leave a link. Getting the word out gets you 3 entires! Go ahead and leave three comments. You can do this as many times as you want.

This giveaway is open worldwide and the winner will be chosen by random number generator on October 24th at 11pm etsy time.

Enjoyin the Halloween vibe? Want more? You're in luck as many bloggers are having Halloween Parties today thanks to our gorgeous host, Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist. Go visit Vanessa for links to the other party hosts. Happy Halloween!


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WINNER! Congrats to Kathie from My Net Finds!