Sylvia May

My new door sign

2012-01-29T14:46:00.000+11:00

During the past few weeks I have had multiple sales persons come to my door trying to get me to buy whatever it is they are selling. That, I can put up with if it is an every now and then thing.
However the past few weeks have seen Jehovah's at my door every Friday too. I'm unimpressed they wish to convert me from my sinful ways...I quite like them. They either laugh at me when I have to end up telling them I do not believe in any religion or god or they look at me with pity. I have always been polite to them but I have simply had enough. It comes down to this...I don't go door knocking to tell people about my Atheism so why do people feel it's OK to come to my home and tell me about their religion?. So I felt it necessary to stick a sign on the door. They haven't knocked this week.

Cooking with kids

2012-01-29T14:35:00.000+11:00

My fave summer dinner.....

2012-01-29T14:29:00.000+11:00

My lazy frittata and salad dinner...yummo

If you have limited cooking capabilities...or you are lazy...or both of these things apply to you...a summer dinner of frittata and salad may be the meal for you.

...games.

2012-01-19T07:12:00.000+11:00

My son received Rory's Story Cubes for Xmas....so much fun.

It's nice to take a break from cooking and cleaning....and play games with your kids. Kind of puts everything back into perspective.

....Great things.

2012-01-15T22:58:00.000+11:00

From here

A little snippet of this week....

2011-12-30T19:08:00.001+11:00

I have had a wonderful festive season this year. While it has not been without its dramas...it has certainly been quite enjoyable overall. I have eaten so much food that I am feeling lethargic and frumpy....so I guess I will be conforming to the very cliche new years resolution of, yep, you guessed it....eating healthier and sticking to an exercise routine. Bah humbug.

Tyga's very interesting book....I just may have to read it myself.

My favourite easy meal...pata bake and salad...and don't forget the glass of red.

It's beginning to look alot like xmas....but where is the xmas cheer?

2011-12-21T11:05:00.001+11:00

I'm looking around and everywhere you go there are reminders that Xmas is very near. But no one seems happy. Santa at the local shopping centre is a grumpy old man this year, there are people looking very angry in the shops and pushing their way through the line ups, kids are on holidays and fighting amongst each other already and the crime rate around here is making me feel like I am living in the centre of a ghetto! Well that may be a little bit of an exaggeration...or maybe it has taken me this long to see how miserable the lead up to Xmas is for some people.

A little something I wrote...

2011-11-25T16:00:00.000+11:00

I wrote a little story, knocked up some illustrations and had it printed for a major assessment for uni. My son Tyga is the star of the book....

....and the mark......

Cute...

2011-11-25T11:52:00.000+11:00

I gave these books to Lola for her 4th Birthday this week:

Boo and My Milk Toof

....she woke up very excited but fell asleep on the lounge for another 2 hours after she had opened her presents.

...being four can be very exhausting.

Lola

2011-11-19T07:32:00.000+11:00

photos by Tennille

These photos are of my little Lola wearing a dress I wore when I was her age. She loves to dress up.

Xmas

2011-11-18T12:15:00.000+11:00

image - Austen Cline

I don't like Xmas. If you have been reading my blog for a while you will already know this. I like gift giving and the food...oh how I love the food!. But the day serves me no religious purpose, I don't like tinsel and let's face it...the day sends me broke! This year I will hopefully have all children with us including my runaway teenager and spend the day at my brothers where the kids can have a wonderful time with all their cousins and it is this thought which has made me excited already...having all my family together.

Birds...

2011-11-07T10:30:00.001+11:00

My Mum always had birds...peach faces, budgies, a cockatoo and a galah. When I was four a bird we had bit my lip when I tried to kiss it through the birdcage. I have blocked this from my memory...must've been quite traumatic. My Mum says this is why I have a fear of live birds.
....But I love birdy things....

Cockatoo Lamp - from Ada & Darcy

Red Bird - Sweet Canary

Bird Studs - Joanna Rutter

Sponge Holder - Mud Stuffing

Bird Ornaments - Khali Nouveau

Blue Heron Original Painting - Birds in Hand

Raven Claw Ring - Moon Raven Designs

Save the Date Postcards - Sweet Cookie

Bird Girl Print - Elle Moss

Muslin Bag - By Richner

1st year done and dusted...

2011-11-03T13:50:00.001+11:00

I have finished my first year of my uni degree and must say that while it has been fun and exciting, it has been quite tough juggling children, study and the entire household throughout the year. I am a big fan of lists and reading lists like Bianca's so thought I would do a little list for some of things worth a mention about my experience at uni so far......

I have met so many fantastic people and formed some wonderful new friendships.

I've always been an avid reader but seriously have not read as much as I have this year

It has been an exciting year but quite tough when it comes to managing full time motherhood, full time study and a six person household...I am grateful to be able to access childcare and also have a mother to help me out big time

I really don't like Gloria Jean coffee at uni...it tastes like crap.

Uni is great for people watching

In a course for Human Services and Community Welfare...I learnt about the social construction of sexuality, gender, deviance etc...and watched the strangest movie about people into S&M. It was an eye opener.

I love getting to uni early so I can spend time in the peace and quiet with no one around...plus if I go early I get a good park

Some lecturers are great and some are not.

Its frigging hard to choose which courses to enrol in each semester

Lego cupcake stand

2011-10-08T12:39:00.000+11:00

I couldn't find a nice cupcake stand for Tyga's birthday so I made one out of Lego!

Birthday cake ideas....

2011-09-29T10:41:00.001+10:00

So my soon to be 7 year old son wanted handmade lego invitations and now he tells me he would like me to actually make a birthday cake. My original plan was to cheat and go buy one with a stuck on edible decal on the top. Apparently this option is not exciting. I have been searching cake ideas over the past few days and these are Master soon-to-be 7's top choices....

I like this one too....looks nice and easy

This cake is pretty darn awesome

Lego bricks

Odd taste in celebrity men....

2011-09-28T19:07:00.000+10:00

I have been told many times that I have a quirky taste when it comes to the celebrity men I find attractive...Apparently my choices are not typical for a 33 year old woman....

Kyle Maclachlan (especially as Dale Cooper)

Annoying...

2011-09-28T16:06:00.001+10:00

I've been super positive lately so just to keep it real I'm going to blog about some things that are annoying me this week.....

The weather:

We went camping with the family at Seal Rocks and while it was nice...it could have been so much better if it wasn't so darn cold and overcast while we were there. It seems like Crowded House were right...I always take the weather with me...pity that weather is bad.

(Photo taken by lovely Tennille)

Vintage shopping ain't what it used to be:

I constantly reminisce about the days long gone where I would be able to buy a genuine vintage and most interesting top for $5...now you find ghastly supre cast offs that are being sold for the same price as the supre store itself. I have come to the realisation that vintage shopping is best online or when travelling to distant places.

(Poster - Chatty Nora)

Teenage boys these days:

I have raised my teenage sons to be individuals...or so I thought. They appear to have morphed into the typical looking teenage boy of the Newcastle area. They sport mullets...yep...mullets. They keep telling me David Bowie had one but I remind them they are not Bowie.

I made invitations...

2011-09-10T12:43:00.005+10:00

I made these invitations for Tyga's upcoming birthday party....as you can probably tell my son is a huge Lego fan.

There are so many great sites that have ideas for kids parties. I spent a whole day looking at just invitations!

Where are all the good sweaters at?

2011-08-13T11:49:00.003+10:00

I know there are bigger things happening in the world right now....but I am on the hunt for a few good jumpers or sweaters, whatever you want to call them, for this continuing cold weather. I had this dilemma last winter...all the sweaters are boring beige, black or grey, fall apart or pill really badly after the first wash and are really odd fitting. I ended up buying this vintage one of etsy from Sisterly Rivalry....

...however the hunt continues for more.

Holidays...

2011-07-14T08:41:00.004+10:00

I have been on uni break for a few weeks and the kids are in their second week of holidays. During these holidays we havent done a lot of exciting things but we have had a lot of good times together and new things have happened....my partner lost his job which he had for 15 years and got a better one straight away (thank goodness), Tyga scored his first soccer goal and he has learned who David Bowie is (yes to me this is exciting), Lola has been writing her name and I received two distinctions and two high distinctions for my first semester of uni.

print - Amelia Mae

I am a footy widow....

2011-06-12T21:13:00.004+10:00

Every year when the NRL seasons starts, my partner retreats to his garage to watch the footy on his TV and I become the single parent/footy widow. While this sounds a tad sad it also has its bonuses such as...

...eating icecream out of the tub without anyone wanting to share and doing so in my pj's.

100 things in the world I love...

2011-06-10T14:11:00.005+10:00

1.My family

2.scarves

3.op shops

4.hazelnut chocolate

5.coffee

6.tea

7.funky tea towels

8.fresh pineapple juice

9.apples

10.strawberries

11.new notebooks

12.Nude by nature makeup

13.collage

14.blue glass bottles & vases

15.colourful crochet blankets

16.Koori mail

17.etsy

18.hi fructose magazine

19.interior decoration magazines

20.bed socks

21.jeans

22.Diesel Green perfume

23.Sukin skincare

24.vegetable soup

25.the smell of coconut

26.bond's bras and undies

27.libraries

28.Melbourne

29.watching documentaries

30.orange and carrot juice

31.My Aunty's homemade lemon butter in pastry cases

32.summer

33.rainbows

34.peacock feathers

35.paisley print

36.vanilla

37.pumpkin scones

38.the colour blue

39.David Bowie

40.lime green walls

41.Flight of the Conchords

42.highlighting text

43.incense

44.Bonny Hills

45.old infants school chairs and tables

46.stars

47.cornishware

48.painting photo frames

49.baskets

50.Decorate the Diva tagua nut earrings

51.Botny stud earrings

52.holograms

53.miniature doll furniture

54.handmade silver jewellery

55.fitted blazers and coats

56.Converse Chuck Taylor all stars

57.triangles

58.fresh grilled salmon

59.uno

60.peanut butter

61.breakfast in bed

62.fitted 70 style shirts

63.banana bread

64.Threadless tee's

65.the feeling that comes with finishing multiple essays

66.watching Tyga play soccer

67.fresh fluffy towels

68.MooGoo cream

69.cashews

70.watching funny movies with the kids and hearing them all laugh hysterically

71.beanies

72.cooking pancakes with the kids

73.my mum's place

74.mismatched dinnerware

75.monkeys

76.dancing around the house while doing the housework

77.cubby houses

78.picnics

79.we are scientists

80.carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

81.singing in the car

82.clearing stuff out and old things that feel new again

83.gold coins in my purse

84.horses

85.fresh washed hair

86.book deliveries

87.bookmarks

88.red doors

89.looking at old photos

90.baked vegetables

91.brooches

92.stripes

93.kaleidoscope

94.retro tablecloths

95.reading on the verandah

96.big family get togethers

97.the zoo

98.red wine

99.cuckoo clocks

100.polar bears

Beautiful...

2011-06-07T21:27:00.001+10:00

via Design Inspiration

Random etsy finds

2011-06-07T15:28:00.007+10:00

Some Kind Of Pain Silkscreen Print - MicoToledo

Custom portrait of your pet or animal of choice - Lilly Piri

From the penniless to the penniless print- Michelle Chamlee

Nose Eyeglass Stand / Key caddy mustache - Art Akinmbo

Tomorrow Illuminated Eye Chart - Michael Paulus

Oh how time flies....

2011-05-21T11:11:00.003+10:00

During the week I had my 33rd birthday. Not that it was a big deal. Another year another number. Something more exciting happened though...my 15 year old son has a steady girlfriend and I met her this week. I'm glad to say (and quite relieved) she is lovely. I saw them holding hands walking up our driveway and I had a massive flashback to when I was his age. I met his father when I was 15. Hopefully I have taught him enough to treat her well and be safe, if you know what I mean.

Wall decal - Design Divas Gallery

Classic facebook group of the day

2011-05-11T19:36:00.004+10:00

*Like if you were born on your birthday

Image from here

Oh so close yet so far

2011-05-07T18:37:00.005+10:00

I had finished a major essay last week....or so I thought. After going over it this afternoon I decided it wasnt good enough and started to work on it a bit more. I eventually thought to myself 'relax, take a break' so I did just that. Updated the ipod with some old/new music and read a magazine. Now I'm back at my desk looking at this essay and I feel like the walls have started to cave in. My aim is to get the essay done and dusted tonight and just stick with it...and try my hardest not to touch it again.

I took my son to play soccer today and I am very proud to say he is very unique and theatrical both on and off the soccer field.

Photo of Tyga courtesy of Tennille

Something I came across today.

2011-04-01T13:47:00.003+11:00

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

Found this vid via Blackbird Corner

Random etsy post

2011-03-28T16:02:00.011+11:00

I can't believe I haven't posted in over 5 weeks!. So, just to feel like this blog is still alive, here are some lovely things I found on etsy today..

Earrings - That Old Blue House 2

Coin purse - Ocean Patch

Card - Able and Game

Shirt - Rock Star Clothing

Sculpture - Plastichand

Necklace - Ruonan

Stuff at Urban Outfitters...

2011-02-14T09:38:00.009+11:00

Framed Palmograph print

Bird cage Jewellery display

Buddha butter dish

One line a day- A five year memory book

Toothbrush holder

Like & Dislike stamps

Love sign pillowcases

Bandaids

Hey Hey, It's Saturday

2011-02-12T17:56:00.003+11:00

I get up this morning with the intention to get out of the house. I get myself and the little ones ready and start the car...well try to. Flat battery. Luckily for me, our dear mate next door is an ex mechanic. He fixes it but my sister arrives to bundle us all into her car. I'm such a lucky girl.

Anyway, my little ones, sister and I go for coffee after we had shopped. The people watching today was pretty good. I saw a lady probably aged around 70 plus wearing a pair of tie dyed harem pants with a khaki loose singlet, lovely gladiator sandals and a beautiful dinosaur designs necklace and ring. Plus her hair was the most immaculate silver bob I have ever seen. Nice to know that age doesn't stop some women from losing style. Good onya Nanna.

Cushion - Skinnyhound

The cost of being a mum/student...

2011-02-04T10:03:00.006+11:00

Ive been busy arranging childcare this week before uni starts. I'm new to this before/after school care and long day care business and found it a bit daunting....but on the bright side, the kids are excited. $70 a day for Lola at daycare (7.45am -5.45pm), lucky I will only need that once a week for her because my lovely mum will be having Lola the other two days I will be at uni. So combined with Tyga's before and after school care and no financial benefit from the government for studying as partner apparently earns too much (which is an absolute joke)...I will now really be a poor student.

However, I did lash out on a new pencil case a few weeks ago...one of the last things I will purchase for a long time (apart from textbooks)....

Choose your Weapon Pencil Pouch - Nausicaa Distribution

I don't celebrate this day.

2011-01-26T07:59:00.004+11:00

So it's Australia Day. A lot of people celebrate it and that's good for them I guess but I don't. I think it is one of the most horrible things to celebrate....the invasion of someone elses country.

TED talk: Eve Ensler

2011-01-21T15:02:00.000+11:00

...the best offer I've had in a long time.

2011-01-20T21:18:00.003+11:00

I have accepted my offer to study Bachelor of Aboriginal Professional Practice at Newcastle Uni. My year is going to be quite full on...but Im determined its going to be great.

Print - Nicole Northway

See...he is artistic.

2011-01-18T19:54:00.004+11:00

My partner goes away every few months to what I call 'Bogan Camp'. A few friends go out bush in the middle of nowhere to shoot guns, ride bikes, stay in a shack and drink beer (all while wearing navy chesty bonds singlets). This time they took a camera and an odd mask that my partner bought years ago. This photo proves my dear partner does have an artistic side.

Stuff...

2011-01-07T13:55:00.008+11:00

Stuff I ate for breakfast.....

Stuff I found while op shopping this week..... earrings 50 cents

Polka dot skirt $2

and floral skirt $2.

Stuff in the mailbox today....

....A package containing my new tees from Threadless . I think I may have to slow down on the tee buying for a while as it's sending me broke.

Alexisonfire - Dead Hearts (Midnight Oil Cover, New 2010)

2011-01-03T12:06:00.000+11:00

I'm not fond of many covers but I'm very fond of this one.

Etsy finds

2011-01-03T11:01:00.009+11:00

Red Mug - Angela Ingram

Reliving the Past - Mini Memory Worlds

Organic Cotton Vintage Map cushion - My Bearded Pigeon

Home Sweet Home Poster - Sparkle Power

Mr Tea Cup - Lenny Mud

Foxy Boy Has Got A Girlfriend - Gretel Girl Draws

Lincoln Eye Pillow - Rogue Objects

Best dressed for 2010...

2010-12-28T15:24:00.004+11:00

I like to look at pretty Oscar dresses and intriguing attire worn by celebs but I have to say the Vanity Fair's 2010 International Best Dressed list is so boring. Now I can be the biggest dag of a mother and drop kids at school wearing a weird ensemble but gosh..these people are celebrities with a lot of dosh...and they still look dead set boring (minus Lady Gaga, among the rest she is pretty darn far from boring)...however it was nice to see Helena Boham Carter make the list as she never looks like carbon copy of another celeb.

Too old for tees? say what

2010-12-23T09:33:00.004+11:00

After watching stupid makeover shows on foxtel, I noticed that they all seem to class anyone in late twenties and above too old to wear t-shirts together with pants/jeans. Fuck, that's pretty much what my wardrobe consists of!. I'm 32 and really don't consider myself to be too old for t shirt wearing as long as it fits me right. I just received my Threadless order and so happy with this lot....

...so I ordered another lot.

Wrapping all done

2010-12-22T22:59:00.003+11:00

Tonight I listened to a very big play list consisting majorly of Black Sabbath, Klaxons, John Butler Trio, Yeah Yeahs Yeahs, Nick Cave and B52s. My aim for my kid free night was to wrap every single present for everyone and I did it in 4 hours yet it only felt like 1/2 an hour...the music and a bottle of red wine made it fun even though I was all by my lonesome. I must remember to do this again next year.

Amber Alexander

A wonder full week...

2010-12-17T11:32:00.006+11:00

This just made my day!. A lovely box full of goodness sent to me from Bianca and Cameron.

My favourite lunch....Tuna salad wrap and fresh pineapple juice.

The little ones wanted to go see Santa. Stuffed if I was going to pay $30+ for a photo with some man dressed up in a red suit and a beard, so I found somewhere which let you take your own photos for free.....

...the bump on little man's forehead, if you can see it, happened in a funny way. We just got home and he was whinging about not being allowed to play the xbox. I told him to zip it and I would be with him when I put the shopping away. The next thing he started to whinge some more and even screamed at me, then he started to walk off but he forgot a wall was there and smacked his head into it. I tried not to laugh at the poor little tyke. I asked him why he thought that happened and he said because he forgot the wall was there...'No' I said 'That was karma'. 'Who is karma' he said. So I told him about the world according to Sylvia. A few days later little miss decided she wasn't happy with packing up her toys in the garden so she started to get a scream happening. As she ran off refusing to pick the toys up, she fell over and hurt her knees. I heard little man telling her 'that's karma getting you back for being naughty'.

I was at the chemist yesterday getting a script filled. As I made my way to the counter to pay for it, I noticed their alternative health aisle so I had a quick look. Combined with my contraceptive pill, I spent $100 at the chemist! The girl at the counter probably realised why I was buying what I did as the little ones were running amok in the shop....

Oh dear...so disappointed in you, Naomi Wolf.

2010-12-09T12:09:00.006+11:00

I have read all Naomi Wolf's books. I thoroughly enjoyed them all. Although I have not always agreed with her opinion on everything, I have always thought very highly of her....but I now feel very disappointed. I am a supporter of Julian Assange and what he stands for and yeah it looks mighty suss with the timing of this all ...But Naomi's Dear Interpol letter while funny in some ways, is not very well thought out for a smart woman. She sounds like she is pretty much attacking the alleged victims and she sounds like she doesn't like women...you know the type...'I am a feminist.. but I'm all for the guys' type of woman. I'm wondering why she didn't full on attack Sweden's really fucked up laws. The way I see it is that Swedes really have a flawed legal system with no one ever really knowing where the line is drawn for rape or no rape. From what I've read, the alleged victims credibility sounds questionable, but its not up to me to decide what happened as I wasn't there. Oh Naomi, you could have said it it so much better.

Can't afford 'em buttons - This shirt is on sale for $9 US!!

E. Ensler: Love your Tree (America the Beautiful)

2010-12-05T10:13:00.000+11:00

Every woman must watch this! Its from the film America The Beautiful....and I think every woman needs to watch the whole movie too.

Vagina

2010-12-01T21:03:00.005+11:00

Countless times this week I have read articles that appear to make a mockery of a woman's vagina. Yes I said vagina. It seems to be very hard for some to say the word vagina. Some women know their vagina's by another name and yes it is technically a vulva but in this day and age vagina is more common than vulva (and to my surprise some women don't even know what that word is without giving it too much thought!). I've noticed most men can't bring themselves to say the vagina word without giggling. This week I also found out that a few people I know didn't even know the different parts of their own vagina's! They thought it was just made up of a clitoris, a canal and a set of lips!!! So here is a diagram just for you ladies...

image from this wonderful site Vagina Verite

Countless times this week I have also read many great articles about the extreme use of airbrushing a woman including her genitals and a rise of plastic surgery including labiaplasty. With our Aussie laws stating that pretty much the images of a woman's vagina must be airbrushed to heal it to a single crease (see Hungry Beasts great article), I am a tad worried about how media representation of a woman's body will affect my sons expectations of what a real woman's body looks like. I'm very concerned of how my daughter will view herself when she is older as she is growing up in this circus of a world as we speak. Will she grow up with countless images of airbrushed women and in real life want the same odd fake perfection for herself? I hope not. Hopefully I can teach her not conform to ideals set in magazines and every woman has a vagina but every woman's vagina is different. Oh yeah and that vagina is not a dirty word.

All I want for Xmas is...for it to hurry up and be over.

2010-11-26T20:50:00.005+11:00

I know, I sound like the mean Mum who hates Xmas. I don't hate it but I do feel relaxed when it's over. It is expensive with four children, large families, siblings, in laws and step families plus its a celebration of something that means nothing to me. I could bar it all but I don't think the kids would like that at all. I could limit who we buy presents for but we usually receive presents from everyone and I feel slack if we don't give something in return. However I do enjoy finding the perfect present for loved ones...and to be honest...I enjoy receiving quirky little gifts too....I also like catching up with family...So I guess I enjoy Xmas...just a little bit.
The Rasilisk

I'm already thinking of things I want to see happen in my new year......and one of them is to simply spend time with people that matter... and less time with the people who dont.

All the cool kids are doing it apparently...

2010-11-13T14:28:00.005+11:00

My teenage son told me he wanted a meat pie for lunch and my response was "mate, it's too hot to be cooking a meat pie" but he popped one in the oven anyway. Then I saw him eating a sandwich half an hour later. I wondered if he was super hungry or forgot about the pie in the oven. But on closer inspection I worked out what was going on...

...my son had a meat pie sandwich combo thingy...with cheese...and tomato sauce. He told me that everyone he knows does it. Well it's the first sighting of one for me.

A few things that I want

2010-11-10T12:24:00.005+11:00

Agate ring - Rednoosh

The Chotto Tote - Christy Studio

Needlepoint necklace - That Old Blue House

Far out

2010-11-09T13:10:00.004+11:00

from here

WTF happened? I had an exam today and I hate to admit it but I really went blank in the exam room. I thought I would walk in there and remember everything...far out...I was wrong. Now I just gotta wait for results...fuck, I hope I pass.

Snack attack

2010-11-07T12:33:00.006+11:00

I have been feeling a little stressed and emotional this week. I'm not sure if its due to upcoming exams, interviews, my teenagers acting up or what but I do hope these feelings pass very soon. I will just blame it on my hormones instead...they are always great for taking the blame for my feelings and moods. But I can't stop snacking on random stuff because that's what I do when I'm stressed..it's becoming a huge problem. I even did the grocery shopping with the thought of snacks in my head. I plan snacking days in advance....And the snacks that I do have are not always as healthy as this....

Random fact about me...

2010-11-04T22:19:00.004+11:00

I like fake grass....apparently that is very odd to some.

from here

Geek

2010-11-04T11:41:00.003+11:00

I went to the library with Little Miss Lola this morning and it wasnt until I walked out of there that I actually realised what I was wearing....

...wow, how appropriate.

I Love Food

2010-11-01T12:28:00.005+11:00

Nice easy weekend dinner that we had....Chow Mein with brown rice.

I eat a lot. I really do love food...but when it comes to preparing it I'm not that excited...I just like the eating part.

I Do Not Put Myself Above Anyone (apart from abusers of children and animals, rapists and murderers)

2010-10-28T18:31:00.007+11:00

This is in reference to a comment on the previous post I just received in my inbox but the author decided to delete it on my blog.

I just want to clarify what I meant before any other comments are placed on my blog....What I meant by 'Observing all the shitty people in the world and coming to the conclusion that I am a great person ' is that there are many people who do really shitty things and yes I have done a quite a few shitty things in my life but I never had intention whatsoever to hurt another human being or an animal (I have killed many flies, ants and cockroaches but they are pests so dosent count)....and yes this helps make me the great person I am.

'J' Do you actually realise that you just assumed what/who I am from one sentence?. Yes I happen to judge people when they do shitty things to kids and animals which was what I was referring to. But, Cheers 'J' for reaffirming that judgement is something one will never get away from.

What I've been doin' the past few days...

2010-10-28T15:55:00.005+11:00

Eating way too many curried egg and raw spinach sandwiches
...and the spinach is wonderful straight from our garden.

Loving watching the little ones play with this little wooden oven and sink that I scored on ebay for $22.

Listening to Tame Impala's Innerspeaker

Studying for exams. Reading a lot of Australian History books....we certainly have a fucked up history.

Looking at my essays just handed back and admiring the little mark on the last page. Yes I have a headswell at the moment over my high distinctions.

Mourning the loss of Limewire....yes I can use something else but I really liked Limewire...and yes I am aware that it is an illegal activity to download music but seriously I would not be able to afford food if I had to pay for music all the time.

Juicing so much I am afraid I will turn into a giant carrot...or maybe just turn orange like one.
Baking a lot of banana bread

Observing all the shitty people in the world and coming to the conclusion that I am a great person...even with my faults as they do not harm anyone but myself.

Feeling bad that I have a package sitting here ready to be posted but keep forgetting it everytime I go out the door...Bianca, I swear I will post to you first thing in the morning.

You know you need a rest when...

2010-10-21T17:24:00.005+11:00

.....You wake up with a cold sore that makes you want to hide your face any way you can...

from here

....You find yourself sitting there staring into space and you are not quite sure how long you have been doing so....from here

...You find yourself in a conversation and can rarely remember what the hell you are talking about mid conversation...

from here

...You crave coke even though you rarely drink it and you know how much it rots your insides and your teeth but you find that you end up in the soft drink aisle without even thinking about it...

image by Alex Prager

Etsy finds...

2010-10-15T11:44:00.009+11:00

Acrylic on canvas - Paola Zakimi

Earrings - Fable and Fury

Pencil case - Made by a muffin

Photo block - Pretty Petal Studio

Vinyl decals - Tasty Suite

Tote bag - Old Yarns

got juice?

2010-10-07T10:57:00.004+11:00

Finally....I bought a juicer!....Can you tell how exiting this moment is for me?...and....

...this was my great Uncle Ted's writing desk...now its my desk which houses my laptop and uni stuff. My partner Lee painted it white and put new handles on it for me.

Sunday's lazy breakfast

2010-10-03T19:49:00.001+11:00

Garlic mushrooms on toast...yum yum.

Obsession

2010-10-01T19:36:00.004+10:00

Im obsessed with the Klaxons again....and this man

Don Hany...so darn sexy!. This man is luscious.

Gotta love days like these...

2010-09-30T14:41:00.002+10:00

I got this in the mail from the wonderful Bianca. This postcard is so relevant to what is going on with trying to somehow plan my wedding. The mailman also gave me my law essay back ...another distinction....must be all that red wine I drink while writing them. And I must give a big thank you to the mailman for not putting any bills in my letter box today.

and..... my newest vintage purchase. These beautiful little brown shoes only cost me $10 US from Vintage Style 101

Yesterday was fun......

2010-09-18T08:18:00.005+10:00

Yesterday the day started out with a stress free morning of getting kids to school....wow that's odd, its usually chaos...anyway, I went over to my mother in laws and she had a little present for me, a skull print scarf...then I leave her place and drive back home and realise I didn't get one red light on the way home...excellent. I whizzed around and cleaned the house, did the washing and in the process I found $8 in gold coins...choice....My sister in law came over with hot chips and we had chip sandwiches...we sat around talking for a while and I came to realise while there is an eleven year age gap we get along very well probably has something to do with the girls wicked sense of humour...Lola and her Aunty Noo Noo danced around the kitchen to Mark Ronson which was delightful to watch. The rest of the afternoon I drank a bottle of red and listened to music while children were on numerous gaming consoles throughout the house...I guess I wont be up for Parent of the Year award this year.

Yesterdays play list:

The Brian Jonestown Massacre -Vacuum Boots

David Bowie - Lady Grinning Soul

The Dead Weather - Jawbreaker

Tame Impala - Solitude is Bliss

Interpol - Say Hello to the Angels

Black Flag - TV Party

Mark Ronson & The Business International - Bang Bang Bang

Little Red - Rock It

Sonic Youth - Titanium Expose

Nick Cave - Deanna

Klaxons - Echoes

Klaxons - Surfing the Void

The White Stripes _ Dead Leaves on a Dirty Ground

Rodriguez - Forget It

Them Crooked Vultures - Dead End Friends

awesome

2010-09-14T16:44:00.005+10:00

It's All Good - Katydid Paper Goods

Half Full Glass - Seraph

Its Tricky - Run DMC from Rapping paper

So many choices

2010-09-12T08:12:00.002+10:00

So many choices...not good for an indecisive person like me. I should get in to one of the degrees Ive applied for. Im not sure if I can actually attend on campus full time due to having 4 children and the cost of day care but if I get accepted I will have a go. I know I have the motivation for distance study but it would be nice to mingle with new people....too many choices...it is doing my head in.

I find it hard to decide on tea or coffee in the morning....oh dear.

The Frantic Meerkat

Susan Najarian Art & Design

near modern disaster

Grandma

2010-09-11T15:42:00.004+10:00

My Grandma passed away on the 9Th September last year and within the past year there have been some major personal changes for me. I always thought I would just potter along with whatever job came my way in my life. When she passed away I got this sudden urge to study and better my chances at finding a career where I could help people who needed it the most. I'm a people person, a people watcher and love helping people something I learnt from her. I gradually gave up my shitty job and enrolled myself in an enabling course for university study. This week Ive applied for degree courses for next year. I think Ive become a better mother, a better person in general after realising my Grandmother was the most helpful and kind person I have ever met in my life. She never judged people by anything but their personalities and believed that I was capable of anything I set out to achieve. She accepted people from all walks of life into her own life. She was the biggest inspiration in mine.

Another random picture post

2010-09-05T09:07:00.010+10:00

from here

Thinking about a bedroom makeover

2010-09-03T15:46:00.008+10:00

Our bedroom badly needs a makeover. It's the only part of our house I don't like. Here are some bedrooms that are inspiring me in one way or another to make a room for me (oh and for my partner of course)

via xJavierx on Flickr

via Butterflyfoodie on Flickr

via Alys Geertsen on Flickr

via Suppershopper on Flickr

via ivillage Home & Garden

via Sweet Sweet Life

Its a good day to make stuff

2010-09-03T11:59:00.004+10:00

Easy High Waist Skirt tutorial via Cut Out & Keep

Cocktail Umbrella Lamp Shade - Craft Tutorials.net

Summer Tweets mobile tutorial - The Red Thread

My lovely new brooch

2010-09-01T17:08:00.003+10:00

My lovely new brooch from Lolliette arrived this week....

Baby cakes

2010-08-29T16:12:00.003+10:00

This afternoon I made little baby cakes to take to my friends house for morning tea tomorrow.

When things are going really shit...I buy stuff.

2010-08-24T16:46:00.004+10:00

I needed a new library bag and bought this one on etsy today...and yes I was drinking a cup of coffee during the purchase. Caffeine Molecule Tote Bag-The Big Banana

Sun is shinin'

2010-08-24T07:25:00.002+10:00

from here

I always get a good feeling when I wake up to a clear sunny day. It's still cold but at least it isn't cloudy and raining....feels like another good day to quit smoking.

It's moments like these that make me who I am...and I my dear am awesome.

2010-08-23T13:02:00.004+10:00

from here

Once upon a time I would have cried myself stupid over losing a friendship but as I grow older I realise that false friends come and go only the true ones stay in your life...but it is sometimes quite hard to sift through your friends and see people for whom they really are. I guess friends become a little like your possessions...its hard to let go of things because you've had them for so long. Ending a friendship is much the same as clearing out junk...you feel much better afterwards, a much better person, clearer mind and wonder why you kept it so long...even when you knew deep down it wasn't good for you....it was quite toxic. Now I feel myself again. I vow to keep in contact with every friend that has been a true friend to me....and let go of all the...junk.

...As much as I try...I will never be wonder woman.

2010-08-17T19:29:00.005+10:00

AWC Designs

Kabibi Mei

Knickerocker

Mr Taxman helped me to buy these....

2010-08-10T10:50:00.007+10:00

earrings from Camera Shy Photography

necklace from Anechka's Jewelry

dress from Jennifer Lilly

earrings from Decorate the Diva

Necklace from Edor

F is for Friday, Favourites and another word I know quite well....

2010-08-06T19:46:00.008+10:00

Postcard - Rar Rar Press

Print - The Black Apple

Custom tree slice - Brooklyn Rehab

earrings - The Harbinger Co

necklace - Noble Town Vintage

never ever again....

2010-07-27T16:03:00.006+10:00

I thought I would be brave and take the four kidlets shopping at Charlestown Square on Sunday for some new clothes since Mr Taxman was very nice to us this year. Never ever again will I do such a thing. My teenage sons have very picky and expensive taste in fashion so it was never going to be a pleasant experience in the first place. Little Lola would not sit in the pram so she ran everywhere and hid amongst clothes racks with brother Tyga running after her. So I was having heart palpitations every few seconds. The people shopping there were rude and the place was hard to navigate. As I said before...never ever again.Collage - Dadadreams

L is for love and laughter....

2010-07-20T11:25:00.006+10:00

I haven't been blogging enough as I guess I have been enjoying the holidays with the kids. The spare time I have had has been used up by reading books, visiting friends and clearing out cupboards/toys etc. Anyways, a few things....

Something I love this week....

Tangle season two starts tonight.......Foxtel has been so shitty lately as all the awesome TV series (Sons of Anarchy, Big Love, Breaking Bad etc) have finished for the season.

Something I laughed at this week....

I took my son to a disco part on Sunday and he has some of the coolest dance moves I have ever seen. Watching a 5 year old do the robot, do it well and be very serious about it, is not only funny but made me very proud to be his mum.

Tee - Cantaloupe Corner

Done

2010-07-16T20:35:00.001+10:00

Well I finally got a tattoo....
....and I want another one already.

Tattoo

2010-07-10T13:52:00.004+10:00

I have booked myself in for a tattoo. I have never been able to decide on what to get in ink on my body due to such an indecisive mind. I thought of having my four children's names on my wrist and I have a tiny wrist so the tattoo would be too large for my skinny little wrist....plus my children are always in my heart and soul so names in ink do not mean too much to me. I have decided on Carpe Diem on the inside of my wrist....a bit cliche some would say but sometimes I feel I need a little reminder that I should make the most of every day for me and my family. I get worried about finding employment with a tattoo that is visible..it will not be very big...I wear pretty cuffs ( most bought off etsy sellers) so I guess I will wear a cuff over it if it is a problem to future employers. Any one got a visible tattoo?....tell me your experiences with employers...Tattoo will be similar to this but the front facing me so I can read it

Rain rain go away

2010-07-10T00:12:00.003+10:00

The rain has been hanging around all week and apart from it making me miserable, it's making my life hard. I cannot get anything dry so the washing is mounting up. With six people in our house, its a pretty big mountain. I am so tempted to use the dryer but I figure it is not good for the environment and not good for our electricity budget. Another whinge I have to get off my chest...there were pieces of Lego across the lounge room and I'm taking about thousands and thousands of pieces....we have a shag pile floor rug so picking up the Lego was not easy and has taken over 2 hours to pick up. I should have taken a photo of it because I really do hope it never ever happens again...or maybe just not on the shag pile rug.

Nick Sawaya

So we have a new prime minister...will she bring back the egg and spoon race?

2010-06-25T14:23:00.004+10:00

image from here

So now Australia has a new prime minister...A FEMALE PM. That to me is wonderful....and then I hear she is an Atheist. This little bit of info has not been confirmed but I do hope the rumours are true. It just may give me a little faith in her abilities if she doesn't believe in a fictional man above the clouds. Many people are scouring the net for funny things to say about Miss Gillard but I do not wish to say anything bad about the woman, I want to give her a chance to prove she is capable of doing a fine job. People keep referring to the fact she is a redhead or in bogan terms 'ranga'. What has hair colour got to do with anything?. Then I keep hearing 'look out for the country's demise now a woman is running it'.....oh my goodness....people are never happy no matter who the PM is. Lets just hope Tony Abbot isn't ever voted in as that man seriously has come straight from the 50's on a mission to take us all back there.

Today I watched my little 5 year old son at his school sports carnival. He ran, skipped, hopped and jumped....but they no longer have the egg and spoon race....I feel he has been deprived of an important part of childhood.

keen as mustard

2010-06-18T17:13:00.009+10:00

I get obsessed with things...one week it will be a type of food, another week it will be making something...this week it is a colour........mustard

Outfit - Sarah Seven

Print - Keep Calm Shop

Headband - Crazy Jane Knits

Cushion - Iviemade

Table lamp - Czechpub

Earrings - Sora Designs

random prettiness from the web

2010-06-11T19:09:00.010+10:00

Atlas tapestry....use it as a bedspread (gee, dont I sound like a Nanna!) or as a wall hanging etc...
from Urban Outfitters

Love this necklace also from Urban Outfitters

so pretty - Sandmaiden

Lovely art from A Beautiful Party

Chai Tea & Cashew Brittle....sounds so pretty...I really want to try this....yum.

I want this Bandit Tee by Devon Smith...I know, like I need another Tee...but it is so cute available at Swonderful who now have an online shop

love this artwork - from here

last exam today...yipeeeee

2010-06-11T07:48:00.003+10:00

I had my first uni exam on Tuesday and was a tad nervous before I got there...I hope I did OK. I have the last one today and I have a memory like a sieve so it should be a challenge to remember a whole essay I have written out for it. No notes in this exam...I'm kind of scared. Anyhow.....It feels like I have done nothing but read History and Law books for the last few months....so I have a little list of things I want to do in the six week break of study.

Read books which have nothing to do with what I am studying

Write something for Bianca...I was mail tagged ages ago and feel very bad I haven't sent anything back.

Draw/Paint some more

Help my Mumma clear out my late Gran's flat ready for my Great Aunt to move in

Change the photos around the house

Clean out my linen cupboard

Okay I could keep writing mundane things here...but I will stop now.

Yummy garlic mushroom omelette made during the week

2010-06-09T13:26:00.002+10:00

I made an awesome vegetable curry for lunch. Now that I'm a weekday vegetarian, my meals seem to be given a lot more thought and I find that I really do not miss meat at all.

Yesterday I had my first uni exam and hopefully I did as good as I think I did. I have another one Friday. I plan to drink a bottle of wine on the weekend to celebrate me...and my future.

I heart Melbourne

2010-06-02T13:51:00.009+10:00

I love Melbourne and I'm sure my visit there on the weekend is the first of many. The Ladies First show at Brunswick Street Gallery looked awesome....I'm very happy to have been a part of it. I sold two paintings which is better than nothing....

Jessica Stewart - if I didnt have to budget so much... I would have bought this one.

Meredith Earls - I loved these.

Jo Dyer - another Newcastle artist....pretty works.

Rhiannon Mowart - these works were awesome.

Josephine Bradley Scott - The table you see in the corner of the photo was really lovely. Its things like this that make me wish I had more money!

...and mine...

Wonderful warm and friendly people with a wonderful variety of awesome food....cant wait to go back to Melbourne!.

Undecided

2010-05-28T12:06:00.004+10:00

cookbook- Beth Bee

I'm low in vitamin B12 and Iron but eat plenty of meat which is supposed to be rich in both of these. So if I am going to have to take supplements I thought I should give vegetarianism another go. I'm not sure if I could be a strict vegan...I love eggs and milk. Then again maybe I just need to learn to live without them. While I'm deciding how to approach this change I thought I would share a few blogs .....

What the hell does a Vegan eat anyway?

Cheap, lazy and Hungry

Vegalicious

Bok Choy Bohemia

Awesome. Vegan. Rad

Swell

Notes from the Vegan Feast Kitchen

Just the food

good stuff

2010-05-27T10:23:00.004+10:00

Pumpkin soup for dinner

This is what I bought op shopping yesterday and the total cost was $19....bargain.

Busy

2010-05-22T17:14:00.010+10:00

I had a revision day at Uni on Saturday and I am so glad I went. It was not compulsory but it has certainly calmed my nerves for the upcoming exams. I was handed back my essays done in both subjects and very happy with my marks. I got a credit in Australian History which is OK, not as good as I thought I would go, but good nevertheless. For Studies in Law I received a distinction!.I assumed it would have been the other way round. Anyway...it was great to meet a few new people and the teachers were both awesome. When I came home the house was spotless and the kids were happy. What a wonderful day! A wonderful omelette I enjoyed during the week

Ladies First exhibition opened on Friday night....I hope it all went well. Bummer I couldn't be there for the opening but I will still get to see all the works this Saturday when I go to Melbourne with my sister. I have been so busy lately that everything seems to go so fast and days become a blur. Kids are growing up so fast and there is so much to do in a life...sometimes it just does not seem fair to fit so much into one lifetime....I think I could have used two or three.

From here

Today I visited my Great Aunt who is finding it hard to manage living on her own due to age. She is in the process of trying to sell her house and very keen to pass most of her belongings to family members. She will move in with my Mum and say goodbye to whatever she cannot fit in my late Grandmothers granny flat. I have been bringing some more things home from my grandmothers as well as my Great Aunts this week.Its strange that we accumulate so much stuff in our lives and simply end up passing it all to others when we move or pass away.

Brrrrrrr

2010-05-17T14:03:00.001+10:00

So cold here in Newcastle today.....

....At least I have soup to keep me warm.

This morning I ventured out in the cold to take kids to school and then had a meeting with Master 12 year old's teacher who told me what I already knew......the boy is very smart academically. He is just extremely unmotivated to complete homework and assignments. Its great the amount of support we receive for the two in high school from their school, such a shame it wasn't like that in my schooling years.

Ladies First..... starts Friday

and there is a feature on the artists including myself at Indie Art & Design

Winter wishlist

2010-05-16T10:12:00.000+10:00

I dream about finding the perfect fitting skinny jeans. People say to me that I am skinny and should have no problem in finding a pair. Yes I am petite but I actually have a little bit of a tummy. My bum is kind of on the flat side, and my legs are skinny...to get the perfect fit in the legs means flattening the bum to looking like it dosent exist and cutting in at the tummy to create a lovely muffin top.....they just dont make them perfect for my shape....So I am willing to give up that dream and search for the straight leg kind. I have quite a few things I would like for winter apart from jeans but I am broke so a wishlist it is.....heres just a few of those things.....

Earrings- White Metal

Boots-Violet Folklore

Cardigan-Fluffy Pink Bunnies

Sweater-Custard Heart Vintage

Bag- Hoakon/Helga

Make your own wishlist and link up at Dinosaur Toes

If you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.....

2010-05-13T08:04:00.000+10:00

I used to be a blamer. Blame other people for how my life had panned out. I was a victim of circumstance. When I had a major breakdown about ten years ago and found out I had something called Bipolar Disorder, I decided to read about it and help myself without taking the prescribed medication. That was the beginning of a new me in a way. I stopped blaming everyone , one person in particular, for everything that happened to me. Reading can do wonders for people. I learnt so much about not only how to treat myself through food, exercise but so much about myself too. When someone says 'Oh I don't read' as in not interested in it, I find that difficult to understand. A few people I know would benefit greatly if they just opened up a book or two.....maybe just maybe, their minds wouldn't be so narrow.

Hawk Designs

nice....

2010-05-11T13:35:00.001+10:00

Phantogram

Rar Rar Press

Ayaka_Nishi

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-09T10:19:00.001+10:00

Its 10:10am and I'm still in bed. My sons made me pancakes for breakfast and bought me coffee in this lovely new mug.....they know me so well.

....and now they are giving the little ones breakfast...or brunch...it is quite late.

This is not what I'm supposed to be doing.....

2010-05-02T13:29:00.001+10:00

I'm in one of those really lazy, crappy moods where the only thing I want to do is sit on the lounge with the laptop while the kids watch the TV...I know, bad parenting right?. However I have done all the washing, vacuumed and mopped the floors, scrubbed the bath and shower....I feel I am entitled to sit on my arse now...but deep down I know I should try to finish those essays rather than be on stalkbook or etsy all afternoon.

from Barrel Of Monkeys

Lovely

2010-04-29T19:16:00.000+10:00

Sarah McNeil

Day & Night Cyd skirt

Brooch by Shara Lambeth Designs

The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldier

2010-04-25T19:35:00.000+10:00

Here I go again

2010-04-24T14:52:00.000+10:00

When I started study this year I chose subjects I knew I had some knowledge of yet could learn much more from - Australian History and Studies in Law. This morning I went to the library in search of anything to do with an individual and/or event which bought about law reform in Australia for a Studies in Law essay. Here I was thinking I had a clear idea that my essay would be on Mabo because its also relevant to Australian History and I know quite a bit already to help get me started. Nine books later I had all the info I needed then I spotted a book which had nothing to do with Mabo....put in the wrong section. This book is full of stories about how one person can be a catalyst for change. I picked it up and opened it to a random page and started reading..and kept reading till I finished two chapters..I no longer want to do this essay on Mabo....I know too much on that already and it feels like the easier option. So I am taking the harder option and going for something completely different that I have no prior knowledge of. Maybe I have too much energy...or simply need something else to do other than drink tea (which I have cut back to one cup or nothing a day)...whatever it is, its pushing me further to learn and I like it.

Recycled Tote - America Jane