****happy new year****

Here in Durstonia all is quiet.
(I think 99% of my friends are overseas or interstate! My usual NYE partner-in-crime is holidaying in balmy Thailand.)
Staying in and having a quiet one. This heat is just ridiculous and I have melted into a buttery puddle.
Spot has been camped out on the bed in front of the fan all day- I don't blame her.
Hopefully the evil neighbours and their usual NYE party (with really bad techno) isn't happening this year.
(Ask me sometime about last year's party, the police, etc. It was a doosy!)
So I hope you all have a lovely evening with fireworks in the background and celebrating in whatever way you like New Year's Eve to be.
I'll see you all on the flipside!
px

yawn, scratch, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It has taken me a week of snoozing, reading and dvd watching to start to feel a little bit together.
Having come down with one of those hideous summer colds hasn't helped either.
Am having trouble talking to people, think my tongue ihas gone on holiday without telling me.
Went out to Heide on Friday (hey that rhymes! if you pronounce it Fry-dee.........ok ok I'm a bit out of it) and sat under a tree and just chilled. Nice.



I like Melbourne in January, its kind of lazy and quiet (once we've got over NYE- dreading that) and slow.
This was taken up near Puddly Stark on Friday evening- impressive.

As you can tell I haven't much to write about, between the sleeping and the reading and the.......... might be time to go have a nap...... yawn.

and finally there is me

I promised some new photos. Well that promise won't be coming through sadly, the battery on the camera is dying.
I did manage to take a few snaps but they were all atrocious so this is all you are going to get at the moment.
I also thought that there are quite a few photos on this blog for you to stroll back over and have a look at.

Sonja suggested the other day that I write a book called '101 things to make from tea-towels'- and so here is another t-towel product. Sometimes I think it may be getting a little out of control. Hell, everyone has something they are known for!
And they are ridiculously geeky and cool at the same time. (If Nick Cave can do tea-towels as band merchandise..... my argument rests).

Of course I am not just selling products made from t-towels at the sale. I am also selling owls made from gloves, gloves made from rabbits (angora), monkeys made from socks, clocks made from old pictures, purses and clothes and knitwear and bags and cushions and bracelets and hairpins and quilts and samples and seconds and old stuff and new stuff- almost poetry really.

And most of all we are hoping to see you, so please come along so that we can put faces to all the people who buy our stuff and support us out in the big world.

artiste #4- Peeps

We were all getting worried that Beck wouldn't be able to join us for our studio sale, being head retail elf at Counter at Craft Victoria has had her tied to the- um well- counter and not in the studio being creative! But she managed to escape for the day and get her fingers a'twitching to come up with these lovely Xmas decorations, although they shouldn't be limited to this time of year only, really they are far too gorgeous. In fact I think they would look lovely attached to a present as an added bonus.
Last year Rebecca also created a fabulous '12 days of Christmas' series (from memory, there was a reindeer-man with baubles in his antlers- too cute). So we might be lucky to get some of her illustrations as cards too.
Fingers crossed Miss Jobson's elfing duties haven't tuckered her out, you might find her asleep under the table at the sale, murmuring 'would you like that gift wrapped?', if you do please say 'no that's fine, I like to do my own wrapping on Xmas-eve' and remember to buy a card on the way out.

artiste #3- Words and Pictures

Our elegant Madame du Barry, when not intriguing in the French Court of Louis the XV, spends her time painting charming naive artworks, creating cards and bibelots, and attending art soirees.
Ok- take 2.
Our elegant Ramona Barry, when not intriguing in inner city Melbourne, spends her time painting charming, joyous artworks, creating cards, badges and stocking fillers, and attending art exhibitions.
Hmmm. Interesting how history repeats itself.
To put all the cleverness aside, Ramona is one busy lady and I can't tell you how pleased I am that she has found the time to join us for the studio sale. She has requested wall space so I am jumping to the conclusion that not only will she be selling her smaller items but she is also bring along actual artwork!



We seem to have an owl theme happening!

a week early

We had someone (no names here, you know who you are!) turn up a week early for the studio sale today.
Hee hee.
Slightly red-faced but very eager!

Still lots to do. There is a serious amount of vacuuming to be done and sorting and packing away. Also new tea-towel skirts are underway and the French ric-rac to finish the 'Dell' linen tops has only just arrived in the mail today. Some work that was meant to be finished today hasn't been. And you can't see the surface of the kitchen table at home. There are purses piling up and half finished clocks (yes I wrote clocks- new product, if I get a chance I'll try and photograph some this weekend, they are really quite funny but that may also be Jess and my senses of humour.)

artiste #2- Nikki Gabriel

The lovely Nikki quietly knits away (well actually the knitting machine and the handknitting needles can be quite noisy when she gets a head of steam up) creating the most exquisitely beautiful pieces of work. She always stuns me with her virtuoso technique, construction and concept.



For the sale she has been having a bit of fun creating smaller pieces from all the left over yarn that tends to build up when you are knitting. Who doesn't need an Xmas stocking to fill at this time of year? And the great thing about these knitted stockings is that they will stretch to fit all those excitingly shaped packages we know Santa is going to bring us (maybe an Eg Etal jewellery giftbox or some strange shaped ceramic piece from Craft Victoria or..) and you can re-use them next year too! Really they are heirlooms in the making, just perfect to bring out every Xmas along with the pipe-cleaner angels and cotton-wool Father Christmases.

presenting today's feature (studio sale) artiste- Iggy and Lou Lou

What can we say about the wonderful Iggy and Lou Lou?
Magically turning humble clay into beautiful jewels.
I have to say I've been in love with the little golden honey- pawed bears for quite sometime (sadly not pictured here, just go to the website for the full glory of Iggy and Lou Lou and its worth the visit, I love the graphics, they make me smile and laugh).
Or how about a little Lost World dinosaur?
What's not to love!

studio sale

I'll try and post some pictures of stuff that's going to be in the sale.
Busy trying to get work finished and started and tagged and priced.

don't you just love collective nouns?

A prickle of porcupines, an exhaltation of larks, an acne of adolescents, a tough of lesbians, a scolding of seamstresses. With owls you can have a stare, a wisdom or even a sagaciousness but the old favourite has to be a parliament of owls.
These are just little baby owls, just woken up.



Also, these owlets have been made from recycled fingerless glove seconds- a parliament of owls made from an elicat of gloves!

(I have to admit I love Wikipedia for that intant middle of the night encyclopaedia fix. Try it for their list of collective nouns, it's a hoot- sorry.)

the migration has begun

The reindeer are migrating across the frozen stainless steel tundra of the kitchen bench plateau.
Xmas must be coming.





(I must be really bored at the moment. Too much to do. Nothing to focus on. Taking silly pictures instead. Wildlife photography can be diverting.)

it's too damn hot

Being the fair skinned creature that I am, this November heat is just getting me all hot and bothered. I hate being sweaty and Melbourne's humidity just makes me think that if I wanted to live in climes like this I'd move to Sydney.



Anyway on a happier note, the jam season has started. I scored a big bag of cumquats last week and headed out to buy 120 glass jars and 6kg of sugar (not all for the cumquats, just prepared for the next fruit crop delivery). Cumquat marmalade for all my friends!

Am feeling slightly under the gun with Xmas and the studio sale coming up. The frankenboot is still a large part of my day and slows me down just a bit. Think I've overdone it a bit as the foot has been swollen a fraction by the end of the day. Oh well- things to be, places to do, people to........ you know how it is.

nothing like a cup of tea

The lovely ladies of HML dropped in to the studio this afternoon for a cuppa and a chin-wag.
They brought this small floral tribute. As you can see I didn't have a vase big enough.
They love the understatement those two!

life can be prickly

I wasn't away from the studio for that many days but this was there to greet me.
One of the cacti that the 4th year girlies gave me as a thankyou present has flowered. It had three magenta pink blooms on it- I've never owned a cactus that has flowered before (never owned that many cactussss actually) so was quite chuffed. Had I gone up a day later I may have missed the flowering altogether. Ah the impermanence of existence.

life is a battle

A couple of days after I broke my foot, I was crutching my way to the studio and spied these two guys belting the crap out of each other on a window ledge. Obviously one of them was victorious as they aren't there anymore. The winner must have gone back to his campsite to brag of his success to his fellow knights, but I like to think the loser staggered off around the corner into the laneway where a Bratz Doll, lost and down on her luck (even perhaps high on Bindeez) took pity on him and nursed him back to health.

just too ridiculous

The last two weeks have been a series of mishaps, falls and exploding machinery.
The hot water heater has finally come to a steamy end.
Plumber is booked in for Monday, to pick up his cheque for $1000+ and hopefully also install a new one.
Had it exploded last Saturady I would not be sitting here with Franken-boot on my foot.
The back rent is going towards its replacement (hot water heater not foot).
Luckily a consignment cheque came in otherwise it would be cold showers 'til next Easter.
'Such is life' as Mr Cousins would say.
Hopefully we'll get the new clutch motor installed in the binding machine on Tuesday, I'll find the money to pay the tram ticket and seat belt fines and things will start to balance out........
Really, if I was superstitious or paranoid I would think someone was out to get me. May be its a message.
A letter or phone call would have been simpler, less painful and cheaper.
Really the omniverse needs to upgrade its communications system.

it has a name

It is called a Jones fracture of the 5th metatarsus.
Great. I feel so much better that I can now call it by its proper name as I swear at it.
I have also discovered that after a certain time at night I should not move around too much. Last night I fell over in the bedroom (luckily landing on the bed) jarring the break and screaming, and tonight I almost managed to fall down the stairs while hopping up them.
Jess is taking me to get the Cam Walker boot to go over the cast- YEAH!- tomorrow afternoon.
I spent 2 hours stretching trying to fix up my dodgy lower back that is screaming in agony from all the hopping and crutching.
As you may have guessed this blog is going to be centred on pain and misery for the next few days until things settle down.
Might be an idea to avoid it if whingeing-big-babies annoy you.

clutch

On an UP note... here is new clutch design. Glitter all the way. And it is about 30cm long, like, you know, BIG.

they shoot horses don't they?

Let me explain................
I've had a doozie of a bad (or at least annoying) week with things just being completely out of kilter.
The clutch motor on my favourite sewing machine died, I made the wrong cushions for Craft Vic, just little annoying cock-ups all week- including the hot-water service........ and there in lies todays sorry tale.
I went to have a shower this morning and no hot water again (see post below), cold shower is not really that refreshing. So the first thing I do when I get down stairs is re-lit the damn thing which involves climbing on to and over a plank of wood sitting across a couple of sturdy crucible pots. Having lit the pilot light I carefully climb back over and go arse-over-tit on the concrete backyard, lying there bruised hip, scratched palms and a sore fankle (that's radiologist speak for foot and ankle). I flex it, its sore but ok- that is until I get up and then pain-is-my-friend. Short story long I spent 4 hours trying to convince myself that it was just a torn ligament............ not.
It all ended with Jess taking me to St Vincent's emergency......... broken metatarsal bone, cast and crutches for 4 to 6 weeks......... CRAP.
It's my sewing foot. It's time to do Xmas stock. This week alone I have 2 assessment days at RMIT, 1 meeting and an exhibition to open........... and nothing to wear.............
And by the way I expect you ALL to feel really sorry for me (don't say I didn't make that clear!)
And thanks go to Julia for going to Babka and getting me a danish and the newspapers, Kellie for the Panadeine and Jess for putting up with me until I realised I really did have to go to the hospital.

too handy by half

11.30pm and I've been on my hands and knees down the side of the kitchen re-lighting the gas hot water unit.
Sometimes I really wish I wasn't quite so self-sufficient.
But the thought of no hot water in the morning and a plumber's bill overwhelmed my pathetic 'wish I had a man around the house' feeling (ridiculous because I've always been much handier and practical than any boyfriend I've ever had- and I do not believe in division of labour). I was just being lazy really and wished I had someone to palm the job off to.
Well its done now and thanks go out to the young plumber who explained to me about 6 years ago how to fix it.
If I drank, I think I'd have a nice glass of whiskey about now to celebrate. Cheers!

rainy monday afternoon

It all started when I didn't want to get out of bed this morning....... was having a strange dream that Babka had moved to Chapel St without telling anyone.
It maybe Monday, they may not be open, it may all be a dream but it is not a good start to the week when raspberry danishes could be a car ride away rather than a bleary 2 second stumble.......a bad, bad dream........

Anyway the day just dragged on from there. Spent most of it tying tags to go on a very large order that's going to Craft Victoria- from tomorrow morning it will be re-named 'Craft Durstonia'! Finally I couldn't stand being at the studio any longer (3.30pm) and came home via officeworks. Have burnt a pile of discs with the new photos for Miss Jobson and have managed to actually do a bit of typing in between watching Antiques Roadshow and browsing the internet. I really need to get broadband- I've got a (sort of) sportscar computer and I'm certainly stuck in the slow-lane on the information highway........... I'm just feeling the dull thud of the end of teaching money (groan) and the guilt of not saving any of it. Oh well. back to the scrimp and save. Feast or famine..............

This warm weather is making me feel lacklustre. Its cooler outside but both studio and home are like hot-boxes.
I have vague lustings for an air-conditioner. Very un-PC these days. It feels naughty wanting to be cool.

Which takes me to my new swing tag- Recycled for a shiny, bright tomorrow!
(Yes, it is a joke, if you were unsure.) Tomorrow never comes and I'm just a bit over all the recycled and green clap-trap that is prevelant at the moment. 'Make-and-mend' has only died in the last 20 or so years as we have become more and more the consumerist society. The backlash against disposable fashion that has started has me much more excited than the carbon-credit/carbon-neutral stance that so many (shall not be named here) businesses are buying in to. So I thumb my nose and say 'give me a second-hand tea-towel and I'll make you a bag/cushion/jacket.........insert practical product here'.

first anniversary

Can't believe it has been a year since I moved all my crap into the studio.
Feels like yesterday.
And worst of all is the house is still a bomb-site.
I don't understand how I can't seem to make a dent in the mess.
Having said that though, Spot and I now have a sitting room!
With a wall of bookcases and a COUCH!
Thankyou teaching and thankyou Ikea. (Although I am still waiting for extra shelves to come in at Ikea- this is just wrong- Ikea is like junkfood- you want it now, immediately, pronto. It just feels wrong having to wait!)



Not the greatest shot I know, must remember to bring the tripod home, but Spot just loves the new coffee table.
It has rubbable corners and it is fun to peek through the glass and then pop one's head over the top to sticky beak.



She's never been a couch-potato type but she does now like joining me if I'm sitting reading. The purring is quite ridiculously loud.

So now I just have the rest of the house to sort out....... crap.

By the way the chairs are upholstered in vintage silk velvet, the pouffe is the original sample in gold leather (only ever get the samples and faulty stock!), Spot is sitting on a vintage Hungarian linen flour sack, the rug is a vintage linen carpet picked up for a song ........... and Spot is a 'calico' cat.

practical, pragmatic, peg-bag

Teaching has been eating a big chunk out of my week, taking me away from the studio and tiring me out. I'm not used to having to talk for a couple of hours at a stretch. Ah..... for my ivory tower.
It has been interesting though.

I am feeling somewhat deflated at the moment and when I do get into the studio I just don't feel like I'm making anything particularly earth-shattering, if you know what I mean. The only thing I seem to be creating is MESS. The floor is covered with piles of fabric from half started projects. Cushion inserts arrive tomorrow so the floor will then be covered with blobs of loose stuffing and stuffed cushion covers.

I am quite bored (and if anyone says 'only boring people get bored' I'll head-butt them) at the moment, and its probably bored through lack of momentum. I look at all the fabric covered surfaces and it all looks so uninspiring. Dull.
I have about 60kg of tea-towels piled on one table, I think it may be getting out of control! I wish the elves would just come in and make everything up. Or that I won Powerball. Either would do.

Have a wall of peg-bags made, now I need someone to buy them......................... at least I make practical products......

this one's for you Madame du Barry

Having taken the hint of 'avid fan' I am trying to catch up on a bit of blogging- never was a good diary-keeper or pen-pal in my youth, in fact couldn't see the point of a diary as I could remember quite clearly what I'd done and did not like the idea of anyone else reading my secrets.......
I wonder if the original Madame du Barry kept a diary, what a life-a courtesan, politics , jewellery smuggling, the Reign of Terror and then off with your head.
Makes the soon- to-be election look positively mundane.
(Did anyone notice John Howard's wearing fake tan?)

pictures professionally produced

Got some product photographed (professional-like rather than happy-snap) last week. Here's a couple of the shots.
Have to organise (and this involves the making of more stuff) another shoot in the near future and get my shit together with the web-site and sending the images out to people- so much to do......... think I'll go watch NCIS......

crafty covers redux

I got in trouble from Nathan at Polyester for not including the Smallgood's in my crafty CD cover list- I saw it the week after I posted that subject and it's taken ages to find a pic on the web to use- excuses aside, here is their handworked-artwork. It's a bit hard to see but it has been embroidered, in fact right here in Melbourne, possibly on the front porch of a north of the river ranch.

introducing Edgar

Found in Castlemaine- Edgar the Budgerigar. He is ceramic, painted and has a clip for feet.
I am obsessed by budgies at the moment. This started with a huge close-up photo in English Elle Decoration, a couple of months back, of a blue budgie- you could even see his eye-lashes.
We always had a budgie (or two) when we were growing up, there was Nutty, who was blue, and another blue one- can't remember his name- and Baby Jasper (he was mine and the most beautiful shade of irredescent green, with non-matching wings and was a xmas present) and Lady, who was grey, and Monday, who was a wild budg (eucalyptus khaki) who dropped by and stayed... strange we had so many budgies even though we were a total non-aviary type family, always cages and on sunday nights trying to get the budgie back in the cage after its weekly flight around the family room. All good fun.
And I mustn't forget Krishna the Blue Budgie who flew in my bedroom window here in Fitzroy one morning as I tearfully arrived home after a massive fight with my then boyfriend. I stood in shock in the doorway, pointing at the bird on my window sill, he landed on my finger. He was found many years later dead on the floor of his cage and buried underneath the peppercorn tree in the concrete backyard.

the grass is always greener

As last monday was my birthday I decided to hit the road and go into hiding. Off to Tasma House in Daylesford- stayed in the studio this time (bigger than the Gatehouse, even has its own grand piano).
The sun shone. The sky was blue. It was freezing. But best of all it was GREEN. With pink bits- huge trees of prunus in flower.



There was rain and rainbows.



There was dams full of water.




And there was club chairs, cups of tea, chocolate biscuits, 1930s crime novels and sitting in the sun.

steak and kidney

If you are a reader of HML you will know that Miss Rebecca and I took a jaunt up north this week, spent a day in Sydney, a place where we both get that feeling of 'same, same but different'. We know we were in Australia but....... Scotty, its not life as we know it!
You will also know that Beck got in before me with the Fleur Wood pics- or should that be 'picks'?- for the best window displays seen for quite a while. So I've decided to sneak in with the Williams St Paddington barber photos. The window display has been the same for as long as I have been going to Sydney, it is however immaculately clean and dusted. Beck got sprung taking her photos and got told off- she had to push it and spoil it for everyone! (her words)



I wonder how many people want to buy that box of Youthair....and is it pronounced 'youth-hair' or youth-air'?



Anyway I thought I'd include my own swan window photo. The big swan is a total beauty.

craft and the art of cd covers

Have you noticed the number of cd covers over the last year and a bit that are craft based?

One of my all time favs is the Richard Buckner 'Meadow' cover (and yes I have a huge crush on the man, too, so I feel like in complete stalkerness, he had this cover made with me in mind), fantastic stitching and faded fabrics. Did you know I really hate twee quilting but love 'boro' style stitching? Some would say boro=quilting, but I say there is more to it than that. I know what it is- I like quilting if it is used as a means of holding together recycled fabric, when its all store bought fabric and precise it makes my toes curl.



This is Okkervil Rivers new cover, all tapestry style stitching on canvas. Pop passed Polyester Records window to see a blown-up version. Cool



And from the Princess of Folk herself, Joanna Newsome's first album, 'The Milk-eyed Mender'.



I also love the backs on both Joanna's and Buck's cds, do yourself a favour and check 'em out.
And there are more out there. I almost bought one just because I like the crafty cover.

little fluffy clouds

OK not totally accurate, kind of banks of dusty pink clouds but it was an impressive sight when I left my studio the other evening. I think it was that windy day, I could hear it moaning all day and it was a perfect day for playing Nick Cave, all a bit gothic, ivory tower, artist's garret (does that have 1 t or 2?).

Once again have not done any of the computer work I have been promising people. (Sorries especially to Leah)
Did manage however to finish painting the floor of the backroom. Gloss black. Which has meant I have been off my head on paint fumes for the last 2 days. I also realised that the chairs that I have been going to send to the upholsterers for the the last 5 years to have new fabric put on the seat pans are actually a fairly easy job that I could do myself . Thanks to Jess for asking if I was going to do them myself and then being surprised when I said I was having them professionally upholstered. I just hadn't bothered to have a good look at them. Getting the seats off has involved 3 trips to the hardware store today however, and the discovery that my favourite hardware shop is closing down (early next year). I love good old fashioned hardware businesses. My fav was Chalmers in Burwood Rd in Hawthorn, long gone now. It had wonderful leadlight windows, long wooden benches, polite men in grey storemen's coats, a cashier's cubicle and stocked copper nails, enamel kitchenware and great kettles.
What is it about hardware, stationery and haberdashery? I still remember being taken by Mum to Fricker's Haberdashery in Doncaster Rd when I was very young. Mum told me to watch the special way Mr Fricker wound ribbon around his fingers, pointing out all the boxes of buttons and zips......and people wonder how I got where I am today. As I'm tootling down memory lane I should also tell you that Mum has never forgiven me for shaking the tin box of antique glass buttons when I was 2. Sadly only 3 survived. (I must ask Mum where the 3 magic buttons have got to, they re- appear every now and then, clear green glass, twisted with gold stripes.)

I have got totally off track. I do have some topics for this week and hopefully I will get around to finding the pictures I need to illustrate them but its Sunday night and I think I've hit the wall.

a day too long

(this pic is for the beautiful Mel in far away Wellington)

Woke at about 3 this morning wishing it was Friday because then Saturday would only be a day away, but no it was the too early hours of a thursday morning. I'm longing for a nights restful sleep, it is just not happening at the moment.
I went to the Alice Euphemia shop launch/birthday this evening directly from school and felt daggy and dumpy, sweaty and tired and was carrying the heaviest bag in the world. Everyone had had a chance to go home and frock up. Even though home is just down the road I didn't have the energy to go home, doll up and then head back up the street. Cinderella had no glass slipper, just sore feet and a tired demeanor.
Since I stopped the drinking and the smoking and the over-indulgence, my social threshold has plummetted. The boredom level is achieved way before everyone else's, I am so boring these days, I think I bore myself.
Six month holiday might do the trick (I wish).
But to counteract the moan and groan, I did get to see a few people I haven't caught up with in awhile, even if they were quick chats amongst it all.
Spot the Cat's in the shits with me as I have turned her heater off, I am tired and snarky (Dell I think I've caught your 'grrrr' attitude of last week, and if my feet didn't hurt so much would probably want to kick things) and really just need to go to bed. I'm like an overtired little kid tonight.
Maybe I'll make something that will make me feel productive and happy tomorrow!

a-bling-a-ding-ding

A big gold leather pouffe! What every girl needs in her life!

Yes its real leather and yes it is coming home with me- mainly because its f**ked. Being the first sample and being as I was over eager it is kinda 'wrong'. Therefore it will be coming home one day soon (after I have finished painting the floor in the backroom). Dell was laughing the other day at my lack of owning pieces that I make, but you know how it is. Either you are always struggling to get out enough stock or you have reached saturation point and just don't want to have it staring you in the face all the time. Sadly it is usually the rejects that find a home here- like the leather purse that I finally started using a couple of weeks ago- after everyone had been buying them for a year.........d'oh!........ and I like it! It works! It is soft and leathery! It clicks when I snap it shut! Idjit!

So the pattern for the pouffe has been fixed and refined and hopefully if some money arrives I might slink down and pick up some more metallic foil leather...mmmmm. They will be hideously expensive but very glam.

better late than never

It was Andrea Canadia's birthday last week so here, belated I know, is a picture of us both at her glamorous wedding, just before her and the hubby scooted off to live in Canadia. Happy birthday you skinny-vegoid-yoga-freak! Eat more chocolate!

Spent pretty much the whole weekend in bed (except for the bits were I was reading the newspaper, eating danishes and throwing down valium/panadeine forte cocktails). It is amazing how much you can sleep all afternoon and still find it in you to sleep all night. I think I could still do with a good 24 hours in bed but I'm going to have to stagger it this week- I'm falling behind on some work that I really need to get out of the way. I think the energy-box was completely empty. Whilst my brain is a bit fried from the chemicals (it wasn't for pleasure I assure you- I could barely move with a seriously stuffed back, the pay-off for 3 very stressful weeks) I actually feel like I'm a bit more me, rather than the scary freak I think I've been of late. Not 100% but getting there.

Smudge sticked the studio last Thursday before heading in to RMIT- it seemed to do the trick. I was having trouble working after the studio open and thought 'hell it ain't gonna hurt', it seems to have done the trick as Friday was like Grand Central Station with everyone nice coming to visit and pick up stock. It was quite funny really with a hectic 4 hours of people coming and going.

This week's news....... I'm being interviewed for Network Ten morning show next Tuesday afternoon......... had to laugh.......
I find it all a bit weird............ really must do something about that website.............. what's that noise? I think my bed is calling........

aftermath- or the return to the ivory tower

Friday was stressful and somewhat strange. All the thanks in the world go out to Jess and Dell who were too wonderful for words. Jess is going to make a superb security guard one day! Her look of intimidation is a sight to behold! And gentle Dell smiled and kept the peace (what a cheeky smile that one has!).
Now I need to reclaim my studio.
This week hasn't left much time to actually be there. RMIT appointments Monday, today and tomorrow, Woori yesterday (cloud so low I couldn't see the hills but I bet there was snow to be seen) and piles of glove dyeing to be done. I don't know where to start with anything, which is why I spent the weekend painting the backroom at home.
And work to do for Eastern Market.......
I just really want to sleep for a week. Maybe Saturday........ maybe dream on.

rescue- person overboard!

Have resorted to rescue remedy pastilles (such a cool tin! if you were too stressed to read the base of the tin you'd never work out how to open it- I think that's hilarious!) for day-time and rescue remedy sleep drops to see if I can stop waking up at 5am.
2 and a bit days to go............ count is up to 80 emails........crap.......

it's my party and i'll hide in the cupboard if i want to

Have worked out that the angst I'm having about the Studio Open day is just like organizing a party -the main difference being that I don't know anyone who is coming. Dell says not to worry, I'm RSVPed up to the eyeballs and it's unlikely anyone is going to get drunk and be embarrassed in the morning (except for me- embarrassed, not drunk that is).
Stay tuned to watch me crumble into a heap of quivering blancmange by Friday morning......

fear of the unknown

Don't panic!
I've been completely overwhelmed by the response to Studio Open and hope everyone doesn't turn up at the same time.....
Like to take my life in my hands and just throw open the doors.
I've basically gone into shut down over the last 2 days, hopefully I'm rested enough to do what I need to do to get the studio into some working order -otherwise 'fear of the unknown' might become 'fear and loathing in Las Fitzroy'!
Actually shut down should really read 'brain has turned to goo and can not string two coherent thoughts together'.
After going to MDM this morning (just to upset myself) I headed off to Ikea. Ok sunday in Ikea World is never a good idea but somehow it seemed far saner that the car-park in Fed Square. Blew money on more shelves and a table for the studio..... now have to spend tomorrow putting it all together. It might be a bit like doing the cryptic crossword to jump start my brain. My horoscope (heehee) yesterday said I'd be back under full steam by Tuesday- here's hoping.
I think I have developed a severe case of stage-fright/performance anxiety which might explain the consumption of comfort foods since the article appeared in The Age on Thursday (also the booking in for liposuction and facelift, and the personal trainer waiting in the wings).
So I think I should take a leaf out of The Spot Philosophy for a Calmer World and put my paw over my nose and go to sleep.