A walk in the woods...

Em and I went to the Grampians a few weeks ago. So beautiful. Most of this area was burnt out early this year when fierce fires raged for weeks and weeks. But the bush is coming back, soft greens and still lots of black but so lovley. Some crafting got done - more crochet squares!

I used to love these little toy machines; I remember jamming 20c pieces down the slot, hoping for a diamond ring or something sparkly - cranking the dial and listening to the toy drop down. These rubber balls were always fun, too. Bounce a mile high.

I've seen this book everywhere; on the web, in bookstores and I finally succumbed and bought it.
There's nothing flea market about the price - but it's one of those books the fire off heaps of ideas, for me, anyway.

It made me want to tear off to Camberwell market or white-wash all our walls or get hold of some distressed wooden cabinets. It also reminded me of a few buys I've missed over the years. Why oh why didn't I buy that huge, rusty wire circle with about 80 old fashioned keys hanging off it....for $15?

As expected, the photographs are pretty stunning, full of detail and colour. I know I'll return to this one again and again.

I don't usually take photos of people but the chain-link fence and the animal print made me feel as if I was taking a snap of wild beasty. Grrr.

If you've been dropping by you'll notice I've been experimenting with banners...only taken me over two years to work them out...Lime Green...that picture was of Emma, last year in New Zealand on Orepuki Gemstone beach where you can find: ''hydro grossular garnet, orbicular jasper, garnet sands, rodinguite quartz, simi nephrite, fossil worm casts, oil shale and elusive sapphire'' washed up on the sand. The rocks were amazing - perfectly round and speckled.

This weekend was so much fun. Friday night we saw Gwen Stefani - great concert. Half way through she ran off the stage - right down the middle of the crowd and sat up on one of the guard rails...way, way, way up the back and sang a song. She was surrounded by about four security guys but the crowd was so amazed to find her...right there, that everyone kind of gave her space. She was amazing. How often to performers get off the stage and mingle with the cheap seats?


Saturday we saw Irina Palm at the Melb International Film Festival starring Marianne Faithfull....loved it...moving, funny, brave. It's about a middle aged woman who gets a part time job so she can save money to help her dying grandson.

Yesterday we went back into town to see Spooks: Haunted Melbourne exhib...lots of fun and the perfect, wintry, Melbourne day to do it. Fabric, chocolate from KoKo Black, pumpkin soup in the laneway, and mooching around bookshops...perfect Sunday.

Also took some snaps. A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to go to the opening of the Pixar: 20th Anniversary Exhib at ACMI but I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the wonderful statues out front; ball and Luxo Jr lamp...very cute.

Going to do my best to get a little crafting down this week; something - anything - we'll see.