From the Archives...

I used to love playing swapies at school. Every play-lunch, every lunch we'd huddle in an agreed location and the sound of flicking and shuffling of cards would begin. These three were particular favorites.

From the Archives...

Loobylu is going through her creative past every Friday...


Years ago, Emma and I decided we had too much stuff - not just big stuff but piles of birthday cards, school reports, diaries, letters, primary school drawings, ticket stubs, love letters (;). Before the last move from the city to the country, we bought two huge plastic boxes - one each.

This was our chance to cull the past and whatever didn't fit into our box, well, it got tossed. It was a hard thing to do and handling, reading over every piece of the past wasn't always easy.

Finally the boxes were full. We sealed them up and packed them away in the dark...until Saturday. I found mine on the shelf in the garage and in a fit of nostalgia, I lifted off the lid (which was covered in dust) on this box of memories.

I had totally forgotten what was in there but what I did come across was my swap card collection (circa 1973), some old dolls and books. The covers of these books hurled my memory back in time...

I'm pretty sure I go Jumbo from the school book club. Every now and then a form would come around and we could each select books - then the form was posted away and weeks later (always felt like years) - the books would arrive in plastic bags and the teacher would hand the orders. I think this was one of the first books to move me to tears...maybe that's why I remember it so clearly.

Storm Boy! I was in Grade 5 and I hatched a plan. I nagged my older sister to agree to not only buy me this book but walk it up to my school, meet me at certain spot at play-lunch and throw it over the school fence! She did it! I have no idea why I would have been so intense about this book but it was pretty nice of her to do it.

I got Tim and the Sea Captain when I was really little so I have very few memories of actually getting it but I know I was in a bookshop in town - it was in a little arcade and I was with my eldest sister. Still a great read.

Happy Weekend...

Yesterday Em and I had a long lunch with friends. I made some mini orange&poppy-seed cupcakes with creamy frosting and coloured sugar sprinkles. We figured - cos they're "mini" that four cupcakes ='d one regular size cupcake.

We were all happily deluded.

Some more old books with cute illustrations...

This lamb kills me. Meanwhile...Mary's having a great time.

Thanks for looking.

I've been reading Yarnstorm for ages and every time Jane mentions the author Eilzabeth Taylor...I think to myself, I must track down one of Taylor's books - then I forget. But in the last couple of weeks I've found myself in some great second-hand bookshops and suddenly books by Elizabeth Taylor seem to be leaping out at me. I haven't read any yet, but I'm going to.

Short Break

Em and I just had four glorious days in Bright. Lots of walking Toby, reading, eating. It was the last weekend of the Bright Autumn Festival - the leaves, trees - just a blur of burnished golds and reds. We had dinner one night at Simone's!! which was the best Italian food I've had in a very long time.

This time yesterday Em and I were collecting chestnuts with Toby! Sigh... we gathered quite a lot so last night I had a look at Stephanie's advice...I think I'll boil them up and remove the pulp and add it to soup sometime this week.

While some people did this...

we did this...

This was one amazing Devonshire Tea...sitting in a perfect garden with weak late afternoon light listening (in!) to the chatter of elderly ladies at the next table. It was like we'd walked onto the set of some BBC drama. Perfection.

Speaking of - I was reading Posie Gets Cozy post about Wives and Daughters so I got myself and copy on dvd and Em and I watched it on the weekend. Loved it!

The Canyon Walk.

Toby got thirsty...

This is where we stayed: High Country Lavender. Dog friendly and surrounded by bush and hills. Perfect. The light, the air was just so clear and fresh.

The weather was great - every sunset the leaves looked as though they'd caught fire.

Thanks for looking!

Looky here...

Here are the stunning dolls that Emma gave me for my birthday. On the left is Greta and on the right, Harper. The artist who made these amazing creatures is Christine Alvarado from Du Buh Du Designs. These shots were taken in haste. Harper is wearing a tiny locket and inside is a photo of portrait of Oscar Wilde (I think Christine drew that, too). Each doll came with a tiny portrait. Christine's work looks amazing on her website but up close, the details are so incredible - the clothes, expressions - the weight of the dolls and how their limbs move. I'm very lucky. Thanks Em.xxx.

Picture this.

So this is my 40th gift from my family. Yay! I've been pouring over these pages every day since Sunday. I just know it's one of those books that I'll have forever. You can read more about Charley Harper here. There's quite a lengthy interview with Charley by Todd Oldham in the very front of the book - a kind of Q&A. You get the impression Charley was a very modest, nature-oving guy who adored his wife and his art.
Every page is spectacular, so much colour/imagination/shape/form - endlessly inspiring. This book is HUGE - it's like having five stone tiles on your lap but that means the pages are massive and some of Harper's illustrations just launch off the page. Here are just a few images...enjoy.

Thank you Dad, Christine, Helene, John, Rianna, Dion, Bridget, Ann, Garry, Lizzie, Sean, Ty, Mick, Bernice, Vince, Catherine, Christopher, Leonie, Peter, Lauren, Charlie, Ria and Geraldine. I love it.

Birthday and In and Out of Love....

Well. I turned 40 on Saturday and just then, right then...I accidentally typed 30! I had a brilliant weekend; lots of friend and family and only a few minor dramas. When you have six sisters, 11 nieces and nephews, five brother-in-laws and one dad - dramas do happen. Emma, the total sweet-heart, was the mastermind behind organising a cake and making dinner plans and co-ordinating everyone for lunch yesterday. I was spoilt rotten:) and I will be posting pictures very soon. Oh yes I will.


I haven't made much lately...still crocheting squares. I started last June! My ripple blanket is quite big but I must admit - I'm not totally in love with it.

What do I do? Drop it and start another? Plough on and hope things improve? Learn to love the ripple I have? I've made such a commitment - hours have gone into it but what I have is a wonky, un-even sided blur of colour. I've learned a lot - so maybe....I start a new?
Here is a picture - I found these old plastic toys. Cute? I think so.