What Blogging means to me...

This post is homework.
Yes, really. I have been doing a brilliant e-course called "Blogging your way 2.0" by the outstandingly-talented-and-oh-so-lovely Holly Bekker, author of bestselling Interiors book Decorate and Decor8 blog.

{photo}

Sadly due to ill health, a wayward husband (it's all work, nothing more dramatic, but it takes him away from home sometimes) and a few minor disasters (that resulted in several visits to the local hospital's casualty department), I have been struggling failing to keep up!
However, what I have got from the course thus far has been fantastic and I hope to use the next 4 weeks (whilst the content is still available) to catch up and make the most of it!

• I have learned about the importance having a plan, a direction, my own (authentic) voice; and I have been encouraged to work hard, be consistent, to not be discouraged and not to rush to get to where I want to be. 
• Useful resources have been shared, for improving your blog, tips on monetizing and various other things I had dreamed of one day achieving but not known where to begin or who to go to for advice!
•  I have also discovered some lovely blogs and some very talented and interesting people!            
• ..... It's moved me on to the next road in my creative journey, it's time to leave the roadhouse, (to use a very Aussie analogy), where I have been metaphorically resting with a beer and a meat pie for far too long!! Watch this space, I am hoping to vastly { but slowly} improve my blog and to create a plan for my creative future...

Thank you Holly - I now have the courage to take the next step in my life, and now that my kids have both started school, there's no time like the present to begin...

{In summary I would definitely recommend this course!}

Anyway, this week's homework was to write a blog post not only about what I have gained from the course but also what blogging means to me. {The first part I have answered above, the second below!}

Well, for me blogging is really all about two things:
 1. Connecting with the world - the (now huge) little-pocket of creative types in the world to be more specific. I began because I missed having other creative people around me, especially for the bouncing around of ideas. Since I left my design job to have my kids, I didn't really have anyone creative in my life. Connecting with others firstly through my Etsy shop and then later my blog, actually helped me out of a long bout of depression. I have made some truly great friends through the online craft & design community. I also now have a few crafty / creative friends locally.

2. My blog is to me, a kind of journal. It's a place to record and share creative inspiration, and general eye-candy, and also to document some snippets of my life. It's even a place friends and family can visit to see what my 'expat' life Downunder is like, or to gain a greater insight into my character and my taste. I don't think they do, mind you! But they could!!

Me and my little peeps! (photo by Milk & Honey photography).

I have really enjoyed reading the homework posts of some of the other students too.

Take care,
love,
 Sally xox

a new blog on the way....

I have decided to create a new blog for crafting with kids!

...I do a lot of crafting with kids myself!
Both at my boys' School & Preschool and at home. I love it. THEY love it. Win win!
So I thought I'd start a blog.
I'm stuck on a name a little at the moment and also deciding Blogger or Wordpress - something else instead?? Need to design my banner, prepare some projects, posts and so on. There will be ideas, tutorials, giveaways and more. Hope I get time to put it all in place very soon as I am super excited about this!!

Anyway here's some imagery to whet your appetite ~ hope you will join me when the time comes!

{All images taken by me!}

I do hope you'll join me.
I'd love suggestions, photos of your kids work, guest bloggers and so on.

Hope your weekend is bright and cheery - the weather certainly isn't here, but that doesn't mean we can't be in ourselves, right?! Hubby has just made me some delicious scrambled egg, so that's a great start...!

Love,
Sally xox

Two Cheeky Monkeys: Simple Button Headband Tutorial

Buttons from Jambo Chameleon (of course!!!)

I was thrilled to be mentioned on a fellow Aussie DUST team member/ Etsy seller's blog -
in which the lovely Deb gives us a simple tutorial for a really effective headband!

Two Cheeky Monkeys: Simple Button Headband Tutorial

{image by Deborah Davey of Two Cheeky Monkeys}

 I LOVE it when customers share what they have made with my buttons! 

... or even just fun ideas for using buttons in general! 

(Feel free to send me a message / photos if you have any button projects to share).

By the way, Deb also has a couple of great Etsy shops herself (and one on Madeit), where she sells her handmade jewellery and homewares.

So why not visit Two Cheeky Monkeys and Domum Vindemia to see what Deb has been making lately.

love,

Sally x0x

A spot of guest post writing...

photo by Sally Cooper (yes! that's me!)

Hi, how are you today?

I was recently invited by the lovely Anastasia of the popular 'Anastasia Drawing and Dreaming' blog
to write a guest post whilst she is away on her hols.

I thought 'why not?!' and why not indeed? So I did!!!

You can see it here.


If you like this colour combination and would like to see more of it you can check out my Pinterest board here "Northern Light"

{if you found your way here from Anastasia's blog - "hello, welcome and thanks for stopping by!"}

Have a great day!

Sally xox

365 Grateful

Hello, how is your day going?
Mine has been really good so far - enhanced by a sweet treat (see pic below!) :-)

I have a lovely Irish friend called Biddy, and being such a lovely person, she likes to focus on the positive.
I like to do that too. Biddy has this great album on Facebook - called 365 Grateful. She was inspired by a friend also, I believe, and she has since discovered (and shared with me) the origins of the project at http://365grateful.com/

I was so inspired by Biddy's lovely album that I decided to create my own. But mine is here on my blog rather than on FB, that way I can share it with YOU! :)
My "365 Grateful" has it's own page - just have a look at the page tabs at the top of my blog and there you will find my list!!

Here is today's entry: yummy macarons { Kaffir lime & Ginger and Salted Butter Caramel flavours}.

Giveaway alert!

Would you like to win something?
Yeah, it's always fun to win a prize isn't it?!

Check out this giveaway on Pip Lincolne's blog - you just have to donate $2 (or more if you like)
to sponsor Pip and her team for Dry July. The proceeds go to help cancer patients.

These are the prizes she has up for grabs this week... (for details see Pip's blog - click on GIVEAWAY: HOLY HOORAY).

I would love to win the cushion (no. 2 above) - it's an 'Antarctica Cushion', handmade by 
My Bearded Pigeon who not only makes Antarctica cushions, but also other fabbo map cushions too!!   { value $55 }

Just look at all these lovely My Bearded Pigeon Mappy cushions - ooh covet, covet!!......

If you enter Good Luck (but please don't win the cushion! lol),
or if you are DOING Dry July - Good Luck and Good on You!!

Love,
Sally xox

ooh thanks - Blog Feature...

One of my items has been (kindly) featured on this adorable blog!!

beth retro dreams by photographer Beth Howson.

I so love Beth's pretty, but funky blog banner!

Strawberries & Cream vintage button mix

Pink Leminade by Beth Retro Photography

maybe you'd like to visit her Etsy shop beth retro photography

Thanks Beth!!

♥ Sally ♥

    xox

Stylish Blogger Award...

I was just awarded this by the awesome Crystal of
Domestic, But Not Martha blog.
(Thank you lovely Miss Crystal!!).

According to the rules this is what I have to do to accept:
(and WHY would I want to turn down my first ever bloggy award?!)

Rule #1:

Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.
check! (see above)
But just in case anyone missed it : a big 'thanks'
                                                     
 to Crystal from Domestic,butnotmartha

Rule #2:
Share 7 things about yourself. (in NO particular order)
oooh, ok.... (I suddenly feel a little naked, oh I promise I am NOT though!!!).

1. I LOVE TO TRAVEL. ♥ ♥ ♥
My soul mate (now my Hubby) and I embarked on two extended backpacking trips, first for 18 months and the second time for about 9 months. I have been to about 27 countries (lost count now). Very many more are on my wishlist.

2. I LIVE TO EAT - not Eat to Live!! I don't smoke and hardly drink alcohol - food is my 'vice'!!
I also enjoy cooking and baking, but I don't tend to follow recipes very often!!

3. I  ♥... flicking through piles of magazines, (especially when they have perfume samples amongst the pages), browsing in bookstores, sprinkling French lavender oil on my pillow, sipping Earl Grey tea (no milk and weak) from my favourite mug, chocolate for breakfast, cake for lunch (not in the same day of course!!), afternoon 'Nanna' naps, cuddles with my boys and holding their little hands in mine.... oh and so much more stuff!!

4. My last job was as Textile Designer for the famous Australian artist - Ken Done. I decided before I moved to Australia that I wanted to, and lucky me my wish came true!!

5. I'm scared of heights, but challenged myself to an abseil!

6. I would describe the way I live as 'organised chaos'. Sometimes I am a perfectionist & control freak but mostly I am messy & haphazard!! Our house is too small for us, especially with all the boys' toys, and the massive array of stuff I collect and hoard!! :-)

7. I am allergic to bee and wasp stings (we're talking full-on Anaphylaxis!!).
 I have Fibromyalgia (FMS), an underactive Thhyroid, Arthritis and other stuff that slows me down a little but consider myself VERY lucky indeed, and really blessed to have all my senses working, use of all my limbs etc
(Hey I don't even have any fllings (cavities) and still have 20/20 eyesight!).


Rule #3:
Award 15 Stylish recently discovered bloggers.

All my favourite blogs, I've fairly recently(ish) discovered, so I'll just share my those ones with you...
(not in any special order) and I will pass on this award to some of the less established ones (and some more not listed here also)...

1. http://www.auntycookie.com/blog/
2. http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/
3. http://anastasiac.blogspot.com/
4. http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/
5. http://printpattern.blogspot.com/
6. http://theredthreadblog.blogspot.com/
7. http://littlejanest.blogspot.com/
8. http://www.decor8blog.com/
9. http://thedesignfiles.net/
10. http://heathersthompson.typepad.com/
11. http://www.domesticbutnotmartha.com/
12. http://calicoandco.blogspot.com/
13. http://www.designspongeonline.com/
14. http://www.nestdecorating.typepad.com/
15. http://style-files.com/

...and finally for good measure - one I discovered only today!
http://theenglishmuse.blogspot.com/

I think I kinda cheated on that last one... ho hum, naughty me!!

My 'baby' started big school yesterday (Look isn't he sooooo cute in his uniform?), and my other little man has started pre-school, and they are both sad...so my head is all over the place!

Hope your week is going well, I'm sure some of you have got kids starting or going back to school around now too.

love,
Sally xox

Treasury Time!

I just found one of my button mixes - my "Every Cloud... (has a silver lining)" mix in a gorgeous treasury,

curated by JUST FEATHERS  ....I'd like to share it with you....

Interestingly, Honeysuckle happens to be the Pantone* colour of the year (and where would we designers be without Pantone?).                                                                                                                                   ....{*For the uninitiated PANTONE® is the global authority on colour and provider of professional color standards for the design industries*}                                 According to Pantone Honeysuckle is a dynamic reddish pink, that is is encouraging and uplifting.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,”

explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.

It certainly is pretty! I do actually find pink and red energising, inspiring colours too.



Hello Honeysuckle , I love you





you are pretty (like this Lavender Bottle print)!



find these here







find this here





Talented blogger and graphic designer Amanda from both Calico and Co (one of my fave blogs), and Lemon Tree Lane ( an eco-friendly paper product shop on Etsy), recently did a great blog post on this.

Heart // 6 pack eco flat valentine greeting cards by Lemon Tree Lane



Here is my own Honeysuckle treasury of Etsy finds, inspired by the lovely one I found myself in today, Amanda's blog post and the Pantone colour of the year - not to mention it's a great colour for Summer (which of course it is right now, here in Australia!).

{{ Clicks and comments on my treasury are most welcome! }}

... and finally I will leave you with this dreamy photo by Donna Geissler



hugs,

Sally xox

















Fab Finds #6

Hello,
on this very wet Wednesday, I am feeling a bit worse for wear.
I haven't been sleeping well for a few days and now I have a stinky cold! : (

Nothing cheers me up like a burst of colour and some fab eye candy!! Window shopping from the comfort of home, mug of earl grey in hand! I even accompanied the tea with a mince pie today (sorry diet, I'll see you again soon!).

Anyhoo, I'd like to share these examples with you that made me smile today:



1.These fun bracelets are made by Liana Kabel,
she says: "Bracelets made because...
I love the graphic nature of numbers.

I'm interested in exploring simple yet effective ways to connect pieces.
they continue the theme.

I wanted to."

(a little sadly these are not available for purchase anywhere).

But DO check out Liana's awesome 'Plastic Girl' blog and her Etsy shop






2.This bright and wonderful Giclee print is by
Jenn Ski an artist and illustrator with a passion for modern and mid-20th century art and design.






3. I had this EXACT design wallpaper, (below)
on the inside of my bedroom cupboard, when I was a teenager! (Also a little bit of a great 1950's kitchen design),

coming across this today made me feel nostalgic :)

You can buy it here from Menzo Collection on Etsy.





 

and now, I shall bid you goodnight ... it's time for a little TV & Camomile tea before bed,

Sally xox

" Tumblr "- I do. Do you??

I  LOVE ♥ ♥ ♥ Tumblr - it's just such an inspiring place to visit, full of lovely eye candy.


If you'd like to share more of my inspiration with me, come on over to my
OTHER BLOG!!! and take a look:  Cre8tivity Always

photo from http://www.myowlbarn.com/





watch this!

Hey, hey - I just watched this fab clip of the awesome Miss Pip (Lincolne), Crafting Queen of Meet Me At Mike's fame, appearing on TV ( The Circle ), to talk about how Nanna-crafts are cool once more.

{If you are reading this - you knew that already, but not everyone is as cool as you and I right??!}

watch here:

Of course I am not the only fan of Pip, here her new book is featured on one of my absolute favourite blogs.



photo borrowed from The Design Files blog

  Pip Lincolne is a TV-natural - warm, effervesent & inspiring. She makes me want to make things.
Now I want to make a shirt cushion...EVEN I could sew one of those!!! : )

I can't wait to buy her new book Sew La Tea Do

Sally x0x