Gorgeous Creative Friends and Sinking Ships

I am blessed to be part of a network of friends .... They are my tribe.

Like family, they remind me of who I am and why I am here. 

I love them more than a blog post could express.

Artists, makers, dreamers and storytellers ; they restore me.

One of them, is the beautiful Pennisula based artist Megan Greenwood . She is Emgee. 

A Silversmith and dream weaver  with a love of dark whimsy and storybook characters ~ Into the forest ~ Down to the sea ~

Her "Sink Ships" collection is based on romantic childhood dreams .

Dreams of Mermaids, Pirates and Sailors.

This week she sent me my own "Sink Ships" ring. Weighty, dream invoking, beautiful. 

I'm besotted . 

You can find her work here.
Adore.

On Motherhood, Photographs and Self Esteem

Today we went to the beach ... a warm winters Sunday, 

We seized the moment. Miss 11 wanted to take a photo. I suggested just them with me behind the camera ....as one does when one is a forty something mother with a super huge fear of swimming costume shots.

Then I thought again . I teach my children that moments are more important than vanity. That the waif thin, spray tanned, air brushed models advertising drenches us with ...are gross distortions of reality.

That a life well lived is worth capturing on film.  

I don't want them to have no photographs of us together, spare a bunch of carefully filtered "selfies" from my phone .. ridiculously edited from what they remember. Imagine if I edited out all the good bits... all their favourite times because of distorted self esteem. Imagine if I was invisible.

At forty its time to get real, make memories ... to live.

So instead of deleting this photo after picking it to pieces ... I'm putting it out there. 

Do you want to be an invisible perfect memory or a much loved integral part of your children's history.

So hunched over, grimacing at the sun ....child with eyes shut...

This is us.... imperfect and happy. A memory for them.

 Living it with love xx

Treading Water

My name is Ava and I am a self imposed standard addict :)
 I run on a high motor . I believe each day should reflect a proud list of things achieved.
It's been 12 hours since I last ran around in a frenzy. 
Working , raising children , raising self , making a difference ...it means I'm headed somewhere .
You know if you stop..... 
Well
You just might 
Stop.

 Just for today I'm allowing myself to tread water ( not stop) 
I've made a cup of tea .... I might even have two.
This shot is in close up so you don't see the scattered debris of existence in the background.
I'll face that later, and mind you, face it well.
But
For today, I've switched off the phone , turned off my email and I'm enjoying the serenity.
Do you do this ? I'm giving it my best shot :)

 

Middlemost Love

A little secret . I love hand made , I love girly girl dresses and I adore Middlemost, an industrious maker from Wagga. I discovered her about a year ago on Instagram ( follow me with the link on the side bar ) Janine sold beautiful clothes at Liz's beautiful shop called Gleaners ( Where I got my foxy scarf ) 

She makes clothes from vintage recycled fabrics ... listens to the odd Pixies song and now is a mad keen Roller Derby girl ...you can see her roller derby gear here , and you can buy her to die for dresses , skirts , blouses and jewellery here. Addictive much ...don't say you weren't warned  xx

These are her latest dresses .... Hmmm Don't mind if I do ;) 

Make sure you have a look 

Instagram Round up x

A ship called "Notorious" 
Council clean up roadside treasure.
Days of cats, kids and dappled winter light. 
New dresses in the mail and fallen owls.
Blog updates on much of these to follow shortly xx

My Orphan Window / Industrial Menu Board

A relentless collector of building materials ... my whole house has been renovated on other peoples cast aways. Before even owning a house we lived with a shed full of old architraves,  doors , mantelpieces and windows ... For one day.
This orphan window is one of the many things I've never used and found hard to part with .

A few coats of blackboard paint , some eye hooks and wire and she has been reborn ....ready to hang.

Thrilled with my new menu board 

Treasured things ... even the vegetables

Stitch in Time

Today we sewed ... we had big plans , skirts, dresses, pyjamas .... and then those plans got realistic, they became heat bags. Heat bags filled with wheat and lavender, shaped like bluebirds and dinosaurs. Three of the Picket Fence children used the sewing machine for the first time. Miss Teen Picket Fence made us scones (and a scone like mess in the kitchen I might add.)

Miss 9 and Miss 11 took all photo's bar two (wishing I'd done my hair) and we made, if nothing more .... memories xx