Beau and I cut snowflakes today and all the while I thought how very not Australian Christmas a snowflake is but how we just have to have them nonetheless. They were fun to make, and there is this great interactive site that shows you how.
We drove around unknown roads this evening just because. Hills shrouded in mist. Yesterday a phenomenal sunset....so beautiful out here I can hardly believe it. Starting to feel less like we're on holiday and more like residents.

Bit of Christmas crafting and a bit of letting go

Having trouble remembering to photograph the things I've been making of late. I made this Bird mobile for a friend's new bub, in a flash of last minute inspiration and thought only to take a photo in the car (hence attractive vinyl dashboard back drop).

Beau's advent calender is up and the Christmas Fairy nightly brings various small treats or instructions to which end this blog has been really helpful. Trying always to find the balance between getting and giving and to infuse Christmas with meaning. For me it is about family and birth, giving and gratitude and the most fantastic food we can put together. Christmas was magic for me as a kid, Mum went all out to make it so and the main thing for me, as much as I loved receiving presents, were the rituals that evolved for our family; the tree (which we had for 22 years), the way we decorated it, the old stories, the preparation of food,the wrapping and planning and the odd but good humoured family dynamic that was always played out every Christmas lunch - non of it particularly extraordinary but exciting none the less. And even though our family has never been the slightest bit religious, I absolutely loved the stories around baby Jesus born in a barn - the whole nativity thing; the wise men, that big star, arriving on a donkey, Frankincense and Myrrh (which I thought were exotic visitors for a good many years).

My family and I as a whole haven't spent Christmas together for at least 10 years, (probably more in K's case) which I find a little sad. Since mum died our family in general has been somewhat disconnected and which is why I think I'm probably more eager to create a strong sense of family and family rituals than I otherwise might have been. It seems that mothers are the ones who tend to keep extended family together and keep those family rituals alive. Nothing like Christmas to test how many familial expectations there are yet to let go of.

My friend Teresa and I have three gigs coming up, two this weekend and one the day after boxing day. The two this weekend are small but the first for us and for the first time in my life I am actually looking forward to performing. Could it be that my long time and crippling fear of singing in front of people is finally lifting? I do believe so. I think it has much to do with the practice of trying to stay present and therefore spending less time in thought about something that will happen in the future, and much to do with getting older and worrying less about what other people think. It could be, that having just turned 41, I may finally be learning something.

Old Shoes New Year

Beau's world. Regularly found prostrate on floor immersed in miniature rail road land. "Beau likes smokey trains mama" (still speaks of himself in third person). Understatement! We gave him the wooden set for Christmas. Winner.

Didn't take photos on Christmas Day. I wasn't well. Wound up with a fever in the night. Still managed to eat an ample amount of gourmet Christmas Fair.

New Year's Eve spent at friends' glorious mudbrick house in the bush. Sat on the front lawn until 4am (I even out-partied K!)singing and playing guitar. We sang up every 80's song we knew including the Violent Femmes entire 1st album. Sober as a judge i was and that's the way uh huh uh huh I like it. Beau has mortal fear of Kookaburras hence he did not leave the safety of the house nor did he appreciate being put at the mercy of a chance kookaburra meeting at the river the next day. Poor love. That kind of fear is big. I remember it well. And I remember it passing too.


Beau's (and my) favourite shoes, too small now. Time for many new things now, shoes, home, lifestyle, work.....
Two and a half weeks until we move. Much sorting and packing to avoid until last minute.
Happy New Year lovely people.

Big Night On The Felt

Christmas tree birdie
a partridge and pear, no tree
nativity
sheep (my favourite!). Dry felting is my new chocolate.

trees
I am so excited to have a camera. Almost a whole year has gone by without photo documentation. Beau is in for some In Yer Face camera action. And here are some very nice photos of the Christmas goodies I've been making into the wee hours of each morning. So much fun but Oh so sleep deprived. NEVER tackle overwhelming, overstimulating department stores whilst sleep deprived and hungry. I had a hypoglycemic meltdown until I inhaled three Nori rolls.

And here I am blogging when I should be taking the opportunity for a nap. These days it's a choice between crafting and sleeping.

Ooh and I bought knitting needles yesterday. See, working was just getting in the way of all this creativity.

Kevin Rudd eh. He ratifies the Kyoto Protocol (just, what, minutes after being instated??) and asks the US to do the same; he promises to say Sorry; he's already been to Iraq and back and promises to bring the lads home by June; he pledges to protect the Whales; prioritises climate change.....If he keeps up like this then he really is my Dream Prime Minister.

A safe and happy Christmas to you all xxx