Soda!

Proof that anything grouped together can look fabulous.  I guess it helps that these cans are pretty fabulous in their own right but I bet if you stacked, say, tinned tomatoes, you'd get a similar effect.

One item on it's own can get lost but group it with a theme and the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Weddings

If you had a barn - why would you get married anywhere else??

Van Love

My Studio

The extension plans for our house include an upstairs studio which has been earmarked for ME!!  It will be a long rectangle with a cathedral ceiling and is going to serve as my office/sewing room/TV room.  Since having kids we have had to do without an office and when you run your own business it can get very frustrating.  I also make the patchwork cot quilts that we sell at CHALK and with 2 shops now it is almost impossible to produce these in the limited space I have. 

My intention is to have the office area and sewing bench up one end with a floating bookcase on casters seperating it from a 'den' where I can watch as much crappy television as I like without interruption.

I have threatened to have a door at the bottom of the stairs to which only I have the key and I think they almost believe that I will do it.
I can not begin to tell you how excited I am about this part of the house - I often find myself daydreaming about it and I'm petrified someone will tell me we can't have it as it seems to good to be true.

Here is the inspiration for the sewing area of my space - my dear friend Kris has an amazing studio in her home and I'm hoping mine is half way as inspirational as hers.

Sometimes You Just Need 'Diner Luke'

I get teased a lot by Surfer Boy for refusing to break my morning cafe routine no matter what.  This week was particularly bad as both kids were sick on different days and instead of waiting at home with them I made them come to breakfast with me while they were waiting for him to pick them up!  (they weren't THAT sick!)

Sometimes you just get really attached to the routines you love and as usual the amazing Lorelai Gilmore puts it perfectly....

                 

Heart Sing

A couple of weeks ago I took Surfer Boy on a secret date to see Michelle Shocked at the East Brunswick Club.  Michelle is the first artist we ever saw together in the first couple of months of our relationship and she is the soundtrack to those early years.  15 odd years later and I bought tickets but refused to tell him where we were going until we were lined up outside the venue.  It was a huge success and a truely memorable gig as all Michelle's gigs are.

Fast forward a week or two and following Michelle's advice, I added her as a friend on Facebook and yesterday I actually received a reply!!!

Michelle Shocked

Hi Jenny

I share the privilege. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement! Love, Michelle

How fabulous is that.  I can't tell you how it made my day.  She is a music industry icon and I'm so thrilled she took the time to write to me.

Yay, Gifts

Last week I posted some pics of various knitted things that had caught my eye now that Winter has kicked in - well look what I was given this morning......

Krissa has obviously been keeping up to date with my blog and came across this while she was in Sydney on the weekend.  I absolutely love it and have had many jealous customers commenting on it already.  Thanks Krissa!

I Want Cake

A new cake shop has opened up 2 doors down from CHALK and every morning now I gaze in the window at all the delectable treats and wish I was half as creative as they are.

 Both my kids had birthdays recently and I attempted to make the above Lego cake for Moondoggie - not bad but now that I have seen the cakes next door I'm feeling rather inadequate.

Bedrooms & Bookshelves

There are many things I would do if I was still single and living in a warehouse or loft would be one of them.  Not sure I could sleep with a taxidermied (is that even a word?) animal that close though.  This person obviously has no intention of being anything other than single if the single bed is any indication.

42 Going On 14

I can barely keep my eyes open this morning - they are sore and scratchy and I just want to lay my head on the desk and have a snooze.  The reason for my discomfort is ... Smallville.

My guilty pleasure for the past year has been nightly episodes of the Clark Kent story and finally, after 10 long seasons it has come to an end.  The movie length finale episode aired in the States on Friday so I have been on tenterhooks all weekend. 

My friend and fellow Superman freak, Jono, organised for 3 of us to watch this event at the Sun Theatre on the big screen so with much excitement we assembled on Sunday night (midnight) prepared to share an almost religious experience!  (Don't worry, I do know how crazy I sound).  2 hours later, as the film refused to load we slumped in our seats and realised we were going to have to wait longer to find out how the Smallville chapter of Clark's life tied up.

Finally, after a flurry of texts from 'he who had seen it while I was at work', I managed to get the family packed off to bed and settled in to watch 2 hours of uninterrupted bliss - and it didn't disappoint.
There were gasps, thrills, shock, and tears - lots of tears, hence my poor sore eyes this morning.  Can not wait to watch it all over again tonight.  And yes I think I have turned into a 14 year old boy but gee it's been a fun ride.

Thank you Smallville for 10 seasons of joy!

For Surfer Boy

It's Freezing In Melbourne

And it makes me wish I could knit!

Everything Comes Around Again

I love this take on a very daggy interior item.  Who knew the humble doiley could look so good?

Book Love

I've been waiting a while for this to appear in my local bookshop and yesterday I got my sticky little hands on it.  I can't wait to take Rob to bed and find out just what he's been up to....

Would You Look At Those Eyes!!!

Alexis Bledel you are divine.

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song

I can't get enough of this film clip at the moment.  I can sit mesmerised watching it over and over.  Weird.

Eye Candy - Josh Duhamel