A Collection of Thoughts

Creating a Manifesto

The other night at the drive in - between shows I made the mistake of checking my facebook news feed. Sharon had posted about her manifesto making. I swear I don't remember 3/4s of the movie because every chance I got ( ie when the girls weren't looking)  I was madly clicking through following her links. There is a lovely gallery of them here.

It just spoke volumes to me.  Seriously sometimes I have to be hit across the back of the head to get the message.

I have seen this one before - I have it printed actually as postcards to send out to some friend.

Last week I spoke with a colleague about a work manifesto and an idea that he had for our SFD.

Last month I spoke with a friend about designing a business and how all business needed a manifesto of sorts to explain what they stood for. I actually used those words manifesto.

But for some reason I never put that together with writing my own. Hello ?? Honestly if I was anymore asleep I wouldn't be breathing!

So back to the story I read and read and then started jotting notes on my phone - a jimble jumble of words.  Edited and edited and voila here is mine.

I used photoshop to create it. Mine is going up at work and I'm putting a second copy here at my desk.

If you would like your own manifesto but creating stuff digitally makes you break out in hives then flick me an email with the words that you'd like and the colour(s) that you'd like and I will whip it up for you in no time. All you have to do is print :)

 I think we all should have a little plan for how we want our 2013 to look don't you ?

Brooches

I love brooches. No really I do - LOVE them. On cardigans, on a jacket, or scarf, popped onto a bag. It just makes me instantly feel dressed up - silly I'm sure. They are usually very reasonable priced and I think make a perfect gift.  As I was tidying up my little collection I thought I would share my favourites with you.

 By The Sentimentalist  ---- love love love this one.  It's acrylic on top and wood and paint underneath. You can see more of them here

 

Next up is this style - I have one of these in a different pattern popped away for a friend for Christmas - but I'm personally coveting this one  - also by The Sentamentalist  you can see all of the designs here - and yes they are hand stitched ( crazy woman!!)

This one I found while at the Suitcase Rummage market in Brisbane.  Sconnie and Jam a cute cute talentedcouple who were nicknamed  Sconnie and Jam by their families when they were young - then they met - and how gorgeous is it that their nicknames match? Also available on etsy



This fox is from Hanaletters on Etsy and is so beautifully made. She has an amazing number of designs and they start at just $4.50. The girls also have some very cute ones from her too.

Last but not least is from Kirbee Lawler also available on etsy. I am seeing a pattern here - a love of wood and forest animals :)

Do you wear brooches? Please share your favourites I would hate to be missing out!

Vintage Goodness

Our weekend has ben filled to the brim with happy things.  Op shopping,  a visit to the girls and my favourite cafe down the other end of the coast, the drive in, a trip to Bangalow and the markets, making for the girls halloween party at guides tomorrow night- so many stories to tell but I'll share just one.

While we were in one of my favourite stores in Bangalow  one of the girls needed to go to the toilet instantly - what is with that? They never say I can hold for a bit it's always I need to go NOW. I was cross as I was really enjoying the store and I had no clue where the toilets were- Richard said he'd take her and he disappeared - I was following but I stopped to see one more thing and in that 30 sec they were gone. I rang him - now getting super cross - where are you ? He said turn left from the shop and go down the lane you can't miss it. 

So I did. Holy dooly I was Alice falling down the rabbit hole.

There in front of me was the most glorious place I have ever seen. It was like something out of the movies - or something off instagram from the US - where people go junking in these great big old sheds and find all manner of amazing things. I have never seen anything like it.

Funnily enough I never found the toilets - they had to ring me to ask where I was. I told them I had found my new home and I was never leaving.

as I came down the lane all I could see was racks and racks of glassware -  glass jars and milk bottles.

These coloured ones were so so tempting but you can see the prices. I had to walk away very very slowly. Fortunately there was plenty more to see.

Crate upon crates - chocked high to the ceiling. I so wanted a heap but they started at about $70. They had every conceivable style.

This was just outside. When I ventured in it was almost too much to perceive. I gasped out loud when I saw the row of printers trays lined up. I didn't even look at the prices for these.

There was even a whole glass cabinet filled with bakeware.

Tins, wooden shoemakers dummies, books, cigar cases, cocoa cola bottles, scrabble letters, lead stamps from printing presses, ladders the list goes on.  Needless to say I  will be back and next time I won't be leaving with just a few bits. Richard has been warned. If you are ever in that part of town it's called Heaths Old Wares and they do have a website with some of the treasures listed.

Sigh just looking at the photos makes me want to be back there right now.

Hope you had a lovely weekend :)

Bangalow Markets

Richard was beyond thrilled I tell you when I explained that both Sat and Sun were going to be spent at markets. Even more excited was he to hear that both lots were over an hour away :)

Saturday we went to the teen 2 tween markets in Brisbane which were very nice. The girls really enjoyed it. I managed to get a cute market bag which I didnt take a photo of for all my fruit and veg market shopping. Today however we ventured to Bangalow - its just over an hours drive. This is the look I got constantly - through the day when I asked him if he was having fun. Though it was glorious day nothing to complain about really.

These two despite being wired and with wifi (we took a stick) - still really dislike driving.

 

The markets are incredible - so much to see and eat . There are 300+ stalls and heaps of organic, raw vegetarian, sugar free dairy free - you name it they have it. Of course there is also the obligatory cupcake stall - which the girls were delighted when I said yes.

After the markets we hit the town.  Richard was quite keen to go straight home but no chance.

 We would come out of a store to see him standing like this. He is so hard done by.

One of our favourites was this little converted house filled with the best ever bits. Eek so expensive though. They have totally worked out to put serious prices on vintage pieces. When I saw a tiny milkcrate was $80 I didnt bother to look at any other prices.

It was a mix of hand made and vintage.

 The whole town is like this though. You can literally go into every store and find something to ooh over. I was kind though and we only visited about 5.

I love this place -its called The Corner store and today they had two Papillionaire bikes out the front - so so gorgeous.

And it wasn't all bad for Richard - he always found someone else to chat to.

We had a giggle in one home decor store when we saw this card :) I loved those bright mats.

Another favourite was this little Japanese store - filled with yukata and kokeshi dolls, stationary and covered buttons. Could have spent sooo much - but didn't.

We finished the day off with lunch at a little cafe. That's the  only problem with the Bangalow Markets there really is nowhere to sit and eat - it's all standing around.

 Happy Days :)   You can read the girls version over on their blog too if you like :-)

 

 

 

 

 

Time Munching Games

I have never been one to sit playing games but since I was diagnosed the nights stretch out endlessly before me. They still do even now that I am on the mend. I just don't sleep.

My Ipad is a heaven send and if I'm not researching something then I am lost in some sort of game. I am however very fussy and have rules about what I play.

1. It has to be easy to understand- like really easy
2. It can be stressy - as in time limited but not "skilled" like shoot this guy run through this hole etc etc because I'm mega uncoordinated
3. I prefer it to be cute
4. It has to have an end and be sequential because I become a little obsessive and play until I have it completed

Right now I'm in love with Bubble Mania

  A cute little dude who shoots bubbles to save frozen babes - yes that is a little weird-  pretty colours and he moves through different lands.

I don't love that you don't have unlimited energy so you have to keep waiting to repower - but then that's a good thing because otherwise I may just play obsessively. There are ample opportunities within the game to buy power and bits but I just keep it free.

  Where's my water?

Strange name but oh my goodness it's fun to play. There are a million levels (not really) - you have to fill the bathtub - each scene is different. I love it.

The crocodile puts on a tanty if you don't get him enough water. You also have to try to rescue the three ducks each time and there are hidden items to collect.

Also free.

 

 

 

 

In between I also play monopoly. I have become quite ruthless when negotiating trades with my non human partner.

I like to be the thimble. I also like to control all the railroads.  It's not free $7.50 but totally worth the dollars. You can pause your game too and come back to it. I love making my opponent be the race car or the dog or the battleship. They zoom around the board. You can also customise your "house rules". So I double the landing on go money and I always have us start with $2,000 in the bank. For the record I have won half the games and the computer the rest. I really want to win more LOL.

I haven't played this for a while but I went through a Plants VS Zombies stage. I worked through to the very end  (using utube cheats - told ya obsessive ) so I'm not sure if they have released more lands. This one is $3.00 I think but I was happy to pay for it.

Richard just shakes his head when I enter game playing mode. He says it's so out of character for me - which I gues it is but it makes me happy.

So tell me any must play games that fit my criteria?  They also have to be for ipad (so an app) as I tend not to sit in front of my computer much these days. Please don't recommend  Angry Birds - I've really tried to like it because I know so many people do but I can not for the life of me work it out.

 

 

Instagram and Pinterest for your Blog

You may have thought I had lost the plot if you stumbled past my blog and noticed a whole series of instagram photos that were of random CDs of musicians I had never heard of. I kept looking at it thinking - what the ? Have the girls hacked my instagram account? We don't even have those cds ... Anyhow finally I clued in that I had changed my instagram name to tarisota - and hadn't changed the feed on my blog.. so really i was displaying someone else's random photos rather than my own. Fortunately they were just of Cds and nothing wildly inappropriate LOL.

This did remind me though that I had promised a while back to share how I added both that feed and my pinterest feed to my blog.

If you don't use typepad it may be slightly different but up to a point it will be the same.

Instagram is quite simple. I use a snap widget. - Go here

Fill in the details

 Hit preview

Collect the code ( I know as soon as I see the word code my eyes glaze over too but hang in there)

 

 Copy the code.

Now if you are a typepad user - in your design section there is an option to add a module of  "embed own html"

 Click add  this module

 In that box pop your code that you have copied - give it a heading like Instagram  (so you know what it is ) click ok and it will appear on the side bar - now you can move it wherever you like.

Save and then your instagram feed will appear magically in your side bar.

If you use another blogging platform all you need to be able to do is work out where you pop your own html and you'll be able to do the same :)

Pinterest is sightly more complicated but the lovely typepad people have written a very detailed tutorial on how to do it ...

So I just followed those instructions to the letter and voila I have pinterest in my side bar. I quite like it as it reminds me to po into pinterest when I get tired of seeing the same images. For non typepad bloggers it's probably worth a read because mostly its about the code and that would be universal.

Happy blinging up your blog day :) Good luck!

 

 

Just Begin

I'm loving hearing all your stories as you consider a cleaner eating program or try to incorporate more exercise into your routine- thank you so much for sharing. In my google reader came this image.

It's perfect isn't it ? That's the answer to almost everything - Just begin.

This is a free printable by Ali Edwards available here. Maybe print it and pop it somewhere to get yourself focused.

Blogs to Read

I thought I would share with you some of the new reads that have popped up lately that I am really enjoying.

 All that I Adore - Sophie from the Block has a very very fun blog. I loved her style on the block and now she has set up a blog of all things she adores. at the moment shes blogging a series on fairy tales.

 The Rabbit in the Waistcoat -  along with that Sophie and Dale have a website for their homewares. I loved their tree trunk chairs and cushions I could so see those being used at a children's party.

Vivienne McMaster  - An amazing blog with an unusual way of blogging  - being  a photographer her images are stunning but I love the way she adds her words. Not all blog posts are like this but plenty are. Well worth the follow.

Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess have set up two new blogs as well - You can't comment on them but they are beautiful to look at - pretty photos and a glimpse into these amazingly creative girls lives.

 Everyday Elsie    Everyday Emma

 

Danielle Thompson from Kitschy Digitals has redesigned her site and invited a whole slew of talented designers to join her. Lots of goodies here and some freebies too.

 and lucky last  is  The Thrifty Mrs.

A 20 something ( eeek so young ) blogger from the UK who writes some great tips on being thrifty. Really fun images.

I really need to start weeding out some blogs my google reader is out of control. I have a reader on my ipad but it doesn't work as well as I would like - can anyone recommend one ?

Wild Olive Anniversary

via wildolive.blogspot.com.au

Just a quick share before it disappears - Molly from Wild Olive is celebrating 8 years blogging and has this adorable freebie for her readers. I saw those three designs and thought oh how cute - but when I downloaded there are like 24 cute as patterns and a lovely banner one too!

 Be fast before the link is gone :)

Thank you Molly!

 

Brave

Yesterday was the start of school holidays and we have the girls booked into vacation care for some days but other days it's just them and me. We decided to hit the movies to see Brave.  Monday RACQ tickets are awesome - less than $8.00 for each person and I have worked out how to use them online so I can book seats now too instead of joining the queue.

Anyhow the movie was fab its our new favourite taken over from Tangled. Lovely for girls and their Mummas - especially if they fight LOL.  Plenty for boys too. There was even a scene Richard would  have loved with a cauldron and a witch and a joke on call centres :) I highly recommend it.

But a hidden jewel was Pixars latest animated short film La Luna which played just before the movie.

 It is so so beautiful and sadly isn't available online yet - here is a snippet

 

I tell you it's worth going to see a movie just to see this! The whole cinema gasped in the ending moments when we realised what was happening. SO so beautiful.

A fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family's most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and time worn traditions?

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