Friday, November 30, 2012

Advent Joyce






Tomorrow marks the beginning of Advent.  
It is a time of waiting for the birth of Jesus.  
A time of repentance, a time to reflect.

For me it is a time to be mindful.
Mindful of self.
Mindful of others.
Clearing the clutter from the inside.

I am going to take control of my stress levels.
It is totally up to me, what and who I allow into my life, and maybe by me taking control of my surroundings and what energies I accept from those around me, then I can begin to share my own positive and less stressed energy for calm.
That does not mean pushing people away from me, it just means when they dump on me, to nod politely, help them if they ask/want it, but not to absorb their negativity into myself.
To try and leave them feeling better, to try to share positive energy towards them.
Sort of like how a tree absorbs carbon dioxide and then emits oxygen.
(my way for words is ugg and iewww) *ahem*

Understanding that by stressing about 'all the things I have to do', does not make the task easier, it just fills my head with more crap.  It's pointless crap too.  If the job/task is not done, then get over it, tomorrow is there.  Look at what I HAVE achieved TODAY!  

Starting with my family.  
Taking time out, shutting out the negative, shutting out the rush.
Welcoming the calm, taking control, and what we allow in.
Cleansing my thoughts, tidying up my mind space, dusting out the unwanted energy,
baking batches of calm, that I can share with those around me.  

Extending the above to my workspace and colleagues.
Sharing the positive and calm with the children in the classroom.
By my actions and reactions, hopefully all positive and good, the children also learn to be calm, and keep stress out of their own little lives.  

Instead of absorbing the commercial Christmas,
 I am going to begin to exude, in simple things.  
A hug.
A 'how are you?'
Sitting in quiet.
Taking control of ME.

I am queen of my castle.
My castle is my whole self.
It's up to ME.

Happy first day of Summer Southern Hemisphere.

Hugs to you.  





Saturday, November 17, 2012

Handmade


I love to make.  
  It's what makes me the me that I am.  
It's why I was born with fingers.
It's in the blood that runs through my body.
It's in the little particles of oxygen that get sucked in through my nose.
If I didn't make, then I would not be me.

I love it.
I love the texture.
I love the preparing.
I love the colours.
I love the planning.
I love the variety.
I love the shapes.
I love the thoughts.
I love the beginning,
and,
I love the ending.


For years I have made for family and friends and taken custom orders for items, but it was only December 2011 that I took the plunge and booked my own table at a very unique Made With Love Markets locally.

It was the beginning of something wonderful.

I am part of an ever growing community of some of the most amazing and gifted crafters, artists and market organisers in this most beautiful region of the Mid North Coast of NSW.
It is such an honour - I am having the time of my life.  

 Thank you to the ever growing surge of lovers of handmade.
Thank you for being part of my 'dreams come true'.
Thank you for loving items made by hand.


Cinderella knew what she was saying when she said,
'A dream is a wish your heart makes.'


xx

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

A is for Apron

I like my aprons.


I like them alot.


So I made some aprons,


To share in my 'shop'.


These little cuties are for sale.  AUD$10.00 each, excluding postage.
If you would like one, just pop me an email at frangapani04@yahoo.com.au
or you can find me on facebook at  Just Joyce

The first three aprons are full aprons with no pocket.
The last apron is a half apron with a little embroidered vintage kerchief pocket and braid trim.

Happy baking and cooking to you all.

xx



Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Everyone's A Winner Baby!


I cannot help myself.

There were a stack of bags I had packed up to take to the local charity store.

Instead of being a good girl and just dropping off the items, I went inside.

Yes.

I went inside, and look what ended up coming home with me!

It's a win win - they get stuff - I get stuff.

xx


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A Rainbow Bouquet


How to put the icing on the cake of the day?

Come home from work to find a parcel from the postie had been delivered.

Here is some of what it contains - it's a bouquet of beautiful felt.

Thank you Sandie and Narissa from Winterwood Steiner Inspired Toys

Oh such beautiful colours.  

*happy dance*

xx


Grateful October - Day 31


Grateful today for the first Poppy of the season has bloomed in my little garden.  
They were planted for a reason, and every year, they flower.

xx

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Grateful October - Day 30



Grateful that the last few weeks have had me feeling I have been viewing the world from this angle is now over and I am back on my feet again.  After a very brief meeting, I feel I have done what I can, and to leave the rest to the universe, it is now really quite out of my hands and I need to accept what comes.

'Put it out there' I was told, and so I did.  

(The photo above is of my Mini.  Just turned 1, and found that he was quite clever at his gymnastics on the glass-top coffee table at every opportunity he could find.  That chubby, giggly, cheeky little bubby will be 8 at the end of this year. xx)

xx

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Grateful October - Day 29


Grateful for this place, and the people that live here.

xx

Grateful October - Day 28



Grateful today for hugs.

Hugs from my boys.

They are home from their lovely weekend away together.

I love that they love to hang out together.

I love that they have the most amazing Dad.

xx

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Grateful October - Day 27

Grateful for the most comfy pair of jammie pants on the planet. 
Made by me from a vintage bed sheet.  Oh the softness!


Grateful for the time to stop and paint me pink.


Today I had two choices.  

1. Sulk and be all frustrated and uptight that my planned weekend was not co-operating with me because my body decided to be unwell.

2. Accept the fact that my body needs rest, respect my body and give it that rest, and don't feel guilty for doing so!


I chose number 2.  

I figured there was nobody here to see me perform number 1.

Also, number 1 would serve me no purpose in getting anything done or feeling any better.  Although there were bouts of guilt whilst performing number 2, I did it.  If there are not enough headbands at my next market, then that is too bad.  I will sell what I have.  It's not the last market on the planet, but I do only have one body.

I blew my nose, had a lovely hot shower, climbed into my fave jammie pants, spoke to my dear friend and rescheduled our lunch date, ignored the huge pile of fabric waiting to be cut and pinned and sewn.
Pulled out my felt and fabric scraps and got restful.

I also have happy pink toes that make me smile every time I look at them.

Smiling is good for your health!

What are you grateful for today?  

Do you have happy toes too?

xx


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Grateful October - Day 26



Grateful today for flat lemonade - my tummy is very unhappy.

Grateful for my bed - my body hurts all over.

Grateful for my drawn blinds - the sun is too bright for my eyes.

Grateful for big, soft tissues - my nose is imitating Niagra Falls today.

Can someone play their littlest violin for me please.  *sniff*
I don't mean to sound so pathetic.  

xx










Grateful October - Day 25


Grateful for lego mini figures.  

xx

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Grateful October - Day 24


Grateful today for wide brimmed hats and big, beautiful, chocolate brown eyes.
Grateful also for sometimes food.  Just look at that face - is he lovin' his lamington or what!!

This photo is of my itty bitty mini, a week before his second birthday.

xx




Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Monday, October 22, 2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Grateful October - Day 21


Grateful that we live in a land of plenty.

xx

Grateful October - Day 20


Grateful today for my little sewing machine.  
She is very, very old, but she still works.
She is my Janome My Style 20.
I love her still.

She has sewn for me, she has sewn for my boys, she has sewn for gifting,
she has sewn for charity, she has sewn for home, and she has sewn for friends.

xx


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Grateful October - Day 19


*shhhhhh* 

*whispering mode*

Grateful for hidden pantry corners, up high.

Grateful for low crunch noise levels too.

p.s. ignoring claims of 'jumbo' and 'share'.  *pfft*

It's finders, keepers, eaters here today!

May your weekending be joyful.

xx



Grateful October - Day 18

Grateful today for the spaghetti bolognese batch I pulled out of the freezer that became our dinner tonight.

xx

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Grateful October - Day 17


Grateful for the shade from big beautiful trees in the playground and my water bottle today.

Grateful for high ceilings and classrooms built from natural timbers.

Grateful and still in disbelief that I am actually being paid to work in such a beautiful environment, surrounded by amazing teachers and brilliant little minds.  I dare not blink, for fear it will disappear.

xx

Monday, October 15, 2012

Grateful October - Day 16

Grateful for my little chef's homemade avocado dip.
Grateful for local avocado, local carrot and local cucumber.

If your little chef would like to make this avocado dip, here is what my
boy did.  Mashed one avocado with a fork, a teaspoon dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of lime juice.  Mix together, taste test, add more lime if necessary and serve with carrot and cucumber sticks.
This is his version only.  Generally I like to add a bit of sweet chilli sauce, however, it wasn't my dip.

We cannot offer you any, cause we ate it all.  
You have to be quick at our house!

xx

Grateful October - Day 15

Grateful today for this.

Here's Cheers to Monday.

xx

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Grateful October - Day 14

Grateful for purple, red and green (another custom order).

Grateful also that our lunch was shopped, prepared, cooked, served and cleaned up by a restaurant today, so that I could slug it and hang out with the family.

Grateful for more chocolate cake and lovely company.

xx

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Grateful October - Day 13


Grateful for pencil and paper today.

Grateful for the networking session over lunch.

Grateful for the people that I shared it with.

Thank you.

xx

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Grateful October - Day 12

Oh colander how I love you.

My little bit of grateful goes to my colander for today.

Thank you for draining my asparagus,
thank you for draining my blueberries,
thank you for draining my strawberries.

Happy Friday to you and may your colander bring you joy too.

xx

Grateful October - Day 11

Today I am grateful for some of the most fabulous and amazing women that I know and am about to spend my evening with.

They inspire me, they crack me up, they support, love, and cherish their families and friends, and my days without them would just not be the same.

Tonight we are going out, tonight we are creating more wonderful memories to add to our barrel of laughs for the future, tonight we get together only as fabulous women can.

Happy Thursday Evening to you all.  My apologies for the lack of photo evidence, our evening is about to begin, and even if I did have photo evidence, I am not sure that sharing it would be such a great idea. *giggle*  It's going to be one of those 'you had to be there' kinda evenings.

xx

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Grateful October - Day 10


Grateful for The Wind in the Willows.

Thank you Kenneth Grahame for your beautiful storytelling.

Have you read this story out loud?  

xx



Monday, October 8, 2012

Grateful October - Day 9


Day 9 - Grateful that the only one to slice their finger in class 4 today was me.
Grateful also that I did not gross out my little friend who I was helping, when blood spurted all over his blank page and not over any of his beautiful work.

Grateful for all the beautiful hugs that I received on this, the first day of term 4, 2012 from my beautiful little smiling friends, so happy to be back to school today.  

xx

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Grateful October - Day 8

Todays grateful post is dedicated to the weather.

I am grateful that the sun stayed out long enough to dry my washing today.

The temperature has dropped quite a bit, the heat has left the day, the clouds loll about the sky like they have nothing better to do.  

ahhhhhh, dry, sun kissed washing.

Thank you sunshine.

xx

Grateful October - Day 7


Grateful for my cosy chair, choccie, cuppa and my cardi.

Today's post has been brought to you by the letter 'C' it seems.

Please excuse grainy, tired faced photo.  
I almost forgot to post today.
It's been a busy one.
But it's been good busy.

I hope you had a lovely Sunday at your place today too.

xx


Friday, October 5, 2012

Grateful October - Day 6

Grateful for the wind that blew down these branches earlier in the week for us to discover and bring home for our mega-awesome tee pee.



Crudely covered because this is all we had, it seemed to make no difference to two little boys, who spent most of the week out here.

Thank you great big beautiful trees.

xx


Grateful October - Day 5


Very grateful for large needle eyes.  

xx

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Grateful October - Day 4


Grateful for the little arms that wrap around my neck each day.
(These two beautiful felt hearts were made by my big boy, he gave them to me early this morning, and he made me cry.)  


Grateful for chocolate cake.

xx

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Grateful October - Day 3


Today I am grateful for picnic style strawberries and blueberries with my kiddies.

xx




Monday, October 1, 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Grateful October - Day 1

A dear friend is doing a grateful challenge for this month.  
What a wonderful idea!  
I am going to join her from my blog.  

While all sorts of wonderful thoughts float through my mind, I have pulled out the Macquarie Dictionary and found the word 'grateful'.
Here is what it says -

1. Warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.
2. Actuated by or expressing gratitude.
3. Pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable or welcome; refreshing.


Ok so this is going to be harder than I thought.

I only have 31 days.  

It's not going to be enough.

The 3 hearts above represent my 3 boys.
But, from them, there are a whole lot of people who come to mind that make up this whole picture.
Connected by the heart.
Connected by blood.
Connected by love.
Connected by laugher.
Connected by learning.
Connected by hobbies.

So today, I am grateful for family and friends. 
The threads that make the fabric that is me.  
The warp and the weft that I cannot live without.
xx

Would YOU like to play along?  
I would love to know what you are grateful for too.





Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A Mum's Love.


Sometimes Mum cannot be there in person,

sometimes we just gotta grab a handful of life and get on with it,

and each time we know that Mum is there, and she loves us more than we will ever know.

Mum love - in your pocket.

She is always with you.
She is always thinking of you.
Her love for you is bigger than infinity plus infinity, and it grows more and more with each day.

First day of school, Mum is loving you.
First day of work/uni, Mum is loving you.
First sleepover, Mum is loving you.
Presentation in front of a crowd, Mum is loving you.
Fishing/camping trip without her and it's dark out there and there are scary noises, Mum is loving you.
Feeling sad, Mum is loving you.
Feeling happy, Mum is loving you.

oh this is not restricted to Mums either.  It's just that Mum Love is quite possibly the biggest and most unconditional love that I know of.  From having a Mum to being a Mum.  
Nor is Mum Love restricted to ones pocket.  

You can purchase here or you can email me at frangapani04@yahoo.com.au.

xx




Thursday, September 20, 2012

Happiness Is. . . . . .

Tomorrow at 3pm marks the end of term 3.
At the very same time, it marks the beginning of holidays for two little boys and one Mumma Joyce.

 I do hope there is lots of time to squish our toes in the sand,
scoot our scooters through the local tracks,
picnic under big green swishy trees,
roll dough beneath our fingers,
thread a needle with pretty coloured cottons,
add to 'the longest finger knitted snake in Coffs Harbour',
cloud watch,
book read,
whisper secrets and giggle.

I want to get lots of photos, 
funny photos,
speedy photos,
messy photos,
our photos.

Happy days to you and yours, take care and 
I will see you all very, very soon.

xx

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Knitting Nancy

I love to play.

I don't know how old my Knitting Nancy set is, and I don't know how old I was when it was given to me, nor do I know who it was that gave it to me.  I wonder if they know how much I treasure this little box and that I would be using it at age 42 and 3/4's?

To give a child the gift of crafting is a most wonderful gift to give.
The person that gave this to me, were part of the weaving that made me the me that I am right now.
Thank you.  xx

This is what I made last night.  
I love them.
My Spring wrist wraps.
They need a bit of a tweak.
These are not adjustable and I do need to make them adjustable.
I just wanted to make them and wear them to see how they
would go.  It's two thumbs up from Joyce!

Some people call it French Knitting.  

My box says Knitting Nancy.

Not many people know it as Knitting Nancy.

Perhaps I should rename her - Joyce!

What treasure do you have from 'long ago' that shaped the you that you are today?  
I would love to know.  


Friday, September 7, 2012

Handmade with Heart.


'Give all to love; obey thy heart.'
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -



This little spring garland is handmade by me.
Measuring approximately 190cms long.
 Made from 100% pure wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills
Cost is AUD$15.00 (not including postage)

You can order one of these from me by email to frangapani04@yahoo.com.au.
I will have three available for sale at the Casuarina Steiner Spring Fair on Sunday, 16th September 2012.
You could also win one in the Fair raffle where there are lots and lots of fabulous locally donated prizes.

May your weekend be magic.
xx

Monday, September 3, 2012

Fashion Parade

Real clothes, worn by real women, with real bodies.

What a beautiful sight.

What a beautiful way to celebrate the female body.

These gorgeous models whooped it up in the sunshine on Saturday.

I think every young person and teenager should attend fashion parades like this.

There was laughter, there was fun, there was clapping and cheering and ohhhhh and aaaahhhh.


My boys were there and they enjoyed it too.  They think Mum is famous because her little
satin flower hair pins were in a fashion parade.  *giggle*



Here is Charlotte from Greenroom Gallery and here is some of her spring collection.


I love this outfit.  Managed to get me this beautiful hemp cardi in a lovely rich avocado green.  
Oh and pretty spring flowers in the models hair are all done by moi!  Little Joyce blooms.


This beautiful red number can be dressed for day or jazzed up for evening.  
I am loving that beautiful scarf too.


Hand painted silk, beautiful.  Goes perfectly with my little satin flower too.

Celebrate the body of a real woman.

Tell your daughters, friends, niece, cousins, how beautiful they are.

Look in the mirror and see how beautiful YOU are.

 Be the you that you are meant to be.  

Wear the clothing that you love to wear and makes you feel wonderful.

Eat the food that you love to eat but don't starve yourself for the sake of *pfffftttt* what?  for the sake of I don't even know!  Seriously!  What's the point of it?  
Just as long as you are healthy and happy in yourself - isn't that good enough?

It should be.
And anyone that cannot accept you for the you that you are - toss 'em.

Thanks Charlotte for using my flowers with your beautiful spring wardrobe collection.
Thank you to all the models on the day.  
You are all so absolutely beautiful!
  
YaY



Saturday, September 1, 2012

the beginning is always a good place to start!

Just Joyce has just turned one!
Last week in fact!
There are four markets tucked under her belt.
The journey of Joyce has just begun!

Welcome to my little blog on the first day of Spring.
I will post items here that I make.
I will share upcoming markets that I am involved in.
I will share other blogs that I love to visit too.

Here's Cheers to you.

x