Wandering

We used to go wandering the neighbourhood for cats and dogs.
Now we see alapacas...sheep....horses...goats.....cats....birds.....dogs....cows.....
The kids are loving it. 
Last night we feed the alpacas and the sheep, and watched huge flocks of birds fly overhead as the sun set behind the snow capped hills. 
How life has changed. 
We are loving it. 

Why hello there!

Would you have a look at what I have found!  On our house hunting adventures we discovered a street lined with blossom trees...and all are starting to peak out.  What a find!  I am supposed to be getting excited at houses we see, yet I must admit, I was more excited by these gorgoeus little blossoms.  We stopped and I stood underneath looking up with the sun on my face for a good few minutes, enjoying the view....pink blossoms, blue sky, a few lazy fluffy clouds....it was heaven.  Then it was back to the house hunting, me with a little spring in my step as I know that so very soon this cold winter will be over, and we will feel the sun on our faces and see blossoms in every street.   So thank you my little blossom friends, for it seems that about this time of the year you remind me that I really do need to feel the cold of winter to appreciate the delights of spring. 

The first morning of the next chapter

When I think of New Zealand, the first words that pop into my head are 'beautiful', 'blue' and 'green'.  This country is so beautiful, and yes being my home, I have always been aware of that.  Every time I flew in from overseas the scenery took my breath away.  But this time, it was different.  Knowing we are here for good, not for a short trip to catch up with as many family and friends as we can cram into a short period of time, but to set up our home, well, it feels like I am looking at it all through a fresh set of eyes.  And the first thing that struck me was just how ruggedly beautiful the land is.  If you fly into Wellington over the top of the South Island, and are lucky enough to see the vast snow capped mountain ranges, the islands of the Sounds, and the green hills of the Wellington region, you will know what I am talking about.

Waking up to this view on our first morning here, the first morning of this next chapter in our lives, with such vibrant blue and green, well, you know I had to do....take a polaroid of course.  :)

up....up.....and away........

"Should we pretend we're driving through the clouds?"

"That sounds like a great idea Annabel."

A trip down Melbourne memory lane....

Some of the places in the city that hold a special place in my heart.....

An odd socks kind of a time

Things are all a bit of a whirlwind here.  On the one hand I am doing all of the lasts...last wander round the city, last trip to the zoo, last play at our favourite playground, last morning at the Children's garden, last playgroup catch up with friends...all the lasts that make me feel so hollow, for I Love this city and the people who have come into our lives in the last 6 years. 

But on the other hand I am planning coffee catch ups, family dinners, nights out with the girls, play dates with cousins, meeting new little babies...all the things I have wanted to be a part of for the last 6 years but we have been away for.  These plans make me feel so relieved, so excited, so eager for the life that is waiting for us next week.  With so much going on, so many emotions, I find I am randomly finishing conversations started an hour ago, talking to myself, forgetting where I put my keys, washing my hair with face wash, taking wrong turns.....reminiscing, daydreaming.....it feels like an odd socks kind of a time.   And as mad and draining as it is, I am savouring it all, for soon we will be settling into our new life, and I need this time to say good bye to Melbourne, and the last 6 years.

"feathering your Nest is good for your soul"

The lovely Nat, owner of gift and homeware boutique 'Nest' in the town of Penguin, Tasmania, sent me these photos of the photo blocks all set up in her divine shop.  It made me smile to see a Sweet William print up on the wall too. 

I couldn't resist sharing these photos, the shop looks so lovely don't you agree?   

I did it...and it feels grand!

I couldn't stand it....all night and this morning thinking about tulle....and watching her dance around again as soon as she woke up...I just had to join in properly.  So while out doing some errands this morning, we popped into Cotton On Kids, and I bought the biggest kids size tulle skirt they had.  In bright pink, with sparkly stars.  As soon as we got home Annabel changed into her ballet shoes, and I managed to get into the skirt, and we danced....and it felt grand, and twirled, and Annabel loved us being 'twins', and I plan on dancing around again this afternoon with her, and tonight, and every other dance party night.

So there you have it, it's not just 4 year olds that have all the fun. 
Anyone else feel like getting out the tulle and having a dance?   Spread the tulle love!

{Please excuse the poor scan quality, our scanner is playing up but I've no time to try and fix it now!}

Tulle envy

So call me crazy...but here goes...

Today was our little girls 4th birthday.  We had a family breakfast, a lovely little morning tea party, cake decorating, family dinner, candles, and then out came the dance party disco light balls and we cranked up the music and had her favourite - family dancing in the living room.  It's a Saturday night treat in this house, to stay up a bit late for a dance party.  My oh my how she loves to dance.  Loves to dance with us.  Loves to dance for us.  And as we were turning the music on tonight, and she put on her butterfly wings, and ballet skirt ready to start dancing I actually had tulle envy. That's right, you read it correctly, I wished I had a ballet skirt full of beautiful tulle that I could put on to dance around the living room with her.  I mean really, why should 4 year old's have all the fun?  I think maybe, my birthday wish this year might be my very own dancing skirt, like the ones above from the absolutely divine shop ouma, for our little dance parties.  

I know I've had a few wines tonight, but I'm sure there are a few of you out there with an inner 4 year old begging to dance in tulle?

Bedtime

Sweet dreams little 3 year old,

when you wake up you will be 4.....

A revelation

I've had a revelation. It feels pretty huge. I think it's been brewing for a while, quite a long while actually. A few days ago I did a photo shoot of a friends 2 little ones (don't you love wonderful friends who let you come into their space and practice on their children!), ....and my favourite from the morning, the one that I love above all the digital photos...is this polaroid.  It was when I got home, holding this one in my hand, that I realised that my dream, my ultimate dream, is to offer spring and autumn photo shoots, outside in natural light, with the sun setting, in fields of wildflowers, my Dad's original model A Ford to use as a large prop, and shoot mostly in polaroid.  And when I had that realisation, my heart skipped a beat.  Literally skipped a beat.  Because it has been bothering me a bit about where I am headed with my work.  When I started all of this the dream was to work with children.  I want to do both the vintage, grainy, fine art, and the natural, sun flared polaroid portraits.  I just wasn't sure what my little niche would be.  And now I feel like I am headed towards that.  Towards the next step in my dream...