2012

It is New Years Eve.  

One of my favourite days.  

The anticipation of the first day of the New Year, 

a fresh start, a clean start.  

Today I get to reminisce about what has been, 

to ponder on experiences I can learn from, 

and to celebrate successes.  

Next year, 2012, 

I am daring to dream bigger than I have ever dreamt before.....

2012, I am so ready for you.....

Happy New Year to you all, I hope you celebrate what has been, 

and dream big for the future...

Love. Peace. Joy.

This past week we said good bye to my Granny.  

These sweet peas are for all of you who remember loved ones over the holidays.

May you find 

Love.  Peace.  Joy.

An Interview for the Wairarapa Times Age

Earlier in the week, I was emailed asking if I would like to be interviewed for the Arts Section of the Wairarapa Times Age.  Quite nervously, I said yes.  It was lovely, chatting to reporter Sarah Hardie over a cup of tea felt like chatting to a friend, it wasn't at all as scary as I had thought.  I am thrilled to have been asked, and thank you to Sarah for writing such a lovely article!  If you are in the Wairarapa, the article is in today's paper (Friday December 9th, and there is a little photo of me on the front of the paper as well!)

First day of summer

Today marks the first day of summer.  

And it was a spectacular day, one of those perfect days when you wake 

and can see the sunshine and blue sky before you even open the curtains.  

I love this time of year - there is a real energy to December, 

with the excitement of the holidays coming, and the promise of all that is summer....

long evenings, running through the sprinkler, barefeet, picnics, 

driving with the windows open and the music up.......summer, hello you.

she liked to collect things

'fleur'

'papillon'

'coquillage'

I have started working on a new series, 

titled 'she liked to collect things'.  

Inspired by

~ Annabel, who loves to collect and create

~ my granny's vintage French English dictionary

~ old speciman labels.

There will be more to add as spring rolls into lazy summer days...

my little guy

Playing along with Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love for Wordless Wednesday.

My little guy, and some very old expired Polaroid film.

Collaboration with Eden Ripley - new photo jewellery

 {You and Me}

 {Believe in the Magic}

 {Pale Simplicity}

{The Resting Place}

 {she floats in a cotton candy daydream}

 {Wish}

For the past few years I have licensed photos to a wonderful New Zealand company, Eden Ripley, run by Susie Ripley.  If you see any of my work on photo blocks, or as fine art prints and note cards in shops here in New Zealand, they are there thanks to Susie.  And now I am so pleased with this range, a line of jewellery that is so divine I want to keep it all.  Using my photos, Susie has created earrings and necklaces that are stunning.  When I first saw them, it brought tears to my eyes. Tears! I am still in disbelief that I am at a point where photos I have created are being sold throughout stores as beautiful jewellery pieces...am I daydreaming?

{she dreamt she could fly}

The range is available now in my Etsy store, on the Eden Ripley wesbite, and in a range of stores throughout New Zealand.  I hope you enjoy the pieces as much as I am!

because sometimes...

 

because sometimes...a daydream is what you need.

I Love Carterton - The Simple Things

A year ago (really, a year???)  I started to post about why I love where we live so much.  I have a whole list of reasons in my head, but I only got to #2 here on the blog.  I am not the world's best blogger am I? 

Here in this blog, this is where I like to share little tidbits about my days, but this space is also my reminder of steps in my journey.  And in amidst the busy-ness that is life at this time of the year, I am all about enjoying the simple things.

So #3 on the list of 'why I love where we live' is The Vegie Garden.  Back in our rentals in Melbourne we would daydream endlessly about what our backyard would be like when we moved and had our own home.  All daydreams involved a vegie garden.  I want to learn how to garden ~ how to not only grow pretty flowers that I can bring in and put in old milk bottle vases on the windowsills, but together with the kids how to grow our own vegies.  And finally, this past week, we have our vegie garden.  Nothing extravagent, just a few lettuces, tomatoes, peas, strawberries and marigolds to start with.  I am in love with this garden.  It represents so much to me, for our family.  Every time I look at it out the kitchen window, I smile.

What simple things are you enjoying right now, as life gets busier?

a place to daydream....

Photo Shoot - Madison Reece Designs

 

 

Yesterday Annabel and I packed up some props, 

and headed out of town to take some product photos for the talented Melissa, 

of Madison Reece Designs.  

The skirts and accessories are adorable, and it was a lot of fun setting up these shots. 

I haven't taken photos of little miss Annabel in quite some time, 

and so a few of these might end up on our walls.

Wishing you a wonderful start to your week!

Free worldwide shipping!

 
This weekend, I am having free worldwide shipping in my Etsy shop.  I don't know about you, but I have started cruising my favourite Etsy shops thinking about holiday shopping.  So this is a great time to get organised with holiday gifts!  Does not apply to jewellery, but everything else, even the photo blocks, ship for nothing.  Not a cent!  This deal will finish end of day Sunday.

What are you plans this weekend?  We are starting to paint walls, skirting...which will take us a step closer to painting the wooden floors white.  Oh happy happy Spring!

I just can't get enough....

...of the Spring blossoms.

2012 Calendars

2012 Calendars are available now!  

I have 2 for you to choose from, the first is titled 'Whimsical Daydreams' 

featuring a collection of favourite whimsical themed photos...as pictured above.

The second is  'The Daydreamers Tea Party', 

featuring my favourites from the Polaroid Tea Cup shoot.  

This calendar is perfect for those of us who love to daydream over a cup of tea....

in a vintage cup of course...

I must admit I love them both, they are very different but both based on a dreamy whimsical theme.....

The beauty about these calendars, is they are printed on 5x7" matt photographic paper, 

so when the month is over, trim the dates off and

you have a  5x5" photo to frame, pin up on your inspiration board, your fridge...

It will arrive packaged in a divine vellum envelope, 

wrapped in brown paper, 

tied with string

decorated with a mini print 

and a lovely paper doily.

 

Go on....spoil yourself or someone you love!

The tea cups

On Sunday I spent a few hours with one of my oldest and dearest friends, 

photographing her most divine vintage tea cup collection. 

I had 2 packs of Polaroid film waiting patiently in the fridge for our afternoon, 

and I cannot tell you how much these photos mean to me...for 2 reasons.  

Because I know how much the tea cups mean to my lovely friend, 

and well, because after being so uninspired for what feels like months and months, and doubting myself, 

these little tea cups set up on her adorable kitchen table, have given me that feeling again.  

You know, the one where all you can think about is the photos, 

when you just want to hold them in your hands and look at them again and again.  

When your heart feels alive and you feel the passion for it again.

Thank you, my wonderful friend,

for letting me come and take these photos, 

and for bringing the inspiration back. 

A daydreaming kind of a weekend

Just when I think I have created the last balloon photo, I feel inspired again.  

This one, is for my little boy, who loves the hot air balloons, 

and when they fly over our house on still, crisp mornings, 

tries so hard to reach them.

Wishing you all a wonderful, daydreaming kind of a weekend. 

~xo

A Trip down Melbourne Memory Lane

Do you ever feel like your heart belongs in two places?  

That you have two homes?  

That you belong here....but you also belong there?   

Today, my heart is here in our home in Carterton.  

Yet my heart is also wandering the city streets of Melbourne.....

Cupcake of the Day

I am playing along again today with Sarah over at Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love for Wordless Wednesday.   And with a birthday coming up, have cupcakes on my mind.

The Start of the Garden

When we made the move last year, we couldn't wait to start on the garden.  

However waiting is what we did, as we seemed to be busy every weekend with other things.  

Now that spring has rolled around, and we have had time to think about each garden space, 

we have started planting.  Roses, ranunculus, sweet peas...I have plans for many more.  

A little bit of colour in the garden is so lovely.  As is expired 600 Polaroid film.

What is planted in your garden? Happy weekending to you!

Oh how I do love you Spring....

I love wandering the streets in the spring, with the warmth of the sun slowly erasing the cold of winter, 

with every sense tuned into spring....the blossoms, the birds, the blue sky.   

It really does feel like an awakening, doesn't it?