published pieces: sibella court - peppermint magazine

I am chuffed to see my story on Sydney stylist and author Sibella Court in the new autumn edition of Peppermint magazine. The Peppermint crew has done such a beautiful job with the content and design throughout. The front cover is just dreamy. I am slowly working my way through the mag, savouring each pretty page. 

I loved the story 'Raw Awakenings' by Stacey Roberts about Raw Beauty Queen founder Kemi Nekvapil. And Tess Curran's story on Petra Cremming's entrepreneurial approach to building her own sustainable floral design studio is an inspiring read for small business owners and those dreaming about launching a creative venture. 

Thank you Peppermint. x

P.s. For those interested, Sibella Court is running new styling workshops on April 10 in Sydney and April 13 in Melbourne. Her website is being redesigned but her workshops are mentioned here. Here's hoping she hosts a session in Brisbane too. 

8/52

A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Image: Happiness.

Joining in with Jodi's 52 project: A portrait a week. 

 Image: Following a pesky ant up his arm. x

when do you make time to write?

When do you make time to write?

Our Bassie usually sleeps until 6.30am or 7am if we're really lucky. This morning he woke up at 5am. 5am! It was still dark. We managed to get him back to sleep with a bottle and a dry nappy.

I tried to fall back to sleep but couldn't. I thought it the perfect time to get up early and sit with my laptop, something I've been meaning to do for ages. I usually write at night and at lunchtimes, but I have to admit my brain feels weary and dull at night.

I've read about writers who swear by waking one hour earlier than usual of a morning to "show up" at their laptop. This simple ritual kicks off the day by demonstrating a positive, physical commitment to your craft. As a mum, it gives you a moment of peace, a pause, a calm breath to start the day on your terms, completely absorbed in your own creative world.

I remember my favourite uni lecturer, author and mentor Nike Bourke, telling us she would wake one hour earlier than her children (she has four kids!) every morning. She'd brew herself a cup of tea and sip it slowly in front of her laptop. The words wouldn't always flow, but often they did, and that's the point. The first step is turning up. 

This blog has some interesting tips for writers on how to make the most of those early mornings. And the blog Simple Mom talks generally about the value of waking early here. I've mentioned Elizabeth Gilbert's TED Talk in this space before; she too talks about the importance of "turning up" at the laptop or page.

Before Bassie arrived, I used to wake early before work to write when a deadline was looming. My brain felt fresh and zingy and I loved the stillness and quiet that greeted me just after dawn. But since falling pregnant and having Bassie, sleep has become paramount. It still is - I worship sleep like the sun - but maybe I'm feeling ready to wake a little earlier, even if it's only for deadlines or when Bassie is my impromptu alarm clock.

7/52

A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Image: My beach boy and his dimple xxx

Joining in with Jodi's 52 project: A portrait a week.

inspiration is all around

I have been feeling a little ill and weary of late, so I've been looking to others for inspiration. It's heartening to see these women I admire achieve their creative writing dreams. I hope to interview some of these writers in this space soon. 

• My stupendously gifted friend Christine Sharp is an author, illustrator, artist, book designer and editor. Christine will launch her first picture book for children, Bea, on February 28 at Avid Reader in West End, Brisbane. It's about daring to be different and staying true to yourself. I expect to find pure whimsy and joy in those pages. 
• Brisbane photographer, writer and stylist Chantelle Grady's first book, Devorer Montreal (in English, Devour Montreal) is due out soon. It's published in French because it is French! Chantelle hopes an English version will follow soon. She shares how this serendipitous project was born here on her stunning blog. I love this video of how it all came together. Enchanting.  
• Ange Takats is a journalist, author, and singer/songwriter. She is one of those people who makes her dreams happen and if I didn't know her better I'd think good fortune falls in her lap. But I know how hard she works to realise her creative projects. I went along to her charming CD launch at the Sandgate Town Hall. Her new album, Arva, is just delightful. Do yourself a favour and listen here. Being the go-getter she is, she's also written and self-published a book of her travel memoirs, The Buffalo Funeral.
• Writer and interiors stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk will soon release her fourth book, Little Treasures: Made by Hand. Through the very cool Pozible campaign, she called on her creative community to pre-purchase her book to enable her to self publish and they responded! She wrote a post full of gratitude on her blog here. I interviewed Pia for Peppermint magazine in 2011 and I've followed her blog for years. Pia's baby girl turned one last week, which I find a reassuring reminder that you can still achieve your dreams with a little one tugging at your leg (and your heart).  

Inspiration is all around (as my sweet friend helps remind me).

5/52

A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Image: Such a busy little bottom.

Joining in with Jodi's 52 project: A portrait a week.

4/52

A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, in 2013.

Image: So pure.

Joining in with Jodi's 52 project: A portrait a week.

getting lost in a creative project

It's been a long time since I tried something new and challenged myself. Last week, I spent a dreamy morning away from little Bassie (yay for mother-in-laws and mums) with my dear friend Jacqui and her mum, Wendy, who is a talented florist. My job was to photograph flowers for Wendy's new website. I kept reminding Wendy that I am a complete amateur behind the camera, but she just laughed me off as if I was being modest. ("No, seriously, Wendy. Like, a complete amateur!")

I loved this day not only because I spent it with two of the sweetest, most creative and kind-hearted people I know, but because it reminded me how refreshing it is to get lost in a creative project, even if I'm still finding my feet and all feels awkward. Because, as I snapped away at wispy ivy wreaths, plump hydrangeas, and sweetly-scented pink roses, it felt like time stood still and I'm pretty sure I heard my heart sing.

Wendy kindly sent me home with this delicious bunch of blooms, captured below. See! She has such a beautiful way with flowers - arranging them simply and honestly, never fussing in a way that might dim their natural beauty. Wendy's website is still in the works but you can call her directly on her mobile (0405 011 599) if you need flowers delivered in Brisbane and further afield. I'll post her website when it goes live. x 

In beautiful synchronicity, the same day I came home to read this post by Jodi at Che and Fidel. Jodi is certainly not amateurish at photography, as you can see.

3/52

A portrait of my boy, once a week, every week, for 2013. 

Image above: Oh, the suspense. Waiting ever so quietly in his new tee-pee for me to find him. Break my heart.

Joining in the "52: A portrait a week" project with the talented Jodi.

published pieces: map magazine - li cunxin and richard maloy

My interview with Chinese-born, world-renowned ballet dancer Li Cunxin is out in map magazine this month. You can read it online here. You may know Li as 'Mao's Last Dancer' and he is now at the helm of Queensland Ballet. Li has experienced such heartache and pain in his life but also astounding success and achievement.

My favourite quote was when Li said: “I’m a forward-looking man. I am genuinely excited about what’s ahead of me; I always set myself goals and aims. Whatever I do, I really want to see how best I can do it. So the pursuit of excellence and perfection is what motivates me to go forward.”

I also interviewed New Zealand artist Richard Maloy who is exhibiting his Big Yellow installation at GOMA right now. His article is in map magazine and right here. 

Image: Olive trees are on my Christmas wish list. Love, love. 

the most thoughtful of christmas presents

If you want to show your love for someone, build them a veggie garden. That's what my family did for me last year as a surprise and I still get choked up thinking about it.

While Chris, Bassie and I were away on holidays last Christmas, my mum, dad, elder sister, brother-in-law, five-year-old niece and two-year-old nephew secretly built us a veggie garden in a neglected patch of our back yard. My sister is a natural green thumb and she wanted us to experience the simple glee of growing food with little Bassie like she does with her cherubs. 

When we returned from our holiday and I first stumbled across our magic garden, I couldn't believe my eyes. There it stood - as if it had sprouted from the dirt - pretty as a picture. It was full of mint, thyme, sage, basil, eggplants, green beans, baby tomatoes and a chilli bush. There were pink flowers dotted all around and the veggie name tags were written in my mum's beautiful calligraphy handwriting. Apparently the littlies had helped count out the screws that held the bed together. I felt so loved.

Sadly, I soon killed our garden with kindness (I think I may have overfertilised it). After its second planting, our resident possums ate every green morsel in one sitting. Its third planting got flooded out by rain. But finally, with a new net and lots of attention, I am proud to say our garden is starting to flourish. 

Bassie and I love spending time near our veggie patch in the afternoons. We potter about pretending we know what we're doing. While I water the patch and pluck out weeds and fallen tree bark, Bassie keeps very busy - poking holes in the soil with his chubby fingers, making mud puddles at my feet, sticking his hand in front of the water spout and licking the cool drops off his fingers. And I'm sure he would sit and twist that hose for hours if I let him. We are so happy here. 

Thank you, my beautiful family. x

NOTE: If you want to see a real veggie garden in action, check out this stunning film vignette of Fig and Fauna Farm in South Florida filmed by the super talented Tiger in a Jar. I consider this film to be meditation. It is just so peaceful and dreamy. 

published pieces: salt magazine - lucy walter

The summer edition of Salt magazine is out on the Sunshine Coast this week and it's available online here too. Acting editor Claire Plush has taken some stunning photos to accompany my story, 'Living a Kinder Life' (and online here) on raw food chef, restaurateur and animal activist Lucy Walter. 

I was on a high after meeting Lucy on her pretty farm in Maleny, which she and her husband have turned into a private sanctuary for abused and neglected farmyard animals. We sat on Lucy's peaceful Queenslander porch, looking out over the Mary Valley, and chatted for an hour while the dogs she has rescued sat at our feet (and sometimes on our laps), lapping up the constant pats and ear scratches. One of her rescued pigs, Brutus, even trotted over to say hello. 

Lucy is such a positive and proactive soul. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis seven years ago, she revolutionised her diet to become a raw food and vegan devotee and has managed to rid her body of M.S. symptoms. Along the way, she opened The Kind Living Cafe in Maleny, published a cook book, and has begun hosting raw food cooking classes. I believe her story will inspire anyone who is looking to live a kinder, healthier life. 

NOTE: I also loved Linda Read's Salt story on Smile Clothing, a for-profit Sunshine Coast company with a mission to "Give first. Wear Second. For every item of clothing we sell, we will donate a school uniform or t-shirt to a child in need." Linda notes that so far, Smile Clothing has given away 5000 garments to children in countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Kenya and India. 

Image above: Mint and rosemary going great guns in my garden.

holidays are just lovely

We are home after two weeks of beach holidaying on the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Our boy is over the moon to be sleeping in his own cot but we can't quite match his enthusiasm. Chris and I voted it one of our best holidays ever - simple, slow, and with a mix of precious time spent with dear friends and close family, as well as plenty of time as just the three of us (baby milestones: Bassie is walking for real now and his new word is "there". Better still, we think he's stopped constantly saying "NO"). 

I will miss our simple mornings spent on this shaded hill overlooking Bulcock Beach, swilling seriously delicious take-away coffees from The Pocket, flicking through newspapers, snapping photos, and playing with fallen seed pods. Daily sunset ocean walks and dusk swims hit the spot too.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this holiday has seen Bassie become even more obsessed with his dada. Today I spent some frustrating hours trying to download photos taken on our holiday. The heartening discovery was to see loud and clear just how inseparable these two have become. Tomorrow is going to hurt when they only get to spend the morning together before Chris heads back to work. 

I am so grateful for our little family and all the loving people we are surrounded by. 

HOLIDAY HIGH POINTS
Reads: Bowerbird by Sibella Court, My Heart Wanders by Pia Jane Bijkerk, A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle.
Beaches: Double Island Point and Noosa North Shore; Bulcock Beach and Happy Valley, Caloundra; Fingal Beach, Northern New South Wales. 
Cafes: The Pocket Espresso, Moffat Beach; The Velo Project, Mooloolaba (thanks Katie); The Natural Food Store, Forest Glen (thanks Sarah). 
Restaurant: The Boatshed, Cotton Tree. 
Shopping: Carmel's Designs and Homewares at James Street, Burleigh Heads (stores also at Peregian Beach and Mooloolaba). Thanks Sarah for helping me tackle my Christmas shopping. Every present is just perfect. I'll be back for more nature-inspired goodness. 
 

a fresh start for this blog

Tomorrow marks the end of our decor8 Blogging Your Way e-course. Sniff, sob. It's been such a beautiful, positive, and creative space to visit daily, and I really don't want it to end. It has sparked new ideas that haven't always been about my blog but about my life too. I love that. I highly recommend it for any budding bloggers out there or perhaps those blogging veterans who need a fresh shot of inspiration. A big thank you to our inspiring host Holly Becker of decor8 and our guest lecturers - the lovely Jeanette Lund of By Fryd (www.byfryd.com) and Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely.  

Our final homework challenge was to give our blog a facelift. My original blog header was in dire need of a makeover because it consisted of a fuzzy iPhone photo with some generic blue text clumsily layered over the top. See what I mean:

The new blog header you see at the top of my blog may only stay for a short while. I'm a total novice at Photoshop and this header isn't quite the whimsical design that I am drawn to, but it feels pretty good for now. The apple signifies that our little boy is the apple of my eye and that my apple mac is often by my side. The blue and green colours calm me no end, the blurred speckles remind me of soft raindrops splattered on a window, and the circle (or full moon, if you will) helps centre me.

I guess this new design also says that I write by mood, I seek inspiration in my environment and like to dream while staring at beautiful things, like the moon and raindrops, green apples and our little boy, Bassie.

Thank you so much for visiting this space. I really appreciate it. :)

homegrown honey is liquid gold

A little hand reaches for a little jar of homegrown honey. Both subjects are pure, petite, and made with love.

** Thank you to Mel, Dave and Delilah. Such a treat. I wish you well with your new Downtown Honey Co. venture - to bring urban beekeeping to Brisbane's rooftops and gardens. I did not know that bees dance or of the pagan myth that bees spread our important news on their bee-buzzing journeys. I will ponder these intriguing bee facts as I devour this honey drizzled over chunks of parmesan. Yummmmm. x

a mother's love will flow forever

We are away on our beach holiday. The weather is divine and the time together is most precious. Bassie is lapping up his beach swims and we are loving throwing the bedtime routine out the window. We go for ocean swims at dusk and have picnic dinners peppered with sand. He has become obsessed with his dada, and I wonder if I have become the third wheel in this little team of ours.

Yesterday was such a sad day, but there was also laughter, beauty, and grace all around. Yesterday, we farewelled the mother of one of my dearest friends. Pam lost her fight with cancer after a gallant effort, enduring more than five years of chemo. All the talk was of Pam's beauty, grace, serenity, kindness, and joyful spirit. She was a true lady. Everyone agreed that Pam - an identical twin to the equally gorgeous Fae - made you want to be a better person. To love more and laugh more. To have fun. 

For me, the most beautiful part of the church service was when her loving husband of 42 years (my friend's dear father) said to his two girls: "You are everything to your mother, just as you are." It made me weep on the inside but also made me feel at peace, knowing that a mother's love is unconditional and so strong that nothing can weaken it.

Pam's love will flow to her two daughters forever. They will sense it at the most poignant and most unexpected of times: in ocean breezes and morning sunlight; in Christmas carol celebrations and footy finals; in grocery shopping queues and when putting on lipstick. They will feel her presence at birthday parties and Christmas lunches; when a full moon rises over the ocean and when it eclipses three times in a row. They will feel her everywhere. Because she is all around.

Our focus now is on supporting our dear friend. She is already proving she is brave and strong, although we know her heart is aching desperately. We will be there for her, as she always is for us, so that she knows she is loved and treasured.  

Rest in peace, dear Pammie (although we expect you will be busy up there, moving the furniture around). xx

image above: Pam loved flowers. We threw them to her at sunset, and some floated back to stay a while.

image below: Beautiful trees at the church pointed the way to heaven on a perfect blue sky day.



a beautiful little breather

So, as I discovered last weekend, the wise women around me were right - the anticipation of leaving my little boy for the first time was worse than the actual experience of being away from him. Sure, I missed him and daydreamed about him, but the "missing" didn't hurt like I feared it might. 

After 48 hours away from home and my family, I returned feeling more "me" than I have in a long time. To walk, swim, eat, shower, sleep, do yoga, meditate, be pampered and read (book of choice: Sibella Court's Bowerbird - love, love, thank you Sarah!) at my own pace, as an individual entity, was pure bliss. I haven't felt like that in two years, since before I was pregnant. So refreshing.

The part I didn't enjoy was seeing Bassie's reaction upon my return. At the first sight of me, he beamed the brightest, sweetest smile. But the smile quickly switched to a frown and for the rest of the afternoon he refused to look at me, and preferred to be in his dad's arms rather than mine.

I hear this reaction - to make you pay for leaving - is common. Please tell me it is.

I am so grateful for the love and support around me - for my husband for holding the fort, my mum for helping out and putting Bassie to bed, and my family-in-law for keeping my two boys company. 

Image above: I love this pic of Bassie, taken by my husband.
Image below: i spent a lot of time by this pool. you can see why. 

a boy and a pineapple

Is this perhaps the cutest baby pineapple there ever was? It arrived in our weekly Food Connect fruit and veggie box this week and managed to entertain little Bassie on this spring afternoon. He couldn't quite figure out if he liked touching it or if he really didn't AT ALL. 

I have a post I'd like to share soon about Food Connect and Community Supported Agriculture, but my wireless is giving me issues and Food Connect's website is down too! It's just not meant to be today.

I'm off to cover a story this weekend at an amazing organic health retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland but it will be my first weekend away from Bassie and I'm really not sure how I feel about this yet. He's in good hands with his dad and my mum (thank you, mama!) so I know he will be fine, and I need a recharge so I'm sure I will be more than fine. The wise women around me (i.e. my sister, sisters-in-law and friends) who have been through this 'first-time away' thing tell me the anticipation of leaving is worse than the actual experience of being away. Let's hope they're right. 

When my mum asked me today what I'm most looking forward to about this weekend, I replied that I intend to swim in the infinity pool, and to sit under a tree and stare over the valley for hours on end. All I crave is to be still and quiet. To stretch and to sit. To dream and to breathe. Simple really.

*This adorable pineapple also gave me a good excuse to play with my new portrait lens, a 50mm f/1.8.  
**The photos below are of Bassie getting bored with the whole thing and on the right, biting into a filthy shoe to get my attention away from the camera. 
*** The top image uses my new favourite backdrop, which you'll be seeing a lot of in this space. I love our gum tree that shelters our porch and is right now dropping seed pods, which make the LOUDEST CRACK when they hit our tin roof.