Angus & Julia Stone: Mango Tree

A summery feeling song with a summery feeling video for a summery feeling Saturday.

Lost in the Paper Work

During this whole process of planning to travel, I think I have identified a hole that needs to be filled in the internet world.

There needs to be a site, ONE website, that specifically helps young, first time travelling New Zealanders and Aussies to work out all the different things that they need to get where they want; visiting visas, work visas, entry and transit requirements and applications through America, appointments for biometric scanning, money order certificates, Youth card applications, banking details etc...

Maybe it could even include packing tips and tricks and suggestions?

Who am I kidding, there is probably already a site like this out there, I'm just so blonde I haven't found it. Instead, I've spent hour upon hour going from website to website, gradually figuring this all out for myself, bit by painful bit, sorting through the current and up-to-date and the not so up-to-date information. That's the key phrase, 'UP TO DATE'! Am I the only one who has ever noticed that there doesn't seem to be ONE place with all the information on hand, or at least links to the certain government websites that you need to visit?

I think there has to be a smarter, easier way. There just has to be!

Self Portraits

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much my face has changed and aged in the last couple of years.

I don't know about you but when I was younger I was much happier to sit for photos then I am now, in fact it's probably up near the top of my 'most avoided' list these days! So I decided to have a go at taking some self portraits that I'll be happy to look back on a few years down the track.

These are my favourites, I can live with these!

*cough, poser, cough*

Happy Australia Day

Sun Time

Kids here in Perth learn to swim and enjoy water pretty quickly, they don't really have a choice with 40 + degree summers!

Here are a couple of photos I snapped of my aunties grand kids in the pool last weekend. I love that they try every means possible to stay in the water, wrinkled and prune-like, long into the evening, well after us adults have shivered our way out of the water... 'Just 5 more minutes nanny, just 5 more minutes...!?'

Packing Dry Run: Number 1

Today we are officially 50 days out from heading off to Canada, so I thought (whilst in the midst of a cleaning blitz) I would try my hand at a packing dry run, just to see if the things I thought I wanted to take would fit in my pack. Here are the results.

Ease of access and method of packing: Poor

Weight: 16 kilos (4 kilos spare - not that I want to be carrying the maximum weight!)

Not included: Shoes, toiletries, socks and underwear

Result: FAIL

Doh! Top tips anybody? I have heard it suggested that if you tightly roll each individual item you can fit in a lot more then initially thought. Perhaps I'll give that a go...

Ticket to Adventure

My UK Visa arrived today and I'm unbelievably excited. I'm just one step closer to the next adventure, can't imagine where we're going to end up and what we'll be doing, but this little piece of paper in my passport makes anything possible!

Back to Basics

I've spent the afternoon peeling, chopping and stewing... mmm some yummy stewed apple and rhubarb coming my way...!

Indonesian Textile Stamp

My dear friend Krista gave me the most beautiful present for my birthday - it is an old Indonesian textile printing stamp.

The pattern is made from flat strips of copper to form the outside edges, and hundreds of tiny pin like strips of copper to fill each shape. It is so intricate, and very delicate, apparantly it would have been used in the 1940's somewhere in Indonesia. It would have traditionally been used to dip into hot wax, print onto fabric and then the bolts of fabric would have been dyed, leaving the waxed pattern behind. In other words, batik.

I'm very tempted to try printing with it myself, but am so scared that the paint and water would damage its already flaking edges. It makes a beautiful ornament just as is, propped on it's handle.

Travelling Update

A little while ago I posted a link to the new blog I was going to get started, dedicated a little more to our travels and everything that goes along with it. Well, I've been thinking really hard about it, and have decided that if I'm realistic, I'm going to have problems finding enough time, money and internet cafes to update this blog as it is. How on earth am I going to update two!? So I've decided to scrap the other one, that never really got started. It's called being honest with myself. Maybe that's something I will work on this year... So I think soon you will start to see some posts relating a little more to travel. Not that we've left yet, there's two months to go, but the prep has started. My 'To Do' list is growing, my nerves are escalating, my paranoia and uber-organisational urges are becoming hard to control. So it really is inevitable that you will see some posts about this. Coming soon, I think I will post about packing. Yes, I'm two months out, and already thinking, no, panicking about it. How is a girl who can never have too many clothes, going to pack for 10 degrees, coming from 40 degrees, and fit it all into a back pack? Really? More of that to come me thinks...

Just Rosey

I have been trying to find the patience to make these little rose earrings for a couple of months now. Every time I got started my fat, fumbly fingers squished the fimo and I'd eventually give up.

Yesterday, I got the determination to see it through, and I've made two pairs of the sweetest little rose bud earrings. They are made from a pearlised pink polymer clay and have a clear glaze over the top to give them a subtle shine.

Re-found

Oh I've just rediscovered an old sketch from about a year ago. I drew this sitting on the edge of the cliffs at Greenhead, WA. Now if only I was any good at watercolour I think that would top this off. Failing that, I might have a go with some acrylics...

Musical Confession

I have a musical confession to make; I am in love with Big Band music. I have been as long as I can remember. Maybe it was spawned by my parents playing Glenn Miller LP's when I was little, who knows. We are even thinking of having swing music at our wedding, I love it that much! C and I went along to a huge cd, dvd and book sale in Perth over the weekend, and I just about wet myself with delight when I saw all the jazz and swing music cd's there for $2. Phew, fess up over, here is some Benny Goodman for your ears, enjoy!

Everything In Place

My parents are flying over from NZ next week to visit, so I thought I'd better make like a lady and whip up some placemats!

I used left over pieces of my IKEA fabric, (geez that turned out to be such a good buy), and I layered some tetron/dacron/wadding in between this and some semi-coordinating yellow cotton fabric for the backing. I topstitched around each edge, and then again 20mm in to make a neat border.

We used to make these all the time at esdesign many moons ago, not sure if they're still whipping them up, but I remember they sold well!

Paradise on the Edge of the Indian Ocean

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a relaxing, peaceful, fun-filled Christmas and New Years.

I've just come back from a few blissful days away up north in WA. Going by the photos above you can easily see we did some fishing. We also did a bit of lounging around, reading, swimming, eating and drinking... but generally just a lot of fishing!

So now we are back in Perth, and back in reality. 2010 has already kicked into gear, and from what I can see there are lots of fellow bloggers with ideas and resolutions for the year ahead.

I'm not really a 'resolution' kind of girl, I think that if you're going to instigate changes in your life there's no reason to wait until January 1st to do so, there's no time like the present! Instead I think I'm going to keep on trucking with my plans for our travel later in the year, keep working towards new adventures, challenges and making new friends, and overall making sure I have a great time along the way.

Oh of course, there'll be more creating, making, dreaming and doing along the way.

Now I just wonder, where on earth I'll be for the next New Year, I really have no clue and JEEPS that's so exciting!

It's my birthday tomorrow - quarter of a century young. So I think I'll spend it like I've done the last few days. Doing a lot of not very much!