I'm on a quest.

I can't believe it's been a year since I've made a post on my lovely blog. How slack am I? And to be honest, I don't have a good reason for my absence. I haven't been particularly busy, aside from starting a number of different tertiary courses and not completing anything as close as a unit let alone the whole thing. It's not like I've been living in a hole, or depressed in the corner for the past 6 years. I've been doing all the things I'd usually be doing, including dropping out of university courses due to my fluctuating career interests. But it's as if I haven't really been myself while doing the things that I would be doing anyway. I'm as happy as I've ever been and somehow on the path to success because everything just feels right. My life is amazing and I'm entirely thankful for everything and everyone in it. Though at the same time, I look back at myself and wonder what happened. Beyond motivational quotes and virtually stalking quirky and inspirational people, I need to find the core of who I am, again. So I'm on a quest to find my motivated and cheery self all over. Where did I go? It must have been somewhere. And how do I get myself back? This is my new challenge. Only two minutes ago a friend of mine suggested I represent my life story through crochet, my newly found hobby. It has been decided! Though this, and a few other mediums (I'm thinking interpretive dance, expression through words and cartoon strips) I will track back through significant and not so significant parts of my life to reminisce, deconstruct and try to figure this shit out. I'd better buy a camera. If you're reading this, you're welcome to follow my journey to rediscover myself, and if you're not, I guess it's a good thing I'm doing it for personal growth. Until then, enjoy the sunshine.

Celebrating One Year of Self-Taught Crochet

At the end of this month, August 2011, it will be one year since I picked up a hook and successfully began to crochet. And in celebration of this marvelous milestone, I am going to yarn bomb. What is yarn bomb, I hear you ask? Well, before you ask Google search, let me give you a run down. Yarn bombing is graffiti with yarn. But before you go thinking of what monument I'll be covering with my creative yarn creations, I can reveal that it will NOT be something public that I can get fined for, but something closer to home. In fact, it IS my home! That's right, I'm going to yarn bomb my very own house, letter box included. Stay tuned and in the meantime, enjoy these pictures of some already-awesome yarn bombed things...

Christmas in July (In June) 2011

Myself, my husband and his parents celebrated our very first Christmas in July (In June) yesterday. It was different, but lovely. The weather is cooler, the shops aren't crowded and the time we spend together is about love and good times rather then presents and consumerism... although our gifts were quite awesome and the food was so amazing that we'll be eating fruit and water for the rest of the week to cleanse our bodies. While our two cats rival it out, we had a jolly day of simply laughing and enjoying each other's company and I spend my time viewing the world through my very snazzy new lense...



A polaroid 300! How beautiful and simply adorable and I cannot wait to fill my house space with a million teeny sized polaroid photos of all sorts of things that bring my inspiration. And talking of inspiration, I am full of it. My stories for the competitions are coming along well. I have story ideas for them all and now just have to get the ideas down on the page to start getting a true story happening from there. It's all coming along. Aside from those stories though, I have big plans for other creative aspects of my life. Watch this space to see more about them soon.

Until next time, sleep tight and Merry Christmas in July (In June)!

SM
x

Oh my.

So I absolutely lost track of everything I had begun in between a million chores, family visits and commitments and a bit of work here and there. The days are just moving too fast for a life that I'm trying to chase.

I have only a few days left of holidays (from my diploma) but there's not rest in the near future for me. I'm behind on three book reviews, about 30 pages of shorthand practice and a few of my portfolio exercises, just for school. Then there is my commitment to National Young Writer Month, which was to write a few short stories, some poems and to write everyday. The latter, especially, and it's what I've been dismissing so easily when the dishes need to be done. However, I can say that I'm quite proud of the ideas that I've been sprouting; these could definitely lead to something good when I finally sit down and get them all out.

So here is my plan. I've written out a list of competitions happening in the next few weeks or months and it's my first, baby goal to write something new for each and every one of them and post in my applications. They're quite inexpensive and have reasonable requests and something that will finally help me get my act together in actually writing new things, rather then just having awesome ideas for new things and it never progressing from there.

In the mean time, I have taken to jewellery making; or at least trying. Check out this groovy pair of doily earrings I made:



Considering I am trying to run an online business, I think it's not too bad when I take time out from writing to whip up a few upcycled accessories. You can check out my shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/chebylou

Til next time, which I hope will be tomorrow,

SM
x

I love you.

To my husband,

You're not my world, but you certainly make it wonderful.

You are not my soul mate but you are my best friend.

You do not complete me, but you do empower me.

It's been one year, since we stood in front of our family and friends, nervously and a little bit hesitantly repeating the vows that made us man and wife. It was never the married part we were worried about; and nothing has changed since then. I am proud to have made the next natural move in our relationship that simply meant the formalising of our togetherness over those past five years (now six).

I love that we always laugh together.

I love that you wear the bearded hat I made you.

I love that you make me apple crumble at 1am just because I asked you to.

I love that we don't have the same beliefs but it changes nothing between us.

I simple love you.

SM
x

Oh, croutons.

I do remember the first time we met. I was in primary school, and you were served by the religion teacher that my family had become affiliated with. Mrs White and her husband Mr White, had a lovely back garden with many plants and flowers. It was around lunch time, and how odd, I thought, to add small, crunchy portions of bread to a soup that would only make them soggy. I didn't like you at the start, but oh, how I grow to love you now.
I've begun to rekindle this appreciation for you, oh croutons, as I chunk up the bread and sizzle you in my fry pan. I anxiously heat up my soup and scoop you on top; some of you sink in, some of you stay partially crunchy... secretly my favourite.
I look forward to our winter adventures.
SM
x

Day Five; on a roll.

I'm getting better! It's 11:27am and I'm onto my blog post. Good work, I say! So today, I will be writing a book review on Jerzy Kosinski's, Being There. This is an assignment that is a little behind, so it's a high priority to finish. I also have some writing and re-writing to do for my interview following on from yesterday, and I'd like to have a crack at a poem. A poem that can then be used in a spoken word performance... that of course, I'll practice by myself at home in my pajamas.

Perhaps my new strategy of announcing my daily goals on a public forum will enhance the chances that I actually complete them. What do you think? :)

For now, I'm off to read the last chapter of Being There and to finish off my cup of earl grey tea with Minute to Win It playing in the background.

Cya!

SM
x

Day Four

Sadly my daily bout of writing yesterday was for assignments, but I'm still happy that it's my words. So today, day four, is an extra special compilation of writing. At least, the first part is! Today I interviewed a young lady who is busy in the arrangements for her first book deal - very exciting! The write up of this interview will be linked to you very shortly...


Today I've really struggled to put a few words down. First I was distracted by the TV, then searches for dream earrings on etsy.com and now it's youtube's fault. Well, not really their fault, but these are the challenges I've faced. I feel awfully lazy today, so it's difficult not to sit in front of a screen of some sort and watch the pretty colours and drift into my own world.

So as I sit here staring at my rainbow coloured finger nails and look at the pile of work that I really need to make a dint in, I still feel like I could just float off into a cloud for the next few hours. However, that would not be productive! It's so hard to get things done on a routine basis when you're so prone to just doing whatever, whenever. It's a habit that I both love and hate. Actually, I have to admit, I'm leaning more towards hate. I barely get anything done, so it can't be a good thing! It now becomes a goal of mine, to at least get the things I need to done, no matter my strategy. (Organisational strategies just don't really work for me!) I'll make 50 cups of tea, crank the radio, fiddle about with everything on my desk or decide to crochet yet another hat, but I'm determined to make it happen. How else will I be successful? Further to that, I have to work for the next two days. It's not overly strenuous work, but it is work that requires my attention and presence and that I need to go if I like to get paid to support my fake-plug earring habit. Which I do.

So for now, I must be off to complete the tasks a-fore-mentioned. Until next time, smile your heart out for no better reason then you jus' can!

SM
x

Shattered Glass

Day #2 of NYWM and I'm happy to say that I haven't left my bout of daily writing to 11pm. It's much earlier then that and I have a night of writing and brainstorming ahead of me. This is very exciting!

While catching up on some of the Jschool work I've missed from being sick, I watched a film called Shattered Glass. It captivates the true story of a prominent, young journalist writing for The New Republic for three years in the '90's. The only problem is, 27 of his 41 published stories were either partially or completely made up. Incredible! I think it's safe to say, I'm am now terrified to write as freely as I once did... However that won't stop me writing at all, in fact, it simply enforces the importance of your professional ethics and working as morally as you can. As with any job, a writer is still a profession.

So while this is only a short blog, again, I am proud that I've made the time to write down a few notes. Now that my mind and fingers are all warmed up, I'm ready for book reviews, editing, poetry and short story writing. Productivity, here I come!

SM
x

Oh Dear

So here we are, a day in an already I'm scrambling to write up something, anything for my daily goal. It's 10:47pm and I've only just now, made time for a blog post. Terrible form, Siobhan! However in my defence, I did sleep alot today for waking up sick on the first day of winter. A lovely cold-sorey-weak kind of sick that's just ever so pleasant to deal with. Though this is no month for excuses, it's a month of productivity! For now I'll be off with a dissatisfied feeling of only writing such a short amount of words for my first day of National Young Writers Month but with greater hopes for the days (and productivity) to come!

SM
x

National Young Writers Month

So the count down is on. There's only 1 hour and 25 minutes until National Young Writers Month (NYWM) begins, and it's a challenge that I'm thoroughly looking forward to.

As a hopeful writer, I usually find myself with a million ideas that just hang about. Occasionally, I'll write up a blog post or a short story and I get a feeling of satisfaction for actually doing something, but it really doesn't go much further then that.

This is probably the same story for alot of wannabe writers out there - it's alot of work to really get the motivation pumping. So this is where NYWM comes into play. I guess as a collective, if we're all writing together, perhaps we'll fuel each other's inspiration wheels!

I'm setting my goals:
1).Daily blogging/writing.
2). Enter a poetry competition.
3). Finish my short story, "The Isaac".
4). Activism - take written action for causes that need written support; letters, petitions, etc

Now to help me remember these are my goals, I've found this revolutionary thing called a pinboard, and have each goal scribbled on a sticky note and pinned right up, in bright colours, so I can see, each and every day when I enter my home office. (I totally told you I have a home office setup now, didn't I?!)

Until tomorrow, au revoir!

SM

Flippin' a pancake, baking some bread.

So, I'm pretty much unstoppable, what with my new found ability to flip a pancake in the pan and my recent feat of baking fresh, home made bread. I feel quite accomplished for this year so far having taken a mighty bite out of my resolution list for 2011, and we're only in month #2.



It's approximately 3 weeks until I begin my new journey in a diploma of journalism at a leading independent institution, Jschool located in the heart of Brisbane City. I am both excited and terrified for the leap into a new field, and although I have dabbled in journalism and writing before, I am certain I have a great deal of learning to go just to get the basics.

Activate motivation... 3, 2, 1...

To be honest, I'm struggling to find the discipline to set myself in serious journalism cadet mode, scouring newspapers to the 't'and perfecting my teeline shorthand skills. Though, I guess this year is about learning and discovering my path to journalism success and yes, it will be hard work that I may have to force myself to do but I've come to the conclusion that by being offered a position, this is the next step to take in my often crazy world.

A year of motivation!

Happy New Year! Lets hope that this year will bring as many joys and challenges that every other year has bought, and speaking of this year, I can happily announce that I have successfully crossed off one of my 2011 resolutions

...learning to flip a pancake.

It was a wonderful thing to have learnt! I feel quite excited. Added to that, my husband and I have committed to shaving our heads to raise money for Shave for a Cure. I bought a skipping rope, a DVD player and we just got back from a good 40 minute workout.

I have friends having babies, getting married, doing study and enjoying their lives to the max despite circumstances out of their control.

There will be a new cat, a savings account, a new learning opportunity and hopefully a year of good health in my year. There will be a birthday night picnic, significant improvements in the relationship between me and Elisa (my sewing machine), and a successful portable vegie garden out the back.

With my keep cup and awesome thermo lunch bag by my side, I'm sure for a good year.

Check out my new weapon, weapon of choice.

Hello!

It's been a wonderful couple of months for me in regards to developing my creative skills, particularly in crochet and sewing. I am no longer filled with self doubt but a little less scepticism that I may actually be capable of making such pretty things that people would like to buy them. I feel excited.


Weapon of choice.

I was lucky enough to marry into a family of great creative minds. My father-in-laws side is quite the collection of seamstresses and crafters; not to mention my amazing mother in law; and during the last visit they spent with us, I was given a mighty fine stack of vintage magazines such as women's weekly and new idea dating back from the 1950's. Aside from this and adding to the massive collection of buttons I now have, I inherited over 1000 spools of embroidery thread and cross stitch patterns and pieces that our late Aunty Helen used to have. They know me well... I am in heaven!


Vintage magazines dating back from 1958

I stopped off at the second hand store near my work the other day and was delighted to find a bunch of beautiful ruffle laces' perfect for a few upcoming projects that I have been piecing together in my mind over the last few weeks. However I desperately want to make it clear that the reason I thrift shop is not because of money. Infact, it may not always be cheaper to buy second hand. I browse, shop, buy, plan and consider thrifting first hand due to ethical reasons of waste. It's simply a bonus that you can find such amazing one off pieces of inspiration and wonder.


Never under-estimate the eye of the thrift shopper...

It is my goal to make beautiful clothes and accessories from scratch, promoting hand made goods and upcycling, recycling, repurposing, reusing and any other name you can think of, wherever possible. It's really not as scary as some people think it might be.


An upcycled product in the making.

Where's your inner peace, dude?

I work hard every day to know that if something ever happened to me, I wouldn’t regret not telling someone I loved them or not doing something that I’d wanted to do. And it got me thinking. Generally, I am so happy with my life and the progress that I’m making through it and time and space that I wondered why this is so for me when I am aware of so many people that aren’t in the same position, or even close to being happy with their lives. So here are the reasons I’ve come up with for me, and maybe you can have a crack at seeing what might work for you:

1. No matter how difficult it is, tell people you love them when you have the chance to. You hear many stories of people who missed the chance for reconciliation with people in their lives (or not in their lives for that matter) and you don’t want to be one of those people wishing you’d said something. Tell them through being thoughtful; remember special days, what’s important to them why they’re special in your life. It’s more then words, it’s presence. It’s care. It’s saying you love them with your entire heart and soul. So, tell people. Tell everyone. Over-tell them. Make them sick of hearing how much you love them, but make sure you tell them because they’ll know.

2. Don’t rely on others to make you happy. It’s a difficult point at first, however after taking an in-depth journey into Miguel Ruiz’s “The Mastery of Love” you discover an inner peace that when you know the love you give for yourself and others comes from within your being and your happiness, you give people the opportunity to give love back or share their love in the same way, but it doesn’t affect you in a way that if they do not respond. You do not loose the love you gave, because it’s inside you. It does not compromise the happiness you have, because it comes from inside you. Without the stress and reliance on others you have control of your life and where you choose to lead it. I like to describe it like I am happy, and it’s the kind of heart-warming happiness that I wake up to a new day and I’m just happy that it’s there and I’m there too. I give out my love to the day as I go along… and when someone responds in a negative way, it doesn’t suppress the love that I have given out; it’s still there for people to accept as they will. However when someone responds back with love they share with me, it warms my heart even more. It enlightens my entire body and allows me more love to share. It’s a good read.

3. Give with your soul. There isn’t much more explanation to this. When someone needs help, offer your help. Or better still, offer your help before someone is in such a need as to ask. Give without expectation, because giving to people is the best thing that you can do with your happiness and love.

4. Life isn’t about things. But I must admit I have a few things of my own. And they are very special to me, and I appreciate them so much because they are my own. I look after my things, I share my things when others need things, and I am happy to take responsibility for my things. I think my love for the things I have really helps, and knowing that they are just ‘things’ ensures me there is more then things to life, even though I have a few things of my own. Love your things.

Life is about people and it’s the peoples’ needs that make life special. Tell those people you love them. It’s also that not just people have life, but everything that you can see, touch, feel – has a story and a journey themselves. Make yourself happy on the inside and share that happiness with the world.

Give with your soul.
Love your things.
Live purely.

Things about me.

1. I didn't get to kiss my husband on our wedding day, because I was sick.

2. I believe that bad grammar and over use of symbols, even on facebook, is absolutely rude. Intentional bad use is a different story, however not anyone can just do this and I can tell the difference.

3. I cannot stand how everyone thinks they are all random.

4. I don't expect people to try and debate my beliefs when I do get up the courage to share them.

5. I like the radio ads for McDonalds and a little ashamed to admit that I like Katy Perry.

6. In 2004 I was awarded the Perry Irwin Leadership Memorial award and it means the world to me.

7. I have a new found love in the art of crochet.

8. My life goal, would be to live without money.

9. I have a birth mark on my right leg.

10. I have had my nose pierced three times in the same place.

11. I heaps miss my cat.

12. I am very impulsive.

13. I was most certainly born in the wrong year.

14. I have around 20 penpals; both hand written snail mail and email.

15. I am a little bit obsessed about how mess should be organised.

16. The best ever Christmas movie, is Scrooge.

17. Benarkin SS was the best school.

18. Numbers I like are 1 and 21.

19. I hate pet stores.

20. I love bows, ruffles and all the little wonders you can find in thrift stores.

Making changes, going green(er).

Lately I've been having more and more of a desire to do something greater then I already am; to make an even more (or less) impact to the environment in my life. It's a difficult and overly complicated thing, though, and I feel that not enough people understand the choices that me and my husband make.

So, to start I have taken the pledge to buy hand made. It feels good, and for a while I was quite afraid that I wouldn't be able to make it; after all, I did purchase three pairs of summer shorts from Big W just this week. However, if I am in the mindset of doubt, then how will I ever know if I can make it? I can make myself make it.



Perhaps there isn't enough care in the world for environmental impact. Perhaps the idea of modern lifestyles and things that are so easily accessible through packets and chain shops is more important to families nowa-days, but I'm not convinced and I'm not going to stop. Here's the next step in my life:

I, Siobhan-Marie, hereby pledge to the following commencing Friday 8th October, 2010:

1). I will not conform to social expectations of looks, consumption, values or beliefs.

2). I will not choose fashion over morals.

3). Everyday I will endeavour to reduce the output of waste from my home and anything I am involved in.

4). I will avoid unnecessary consumption including for wants. There is a reason they are not listed under necessity.

5). I will never stop caring.

For now, I am off to eat some roast pumpkin soup and craft away with recycled craft materials while tuning into a bit of Kavisha Mazzella. This afternoon should be lovely.

Peace,
SM

Love monkey and Rumi.

While waiting for an appointment in lovely Southbank the other day, mum and I decided to explore a little part of the lovely area, where we soon found an amazing book shop and cafe. Reading tales of love monkey and rumi, mum and I enjoyed a cup of tea and the laid back environment.




Our day was filled with little snippets in time, particularly the awkward moment when a young man goes to enter the mens toilet that you are occupying because the ladies is taken while your mum is guarding the door because the lock doesn't work... needless to say we couldn't go back to use those toilets for the rest of that day.


Sitting in the book shop cafe with rain clouds looming in the afternoon sky, I listened to Lisa Loeb and The Avett brothers while indulging in a lemon meringue and soy milk chai latte and I patiently waited for my mum to finish her acupuncture session (to which I later discovered she fell asleep and left me waiting for and hour longer then I had expected). Thinking to myself that I always need to remember to bring a notepad with me so I don't need to scribble down my life's most beautiful moments on a pad of sticky notes I found in the bottom of my bag.

All in a days work, and a beautiful day at that.

People think I collect tea pots.

That's right. I have a lovely little collection developing of unique and wacky tea pots that people have given me, so I guess now, I'm collecting tea pots.

Life lately has been quiet and busy at the same time. There have been days filled with oh-so-wonderful cleaning chores with sprinkles of crafty goodness in between. I have opened my online shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SiobhanMarie

and I'd love some views from all you lovely people out there. Definitely keep an eye out in the coming weeks for new items including upcycled beauties, upcoming summer fashions and festive pieces of joy. I hope to see you there!

We also have some new additions to our family... Please meet Geralt, our axolotl:



And our two gold fish Vesemir and Eskel:



They are lovely. This means our family is at a total of six including our lovely cat, Chubs...




And my husband and myself:







I love my family.

Learning to Upcycle.

I have had a recent lesson from my father in law about how to not constantly break the needles on my sewing machine, and thus, having the ability to successfully sew little pieces of love. The time has come to move on from crocheting the edges of all winter clothing to upcycling lovely summer fashions with scrap pieces of material, beads and buttons. I cannot wait!