24.11.13

creative mojo is back!!

I'm slowly finding my creative mojo again..here are a few things I've been getting up to....
 
 
1. upcycling a cute book to make gift tags for my swap.
2. wonderful thrifted vintage red flower coasters.
3. baking bread
4. putting bits of inspiration and pretty up on the wall
5. a few little crafty projects on the go!
6. making cute things to post off to the UK for my newest nephew, Isaac.
7. working on a granny square infinity scarf
8. starting to feel excited about having a lovely handmade Christmas
 
Have you got your creative mojo on? Back on?? I'd love to know what you have been up to!
 
Mezz xoxo
 
 

18.11.13

vintage sheet joy!!

I love vintage sheets!!!! So much!! Here is a colourful vintage sheet patchwork I recently made. (please excuse the fuzzy pics, my camera wasn't happy with me today.)
 
I recently received a lovely parcel in the mail of these wonderful vintage sheet fat quarters (thanks Zara for organising this wonderful swap!) My heart is singing, and I'm wondering what I should make with these babies....any ideas??
 
Oh and the lovely Zara added in a cute upcycled road map garland. Cute!!
 
They definitely don't make sheets like they used to, hey!
 
Mezz xo

13.11.13

Christmas Gift Tag Swap Partners!

Thanks to those who are joining in the Gift Tag Swap!! It shall be jolly fun. I popped everyone's names in a hat, and pulled them out by two, pairing us all up! Very technical, I am!
Your swap partners are::

Mary and Katy
Siobhan and Raylee
Kersandra and Tammy
Mezz and Fiona
Beth and Marianne
Hannapat and Rebecca
(special message at the end of this post just for you 2!)
One of our swap participants, Rebecca, has a 7 year old daughter who would love to do the swap with another young person!! How lovely! If you have a little person who would like to do a swap with her, please let me know via comments and I'll pass on the info to Rebecca!! And yes, that is giving me ideas for the future!! A crafty swap for little people!!
 
Each of you should have an email in your inbox with a few more details.

Mezz xoxo
 
PS- Hannapat and Rebecca, I have paired the two of you as you both would like to make a few less tags. Perhaps you could make 5 for each other?? I also have neither of your email addresses, so please email me mezzcoleman@hotmail.com so I can help the two f you get in touch!!

12.11.13

let's get physical!!!!


There are lots of barriers to exercise for many people.....I certainly have a few. One 'exercise barrier" I have is a super shallow one....ready for it?? I hate sporty clothes. I HATE them. As a vintage dress wearing type of lass, the thought of putting on a pair of Nikes, or Lorna Jean gear makes me feel yuk. I just don't like sporty fitnessy type gear!! I know it's a nuts reason to not exercise, so I've decided to pretty up a few things for my new early morning walk/runs, and get over myself.

Using vintage fabric scraps I sewed a little pocket onto a sweat band so that I can carry my house key while going out for a walk. Cute, and handy! I love the bright pink flowers, they make me happy.
On another sweatband I attached a vintage fabric pocket for my phone, so I can wear it and listen to my Couch to 5km App while exercising. Win.
Paired with a Beatles t-shirt and a vintage head scarf I feel a bit more like myself. Of course, I would prefer to be wearing a pretty dress and red lippy, but I think even I can admit that I would look a right twat running around the neighbourhood at 6.30 am like that!!!

Mezz xox

7.11.13

Indulging versus Nurturing...

Indulge:  to enjoy something desired
Nurture: cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition)
I was very challenged earlier this year by a wonderful book called "The Divided Heart" by Rachel Power. In it, she speaks with many artists who are also mums and reflects back on her different conversations in each chapter. It's a must read for any mother/artist, whatever art form you may create in! I remember one of her interviewees said something along the lines of "women are really good at indulging ourselves, but terrible at nurturing ourselves" and that has really stuck with me these past few months. I think I often confuse the two! 

For instance, sleep. I'm not a morning person...of course I'm not, I'm a muso!! I like staying up late and totally hate waking up early. Yet the reality is I have two kids, including one who needs to be at school at 9am every morning. When I indulge in a sleep in (which I do quite often!) then our mornings are frantic. I get stressed, I rush the kids, sometimes I turn into a crazy screaming lady, I don't have time to deal calmly with the little hiccups that occur between two kids, we forget to return school permission forms and get to school late. You get the picture!! But, on the rare morning when I get up a little bit before the kids, have a quiet cuppa and just a bit of time to myself before the kids wake, it is ALWAYS Good. No exception. Always. Good. So I have to learn that indulging in an extra 40 minutes in bed is no way near as great as nurturing myself and my family by giving myself those precious moments to my self, no matter how much I think I hate mornings.

Here's another one: Food!! I like to indulge!! In fact, this past year has seen me invent my very own diet. I call it the "CH" diet...that is where you generally only eat things starting with a "CH"....cheese, chips and chocolate. It's not a very good diet, I know, and for the first time in my life (as quite a small person who has never had to think too much about my weight,) I've noticed a couple of kgs creep on, and a few favourite dresses not quite fit any more! I know it's because this year when I've been stressed, tired, overwhelmed, in need of some sort of comfort I have indulged myself with food, rather than nurtured myself with food! So what would a nurturing diet look like, I wonder? I have a feeling it would include many earthy foods..lots of things straight from the garden, things that give me energy, things that are full of vitamins, things that make my body and mind feel good!

I have also recognised only recently that I over indulge in technology!! Up until this year, I had resisted things like facebook, twitter, smart phones...I had never heard of Instagram and pod casts! I avoided social media for a long time, but felt that I was starting to "fall behind", so found it important to include some of these things in my life in order to remain connected in. Using social media has actually been great, and more enjoyable then I expected. I feel connected to loved ones, I've built up a larger following for my music and blog, and I can totally see how my recent creative venture "Hundreds and Thousands Magazine" would not have happened at all without the use of social media. But like many people who find a new thing that's kinda fun, I have indulged.... and indulged a lot. I have hardly been able to switch my smart phone off since I got it. I forget to actually enjoy moments, because I'm trying to take photos of them and then I'm busy choosing one to crop, filter and post on Instagram..and when I look up the great moment I just posted online has passed me by. I am often with my kids but not really "with them" because I'm checking something really important like my facebook page for the third time that morning. I have even been known to feel like sewing, but then think "Oh no, I can't because my camera and phone aren't charged", as if creating things is only of any benefit if I can share on the internet what I have made. This is madness!!

But. I know that when I put limits around these things, they can nurture my soul. Sharing things that I really care about with you guys on my blog, checking into facebook occasionally to remain connected, sitting down with a cuppa once the kids are asleep and enjoying all the lovely pics everybody posts on Instagram, rather then constantly looking at it all day!

So, to indulge or to nurture. That is the crossroads that I am currently at. I hope with all my heart that I can day by day consider more ways in which I can nurture myself, rather than indulge. There are so many things I know I can do to nurture my mind, my heart, my creativity, my body, my family!! I need to daily remind myself to choose to nurture, even if it isn't as quick, easy or as instantly gratifying as indulging myself!!

I don't normally write like this on my blog, but I know many of my readers are mums, creatives, women, partners, and I'm really keen to share my thoughts on this with you all, and to also hear what your thoughts are on the matter!!!????

Mezz xoxo

PS Still a few more days if you want to join in with my Christmas gift tag swap!!

4.11.13

A little Christmas gift card swap!! JOIN ME!!


Hello!! Just announcing  a little swap I've decided to host, rolling off the success and fun of the handmade card swap I hosted a few months back.

It's November!! When did this year happen?? I can't believe Christmas is in less than 2 months. I love celebrating Christmas in a handmade kind of way, so I need to get cracking!!

I thought it would be nice to do another "paper craft" swap, but instead of normal sized greeting cards, we could make each other small gift tags to use this year. If you are interest in joining in this Christmas gift card swap, you will need to make and send 15 little gift cards/tags to somebody. That's it!!

Please leave your name and email address below in the comments (or you can email me mezzcoleman@hotmail.com) to let me know if you want to take part. You will have one week to do this. Entries close strictly on November 12th.  I will then pair you up with a  swap buddy and you will need to make 15 gift cards/tags and get them in the post by November 31st!! Sorry to be so tight with the dates, but time is of the essence here, people! Postage shouldn't be too much of a big expense as the tags are quite small and light, so please enter no matter where in the world you might be!

Below are a few images I found online to inspire you and give you an idea of what the swap will be all about!! Please feel free to get thrifty and recycle/up cycle, I think that's great!!

 
 

Speaking of Christmas swaps, I have just signed up over at the lovely Ladybird Diaries blog for her Christmas Decoration Swap. It looks lovely, and if you are a Christmas freak like me, I'm sure you'd love it.

And, if you haven't ordered a copy of my handmade magazine yet, why not do it now!!??? My lovely sis in law Ash has just started writing a great new blog, and she featured a write up on our mag! check it out www.thesquee.com

And below are a few links you can follow to purchase "Hundreds and Thousands"
www.hundredsandthousands.storenvy.com
www.hundredsandthousandsmag.blogspot.com

Mezz xoxox

NB- I'm a bit sad to hear that one or two people who sent cards as part of my handmade card swap never received anything back. These swaps are just a bit of fun, yes, but they also take a lot of time to organise, and a lot of time for each participant to sit down and make things for their partners. I think it's only fair that they receive something nice back!! Please only sign up for this is if you definitely plan to participate!!