29.12.14

Looking back at my 2014 goals!!

This time last year I wrote a blog post inspired by Sophie aka Her Library Adventures with a list of goals that I wanted to achieve for 2014. Before I think of some new goals for 2015, I thought I'd revisit this year's and have a look at how I went with a few of the goals I had written. 
 
Keep our home less cluttered- This will always be a tricky one for us. The 4 of us seem to enjoy having little bits and pieces and treasures. We did a huge clean out while moving house a few months ago, and I feel that as a family we are moving in the right direction as far as our possessions go. Nearly everything we own is thrifted or handmade, so I'm not concerned about the ethics of our "stuff." It's more that the clutter and mess get to me! We will never be minimalists, but I think we are all learning that "less is more" and I have found our house move a wonderful restart in simplifying and decluttering the home. 
Record and release a 5 Track EP- I have finished half of this goal, and I'm ok with that. I have completed recording my EP which has been a lovely process, and we are currently mastering it and figuring out the best way to release and launch it. One of the things I've discovered about myself with music is that the inspiration comes and goes, and sometimes things take longer then I expect. I'm learning to be less hard on myself. To accept that my life is full to brimming with many wonderful creative adventures, and that sometimes my music sits on the sidelines for a while. When I don't put pressure on myself or compare what I'm doing to others, I am very happy with what I get up to musically, so I need to remember to keep doing that! 
Plan the most perfect 30th Birthday Party- Turning 30 was a big deal for me this year, and celebrating it with my friends and family was the best. I hired a cute little hall, decked it out with lots of bunting, flowers and fairy lights, we danced to wonderful music, drank mulled wine and had a fab time.
Fill my home with fresh flowers- This has been one of my simplest joys this year. Wherever I go I pick flowers and pop them in old jars and vases. Occasionally I buy myself a bunch of flowers too. It is the easiest way to inject colour and beauty into my home and day.
Continue to care for asylum Seekers in our community- I will always care about Asylum seekers in our community and the way this country treats them. My family were privilege to live with and support asylum seekers in a community house for the past 5 years. The people we met, the stories we shared, the food we ate together and, at times, the burdens we carried were life changing. A few months ago we recognised that it was time to move out of that community house and find a place for just the 4 of us to live. In some ways it was a difficult decision because we were leaving behind incredible people. But in another way the decision was very easy because we had a strong sense that after 5 years it was time to just be together as a family and focus on the needs of our children. We moved up the road and continue to visit our old housemates often. I will have to find new ways in the coming years to express my concern and care for asylum seekers in this country.  
Keep working with my sis in law Taz on Hundreds and Thousands Magazine- Yes! it's been great! This little zine has grown into something quite special and we are super excited about our plans for 2015!!!!

And here is the rest of my list. As you can see, I didn't do everything on my list, and in fact I actually changed my mind about some of my goals during the year, but the journey has been great. I'm quite proud to see more than half of these goals ticked off!
 
-Record and release a 5 track acoustic EP (We have started recording already)
-Start an all female band!!
-Keep our home less cluttered
-Say positive things
-Don't put off the things that just need to be done
-Spend more "fun" time with my kids
-Sew a couple of dresses for myself
-Go get the new new tattoos on my wish list
-Lose the fear of sharing my music with the world and just totally GO FOR IT!
-Craft with friends regularly
-Plan the most perfect party for my 30th!
-Spend lots of time with my wonderful friends
-Start planning a trip back to the UK
-Journal
-Do something special with Mr Coleman to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary!!
-Make my bed everyday
-Fill my home with fresh flowers
-Continue to care for Asylum Seekers in our community and voice my concerns about the way they are treated in this country. 
-Keep working with my inspiring and lovely sister in law Taz on our handmade crafty zine "Hundreds and Thousands."

28.12.14

Nice Things #12 (my last 'nice things' post!)

Hi lovelies!

Hope you are having a most wonderful Christmas and New Years break. Ours has been perfect, we are so grateful for wonderful family and a bit of time to do not much at all!

I've been thinking a lot about my blog, and how I can continue to use this space well and more regularly to share my creative life with you all. I have a few ideas up my sleeve, so this will be my last "Nice Things" post for the time being, as I try a few new things next year.

Stay tuned!

Some nice things from my week....


Lying in the sun with not a care in the world after a spectacular Christmas lunch.


Listening to opshopped Christmas records!


Capturing the gorgeous late afternoon light through our simple handmade vintage sheet curtains.


Recieving some inspiring gifts!!

Gifting handmade bits and pieces to loved ones.

love mezz xx

25.12.14

The Season of Advent: Love


I have been trying to share a blog post on each Sunday of Advent so this is seriously late, sorry!! The truth is, as many people around the world gathered and lit the 4th candle of Advent last Sunday, the candle of Love, I was totally overwhelmed by what a horrible week humanity had just experienced both globally, and locally in Australia. So many stories of extreme violence and loss and fear. I was struggling to feel the love, and couldn't find much to write about.

But when the world is full of so much despair, what else is their left to do but LOVE?

One of my favourite quotes is "There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear." When there is sadness, when there is anger, when there is a lack of peace, I feel that all we can do is fight back with love. Small acts of love, huge acts of love. And so this Christmas, I hope you have experienced the giving and receiving power of love. Whether that was by simply giving special gifts and spending time with the wonderful people in your life, or donating/volunteering for organisations helping those in need, or checking in on your lonely neighbour, or a courageous act of activism, I hope your Christmas was one ruled by love!!

Mezz xo

14.12.14

The Season of Advent: Joy

"Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow." (Helen Keller)


What keeps your purpose warm and your intellegence aglow? I'd love to know!

Mezz xx

ps- I made that wreath with an old coat hanger and rosemary, and attached the cute 'joy' bunting that I made a few years ago. Cute huh?

11.12.14

Nice Things #11


Baking banana bread and adding some festive spices for fun!
 
Growing things in old cups
.
It doesn't snow in Australia at Christmas time, but I'm ok with that because every where I look I see beautiful purple Jacaranda. Pretty good pay off.
 
Decorating our tree with handmade and opshopped decorations.
 
Making gifts for friends expecting babies!
 
Using my own handmade fabric tape to make these cheerful Christmas Cards.
 
What nice thing are happening in your world?
 
Mezz x

6.12.14

The Season of Advent: Peace


Last Sunday was the First Sunday of advent which I blogged about over here. Today is the second Sunday, and as people all over the world again light candles and reflect, I am thinking a lot about PEACE. Peace is such a funny concept. We all want peace, but what is it? World peace? Quiet? Inner peace? Calm? Non violence? Silence among the chaos? Peace is one of those experiences that is hard to define, but so easy to recognise when we feel it, so this week I thought I'd share a few moments when I experienced peace this last week.

-Yesterday I went inside St Paul's (the iconic Melbourne Cathedral in the above pic) with my Miss 4 during a busy trip to the city, and watched her become completely calm and serene. She wanted to go inside because it looked like Hogwarts, and to be honest I thought I'd spend the whole time in there telling her to be quiet and stop running, but she just assimilated to the environment and it was beautiful to watch. We lit a candle and then by chance a choir started singing Christmas carols and it was a truly magical, mystical moment of peace.

-I have developed a very bad habit of looking at my phone the moment I wake up. Before I've even seen the kids or had a cup of tea I've checked emails, instagram, the weather, you name it. I've recently stopped doing this and am finding my mornings so much calmer and peaceful.

-Lighting candles. Such a simple act that brings focus and peace for me.

-That moment when I realise both my kids are finally asleep!

-Doing simple craft in the evening while relaxing with my hubby over a cup of tea or glass of wine.

-I've been trying to spend 5 minutes in meditation a few times throughout the day. I'm finding it hard- my brain just never seems to stop- but the act of taking time to stop, sit, breath and find quiet is still progress for me

I'd love to know how/when/where you experience PEACE. Feel free to leave a comment below.

I hope you are having a most lovely advent season!

Mezz xo


2.12.14

Nadolig Llawen...a super simple Christmas decoration!

Hi there. I hope you have had a lovely beginning to this festive season. If you like to decorate your house at Christmas time with handmade and meaningful decorations then I've got the perfect and easiest idea!!
My husband's family are all from Wales, and I decided we need a "Welsh" Christmas decoration to add to our collection! Having no idea what a Welsh Christmas decoration would be like, I decided to find out what "Merry Christmas" is in welsh (it's Nadolig Llawen- how lovely!!) and make a simple little garland to hang up....

So using felt ( I love felt-it's so easy to work with!) I cut out the letters I needed. I'm too lazy to even cut out the little holes in letters like "o" and "d" but I kind of like that effect anyway.....
With white thread in the sewing machine, I simply sewed a line about 1 cm away from the top of the letters, attaching them all together to make a little garland, just making sure I left a space between the two words.
Done!
Perhaps you could find out what "Merry Christmas" is in a language that has some significance to you and your family and make one too!!???
Have a Nadolig Llawen, folks!!

Mezz xo