American girls have all the fun!

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Here's lookin' at you, kid.

Photographer Thomas Shahan takes fabulous macro shots of spiders and insects. Aren't they wonderful?

Functional ≠ boring!

Recently I've been pondering the talents of various designers and artists. I like to think that I'm creative in many ways, and that I have a good eye for design, but then again I'm often humbled when I see true creativity at work in everyday settings.

Take, for example, something as simple as keeping a calendar/diary. Mine is quite utilitarian, a cute little red Moleskine, a handy place to note down my appointments and looming deadlines, but certainly not a shining example of creative expression.

... and then you get people like Gennine, whose weekly diary looks like this:














I couldn't help but look forward to the week's commitments if they were presented this beautifully!

When the sewing gets tough

Sometimes you just gotta remind that sewing machine who's boss.

Party planner extraordinaire

Eek! I just realised the date...

I'm planning a birthday party for my sister in December, and it's occurred to me that as December's such a busy month, we must send the invitations out soon.

How lucky I was to find these films - they provide everything you ever wanted to know about hosting a successful event, and the actors are just so darned perky, their parties couldn't possibly fail!


"This is one party that just has to turn out right!"


~ Do you have any stories about a party that went well (or was a disaster!) for you?

I'd be grateful for any additional tips or suggestions ... the theme for our party is 1940s Blitz.

Managing the Missus

Poor G has been doing a bit of this lately, as we try to bring some sort of order to our new house and garden ...

We spent much of the weekend tidying, fixing, shopping and organising. It's fun though - we're gradually sorting out our stuff, finding places for some things and deciding what we can pass on to others. Today our house is flooded with sunlight, and I know we're going to be happy here!

This afternoon as I was walking home from work I stopped to watch a pair of rainbow lorikeets chirping and snuggling in the low branches of a neighbour's street tree. They didn't seem worried by my standing so close, and their gorgeous feathers looked amazing against the new green spring foliage.

We have lots of birds in this area .... I've named my resident garden blackbirds Henry and Matilda. Love their crazy jazz tunes!

Do you need boxes/packing stuff?

*** Thank you to everyone who has enquired about these - I'll be in touch soon if I haven't yet contacted you. ***

... we have lots to give away! (what a shame the Australian Freecycle website seems to have the hiccups at the moment). We have cardboard boxes in a range of sizes, and lots of paper and bubble wrap for protecting fragile things.


If you'd like them and can pick them up from Brunswick East, please leave a comment on this post or email me at my new email address: juddie[at]boyd[dot]name

.... gurgle .....

Still feeling rather swamped over here .... might have to take a little break until we emerge from the mess ....

See you soon!


(image source)

Now breathe .....

Wow. What a week we've had.


Poor G has been weak and feverish and in quarantine because of a certain virus emanating from this;

I've been in pain and almost completely incapacitated because my spine has decided to do this;

both pets have had to visit the vet;

we've had several tradesmen requiring daily supervision as they tackle countless jobs over here;

and we need to have everything in the house packed up and ready for our move in two days from now.

Yipes. Sometimes things go more than a little pear-shaped when you feel the least able to manage them.

I'm indebted to my sister, who's been my cleaner, cook, chauffeuse, shopper, dog-walker, nurse, site manager, packer, pet transporter, schedule co-ordinator and physical assistant for the past few weeks, and this week in particular. My lovely friend Helena also came to help with packing today, and G has been an angel, working hard even though he's really sick.

We'll get there I guess.

Nina's Hair Parlour

I wish I knew of a hair stylist like Nina in Melbourne ....