more great music...

I've raved about the quite brilliant Ainslie Wills before. Not only is she awesome, she's a lovely lady who I've had the privilege of studying with, and performing with, and hanging out and being friends with...(I don't think that sentence is grammatically correct!!) Anyway, Ains is a true inspiration to me. She reminds me that great music doesn't need to have a "sound" or fit an "image," it only needs to be unique, and you just need to know how cool you are to pull it off...

Check her out. This song is called "Fighting Kind."

More craft stuff coming up in the next few days...stay tuned!

Yessss!!!

I am in heaven. It is Fete time here in Melbourne. Nothing makes me happier then visiting all the  little schools and churches and checking out the trash and treasure, cakes, preserves,plants and craft they have to offer....and then grabbing a sausage in bread for lunch followed by a Devonshire Tea. It really is too much goodness to take in on one day.

Thought I'd share out most recent second hand finds, most of which came from a few Fetes we visited over the weekend.

This little wooden mini side board was $5. Bargain! Little Miss loves it!

we paid a couple of dollars dor this little wooden bed for the dolls to sleep in, plus a bag of dolls clothes.

My new teapot. I kept wanting to buy a teapot like this on our hiliday in the UK, but it just didn't happen. Mr. Coleman found this for me for $4 the other day.

Pocket size craft book. Cute.

Bright new table cloth.

Shoes for me..I've been wanting high heels, but not too high, so I'm happy with these.

This little find is why this post is titled "Yesssss!" (Because that's what I screamed when I came across this amazingly awesome and totally working German Melodica for $1.50)

I'm still high fiving myself about this one.

A summer dressing gown.

We love this tray. Mr. Coleman's family is Welsh, and we have visited a few of these Castles. I think I might bake some Welsh treats soon, just so we can eat them off this tray!

New cushion cover.

We have been buying quite alot of other second hand stuff too, but I can't show you as they are all Christmas and birthday presents for loved ones who might be reading this blog!

Hurray for Fetes (and Op Shops!)

Mezz

Some fun with granny squares...

I'm getting the crochet hook out again! Not sure what's inspired me, maybe because it's something I can do mindlessly while the TV is on!!

Here are the beginnings of a Christmas crochet bunting to decorate our place this December...

And a granny square "patch" to cover up a "Hi-5" logo on an otherwise quite cute hat for Little Miss.

What craft medium have you been working with lately? crochet? sewing? a friend of mine has recently been getting into applique, can't wait to get her to show me what she's been doing!!

Mezz

Ben Folds: Soundtrack to my life..

There are not many bands or musicians that I’m fanatical about. Ok, the Beatles, yes. That kind of goes without saying. But generally I like music that I like, don't like what I don't like, and have never gotten caught up in "scenes" or "sounds". I don’t really know what its' like to be a crazy fan, or totally hooked on one thing.

I guess the closest I’ve ever come to this though, would be my love of Ben Folds, (and Ben Folds Five.) I spent most of my teenage years listening to either the Beatles or Judy Garland... Ben Folds Five were really the only "current" thing that I got into. Ben Folds seemed to make sense to me musically as well as lyrically, which wasn’t the case with most other music I heard. Their early albums were the soundtrack to my teenage years, and as I’ve grown up, I feel like I’ve grown up with Ben, as his matured, and the content of what he writes about still resonates with me today.

I wasn't sure what song to share with you, but I thought I’d go with something old school, one of my favourite tracks from the album that got me through Year 8 as a 14 year old or so, this song is “Battle of Who Could Care Less” from the album “Whatever and Ever Amen.”

3 cheers for something awesome that happened in the 90's!

Mezz xx

a nice day

I am lucky.

I don't know how it's happened, but a few times this week I've found myself at home with actual time to sit down and be creative!!


On Tuesday after I popped Little Miss into bed for a nap and cranked out some Billie Holiday (on vinyl of course...always better on vinyl!) I sat down at the table to make these little thank you cards for our lovely friends and fam who came to Little Miss's Birthday party last week.

 

Then I played the ukulele.

It was a nice day.

Mezz.

Thanks Mr Postman

This book arived for me in the mail today...soooooooooo excited!!!!

That's all

mezz x

Good ol' Missy!

So I said that I'd share some music that's been inspiring me lately. I've never been a huge Missy Higgins fan. I don't dislike her music, but I guess I've never found it particularly special. She's had a huge break from the "music thing" these last few years, and I think she's coming back at it with an honesty, vulnerability and an edge that I hadn't heard in her before.

A few months ago I was chilling out on a Wednesday night watching the new Adam Hills show. Missy performed this live and I was blown away. I can't even quite put my finger on why I loved this so much, but I just did! Maybe the song and the performance just kind of spoke to me, I don't know. But it really got me, and got me thinking about sitting down to the piano again too!

Singing backing vocals for Missy in this clip are the lovely girls from Aluka. Aluka sing backing vocals for Clare Bowditch all the time, and also do a lot of their own stuff (google them, you'll find heaps!) Two years ago when I played my last show before taking a break to give birth/spend time being with Little Miss Coleman, Aluka supported me at my "farewell gig." It was a thrill to share the stage with them, they are super talented!!

Enjoy!

Mezz (a new Missy Higgins fan.)

Some thoughts on community gardening....

For those of you who don't know, I (along with Mr. Coleman and the kiddies) are very privileged to live in a community house in Foostcray (inner west of Melbourne) which is run by the Footscray Salvation Army Community, a community that is like family to us. We live in an upstairs apartment, and in the large downstairs part of the house we offer housing to different people who cross our paths. Currently we are living with good friends, an Australian family who are preparing to move to Cambodia and live/work alongside neighbours in a slum. We are also living with Asylum Seekers from East Timor, a lovely mother and her son. The house is also used by the community for dinner programs, kids clubs, outdoor soccer, a community garden and other stuff. Living here can be nuts, but I love it. It's such a privilege to share my life with such interesting and diverse people in such a deep, real and day to day way.

Anyway, I recently wrote an article for our community newsletter about our Community garden. I thought I'd share it with you here today, along with some pics from our garden. As the weather hopefully starts to warm up soon, I hope you all feel drawn outdoors and to your gardens, whether it’s a big back yard, a plot, a pot plant, or some herbs growing on your kitchen window sill.

*Just a warning, in this article, I refer a bit to "God"...I grew up with a belief system that involved the idea of a "God," and being the traditionalist that I am, I guess it's still how I refer to whatever it is out there that makes me feel that there is something bigger going on in the world then just us mere humans, yet also so close and personal too. Please don't feel I am preaching any sort of religion! I quite like the idea of a Mother Nature! Feel free to exchange the term God for something you are more comfortable with, (I like the word "Mystery" at the moment!) Or ignore complety if it's not your thing!

“If you build it, they will come.” I have always hoped that this famous line would sum up the Foostcray Salvo’s Community Garden. However, I think the more apt saying to sum it up over the years would have to be “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink!” A community garden in concept is such a wonderful thing: a shared space that a group of people can feel a sense of ownership and pride in. A place where we work with the earth that God has provided us, and as we watch creation grow, learn something of the mystery of God and ourselves in the process. A place where (in our case) marginalised members of the neighbourhood could engage in an activity that is healthy both for the soul and body. A place where we can challenge the consumerist lifestyle we are all caught up in and appreciate the slow process of growing one’s food, and the amount of time and patience and faith it takes, and consider a more ethical way in which we should approach out food consumption. Much to my disappointment though, I feel that over the years we have tried numerous ways to encourage people within the community to get involved in the garden, but it just hasn’t happened. While I feel that a core group of us have spent the last 6 year “building it so they will come”, it always remains the same small group of us trying our hardest to take care of our large (and at times, overwhelming) garden.

After trying so many different tactics and ploys to encourage other people to get involved, I decided a few months ago to just let it go for awhile…. And I’m not sure if this is God’s idea of a joke (or a valuable life lesson!), but since I did, I’ve started to notice the community engaging in the care of our garden in a way I haven’t before…slowly, but it’s a joy to see.

-Our East Timorese housemates are taking pride in the place, often watering the garden and sweeping up the patio area. They have planted some vegetables that we are not so familiar with in Australia, and (the mum) has enjoyed sharing something from her own culture with us, teaching us to cook with these particular vegies.

-Many of the children in our community have planted things this year, and are so excited watching these little seedlings sprout. We’ve got spinach, coriander, lettuce, beetroot, daffodils, garlic, and tomato plants all starting to look quite healthy.

-Some of our friends who join us at our community meal have started showing an interest in composting the scraps from the cooking, and have also helped out picking the salad leaves from our garden for our dinner.  

-And to remind us that the earth is God’s, and God is a mystery, we are once again finding potatoes growing in funny places.

Mezz xx

Party Time!

There really is nothing sweeter then a little girl's Birthday Party. I don't have as many pics as I'd like (I'm usually too busy making the party happen I forget to take photos) but think lots of bunting, lots of flowers, lots of yummy home made old school party food, lots of babycinnos, lots of friends and family.....and cute kids!

Mezz

PS- Slightly embarassed after seeing the photo about all the CRAP on top of the piano!

If this doesn't make you smile nothing will!!

The awesome Nina Simone.........

I'll be sharing some of my favourite artists with you over the next few days/weeks. Enjoy!

(I have been writing a lot of music recently and finding music totally inspiring again!!)

MEZZ x

Traditions!!

I love family traditions. The older I get, I find myself turning to rituals to mark different times throughout the year. I think that amongst so much chaos, the rythmn of ritual creates a sense of order, and calm, and helps me understand the seasons of life (for me at least.) Our son has a deep need for ritual and pattern on a daily basis which can drive me bonkers, but on a bigger scale I'm totally with him!

A new "tradition" that seems to have started is making a little dress for Miss Coleman to wear each year to her Birthday party. I hope to continue this until she doesn't let me...I'm very realisitc, i know it won't last forever!

Last year's dress: (1st Birthday) This dress has been worn a lot so its very dirty now!!

This year's dress: (2nd Birthday)

Some other family rituals and traditions emerging are:

Take away dinner each friday night! (Love this one!)

Making our own small Christmas tree each year, and general Christmas making and baking.

Using our handmade "advent calender" each Decemeber.

Crafternoons around Easter/Christmas time with the ladies in my family.

Making Easter Eggs using fairtrade chocloate each Easter.

Stringing up the "Happy Birthday" bunting each birthday.

Wednesday night dinner with our community each week.

Op shopping on Saturdays.

All of these things bring me deep joy.

What kind of family rituals and patterns occur in your house?

I'd love to know!

Mezz

xx

Little Miss Coleman turns two!!

Our Little Miss turned two yesterday.

I can't quite believe how fast the last couple of years have flown! We had a simple and quiet family day yesterday and celebrated, just the four of us. Tomorrow we are having a party in our back yard...so I need to get cracking ASAP on food and decorations!! I have alot to do today for the party, so this is just a quick post to say Happy Birthday lovely, and to show you the "tea bags" I made for her to use with her wooden tea set that she loves so much.

(I simply used white felt for the tea bag shape, a piece of white wool as the string and then little scraps of floral material for the tag. Soooooo easy, and she loves them!)

See you soon xx