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."

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

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

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?

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

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

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

The Season of Advent: HOPE

Today is November 30th. According to tradition, being the fourth Sunday before Christmas, it is also the beginning of the advent season. I love Christmas! I love making, baking, decorating, singing, gathering.....it can be a truly magical time of year! But I can also get swept up in all the "things" at Christmas time, and forget to take time for myself, to go that little bit deeper.

So over this advent month, each week I am going to take time to reflect. This Sunday, many people around the world light the first candle of advent, the candle of HOPE, and so I thought I'd share with you what's been giving me HOPE recently....

-When people with mental illness work towards recovery and healing.
-My 8 year old recently telling me he used to be a bit jealous of some of his school friends who seemed to get hundreds of brand new presents each Christmas, but now he understands that the way our family celebrates Christmas (handmade, thrifted, simply, mindfully) is really healthy for him and the earth, and he loves it!
-My brand new 2015 diary. The blank pages and possibilities!
-My December is not looking quite as hectic as usual. This gives me hope that this year I may actually have time to take it slow with family and friends.
-The beautiful, sunny (but not too hot) weather we have been having in Melbourne recently.
-Going to vote in our state election on the weekend, and regardless of who we all voted for, and who won etc...I stopped and realised what a privilege it is to vote, and to vote peacefully: without threat of violence, fear and corruption.
-Starting to build a garden form scratch.

What has been giving you HOPE recently? I'd love to know!

Hope this season of Advent is full of HOPE for you!!

Lots of love,
Mezz xox

PS that gorgeous candle in the pic is a handmade beeswax candle made by Dusk aka None of Your Beeswax here in Melbourne. The tea light holder was made by Johnny Ward.

nice things #10

love heart sunnies, thrifted cherry hair clips and sunshine!

getting this favourite pic of my Nana and Pa in an email from my dad.

recieving beautiful things in the mail

watching my husband and his brother play some sweet tunes at a craft market. music plus craft=WIN

working on a colourful granny square bunting

fresh flowers from the garden in upcycled vases

what nice things have been happening in your world?? xx

Goodbye, lists!!

I'm chucking out my big, fat, long "to do" list. Actually, make that lists.

In an effort to find simplicity and order in my incredibly complex world, I have over the last few years craved structure in a way I never have previously. I have become a chronic list maker, a goal setter.

And now I have a secret to admit.

It hasn't worked for me.

It hasn't simplified my life, brought more joy, or helped me achieve more. My lists of things to do glare at me. I have always called them my "to do" lists- but if I'm honest, they have become my "things I haven't done" lists. And looking at them makes me feel uneasy rather then inspired.

I set goals. I often don't reach them. I take the things I love (music, craft, looking after my body, blogging....even friendship!) and turn it into a chore. Once it's on a list, it's a thing I "should" be doing. And once you "should" be doing something there is danger of failure and guilt.

Somewhere over the past few years I have confused my desire for a simpler life with something else entirely. I think I was trying to write lists and set goals in order to better myself as a person, to contain what I was doing each day, to stay focused on the life I wanted for myself and my family. These are all good things, and if they work for you then I am happy (if not slightly jealous!) for you.

But I'm a free spirit. Spontaneous, cheeky, care free. My lists have been holding me back. They haven't left room for the magic to happen.

So, it's goodbye to living off lists for me. I've been clinging to them for so long now, hoping they would bring a sense of order into my crazy world. But they have added to the stress. I'll keep a diary to stay remotely organised and establish a few simple rhythms that will help and nurture my family and myself, but I think it's time to lose the rest.

Are you a list writer? Do you find them useful?

Mezz xo

PS I'll be keeping the shopping list! Shopping lists are awesome!

Why, hello there!!!

Why, hello there!!!

Long time no see!! It's been so long since I've posted here, and so much has been happening! I turned 30, our Miss 3 became Miss 4...and we moved house! That last one (moving house) has been particularly intense and stressful, but also wonderful, and I think I might devote an entire blog post to that whole journey at some other point....

Sometimes when life gets hectic and you look at all the balls you are trying desperately to juggle you just have to drop a few for a while, and so these last few months I just had to let the whole blogging thing go. But I have really missed it, and am looking forward to slowly welcoming myself back to this space, and hopefully you too!

To get back in to the swing of things I thought I would share with you some things that are exciting and inspiring me at the moment....

Her Library Adventures.....my go to blog for a bit of nourishment, creativity, love and baking. This is definitely one of my fav's. 

I was a bit sad to see recently that Ada who writes Vintage Sheet Addict is finishing up her little blog, but I wish her well and thank her for writing such a beautiful blog these last few years...another one of my total fav's!! 

I have finally decided to read/watch/obsess about all things Harry Potter. As the recent house move has been pretty stressful, I've enjoyed disappearing into this magical world at times. What a wonderful mind JK Rowling has!!

I've been revisiting the beautiful blog Owlet a lot again recently, an old favourite of mine. I am inspired by the wisdom, warmth and creativity. 

We somehow managed to release Hundreds and Thousands Issue 3 a few weeks ago and are once again overwhelmed by the response all over Australia and the world about our little zine. If you would like to order your own copy visit our online shop. We are now working on a special Christmas issue!! Exciting!!

Loving the brand new debut EP by this Melbourne band, Dash.

Our new pace has a great courtyard and balcony and I am getting very excited about upcycling and container planting. I have literally spent hours googling stuff!! This image is from The DIY Network. 

Is it too soon to get excited about Christmas? Well, I am!! Right now I am inspired by traditional reds and greens and upcyling vintage paper into all sorts of beauties! This is made by one of our Hundreds and Thousands Sponsors, Paper to You.  Isn't it gorgeous?

And last but not least, I am totally loving Ella Fitzgerald at the moment! Enjoy this clip. It's so good. She is pure talent, joy, and music. Don't you just wish you could have a cuddle in those soft arms of hers!!!???

See you again soon, lovelies!!!!

Mezz xoxo

cute competition!

Hello lovely ones!!

Just letting you know that the zine I make with Taz, "Hundreds and Thousands" is having a competition for a front cover design. This will be for our "Handmade Christmas" Issue!! Beyond exciting!

If you like making pretty things and images, head on over to our blog www.hundredsandthousandsmag.blogspot.com for entry details.

Mezz xx

I'm almost 30!

I'm turning 30 in a few days, and never has a "number" held so much meaning for me. I honestly think I'm more excited about this birthday then I was about turning 18, and I've been trying to figure out why that is....

In some ways I've spent my 20's doing things quite differently to my friends. 30 seems to be an age where many peers start to think about things like mortgages, marriage, babies and the rest...but I did that (minus the mortgage!!) so long ago! Married my total favourite person at 19 and became a mum at 21, and so my 20's have been this kind of insane whirlwind of learning what it means to be someone's partner, and to have your heart full to bursting with love for your kidlets.... while feeling INCREDIBLY young and clueless. I was, of course, at the same time still trying to do what most people in their 20's do..go to uni, grow up, become an adult, have a "career," travel, discover the world, have fun and figure myself out. (That's what being a 20 something is all about, right?)

Reflecting on my 20's..... it's been chaos, but also incredible. I must admit I've become a pretty great partner and mum. Not perfect, occasionally scatter brained and over emotional....but pretty great. I have figured a lot of stuff out. About myself, about politics, about faith and about people. I am slowly starting to know myself, what I can handle, what I can't. I am proud of who I am. I really like my body, it's done amazing things. I have values in my life that matter to me. I am not afraid to love and be loved. I believe in my talent, yet don't fret about success and fame. I have known deep, deep sorrow and yet live with an unshakable thirst for joy. I am learning to be honest with myself and others. I now know that I enjoy the quiet as much as the noise. My life has many responsibilities and (at times) burdens, but I still play, create, laugh, giggle and sing like a teenager. Oh, and swear like a sailor. I am unapologetically ME, and I know who my true friends are, the ones I can be totally ME with.

So I think I'm super excited about being 30 because it feels like right at this moment in my life I can finally admit that I'm starting to feel like a grown up, and that's worth celebrating, right?

Mezz xx

Nice Things #9

Getting out the notebook, pen, fabric tape and pretty pics for a month of journalling. Part of a little journal-along with Her Library Adventures.

Keeping organised with this cute little thrifted notebook.

Sunday afternoon baking with Miss 3.

A magical day in the snow with my precious family. 

Making music with my lovely hubby.

What nice things have been happening in your life??

Mezz xx

Simple Living

Simple Living. It's something I desire, but I often find myself overwhelmed by the lack of simplicity in my life. Overwhelmed by all my stuff, overwhelmed by all my dreams and hopes and plans, overwhelmed by my over-committments, overwhelmed by the never ending house work, overwhelmed by the long lists of things I want or need to do, overwhelmed by my anxieties, overwhelmed by my need to please everybody...and so forth..

Do you feel like that sometimes? 

Inspired by a great article I recently read, I prettied up a little notebook today to document and journal my way through what feels like the next necessary chapter of my life. Mastering the Art of Simplicity. 

Have you got any tips on how to live a simpler life? I'd love to hear your thoughts, experiences and ideas. 

Mezz x

handmade love

I just had to pop by quickly to share this adorable pic of our Miss Three. She is wearing a dress I recently made for her using some Little Mermaid fabric that was given to us in a big bag of fabric scraps.

The photo was taken at my brother John and his wife Ash's place, one of my fav places in the world. Their home is a place of love, welcome, acceptance, handmade, thrifting and more. Ash picked up that gorgeous crocheted blanket from an opshop, and that Anchorman cushion was a Christmas gift from us. I upcycled a thrifted tshirt to make it. One can never have too many Anchorman references in the home, I believe. 

Mezz x

some simple makes

I've been feeling quite creative recently. It ebbs and flows for me, how about you? I can spend a whole day in front of the sewing machine, and then another month or 2 not even thinking about it!! Here are a few of my recent makes, all very simple. Simple crafting can be very therapeutic, don't you think?? 

I've been making heaps of pretty fabric tape with all my vintage fabric scraps, inspired by Taz's craft project in our recent issue of Hundreds and Thousands Mag.

I baked some yummy Banana Cake, using this recipe I made up a while ago! The husband and kids were happy!!

I'm always adding pretty pics to our walls. Since I was a teenager, I've always enjoyed covering my walls in images that inspire me and make me feel happy.

Upcycling a few old shirts into something new...not quite finished though!!

Sewing a sweet little "Nursery Rhyme" bunting for a friend who is expecting her second baby. My husband found some vintage children's cloth books at his work which I've been gleefully cutting into!

What creations have you been making recently?

Mezz x