The lovely
LPC has given me the 'Honest Scrap Award' for my "initiative in starting new things and following through on what I began." This is such a delicious award - I feel really happy to have received it. Thank you.
Initiative can be a tricksy beast. Sometimes I despair at all the projects I have started, letters I have to write, things to learn, chapters to finish. But on the other hand, I know that in the event I finished all my current to-dos, I'd immediately start on the next one! So for now, I'm concentrating on being ok with uncertainty and unfinished-ness: works in progress have to be like that in order to get finished, n'est-ce pas?
So, the award has certain 'requests', as LPC notes, which are as follows:
-Each blogger to whom the award is given must post these rules.
-Each blogger to whom the award is given must list ten random facts/habits about themselves and pass the award on to other recipients.
-The award recipients then need to do the same.
-Don't forget to leave a comment telling the recipients about the award!
In the spirit of not boring you to tears, I'm only going to tell you 4 random things about me - all of which have to do with taking initiative in some way or another:
1. I love stumbling upon furniture in op shops or by the side of the road, and working out how to fit them into my house. Same, of course, goes for clothes in cute op shops.
2. I am finishing my PhD, which is equal parts amazing and gut-wrenching. So it's fair to say that I am more looking forward to having it done than actually doing it at the moment.
3. I like to make things. Anything, really. New things are especially exciting.
4. I have always wanted to write a novel, and I started one this year. It's not very long so far, but I hope to get it written after I hand in my thesis. For now, it's a really fun distraction.
I'd like to pass the award onto
Alice, for turning her blog world into "real" writing for various mags and even being interviewed for a
podcast! (
Edited to say: technological 'isyoos' have gotten in the way of the podcast this time, but I'm sure she'll be there soon.) Her initiative too (and just plain loveliness) is most definitely deserving of such an award.
I'm back today from celebrating the wedding of a dear friend and her lovely man. I saw this book some time ago and thought it would be the perfect present for a big-time foodie: it's all about how two different flavours go together, much like two people in a marriage.
I've just bought a subscription to Parchment Post - a service that sends you six new cards every three months: what a genius idea! I love letter writing, and always make a big effort to try to write at least a letter a week, but I've been falling a bit behind of late. I'm hoping these card work as inspiration and motivation.
I was incredibly lucky to win a competition from the lovely Captain KK - this beautiful Marimekko plate. Even my lone truss tomato looks thrilled to be there. Thank you Captain - it is absolutely magnificent and I smile every time we pass in the kitchen.
Finally! After starting this quilt for my sister Em in May (!), I managed, in between starting my new job and planning the wedding, to actually get it finished. It's a patchwork front, with plain black backing (and white stitching). You can just make out the black and white polka dot binding, too.
This is my first black and white quilt: I've never been really into black and white, but this one's changed my mind entirely.
Given that it's Christmas, I thought a little giveaway wouldn't go astray. I'm giving away 5 little packs of papers, beads, cards, and stickers - each is small, but comes with fun trinkets for decorating presents, making cards and turning into new projects.
Have you seen these amazing sandals? The best thing about them (apart from how cute they are, and that you can change the straps easily) is that they support women in Uganda who make them to go to university. How cool is that? I'm excited for next summer, and look forward to adorning my tootsies with a pair of these.
For Easter, my Mum bought me these beautiful vintage kimono scraps from a shop she discovered in Leura. I am completely smitten with them (you can't see the gold very well, but they truly shimmer). 
Hope you have a wonderful day celebrating! Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to you!
Continuing my obsession with Charley Harper, I recently bought these two books for the Pal's young niece for Christmas. (She's only 3 months old, so I'm pretty sure she doesn't read this blog yet.) While I know her Mum's amazing at finding clothes, I thought it time for bookish Aunty Kate to step up to the plate with these lovelies. Hope they teach her with lots of colour and love - I look forward to snuggles and reading aloud.
Last year I participated in Sofia's Autumn Swap and this year, I'm really excited to do the same. The idea is that you make a parcel for your swap partner filled with comforting treats, and I had such fun putting it all together!
The lovely LPC has given me the 'Honest Scrap Award' for my "initiative in starting new things and following through on what I began." This is such a delicious award - I feel really happy to have received it. Thank you.
...may I suggest you vote in this poll for the lovely Sarah Darmody? Full disclosure: we are related, but she is still a super inspirational ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a brilliant writer and all-round lovely. You can find out more about her here, and see more of her book here.
Are these delicious? Download them here from a print a day. They also fit in to my current 'recessionista' phase, where i"m trying to cut down on spending money. I told my grandma about this, and she said, "Ah yes, an economy campaign." I realised that she's been through more than one of these, which made me feel oddly ok.
I was lucky enough to be given some beautiful cards last week, which I studied and studied until I worked out how to make them. These ones are made by me - I think I've finally cracked the code (after a few misfires) and now can sew these flames or leaves all by myself. I'll try to post a tutorial is anyone's interested (let me know), but they're a low-tech and very easy craft project.
I'm not sure about the use of two colours here, but I'll keep experimenting...
