Another year, maybe a teeny bit wiser

2012 happened along while I was enjoying some time out from regular life. We went back to SA for Christmas which meant most days consisted of food, drinks and swimming or, in my case, watching kids swim while I ate and drank. It was hot, but lovely dry heat, no icky sticky humidity. Melbourne you are not meant to 'do' humidity.

I have to say that most of 2010 and 2011 were fairly crap, with 2012 beginning in the same vein.  However, I am an eternal optimist, so Miss Whizzme and I are slowly getting into new routines, learning from each other and making the most of each day.  I am hoping that new routines might be able to accommodate even a little bit of blogging again. Does the blogosphere really need another amateur blogger?! I guess who cares right?! I'll write now and then, and you can read now and then. Or not.  2012 might not be the year I had planned but dammit it will be the year I practice some better self care.

As I have achieved very little in finished projects I have provided a gratuitous photo I took using hipstamatic. I love that app.

You never know, you might even see me on twitter again too, but mostly I can be found on Pinterest wasting time um, collecting important things.

My audience of three

Until recently I used to worry about why people were no longer reading my blog posts. I know this from my blog stats delivered each month to my inbox. They tell me I have a regular audience of 3, which I can pretty much guarantee are my mum, my sister and my best friend. Like I said, until recently these stats would have caused me some agony over why, what to do, etc, etc.

2010 has become my year of reflection, not by my choosing, but nonetheless many insights have been gained and lessons learned. One of these insights has been that really I had lost sight of my reasons for blogging and in turn my blogging audience. When I started blogging several years ago it was to provide regular stories about my crafty dalliances and our lives in Melbourne. My audience was then 3, yes those same three who I no longer could share regular physical get togethers as they all reside in Adelaide. Over time I, somewhat surprisingly, gained other readers and an a new online community open upped to me. The excitement of finding like minded people encouraged me to blog more, to read more blogs, to join this community. However, at the same time I was battling post natal depression and as has now become apparent blogging became a way to hide from my daily struggles. Spending much of my time online became not quite an obsession but a habit.

As part of my recovery from PND I began to back away from my online world. My real world needed my attention, my involvement. It has taken a long time to regain a balance between my real and my online communities. It has taken a toll on some of my personal relationships. A toll that I now look on with sadness and bewilderment. Reflection has felt like I have had my blinkers and rose colored glasses removed. It felt brutal to start with but as sometimes can be the case, a good dose of reality has become strangely liberating. So now I feel I can blog with more freedom again, as I am aware that these posts are really for an audience of 3. But for those of you that also drop by from time to time, I heartily thank you for providing some bonus online hugs!

Until the next post, x Sam

sulking

Ok I have to admit that we've been back for a week now and I haven't blogged yet because really I'm just going to show what "princesses" us Whizzme's really are! Because we have all had the sulks since we've been back.  Fiji was so good, soooo good that we have been so utterly spoilt (Sitting by the pool, outside our room, sipping cocktails, reading books and magazines*, snoozing, eating) the whole clan is now having trouble adjusting back to the reality of our lives.  I know "woe is us" - NOT!

So, in an effort to slap snap myself out of this horrible self indulgent sulking I have started trying to catch up on a week's worth of blogosphere happenings. Boy have you guys been busy or what?! Many, many wonderful things being made, that I am itching to get to all my projects again. 

• bean bag for Wally - has be the most complex patchwork bean bag cover anyone has ever considered making their dog!
• continue hand sewing liberty patches for Miss Whizzme's quilt - only @ 150 to go!! 
• recover the floor cushions - chosen the fabric - it's a start!
• rowan exchange knitted socks - so far have only swatched the wool.
• school uniform for Miss Whizzme's school's mascot doll - umm, found a pattern and knitted one tiny sock.
• finish hand stitching two more hoodie's for etsy - pinned and ready to sew
• break out Gocco for some trial runs - still sitting in box
• fix holes in Mr Whizzme' socks - sitting in laundry basket
• fix tags on Miss Whizzme's apron - sitting in laundry basket
• fix cushion cover from Grandma - sitting in laundry basket

Hmm, you might see that list is getting a little out of hand again - ahh, variety, the spice of life!  

* For those who are interested these are the books I read while we were in Fiji:

Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

1 star

Found this book disappointing. I did not engage with the characters, in fact I loathed him and really willed myself to finish the story. His insensitivity to anything around him I found frustrating and really didn't want to waste my time with him! A quick read that I know many have loved, but I am not one of them! Sorry best friend!! 

The Good Parents by Joan London

5 stars

I loved this book. Read it on holiday in Fiji so was a quick but really absorbing read. Loved all the characters and the way the moved in and out of the story from past to present. Liked it being set in Australia too. Easy to read, heart warming.

The Gardens of the Dead by William Brodrick

4 stars

Bought in Fiji - a wonderfully fast paced, engaging read. Lots of wonderful characters, twists and complexity. sometimes maybe a little too much! 

and a truckload of magazines!!

Bursting the bubble.

Yes we are back from the beach, sigh, and reality certainly slapped me in the face.  I decided to head back earlier than Mr and Miss Whizzme who made one last beach visit.  My plan was to have a few hours to myself to unpack and do a little more sewing. Ha! Reality had other plans for me. First discovery on driving in were the sheets on the line, hung out before we left which Mr Whizzme had forgotten to bring in, slap.  That should have been my indication that more reality was waiting, potatoes nearly growing out of the pantry, slap, food in the fridge providing bacterial samples, slap, Miss Whizzme's onion plant sitting in rank water making the house smell, slap, no washing done, slap, the bed unmade, slap.  On the upside after so much time away, I was awash with remembering just how much I love our little house!  And I did manage to get a bit of sewing done this afternoon.  Just to add to my grief though the camera has decided not to allow me to upload any of our holiday photos?!  Instead I have given you a shot of the chevron scarf finally finished. Before Christmas even.  Guess you will just have to wait for the holiday pics.  One more day and school starts.  I plan to practice getting up early tomorrow - new year's resolution: to at least make it to school on time (well most days anyway).

Edited to add: please take the slapping here as tongue in cheek!  really being home is ok!