Aunty Shabby

I've been to Antarctica

That's why I've been off the air for so long!! Only kidding. I couldn't think of anything worse (Melbourne weather is cold enough for me, thanks very much) and besides, I took this photo at a recent trip to the Melbourne Aquarium with my Dad. Not a bad shot if I do so so myself. And I do. It would want to be though! I took about a million of the little critters. Thanks God for digital cameras!

Well, after a VERY LONG ABSENCE, I thought it may be time to get back in the saddle, blog-wise. I can't say exactly what has kept me away for so long - over a year - lost blog mojo, several bouts of bronchitis with a side order of swine 'flu, a stressful job.... I could go on. But let's say we just pretend it never happened, a bit like the whole Sarah Palin episode, call it a blip, and get on with things. Whaddya say??!!

So what's new with Aunty Shabby??!! I have FINALLY finished my study - don't have the energy or enthusiasm to elaborate right now, maybe another time, please remind me - so in theory, have my life back. I am also no longer working, in the sense that I do not go to a place of employment and don't get paid. I am apparently working for myself, but alas, have not yet achieved much. I have been working on my business plan and waiting for inspiration to strike. Did I mention I am a very good procrastinator? 

How do I live then, I hear you ask? No, I haven't yet been reduced to standing on street corners and am not collecting welfare. I have a very nice, well-paid husband, who actually suggested I take some time out of the rat race to focus on my business and work out what I wanted to do. (I secretly think he was just sick of hearing me complain that I didn't have enough time to do my business whilst working as well. I guess he shut me up!) Sounds ideal, huh? So what's my problem? Dunno. Just going through a bit of a slack phase, I guess. 

Craft-wise I haven't done much, except for a few scarves and baby blankets as gifts, and don't have any photos ready to put up. Will do so ASAP.

Thanks to all of you who have kept reading my blog, despite my appalling record of late. Please keep coming back. I am back on track. Promise. 

Wool for the Winterveldt wanted

I have talked to you before about supporting charitable causes, in particular ones in which women are empowered through the learning of craft, and the ability to earn income for their families. I like to think that I am a reasonably charitable soul, but I know that I don't do anywhere near enough. When I read about this particular project however, I knew I could do something!

Wool for Winterveldt

The Winterveldt (approx 40km northwest of Pretoria) is a barren isolated area, a relic from the homeland policy days (part of Bophuthatswana) of the apartheid government, has massive unemployment and one of the highest incidences of HIV infection in the world, with some reports that up to 80% of the population are HIV positive.

The need for wool in the Winterveldt becomes more significant during the colder months, with the GSS establishing an empowerment project whereby a person who is provided with wool or thread is taught how to make an item of clothing. From this, they are expected to sell this item to buy their own supplies, therefore creating a long-term benefit.

More wool is still needed in the Winterveldt and surrounding areas of Mmakaunyane and Madidi.

After speaking to a colleague who donates to this project - run by the Good Shepherd Sisters (GSS) in the Winterveldt region in South Africa - I learnt that they especially need baby wool. Not for their chidren to wear though, but to bury them in. They have a high infant and child mortality rate and it is traditional to bury children in new clothes and they need the wool to make these. This made me incredibly sad.

I have been acutely conscious of the excess of our lives lately - not just me, but of most of us who live comfortably in the West. If like me, you have a stash which could spare some wool - any wool is gratefully accepted - then seriously think about donating some to these women. If you are interested, please contact me and I will provide you with the details.

Winter 2008 collection

About five months ago, I told you about a scarf I made that had attracted some attention. I had then promised to post pics of other similar scarves I had made - here they are. Better late than never.

Some of my favourites from my Autumn/Winter 2008 collection:

 

Ghost gum scarf

Coloured Sands scarf

 

Platypus scarf- an Aunty Shabby one-off

Eucalyptus scarf

 

Close-up of Lorikeet scarf - another one-off design

As you may have already guessed, there is a distinctly Australian theme to this collection, with pieces named after iconic flora and fauna, special places or Dreamtime stories. The colour palette ranges from soft pinks and yellows, through to steely greys and rich browns, and vibrant greens, reds and oranges, reflecting the great diversity and uniqueness of our continent. I have used a variety of wools, including merino, virgin, hand spun and hand dyed wools. All pieces are limited edition and some are one-offs. There are more photos of the rest of the collection on my flickr site.

The collection also features several handbags, made from felt in earthy tones, and embellished with wool. Again, all are limited run, but most are one-off designs. Here are a few I love:

Uluru bag

 

Rainbow serpent bag- an Aunty Shabby one-off design

I would be interested to hear your feedback on these pieces, so please let me know what you think!

And sometimes the pie is perfect

      

Photo from Barca's photostream on http://www.flickr.com/photos/barca-q8/2424762695/

There's just the right amount of bacon, it's not too salty, the crust is a crunchy, golden brown, and the consistency is not too gooey or claggy. Perfect.

Like when you get back to work, after being away on sick leave, and find that your office HAS been thoroughly cleaned, as requested. Or when the jacket that you wanted is on sale - in exactly your size and the colour you wanted. When you just make it in time to the cafe downstairs to get a bacon and egg muffin with cheese (10:30am cut-off just like Maccas!) Or when the right Williams sister wins. Especially when someone tells you that you look pretty and that your eyebrows are nice, when you are feeling a bit average and in need of a wax. But mostly when you lie in bed at night, look across at your husband, who is ready another one of his crazy, esoteric books on agriculture or something, smile, and realise you are happy.

If you are wondering what all this talk of pies and life is about, let me explain. I have been at home sick for the past week and a half, so clearly have had too much time cooped up alone and am going a bit loopy. A few days back at work ought to set me straight again.

Life can be like chicken pie

About a year or so ago, I had some leftover chicken which I didn't know what to do with. Looking for inspiration, I browsed through some of our cookbooks. (I feel I must point out that whilst I like cookbooks, I don't tend to use them much, as like my mother  - who is a great cook - I am not one for recipes (or measuring) and prefer to cook using my own instincts and the way things feel and taste, as a guide. I might look at a recipe once, then substitute, or make up my own version.)  We have a reasonable number of cookbooks though, because I like buying them and having them and like looking at the pictures, and bless him, Mr S isn't as confident or inventive as me and likes to follow recipes.

Anyway, I leafed though a cookbook my father had actually given to us a few years previous. At the time I had thought it was a bit of a dodgy cookbook, but it seemed worth a look. I stumbled upon a turkey and mushroom pie recipe which looked promising. I can't remember now whether I had intended to make a pie or whether this recipe put the idea in my head, but a pie it was! I have made (and eaten) many pies before - meat pies, with leftover mince, potato pies and many variations of my "surprise pie", which basically consists of whatever is leftover with some pastry on top. This time I wanted a really nice, chunky chicken pie, with that gooey white, creamy sauce.

I should also point out that I don't like turkey or mushrooms, but that didn't deter me! I had the basic ingredients on hand - butter, flour, cream and stock - and then I substituted the chicken, added some bacon instead of mushroom and it was fantastic! I now make it semi-regularly, especially when I have leftover chicken, and it is a nice, comforting meal which we both enjoy.

I made it again recently and was so taken with how it looked when it came out of the oven, that I decided to take a photo (see above). I had forgotten about it until I looked through the photos on my camera earlier today. It made me hungry, but also for some inexplicable reason, I started thinking of how life can be like a pie, and hence, the theme of this blog..

So how is life like a chicken pie? Sometimes it burns. Which really sucks. Sometimes there isn't enough - or God forbid - any, bacon. Or enough of what you really like. (Don't you hate going without? I do.) Sometimes in an act of selflessness, you add mushrooms (Mr S loves them) and you end up picking mushrooms out before every bite. Sometimes it turns out a bit gooey. Or too claggy. Basically not how you expected.

And sometimes, despite faithfully following the recipe and using all the right ingredients, it doesn't work out at all. These are the times when you need to follow my example, and make do with what you have. Sometimes you need to look beyond what's there and use your imagination. I could have just seen turkey and mushroom, and gone "YUCK!"

Pictures of me

I promised Alby Mangroves (I don't think this is her real name) from Life in General that I would post yesterday, specifically about my hand knited scarves. I lied. But in my defence, at the time of making the promise I intended to, stuff just happened to prevent me. My right leg happened.

Well, without boring you with all the details, I have a foot condition called plantar fasciitis (look it up if you don't believe me), which is actually rather common, but not always diagnosed, and at times, causes me problems. Foot pain and it affects my gait, so at times I walk funny (apparently) and have pain in my legs or hips. Don't laugh, it's not nice to make fun of the disabled. 

Anyway, on Monday afternoon whilst walking to the train station after work, my right knee started hurting and continued all night, to the point where I had to take 2 panadeine forte to stop the pain and be able to sleep. Luckily I had one of my regular massages booked for Tuesday (remedial, I WISH it was relaxation) as the pain had spread to my calf and shin, and she worked on it. It hurt like a bitch though and I spent most of the day with my leg up and very cranky. In no mood to blog. I am at work today and whilst it is a bit better, I have been limping around and look and feel stupid.

SOOOO - back to the blog. Nothing about my scarves today alas, but I did rather fancy doing my own flickr mosiac, as recommended by the lovely Alby, so here it is. (Yes, I did it in my lunch time, so am not wasting time or God forbid, blogging in work time!)

I followed the rules as I know them -

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's Mosaic Maker

 

The questions are:

 

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One Word to describe you.

12. Your flickr name

 

ENJOY! Can you figure them all out??!! Why don't you have a go at your own!

 

I'll be back on the weekend...

It's official...

 

Image courtesy of The Simpsons

I have no life. It seems another month has passed without me blogging. Just another part of my life which has suffered greatly from neglect of late. So much for my promises and resolutions to get back to regular posting.

So what has happened to rob me of my life and deny me those precious few hours each week when I know I should be doing something else, but instead blog? It seems LIFE. Let me explain. When I started this blog in November last year, things were pretty normal. I had finished study for the year, work wasn't too busy, everyone was in good health and I had some time on my hands. It seems since I began study again this year (end of February) everything has gone pear-shaped. My Mum's visit over Easter didn't help either, then cue bronchitis, way too much study, a sick cat and lots to do at work, and you get a stressed-out, cranky Aunty Shabby who has no time to blog and even if she did have time, would be too demotivated to say anything nice and would rather lie on the nice, new leather couch and eat chocolate.

And that's another thing. Started gym program as dismayed that weigh same amount as did almost five years ago before went on huge diet and lost heaps of weight, only to put it all back on. I have only been once, as no time to go, but then feel guilty because I haven't been, so lie on the couch and eat more chocolate.

Good thing it was our wedding anniversary last month, as I may have even forgotten I was married. Poor Mr S has also been the subject of my awful neglect, but as he is studying too it has been more of a mutual neglect situation. Oh - before I forget - I got those earrings I wanted. I almost can't believe it. Feel a little bit too spoilt. Very nice though. Will have to post a pic of me wearing them!

And so of course, this little rant brings me to my climax - no time also means no time to craft. I still haven't finished that baby blanket and I am pretty sure the baby has already been born!

My last assignment is due in a week and  half, so if you can indulge me just a little longer, I will then be back in June, bigger (well, actually hopefully smaller) and better than ever!!

Breaking the drought

The blog drought - not some other kind, you naughty bloggers! Anyway, coming back after such a long time away is hard isn't it?! What to say? It has to be something fabulous, so it doesn't look like you have been away from your blog doing all these other things and come back just boring and bored. Sometimes though, there just seems to be nothing to say. For someone like me, who likes to talk (and used to be paid to do a lot of talking), this is a scary prospect.

I was thinking about all of this whilst I ate my breakfast at work this morning, whilst also reading the AFR (yes, I do try to multitask). I do love the Friday AFR - lots of legal stuff, to make me still feel a little bit important and connected to the REAL business world, interesting world and financial news, good pics and if I'm lucky like today, the BOSS mag. Mr S usually hogs the papers at home (is this a male thing?), so when I get a chance to read it, I take it! Anyway, whilst chomping on my bacon and egg muffin with cheese (I know, not healthy, but very satisfying) - which I washed down with my decaf skinny latte and OJ - I browsed the job ads and read about a woman who started working at Estee Lauder as a secretary and was now manager of operations at Origins, the new Chief at VISY, and a former hair care guru's mansion for sale in Sydney for $30 million.

This was all extremely inspiring and I folded the paper up feeling very happy and focused. The way I usually do after I read stories about successful executives or luxury goods. The problem is how to harness this feeling and keep myself motivated and positive. I have not had much luck with this particular skill (is it a skill?) lately, but I suspect I am not alone. I also hadn't realised it has been almost a month since my last post - what a month it has been!My Mum came down for a visit - great but tiring, then back at work for a few days, making lots of stock (yes, I will post pics and updates soon), and then I got sick, again. Really sick too, the type where I actually thought for a few minutes that I'd rather be dead than feel this way for a second longer. OK, maybe a bit melodramatic, but you know what I mean! Better now (not 100% but on the mend), but I was woefully behind at work and with my study,the house was a mess and I hadn't eaten properly for about a week; after two days back at work I am pretty much caught up, but still behind in study, the house is a bit tidier and I am back to eating normally and reasonably healthily (if you don't count today's muffin), except I still can't handle diet coke, which I usually drink like it's water. Maybe this time I can try to give it up for good, or at least cut back. And alas, work and study (and a clean house) must come before my blog, hence my prolonged absence!!!

Take care fellow bloggers and try not to get sick this coming winter (for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere), for it is only when we are sick that we truly appreciate good health!

We will resume normal broadcasting soon...

I have not deliberately been neglecting you.... life has just rather inconveniently gotten in the way!

Mr S and and I have both been a bit ill of late (much better now thanks), work has been a bit mental, I just started study again (alas no, not craft-related, but to do with my other, paying job) and I have been madly trying to make stock in anticipation of meeting with potential new stockists! So all my spare - and not so spare - time has been vacuumed up into one or more of these delightful things!

Promise to be back to regular posting again soon.

Clegs confidential

Can't you see these hanging from my ears?

I found myself in the City recently with some time to kill and thought I'd check out Clegs, as it had been oh, at least a few weeks since I'd been there. ( Note that I slowed and reluctantly walked past Tiffany's on Collins first - I really wanted to take a look at the new Frank Gehry jewellery collection. (drool at will) We do have an anniversary coming up and even though I have dropped a hint or two about the stunning new earrings and bangles, I know it's not going to happen, otherwise we really will never save any money. A girl can dream - and no, not just about wool.)

So anyway, as I rounded the corner to Clegs, I had almost convinced myself I was "just looking". I was barely in the door when I spotted and was spotted by, my favourite Clegs lady. She almost pounced on me. I guess I hadn't seen her in a while and I do tend to spend a bit of cash when she serves me. Knowing my fondness for wool, she immediately pointed out some of their new stock, even showing me stuff that hadn't even been unpacked yet. We got talking about the Clegs Boxing Day Remnant Sale, which I attended with greenolive.

As she had not been working over the Christmas period, I filled her in on some of the highlights, including the vile woman (you know who you are) who turned up about 10 minutes before the doors were due to open, disregarding the patient and orderly queue which had been forming for the past hour, and circling vulture-like, metres from the door. Greenolive and I had seen it before (when the Stella McCartney designs went on sale at Target) and sensed trouble. The doors opened and of course vulture woman proceeded to walk straight in, ignoring the queue filing in and our angry protests. She even had the gall to retort "There was no sign about queuing"! Anyway, this put rather a pall on the whole thing for me and her anti-social behaviour even seemed to have infiltrated some of the other customers, with reports and some sightings of snatching and grabbing and snipping amongst them. Though I did find and purchase some nice fabrics, all in all it was not a particularly pleasant experience and I resolved that it would be my last Clegs Boxing Day Remnant Sale.

So as I am telling my Clegs lady all of this (and yes, she was suitably shocked and appalled, even wondering if they should put up a sign about queuing next time), she shows me some lovely grey-ish blue merino wool. "My sister would love this!" I tell her. To which she responds, "Yes, she was in here recently and bought some bamboo." She then showed me which wool it was - a dark grey (of course). She also went on to say that my sister had been telling her how much I loved the ergonomic crochet hook I had bought there. I couldn't help but laugh. A lady who knows our weaknesses and guilty purchases and isn't afraid to tell on us! Sorry G - no secrets here!!

the wool in question

Anyway, I left the store with 5 balls of the lovely wool - a great bargain too at 245 metres per ball - and promises of coming back again soon. Perhaps to the Easter yarn sale she had just told me about....