july 2011 

Tomorrow I am embarking on a 'reward' for the past two years of hard work - I'm taking a month-long sabbatical to write.

But more than that. I'm taking time out from the hustle and bustle, the endless barrage of life on the web and the needs of others. I am instead focusing on my own needs. My need to write. My need to rest. My need to reconnect with my dearest family and friends.

reclaim joy

my 14th birthday (bottom centre)

How long has it been since you've laughed like this? Lived life so completely like this? I was so interested to learn recently that holding onto a sense of constant appreciation quite literally (and biologically) eleminates the capability to feel fear.

Doesn't that sound like a coup you want to claim?

On the claiming note - how about reclaiming your joy a little? I know I want to. The weight of life can crush it so easily, yet my goodness - it's a powerful asset to own.

My darling friend Mez just inspired me to do an exercise (based on cognitive therapy) that can certainly help reclaim the joy. You need to list five things you're grateful for, five things you like about yourself and five things you would like to do for fun.

Can you do this relatively easily? Give it a go. It's not as easy as you think! If you can do it daily, you might even find yourself feeling joyful once again. And isn't that what life is all about?

handmade living on HerCanberra

So wonderful to share several gorgeous excerpts of Handmade Living on the wonderful HerCanberra site. Huge thanks to the lovely Amanda Whitely for hosting this peek at our beautiful book.

I've been getting very creative, sourcing some wonderful fonts to use for my work next month - take a look at just some of the gorgeousness I've found . . .

Don't they just make your eyes tingle? Thanks to the lovely Chantelle Ellem for sending me Ursula Capitals.

Sketchy Times

A Cut Above The Rest

Babes in Toyland

Betsy Flanagan

Big Apple

bubblegums

Calamity Jane

Clementine^ Sketch^

conglomerfont

Dot’s all for now

FACTOR

goodbye crewel world

grutch shaded

 joycards

Katy Berry

Merri Christina

Little Bliss

motor oil 1937

Octin VINTAGE

print dashed

raleway

 scratch my back

SF BUTTACUP

 Sketched out

stockstill

 sweet hearts

 synthentique

the quickest shift

 Ursula capitals

vintage

lmnop is out

The latest lmnop is out and it's an issue after my own heart - BOOKS! The mag is now by paid subscription only but it's worth every cent of the meagre $5.99 price. Enjoy every gorgeous drop.

today is a fine day

Hang Zhou, Nov 2007

Today is a fine day. Why? Because I am free.

Are you free?

Sometimes the 'smallest' achievements are those that mean the most in our lives. One of my very, very recent achievements has been the creation of a finer balance - you know, between being a mum, wife, writer, friend, woman.

It's been so freeing to find myself with extra snippets of time... for yoga, for a walk in the sunshine, for a long email to a friend, for creating shiny floors and polishing mirrors... and for baking goodies for my kidlets.

I SO love to bake treats for my darlings and today I went a little bananas and whipped up Donna Hay's standby brownies - you know, the brownies you have when you have not a skerrick of chocolate left in the house. This recipe is all cocoa powder-based and lo - it is good! There was even that gorgeous, slightly melty interior... glorious.

The muffins, I also used a basic Donna Hay recipe but I left out 1/4 cup flour and added 1/4 (plus a wee bit more) of Dutch cocoa powder and the zest of an entire orange. Oh my - they are divine! Totally and moreishly crunchy on top and fluffy soft inside, with a hint of orange.

I also cooked some coconut macaroons from an old fashioned recipe and used shredded coconut instead. I added extra coconut to the recipe (about another 3/4 cup) and baked them in little patty pans. Eating them is like sliding your teeth into chewy meringes with that rush of coconut and gorgeous, sweet eggy crunch. Delectable. Ella went bananas when she got home from school.

Baking is so good for the soul. {not so good for the thighs}

best girlfriends

 

One of my very best girlfriends has been travelling for two months and recently returned to her Queensland home. She's still far too far away from me, but our long email liaisons have resumed and the joy of it all feels like the longest sip of the most divine, comforting milky tea.

It's heart-warming to have precious, lengthy friendships - those deeply-embedded gems that are rich with light and love. The life of many a modern woman is a whirlwind of social networking and faceless, snippety interaction, that - whilst enriching in so many ways - sort of ends up like the froth sitting on the top of a very strong latte. It's great fun and can be really lovely, but one short puff and it's blown away.

My girlfriend is not only the rich coffee grinds at the base of my coffee cup, she swirls right up through the milk and even peppers the fantastically fun froth on top. She is full-bodied and permeating on every level. Having her home has reminded me that there is nothing like being completely understood, completely adored and... complete.

Welcome home, Mez. I've missed you.

baubles and bling

I love wintry weekends bursting with pockets on sunshine that warm rooms without the need for heating. There's an innate need to hibernate, to sort and recalibrate - and I've been doing this in spades this past month.

One thing I really wanted to get into this weekend was my appalling jewellery collection, amassed from four years in Beijing. I'm actually not really a jewellery person - but one look at the Beijing markets where ropes of jadeite and pearls and turquoise and crystals and amethysts and such are cheaper than a plastic bangle from Target... well - you just tend to amass.

And amass I did. I probably wear less than one per cent of my collection but it's oh so so hard to let them go, even in the midst of a major clear out. I tried! I prised strings of bling from my fists and packed them into silk bags {my very lucky nieces are in for a bonanza} but the rest I carefully tucked away for Sometime.

Isn't it important to make Sometime soon?

teachers' notes

I'm a huge fan of teachers and librarians... parenting may be the most important, toughest yet most rewarding job in the world, but surely the role of teachers comes a close second. I'm quite in awe of the amazing job they do and love to feel like I'm 'contributing' in any way I can by offering teachers' notes and lesson ideas for my books.

I've had Riley and the Sleeping Dragon teachers' notes out for a while but recently worked on notes for Dancing Lion and Curious Koala - you'll find the links below. I've also finished notes for my newest release - Riley and the Grumpy Wombat: A journey around Melbourne, which is out this September.

Teachers' Notes - Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney
Teachers' Notes - Riley and the Dancing Lion: A journey around Hong Kong
Teachers' Notes - Riley and the Sleeping Dragon: A journey around Beijing

On that note, I'm busy planning a wonderful book launch party right here in Canberra - it will be so much fun - loads of book giveaways, helium balloons, a book reading and signing - and I'll be reprising the very popular candy bar from the Curious Koala launch! Keep an eye on this blog for more info - RSVPs are essential and places go fast.

Today is a day we remember and send our warmth and love to the wee babies lost through SIDS. We also think of the empty space and broken hearts left behind. We hold in our mind the image of little angel wings. And, if we can, we make a donation to Red Nose Day now. Love.

handmade living in *bespoke* magazine

Huge thanks to editor Jess from *bespoke* magazine for featuring an excerpt from handmade living. Jess has created a gorgeous double page spread of Tina Snerling's delightful airmail pin cushion. Make sure you check out this truly lovely mag - you can subscribe from the website.

handmade living review on Lunch Network

So lovely of Jennifer Cameron-Smith to review Handmade Living. There's nothing warms my heart more than hearing how people love the book we worked so hard on - and that showcases the glorious handmade talent in our country. Click the image above for more!

Riley and the Dancing Lion Spot-the-Difference in Our Tung Chung magazine, HK

The wonderful Natasha Smith of Our Tung Chung magazine - a fantastic publication that celebrates expat life in Hong Kong, particularly on Lantau Island - recently featured a spot-the-difference page from Riley and the Dancing Lion. So cute! Thanks so much for having me, Natasha - I hope to get over your way soon to read Dancing Lion to the kids!

Riley and the Curious Koala on Need to Read This

Huge thanks to Sally Hall of Need to Read This for the lovely Riley and the Curious Koala review! So so wonderful to hear kids loving Riley's adventures. Just warms the heart. Canberra and a very jumpy kangaroo is next!

today

 This is what today looks like at my house. 

looking forward to something

Sometimes the weight of the Everday pervades us. It seeps into our pores along with the bathroom cleaner, and pinches at us like clothespegs.

The mandatory nature of the Everyday brings us security, comfort and a sense of accomplishment, there's no doubt about it - but it can also become claustrophobic and mind-numbing if we don't actively seek out experiences - or make plans for those experiences - that bring us the most joy.

handmade cards

I used to handcraft all my cards, from birthday to Christmas, gift cards and labels, but time sort of got in the way. It gets in the way of a lot of things, does it not? So this weekend, Ella and I decided to shush time to the side and do something we love.

I'm so happy to be pouring my creative energies into a new book - it's when I'm at my most happy - even when my house becomes a little chaotic (my dining room table a case in point).

The crinkle of paper, the slice of the paper cutter, the whir of the sewing machine.

The sticky stirring of a sugary pot, the moulding of fondant icing, the piling high of fresh baked cookies.

The gentle coaxing of product so it looks just-so, the styling layouts, the positioning of props to make things look magical.

The subtle click of the camera.

The colour and texture and heart-warming thumpity thump of my heart when I'm in the process of creating - it's when I feel most alive. I love how the boys in my life peer eagerly at my work, trying not to openly show too much interest in all that girly stuff. I love how my daughter snuggles up to me and asks if I can help. I love it when my friends email begging for sneak peeks.

It's just lovely lovely.

I hope you are doing something wonderful today that makes you really happy, too.

grumpy wombat advance copy!

A hard cover advance copy of Grumpy Wombat has arrived! Squeee!

new look Kids Book Review

Introducing a GORGEOUS new look over at KBR! Thanks to the formidable talent of Brisbane-based designer and illustrator, Tina Snerling of Tiny Concept, we have the most stunning look ever. We hope you love it as much as we do. Check it out!

Tina has had a long and fabulous career in design, from childrenswear to children's toys and books. She is the illustrator/designer for lifestyle book Handmade Living and is currently working with KBR's own Tania McCartney on a stunning children's book. We will be posting about the process of creating this book right here on KBR and we hope to have the final book to show you next year!

Such a cold winter's day in Canberra today - it was a pleasure to snuggle inside the gorgeous Civic Library and chat with a group of lovely writerly types about my 'life as an author'. What I love about many of the groups I speak to is that there's invariably some Chinese natives in the audience - and it's such a thrill to be able to talk with them about my passion for China.

It was an amazingly eclectic group to speak with - with everyone from year 11 students to a political writer from Sri Lanka. A warm, enlightening and very interesting chat indeed. Thanks so much to the lovely Jill Howard for having me.

Writer in Residence Programme, Caroline Chisholm School, Canberra, November 2009

- one of the most enriching experiences of my life. How I adore these beautiful kids, each and every one.

geocaching

Have you heard of geocaching? Using an iPad or iPhone, it's like a high-tech version of orienteering combined with scavenger hunting.

People leave packages in obscure places and seekers hunt them down by using both written clues and GPS satellite locations. Once found, the package is opened and hunters can leave log notes and tokens for other hunters.

It's an amazing way to spend an hour or two hiking or exploring urban areas. This morning we climbed the hill behind our house which offers some of the most stunning bushland and views over Canberra.

We found two geocaches this morning, got an amazing workout and had some quality time together as a family on a stunning Canberra winter day. What could be better?

See Geocaching Australia if you want to join in the fun.

new member for Kids Book Review

I'm really proud of my affiliate site - Kids Book Review. The site has grown exponentially in the past two years, and we have worked incredibly hard to make it a site filled with literary wonderment.

We're so happy with how the site is going, we've recently invited the gorgeous Kelly Morton to be a permanent member of our team. Kelly is a total book addict, too, and best of all - she works full time in publishing.

Along with our regular contributors, she is such a glorious asset to KBR and we can't wait to watch her influence

Read more about Kelly and her new role right here.