Monday, May 23, 2011

today i'm loving and interested in



                These Autumn days that are fastly fading.

I have been searching for an Australian vintage tray for my breakfast.  There are so many french imitation ones around.  The do look lovely but these finches really made my heart sing. I love our native birds.  Their cheekiness, their prehistoric cries, their amazing ability of surviving in harsh remote environments and their beautiful songs.

               A sweet floral crystal glass bowl .  Just right for a salad or fruit compote.  And some divine indian linen napkins that one can embroider your initials in deep red thread.

I am sad that a most beautiful shop is closing down in my neighbourhood.  It has the fabrics stock that one dreams about and is full of such creative possibilities. When I heard the rent that is asked in this district I was quite shocked.  At least $3000 a week!  I have been popping in and out and thinking and planning what I could start off as a sewing project.  Being such a novice  I always left in awe and empty handed.  Soon they will no longer be, so enthused by the 25-50% sale I am plotting my way.  I just started now with some sample fabric cut offs and am currently ploughing through the very few sewing books I have to create "my stash".  Not anything to adventurous but would love to start off with a simple bag for my little man to collect his sticks and stones, an apron for me and maybe even a tote  bag and a matching belt.

I also lashed out on some felt pieces and also very cute little balls of felt.  Thinking of making a garland to decorate Che's room.  Any ideas anyone how to hang this together?

Oh yeh, and some travel cups for our trip to work in Broken Hill.  This is now in writing.  No backing out now.


Lastly this afternoon whilst sipping my cup of warm 'AKTA -VITE" (it says on the tin for nursing mothers and that is still me), I was listening to Counter Point on Radio National.  It was an interview with David Engwicht, from Creative Communities.  It caught my attention in how he admitted after years working in community consultations, it doesn't work.  Thousands of dollars are spent and it often ends up  with community forums where there is complete externalisation of the blame and no individuals of the community are taking any responsibility.  The perception that we pay our taxes, we elect local councils and government and they should fix it.  Often the consultation never gets to the root of the problem.  He gave an example where a community in NZ were going to have to spend $50 000 to put in speed humps in residential areas to curb traffic flow.  But when really asked what was the main concern of residents it was that there were a few young lads who do burnouts in their cars at night.  He asked had anyone asked them to stop.  Of course not.  He approached them and realised this was not a design issue it was a social problem.  What the boys wanted was a place to indulge in their cars and have a right all time.  They were bored and a bit disenfranchised.  There was an abandned air strip that was made available.  The boys happily moved on.  Wow.  Can it always be this simple?  I am really interested in this stuff.


This is probably my longest post ever.

Hope all are having a good week.

PS.  Thank you for reading my ramblings and especially new followers.  How very blessed am I?

11 comments:

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Oh love everything in this post, especially something to solve bored hoons in the 'hood, brilliant idea!!
Bunting, try bias binding as an easy 'string' for your felt flags or even some ric rac or ribbon & just over stitch, depends on the degree of 'finish' you're after. Will look beautiful as mummy is making it!!
Oh now which shop is shutting down, i could easily be lured up to to check it out. That rent is outrageous. How can any local small business sustain it?? Love Posie

deux chiens et un garcon said...

Dear Posie

It is the shop "MY PLACE" in Baynette Street. This is their last week! Hurry my friend.

A Farmer's Wife said...

I love the finches. Don't get me started on small communities.

Take care.

Tales of a Tai Tai said...

I just fell in love with those INdian napkins. Heaven! x

Marion Williams-Bennett said...

I love the way the picture of the leaves and picture of the finches just seem to fit together so beautifully!

Your take on community forums resonated with me. In America, it feels like we need a committee and at least three experts to come up with some complex solution when maybe just having better conversations with each other might me the best solution.

It's spring here, but on our walk in the woods this weekend, our black lab found a swamp that looks remarkably like the swamp your lab is in!

Lovely ramblings...!

Vicki said...

Hi Jill,
As always you discover such pretty things (and useful), the napkins are beautiful and the tray makes me wish I'd have become a floral artist! Have you seen Rowan Ellis's drawings? They are suburb.
Can't believe that rent!! Something's not right, shame there's no co-op so all the craft people could share expenses.
The community issue is so multi-faceted, I remember when I was growing up and it being common knowledge that if boys (poor boys, it was never girls) were chucking stones, being too liberal with their sling shots or being 'loud' in the streets any grown up male would pull them up and have a word with them and threaten to tell his father! My, how things have changed. It's a big one this one, thanks for bringing it to mind.
Have a look at this website
www.artistshelpingchildren.org

It has so much to make.
I also remember when I had my first born being given Actavite in hospital because it was 'good' for new mums, I loved hearing that tea trolley come rattling around!
Hope your day is a good one,
Vickixx

Felicity said...

Hey Jill!

#1 - Absolutely adore the finch tray - a wonderful find.

#2 - Where oh where did you find your traveling cups? We had the exact same little set with vinyl case and opener in all of my childhood cars and I've been searching for ages to find a set for my own car.

#3 - Love RN & will download the podcast from the program mentioned as I know it will resonate.

#4 - Your first photos were so evocative of the colder weather, I had a little shiver when I saw your chien in the water.

xx to you!

Small Things Simple Pleasures said...

Great story about the lads and their cars. If I was that way inclined I could possibly run you down myself to get my hands on that bird tray.

You've answered the question I had about the shop being My Place. That's a great shame and Bowral will be poorer for it, I fear. I always deposited the Husband and Child in the cafe next to it while I fossicked about whenever we were in town.

Btw, not okay with being on your blogroll. Honoured. Thanks for visiting, Jill. Your blog is lovely and I'll be back.

Anonymous said...

I love your new tray and the pic of Danny in the pond. Col x

Naomi said...

I love the finches. Birds... feathers... I can not get enough of them!

Community is such an overused word - By that I mean overused without really knowing what it means - or not really wanting to know what a real community is.

I love the example you give of the boys and their cars... should be more real asking of what people want/need.

Unknown said...

Lovely little treasures. Radio National is my favourite radio station and counter point is on my list of programs to listen to. Lovely to read your ramblings. Charmaine