Here is my ”weekly moment”.  A single photo with no words, title or caption, from the past week that I want to remember and savour forever.  Something simple, yet special to me. 

Wishing you a fabulous weekend.  It’s going to be a hot one here so we’re looking forward to lots of trips to the beach and it’s also our 7 year wedding anniversary on Sunday xxx

Liza xxx

I must say though this  Hello Soul Hello Business is an incredible e-course.  It’s certainly taking every little bit of energy, thought, and enthusiasm to keep up with it and all that it entails.  I do love the enthusiasm it generates.  It’s quite an addictive course, if a course can be addictive?!  But it’s just that – addictive.  It’s completely distracting me from everything else I would normally do in my regular week.  I want to be focusing my time, heart, thoughts and energy on HSHB 110% of the time.

Anyway apart from being distracted by this incredible course I also got a little distracted by tea and chocolates and conversation with my best friend tonight.  A rare treat to spend time with her.  It’s so warming and special when we actually have the opportunity to enjoy uninterrupted time together.  So, on with my links, did I mention I’m just a little distracted lately…and the countdown to midnight is on…

Craft Victoria.  One of my favourite past times of living inner city was enjoying a weekend wander about the city.  I happily spent hours wandering the streets and hidden laneways of Melbourne.  Every visit would bring a new discovery, a new experience, and usually a shared conversation with a new friend.  Craft Victoria is one little place of beauty and inspiration found within the streets of Melbourne, now on Flinders Lane.  Craft Victoria  was actually established in 1970 as The Craft’s Council of Victoria, and came about due to the worldwide interest in craft.  You can read more about the Australian craft movement here.

Today Craft Victoria’s mission is “to bring together a vibrant and sustainable contemporary craft and design community in Victoria and nationally, which represents, promotes and celebrates all craft practitioners”. 

Craft Victoria hosts talks, exhibitions, festivals and showcases new student work and emerging designers and artists.  It also has such a wonderful collection of Australian Designers and Artist’s products and artworks found at their very own shop which you can also view online.  And yes of course they have a blog too. 

Here is one of my current favourite incredibly talented Australian crafters featured here at Craft Victoria.

Goldenink Porcelain Bangle.  I love the work of these two girls, Abbey Seymore and Katherine Wheeler.  Their collaboration is perfectly complimentary.  One designs and illustrates whilst the other creates the final piece.  You can read more about these talented girls here.  I just love our Australian jewellers and admire many, but the work of these girls is beautiful; soft organic forms, sensual materiality, and fine contemporary detail.  These truly are hand crafted pieces.  They remain on my wish list (o”

It’s just slipped past midnight and Flynn has awoken from his slumber, Michael and I have both tried re-settling him, so he’s currently in our bed with Michael awaiting Mama to come and join them…will our nights of non-waking toddlers ever return?  Sweet dreams everyone, I guess you’ll be reading this one tomorrow!

Liza xxx

Wishing you a wonderfully, relaxing weekend, have fun!

Liza xxx

image courtesy of the Smith Journal

First up is the Smith Journal.  A very new quarterly magazine purposely designed and edited mainly for men.  It’s aim is to slow you guys down, get you to stop and take some time for yourselves to enjoy a little reading about everything from stories about people, photography, film, travel, architecture, adventures, science, music, food, art…yes and a whole lot more.  It looks pretty darn smart too.  Volume 1 is out now and Volume 2 is to be released in March 2012.

image courtesy of Green magazine

Next up is the Green Magazine one of my husband Michael’s favourite mags to read.  Green is all about sustainable building projects.  Everything from new homes and renovations to garden projects and innovative projects using recycled materials.  I also love the feel of the paper that this is printed on and the matt print.  I’m often sneaking of with it to read for myself too.  Michael enjoys it for the crafted nature of the featured building projects and it’s exploration of using common building materials.  The latest copy is available to order here.

image courtesy of Duckfat

The last of my links for you guys today is Duckfat which was launched by the Duckfat team late last year.  They’re new to the field of collectables, industrial design, art and paraphenalia but they’re certainly in the know for spotting a good find that you’ll just have to have in your home or office.  In fact their finds are so hot that they’re often selling from their Facebook page before they’re even advertised on their official website!  So don’t be the last to know, go check them out now…here.

I hope you guys enjoy these links and the girls too of course.  I’ll aim to mix it up a bit too in future with my featured weekly links of inspiration.  Enjoy!

Liza xxx

My lil boys Tully & Flynn have both had a bout of Gastro since late last week, so I’ve been kept busy with laundry, bathing, holding buckets, cleaning, nurturing, cuddling, reading and singing to, and taking care of my lil ones day and night.  Never fun seeing them so sick.

looking pretty tired after no sleep Friday night

Tully said to me yesterday afternoon “I don’t want to be sick anymore Mama, please make Tully better.”  All Mama’s should be given magic wands with the birth of children, breaks my heart hearing him talk like this.  It also makes me even more aware of such difficult, heart wrenching times parents of very ill children must face daily.

unusual for Tully to fall asleep during the day

On a happier note I have a newly completed painting to share with you today.  I finished this last Thursday.

I love the shifting layers of colour and the beautiful patterns I’ve created on the right.  Can you find the heart?  I still find these small canvases so hard to work with.  Once they’ve all been used I don’t think I’ll be buying any more.  I’ll just paint big and bigger.

I know it’s actually the start of the week but as I missed last weeks “weekly moment” and “weekly wrap up” I thought I’d post a few photos from my past week for you today as a bit of a catch up.  With the cooler weather we’ve had this past week I’ve enjoyed cooking from one of my favourite cookbooks “Super Natural Everyday”, by Heidi Swanson.  It’s full of great recipes, but also images that make you drool and feel like you just have to cook!We enjoyed a Wild Rice casserole on Tuesday night which to me is just good, hearty, nurturing soul food.  Think wild rice, brown rice, mushrooms, cheeses, thyme, sage…

And over the weekend we enjoyed baking and eating a Buttermilk Cake which I substituted the suggested plums for seasonal white nectarines and fresh blueberries.

Michael always makes a really good coffee each day too, actually this is my saviour most days.  To think now I never used to drink coffee!  Each day the two of us look forward to this little ritual of sitting down together with a beautiful cup of smooth, creamy coffee in hand and a few moments to share.  Don’t worry we don’t always eat cake (o”

Earlier last week the boys had fun giggling and shrieking playing under the parachute with Daddy.  It was pretty funny watching Flynn’s gorgeous white blonde hair become static. 

Tully enjoyed a beautiful walk through our local nature reserve earlier in the week with Michael.  He’s definitely an outdoors soul, and loves the freedom of exploring in the bush.  He enjoys not having to hold hands, always leading the way, finding flowers, leaves and pods to bring home for Mama and exploring the trails, crossing bridges, and looking for lizards.  We’re very lucky to have this gorgeous walk run off our street along the creek. 

Michael and I also decided at the end of last week that we need some us time.  A weekly ritual, just the two of us, quality time, once again.  So after we drop the boys off at daycare we’ll head off for an hour together to enjoy a lovely early morning walk together along our local beach.    We’re with each other every day at home but it’s not really quality time together as such, more so doing time, so this shall be very much treasured us time.  Michael’s still not keen on the walking and wants to go for a run instead.  I replied, ummmm that’s fine but there won’t be much talking coming from me, more like gasping for air!  I haven’t ran properly since I was 8 weeks pregnant with Tully!

These photos were taken last Friday when we enjoyed our first walk along the beach together, just the two of us.  The sun wasn’t shinning but it was beautiful and calm and uplifting.  And…we got to talk continuously without Tully yelling repetitively at us ”excuse me Mummy & Daddy…!” Here’s hoping my little munchkins are back on track again now and our days find their natural rhythm again.  Wishing you all a great week ahead and o o ooooo Happy Valentines Day for tomorrow xxx