Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Lucky


I would never have thought I was a lucky sort of person. I think back when I was fourteen I did win a plant in a raffle. And maybe $50 once on a scratchy. With hindsight, I have now revised my thoughts on being "lucky". What if lucky is not actually winning things or exceptional good fortune, but the absence of significant or catastrophic adversity. Having spent thirty plus years of my life without catastrophic adversity, I never appreciated at the time exactly how lucky I was.

Now that I have been on the receiving end of a high tide swell of adversity that was so bleak and so persistent that I felt close to drowning, I have a whole new perspective on luck. When the tide finally went out, boy did I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. And now every day without significant adversity is a lucky, lucky day.

And do you know by some freakish coincidence that supreme luck and catastrophic adversity sometimes go hand in hand? I know this because I have personally met not one, not two, but three people who have won Lotto. (I have a job where people confess all kinds of secrets) And one of those families, won Lotto in the same year that the husband/father of young children underwent a bone marrow transplant for leukaemia. I would guess that the odds of these two events occurring in one family would be around one in ten million, I wonder how they felt about "lucky".

So, now that I spend every day feeling lucky, how do I explain these prizes that keep arriving in my letter box? Lovely  Ellen Giggenbach had a giveaway of a choice of any print in her collection a while back and this is the one I chose. She makes all her  prints by hand from cut paper art  and the colours and patterns are retro-licious.


I am hoping to order this one for Miss Liongirl when Ellen re opens her shop.


With this flurry of new year sorting and organising I finally grabbed a handful of nails and threw up all my favourite prints and thrifted paintings and embroideries. This wall is going to be demolished in a short while so I did not even need to be precious about all those holes.


And there is nothing better than winning the prize of a book you really,really want to read. Elaina from A Little Bit Country NZ picked my name out of a hat for her prize of A Home Companion by Wendyl Nissen. I am about half way through but can say I feel very positively towards any author who advocates that all mothers need to escape for a few days in their own vintage caravan several times a year and if this is not possible, to at least harness a "caravan attitude" and carve some space for just themselves.

Thanks so much Elaina, this is a most wonderful and timely gift. The other books, well they were my heavily hinted for Christmas presents, this is a time of year for reading and new inspiration. The little book bottom left is indeed by the lovely Ellen who sent me the bird print, David Jones also stock some of her notecards and journals and I was lucky enough to stumble across one.



At the very start of the year I was lucky enough to win a beautiful calendar from Jodi at Che and Fidel.
Pop over to Ella Leach Designs if you need a family style calendar for this year, I thoroughly made use of mine in 2012 and they are beautiful.


And even the boys were not neglected in the giveaways this year. We were the lucky winners of a Lego City Alarm game from Em at The Beetleshack and every time Roboboy gets me on his own, we have been playing it.

Now all I have to do is find four things to send to the op shop so Betsy and I can remain in a neutral stuff balance for the year.

19 comments:

  1. Oh yeah you what a lovely lot of gifts to win. You are so right though luck comes in all forms and money isn't the only way to be lucky but sometimes it's nice. Happy New Year to you may it be full of lucky moments. xx

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  2. I couldn't agree with you more. Lucky, for me, would be a quiet, uneventful, healthy year with no surprises- although a Lotto win would not go astray at this point in time!
    You must have been owed some karmic favours there to do so well. Congratulations! x

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  3. I hope your luck continues and 2013 is a better year for you.

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  4. I adore that print.....she's so cute!

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  5. yes, luck is quiet, and gentle, and uneventful. what loveliness for you, much deserved, too. have a gorgeous day :)sarah

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  6. Ok, that is pretty lucky! Maybe you should buy a Lotto ticket while you're on this winning streak? Love your wall of prints and pictures.

    Gillian x

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  7. Another really interesting post. Being lucky really is about perspective isn't it. Our family lives by the belief that the universe will always provide whatever you need, none of us are greedy and ask for too much, but it's always appreciated if it turns up. Little Bun has a knack of spotting paper money on the pavement whenever we're skint. Magical child.

    Beautiful flowers in your vase btw. No colour here as deep into winter here and getting excited about Spring coming so all colour hugely appreciated.

    X

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  8. Lucky you! A Home Companion is a gorgeous book - I use all of Wendyl's house cleaning products - I should one day try and make my own from the recipes in the book. Happy New Year.

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  9. I love that wall you have put together...almost a shame that you have to pull it down!

    I completely agree with your assessment of luck.
    Happiness, health and relative financial security is enough for me!
    Although truth be told I wouldn't mind a no strings attached lotto win!

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  10. Hi Bungalowgirl! Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog (I'm already following you!). You have done incredibly well with all your prizes - the Ellen G print is super cute, love it! Hope that luck keeps coming your way :)

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  11. the wall looks great mel, great collection and that vase of prettiness looks perfect right there!. Your wins certainly are wonderful, the print fits in perfectly.
    Allison x

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  12. Cool prints! Such a shame that your art wall will be coming down...you'll have to find another wall to hang it all up again. We're not precious with our holey VJs...we're always hanging and rehanging things. xx

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  13. Yes lucky isn't about winning things, you've done well to learn this, some people never do! :) x

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  14. I won a meat raffle when I was 10 and I did not feel lucky at all - but if I won it today I would be stoked, meat is expensive! Happy holidays to you and Happy New Year :)

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  15. All those lovely gifts and give-away prizes.
    Your picture wall is beautiful. The art really pops again your white walls.
    x

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  16. A lovely collection of treasures you've received there. I have my eye on the granny chic book and happier at home too. Had to laugh, I also try to have the 1 in 1 out policy, my op shop obsession seems to tie in nicely with my de-cluttering obsession. Mel x

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  17. Glad you are enjoying your book - I love mine. Had a peek at the Ellen G shop and am in love with her prints. I think I may have to order one of her family organisers, would be perfect for us! xo

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  18. always good to keep the stuff balance at a neutral. we are moving a whole bunch of canvasses today, but not getting rid of them, does that count? probably not.....

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  19. Absolutely LOVE your wall. Perfect mix!

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