Monday, November 4, 2013

It's good to be home


We have been home for nearly six weeks now and in between all the drama we do feel like we are settling in. Most importantly, the milk glass has all been unpacked and one quiet morning  Liongirl appeared with this trio of floral displays she had  arranged by herself.

There is an abundance of gorgeous spring sunshine and the jacarandas are in full bloom.



Every window at the front of the house has a view like this.




The gnarled old frangipani tree is sprouting it's new green summer canopy.




The sewing room is a half unpacked messy disaster. But we did solve the problem of no table. I had a brainwave to salvage one of the old laundry doors ( from the infamous laundry in a cupboard in the lounge room) and whack it on top of some trestle legs we have had for years. Voila, a huge smooth expanse of table for cutting/stitching and garden window gazing.




While the vintage sheets are yet to be found and colour coded by Roboboy, I did manage to start a little something for my fox obsessed girl.




Who spends her days dressed like a walking rainbow.




There have been tulips from my mum (with leg healing powers).




Even the boy mess looks better on those shiny, shiny floors.




 And there is no better goodness than kindy creations made with love. Eastern long necked turtle of course.



It's good to be home.

After six months of renovating posts I am struggling a little to get back into my usual blogging groove. I had naively thought that blogging about the house renovation would be fun and exciting. While it was both of those things it was also stressful, dull and almost became a chore near the end.

In recent months I also made the discovery that my once small, somewhat private blog was now being read by my neighbours, extended family and the school principal. Yikes. Sharing with strangers in other parts of the world who have a common love for vintage pyrex/sheets/wallpaper/house renovations is quite different to people on the fringes of your real life suddenly seeing inside.

This space, which was always intended to be a creative outlet and place to connect with other like minded souls, suddenly felt intimidating. In real life I am shy, private and  frequently overwhelmed by the demands of mothering a complicated child.  In my blog I like  to be brave, colourful, positive and have gratitude for all the small moments in life that are joyful.

So, after contemplating ending this little space, I think instead there will just be a shift. Back to colour, craft, and sharing what makes me happy (for goodness sakes it's about time for some op shop finds). And mostly, remembering that this is my happy place, and that is all that matters.



24 comments:

  1. Lovely post Mel...I am so glad that you all are loving being home again.
    And I agree...I have no problems with people I am very close to reading my blog, nor those I have never met before...it is the idea of the in betweeners, the acquaintances reading my blog that makes me squirm a little.
    While I loved reading about your reno, I will also love reading about craft and op shop finds!

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    1. Oh yes, that is exactly what I mean, you are spot on with the in betweeners and the squirmy part. When the president of the P & C bounded up to confess to stalking the blog (very nice of her to tell me I think) and then told me the principal had told her about it (and had been reading for months) I nearly fainted with fright. I don't think I posted for about two weeks after that! mel x

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  2. I relate to this so much Mel! A couple of school teachers and acquaintances within the business community have recently mentioned they read my blog and it does feel very unnerving. I love your blog regardless of what you write about so no dramas there, blogs generally become more about the person for me after the initial 'getting to know you" period :-). I was thinking of doing a nice "safe" op shop Post soon too :-).

    On another note, Betsy is looking fantabulous! How awesome is your craft room!!! I have a couple of those little milk glass jars too - they look sweet with some blooms in them. Mel x

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  3. Thanks Mel. The craft room is in indeed a haven (or will be when I get time to deal with it properly). I miss op shopping posts, seems hardly anyone has been opping around the traps lately, or crafting for that matter. Good to hear you have posts planned! mel x

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  4. I too have recently found out that my blog is read by several people I know - gets a bit harder to post and I am not sure what to do. Like you I think I will just post the lighter stuff....

    Your house looks absolutely fabulous Mel. I love the shiny floors.

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    1. Thanks for the house love. The floors perk me up daily. As to the inbetweeners reading the blog, no great tips from me, mostly I'm just trying to blog like no one is reading and be true to myself, mel x

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  5. You had me at milk glass. I love your blog. My blog for me too is my happy space. I couldn't imagine not writing it or visiting my favourites, ever. Happy healing! xo

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    1. Your blog has kept me going through a long winter, hardly anyone else has been op shopping! mel x

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  6. So lovely of liongirl to have arranged those flowers, and I love you new old sewing table! The thought of meeting anyone in person (apart from another blogger) who has read my blog fills me with terror, so I can totally understand how you feel. Hubby knows I blog, so do some of my Basildon Park colleagues, but none of them actually read it as far as I know (please please I hope!!). Oh well! I'll be looking forward to reading whatever you have to say just as much as I have enjoyed reading about your reno. Hope the leg is doing well and that the healing powers of the tulips are working. xx

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    1. My hubby reads the blog to keen up with what the kids are doing! and to check up on any ranty posts that may involve him. The leg is more trouble than anticipated at present, seems to be slow going. mel x

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  7. beautiful post - playing catch up and hoping you are healing well, amazed that you are IN and it all looks so good, How amazing are those Jacarandas and I am intrigued to see what your foxie turns into.
    Tell me your Liongirl has a copy of The Fox and the Child. So lovely x

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    1. No we don't have that book but will definitely have a look for it now. She is obsessed with fox and wolf stories really. Nice to see you pop up again, hope your 12w challenge went well. mel x

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  8. oh i relate too Mel re the inbetweeners. funny how it can be easy to share with 'friends we havent met yet' as opposed to real people in our circles. why do think that is? fear of judgment? feeling vulnerable perhaps? i too have pulled back especially as my kids ar growing. my big kids didnt want me to keep taking their pics for the 52 project and i had to respect that. i feel like a bit of a hypocrite really because i love reading the blogs that are sharing. anyway i love visiting your space. take care Miss!

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    1. I miss your posts Lea, your makes and finds are always amazing but totally understand about your big kids. Mine is still very happy to be on the blog for the time being. I think for me it is fear of being misunderstood, because as all bloggers know, most blogs are only a slice of life and not the whole slab of cake. mel x

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  10. Hi Mel - I'm so glad that our 'on-line' paths crossed. I am much the same - a bit shy, a bit of a homebody and to be quite frank I am so, so busy raising the 4 boys (including a complicated one) to have much of a social life of my own. I enjoy blogging because it gives me an outlet, a chance to share and have some adult conversation with people who have similar interests. Please keep us posted with more renovation updates - I would love to see your kitchen (when the CWS's are installed!) xx

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    1. Me too Caroline and I must say in many ways I felt like in real life you and I would be the most similar out of the many blogs I read. There will be more reno posts coming, when there is something to share. Quite frustrating that it has all derailed when we were so, so close but we will get there. mel x

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  11. I agree. I don't tell most poeple know I have blog, it my space to be someone else, without being judged or questioned. It is very liberating. I think it's fine to be blog free for a period too, sometimes life just not feel like something you need to reflect and write about... and other times it does! I loved your reno blogs, gives me hope that we will also be living in a lovely renovated house one day.

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  12. I have to say it brought me up short when Mr A-P's ex-wife mentioned that she had reading my blog. A little reminder to be mindful of what you put out there about the family I guess. We all create a version of ourselves for publication but it is only part of the story. Hope the leg gets better soon x

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  13. Ah, my first child is also complicated. And I quite like that term for him. Sometimes I will forget and leave a link to my blog in an email and then the school teacher will say "I was looking at your blog" and I will think OH CRAP!~ I don't actually want people I know looking in on me there. Mostly though I just never, ever think about who is reading. I guard his privacy a bit more now that he is a big 9 years old, but I try to blog as if I just blog for me and me alone.

    I love visiting you here and hope you don't stop!

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  14. I know what you mean...eventhough I pimp by blog out...I will never be an uber blogger because of my shyness.

    Anyway, your Betsy is looking lovely in the photos. Bring on the op-shop posts too. You always find great stuff.
    xx

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  15. Those shiny floors, the fresh paint and the sewing space!!!!!! Lucky, lucky girl. I have to come to work to make things as there is no room at the inn at home!
    I had a very happy little secret world until I got sick and one friend at the hospital found out from another friend and then there were teachers and mothers from school all over the blog. The only nasty comments I ever had was from one of these who objected to me letting toddlers eat without clothes on a summer day. Nothing was visible on the photos she just objected to the lack of etiquette it implied and promptly told me so. It really shook me to have somebody with proximity be so judgemental when all the far away friends are so forgiving and accepting of all the crazy mother stuff. It still makes me a little nervous but I ignore it and pretend it is only far aways or I couldn't write it.
    The really personal stuff like your complicated child moments and my illness last year feels so much better vented to those with some distance from it all. I could never have said half the thins I said last year on my blog to family but it was so good to be able to say it somewhere. x

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  16. I hope you are recovering well! I have enjoyed reading all if your blog posts, pre and during renovation and your crafty/opshop posts are always inspiring.
    You know, now that Betsy is looking so flash, I'll have to show her off on my blog ;)

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  17. I know exactly where you are coming from with being private but honest at the same time, especially when those who know you read your blog! Colourful and crafty sounds good and in the space, well......anything can happen! :) x

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