Saturday

On Saturday I headed up to Daylesford. It could have been possibly the worst day to plan to go up due to the heavy psycho rain, and at times when riding up in the car i sad to myself "Am I insane?"but I ended up having a lovely day. Despite being um soaking to the bone ,a bit under dressed and a bit cold. ( Note remebering I don't drive, I was relying on lifts from my parents who were up at Castlemaine for a lunch that day)

WHile I was there I popped into the Makers Market where I caught up with Cam and Cathy who are always lovely to see. I scored one of Cam's sunglass cases, isn't it gorgeous.

I was pretty excited about meeting Tania in person for the first time who was also at the market. Well I had every right to be excited. Tania's utterly wonderful and kindly let me hang out behind her stall and hide from the rain. It's funny even though it's the first time we've "met" because we know each other through the web, it wasn't like we were strangers at all but easy. It's a wonderful thing this bloggy community. I walked away from Tania with two of her fabulous teatowels.

Then I headed up to Cliffy's one of my fav Daylesford cafe's to meet up with the Super special

Beck and had the best time. She's such a great friend, and I feel like I could chat with her for hours. Thanks so much Beck !

Beck kindly dropped me back in town, where I did a spot of op shopping to fill in time before Dad was due to pick me up.
I couldn't resist this wonderful old ted with his amputated leg and squished in nose, who I've named Porkchop , these wonderful gingerbread salt and Pepper shakers and this lovely mini version of a sewing box

which I think will make a wonderful present. I was pretty stoked, coming away with two of things I look most for while op shopping- old bears and s+p shakers.

THen Dad rang, saying that well it looked like he couldn't pick me up due to road between Daylesford and Castlemaine being blocked and could I find my own way home?

SO I checked out the bus timetable and hoped for the best, I was a little worried I was going to be stuck in Daylesford and wondered what other roads had been blocked. I think to be honest at this point, I began to feel how wet and cold I was. I think waiting for public transport does that to you.

After a few detours due to roads block and the usual waiting, I eventually got home. I'm not sure my ugg boots have ever felt better!

Hope you had a great weekend.

One Option

My creative space

When I was doing a photo shoot of my lastest fluffy panda Poncho.

Turtle decided I needed some assistance and Poncho was feeling a little lonely.

Poncho was a little overwhelmed ( both physically and emotionally) but such a gesture of afffection.
But put on a brave face and kept smiling.

For more creative spaces visit of hostess with the mostess, Kirsty.

PS. This photo incident was not posed in anyway.

PPS thank you all for your lovely kind words about Gilbert's head. Sadly he did not show up.

It took a while to accept he wasn't go to appear, I kept looking and looking. I still can't quite believe it.

Lets hope he's found a good home.

End of an era

Today was my last day at RRR. At least for a while ( i'll definetly be back at Radiothon as a phone vol).

I will miss this place, after 3/12 years. It's time for a change and it's what's best for me. As sad and hard as change can be. Sometimes what is best for us, isn't the easy option

i was rather spoilt with a farewell cake - Passionfruit Sponge yum, and a sweet card.

Hope you've had a good day too xo

Really Turtle?

32 is obviously not warm enough for my crazy cat.

A history in wax

image from chicagohoneycoop
Are you are shaver or a waxer. I'm a waxer *

I actually I enjoy getting my legs and eye brows waxed. I know it's weird but I do and I don't think it even hurts, and the lovely silkiness and hairfree feeling far outweighs any pain. I wish I could say the same for my bikini ( but I don't know how it is possible to enjoy that experience).

Today I had all three ( but I don't go the full monty ) . And no I don't do it myself, because if you've ever been through DIY waxing disasters like mine you would get someone else to do it too.

First up was the leg wax disaster of 2007, which after thinking it would be more economical to wax my own legs, I bought one of those heat up wax pots. And perhaps it would be more economical if I didn't somehow manage to used up nearly a whole pot one the front of ONE calf ( yes one calf not even the back) and get the rest everywhere all through the kitchen and living room- and you know how hard it is to clean off dried wax. Then there were the wax strips with with I had little success too, I just couldn't get it taunt enough and again managed to stick everywhere.

Never to mention the time I waxed my own eyebrows. Which was like a liquidy pen with little strips. After ( somewhat) successfully waxing the right brow , I still wanted a bit more off the end. And on the packet it said you could reuse the strips, but perhaps not if there a perfectly large chunk of wax left on them at which put I managed to wax off an entire hunk of my eyebrow - old nanna style- and was left with no other option then to repeat this on the other side to "even up"

So I'm happy to let someone else do it even if it cost a bit more, which I don't considering the whole pot of wax on one calf scenario and because unlike me they have skills in this area, and takes no time at all.

* except for my underarms, which I shave because I'm blessed with like 5 hairs under there so it doesn't seem worth it.

Out of Hibernation

Like any real bear, when the warmer months come around, Pooh comes out of hibernation, waking from a deep sleep under layers of ugg boots, jeans, stripey socks and stockings, ready to soak in the heat of the sun.

I always love when he "comes out". It's not the I forget he's there, he just more present (and awake).

My constant little companion, pondering whatever he is pondering. It's very nice to have a friend on your leg.

My creative space

Is a little bit of a sad tale tale today

I had great plans for my creative space today. I really did, today I planned to unveil Gilbert (with the head from last week). WHo to begin with I hadn't been thinking of finishing but suddenly when he got ears and told me his name was Gilbert, and the darn thing kept looking at me, I felt I had to.Who i had been working on slowly and carefully as I do, whose little head had been through a few ageing processes etc. Who I thought I was definetly going to finish yesterday, his arms and legs almost done, who just needed to be put together and a few finishing touches. WHo I was sure I would be able to finish last night.

But things don't always go as planned. Because I take a tram to work and a long tram ride at that I always take heaps of crochet and bears to work on the trip. And because I needed to sew on his left ear ( and quite frankly I felt he needed a bit more obsessing) I packed his head away in my craft bag and headed off.

On to the tram I popped ( after a 5min wait and a quick fag), a slight scramble of trying to find the valid ticket I knew I had amoung all the expired ones, I set up the Teddy Bears Wednesday on the move workshop and off we went. All I know now is somewhere between leaving the house and Elizabeth St, Gilbert the bear head, got lost or fell out , because at Elizabeth St, I discovered it was no longer there. Panic hit me, i searched and searched, convinced myself I had left it at home.

Well it wasn't at home, it wasn't in my bag, the head was no where to be seen. SO now I'm left with his body parts, and no head. I was to be honest a wee bit devasted yesterday, after all the work I had put in to him, just gone. And starting on another head at this point feels wrong. Because well these boday parts were Gilbert's, for that head, and no other. And because I hadn't been that happy with my pattern I knew i could do better, but somehow along there that Head got a soul. And going back to trying recreate Gilbert, seems like going backwards, if you know what I mean

So I'm sorry I don't have much to show this week. I really wanted to though.

SO lesson learned, Bear heads do not come to work or on a tram trips. Because a bear head even in a legless and bodiless start can get the wanders.

I hope you've had a wonderful creative week

I look forward to seeing and hearing all about it over here.

PS If you find a small somewhat worn starned and mouthless inquizative bear head on your tram please let me know

PPS SOrry this is the second sad little MCS in a row.

Have you heard about the Hare and the Tortoise?

Or rather the Rabbit and the Turtle.

They are not like the ones in the old stories. They're quite the opposite.

Larry is the outgoing one of the two, while Pearl is more you timid shy type.

Anyway they are a bit the "It" couple right now, after their show stopping number last night on "Dancing with the Amis"

In which after tapping away both on his hind legs, Larry returned to all fours and kept tapping, while Pearl hopped on his shell and did her famous shake your fluffy tail dance.

Hats off!

Even though I tried to explain to Ferdy that this was a turtle's shell, he had other things in mind

My creative space

Is an order for Francis in the making ( yes that is a elephant head , get your mind out of the gutter)

and a bear head awaiting the decision ( and ears)
I haven't gotten as much done or as I would have liked this week in the bear/ami craft side of things.

This has been a difficult and challenging week this week in other areas of my life, where I've been struggling to keep my head above water, and haven't had as much time or emotional energy for more creative pursuits which I know always give me so much. Hopefully the weekend will allow more time and space for bears.

I hope you've had a wonderful and creative week, I hope I might see you over at Kirsty's

the other use for mohair

I don't blame her- it's very soft.

I think she's feeling like she's helping up with the ageing process.

Have a great Saturday

Bag lady

I've been looking for a nice big bag for a while now. And was sick of looking like a bogan carrying round those coles green enviro bags, and finding most tote bags not big enough and get dirty super quick. I tend to like and need to have more than one day on me at most times, Im on the go quite a lot flitting from place to place, different works etc and not being a driver I like to have heaps of crochet and bear things to do on the tram, a bottle water, an umbrella ( just in case) room for a scarf in case it gets cold and whatever else crap I need in there.( sometimes it's scary the things I find in my bags) Basically really my hoarding instinct is not just confined to the home.

i've been looking and looking for ages, second hand markets, etsy, op shops etc and not found anything I really loved or was big enough. ANd I didn't want to make on, because I can't make straight things.

I feel silly now as the answer had been staring me in the face. When i saw this glorious bag of Cam's I was immediately smitten, it seem just about the right size. Except someone else had basically beaten me to it.

She offered to make me another one, she said she had lots of vintage Australiana teatowels and was their anything I liked.

Echidnas and animals I replied. and while she thought Echidnas might be tough she might have some animals.

In total Cam fashion , she had searched and looked until she found the perfect thing. The extra trouble. That extra mile. Not only does my bag have lots of echidnas, it has all my other favourite Australian animals, wombats , platypus' and even a possum!

Thank you Cam soo much! I really really love it, and a more "me" bag " I do not think exists.

PS On other notes, I'm back with my baby- so my email's back to the normal jessmc@bigpond.com

I do love being squidgyandwonky- but I'm still not sure about gmail, and quite frankly I miss the dings and wooshes of mail.

PPS Squidgyandwonky isn't gone, it's just not my main email.

My creative Space

This is Clancy.

Clancy is a bit of a orphan bear, yearning and searching for his forever home and his special person. To be understood and excepted and loved for who he is where he feels safe and needed.

Because of his fragile, small appearance and quiet nature, Clancy is often over looked or not taken seriously, they don't know how despite outward appearances Clancy is very strong. He wouldn't have survived this long without enormous strength and will of character. He has so much love to give, is bursting to , and needs simply to be needed and loved and be able to share his life and offer all his has to offer to someone.

Clancy is my Softie for Mirabel, and I am confident the wonderful Pip and people at Mirabel will find Clancy his soulmate.

To see where it's all happening head of to My Creative Space headquarters, the none other than wonderful Kirsty.

Quick note

If anyone needs or wants to email me in the next few days please use squidgyandwonky@gmail.com instead of my usual one. My computers in hospital and so I'm borrowing my mums, when I can.

Will be back later with more. xo

GIddy Up horsey!!

There are two sacred days on a Melbourniens calender in my opinion. The Melbourne Cup and Grand Final Day. Today is the Cup, and for those overseas and not in the know, we have a public holiday because of a big horse race. So people can get pissed and gamble. I love it. Where else?

And I always watch and insist all I know to watch. And I will have a punt, my one time in the year. A dollar each way on a couple, never hurt anyone.I go by the Horse names I think- ones I think you could actually call a horse that sound like names rather than puns , this year I'm going for Harris Tweed ( OH Harris), Zipping and Master O'Reilly, who I seem to have undying loyalty despite never bringing it home - I think it's his 3rd time .

So I hope all of us lucky enough to live in Victoria, have a great day, watch the race, have a punt and maybe get lucky.

Giddy up Horsey , giddy up!!!

To be or not to be

that is the question.