gratitude

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Firstly thanks so much for your words and thoughts, they help more than you know.

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On blog rounds I have also been inspired by 31 experiment who is doing a series of posts on gratitude, and ShineaLittleLight's post about thankfulness, which got me onto this super little blog thxthxthx which features a thank you note a day. Like the ones above.

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I also read this week that a study found that after writing down things they were grateful for, after a few weeks people were 25% happier. TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT people!

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So I have a little red notebook, and I will start a thank you list, a bit like 1000 awesome things, every day write a few more in until I get to one thousand. Every day has things in it that I am thankful for, even if they've happen a thousand times before. Every day is full of things I am thankful for, if I look for them, and I will write them down.

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Number one is going to be you.

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Pepper is currently experiencing technical difficulties.

My mum always said, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

So I've been a bit quiet lately. I have been a bit gray. Sad, and scared and lonely. Not all the time, but sometimes all at once.

I don't want to have a ultra-sweetener blog that is always sunny. It's part of me, and right now I'm a bit gray. I thought I would just let you know that I'm still here, and I am enjoying reading your blogs and your thoughts and everyday lives. I hope you will stick with me in the gray, and soon I will return to normal multi-colour services.

x Pepper

reading alone in my fort

via starstrings, floating in the blue and booktumbling

even cuter than I imagined

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I have never made a giraffe before, so I made two from the soft woollen blankets (that are shrinking fast as I chop them to bits), with soft fur manes. These guys have no hard parts or wire or buttons to get into little mouths, so suitable for babies and small children, and they turned out even cuter than I imagined. In my store.

Next, a bird, a bear and the ballerina monster (oh I haven't forgotten him, don't worry!)

I hope your weekend is just lovely!

write love on your arm today

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.*****To Write Love On Her Arms Day is a day where anyone can write the words love on their arms, to support those who are fighting against depression and those who are trying to recovering.

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On this day, just write love on your arms, and show it off, other people will ask why you have love written on your arms, and you tell them you are supporting to write love on her arms day, and how its benefiting a non profit organization helping stop depression, and make love the movement.

It's today. (edit: it was yesterday. Doh!)

(facebook)

feeling lost

'passive agressive' acrylic on printed plate, 2009 by Alastair Levy

“ you lost your way home, and you felt like a passenger left by the road, well I’ll tell you the reason you couldn’t get home, cos home is nowhere you’ve been and it’s nowhere you’re going, home is only a feeling you get in your mind from the people you love and travel beside, you may feel like a passenger, but now you’re the driver, you’ve got to keep travelling and travelling on, cos if you break down, it’s a cold hard shoulder , so fuel up your mind and fire up your heart , and drive on, drive on, and when your days are darker, put your foot down harder and drive on
fuel up - stornoway

(via)

Ogres.are not. like cakes.

The theme for this week's (last weeks?) My Place and Yours meme from Meet Me At Mikes is My secret weapon.

It is, a little unexpectedly even to me; animated kids movies. I love to have them on in the background as I stitch or stuff or knit. They are cheerful (mostly) funny (with adult jokes interwoven that go over kids heads) and distracting enough so that I don't get bored with counting rows, but not so distracting that I sew ears on backwards. I think from working with kids too, they remind me of simple times and they way they would laugh uproariously and repeat the best lines over and over.

Whatever it is, I started small with Shrek and Shrek 2. Now whenever I've had a glum day, I know that picking up a new one and picking up some thread will make me calm and sort me out.

I probably own more kids movies than a grown woman without children should, but I mean to have some one day, so it's an investment, right?

(and the title of this post? arguably my favourite bit of Shrek. Parfait may be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet)

knitti gritti

Over in Melbourne there, as part of a community-based, contemporary arts and cultural festival Big West Festival, they have plans to knit an entire bridge. A whole bridge man.

If you're in Melbourne you can watch the daily progression of the Big Knit onsite at the Stockbridge during the festival and there'll be a casting-off celebration on Sat 28 November. Otherwise you can follow the progress on lovely blog Three Buttons (she'll be walking by every day) and also the Big Knit blog.

If that wasn't awesome enough, the festival is also working on an extensive guerrilla knitting campaign across the neighbourhood, with the help of hundreds of knitters.

yes. yes it is.

I like this shirt. Buy it here.

clothes from the blue of the sky

these gorgeous prints are from Freya Art & Design, via Down & Out Chic.

From her post:

Remember, there's beauty all around, sometimes it takes longer to find, but it's there. I have to remind myself, in the hardest of times that it's often my attitude that blocks the goodness being offered to me.

Precisely, Uh-huh. Love the prints, love the words.

festival love

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Newtown Festival, in My Favourite Park, Sunday 8th November

Little bit? Little bit.

Flight of the Concords paper dolls. Rock'n'Roll. You can download the template here to make your own, from Morgan Gleave Design. I do like Brett and Germaine. I think I'm a little bit in love.

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(via peppermags)

antlers away!

I thought I'd never say it, but maybe I have made enough scarves for now? Perhaps? This could be the beginning of the end for scarves, and the start of something new..

I went to the fabric store this morning *sigh* in the city, paused to wonder at christmas displays and moving puppets in the windows, had a nice train ride, and only spent 100 bucks. I have fur for monsters and rick rack to try something new, and some fine cream tulle that I couldn't go past. Monster ballerina? It could work, yes?

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(p.s.) I'm updating this guy and the others in my shop now

just bought

this book. looking forward to going home and flicking through with a cup of tea and a weekend in front of me.
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Oh yeah.

I'm a fan of yours

Dear Alcohol,

First and foremost, let me tell you that I’m a huge fan of yours.
As my friend, you always seem to be there when needed. The perfect post-work cocktail, a beer at the game, and you’re even around at the holidays (hidden inside chocolates as you warm us when we’re stuck in the midst of endless family gatherings).
However, lately I’ve been wondering about your intentions. While I want to believe that you have my best interests at heart, I feel that your influence has led to some unwise consequences:

1. Phone Calls and text messages: While I agree with you that communication is important, I question the suggestion that any conversation after 2 a.m. can have much substance or necessity. Why would you make me call my ex’s? Especially when I know, for a fact, they DO NOT want to hear from me during the day, let alone all hours of the night.

2. Eating: Now, you know I love a good meal. But, why do you suggest that I eat a taco with chili sauce along with a big Italian meatball and some stale chips (washed down with wine & topped off with a Kit Kat AFTER a few cheese curls & chili cheese fries)? I’m an eclectic eater but, I think you went too far this time.

3. Clumsiness: Unless you’re subtly trying to tell me that I need to do more yoga to improve my balance, I see NO need to hammer this issue home by causing me to fall down. It’s completely unnecessary, and the black & blue marks that appear on my body mysteriously the next day are beyond me. Similarly, it should never take me more than 45 seconds to get the front door key into the lock.

4. Furthermore: The hangovers have GOT to stop! This is getting ridiculous. I know a little penance for our previous evening’s debauchery may be in order. But, the 3 p.m. hangover immobility is completely unacceptable. My entire day is shot. I ask that if the proper precautions are taken (water, vitamin B, bread products, aspirin) prior to going to sleep/passing out (face down on the kitchen floor with a bag of popcorn or wherever). The hangover should be minimal and in no way interfere with my daily activities.

Alcohol, I have enjoyed our friendship for some years now and would like to ensure that we remain on good terms. You’ve been the invoker of great stories, the provocation for much laughter, and the needed companion when I just don’t know what to do with the extra money in my pockets.

In order to continue this friendship, I ask that you carefully review my grievances above and address them immediately. I will look for an answer no later than Friday 3 p.m. (pre happy hour) on your possible solutions. And hopefully we can continue this fruitful partnership.
Thank you,

Your Biggest Fan

(via)

Jackson vs Bean

(via)

antlers take two

A monster from last week. Sun still wasn't out, but the dining table did the trick. He'll be in the shop soon (although I was considering keeping him.. He could, you know, guard something). Do you like him?

where the magic happens..

I often have lots of ideas for posts on the fly and are too busy to post, then of course when I have a moment to sit down at home, in front of the computer with a cup of tea, I can't.think.of.a.single.thing.

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This is (another) reason I love memes. Easy, sharing something interesting, linking with other bloggers and indulging in curiousity by seeing what everyone else does too.

This week's My Place and Yours is Blog HQ, hosted by Pip. Please excuse the clutter, we have a friend staying, so everything is kind of compressed to fit the fold out couch. To the right there is the kitchen where my housemates cook dinner and chat to me at my desk. My desk, where I write posts and look at photos, spend hours reading blogs and news and watching inane clips on youtube or silly pictures of animals with captions. Yes, I am one of those people.

Speaking of silly, I find it silly that sometimes I find myself spending all day on my computer at work, then jot home so I can spend half the night on one too. Remember when they didn't exist? Whatever did we do?

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If you squint hard at this little photo, you might see the unicorn I found, the fish-with-no-name, that little turtle, Anne of Green Gables, part of a boardgame collection and a new monster waiting to go into the shop.

my sentiments exactly

via toothpaste for dinner

What the hell happened? I knew October was ending, but somehow November always creeps up and scares to crap out of me. Where has the year gone, where was I, and where do I want to be for the next one?
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And am I going to go through the pretence of making my own Christmas cards again only to procrastinate and spend the 5 days before Christmas madly sticking stars on cardboard and recklessly slashing my friend list so I am frickin' done already?