Afternoon tea with Pommy

1. Harvest from my garden: Cherry tomatoes, baby eggplant, bok choy, baby spinach, rocket & lettuce

2. I had a friendly visitor for afternoon tea. He was entranced by banana cake and then had a laugh about it later.

3. Banana cake recipe: Pecan, banana, honey & cinnamon
Mix 1/2 cup honey, 5 tblsp melted butter, 1 egg, 3/4 cup self raising flour, 3/4 cup plain flour, tbsp cinnamon, (more sugar if desired), 2-4 mashed bananas depending on how sticky you like your banana cake and chopped pecans. Place more pecans and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Cook 180 deg until no cake mixture when poked with a skewer (or approx 1 hour).

4. My new Emily Green necklace that I bought at the Finders Keepers Markets and love so much
(Some more of my photos for the Weekend Edition from the Finders Keepers Markets)

5. Tasty blue water

6. I'm having a wooden badge sale over in my shop.

7. I love love love the new Harvest Workroom/Textiles range that has been featured on The Design Files this week.

(Img from: The Design Files   Photo taken by: Sean Fennessy )

I now have 5 days available each week to work on freelance work/personal projects. This is so exciting to me and I am filled with so much joy and satisfaction from getting this time. My 5 days seem to get crazy busy! I love that it's busy, however I need a new way to manage time so that I can at least get 1/2 day-1 day off doing nothing but being a lazy vegetable. I can take time off to do things that I enjoy and lots of fun distractions come a long, but I also have to make some sacrifices. Yesterday I went to see The Batman! so I stayed up until 3am getting more work done. Today I am getting a massage because prolonged sitting hours make me all stiff and old and my knees hurt because I sit cross-legged at the computer. There are many insecurities mixed with bouts and bursts of excitement.

Aim for this week: Exercise for at least 15-30 mins every day. Drink more home made juice. Stretch every 2 hours minimum.

Here is a good stretch that is awesome if you sit cross-legged/slouched at computer:
Piriformis Stretch - Cross right leg over left at knee. Clasp hands behind bottom leg and pull both legs towards your chest. Repeat with opposite leg. (Stretch should be felt in buttocks of crossed leg)
This stretch feels freaking amazing!

Here is a gig poster I illustrated for Kellee Green for her gig at the Brisbane Jazz Club - Sunday Brunch 

Time management & procrastinating

This week I've had a kick up the butt by my significant other. Bless him.
One phrase that stuck with me was, "You're better than this". Yes, I am better than this! hah! Thank you!
As well as a big discussion about my goals, fears, time management, skills and career options.
Geez, haven't you been reading my blog? I'm totes on it bebz! Or maybe I'm not.
This year is going so quickly!!! I need to pick up the pace and catch up.


So there is no better way to start this blog, than with an article on "The Art of Getting Things Done".
I read this article, ate breakfast, and got 3 things done. Huzzah!

But lets not forget the importance of animated gifs. Be careful not to get lost in the abyss.
This blog is just really funny: WHAT SHOULD WE CALL ME

Fireworks & Crazy Cat



These are just beautiful & interesting - taken from: IF WE DON'T, REMEMBER ME. Can you guess which movies they are from? Roll over with your mouse for the Answer.







Here are two articles on the struggles of freelancing.
The first is an opinion piece by illustrator Kelly Thompson: RIP IT UP AND START AGAIN
AND a response article by Lauren Winter of Blooming Leopold

One can also get easily distracted and deeply involved in talking to your best friend about whales, foxes, dogs and dolphins. "I love whales, I love foxes, I love dolphins, you love dogs, you love whales, I love whales too, dolphins, foxes, whales." Sometimes we get so intense about animal conversations, that we get lost in our own magical animal world and forget about what's going on around us. I think this is what it could look like:

I'm really obsessed with water colours at the moment. I guess because the result is so quick. I just love playing, experimenting, mixing and blocking out colours. These are all quick rough water colour sketches that take about 15mins each.

Saturday I went to my first ever baby shower.
Pregnant bellies are amazing and magical.
I made blue cupcakes and a nesting birds card to accompany a very cute 'Spot' the Dog toy.





Remember this?


This is what my studio looks like at the moment:
My studio area is a closed in veranda/sunroom and is surrounded by windows and great natural light! Since Christmas my studio has merged into a studio/dining room. It's probably time to move the kitchen table back into the kitchen, except that I love having two tables to work on! (We mostly eat dinner in front of the TV anyway! )
I like spreading myself out with water colours and paints and sketch books on one table, this table also has great lighting for photographing my work. On the other table I have my laptop, scanner & wacom tablet (and less glare on the laptop screen) for when I want to work digitally. I can roll between the two tables! Or roll my chair to the lounge room & say hello to my lover.




Here's a silly unicorn following its dreams.