What Keeps Me Together.

I am a woman of routine, as much as that drives me crazy its the truth. I hold myself together by doing things a certain way. As silly as that sounds, when you are juggling 50 million things, being a mum to two kids that are developing into their own personalities, being a loving fiance, planning a wedding for 60+ people, changing my lifestyle and losing weight, whilst fighting depression and trying to make a name for myself Art wise...something has to be there in place so that I don't lose the plot.

Now I've posted about my beautiful Malden in one of my latest posts, This is my new love, one that my darling fiance purchased for me, and it is just delightful to live in. It is handmade in Italy by many many talented craftsman and its second to none. A Gillio Medium dark Brown Compagna. She is holding my life together, keeping me 90% sane!

I never thought such a simple thing, could help me get so many aspect of my life in check. It's like My one woman show book.

I use a week on two pages, and have toyed with the idea of a week on one page with a notes page opposite, maybe next year I will trial that. I get our lives down in this book, from bills, to school things to remember, daycare days, letters I need to write to penpals, our weekend plans and so on. Using  highlighting stickers to make important things jump out at me.

I make my planner my own, with little drawings, stickers, bright tape and coloured pens, it helps me feel like I am in charge of my life, not the other way around.

My daily routine was an idea from a fantastic video by Joy over at enjoyette @youtube if you haven't seen her, do watch her filofax vids. they are some of the best I've seen.

I can move my tags around if my day is different, and I should have taken a new shot of this page, because now my work outs are at the crack of dawn lol and my blogging is later on in the day...I've got these post it flags on a hambly screen print dashboard - all my dividers are dashboards now.
Another idea from joy was context boards...which I quickly adopted into my own planner

they get checked off once they are done...the errands one has been replaced a few times already once all the jobs are done, a new board is put on. It's awesome, I love this idea.
Major daily things that MUST get done go into the weekily board.

my planner is where I go to remind myself of little important things...

it is where I store things that I know will make me smile when I flick to them

I don't just use mine as a planning tool, I also use my Gillio as a wallet...it is working so far, but I see another pocket sized Gillio in my horizon.
Some people may think its silly, or archaic, but for me...pen to paper is how I get through life be it art or writing...so paper planning is the only thing that makes sense to me...even if I am a digital girl in so many other areas of life, it will never be part of my planning life.

 I will do a more updated set up video soon, so keep an eye on that if that is something you would enjoy.
maybe paper planing is something that youre missing in  your life...
It keeps me together, it makes me happy...and I collect things that make me happy.

I will be more present within the walls of my little blog nook...enjoy your evening, and thankyou for reading.

xx Courtney

Art Geeks!

enjoy the video, and get snapping and glue and laying down that colour

oh where oh where have I been!

It's been a little while since my last post, and I am well aware of that! but where oh where have I been! I took a little adventure... one of my first alone in sydney and let me tell you..it was amazing.

I took a train...

and walked across the beautiful Sydney harbor to get to the entertainment center.

and I by chance, I fell into working alongside the lovely Jane Davenport. I helped Jane and her lovely hubby who had a bad back, so I stepped in, and what an experience it was! talking about art, and supplies, inspiring women at the craft and sewing show...it was some of the best times I've had in a long time....who wouldn't enjoy working amongst this!

 surrounded by beautiful artwork...

 working with a woman that has changed my life in many ways.

but dont fret, in my absence I have been arting, I haven't slacked off, my journal was on display with jane's at the show, but when I got her back into my hands, I opened her up and got lost in the pages again...here is some of my work from the last few days

catching up on some of my index cards, working on homework as a re take the I heart drawing class, to work out my issues with bodies and hands...

working on collages...to paint over

and finally being happy with a body shape!

and after having my peerless watercolours for over 6 months, I thought it was time I put them to use!

so while I've been gone...what have you been up to?

post your link in the comments I'd love to visit your blogs and see what you have been up to the last week! one of my favourite past times is blog hopping, with a bit of an art perve.

take care my lovelies

xx Courtney

a little crafty getaway.

I've finally settled down after a whirlwind time away on a crafty get away! I had the honour to attend my very first spinning camp.

It was one of the best times of my life. To be surrounded by so much wisdom, to just sit and stare at all the beautiful spinning wheels, and at the women who effortlessly spin beautiful yarns. My darling friend Lisa and I had fantastic few days together just being ourselves, crafty mummas who know how to have a great time! We laughed so hard our throats hurt, we knitted spun did stupid things everything a good camp should have!

I spent a night teaching miss lisa to crochet, something she vowed she would never be able to do, and now she is crocheting granny squares at the speed of light!

I watched the lovely Amanda knit socks, not once but like 3 times! shes got crazy dedication that woman, but very talanted.

I was lucky enough to get some really useful advice from one of the more advanced mature spinners, who made the spinning lightbulb finally come on! and look, I can spin really well!

I watched in awe as one of the lovely Armidale girls said she couldnt really spin all that well as she sits there quietly spinning something beyond beautiful thin and even.

it was the little things that I tried to capture.

There were trade tables and although Im completely sold out, Lisa had her delightful wares up for sale! And she did a roaring trade. Who wouldnt want to take some of her goodies home.

and to leave you with one of my favourite photos of the camp, watching lisa spin is pretty mesmerising but I dont tell her that, she might get a big head hehe.

Tomorrow Im off to Armidale to crash their Stitch and Bitch! two hours of laughing and knitting, oh and alot of yarn winding for me .

tea and yarn

Courtney xx

Day 16 - A photo a Day In August

a little crafting in the sun.

now I must sleep because its late.

xx Courtney

Day 14 + 15 Photo a Day In August.

Carrying my camera in my hand, and the almost spring sunlight on my face, I did a little soul searching through my lens. Where will the winds take me I say slowly...I look up and see this on an old porch. You don't see these lovely weather veins anymore so I had to snap it before it disappeared.

A little tint of something a little fun and a feel for the old me.

enjoy the last moments of the weekend

take your camera out and have a photo affair with it...you'll fall in love all over again.

For more photos for August, pop on over Megan's Blog to check them out.

tea and yarn

Courtney xx

Day 13- A photo a day in August+Creative Space

I kept a journal for so many years, it was all I was about. It was something that lived in my handbag and never left my side. Then I became a mum, and I love being a mum, but at the same time the journaller in me sort of ran off to the shadows. I am trying to recapture that part of me again. So the journal above I've had for several years, and never used...it always spoke to me now Im listening. This will be the book of my life, every little detail no matter how silly or boring, this book will keep it. Wish me luck!

For more Creative Spaces pop on over to Kootoyoo's blog

and for more photos for August, click over to The Byron Life's Blog

Day 12 - A Photo A day in August.

Its always a beautiful day when you get mail, today was that day for me, I was given this beautiful handspun yarn as a thankyou present for helping my lovely friend Lisa have a blog she can smile about. I didnt do much so this is a stunning gift for such little effort on my part. I still need to figure out what to knit with it, something for me, because they are deffinately my colours.

For more photos pop on over to The Bryon Life's Blog to see whos playing!

enjoy your afternoon sunlight. If you like this beautiful handspun, take a peak at her wonderous shop...Knot Your Nannas Knits has everything you could want, to spin your own yummies, or even buy some prespun, its a really lovely treat for any knitter! Every girl needs a little handspun love.

Day 11 - Photo a Day In August.

The Wild Lavender is flowering again after a long winter. I've watched these little lovelies, flower then die for winter and now like magic flower again. I adore their colour, Im going to pick a bunch of lavender for my desk tomorrow.

For more photos, pop on over the The Byron Life's Blog to see the list of players!

Day 9 and 10 - A photo a Day in August.

My two catch up photos, my battery is finally charged, and I was able to photograph two moments in my day to represent the two days I needed to catch up on. This little soft soul, is Cocoa, shes a little pony in our friends front part of their property. Shes a gentle little thing and stares right into your soul.

A little beauty even though the pavement, it finds a way to grow and bloom brightly. I need to take a leaf out of this little flowers book.

For more photos a day, click over to The Byron Life's Blog

tea and yarn

Courtney

catch up. Day 8 A photo a day in August

I was ment to post my photo, then I got side tracked playing chase with my little boy, a single mummy moment not a perfect photo but one thats beautiful and everything I could want in a family shot. I havent got a photo for today as my battery for my camera finally ran down, so its having a big charge before I use it again. So tomorrow, two photos!

For more photos pop on over to The Byron Life's Blog

xx Courtney

Day 7 - A photo a day in August

Something a little more crafty today, experimenting with my light box, and just trying to re invent my blog header ala no muse ideas yet! This Beautiful yarn was a custom spin by the utterly talented spinster Lisa, from Not Your Nanna's Knits!

Im now going to curl up on the couch and wish my cough away.

For more photos, pop on over to The Byron Life's Blog

tired now my dears

xx Courtney

Day 6 - Creative Space + A photo a day in August.

Killing two birds with one stone today as Im run off my feet with the kids. Today amongst looking at houses to rent, shopping for kids clothes and sending mail, I captured my desk atm, a hive of mess and creating. A little shrug knitted for an order, yarn dyed by me of course hehe I love it, just finishing off the dress to match this little cute number!

For more creative spaces pop on over to Kootooyoo's Blog

and for more ' A photo a day in August' posts, skip over to The Byron Life's Blog!

look at me multitasking!

enjoy the evening

tea and yarn

Courtney xx

Day 5 - A Photo a day In August

Five bright red balloons sitting beautifully amongst the tangled sticks and spider webs.

a little glimpse of whats outside my bedroom window.

For more of todays photos pop on over to The Byrons Life's Blog for the list!

On another note, my op shop finds yesterday, quirky cups for my little collection of missmatch. Hubby and I decided it was time to collect odd cups to make us smile, so these are our first little gems, so retro and random but they both made us smile especially the retro umbrella mug lol.

enjoy your afternoons, sip tea happily from a silly mug.

Tea and Yarn Courtney

xxx

Day 4 - A Photo a day In August

In the little wooden boat lay a river of flowers, they filled the silent moments in time.

enjoy the beautiful photos from the people playing this little photographic adventure

check out The Bryon Life's Blog to have a photo perve.

tea and yarn Courtney xx

Day Three - A Photo a day In August.

beyond the door there is another world.

check out the other photos for this day at The Byron Life's Blog

xx Courtney

Day Two - A photo a Day In August

Total afternoon freedom. Playing together like children, laughter silly and alot of great jumping.

If you would like to play along with the photo a day, pop on over to The Byron Life's Blog and join up, or just look up the others playing. Until tomorrow jump for joy.

A photo a Day In August.

I decided to play along with The Byrons Life's little inspirational challange. To post a photo a day for the entire month of august, since having my new camera I havent given her a true run for her money so Im dedicating myself to get a photo a day, and not just anything something lovely.

Today the sun was out, lily and I sat on a big blanket for a few hours just enjoying the sunlight. I explored the back garden to fine this little treat.

enjoy the saturday sunlight.

tea and yarn

Courtney xx