C hates it when I use the word 'miscellanea'. When we were packing boxes to move we ended up putting a variety of things in each box so I would just write 'kitchen miscellanea' or 'loungeroom miscellanea' or just 'miscellanea' in texta on the top of each box, then once they went into storage it was impossible to distinguish what was inside each box because they were all 'miscellaneous'. Ha.


^ Yesterday's feet. In Australis 'Sweetpea'. C bought me a few different shades of pretty nail polish in exchange for me not biting my fingernails any more. So far, no biting. He even let me paint his fingernails on one hand; purple and green :D I often tell him he could be a hand model. He has very elegant hands, mine are stubby and rough and bitten and I refuse to show them to the internet.


^ Launceston sunset.


^ Rigby and Mesca - this is probably the closest I have ever seen them lie together; they're mother and daughter and they seem to hate each other's company.

Things people have searched for and found my blog; 'bearded lips honey', 'cheeming boey', 'jersey blazer 37', 'prostitutes in islington', 'sneezure', 'sociopath niece', 'sparkly shoe clip art', 'spewnicorn', 'aldi nsw 2296', 'harmless sociopaths', 'hot dog jumping frog albuquerque', 'making spoons'. (Nothing compared to what searches people have made and found Brodie's blog).

^ andrea sciascia.

Megan of The Ever Dazzling posted a 'Things To Be Thankful For' list today and I thought I might do the same. A kind of gratitude list;

• Tasmanian weather; I braved my first Tasmanian Winter and it was nowhere near as unbearable as I'd been told. I have thoroughly enjoyed the coat, scarf, mitten, beanie wearing, hot chocolate-sipping weather and being able to ride my bike without feeling hot and gross, though I'm looking forward to slightly longer days and a little more sunshine. Launceston Summers average a temperature of about 25˚C (77˚F) - nothing like Newcastle's 44˚C (111˚F) days, so I'll probably still be able to pull out the warm clothes I love. I feel very comfortable in this kind of weather and the air is so delicious and fresh :D
  
  
• Uplifting mail; I am lucky enough to receive at least one item of good mail every day, and sometimes someone's sweet words from across the globe can just set you off on your day with a great feeling. Sally's letter did that for me yesterday. Likewise, you internet folk are lovely. Thank you very much for the kind comments left on my second last post. I'm feeling far more positive already.
  
  
• Having somewhere lovely to stay; I've been grumbling a lot about not having found a house yet and once C's parents return on Monday we'll all be sharing the same roof until a house presents itself, but their home is a pleasure to stay in, a very welcoming, pretty and deliciously warm abode in a lovely suburb. It still kind of feels like being on holidays here and there's nowhere else I'd rather be (except in a house of my own).
  
  
• My boyfriend; I don't say much about him here (including his name) but he is high on my list of things to be grateful for. He's the loveliest man I've ever met and he treats me far better than I ever thought I deserved.
  
  
• Some blogs I'm grateful for lately (in no particular order); Intelligence Is The New Black, Lady Croissant, Love Katyha, The Art of Staying Up All Night, The Perfect Compilation Tape, Much Love Anna, The Ever Dazzling, With Love and Swallow, Queenie & The Dew, Pugly Pixel, Our City Lights, A Girl and Her Blog, Letters She Wrote, Cerebral Excrement, The Secret Tea Party, Make Do and Mend, Time After Tea, It's Gonna Be A Lovely Day, The House of Hearts, Missive Maven, Dolce Vita Micaela, Sylvia May, Deleting The Adjectives, In Our Bedrooms, The Tea Children, Make Tea Not War, Blackbird Corner, Being Blanche, Gracie Bella Butterfly, High Maintenance Hippy, Very Dark Horse, For The Easily Distracted and a whole bunch more and anyone who is kind enough to read this blog.
  

Also, some found giveaways;
- Rachel B. is having an Impossible Project giveaway - win yourself 3 packs of highly coveted Polaroid film, here (17th Sept).
- It is Rhianne's birthday today and she's giving away four different sweet prizes to celebrate, here (17th Sept).
- Sweet Gracie is having a giveaway including a gratitude journal and some of her Etsy goodies, here (18th Sept).
- Allana (aka High Maintenance Hippy) is having a 'brown paper packages tied up with string' Spring giveaway, here (19th Sept).
- Project You is giving away two of Rhianne's pretty prints, here.
- Green Tea & Red Nails is giving away a lovely bundle of things, here (20th Sept).

Newcastle, the city I just moved from, hosts a big annual festival called This Is Not Art (or TiNA for short) and 2010's installment is going to kick off very soon. All manner of fun, crafty, artsy things go on throughout the festival and my personal favourite is the big Sunday Zine Fair & markets. Susy Pow, zine lady and this year's Sunday Fair coordinator (and my friend), asked me to put together a poster to promote this year's fair and I thought I'd share it. Sadly this year I am 1500kms away from Newcastle and won't be able to attend, but I thoroughly encourage any Novocastrians (or wayward travellers) to attend. I'm sending my sister along with some coins to select and send me back some fair goodies. Last year I only gave myself a budget of $30 but I came home with so much stuff.



(This is the version of the poster without the logos at the bottom, hope Susy doesn't mind!)

^ Simple Blueprint September Calendar (via pieces of e).


I'm a bit late as I try to do these things on a weekly basis, but finally, here is a bundle of good mail that has been finding me lately;


^ Micaela's package arrived a little post-bruised, but its contents stayed intact and were delightful! I am so in love with the crocheted doily she sent that her mum made, and in red and white, she must know my taste! Another fabulous missive from miss M.


^ My belated BPS postcard for July from a lady named Pam. Gorgeous and thoroughly worth the wait.


^ A fabulous piece of mail art from IUOMA mail artist Sergio Della Giustina. I'll definitely be getting my pens and scissors and glue ready to make a postcard in reply soon.


^ One of sweet New Zealand mummy Stella's beautiful printed envelopes, containing a grand letter and some of her Frank & Dean postcards that I love. She sells some of her pretty paper wares here.


^ A pelican in my mail box from the Missive Maven - I'm going to try to scribble down a letter to her tonight.

Today's mail;


^ My lunch and the letters I pulled out of the mailbox today.


^ A sweet note from my sister in Newcastle. I just spoke to her on the phone and I miss her.


^ A deliciously decorated letter from Elisabeth in Norway. I am so going to sprinkle those stars in every letter.


^ My second letter from Mariah and a very lovely one.


^ Postal sweetness from Carla, her letters are some of my favourites.


^ My first letter from Hungarian miss Fanni. I love receiving sweet bundles of postcards, and the ones she included are awesome.


^ The goodies in this letter were squeal-worthy. My favourite, without a doubt, is the little package of 'Girls With Big Hair' stickers. So good. And, wonderful goodies accompanied a wonderful letter from Kaatje.




^ Free postcards for Bria who is on exchange in Sweden.


^ Postcard number one goes to my newest internet-pen-friend, a sweet Taiwanese miss named Kiyasu Oka. And the second cat-flavoured postcard I believe was my final BPS mail out.


^ A late letter to sweet miss Crystal in Quebec.


^ A mix cd package for a girl I went to high school with. Hope she digs it :)

I've been feeling really lacklustre over the past few weeks. I haven't been doing my university work, I haven't been writing letters and I haven't been doing much of anything. It takes hours to fall asleep and when I do, I sleep too much and feel exhausted and I find it impossible to will myself to get up. I can't concentrate or convince myself to do anything that I think I might enjoy and I don't want to be awake most of the time, but I can't sleep. I cry when I have nothing to cry about. Not having my own space and staying in someone else's house indefinitely has a lot to do with feeling down, but I've been feeling very bad for some time.

I know I could have omitted these things and nobody would be any the wiser, but just wanted to let you know, because I think it's important to acknowledge when feeling down becomes something that you're more accustomed to than feeling up. And I wondered why I felt so afraid and ashamed to share how I'm feeling. I pay my physical health far more attention than my emotional or mental well-being and I think it's probably time to seek some help. I'm finding that making note of small things to achieve each day, finding things to look forward to and getting out of the house are helping (although the house did lock me outside today for two hours!). I am very fortunate to be with someone who comforts and cares for me in all the right ways (and leaves me alone at the right times too) and I couldn't ask for anything more from him. He is one very positive constant.

How are you feeling today?