Today was my first day back at university. Because it is my final year (of my degree, I'm still going to do a two year masters afterwards), I was allocated my own desk and space in the uni to set myself up and work from, which felt kind of special. I haven't filled my space with anything yet, but I'll be going in tomorrow to pin some things up, inspiration and the like, and to start working. I am feeling really positive about the year, though I really don't have much of an idea what my final project will look like at the moment.




My bike is looking a bit naked at the moment because I took the lovely skirt guard and back fender off. I'll put them back on soon, but my back fender has broken in two and was rattling around on my back tyre and I've been meaning to fix it for forever, though I'm still not entirely sure how. I assume it's made of aluminium and that I'll have to solder it back together or something. Bummer.

My university campus is about a four minute bike ride from my house, so riding there each day was a given. My hours this semester are great (no early mornings! no long days!) so I can continue breastfeeding and spending as much time with Theo (and C) as I can. A lady I'm friends with at uni just had a baby and is bringing her sweet little 3 month old girl, Daisy, to classes! I'm not so game with my fidgety, gets-into-everything, chatterbox almost 9 month old.

One of my zine idols, Vanessa Berry, asked me if I'd like to do a supermarket themed zine swap and I decorated this envelope to send my zine in. I am still going to sell a few copies of the zine but have decided to add a bit more to it and should have it finished by the end of the week. Stay tuned.

I thought I'd make a printable envelope based on the one above, so here it is.
Feel free to download it and print it and post it!




I recommend printing it onto thin card stock, using a bone folder to make nice clean creases in the card stock and fastening the side tabs together with double sided tape or strong glue.



You can access other free printable things I've made here.

Today we went for a walk to the Heritage Forest (much less nice than the name would imply, but still, a nice place to walk) and gave Theo another go on the swings. He loved them last time, but this time it was a bit too soon after a nap and he was less keen (or a bit like "Um, what is happening? Where am I? What are you doing to me?"). Afterwards we walked to the supermarket and decided to do our fortnightly shop without our car, so Theo's pram was packed full of stuff and probably carried about 50kg worth of groceries!




Just before I found out I was pregnant with Theo I started trying to get the black dye out of my hair and return to something like my natural colour (very light ashy blonde). It took a lot of work and money and I was never really able to get it to a colour that it could grow into and I hated the look of the regrowth and the damage that lightening did to my hair (that's why I cut it short *weeps*). I have always loved having black hair and wished that it wasn't the complete opposite of my natural colour. So, I'm back to the colour I love the most and that I feel most comfortable with. My almost white regrowth makes it look like I have bald spots and I have to touch it up about once a month, but I'm happiest this way (and it matches my eyebrows!).



"What are you trying to do to me?"



I like the look he's giving me.

+ PS. My dress is from Dotti (on special yay!), Theo's overalls are thrifted and his cat shirt is from Target.

Today I spent the whole day cleaning my house. It felt good. I love this house so much and it feels good to be good to it.

I have one week before I go back to university and I know that it is going to be a huge year, so I want to spend the next week sorting out my office, unpacking the last lingering boxes, watching some new shows with C (The Bridge & Rectify) and on the floor playing with Theo. Here are some pictures from my (not so) lazy Sunday afternoon.


I finally found a kitchen table I liked for our tiny dining space and made a 2 hour round trip yesterday in the rain by myself to pick it up. I had been scouring opshops and Gumtree for an old laminex table but I thought this one suited the house more, even if it doesn't go with my bright orange vinyl swivel chairs. I am a bit addicted to Gumtree.


I really like spending time in Theo's room. Today I hung up some more pictures (with help from my tall husband).


We have an enormous lavender bush in our backyard and despite the bees' protests, it was time to harvest it. Sadly everything in the garden is dying down, ready for a cold Tasmanian Winter. I'm going to give some friends bunches of the lavender for their homes.


Rigby is a lot happier at this house. In our previous house, the two young boy cats weren't allowed outside and would relentlessly bully Rigby to the point where she would pick a space in a room and stay there for days. She's actually a little bit affectionate now and doesn't mind being around us or the other cats.


Mesca is good at glaring.


Earlier in the week we made a quick trip to Hobart to see DJ Shadow. International acts rarely come to Tasmania, especially ones we love, so I jumped at the chance. I bought the tickets in secret and organised for our lovely friend Mel to mind Theo and surprised C with the tickets as an anniversary present (5 years together!) - before the show we went to a fantastic burger place and I picked this Lucky Beer for C to have with his burger and made him keep the bottle for a vase. Unfortunately neither of us enjoyed the show (a combination of a bad venue for the type of music, patrons who danced violently and stomped on my feet, the sound being ear-drum-burstingly-loud and the act not really living up to our expectations). That was a long story to tell you where I got a bottle!


I always thought bathrooms were ugly places never to be photographed, but our new bathroom is pretty cute. I love prints of mountainous landscapes with rivers and I think this one works really well in this space, like a little portal into another world.


You know how there are those days when you hate every item of clothing that you own and feel like you have nothing to wear? Thankfully I don't seem to have those days any more - I have so many dresses I love.


Tintin and C in the kitchen.


A bit chipped, but I still love the colours.


Getting ready to roast some cherry tomatoes (given to us by our neighbour) and rosemary from our garden.


My boy and his toys. Today while I was cleaning he went through my shoe collection and became totally fixated on a pair of red t-strap high heels. He just sat there holding them and turning them around in his hands. I thought I'd put them on and show him what they were for and he followed me around trying to grab them!


Another spot Rigby enjoys.