Creeks

Well, I have spent a good part of the last week trying to find a suitable photo for this week’s - Creek entry. Actually I like the sound of that…Creek Week, but it’s Creek Week and I have no photo!

It’s because I have in my mind so many special memories of playing in the creek near our house as a kid – that I wanted an actual photo of the creek – or of the creek I can see in my memory. In real life I think the creek is actually called Balcombe Creek.

I grew up in what used to be a little seaside village on the Mornington Peninsula – called Mt Martha. Now I think it’s some fancy pants suburb but back when I was a kid it was paddocks and cows (& the odd scary bull), magpies that swooped you on the way to school, field mushrooms as big as dinner plates, heaps of pine cones that we would collect and burn in the open fire, dirt roads, going to play with my little kindy friend Ella under the big Pine tree in the paddock that separated our houses, lighting fires in the driveway (ok…I only did that once and I was testing out my ‘newly learnt’ girl guide building a camp fire skills), feeding the horses after school, fanging round on my bike with my pink or was it yellow? Stackhat (remember those? What a great name – ‘Stackhat’) anyway I digress. This entry is supposed to be about creeks and how they make my heart sing …..so…the photos above I’m sorry will have to paint the picture for you on my love of creeks.

The walking track photo was taken at the summit of Mt Martha and reminds me of the bush I used to spend hours exploring (now I think back – I would disappear for almost a whole day and my mother would never know where I was – but now I am a mother – my daughter Kitty isn’t even allowed to play in the front yard by herself….mmmm, how times have changed or is it just where we live?).

Anyway the other photo is of me – aged about 8 or 9 I think. The one thing that really struck me about it – was that I have no shoes on and really dirty feet – sums up nicely the fun I had as a kid I think. Poor Kitty is not even allowed to walk outside without shoes on…..makes me want to bundle her up, take her to the bush (somewhere with a big beautiful creek), take her shoes off and splash!

Craft Markets

I have always loved craft markets. As a girl my parents took me to the Red Hill market and over the years I have been to countless markets as a visitor and in the last few years as a stallholder.

About four years ago I had an idea to start a local craft market in the small suburb of Seddon where I live. I had met many talented local artists and craftspeople who were all looking for an outlet to sell and showcase their work and I too wanted that opportunity for myself – close to home.

By networking within the community and meeting like-minded individuals – eventually after about two years of talking about it to anyone who would listen - the Maribyrnong Makers Market (MMM) was born.

Now up and running and in its second year – the MMM has become a fantastic quarterly ‘must come to’ event. Run by a Committee of dedicated volunteers – the MMM is a not for profit community based craft market which showcases the beautiful and high quality work of our local crafts people and artists.

Each market as I finish setting up my stall – I whip around to marvel at all the beautiful things our stallholders have been crafting…..what a clever bunch of people!

The next market is on

Saturday 2 May - 10am to 3pm
Seddon Uniting Church Hall
Cnr Gamon & Mackay Sts
Seddon - Mel Ref 42 A7

I’d love to see you there!

More information on the market can be obtained from our website www.maribyrnongmakersmarket.com.au

Colour

When I was 11 my mother did a make-over on my room. We were allowed to pick any paint colour we liked and then she bought us some coordinated bed linen. My sister picked mauve and I chose yellow. A really sunny, vibrant, warm yellow.

I loved it when I got home from school and the afternoon sun would stream in my windows and my walls would glow. I was happy in that yellow room. I think one of the reasons I chose yellow was because at my dear friend Ella’s house down the road – her Mother had decorated their sun-room in yellow. There were big opulent sofas with feather cushions covered in bright marrimekko fabric and the most gorgeous Mirka Mora paintings on the wall…I’ll never forget that room. We weren’t really allowed to play in there but we did – and I loved it.

I think that this time in my life was the true beginning of my love affair with colour. I dressed myself in all sorts of wonderful colours (modelled on Punky Brewster & Cyndi Lauper) and decided that I wanted to be a fashion designer when I grew up.

The photo above shows my colour cube – which was a puzzle I found at the National Geographic shop. It was pretty tricky to put together and now lives in my studio. It’s quite sculptural I think and reminds me of the way I put my scarves together - in that they are squares of colour in tints and shades of one hue. Colour definitely makes my heart sing!

Coffee first thing in the morning

As soon as is humanly possible I have a cup of coffee when I get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes if I am lucky enough I have one in bed without having to leave the bed to make it….what a treat!

Since I have had children this is a very rare occasion. Usually – everyone in the house gets fed (including the cats) and then I get to sit down and have one. My husband (god love him) usually makes me a stove top espresso (I only drink real coffee…so no instant in this house!).

When he made me the one above this morning…..I whipped it away for a quick photo before I had a taste. When I eventually got to it – it was deliciously creamy and perfectly made. What a great start to my morning. Thanks love.

On the week-ends we often go out to a local café for breakfast (we are spoilt for choice here in Seddon) and I have noticed that they have all perfected the art of getting your coffee to you straight away before you have ordered your meal……got to love the fact that they know without coffee in your system your brain has trouble functioning enough to read the menu. It’s like a reward for just making it to the café in one piece! Skinny latte with one sugar thanks….ahhhh…..heaven!

Champagne

Give me any excuse to crack a bottle of sparkling and I’ll be there with bells on. The anticipation and sound of the cork popping and the celebratory nature of this special nectar - make it a true favourite of mine.

When I think back over all the special moments in my life – champagne has been there to help me celebrate - graduating from study, getting engaged and then married, the birth of my children, celebrating a house warming……all these special moments that make up my story.

There’s also the memory of partying till the wee hours with girlfriends – glass of champers in hand, popping a bottle on a Friday night at home on the couch to celebrate the end of the working week, raising a glass to toast a dear friend or loved one at birthdays and weddings, celebrating those special family get togethers like Christmas and just opening a bottle for no reason other then pure enjoyment.

One of my all time favourite gifts from a dear friend was a 6 pack of Moet & Chandon Piccolos. What an absolute treat! There was just enough in each bottle to have two glasses, so perfect for sharing with someone special. They were savoured and shared and loved. Let’s raise our glass and toast – to happy memories and good times! Cheers!