Discovering - 7 new music finds

Last weekend the planets were at the Blue Mountains music festival - not too far from here.
We've been going for a few years and one of the joys of it is that you never know who you might discover.
There are 7 stages, it's not a huge festival, it's easy to get around. So if you are not taken with the act you are watching you move on.......

There were no really huge big names playing the festival this year but that doens't mean that the quality was any less or that it wasn't fun. Hey! it was heaps of fun!

We also caught up with a few old favorites - Lior, Eleanor McEvoy, Jeff Lang.....and here are my new finds for this year.

Flap!
Something old but in a new way.
1920s dance meets calypso.
So cute and so fun!

Blair Dunlop
I like folk - oh yes I do.
A mix of old school folk with a touch of David Gray.
I'm smitten kitten.

(Have a look at thisfor some bleak old english countryside)

The Tiger and Me
Another heaps of style, heaps of energy, heaps of fun.
Described in the program as "cabaret/circus/euro indie folk-pop"
We were all smitten by the guy up-front who is a dark-haired dead ringer for our son.

The Good Lovelies
I didn't think I would like them.
Meh! Banjo - I said.
But we popped in and happened upon this number >

Swamp Thing
Great energy blues duo.
Great to listen to at 10.30 in the morning - well someone has to do it!
I couldn't find a youtube clip to do them justice, but if you get the chance - check them out if you like raucous blues with grunt.

Jesse Valach & Blues Mountain
These guys were Mr planet's festival pick.
Blues, soul, tightness.

Ash Grunwald
OK, so Ash isn't that new....he si just new to me.
My daughter recommended and we obeyed.
Fabulous high energy and so good to see the new generation of bluesmen coming through.
This is a really cool film clip with surfing as well as singing.
Have a look.

7 movies

My local video shop has a great Wednesday special - 7 movies for $5. Weekly movies, so they are not the latest releases but it is a fab opportunity for me to catch up on the films that I've missed.

I must admit it's a bit of a chore to watch a movie every day.....but I did my best!

And here they are.

1. Cloud Atlas.

I loved the book by David Mitchell.
Not sure about the movie.
One of the things I loved about the book was its structure and the movie adopts a different way of telling the different, but linked stories.
I think if you haven't read the book then the movie would be more confusing, but I'm not sure I totally understand the book either!


2. Silver Linings Playbook.

Predictable but enjoyable.
Well acted, nicely filmed.
Funny, heartwarming, feel good.
Nothing wrong with that.

3. Life of Pi.

I loved the book.
And I also enjoyed the movie. I thought it was very well made and captured the essence of the story.
It was also gorgeous to look at.

4. The Sessions.

Great story, very well told.
Funny, bit sad.

5. Hitchcock.

 It was fun.

6. Red Dog.

I'd love to say this was a great Australian movie, but somehow it just doesn't cut the mustard.
Corny, predictable, OK acting, averagely shot.
Such a shame.
However it's not a total "dog", it's a good gentle movie when you don't want your brain stretched too far. Would be a good one to watch on a plane flight.

7. Perfume.

This is not an easy movie.
It is not a "nice" movie.
However it is fascinating, beautiful, unusual and too long.

7 sweet things

teeny tiny Christmas tree bead by GlassByGirlFriday

greetings card by Parsy

felt llama by TwoSadDonkeys

I love my bed by TreeRedApples

little rainbow bottle necklace by aptoArt

dog plush by TheFoxintheAttic

the three bears wall art by sarahjanesyudios

7 things - yearly planners

I an attempt to be more organised next year I wondered if maybe I need a yearly planner?
OK, I already have a diary and I usually have at least 2 calendars, but a yearly planner has the advantage of being able to look at the bigger picture - indeed looking at the whole year at once.
What do you think?
Do you use a yearly planner?

How about one of these?

This one is nice and clear and has some fun and inspirational quotes on too.

by doodlelove

You gotta love printables!
This looks like a very organised planner - not one one sheet but in one folder.
It could really change your life.

by OrganiseWhimsy

More on the traditional diary lines - but so much smarter.
And I love the photo styling.

by ToodlesNoodles

A great one for you sewing peeps put there!

by designbirdie

So much more than just a yearly planner - cash flow manager, and menu planner as well!
And it comes as a digital down load.
So much convenience.

by ArtyCreativa

Ooooo! Maybe I need this bloggers planner!

by wineandmeeples

Actually this could quite possibly be the most useful on of all!
A declutter planner - yes!

by C3Ldesign

7 things - not-christmas-trees

Have you got your Christmas tree already? Are you getting a "real" one, or do you have the kind that you pack away in a cardboard box every year?

We always used to have a fresh one sold by the local bushfire brigades as a fundraising thing, but the last couple of years we haven't had one at all.
Something to do with kids not being here + us not being here + not being here for the tree-selling weekend +

How about a not-tree?

Here are some ideas -

branch tree from Turtles and Tails

little drifwood tree from notonthehighstreet

wall decals from tinyme

bottle tree from C.R.A.F.T

DIY alternative christmas tree from freepeople

I think I could just about manage this one!

shelf tree from hoipippo

Jewellery storage - 7 things

I may be just a little obsessed with jewellery storage - I wonder why?!

There are so many fabulous creative ideas out there, beautiful decorative creations, works of art and simply gorgeous home decor ideas.

What is your favorite way of storing your jewellery?

Not in a heap on your dresser I hope!?

Are you a traditional jewellery box type of person?
Like this beautiful box crafted by vermontwoodnart using the most beautiful woods - it's truly an heirloom piece.

walnut box by vermontwoodnart

I'm quite liking the idea of this re-purposed medicine cabinet - it will hold a lot of jewellery and more besides and then you can close the door and everything is neatly out of sight.
Check out NanandPopsAttic for more styles of jewellery organisers.

cabinet by NanandPopsAttic

I may have said this before but I have a few of these old printers drawers - I use mine for displaying my goods at markets, but look what BlackForestCottage has done!
Soooo much fabulous storage! And so well thought out.
You can really make a wonderful display on your wall with this one.

printers drawer storage by BlackForestCottage

Another wall display - this one is somewhat more rustic, but it does have a built-in light and they go the whole re-purposed road with hooks make from old forks and railroad nails.
Certainly would be a talking point!

wall organiser by RusticCreek

I have to include a ceramic option.
If you don't have a lot of necklaces and bracelets this is just perfect for your rings and you could pop a few pairs of earrings in the tray.
I love the crackle glaze in the bottom.

ceramic ring holder by ClayRoadStudios

This little number is a bit similar to my own earrings holder - but this has got extra assets!
It has knobs on the side for your necklaces and little hollows in the bottom for other bits and pieces - plus it rotates! What more could you ask for?

earring organiser by vermontwoodnart

This one is very stylish - and it holds 52 pairs of earrings!
You can also hang your necklaces and bracelets - and it has a shelf.

jewellery storage by ImproveResults

So much choice!
Which one would you chose?

Fave albums - 7 Things Saturday

It's a funny thing with music isn't it? It all depends on the time of day, you mood, where you are, who you're with etc etc!

So choosing just 7 albums is hard - but here are 7 that I'm enjoying listening to at the moment without getting tired of them

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

How about you?
What are you listening to at the moment?
Got any recommendations?

7 things Saturday - Crafts I have dabbled in

Like many of us crafty peeps I'm a bit of a dabbler.
Are you?

I've always been interested in making stuff - my mum was a great maker of things as I wrote here and I grew up in a hands-on environment.

We knitted from an early age, made clothes for our dolls as well as all sorts of paper bits and bobs (as you do when you are little)

So in no particular order here are some of the crafts I have dabbled in.

1. Pottery

I spent many years potting here and in England. I even had my own wheel and almost a kiln (it was a kit thing that I never finished building)
Our house has many useful and not-so-useful bits of pottery everywhere.

2. Sewing

As I said I learned to sew at a young age.I had a little toy sewing machine that actually worked - it was also good at getting your finger stuck under the needle!
I learned "properly" on my mother Singer treadle machine - how I wish I still had that!
For years I made most of my own clothes and my kids clothes. I have made tailored men's shirts and a tailored coat and jackets for myself.
I still sew a bit, producing Boos Tees tshirts, but I'd be lucky to even make a handerchief for myself these days.

3. Knitting

Also something I learned at a young ages. I knit now in fits and starts. I enjoy knitting - but hate the sewing up and I really am hopeless at picking up stitches around a neckline - so have a few UFOs around the place.
Also I have mitts and headbands in Boos Tees shop.

4. Jewellery making

This has been my passion and by business for the last 18 years.
Mostly what I do is bead stringing but over that time I have dabbled in polymer clay, friendly plastic, stamping, beadweaving, decorating all sorts of things with beads etc etc.
But what I really love is getting a whole bunch of gorgeous beads and making something fabulous out of them.

5. Lampwork glass bead making

I could have lumped this in with the previous category but it is so darned hard I think it deserves it's own dot point!
It involves holding a metal rod (which you have previously prepared with stuff to prevent the glass sticking, hopefully) in one hand and rod of expensive glass in the other hand and while moving both your hands independently produce a perfect round globe of awesomeness. Did I mention that there is also an incredibly hot noisy flame and gas involved?!
Then you have to wrangle the beautiful globe into a heat-retaining environment (eg vermiculite) or an hideously expensive glass kiln to prevent the little beauties from cracking.
Then you hold your tongue the right way and hope and pray that the metal rod does allow to remove the bead from it!
Arghhhh!
But why is it so addictive?

6. Woodwork
I made a coffee table once - it fell apart.

7. Watercolour painting
I was always an admirer of the gentle art of watercolours.
As a child I thought I was quite an artist - but actually I was wrong.

Saturday Seven # 2

Thanks to everyone who dropped in last week and "hi" again.
Let's hope that this little listing game can build a great network and a vibrant community.
Are you ready for week 2?

This one will tickle your tastebuds!

Your 7 favorite foods! Yum.

OK, I'll go first.

1. Chocolate. Yes, I'm a chocoholic! I love most things chocolatey. I love milk chocolate and I love quality dark chocolate. There - it's out!

2. Cheese. All sorts of cheese. I have never met a cheese I did't like. Hard, soft, runny, blue, goats milk - you name it!

3. Yoghurt. Plain yoghurt with sliced banana and a drizzle of honey makes me smile.

4. Chips, potato crisps - call them what you will. Not the healthiest of foods, but there's just something about the saltiness that I find irresistible.

5. As a whole food group, I love veggies.
Yes, my name is Tess and I'm a veggo.

6. Cuisine? I love Indian food - that is despite getting thoroughly fed up with curries during 2 trips to India and having a really vile dose of gastroenteritis. (My doctor said she has never known anybody who has visited India who hasn't got sick!)

7. Finishing off with something sweet - I love Danish Pastries - good quality ones, with custard and apricots, or cherries or plums. Yum!

You're next!

See you next week : )

Saturday seven - a start of the weekly lists of seven things.

I do like lists! Do you?
I'm reviving an idea I had for blog posts a year or so ago - a list of 7 "things".
This time there are a few differences -
1. The 7 things will be posted on Saturday.
2. I'm inviting you all to join in!
3. I'll try and keep it up all year! That's right  - that will be about 50 lists (seeing as how we are already a couple of weeks into the year)

So here we go for week 1.
Something very general, very personal - I'd love to hear your wishes for 2013.

My Wishes.

1. To stay healthy this year.
2. To regain my sleeping pattern.
3. World peace (well I can always wish for the impossible too!)
4. That my car doesn't die.
5. For the health and happiness of all my friends and family.
6. Fine weather for the markets stalls I might do.
7. Rain at the right times.

If you'd like to blog about your wishes and then share them here please do - I'd love to see.

Or if you want to post them somewhere else - facebook, or instagram or wherever leave a link in the comment box.

and if you'd like to join in with some other lists, or peep in on other people's lists hop over to Meet Me At Mikes ( a very inspiring blog!)