Into Gear for the New Year

I like feeling prepared for each New Year. So it's about this time that I go out of my way to find things to get me organised - I find myself poring over the shelving sections of IKEA catalogues, reading the junkmail from the hardware store, and I take myself out for a day of diary shopping.

My diary is with me for 365 days of the year, and everything I do is recorded. So it goes without saying that it must be a beautiful specimen that I will enjoy every time I open it.

2008 had me with a Royal Horticultural Society week-to-a-page:

Which as I am a gardening loon was very approriate. This year, I'm thinking sleek, red, fabric cover. Possibly one from Kikki K, or a moleskine:

Even just browsing is exciting!

Almost here!

Well, tis the season and all that, so I thought I would share my Christmas tree with you. I love Christmas and all the things that come with it - lights in windows, trees groaning with decorations, "Santa Stop Here" signs on front lawns. Here is my tree with a modest amount of pressies under at the moment (more to be wrapped as we speak). Last night the man and I went on a little excursion to check out the streets known for their amazing displays of Christmas lights and cheer. How they find the powerpoints is beyond me, but my goodness there was a lot of light and colour going on! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davidson,_New_South_Wales - scroll down to "Culture" to read more about it!

Here are some of my favourite decorations. The green angel on the left is from Ireland; the blue wooden scene from Germany; and the Buckingham palace crown is from, that's right, England!

Snowpeas and Snapdragons

I have been out in the garden a bit today, getting my hands dirty fixing up the area that had been abandoned by the previous tenants here. A lovely jasmine had collapsed on it's trellis, which has been tied back up; and I have planted some snow-pea seedlings along a wall near our back door. Hopefully they will reach their little tendrils skywards and produce some yummy crisp peas for my stirfries in 2009. Snapdragons have once again found their way into my garden - I think it's the irresistable urge to pinch in the flowers to make them "snap", from when I was a little girl. I have also done some sewing of a different sort - tomatilloes (green tomatoes) and dill seeds, which will hopefully produce some yummy goodness in the weeks to come.

10 Things to Do on a Rainy Grey Day

1. Make Christmas gift tags. (I made these with a wooden stamp I bought in India.)

2. Bake chocolate chip cookies.

3. Do some sewing. (Iwent a little bananas)

4. Put your pot plants out in the rain for a drink.

5. Look through old photo albums.

6. Partake in some online retail therapy. (This mexican oilcloth address book from lmoss was too good to resist)

7. Gaze out the window at the rain.

8. Do some more sewing. (I got inspired by the Dust Team with more fruity ideas)

9. Eat a warm, wholesome soup for lunch.

10. Update your blog!

My flowers like it better in Sydney

So, in Melbourne I decided to grow foxgloves, seathrift and various other cottage plants. They were lovely, healthy and green but nothing resembling a bloom. Then I moved to Sydney and within a week - hey presto! Flowers on my foxglove and my seathrift (I would post a photo of them too, only a rogue bird was hungry and pecked them off! Grrr).

I couldn't be more pleased and look forward to a garden full of blooms!

In other news, I have been busy sewing some custom orders for buyers, setting up my studio space (will post pictures inthe next few days - it's GREAT!) and buying Christmas presents for my nearest and dearest.

The christmas tree is up, the sewing machine out, and the flowers blooming. The start of a wonderful summer!

The CUTEST vintage fabric ever

I just found this gorgeous piece of vintage fabric. I call it the liquorice allsort. I'm working out a pattern to make the cutest little dress that ever was... I may be tempted to keep it for me though!

Lazy Sunday

...I wish! Today is Designated Packing Day, as we get ready for our journey north to Sydney. For such a little flat we sure have amassed a lot of stuff. Well, I have. Ok, the fabric box has turned into a fabric very-large-bag. I can't help myself! So many cute fabrics crying out to be dresses or shorts. I am very excited about a vintage piece I found last week, which closely resembles a licquorice allsort. Fantastic! I'm still deciding what to make out of it... any ideas?

Meanwhile I have been dreaming of my new kitchen in Sydney (not that I have one yet, but I've heard it's good to visualise. Heehee). This is what I would like in it:

A set of gorgeous Pyrex mixing bowls from atouchofvintage

These to-die-for canisters from BazarBcuz (if the Australian dollar wasn't so sad, they would be MINE!)

Cute cute cute teatowel from Kraken

And what kitchen is complete without a fabulous rolling pin, from sirkus.

New style in store!

Here is a new design in my Etsy store: the tuxedo shift dress. I love the contrasting fabrics and colours. Super cute for summer!

Days at the Races

Here in Melbourne it's Spring Racing season. A time of hats, heels, and hoofing it at the racecourse with every other keen punter in the heat. What fun! And of course it meant for me an opportunity to make headwear from random bits around the house. A chopped-up eco-bag, a cushion cover from the $2 shop, and a bit of pleated taffeta whacked on to some peacock feathers, and voila! Instant sass and style.

In other news, an interstate move is on the cards - we are going back to Sydney. I will reluctantly leave Melbourne, which I love living in and find a city of culture, quirkiness, cleverness and beauty. I will miss it a lot but have made a pact with myself to come back often for shopping trips and the like.

Busy Bee

It is true that the more things you have to do, the more efficiently you work. Or at least it is for me. If I have 1 thing to do, I will procrastinate, mooch around, push it away from my head until the last minute. If I have 10 things to do, I become an auto-pilot organisational freak, planning everything so it works with smooth un-stressful harmony.

Needless to say I have been very busy this week. I have been working with an Australian website that is selling my items, Bubbee; I have been frantically sewing Sleeping Beauty costumes for a ballet school; I have been at work at my day job constructing some gorgeous 17th century frocks; and of course keeping up with my Etsy orders, all the while throwing in a weekend in Tasmania!

Gourmet cooking is a little more infrequent at the moment but I plan to resurrect it tomorrow night, making a lovely-sounding salmon and proscuitto dinner with lentils, spinach and yogurt. If it is any good I'll let you know the recipe. :)

Round the World and Back

It's been a while, hasn't it, and I'm glad to say that I have been spending my time doing something I rate as highly worthwhile - travelling. I have been to Mexico, the USA and Germany in the past month - a whirlwind trip full of new family, yummy food, days packed with action and nights full of fun. Mexico saw me trying new foods and new languages and though I had been before, this time was family-oriented as I met Mr. Neverever's extended family for the first time.

The USA put on it's best weather and we had fun driving up the California coast and eating as many different brands of cheeseburger as we could (a feat not to be sneezed at, with so many fast food chains I lost count). The winner - In-and-Out burger. Yum.

Germany was a time to catch up with friends and drink our yearly quota of German beer at the Oktoberfest. We had our costumes ready and my dirndl (Germans out there, correct me if I'm wrong) got a good workout. The outfit was completed with a gingerbread heart bought for me... very sweet.

So now I'm back and ready to enjoy being at home and making some great stuff for NeverEver at Etsy. New ideas and inspiration abounds!

Spring Has Most Certainly Sprung

Around here, there's more than a hint of that lovely warm breezy spring feeling. On a couple of short walks around my area I have been thrilled to see buds on tree branches, tiny flowers in grass, and the sickly sweet smell of pollen resonating in the air. We even had a chance on the weekend to go to the park and lie on the grass, staring up at the trees, eating ham sandwiches and generally doing nothing - except experimenting with my camera.

So with all this spring in the air I have bought up big with some lovely floral fabrics and plan to make them into some fabulous sundresses. Something jazzy to wear into the spring months - I had to paint my toenails today, as for the first time in months, I could wear sandals! *Bliss*

Dreaming of a Big Studio

Oh, wouldn't it be nice. A lovely big room all to myself. A window letting in the sun; a big corkboard with inspiring images and fabrics; a collection of vintage containers holding my sewing notions; my Andrew Wyeth print on the wall -

- shelves full of fabrics, organised by colour; and these drawers that I am yearning to buy after spotting them in IKEA today.

If I was a little bit more buff I would have carried them home by myself. But unfortunately I am not an Olympic weightlifter.

One day I will have a beautiful studio that cries out with my personality and is a cosy, welcoming home for my creations.

Until then I'll just keep on staring out at my trees and using my tiny flat for 101 things.

Suiting up

I am very excited today because I think I am in an Etsy treasury for the first time:

That's me, the Dressed for Dinner Bib! What a thrill to be amongst such distinguished company. Click on the picture to visit the real thing. Thanks to littlestonedesigns for including me.

Today I have a day off from work, which I am really enjoying. There is nothing quite like languishing on your couch with the sun coming in the window, watching the trees outside and eating a roast beef sandwich with horseradish cream! I highly recommend it.

Tonight for dinner is a lovely spinach and chorizo soup, which I have cooked before once and was a great success - off to cook it again!

Gearing up for a Big Two Weeks

That's right, the Big Two Weeks coming up will see me creating lots of new items for my Etsy store. I have been lucky enough to come across some children's clothing pattern books from the 50's, 60's and 70's and I have been enthused and heartened by the lovely vintage designs. It has really inspired me to create new designs and look for interesting fabrics.

Since the supermarket sweep of the last two weeks, when I have Etsyfinds to thank for sending many eco-friendly grocery shopping people my way, I have been inspired also for a new range of calico shopping bags. So you will see these in my store too - NeverEver has never looked so full of cute designs (or just so full, hehe.)

Past readers will be pleased to know that Jack Black the fussy fish has been put back in his place. A new kind of food that TASTES like brine shrimp but isn't anywhere near as expensive or tricky to administer has proved successful, after a few days of stubbornness on his part.

The Olympics! I have heard so many differing opinions on this subject recently, varying greatly from the "Complete waste of money" school to the " Best thing since Athens" variety. I am somewhere around the "Every moment with a slight emotional connection makes me a bawling wreck" mark. Even the moving, heart-wrenching ADS are getting me teary. Today, Day One, I have cried at a Thai weightlifter who couldn't stand still for a split-second long enough, a Spanish cyclist winning, and MacDonalds ad. What chance have I got when it gets to the finals and people of my own country being the ones dishing out the emotional power? None! I love it.

Who's a lucky girl then?

I have been a busy little bee this week! And such a lot has happened too! First of all, I had the honour of creating a beautiful Alchemy set for a lady I have worked with in the past, Valeriellen of Valerie's Vintage. Such a cute snuggly set, of bib, onesie and blanket. I loved making it:

Then, just when I thought I was having a good week, it turned into a great one when I received a message from Etsy Admin saying my supermarket shopping bag (yeah, the one I was bragging about last time) was to be featured in their EtsyFinds email! How exciting! I enjoyed my 15 minutes of fame and strutted around the house like a peacock for a good day, which I think is allowed every now and then.

I am currently hooked on watching the Amazing Race - every week I can choose a different pair to cheer on, and I enjoy seeing all the different countries. What an experience!

Speaking of experiences in countries, I may not have mentioned that I am going to Mexico this year! More updates on this soon, but I can tell you now that I am soooo excited about the food, the people, and the shopping...

I know I'm probably light years behind all you savvy computer users out there but I would like to share this fantastic video of Feist counting to 4 on Sesame St. What a classic! I love her. And such a great song to have on Sesame St. I remember learning that it was "Hip To Be A Square", Miss Piggy's "New Way to Walk", and the Count doing the Batty Bat. I was petrified of the two aliens "Yepyeps" that only said yep, uh-huh and no. So scary I still don't like watching them even now I have grown way beyond being scared of brightly-coloured puppet aliens. I would post a picture but I would never be able to look at my blog again.

In other news, I have beed working on some special requests that have been interesting. Here is a onesie for a friend of mine with a cutie niece:

Gorgeous! I love doing custom sayings. Off to work now on a newborn set with another cute motif... wait and see!

To Market, To Market

So, those produce-inspired shopping bags I was chattering about last time I was online have materialised. I have just finished sewing, photographing and posting this latest offering. I like it a lot and I think I will make a few more with some different groceries on.




As happens so often with me, I had a middle-of-the-night brainwave about some new products for my store the other night and was unable to sleep. I am going to venture into greeting cards and see how that goes. I have some cute ideas and have bought up on supplies! Off to do some crafty business...

Last night a vegetable soup saved my life

I'm not exaggerating - the vegetable soup! Delicious, nutritious, and hearty, it made my poor fading, aching, winter-chilled body liven up immediately. Just look at it:

How could it not make anyone feel better? I know you want to make it, so here it is: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan. Throw in (all chopped roughly) an onion, a carrot, a parsnip, and a stick of celery. Saute until onion is transparent and soft. Add 1 litre (4 cups) of chicken or vegetable stock. Throw in (again, chopped roughly) a small tomato, a small sweet potato (kumera), a zucchini, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper, a dash of worcestershire sauce, and a good teaspoon of mixed herbs (dried, or if you have it, fresh thyme is lovely). Bring to the boil. Add a good handful of chopped silverbeet or spinach (washed first please, unless you like the feel of dirt in your teeth), and a dessertspoon of tomato paste. Stir in and simmer for 20 minutes. Eat with toast covered in LOTS of butter! (Makes 4 large serves).

Of course you can omit or add any vegetables you like, but the more the merrier!

This seems like a good time to mention that I have an addiction to collecting gorgeous old crockery and kitchen knick-knacks. This is my favourite toast-to-go-with-soup plate -

I think it helps greatly in the recuperation process.

All this talk of produce has me inspired to make a new range of shopping bags for my Etsy store. Keep your eyes peeled.

A treasured collection...

I just had to share my latest Etsy treasury with whoever is out there - such beautiful, clever and classy toys for lovely polite well behaved children! (In my mind, anyhow.)

Thanks to Silvercanyons for helping me out with the screenshot! Much appreciated!

The Joys of Meandering

There is nothing I love more (well, maybe some things) than strolling along looking at interesting shops, buildings, streets and towns. It is one of the things that I think are particularly enjoyable and even heightened when you are alone. I have spent a lovely morning with not much to do other than buy fish and a plastic sleeve for my clothing patterns, and so I indulged in a little wandering and letting my thoughts go.

A good friend of mine is getting married so I have been looking with interest at a few bridal shops in my area. Such a big industry, and so much to think about! Being the emotional rag that I am, I was already imagining the scene when I see her in her dress, and was feeling a bit teary until I pulled myself up and reminded myself where I was.

So many beautiful wedding-related things on Etsy!





These gorgeous eyelet lace-inspired letterpress cards by Pistachio Press are to die for. So understated and elegant. I recently bought some other non-wedding related cards from PP and was very impressed.

And while I was trawling I spotted this great photo, as part of the Handmade Wedding Series:

What elegant guests, and such a happy bunch! *Sigh*

Intervention Required

I just keep finding the cutest fabrics to make things for babies. I am in serious danger of fabric overload seeing as over the last two weeks I have bought too many fabrics to deal with at once! Seeing I don't have a sewing shelf, let alone a room, this is a serious problem. The only way I can forsee to solve this issue is to make LOTS more Etsy goodies, which I have been enjoying immensely.

I will soon have some of my items for sale in "My Poppet" a gorgeous shop in Caulfield full of the most delectable baby and children's wear and nostalgic, clever toys. I am excited and proud to be included in such a classy store. The manager also has a great blog which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I am afraid I have fallen foul of spoiling my fish. Fretting that he was too cold, not interested in life, about to leap out of the bowl and end it all - (I have a bad habit of bestowing my creatures and plants with far more emotional intellegence than they may well have) - I decided to spoil him with some brine shrimp as a treat to cheer him up. Didn't he just gobble those down with gay abandon, and now someone's tastes are far too posh for lowly old pellets and he refuses to eat anything else. I know, it's my fault but surely a fish has no right to be so uppity about his food? Help! Anyone?

It's been getting colder around here recently and I have been indulging in some baking - the ultimate comfort food. Not only is it delicious and homely, it also serves to warm my house up while the oven is on, so no need for a heater. Hurrah! Recent experiments have included Chicken Pie that I made up as I went along, with leeks, stock, and other yummy veggies... and a DELICIOUS greek spanakopita or spinach and fetta pie from this great blog called Souvlaki For The Soul full of lots of other yummy treats. Highly recommended!

At last, 5 minutes to write down all I have been up to over the last little while.

In between working two jobs, having my house flooded, hosting interstate visitors and some fine dining, I have managed to fit in some more little handmade treats for my Etsy store. I am very excited also to have been asked to have my designs on consignment in a store here in Melbourne - something I am new to and hope will be a big success! So also I am frantically trying to complete that collection before the deadline! Phew.

I have been feeling very special of late as a costume I made has been pictured on a billboard in the middle of Melbourne. I nearly fell off my tram seat when I first went past it, and it is a lovely feeling to look up and think "I made that!"

A little more experimental cooking has been happening, mostly through flicking through my various cookbooks and choosing a page at random. My gardening has also taken a turn for the better, with some seed planting taking place - I am eagerly awaiting tomatillos and chillies to sprout to be used in my cooking.

See my store for all my new and exciting baby wear - you'll notice a bit of a nautical theme!

The Alchemist

Recently I have discovered a new Etsy addition, Alchemy. It's a section that allows people to describe exactly what they want and have people bid on their description to make it. I think, though it does have some flaws, it is an excellent extension of Etsy, something that truly allows people to be creative and to see the scope of ideas present there.

I have been enjoying both being the alchemist and the alchemee (?), both by placing an ad for a red scarf and hat (that I am eagerly awaiting for the Melbourne winter, fast approaching) and by winning some bids on some baby wear.

I just finished this set of onesies with fruit and veggies on for a lady with twin girls who have strong food preferences!

And at the moment, I am making a dress with an embroidered owl and the girl's name. What I like best about it is the great feeling you get from bringing someone else's ideas to life.

In other news, I have also discovered the joys of online seed stores. I have just received 4 packets of tomatillos (green tomatoes), and different kinds of chillies for my cooking adventures. Stay tuned as they grow and get added to some kind of yummy meal!

A Lazy Day At Home

This week, my sewing skills and expertise have been extended - I have been very busy working on an unusual project. She is a large rag doll for a dance company. She was an interesting challenge!

I am pleased with how she turned out. She hasn't got a dress yet, but it will come!

This week the Melbourne Comedy Festival has been on. Sadly, Ross Noble, my favourite and

first choice was sold out, but not to be deterred we got tickets for Nina Conti, a great UK comedian who is a ventriloquist. Now the image that springs to mind on hearing the word "ventriloquist" is a creepy one, I'll admit. But the puppets Conti uses are super cute (in appearance, at least ) and I enjoyed her show immensely.


I am enjoying Food Safari on SBS so much lately that I have made Wednesday nights "Experimental Cooking Nights", ie. cook something from a book or magazine cutting that you have never made before! I think of it as a useful expansion to my Recipe Culling 101, which is still slowly going! Last night was a combination of Jamie Oliver and 1080 Recipes, the classic Spanish tome (that is the only word suitable for such a weighty book!). Jamie provided us with chargrilled BBQ pork fillet, and 1080 gave us rice with beans, capsicum and onion. Accompanied with corn on the cob, it was a delicious, satisfying soul food meal. Yum! And all made whilst watching George Columbaris of the Press Club, one of our favourite restaurants, work his magic on Food Safari.

It's getting cooler here which means the joys of winter plants in my little garden. Yesterday I stocked up on primulas, foxgloves, pansies and some more herbs for my ever-expanding collection. I am itching to get outside and plant them so this edition of blog is finished!

Bits and pieces

Back in Melbourne now, and it is lovely to be back. Back to my fish, who survived a lonely week in a dark and quiet house. Back to my recipe folder, which thanks to a visit to the Royal Easter Show has now doubled in size with yummy things to try. Back to my cosy house, my thriving little garden and crazy weather. Back to my Sewing Machine! Hurrah!

First of all, I must bid a sad farewell to one of my longest and dearest friends.

Spotlight at Dee Why is no longer! As fabric stores go, it was the greatest, exceeding all others in fabric chaos, reliably predictable staff, and of course aisles and aisles of every crafty bit you have ever needed.

I am really sad to see the end of an era! Now it has moved to a giant horrible mall miles away from any sort of decent public transport.

Would it be sad to buy a car purely so I can drive to a fabric store?

In happier news, a new recipe test will happen this evening. It is a bit of a variation on a Gordon Ramsey Fast Food Recipe - http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/bacon-pea-goatscheese-omelette-recipe_p_1.html where I will use pancetta instead of bacon and spinach instead of peas (GROSS, peas!!) but I am hopping around in excitement to eat the goats cheese. It is sitting in the fridge beckoning to me.

Next to try will be a spinach and chorizo soup, but I'll regale you with the ins and outs of that after the Gordon Ramsey fest.

Yesterday I made my Mum's classic homely cosy yummy pumpkin soup. Here's the recipe - so easy and basic but SOOOO rewarding:

750g pumpkin

3 small brown onions

60g butter

1 1/2 cups water

3 chicken stock cubes

Salt and pepper

To serve: chopped chives and cream, if desired.

Chop pumpkin roughly and boil in unsalted water until tender. Melt butter in pan and cook onions until soft but not brown. Place all ingredients in a blender and whizz til smooth, or push through a sieve. Reheat as desired.

See? So easy, and wait til you eat it. Yum! And it should be served in bowls like the ones above, by http://ginadesantis.etsy.com/ as it gets cold quickly!

Travel All Over The Countryside...

It has been a while since my last little musings, and this is because I have been On Tour! Doesn't it sound posh and glamorous, and believe me when I say it really isn't - but there are lots of other positive ways to describe it!

Seeing the sights of regional Australia has been something that makes me very aware of who I am in the world. My job tours around to big and small towns in Australia and occasionally overseas, and the things you see make you feel very small. Today we flew over floodlands in Queensland and the landscape was like nothing I had ever seen before, in any country. The way the rivers twisted and blossomed with coloured sand amazed me. Seeing whole fields of sugar cane flattened by the rains tore at my heart. And yet being in the torrential rain in Northern Queensland I felt I was experiencing the real landscape - a proper RAINforest.

Another thing that I have discovered that I think is absolutely great is http://www.improveverywhere.com/. My friend posted their video of "Frozen Grand Central Station" on facebook and I think it is just fantastic. That's really my kind of entertainment. Creative, witty, funny, and done for the pleasure of all, and just for the hell of it. Check out their video:




As far as my NeverEver store goes, I have some Big Ideas coming very soon to my store, which has been a bit dormant while I have been traipsing all over Australia. Think Laptop Sleeves, Doorstops, Tote Bags and more gorgeous baby clothing and some accessories, too. I have been dreaming it all up for a few weeks now, and am ready to go. Stay tuned! I am excited about this "season" of goodies, as it were...

Fish Frenzy

My new sewing machine certainly had a workout last week, and my little fabric box is growing by the day and threatening to overtake my flat, like someone pouring soap powder into a fountain.

It is exciting to be making things that I like so much. I have just received a delivery of eco-friendly tote bags to sew my designs onto, so hopefully they will be on Etsy next week.

I mentioned that I started a fish bowl last week. Well, I have discovered that I have an extremely mean fish. He scared and chased the other two little ones (Dave Grohl held out slightly longer than Josh Homme) and I think the poor things died of heart attacks. Mean old Jack Black is on his own now, and I hope he enjoys his cruelly-won solitude. He is very pretty to look at but I think he has a very miserly attitude.

Recipe culling 101 is going well but slowly. It is too taxing to cook unknown meals every night. Sometimes you just crave something familiar and requiring no thought whatsoever. Good old curried sausages have had a whirl, as has spaghetti bolognese and chocolate mousse (served in the cutest dishes ever, look -)

- amongst the marinated steamed salmon (a winner, 8 out of 10) and the pesto chicken gnocchi (JUST acceptable, too heavy, 6.5 out of 10.)

By the way, I have discovered that I make a mean sangria. Mmmm Mmm MMMMMM. I got so inspired by the fruit I took a photo of how pretty it looked.

Learning the Art of Restraint

As the flat I have just moved into is the size of a handkerchief, I made a resolution to get rid of any Non Essential Junk. Of course I don't have any. What I do have is a giant folder of cut-out recipes from magazines and newspapers (I have a dreadful habit.) So my first concession to streamlined living is to implement a Ruthless Recipe Culling Program, the aim being to throw away any recipes that are tasteless, boring, involve too many ingredients or require the skills of Jamie Oliver. This means that, one by one, I will cook each meal from the folder. If it makes the grade (only above 7/10, as decided by my gentleman lover) it will be stuck into my special blank-diary recipe book, where only classics may go. If not, it makes the recycling bin. Tough but fair, I say; my house has no room for dull and boring recipes!

In other news, I am having difficulty pulling myself away from my laptop for long enough to actually sit down and do some Hard Work. I get engrossed in the Etsy forums and just looking at the sheer amount of beautiful things to buy. I need to stop! Or my things will never get made!

A Little Bit About Me

To Whoever is out there,

Hello - let me introduce myself. My name is Emma and I live in Melbourne. This week has been a week of starting new things, including this blog. I have also started a fishbowl, a fitness regime (let's see how long that keeps up), a balcony garden, a Ruthless Recipe Culling Program (more on that later) and I have launched my own handmade crafty treats out there into cyberspace, on www.neverever.etsy.com.

So, a big week; and I am curious to see how all this turns out. Mostly I will use this blog to talk about my NeverEver label of handmade stuff - baby wear, stationery, bags, and assorted things that I like to make. But inevitably I will keep whoever's interested informed of the state of my fish, my garden, my cooking, and my running shoes. How mundane it sounds when listed like that!