New Year: New Music; A Swap.

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Quick, easy, fun, that’s what this is about kids.

Compile a mixed CD; send out 3 copies to 3 different people & receive 3 different mixes from 3 different people, giving you some new music for the New Year! Music for a roadtrip, music to craft to, music to chill to, your favourites of all time… whatever you want to do, it’s up to you.

You in?

Leave a comment below if you’d like to participate AND SEND ME AN EMAIL WITH YOUR POSTAGE & BLOG DETAILS.

That is:

:: Name

:: Blog

:: Postal Address

If you comment here but don’t send me an email before the end of the sign-ups, I will not be chasing you, so that is really important if you want to participate.

Also let me know if you’d be willing to post your CDs overseas; people with active blogs only please – it’s just a smidge “safer” that way. Please don’t say you want to play if you think there is any chance at all you can’t or won’t follow through – that would not be good karma to kick off the year, would it?

Sign ups will close on the 8th, CDs to be sent out by the 20th. Quick. Easy. FUN.

Luckily I have a towering spindle of blank CDs ready to go; they seem to be just one of those things you never run out of… Do I sound a bit mean in this post? I apologise – having run a few swaps now I know it’s best to be crystal clear about the “rules” from the outset, otherwise I spend hours chasing people & trying to contact them & you know what? It’s no fun for me, so I’m trying to reduce all that stuff to an absolute minimum, I would love for you to join in, honest!

Here goes nothing.

I am taking a lot of deep breaths right now. I’m gritting my teeth & getting ready to jump into something that is going to be incredibly hard. I’m a bit scared, actually… I don’t know if I can do it but I’m going to try.

I am challenging myself to buy nothing new for A YEAR. *faints*

God… it’s hard to even write it. I know it can be done, but can I do it? I failed miserably at “Buy nothing new month” – I could come up with all sorts of reasons why but the truth is I wanted something new so I bought it.

I know Dottie Angel & her “Challengers of the utmost kind” have done it (perusing her list of challengers long ago saw me stumble over Lola Nova; I’m incredibly happy about that), but even earlier than that people were rebelling against needless consumption, I found this post on The Compact from 2006. I like their rules & exceptions so I am going to use them:

First principle - don't buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)

Second principle - borrow or buy used.

A few exceptions - using the "fair and reasonable person" standard -- i.e., you'll know in your heart when you're rationalizing a violation:

• food, drink, and necessary medicine (no elective treatments like Viagra or Botox)
• necessary cleaning products, but not equipment (don't go out and buy the Dyson Animal, for example).
• socks and underwear (utilitarian--non-couture or ornamental)
• pyjamas for the children

Utilitarian services (plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, veterinarians, dog/house-sitters, fire/paramedics, dry cleaners, house cleaners, etc.) -- Support local and encourage used parts (rebuilt transmission, salvaged headlight unit, etc.)

Recreational services (massage, etc.) & local artisanal items - Good sources for gifts, but should not be over-indulged in for personal gratification

Charitable contributions (Seva, Heifer, and the like) - an even better source for gifts

Plants and cut flowers - Whenever possible, cultivate from free cuttings or seeds. Ok in extreme moderation when purchased from local businesses (i.e., not the Target Garden Shop)--and again, within reason (Since this is MY challenge & not Mr’s, I can’t say he won’t be ordering seeds from wherever it is he orders seeds from, but even if it were his challenge too, surely that counts as “food”??)

Art supplies - First line of attack: SCRAP. When absolutely necessary (for the professionals and talented amateurs in the group), from local businesses

Magazines, newspapers, Netflix - renewals only, no new subscriptions. Even better to consume online

Video rentals and downloadable music files (non-material) -- freely shared and legal, please

My own personal exceptions that I must add for fear of not embarking on this thing at all are:

• Clothing items necessary for the kids that I cannot or will not find second-hand, like bathers or ballet clothes & bicycle helmets.
• Hygiene products like toothpaste & soap.
• Expendables like light bulbs.
• Punk’s birthday bicycle which was ordered before Christmas & a new chain for my bike.
• Perhaps 1 “from Santa” Christmas present for each of the kiddos. Am going for the four present rule I saw around the blogs next time; something they want, something they need, something they wear & something they read; if Punk’s “want” is like the last one, it will need to be bought new. Don’t fancy my chances at making a pink princess computer with a key…

Sooooooo, why am I thinking of doing this to myself & my dear family? Because we have got to stop spending. Because we need to think more before we buy. Because we have enough stuff. But mostly, because we need to stop spending. I do.

I have been looking sadly at our credit card balance & wondering how on earth we’re going to shrink it. This is one way.

Another way, hopefully, is with a little Etsy endeavour I hope to begin soon, but hey, one big announcement a day is enough for anyone. In fact, I have a couple of little challenges for myself that may or may not become apparent as we go along, but I’m slowly learning my lesson about grand declarations on my blog… they don’t really work & I feel bad when I don’t do what I have screamed from the hilltops. I think this particular challenge is different though because I am going to need HELP! A lot of my new spending is online; I see something on a blog or linked somewhere, I want it, I buy it… ick.

All sorts of things are running through my head. What if the toaster breaks? What if a fabulous new craft book comes out? What if I run out of fabric? What if I find myself near Ikea? What if I see super cute boots on sale? How am I going to get another vacuum cleaner? How am I going to read blog posts about new issues of Mollie Makes without wanting to buy it right then & there??

*deep breaths*

It’s just a challenge (I am telling myself). I can either do it, or I can’t. All I have to do is try. Nobody will die if I can’t do it, but it’s worth a shot. It’s not like I’m giving up chocolate. That WOULD be dire.

Am I nutso? Do you think I can do it? Who’s taking bets? Do you want to try too?

The Year That Was.

(Blogger rant below is neither work nor child friendly – I should have said something earlier… sorry! It IS funny though!)

A year of contentment. A year of family. A year of home; lucky to be happy & healthy. A good year. I hope I can swing another.

Happy New Year Peeps!

From Punky AND Me!

C’mon Internet.

So a lovely reader has emailed me to say that she has two different prints of my little fishing guy; and we desperately want to know now who he is, how many different prints there are & who the artist is… so if you have any idea, please comment!

Have you ever seen any of these before? You know I’m not one to get you to jump through hoops normally, but a re-tweet or seven won’t go astray…

Growing.

I hope you all know by now that green is the new black; it’s probably easier these days to recite a list of friends who aren’t growing something edible in their yard or on their balcony than a list of those who are, & I think that is just so great.

We’re getting back to the natural of order of things, connecting with the earth & where our food really comes from.

This is our potato harvest. It’s about 20 kilos… I think I’ll be rationing the spuds from here on in…!

Another thing that’s growing almost all on it’s own is my wall display of random thrifted goodness. I didn’t intend for it to get any bigger when I started with two frames & two plates, but it’s happening anyway.

I found this wonderful little guy fishing yesterday for $1 at the one opshop that was open. From the frame & the picture all I can deduct is “old”; any idea of the era, vintage expert types?

I wonder what the next addition will be…

CUTE.

If Mr “Everything handmade is really crap” says this is cute, then it must be so.

I wish I could say I came up with the idea, but I saw it on a fabulous new-to-me blog called Dee-construction & knew I had to make it. I’ve taken down the Christmas decorations already & the walls were looking decidedly bare.

The background & the bunting are made from an old issue of Frankie I had lying around, & the frames are (surprise!) from the oppy.

A.d.o.r.a.b.l.e.

The Worst Christmas Message Ever, aka “Why we are not on TV”.

Makeup?? MAKEUP!!!

 

It’s so hard to get good help these days.

See you after the big day peeps – have a great one. xx