Tag: snail mail

Feelin’ Groovy

Annette6 Comments

Slow down, you move too fast

You got to make the morning last

Just kicking down the cobblestones 

Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy 

Ba da da da da da da, feelin’ groovy…


I’ve never walked across the 59th Street Bridge, but I have hummed this happy ode many a time. Thanks Paul, thanks Art. 

Feelin’ groovy in a cobblestone kickin’ way comes pretty easily to me – I live a life with plenty of space in it, by design. 

I have a great part-time job, I don’t have children to ferry to eleventy billion activities or cajole into matching socks every morning (such a good life choice!) and I live happily solo in a small weatherboard house. 

Home is my favourite place to be. I like to read, listen to podcasts and watch loads of design shows, and The Bachelorette – go Soph!  

Some days I like to paint and stand in my small backyard gazing at clouds. I like cooking and daydreaming, and even doing the dishes, which can pile up at an alarming rate. 

It’s simple stuff, and I revel in it. 

I guess you could call it slow living, if you felt the need to get your super retro label maker out and crank out a sticky identifier for it. I just call it my life. 

Slow living is really big at the moment isn’t it? I think that’s kind of great, and a little bit of a bummer, because it seems to be a movement that’s pushing back against the way most people seem to live, which involves a lot of rushing to get to all the places and do all the things and earn all the merit badges of oh-I’m-just-so-busy adulting. 

Phew. 

Busy isn’t bad, slow isn’t better, but mindfulness about how we live is pretty important I reckon. 

We choose our lives, and the pace we live at, mostly. 

Choice is an incredible power and sometimes I think we forfeit that power by letting the way other people live push us along a path we’re not sure is the right fit for us. We think that’s just what you have to do and be. Adulting means full time work and a partner and kids and those eleventy billion activities. Doesn’t it? 

I chose not to go down that road. 

Oh, the hearts I broke along the way…. poor lads.

I chose not to have squishy, gorgeous babies, and I don’t regret it one bit. 

I chose not to pursue a demanding career. 

I chose, and I still choose.  

Because I now have a pretty great part-time job, I also choose to be frugal and stretch my resources carefully. I chose to be bold and ask for a pay rise at my first job review, and I got it. Go me! #thanksboss 

I choose to not prioritise travel or collecting designer labels or hobbies that have high price tags attached to them. 

I choose the suburbs, not the inner city. 

I choose to go back to using cash to buy my groceries, so I’m more mindful about what I’m spending. 

Life is rich, because I choose it. 

Last week I signed up to my pal Naomi’s letter writing course, The Most Beautiful Letter You Have Ever Written. 

Isn’t that an enchanting name for a course!? 

One of Naomi’s incredible hand painted envelopes

I am so keen to dive into letter writng, snail mail style, using pen and paper and a stamp! 

The thing I love about the prospect of this course is that it is slow. Writing a letter takes presence of mind, time and thoughtfulness, all things I’m keen to get more of. My envelopes might never be as pretty as Naomi’s, but the art of a chatty, newsy letter is one I’m sure I can learn. 

Naomi is a fabulously talented writer, illustrator and painter. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting at Naomi’s dining room table surrounded by craft supplies and chatty friends, making together. Her blog Naomi Loves is a favourite of mine.  

If you want to find out more about her “Beautiful Letter” course, you can click here to check it out. (If you happen to sign up using this link, I’ll earn a wee commission, but you don’t pay anything extra.)

One of Naomi’s wonderful ephemera-filled bundles!

Slow living suits me beautifully, I like my own space to ponder things, to recharge after a busy day at work, to just be myself, without apology. 

I hope that the life you’ve chosen for yourself makes you happy. It may be family-centred, boisterous and busy, or dedicated to your chosen career, or a bit of both. Perhaps you’re like me, and enjoy a slower solo pace. Yay for us, choosing our paths! 

Thanks for hanging around and reading my blog, it means so much to me to have this place to write and share my life. 

Be good, and don’t forget to #lookup. I’ll keep you posted (see what I did there) about my experiments in the art of letter writing. Maybe I’ll send you a letter one day? 

Mwah,

Annette xx

 

 

Photos by Naomi Bulger, used with permission. Thanks Naomi! 

6/2015 52 Paintings Goes Postal

Annette8 Comments

Hello!

Oh my, where are the days going?  How are we up to 6/2015 of 52 Paintings already? Time flies when you’re having fun I guess.

This week I haven’t spent a lot of time on chilled out painting, I’d forgotten how much working for a living takes up my time! On a brighter note, I have been the recipient of some inspiring and crafty generosity.

In another win for the “kindness of strangers”, Denyse sent me a parcel that was literally bursting at the seams with craft supplies, lovely brushes and paper, even scrummy snacks – such good stuff!! Thanks so much Denyse ❤️

Yesterday I bought myself some snail mail supplies. I’m going to branch out into painting little cards and I think snail mail is a fab way to share my creative experiments with friends near and far. I’ve got stickers, sequins, glue, and a whole bunch of blank cards. Get ready for even more hashtagging as I launch #verbsinthemail.

2015-02-13 10.20.47

Here’s my first card, which will be winging its way to New Zealand very soon.

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I just love experimenting with paint and colour. It’s so much fun!

Colour Blocking
Colour Blocking

Here’s to the weekend folks! I’d forgotten how great it feels to make it to Friday — phew.

Stay crafty!

 

Annette

The pleasures of snail mail, and baking

Annette14 Comments

Hello Sunday morning – rain falling on the roof, the warmth and whirring of the heater, birds chirping outside, and the joy of my first cup of coffee for the day. I like Sundays.

I don’t know if it’s a winter thing, a getting older thing, or just a Sunday morning thing, but more and more I am enjoying, and craving, simple pleasures and moments. Perhaps that’s why I am enjoying the rhythm of baking every Sunday and sharing that here and on Instagram. (Don’t forget to play along – just bake, snap and tag #sundaybakingsunday.)

This morning I’ve made a choc coconut slice and a square tinned “loaf” of banana bread, just to mix things up.

The choc coconut slice isn’t from a recipe book, and I didn’t find it online.

It’s a recipe that was sent to me with a handwritten letter and a gift. Thanks Pia!

Pia is one of my Blog With Pip classmates and you can follow her adventures here.

Here’s the recipe Pia sent me:

Pia recipe

 

And here’s the result!

choc coconut slice

 

 

I’m saving the sampling until after lunch (or at least breakfast). This slice was so quick and easy to put together and smells and looks delicious!

Do you have any handwritten recipes in your collection? Handed down through the generations, or shared by a friend?

Knowing that Pia took a few minutes to write me a letter, adding a gift, well two if you include this recipe (which I do!) and finding an envelope, a stamp and the time to pop the letter into a mail box – these things remind me that there’s kindness in the world, and plenty of it. Her letter and gifts made me smile and feel good, they were a real boost in a crappy week.

Sure, she could have sent me a link to the recipe on Facebook or via email (and I am a fan of those methods too), but I’m really chuffed that I have a favourite “feeling a bit shite” comfort recipe of hers, in her lovely handwriting, which I get to share with you.

I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday, and that you might be inspired to get out your recipe folder and bake something, perhaps from a handwritten recipe someone kind once sent you.

Time for a second cuppa, and maybe a cheeky square of Pia’s choc coconut slice!

Have a great day.

 

Annette x