Thursday, January 16, 2014

bits & pieces

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Firstly, thank YOU!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! Your messages on my last post have made me smile, they have made me cry, they have humbled me and they have meant the world to me. Your messages have reminded me of why I blog and have strengthened my resolve to keep blogging. Big time!

This community is awesome and I love being part of it.

So although I haven't gotten off to the greatest start, three posts in the first 16 days of 2014, I look forward to a wonderful, blogging year filled with the stories and the goings on in our family, on our little organic farm, in the forest, in Australia.

I wish, on the girls' dandelion above, that 2014 is filled with much creativity, wonderful health, love, inspiration and big opportunities for us all.

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And now for a bit of housekeeping, some stuff I thought you might like to know...

Firstly, we are in the January issue of Country Style magazine. The feature includes a bit of our story, some beautiful photos and such an enormous thrill for us to be included in the shiny pages of this super glorious magazine. Yay!

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Secondly, a couple of the photos I took at the topping out ceremony at my parents' building site made it onto Slate! I know!! (Read the article here). How very exciting indeed.

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In December, my parents followed the topping out ceremony with a lock up party for their builders and family. We ate a delicious meal, my Dad and the builder made a speech and then keys were handed over.

I don't know if we'll ever build a house of our own, but I do know that if one day we are in that position, I love the idea and ritual of acknowledging the different stages of construction, thanking the team working so hard to create the space and celebrating building milestones with family and friends. We feel honoured to have been included.

Thirdly, my gorgeous friend and one of my fave bloggers Cath, has moved blog addresses and started up again. Yay! Head on over and visit MyBeardedPigeon to read about Cath's gorgeous little family, her life in a small community, her inspirational and very successful online business, and her wonderful way of seeing the world.

Fourthly, Pip's next blogging course, Blog With Pip,  is starting up again soon.

I was lucky enough to sit in the back of the class during the last course and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

If you are thinking about starting up a blog, if you already have a blog but need some fresh inspiration, if you have plans to make your blog into a book, if you want to build your blogging community, if you want your blog to look cuter, your photos better, if there is something about blogging you've always wanted to know or do, the Blog With Pip course is for you.

Seriously, the last course had students who have been blogging for years all the way through to beginners choosing their blog names and there was more than enough content for everyone.

And possibly my fave part of the last course is the community. I think Pip's last course officially ended a month or so ago, but many of the students still meet up regularly on Facebook to ask each other questions, offer support and help each other navigate the big wide blog world.

I think Blog With Pip is ace!

IMG_7227 And that's it for now. It's crazy hot here and we're spending our mornings doing the farm chores and our afternoons swimming in the bottom dam. We're reading, making rainbow bracelets and we're trying to keep cool. If not for the constant threat of bushfire, it'd be idyllic.

So tell me about you, what have you been up to lately? Any links you'd like to share?

Stay safe and happy.

 xx

26 comments:

  1. Awesome stuff Kate, happy blogging for 2014 x

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    1. Kate, I loved reading about you all in my favourite mag. And I love reading your blog, you write about your everyday so beautifully and honestly and I am so pleased to know you're going to continue sharing your life through blogging. I hope 2014 treats you kindly and gently.

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  2. I often lurk here reading your lovely blog and thought the Country Style magazine was gorgeous! It such a beautiful magazine, what a thrill for you and your family to feature in it.

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  3. I am happy to hear you won't be leaving blog land Kate, I'd miss you too much!
    I loved seeing & reading your story in Country Style. I even told my husband I " knew" you! He asked right away " from Facebook?" I had to laugh because he seems to think most of my new friends live in cyber space.
    It's funny you mention Pips course. Starting a blog has been on my mind for ages & the other week I put it as a " 20 things about me" point on IG as part of a project I'm doing this year. My friends, & strangers , were all very encouraging & since then I keep reading & thinking about Pips course. She was my first ever blog read you know?! Maybe this will be the year I take the leap....
    I just have a feeling this year is going to be really good. I feel so happy & content, more than I have in a long long time. I'm Looking forward to keeping up with all the going on's from your neck of the woods again this year Kate xx

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  4. As a New Zealander, I won't get to see that issue until the beginning of February. Can't wait, it will feel as though I am reading about a friend, not a stranger. Well done.

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  5. Thanks for the shout out my fine foxy friend! Mwah!!!! Xxxxx

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  6. Oh, I love those timber key chains............who made them....builders or your Dad. Now that is a craft stall that just has to happen. I loved that the builders made the table too, how cool that they were all thrilled to be a part of the ceremony etc. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australia
    www.oursimpleandmeaningfullife.blogspot.com
    www.oureverydaylifeinpictures.blogspot.com

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  7. Oh I didn't realise that was you in Country Style. Beautiful article and photos. Congratulations x

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  8. Stay safe in this terrible heat - I can't tell you how many times I've checked my cfa ride ready app today! XxBrenda

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  9. I might have to pick up Country Style just to take a peek at you guys! I used to have a subscription, but let it go because it was depressing me (all the beautiful houses and my lack of... well, beautiful house hahaha).

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  10. I loved seeing you in Country Style - it was like seeing old friends!
    So glad you are going to blog this year - that makes me happy
    x

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  11. Love the first picture of your little girls blowing the dandelion - what a hoot! Congratulations on all the publicity! And you were worried no one wanted to come here and find out about your wonderful life?! Country Style looks like a great magazine - the Aussie version of British Country Living, that I absolutely adore.

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  12. Kate, I've had the laptop away for over 2 weeks so I have only just read your last Post now and can only echo what everyone else has said - keep blogging as you do, you're doing just fine in your non-designery, non-commercial ways and there are many many of us who blog for the exact same reasons :-). I finally had a chance to flick through the Country Style mag yesterday and was quite proud as a fellow blogger seeing your story in there, it was a lovely spread. Stay cool, even we are looking at a 38 degree day tomorrow! Mel xxx

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  13. Gorgeous photos, especially the first and last ones. Love that you are not giving up blogging anytime soon. You made my day! xx

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  14. Thanks Kate - your little blog makes me smile xx

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  15. I was very excited to see you all in Country Style when I bought it earlier this week (OK, so I may have squealed, just a little one). Your blog constantly inspires me, don't stop and don't change! xoxo

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  16. Aw. I am just catching up with my reader and THIS POPPED UP. Thank you so much Kate. I really appreciate your support. So many good things have come out of the blogging ride for me… and one of those is YOU. So glad we got to make friends. Thanks for helping me out!!! xxx

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  17. I just caught up with your last two blogs, and wanted to add my 2c... you don't need fancy designer things when you have beautiful pictures and words like yours. I've been a keen reader of your blog for a few years now, and I hadn't even noticed you didn't have fancy sidebars!! Thanks for the sprinkle of happiness you bring to my days.

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  18. Wow congrats on being featured TWICE! how very cool! I hope you are managing to keep cool-ish over there, I saw the temps for today and they are actually insane. Still on holiday here, and just plodding along :D

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  19. It was such a thrill having you as part of the Blog with Pip course, and I second your comments. It was fabulous but by far the best thing was meeting and learning from all these super people and getting a sense of the community that blogging (and bloggers) create.

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  20. oh Kate I finally got my hands on a copy of a country style mag today, with the influx of people it's been sold out here in every store and every surrounding town! I'm looking forward to reading your feature this afternoon. we've been a bit housebound here, trying to get to the beach super early or extra late to avoid the heat, we're working, taking it slow when we can and enjoying no school for now..x

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  21. Yah. So glad you are going to keep blogging. You would be missed!
    I've had another busy summer in the garden and finally set up a blog talking about our adventures :)
    http://ock-du-spock.blogspot.com.au/

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  22. Just caught up with your new year posts. How dare you think your blog is not out there. I love it and my Auntie who does not embrace your way of life at all started following it and loves it too. We have some exciting log cabin plans for 2014 so we are feeling positive too. I finished a shawl yesterday so I am pretty happy - go and see, Jo x

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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