Friday, July 27, 2018

from my studio

Hello friends! I'm writing to you today from inside my studio!!!

Yesterday the boys did the last bits of work on her and then they packed up their tools and left. By the time I got home from having coffee with a friend in Macedon it was no longer theirs but mine. It's so funny how that happens: one minute the building site belongs to them and the next they knocked on the door to come and see what I was up to.

What I was up to was listening to Missy Higgins on my headphones, washing the place from top to bottom with a cloth and warm soapy water, and having a little cry at the enormity of it all. 

It feels HUGE! And to be honest I'm not even sure what I'll spend my time doing in here, other than being alone, and probably knitting, and drawing, and writing, and hopefully painting, and possibly embroidering, and reading, and drinking tea, and hiding from my family, and lying on the bed in the mezzanine watching the tops of the trees blowing in the wind, and not being distracted by the housework, and valuing my own creativity, and enjoying my own company; we'll see.

I can't begin to tell you how much I love it. I'm sitting here in my chair alternating between typing words and looking out the windows at the little yellow-breasted birds drinking the nectar from the banksia flowers and I'm making plans for all the things I want to do in here over the weekend. Starting with washing the windows and bringing some plants in.

Okay, so how's your week been?
Here's a bit of mine;


july 21

On Saturday Miss Pepper put the finishing touches on her skirt. It was a funny old sewing lesson considering I hadn't touched my machine for years and years and we probably made every single mistake there was to make, but we both learnt something from each of them and it all looked great and fitted well in the end and that's probably all that matters anyway. That and that she wants to have another go at it again soon.






july 22

On Sunday, just as the sun was setting, we walked into the forest to collect some kindling for the fire and to take some photos of the skirt she made and of the cardigan I knitted her.

Cardigan details here.



july 23

On Monday my mum and I attended the first of five introduction to floristry classes we signed up for at our local neighbourhood house. In the first class we talked a bit, learnt how to make a basic posy and made wreaths out of grape vines and wisteria. We both had such fun and are really looking forward to next week's class.

When I came home I pulled some tubs of stewed apple and plum I'd made last summer, pureed the fruit, poured the mixture onto sheets, popped it in the dehydrator and then cut it into strips and rolled them up for the girls' lunches.

Here's a blog post how-to I wrote a few years ago.



july 24

These mid winter days I find myself constantly hunting for signs of spring. The green tips of the jonquils gave me cause to squeal with delight one cold and frosty morning.

And while these are still not brilliant photos of farmer Bren's turned bowls, they give you an idea of how sweet they look sitting on the top shelf in the shed in their nest of wood shavings. I had to climb up a ladder and hang precariously off to one side to take those photos, hopefully I'll get some action shots of him making them for next week.



july 25

On Wednesday the boys sanded the floor and then built the little deck off the side of my studio. I can only imagine how beautiful it will look in a few weeks' time when the ornamental almond is in blossom, and then when the days warm up it'll be such a perfect spot to sit with a book.

july 26

And then yesterday the shelves went up around the window seat, the final shingles were nailed to the front and the studio was handed over.

Late last night I came in to make sure the heater was off. I climbed up to the mezzanine, laid down on the slats, watched the spot-lit tops of the trees in the forest and listened to the sounds of the night. I was there for quite a while before summoning up the energy to return to the chaos and the hormones and the craziness and the dramas of late Thursday night. When it gets warmer I think I might stay out there from time to time.






july 27

This morning we hung out in my studio for a while after the big girls had gone off to school with my mum. We climbed up and down the ladder, we lay on the mezzanine, we sat in the window box and we admired the light and where the shadows lay. 

There's still so much cleaning and wiping and dusting to do after the sanding settled a thick layer of dust on every surface, but I decided to put that aside for the weekend and to write my blog in here today instead. I'm well practised at looking past any urgent cleaning, so that part was easy.


Which brings me to now. To finish at the very same place that I started. Sitting on a chair, in my brand new studio, with my lap-top on my lap, typing words in between watching the world outside and the shadows dancing inside.

So far all that I've brought in here with me is the chair that I'm sitting on, my computer and charger, my card reader, the socks that I'm casting off and the swatch that I've just cast on.

It's 4pm and the winter sun has just disappeared behind the trees in front of me. It's my favourite time of the day to take photos mid-winter, but today I think I'll just sit here and watch.

I hope you have a beautiful weekend my friends.
I hope you've got a good book to cuddle up with, and a nice cozy spot to snuggle up in.
And something interesting to tell me. Go on?

Oh and she'll need to be named of course, any suggestions?

See you next week you guys.

Lots of love,

Kate
xx



30 comments:

  1. Oh Kate, I'm so very happy and excited for you. She is a beauty.
    And look at your baby? What has happened there, I'm sure that only last month your photos of her showed a little girl, this week I see the young woman she is becoming.
    I love the photo of Bren and Pepper in the window seat.
    I'm not sure that I have anything interesting to share, I don't really know what the weekend will bring, although I am planning on heading out early tomorrow to see if I can catch the blood moon. I think the weather will need to take quite a turn though as it's so cloudy here this evening.
    No good books at the moment, but I did buy Flow magazine today and then got called away so I have that to thumb through.
    Have a lovely weekend, can't wait to see what name your studio gets.
    cheers Kate

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    1. Oh Kate I know exactly what you mean about that little girl disappearing into a young woman. As we were walking into the forest to take those pictures I pulled her messy braids out thinking they looked like bird's nests and then I saw her with her long, loose hair posing and saw someone else. As our third I am particularly conscious of appreciating every childhood moment of hers, I hope we can squeeze a few more years out of her yet. xx

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    2. She has such beautiful glossy hair, one mother to another :)

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  2. It's been so nice watching how your beautiful studio builds up! I'm happy for you!
    It's one more week until summer holiday and the weather is unusually hot in Finland. I'm reading The truth according to us by Annie Barrows and I like it a lot. I'm waiting for some quiet time in a swing in our little garden to knit this weekend. After 9 pm it should be cool enough.

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    1. It is unusual to imagine it being hot in Finland, so hot that you have to wait until 9pm to sit in your swing and knit...wow. I hope you have such a wonderful summer break and get loads of time for reading and knitting. xx

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  3. She looks like a Pandora to me.
    I always read your blog but I don't think I've commented before.
    Today I did something really brave and resigned my job of 7 years (which I should have done 5 years ago) and I don't even have a new job to go to! Your cabin has given me faith that the universe will provide. I am giving it some very obvious hints and taking steps in the right direction … trying to be patient :)

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    1. CONGRATULATIONS Lucy!!!! That's fabulous news. I hope that your dream job is waiting around the corner, something that inspires you and values you. But first I hope you can give yourself a break and a chance to recharge and do some of the things that you've been missing. xx

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    2. Congratulations! I did the same after 18 years. Got to keep hoping and trusting and working towards it working out all right.

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  4. Kate your studio looks fabulous. The guys have worked so hard on it and what a success. You are going to have such a wonderful creative time in there and ease your whirling brain. So lovely to see Miss Pepper sewing and making a garment to wear. My great nieces are also very crafty with crochet knitting and baking and the older one has just made a skirt from scratch using the pattern and instructions. Watch yourself as she’ll be taking over the studio for her own creations.

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  5. I did enjoy The Truth According to Us. It was an absorbing read. Your new studio looks really lovely. I can't imagine how exciting it must be to have that space to set up for yourself and your creative side.

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  6. Look at your gorgeous studio space! Congrats! May it be a warm and creative sanctuary for you, always x

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  7. She is beautiful and looks like she has always been there.......my suggestion....Banksia......we have had some sun today in Yandoit so i have spent the day sewing seeds....lettuce, cabbage, beetroot, celeriac, transplanting to larger pots.....lettuce, broccoli, kale......and planting out in the garden.....beetroot, and lettuce.....real good to have the soil under my fingernails, to walk amongst the winter garden, to sit and contemplate Spring flower beds xx

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  8. Beautiful photos in this post as always. What an amazing space your studio is. I've been reading Monty Don's gardening books lately which are inspiring as I think about my garden for the coming growing season.

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    1. just discovered Monty Don myself. The healing part of gardening that he talks about is very intriguing so me. I suffer from Major depressive disorder and anxiety and am encouraged by Monty!

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  9. Studios, wooden bowls, floristry classes ... I think I am turning green with just a little envy! Meg:)

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  10. Your post reminds me of when my husband filled in part of our verandah to create a studio for me, that wonderful feeling of having a space of my own where I can just be myself and create. I put a chair in there, and a foot stool, stereo, bookshelf. Now the place is so full of my creative stuff there is no room for a comfy chair, but that is fine! My mood changes as soon as I walk in there, it is bliss to have my own space. Enjoy!

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  11. What a beautiful space; so cosy and calming. And built with love and thought. I am turning my addled work brain to the concept of weekend. I am reading The Only Story by Julian Barnes and enjoying it. Tomorrow I will catch up with friends and see a movie at the Scandinavian Film Festival. And on Sunday I will paint inside a cupboard, bake a cake and change my bed linen. Recharging.....

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  12. How completely magical....'The Cabin' or The Snug :)

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  13. Something "nook"...or maybe just "The Nook". What a beauty! xK

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  14. Congratulations on "a room of one's own " What a beautiful space for your creativity , a no shoes rule might be a good way to draw a line between the rest of the world and your happy place.

    May it bring you tranquility, joy, shelter from all storms......Crack ! .....and God bless all who sail in her.....ribbon cutting, candles lighting and bubbles drinking. All join in singing 'On the good ship lollipop '....tap dancing optional .

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  15. Congratulations! It’s a lovely space and I think It will give you lots of inspiration.

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  16. I'm looking forward to all the creativity this new space brings.

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  17. What a wonderful space to escape from the everyday. I don’t know why, but I straight away thought she was a “Hazel”, as she is your haven. Enjoy your time in your new studio to create, reflect and spend quality times with your farmer boy and girls.

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  18. I'm very excited for you and very perturbed at how grown Pepper is looking! Oh my. Precious girl x

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  19. Oh happy days! A place to hide, what more could a woman ask for! Jo x

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  20. Oh Kate, she is wonderful! I can't wait to read about all the adventures you will have in her.
    We are currently putting finishing touches to my studio/cubby/craft room, the name is also alluding me so I call her something different every time I refer to her, but I'm loving the suggestions for nook and snug. I will need to spend a few weeks painting and there's still 2 windows that need glass, they are currently wrapped in plastic, but that will come when time and funds allow. Today it's painting and lighting. xx

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  21. Hey, what a wonderful space, many blessings to you! Health to use. What about 'tearmann' for a name, it's Irish for sanctuary??
    I have a room that is 'mine' but it's upstairs and the dog has never taken to it, I feel even more alone when I'm up there (no kids for me and a hubby that works all day). So it's just a place for MY SPECIAL THINGS and for my yoga practice. Boy, I love it, but still don't think I deserve it - our next home will be smaller for sure.

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  22. Kate, I have loved this journey with you in getting this wonderful space just for you. I hope you have nothing but goodness in all forms in it. Flower class sounds wonderful! I, too, look away from all that needs cleaning and just enjoy the moment (wen not in deep depression or anxiety) and that is a very GOOD thing! I am refreshed when I see midwinter in your neck of the woods and I am literally sweltering in 33 degree heat. I love your sun setting light and the photos you take. Thanks for much for sharing.

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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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