one claire day

expired

2012-02-28T09:48:00.000+10:00

Expired petals scatter themselves over an expired issue of frankie, symbolic of the way I've been feeling these last couple of weeks. A little weary and past my used by date. Stagnant.

Perhaps it's just post-holiday blues. Or maybe it's Paddy working night-shift that has me all out of whack. It could be that I'm not fully recovered from the draining experience that is looking after a sick bub. I can't really pinpoint what it is exactly - I just feel a bit, well... off.

I have to say though, your kind words and votes really did cheer me up - thankyou!

I think today will be about throwing out vases of decaying blooms and decaying food in the fridge and replenishing with all things fresh. And sorting out clean laundry is just about as good a therapy as you'll get, right? I think that's a good start.

tickled pink - apartment therapy

2012-02-27T13:01:00.000+10:00

Hello! I hope everyone had a fab weekend!

Just popping in quickly to share my excitement. Somehow, this little blog has wound up on the list of nominees for apartment therapy's best family blog award!

If you've got a minute to spare, you can check out the list of amazing blogs here. And if we take your fancy, we'd be tickled pink if you voted for us! :)

Image credit - Tim Coulson

inner west - marrickville market

2012-02-23T09:00:00.000+10:00

We spent many a Sunday morning at these humble little markets. They're situated on Addison Road, at a community centre housing -among other things- artists studios, a gallery, a yoga space, a creative recycling center called 'Reverse Garbage' and a second hand store called 'The Bower'.

The Market held on a Sunday is predominantly food stalls (amazing food stalls!) and organic produce with bits of vintage clothing, bric-a-brac, pre-loved books, handmade preserves, wines and ports, fresh breads and pastries, damn good coffee and completely random crap thrown in for good measure. What it's got oodles of though, is positive energy. That place never fails to put me in a lighter mood and motivate me to live simply and healthily. Maybe it's got something to do with the chai tent where you can lounge on floor cushions and drink freshly brewed chai in the sunshine as you watch people stroll past with straw baskets overfilling with organic green stuff. I'm not sure what it is, but it's the kind of place that takes years off of you.

It's a slightly scruffy little place (just the way we like it) that attracts a real mixed bag of people including lots of young local families. This time, we were the young non-local family. The tourists. And that made me a little sad. But it did cheer me up to see Lalie enjoy the vegetarian dumplings just as much as she did when she was in my belly!

I would go as far to say the Marrickville Markets are the ritual we miss most about living in Sydney.

Pssst - and little shout out to two lovely readers who approached me on that particular market morning - Astred and Cecilia - hello! And would you believe it, I also ran into Gaby, I recognised her from her blog! It's such a small world after all!

inner west - part 1

2012-02-22T15:49:00.001+10:00

Our old stomping ground - Newtown, Enmore, Marrickville.

As much as we enjoyed our stay in Bondi, we felt instantly relaxed and at home as we wandered about these scruffy suburbs. We like things a little bit rough 'round the edges. And the food around these parts is honestly some of the best we've ever eaten. Although it's always a tough decision - with exceptional Turkish, Greek, Thai, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Pakistanti, Indian, African and more all dotted within a 1km stretch of Road.

And the shopping... sigh. Turkish, Afghani and Moroccan homewares stores a-plenty (my favourite), seriously great mid-century furniture (Paddy's favourite) and vintage clothing stores galore. Beautiful little boutiques brimming with delightful handmade items (everybody's favourite). Insanely good coffee. Unpretentious, effortlessly cool folk. Industrial architecture. Young families everywhere. And doggies, lets not forget the abundance of furry four-legged friends (I couldn't resist that lovely old fella with the funnel around his neck - dogs always look so gorgeous and vulnerable with those things on)!

Most of these photos were taken walking down King Street from Zia Kel's (the lovely lass in the green top) apartment and along Enmore Road to the Marrickville Market. I took some photos of our favourite Sydney market which I will post soon.

Oh, and see that building in the last black and white photo? Our old warehouse apartment building - they very first home we owned - A very special place!

the other apple

2012-02-21T21:02:00.000+10:00

Same day, different apple product. This time it was a custard apple from the tree in our back yard. The real deal. No cardboard cut-out here. Although she did take a bite, just to be sure. She won't be fooled twice!

Sooo... custard apples. Weird little things. I don't suppose any of you fine people know what to do with them? Any recipe ideas?

mi-phone

2012-02-20T20:50:00.000+10:00

The singing plastic toy phones just don't cut it....

...so I cut it, literally, from an old iphone box. It had her fooled for a good ten minutes.

Please note I cannot take credit for this ingenious idea. Lalie picked up the box on her own accord and held it up to her ear. I just made the proportions a little more realistic :)

13 months

2012-02-19T17:05:00.004+10:00

We've officially entered the teenage months! Lalie is getting taller, chattier (still mostly in her own little language) and faster on her feet. And it blows me away how much she knows. I can ask her where just about any toy or regularly used object (towel, washer, spoon, drink, bag, shoes etc etc) and she will go off and find it.

She has suddenly developed more patience for sitting and learning with puzzles and books. Prior to her walking I found it difficult to keep her interest in such activities - all she wanted to do was learn how to move. Now that she feels free and mobile, she's really enjoying her books, musical instruments and puzzles - making our days fun and interactive in new ways.

One thing that I am trying to adapt to is her waking in the night again. After a good 4-5 months of sleeping through most nights, I'm now finding myself up once during the night on every other night. I'm wondering if the holiday and then her being sick has jolted her out of her usual rhythm (I like that word too, Jodi!). Lets just hope it's a temporary readjustment period!

For those who are interested - I found Lalie's vintage outfit all on the one day, in three different op shops. Those checkered bloomers are so 'Bo Bo Choses' while the top is very 'Bo Bo Peep' (I love it all the same). Those red minnetonka's were a steal at $3!

Oh, and if vintage baby and children's clothes are your kind of thing - I've added a few more bits to the shop!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

bondi

2012-02-16T21:18:00.000+10:00

Just a few (!) photos from the Bondi leg of our holiday. We stayed with our dearest old friends, who live conveniently close to lovely new friends (a stones throw - literally!).

I have more -that's right, more- photos to come from our old stomping ground, the inner west, and from a little visit to the central coast. Yep, we were busy!

snippets

2012-02-14T07:53:00.000+10:00

Snippets from our home. The inside, the outside, the underneath.

1. Daddy long legs 2. Tidy lounge! 3. Sarnies 4. Creeping Myrtle in bloom 5. Treasures under the house 6. Posting orders

I shipped off our very first 'bug and beetle' package today. Just a little bit exciting! Nell, I hope you (and your little Josephine) love it!

Speaking of the shop - I added a few more bits over the weekend and Em's gone bloomin' mad making adorable bloomers made from vintage fabrics. And I have it on good authority that there will be rompers, too! Go on - have a looksie!

P.S - Happy Valentines Day, lovers!

better than before

2012-02-12T21:06:00.001+10:00

Thank you all for your sweet 'get well' messages. The bug is finally starting to shake the bug. This weekend we've managed to re-surface from the depths of a week-long viral nightmare and get out into the fresh air for some sand and sun.

It's tough when they're sick. Obviously for them... but also for the parents. All the worrying, comforting and caring for a poorly bub is incredibly draining. I haven't felt as helpless, exhausted or anxious since she was a tiny newborn...

...but to put things into perspective - she's fine. Mending nicely. It certainly makes my heart heavy to think of all the parents out there caring for seriously sick children who are battling far worse than tonsillitis and a chest infection.

I'm so very grateful to have a healthy family. It really is all that matters.

spotty snotty tot

2012-02-07T20:42:00.000+10:00

All the holidaying and partying has taken its toll.

It started with conjunctivitis, serious nasal congestion, then a chest infection (requiring a trip to Emergency!), ...and now she seems to be getting a cold sore! Poor thing, she's got the whole damn lot!

I'll be back soon xx

bug and beetle vintage

2012-02-05T19:51:00.004+10:00

You know Em, right? If you don't, do yourself a favour and pop over to The Beetle Shack and introduce yourself. I like to call her Beetle. Dung Beetle on a bad day. But there's not too many of those because she's so lovely. Especially in person. When we met earlier this month, one of the things we talked about was a little project we've had in the pipeline for the last couple of months....

Our little etsy vintage store: bug and beetle vintage.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, chances are you know where 'bug' fits in. So between my Lalie Bug and Em @ the Beetle Shack, the name 'bug and beetle' was the only real choice for our little venture.

At this stage, we're focusing mostly on baby and toddler vintage clothing and accessories with some of Em's handmade handiwork thrown in for good measure. We'd love for you to pop on over and take a peek. Do you have any favourites? We'd love to hear!

Linking up with Her Library Adventures today.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Eulalie's 1st Birthday Party

2012-02-02T11:11:00.001+10:00

All Images by Tim Coulson

We celebrated Eulalie's first birthday on a humid, Friday afternoon in our own back yard.

We hung the bunting that decorated the marquee at our wedding two years before.

We raided the house for all our vintage chairs and scattered them over the lawn.

The kids ran around on the grass, popped bubbles with their tongues and chased each-other through tunnels.

They (babies excluded!) ate smarties and iced vo-vo's and drank cold lemonade.

They wore handmade party hats and played with giant round balloons.

The day ended with a sausage sizzle and a delicious layered butter cake, made with love by Daddy.

It was all the things a good Aussie kids party should be.

Too often - myself included - grown-up's tend to underestimate how much a one year old understands. I've heard so many times that first birthday parties are 'really just for the adults' because the baby doesn't know what's going on. And I almost believed that to be true... until I observed, with pure joy in my heart, my baby girl having an absolute ball. I have never seen Lalie enjoy herself as much as I did that day, watching her toddle around her backyard, surrounded by family and friends and playing games with the kids. And there's no doubt in my mind that she was aware that this special celebration was for her. This was particularly clear to me when I saw her face as everyone gathered to sing her very first "Happy Birthday". It was beautiful to watch.

Many thanks to Tim Coulson for capturing - so very beautifully - this special day for our family. These images are priceless!

And a super special thanks to my gorgeous family who helped cook and decorate on the day - Much love to you all! xx

one!

2012-02-01T12:50:00.000+10:00

The big o.n.e!

A belated twelve months portrait of our gorgeous Lalie Bug. And what a delight she is... if ever I wanted to hit the pause button, it's now. This is such an adorable age. Watching her hug and kiss people, toys, and animals makes my heart burst. seeing her waddle around our back yard in the late afternoon light puts a lump in my throat. Her legs and feet are suddenly longer. The creases in her thighs are becoming more shallow as she grows taller and leaner, taking the shape of a toddler. The features of her face are more defined, more feminine. Her hair is slowly growing longer and thicker. There's more teeth peeking through her smiling lips. She's still mostly baby but every day I see more and more of that little girl. And I'm so torn between eagerly wanting to meet our beautiful little girl but also desperately wanting to cling to our soft, milky chubby baby.

As I look back through her monthly portraits, I can't believe how much she has changed. How fast they grow. I am reminded of how precious this time is and how lucky I am to be spending all my minutes with my darling daughter. I feel like the luckiest woman alive.

This first year has been a wild ride. There's been up's and downs. Times where I've had it all together and times where it's all fallen to pieces. I've learned to go easier on myself. I've let go of 'perfect' and made peace with 'good enough'. The three of us have learned so much this year. And we're in a happy place. We're so proud of this little person that we've nurtured, loved and enjoyed.

Happy Birthday Eulalie! It's hard to imagine we can love you any more than we do now.... but lets just say we're up for the challenge! I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us this year!

P.S Please excuse the crappiness of these photos. Most certainly the trickiest portrait thus far (props + busy baby + low light + tight space = photographic disaster). But not to worry, there's gorgeous Tim Coulson party shots coming up tomorrow!

Us. We. Three.

2012-01-30T20:44:00.000+10:00

Well, hello there! We're back from a wonderful week in Sydney and I can finally share with you some of the beautiful images Tim Coulson captured of our little family over Eulalie's 1st birthday weekend.

I will post some photos of her birthday party very soon. In the meantime, you can see more pictures of our little family session at Tim's gorgeous blog. Tim is an outstanding photographer, and more importantly, one of the loveliest men we've ever met. He is warm and approachable and made us all feel completely at ease. It was such a memorable weekend and I'm so grateful to have had Tim document it so beautifully. What a treat it will be for Lalie to look back on these photos when she's older!

I hope you are all well - I've missed you!

***

2012-01-14T19:46:00.000+10:00

Peek-a-boo!

We're still alive and well. Just busy. Busy little bees. You see, in the next few days this cheeky thing turns one. There will be a little party. And a special visitor. And shortly after, a long awaited holiday to catch up with friends, both old and new.

I'll be back soon xx

P.S - Lalie wears Pretty Pickings dress made from vintage fabric. Available at Shorties. Thanks Zia Kel, we love it!
P.P.S - Lalie also wears battle scar on her forehead. Ran into the door. Ouch. Luckily there's been minimal bruising so she's almost camera-ready. Phew! ;)

flashback

2012-01-09T21:46:00.002+10:00

One of her first giggling fits. I don't know why I didn't blog these pictures at the time. Perhaps it was because they were slightly out of focus. Or maybe because she kinda resembled a little old man...

...but now, looking back - I'd say they've got to be up there with my absolute faves.

She's growing too fast.

* Taken April 2011 - approx 3.5 months

new

2012-01-07T17:22:00.001+10:00

New year. New hair. New lens. (thanks for the hot tip, Anna... I hope yours is ok!)

New toddler. Whole new level of chaos.

Other than that - it's same old, same old.

So tell me, what's new with you? I hope 2012 is shaping up nicely :)

P.S - The extremely serious expression isn't me trying to be cool (okay maybe just a little bit). Mostly it's me concentrating on trying to focus! This lens makes everything bluuurrrry... but so delicious!

Christmas Day

2011-12-31T11:22:00.000+10:00

Despite overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety leading up to Christmas, the day itself turned out to be joyous, relaxed, simple and meaningful. It was a day filled with delicious food (and that gorgeous Logan wine), beautiful gifts and the people we love most. I couldn't have wished for anything more for Eulalie's first Christmas....

...but it wasn't long before the festivities started to fester. Unfortunately our New Years Eve plans involve staying home and caring for a sick baby. These last few days we've all been struck with a nasty stomach virus - Lalie being the last to come down with it. Hopefully we can leave the dreaded lergy behind in 2011 and bring in the new year feeling fresh and healthy.

Do you have any exciting or not-so-exciting plans? I'd love to hear!

Wishing you all a healthy and happy New Year!

- These photos represent only half of the day(!), and only half of the gorgeous family we spent it with. Photographer got a bit lazy after lunch!

- Don't mind the wispy tree - a roadside find - what it lacked in appearance it made up for in aromatics. Paddy tells me it's all about the nostalgic pine-y freshness.

- For those who are interested, Lalie's jumpsuit is a handmade vintage number :)

And if you ever saw her...

2011-12-22T10:15:00.000+10:00

Baby's first Christmas gives me the license to be a little bit cheesy, right? I think this little performance is marginally less cringe-worthy than the Easter get-up... so at least I'm getting better!

All jokes aside, I really just want to wish each and every one of you a wonderful, happy, full bellied, love loaded, relaxing and memorable Christmas!

...and thank you. Thank you so much for coming to visit me here at this little space. And for allowing me to tap into such an inspiring, warm, creative, friendly and supportive community. This Christmas I will pause to give thanks for all the wonderful things in my life - including the friendships I have forged across the miles through the writing and reading of blogs.

See you in 2012 (!!)

Claire xo

***

2011-12-21T18:01:00.000+10:00

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Hannah Logan sent to me
'09 Vintage Cuvée,
'11 Savignon Blanc,
'10 Chardonnay,
'11 'Hannah' Rosé,
'10 Pinot Noir,
'09 Cabernet Merlot,
'09 Shiraz,
'11 Pinot Gris,
'11 Reisling,
'11 Gewürztraminer,
'09 Merlot,
'09 Shiraz Viognier,
And it was all packaged so very perfectly!

The extremely generous folk at Logan Wines have sent us the most amazing gift - a selection of their beautiful wine to sample over the silly season! And the timing couldn't be better - with all this pre-christmas madness, I'm about ready to dive into that Rosé.

This is the kind of wine you drink with your eyes first - elegantly shaped bottles adorned with tactile labels featuring images of the most exquisite embroideries and whimsical illustrations. These wines are certainly dressed to impress, and from my own previous experiences drinking this brand of wine, I can already tell you that the flavour does not disappoint. But don't quote me on that just yet - I've got twelve bottles to get through before I can give a final assessment ;)

11 months

2011-12-21T11:23:00.000+10:00

Eleven months and there's no stopping her! The toys were a pathetic attempt at distracting her for a couple of seconds so I could snap a quick portrait before she came tearing towards me like a bat outta hell. These blurry, poorly lit action shots are the best of a bad bunch. Thank heavens Tim is coming to town for the next one. The big O.N.E. We're super excited!

It's been a huge month of learning for Eulalie, and I'm amazed at some of her new skills... but it's a hectic time of year, and I'm pushed for time to write it all down. I thought I should quickly jot a few things down, mostly for our own record of this beautiful time.

Eleven months is all about walking(!) and talking ("dog dog dog") and eating and tickling and cuddling and teething and bumping heads and kissing dollies and making messes and loving puppies and cuddles and reading stories and keeping mummy on her toes.

We see more of her gorgeous, cheeky personality every day. She's determined, charming, observant, hilarious and super sweet. She brings so much joy to everyone around her. She's our girl, and we love her so.

***

2011-12-16T10:07:00.000+10:00

Mangoes and lychees, direct from Nonno's farm to the mouth of babe. When it's only 7am and already 28 degrees, there's really no other choice for breakfast.

***

2011-12-13T13:03:00.002+10:00

Thanks for all the blanket love on my last post. I'm still pinching myself. Although it's kind of ironic that I scored a knitted blanket during a heatwave. Any other knitted blanket and I couldn't even bear to look at it. But I'll quite happily stare at this piece of 'art' (as categorised by Anna and her friend Jill) while I swelter in 35+ degree temperatures and 98% humidity. It's not fair is it? You're probably freezing and could really do with a knitted blanket... Oh well.

(Geez, I'm getting a bit cheeky 'round here lately...)

We've been keeping cool by swimming at Nanna's house with Lalie's cousins. Any other outings involve swift transfers from air-conditioned house to air-conditioned car to air-conditioned shopping center. Not exactly my idea of fun, but that AC is essential.

Oh, and speaking of Lalie's Nanna... how's this for six degrees of separation? I've just realised that Zoe - the designer of the sweet Hollie Hobbie dress in my last post - is a reader of my blog! When she saw Lalie in her adorable 'Pretty Pickings' creation, she linked back to me on her facebook page - where Celia from Shorties spotted it and got in touch with Zoe saying that Eulalie's Nanna (who's in Sydney on holiday) had been in the Shorties store over the weekend! (Cat's out of the bag, Nanna!). So now we've been mentioned on the Shorties facebook page too! Are you following? No? Me neither... but isn't it a funny little world?

Now do yourself a favour and pop over to Shorties and Pretty Pickings. Super cute, stylish, delightful childrens wear and accessories!

***

2011-12-09T09:49:00.001+10:00

Op-shop. Yesterday. A tenner. A TENNER!!!

Try not to hate me...

...but if you never come back here to visit me again - I'll understand.

* Holly Hobbie vintage fabric dress - a gift from Zia Kel - purchased at Shorties when she was just a wee thing. It finally fits!

Happy Friday, folks!