tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338246172018-10-14T23:49:07.719+11:00DanielleQ: Curiouser and CuriouserPhotography, Handmade, Art, Scrapbooking, Home Life, Autism, Aspergers, Adhd, Recipes and Everyday LifeDanielle Quarmbynoreply@blogger.comBlogger939125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-42615082503365141692016-12-12T13:31:00.003+11:002016-12-12T13:31:51.623+11:00Beautiful Grandbabies - Portrait Session Sneak PeekLast week I had this sweet little photo session with these cute baby cousins... both girls were just so adorable. Here is a little sneak peek!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NlXedMTPMmQ/WE4LUSorU6I/AAAAAAAAOhE/TDcV9VB8-dsDWwQLCVBXXLAq4JGM0QekwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser136-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NlXedMTPMmQ/WE4LUSorU6I/AAAAAAAAOhE/TDcV9VB8-dsDWwQLCVBXXLAq4JGM0QekwCLcB/s400/Curiouser136-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zDqZpUr9Yc/WE4LUd7UPRI/AAAAAAAAOhI/twTvijskrvgH6UAudRiCesXU5cKu4Pm8wCLcB/s1600/Curiouser136-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zDqZpUr9Yc/WE4LUd7UPRI/AAAAAAAAOhI/twTvijskrvgH6UAudRiCesXU5cKu4Pm8wCLcB/s640/Curiouser136-2.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VvwIxSOEPpY/WE4LUTjhCWI/AAAAAAAAOhM/ZMsQsjNrwnos-pbiImH0uPEE6S3RYDtYwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser136-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VvwIxSOEPpY/WE4LUTjhCWI/AAAAAAAAOhM/ZMsQsjNrwnos-pbiImH0uPEE6S3RYDtYwCLcB/s400/Curiouser136-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZ0jSvK-Ukc/WE4LV_VmUQI/AAAAAAAAOhQ/hGdZqs4_CgEve7XULOeINWaFxpnEoS53wCLcB/s1600/Curiouser136-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZ0jSvK-Ukc/WE4LV_VmUQI/AAAAAAAAOhQ/hGdZqs4_CgEve7XULOeINWaFxpnEoS53wCLcB/s400/Curiouser136-4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlZKdKiPRGQ/WE4LWpQRlmI/AAAAAAAAOhU/PNrfCZ4AeBM1d4TEPQ0avrhBtQpwBFkzwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser136-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlZKdKiPRGQ/WE4LWpQRlmI/AAAAAAAAOhU/PNrfCZ4AeBM1d4TEPQ0avrhBtQpwBFkzwCLcB/s640/Curiouser136-5.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-76316602711301915992016-11-27T21:06:00.003+11:002016-11-27T21:07:14.165+11:00Ebony and Sam get marriedYesterday was an amazing day, the beautiful celebration of Sam and Ebony's wedding day in sunny country Victoria. With quirky touches, handmade details, vintage styling and gorgeous contributions from family and friends throughout the day, it was a really genuine and relaxed event, a truly special start to their marriage.<br /><br />Here is a sneak peek to share!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wed4VVi_Qnw/WDqtt8km-gI/AAAAAAAAOfM/_LXRsKapCIQKm6zjvoODTcOI9xWy27ATwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wed4VVi_Qnw/WDqtt8km-gI/AAAAAAAAOfM/_LXRsKapCIQKm6zjvoODTcOI9xWy27ATwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RE0F8vTrIs8/WDqt1wmieYI/AAAAAAAAOf0/dlBq946aOWkKbjwkXPf5_nhaQNpoKdSGACLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RE0F8vTrIs8/WDqt1wmieYI/AAAAAAAAOf0/dlBq946aOWkKbjwkXPf5_nhaQNpoKdSGACLcB/s640/Curiouser135-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhoEVbQ-TT8/WDqt51q5gAI/AAAAAAAAOgI/9XcgMrLztGQQjGwx8dwCPaDL6MamujTmgCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KhoEVbQ-TT8/WDqt51q5gAI/AAAAAAAAOgI/9XcgMrLztGQQjGwx8dwCPaDL6MamujTmgCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QdjrYwnsaMI/WDqt5-uOdnI/AAAAAAAAOgM/rFqMGlcPOQEabPMuV254Hma9JGCUPu4SQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QdjrYwnsaMI/WDqt5-uOdnI/AAAAAAAAOgM/rFqMGlcPOQEabPMuV254Hma9JGCUPu4SQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Po7UnpVqPpM/WDqt6dEKQxI/AAAAAAAAOgQ/Dod8mon-VbQoM_ZtQ5MyISu6KyrO832JQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Po7UnpVqPpM/WDqt6dEKQxI/AAAAAAAAOgQ/Dod8mon-VbQoM_ZtQ5MyISu6KyrO832JQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zfg3C9CoKo4/WDqt7Ob8lUI/AAAAAAAAOgU/9SkJ2FWCANsrc1JZuqMnbgLYICPoNTiDQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zfg3C9CoKo4/WDqt7Ob8lUI/AAAAAAAAOgU/9SkJ2FWCANsrc1JZuqMnbgLYICPoNTiDQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm354Mp-oBE/WDqt8DDbbCI/AAAAAAAAOgY/Sg2j6tpPQbAHyxyi9Iy1dvk07lGuGEsEACLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm354Mp-oBE/WDqt8DDbbCI/AAAAAAAAOgY/Sg2j6tpPQbAHyxyi9Iy1dvk07lGuGEsEACLcB/s640/Curiouser135-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IFyFLro8FKU/WDqt8jONt5I/AAAAAAAAOgc/MroEjBIh4BQjZUgvu1yH2VV11kcImHomwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IFyFLro8FKU/WDqt8jONt5I/AAAAAAAAOgc/MroEjBIh4BQjZUgvu1yH2VV11kcImHomwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FtWtiA8jUwg/WDqtvV-iHfI/AAAAAAAAOfU/GFIgAYV1EPYMI-QWnF70XcBky5tKdViuQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FtWtiA8jUwg/WDqtvV-iHfI/AAAAAAAAOfU/GFIgAYV1EPYMI-QWnF70XcBky5tKdViuQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2eV_rjTWfg/WDqtuxzeOoI/AAAAAAAAOfQ/8CPIy_JE7BY8E8OfkjWCj5PbBSGztClfACLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2eV_rjTWfg/WDqtuxzeOoI/AAAAAAAAOfQ/8CPIy_JE7BY8E8OfkjWCj5PbBSGztClfACLcB/s640/Curiouser135-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-znmOgwL194M/WDqtwih-rsI/AAAAAAAAOfY/BLY02sn1sXQtlfe3rEVVZr9ZYANLOXJyACLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-znmOgwL194M/WDqtwih-rsI/AAAAAAAAOfY/BLY02sn1sXQtlfe3rEVVZr9ZYANLOXJyACLcB/s640/Curiouser135-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sa_yiMX2veE/WDqtxJTwmBI/AAAAAAAAOf4/-uWRU4c2zZIE58I7caZVLD97NGxgDq5VQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sa_yiMX2veE/WDqtxJTwmBI/AAAAAAAAOf4/-uWRU4c2zZIE58I7caZVLD97NGxgDq5VQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tx1btXLzh_4/WDqtxAS6J4I/AAAAAAAAOfc/S1v1xlYcph0sbLpjfjYwopUk_xOhnRNcACLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tx1btXLzh_4/WDqtxAS6J4I/AAAAAAAAOfc/S1v1xlYcph0sbLpjfjYwopUk_xOhnRNcACLcB/s640/Curiouser135-14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JyJz5Fh1jgE/WDqtyPsMIoI/AAAAAAAAOfg/tFDqxDCnIpAyNlRLXkjbunPF0JZdzwLVwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JyJz5Fh1jgE/WDqtyPsMIoI/AAAAAAAAOfg/tFDqxDCnIpAyNlRLXkjbunPF0JZdzwLVwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdaOV8psiGg/WDqtzBQCMSI/AAAAAAAAOfk/C0T4vCfUrs4w4SOhSQs23gU6Eb3aRgzkwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zdaOV8psiGg/WDqtzBQCMSI/AAAAAAAAOfk/C0T4vCfUrs4w4SOhSQs23gU6Eb3aRgzkwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZ6cMj5SHDk/WDqt0AYsX5I/AAAAAAAAOfo/ZPHJM1q2o0g-W8noWxLc1pafqkUz5CvNQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZ6cMj5SHDk/WDqt0AYsX5I/AAAAAAAAOfo/ZPHJM1q2o0g-W8noWxLc1pafqkUz5CvNQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-17.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCuAxta-IFY/WDqt29h8ZfI/AAAAAAAAOf8/51YiOQMSHhw-bIN9AIdEgF4JQmbeHaZSwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCuAxta-IFY/WDqt29h8ZfI/AAAAAAAAOf8/51YiOQMSHhw-bIN9AIdEgF4JQmbeHaZSwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebrDSE_0MH8/WDqt3iVTgxI/AAAAAAAAOgA/y1r3XLqpL-c6Kpn8FNe-3Wjmp0FisVLsQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebrDSE_0MH8/WDqt3iVTgxI/AAAAAAAAOgA/y1r3XLqpL-c6Kpn8FNe-3Wjmp0FisVLsQCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-21.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IytShT9NlFY/WDqt42a3HII/AAAAAAAAOgE/WwTZYrsmF5o5X7L2RXDoF3D4Btyj0hSUwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser135-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IytShT9NlFY/WDqt42a3HII/AAAAAAAAOgE/WwTZYrsmF5o5X7L2RXDoF3D4Btyj0hSUwCLcB/s640/Curiouser135-22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-8617109880440808672016-05-31T21:27:00.002+10:002016-05-31T21:28:55.804+10:00When she was one... family portrait photographyWe've had some more absolutely stunning Autumn days here in Melbourne lately, coming up to Winter, with blue skies, yellow leaves and a fresh chill in the air. This family portrait session was really lovely fun, with little Anna - at 13 months old - the adorably cheerful star of the show.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Here are a few of my favourite moments.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YpdtpUxzypY/V010N-oPAeI/AAAAAAAAOOk/awefLjFp8Y8FCL7SX5i3cxaQwBIbqBVkwCLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YpdtpUxzypY/V010N-oPAeI/AAAAAAAAOOk/awefLjFp8Y8FCL7SX5i3cxaQwBIbqBVkwCLcB/s640/Curiouser128-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cyucQ7-PSA/V010PQtuQEI/AAAAAAAAOOs/wNsh2oW8MeElsgpWhrDZRyejblcwbcNJACLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cyucQ7-PSA/V010PQtuQEI/AAAAAAAAOOs/wNsh2oW8MeElsgpWhrDZRyejblcwbcNJACLcB/s640/Curiouser128-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EarrfIdKqMw/V010PGe-UlI/AAAAAAAAOOo/M0Dd5Uz74A8Eg3ShlF_ilUOBf-Gxc4iNQCLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EarrfIdKqMw/V010PGe-UlI/AAAAAAAAOOo/M0Dd5Uz74A8Eg3ShlF_ilUOBf-Gxc4iNQCLcB/s640/Curiouser128-3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8FfKy3lm6U/V010Qp8eZFI/AAAAAAAAOOw/6Uyphwf1I_oQw_DwV1L86wT2IZ8Rl8CRACLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s8FfKy3lm6U/V010Qp8eZFI/AAAAAAAAOOw/6Uyphwf1I_oQw_DwV1L86wT2IZ8Rl8CRACLcB/s640/Curiouser128-4.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BvqpHjq8iWk/V010R8HimTI/AAAAAAAAOO0/hXYlOalK-ZgqfWEBrJA-UiR8gEF1OsKMgCLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BvqpHjq8iWk/V010R8HimTI/AAAAAAAAOO0/hXYlOalK-ZgqfWEBrJA-UiR8gEF1OsKMgCLcB/s640/Curiouser128-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXeYkuTQjN4/V010TsQTs_I/AAAAAAAAOO8/8ci2bhjQCm88IEWP0BCIXWqDZfiERy57QCLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZXeYkuTQjN4/V010TsQTs_I/AAAAAAAAOO8/8ci2bhjQCm88IEWP0BCIXWqDZfiERy57QCLcB/s640/Curiouser128-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCN5RL3TtKw/V010SbHcy6I/AAAAAAAAOO4/bOs-sOSc4XgF_qVvbQ7GIM_Fy98mv5yawCLcB/s1600/Curiouser128-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCN5RL3TtKw/V010SbHcy6I/AAAAAAAAOO4/bOs-sOSc4XgF_qVvbQ7GIM_Fy98mv5yawCLcB/s640/Curiouser128-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-9572280766440743962016-05-16T12:38:00.004+10:002016-05-16T12:39:36.885+10:00Autumn Adventures and Beautiful Family Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vUszhJMZ9VE/Vzkx2pzxOJI/AAAAAAAAONs/PyyA023Jijc08O-bVxPuegpcbrSdlfIywCKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vUszhJMZ9VE/Vzkx2pzxOJI/AAAAAAAAONs/PyyA023Jijc08O-bVxPuegpcbrSdlfIywCKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I adore this sneak peek of a family portrait session I had on the weekend - this family were just so lovely, and we had a grand time adventuring through a Dandenong Ranges garden.<br /><br />Lots of leaf play, colour collecting and follow the leader ensued, and the session had a really sweet focus on family time and candid connections. Some of my favourite moments are seeing the family playing and exploring through the Autumn landscape...<br /><br />Here are a few of my personal highlights.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0EcoFCBPMU/Vzkxydm--II/AAAAAAAAONc/CIATKTmhA28ZBikilghVDC5H25d3XOxDQCKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0EcoFCBPMU/Vzkxydm--II/AAAAAAAAONc/CIATKTmhA28ZBikilghVDC5H25d3XOxDQCKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nILumIbkEys/Vzkx2HX6LyI/AAAAAAAAONo/75kyepCc-QcMTRB4FQwRWEk6eWT4hIISgCKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nILumIbkEys/Vzkx2HX6LyI/AAAAAAAAONo/75kyepCc-QcMTRB4FQwRWEk6eWT4hIISgCKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-6.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SxAe5usgK0E/Vzkxz6Qg4II/AAAAAAAAONk/wpdmCowS4nMusJEHV3HB0FkZX111-t4KgCKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SxAe5usgK0E/Vzkxz6Qg4II/AAAAAAAAONk/wpdmCowS4nMusJEHV3HB0FkZX111-t4KgCKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewGi1ZMBkHA/Vzkx2u0CjgI/AAAAAAAAONw/aJgHvzuE-ysKu9c9JOozO3WRgrB3SlYPwCKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewGi1ZMBkHA/Vzkx2u0CjgI/AAAAAAAAONw/aJgHvzuE-ysKu9c9JOozO3WRgrB3SlYPwCKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIk8k0pqBOE/VzkxyN7fXHI/AAAAAAAAONY/nX731VIIW20UwQAiu9AzDm-lMPJARZoeACKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PIk8k0pqBOE/VzkxyN7fXHI/AAAAAAAAONY/nX731VIIW20UwQAiu9AzDm-lMPJARZoeACKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-85vA-q1qirU/VzkxyXlC5QI/AAAAAAAAONg/PK8bWnQK_D0zzXZTuyk_rIG-_6DvMp59ACKgB/s1600/Curiouser121-Sneak-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-85vA-q1qirU/VzkxyXlC5QI/AAAAAAAAONg/PK8bWnQK_D0zzXZTuyk_rIG-_6DvMp59ACKgB/s640/Curiouser121-Sneak-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-63952737245189553962015-11-30T17:19:00.000+11:002015-11-30T17:19:07.157+11:00Tracy and Mark in the Forest ArboretumSaturday was a stunning day in the Dandenong Ranges, and I spent a beautiful afternoon photographing the wedding of Mark and Tracy. After the ceremony, we meandered around the R J Hamer Forest Arboretum for some portrait time.<br /><br />My favourite thing about this couple was the warm and loving friendship they share, with each highlighting kindness and patience as traits they held dear in the other. Such a beautiful day, where they were surrounded by joyful family and friends, it was a wonderful beginning to their marriage.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygeRSiM80M4/Vlvn_0glmaI/AAAAAAAAN_w/TwfqIMH0XkQ/s1600/109-TracyMark-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygeRSiM80M4/Vlvn_0glmaI/AAAAAAAAN_w/TwfqIMH0XkQ/s640/109-TracyMark-2.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reZmkDrSk9M/Vlvn-NfyWCI/AAAAAAAAN_o/Huzr00_A_Jw/s1600/109-TracyMark-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reZmkDrSk9M/Vlvn-NfyWCI/AAAAAAAAN_o/Huzr00_A_Jw/s640/109-TracyMark-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VxUFck0oQJk/VlvoByx5jqI/AAAAAAAAN_4/0NTgTTQaPto/s1600/109-TracyMark-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VxUFck0oQJk/VlvoByx5jqI/AAAAAAAAN_4/0NTgTTQaPto/s640/109-TracyMark-3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lOm3zg-zs4E/VlvoEG25tiI/AAAAAAAAN_8/stOP-uhMB4s/s1600/109-TracyMark-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lOm3zg-zs4E/VlvoEG25tiI/AAAAAAAAN_8/stOP-uhMB4s/s640/109-TracyMark-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rq1QVcxt7ZM/VlvoEh9f0FI/AAAAAAAAOAA/wGoJsy7CUvY/s1600/109-TracyMark-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rq1QVcxt7ZM/VlvoEh9f0FI/AAAAAAAAOAA/wGoJsy7CUvY/s640/109-TracyMark-5.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2yBLAdgpOlQ/VlvoHOUdgDI/AAAAAAAAOAE/keI5wfaAJFQ/s1600/109-TracyMark-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2yBLAdgpOlQ/VlvoHOUdgDI/AAAAAAAAOAE/keI5wfaAJFQ/s640/109-TracyMark-6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PtAO5Rpfqmk/VlvoH1z8K-I/AAAAAAAAOAI/KeG17acNpjk/s1600/109-TracyMark-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PtAO5Rpfqmk/VlvoH1z8K-I/AAAAAAAAOAI/KeG17acNpjk/s640/109-TracyMark-7.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujZK-NA8c3Y/VlvoKhPS9XI/AAAAAAAAOAM/vIwi-H6iri4/s1600/109-TracyMark-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujZK-NA8c3Y/VlvoKhPS9XI/AAAAAAAAOAM/vIwi-H6iri4/s640/109-TracyMark-9.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D1wAqrBqoGc/VlvokwlSN2I/AAAAAAAAOAQ/2newbrbXfzg/s1600/109-TracyMark-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D1wAqrBqoGc/VlvokwlSN2I/AAAAAAAAOAQ/2newbrbXfzg/s640/109-TracyMark-8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48qJCXwTXvc/Vlvn-2F6n2I/AAAAAAAAN_s/2gR5_RvNqhQ/s1600/109-TracyMark-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48qJCXwTXvc/Vlvn-2F6n2I/AAAAAAAAN_s/2gR5_RvNqhQ/s640/109-TracyMark-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />You'll find more information on Curiouser wedding photography <a href="http://curiouser.com.au/weddings/" target="_blank">here</a>, with a limited number of wedding bookings available each year, both in the Dandenong Ranges and afar.Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-30878708440135586632015-11-06T12:57:00.000+11:002015-11-06T13:06:20.447+11:00Northwest America and our adventuring crewI find myself still settling back into being at home after our big trip away (check out our photos along the way here: <a href="https://instagram.com/explore/tags/quarmbysusanorthwest/">https://instagram.com/explore/tags/quarmbysusanorthwest/</a> ). It's been about 10 days since we returned, and we were away for 22 days - not that long really. But it was a full three weeks! Life at home is full and busy but in a rather different style.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7cKfGun3YeQ/VjwIXkNPF6I/AAAAAAAAN70/gC1Yy6nQhcY/s1600/201510-HydeStPier-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7cKfGun3YeQ/VjwIXkNPF6I/AAAAAAAAN70/gC1Yy6nQhcY/s640/201510-HydeStPier-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />One thing I love is that we are raising little travellers. It's a deliberate choice, and does mean that other we prioritise things differently from many families, but it's something I am grateful for. And am reminding myself of, as I look at our broken oven in the kitchen where I type this ;) We're still lucky that it's possible, absolutely, and it requires determination. One car, not two. Waiting and budgeting for that new oven. Planning and tracking and dreaming. We choose travel, and I love that.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AlAlDiko0kw/VjwIXJfaJuI/AAAAAAAAN78/epegeCJCLXQ/s1600/201510-BenAsh-Sausalito-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AlAlDiko0kw/VjwIXJfaJuI/AAAAAAAAN78/epegeCJCLXQ/s640/201510-BenAsh-Sausalito-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />When we were returning through Australian border control, Cedar was telling the customs officer that his backpack was from Japan. But that we just came from America. They do find it exciting, but it's also a repeating theme of their life experience. While they each had the same challenges and occasional meltdowns when travelling as they do at home, all of the kids found things to like and enjoy in the different places we visited. And I hope we are also teaching them that some family activities are motivated by us, the parents, and what we would like to experience. (I may have had to explain that to them a few times when they all wanted to just stay in playing Minecraft...)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oN0xZQlev88/VjwIXKaXJzI/AAAAAAAAN74/Pp_GfB1-i6U/s1600/201510-FremontTroll-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oN0xZQlev88/VjwIXKaXJzI/AAAAAAAAN74/Pp_GfB1-i6U/s640/201510-FremontTroll-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />It feels like I'm writing with a slightly melancholy tone, though it's just that I have a lot of brain clutter going on... pulling out specific thoughts is like putting my hand into a bowl of spaghetti to retrieve a lost tooth. Or something like that, anyway. The 'back to normal' transition, still, perhaps, with a normal that is fairly chaotic at the best of times, LOL.<br /><br />So, our Northwest trip, the quick overview version: We flew from Melbourne, via Auckland to San Francisco, where we stayed at Fisherman's Wharf. After four days we took an overnight train to Portland, Oregon. Cedar thought the sleeper train was the best thing ever! He was so excited. Unfortunately Amtrak lost our luggage, so when we arrived at Portland we had to dash out to buy underwear for everyone and a few essential changes of clothes. Our Portland hotel had given us a huge room upgrade, though, so that was amazing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--picASLa42I/VjwIYQ9Y33I/AAAAAAAAN8A/RnBr6hjNi7E/s1600/201510-Sienna-GasWorksPark-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--picASLa42I/VjwIYQ9Y33I/AAAAAAAAN8A/RnBr6hjNi7E/s640/201510-Sienna-GasWorksPark-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />After a few days in Portland, we took the train to Vancouver, BC (Canada). Arriving in Canada in almost the middle of the night was interesting... Poor Cedar had to be woken up to go through customs in the train station. Vancouver was a full three days, and then an early departure to catch the train again. This time to Seattle, Washington, where we spent the next 6 days. Finally, we flew back to San Francisco for one last day - organising ourselves and last minute souvenirs - before flying home. The kids loved flying, as well. Independent entertainment control was probably the highlight there ;)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NgZ9wq0ZGF4/VjwIWJ0jVoI/AAAAAAAAN7o/J-8dYNfeVvo/s1600/201510-AshCedar-GasWorksPark-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NgZ9wq0ZGF4/VjwIWJ0jVoI/AAAAAAAAN7o/J-8dYNfeVvo/s640/201510-AshCedar-GasWorksPark-01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Things we learned along the way:<br /><ul><li>People will still stop and offer assistance if you seem to look confused while trying to find street signs. So kind :)</li><li>Pork Belly makes a pretty spectacular cubano. SO yum.</li><li>Good coffee can be found in America. Really. (And by 'good' I mean a strong espresso / latte to our personal taste). You just have to be more deliberate / discerning about what you are looking for than in Melbourne. Though I am pretty fussy anywhere, so I'm used to that ;)</li><li>Exact coin change for a bus ticket is a lot more tricky when you have to buy five of them. Sorry Vancouver, that didn't really work for us.</li><li>Raccoons are really cute. </li><li>A submarine tour is really not a great place for a strong / heavy 10 year old to have a meltdown. Especially if they run to a schedule.</li><li>Alaska Airlines were awesome. Even though it was our shortest flight, the kids were invited into the cockpit and the flight attendant gave them all "wings" pins to wear. Plus everyone was super nice.</li><li>It's fun to make friends in new places. That was a real highlight for all the kids.</li></ul>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-59008748642362312762015-06-28T22:38:00.002+10:002015-06-28T22:45:58.635+10:00Two little raspberries - Twin newborn photography<img alt="Newborn Photography Twin Baby Girls" src="http://curiouser.com.au/blog/curiousernewbornphotographytwingirls.jpg" height="4691" width="650" /><br /><br />I love baby photos, especially slice-of-life style pics at home, or gorgeous portrait shots. But nothing beats the newbie newness of hospital photos for me, babies change so quickly and the time spent after their birth is a squishy evolution between growing babies, and babies growing you.<br /><br />Meet Scarlett and Winter. Super sweeties.Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-21393505790280937822015-06-22T22:12:00.002+10:002015-06-22T22:12:59.255+10:00Sweetie pie, a new little friendThis is Charli, a gorgeous little girl who was born last week to a lovely friend of mine :)<br /><br />I love taking squishy newborn still-in-hospital new photos, snapshots for loved ones, there's nothing quite like these first few days!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGC6WWc-JYA/VYf7KpqjTnI/AAAAAAAANx0/YPpQnE4QTi8/s1600/CharliDexter-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGC6WWc-JYA/VYf7KpqjTnI/AAAAAAAANx0/YPpQnE4QTi8/s640/CharliDexter-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CXtreZwNaUA/VYf7O_fyVfI/AAAAAAAANyk/Ak-wmjKks20/s1600/CharliDexter-bw-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CXtreZwNaUA/VYf7O_fyVfI/AAAAAAAANyk/Ak-wmjKks20/s640/CharliDexter-bw-3.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysSnHEDBON8/VYf7MLPkx7I/AAAAAAAANyA/CSg3SeTSfjE/s1600/CharliDexter-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ysSnHEDBON8/VYf7MLPkx7I/AAAAAAAANyA/CSg3SeTSfjE/s400/CharliDexter-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c4oIy0PUWk4/VYf7L4EEhTI/AAAAAAAANx8/di_qXxjSK6Y/s1600/CharliDexter-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c4oIy0PUWk4/VYf7L4EEhTI/AAAAAAAANx8/di_qXxjSK6Y/s640/CharliDexter-21.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZjDk9-WNys/VYf7M5kvj2I/AAAAAAAANyM/oCZaGspHjt0/s1600/CharliDexter-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZjDk9-WNys/VYf7M5kvj2I/AAAAAAAANyM/oCZaGspHjt0/s640/CharliDexter-27.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXls7CexzU8/VYf7Nd8ssaI/AAAAAAAANyQ/4QO1_wDpARw/s1600/CharliDexter-bw-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xXls7CexzU8/VYf7Nd8ssaI/AAAAAAAANyQ/4QO1_wDpARw/s400/CharliDexter-bw-19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b854dvc-_QE/VYf7NwZmzaI/AAAAAAAANyY/lTytH136ICs/s1600/CharliDexter-bw-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b854dvc-_QE/VYf7NwZmzaI/AAAAAAAANyY/lTytH136ICs/s640/CharliDexter-bw-22.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-32506293795673120992015-06-12T12:02:00.001+10:002015-06-12T18:14:19.702+10:00The part and the whole of our #autism familySo, things were up in the air for our family for about 6 weeks or so regarding this <a href="http://www.danielleq.com/2015/04/today-bewildered-autism-and-boy.html" target="_blank">potential huge change</a>. There was waiting. Exploring. Investigating options. Weighing benefits. Cognitive testing. And my mind racing, worrying, analysing, as we gradually came to the crunch of making the decision about Ash's schooling.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nwolSHWgnd4/VXo9W4C5UCI/AAAAAAAANxc/eQPVa2KXT9Q/s1600/CanolaKids-bw-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nwolSHWgnd4/VXo9W4C5UCI/AAAAAAAANxc/eQPVa2KXT9Q/s640/CanolaKids-bw-1.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><br />On the one hand, Ash's emotions were telling me that he needed something more than what he currently has. Whether that is about support, therapies or simply insight, we needed to think about what was best for him. So, it was recommended that we consider this particular school - a limited time offer, as he is at the upper age limit of enrolment already, being in year 4 this year.<br /><br />Ash and I did a school tour, and he did two trial mornings in the classroom there. He liked it. He got along well with the other kids in the class. They liked him. The school suggested he might begin full time in just a few weeks. We had one full day trial left to complete before making the final decision.<br /><br />Then Cedar got chicken pox (mildly, as he is immunised), and I let them know that Ash had been exposed. This postponed the full day trial for a couple of weeks. And in the meantime, my brain kept ticking over a million miles a minute. I had a meeting with the principal at the kids' current school. I had conversations with another school parent who has a great understanding of Autism spectrum kids. I had a conversation with my daughter's psychologist. I had a conversation with Ash's psychologist. I did research. Ben and I discussed the pros and cons, the costs and benefits - both literally, and to each of us, as well as to Ash (primarily, loss of his aide support). I wrote lists. Talked it out, juggled my thoughts, watched my kids.<br /><br />And then I sat in a cafe in a shopping centre, with a coffee next to me, and wrote two emails to the specialist school - one to the principal and one to the teacher. Ash would not be changing schools. There was no need to complete the trial days. Their information has been invaluable (and I've since had another conversation with them getting more tips and advice). But our family is made up of more than one 9 year old boy. He is not even the only one on the Autism Spectrum. And, as completely as I love him and want to help him, we are one whole family unit.<br /><br />You see, I'd been on a rollercoaster of decision making, and things were not crystal clear or self-evident as to what would be the best choice for Ash. But it was like I had blinkers on. I was looking at Ash as an individual, and what might be ideal for him on his own. I knew it would have a high personal cost to me if he changed schools, but I felt that I, as his mother, could sacrifice 15 months of my life for the benefit of my beautiful son.<br /><br />And then I stopped. Ash is not an only child. We are not a family unit of 2 or 3. There are five of us here. It's not *just* about him, and it's not *just* about me. Sienna is 11.5 years old, a tween girl with Aspergers and ADHD, going into high school next year. How would it affect her if the pressure was on each morning to get ready early, quickly, quickly, or Ash will be late for his school a half hour drive away? How would it affect her if I am unavailable for 2 hours per day? If I feel too frustrated and tired by the juggling act to be a listening ear? As well as practical details, will I be able to take her to her high school transition program, an integration program for additional needs, if I also have to drive Ash in the opposite direction?<br /><br />Cedar is 5 years old. He'll be 6 in five weeks, and he is in his first year of primary school. Next year he will be in year 1, and if Ash changed schools Cedar would be rushed out of the car, expected to walk in to school on his own, 15 minutes early every day. Is this really a good time for my energies to be so devoted to one child? With no guarantees? As well as all that, while weighing up these decisions our 1 year old dog Sparrow got very sick. She had a sudden and extreme bacterial infection, and I spent a week back and forth to the vet, getting meds into her and sitting next to her almost constantly.<br /><br />I realised there was also the literal cost to our entire family - a sudden vet bill would be impossible to pay if I tied up all our available family income in private school fees for one child. And with my time commitment to driving 2 hours a day, I would hardly be able to earn any income to help pay for it. Even for Ash's sake, what about the school fulfilled his needs? Would it be worth it? What would happen at the end of 5 terms when he had to return to mainstream school, but no longer had aide support? And would this help when 5 terms later he had to transition again - a third time - to high school?<br /><br />I know this seems like a big old brain dump, and it is - (epic, in fact, I'm impressed if anyone has read this far!) but it is still only a fraction of the thought rollercoaster I was riding for those 6 weeks. I just wanted to record the conflict, the unknown and unseen by most, that I know so many parents and families go through when weighing up decisions they need to make for their children. Professionals might tell you they think something will benefit your child, and our instinct is to jump in with both feet - yes, of course, let's do that! But even the loveliest professionals are not part of YOUR family, and they don't know the whole story of your everyday life. <b>No one is as well equipped to make these decisions as you are. </b><br /><br />And there might be parts of the decisions you have to make over the years that are about you. Self-care, some call it, or your needs as an individual and not just a mother (or father). We might be reluctant to add these to the scales, on one side or the other, but really, we must. As their primary carers, our wellbeing - or not - at the end of the day is likely to have a stronger effect on our kids than we know. Your happiness has weight. You matter too.<br /><br />Even though we decided not to make this big change, for Ash to move schools, it was not a decision <b>not</b> to change. We decided to take what we have learnt from the specialist school, take the conversations I had with school representatives and other professionals, and make smaller changes.<br /><br />Our action plan now is:<br /><ul><li>Weekly 'excursions' to reward (and incentivize) Ash for attending school every day of the week, something that is hard for him</li><li>The development of a Sensory room at school and a strategy for including more sensory input into his day.</li></ul>And that's it. Of course, each of these two things means budgeting, appointments for planning and meetings with school, among other things. But they are two key outcomes of this experience. They will both benefit others as well as Ash, and we are still showing him that what is best for him, matters to us.<br /><br />It's all a learning curve, after all. Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-89021644510520212612015-04-22T23:38:00.002+10:002015-04-22T23:38:20.507+10:00Today, bewildered - #autism and the boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PaU_nJCJU_8/VTeipcLFGgI/AAAAAAAANt0/vZ1uNNijwKI/s1600/AshAutismBewildered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PaU_nJCJU_8/VTeipcLFGgI/AAAAAAAANt0/vZ1uNNijwKI/s1600/AshAutismBewildered.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>This boy... so incredibly lovable, he has my head spinning at the moment. Today was a particularly epic day. The kind that hindsight would advice to skip, stay in bed, don't even try. But who knows that, in the morning, right?<br /><br /><br />So, aside from the (not uncommon) reluctance to get out of bed and face school, the 75 minute separation process once I did get him there (all three kids that constant five minutes late), the skeleton onesie pyjamas being worn at school all day and the kicking, fighting, biting, beside-himself meltdown after the final bell this afternoon... aside from that, there's this feeling. The word that fits, I think most accurately, is bewildered.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CB8E3_yr4FQ/VTeiqFYY5hI/AAAAAAAANt8/g52aiH8-9No/s1600/TreasureBoys-Ash1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CB8E3_yr4FQ/VTeiqFYY5hI/AAAAAAAANt8/g52aiH8-9No/s1600/TreasureBoys-Ash1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a> </div>I know this kid, and I know him really well. But I still find myself bewildered, wondering one day (yesterday to be precise) if a certain pattern will be our new status quo, and then flipping that back again the very next. It's not about the separation anxiety, at least, not specifically. And not about the meltdown - as amplified as his response was, there was a catalyst there.<br /><br />I think the hardest thing to get my head around is the inconsistency. I am bewildered by what is different from one morning to the next. By the need to make decisions about what is best for this amazing, complex 9 year old boy, with conflicting evidence from day to day, week to week, about what those best things might be. He can be such a joy to have around, and he adores me - his anchor, his mum - like nothing else in this world. But these things won't give him an education. Hugs and teddies aren't going to make him friends. Social thinking can't be learned from one person alone.<br /><br />At the moment, we are part way through the intake process at <a href="http://www.bestchance.org.au/cheshireschool/" target="_blank">Cheshire school</a>, a transitional school for kids with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, for Ash, as recommended by his psychologist. It's an investigative process, where actual enrolment isn't decided until a certain stage of the process, and we are not there quite yet. We're part way through. So, there have been a lot of considerations to think about, and the possibility of big change ahead. But the possibility of it not happening is there too. It's up in the air. Good things on both sides - the change, or not to change. The private, specialist school, the increased transitions, the hectic schedule for me as the driver (an extra two hours of driving a day), but the chance that this is what will work for him. And the possibility that it won't.<br /><br />The principal / psychologist from the school observed Ash in his current school and classroom the other day, and we spoke a little later that afternoon. There were a lot of good points, and I agree fully with them all - he engages well with his peers, with assistance can work on the required tasks, seems generally liked by others, doesn't seem anxious within the classroom space. She could see a few things we'd spoken about as well, but the areas of concern were more subtle. These are all true things. I started to wonder if maybe this new school idea won't be the necessary goal. I hope we can avoid the big change, despite the potential benefits, for the sake of appreciating the things Ash likes about where he is at, things he would have to sacrifice to change schools. And, to be brutally honest, save the money, and driving.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSJNhacr8mo/VTejO6q52JI/AAAAAAAANuE/QGFDpjwk3eo/s1600/DanielleQuarmby-AutismMorning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gSJNhacr8mo/VTejO6q52JI/AAAAAAAANuE/QGFDpjwk3eo/s1600/DanielleQuarmby-AutismMorning.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />But then, today, pyjamas, the morning refusal again, and the chair-tossing, workbook-ripping, heart-breaking meltdown over the end of the day, over time running out, and him not being able to do his show and tell after all. Just a final straw, on a hard day. <a href="http://suelarkey.com.au/Promo_-_Red_Beast_Book.php" target="_blank">The red beast</a> took over, he says, and while it took half an hour to come back to a calm place, five minutes after we got home he was all hugs and apology. He's a beautiful boy. And I can easily see it. Tackling life is just a bit too much to ask sometimes.Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-39876677666985180732015-04-20T12:02:00.001+10:002015-04-20T12:06:09.704+10:00Bec's Baby Shower - Vintage Glam styling gorgeousness!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M887sDU7Jig/VTRaoI8Yz1I/AAAAAAAANrs/C4W0f7AvER8/s1600/BecsBabyShower-Blogtitle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M887sDU7Jig/VTRaoI8Yz1I/AAAAAAAANrs/C4W0f7AvER8/s1600/BecsBabyShower-Blogtitle.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />Twin girls are on their way, and we put on a beautiful party to celebrate for my lovely cousin. Her bestie and I organised the party, and I got to do my favourite parts of a party - styling and decoration :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fNYtR-b2UhQ/VTRa7yozHYI/AAAAAAAANr8/0v44Lr79Nsg/s1600/BecsBabyShower-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fNYtR-b2UhQ/VTRa7yozHYI/AAAAAAAANr8/0v44Lr79Nsg/s1600/BecsBabyShower-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />So, a couple of weeks ago I took the kids over the border once more, off to Adelaide with a car full of silver trays, white tablecloths, paper flowers and vintage books. I'd spent my spare time in the weeks before making tassle garlands, a lace garland, designing activity cards and creating paper flowers. We stayed with my little sister and nephew, giving the kids a fun end to their school holidays running amok with their cousin for a day or two before the party! I took the chance to do some baking with my sister, using our family favourite chocolate cake recipe, and trying out her thermomix when making the cinnamon buttercream icing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42kQ5QYQfG4/VTRa8sO5dCI/AAAAAAAANsE/cNRO-OtqnQ0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42kQ5QYQfG4/VTRa8sO5dCI/AAAAAAAANsE/cNRO-OtqnQ0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-5.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhWq4IYrkq4/VTRbjIHHlVI/AAAAAAAANsU/vfVibC69yTk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dhWq4IYrkq4/VTRbjIHHlVI/AAAAAAAANsU/vfVibC69yTk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-12.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGpGc4x01UU/VTRbkyIVYYI/AAAAAAAANss/2vIN01C_3MI/s1600/BecsBabyShower-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGpGc4x01UU/VTRbkyIVYYI/AAAAAAAANss/2vIN01C_3MI/s1600/BecsBabyShower-14.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br />When setting up Bec's space, it was great that the fairy lights and tissue paper balls still hung beneath the decking roof, left from her wedding party last year. We added a range of umbrellas and parasols, to suit the 'baby shower' theme, in a mix of white and magenta (our party theme colours). I loved this, they looked so whimsical and gorgeous! Across the fairy lights, I strung the lace semi-circle garland that I'd made diagonally, and added the tassle garland around the edges of the decking area.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-orFbjjWSqwk/VTRboS2XkuI/AAAAAAAANtE/775T76acVFc/s1600/BecsBabyShower-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-orFbjjWSqwk/VTRboS2XkuI/AAAAAAAANtE/775T76acVFc/s1600/BecsBabyShower-20.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpejB8eHYNY/VTRbnxykslI/AAAAAAAANs8/_U2fXX4kzVk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-17.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BpejB8eHYNY/VTRbnxykslI/AAAAAAAANs8/_U2fXX4kzVk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-17.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3CpxR6FX_AI/VTRaoLoYTZI/AAAAAAAANrw/Ve9a1BSVj68/s1600/BecsBabyShower-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3CpxR6FX_AI/VTRaoLoYTZI/AAAAAAAANrw/Ve9a1BSVj68/s1600/BecsBabyShower-16.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NwVevdy0rSM/VTRbkOhJcmI/AAAAAAAANsk/mhS2fIFGeOk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NwVevdy0rSM/VTRbkOhJcmI/AAAAAAAANsk/mhS2fIFGeOk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-13.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><br />On the morning of the baby shower, tables were set up and all covered, including the permanent BBQ, with white tablecloths and fabric. Silver trays, cut glass, burlap strips, fresh ivy, vases of fresh magenta and white flowers, potted colour, gilt frames and vintage books were all placed around the tables, including two activity areas. But the food table was my favourite, everything book paper, magenta and flowers, it was so pretty. It looked even more magical in real life.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUzDF3vP3oA/VTRbmEP8i3I/AAAAAAAANs0/R-rQSquHZk0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-142.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlg6pLyINM0/VTRbrGdpSVI/AAAAAAAANtU/d34Rf91r_ec/s1600/BecsBabyShower-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rlg6pLyINM0/VTRbrGdpSVI/AAAAAAAANtU/d34Rf91r_ec/s1600/BecsBabyShower-8.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUldXluNLxI/VTRbpvWOJaI/AAAAAAAANtM/zLSxhXz7RBs/s1600/BecsBabyShower-49.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vUldXluNLxI/VTRbpvWOJaI/AAAAAAAANtM/zLSxhXz7RBs/s1600/BecsBabyShower-49.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUej23a2GvQ/VTRcFhIV2RI/AAAAAAAANtk/pw-aB4CMZCk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUej23a2GvQ/VTRcFhIV2RI/AAAAAAAANtk/pw-aB4CMZCk/s1600/BecsBabyShower-38.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUzDF3vP3oA/VTRbmEP8i3I/AAAAAAAANs0/R-rQSquHZk0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-142.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kUzDF3vP3oA/VTRbmEP8i3I/AAAAAAAANs0/R-rQSquHZk0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-142.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UiKl45B_Yr0/VTRbsrmQldI/AAAAAAAANtc/d7O_Ww-yseU/s1600/BecsBabyShower-93.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UiKl45B_Yr0/VTRbsrmQldI/AAAAAAAANtc/d7O_Ww-yseU/s1600/BecsBabyShower-93.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><br />The party was really fun and happy, with our make shift photo booth (wall) and a gorgeous array of food and drink to share. I even hopped in front of the camera for a few myself (the evidence is below). Bec felt adored, everyone loved the styling and look of it all, and there are some very fun photos to keep! I call that a win :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SAYiIfFkTe4/VTRbiEo9blI/AAAAAAAANsQ/qFvhi8NJkJE/s1600/BecsBabyShower-120.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E8B50ZFQ6tk/VTRbib8Rq6I/AAAAAAAANsM/YorvSoC_LH0/s1600/BecsBabyShower-107.jpg" height="426" width="640" /><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SAYiIfFkTe4/VTRbiEo9blI/AAAAAAAANsQ/qFvhi8NJkJE/s1600/BecsBabyShower-120.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />For guests and friends, the rest of the photos can be seen (and web-quality copies downloaded) at <a href="http://curiouser.shootproof.com/becsbabyshower">http://curiouser.shootproof.com/becsbabyshower</a><br /><br /><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-2295756484690805522015-02-26T19:30:00.000+11:002015-02-26T19:30:00.846+11:00Family photography and autism, part two: Exercising delight<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; page-break-before: always;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gty0kcFY8io/VOMfPBls07I/AAAAAAAANkc/X29M8cJggzM/s1600/FamilyPhotographyAndAutismPart2-ExercisingDelight-Hayley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gty0kcFY8io/VOMfPBls07I/AAAAAAAANkc/X29M8cJggzM/s1600/FamilyPhotographyAndAutismPart2-ExercisingDelight-Hayley.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In my last blog post, I wrote about my belief in the importance of family photography, more specifically for the family with autism 'in the mix', meaning with a family member on the autism spectrum (ASD, or ASC). These are my personal feelings, about something that just makes sense to me, not about any studies or academia or whatnot. This is something that is valuable to me. So, in the first part of this blog series I focused on the value for the visual learner, the autistic person. Read more about that here. But wait, there's more... (I've got a busy little brain when it comes to this topic!)</span> </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spectrum kids often struggle – socially, emotionally, with sensory processing, and so on – with their everyday life. An average school day can be monumentally challenging for them, and overwhelming in all different ways. Their family and home is, even more than for most kids, their safe place. Sometimes, as other mums will know, being a safe place doesn't always mean we get their best behaviour! But we are their haven, and often their translators, in a world of overwhelm and uncertainty. So the bond, the need, is just woven that little bit more tightly, keeping us - as their anchor - nice and strongly secured. </span> </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Firstly, this is a precious relationship, a unique relationship, with the beautiful and treasured connection between parent and child, between family members, enhanced by the intensity of the autism experience. From going through the diagnostic process, to the way we look at the world through their eyes, and filter the world for them when we can, there is an added layer to our family life that can be brilliantly rewarding, and supremely difficult at times. This is a relationship that deserves documenting, capturing and remembering.</span></div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3FR9v-Rsn0/VNld3NKigyI/AAAAAAAANiI/Dff33lcmNwc/s1600/Curiouser087-51.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3FR9v-Rsn0/VNld3NKigyI/AAAAAAAANiI/Dff33lcmNwc/s1600/Curiouser087-51.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That this is valuable, worth capturing, enjoying and celebrating, is ever true of these intricate family ties, which are always 'limited edition' and everchanging in every family. And so, this is ever more true of any family with special challenges in their lives.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Secondly, with these additionally layered family ties, these bonds can be even harder to cherish in the everyday. Where parents may be carers, therapists and advocates as well as mother or father; where the behaviours they work through may involve aggression, non-communication, self-destruction and anxiety; where the worries and concern stretch years into the future as well as each hour of the day... these relationships can, at times, be exercises in endurance. Not that there aren't moments of gratitude, reward and delight - and those are wonderful times – but there are certainly seasons where it is hard to stop coping and celebrate. Honouring these relationships is an exercise in optimism and gladness, and a deliberate focus on what is uniquely brilliant about our particularly different kids. Sometimes we're just too tired.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Taking that time to organise, lead up to and participate in a <a href="http://www.curiouser.com.au/" target="_blank">family photography</a> session is beautiful, and meaningful, and a gorgeous testament to the strength you draw on every day of your life. It's a celebration of the individuals that make up your stunningly unique family, and a celebration of the love you share. Because of it all, despite it all, sometimes not and then twice as much again. This is real, this is extraordinary, this is powerful. This is you.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-6985756327452843272015-02-19T19:30:00.000+11:002015-02-19T19:30:01.618+11:00Family photography and autism, part one: Pictures of love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYCibQ1ZFQ0/VOMfOuZwswI/AAAAAAAANkY/d4CTablUGK0/s1600/FamilyPhotographyAndAutismPart1-PicturesOfLove-Brothers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYCibQ1ZFQ0/VOMfOuZwswI/AAAAAAAANkY/d4CTablUGK0/s1600/FamilyPhotographyAndAutismPart1-PicturesOfLove-Brothers.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is my personal belief that it is even more important for a family with autism in the mix to have <a href="http://www.curiouser.com.au/" target="_blank">family photography</a>, even more so than an apparently typical family. Don't get me wrong, I do always feel that it is so valuable and meaningful for families to celebrate their milestones, their togetherness and their beautiful connections. I really do. But my reason for that statement is partly about the person/people on the spectrum, and partly about the experience of parenting with autism in the mix. </span> <br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today, I'm just going to talk about the value for the autistic person. Let's just assume in this article that we're talking about a child or youth. It applies to adults as well, and it actually applies to a lot of non-autistic, visually oriented people as well, but in this instance I will use the example of an autistic child. I am also thinking about my own children when I write, so there's my disclaimer ;)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k47lnz78IfY/VNlbAL_ZzCI/AAAAAAAANh0/VkyqGXVeg7w/s1600/Portrait-HeroSlide4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k47lnz78IfY/VNlbAL_ZzCI/AAAAAAAANh0/VkyqGXVeg7w/s1600/Portrait-HeroSlide4.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basically, with autism, a person's visual processing speed is often vastly superior to their auditory comprehension. <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/temple_grandin_the_world_needs_all_kinds_of_minds">Temple Grandin</a> explains how she thinks in pictures. My middle child, Ash, for an example from my own family, had a visual processing speed at the 88<sup>th</sup> percentile of his age when he was tested at 5 years old. His auditory processing was at the 22<sup>nd</sup>percentile. That's a large disparity, yes, which is often part of the diagnostic screening in itself. But it's the real life application that is the thing.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If someone says something to Ash, it is processed far slower than a typical child of his age. Processing time is really important, and if a lot of information is spoken at once then some of that information will invariably fall through the cracks, because his auditory processing skills are not at the level that you might expect. However, if someone shows him something, it is processed far more quickly than a typical child. Visual patterns, systems, instructions, concepts - everything that goes in to his brain through visual means is easier to process, understand and respond to, or take on board.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being told 'I love you' is beautiful, and true, and supportive. In the moment we say it, it is a meaningful, connective gesture. It is a genuinely lovely gesture, and one which we repeat, often.</span><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1I9WXFCjaE/VNlZc59iCtI/AAAAAAAANhs/t2JvbFlAVtM/s1600/quarmby-063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1I9WXFCjaE/VNlZc59iCtI/AAAAAAAANhs/t2JvbFlAVtM/s1600/quarmby-063.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My family, photographed by Angie Baxter www.angiebaxter.com.au</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being able to see 'I love you' visually, a gorgeous image of that bond you share, a photograph that becomes woven into the landscape of their everyday, that is beautiful, and true, and strong. That is a visual foundation of what home, and family, really mean to them. With no words needed, that 'I love you' moment reminds and anchors them each and every day, and that is powerful.</span></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-71977369981359615282015-02-12T18:00:00.000+11:002015-02-17T21:07:44.531+11:00Autism, motherhood and photography<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos-h.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10932118_543805722388663_949736554_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://photos-h.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10932118_543805722388663_949736554_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sienna sums us up in magnetic poetry (children's version)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just over a year and a half ago, I realised what my passion was. Is. Could be. It came to me suddenly, and clearly, and since then has constantly been percolating in the back of my mind. It's not something wildly different, for me, but rather something that has been gaining clarity progressively over the last couple of years. And something that is deeply important to me, both as a mother and a photographer.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The thing is, I am a professional photographer. It's taken me a long time shooting to get to this place, and I've technically been here for a few years now. While I have dabbled in fashion, commercial, nature, and I've enjoyed weddings as well, I feel that I am primarily a family and children portrait photographer. I really love it. Even before becoming a mother, I was always most excited by photographing children – so unpredictable, challenging and joyful.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RLroCB8shgg/VOMS3Zop9nI/AAAAAAAANj8/Aq0LTufvN5U/s1600/AutismMotherhoodPhotographyCuriouser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RLroCB8shgg/VOMS3Zop9nI/AAAAAAAANj8/Aq0LTufvN5U/s1600/AutismMotherhoodPhotographyCuriouser.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Do2rqe-JufU/VNk_GsIGODI/AAAAAAAANhE/IeVgaWr8wbg/s1600/Curiouser057-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The other thing is, I am a mother. I was a photographer first, but I've been a mum for over 11 years now. And for more than 6 of those years, I've been a particular type of mum, I guess you could say. An autism mother. I've written about my family before, and they are uniquely amazing and fascinating to me. Sometimes challenging, particularly when transitions or social demands push them past their comfort zone.</span><br /><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes I feel I need to clarify, I don't have my head in the sand either. Things aren't always easy, but they could be a lot harder too. Today it took an hour before my 9 year old would let me leave him at school. This morning my 11 year old wanted to curl up in the fetal position in the boot of our car because her drawing wasn't perfect, I had to hold her back so that I could take her into her regular appointment with her psychologist. My 5 year old screamed - and I mean really screamed - whenever the sunshine came through his side of the car during our drive home. This is all pretty typical stuff for our everyday life on the spectrum. But that's ok. We have moments. We move on. And I think they're overall pretty brilliant people.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And from here comes my clarity...</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91A8q7NGhmA/VNlAN859hAI/AAAAAAAANhY/c1W8B__ucC4/s1600/Portrait-HeroSlide3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91A8q7NGhmA/VNlAN859hAI/AAAAAAAANhY/c1W8B__ucC4/s1600/Portrait-HeroSlide3.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My heart feels most rewarded by the surge of love and meaning that I get from offering family photography to other families with autism, additional needs and special challenges. It feels gloriously important and beautiful to me, to be that person for a family, to be there to see them, to see their connection, their bond and their love. To be comfortable and relaxed enough that I react easily and lightly to any difficulties that arise during a photo session, to any uncertainty that comes in to play. I can give you that, the calm, the fun, the seeing of who you are. And, more importantly, the capturing of that.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is something I can give, that I love to provide, which has value far beyond the cost of a session fee, or anything else. I can give a family a treasure, which is not only an acceptance, but rather a celebration of how wonderful they are. Real, flawed perhaps – as we all are – but true and together and beautiful in that. It's important, it's who your family is. It's your story. It's your <a href="http://www.curiouser.com.au/" target="_blank">wonderland</a>.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This what I am going to do.</span></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-60993901053271063192015-02-05T21:13:00.002+11:002015-02-19T12:07:42.381+11:00Not on the spectrum, but... reading about hyper-sensitivity<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since I have kids with autism, and Sienna also has an ADHD diagnosis as well as Aspergers, I have a few news pages that I follow on Facebook that are relevant to them. Today a link was posted to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/additudemag?fref=ts" target="_blank">ADDItude Mag</a>with an <a href="http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/8945-3.html" target="_blank">article on Hyper-sensitivity</a>, as it is something that is often – while not a disorder, but rather a type – seen in people diagnosed with ADHD / ADD. On another Facebook post, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/maxabellaloves?fref=ts" target="_blank">a blogger I enjoy reading</a> posted a comment on Myers-Briggs personality types, which ties in, for me, to the kind of self-understanding that helps with being very sensitive.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bSTbKdm6wNk/VNM-lFnsFGI/AAAAAAAANgY/hAtdql_Rei4/s1600/2014-07-18-13.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bSTbKdm6wNk/VNM-lFnsFGI/AAAAAAAANgY/hAtdql_Rei4/s1600/2014-07-18-13.30.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am neither on the Autism spectrum (and yes, I've even done one of those basic online tests to check likelihood / similarities to ASD) nor do I have ADHD, though I have read a fair bit about them. Well, autism in particular. Anyhow ;) I don't believe myself to be on the spectrum of either of these conditions, but there are some traits I strongly empathise with. I've also read about the myers-briggs personality types, and the book 'The Highly Sensitive Person'. So, connecting with today's article didn't come as a surprise, but it is a good reminder.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One sentence that stood out a lot for me was this: “Prior to discovering my hypersensitivity, I perceived my over-the-top emotions as a character flaw. My mom would say, “Why can’t you get on an even keel?” As a child, I didn’t have an answer. This added to my already-low self-esteem.” I find this so interesting, and for a couple of reasons. One is the reminder that I really do fall clearly and undoubtedly into this category, which apparently includes an average of 15-20% of people.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are no words that stand out more strongly to me from my childhood and youth than “you're too sensitive”, and they didn't stop just because I became an adult. But as a child, it was more confusing, because I didn't disagree, but didn't understand why was there something wrong with me? And also because feelings being 'wrong' doesn't make them go away. If something hurts, but it hurts because 'you're too sensitive', it still hurts, but then there is the added layer of it being wrong somehow. It was something I remember repeating in some of my angsty, sensitive teenage poetry – this idea that I was inherently wrong, but without being able to define what that wrong was, exactly.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPgP_2gxGFI/VNM-lrHmnxI/AAAAAAAANgc/QnNKd7rvIuk/s1600/1997-Danielle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPgP_2gxGFI/VNM-lrHmnxI/AAAAAAAANgc/QnNKd7rvIuk/s1600/1997-Danielle.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a formative view of myself that I still struggle with, and so far have mostly just been able to work on recognising it. Changing those thought patterns is a battle for another season, I guess. Recognition, though, has its own strength. Which brings me to another part of the comment above that I found so interesting - “prior to discovering my hypersensitivity”. The next paragraph in the article quotes<a href="http://hsperson.com/" target="_blank"> </a></span><a href="http://hsperson.com/" target="_blank">Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D </a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://hsperson.com/" target="_blank">(authorof The Highly Sensitive Person)</a> - “Recognizing their high sensitivity can help people stop feeling bad about themselves.” </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well that is definitely harder said than done, but I do get what they're saying. And I totally agree, as this is the basis for getting any kind of diagnostic assessment really - such as autism, or ADHD as well. Further understanding can help, both with understanding the needs of the person and with improving their self esteem as a result of that understanding. The Myers-Briggs personality types helped me figure this out when I was a teenager, and a psychologist who saw me at 17 – on the recommendation of my bookshop boss, due to my extreme shyness – only saw me twice but helped me see that I was just a different type of person than most people around me.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My first couple of Myers-Briggs tests showed me as an INFP, a rare and sensitive personality type. Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving, and at 100% of the scale for introversion, and almost that high for intuitive. A few years later, the ratio shifted a little and I've been an INFJ ever since – very interesting, as my slight P preference earlier on shifted to a more decisive J type as I grew older. This was perhaps also in response to being with my husband since that time, as he was decidedly a P personality type, whereas I had only slightly leaned that way.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qg_cQtRBl7k/VOMiKVmWmuI/AAAAAAAANks/_bnr6flKKGc/s1600/NotSpectrumHypersensitivity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qg_cQtRBl7k/VOMiKVmWmuI/AAAAAAAANks/_bnr6flKKGc/s1600/NotSpectrumHypersensitivity.jpg" height="460" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It all sounds rather more serious than I really view it, which is as a great lesson in understanding and acceptance. When applied to myself, the acceptance – deep, instinctive, self-acceptance – is a lot harder than the understanding for me, but they are all tied together. And also with this third point which drew me in straight away, which is that “Emotional pain and physical pain are experienced in the same part of the brain.” Which explains why it can feel so all-encompassing to literally radiate pain from the darkness at the centre of myself, to the point where it can be felt by other intuitive people, but feel so ridiculous about it when there is no clear wrong thing to be blamed.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I may be veering off into talking about depression, here, but this is the thing. I suffer depression, I guess, in that I fit the criteria more often than not because of my thoughts and feelings about myself. But clinically... it's not purely chemical. It's this inherent wrongness that I've never been able to understand and accept about myself, which is actually not wrongness at all. It's just being different. Being hyper-sensitive. </span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having “all of the feelings” (for some reason I imagine those words spoken by Tina Fey?!).</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umrMCZ2YTJ4/VNNB_SpET7I/AAAAAAAANgs/4k1HNMeoPPY/s1600/2015-01-01-10.53.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umrMCZ2YTJ4/VNNB_SpET7I/AAAAAAAANgs/4k1HNMeoPPY/s1600/2015-01-01-10.53.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Clouds of grey sensitivity aside, the silver lining I see is that I've never felt like I quite fit. But I've always found some kindred spirits along the way. And I feel so much empathy for my kids, my amazing, fascinating, brilliant Autism spectrum kids, as a direct result of this sensitivity. I feel for them. All the time. And so I think it makes me a pretty good Autism mum. That, at least, is something good. And I can accept that.</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br /></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-42503119907714596662014-10-01T23:27:00.000+10:002014-10-01T23:27:11.026+10:00Vines and Oranges, Sneak Peek - Adelaide Family Photography<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nwu6pTIDzUY/VCv_lFMv4wI/AAAAAAAANb4/omBUwBcb54k/s1600/Curiouser088-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nwu6pTIDzUY/VCv_lFMv4wI/AAAAAAAANb4/omBUwBcb54k/s1600/Curiouser088-6.jpg" /></a></div><br />After a super windy morning, the Barossa Valley in South Australia put on a beautiful couple of hours one Spring afternoon for this gorgeous family session.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0gu3Ok3Sb0/VCv_juyxe3I/AAAAAAAANbw/W6YwZjrxklo/s1600/Curiouser088-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U0gu3Ok3Sb0/VCv_juyxe3I/AAAAAAAANbw/W6YwZjrxklo/s1600/Curiouser088-4.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WDllFCIC8Qw/VCv_iOMtIAI/AAAAAAAANbg/Mjie8wLaQzw/s1600/Curiouser088-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WDllFCIC8Qw/VCv_iOMtIAI/AAAAAAAANbg/Mjie8wLaQzw/s1600/Curiouser088-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKBGWlAtCWU/VCv_mLo5-LI/AAAAAAAANcA/MsW0aOFCL6k/s1600/Curiouser088-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKBGWlAtCWU/VCv_mLo5-LI/AAAAAAAANcA/MsW0aOFCL6k/s1600/Curiouser088-7.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckSr4T707jA/VCv_mgf9nuI/AAAAAAAANcE/vdqw3U3Piik/s1600/Curiouser088-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckSr4T707jA/VCv_mgf9nuI/AAAAAAAANcE/vdqw3U3Piik/s1600/Curiouser088-8.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NBZyQZEZX1c/VCv_hgJanwI/AAAAAAAANbY/YynHgTR6xiI/s1600/Curiouser088-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NBZyQZEZX1c/VCv_hgJanwI/AAAAAAAANbY/YynHgTR6xiI/s1600/Curiouser088-10.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lIaNx94IblA/VCv_iuaC5rI/AAAAAAAANbk/ctwQoCVbWt0/s1600/Curiouser088-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lIaNx94IblA/VCv_iuaC5rI/AAAAAAAANbk/ctwQoCVbWt0/s1600/Curiouser088-2.jpg" /></a></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-65971011767118282882014-09-27T21:54:00.002+10:002014-09-27T21:55:47.176+10:00Cuddles and waterfalls - Family photo session, Adelaide, South Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HsobzloolY/VCajkd6mUGI/AAAAAAAANag/Io-immvh7W0/s1600/Curiouser086-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9HsobzloolY/VCajkd6mUGI/AAAAAAAANag/Io-immvh7W0/s1600/Curiouser086-1.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />Friday afternoon was a gorgeous, sunny afternoon in Adelaide. I was lucky enough to spend an hour with this gorgeous family in a Golden Grove park. We had a lot of fun, and here are a few sneak peek images to share :)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYKwSjHWQ4I/VCajjWhJ5GI/AAAAAAAANaY/K0X3xqlH9pk/s1600/Curiouser086-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nYKwSjHWQ4I/VCajjWhJ5GI/AAAAAAAANaY/K0X3xqlH9pk/s1600/Curiouser086-2.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxwJr8MZN1c/VCajhE783gI/AAAAAAAANaQ/FMOC0nzyRNM/s1600/Curiouser086-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxwJr8MZN1c/VCajhE783gI/AAAAAAAANaQ/FMOC0nzyRNM/s1600/Curiouser086-3.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GknlgypFyNQ/VCajnYnUzKI/AAAAAAAANao/nFmSqcpGqoE/s1600/Curiouser086-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GknlgypFyNQ/VCajnYnUzKI/AAAAAAAANao/nFmSqcpGqoE/s1600/Curiouser086-4.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-G1UKUR-PQ/VCajpz_MjXI/AAAAAAAANaw/ZSQHPYbS5VQ/s1600/Curiouser086-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a-G1UKUR-PQ/VCajpz_MjXI/AAAAAAAANaw/ZSQHPYbS5VQ/s1600/Curiouser086-5.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYQDuqOdjec/VCajsTvRDqI/AAAAAAAANa4/-QbevG-pBmk/s1600/Curiouser086-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYQDuqOdjec/VCajsTvRDqI/AAAAAAAANa4/-QbevG-pBmk/s1600/Curiouser086-6.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HEjcvkZr7ek/VCajuUj_ouI/AAAAAAAANbA/89jFwDkstqA/s1600/Curiouser086-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HEjcvkZr7ek/VCajuUj_ouI/AAAAAAAANbA/89jFwDkstqA/s1600/Curiouser086-7.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFRavDC9w3s/VCajxlrOH6I/AAAAAAAANbI/P3D4D0fovKA/s1600/Curiouser086-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFRavDC9w3s/VCajxlrOH6I/AAAAAAAANbI/P3D4D0fovKA/s1600/Curiouser086-8.jpg" /></a></div><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-74853884877579610692014-06-24T10:47:00.000+10:002015-02-10T10:26:44.438+11:00Beautiful gorgeous lovely lady - solo portrait session - Adelaide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gx6SEEuYak4/U6jIbyjspeI/AAAAAAAANP0/3MHihv-YwTo/s1600/074-Lauren-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gx6SEEuYak4/U6jIbyjspeI/AAAAAAAANP0/3MHihv-YwTo/s1600/074-Lauren-5.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_JZSP2e-Aw/U6jIjn-yRbI/AAAAAAAANQM/OMXUGRPmLhQ/s1600/074-Lauren-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v_JZSP2e-Aw/U6jIjn-yRbI/AAAAAAAANQM/OMXUGRPmLhQ/s1600/074-Lauren-7.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VCcvNCV7OnQ/U6jIOchEpAI/AAAAAAAANPU/15FXOKloQf8/s1600/074-Lauren-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VCcvNCV7OnQ/U6jIOchEpAI/AAAAAAAANPU/15FXOKloQf8/s1600/074-Lauren-11.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5iky-3HGqx0/U6jIKBpyQhI/AAAAAAAANPE/mk1zPOTLRxk/s1600/074-Lauren-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5iky-3HGqx0/U6jIKBpyQhI/AAAAAAAANPE/mk1zPOTLRxk/s1600/074-Lauren-14.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kq7UNzXVkQ0/U6jIMXRK-NI/AAAAAAAANPM/hF_HkZkO3Rk/s1600/074-Lauren-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kq7UNzXVkQ0/U6jIMXRK-NI/AAAAAAAANPM/hF_HkZkO3Rk/s1600/074-Lauren-22.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_fJv5mApyk/U6jIRkf6PKI/AAAAAAAANPc/ttxCQJgnYxY/s1600/074-Lauren-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_fJv5mApyk/U6jIRkf6PKI/AAAAAAAANPc/ttxCQJgnYxY/s1600/074-Lauren-24.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_OyvtSRnwj4/U6jIUhKUUdI/AAAAAAAANPk/LpGzFI24lcY/s1600/074-Lauren-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_OyvtSRnwj4/U6jIUhKUUdI/AAAAAAAANPk/LpGzFI24lcY/s1600/074-Lauren-32.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-McttDtAzk2s/U6jIYyB_grI/AAAAAAAANPs/TYhsCSEWH0s/s1600/074-Lauren-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-McttDtAzk2s/U6jIYyB_grI/AAAAAAAANPs/TYhsCSEWH0s/s1600/074-Lauren-49.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScCh4Z-5xi4/U6jIck57jvI/AAAAAAAANP4/vFH6Snd1p8U/s1600/074-Lauren-67.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScCh4Z-5xi4/U6jIck57jvI/AAAAAAAANP4/vFH6Snd1p8U/s1600/074-Lauren-67.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1kZzQE2bHE4/U6jIlX8uIiI/AAAAAAAANQU/sk3g1tVT9ZA/s1600/074-Lauren-72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1kZzQE2bHE4/U6jIlX8uIiI/AAAAAAAANQU/sk3g1tVT9ZA/s1600/074-Lauren-72.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fNF62P2-Ck4/U6jIojg2MXI/AAAAAAAANQc/JphHivGg8cI/s1600/074-Lauren-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fNF62P2-Ck4/U6jIojg2MXI/AAAAAAAANQc/JphHivGg8cI/s1600/074-Lauren-75.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzu3G2IkX2k/U6jIqBiYLeI/AAAAAAAANQk/RwpBPj8xuWA/s1600/074-Lauren-78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzu3G2IkX2k/U6jIqBiYLeI/AAAAAAAANQk/RwpBPj8xuWA/s1600/074-Lauren-78.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-85897429858286467682014-05-14T22:34:00.001+10:002014-05-14T22:35:44.179+10:00Big Hearted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7KvqLwx-sM/U24iji_GYGI/AAAAAAAANMk/Rsomj6WnOFQ/s1600/BHB-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W7KvqLwx-sM/U24iji_GYGI/AAAAAAAANMk/Rsomj6WnOFQ/s1600/BHB-2.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />At the start of May, I spent a full weekend attending this uniquely inspiring 'Big Hearted Business (un) Conference' in Northcote. The Regal Ballroom was a gorgeous setting, and styled with tree branches and flowers, Loom rugs and gorgeousness in general. I came home with a notebook full of thoughts and quotes from the speakers there.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SXZjgbEOds/U24if5dR7FI/AAAAAAAANMA/zGnRPGVr-iw/s1600/BHB-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SXZjgbEOds/U24if5dR7FI/AAAAAAAANMA/zGnRPGVr-iw/s1600/BHB-1.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qeSFjgF8MdA/U24ikhHVamI/AAAAAAAANMs/s9uhBR8dI00/s1600/BHB-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qeSFjgF8MdA/U24ikhHVamI/AAAAAAAANMs/s9uhBR8dI00/s1600/BHB-3.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div><br />CORRENE WILKIE<br /><br />"Are you the lone wolf, the connector, the quiet achiever... we need everyone to have different qualities."<br /><br />"Think about the sweet spot in your comfort zone that is still in a place of reaching"<br /><br />"You self sabotage more easily that you give yourself permission. We are in our own way."<br /><br />"When are you going to start? Now, and now, and now."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLCm7TBUiY8/U24ileSWpNI/AAAAAAAANM0/Uix25sEvqko/s1600/BHB-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KLCm7TBUiY8/U24ileSWpNI/AAAAAAAANM0/Uix25sEvqko/s1600/BHB-4.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />"It takes courage along the way - through every single knock back you get - to keep going....<br />I think starting a business is a hero's journey" - Clare Bowditch<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t3R0AAYxXSg/U24il3P3BuI/AAAAAAAANM8/mpxHo1GdMpE/s1600/BHB-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t3R0AAYxXSg/U24il3P3BuI/AAAAAAAANM8/mpxHo1GdMpE/s1600/BHB-5.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R9EeJzu4sTs/U24imnVJ3rI/AAAAAAAANNE/c_Z_TzR-kgU/s1600/BHB-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R9EeJzu4sTs/U24imnVJ3rI/AAAAAAAANNE/c_Z_TzR-kgU/s1600/BHB-6.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZO1GHYpaMM/U24inlMkFwI/AAAAAAAANNM/OwI3Zpoztg0/s1600/BHB-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZO1GHYpaMM/U24inlMkFwI/AAAAAAAANNM/OwI3Zpoztg0/s1600/BHB-7.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />Beautiful food and inspiring talk by <a href="http://byjoost.com/" target="_blank">Joost</a>, a creative powerhouse who lives ten minutes up the mountain from here. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFQA8pqdG58/U24ioKbZ2TI/AAAAAAAANNU/RIbJJEN5tbE/s1600/BHB-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFQA8pqdG58/U24ioKbZ2TI/AAAAAAAANNU/RIbJJEN5tbE/s1600/BHB-8.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>KYLIE LEWIS<br /><br />"If you're not enjoying it, maybe you're not digging deep enough, or maybe you need a break"<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0bgWXgZTyA/U24io8dqBZI/AAAAAAAANNc/abnxfQEcrrI/s1600/BHB-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0bgWXgZTyA/U24io8dqBZI/AAAAAAAANNc/abnxfQEcrrI/s1600/BHB-9.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />FABIAN DATTNER<br /><br />"Don't compromise what you know to be important to you, for yourself. Don't compromise your values"<br /><br />"Learn to value people and lean on people"<br /><br />"We make choices because we know why we do what we do, and what we value. Purpose and values matter. Your connections with other people matter more."<br /><br />"Our panicking self is the furthest from our authentic self."<br /><br />"The greatest gift you can give yourself is to try new things. What comes from exploration is the second phase of artistry."<br /><br />"Stop complaining about the amount of things you can do. Be clear about why you do what you do. Then, learn to say no."<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxXeU3mo4Jo/U24ifwyWsjI/AAAAAAAANMI/dOosI8Rv6_A/s1600/BHB-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FxXeU3mo4Jo/U24ifwyWsjI/AAAAAAAANMI/dOosI8Rv6_A/s1600/BHB-10.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVy7Q3uU4_s/U24ifkSUrZI/AAAAAAAANL8/-Mki8S1IxyY/s1600/BHB-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVy7Q3uU4_s/U24ifkSUrZI/AAAAAAAANL8/-Mki8S1IxyY/s1600/BHB-11.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />DANIELLE LA'PORTE<br /><br />"Your voice is your art in the world"<br /><br />"You are chasing a feeling that you hope you will experience when you achieve what you want to achieve."<br /><br />"Entrepreneurship is about having the fire, the courage to keep showing up"<br /><br />"If it's not a 'Hell, yes!', it's a no."<br /><br />"Your true nature is luminous"<br /><br />"Smart people quit sooner."<br /><br />"The things you stop doing are even more important to revealing your most powerful self"<br /><br />"Why would you want to distort who you are in any way to appeal to a different audience?"<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-magPNKdQBvg/U24ih9rRc-I/AAAAAAAANMU/kHqrxJoU7lU/s1600/BHB-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-magPNKdQBvg/U24ih9rRc-I/AAAAAAAANMU/kHqrxJoU7lU/s1600/BHB-12.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bF_Iv3sEArE/U24ii0N_CpI/AAAAAAAANMc/az33y1S1K10/s1600/BHB-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bF_Iv3sEArE/U24ii0N_CpI/AAAAAAAANMc/az33y1S1K10/s1600/BHB-13.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div><br />MISSY HIGGINS<br /><br />"Getting over shame is often a struggle for an artist"<br /><br />"Creating art of any kind is contributing to the world in a heroic way, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time."<br /><br />"Simply by telling our stories, we're keeping people company"<br /><br />"We lost the sense of freedom as we grew older, but only because we thought we should."<br /><br />"Do the work"<br /><br />"Tell the truth"Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-53731248245392385872014-05-09T09:34:00.001+10:002014-05-09T09:37:16.061+10:00Trains and sunlight and family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oUMjPphlxLo/U2wRQiXH-PI/AAAAAAAANK0/3NXaTvwjZB0/s1600/070-Morley-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oUMjPphlxLo/U2wRQiXH-PI/AAAAAAAANK0/3NXaTvwjZB0/s400/070-Morley-1.jpg" height="640" width="427" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjOick1asl8/U2wRafwPcnI/AAAAAAAANLs/nm37IXp0mHE/s1600/070-Morley-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjOick1asl8/U2wRafwPcnI/AAAAAAAANLs/nm37IXp0mHE/s400/070-Morley-7.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJKjY8dSE5Y/U2wRXKYCKNI/AAAAAAAANLY/6jA_Di_vZQQ/s1600/070-Morley-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJKjY8dSE5Y/U2wRXKYCKNI/AAAAAAAANLY/6jA_Di_vZQQ/s400/070-Morley-21.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YlcT6XgpfMc/U2wRZTZkSgI/AAAAAAAANLk/5sQEe6UaWWg/s1600/070-Morley-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YlcT6XgpfMc/U2wRZTZkSgI/AAAAAAAANLk/5sQEe6UaWWg/s400/070-Morley-30.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eluAAKpY7fk/U2wRSLUpAoI/AAAAAAAANLE/thnEgFefl6k/s1600/070-Morley-123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eluAAKpY7fk/U2wRSLUpAoI/AAAAAAAANLE/thnEgFefl6k/s400/070-Morley-123.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHHko1k07fY/U2wRQsRkKVI/AAAAAAAANK4/7uai0qLmtC0/s1600/070-Morley-135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zHHko1k07fY/U2wRQsRkKVI/AAAAAAAANK4/7uai0qLmtC0/s400/070-Morley-135.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LROSfq6bsuc/U2wRU5K-gKI/AAAAAAAANLM/UcvtQdQIJD0/s1600/070-Morley-147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LROSfq6bsuc/U2wRU5K-gKI/AAAAAAAANLM/UcvtQdQIJD0/s400/070-Morley-147.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuDp4gmll7E/U2wRWv-_TVI/AAAAAAAANLU/w4aHrRLLWWM/s1600/070-Morley-173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tuDp4gmll7E/U2wRWv-_TVI/AAAAAAAANLU/w4aHrRLLWWM/s400/070-Morley-173.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div>A gorgeous and fun family session in sunny Healesville, beautiful Autumn! These spunky young men were dressed up as classic gangsters, which was really fun and cute, with the youngest taking the attitude of his character very seriously! It was hilarious, and lovely :)Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-29443646528818268072014-05-02T11:03:00.000+10:002014-05-02T11:03:19.899+10:00Photo Booth fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table><tbody><tr> <td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1RXoXqjiKNM/U2LrJwZxa-I/AAAAAAAANJg/75m6M7TD1Kk/s1600/MDS0005_140405_214341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1RXoXqjiKNM/U2LrJwZxa-I/AAAAAAAANJg/75m6M7TD1Kk/s1600/MDS0005_140405_214341.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CW_R-AjG7rY/U2LrI5_uFeI/AAAAAAAANJQ/ZphyH2q1e_0/s1600/MDS0005_140405_210416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CW_R-AjG7rY/U2LrI5_uFeI/AAAAAAAANJQ/ZphyH2q1e_0/s1600/MDS0005_140405_210416.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MrwTThPqlM/U2LrE4-Xs-I/AAAAAAAANI0/IF4DLtKS9lE/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MrwTThPqlM/U2LrE4-Xs-I/AAAAAAAANI0/IF4DLtKS9lE/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200110.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CoPKqZVZI1w/U2LrHL5nx8I/AAAAAAAANJI/CeuoXo9GjwU/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CoPKqZVZI1w/U2LrHL5nx8I/AAAAAAAANJI/CeuoXo9GjwU/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200612.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0BZzzxAaVE/U2LrFmYE_pI/AAAAAAAANJA/ut6gJvOfJgg/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0BZzzxAaVE/U2LrFmYE_pI/AAAAAAAANJA/ut6gJvOfJgg/s1600/MDS0005_140405_200437.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxuuoGyUCCk/U2LrLEAd7qI/AAAAAAAANJo/kcv7NcEvLxM/s1600/MDS0005_140405_214521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxuuoGyUCCk/U2LrLEAd7qI/AAAAAAAANJo/kcv7NcEvLxM/s1600/MDS0005_140405_214521.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> </tr><tr> <td><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-criUhiHjHPw/U2LrPhp80TI/AAAAAAAANKA/c6nyh4S7g0E/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-criUhiHjHPw/U2LrPhp80TI/AAAAAAAANKA/c6nyh4S7g0E/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001451.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6N7CRnk1HA/U2LrNBXL24I/AAAAAAAANJw/FwcLyGKr68E/s1600/MDS0005_140405_223253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6N7CRnk1HA/U2LrNBXL24I/AAAAAAAANJw/FwcLyGKr68E/s1600/MDS0005_140405_223253.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kY3NsYCwLk/U2LrNYeKbkI/AAAAAAAANJ0/nwIReC_lHMM/s1600/MDS0005_140405_230958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kY3NsYCwLk/U2LrNYeKbkI/AAAAAAAANJ0/nwIReC_lHMM/s1600/MDS0005_140405_230958.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQdeZUAO0mA/U2Lt21fPyCI/AAAAAAAANKM/M7ZygcIoxxc/s1600/MDS0005_140405_194012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vQdeZUAO0mA/U2Lt21fPyCI/AAAAAAAANKM/M7ZygcIoxxc/s1600/MDS0005_140405_194012.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzDgbXmGeW0/U2Lt2xniGFI/AAAAAAAANKQ/MErkP2RSrpY/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nzDgbXmGeW0/U2Lt2xniGFI/AAAAAAAANKQ/MErkP2RSrpY/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001817.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> <td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_Y5s24J4V0/U2Lt3uquvwI/AAAAAAAANKc/34QAitdh2lg/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l_Y5s24J4V0/U2Lt3uquvwI/AAAAAAAANKc/34QAitdh2lg/s1600/MDS0005_140406_001950.jpg" height="320" width="76" /></a></td> </tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A month ago, we threw a big party for our 15th wedding anniversary. With a 1920s theme, it was a lot of fun and the biggest hit of the night was the photo booth we hired! The kids especially had a lot of fun :)</p>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-90804357996691276072014-04-24T08:45:00.000+10:002014-04-24T08:45:00.843+10:00Explore...I made this wallpaper, please feel free to download if you'd like to use it for your desktop :)<br /><br />Just right click and 'Save picture as' or some similar message, lol.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nmi_heUoezE/U1ey_lXsUHI/AAAAAAAANIQ/PQwFgYbrvWA/s1600/MakeTimeToExplore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nmi_heUoezE/U1ey_lXsUHI/AAAAAAAANIQ/PQwFgYbrvWA/s1600/MakeTimeToExplore.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-29255418670111451932014-04-21T08:30:00.000+10:002014-04-21T08:30:00.616+10:00Summer snaps and cute cousins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeP7U1g0JE0/U056PMb3osI/AAAAAAAANHs/CscaywUoWDI/s1600/January2014-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeP7U1g0JE0/U056PMb3osI/AAAAAAAANHs/CscaywUoWDI/s1600/January2014-7.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fiU8vKdiqUk/U056PhL16EI/AAAAAAAANH4/rLpqiLsL5RA/s1600/January2014-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fiU8vKdiqUk/U056PhL16EI/AAAAAAAANH4/rLpqiLsL5RA/s1600/January2014-8.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rLWWyqHbjg/U056QdQJ90I/AAAAAAAANIA/TsCt1nKKljA/s1600/January2014-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rLWWyqHbjg/U056QdQJ90I/AAAAAAAANIA/TsCt1nKKljA/s1600/January2014-9.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-76_NqusyGWo/U056LzsQNOI/AAAAAAAANHA/t3ApT5ryuRw/s1600/January2014-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-76_NqusyGWo/U056LzsQNOI/AAAAAAAANHA/t3ApT5ryuRw/s1600/January2014-10.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JypGhiKCykM/U056MMBbhFI/AAAAAAAANHE/xRQ1Bl0NL6c/s1600/January2014-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JypGhiKCykM/U056MMBbhFI/AAAAAAAANHE/xRQ1Bl0NL6c/s1600/January2014-13.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCR4Mt_I7Fo/U056NB1TzZI/AAAAAAAANHU/x3Kivi0jvuA/s1600/January2014-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCR4Mt_I7Fo/U056NB1TzZI/AAAAAAAANHU/x3Kivi0jvuA/s1600/January2014-14.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jzAWTu7Wwq0/U056N-gK26I/AAAAAAAANHg/Y-QH4KE9dWA/s1600/January2014-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jzAWTu7Wwq0/U056N-gK26I/AAAAAAAANHg/Y-QH4KE9dWA/s1600/January2014-15.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrH6t79782o/U056Oss8aoI/AAAAAAAANHo/sEyHt2HS5D0/s1600/January2014-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DrH6t79782o/U056Oss8aoI/AAAAAAAANHo/sEyHt2HS5D0/s1600/January2014-17.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div><br />A little collection from the Summer school holidays, back in January. The kids have been having great play days this school holidays, too, and I wanted to make sure I put these up as they are so fun!<br /><br />This last photo makes me feel especially happy :)Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-68926420041117293792014-04-17T08:30:00.000+10:002014-04-17T08:30:00.796+10:00There's always room for a story<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4gn7Sy7aJPA/U05usU5LdYI/AAAAAAAANGo/kyPoalNtsxI/s1600/timeforastory.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4gn7Sy7aJPA/U05usU5LdYI/AAAAAAAANGo/kyPoalNtsxI/s1600/timeforastory.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div><br />Last year I came across a new Pozible project which just sounded so delightful to me! Since then <a href="http://storyboxlibrary.com.au/" target="_blank">Story Box Library</a> has launched, and continued to grow into a gorgeous website and resource.<br /><br />Basically you have videos of a variety of children's books being read out loud. Fantastic illustrations, little animated intros and some great personalities reading the stories are some of the ingredients which make this such an awesome website.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dfbC0dLIXEo/U05um-UkFYI/AAAAAAAANGI/TB1U9WILQrg/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dfbC0dLIXEo/U05um-UkFYI/AAAAAAAANGI/TB1U9WILQrg/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-1.jpg" height="359" width="640" /></a> <br />During the school holidays, I played a few stories to the six kids I had for the day (my 3, plus two nephews and my niece). With ages varying from 4 to 10, they were all enthralled and happily entertained, all wanting to choose a story. We all enjoyed the sweet <a href="http://storyboxlibrary.com.au/stories/today-we-have-no-plans/" target="_blank">Today we have no plans</a> and then <a href="http://storyboxlibrary.com.au/stories/a-really-super-hero/" target="_blank">A really super hero</a> had them giggling.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVccGlrqfQ4/U05unR6s2-I/AAAAAAAANGQ/2IHnDiMVlEc/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NVccGlrqfQ4/U05unR6s2-I/AAAAAAAANGQ/2IHnDiMVlEc/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-2.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ls3AqOSCPGA/U05uni6sG5I/AAAAAAAANGU/jJEiyc0k-xY/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ls3AqOSCPGA/U05uni6sG5I/AAAAAAAANGU/jJEiyc0k-xY/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-3.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TpUc6ji3N9Y/U05uoIJ85zI/AAAAAAAANGg/tOHuwquUqwM/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TpUc6ji3N9Y/U05uoIJ85zI/AAAAAAAANGg/tOHuwquUqwM/s1600/StoryboxLibrary-4.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think my current favourite would have to be <a href="http://storyboxlibrary.com.au/stories/herman-and-rosie/" target="_blank">Herman and Rosie</a>, but I haven't actually watched every story yet :) Some of the readers include the divine Clare Bowditch, Andy Griffiths, Missy Higgins and Nick Cave.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since attending the Big Hearted Business (un) Conference last year, the brainchild of Clare Bowditch, I met Nicole Brownlee, one of the clever and creative peeps behind Story Box Library. She is just so lovely that I wanted to help spread the word :) Plus, I'm totally on board with anything that brings imagination and storytelling to our kids!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4gn7Sy7aJPA/U05usU5LdYI/AAAAAAAANGo/kyPoalNtsxI/s1600/timeforastory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9sC8nzZrIU/U05v1kk79HI/AAAAAAAANGw/KaWvsbnB5gE/s1600/storybox-library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9sC8nzZrIU/U05v1kk79HI/AAAAAAAANGw/KaWvsbnB5gE/s1600/storybox-library.jpg" height="363" width="640" /></a></div><br />Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33824617.post-19922328671086420982014-04-14T09:00:00.000+10:002014-04-14T09:00:04.410+10:00Enderman, Creepers and Steve, Oh my! - Minecraft inspired bedroom projectA couple of months ago I was staying with my sister in the Adelaide Hills, and she challenged me to help her redecorate her 7 year old son's bedroom. Caden didn't spend much time in there, and was reluctant to sleep in his new loft bed. Cue operation Caden's bedroom!<br /><br />The first step was choosing a special interest to engage Caden with the project, and make sure he would be excited about his very own room redesigned just for him. It wasn't hard to narrow it down to Minecraft for our main inspiration, and some of the block elements of the game suited soft furnishings and wall art perfectly.<br /><br />I love a challenge, and a budget. Trusty IKEA was the main source of decorative elements and furniture, with a few Kmart bits and pieces added. I also created three custom canvases to tie the theme together clearly and add some colour to the walls. The fun bit about that was the kids joining in, and Caden created his own Minecraft canvas that was a bit smaller and sits on his desk.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Vl4hX56Wjw/U0IAP0v8R7I/AAAAAAAANE8/mc8HxC_oz5E/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Vl4hX56Wjw/U0IAP0v8R7I/AAAAAAAANE8/mc8HxC_oz5E/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-2.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div><br />Colour scheme: Green, red, white and black with a tiny touch of blue, grey and yellow.<br /><br />Resources: <a href="http://www.ikea.com.au/" target="_blank">IKEA</a>, <a href="http://www.kmart.com.au/" target="_blank">Kmart</a>, <a href="http://www.cheapaschips.com.au/" target="_blank">Cheap as Chips</a><br /><br />Existing furnishings: Black-brown loft bed with desk attachment, black storage unit under the window.<br /><br />Challenges: A rental meant that painting wasn't an option. Flexible landlords meant that wall art and new window dressing was fine. Also, storage was important, but more space for toys than clothes, being a real boy's room. A light had to be clearly visible from the bed. <br /><br />Budget: $700 including furniture. I think we went a tiny bit over, with the light bulbs and more expensive window option, but it was very close.<br /><br />Style: My sister's home and decorating style is clean, uncluttered with simple, strong colours. She doesn't tend to collect or feature vintage / secondhand furniture.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yz-GzS3xeGo/U0IAM77wQAI/AAAAAAAANEc/5deVUoKkLtU/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yz-GzS3xeGo/U0IAM77wQAI/AAAAAAAANEc/5deVUoKkLtU/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-1.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StqsZW03dGM/U0IAQvzvliI/AAAAAAAANFE/aDHlf47YDiE/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-StqsZW03dGM/U0IAQvzvliI/AAAAAAAANFE/aDHlf47YDiE/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-3.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div><br />The Ender Man lamp was super quick and easy to make. I bought a black square lamp and cube design acrylic lamp base, which already came together, for a total of $10 I think it was from Kmart. A couple of strips of white bias binding were cut and adhered with double sided tape. Finished!<br /><br />The black shade means it isn't super bright, and can act as a night light to be left on while sleeping.<br /><br />The storage shelves and boxes were all from IKEA. These are <a href="http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/catalog/products/90240091/" target="_blank">Pallra boxes</a> with lids on a <a href="http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/catalog/products/10241457/" target="_blank">Molger </a>shelving unit.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2QWgYcSAns/U0IAREzT2fI/AAAAAAAANFI/0PmomBpOe-Q/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I2QWgYcSAns/U0IAREzT2fI/AAAAAAAANFI/0PmomBpOe-Q/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-4.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div><br />We chose red and white for the bed, to imitate the beds in minecraft houses. I bought a discounted queen size quilt cover from IKEA and cut it down to size. A fresh white pillowcase was from Kmart. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcFexMu98Rw/U0IASevhYkI/AAAAAAAANFU/QemPG-9WVvM/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcFexMu98Rw/U0IASevhYkI/AAAAAAAANFU/QemPG-9WVvM/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-5.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0nKo9ndA0U/U0IAUHKQIhI/AAAAAAAANFk/92wqFudNWzA/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0nKo9ndA0U/U0IAUHKQIhI/AAAAAAAANFk/92wqFudNWzA/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-6.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br />Some cheap scatter cushions were bought from both IKEA and Kmart, and I hand stitched some black bias binding fabric pieces on to one of the green cushions to make a 'Creeper' head cushion.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLr8eb6RNb0/U0IATCHu89I/AAAAAAAANFc/x2M9T9Z6TMY/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLr8eb6RNb0/U0IATCHu89I/AAAAAAAANFc/x2M9T9Z6TMY/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-7.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div> <br />To keep the look clean and simple, but still echo the Minecraft inspiration, we chose these window panels as blinds. They are from IKEA, and have a grey square pattern on it to keep with the block theme. Other than the bed, the black storage drawers beneath the window were the only original furnishings kept in the room.<br /><br />Two square rugs of 'grass' were bought from IKEA as well, also chosen to suit the Minecraft block inspiration, as grass blocks are an integral part of Minecraft world building. A green <a href="http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/catalog/products/70224964/" target="_blank">Trogan wardrobe</a> from IKEA was added, as Caden needed some new clothes storage, and the various tones of green throughout the room kept things coordinated without being perfectly matching. The wardrobe accounted for almost half the entire budget.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-101XHmaxqyk/U0IAVSaTD2I/AAAAAAAANFw/bNs2i13Hmxw/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-101XHmaxqyk/U0IAVSaTD2I/AAAAAAAANFw/bNs2i13Hmxw/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-9.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br />A few canvases and some simple art supplies from Cheap as Chips gave me something to do for quite a few hours during Adelaide's record-breaking heatwave! The kids also completed some art work while I was at it. I made three block-based wall art pieces, simply by measuring 64 squares on each canvas and painting the blocks in different colours.<br /><br />We have a cloud block above a touch of grass, a grass block with dirt and a Steve face canvas. I like how the block design is a contrast with the imperfect brush strokes and colour! If you are more of a perfectionist, it would actually be quicker and a cleaner look to create prints on the computer ;)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ROMyn-kwRWg/U0IANynAt_I/AAAAAAAANEo/vCi510O1Xxk/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ROMyn-kwRWg/U0IANynAt_I/AAAAAAAANEo/vCi510O1Xxk/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-10.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HmzqPLdCjIU/U0IANq3Fx2I/AAAAAAAANEk/otc4ckR9DCk/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HmzqPLdCjIU/U0IANq3Fx2I/AAAAAAAANEk/otc4ckR9DCk/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-11.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBlc5yaEPq8/U0IAO2BxXcI/AAAAAAAANE0/NVDLlY9iAHY/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eBlc5yaEPq8/U0IAO2BxXcI/AAAAAAAANE0/NVDLlY9iAHY/s1600/MinecraftBedroom-12.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div><br />The final few touches were two Drona storage boxes (these things are cheap and surprisingly big!) to sit on top of the wardrobe, and a fun click together clock, all from IKEA.<br /><br />A few months later and Caden still enjoys his room, and happily sleeps in his bed with the Enderman lamp on in the corner :) Mission accomplished!Danielle Quarmbyhttps://plus.google.com/109606353179060979173noreply@blogger.com2