an active mind needs sleep

Think, think, think or should I say thud, thud thud. My mind is continually on the go and a possible 'thud' onto my pillow would be terrific.

Now whilst I sincerely believe forcing yourself to get to bed at a reasonable time has merit, it is the insomniac in me that is fighting this decision. This is not helped by the mind constantly on the go.

Any suggestions to change this around? All welcome.

'til next post. xo p

my love of paper continues...

I have been getting lost in many a blog lately (or should I say daily!) and I found this amazing envelope project. Tara Bliven features on a blog ephemera and her penpal envelope project is simply amazing so have a peep at her challenge at http://blog.ephemera-press.com/.

Here's a sample...

I studied calligraphy years ago and being left-handed I had to use a copperplate nib to get the angle right on any of my work. It's something I so wished I could have master but gave it away.

Don't they look amazing.

'til next time. pip

copy-cat, plagiarism, stealing or form of flattery? - you decide

When is your idea simply your idea and copyright sticks?

It seems to me that in the creative world albeit corporate or small business your creation is fair game.

I dealt with ownership & copyright extensively with clients in the corporate field. The advertising and marketing field is notorious for the IP (intellectual property) battle and who own's what. It was "oh the client owns it" (as it's their product) and the "agency owns it" (as it is their creative direction and strategy). These ideas could not be born with out the "ideas people".

What happens when the "ideas person" is simply YOU!

There are many creative integrity pledges online at the moment and whilst you can't keep a design process to yourself the concept can at least be well, left alone!

Mind you I am all for healthy competition as this makes you stronger but it's hard when it's within your inner circle. Most would say "hey get over it" but when it's your small business you get passionate.

Bottom line here peeps;

** be passionate about your business
** don't steal ideas from others get inspiration
** keep it real and with integrity

'til next post & thanks for letting me get this off my chest. xo p

dance THE merry dance

I love that "dancing on the inside" feeling. Today was one of those days.

Had a wonderful morning with both my daughters snuggling before the school run.
Had a successful meeting with one of my most fabulous clients and her support just makes me smile.
Had a nice  yarn to my mum.
Had a lovely quick chai-latte with a great gal and our girls played like silly people for a 'wee while' just after school.
Had a good sale via my business that made me buzz (a lot!).
Had a nice salmon fillet.
Ate one tim tam (might go back for some more).
Now an early night.

What is your "merry" dance?

'til next post. xo p

a cottage on the grass

I have often driven past this "little house on the prairie" which is sitting on a massive hill rather than the prairie and on a road named "Swamp". I always stop and look today I took a picture.

I wonder if I could handle a true cottage and country style life with all the smells, the isolation and the quiet-ness of it all. For some reason this house has connected with me. For me, this past weekend was about the wonder, a small car trip on my own and just enjoying the beautiful scenery.

There were also some cows...

a very odd yet intriguing tree and stump...

but most of all it was a gorgeous winter's day and a Sunday to boot!

'til next post. xo p

cradle to grave... to cradle

"Cradle to grave" is a marketing term of the 90's that seems to have stuck in my head. Does anyone else own or have a phrase that they can't let go or is etched in their brain.

I find that life's journey is really "cradle to cradle" with lots of fun and amazing things in the middle.

Cradle at the start of our lives
Cradle at the completion of our lives

But more importantly I think the nurturing and "cradle comfort" comes from the people who are left behind when a loved one is lost.

So to anyone that has experience loss grab life with everything you have as it should not take loosing someone close to remind us of how great LIVING is.

'til next muttering. xop

a new best friend

Changing your wallet over is like loosing a dear friend; it knows the in's and out's of your life, what you like to eat and how you spend on it, all the contents of your handbag (scary thought) also being happy to hold as much stuff (kilos) as you need and never ever whines about it. Most of all it has a loving relationship with you.

So it is with sadness that I say good by to my dear old friend 'Ms Oroton' and replace it with another one 'Ms Spencer & Rutherford'.

My new wallet was in one of the many boxes I looked through today in the big clean up, lucky me.

Til next time. xop

got milk?

I simply couldn't help myself to snap all of these bottles whilst in Gloria Jeans this week. This particular store produces a lot of coffee. In fact, they told me that this stash would not even cover the rest of the day as this was the first re-stock.

Phew! So what hand I done.... ordered the biggest size because they stamped four spots on my card.

As an ex-corporate marketer you would think I would have learnt all the tricks in the book about loyalty cards and the guise to get consumers in, yet I ALWAYS seem to be the sucker that falls for the up-sell everytime!

It was all for the 4 stamps and the milk I say.

'til next brew. xo p

the personal touch is back in vogue by kate tribe (guest post)

Everything in vogue goes out of vogue at some point. Many come back into vogue again and are even more edgy when they do. 

The handwritten card or letter is currently at the top of the back-in-vogue list in my mind!

When email first came about and people caught on, snail mail declined. Everything was about large databases and automated direct email. They still work, but it’s now even more special to write a personal note – or more so receive one!

Think about the average feeling you have when you go to your post box. It’s like when you check your email these days. If you’re like me, it goes something like this: Oh, no, what do I have to deal with now…

But then, just every now and then, you get a hand written card or letter. How great does that feel?

I wrote a post recently about connections and networking. A key part of it was about the value of handwriting a posted note.

I write notes at specific times:

When someone refers Tribe Research or done something nice, we write a note to say thanks. That one is fairly obvious, although not regularly done.

One that is rarely done…

As a market and social quantitative research business owner, specifically assisting small business owners, I have several contacts that fit in the small business segment.

As a business owner myself, I know how we are a group that are poor at celebrating our success, or even realising when we should.

I thought, how great would it be to just remind fellow business owners that it is the anniversary of when they started their business. Remind them to take some time out during the month to celebrate.

On a practical level, it doesn’t take much time. We have a process where we search the ASIC website for the month and year for when a business is registered and enter it into a CRM. Then at the start of each month a report is generated and I write cards to the business owners. The proportion of the list that I write cards for can depend on how busy I am.

It is simple.

It doesn’t take long.

I enjoy writing them.

I get emails back like this:

“Thank you for your lovely card, I always appreciate them and I must confess it’s the way I keep track of how long I am been operating. I’d love to connect with you again sometime and hear how your business is going.”

They’re an opportunity to touch base. I’ve also, along the way supported many other business owners through buying the cards or images to make them from self-employed. Through this our cards are personal in several ways.

When did you last receive a handwritten note or card? Did it bring a smile to your face? Did you have a momentary child-like moment opening it to see what was inside?

More importantly, when did you last write a card or note? Did it feel good sending it? Bring a smile to your face?

Go on… I think you’ll enjoy it!

Happy exploring,
Kate


Interested in what Tribe Research has to offer then take a read here.

good 'ol spike

Treasures are found in the strangest places. My daughter's swim group had a table with a lot of books sitting on it.... taking the lead I gathered they were complimentary for people to take one or two or even three. So I took four. This is one of said collection. Very happy indeed.

"The Compulsive Spike Milligan" was sitting there and I have not read a lot of his works but this was a great find.

Here is just one of his gems...

The Butterfly


This evening in the twilights' gloom
A butterfly flew in my room
Oh what beauty, oh what grace
Who needs visitors from out of space?


(from 1984, Spike's bedroom in Monkenhurst)


'til next time, enjoy spike more often. xop

a few good nights sleep and old habits are back

Well I have been on a tremendous mission to have early nights and this week it has been a job well done. Tonight I'm afriad 'old habits' return. Finding that balance of quiet time and putting your head on the pillow at the right time is such a challenge.

On the early nights I felt like I was watching the clock every few hours. So with the pillow on my mind I am going to head off there now. May my tolerance 'wick' be very long tomorrow.

A foot note: my cousin in Mexico I have not seen for years and years. Her first baby is due, well overdue and I am thinking of her whilst I post this note. She is taking a total wholistic approach to her birth as well as adopting the lotus method. May all her angels point in the right direction and that she is safe and well.

'til next time. xo p

an angel and a candle

A peaceful angel

Lavender for the senses

candle light but not too romantic for...

Alright I've been hunting down 'high tea's' like a crazy woman. Maybe two in two months might seem excessive but this delightful find is only 15mins from my house. Scary! What makes this even more sublime is the sensational value for money.

A strawberry pulp champagne, loads of tea and all this food just for two people. An amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Oh, I didn't mention that you get TWO scones each in all of this as well! A welcoming angel and a huge candle on the table just added to the feeling and flavour of the day. Highly recommended for more than one visit. I'm definitely going back.

'til next muttering. xo p

happy feet

In preparation for the warmer months, I managed to pick up some new shoes for 'chickie'. PHEW!. It was a local shop too. These new Clarks are not as magnificent as the pairs that Nannie Annie bought for us but geez they are fun and as happy to the maxx! They suit 'chicks' personality; bubbly, laughing, skipping (always), pulling face and generally like a circus most of the time.

'til next post. xo p

walk a mile with me

Today I was reading someone else's blog entry and they are talking about walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Now doesn't that conjure up a lot of contemplation. So I decided to photograph MY shoes. These are my black converse purchased at Chadstone in Melbourne with some great friends of mine Sam and Wes. They certainly could tell a story just this pair. I own about 4 different pairs but these black ones get the most milage and of course the better story to tell.

Now whilst this other blog talked about considering others I thought I would give this a light-hearted approach from the perspective of my left and right foot and their life.

These particular shoes started off in Melbourne they lived a grand life there walking many of the streets of Mentone and helped hold up my legs during the pregnancy of my 2nd daughter 'chick'. So I will also feature her shoes below too. After a well-heeled life buying food, window shopping, and also shopping in general this pair has seen a bit of creative when I started my scrap-booking life too. Did I forget to mention loads and loads of coffee.

Then they were put into a box (poor things) and packed by some stranger who then taped up the box and transported them to NSW. After 5 weeks under wraps they were taken out (when we found our new home) to be worn continually in the Winter of '09. By then 'chick' was well into the world and now enjoyed the visual enjoyment of these on my feet.

With another move underway we just moved across a main round-a-bout and turned right twice to our new home so these trusty shoes were box-bound to only be opened up again this Winter season.

I have to say these shoes have had a interesting yet varied life. I do love 'em!

These shoes are definitely made for walking.

Now these little Clarks shoes have a different story to tell. They have travelled all the way from the UK. Nanny Annie bought these (with another gorgeous pink pair, now outgrown). 'Chick' has only just had a growth spirt and now in these lovelies. She originally called shoes "ishies" now she is saying the word properly.

They walk everywhere. The most they can talk about would be 'chick's' words of the moment...

no = no (why do kids learn this first?!)

yope = soap

way = go away

huppy daddy = happy daddy

medooit = me/I will do it

elp me = help me

To wrap up both sets of shoes have a great life and so do we.

'til next time. xo p

green thumb I'm not!

Ash/I planted this flower last spring. In fact there were three in total. This is the lone survivor!

Over the past week or so the flowers just went pop. Yesterday they were open a lot more than this mornings picture. Must be the cold wet day we are having, oh well, it's alive and that's a godsend.

Two very very great friends of mine are the masterchefs of the garden. I've been told to water water water everyday. Lucky we'v been having some rain lately.

So I say "go you good thing." The one and only thing I've planted that has survived. So far!

'til next time xo p

chips-a-hoy

I am the chippie master.
Now this photo was taken in our local street.
I do love these delightful things.

As the car says I might move "faster" LOL.

My husband thinks that my 2nd daughter should have been born a kettle chip.

'til next time. xo p

lost and found or right under your nose

Not the best shot in the world but this vintage table cloth hides many sins (on 'da table top). Purchased from a great spot in the shire. I held a high tea at home a few weeks ago and could not find it. Spent ages looking mind you.... then tonight when I was putting something in the linen cupboard "voila!". What a dufus!

'til next time. xo p

the ABC's

Two great things happened today. I find it interesting how coincidental the were...

1. My eldest daughter got her first school report.
2. My youngest daughter said "one, two, three, four, five" with some prompting.

Couldn't be prouder!

'til next time, keep it simple. xo p

fun at the farm

The farm came to my daughter's school today. Check out her badge made by her teacher.

There were quite a number of animals; a duck, a guinea pig, a pig (black one) to name a few. I've tried to ask of many more but she can't remember. The highlight for her was having the guinea pig on her lap.

The duck wriggled on her lap and she loved it.

ps. when she was re-counting this story to her Dad she mentioned that she fed some milk to one of the goats. how cool!

'til next post. xo p

girlie days

Great times - girlie days

AJ came to visit us again. She is always a cool chick to have around, so easy and lots of fun. I tell you that we just ate and ate on this trip. Lovely lunch at 'The Sourdough Bakery' then a rich chocolate tart (not us thank you hehe). The very next day a lovely latte with a croissant. Now I know they are filled with so much butter that you would fall over with "eeeek-y-nessss" but if the French love them then why can't we every so often.

My chick (daughter #2) did take a lot of it but hey she's skinny and can handle it.

A lovely couple of days this week.

'til next time xo p