Warning....cleaning in progress.

Ok it's Monday morning and I am full of beans and raring to go...... could be the extra large coffee I just had or is it the sense of urgency of having to get a whole heap of jobs completed before school holidays start on Thursday. Yep...both!!!


This old tin sign always gives me a chuckle.
I adore my kids and love having them around BUT school holidays is always a challenge when you are a self employed working mum. Generally working from home isn't a bother because my workspace is separate to the house. The boundaries kind of blur come school holidays when my house is invaded by an army of teenage girls. Ok...slight exaggeration - just half an army!!! There's the added problem of the phone (that would be the business phone) being tied up for hours on end while teenage girls chatter about nothing - so here's a tip......don't try to call me during the holidays. Oh and you won't get me on email either because in all likely hood said teenage girls are online too while chatting on the only phone.

Hhmmmm....perhaps I need a bigger lock on the studio door.....and a separate phone line... and another computer (although that would make 3 computers and still I probably wouldn't be able to get on).

Anyhoo, a parcel delivery early this morning also added a bounce to my step - who doesn't love getting surprises in the mail? Today's parcel was from the lovely Shannon who drew my name out in her Friday Flea Market Giveaway.

I popped the parcel in the sunlight to get a photo of the beautiful wrapping when my ever present studio buddy Gypsy swooped in for a smell and a sniff......


A bit more sniffing and a tail wag and finally I could open the parcel to reveal....

This very gorgeous baby tussie.


Thanks Shannon - I love it.
It is now filled with lavender and already hanging on my new blue feature wall in my laundry. However, I really can't decide if that is where it will live and as I have lots of other blue areas in my home, so it might do a tour of duty, stopping off in various parts of the house.

So, back to today's agenda.... The studio door is closed and the sign is out the front.



After all the excitement of opening parcels it was on with the big jobs. I have donned my oldest painting clothes, tied up the long tresses and started on my Non-Spring Clean. That would be the big tidy up you have when it is not spring. Of course it is winter here in Australia and doing a Winter Clean just doesn't have the same ring to it so I'm calling it the Non-Spring Clean.

So what has bought on this big clean up?

Well, what with my restricted activities and having lots of stairs I have had to change the way I usually work. Instead of running between my studio work room, the teaching classroom and the computer/home office upstairs I now have to work in one area for a long time. I would usually tidy as I go but have had to settle with making neat little piles that will at some point be returned to their own storage area. The theory sounded good but as time has marched on the neat little piles have been upended, rummaged through and just plain knocked over.....gggrrrrr. My main workroom looks like someone has come in with an industrial strength air blower and blasted it until everything has ended up in a huge unruly pile of mess. Actually....I like that explanation and it sounds feasible, so if any unexpected visitors happen upon me today that is exactly what I am going to tell them happened.

I know you think I am exaggerating but honestly I am not. I should take a photo but don't ever want to be reminded of this episode of chaos ever again. So I'm taking it slowly, not walking too much and trying in vain to restore some form of sanity and neatness to my creative universe.

And if you haven't heard from me in a day or so could someone come in and rescue me. That pile of mess might just swallow me up!!!