Motivation Shake Up

I'm finding it hard to shake out of holiday mode, and with the cooler mornings, not actually wanting to get up before ahem, nine.

Do you love books so much you try to read several at once? I do

The thing is, I feel guilty doing it - which is crazy as I am fully entitled. I think it is a little battle in my head about underachieving.
What do others do to spark up their motivation at home? I have plenty to do - I think I need to go back to writing a list and ticking it off.

List
Plant garlic
Finish mail art parcel to sister.
Finish tax books
1 hour of gardening every day
Training Munta dog to come when he is called 

There, one thing achieved. It's not fabulous but is more interesting than a courier bag, and is all recycled. (It's the book I bought in Rarotonga, and a tropical fish chart that they wanted but missed buying)

I think I need to go back to Aunt Grace's rules, which I posted about ages ago.

AUNT GRACE'S RULES...EVERYDAY

I have had this written in my journal for quite some time, and unfortunately didn't write the source, so if anyone reading it recognizes it, please let me know so that i can attribute it appropriately.

1. Do something for someone else

2. Do something for myself

3. Do something I don't want to do that needs doing

4. Do a physical exercise

5. Do a mental exercise

6. Do an original prayer that always includes counting my blessings.

    (In my own interpretation it is think of something I am grateful for daily)

Here's part of today's physical exercise - saved $500 on a gym membership. This is no easy patch of lawn. It's usually Derek's part to mow, but he goes to work and comes home in the dark, so that covers doing something for someone else too!

 and here are some I need to add....
                           Anne's Rules

1. Finish a project every day that I have left uncompleted (imagine the impact)

2. Spend some time with nature every day - and really see it, feel it, smell it, touch it, hear it.

3.Spend 15 minutes every day doing an extra cleaning job.

4. Make time to text, email, write a letter, phone or visit a friend every day.

5. Do something extra for the environment every day (like picking up rubbish or signing a petition or writing a letter)

6. Do something creative every day (can be a new recipe tried, journaling..)

Here's today's pick up, from when I was out riding my bike

Yes, that's done it. That got me up and moving!
PS, I've decided to keep a log of these things that I do so that I can look back and know that I am achieving. But don't worry, it's not going on here - wouldn't want to bore you to tears.

Art in Travel, Travelling Art

It's time I posted some artworks. It is too easy to get tied up in the slow living thing, making food and green cleaners and beauty products, gardening, blogging. Sometimes art goes on the back burner.
Holidays are the ideal time to break out the watercolour paints or watercolour pencils and a good fine tip permanent ink pen. They are easily transported, easy to clean up, and quick drying.
Recently we took a road trip to Ruapehu, to the snow. Now generally if I have a choice I will go to a tropical island and leave the snow for others. So one day, Derek and the girls went up the mountain and I stayed at our lodge to paint. It was a beautiful day, actually hot. This was my watercolour.

The view from our back door, Ruapehu, looking away from the mountain.

The trick to not having the paper curl up, unless you stretch it, is to brush the back with a wet brush, either when you've finished, or you can do both sides before you start and let them dry.
I like to paint or draw at least one thing every time I go away. The point is not that it has to be good - don't worry about that. It means that I spend the time in the moment, seeing every little thing in front of me. It's way more meaningful than a quick photo. If you haven't tried it, I urge you to.

Mail Art - but on the Inside

We have a dear friend who often sends us music that he thinks we might like. So this parcel is for him. This time there will be no mail art on the outside - just plain brown paper wrap. But the inside....under the book and cd that we are sending in the box will be a little surprise. The number is his year of birth. The box is from an old, incomplete lotto game that I picked up for a couple of dollars. The small compartment with the driftwood and piece of bone etc lifts out. It was inspired by wunderkammer - cabinets of curiosities. 

A little curiosity to send

I used E6000 Industrial Strength glue to secure the pieces - that is the best glue ever. I bought it for fixing the vintage jewellery I've been buying and have been totally impressed. 
Thanks for stopping by - maybe you'll be all inspired to go off and create something for yourself.

Ecosolutions, Paper Works

Yesterday I popped in to Ecosolutions in Whangarei to see if they knew how to dispose of old smoke alarms, which have toxic chemicals in them and shouldn't just go to the dump. They hadn't been handed any before, so took them to dispose of with the IT waste, which they charge a few dollars to get rid of for people.
It's great having people you can ask your eco questions of - like can you use eco-friendly lightbulbs with dimmer switches? (turns out you can if you use LED bulbs)

They sell some eco-friendly products there, and I bought these net bags to put my fruit and veg in at the market and supermarket. Apparently certain supermarkets are happy for them to be used - mine included.

Mail Art
One of the things I love about making mail art is the fun of taking them in to the post office to get stamps. The counter staff there always comment on them, obviously enjoying something that they don't see much of.
Wouldn't you love to get something like this in the mail that was totally unexpected? I would.

Just a simple wrap using vintage wallpaper, with a recycled courier bag inside for protection.

And A Card

It was my daughter's 21st birthday this week so I made her this card (in which to put money). Instead of having a party she is flying out to the USA tomorrow (compliments of her father and me) with two of her best friends, for a short holiday to catch up with friends and family and take in the sights - all the way to New York. I am excited for them, but a bit nervous-mother too.

I love using old maps, and this card is personalized with Maria's trip destination

You can see why every time I go to tidy up my studio it just gets worse - I keep finding little projects to work on. Anyway - must dash off, we have to get someone to the airport!

Chai Latte and Mail Art

A while back I posted a recipe for Golden Yoghini Drink, made with turmeric, which led me to thinking that would be a good way to make Chai Latte.
My version doesn't actually have any tea in it, but there is nothing to stop you putting some in.

Chai Latte Spice Tea

2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 tsp  ground cardamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
ground cloves to taste - I used 6, ground with mortar and pestle or you can just buy already ground.
Mix these all together and store in an airtight jar - makes enough for 3 cups.
Milk
Honey

Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a little saucepan and add of 2 tsp per serve of the spices,stir and cook until you can smell them. Take care not to burn them, it is quick. Add milk and bring to a simmer. Add honey if you want to sweeten it a little.
Use your milk frother if you want froth, or pour from a height into the cup.

 

Mail Art

I look for excuses to send mail, so when my friend wanted my Busy People's Bread Recipe (which comes from the lovely tv chef Annabel Langbein), I thought I would send it via snail mail. 
My friend Anne doesn't use the computer, and she has been going through a second round of chemo...so I hope it will bring a smile to her face when she opens her letterbox. She is an artist, and I know she likes the quirky.
I hope people aren't too horrified that I have used an old book cover for the postcard - haha, too bad! It was a discard from the library, and I liked the design inside.

Mail Art postcard from an old book cover

I have sealed the cut edge with my home made washi tape...made from an old atlas and double sided tape. (There I go cutting up books again).

Home made washi tape

I Have Been Campaigning...
There is a little suburb of Kamo nearby, which the retailers like to call a village. I shop there a bit because I like the small businesses and the people are nice. Yesterday I spoke to the Chairperson of their Retailer's Association about the possibility of giving Kamo a green focus as a point of difference to encourage people to shop there. Particularly reducing plastic bag use, but also promoting the second hand shops, the garden shop, and The Binn Inn, where customers are welcomed to take their own containers to fill, and the butchers, who will paper-wrap orders. I'm going to keep feeding them ideas and see where it goes, but I got a good reception. 

part of the Kamo Christmas Parade

Seaweed and a little Mail Art

SEAWEED _ GOTTA LOVE IT

There are two schools of thought on whether to wash seaweed before it is used on the garden as mulch. We used to wash it, but learned that we needn't bother at a composting workshop a while back. Now we just pile it straight on. Our garden has thrived from using heaps of seaweed that is free for the taking so close to home. 
We layer it around all our fruit trees, and as mulch around all new plants we put in. It is reputed to help break down clay soil, which is what we have, and this seems to be true here. I like to put lawn clippings on top of it, which I think helps it to break down, as we don't bother to chop the seaweed up.
We also figure that using it in our vege garden adds iodine to the soil - a mineral that New Zealand soil is lacking.

We use it to make liquid seaweed fertilizer, by putting it in a big barrel in the garden and covering it with water. After it has been there for a few weeks/ months I just ladle it out onto my plants. I don't bother diluting it and it is fine. I then top the barrel back up with water, and after a while put the used barrelled seaweed on the garden and get some fresh stuff.
Seaweed also gets thrown into the compost bin mix.
The gardens look so much healthier since we started using seaweed, horse manure and lawn clippings. No need to buy compost here.

Mail Art
I take any opportunity to turn parcels I need to post into mail art. What would you rather find in your mailbox - a courier post bag or something like this...

On the back is a collaged love poem - given that it is an engagement present.

This one is fairly understated, but it uses recycled materials.

Recently I received my sewing machine in the post that I had bought on Trade Me. The seller had charged me $7 above what the postage cost. When I questioned her about it, she said it was for packaging as she'd had to buy lots more bubble wrap - AGH! If she had asked me, I would have requested she find some packaging to recycle - I'm sure everyone must have access to this. Newspaper even.

We are off to the Jazz and Blues Festival in the Bay of Islands for the weekend, so will have some photos for the next blog.

Saving the Good - Losing the Bad

The Good
We have some awesome magazines here in New Zealand. Being a magazine addict (under control) I always look at magazines when I am in a different country, and remain impressed by what we have here.
I caved and bought "Green Ideas" magazine last week, and have to say I have markers hanging out of it on interesting pages.

I'm going to suggest that our library might like to stock this magazine as it would fit well there (and that's one less that I will be tempted to buy).
In the article Wetland Wonders I read about the Australasian Bittern, which is a bird that makes a sound like when you blow into the top of a bottle, a booming noise.

We have some here, and I was delighted to spot one some months back when I was out on a bike ride past the mangroves. They stand still with their head in the air, pretending they are reeds, which is ok, but my partner Derek has seen one do this in the middle of the road. Anyway, turns out they are endangered, with only approximately 1,000 left in New Zealand. I'd say we are fairly lucky to have seen them here.Bittern info link here

The Bad
Look at this lovely plant

...we nabbed a piece from a bank in a residential area thinking it would be good for our subtropical themed planting. Turns out it is a noxious weed - Palmgrass. So today..out it goes. I will have to kill it by sealing it in a black rubbish bag and leaving it to cook somewhere- like on the shed roof.

Mail Art
I've sent this wooden postcard I made to Annabel Langbein's people, in thanks for her latest cookbook "Simple Pleasures" which they sent me after I asked permission to use her icecream recipe on my blog.

The latest cookbook is as beautiful as her last one, and I can't wait to try the recipes. I love how she emphasizes homegrown or local ingredients, and simplicity.