BLUE

(patchwork stool cover/ our sky today/prints in the living room/ polish ceramic jug/ dolphin mural I painted in Stefan´s room/ front of doll house Erich and I made for Markus/curtains in Stefan´s room/ staircase picture wall / new couch in living room, erich built it, I covered it)
I have gone back and written descriptions for the Red and Green collage too. Hmmm, which colour will I choose next?

RED

(vintage biscuit tin/ pillow from India shop/ Paul Klee print/
retro lamp/ mosaic & glass water fountain I made at a deco course/ books/
part of the mosaic in living room-we added a mirror that I bought in Grado, Italy/ old chest and picture frames that Erich restored and painted red, in our hallway/ our bedroom with red walls and old farmhouse furniture)

GREEN

I saw this and was inspired to create a green collage myself.
What´s green at your place?

(ikea boxes filled with sewing supplies/vintage teapot and sugar bowl/kitchen curtains/Ken Done print/retro prints from Mr Schlinder/mosaic in living room made by Erich and I/the boys playing soccer in the garden/clay candle holder/daisies outside the kitchen door)

Sunday Scribblings #9: First Love

Hello O.B,
I know it´s been a long time since you´ve heard from me, 17 years to be exact, and I must admit I haven´t thought about you for a long time. Today I am ready to think about you.
Do you remember the first time we met? You were on a tour of NSW with your local football club all the way from Germany and I was one of the girls from the youth club picked to show you guys around. It was the first time I really appreciated being bilingual. I had a boyfriend but it was nothing serious, all the other girls had one so I´d grabbed the next best guy with a car - I was only 15. After a week of sneaking looks at you and talking a little about school, bands and travelling I knew I was hooked so the boyfriend got the flick and I was free to dance with you all night at the ball held for your team´s farewell.
Do you remember how cunningly we managed to sneak away from your team mates and, what was even more difficult, from my parents? I am getting butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it, I thought someone would tap us on the shoulder any second and call us back in. Some serious kissing went on once we were alone, the first "real" kisses in my life and it felt amazing. The next day you and your team flew back to Germany and I remember how empty my town felt after you were gone, I went about my days like a zombie, going through the motions but not really living, then your first letter came and I was alive again.
One year later, at the end of my 4th year of high school my parents allowed me to travel to Austria to visit my grandparents and my favourite aunt and uncle and ofcourse I agreed with my parents that it would be impossible to see you but as soon as I had the ticket in my hand I started developing a plan to travel those 1,500km and to this day I don´t know how I managed it. A love struck 16 year old is not to be underestimated. We spent a few surreal days together and I could hear the tick of the clock with each passing second, knowing our days were counted and quickly coming to an end. Do you remember hugging at the train station, not wanting to let go but knowing we had to? I felt so lonely on that train ride back to Austria and you were on my mind every minute of the trip back to Australia too.
We wrote to each other for about one year afterwards but things got busy with school and you did your army service and we both started other relationships. There was a birthday card every year though until I went back to visit you in 1989. How grown up you were, how lovely it was to see you, how we had changed. We didn´t really have much in common then did we? You were interested in going out, drinking, your mates, football - still, and blondes. I wanted to travel, see as much as possible, walk everywhere, meet people, feel the culture of every city, every village.
The last time I saw you was when you took me to the train station, that same train station, and we kissed farewell, not passionately this time but tenderly. We looked into each other´s eyes for a long time before the train left the station and we both knew we wouldn´t see each other again.
Today I wonder how you are, where you live, if you have children, if you are happy. I hope so. 24 years have passed since we first met and I have had many loves since then but you will always be my first love.
All the best,
Claudia

Things I love Thursday

I love a good salad.
Grilled chicken pieces on fresh
lettuce leaves from my garden,
cress, herb vinegar and olive oil.
MAHLZEIT!

Life

I received a beautiful parcel today from Liz who is my partner in Tara Dawn´s creativity exchange. I feel like the man in Amélie that got his little trinket box back. The card Liz sent is so beautiful and the quote so sums up how I have come to feel about my own life :
" She said that she cried atleast once each day not because she was sad but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short".
Thankyou Liz, for bringing tears to my eyes today - the beauty of your artwork, the beautiful music, the beauty in little trinkets and papers and the beauty in you that you have shared with me are things I will treasure.

See what I sent Liz here.

Sunday Scribblings # 8

3 Wishes!
My 3 biggest wishes have already come true. When I say wishes I don´t mean hopes or reachable goals that I make for myself, I mean WISHES, things I´ve wanted but never thought I would get.

When I left Australia in 1989 it was to get away from an ending relationship that kept pulling me back in because I was sentimental, afraid and too close so I put enough distance between us to be able to put it behind me. I travelled around Europe, to Africa and England and back to Europe. I discovered a love for decorating, a need to surround myself with pieces of me - books, pictures, people but that´s very difficult when you´re on the move so I made a wish to have a house. While I worked at a pub here in this small village Reichenfels I often went for walks after work or in my lunch breaks and there was this lovely little wooden house I used to pass and I used to dream about what it would be like to live in it, to come home and lock the door behind me, make a fire, cook a meal and read or watch a good movie or invite friends over. It was about 6 years later that I moved into my own house and I can see that "little, wooden house" when I look outside my kitchen window because a chain of coincidences led us to build our house on the piece of land directly behind it.

Each time I was pregnant I wished for sons rather than daughters. I cannot believe my wishes came true and I always thought that I would have to have a daughter to see what my mother went through with me while I was growing up. I´m so glad I don´t have to tackle the gender and self-confidence issues that often had me paralysed with fear during my pregnancies. Oh the relief each time the gyneacologist said "it´s going to be a boy!".

Wish number 3 is one that I´m sure we all carry inside us - to find true love. A love that supports you, gives you wings and lets you grow and be honest and be yourself atlast. Again, I never thought I would find it. It was about 5 years into my marraige before I realised this wasn´t it. I had to adapt too much to please him, keep my mouth shut too often and compromise my principles. I knew it was only a matter of time before it would end and that´s when I started wishing for the kind of love you read about, the kind of love you don´t see very often, the kind of love that you can´t imagine being without. Once again I "wished" because I never really believed that I´d find it. Like in the song "I learnt the truth at 17, that love was made for beauty queens", I had come to believe that I was not deserving, not lucky enough. Just when I was ready to give up, when I thought I would lose all sense of feeling, shrivel up and disappear if someone didn´t touch me, I found it and like when a child is born, once you have it you cannot imagine your life without it.

Don´t be afraid to make wishes.

Things I love Thursday

I

I love mail!!! Especially beautiful Open Yours Too packages. This one is from Debra and it has given me the kick I needed to get started on my research for my Family Book and my family photo album. I have never seen such beautiful scrapbooking supplies. Thankyou Debra! And thankyou Dawn for organising Open Yours Too!

use what you have - May

I have developed 3 new addictions this year, the first is blogging, the second is crafting and the third is swapping. A Flickr group that incorporates all three is "use what you have". It´s a great way to find fellow bloggers who share the same addictions, be inspired by all the wonderful creations AND swap. I have joined 3 swaps in May, the accessory swap, bag swap and softie swap. Above are my 3 creations - a patchwork cat, a scrap wrap and a carry-all. I hope they find happy new owners.

Sunday Scriblings# 7

"The books I would write..." would be a mix of practicle and fun, a series of books on home decorating, crafting, cooking, gardening, travel, motherhood and looking after yourself. They would have bold covers and be full of useful information, lovely pictures and wonderful interviews - there are so many creative people out there who are happy to share their experience, creativity and personality to help others realise their own ideas.
Ofcourse a TV show would follow and I would become Europe´s answer to Martha Stewart - only a lot more colourful and fabulous, encouraging the creativity in everyone to come to the surface and make the world a brighter, happier place.
My gift to myself is time to daydream on this beautiful Mother´s Day Sunday...to all of you who are already mothers and those of you thinking about it HAPPY MOTHER`S DAY!!!
And thankyou for this great site Jorth!

Things I love Thursday

I love my garden!!!
Spring has FINALLY arrived in full force and for me that means catching every possible ray of sunshine while it lasts! We have 1900 m² land around our house - a large lawn, a vegetable patch, a small green house, a raised bed for growing veges, a lot of flower beds, 3 stone garden areas, fruit trees and some cherry bushes. Quite a bit of work so we get it all done in May and then relax and enjoy it!
Check out the Flickr group : http://www.flickr.com/groups/thingsilovethursday/

Sunday Scribblings #6: my shoes

My favourite shoes stand by the front door,
waiting like a pet dog to see if they´ll get to go out today.
They watch the children come and go,
they watch visitors come and go but they only catch a glimpse of the postman,
or anyone else I don´t like who doesn´t get further than the doorstep.
They´ve been around, my shoes,
to Australia and back, to Africa and back, to Italy and back,
to marraige and back, to hell and back.
They are comfortable and worn in, I can rely on them 100%.
We have a lot in common, my shoes and I,
we are not the most beautiful but we are spontaneous,
ready for anything life throws at us.
We don´t stand out in a crowd at first, but give us a while and you will see.
We are not young and fashionable,
we are older and have a few wrinkles to show for it.
I wonder what else we will experience, my shoes and I,
in this amazing, wonderful, "if the shoe fits wear it" life?

Update 101 things!

Moving along on my list of 101 Things in 1001 Days!

1. Give away 50 things: I´ve given away 5 things already, 2 books to a friend, a scarf, a handmade vase and a small doily to another blogger.
2. Learn more about permaculture gardening.... I am reading 2 books on the subject and have started to sow spinch, rocket and 5 other types of salads.
8. I have found some fabric in my fabric basket for a pair of casual yoga pants. Will cut them out this week.
11. I have changed this one to 30 minutes of EXERCISE daily, so far I have walked, cycled or done pilates.
27. Go freelance: I have sent in my form to be able to do my own bookkeeping and taxes AND I have registered myself as an official language trainer. I will keep working for the same company but incorporate more of my own ideas into the lessons for now.
54. Reach my goal weight: I have started a journal and am using a WW booklet to keep track. 65. Erich bought me some comfortable espadrilles last week.
71. I have succeeded in drinking 2 litres a day since day 1.
76. Our financial advisor is coming over tonight and I will sign Stefan´s saving plan.
85. Have looked through and labeled all videos, that took ages!
96. See a picture of the plant box above, notice the view in the reflection!
100. I took the children for much needed haircuts yesterday and we will go again before we leave for Australia.

Thankyou everyone for your compliments about our house, it made my day to see that so many of you like it too!

DANCE!!!

It´s here! May 1st! Shyne like a Star Virtual Dance Party!
Just after breakfast Erich, the kids and I will put on our favourite music and MOVE IT!!!
Thanks for the invitation Jamie!

Sunday Scribblings!

"If you sweep a house and tend it´s fires and fill it´s stove and there is love in you all the years you are doing this, then you and that house are married, that house is yours."
Truman Capote, The Grass Harp
It was a series of coincidences that lead me here but what´s keeping me here is this house, our home. We had to save for it while we were planning it, work for it while we were building it and I had to fight for it while my marraige was breaking up when the children asked me to promise them that we could keep on living here. Here there is colour and laughter, it´s our haven, we can be ourselves here, we decide how people are treated, who comes in the door and what goes on inside these walls. Here are the people we love, some in flesh and blood and some smiling from the walls. Here we live, love and dream. I found the above quote in Realsimple magazine and it describes perfectly my relationship with this house. I am in love with my partner and I adore my children but I am married to this house and it´s the reason why I live where I live.

Happiness in my mailbox!

I received the most amazing things in the mail today...call me materialistic, I just loooove gifts, swaps and unique hand made objects.

These little "hugs" are from Sara in Portugal, I made her a bag and received these goodies in return... 2 hugs, a notebook, a book on decorating boxes, some fabric and a little blue couple ( look here).






This amazing parcel came from Cassie, my trade partner in Open Yours trade 04. I put together a little hobby package for sewing and she sent me this knitting one. Beautiful yarns, a knitting magazine, needles and 2 bags she knitted and felted herself! Aswell as a lovely journal (this will be my gratitude journal from my 101 list!) some cute chicken tissues, 2 lovely magazines, sweets and a little surprise for the boys!

I can´t say thankyou enough!!!

101 things in 1001 days!

HERE IT IS!
101 things in 1001 days

1.Give away 50 things that I own to people who will appreciate them more than I do.
2.Learn more about permaculture-gardening and grow enough vegetables to feed my family for a larger part of the year according to permaculture guidelines.
3.Take apart the wardrobe in Markus´ room and cut it up for firewood.
4.Take back overdue library books.
5.Buy tiles and finish the upstairs toilet.
6.Clean the oven.
7.Finish answering my “Life Aims” questions, print the posts and put them in a journal to remember the journey.
8.Sew a pair of casual pants.
9.Rearrange the furniture in Markus´ room.
10.Help Erich finish the furniture for Daniel´s room.
11.Walk 30 minutes a day starting today.
12.Sew a messenger bag to take to work.
13.Sew a new curtain for Daniel´s room.
14.New curtain for Stefan and Markus.
15.Paint a mural on Markus´ wall.
16.Sew a bean bag for Daniel.
17.Rid the drive way of all firewood and leftover building materials.
18.Paint the woodwork on the 2 balconies and the stair-rail out the front.
19.Paint the walls in the kitchen and sew new curtains and seat cushion covers.
20.Buy wood for the steps and finish the staircase.
21.Finish the upstairs bathroom.
22.Buy and lay tiles on the steps in front of the house.
23.Change the central heating from oil to wood burning.
24.Hang up a mirror over the chest of drawers in the hallway.
25.Make a room divider for the bedroom to hide the mirror at night.
26.Make a family scrapbooking album and use up photos hiding in boxes in the living room cupboard.
27.Go freelance by the end of 2006 - teaching english with more creativity.
28.Hand in financial paperwork punctually by the 15th January 2007.
29.Hand in financial paperwork punctually by the 15th January 2008.
30.Hand in Financial paperwork punctually by the 15th January 2009.
31.Start an online shop for bags and pillows and other things made of fabric.
32.Write a poem.
33.Write a short story.
34.Write an article on interior decorating, with interviews and photos and send it to a magazine.
35.Have 3 seperate dinner parties and invite atleast 4 people to each one.
36.Spend a 2 week holiday in Italy.
37.Spend a 2 week holiday in Sweden.
38. Buy and read Cynthia Rylant´s biography.
39.Paint the upstairs hallway.
40.Decorate a shadow box for each member of the family for Christmas 2006.
41.Prepare a message in a bottle and throw it off the cliffs at Kiama, NSW.
42.Set a wedding date.
43.Paint a mural on the wall in Markus´ room.
44.Start a gratitude journal.
45.Knit a pair of socks.
46.Learn to make delicious pasta from scratch and stop buying packaged pasta.
47.Learn to make my own bottled tomato sauce for pasta.
48.Help Erich make a solar dryer for herbs and dry my own herbs from the garden.
49.Find a local farmer who sells healthy poultry and eggs.
50.Grow my own potato crop.
51.Clean out the freezer.
52.Learn how to use Excel.
53.Have a party for my 40th Birthday and invite only people I like.
54.Reach my goal weight of 85 kilos and stay that weight for 6 months.
55.Put another 50 things that I´m not sure whether to keep or give away, in a box. Write a date on top (6 months later) and if I haven´t opened it to take something out by the date, give the whole box away without looking inside.
56.Finish knitting the jumper I have started.
57.Plant a native Australian tree in my garden ( a winter hardy one).
58.Take the box of old black and white photos that my grandmother left me a try to find out who is pictured from people who knew her.
59.Make a family tree book with photos and descriptions of people in our family (going back to my great grandparents).
60.Go to the dentist. ( I am terrified of dentists!)
61.Have a health check-up.
62.Find basic make-up for daily use and USE IT!!!
63.Find a perfume that I love and spray a little on every day.
64.Have a shower first thing in the morning and get dressed “to my shoes” before I do anything else for 21 days in a row.
65.Buy some espadrilles.
66.Finish sewing the shirt I have started.
67.Sew 2 new skirts to take to Australia.
68.Write down 20 ways to avoid argueing with my family while visiting them in Australia.
69.Write down 20 ways to avoid being intimidated by my family while visiting them in Australia.
70.Write down 20 ways to be nice to family while visiting them in Australia.
71.Drink 2 litres of water a day for 60 days and see if my skin really improves.
72.Hold a scrapbooking workshop.
73.Organise a Christmas market, advertise and promote it, organise a visit from the press and make sure there is an article about it in the local paper.
74.Invite 6 ladies over for a tea party.
75.Arrange for my regular payments to be booked directly from my bank account.
76.From May 2006 onwards, put an amount of money in a savings account for Stefan monthly and have it locked for 6 years so he can take out the money when he turns 18.
77.The same for Markus in December 2007.
78.Check passports and organise visas for Australia.
79.Buy a pair of good quality shoes.
80.Buy a pair of good quality boots.
81.Find jeans that fit and are comfortable.
82.Watch the sunrise on Magnetic Island.
83.Swim nude.
84.Cut sugar and white flour from my food plan for a month.
85.Look through videos, label the ones to keep and throw out the rest.
86.Fill 5 video tapes with films and tv shows to give to Mum and Dad in Australia.
87.Buy an ipod.
88.Fill the ipod with music and podcasts.
89.Buy a plant for the bathroom corner.
90.Put up a new blind in the bathroom.
91.Clear the guest room of clutter.
92.Clean the guest room and touch up the paint.
93.Throw away the old couch in the guest room and replace it with a bed.
94.Spruce up the boys´ old bikes and sell them.
95.Throw away the old toys lying around in the garden.
96.Clean the window next to the entry and plant flowers in the planter box.
97.Sweep the stairs outside aswell as all the terraces.
98.Take the garden furniture outside, clean it and paint it.
99.Make 2 cuddly owl pillows and give them away to a charity.
100.Take the children for a haircut.
101. Sort out my scrapbooking supplies and store them - easily accessible - in the bedroom cupboard.

Now I need a coffee break!

Sunday Scribblings!

CHOCOLAT

I read this book (the symbolism is much more meaningful than in the film) and I felt like Vianne. I was new in town, everyone thought I was wild and crazy, I didn´t want to adapt, I felt the power that religion has over the people here and I had neighbours who looked over my fence to check the state of my house and garden.

I want to have Vianne´s powers, to make something which awakens desire, courage and joy in others. I want them to feel my presence, to see why I love life, to feel my warmth and energy and be inspired by it. I want them to stop making so many rules, stop believing they are not worthy of happiness, stop judging and see and appreciate all this beauty they are surrounded by.

I don´t want to feel like a stranger here and have the wind calling me to move on. I want to stay and make a mark, I want justice - like in the novel - I want the bad guys to be seen for what they are and I want people who have wronged to regret their mistakes and move on unwilling to make the same mistakes with others. I want the "gypsies" to be able to stay, I want the loud music, the dancing, the friends and the food, I want to feel it all and know that it´s wonderful right there, in that moment and not afterwards when the moment has passed and I have only the memories.

That feeling when you bite into chocolate and the taste sensation hits your tongue, warms your mouth and sends the message to your brain that this is something good, something wonderful, you are alive and feeling a sensual pleasure, living in the moment. It´s that moment of pure joy that I want to carry inside me.

I have been asked by Meg to "Spill Ten Beans About Myself " so here goes!

1. I lost my virginity at 17 in a car.

2. I hated science and mathematics at school...I prefered art, english and german because I didn´t have to study a lot to have good marks.

3. I went to uni after school intending to become an interpreter and translator...I dropped out after 6 months.

4. I moved out of home shortly before my 19th Birthday to live with my boyfriend.

5. My first real love was a jewish guy and we lived together for 3 years. His parents refused to talk to me because I am Austrian and the reason why I came to Europe was to get away from him.

6. I had my 1st child Daniel by ceasarian and my next 2 children naturally, my husband was not with me during all 3 births.

7. I was always the first to find out about the gender of my children ( the gynaecologist and I that is), usually around the 5th month of pregnancy and I couldn´t believe my luck with each additional boy. I lived in fear of having a daughter because I was sure I wouldn´t be a good mother to a girl.

8. I have a shower every morning and I can´t remember a day when I didn´t wash my hair before leaving the house.

9. I love having my back rubbed.

10. I am almost 40 and I still don´t know whether I believe in God...I think the catholic church has confused me more than guided me. There are times when I believe that there must be a god and a deeper meaning to this life but there are plenty of other times when I am sure that life is just one big coincidence.

Anyone else want to spill the beans???

Life Aims continued

These are some of the things that have been keeping me busy. Erich and I were away at his parent´s farm for a few days at Easter and we had a chance to sleep in and relax. On Tuesday he started his new job and he loves it...he´s doing carpenter work for a building company in Wolfsberg and he works regular hours (no night shift!!! YAY!!!) and they have agreed to give him 5 weeks off in July so our holiday plans to Australia are secured!
As soon as I can collect my thoughts and some images I will give a summary of the 21 day Challenge which was fantastic BUT too short. I am more inclined to make a 101 Things in 1001Days list like Jaimi.
Anyway...time to answer the dreaded questions...I have been carrying them around with me and I think I know the answers now.

What have you not been successful in in the past? I have not been successful at losing weight, having my house and surroundings perfect and saying "no" out loud instead of saying "yes" while my thoughts scream NO!I have not been successful at doing what I want!
What were you only partly successful in doing? I was partly successful in various jobs, keeping up to date with taxes and paperwork and being punctual.
Where did you fail?I have failed in many things ... usually plans that I make because they seem attainable and important BUT then I don´t carry through, lose interest or have to admit that they were unrealistic. I have also failed at making the most of my money. I don´t mean earning more or wanting to be rich, I mean using what I currently earn to live a quality life within my means. I have failed in accepting myself and others but I am learning to let go of this constant drive for perfection.
Which weaknesses and deficits can you recognise which played a part in not coming through?
I recognise that often I want to do too much at once. I have a weakness for getting side tracked so staying focused has not been one of my strengths. I have some great ideas but I lack the courage to follow through. I often don´t plan ahead well enough and an obstacle (that I should have seen coming!) knocks me off my feet. I often have trouble accepting things as they are - although I must say that this has improved dramatically since I started the challenge - my character has definately become more positive and things can´t throw me so easily. I see so much negativity around me - outside the blogging world - and often can´t understand why others aren´t high on life aswell when there is so much to be happy about.

I really feel like I´m on my way, I feel more focused since I´ve started looking at myself more closely and not finding reasons for failure somewhere else. We all have the strength to improve but first we must know what it is that we´re not happy with. Whether it´s where we live, our job, the way we look, our relationships or whatever...we must find out what´s eating at us and then change it - WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HAPPY!!!