We've been tagged

Kara has kindly (hmm not sure if kindly is the right word here) tagged us for this....
7 weird things you don't know about me
The rules are:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you
2. Post "The Rules" on your blog
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog
4. Tag seven people and link to them
5. Comment on their blogs to let them know they have been 'tagged'

Okay I'm not sure about the weird, but first up at number one is the above pic of us. Most of you don't know what we look like. (Nick will kill me for this one...so ssshhh!)
2. I have two tattoos...you know the kind where you go overseas in your 20's meet a guy and 10 days later decide to get matching tattoos in Glasgow, Scotland. Oh and the other was done in Mexico (also in my 20's), although not matching but a friend and I did do this together.
3. I failed year 11 maths with a resounding 24%.
4. I have broken my collarbone twice. Very painful, although I did get to stay up and watch Moby Dick on tv when I was 8. My sister and I were racing to the bathroom to brush our teeth and I ran into a wall.
5. I am clumsy. Yes it's true.
6. I like drinking Milo (with milk) and then eating cheese. It's the sweet and savoury thing, like cheese and sultanas.
7. I was quite sporting in my youth....Although I am playing netball again. That's more funny than weird. It would be weird to play softball again...purple knickerbockers and knee high socks, not a good look I think, when you've just turned 36.

Okay now to pick my seven tagees.... sorry and suffer: auntycookie, hyena in petticoats, lino forest, three buttons, one girl, the lark and kootoyoo

spam

Yes spam, not the delightful meaty/ham in a can, nor the new spam-a-lot monty python musical but annoying people who have no meaning in their lives kind of spam. Leaving comments to link here, there and places you really don't want to go. So I have now added comment moderation. Damn pesky people, can't do much in this world without being harrassed or hassled to buy, change, quizzed etc. or inflict damage of the computer virus, pop-up thing. Uuurgghh.
On a brighter note I've added a few new items to our bigcartel shop. Go on, you know you want to. (Speaking of being harrassed to buy!!)

new prints

More shop rearranging and adding of artwork. These great vintage circus posters are from the usa and now for sale in our shop Oh and regarding our first foray into ebay, our couch sold. Yipee.

more collections

Here's a sneak peek at yet another of our (well mine really) collections...ta da vintage squeakie toys. We've been asked by poppytalk to be interviewed/featured on their blog re: collections. So at the moment I am wandering around our house trying to group all these things together. The squeakies live all over the house, they came together for the photo (ie: our house is never that organised). About 5 minutes later Arthur had pulled them off the shelves and was making them squeak with his feet.

attempting ebay

We are attempting our first foray into selling on ebay.... As you are probably aware Nick and I collect, hoard, get given, find on the side of the road too much stuff. We are trying to clear out the back half of our shop so we can make the 'shop' space bigger for more artwork and hopefully a coffee machine. So yesterday I bit the bullet and uploaded some items that we don't need and that don't really suit the shop. Such as the couch and marionette puppet. Well they probably do suit the shop but we don't have the space for the couch anymore. ew the photo isn't one of my best. Digital photography (and film) record colours that you can't see in real life. Our big red curtain is reflecting the light and it's turned things very red.
Also when we cleared out my Grandad's shed oh probably 2-3 years ago I kept a pile of boating and yachting magazines from the 60's-70's. Why he had them, I don't know as he never had a boat or went boating for that matter. As to why I kept them... I don't think even I know the answer to that one. It's time to purge and oh it feels good.

finding a home

We collect alot of stuff. We don't mean to, but it just kind of happens. Some is for the shop, others I can't part with. I get an idea in my head (like the hookey boards). It starts with one and then I think...hmmm maybe another and another and before you know it. Ta da, Arthur's latest addition to his room. I have a few other hookey boards and am waiting for one to arrive in the mail that will definitely be added to his wall. Does it matter that I've hung them too high for him to play all of them? Or does it just give him better odds of getting a hoop on any one of the boards....
Also I've received a You Make My Day Award by Angela (woo hoo - I've not been tagged before), so The Purpose of this Award is as follows:-
'Give the award to 10 people whose blog brings you happiness and inspiration and makes you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware, you may get this award several times'.
Now I've just got to decide who to give my awards to....

phobias

It's a lovely sunny day in Melbourne, sitting in the shop with the door open.....until a bird decided to pay me a visit inside. For most people this would be okay, but oh no not me. Bird phobia, big time. It was a big baby bird that couldn't fly. So it hopped on in looking at me, whilst it's mother and father stayed outside the front door swooping. Bird phobia runs in the family, my mum had it, my sister does too. We freak out. So I hid behind the curtain in the shop, rang Nick who of course wasn't here. The bird then hid too. Nick called a friend who was near by and she saved the day by rescuing the bird and placing it outside whilst the parent birds swooped at her. Hence the door has remained shut since.
To relax a little I've been making cards from vintage children book images.

unplggd

Today we are featured (well my desk is) on unplggd the tech wing of apartment therapy.
They will soon be featuring our home as well - once I've cleaned and photographed it. Usually it's the in-laws or friends visiting that prompts a good once over, fingerprints, vegemite and pen marks off the walls kind of clean. But this is a pretty good excuse. It also provides yet another excuse for avoiding ye olde BAS statement. (See previos post).

oh so tired....again!

One of those days in the shop that seems to drag on forever. Could be the fact that I made myself do some of the accounting side of running your own business, such as overdue BAS Statements....urgh. My eyes hurt, my brain hurts and even my butt from sitting in the one spot. How do people work in an office 5 days a week? I tried it once, never again (if I can help it.)
The photo is of some old graphic novels that recently arrived on our doorstop. I like 'em.

a good week

This week has seen the arrival of the keep calm and carry on screen print posters from the UK. We have managed to frame a couple and they are now hanging in our shop. We will also sell a few unframed as well. They are in red and light blue.
We have also had some kind people write a blurb or two about us. So a big thankyou to design for mankind and BloesemKids.
Also a big thanks toLeslie for making Arthur a new reindeer oobie to replace the one that was left a little worse for wear. Oobies (and all of Leslie's softies) are incredibly cute and cuddly, so if you've thought about buying one or are in need of a great toy for yourself or a baby, these are perfect.

exhibition..

I have been asked to include some of my previous work in an upcoming stock room art exhibition at the Jenny Port Gallery in Richmond this coming week. I have had a couple of exhibitions in the past at Jenny's other Red Gallery So if you're in the Richmond area in the coming weeks be sure to pop in.
The image above is my work a few years back at the Mill Markets in Geelong.
I have just upgraded our online shop at bigcartel to include more items so we can sell a few of my prints, as well as other new, handmade and vintage items.