life and other side projects- hair

oh hello. just came back from the studio looking up at the roof tops drawing birds while talking on the phone. nice. can't wait to share with you what i've been drawing.

in the mean time here is a bit over over sharing which i inevitably always do...in the form of my maeve column 'life and other side projects'. this one is titled 'hair'. i love the psychology of hair. i think it can be a bit of a symbol of emotion, particularly female emotion...think pj harvey songs.

maeve is looking beautiful, by the way, there is an enchanting vimeo which sets the mood nicely xx

hope you've had a great weekend!

rachel xx

women's work...uh hem

i've been watching nigella on iview lately. i find her curvacious (onscreen) presence very reassuring. as i myself am a woman not in any particular hurry to get rid of the 'post baby body' (gasp!). i'm rather fond of my new body and all it's history.


so, i cooked nigella's roast ribs and chicken recipie tonight. wasn't quite ready in time for jasper's dinner so earl and i enjoyed this warming meal together, surrounded by lovely mess left over from a happy day.


i am learning to chill out. something has shifted in me. i've realised that it just can't all get done. it will never be d o n e . the house work is a cycle. just like everything else.


i've had a few nice chats with some lovely women lately and i think that's why i'm feeling the way i am. i even cried in front of one while she fed me tea and pizza sitting by an open fire. another imparted some motherly wisdom about baby led weaning which is really just letting the baby eat soft finger food rather than spoon feeding. good messy fun!


so, thank you women! i'm about to go to bed with a mountain of laundry partially obstructing the kitchen door way, toys all over the rug and dishes dirty. hey, it's a big deal for me! i've been a bit of a neat freak lately, which is no fun for anyone. i'm just about ready to hang a 'bless this mess' sign. x


rachel xx

i can't think of a title for this blog post.

okay. it's winter. i'm in a bit of a daze. breast feeding. doing washing. watching bad tv. ugh. it's a phase. i need some nice words because my house is a mess. 

Motherhood has a very humanizing effect.  Everything gets reduced to essentials.  ~Meryl Streep


Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own. -Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons


I looked on child-rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring it.-Rose Kennedy


oh that's a little better. again, wisdom via google. thank you internet. is the internet the new religion? maybe i should've put that on my sensus form. 


rachel xx

a collection, she whispered.

psst...i have been doing this e course and consequently my head is no longer such a messy place! i'm working on a collection of lovely things... original art, cards and fabric patches... and my next picture book. yes a picture book!... a fabric picture book. i'm so excited.

the book is for babies, children and for, well you know... those of us who havn't quite grown up yet. i'm completely excited. so much so that i feel like i'm writing in whispers. hehe ok lets not get carried away!

at the moment i'm collecting inspiration and most importantly i have a plan. x

rachel xx

butterfly sandwich

i asked jasper what sort of sandwich he wanted the other day...he said he wanted a butterfly one! so i obligingly made one! i'll do anything to get him to actually sit down and eat these days. he's just always on the go. i feel like a big italian mother most of the time saying 'eat! eat!'...

here are the ingredients... 

butterfly body= a leftover cold sausage, but you could also use a carrot for a veg option.

wings= honey sandwich with wholemeal bread (of course you could use any sort of bread and any sort of filling!) cut in half and then cut into wing shapes.

antennas= thinly sliced carrot. but you could also use sprouts or thinly sliced celery.

yum! 

rachel xx

hey lady

hey, good news. i came runner up in the small works prize! and my drawing sold, so i was one very happy lady. thanks to steph and marce for hosting such a great event. if you are in ballarat have a look at the 90 or small works at red brick gallery and emporium 218a skipton steet.


i'm working on a series of little people and birds in boats. i'm drawing on a beautiful reconstituted stone surface framed in reclaimed timber. here are some works in progress or works in watching (i like to sit with them for a bit before i decide if they are finished!)

oh and did i mention that i have a studio space! yes. a beautiful square of ballarat to fill with little pictures eat people things. i'm sooooo excited! i love the lead light windows looking out to the roof tops and pigeons. i feel very happy and productive in this space...hehe!

and finally, here are some pictures of my little rosie! her first tooth came through today!

you can't really tell, it's just cut through! and, because i can't resist here are some more pics...

why not go all out and be an unashamedly proud muma...here are some earlier pics! okay, that should do it!

rachel xx

oh i must blog about that

oh i have been so busy! i love being a mum of two gorgeous kids... but just so you know, things like blogging (and often showering) get moved down the list of things to do. so i have had numerous...oh i must blog about that... moments but i probably chose to shower instead! so now i have rosie on my lap and am typing one handed so i don't drop her. yes. i will post photos of her!! xx

any how before i settle down to feed this hungry (and refluxy!) girl i wanted to show you what my gloriously talented husband has been working... sorry about the glorious... it's a bit over the top but that's how i feel about him... anyway you decide! have a listen...

ps. my favourite song is 'if you want to use the slide'...which is yours?

pps. and we really do have a cat called nina.

rachel xx