Chit-chat Wednesday and Spring

Hello,
We have now entered Spring in Sydney. Our small garden is bursting with buds of Bougainvillea, Geraniums and Lavender flowers. The perfume of Jasmine follows me down the street. Sydneysiders are in that confused mix of clothing where nobody knows quite how to dress for the weather.
I won this basket of Olay goodies from BellaMuma. Thanks Olay and BellaMumma. A beautiful reader of my previous books sent me a wonderful gift I shall treasure always. Another lovely friend presented me with a amazing bouquet of flowers when I went to collect my daughter from school.
I am now working on two books at once.
Something wonderful and shining is approaching me.
I feel lucky. Do you ever feel Something Wonderful This Way Comes?

Fabbo Friday and Inspiration Boards and Daisy Lane

Hello,
I'm just about to start my new book which is a Young Adult. I always like to assemble a mood board filled with inspiring images when I begin a new book. The images of course aren't meant to be taken literally but rather suggest a palette of colours and energy I'm trying to create.
I can't tell you what the book is about for obvious reasons. I can tell you what it's not about.
There are no vampires.
It is not a dark, psychological brooding mystery with a murder or suicide at the base.
It contains no wizard or witchy schools.
It is not a historical novel.
The idea for this one has been simmering away for about a year as I worked on Poets Cottage. It's always a very exciting time when I start a new book. It really is a lot like giving birth. I like to create circumstances around me to help the book emerge as smoothly as possible. We are coming into a waxing moon at the moment which is very good for starting new ventures.
For the next week or so, I'll take a break from the Blog to get my word count up as high as I can whilst the Scribe is away swimming with sharks.
And for my Fabbo Blog post this week it does not get any fabbier than Allison from Lark. Regular readers will know how much I love her online store and Blog. She has recently begun a new line called Daisy Lane. (How totally perfect!) Her Blog post here explains all her detective work in beginning Daisy Lane. Allison is a woman of vision and I'm so happy that people like her are out there changing the shape of business and how we shop.
And signing off with another man I'm always glad is a part of this amazing planet at this time: Mr Johnny Depp
May this be a time of luminous new beginnings for you wherever you are in the world. xx
All Daisy Lane images via Lark
Johnny Depp images via Depp Impact

mood board images via Google Images

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and Frida Kahlo

I'm sitting on a crowded train en route to my one-day-a-week ‘real world' job. It's just started to rain and it’s wonderfully chilly outside. In other words - a PERFECT WRITING DAY. Life seems filled with frustrating moments like this!

I've left Daisy and the Scribe at home playing dress-ups together. If I wasn't home writing, I'd love to be playing with my family today.

At times like this, it helps to give myself some perspective by meditating on something marvellous and inspiring. And for my very first Magnificent Marvellous Mighty Monday post, I've selected Frida Kahlo for pretty obvious reasons.

Frida was never one of my favourite painters at art school but her spirit is so worthy and mighty that I feel Frida is the first person I thought of to adorn this post. I often moan about the amount of operations I've had in my life. Well Frida had around thirty-five operations and yet continued to paint and create despite extreme pain.

I know a lot of us have jobs we don't want to be going to when we feel like expressing ourselves. My ultimate fantasy day is to wake up in my Jane Brockett, uncluttered, spacious by the beach home. Daisy is smiling and jolly and playing happily, amusing herself whilst I look serene and like an actress from Mad Men with my hair done and nails perfect as I type a bestseller and bluebirds sing songs of praise and glory to my greatness outside the window.

I saw a t-shirt in Newtown that made me laugh. NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR BLOG. I had always vowed I wouldn't attempt to Blog despite lurking on other people’s Blogs for years. I am quite addicted to reading them (see my favourites list in my About Me). But I was too busy writing to Blog. I already have a brilliant website which gets updated with the seasonal changes. I have a Facebook and MySpace and I thought that was enough for one person in a lifetime. I felt a bit like the Wizard in Oz with his megaphone as it was and Blogging would make me even more like that little man!

I was finally inspired to start this very pink and humble Blog by a wonderful English writer and her blog called What Kate Did. Her marvellous Blog with its mixture of writing and art and parenting posts showed me what was possible. And also I have to mention Pip from Meet me at Mikes who has a Blog that has that chatty retro quirky twist I love. Her Blog was also another influence on getting me started.

I'm not technically minded and so I don't have a Blog with a lot of bells and whistles. My website has more than enough of that. This is just my little corner where a few times a week I can post thoughts and images that motivate me and keep me going through the crumbly times. It's my thoughts on art, writing, motherhood, renovation and trying to keep sane and jolly amongst it all.
I hope it will be a cozy place where I can refresh my spirit and get myself focused and stay on track. Hopefully I'll meet kindred spirits along the way - if not I'll have to talk to myself. And buy one of those T-shirts to wear

I conceive Tale Peddler as being very pink, chirpy, quirky, slightly surreal, whimsical, stimulating - and as cozy as a knitted Granny rug on a cold day. A bit like Barry Humphries meeting Dame Edna for a sewing lesson and a whisky in a pink Paris cafe.

Of course it could evolve into something totally different but that's the original plan. If you enjoy visiting me please leave a comment so I know that you have called. I can pop the kettle on for when you next return.

Bless you Frida Kahlo for your courage and determination. Despite all your pain and suffering you kept your art flowing and created works of great strength, beauty, fire and power.
Thanks for dropping in to visit me here. It was lovely to catch up. I'll be home Wednesday if you'd like to call back.

Ciao xx