Monday, April 2, 2012

Follow up: Gifted Vintage

All those who have read my previous post are most likely frothing at the mouth in anticipation of seeing the gift of vintage goodness I was given by a lovely fellow vintage lover in Western Australia. The package arrived while I was away on business in Brisbane, but I did remember to take some photos as I hastily ripped open the packaging on my return.

Inside my suprise package was 3 baby dresses (I gave the two white ones to my work friend Channerrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssss as she is expecting a baby girl) I've kept the blue and purple dress for myself and the three on the right have just been photographed for my shop VintageTwists

Fans of my facebook page VintageTwists will have already seen them in my sneaky peaks folder uploaded on Sunday, but see the below pics for a better view of these beautiful dresses. Proof that good people do exist.



Best of all..... my shop is on sale at the moment with a whopping 49% off the entire shop. Grab a bargain before they are all snapped up!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Proof nice people do still exist!

A while ago, I got this suprise message in my Etsy inbox:

"Hi there,
I was just wondering if you would like a couple of dresses for your shop? I collected them to wear but decided to cull a few things. I was going to take them back to the op shop but thought you might like them for your shop.
If so I can post them to you."

So of course I replied back with "send me pics and what you want for them and Ill let you know"

Today I received this response.
"No I don't want any money for them. I will just post them to you. If you like them, you can put them in your shop. If you don't you can pass them on to the op shop. No worries.
Just email me your address and I'll post in the next week."

I am gobsmacked - there ARE still nice people in the world. Unbeleivable!
 
I will be sure to post some pictures of what arrives. Until then, go forth with the knowledge that nice people do still exist in this world. That lovely woman is Karmas poster girl. She deserves good things to happen to her because she has given me something so unexpected - faith in random acts of kindness!
 
I often thrift gift. I have an unwritten rule with myself that when I aqquire new or thrifted items for my own wardrobe I do a clean out. What can't go into my own shop goes into a bag of "for my mates", what doesnt make it into that bag goes in a special box to go back to the op shop. I have many a time picked up items from my local that Ive sent there myself (yes I snicker that the price tag is the same as what I payed for it - amazing when you think about how much a single item can have cost if it has cycled through various new and second hand shops!)
 
Today I look forward to time with my sister and neices with my youngest Zac as well. We are heading to the Hyde Park Fair - to share childhood memories of when our mother would take us to this very same fair 30 years ago - I reckon she will be there in spirit - tousling her grandchildrens hair and filling our hearts with love!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Autism support in Australia, but only if you are under 7. What the?

Food for thought! But what about those kids diagnosed after the age of 7? and those who receive support until the age of 7? Is 7 a magic number? Do kids suddennly become cured of Autism at age 7? Hmmmm.
http://www.nbnnews.com.au/index.php/2012/02/20/package-delivers-the-goods/

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Currently reading.....normal stuff!!!!

I tend to get hooked into one author or genre for ages. In the interest of broadening my horizons a bit I have gone of the beaten track to test two very different styles out recently. Well, different for me that is!

I've mentioned before that working for a theatre company has some fairly serious perks. Last year we premiered Tim Wintons first penned play (all his previous plays have been adapted from novels and done so by other playwrights) I met Mr Winton with very little star glaze. Dont get me wrong, I adore the play Cloudstreet, but have as yet not got round to reading the novel. So, as Im sitting at my desk in the office, with Tim Winton hanging out having a chat, I am struck by, not only how lovely and down to earth the man is, but also how, well, ordinary he is.

Which is what makes his writing so endearing. He finds detail in the most ordinary everyday moments and helps his readers slow down long enough to notice the little things and find a new appreciation in something that had never stood out before.

Watching a doco recently about 'how the brain works' I now realise that this is the brains way of stopping us overloading each day. If we noticed every little detail as we move through the world we simply wouldn't be able to function, we would simply get nothing done. We'd all be like hippy's, stopping to smell the roses and appreciate the way the light filters through the trees at a particular time of the day and the colours produced give you warm fuzzies. (Ok maybe that last bit is more to do with me being a lighting nerd and missing creating immensly....)

So, I've had this 'insight' recently. Artists, whether they be the visual/ textile/ sculpture kind, photographers, designers, performers, writers, musicians etc - they see the world differently to those that are artsy challenged. They see what everyone else is too busy to see.

When my employer produces a theatrical production, they are discecting moments in time and amplifying the effect as they project their sound and images to their audience. For example; a lighting design manipulates and controls what the audience should focus on at any given time. The colours they use may be naturalistc to convince us of a particular time of day or temperature. They may also use non naturlistic colours to symbolise an idea at a basic level. Wash the stage in red as someone is murderred. Green backlight as the wicked witch gets her evil on. This is similar across all the designers, with costumes that symbolise their character etc. Every single choice made by a production team is specifically to point out to the audience that 'you should be noticing this, this is important'

Again, I have diverted!

So, Ive been reading Tim Winton. First was "The Turning" followed by "Dirt Music." Both left me with a profound need to travel and desire to notice more. Reading Tim's stuff is such a breath of fresh air and a lovely break from my usual paranormal 20 book long series'.

I've also finally started reading a recent purchase that was in itself long overdue. "Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum - A Parent's guide to the Cognitive, Social, Physical, and Transitional Needs of Teenagers with Autism Spectruim Disorders", by Chantal Sicile-Kira.

It is a broad rangeing overview of a broad spectrum disorder. There is plenty that doesn't relate directly to Z, my youngest, who is on the spectrum. But there have also be plenty of 'A-Ha!" moments to give me food for thought too. Only a small way into in so far so will report back when I've progressed further into it.

This post took me three sessions to finish over as many weeks. I've had a terribly sore back with a pinched nerve, so sitting down makes it worse! Made it really hard to keep on top of the shop or blog. Onwards and upwards - to better health and clearer understanding!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Z, ASD and transitioning

It's been an up and down few weeks in the house, with the usual kids visit with their father down south with his family - a whirlwind one week visit - which usually does more to upset Z than I believe it does good.

That, along with xmas and all the hoo ha, the festive season is generally a time of extreme emotions and reactions for Z because routine flies out the window. Routine is something that HFA (High Functioning Autism) kids come to rely on as a way to get through the day without any major shifts if emotions.

Compounding all of this though is a fairly significant step for Z, the transition from primary school to high school. After a particularly long and drawn out tantrum (Bear in mind that Z is turning 13 this year) at 10pm one night this week - initially a reaction to being made to do the dishes (his job) after letting them pile up for two days - which then blew out into a tirade of self abusive slurs about his own abilities, emotions, lack of friends etc.

Sitting on the kitchen floor with him I managed to somehow reach him during his meltdown. This has become much easier to do since he was diagnosed a few years ago. For him, having a label for his reactions made it easier for him to have more control over 'coming back' from an episode. It also gave me more understanding of what he was going through (less focussing on how I had gone wrong in my parenting). We had a chat. He admitted that although he had grown more confident in the last year he had still been bullied at school, often by kids younger than him. My heart broke - why hadnt he told me - he said that that was not something you want to admit to anyone!

I have ordered some books. He doesnt want to go to a peadiatric psych, so for now we will see what we can do together, but I have made it clear that in the best interest of his health we will not rule out outside help if it is needed.

One book is for me, but is also suitable for Z to read:
Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: A Parent's Guide to the Cognitive, Social, Physical, and Transition Needs of Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

the second is for Z:
Living Well on the Spectrum: How to Use Your Strengths to Meet the Challenges of Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism

 We will soldier on!
A