[inspired]

Working in the creative line, it is truly difficult to be constantly inspired and motivated to create. At work, the inspiration has it's ebbs and flows, it can be full months of frustrating setbacks, lots of questioning and requestioning - are we pursuing something worthwhile or is it just totally barking up the wrong tree? (figuratively of course). We deal with this by relying on a plethora of external inspiration - the web, magazines, visiting places and of course talking to fellow creatives. Which we ought to do much more of! Instead of griping about the sad state of design in the local context, we should really be more pro-active about it all. Workwise, there are some latest developments that has made us truly inspired and motivated. To see our designs realised into built forms has a primal satisfaction that is difficult to put into words. V has been faithfully updating our work blog so you can see what we've been up to!
Crafting-wise, it has also been a few months now that i've even come close to starting out on anything new. Even with the arrival of dreamy fabrics, after a short spurt of creating these 2 love birds, I didn't have the time to make anything else. So, today was a much needed injection of design mojo. We visited the Public Garden event (which I have been invited to take part in but unfortunately had to decline due to above mentioned lost of mojo... i hope next time!) and it was all it promised. Lots of fantastically well made pieces, lots of beautifully laid out stalls, yummy food.... and best of all - A/C comfort! hah. I walked away with so many nice things, I wished it opened for more days, so that i could come back again to spend more time browsing! So... yes, totally inspired now to lug out my sewing machine, kick start the pottery wheel and fish out those knitting needles.
Some pix:
G enjoyed herself immensely drawing in meticulous detail her ideal breakfast :)
It was green eggs, chocolate, icecream, apple and pink milk
In return, she was given a polaroid of Messy Msxi's breakfast.
Here's the link to the quirky and irreverent website of Messy Msxi :)
My personal fav stall by Mimi P
We loved the truly photogenic Cupcakes (which passed the taste tests too) by Milk Bar.
G scoffing down the lemon tart cupcakeMet a kindred spirit in Smeowly Cats.... and they have cute sock monkeys too!

Loved all the linen wares here but forgot to get a card!! Lovely stall displays too :)
This is from a cool local shop - Supermama, designed by a wellknowned Japanese Architect. the ingenious-ness of it meant i HAD to get it :)
G with puppy dog eyes trying to convince me that $12 was worth spending on that little teeny little figurine. (the eyes won)
My Loot!! :) Loved all the things i bought.... we really should have more such events (or maybe not!)
Another fair I went before this, at the club. These 2 pots in front are Chocolate fondues. You pop them into the microwave and the pots keep them nice and liquid for dipping! Love the packaging, it's all the way from France! The tubes behind are library book bags... so cute!

Impressive were also the calling cards. So much love into making them.... Here are the people behind them - Windowsill pies for the yummiest tarts :) and to the fair for those choc fondues!

Lastly, our relationship with the girls, as parents, have also to be constantly inspired. Not just on the "good" bits, but also on the "tough" bits. As we all know, in parenting, there is never a hard and fast way of doing things. What might have worked when they were tots are hardly ever going to work now. These last few weeks, we have been faced with really puzzling behavior from G. Once bright and cheerful every morning, she has been acting up before and during school. Initially we thought it might have been due to the attention paid to K during her recent birthday bash, but then it started becoming chronic and didn't abate a single bit! So we talked about it, we cajoled her, we threatened her, we nagged her, we scolded her, we talked about it some more .... all to no avail. The same behavior infuriatingly persisted..... until together with her brilliant teachers at school, and the other caregivers (aka my parents), we decided to try a different tack. Instead of trying to understand "the problem", we simply discuss it with her (when she's not in one of the "moods") and when she starts to talk about it, we change the subject or totally ignore the topic. It has worked pretty well so far!! Hopefully it will wean her off this behavior just in time for the yearend concert.... for which I have already stocked up on tissues!! :) Look at her, all grownup and so beautiful!!
This is the G that we know and love, the one that never fails to bring a smile to us with her silly antics
The one that is constantly hyper, always giggly.
She's so tall that i often have to remind myself that she's only 6, not the tween she truly resembles!
Finally, a last shot of little miss K, absent most of the time from the other shots as she was content to be in the pram.....