Tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1991...

On Saturday night, I was so proud to walk into my 20 year High School Reunion with 3 beautiful ladies who have been in my life for all these years.

ang, linda, gil and anne

High School Reunions are a funny old thing, aren't they? People's reactions to them are many and varied. Am I skinny enough, successful enough? Will people remember me? Will I remember them? So, after some yummy Mojitos for courage, we hit that venue with a mixture of fear, dread, ambivalence, humour, anxiety and some kick ass make up jobs!!

I have always thought that I was an outcast in school. That people thought I was  freak and an ugly loser. I decided fairly early on that if I couldn't be the pretty girl, I would be the weird girl. Attention is attention, right? But then I started to resent the persona I had created. I didn't want people to shout 'Freak' at me when I walked through the shopping centre. I didn't want to be known for my changing hair colour, or my hippy clothes. I didn't want to be different. But I wanted to be noticed. So, I was kinda trapped. Mostly in my own  self defeating, insecure, depressed head.


 BUT, surprisingly, I was totally cool with attending the reunion. I sought no approval or acceptance from these people. I didn't care what they thought of me or my life. I am happier in 2011 than I have ever been in my life.


 BECAUSE I AM A GROWN UP....
....and despite the fact that I am probably 25kg heavier than I was at school, I thought I looked awesome!!


AND, over the years I have realised that:


 1) Teenagers are mean. Some were mean to me. But a lot weren't I had some awesome experiences in high school and made some life long friends (see above picture of Yummy Mummies). But kids are just kids, each trying to get though without getting hurt.. and sometimes, in doing that, they hurt others


2) Teenagers are self involved. All the people I thought were thinking I was a loser and a freak were probably too busy thinking about themselves and worrying about what I thought of them.


3) Being different is awesome. I have always sought to teach this to the Awesome Teenager, and as I watch him navigate the treacherous waters of high school with such style and aplomb, I wish I had had his confidence and sense of self. 


I remember telling Max when he was about ten and going through some tough times at school that all the coolest people that he loved- John Lennon, Weird Al Yankovic, Ross Noble, Napolean Dynamite-they struggled in school. They were outcasts, they weren't the cool kids. And look at them now.


So, little High School Reunion, you were a little bit lame, a little bit fun, a little bit cringy and a little bit awesome (catching up with the beautiful Ms Hunter-Smith!). 


Some of us are older, some are the same, some are gone and some of us are sending little messages back through the years to our 17year old selves... telling them.......

"It will get better. You are beautiful. You can do and be anything you could possibly imagine. Don't be scared. Don't be complacent. Ask for help when you need it. You will be happy and you will be loved. You are not a freak."


High School is such a fleeting moment in our lives, why does it have such power over us, even 20 years later?

x Gillian

Super Woo Woos

Important Information: In our house, the movie 'The Incredibles' is known as ' Super Woo Woos.'

Jasper: SUPER WOO WOO!!

Me: Huh?

Eli: Mummy, SUPER WOO WOO!!

Me: I'm not pickin' up what you're puttin' down here, fellas.....

Jasper and Eli: SUPER WOO WOOS!

Me: Ohhhh.... you wanna go to the Halloween Party as Super heroes?

Done.

I was lovin' myself sick after putting these costumes together. $1.50 halloween masks, cheap singlets with fabric pen logo, undies and homemade capes! Awesome.

Flying Superhero.

Foreground: Pensive Super Hero.
Background: Phoney Smile Super Hero

Needless to say, the boys have been flying around he house refusing to take their 'Super Woo Masks and Flies (capes)' off ever since. 

Capes with initials make it MUCH easier for people to tell them apart.... I may sew initials on the back of all their clothes..... or just write them on their foreheads with marker pen...

Thanks Ang, Cooper and Willow for a lovely morning!!

x Gillian

Girls Night

Ooh, look at those beautiful stylish ladies. They are out in public, at a chi-chi-poo-poo bar, being fabulous WITHOUT THIER CHILDREN!! (9 children collectively to be precise. That's a lot of children to escape from!!)

They should talk and reminisce and laugh and drink some lovely wine.

And then they should eat cheese and cured meats and artichoke hearts and olives for dinner. 'Cos they can. 

And maybe they should have some cocktails.....

And dance to some eighties music at a club in the Valley......

Whoah! What happened!! Look how much fun they are having! Look at how they have no idea of the crippling hangovers waiting for them in the morning!

Awesome night with awesome girls = hangover = TOTALLY WORTH IT!!

When was your last girls night out?

*ps: Having my parents staying with me this week must be making me regress- My Daddy dropped me at my friends house, I drank too much, Mum waited up for me and I pretended I wasn't drunk when I came in at 2:45am... 

Park Life

I am slightly socially retarded.. I find making new friends difficult, and the thought of a 'Mothers Group' freaks the hell outta me. 

I went to one when the Awesome Teenager was little and the other Mum's were  mean to me.... Or I think they were. I was like 23 and they gave me the stink eye when they asked about my mortgage and I said, "Lady, I don't own anything I can't carry by myself... Don't need a mortgage for platform shoes and Beatles books! (that's what I said in my head... I probably just said nothing, blushed and chased after my 2yo to hide behind...)

So, I am sooooooo lucky to have a group of lovely girlfriends with kids that I can hang out with on Mondays at the park. I have known these girls for a looong time... and they like me anyway.

Thanks girlies. I don't think you know how much you mean.

*note: Mel and Ang are my Park Girls, along with Ang's sister in law Lynn (who didn't make it for her closeup this week!), but I must also include my Linda and my Sally in my List of Cool Chicks with Little Kids Who Keep Me Sane. And my sister. The end. 

How cute are these kids?!?!? We should start a Kiddie Modeling Agency and retire to Rio.
Or a Ridiculously Good Looking Football Team..

Do you belong to a Mother's Group? Or are you socially challenged like me?

X Gillian

Teapot Love and Red Bionicles

As previously mentioned, I love me some Teapots. So, on my birthday recently, I got some new beauties!

Thanks Mum Dad, Jo and Tom! How amazing is this guy? I've never seen anything like it. It has a matching cup and saucer and it's so beautiful I'm a little bit afraid of it.... Love Love Love.

My Sally gave me the cutest set of tiny little teapots. this one is Orange... but I thought we looked cute in black and white!  Lovety Love Love

Jasper and Eli chose this one (with a little help from Daddy). Super Cute! Reminds me of the two of them. An my other great love- the remote control.
Love Love Love Love!!

The Awesome Teenager (when he was an awesome pre-teen)  once told everyone in our family over and over that all he wanted for Christmas was a red Bionicle.

 "You don't anything else sweetie?"
"Red Bionicle."

"Not, like, a bike or anything"
RED. BIONICLE.

"How 'bout some new clothes..."
"Listen Lady, Do I stutter?? RED BIONICLE!!!"

On Christmas morning, he was surrounded by about 6 red Bionicles. He was so not happy. He was all sulky and weird because he just couldn't understand why all he got for Christmas was RED BIONICLES!

SO, on my birthday evening, my Sister asked me if Teapots were my red Bionicle....

"Shit no! You can never have too many Red Bionicles!!"

What's your collectible obsession? And how many is too many?


x Gillian for Tessie Designs

Is it time to hire a monkey assistant...

I told myself today that I am not allowed to start any new projects until I finish all the ones I have on the go!! So, today I completed two baby clutches for the lovely Sal. 

I know I always say this, but I am really happy with them. What am I gonna say though? "These are a bit crap, aren't they??"

When I am inspired and my creativity is firing, I find it hard to keep up with all my ideas. I start one thing, then I get a new idea and move onto something else. Then, a month later, I will think, "Oh, Camera Pouches... thats right... I was making those! Put down the Elephant, lady!!"

 I am thinking of hiring a small, very intelligent monkey to follow me around and take down notes..... it doesn't have to be a monkey... it could be a dolphin.. they are wicked smart.

How do you keep track of all your ideas and projects?

x Gillian for Tessie Designs

Karaoke Therapy: blast from the past

On Wednesday Night, me and my very good Sal sang us some Karaoke.

Sal and I were regular Karaoke Queens back in the day.... (the early naughties... ahh, so long ago). It was a huge part of our friendship in those days and an outlet for both of us to live out our Broadway Star/ Rock Star fantasies.

 Singing on stage is something that makes me happy. At one stage of my life, singing could have been a potential career path, but as I got older and life played out (as it does), it became something I did just for me, something that made me feel good about myself.

Since Sal and I made our little people, our lives have changed. We still hang out, but now we play with plastic toasters, jump on trampolines and talk about poo and sleep and crazy toddlers.. And we regale each other with how clever and beautiful and smart our little boys are..... Because they are! Life has changed, and it is awesome.

But sometimes, as mums, I think we need to tap into that part of us that is just for us. That thing that instantly makes us feel better about ourselves. We used to call it Karaoke Therapy... and it still is. I don't think it will be as huge a part of our lives a it once was, but every now and then... rocking out some tunes with my Wingman is just what my soul needs.

What's your Therapy? What recharges your batteries and gives you that hit of inner feel-goodedness?

'Work'

Apparently, since it's been over two years since I went on Maternity leave, I am no longer allowed to refer to Myer as 'Work' (according to Lovely Husband and Awesome Teenager). I stopped in to Ex-Work on Saturday to see the beautiful Lisa- my ex-team leader. We had a lovely Sushi lunch and catch up. Lisa is one of the sweetest, most caring people anyone will ever meet. And she has a killer set of pins!

With Lisa and Carousel horse legs.

You never know what could be hanging from the ceiling!

Just hangin' out in the VM studio... waiting for some clothes... 

Working in VM (Visual Merchandising) was awesome. I loved my job. I absolutely loved my team of girls. And I miss it a lot somedays. I miss the chameraderie, the fun we had. It took me a while to realise that although I don't get dressed up and drive off to a workplace each day, I am contributing to our family in an incredibly important way- being at home with the Twins. The value of that is enormous- for me as well as for the boys.

And although I miss the Myer girls, Man I looooove my new team! 

Are you a Stay-at-Home-Megastar? Do you sometimes miss your old job?

Me and Mrs. Janome

We got a thing.... going on......

Me and Mrs. Janome have been busy! I tackled a Tessie Messenger bag last night-
I'm pretty happy with it. 

I used our green flower Spoonflower fabric and one of  my girls.

I like all the different textures- the velvet, the upholstery fabric, the ribbons

I made this one for my very good friend Linda. (shhh, don't tell her!)
She and her little boys were really the inspiration
for my recent fascination with Owls. I made clay owls with them one day last year,
and have been hooked on Owls ever since!

And she is such an amazing supporter of everything I do...
and have done for the last 20 years!

This whole sewing caper is making me happy.

X Gillian for Tessie Designs

5 Cool Things from Last Week!

1) We started the week at Victoria Point, playing on the sand flats with my oldest friend Linda and her gorgeous boys. So cute to see them looking out for the twins!

2) Gavin and I watched Team America on the Apple TV.

 hee hee... Inappropriate puppets are always funny...

3) I am trying to be positive about the fact that we were RAINED OUT of the Mamma's Market on Saturday. Totally our own fault.... Rookie Mistake= putting a Non-Waterproof marquee over our lovely fabric bags and cushions!!! 

BUT mum and I learned a lot about what we need to do to have an easy to set up, successful stall. The stalls inside the hall looked awesome and there were heaps of customers, so hopefully next time (21 May) we will be in the Hall!!

4) I went to Canvas at Woollongabba for afternoon drinks and tapas with my gorgeous freinds Mel and Ang (and Mels' gorgeous friend Nyssa!) on Sunday. How civilised!! No one had a nappy bag with them, no one had to breast feed anyone and there wasn't a baby wipe to be seen!!! It was just lovely.

5) Mum made these great upcycled Army knapsacks embellished with Tessie Fabric. I love love love them!!

And the unofficial #6- my sinus infection has finally cleared up. Yee-Hoo!

x Gil for Tessie Designs