Local Talent

A collection of very good friends are part of a current Design Exhibition here in Tassie running as part of the 'Ten Days on the Island' program till April 4th. Such clever folks down here! It's called 'Furnished' and is being run by DOT (Design Objects Tasmania - Australia's longest running design collective). Check out the website for some wonderful design finds! Current fav's are: Isis St Pierre and her brilliant armchair! Abigayle Tett and her hand formed chandelier. Joanna Gair with Martin Vinnicombe with their combined book terminus. Loz Abberton and her light shade. The simplicity of Stuart Williams standing lamp. And the smooth lines of Belinda Winkler's vessels. Worth a look if you are in this part of the world.

The Next Niche....

It's that time again (already!)....

The St Giles Niche Designer Market is on this weekend. Chock-a-block full of great stalls and clever people, you are sure to find just what you are looking for.

For full information see the Niche link above.

With everything that had happened with my Mum and since every other April Niche market has been at the end of the month, I was daudling around thinking I had all of March and most of April to get myself organised..... whoopsie.

So have been a little frantically batching and pouring and tagging and labelling.

Think I am on top of things now.

I have some new goat milk soaps to try - Lemongrass & Ginger and Charcoal with Tea Tree, Lavender & Lime - so will see how they go. The Charcoal one looks really eye catching - will get some piccies to show soon.

Heaps of candles as per usual and am just finishing off the last of the Fragrant Soy Melts as well.

The lovely folk at St Giles have been doing some great advertising so hopefully we'll have a really good turn out.

Fingers crosssed for the weather.

See you there!

Niche Market

Friday 1st April 4pm - 8pm

Saturday 2nd April 10am - 4pm

Tram Sheds at Inveresk

Closing a chapter....

Dear All,
Am writing this wishing I had better news, but unfortunately things with my mum didn't end how we had hoped they might.
After fighting the good fight, she passed quickly and peacefully on the 19th Feb and we buried her next to her own mother in Mackay.
We had as much family with her at the end and so many more made the long journey to help us to give her a good send off last Friday.
I'd like to thank everyone who prayed, who had us in their thoughts and who even sent her cards!
I know it may not feel like much, but please believe me when I say that it truly does help.
So, I am back in Tassie, surrounded by some beautiful people. Back in at work at sanctum, caring for my beautiful clients and back in touch with some of my family that I had let slip away over the years.
I think she would have been thrilled to see her family all come together just for her.
Be at peace Mother Duck.....

Update..

Hey folks,
Just an update on how my mum's doing. Lots of you have asked how she is. Bless.
It seems she may have contracted an infection - not great as the chemo has severely compromised her immune system - and we are watching and waiting on results from tests and scans.
Two of my brothers are on their way to her in north Queensland as we speak and as for me, I am waiting for some more news before I can decide whether I should to zip away to be with them as well.
Not the best news, but I spoke to her nurse today and she recommended to just wait the night out and decide tomorrow.
Will be keeping fingers crossed and prayers heading upwards.

Thanks...

Just a quick little post to say a very big 'Thank You' to everyone who emailled, who sent cards and who called up to show their support after my last post.
I was truly grateful to each and every one of you - Mum has recieved some of your cards and she has been so thrilled that people are thinking of her.
She has finished her week of chemo and will stay in hospital for another 3-4 weeks. There hasn't been much nausea, but she doesn't feel like eating much either - the worst of it has been the overwhelming lethargy.
We figure that's not too bad for now.
Her sister is staying nearby thanks to the Leukaemia Foundation's accommodation and so she has someone on hand for company as well.
So , thanks again everyone. From my whole family and me!

a favour to ask....

This is just a quick post to ask if anyone would be kind enough to send a few thoughts and prayers my Mum's way.

We found out yesterday that she has been diagnosed with Leukaemia and was taken straight into hospital to start 4 weeks of chemotherapy.

Needless to say, the news was a little stunning.

Unfortunately she is in Townsville Base Hospital, away from most of her family and friends. Her sister is in Mackay, a few hours away and the rest of us are further than that.

I'm hoping to find some cheap plane tickets in the next few weeks, and will certainly be keeping in touch with phone calls and letters.

But I would so appreciate any goodwill folks could send her way.

If anyone is in Townsville, and you would be happy to visit, please let us know - I am sure she would appreciate the company. If anyone would like to send a card, let me know and I will give you the address. Her name is Laurel as well.

Here's hoping for remission at the end of this all.

Thanks.

Annie

new soaps on the block....

A few posts ago I mentioned a new soap I had batched up. It's been curing nicely these past few weeks so Ifinally got to take a few snaps of it to show.
I've actually done up a second batch since then and am just waiting on more ingredients to arrive (namely my coconut oil) and I will be right into making even more.
This first batch is a new fragrance - am loving citrus-sy fragrances right now so this one is Lemongrass, Ginger and Pink Grapefruit.
The fragrance has turned out really lovely. Of course the first thing that hits you is the zesty, herbaceous lemongrass then the warm tones of the ginger comes through with the pink grapefruit tying them togehter. Can't wait to get this one in the shower!
Instead of rolling the soap in to balls, as I've done in the past, I've sliced the batch into different sizes and shapes. The idea is to have a range of sizes and therefore prices for people to choose from.
I love big, chunky blocks of soap - but I have friends who prefer the thinner, rectangles. Each to their own.
This second soap is a fragrance combination I've done before, but again I've chopped instead of rolled.
This is my Red Tea and Linden Blossom soap. Such a wonderful fresh, green aroma! It sold really well as the soap balls, so I am hoping folks will take to the more rustic looking blocks.

They won't be cured in time for the Makers Market at Festivale, but I hope to have them ready for the next Niche Market (if I get accepted) and in sanctum. Am now starting to plan my next few batches of soap. Looking forward to seeing what I end up with.