My 10 Reasons To Smile.

SO, It's 7.30 at night and everyone else in my house is asleep. I decide to watch random videos on You Tube (as you do).

I then stumble across this video......10 Reasons To Smile. Watch it. It's 6 minutes of your life. Look away from the teev, log off Facebook, stop Tweeting, don't Pin anything, for 6 minutes, just watch this video.

I am not this brave most days and I am 32 years old. He is 17 and wise far beyond his years.

So, this teenager, from the other side of the world, has really made me realise I have an amazing life. I definitely can find 10 reasons to smile everyday. Here's my ten, in no particular order.

1. Amazing friends
2. My Two Beautiful Girls
3. My Husbanian
4. My Workmates
5. Music
6. Silence
7. Time to Myself
8. Sewing
9. A Good Coffee
10. Fresh Air

I know a couple of these seem like little things, but I think, if you can't enjoy those little things....well, you really have nothing.

J

My Two Cents

So I know I am somewhat sporadic with both my blog entries and releasing products and I just KNOW if I had 12 more hours each day I would have amazing creations coming out of my ears, but alas, there are only 24 and I need about 6 of them for sleep (ideally 10 for sleep...and yes I believe in Santa, The Tooth Fairy AND The Easter Bunny).

Anyways, that's not what I wanted to talk (write? blog?) about.

It seems there is always alot of negativity floating around Facebook regarding the copying of ideas and in some cases, in my opinion, the dumbest copyrighting manoeuvres I have ever seen.

It saddens me that this kind of pettiness occurs so openly between, what I can only assume, are grown women. There are really NO new ideas anymore, just interpretations or modifications of things already out there. I don't think anyone can honestly say that an idea is 100% theirs.

Take me for example. I make bags, that's my thing. I started with the Simple Satchel which basically involved myself, as a very novice sewer, analyzing a bag I had at home that I really liked and working out how the poke to make it myself. Then I made the everyday bag. I can proudly say that that was mine. I drew the design and I worked it all out. Myself. No pattern, no bag to copy. Still NOT original though. It's not like it's the first messenger bag to hit the market. I can only hope that my little spin on it makes it appealing to people on some level.

I'd like to think if anyone was approached to make a bag similar to mine, and they knew me, that they would talk to me first. I'm happy to share what I do, in fact I'd be flattered. I'd also hope if someone felt I had "copied" them they'd approach me in a discreet and professional manor instead of ripping me apart via wall postings or status updates.

You should never let your ego get in the way of a good product. I only strive to do the best I can to put my spin on those not so original ideas I have in a way that when you see them you think "Wow, That's a Feralique bag".

J

Point of interest....My top 5 Inventions/Discoveries (in no particular order)

1. Penicillin
2. Mechanical Heart Valve
3. Electricity
4. The Dishwasher
5. The Aglet (Go forth and Google)

Fix You

***LANGUAGE WARNING***

Wow....It's really amazing how things can change in a year or three.

Three years ago, before The Wookie was born I was living in a (reasonably) happy place. The husbanian and I got along well and I was pretty happy at work. I loved my job. I was good at it, don't get me wrong though, I still AM good at it. But thing change, priorities shift.

A year ago I had an epic meltdown. I started crying one Saturday night and didn't stop until the Monday afternoon. I was diagnosed with depression. Why thank you, Dr Obvious.

I've done all the right things to try and "fix" myself. I take my tablet every night, I've spoken to a counsellor, my boss, my family. But you know what, it ain't working. Just when I feel like I am on top of everything I have a week like this one. Everyday is a struggle to get out of bed. I don't want to talk to anyone, including my amazing friends that can ALWAYS make me laugh, I don't want to go to work, I want to cry ALL the time and I cannot drown out that negative voice in my head that's telling me I'm a failuree.

I'm NOT a failure....logically I know this, but man, that voice can get pretty fucking loud.

I need a change. I WANT to change my job but I feel, I guess, trapped. I am the primary money maker at home. Awesome pressure there. Not by anyone in particular but it's a fact. My wage pays the mortgage.

The other key factor is my job. It's all I've done since I was 17. I'm 32 now....It'll be 15 years in the same job (different places) in January so I am completely unqualified to do anything else. I don't even have retail experience. Last time I worked in customer service EFTPOS was virtually unheard of. How the fuck do you use one of those machines anyhow?

I have a dream though.......Around July last year I bought a sewing machine. I started sewing. I love it. My head is bursting with ideas and creations and things to make. I would love for Feralique to be a brand that everybody has heard of. I would love to do a TAFE course....but hey, can't fit that around work. So I'm looking for other options. I've always believed if you are unhappy in your situation you need to change it, I guess it's time for me to practice what I preach hey?

Anywho...That's enough sooking from me. Thanks for being a friendly ear though.

J

Listography - What makes a house a home

Feeling inspired to randomly list things tonight so I am following Mother Porridge's list this week with the 5 things that make my house a home.

1. NOISE.

 I am loud. My kids are loud. My music is loud. My husband....well he's not so loud. I love the noise in my house. The yelling, the laughter, the music, the singing. The noise is such a big part of what makes my place my HAPPY place.

2. THE COAT RACK.

It sits right next to the front door in the entry way. It's a beautiful timber thing that's bolted into the wall and has four coat hooks on it. From the lounge I have a perfect view. I can see footy flags, beanies, motorcycle helmets, handbags, children's aprons, a nappy bag and even a coat. It's a little slice of my life all in one space.

3. THE HALF FINISHED RENO'S.

The half done painting, skirting boards that still need to be nailed on, the kitchen that needs the second coat of paint, the window that STILL needs curtains. The fact that these are half done reminds me that this place is mine. And that, for now, I have time.

4. TOYS IN THE HALLWAY.

You know the ones....Usually Little People or Lego men or something else that friggin hurts when you step on it at 2am on your way to the bathroom. These remind me of the two small humans I have in my house that make me laugh, cry, get cranky, get frustrated and remind me of the best things I have ever done in my life.

5. THE TOWEL OVER THE BEDROOM DOOR.

 My husband isn't a big fan of using the towel rack, so the door it is. But, for words I can't explain, seeing the hubby's towel over the bedroom door just gives me that sense of comfort.

Thanks for reading. Mwah.

J

Listography - Top 5 Albums by a band

So my mate Chris of Jelly Bean Books has done her Listography on this topic and as I am music MAD I wanted to do my own.

So in no particular order here are my top five albums by a band.

Icehouse - Man Of Colours

This was on of the first albums I ever owned. I still have it on vinyl in fact. The melodies are amazing and Iva Davis is such an amazing song writer. The title song is a beautiful ballad and it still makes me stop and listen whenever I hear it and who hasn't belted out "Electric Blue" at some point.

Green Day - Dookie

I LOVE this album! I credit it largely to when my taste in music had it's first big turn. Prior to Dookie I was a "boy band" chick.

Something about the angsty guitars and amazing beats appealed to my adolescent brain and I started to be converted. To this day it still gets high rotation on my iPod.

Pearl Jam - Ten

So as some of you know I am a HUGE Pearl Jam fan, but I can't honestly say it happened in 1991 when this album came out. It was more like 1997.

Eddie Vedder's gravely voice got me from the first lines of Once. And their songs MEAN something. Maybe not to the listener but you sure as hell know that Eddie and the boys had stories to tell and opinions to share and in this album the did it with such amazingness (yes, it is a word :) ).

I still could listen to this album on repeat all day. No Problems.

Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (AKA Jimmy Eat World)

There is a reason this has two titles. It was initially released as Bleed American and then after 9/11 it was changed, out of respect to a self titled album.

I found this band by accident at the 2003 Sydney Big Day Out and was instantly hooked. Th poppy beats, the melodies, hell everything about this album is pure happy to my ears. I know every song by heart and would be devastated if I ever lost this album.

Poison - Open Up And Say Ahh







Hard decision to pick just 5 but I could NOT let this top 5 go without adding this album. Something about an 80's hair band that can both take the piss out of themselves and do a kick arse power ballad just smacks of awesome! I have this on vinyl too. LOVE it!

Honorable mentions also go to:

Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Garbage - Self Titled
Crowded House - Woodface

When Love and Hate Collide

I love sewing. Really I do. And I think considering I had no clue whatsoever what I was doing when I got my machine in June last year that I'm doing ok. It's my zen.....my happy place.

That is of course until it isn't.

Take last night for example. I sit down to finally stitch up a long awaited order and brrrrrrrrffffffffffffft.

The coin purse: No drama's. All good there. Very happy with it.

Phase two of the project and it all goes to crap. My machine, a trusty little singer decides it's been possessed by either some form of demonic force or my two and a half year old and simply REFUSES to co-operate.

It's tension goes funny. Too tense, then too relaxed, back to tense. What does it need a friggin massage?? I play with it's nobs and give it a clean, check the bobbin, but there is no pleasing the bugger. Nothing is good enough.

Right as I reach that critical moment when I realise there's no flyscreen on my sewing room window at the moment and throwing it out into my front yard is becoming more and more appealing with every "ng-ng-ng-ng-ng-ng" noise the needle makes I decide, instead, to say several things that shouldn't be repeated (just in case there are kiddies next to you) and walk away.

It will not beat me. I will go back in there and I will win. You have not seen the last of me Singer!!!

But not tonight, it's cold.....and I'm tired.....and the house is quiet.....and you seem to have a spooky red glow about you.....

I'll win tomorrow.

The Face Behind The Feral

Recently a campaign went through all the FB business pages to show the "face behind the page". it was a really great way for a lot of us to put people to the businesses we support and like. So, in a way of continuing that I've decided to provide some insight into the face behind "Feralique".

Some of you guys know me quite well, others not so much, so this will either be a crash course into me, or some basic revision.

Alrighty then. My name is Jacqui. I am 32 next month (why does your age always look older when you type it?). I live in Canberra with my husband (AKA: The Husbanian) and my two crazy little kidlets Kyla, more commonly known as Wookie - and no, she is not excessively hairy :o), who is 2 and a half, and Lucie, who we at home call Peanut who is 9 months.

Fun times.

I started sewing last July whilst on maternity leave as something new to teach myself. Turns out I quite liked it. The husbanian decided I should start selling the odd bits and pieces and so Feralique was born.

Unfortunately though, I had to return to the "day job" in October. I work as a Laboratory Technician in Pathology here in Canberra's major hospital. Due to those unfortunate things like mortgages I had to go back full time so I work Monday to Friday from 11:30am - 8pm. Great hours hey? Gives me time with the kids in the AM and bugger all time in the PM. And I'm still trying frantically to sew orders together!

I have, however, recently decided, that after 14 years of working in labs I might want to do something different. I'm calling it my "Thirty Life Crisis". I'm currently looking at doing a course at TAFE in Clothing Manufacture, which would get me into a fashion design course. But, I don't know, pipe dreams maybe.

I do LOVE Feralique. I love the people it has brought into my life. I have made some great friends via my page, and the support I get is amazing! And I hope that one day I can spend less time at work and more time at home making Feralique grow and spending more time with the family.

Man.......I have waffled on haven't I? Well on that note, I'll bugger off to you can get on with your day. Have a good one!

And as always.....Get your Groove on!