A little bit of...

...shhh, please. By the end of each week, I find the only method I can muster for seeking out this kind of shhh, is to scream loudly, throw something, then burst in to tears. Kind of contradictory, I know. But I'm sure those of you out there privy to the joys of renovating can empathize. Please?
For most of my life the stickiest label to have been adhered to my forehead has had scrawled in big, ugly letters spelling "introvert". It's been referenced with negative connotations on every occasion where I defiantly refused to chummy it up with other kids, or refused to go out and play. It was bandied about a lot. I was always rather ashamed by my label and retreated further within myself each time it stuck. Thankfully we all grow up, gain some perspective and acknowledge there are things within all of us which others don't understand. Things others feels uncomfortable with. Things we can't and shouldn't, change.
In these modern, grown up, now I'm the Mummy times, I've decided "introvert" will no longer be a label, but a badge. Actually, I'm quite partial to the wearing of a brooch, so maybe it's one of those. If it were real, I reckon it would be cross stitched, and have some kind of an animal mascot below the word. (That's too much detail, I think I'll have to make one, now. Can someone suggest an animal??)
I've come to this point after trying to fight it. After trying to be ever present and engaged in all facets of life's human interactions. After carrying around a baby for more hours of the day than I slept. After not being able to chew and swallow a mouthful of food without being asked a question, that has to be answered NOW. Even as I type I am being whacked on the head with a novelty, inflatable hammer. And most recently after being confined to the lounge room with aforementioned offspring while relative strangers demolish, hammer, sand and play commercial radio mere metres away from us for several long hours every working day of the week. Too much of this kind of maneuvering around others leaves me a messy girl. I need my bit of shhh. I need my time to get inside my own head and chill out with me.
Now, don't get me wrong (as many have before). I love hanging out with my friends. I love a chat and an excuse to eat cake. I love sharing interests, I love doing markets. I'll even admit, I love Facebook. I really enjoy interacting with people of all kinds. The thing is, it doesn't restore me or relax me. It enriches my life, but it saps my energy. After a busy week out socialising, doing jobs, chasing kids, coordinating and tolerating tradies, and keeping the family functioning, I really need that me time...and a bit less dust. It's not a fault, nor is it too much to ask. Agree?




In fact, this facet of my personality is what feeds my creativity. If it weren't for my need to retreat regularly into my drawing room there would be no buntyandsars. I shudder at the thought.
So, amid all this life chaos I have scheduled several markets and decided to rejig the buntyandsars range. I've added some prints, which I've been talking about for a while (high fives, to me) and I've redesigned my caravan cards. There's a new label being printed for my ABC cards and I've got my new, very fancy, extravagant printer sitting in a "cart" taunting me to click " buy". I've even got a new, big, organised, beautiful, colourful, clever, bright, functional (sorry, i'm excited) drawing room sitting, waiting for me in the near future. So, it's exciting times for buntyandsars and I'm wrapped to be in the thick of it!
I'll see you Sunday at The Design Exchange in Ballarat (www.designexchange.com.au) on Sunday!