Doing really well thanks

The week that was

Jul 23, 2026

Dear diary,

I’m writing this at 5am. My body clock got so used to Seren waking up at 4.30am that I now do it, like clockwork, regardless of the fact that he’s actually sleeping a little longer now. So, I will make the most of the uninterrupted time to tick a task off my to-do list. Hello. My multitasking mania continues, and has gotten even worse the past weeks. I’ve gotten a big wholesale order for my greeting cards and stickers so I’ve introduced individually packaging 200 greeting cards into my mix of revolving tasks. To be busy is exhilarating for me. I do love it and I get addicted to it. For my brain to never stop, to feel wanted and important. To feel as though I am ‘being an artist’ in all the ways there is to be one. But I did think I was so tired that I might sleep in this morning. 5am? 5.30am? Bliss. Maybe tomorrow.

When you read this, I will be in Australia’s capital, Canberra! for my trip away. I’ve been on a couple of content trips to Canberra, and have worked with the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) a little in the past both as an artist and as an influencer. When they reached out to work with me again the other week, I was stoked.

The purpose of the trip is for me to visit the Arthur Boyd: Tapestries exhibition at the NGA, to visit a number of Canberra shops, galleries and eateries, and then head to another gallery called Bundanon (2.5 hour drive away), stay there a night, and visit the Arthur Boyd exhibition they have there. Well, the ‘purpose’ of the trip is actually for me to make content from these experiences of course. Anyway, the Arthur Boyd: Tapestries exhibition was in my sights the week it opened, I saw install pictures at work and thought it looked phenomenal. I added it to the ‘Top 5’ exhibition picks of the week that I do every week for work. Then, I caught up with a friend who lived in Canberra for a time and she mentioned how good the Arthur Boyd show looked and I agreed, saying it had kept popping up for me. I won’t get to see it. I said. Then the next day got the email about the trip! The universe works in mysterious ways.

The schedule is jam packed, and I think it will be really fun. Maybe a good circuit breaker for me right now to be honest. I am nervous to be apart from Seren for so long, though. And to be so far away. And to not really be able to work on my exhibition for a couple of days… My last trip away for work was this time last year, and it was a 3 hour drive away. To be a whole plane ride away feels a little scarier, and Seren is so much more a little person rather than an infant now, who misses me in more obvious ways, and cuddles me non stop when I get home from work after just a day. Eek. My thoughts are repetitive “He will think I’m never coming back” I can’t rationalise to him otherwise but I’ve been explaining to him regardless. “Mummy will be back in four days and I don’t want to leave you but I also do want to continue my professional life which I enjoy, helps me feel like I still have an identity, and brings in funds for you to do the fun things you do” Yes. I think. So simple.

This week will bring lots of firsts for my independence in a long time. First plane trip since Seren, and longest trip away from Seren. First time driving a hire car by myself, ever. First time driving in a state that’s not Victoria. (Mainly the driving. Really.) Simon is genuinely concerned about me figuring out how to go and pick up the hire car by myself - a task that, for every trip we’ve taken - automatically befell onto him to take the lead on. I would just tag along and take pictures on my phone of cute things along the way… Canberra can’t be harder than picking up a hire car in Marseille, France, can it? You’d be surprised how complicated I can make a simple task, though. Haha.

I can’t wait to share what I get up to in our nation’s capital. I really am excited. And maybe I will finally break the 4.30am cycle and sleep in.

Me after solo balancing a day of zoom meetings, Seren, packing cards, appointments, phone calls, packing for Canberra and making little ready meals that Simon can heat up for Seren while I’m gone. I picked the wrong size pan and bought the wrong meat (don’t get a vegetarian to buy meat). But we got there. Also huge thanks to Postman Pat for holding down the fort.

My cards are officially sold out! I think I’ll print a new series before the end of the year. In all my spare time. Also I don’t know how to make them sold out on my website so don’t buy them there until I can figure it out haha. I still have plenty of stickers!

My dad took Seren to the Lego store and he got extremely spoiled. Apparently also he really needed this Sylvanian Tree House for his education so I bought it.

Visual representation of my life atm.

New addition to the I Spy library.

Wishlist:

My literal favourite website for designer bargains Shopbop had an extra 30% off their sale section so I purchased a dress and a cardigan by Sea New York, a brand I love that’s in the vein of Shrimps or.. Zimmerman? But a bit softer than both of those. Anyway I got this gorgeous wool cardigan with cross stitch samplers on it, and this dress. Both coming to Canberra with me.

The free ‘Ooshie’ toys at Woolworths afforded me some more time with Seren contained in the pram so I could zip around Uniqlo with him and grab some heat tech long sleeves, socks and a scarf. Canberra is going to be COLD.

Oh and this is going here simply as an if only - I am obsessed with this Ashley Williams skirt. Do I need it? No! After I gave birth to Seren for like a year I completely lost my appetite for clothing, one that’s been with me my entire life. Safe to say it’s back. Back to my searching, bookmarking, coveting.

Watching/Listening:

One of the songs featured in Margo’s Got Money Troubles caught my eye, or ear? Doing Really Well Thanks by Ellie Bleach. It’s got that jaunty 70s feel to it that I can never articulate because I’m not sure what it is really but it’s my exact type of music. It’s like.. Elton John crossed with this obscure 70s band I love called Fox? Anyway. I got into heaps more tracks by Ellie Bleach and then went to follow her on Instagram to see a ‘Follow back’ button instead. Another universe moment. Or if I were Gen Z I’d say ‘real recognise real’

Ins/Outs:

In: I had the funniest moment with Seren this week. I took him to get a baby chino after he was so good in his pram in Uniqlo. He gets it and as usual scoops about half the cups worth of foam onto the first spoonful. He loves to like savour the moment so he was holding it right in front of his mouth for ages when he lets out the biggest sneeze ever. This sneeze projectiled the foam at least 3 metres in every direction, tiny little white foam spots covering the floor, table, two chairs. I just paused with the moment for a second to acknowledge how funny it was, and how amazingly large a surface area it covered! before getting the baby wipes and getting on my hands and knees to wipe it all up. A lady came up to us to say how hilarious it was. Seren was un phased, still shovelling the rest in his mouth.

Out: I need to stop waking up at 4.30am. This morning it was 4am! Help me.

Inside a book/magazine from my collection:

This is a book I picked up this week, Fun Knits For Kids by George Hostler (1986) It is, indeed, fun.