Post haste!

I have had about six months notice to enter this particular song writing competition. The closing date was about twenty-six minutes ago, and I just made it...

Along with which I posted some well deserved prizes to some beautiful bloggers.

God is good.

Shell xx

Dear Friend,

I am so glad you came to stay. To hug your bones, and look in your eyes, and know you more, was a precious thing.

To have you play with my babes was delightful! To sit up with you all night talking, confiding, expressing, about how we'll change the world and feeling the Spirit of hope in the room was amazing...

To sit with you under the sunshine sipping tea was special, and long overdue. I can feel you have blossomed with the spring...

And those blooms! They spoke of everything as friends we love, and why we love. Their colour, delicacy, vulnerability, beauty and spirit was... [pause]

{I'm crying again!}

In short; it was so good to hug your bones, and look in your eyes, and know you more.

Dear Friend.

Love, Shell xx

PUMPED!

It had been several months since The Tullys had last done a fully wired, all singing-all-dancing big-wig-gig - and we, were, PUMPED!

The winter season in Australia offers a fair share of solo and duo work; {and I like to take time to edit, polish, record original work in my studio etc} but this was the first big gig of our Spring/Summer performance schedule with the four of us together to take on our beautiful audiences once more!

So even the afternoon before set up and sound check was feeling like fun!

The sight of sound guys setting up disco balls above the dance floor made me smile, and imagine what they were about to witness from up there in all their sparkly-ness...

Wine flowed - {though I don't drink it myself} - entree's were served, MC did his thing, and suddenly we were on. It is that moment I walk up there with the boys and become a different me. I decide I want everyone in that room to know I'm the best! They won't be able to ignore my voice, they won't want us to ever stop playing, and they will, for the few hours they're in our capable hands, forget everything else going on in their lives and just surrender - to music.

Which they did!

If you're in a band, you know there is nothing as cool as making people so happy. Live music brings everything to life! You take your own energy and talent, and plug in to their every musical need and wish. There is a spirit in the air when a band plays with their heart and soul and the audience has ears to hear and feel it. The exchange between you and them, the letting go in order to enjoy so completely, is magical, and addictive.

We remained PUMPED all night, and so did our crowd.

And to do what we do best, for a worthy corporate cause, to be back together gigging again, and to do all this with my dear friend slapping that Bass beside me, is nearly too much good living to bare.

Songsmith xx

Crabapples, Camellias and other Springy Tales...

Well...

Since I posted to you last it has been a week of crazy movement, and motion...

• I had a haircut;
• Screen tested another little musical video (!) with my amazingly arty and talented sisters-in-law;
• Planned a little visit to my abode with a little long distance friend of mine...
• Spent almost an entire day helping to clean my other sister-in-law's house {which they've just finished renovating.}
• Cut half of my finger nail off, with a knife!
• Played Scattegories - and lost...
• Entered a songwriting competition - & will probable loose that too!

And then all of a sudden it seems to be rolling back around to Friday, the weekend, and the first of many a Tullys gig for the Spring/Summer season!

But Please Note:

{In between such busyness - usually while dinner is boiling over on the stove {and because I cannot play piano at the moment with one finger out of order!} - I tend to take little prances around my garden wearing a floral maxi dress, armed with a camera, cup of tea and an eye to swoon at Crabapple trees, and Camellias...}

And {ps} I need to say a special thank you for every loving comment, and virtual pat on the back from all of you beautiful people who have taken the time to look at the Can't Seem To Sleep video; whether on The Tullys Facebook page, or here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your words come to my inbox when I least expect it, when I most need it, and I bow my hear in gratitude for a gift from the Lord which I am graciously permitted in this ole' world, to call my own.

Shell xx

Can't Seem To Sleep...

I wrote it early one morning - based on a dream, a thought, a whim and a whisper...

I had it chosen by Richard Lush for the album...

Recorded in the top studio, and now here; is where we gave it a visual life...

My Daughter Emma on Set {pink}

My Directors, Mentors, Sisters & friends Kate & Sarah mapping out my poetic path through the rushes...

Songsmith xx

Antique inspiration...

Just a quick post to tell you that I am a sucker for a cute antique shop! We went to my favourite music shop to get a "popper stopper" for my little Sharp Frog Studio not more than a day ago, and upon returning to the car I spotted an antique shop across the road {which I had been in before but somehow forgotten was there until this moment!} I was powerless to deny myself from a hunter/gathering opportunity, so we made for the door!

Not more than twenty minutes later we emerged with this adorable footstool! Ain't it pretty?!

Set me back only $25 which I thought a small price to pay for such an adorable addition to my modest but steadily growing collection of collectable beauties from antiquey emporiums!

And Delilah the cat, liked it too.

I'm off to put my feet up and plan another visit soon!

Shell xx

Flowers for September

Rain threatened our annual visit to Floriade yesterday, but in the end did not prevail. I had been up early making and baking homemade treats for our lunch time picnic and stroll through the flowers. (I made myself so busy in the kitchen that I forgot to take photos of my Gourmet Sandwiches, Quiche Lorraine, and nutty-chocolatey-cookie Delights!)

However I believe {& you will soon discover} I have made up for the lack of food related photography in floral subjects, and wonderful blurry family-love-snaps like this of the newlyweds, and one of my other beautiful sisters-in-law and nephews strolling the Floriade parade.

I love the way Canberrans come out after Winter to see the bulbs and blooms, and to my mind, the first glimpse of Spring and proof that the warm, signature Australian weather is on it's merry way...

I gushed at Daphne. {And though it is perhaps socially unacceptable} I still wanted to pick some and have you smell it with me! Bring it home and put it in a vase by my bed. Perhaps I will just have to grow some instead...

In amongst a shrubbery, and cluster of trees which formed a sort of maze and plant like cave, we found this furry fellow! Known as a Possum; I think they're one of our most beautiful native marsupials, and we can thank the zoom on my camera for allowing us this close up look at him.

We picniced throughout the afternoon and enjoyed the sun which made a welcome, yet non-forcasted appearance. I greeted many a perfect flower which posed for me so willingly in the breeze and had to giggle at the yellow tulip, placed so accidentally in a bed of red daisies.

So often in my life I have been that yellow tulip...

I realised that four of the Tully women were wearing the same shoes in different colours {which is hardly surprising when one works in a shoe shop!} But to all be wearing them on the same day, was photo worthy!

Spring feels truly here. One picnic down, so many more to come this Spring!

Shell xx

Only the Grace...

When fine Spring weather allows for tea and toast in the sun...

When an office is also my studio, is my creative realm, is my Sunroom, is my home...

What more can be wanted for? Than only the grace to appreciate our blessings every peaceful minute.

Shell xx

Today I am...

It is clear I need to do a little posting...

Today I am putting together some musical gooddies for some beautiful women...

I am getting {perhaps a little too} excited by how quickly and beautifully my clothes dry on the line in Spring weather as wonderful as this...

I am not going to be able to get over that blue sky...

...perhaps for some time!

Today I am a being somewhere between laughter and tears;

The more I see of the world the more I am in awe-

Of the beauty, the happiness and the magic,

And also of the darkness, sometimes hatred and cruelty you can see and feel.

I hope just to be a part of the goodness.

To hold out my hand to another.

To listen to the small still voice.

To not miss the calling of my gifts.

To jump out of bed!

And be all that today asks of me!

What are you today?

Shell xx

To Creative Competitors -

I thought, on this wonderful Australian Spring morning, I would share a clip from a most magical time spent recording at Studios 301 in Sydney. This is where we recorded the album from which this little blog was named...

The song is called Outside Looking In, & though I love it - it never made the final cut on the album - however we did pop it on the Fall Too Hard EP which you can get from iTunes.

And - I have decided to launch my very first competition on this wee blog!

I will send a free signed copy of the EP {anywhere in the world} to the person who leaves a comment telling me the most interesting, descriptive and {possibly} amusing song review!

Give me your honest thoughts on the song and how it makes you feel, and I will get out the stamps and get-a-posting!

With Love,

Shell aka Songsmith xx

Seeing Sunshine Through Grey...

Listening to my children giggle...

The cool spring air through my window.

The metaphorically wonderful state of the sky.

Soundtrack to my morning:

How I adore a new album. I savour the sleeve, soak up the songs. And always end up renewing my own inspiration as a result, of albums as fine, as this.

*thoughtful sigh*

Alight with the possibilities...

Songsmith xx

Every new Season, is new...

It is weather just warm, and new enough to open the window and see a glimpse of baby nectarines.

It is for lunch, left over Balti curry with brown rice, yoghurt, fresh tomato and coriander, while planning dinner over cook book.

It is sweet memories of a cool, eventful, wonderful Winter, which began with a gail and a spot of rain, contained many a pot of homemade soup, was fashioned with scores of Marino scarves, spent in the studio spinning songs, and ended making a brand new film clip for the TSS album.

This be a sort of "mood board" scene for the upcoming feature...

Coming soon to a blog near you!

Shell xx