So … last week we started contemplating making a community Christmas tree. I know, a minute ago (and yet also a lifetime ago) it was March, and now it’s nearly December. It’s a pretty weird time-vortex type year … but there you go.

And here’s where we got to on the Christmas tree front - lots of exciting Pinterest pins … and some cutting. Can you tell which tree we’re thinking about making from the Pinterest inspo? Not an exact replica of course … we’ll be adding out own touches.

From Thursday this week we’ll have the community art bin out again, with triangles and sharpies and instructions. So you can pop past and collect a piece and add your two bobs to the project. Because the more the merrier (Christmas) right?

After a loooong year we’re looking forward to sharing community Christmas wishes and happy holiday vibes …

This week’s letter is from a barrister. It’s now up on the butcher shop window. Pop past to collect your copy.

This week the letter starting ‘Dear neighbour’ is from a journalist. Should be interesting. You can pick a copy up from the butcher shop window.

We’re hoping to have ‘Blind date with a Book’ back out on the street today (Friday).

On Station Street the lovely folks at Three Locals have volunteered to house the stand for us, so it will be out the front of their cafe once a week.

And … Lee has also made a second stand for ACC.

We’ve been super keen to get ‘Blind date with a Book’ back up and running as it only had one week of glory before we went into lockdown … and there was lots of public interest in it.

This project has come about through a grant from Darebin Council and is a partnership with Darebin Libraries. The broader goal is to help activate our streets and public places and make them feel neighbourhoodly and friendly, arty and interesting. If you are out and about, keep an eye out!

On Monday Jen made a special trip from Leongatha to drop off the first of our two old (but new) metal tables.

I think I may have told this story before … but anyway … 2 years ago I found the frames in hard rubbish (thanks to the kind people in Rushall Street who put the pair out) and made my teenage daughter help me carry them to my front yard (as you can imagine she was thrilled?!). After a few months of complaints from my husband about them being at our house I wrangled them onto a trailer and brought them round to ACC … where they sat in the garden here for about a year. Do you remember? I am sure out gardeners do. They were always having to move them to get to the tap.

Before Christmas last year Jen took them home. And now … they’re back … well the first one is anyway. Transformed!

I am not sure my photo does the table justice, But it is really gorgeous. Mesh and various bits of metal welded together. Old sleepers for seats. It is just lovely. Thanks Jen!