Natalie at Earth Cottage Connection

11/10/2025

10/10/2025

My latest cup and side plate creations from the hand building workshop with 😁. A very enjoyable morning spent with good company and getting creative. I've been struggling a lot lately with formal meditating like I used to. I have found playing and creating with clay is calming my nervous system though and is very meditative. I have no expectations on myself of the outcomes of what I am creating just letting things flow and go lol. So if you struggle with meditating or just don't have the bandwidth maybe do something simple but creative instead. It's the act of getting out of your 'thinking' brain and 'being' instead that does the world of good.
I hope you have a great weekend. 😎

09/10/2025

🤣

12/09/2025

I'm doing the Sept 24th Cup Workshop if anyone wants to join me? 😎

Last dates for this popular hand building cup workshop;

Wednesday 24th September

Friday 24th October

Saturday 29th November

Join us in our Gympie studio for 3 hours of immersive creativity. Designing and creating you worn functional cup using the hand building slab technique.

Working with clay has the amazing ability to transform us into a space of calm, focus, connection and growth, giving you the opportunity to 'fill your own cup'

These workshops are full of expert tips and techniques that will enable you to make your own hand build pieces at home with just a few tools. Or you can just enjoy the process of creating and connecting with other group participants.

Class sizes are kept to a maximum of 4 to allow you to get the most from the teachings.

Your completed cup will be stored safely in the studio to dry and then be glazed and fired (by me) with your choice of glaze. You will have your completed cup approximately 2 weeks after the class.

Cost: $95
Message me for booking details.

12/09/2025

And the Pottery Chapter has officially begun. 😁. Had an absolute blast and some much needed time out every week for the last 5 weeks with the beautiful Cate from These are the incredible results I have come away with which I am super proud of with lots of help and guidance from the very talented Cate. 🙌. Looking forward to doing the hand building workshops next as well as continuing on my wheel throwing journey of fun. 😊. Highly recommend doing beginners creative classes to get out of your head, back into your body and connect with your soul at the same time. If you're looking for something for you for some fun and connection to yourself and others - highly recommend. 🌻

01/09/2025

And so begins the season of letting go.

Consume and stockpile all of summer’s bounty as she waves farewell for another year. Thank her for generous warmth and abundance.

New month. New chapter. Let go.

And let’s go…

Donna

❤️

01/09/2025

Hey everyone can you even believe that it is Sept 1st already??? 😳

I received a beautiful message from an old friend this morning checking in as I haven't been appearing on her page anymore.

What a lovely thing to wake up to. 😊

So I thought I would say a quick 👋.

The thing is I have been having an ongoing battle with balancing all the aspects of doing life well lol.

I always have lots going on behind the scenes and what may not seem like 'busy' to some is definitely a bit to juggle at times for me.

We have big plans for this page and to get back into making a community and helping others along the way.

This year though has been 2 steps forward - 1 back and do the Hokey Pokey. 😜

At the end of the day I turn 51 this year and am traversing the joys that come with that.

I also have the privilege of caring for my parents and guiding my nearly grown up kids through life - plus all the animal kids we have too. 😉

I'm sure some of you resonate with the juggle. 🤪

I am sure if you have followed me for awhile you know there's been many highs and lows and wild rides in this life that I have openly shared.

That's one of the things I do do well.

I am authentic, honest, very intuitive and to the point - sometimes perhaps too bluntly for some but it is always from a good place.

So traversing the last few years has been tricky to find the balance and momentum to be of service to you as well at times.

However, I am now feeling like I have broken the surface and feeling more like my old self again.

I can confidently claim expert status of resilience and finding the positive lessons in all the stages of life we are here to learn from.

So how are things going for you?

I would love to hear from you all about where you are currently at.

What would you love to connect and get help with?

19/08/2025

The little things that make you smile make big changes in your life. From my beautiful pink love notes left by Simon up the stairs to my fluffy butts. 🥰. To my 2nd wheel pottery class today and learning how to trim, pull handles and throw a small bowl. 😎. Lastly to little Scout my rescue fruit dove and of course Bud 😉who is now part of the crazy farm animals and is finally showing her quirkiness. 😊. All of these beautiful parts of my day make a huge overall difference to returning me back to me once again. 🙏. Feel free to share your glimmers and small things that bring you joy. 🌻

12/08/2025

This photo represents me taking steps back to having balance back in life again. Life has been complicated and exhausting for awhile mentally and emotionally. Couple that with Perimenopause and ongoing health stuff it just feels like burn-out -on-every-level. If you know the feeling you know. That place where you're not content with where you are but also are unclear and have no energy to formulate how you want to be going forward. It's not an overly pleasant place and yet I recognise the feeling of uncomfortableness of the inbetween. I have navigated this place before many times. What I know to be true about this place is that it will pass. I know there are lessons to be learnt and wisdom to be acquired during these times no matter how uncomfortable. For me the tools that work for me in finding myself and my balance again are always getting back to my basics. I know altering a few things I do in my daily routine and adding support and more time for fun will do wonders. I know this as I've done the hard yards of getting to know who I am and what makes me me at my core. Having fun is a huge self care thing for me as I am too responsible for everyone else at times. So I started Pottery lessons - yes I know some may not think that's fun but I do. I have been craving creativity and getting out of my head and connecting back into myself again. So this morning I had my first wheel pottery lesson and loved every minute of it. 😁 I can't wait til next week. So here is your reminder that you are just as important as everyone around you. I know there are many of us in this time of our lives experiencing similar tricky and frustrating feelings. It's time to get back to Your basics of what brings You joy and peace. 💜

04/08/2025

I need recommendations for indestructible toys for this guy. He is a toy destroyer. That’s his Kong Elephant which is minus an ear so her days are now numbered. 🙄😝. The yard, paddocks and house are littered with remnants of all his toys. He also has about a dozen dinosaur bones buried in strategic gardens and he regularly rotates them until they are old and crusty ready for gnawing. God help any crow that dares to peck at them too lol. His bouncy balls are the same disappearing regularly only to return weeks later from somewhere. 🤷‍♀️. What do your toy destroying dogs love that will stand the test of Buddy??? 🤣

30/07/2025

Another day another hospital cafe. 😎 I am waiting to pick up my loved one sitting facing away from the counter so I can't see who is coming in. They have a reggae mix playing and Dr after Dr has come to grab a coffee and started singing along and commenting on their choice of music today. One had the deepest voice and he knew the song word for word..... he was like thank you for transporting me back to my college days lol. It made me smile. 😊. The power of music to connect and remind us of all the different chapters of our lives..... I know they were all Dr's as the staff commented after they each left saying bet you Dr such and such would have been interesting back in the day. 🤣 Time to update my Spotify playlists and get back to listening to the tunes that help shift my mindset once again. 🎧 🎶

22/07/2025

Trust yourself!