Monday, March 30, 2009

Sunny days & sweet awards



Lucy, Sunday & I took the train down to Melbourne on Saturday to see Charlotte





before she heads off to New York (!). We also popped in to the Made in Thornbury market which was FUN. The girls loved the hairclips and brooches and all the colourful stalls.






Then we dropped in on my brother and his family for a cuppa before heading back on the train. I love train travel..it's so relaxing. It was such a beautiful sunny weekend and we all enjoyed time together and at home. Great to go to our local makers market too on Sunday which looked fantastic. The stalls all looked great and I loved the rag mat maker who had her gorgeous mats all laid out on the grass like colourful suns. Didn't take any photo's unfortunately...!

STOP PRESS!!



How exciting, two awards from the lovely Jemm!! My first two awards - isn't she sweet? It's nice to know that my everyday ramblings are read by someone a million miles away. I love the way blogs bring people together - it reminds me of the penfriends I had when I was younger. Thanks Jemm!



Award number one is the Lemonade Award which is for showing great attitude and/or gratitude.
The Rules are:

1. Put the logo on your blog, nominate at least 10 blogs, which show great attitude and/or gratitude.
2. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
3. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
4. Share the love and link to this post, and/or to the person from whom you received your award.


So the ten blogs I am nominating are...










All wonderful and inspiring blogs!
Now for the next award.....

The Rules: 1. You have to list 7 things that you love.
2. Link to the person who has tagged you and
3. Then choose 7 more bloggers to give the Kreative Award to

Here are 7 things I love:

1. My family

2. my lovely friends

3. our pets & garden

4. making & creating

5. reading

6. colour & ideas

7. living in the country

And the seven lovely bloggers that I am giving this award to are:

Wonderful and creative blogs that I always enjoy reading.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
See below the dear little shelf I found at the local junk shop. It is meant to be getting put up in the sewing room but Rosie seems to have other plans for it. Hope you are having a great day, see you soon, x

Friday, March 27, 2009

Friendly, feel good Friday


Meet our newest member of the family...! Our good friend, Trish, kindly gave us this funny, fluffy mum who is sitting on two eggs. I haven't seen her move off the nest so I hope she is keeping herself hydrated and fed! We haven't given her a name yet..any ideas? She looks a little grumpy but maybe she is just reserved and dignified, and busy with her own stuff. Sometimes people can be that way too. They can look a bit grumpy and stand offish but really they are shy...or uncomfortable. Do you know anyone like that? It's not that hard to be kind and think the best of people is it? Most people are good people. I'm not sure where this little rave came from...maybe I've been thinking about how everyone is different and how we can easily jump to the wrong conclusions about one another, me included. We are all vulnerable at times and we all go through good and bad patches don't we? I am making it my mission to be kind, to not judge others and to enjoy and build good friendships.


Another item on my life agenda is laughter! Even at the football last night when our beloved Tigers were getting THRASHED by the Blues we all managed to have a lot of laughs. A very hairy gentleman in front of us, who kept revealing a little too much plumbers cleavage whenever he stood up, generated a lot of giggles. (Very goodhearted and kind giggling of course!)

We got back home from the game very late so today I am just mooching around in my pj's, I even went back to bed after dropping all the kids off. This is a Rare Event. Usually I am hustling around doing a million things and organising, cleaning, making etc. Today I am Taking It Easy.

I had a potter in the garden earlier...

Lovely apples that are just about ripe..


...pretty quinces..



...and a quick hello to Patch who is always hungry and would like a fresh supply of green grass right now if you don't mind.

Speaking of rabbits I think I'll try to finish this new little bunny today. She needs a little frock and a cardi to keep her snug, and of course a nose!

The sun is shining and I'm feeling good. Woo hoo! A fun, family weekend to look forward to. A couple of makers markets to go to - I can hardly wait! If you are in Daylesford you should definitely pop by and have a look at the wonderful Daylesford Maker's Market. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody's lovely bits & supporting & celebrating all things hand made. What are you up to on the weekend? x

Monday, March 23, 2009

All you need is love..

Morning!! Did you have a good weekend? There seems to be a lot of fun things on at the moment...fetes, festivals & markets..outdoorsy things! There also seems be a lot of love around lately..have you noticed? Mark & I had an extra fun & loving weekend in Melbourne celebrating our anniversary & buzzing around the city.


That's me on the left having lunch and listening to some great buskers.


There was delicious food....is there anything better than a fresh, chocolate filled donut?...

laneways...


...the odd game of chess (with the Victorian champion Igor Goldenberg)....


a gorgeous room with a comfy king size bed & city views.....


and us!

Oh it was good. We really enjoyed the time away and are busy planning the next trip! So lovely to have some uninterrupted conversations and sleeping in was ace too! Wandering around the city I felt like we were overseas... Melbourne is such a cool place to visit. So many people were out at night too, enjoying the beautiful weather, the river, being together.

Meanwhile Billy & Lucy got to have some valuable grandparent & big sister time while Rosie & Sunday had a blast with Sarah & Ben at home. Lots of love and a big thanks to our back stage helpers. How wonderful to have this extended family (yes Sare that includes you!) to share life with.


Great to get home feeling tired but also refreshed. I have a few new ideas and am looking forward to some sewing and more decluttering - oh and also looking forward to a great week! Hope yours is good too x

Friday, March 20, 2009

Celebrating every day...


The weather lately is really worth celebrating! Yesterday was so lovely that after we fed the chookies Rosie & I set off for Blackwood to visit the wonderful Garden of St Erth. On the way we managed to pop into the Trentham Op Shop for a bit of a sticky beak. Rosie emerged with a magic wand and a talking pony! Yay! I found some nice little lace & linen bits that I am planning to turn into a quilt.

St Erth was looking beautiful - it's such an inspiring place to go. We wandered along the lovely shady pathways with birdsong all around us. They have an amazing array of plants and a very impressive apple orchard.


Inside their shop was a display of apples that looked so applealing (ha!) that I had to take a photo.

Daisy & Rosie had a play before we left - they have a lot of fun together. It was just glorious driving through the country with the sky so blue and the air so sweet. Nice to see some different sights and l love looking a the little cottages and farms along the way. We had a mad kind of lunch in a cafe in Blackwood, on a deck over looking the forest. On the way out I spotted this sign which made me think of Mark who is the Condiment King!


So it's Friday and the end of another week. Just had tea with Kate which was great - it's always good to catch up with her and have a good old chat. Such alot has been happening in the last little while and it was good to see her & hear her news.

Tomorrow Mark & I are off to the city to have a night away! Wow!! First time in .... 10 years. Amazing. Twelve years ago we met and ten years ago, tomorrow, we were married in the Edinburgh Gardens. It was such a happy day. Makes me think of.. a warm rainy day, umbrella's over fancy hair, Charlotte in her little white dress & shiny black shoes and white roses in her hair, my pretty red dress, friends, family - Mark, Charlotte & I becoming a family. In ten years so much has happened. We had four more children in 6 years (wow), lived in three houses, we went to America, Mark's parents sadly both passed away, we celebrated a million birthdays, changed a trillion nappies and made the big move to Daylesford. Now we're happily settled into this community & it's great to have our kids growing up with their friends in a beautiful part of the world. Charlotte has grown up into such a fantastic person which makes me so happy & proud. As for me and Mark well we've had a lot of laughs, loving and good times along the way. We've also had our ups and downs but we've hung in there together through it all. So it's lovely to be heading off for some quiet time together - just us. Hope your weekend is fun too x

this is us in 1997!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A new bunny for Pharoah

Lucy's friend has a new baby brother so I decided to make him a Welcome Bunny. I've been working on a baby-friendly rabbit without buttons, plastic eyes, ribbons or too many fancy bits! Someone sweet to snuggle up with, a super soft & cuddly baby bunny...

One
Two

Three!!

I think this first attempt is cute - but I may tweak it a little - perhaps this one's eyes are a bit too far apart? I think his little feet are a funny shape too..but maybe thats ok. I like his pretty vintage fabric ears. The alpaca wool offcuts are perfect for making children's toys.
This little girl also made an appearance this week.
Gee it's good to be sewing again!



The sky was a dreamy grey/blue yesterday... can you feel autumn in the air? Lovely cool nights and yes, the hot water bottle is back in action! Are you having a good week? Hope so, x

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The long weekend...

We have just had a very busy and fun long weekend! On Friday I had a lovely cuppa with a friend at Cliffy's (see above) & then hightailed it up to the church Jumble Sale.

As I was on my way down to Melbourne to see Charlotte I had a look for a little something to take her. This tiny succulant & a sweet jug caught my eye ...

... so I combined them for her to have on her desk at school.


On Sunday we all watched the fabulous Chillout street parade.. always amazing! The kids loved all the colour and drama, so did I! It was great to be out celebrating & having fun.


After a busy shift at the Daylesford Information Centre I then popped down to the Chillout Carnival to do a stint at the Info Centre's booth. Rainbow umbrellas sold like hot cakes! The carnival was packed with people and it was great to have the buzz of happy visitors in our town


On Monday the sun shone and the kids played for ages in the garden. Lovely Phillipa dropped by and George stayed for a play. Patch the rabbit lounged in the sunlight - until she was hijacked by Rosie who appeared with Patch (looking a bit dazed)in her clutches! A real rabbit wrangler...




Isn't this little church cute? It has been for sale for quite a long time and everytime I drive past it I think how adorable it is. Well....my mum has been looking for a house to buy in the area and also fell in love with it! So as of the 1st of May it will be hers! Wow. It is over a hundred years old and started life as a school house out in the bush. I think my mum is going to have a lot of fun planning new adventures for church, and for her...how exciting!


I have been a bit flat lately so it was good to have a happy weekend. I am feeling alot better this week and have started sewing again - a new bunny is on the go! Also I'm attempting to go for a good walk every day and hopefully I will get a bit healthier too. Hope you are having a great week too..bye for now, x


ps: Check out this postcard that was pinned up in the toilet at Cliffy's..love it! x

Thursday, March 5, 2009

After the fires...

...there has been rain, rain, & more rain. After a crazy week of fire and wind, smoke and stress we have been blessed with rain. Wow! Hopefully it will put out some of the still smouldering fires in the area. I was talking to some parents at school today who are still unable to go home because of dangerous trees on their property. They have been living in a B & B, eating takeaway food and waiting for the 'all clear'. Very unsettling.


Today at school assembly we were asked to write down a prayer that related to the fires & the first thing I thought was of the courage of the firefighters. They did an amazing job saving people and property. Other people in the community also spent many hours helping - organising somewhere for people to sleep, looking after injured animals, making countless cups of tea, comforting children. Many people have shared their homes, been a shoulder to cry on - to people who they may not even know. Hard times can bring out the best in people and for this I am thankful.


The wild winds that were predicted weren't as bad as forecast but they were still strong and managed to rip the top off one of our trees.

It's been interesting hearing people debrief about the fires..this is a good thing as it's been hard on everyone. There are alot of tired looking people around town and I'm finding it harder to think clearly. It's been a crappy week - and I also have a lingering cold that keeps me awake at night...no fun. So this is a short post in anticipation of a more interesting and hopefully upbeat one next time!

Before I go please meet the newest addition to our family...the adorable Patch! She was given to us by friends from school..isn't she cute?

Hope you are all happy & well, wherever you are. See you soon, x