Lemonade, Lolly Pop & New Bunnies in the Shop!!

Yesterday Charlotte and I drove through the green fields of Shepherds Flat, on a mission to increase her driving hours (she's up to 100) & to visit Norm to buy some new chooks. 

We passed this group of beautiful horses, relaxing under the big blue sky.

There is something so majestic and serene about horses. I'm sure they know so much that we don't.

Norm was waiting for us at his farm in Newstead. What a funny old scene it was. So many chooks, of all shapes and sizes, two crazy dogs, a sheep, some cows and of course Norm, a really top bloke with a heart of gold. He was so patient with us as we tried to decide on just the right combinations & colours, squelching our way through the mud and looking in every pen and corner for our new chickens. We also picked out three for our friends. Charlotte chose Lemonade, above, to replace Texta who unfortunately didn't survive long. Isn't Lemonade the sweetest?

Awww!

Lemonade needed a little friend so we chose another tiny Silky, Lolly Pop. The two littlies are in now with Crazy Veronica & Smokey. All seem happy and settled.

For "out the back' we chose three new girls. Well, lets hope they are girls! One Plymouth Rock (our old girl died recently) a Leghorn & another pretty one whose breed I can't remember.

All three are gorgeous! The white/grey one is Norma (in honour of Norm) and then there is Black Betty.

And Pretty One.

It's a good feeling having restocked the various chook pens, I love to see them all pecking away in our garden, they make me smile. Chooks are such good recyclers too, how could you live without one? Or eight...

Moving from birds to bunnies...I've had a few people asking when I will put some new bunnies in my Dandelion shop. Well, I am tonight! Rosie is a real sweetie and so is Bessie, below. 

Hope you are having a happy week, looks like more rain and storms for us. Take care lovelies,

see you soon xo

at my house

Hands up!!  Who had a crazy weekend? We did, phew! At my house today I'm sitting here in the kitchen having a nice hot cup of tea & trying to catch my breath. This time of year is so full on isn't it? End of year things, pre Christmas planning, school wind up...I seriously need a secretary, or a wife, or both..

All weekend the rain poured down and last night the wind nearly took our roof off. I'm not a big fan of wind, it makes me feel all tetchy & unsettled. Silly wind. The ducks loved the rain though, doing ducky things and squelching around on their webby feet in the puddles.

In amongst the madness of dance rehearsals I managed to squeeze in a visit with gorgeous Jess. Gee I love Jess.  She is one of my favourite bloggy mates, such a warm hearted, funny & creative person, and a genuine friend. I loved hanging out with her & some of her creatures at Cliffy's. So relaxing & great conversation too. Thanks Jess.

After dropping Jess in town I high tailed it back to our house to pick up a special girl who was voting for the first time! woo hoo!

Yesteday the same lovely girl & I got up early and drove through the rain to good old Ballarat, home of my dad's side of the family,  to the Sugar & Spice Childrens Market.

Here I am looking like a demented festive housewife, what's with my hair? Just ignore me and focus on that colourful stall...I was very happy with how it looked yesterday. Loving the spots.

We had a pretty good day, met lots of people, sold some bunnies and bits and ate delicious cake from a lovely local business in Main Road, Ballarat, CAKE! Yum! Have you visited Main Road lately? It reminds me on an up & coming Piper St, very quirky & interesting.

Ali from Sugar & Spice did a fantastic job getting everything organised yesterday after a last minute venue change. Thanks Ali! I'm really looking forward to the Woodend market on December 12, more fun!  At my house today I'm getting ready to go and buy some new chooks, thinking about Bill's 9th birthday on Friday, the dress rehearsal & recital this weekend, and how I can fit in some relaxation time for me..is it possible? Hmmm. At my house I'm thinking about the Craft Group dinner tonight and how I"m going to get there as My Beloved has just joined the Daylesford Brass Band who practice on Monday nights. Hmmmm. At my house I'm thinking of you and wondering what you are up to today? Are you playing along with Lou Lou? Have a great week, see you soon xo

My Creative Space & Giveaway!

In my space this week I'm excited to tell you that one of my Blanket Bunnies, Sophie, is featured on {KID}independent as part of their Plushie Palooza Toy Festival
 & give away!! You can view her & vote from 12 noon today!

Just follow the instructions on their blog to enter the give away. I would love it if you would leave a comment as well to help me win the  Golden Plushie award! 

The Give Away winner will be announced on December 1st.

Please make sure that when you go the {KID}independent blog that you click on the banner that looks like this below

Just leaving a comment won't mean you are in the draw.

I'd love to show you the rest of my space but I haven't got time!!

So busy getting ready for Sugar & Spice in Ballarat on Sunday.

I have so many lovely bunnies to take along, and lots of new things too.
I'm so excited about it, I can't wait!

Better skedaddle...see you soon! xo

Fairy Land and Sugar & Spice

 Yesterday Rosie went to Isabella's party on top of Wombat Hill, in the beautiful, green Botanical Gardens.

In the shade of big elms the girls dressed as fairies,

and played, and danced and ran.

Maria did an amazing job setting up the party, the pretty rotunda was decorated in pink & all things fairy.

Bunting hung from the trees and colourful flowers and other pretty bits were everywhere. Lanterns, wind flowers, love hearts, all so gorgeous.

Rosie had so much fun! She smiled all day.

It was so lovely watching the girls playing & having fun together, it really cheered me up as I haven't been feeling that great lately.

Nothing more than being tired and a bit worn out really. So it was good to escape into fairy land yesterday, oh to be five years old again....

Back at Dandelion HQ here is headless me, surrounded by all the colour and the happy chaos of my sewing space.

It's all sew, sew, sew here as I prepare for the Sugar & Spice Children's market on Sunday. If you live in Ballarat, or are in the area, do pop in and say hi. I'd love to see you. The market is in St Patricks Hall on Dawson St, just around the corner from Sturt St, next to the big bluestone church.

I have some new bits and pieces too, I can't wait to show you!

And some old favourites, like these Christmas Love Hearts.

I haven't been able to visit you all so much lately

but once things settle down 

I'll be round for a cuppa.

Hope all is well in your world,

much love 

xo

ps: pop by on Thursday for a special giveaway...

p

Girl Power

Girls can be sister's who help with homework. 

They can cry with happiness when they are reunited and  fight, and love,

and snuggle and fight and love again.

Girls can be witches. Scary & fierce and powerful.

And girls can be mermaids, washing away the dirt & fun of a hard days work at kinder.

Bunnies are sometimes girls who are headed for new homes, for cuddles, for love.

Girls can be thinkers, dreamers, dancers,

superstars in green & pink.

Girls care for others, taking them upstream and watching out for naughty foxes. 

Girls can be little, or big.

 Girls can jump high, so high they can touch the sky. There is no limit to what girls can do.

They can be beautiful neighbours, super heroes, spies,

 mysterious & wise.

Girls can swing on washing lines on a sunny afternoon.

Girls can be best friends, adventurers, dreamers, prime ministers, artists & fire fighters.

The world is full of possibilities,

may all their dreams 

come true xo

Monday

Rosie was invited to a party on the weekend at a farmyard near Ballarat. We all hopped in the car and drove through the pouring rain and didn't think till we got there how useful gumboots would have been!

We watched cows getting milked, chickens fed, a funny brown pig snuffling in the mud and then it was suddenly time to go.

We couldn't stay to enjoy this amazing cake as the girls had ballet photo's on the same day, which they really couldn't miss. 

Sunday got to try on her gorgeous pink fairy princess dress, and Rosie wore a pretty sparkly white one. Their end of year recital is coming up and our whole family is getting pretty excited about seeing three of our girls up on stage at Her Majesty's in Ballarat.

Here is Rosie and Freya, looking adorable. We managed well to get through the morning, the rain, the lolly bags and the wet and muddy ballet tights that Rosie wore to the farm. Hmmmm....

Back at home I did some more work on a new little doll I have been designing. Made from alpaca on one side and fabric on the other my Susannah dolls will be button free and good for babies! 

Mum is making new cardi's with bobbles instead of buttons and I hope they will become as much loved as the bunnies. I'm enjoying making something new too. I will be taking a few along to the Sugar and Spice Children's Market in Ballarat on the 28th of November & also to Woodend on the 12th of December.

I was trying to think of a name for these new dolls and decided on Susannah in honour of my mum who I adore, and who wore pigtails and ribbons all through the 1970's. They were her signature look!

At home the ducks and chooks have been hightailing it around the garden, enjoying the worms and slugs that have come with the rain. And probably the odd locust! Freddie is his normal dementing self and has also become a bit frisky in the love department. We could be hearing the pitter patter of tiny duck feet anytime soon...

The new baby chickens, Veronica, Texta & Smokie (Smokey?) have become very brave and are now venturing out of their kennel/chook house and into the jungle that is outside my kitchen window. Can you see them? Those tiny specks at the far end?

There they are! Having a ball.  They are so cute and funny and do a fancy kind of fluttering, jumping dance thing when they see me. Gee, chickens make me happy.

Today I have some unexpected time on my hands so of course I am being quite useless and taking things slowly! Perhaps I'll try to rev up and get a million things done. Or maybe I'll go outside and do some gardening,

so many beautiful flowers in our garden at the moment. The kids love these pom poms.

What are you up to today? The sun is shining and it's a brand new week.

Anything could happen!

Hope you have a great Monday,

see you soon xo