oh my goodness!!

I was so excited to hear that I won the bloggy/birthday giveaway over at 'from little things...', and then when it arrived this morning I actually screamed when I opened the parcel and saw all the gorgeous goodies inside!  What an incredibly generous giveaway, thank you so very much, Mel, everything in here is absolutely perfect & that card, oh well that is just going straight to the pool room (well, we don't actually have a pool room so onto my inspiration/keepsakes board it goes...) - love it!!

this beautiful card with the loveliest message inside...

all this goodness...

the softies book has the most amazing projects,  I can't believe my luck & I can't wait to put all of this to great use!

my creative little people...

I've been trying to get a grip of the great masses of artwork that's churned out around here. They get taped to the bedroom walls or thrown into a basket where no one gets to see & appreciate the beautiful works of my little artists.  So I decided to just pop them  up on the kitchen wall for all to see...

Being a bit of a neat freak, I wasn't sure how well I'd cope with them all just stuck higgledy, pigledy on the wall but I quite like it now that they are all up & the more we add, the better it looks!

As a result, I've been able to streamline the kids bedroom walls so they are a little bit more orderly to satisfy my mad need for neatness...

Pop over to Kootoyoo to for other creative spaces...

brrrr, it's getting cold....

I love winter! I know it's only mid Autumn,which is a beautiful time of year, and as much as I have enjoyed our extra  long summer this year, I am really looking forward to the temperature dropping & being able to layer up!

I adore the smell of open fires, the crisp air & all those delicious winter casseroles (mainly because I'm not a great fan of cooking & I find these one-pot-wonders the easiest & yummiest dishes ever!).  Most of all, I love the the winter woollies, coats, scarves, boots, gumboots...bring it on I say!

a little stool fetish....

I am mildly obsessed with stools.  I don't know what it is really, I just love all the different styles and they really have so many uses around our place.  Over time I have stumbled across all of these at either garage sales or op shops & some have been given to me by older relatives...

Office stools

Bedside stool 

Foot stool (come drawing stool)

Laundry/everywhere stool

Veranda stool

Ok, this is just a spare, but I do love it...

Larger foot stool /dinner table for one

and these patiently awaiting some love & attention...

For more Flea Market Finds visit Sophie...

One last hoorah...maybe...

The weather has been amazing for this time of year.  Gorgeous summery days.  I think we may have just scraped in one last fabulous beach day.  The weather was stunning, the water crystal clear with perfect rolling waves, drawing in the sand...

 'gobbles' - essential head wear for the superhero...

..and then this...

Incredible black storm clouds rolled in & hovered above for a little while before opening up & dumping pouring rain at 3.30, right on cue for school pick up...

Could this finally have been our last summery beach day for the season? I think so. I'm glad were able to enjoy it while it lasted...

A Garage Sale!!

I have been a very busy little bee this week, setting up a garage sale to clear out some stuff that's been clogging up our cupboards.  Here's hoping we get loads of people through & clear the lot!

Fingers Crossed...

A special delivery...

I was so excited to see the postie drop a package into our letter box this morning...

This very special delivery has come all the way from Uganda, a gorgeous handmade bag by Ki Kati. I feel very privileged to have won this in the EcoMILF giveaway recently.  All the products are made using traditional African fabrics & they're truly amazing.  Best of all, 100% of the profits go to the very clever people who make them.  Pop on over to Ki Kati, take a look & support Fair Trade...  

The other side...

I can thankfully say I have almost made it to the other side of a shocking head cold. 

It hasn't been pretty.  While I've been nursing a head that felt the size & weight of a watermelon, some horrible dragon lady inhabited my body & was so miserable & grumpy & awful to everyone else who lives here.  Hubby has taken a very wide berth & I do believe was VERY happy to be back at work yesterday!

 

But now look, the sun is shinning on my airing linen, that horrid dragon lady has moved on & I am all inspired and recharged to get back into the swing of my normal happy life...I'm sure that having hubby back at work after 4 weeks has nothing to do with the clouds lifting, we really had a lovely time..at least the first 3 weeks were fun...

Uh,oh....

When my little Preppie came in this morning, cool as a cucumber, and sat up for breakfast dressed like this...

we had to laugh, even the collar is turned up!

'Fancy huh!?' he says to us.

If this is how he likes to modify the school uniform in Prep, I'm a little concerned for the years ahead...

Forgotten treasure...

Hubby headed off to Melbourne yesterday to bring home a car load of 'stuff' we've had in storage since moving down to the coast 5 years ago!  I was so excited all day waiting to go through all the boxes, it's like Christmas all over again, but it was too dark by the time he got home I had to wait 'til  morning to get a look. 
Some boxes are full of wedding presents that we have not even used yet, pieces of furniture handmade by grandparents and my old glory box, which is a fabulous tin chest full of goodness knows what!  Here are just a few beauties...oh my beating heart, welcome home old treasures...

 My first ever Holly Hobbie Sheets, Nana's embroidered tablecloth, my dancing bag (shoes 'n all), jewellery box Dad brought home from overseas travel and these noteworthy pieces...

My Dad's Derwent Pencils that are still in their original box, all accounted for except one - bugger!

Hubby's sax, which originally belonged to his Pop...

the music sheet stand made by his grandpa...

The porcelain rose was a valentines gift back in the early days & the bottle holds great sentimental value for hubby, it was his dear pop's (cute label if you can read it)...and the fabulous map of  Australia beautifully framed by his clever grandpa...

There are still so many boxes to go through, but this has been enough for me to rediscover in one day...

A new little somethin', somethin'...

I've been having so much fun giving old discarded pieces new life.  My heart goes all aflutter when I see some sweet little thing that needs nothing but a bit of love and attention to turn it into something fabulous.  Not to mention the little treasures planted here & there about the house already that are crying out for a bit of a new vibe.  Realistically, there's only so much our home can house, but I can't to stop!

Needless to say, my creative space is all a buzz right now, as is our garage come workshop.  But, I have plans...I'll fill you in as the vision becomes clearer...

Pop on over to Kootoyoo & see what's going on in other creative spaces... 

Friends...

My very dearest friends and I are planning to have some girlfriend time. Co-ordinating a day between us is easier said than done, but we do, eventually.  We try to catch up regularly but as you all know life gets so busy with little families & living so far away from each other makes the odd coffee quite a challenge.

 

It's so easy to become totally consumed by our own frantic lives, a catch up inevitably gets squashed way down the bottom of the priority list, that's just the way it is.  I think we completely underestimate just how vital that time with our besties is.  It's great to sit around and chat, share the highs & lows that are going on in our lives, re connecting & remembering who we were before we were mum's & wives and all that comes with that. 

Spending time with my girlfriends is like food for the soul.  I have known these beautiful women since school days, some since primary school, and regardless of where our lives might take us, or how long it is between visits, I know they will always remain a constant & integral part of my life.

I look forward to seeing our kids grow up like family, being part of everyone's milestones & sharing in all the most special of occasions.  I am blessed to have these amazing women in my life and I feel so very privileged to call them my friends.  I love them deeply & I treasure their company, so it's off to make those plans... 

The Holiday Is Over...

We did it!  Not without tantrums, but we did it & we had a ball! 

Our camping trip was great fun, despite the pelting rain & the odd tantrum (which were few & all low scale...great sigh of relief).  The kids have had the best time, days of freedom hanging out with their friends, boat rides, jumping pillows, baseball, scooters, toasted marshmallows, climbing trees, no showers...every little boys idea of heaven.

We thought we were pretty organised, packed to the hilt & convinced we had everything we needed...until we got there, set up and realised we were totally unprepared for bad weather!  But, thanks to great company, lots of laughs & our fair share of relaxing, we'll definitely be doing it again - we've already started on 'the list' to make sure we do it right next time!

The holiday's are over but they've sure been great.  Now we're home & schools back tomorrow, lunches, uniforms, readers...life rolls on...  

...And We're Off...

We're going camping for a couple of days.  A little excited, a little nervous & a little overwhelmed at the amount of stuff we have to take!

We loved camping in the early days, back when you didn't need bookings, just turned up & stayed as long as you liked, when you could cook over a real camp fire, sing & tell stories well into the night.  It's been years, way before we were married.  And so, we've never been with the kids, and they are super excited.  I think it'll be great fun, hopefully relaxing just hanging out with no plans.  Most importantly I am praying to every God known to man that we get through without a massive tantrum from the little guy!!

Wish us luck...

My Creative Space...

I'm posting my creative space a little early this week, I'm all hyped & can't fit enough in at the moment.  What a week!  I don't know what's come over me, but I'm riding the wave baby!  I've been working like a woman possessed with all my garage sale finds over the last few days.  It's been so much fun making over all my pieces, I'm really loving it & everything has come up so well. 

Admittedly, I'm a little over white, I think I'll start introducing some colour to the next lot...yes, there's more, just wait 'till you see....!

Visit Kootoyoo to see what everyone else is up to...though you'll have to wait 'till Thursday...

Fun with stools...

A little over excited & on a garage sale high on Saturday, I manically made a cover for my $5 stool which I have since decided to use on our office stool and made another cover for the new stool...

Saturday...

Today...

better...I think...

Sunshine Awards...

Thank you so very much Bee at Honey Jumble for nominating me for the sunshine bloggers award.  It's so nice to receive this I'm really honoured.  If you haven't been already, you must pop on over to this very clever illustrators blog & check out her gorgeous work.

I now get to pass on this special little award to 12 people who brighten my day with their inspirational blogs, amazing talent & friendly words to share...the choosing bit is a little tricky, there are some I'd like to nominate who have just received it too, so here are some of whom I truly admire, they inspire me, make me laugh & always offer great words of wisdom when I'm a little spent ...

EcoMILF

Dandelion

BOB & MABEL

5 Star Baby

JABOOPEE

Pardon My Chaos

dottie angel

Moose & Bird

The Back Shed

Miss Muggins

Knotty Hands

thrift.nest.sew

Thanks ladies, you really do brighten my days...

Here's what you do:

1. Thank the person who gave it to you.

2. Copy the logo and place in on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you.

4. Pass it along to 12 other people.

"He Came...He Really Came!!"

...this is what we heard little Jimmy calling out in the dark this morning as he collected eggs on his way down stairs.  I don't think he was holding out much hope of Easter Bunny swinging by our place - there has been a whole lot of chocolate eating going on in the last week! 

And now there's more - chocolate bunnies for breaky!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Jackpot!

I thought after our ripping effort doing the garage sale circuit around town last week that I'd give it a miss this weekend.  Being Easter, having guests, going to parties & family picnics, I just didn't think there would be time....

Fortunately, I did manage to steal a few spare minutes.  There was a garage sale just around the corner which turned out wasn't offering much.  Then, a little further up the road was another sign with balloons, this one was a sweet little girl selling her much loved toys, puzzles, bits & bobs, nothing for me here.  I was about to head home but was detoured due to a footy match & what do you know, another garage sale sign! I followed the balloon trail & was very excited to come home with this little boot load of treasure...all for $25!

More projects, hooray! 

A three drawer chest, a single (really deep)drawer side table, stool & tablecloths.  I have plans for everything here & can't wait to get started...

In fact I didn't wait long...made the stool a new removeable cover using one of the tablecloths!

Voila!

To see what other tressures people have to share go to

Her Library Adventures.

Happy Easter everyone... 

The Desk...

So, I know it's not every one's taste & one day I'll probably decide that everything around here needs a good coat of paint!  Excuse the lighting in this shot, typically impatient to show off the end result!

I finished the desk that we picked up at a garage sale on Saturday. I didn't get a picture of it with the little tray out, but I kept the laminated leaf print in blues & greys & the handles are in shades of blue to follow through on the blue/grey theme.  I've had so much fun giving it a new look to fit into our home.  I think it'll make the perfect little sewing desk...imagine, not having to pack away my sewing machine every time I use it...I'd do a whole lot more sewing I would think...now, where to put it...

In case your're interested, you can see the 'before' shot in last Saturdays post & a progressive shot yesterday - fun!

My Creative Space...

I'm slowly teaching myself to crochet & only attempting the most simple of things to make.  I made a start on this neck warmer while we were all hanging out in our jammies earlier in the week (loving school holidays), and to my own great surprise, I have just about finished!

To take a peak at other creative folk, pop on over to Kootoyoo.