to my happy place...

So, hubby's been sick for a few days now with some horrible bug.  He's been sleeping most of the time, very little appetite & no energy for much more than the odd movie.  We had him settled up in the spare room so that he could pretty much just get himself over it & hopefully keep it to himself, but it seems our big boy is now on a downward spiral & he's been struck too...

  and so, in between tending the sickies I shall go to my happy place & hope the rest of us are spared...

I'm working on another crocheted rug.  The idea was stripes in random colours & widths but it's not working for me, I don't think I can do random...the conundrum, do I persevere, or start pulling?

treasure tuesday...

I'm playing along with this fun meme today hosted by

 Clare's Craftroom...

All you need to do to join in is share a treasure, something close to your heart.  I have a few treasures, but today I couldn't go past these precious items that were first to come to mind...

firstly, my dear wedding rings, simple but oh so sweet & in need of a clean by the looks of this pic.  I feel completely lost if I don't have them on...

Oh, this is something very special.  It was given to Mum as a young bride.  It covers everything you could possibly need to know about being a woman, wife, career person, mother, host, guest, you name it, this is the ultimate 'how to' of all life guides...so gorgeous, I get a laugh out of it often, although there are definitely some helpful hints particularly in the home craft department & some delicious cocktail recipes.  These aren't the clearest pics, but if you click on them you can check out some of these course topics...

love it...

share your treasures here...

my house...

Enjoying the winter sunshine...

the boys play...

the hubby tucked up in bed, finally accepts defeat after weeks of fighting with all his might, soldiering on, ignoring it in the hope that it might go away,  he has lost the battle, he has the flu.

And so it's a heart warming roast pumpkin soup for dinner, warm baths, jammies & hot chocolates all round...

let's get organised...

Well we may have a few months up our sleeves yet, but for me, it's time to get organised.  I know we all say it, "this year I'm going to get the Christmas shopping sorted before the festive season", well  I say it, but I don't do it!  Thanks to the lovely & super organised Tracey over at Knicky Knacks we can now help each other get those tediously difficult gifts sorted - on time! Pop over & join in the Christmas fun...

Fortunately, this year I don't have too many to buy for.  You see, we alternate between hubby's family & mine each year & this year it's his, which is small, mine on the other hand is enormous!  Though, I am struggling to think of something for our 13yr old niece.  What do teenage girls like? I couldn't do clothes, I'm not game enough to go there, a voucher seems like a cop out & as far as I know she has all the modern technology one 13yr old could need.  So, any suggestion would be enormously appreciated. 

Here's "Cheer's" to the Handmade Christmas Challenge! Pop on over & join in the fun...

got to LOVE a garage sale...

Despite the dreary weather, pouring rain & bitter cold, my little family & I popped on our gumboots & coats & headed out this morning to do some garage sale'n...

Much to my delight we found some lovely treasures & a garage sale hostess with the mostest generosity...

a sweet old table & chair..

a toy box which we plan to use for shoe & school bag storage by the front door...

a pretty pink colander thrown in for nothing along with a bucket full of Buzz & Woody chocolates which can no longer be accounted for...

a Buzz scooter for the littlest superhero/biggest Buzz fan!

What a joy it was, this dear lady had the 'spirit of the garage sale' going on, she was marking stuff down all over the place & throwing in all kinds of treats just for good measure.  I bet she won't be running any left overs to the op shop tomorrow!

For more great finds, visit Sophie..

ambition...

My big boy was 'sick' yesterday & spent the day at home with me, well, experiencing a day in the life of me which is more like running from school for the preppie, then to kinder then home for a bit, the post office, a delivery, back to kinder, back to school & finally home again, not quite the day off he was hoping for, but we did find time to sit and chat over a hot chocolate which is always an insightful experience. Our big boy is quite the thinker, he likes to ponder on all matter of things & yesterday it was his future...

He was asking how it is that Kevin Rudd could be replaced as our country's leader, who he thought might be the next best person, which in his 8yr old opinion wasn't looking too good if you listen to all the banter on television.  "So" he says, "if I were to become Prime Minister one day, I'm sort of on the right track by being elected as class representative for Student Voice this year, although I think we need to be  promoting ourselves a bit more because I don't think you really get to do enough, we could do a lot more...and then how old do I need to be to join the debating team?"  Nothing like a bit of ambition, God love him! 

I don't know, I quite liked his ideas of becoming an archaeologist,  Jedi knight, rock-star, stunt man, building designer, pilot...

Regardless, I'm proud as punch right now, as I sit & stitch on his leaders badge..

my creative space...

VOILA!!

the nana rug is complete & everyone wants a piece of it!!  I'm really happy with the way it turned out & it's sooo cosy...next in the way of blankets is a nice stripey couch throw...

also...

a new cape for our littlest superhero - he's 'BOLT' even though bolt is a dog & not actually a superhero...

visit Kootoyoo for more creative spaces...

times, they are a changin'....

I was about to publish my creative space, however I'm just a little distracted by this breaking news...

WE NOW HAVE OUR VERY FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER!!

Just like that.
What a momentous day...

fun with floral...

I've been working on brightening the spare room with a bit of an explosion of vintage florals... 

 

The couch/foldout bed has a very tired looking navy cover which has been dragging me down, I'd throw on some cheery blankets & cushions but it has just been easier to shut the door on it until now.  I found this fitted sheet at the op shop today & it's great with my vintage pillow slips.  A bit of a mismatch of florals but I like it!

 I've also finished this owl cuddle cushion, a special request for a sweet 6yr old...

 

hope she likes it!

at my house...

Sadly, I didn't get to the Sugar & Spice Market in Woodend due to children's social commitments - sigh, very disappointed about that, still we're having a pleasant day hanging about at home while the kids & their friends play...

a spot of hand stitching...

tidying what is fast becoming a dumping ground where doors & drawers no longer close...

hubby baking the yummiest pasta sauce ever!

It may look a bit of a mess here but trust me, when all those gorgeous fresh ingredients break down as they are slowly baked for a few hours, the outcome is heavenly...

What's going on at your place this weekend?

Pop on over to Buttons by Lou Lou if you'd like to join in...

what to do???...

I found this lovely Laura Ashley skirt at the op shop the other day.  It looks as though it has never been worn, and sorry to say I won't be wearing it either, I always feel a little frumpy in that length of anything, but I couldn't go past the grey wool fabric & I love the pretty embroidered patterns...

I've been hanging it here & there, draping it about, walking past admiring, feeling, examining...

just awaiting inspiration to transform...

visit Kootoyoo & see what's inspiring other folks creative space...

at my house...

A cancelled lunch date yesterday meant we could spend what was left of the long weekend getting things in order around here, not to mention just hanging out & having fun...

a tea party...

re-planting the veggie garden...

apparently those milk containers are going to save our broccoli & cauliflower from pesky white moths, fingers crossed this time, the last crop was destroyed..

tidying up the back shed???

This was the job for 2 little boys, apparently they are pleased with their efforts, tea parties & scooters were higher on the priority list...

lots of this...

more of this...

and a little of this...

what's been going on at your place?

Pop over to Buttons by Lou Lou to play along...

Bargains...

It's so worth a rummage every now & then...

I've been able to find some great gear at the op shop for my boys topping up their winter wardrobe nicely...OshKosh, Esprit, Pumpkin Patch  & JK kids - $8 the lot!! Last week my eldest scored a pair of jeans, practically new for $1, all they needed was a button stitched on!

& how great are these old metal shoe lasts made in England $1!

bright red stool $2!

perfect for little kitchen helpers...

and, hard to believe, but after visiting 6 garage sales today I came home completely empty handed!!

for more great finds, visit Sophie...

my creative space...

My cosy nana rug is coming along nicely.  I'm working on it a little bit here & there most days & loving it! Though I had no idea how much wool I would use to make a single rug.  I'm almost done on my own stash & those found at the op shops.  I can't believe these beautiful pieces & hours of work sell for next to nothing in second hand stores!  This is going to be one to pass on through the generations I can tell you!

A bit of a favourite way to spend my time on these cold wintery nights...

almost there...

and, after looking back over previous weeks, it seems it's not quite my creative space without another made over stool...

Visit Kirsty for more creative spaces...

 

priceless...

The sheer joy of walking into the lounge and seeing my big boy all settled in for a quiet night of crafting...

So adorable!  It almost brought a tear to my eye when he said he's weaving a scarf for his brothers birthday. I tell you, it will be the most treasured gift, the birthday boy will be beside himself receiving a handmade scarf from his big brother & greatest idol...

great little treasures...

Sometimes the thrifting angels whisper & you just need to follow their lead...

I was so pleasantly surprised to find these lovely pieces while pottering about some op shops this week...

gorgeous garden stool & chocolate tin...

a sweet little woolen cardi with velvet & crochet trim...

and this DKNY shower curtain!

Though why someone would use cotton on a shower seems a little odd to me.  I'm going to put this very pretty double sided fabric to some good use elsewhere...

For more great finds visit Sophie...

out and about...

The littlest superhero & I out for a walk in this gorgeous winter sunshine...

To play along with this fun new meme, pop on over to Raising Boys...

my creative space...

Day to day life has been a bit all-consuming of late, so creatively things have been rather uneventful except for the continuous hooking of my nana rug of an evening.  I did manage to give this gorgeous old chair a new coat of paint...

I love this green...

I found it a while ago at an op shop for $5 and I've been waiting for an opportunity to fix it up a bit.  It's an original Baker's design, badge and all,  I think it may have been a high chair once upon a time although there's no evidence of where other attachments may have been...

this is the before shot, looking a little bit desperate.

for more creative spaces visit kootoyoo...