my creative space...

I've been busily making things for the store.  I'm trying to work up enough courage to try a market, I'm sure if I have plenty stock I should be fine..I guess..it's a little nerve-racking & stressful trying to build up those stock piles... 

loving my new poison apples, though some of these are a little on the 'dark' side, and my mouse pads, which have certainly been a trial have turned out well, thankfully...

for more creative spaces, pop on over to Kootoyoo...

at my house...

I'm loving simplicity & stealing quiet moments...

We've spent the weekend up at my parents place which is always a highlight for the boys, they just love it there, especially when all their uncles are around for shoulder rides, tickles, wrestling & running wild over the hills & wide open space...

I also managed a peaceful drive through the countryside all on my own while the boys played happily at nan & pop's.  I pottered about in some antique shops, gorgeous book shops & found a lovely spot to sit and enjoy a coffee with the prettiest view...

There's one week left of school holidays & we have a sleepover planned for the big boy, a day in town & hopefully some more hanging about home doing not much at all.

What's going on at your house?  

Pop over to Buttons By Lou Lou to join in...

today I am grateful for...

I'm joining in with Maxabella's meme today, a sweet Saturday post 'things I am grateful for'...

* spending time with my four gorgeous brothers this Grand Final day.  It's usually only at Christmas that we can ever get them all in one place at the same time, so this really is something special..

* breaky at the dunes every saturday has become our little family ritual, precious time to catch up on the busy week gone by..

*school holidays & heading out for a quiet country drive on my own while the boys are happily spending time with grandparents...

(image via lola's room)

what are you grateful for today...

handmade christmas challenge...

Wow, it's Saturday again already, how quickly the weeks are flying by! I haven't had a whole lot of time for much creating this week due to the school holidays & enjoying a bit of down time, but I did come across these very sweet little christmas birdies for the tree this year, so pretty in white..

visit edward & lilly for more of this gorgeousness.

I did manage to make one christmas sack all I need to do is thread some cord through the top.  It's a little plain, but he loves it!

for more handmade christmas goodness head
to knicky knacks..

my creative space...

I've been wanting to paint this navy brick wall since we moved into our house almost 3 years ago, but I kept putting it off thinking that once I start I'll want to do the whole place.  Finally, it got the better of me.  A house full of kids & their friends was not the most ideal timing for such a project but nevertheless, job done!

before...

panic sets in about here...

after!

I'm really pleased with the result, it just makes the room so much brighter.  I was right, though, I do want to keep going!  Next, the hideous cherry red wall...

more creative spaces at Kootoyoo...

thrifting...

I was fortunate enough to find myself child-free for an hour or so on Friday afternoon...what's a girl to do but go op-shopping!

The thrifting angels were certainly shinning their sweet light on me as I wandered aimlessly around the Salvos store.  One fabulous find after another, first a Willow canister, some lovely old sheet music, a pretty floral linen, some of my favourite golden books ever & then... the vintage laundry hamper!! I have been looking at these for a while now but have never been able to justify the price (upwards of $80!) this sweet thing was all of $10!!  and I plan on using the linen to re-cover the top... 

at my house...

Holidays have kicked off with one wicked case of head lice - eeeewwww! It's our first time & it is truly so revolting.  We've been lucky to get by so long without ever having it, I guess it was inevitable.  So we've treated the whole family (twice!!), even though there was only one little culprit, all of us hibernating the entire day Saturday with our greasy but fortunately sweet smelling heads (it might have been nice to know there was a 30 minute alternative at the time of purchasing our 8 -12hr grease bucket), stripped every bed & cushion & given the house a spring clean..at least this makes me feel a little better...

and now we've all recovered from our late night at the concert, de-loused & ready to enjoy our holidays.  Fingers crossed the weather warms up so we can spend some time at the beach, go for walks & maybe a picnic or two...Our fruit trees are covered in blossom, which is the prettiest sight to see, hopefully this means loads of fruit this summer...

pop on over to Lou Lou's to share what's going on at your place...

handmade christmas challenge...

Christmas has to be my absolute favourite time of year.  I LOVE the carols & christmassy tunes playing everywhere you go, though hubby dreads them due to his years working in retail when the tunes started 2 months prior & seemed to continue weeks later, so I try to keep them to a minimum when he's around, I love watching all the old christmas classics on tele & hire extra from the video shop, I love reading a story every night from our special christmas book, the christmas parties, the kids handmade tree ornaments, the excitement & anticipation of the holidays on their way...

this year I think it's time we had some new christmas sacks, so I've pulled out a few bits & pieces I have in my stash to give it a whirl.  I love this striped fabric, I found it at the op shop & was going to make pj shorts for the boys, but I think it'll be nice for this little project...

more handmade christmas goodness over at knicky knacks...

showtime!

The school concert is done & dusted, what a gorgeous night!  I love the school concert & all it's amateur glory, with the kids sooo excited, some very nervous, some giving a huge sigh of relief that it's over as they walk boldly off stage, some not wanting to leave the stage.  I love the costumes clever Mum's put together (I must say I got off very lightly this year!), the proud parents clapping & cheering..and I especially love that we are under strict instruction to turn up the next day whenever we are ready, after a big sleep in! That doesn't actually happen at my house, unfortunately, due to sadly early risers we still get there well before the bell rings, but I like that we are allowed to...  

getting into character...

trying to pull off a 'jo cool' pose like his big brother (doesn't quite work in a pink piggy outfit)

the tail...a temptation for every prep in sight, many a curl check was done before he went on stage..

My pickpocket & piggy did a great job & had a ball on stage with their friends.  Now holidays are about to begin & we can't wait to do a whole lot of nothing!  

my creative space...

I was asked if I could do christmas decorations for a store & got just a little over excited in the making. So, my space is all about whimsy garlands today ...

one for me...

and one for our little firetruck fan...

another for the big boy...

and these are the special christmas request, I hope she likes them...

for more creative spaces, pop on over to Kootoyoo...

a giveaway!

Loved is having a giveaway & you could win one of these sweet 'Meaning of Love' brooches..

pop on over to the Loved Facebook page to enter...

at my house...

...we're enjoying weekends & the lead up to the last week of term.  Despite being a little worn out & counting down the days 'till holidays, everyone here is relaxed at the moment, taking things easy, enjoying quiet time, playing awesome games for hours in the backyard...and there is a hint of last week excitement in the air...

...for me it's been time to create...

thrift...

sew...

even bake!

pop on over to Lou Lou's to see what's going on at everyone else's house this week...

handmade christmas challenge...

I'm quite in love with these sweet necklaces, & I'm so enjoying making them for custom orders, too.  I think they'll make the perfect gift for the boy's teachers this year...

We have been so lucky to have amazing teachers every year so far, since our eldest started school 4 years ago.  This year has been no exception, our preppie has the most divine teacher, an absolute dream for his first year of school, and our big boy says this is his best year so far...blessed!

Join in the handmade christmas challenge over here.

back on the hook...

my gorgeous nana rug!

I admire & love my nana rug every single day, the boys know it's special too & fight to be the first to curl up with it, all snugly & warm, but I have decided it needs to be a little bigger, big enough for 2 to snuggle under, and It will be finished properly with a pretty trim.  I'm thinking, scallop, frill or bobble...perfect!

my creative space...

...is all about school concert costumes!  We have to make a cute little pig 'swinging on a star' & a pickpocket from 'Oliver'.

I'm so looking forward to it this year.  Our house has been filled with sweet little voices rehearsing their songs (& each others) I even find myself wandering about with their tunes in my head and I'm loving it! It's always a long night, but the little guy is that bit older this time round so will hopefully make it through, and we have two performances to look forward to, which is very exciting!  Not to mention the end of term 3, can you believe that!! This year truly is flying by way too fast.

Check out the cute wool shorts I found at the op shop for $4.  They are actually ladies shorts, I'm supposed to be hacking into them with scissors to make them look ragged, but I'm really hoping I can put them on the big boy with rope around his waist to look shabby & poor, so then I can keep them for myself!  As for our little piggy, he is so excited about his costume (of course!) he was told that he could be either a black or a pink pig..I adore that he chose pink!

It's all happening over at Kootoyoo, pop on over...

loved on facebook!

I have finally managed to set up a facebook page for my 'Loved' store, take a peak to keep updated as new items become available & to be in the know for specials & sale items...

Loved on Facebook...

...and does anyone know how to change the badge on my blog to show updated status?

at my house...

...a mad start to the week after being away for the weekend.  So this morning, hubby was off to catch the train to Melbourne at 5.30am & as the cupboards were bare & inspiration was lacking in the food department, the boys and I headed off to an impromptu breaky at the Dunes before school...

they couldn't believe their luck, & I was just happy for coffee & the peaceful view.

share what's happening at your place over Buttons By Lou Lou...

my creative space...

making gifts for lovely ladies...

not so easy to photograph yourself...

but I'm sure you get the idea of how it's supposed to look...

I'm loving making these, I've so many more colours to do, just not enough time in the day to do them.  This one I did last night watching tele, not ideal light for such a dark cotton, but it turned out surprisingly well.

for other creative spaces visit Kootoyoo...

* having received several emails about this piece since posting, just letting the rest of you know, there will be more instore soon & I am happy to take orders...x

spring is here!!

...or is it?

The rain is pouring down outside, that gorgeous sunshine a few days ago was just a  cruel tease..and then this arrived in the mail to brighten my day!

the prettiest shopping bag ever!

Thanks so much to the very generous Jeanne from Collage of Life for this sweet giveaway.  It'll be my new companion to the market, the beach, the shops, oh the places we will go..love it!

On another very exciting note, some of my store items have just been featured over at Calico & Co. Thanks Amanda! Things certainly are brightening up over here...