Look what I got today . . .

I'm almost there Beth, just need the plane ticket!


Won't Babes face be a picture as I toddle across the busy highway on my way to the supermarket with this!!!



I think I'll keep it, for a while . . . .

Rachaelxo

Life's Little Treats

Bliss

or as my best friend would say

"heaven on a stick"

Sunny Summer Days

Actually it was overcast and had been raining but that didn't stop The Princess and her 9 year old twin cousins from having a quick play in the pool last night.

Its hot and sunny today and I am about to do the ironing . . . maybe . . .

He Maunga Teitei - The Lofty Mountain

He Maunga Teitei - The Lofty Mountain

"Look towards the far horizons people of the world. Mourn for the mighty kauri has fallen. He has gone, but his legacy lives on. A lofty mountain who never bowed."

Translation of the beautiful 'haka' written and performed by Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate students at the funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary, held today in Auckland, New Zealand.

Birthday Gifts and Parties

Since early December The Princess has had a never ending stream of 5th birthday party invites, almost one to attend every weekend.

I have got really tired of buying and seeing the same old kinds of gifts for little girls, Barbie, Bratz, Little Pet Shop etc,

I give Stella's really close little friends, the one's who come to her tea parties, a vintage English China trio set, cup, saucer and side plate for their birthday gift.

The rest of the little girls get paper doll books, tiara making books, something like that anyway.

However I came up with a brain wave for the the little girl who's party we attended yesterday. This little girl got an apron I had made the night before, her own cup cake recipe, mixing bowl (couldn't find pink), spatula, cup cake papers and sprinkles.

I also covered a wooden A for her with pretty paper.

Here it is all wrapped up, not my best wrapping, it was done 10 minutes before the party!!!

It was such a hit with the other Mum's that I am taking orders!

We have been to 10 pin bowling, indoor playground and swimming pool parties.

This one was at a gorgeous Fairy Shop called the Enchanted Forest where they have fairy rooms for children's parties and are entertained by a real live fairy.

My Princess is the pink fairy in the corner.

Gorgeous!

A Thrifting Opportunity

Yesterday Mum and I braved the heat to do a good deed and take a whole pile of 'crap' cleaned out of Babe's grandparents house to the Hospice Op Shop, 'Op' is what we call 'Thrift' shops here, 'Op' being for 'Opportunity' if you hadn't already guessed! I like to use the term, 'Thrift' it makes me feel virtuous, like I might be saving money . . .

As you might imagine I don't need a lot of encouragement to get within sniffing distance of a good 'thrifting' 'opportunity'!!!

It was good, I am getting picky, could it be something to do with the overwhelming amount of 'treasures' pouring out of every nook and cranny in our house?

This little selection here are keepers, two cherubs for my collection and a fabulous red Burslem transfer ware plate. Actually we don't really use the term 'transfer ware' here either, we call anything remotely like that 'willow pattern'.



I do love Carlotta Edwards prints, this one, the pomander and wash basin and jug are already listed on Trade Me. Trade Me is New Zealand's very successful version of EBay.


Today I had to go and pick up something (remote controlled speedboat) for Babes in a part of Auckland that just so happens to have four 'thrift' shops. I got this gorgeous hand stitched dressing table set, a little pram for my baby ornament collection and another pomander.

I have to dash, I am off to the supermarket to buy CHAMPAGNE because my MUM HAS GOT A JOB!!!!!!

I am so proud of you Mum xo

The Golden Globes Awards Presentation may have been cancelled . . .

due to a writers strike but there is certainly not a writers strike going on in Blogland!

I have recently been honoured with two lovely awards from fellow bloggers. Don't you just love getting awards!

The first came from Alison at Creative Art and Craft by Alison Gibbs. This award was originally created by Mica at Garb-oodles Soup.

It is for being a devoted reader and leaving supportive comments. How nice is that:) Thank you so much Alison:))))



Same as Alison, I think you all deserve this award so feel free take it and 'Spread the Love'. I would like to mention just a few people though who I have noticed always leave kind and supportive comments for me and others and that is:

• Liz (my Mum) at Lizzies
• Barb at 124 Lavender Lillipop Lane
• Karen at Bluemufs Corner
• Amy at Bunnyrose Cottage
• Betty at She's Sew Pretty
• Ruth at Artful Creations
• Jen at My 3 boys and I
• Sandra at Sandra Evertson

Brittney at Adeline's Shabby Cottage gave me the 'you make my day Award'. Well you all make my day so feel free to take this award and pass it on!

A few blogs I would like to mention that make my day in one way or another are:

• Beth at Gathering Dust
• Karla at Karla's Cottage
• Karla at Sugar Bear Designs
• Kerryanne at Shabby Art Boutique
• Louise at Beachy's Cape Cod Cupboard
• Amy at Home with Amy

I could really list the entire 130 Blogs I have subscribed to read in Google Reader but it has taken me two days to complete this post so best I just 'post' it and be done!

Have a good day:)

Breakfast in Bed . . .

My latest thrifty find, the sweetest wicker breakfast tray.


I was going to touch up the chippy paint bit and sell it, however . . . I love my bed and do a lot of watching TV and blogging from it, usually with my laptop propped up on a cushion but this is just made to measure!!!!



Its a keeper!!!

A Good Catch Up

We are back from our little summer break at the beach. The Princess and I are still supposed to be there but we came home a few days earlier because of some appointments I had forgotten about!

But not to worry because it is raining anyway!!!

Its a good time to do a bit of catching up, like do the draw for my December give away. The winner of this gorgeous, if I do say so myself, oyster pink quilted satin bag is . . .

The lovely Barbara Burkard of 123 Lavender Lollipop Lane. Yahee for Barb!!! If you haven't visited Barb best you do, she is another incredibly talented lady in the land of Bloglandia.

I wasn't the only one who was late doing their December draw. So was Ms Karla Nathan of Karla's Cottage. She also did hers today and GUESS WHAT????? It's me, I'm Karla's winner. Yahee for me!!!!

Speaking of give aways, Catie at Catieans Corner is having a give away to celebrate her birthday and her 75th post. Go visit Catie and enter her give away. She's a lovely lady and super generous, I can vouch for that as I have been on the receiving end of her generosity in a previous swap. Happy belated birthday wishes dear Catie.

The only crafting I have done since Christmas is my recipe for Karla and Beth's Sweet Treats Swap. Here is my copy, a few embellishments tonight and its good to go (in the post)!

The beach was great, sun, surf and sand not to mention yummy food, wine and good company!

We hardly saw The Princess, two big girls live in the front house of the beach section and she spent the entire time with them.

However, every Princess needs a little time out for quiet reading!

We were off to visit a gypsy fair (sorry forgot to take photo's of it!). The Princess is showing off her new lip gloss! At 4 years old!!!!!

We walked down to the beach everyday, the water is so warm. Good surf too so we would take the Body Boards down. So much fun.

The estuary is a nice safe place for wee ones to swim and play, build sand castles, collect shells and dig to China as someone tried to do here in this huge hole The Princess found.

The only day I remembered to take the camera down to the beach and it was overcast! This was taken at about 6.30pm, during the day it was jam packed with people.

I wanted to share with you the beautiful soft golden sand we have on most of our East Coast beaches.

This is the main beach looking out to rocks and Islands, when the sun is shining it is glorious.

Another reason we came home earlier was on New Years Day, Babes fell of the back of a jet ski and lost his only pair of prescription glasses that we had all told him to take off! He spent the rest of the holiday in a long distance blur!

Coco our cat was really happy to see us home, for all of 5 minutes before she returned to her normal feral state!

My salad garden that Mum diligently watered for me has run wild! I made the mistake of planting a zucchini in a small space!!! My rocket, coriander and basil are all going to seed in the heat and then rain.

I adore roses but I also love lavender. I thought I would share one of my lavender's with you.

Each year I harvest the crop, the corner of my living room where this basket of drying lavender sits smells divine.

Once its dry I de-seed it and use it for my lavender hearts and other crafts. Gorgeous!

Did any of you make New Year's resolutions??

Mum and I don't so much as make resolutions but list our objectives for the year.

Some of mine are:

• Be Happy
• Be Healthy
• De Clutter & Re-Style My House
• Re-Style My Gardens
• Start a Scrapbook for The Princess
• Make Money

We shall see!!!

Maybe at the end of each month I will post an evaluation of my progress, now that might be a good motivator.

Oh, start commenting for my January Give Away, I'll post a photo of the prize sometime this week!

p.s. I had 200+ blog updates on my Google Reader when I got back from holiday. I have visited all of you and left comments on very few otherwise I would still be here next January catching up!!!

Happy New Year dear Bloggy Friends, may it be all that you wish and hope for xo