Escapism

I've had a horrible headcold/sinus infection since Friday that I can't shake and is making me feel miserable and yukky!

While blog reading I found this gorgeous magazine and with an easy little detour via the subscription page and PayPal, the link to downloading it was in my inbox before I had time to blink!

Divine escapism and an absolute bargain for $5.16 NZD.

Check it out here Souvenir Magazine or click on the image for a preview!

Rachael xo

Fifty Shades of Grey

I got on the book wagon with this, haven't started it yet,

have you?

Rachael xo

Mary Thistle comes to the castle...

I call my very best friend Mary Thistle, we have been best friends for over 20 years and have seen each other through champagne glass after champagne glass!

She lives on a farm an hour and half away from me but last week she phoned and made a booking to come for a city stay, requesting the Deluxe Suite,

luckily for her the Dilux Sweet was available,

with 5 star luxury touches,

and a home crafted complimentary gift,

none of which I even billed her for!

Unlike the recent visit the Cowboy, the Princess and I had to her farm stay where we were charged an exorbitant rate for one night!
 ;-)

I can't believe we are halfway through July!  Back in June I posted a list of what I hoped to achieve, I haven't done too well with it so need to carry it through to July lol

The June/July To Do List 

• building a website,
• writing a book, - have made notes
• creating with fabric and paint,
• selling, selling, selling, - have been doing this and continuing
• getting fit,
• getting my ribs healed, - almost there, 11/13 fractures now completely healed
• stopping pain medication, - halved it
• fun times with the Princess, - big tick
• fun times with the Cowboy,  big tick
• reading a book for pleasure,  big tick
• cooking new recipes,  big tick
• buying contact lenses,
• getting my hair cut,
• and staying warm! -  impossible in the big drafty castle
• blog daily - just added today

my list doesn't look so bad really!

better go, have a roast chicken to cook and a list to carry on working on!

Rachael xo

I won...

a fabulous bottle of Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir,

so timely after a challenging week

thank you so much Helene, please check out Helene's blog "Pretty Beautiful" she does fabulous product reviews which I find very imformative and useful and in addition quite often has give-away's to enter such as the Cloudy Bay one!

Happy July, will blog this weekend about my round up of June and plans for July, I know, late as always!

Rachael xo

Do you sometimes feel ...

like doing something, but you can't settle on what it is you want to do ?

that's me right now, sitting at my dining table with the sun on my back thinking of all the things I should be doing and all the things I could be doing and yet... doing none of them!

instead I'm playing on here,

http://pinterest.com/

and checking my sales here,

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/Listings.aspx?searchtype=SELLER&member=1933607

and reading this here,

http://coffeeklatch.be/en/interview/2012-03/20/zeb-daemen

and having my third cup of this here,

yep I should do something...like...

making the bed,

washing the dishes,

showering,

nah I'll finish my tea first and then re-think it!

Rachael xo

My Mummy

It was my Mummy's birthday last week and I meant to do this post then as a birthday tribute to her but it kinda got away on me!

Anyway, my Mummy is amazing, she is not very grown up, she makes me laugh like no one else can, you know that crying from laughter, snorting from laughter kind of laughter, when I am sick or broken she will clean my house and do my ironing (if I let her), she has more energy than anyone else I know and she is the most creative talented person I know.

I am lucky to have been the recipient of her talents over the years, for instance one Christmas I got this...

incredible crazy patchwork umbrella!

it's a work of art, lots and lots of tiny embellishments and her beautiful needlework.

The mosaic piece was my gift two Christmas's ago, made from broken china I had saved over the years,

and the needlework wall hanging was a gift some years ago.

Her grandchildren benefit from her creativeness as well, 

handmade felt slippers for the Princess, 

a beautiful felted vest

and a crazy patchwork bag with beautiful hand stitching.

When I grow up I hope to be just as creative as my Mummy!

A happy belated birthday Mummy!

I love you

Rachael xo

Something had to give...

and it was blogging!

Life got so busy with university deadlines for horrific assignments and then study for exams!

It's all over now, semester finished, freedom is mine... for a while anyway, until the next semester at least!

May was all about family, breakfasts and dinners and visits from my lovely Aunty Glenis and meeting some of the cowboy's family!

It was also about getting through university assignments, not so easy when strong pain medication messes with my head space!

And making some big hard to make decisions about university that will benefit me in the long run.

This half of June is going to be about tackling my huge to do list:

• building a website,
• writing a book,
• creating with fabric and paint,
• selling, selling, selling,
• getting fit,
• getting my ribs healed,
• stopping pain medication,
• fun times with the Princess,
• fun times with the Cowboy,
• reading a book for pleasure,
• cooking new recipes,
• buying contact lenses,
• getting my hair cut,
• and staying warm!

One of the first things on my list is convincing my neighbours this table, which I think is absolutely fabulous,

would look better in my kitchen than their garage,

don't ya think?

Rachael xo