nesting

Every time we are expecting a new visitor to stay, I nest.

My Mum is coming to visit in exactly seven days (from Perth) and she is staying for 3 weeks, and I am nesting up a storm.

I think it's because I haven't seen her in nearly one year and Mum doesn't have a computer, so she can't keep up with my blog or see any pictures. Although I can set my clock by her. Every night at 6pm Mum phones for the daily round-up.

Mum has not even seen any of the new things I have learnt this year - like embroidery or crocheting and Mum is not into crafts so when I am showing her my things, she gets the glassey eyed look. If I opened the door with a racoon on my head, she would think it's a hat I crafted, but she always says everything is nice, so that's all you can hope for.

.....and Audrey, do you know I am doing a giveaway?

well yes I am.

It doesn't read very well but it's an apron AND the book together. Not separately.

...and I hope I didn't embarrass anyone. You can enter and not give your first kiss story, which is more than ok.

Thank you for entering so far. I have so enjoyed reading your stories.

giveaway!

My apron making skills have come along way - just ask my friend Jules. I am mortified about my first attempt aprons I sent her in the mail. I am sure they have fallen apart by now.

To celebrate my apron improvement I thought I would do a giveaway.

I made this apron out of vintage material, lace and ribbon and I am so happy with the way it turned out.

I am also giving away a copy of Pass Me A Smile by Tokoyo Sugiwaka , a lovely little book on felting with some crochet, embroidery and knitting on the side.

To be in it to win it, I love to read stories so can you tell me about your first kiss. aaaawwww.

I will draw the name on Friday! :)

x

PS - it's only fair I should share mine.....it was my birthday party and I was 10. We played spin the bottle and Tim Smith gave me a lip to lip kiss. Not a hollywood kiss because who knows what that is at 10! More like a peck and he wipes it off and I sit there smiling like Goofy.

PSS - my beautiful friend Shannon is also doing a giveaway on her blog!!

home

It has been raining nearly non-stop for 4 days now. It is also very cold. Lucky this is our kind of weather.

With lots of rain and cold brings days spent at home. Keeping warm and making things.

Ben made lovely soup and I did a pile of mending.

I also made a little hoop for a bird to swing through. Washed and fixed a tapestry cushion I found for $2. Found two bedside lamps that are white and spinkled with blue flowers. Made some flag garlands for the playroom. Found vintage cotton and organised my sewing stuff into a cutlery draw holder. Tucked quilts into the seat of the couches. Found a sign and made a new display on the kitchen bench.

Happy Monday.

LA 1000

LA is celebrating her 1000th post today and she has lots of fun things happening on her blog.

Leigh-Ann is a lovely girl and always so happy, and she is very talented and makes beautiful treasures.

LA and Elsie are playing 20 questions and you are very welcome to join in to celebrate!

1. Show us the inside of something cute
My blog. It's definitely the insides of me....and hopefully I'm sort of cute. If you squint your eyes. (Me in my Sound Of Music outfit. I wanted to be Maria and I loved to twirl)

2. What's the last homecooking you had?
I had lovely vegetable and barley soup last night, but ate it all and didn't have a photo.

3. What do you miss? (alive)

Our brothers. They are so funny.

4. What makes you laugh often?

5. What's your favorite word?

Home.

6. What are you trying to quit?

7. What's your favorite commercial right now?

These are two of my favourite commercials ever...




8. Whose style do you dig?
Emily Martin from The Black Apple. I would steal her wardrobe in an instant. She is so lovely.

9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...

Sanctuary. A beautiful house inspiration blog.

10. What's the last craft you made?

A vintage doily garland for our bed.

11. A photo of the last happy mail you got :]

Astrid from Germany sent me some beautiful handmade soap (the orange bar) and some vintage pins in the mail. She is such a lovely girl and it really did make me happy.

12. Something you've got lately?

The lovely little frilly embroidered pillowcase for 50 cents.

13. What are you looking forward to?

My Mum will be here in less then 2 weeks. I haven't seen her for nearly a year.

14. Post a recent snapshot of yourself.

15. Recent Favorite Movie?

Not really recent, but it's the last good movie I have seen in ages that I still think about. The Darjeeling Limited.

16. Something you're working on right now?

My granny square blanket, with mandarin breaks. :)

17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?

I had to ask Ben this one. Ginnifer Goodwin was his reply.

18. What gives you goosebumps?

Besides Benny, thrifting. I love searching for diamonds in the rough.

19. Share a new obsession.

material collecting.

20. What's the meaning of your life?

time

image here

3rd post for the day, but I couldn't go without wishing you a happy weekend.

I am a fan of Inside the Actors Studio and James Lipton's 10 questions at the end of the show. You are most welcome to play along and pretend you are a famous Actor/Actress......

1. What is your favorite word?
home

2. What is your least favorite word?
the c word. It’s dreadful.

3. What turns you on?
a twinkle in the eye.

4. What turns you off?
arrogance.

5. What sound do you love?
“mummy!” and belly laughing.

6. What sound do you hate?
whistling.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
oh shit. It’s important that the oh is in front.

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?
doctor..... if I only had a brain.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
accountant. I am terrible at maths.

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
I like what you did with your time.

102 people are now following this blog and I am amazed.
You leave comments and they are so lovely to read and I feel very special that you scoot over to take a look.
Everyone has such fantastic blogs and I am inspired everyday.
I am also aware that time is getting harder to find for everyone, so it makes it even more special that you choose to spend some of it here.

Have a happy weekend!
x

a little me update

Just thought I would give an update to a little me.

8 more parcels packaged this morning and these are in the mail tomorrow.

So far I have sent endless packets of Tim Tams, jars and jars of Vegemite, vintage buttons, vintage material, pin cushions, aprons, embroidered tea towels, scarves, a quilt, wall embroidery and coffee cup warmers to places in Europe, Canada, here at home and to the USA.

It's a slow process, but please don't think I have forgotten you. You are on the list and you will get something.

footy

Never would I have thought I would talk about football. Seems so out of place amongst the doilies and the pictures of balloons.

Tomorrow is the footy grand final and I have no idea about football. I don't know the players, I barely know the teams, but I enjoyed the ad that played on the tele all year.

Being team less, I wait until grand final day and just pick one to go for on the day. Usually the underdog or the team with the best story.

Tomorrow we will go to the store, do our chores and be home in time for bounce down at around midday. This is the only game I watch all year and I will probably sit and granny along anyway.

Go the Saints. They haven't won a flag in eons.

the display

image here

Do you sometimes move a treasure around your home and find it works in some places and not in others?

I spend my life moving things around our home, just waiting to find the right spot until it looks like it was meant to be there. Poor Ben. One minute he is moving around the house quite comfortably, the next he is tripping all over it.

Sometimes placing things in areas you wouldn't even think to try (Elsie has yarn in her kitchen and it just works and looks amazing) makes your treasures look even better.

Today's inspiring photos are displays that work and everything looks right at home.
image here

A vintage dress sitting pretty in the middle of a pile of dogs. It works.

image here

A collection of old tins with blooming flowers. It works. image here

A custom made cabinet for your teacups with embroidery hoops on the side. All those patterns mixed together....it works. image here

Vintage thermos with a lunch box collection. It works with the plain table and bright chairs. image here

Clip frames have never been my cup of tea, until I saw this photo. Blues in the photos, the bowls on the cabinet and the lime green couch...it works. image here

Your best shoes, magazines and a vintage phone. It works. image here

Pile up your favourite blankets, stick them in basket....it works.

image here

Can't find anything to go with your orange teapot? Place some folded material next to it. And yes...it works.

People are so clever.