A Gorgeous Surprise...For Me!

On the way home from dropping Miss Angel at school this morning, the Monkey and I stopped at the post office to check our mail box. I put in the key and opened the little door, reached in and pulled out a couple of envelopes and a small parcel. The parcel was addressed to me. I turned it over to see who the sender was. It was from my friend Nicole. I had a strong suspicion to what was inside. I'm good at guessing surprises. When we got back to the car, I ripped open the packaging ,cos I couldn't wait til we got home, and found this inside.

Such a lovely note.

The excitement was building.

Oooooh, *squeal* a one-of-a-kind, made just for me, Fabric Flower Brooch!

I can't tell you how absolutely delighted I am to recieve this gift from Nic. It's her way of thanking me for my friendship and support. Her kindness, generosity and appreciation has overwhelmed me a little.

I've been following her design business progress for a little while now. I, along with others, have been encouraging her along the way because she has an amazing creative talent. Her designs and creations are so unique and beautiful! There is such creativity in that brain of hers and such skill in her hands. Her work is second-to-none!

I would love for you to appreciate them half as much as I do. Please pop over to her website and have a look at her work. Let her know you have been to visit too. She loves to hear from us. One day I hope to visit her in her creative space.

~ Ky x

You MUST Have a Look!

We've all taken photos of our babies while they sleep, but I bet you haven't taken them like this yummy mummy does!

Quick, go have a look! If this isn't pure creativity, then I don't know what is.

 I found this via Lori Danelle: maker of things.

*sigh* I wish my babies were still little enough to do this with.

~Ky x

For Those Who Truly Appreciate Weeds and Moss

I'd never seen sour grass before I moved to Victoria. It started growing in my garden a few months ago. It looks very much like clover, but a completely different flower. It's a very dainty yellow flower. I haven't down any weeding since we moved here and the front garden was almost overcome with sour grass. I am currently spending hours pulling it out.

When my Mum was visiting  last month, she brought some of these flowers inside and made me chew the end of the stalk. It is VERY sour. I might add, she took great delight in seeing the look on my face when I tasted the sourness. She told me that when she was a child, her and her friends loved to chew on the end of the sour grass. Yes, she's a Victorian, even though she has lived in Queensland for the past 36 years. And that, dear friends, is one of her childhood memories. And tha nks to Mum, I learned what this weed is called. It is EVERYWHERE!

I mowed the front lawn yesterday. I hadn't done it all winter. So I was amazed to see that a lot of the lawn is actually that carpety type of moss! It's just beautiful! The front yard doesn't see much sun and so the lawn stays damp and cold all of the time. Perfect conditions for moss.

 I know, I know, you're wondering why I'm blogging about weeds and moss. Well, I think they are pretty and I like to share pretty things.

Now, one more pretty flower for you. My first pansy of the season. Come to think of it, I think pansies are an 'all year round' flower. Ok, so it's the first pansy from the plants I put in the pot a couple of months ago. They grow so sllloooowww in winter.

~ Ky x

What Is This Called?

I have had this box forever! Well, maybe not forever, cos I actually haven't been alive that long, but I've had it for as long as I can remember. It used to be my treasure box. When you were a kid, there are so many wonderful things that can be put in a treasure box. Now I just use it to store small things. My Mum has one too. I remember she used to keep jewellery and other fun things in it on the top shelf of the wardrobe. It was such a treat when she would get it down and let my sister and I play with what was inside it. Hers has pink thread though.

I am not only showing you this because it is 'vintage', a relic from the 70's, but because I have absolutely no idea what they are called. I was going to google it, but I don't even know what to type into google. So, if any of you can help me out with this, I would really appreciate it.

Oh, and let me know if you had one too!

~ Ky x

The Curtains - Before and After

So I finished the curtains the other day. They were easy peasy. I was all angst about making them for nothing. I guess sewing is like riding a bike, once you learn, you never forget. I did 5 years of Home Ec, so I definately learned how to use a sewing machine and no matter how many years go by between uses, I can still remember how to do everything. Well almost everything. The basics, anyway.

Moving on... I thought you might like to see some before and afters. I have to admit that I'm not totally happy with the curtains. I think I need to make them a little narrower. They are thermal lined which makes them a heavy, stiff fabric which doesn't gather and hang very well. You will see what I mean in the photos. It's very hard to open them as there is too much gather at the top.

Bare windows that have been letting a lot of our heating disappear.

Monkey has never seen me use the sewing machine before. Being a very curious 3 year old, he was right in there a lot of the time. I had to constantly tell him to leave the machine alone. You should have seen the sheer delight on his beautiful face when the bobbin ran out of thread and I had to put some more on. He wanted me to do another one, and another one...

This machine actually belongs to my Mum. It must be at least 30 years old. My sister had it for awhile and now it is living at my house until I buy my own. Mum loves her Bernina. It is a beaut machine! She has been kind enough over the years to lend it to us girls as she has a Janome at her place..

I might add too, that Monkey would lie on the table behind the machine and insisted on pulling out the pins on the curtains as I was sewing. I had to call out the colour of the pin and then he would reach his little hand through the machine and pull it out. It made the process a little slower, but it kept him out of trouble.

Ta- da!

Looks better, huh? This end of the house keeps a lot warmer now that they are up. They will help to keep the hot, western sun at bay in summer too. I didn't really want thermal lined curtains here. I would have loved some heavy lace, but I had to be practical. Oh well...

~ Ky x

A Day of Great Rejoicing

"For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a mighty shout and with the soul-stirring cry of the archangel and the great trumpet-call of God. And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord.

Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever." 
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

~ Ky x

ps. I didn't actually take these photos.

Bits and Bobs...little treasures

Monkey and I popped into one of my favourite charity stores this morning. It's the ADRA op shop in Mitchum. They have the most interesting stuff and their prices are so much better than some of the big name op shops. Personally, I think some of the prices that op shops charge for some things are too much. I've picked up many a piece to see what the price is and then put it back down cos I'm not willing to part with that amount of money for something that is secondhand and well used. I know it's for charity, but c'mon...

So, this morning I spotted a sewing table and pulled out the top draw to check it out. It had a utensil tray in it so I pulled that out and underneath were tins with stuff in them and also some other sewing bits and bobs. I asked the ladies how much they wanted for the tins and some of the other stuff. I didn't buy everything, only the things that are useful to me.

These tins once housed 50 cigarettes. Not anymore though. The previous owner used them to store sewing essentials.  She has even etched what was in them on the lids.

Press stud, threads...even nylon thread for mending stockings.

Don't we just throw them out and buy a new pair now when they get a hole in them?

More tins that I will be filling with my own sewing and crafting essentials.

And I found these great little bits and bobs. A little tin, for little stuff, a couple of crochet hooks in a size I don't have, a tape measure, a tin of pins and a cute little stanley knife.

I just had to buy this tin of pins! My mum had/has one. As soon as I saw it I had a strong sense of nostalgia wash over me. There was no way I was going to walk out of the shop without this little gem. Now if only I could get it open.

How cute is this stanley knife? Just for the girls, this one. I couldn't see a man using it. It's not manly at all. It's not really a stanley knife, cos it doesn't have stanley written on it, but I just call all knives like this a stanley knife.

This tea towel is 100% linen and made in Ireland. I'm beginning a collection of good quality tea towels for an Etsy shop idea I have. I've had this idea for a long time, but I'm finally going to do something about it.

Here's another one. This one is made in ...

...Czeckoslovakia! It's 61% cotton and 49% linen. Don't know how they work out those percentages. It amused me, I have to say.

So there you have it. My exciting morning of treasure finding. I might add that all these items, plus 2 viewfinders for the kids cost me the grand total of $18. Not a bad mornings shopping I must say. Do I love a bargain or do I love a bargain???

~ Ky x

Plates 'n Stuff

I came across this lovely plate in an op shop a few days ago. It has been nursing our bananas since it came to live with us. It was the right price, so I snapped it up. Can't go past an old, pretty plate for $5. I am quite sure it will serve me well. I don't even mind that it has a stain in the middle of it, or that the glaze is all cracked. I rather like that look. It's been well used.

This is the makers stamp on the back of it (sorry it's sideways). I thought the sailing ship was cute. Makers stamps really don't mean much to me unless it's something well known like Royal Doulton, Wedgewood, Noritake...you get the idea.

And then there's this bowl and jug set. It's a very cute set that my darling husband nicked from his cousins holiday house (he knows me so well). He also nicked some pottery stuff. Yikes!!! I didn't like that stuff in the 80's and 90's and I certainly don't like it now(he brought them home just in case I wanted them). I thought he'd stopped off at a pottery barn. I REALLY don't like pottery barns. So, I dropped them off at the local Salvo's store...they can have them. Anyway... 

The only stamp this one has on the bottom says JAPAN. That immediately tells you that it's a cheap knock off...made to look like it's collectable. It is a very sweet little set though, so I'm going to keep it.

I'm just not sure what to use it for, so for now it will sit atop my slowly growing collection of old plates. One day I hope to have enough old plates and bowls to be able to set the table with them. You know, shabby chic style. Nothing matching.

Well, better be off now. I have some curtains to try and sew. It's been a few years since I've sewn anything, so I have to go and use my brain to work out how wide to cut the fabric plus add on the seams...aarrrrgh, my brain hurts already. I will show you how I go when they are up. Until then, enjoy your day!

~ Ky x

p.s. The fabric that the plate is sitting on is what I am making the curtains out of.

First Time At The Snow

I have to blog about going to the snow yesterday. It was the first time my children have been to the snow! It's also the first time that I have been to the snow too! Yes I know, how does someone get to my age and have never been to the snow??? Weeellllll...I am a Queenslander. You know, sun, surf and sand(I hate sand!). Just never bothered to save the money to go on a snow trip. Buuuut, now that we live in Victoria, it's a different story.

It was so much fun! It was so cold! I've never felt that kind of cold before. It was great!!! We went with some friends who have children of a similar age to ours. It was lots of fun with friends there too. We had snow fights, sliding down hills, the big boys made a snowman. The kids loved it! We had to bring a carrot from home for his nose. Angel made sure of that!

Here are a few pics from yesterday. Just want to share cos I was and still am so excited about it!

It was very exciting seeing the snow along the road as we neared the top of the mountain.

Using the snow covered rock as a slide.

The snow man that the guys made. He was quite a hit with other visitors to the snow too.  He had his photo taken quite a few times.

Playing in the snow is hard work and Monkey needed some more fuel.

This is Monkey refusing to look at the camera or smile for the photo.

This photo was taken by Monkey.

So there you have it! Our first time as a family at the snow. Can't wait for the next one!

~ Ky x

A Fairytale Cottage...Part 2

When I posted the photos about this cute, little cottage yesterday, I did so without reading the article in the New York Times about it and how it came to be. It was one womans dream to have her own Victoriana cottage and she made it happen. She did it all herself. You can read the whole story here.

A Fairytale Cottage...Gorgeous!

How unbelievably darling is this place??? It's too cute for words! Not particularly practical, but a very sweet retreat none the less. I'd have it way up in the backyard as a my own little cubby, to hide away from the world. The lovely garden would have to be there as well. It's just divine!

   * from {this is glamorous}

~ Ky x

Bruno's Garden

Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful, crisp, sunny winter's day here. It was just too beautiful to stay indoors, so Mum, the kids and I drove out to Marysville to visit a garden that Mum has been wanting to see for quite some time. It's a garden that was destroyed by the Black Saturday firestorm. All of Marysville was devastated and destroyed that day.  Sitting in Bruno's Garden amongst the tall gums and looking around at the hills that are covered with these trees, one can only imagine the horror of the firestorm in all it's fury cascading down through the forests, claiming everything in it's path. The roar of the fire must have been deafening. A sound that could never be forgotten.

So, there we were yesterday, wandering through this garden that has been cleaned up and rebuilt. The work that has gone into restoring it is just tremendous. We will be visiting it again in a year or two. The plants will have grown back a lot by then and it will probably look a lot like it did before it was destroyed. We wandered through, enjoying the sunlight and the sounds of nature. Spotting the whimsical, beautiful and just plain weird sculptures that Bruno has crafted out of his imagination. We loved it and the kids had a grand time racing through the paths.

This is the entrance to the garden. It's also pretty much one of the only photos I could get of both the kids standing still and looking at the camera.

She is my favourite. I'm not sure why, but I really like her!

I actually really like this bloke too. He looks right at you and I can just hear him playing that didge like an old pro.

You can see the regrowth on the gum trees in this photo. I think this tree guy has been through the firestorm too. The branches look rather blackened.

I should have taken this photo further out so you could see that this whimsical character is standing on the upturned roots of a gum tree that has fallen over. It's like he has come to life out of the roots. Fantastic!

This is such a beautiful sculpture. I really like this one too.

As soon as I saw this man I thought to myself, "Now here's a man in utter contentment!"

This cute guy survived the firestorm too. Originally there were a few more branches, but most of them have survived, albeit a little blackened.

 

These are only a few of the photos I took of the sculptures throughout the garden. There are so many more! It's such a tranquil place, and in a year or two it will be spectacular!

~ Ky x