A Birthday Delight

Yesterday my little girl turned 17...we celebrated with her very favourite people and feasted on party food - mini burgers, homemade pizza, chicken drummies and party pies...oooh, and of course ice-cream cake.

There were violet fairy cakes fit for a fairy princess...























After our splendiferous feast, we watched old home movies when she was very young...we laughed until we cried, and got a little melancholy as well...I know it's a cliche' but time really does fly.

I am teaching her to drive now, and she drives to school every day. Before long, she will be finished high school and out into the big wide world. I am so proud of her and honoured to be her mother. I won't lie...it hasn't always been rainbows and unicorns, but she has blossomed into a wonderful, caring soul, who I am happy to call friend as well as daughter.

My wish for her is that she stays true to herself, lives her life abundantly, and finds magic in the everyday...Happy Birthday my darling Georgia - I love you to the moon and back xxx

Did I mention we love ice-cream cake?

Sew much fun...

Happy Friday everyone! I have still been managing to escape to my new craftroom to do some sewing - oh man, I love just going in there when the urge strikes...no more unpacking the sewing machine and setting it all up - gotta love that. Anyway, here's the little slip I finished embellishing. I used one of my vintage images printed onto transfer paper and then ironed onto calico...I sewed this onto my dyed slip and added a trim and some pretty roses - voila! It's still freezing here so I am showing you with a pair of jeans and a pink cardigan I snaffled for $2 from the op shop - bargain! And check out my rosemary...covered in pretty blue flowers. I love coming down here and picking some to throw in with my slow cooker lamb - just perfect for these cold nights.






















Can you see the kid's tree-house they made when we first moved here? It's kind of falling down now...

I took mum out for lunch today...thankyou all for your kind wishes - she is feeling much better. I know we probably shouldn't have, but we shared this quince and frangipane tart - yummy!

It's incredible really...since doing my Art Therapy course I feel like I have been kick-started and the creative ideas are flowing again. I was stagnant for a long time, but now I even lie awake at night thinking of what I may create next...it's a good feeling. I don't know, but I think maybe I lost myself for a while there...it feels good to be coming out of the fog.

Sometimes I question why I am even sharing this stuff, but it's weird...I just really enjoy taking photos and expressing myself here. It seems so overwhelming at times - there are so many blogs out there, and it's a very dangerous thing sometimes to compare what everyone else is doing. But then I remind myself that this is my little corner, to post about whatever I like...people can choose to read it or not, and that's perfectly ok. And if they don't like it, well that's ok too.

Hmmmm, sorry guys, got a bit deep and meaningful there - I tend to do that a times...oh, to be a dog and just exist in the 'now'. (Pip meditating below). I hope everyone has a magical weekend x

My sister, My friend...

Yesterday, I had the most wonderful day with my sister, Jo-Anne...we discovered a beautiful winery with a gorgeous restaurant overlooking a valley not 20 minutes from home. You could see the city of Melbourne in the distance. We happened upon this place quite by accident, but decided it would be an adventure...and it certainly was. From the delicious meal and lovely wine from the region, to the amazing views and tranquil music that was playing. I can only imagine this place at night - the waiter told us the sunsets are amazing, with the lights of the city twinkling in the distance...we will definitely be returning...maybe take the boys if they are lucky! (Photo above is of Jo-Anne, mum and me at my 40th birthday party).

It has been quite some time since we have done this together...Jo-Anne is intensely private so I don't want to disrespect her here except to say that the past few years we fell out of touch and these times were immensely difficult for me...it was like a death really, because we have always been extremely close - some have said like twins, even though there is 7 years between us. I once had a clairvoyant tell me that the energy she was getting was a twin energy...that we know what the other is thinking, and this has proven true on so many occassions. Often we have gone to call each other on the phone at the exact same moment, or turned up somewhere dressed exactly the same. We always pick up on things that are unsaid...

She is extremely wise and is someone I have always looked up to. And in fact, would have been lost without her when I had my babies...even now, she is very close to my girls and they know they can always go to her for anything. She is Godmother to both of them. I was pregnant with Georgia when she was pregnant with her third child, Brittany, so it was lovely to have our babies together...they have grown up together, and are very, very close friends.

After our delicious lunch, we drove to the nearby cemetary. It is such a beautiful, peaceful space and our sweet baby nephew is buried here. We wandered amongst the gravestones, reading about those who call this their final resting place...not morbid at all, we both felt at peace.

I am so grateful to have my sister in my life...my smile went away for a while there, but it's back now, and sharing a day like we did yesterday was like the best medicine ever...my sister, my forever friend xxx

A Creative Space and some cushions

So after much nagging and getting sick of having to lug out all my craft supplies every time the creative urge grabbed me, I have finally set aside a (small) area where I can create to my heart's content. Ian went and bought me a trestle table (ok, so it's not the quirky little number I had in mind, but it certainly serves it's purpose...

I have taken a photo of this little area as it looks now...so I don't suppose they'll be contacting me to feature in the next "Where Women Create"...oh well, it's a start. This is a spare bedroom in my house which I have visions of turning into my own little creative sanctuary...a place to play and escape the world for a while.

I have managed to get a bit of sewing done, and have created a couple of cushions. It took me ages to work out that the easiest way to get the vintage images onto fabric was to buy some transfer paper which can be printed on. It works a treat, and now the ideas are beginning to flow.
On my sewing table, you may be able to glimpse a dyed slip which I am endeavouring to embellish with an image, some flowers and trim...pretty. I bought some calico to print the images on, but I am trying to recycle a lot of the fabric from old clothes from the op shops. It's part of the challenge to find suitable material. Old velvet dressing gowns are good.

Pip and I playing in the fabric scraps...isn't she getting big? They told me she was a Toy Cavoodle! I don't think so! Anyway, I embellished this little black singlet with a sweet carousel horse.

So I am hoping to add an easel in here so I can do some more painting, and when I have decorated some more, I shall share some pics...it's a work in progress people...a bit like myself!

Guess who I wish was coming to dinner?

Tonight, Ian and I travelled into the city of Melbourne for dinner and then to see the Tim Burton exhibition - oh, be still my heart!

I love everything this guy does - definitely someone I would love to have over for a dinner party! The guy is a genius!

I was so excited when I saw the Mad Hatter's hat - Ohhhhh! And Alice's lace-up boots - where can I get me a pair of those?

In other news, I have been busy sewing (photos soon, I promise) and making a start on some new altered books (see my last post)...Celia, this time I will post pics as I go so you can try one for yourself...I made the last one in a hurry!

Also, my mum has been in hospital this week with some heart problems again...please send some healing thoughts her way...

In the meantime, I am off to watch 'Alice in Wonderland' again, and 'James and the Giant Peach' - haven't seen that one in a long while...

I wish I could have taken some photos inside the exhibition, but alas, that was forbidden. You'll just have to take my word for it that it was incredible.

Treasure Hunting and Sweet Friends

Well, what a crazy, art-filled week it's been here in the mad-house! I have quite a few photos to share...

Firstly, do you remember Vanessa's lovely Mad Tea Party a while back? Well I entered a little giveaway over at darling Wendy's blog http://candydelane.typepad.com/curiosities/ She is such a sweet girl, please pop in and say hi...anyway, it is with great excitement that I can tell you that I won a prize! (I never win anything!)

Just look at this beautiful charm she made me...and the darling cuff in the photo above (Wendy knows how much I love dress-ups). I can't tell you what a thrill it was when this arrived in the mail - thankyou so much Wendy x















































My next piece of exciting news is this...do you remember earlier in the year when I met the divine Miss Jo of http://oldflowers4me.blogspot.com/ Well, she invited me along to meet some of her friends at this shabby vintage junk extravaganza...

Here I am with Jo, Sandy and another blogger, Alicia of http://www.time-worn-style.com/blog/ I managed to bring home a few treasures, then shared a lovely lunch with my new friends. (Isn't this blogworld incredible?)

When I knew I was catching up with Jo again, I decided to make her a gift...I haven't tried altering books before, but it was something I have been wanting to try for a while. Man, I had so much fun making this, but my kitchen bench looked like a craft shop exploded for the past few days, ha ha!

I really got lost in this project, and because the book I found was Enid Blyton's Circus Book, I went with the circus theme, so the ideas came thick and fast...

I can't wait to make more of these - the possibilities are endless! You could try one with a theme, like I have, or just create something beautiful with lovely photos and inspirational quotes...even favourite recipes or a journal to paint or write in...you are only limited by your imagination!

So, I was thinking how much fun would it be to begin one, then have like a round robin where we send it on to the next person and they embellish a page with their art and then send it on...by the end everyone has their own book with artist's work from all over the world! Who's with me? I'm sure I could organise it...please say you'll think about it?

I hope everyone has a magical weekend...I am pooped, so intend to have a lazy one at home in front of the fire x

Oh We Do Love To Be Beside The Seaside...

What a magical weekend we had...we hopped in the car and travelled to our little house by the sea, 2 hours away...

We were thrilled with the new floating floors we had put down a few weeks back. Do you see the indian in the picture on the door? This was a spiritual reading/drawing I had done a few years back...his name is Kato and this piece of art is very important to me...one day perhaps I will share the story here...

We spent the morning painting the deck...many hands make light work.

So, the afternoon was free to take a stroll along our beautiful beach...the sky was so incredibly blue.

I just love this beach - it's so rugged and untouched...it is the perfect place to meditate and just enjoy the gifts of nature...

I love the feeling of sand between my toes...

We collected some shells...

And saw these beautiful creatures enjoying the beach...I think Pip thought they were ginormous dogs!

Of course we had to take some cute pics...I had pirates on my mind, thanks Vanessa!

Then it was back to the house and my very favourite swing...I can spend hours in this chair! Just give me a good book and a cup of coffee and I'll swing to my heart's content...

Just look at this beautiful flowering gumtree in our garden...as I swung, I looked up through it's branches to that beautiful blue sky above...

Oh yes...it was definitely a most wonderful weekend.