*Pretty Maids all in a row* & one big fat Whinge!....

I spent the last two days making up some more of the little *Pretty Maids* lavender sachets & am pretty chuffed at how they turned out! Funny but while I was making them I thought to myself *I should have done this or I should have done that* but as I had cut them out all at the same time was too late but has given me new ideas for more...... so am gradually getting pretties made for my website!



I did in fact use *that* naughty word quite a lot while sewing them....(check out last post) they are in fact very fiddly to make... yah know how you do the top stitching & have all the pins around the top & they ALWAYS manage to spear you in the finger gotta tell you it REALLY hurts not to mention I was forever searching in case they drew blood! I am however very thankful that when I bought my new sewing machine last year (still loving her too) that she came with a free arm, just would not be without it, makes sewing around the tops oh so much easier not to mention when I make up cute little Christmas stockings!

So what is the *big fat whinge* you ask??? good grief it was actually several that I had today, the rain was the first pouring down in so called *Sunny Coffs Harbour* yet again, as if we have not had enough this year already, then there was this & that, not really worth mentioning now that I think about it but THE whinge of the year, month, week OK day is..... I bought a craft magazine today, the first I have bought in a couple of years & could not get over how bad & I mean BAD some of the (I was going to say creations but do not think they deserve to be called that) things! were made. To me if you are honoured by having your creations printed in a mag then they should be of the highest quality well not these babies, I guess well over 1/4 of the items were down right *dreadful*! I don't mean to sound nasty but honestly you tell me you pay all this money for a mag only to find the workmanship is very shoddy no thanks..... So there you have it my whinge for the whatever although it has taught me not to bother buying craft mags anymore....

Oh & hey think I'm entitled to 2 more whinges here... our not that old TV decided it had seen enough of this earth & simply died when it was turned on,lucky the Kids have a TV each & Mr MP&CC went out & bought another TV today & my not even a year old computer has decided to play up on me telling me I cannot update anything as *I am not connected to the internet* how can I get into my blog if I am not connected I ask you grrrrrrrr, I am not a happy chappy right now!

Now that I have got all that off my chest (yes I do feel better) I would now like to wish you all a great weekend...

A really useless bit of info about a naughty word.....

I am flat out sewing at the moment was going to show some piccies of a few of my creations but it is raining up here in paradise AGAIN so the lighting isn't the best & the photos turned out well I am going to use that *naughty* word as my Mum use to say when she heard me saying it as a kid...shit, there you go I've said it....
So whats the useless bit of info I hear you all asking well it has to do with shit! A friend came around the other day & was telling me where this little word originated from, turns out back in the olden days - we're talking back to sailing ships time here - manure, fertilizer etc was stored right down the bottom of the ship due to the unpleasant stench & sadly a lot of ships caught fire, blew up whatever because of the *gases* found in the manure. After a while they got to thinking it would be safer to store this *load* on the decks, so to make sure this gassy cargo never ventured down into the ship they wrote S.H.I.T all over the containers which means: Ship High In Transit!
So there you have it now you know why *poo* is often referred to as *shit* & i suppose when you really think about it it is not a naughty or swear word is it, so all the times my Mum told me off I wasn't really swearing hahaha!

Hope you guys are all having a great day...

Oh nearly forgot to tell you, *we* have decided not to sell our little cottage, as a compromise the extensions we had planned to do will be a tad smaller than before, hey I will do anything to keep my little home...

OMG My Darlin' Wants To Sell..... NOOOOOOO....

I had the shock of my life tonight, Mr MP&CC informed me he wants to sell our Pink & Cream Cottage! This little bit of info has really floored me, I LOVE my home, it is by no means palatial, in fact it is very small but I truly LOVE it, love where it is, love my neighbours (except for the neighbour from hell down the back) & do not want to SELL! So I am feeling very shell shocked right now & am really racking my brains as to how I can talk him out of this????? HELP!!!







Hope you are all having a good night & that your Darlin' has not decided he wants to sell your Cottage Chic home.....

Where did I put those needles & the winner is....

I'm wondering why it is whenever your REALLY need something & I mean NEED here... your unable to go & get it. I have been sewing up a storm until late yesterday arvo when I broke my last 3 needles for my sewing machine (thought I had more but do you think I can find them anywhere) & to really top things off I ran out of cotton which I also thought I had more of! I can hear you all asking so why not just jump in the car & go & get some more???? well see the thing is although I am fast approaching my 50th year - 7 months & 11 days to go - I cannot drive a car..... We only have one fabric shop left in Coffs now which is Spotlight, & whereas it is only a 10 minute walk for me to town, where Spotlight is out at Park Beach I have to catch a bus (which only go on the hour every hour & it was getting time for Dylan to arrive home from school) & what only takes 20 minutes tops to get there, grab what I need if I don't have a look around which is what ALWAYS happens when I go to Spotlight - remember it is the only fabric shop left here - & get back home, it would take 3 hours if I take the bus! Now I realise most of you Ladies out there will be horrified that I cannot drive (I DO have my L's) I have always had a fear of driving don't ask me why just do. My Darlin' took me out a few times last year to the Uni here & I had not problem driving in the car park there but as soon as he suggested driving on the road leading to the car park, well just forget that, what leave my safe little car park (no cars parked there on a Sunday) just not happening I tell you!
So anyway back to the needles & cotton as tonight is late night shopping I have to wait until then to go to Spotlight so today I will be cutting out *stuff* instead of sewing which is really bugging me I can tell you.
Ok so I have had my little whinge for the day now to announce the winner of my giveaway..
Kylie from http://abiteofcountrycupcakes.blogspot.com/ its all yours so I'll be emailing you.

Thanks to everyone who left me a comment I really enjoyed doing this giveaway.

Hope you are all having a great day.

Ok so just a short sweet & quick post today to remind everyone today is the last day to make a comment on any of my posts over the past week to go into the draw to win my 100th plus some Giveaway....

Hope you are all having a great day & if it is winter where you live & the cold weather has suddenly hit with a vengeance like it has here In Coffs Harbour, I hope you are all staying warm...

Oh & before I forget for another great giveaway pop on over to http://jonniesseriesse.blogspot.com/ can you believe Jonnie is giving away a gorgeous pincushion for her 61st birthday...what a great idea!

Loo Reno Part 2......

A few posts ago I showed you guys a couple of photos of our Loo reno in progress well I am pleased to say it is finished, nothing that flash mind you but boy what a difference to how this little room use to look... but I forgot to take photos of the *before* oh well that's life huh! I vaguely remember posting a photo when the dunny we had was still back in the 19th century with the old cistern on the wall & my great joy of it coming down & at least the loo looked more into the 20th century. Well now I am proud to say we have finally hit the 21st century & am so pleased with the end result. Walls were painted, new *dunny* put in, lino pulled up & new tiles laid, new dunny roll, toilet brush & glass shelf installed, old (even though it was pink) falling down shelf removed, toilet door repainted, white blind put up & hey presto it's done.....



Ok I need to explain a bit about these two paintings... the one above I layby'd years ago when I was a single Mum & just after I met my darlin', anyway he paid it off for me & it along with 2 other oil paintings I had bought are my pride & joy. It had been hanging in our hallway but I never really liked it there so *The Little Hobbo* has found a new home in our Loo! The very talented artist who painted him did a *one only* so he is also very valuable now, Mr MP&CC was a bit horrified when I placed him above the loo but I did reason with him that he is *high enough* not to get *wet* if you get my drift.....

This sweet painting has always had its home in our loo, we bought it years ago for $2.00 at an auction the frame has always been a bit tatty & over the years I have pulled her down to paint the frame white but for some reason it just never felt quite *right* yah know??? I love the scene in this painting, the soft muted colours & especially the old tatty frame, would love to know its history....

Ok so above is the new glass shelf we put in, not happy with whats on it but hey there's plenty of time to find the *right* things to go here.... oh & the heart hanging down I love, I bought a set of these from the beautiful Miss Andrea at http://www.thepink-poodle.blogspot.com/ go & check out her blog & her ebay listings.....

The pickie above shows the great job Mr MP&CC did of the tiling, we couldn't get any more tiles that matched the floor to go along the bottom of the walls but hey who cares, they were only 25c each & I think they look great, my man has done a wonderful job especially for a *artist in burnt clay* - bricklayer!

I use to have my loo rolls on one of those stands, I had painted it a pale green (the same as the stool I painted in the previous post) with roses all over it, but never really liked it & this cane basket I have had since the beginning of time so gave her a coat of white paint & am quite amazed how many loo rolls she holds..(whoops should have put a new roll on the holder) The *L O V E * sign I also bought off Andrea, its my *Bit of Pink* in the loo. Have been thinking of buying *pink* loo paper how nice would it look, but to be honest it is too expensive just to flush away! Oh & the *help you on & off the Loo* thingy on the wall was there when we bought the house, & no I do not need to use it, was going to remove it but decided to leave it there after I cleaned it all up to hang something off it, just haven't decided what yet.......

So what do you think??? Have been thinking of putting some of my favourite mags in here but then again it is hard enough to get me out of this quaint little room as it is, I truly am in dunny heaven....

Of Fairies & a Stool.....

I came across this little stool yesterday that has been standing quietly at the foot of the bed in Taska's bedroom & boy did it take me back.... I remember painting this for Taska when she was a wee little thing & I was decorating her bedroom. The walls were (& still are) painted cream on top, pink on the bottom, & she slept in a fairy wonderland! I bought her the ABC's frieze that went right around her walls with fairies all over them, made the curtains out of fairy material with a matching doona cover & pillow slip. Fairy ornaments were lovingly placed in every nook & cranny, I also painted her another stool with a fairy scene on it & heart shaped plaques with similar characters painted on them as the stool below.......

Funny yah know but I still remember painting this & just how long it took & even though it has pen marks all over the top it gave me a lot of pleasure to know Taska still uses this little stool & it hasn't been banished to a corner of her room, covered up with the mess that is on her floor like the fairy stool has. When Taska moved rooms I lovingly took all the fairy items down & although it did not surprise me that in their place the posters of favourite actors/musicians etc went up it did sadden me to realise my little girl was growing up & there never again would be a fairy theme in my home.....

The doona cover pillow slip & curtains are long gone, passed onto a girlfriends little girl who isn't so little anymore so maybe they are not being used but the ornaments & frieze have been lovingly packed away by Taska hopefully waiting to be bought out when it is her turn to decorate her daughters bedroom (oh not for a LONG time though!) Her room has gone through a few changes over the years at the moment it is at the start of a black & white phase which is lookin' good I admit, but the little stool remains & never fails to put a smile on my face..... it also made me realise how much I miss the craft I gave away so many years ago.... maybe its time to take it up again...

Hope you are all enjoying your long weekend... the weather is just glorious up here in sunny Coffs Harbour...

With heart felt thanks to two beautiful Ladies

This is a very special post for me where I am giving thanks to two very special ladies in my life.... Ok so first I say thanks to Miss Ali... first for making my template for my oh so pretty blog, matching ebay template & *me* page... When I decided to start on a new journey & open a website (with the encouragement of so many of the lovely ladies out there) I emailed Ali & asked her if she would consider making a template to match my blog etc. To be honest I felt bad as Ali had decided to have a break from making her amazing creations & to top it off she is pregnant with her fourth child so I honestly did not expect to receive a YES from her. To my absolute delight Ali agreed to make my template PLUS a banner for my etsy site plus a few extras! If you go back to my first ever post you will see how I felt about the blog page, I was blown away as to how *pretty* it is & I still am, every time I log in I just sit & look at my page & the feeling ...well I cannot describe how I feel except to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE it & now I have the same oh soooooo *pretty* website! So my gorgeous (fellow Kiwi) Miss Ali http://adregan.blogspot.com/ I thank you with all my heart.... you have no idea what it means to me xxxxx

So above is as you all know my oh so pretty banner made by Miss Ali & now on to the second beautiful Lady I wish to give thanks to.... I have *known* Miss Rebecca for quite a few years now as she has always been in *My Favourites* in ebay right from the time I became a member. I always saved her stunning creations to my *watch* list & dreamed of making stunning creations like Rebecca made. I do not know if she remembers this but years ago I emailed her when I first thought about selling on ebay but felt what I created was not good enough & more or less just poured my heart out to her. I received an email back telling me to believe in myself & how she felt when she sold her first item on ebay. I have never forgotten her words to me, the encouragement she gave was what finally gave me the *guts*? to start selling. I have bought a couple of Rebecca's works of art & cherish them, Christmas items that are lovingly stored away each year & they still take my breath away when they are unpacked when it is time to decorate for Christmas, always taking pride of place in my home... Ok so I was reading Miss Reb's latest post this morning & could not believe it was about *Vintage Graphics* & how she uses them to make her creations. The thing is I have been trying to make cards up with my pretty banner & couldn't master it but after reading her post today I have finally *done it*...so thank you my oh so sweet Rebecca, once again you have put me on the right path towards my new journey... Go & visit Miss Rebecca http://rebecca-gatheryeroses.blogspot.com/ Ooohhh & I forgot to say I have her blog open in a separate page just to listen to her beautiful music.. right now I listening to the theme from *Dances with Wolves*...

I have been putting off admitting to myself this but the two ladies who have had the most influence in setting me on my new path in life are both very religious.. something I have chosen not to be in the past... now I am feeling that they have been sent to me for a reason.. so maybe it my time to start believing....


So to these two very special Ladies & FRIENDS I say ...THANK YOU FROMTHE BOTTOM OF MY HEART & I LOVE YOU BOTH XXXXXX...

Oh & don't forget to leave a comment to go in the draw for my 100th giveaway.....

The Gift of Friendship......

This is not the post I had intended to write today, guess that's how life works at times anyway I received an email from my dearest friend Anna today, actually one of quite a few emails, the ones she sends me are normally very funny as she seems to know I need that extra little something to keep me on track.... So back to the email well it contained a poem that was described as to give the reader *goosebumps* well it certainly did but it also brought the tears flowing & once again showed me how much this special lady loves me. So have a read & expect to receive goosebumps.....



A drunk man in an Oldsmobile.. They said had run the light.. That caused the six-car pileup.. On 109 that night.. When broken bodies lay about.. And blood was everywhere.. The sirens screamed out eulogies.. For death was in the air.. A mother, trapped inside her car..Was heard above the noise..Her plaintive plea near split the air.. Oh, God, please spare my boys! .She fought to loose her pinned hands.. She struggled to get free.. But mangled metal held her fast.. In grim captivity.. Her frightened eyes then focused.. On where the back seat once had been.. But all she saw was broken glass.. Two Children's seats crushed in.. Her twins were nowhere to be seen.. She did not hear them cry.. And then she prayed they'd been thrown free.. Oh, God, don't let them die!
Then firemen came and cut her loose.. But when they searched the back.. They found therein no little boys.. But the seat belts were intact.. They thought the woman had gone mad.. And was traveling alone..But when they turned to question her.. They discovered she was gone.. Policemen saw her running wild.. And screaming above the noise.. In beseeching supplication.. Please help me find my boys! They're four years old and wear blue shirts.. Their jeans are blue to match.. One cop spoke up.. They're in my car.. And they don't have a scratch.. They said their daddy put them there.. And gave them each a cone .. Then told them both to wait for Mom To come and take them home.. I've searched the area high and low.. But I can't find their dad.. He must have fled the scene.. I guess, and that is very bad.. The mother hugged the twins and said..While wiping at a tear.. He could not flee the scene.. you see.. For he's been dead a year.. The cop just looked confused and asked.. Now, how can that be true? The boys said.. Mommy.. Daddy came And left a kiss for you.. He told us not to worry.. And that you would be all right.. And then he put us in this car with The pretty flashing light.. We wanted him to stay with us.. Because we miss him so.. But Mommy.. he just hugged us tight And said he had to go.. He said someday we'd understand And told us not to fuss.. And he said to tell you.. Mommy.. He's watching over us.. The mother knew without a doubt That what they spoke was true.. For she recalled their dad's last words.. I will watch over you.. The firemen's notes could not explain The twisted, mangled car.. And how the three of them escaped Without a single scar.. But on the cop's report was scribed.. In print so very fine..
An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109.



Don't forget to leave a comment to go into the draw for my give away

Have a great night...

A Giveaway.......

I'm well & truly late with my 100th giveaway but it really has been hectic here the last week or so. Anyhow I guess it is better late than never huh. Ok so the photos are not the best as the batteries decided to die just after I took these & cannot seem to find my back ups thanks to a certain 16 year old young lady who dwells in this house...... need I say more. So after a lot of brain storming I came up with this little Lavender Sachet to hang on a door or sit on a duchess, whatever the winner decides. I made a link up & put it on the sidebar, the one below is just for show, & its quite simple to enter, hey just leave me a comment that's it, couldn't be any easier I reckon.....I made this cutie to look like a summer dress, brighten my day as we are into winter here down under & I am already counting the days until spring.... in a nutshell DO NOT like the cold.

Inside the bag is another bag brimming to the top with 100% pure lavender buds, really does smell so yummie....

Ok so that's it you all know what you have to do, just leave me a comment, the more comments you leave the more your name goes into the bowl. I am leaving this open for a week so Thursday 11/6/09 I will announce the winner, oh & its open to any & everyone I will post her off anyway in the world......

It felt like Christmas here on Monday as our new fridge/freezer arrived to replace the one that was damaged in the flood & my darlin' also picked up his new lawn mower & whipper snipper, which I might add are sitting lovingly in the shed , are spoken to each day & I can see it is going to be awhile before he uses either of them as he doesn't want to get them dirty!

Our new *baby* some of the kitchen cupboards & bench had to be made smaller to get her in.

Well that's it for today, hope you are all having a great day......

If you are an NRL follower then you all know what tonight is... so GO THE MIGHTY BLUES!