a gift that teaches.

for my birthday, i was given a cross stitching starter kit, by my lovely brother and sister. it was a surprise gift, and very thoughtful, because i love it. i love that i can now learn and practice a new craft.

i remember when i was young, my mum used to cross stitch - i even have faint memories of me as a young lass having a go myself. thinking it was quite simple in theory, but really a little too time consuming for an itchy foot people person, who's frequent utterings included 'I'm bored' and 'wanna play a game with me'. i was surely such an unbearable kid. (i think my brothers felt this more than anyone, still.)

so, off i go on a new cross stitch journey. but this time its 'cool'. my sister who gave the gift (i know it wasn't really your idea Dave, sorry), has a good eye for design, fashion, art and creativity. and she has demonstrated this many a time, when she has mastered and used an old time craft for brilliant home beautifying. see...

along with the supplies i was given i raided my mother in laws sewing room, which opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. she has, like, hundreds of cross stitch, patchwork and sewing magazines. i swiftly scoured the stash for different cross stitch texts - that will be my first task. learning to 'type'.

a.

in the trees

the ice in my Bulliet bourbon quietly crackles, wooing in the evening on this, a still sunday.

i smile to myself as i consider the chance to draw those winding lanky limbs of the australian eucalypts, like i did as a teenager, from the windows of our home that looked into the far-reachers of the national park.

i can sit on the back porch, with the great sky above me, yet still undercover, and gaze at the soft swaying bushels of those tall trees i told you about.

its starting to sprinkle here and the onions in the saucepan are probably a tad past 'golden'. evening ladies and gents.

a.

p.s. hydrangea update - to my sadness, a yard man came yesterday and started de-foliaging my driveway. the beautifully hydrangea lined one i was telling you about! sadness. well at least i enjoyed the last buds while i could.

a little slice of perfection

in this new place.

we moved last week, away from our families, away from our friends and away from 'God's Country'...a place we loved to live and a place we were very comfortable in. but, we know its all good. we trust its all good. we want to give our lives to our Creator, doing what we can in this life to please him. so, we moved south - a whole 2 1/2 hours south! (i am quite aware that this distance is really not that far. we are still within reach)

blabbering onward, i want to tell you about our new little house that i'm determined to create into a warm and memorable home. to be honest, its everything i've dreamed of in a suburban oasis. cute. small but accommodating. warm in the morning sunlight. cool in the fresh breeze. creative. it has some of my most desired elements in a house; mantle (my first), high ceilings, detailed plaster work and a large flat grassy yard. here is a picture to prove its irresistible cuteness.

sulphur crested 'cockies' screech their way into the large gums that stretch into the twilight sky in the adjacent vacant lot behind our place. it is a slight reprieve from the suburban spread surrounding us in every other direction (not the mention the steel works just over the hill). i shall hope that there will be tomatoes climbing those trestles up the back in the future.

soft morning light streams in my reading nook windows, only interrupted by the vertical lines of the blinds. it makes the perfect warm spot to have a morning cup of tea and a read. i haven't yet mentioned the hydrangeas, have i? these line the drive way. fresh cut flowers from the day we moved in. score.

and this; the pride of the lounge room and the thing that made me want to fight other renters for the chance to have this baby, the mantle (with fireplace out of order! gasp! i know, who would do that?) i've wanted a mantle for a long time. something to set the tone of the house, change with the seasons or special occasions. sitting atop it for now rests my birthday candlestick holders from ikea, and some antique calipers and rulers from a garage sale and a beautiful gold N from my family.

as i sit writing this, Mr Whippy rings his melodious tune down our street, journeying to find many a delighted child, young or old, waiting for a smooth ice-creamy dessert treat. this is our new house, thanks for visiting.

a.

i won't completely romanticize this place, but will inform you of the flees found on arrival and the man eating cockroaches that have woken us at night! eeek. all looking clear now though.

oh yeah, and christmas happened.

g and i woke bleary eyed early. i made a cup of tea, we sat in bed and exchanged gifts, giggles and cuddles. its special - that time with each other, just us giving our gifts. (p.s. he gave me a Taurus 3 diamond ring saw! more than epic!)

the endless food, sweet treats and summer beverages were all enjoyed with ease and gratitude. what a wonderful time of year! that there in the bottom left is a white chocolate & mango layered pavlova. it was unbelievable.

new christmas lips, and the obligatory christmas hats.
our christmas nights were filled with fun and frivolity. first was christmas eve, with my wonderful family over at the beetleshack for a dinner of soft cheese and tapas, then onto an old school friends place for cocktails on christmas night. (above cocktail: Army Special - vodka, gin, lime juice cordial & ice...divine)
(yep, these two lovely ladies are my family. seriously - its lots of fun) check these girls out: the beetleshack and berry&fin

a.

so much has happened...

in these last couple'months.

it was my birthday - ages ago now - old news. but some dear friends threw me my first ever surprise party. it was so wonderful. this glorious chocolate mud cake magic was made by hand, (that is my name written in white chocolate letters!) just for me. and these gifts, graciously given.

my brave friends started THE coolest coffee bar/boutique - The Glass Onion Society, so i made them a glass onion (obviously), and have since drank many a cup of fine tea and latte there.

i prepared for the festive season with a night making this little ginger cottage. a warm and calm evening with mum, just spent having fun.

my post christmas time has been spent fairly similarly to this. except, sometimes my feet were up in a hammock at our favourite holiday place, or swishing under my longboard at perfect pointbreaks.

all in all, its been a pretty darn good few weeks just gone. i hope you've had a meaningful christmas, a happy and celebratory new year and relaxing break - from whatever it is you do.

a.

p.s. big love to my sister over at The Beetleshack for being so kind.