What will today bring?

I wonder what today will bring? I believe that all depends on us. Our reaction to an action could make a day or break it. Does it really matter if my house is perfect or not?  Whether the windows shine, or the floor glows! The love I show my family and friends is much more important! I needed to remind myself of this today. After church today we have friends coming for lunch and tea and I spent a good chunk of my day yesterday preparing for today. You see I like things to be a certain way, a bit of a perfectionist(just being honest) but I’m trying to learn to enjoy the little things more… Oh I also baked a Chocolate Cake yesterday for my DH, it was our 17th Wedding Anniversary…Happy Anniversary for yesterday Honey!

Hope you find time to enjoy the little things today!

A little slice of NZ

We’re back from our trip away, back to the real world again! We had a fabulous time visiting Akaroa, very relaxing, we walked lot’s and we needed to after all the eating we did! Akaroa is a lovely little French village, surrounded by hills in a lovely bay…

We picked a good time to go, the weather was perfect and there weren’t too many tourists. There were no fast food chains, no supermarkets as such, just lovely little specialty shops…

Very romantically French…

We weren’t allowed to take any photo’s from inside this shop but I can assure you there was lot’s to oh and ah over. I fell in love with so many of the little cottages…

I was awed by the gardens, roses and geraniums in abundance and the perfumes were amazing! I have come home with renewed inspiration for my little garden.

We did all the touristy things, we took a cruise around the bays and were spoilt to see a mother and her calve…

They are called Hector dolphins and only live in this area of the world. The calf was only about a week old and the size of a rugby ball!

Can you see an elephant in this picture? You may have to enlarge it to see it. Amazing!

And here we are at the top of the hill…

I love this photo! And here’s some shot of our little cottage…

Our little rental car The backyard that went up and up… Lot’s and lot’s of fruit trees and a vege garden we were allowed to help ourselves to! This one was taken for the kids, lol… Well the real world is calling so I better go and take part once again.

Have a great weekend!

In my back yard…

In the garden this week…   

    And in the sewing room this week, I have 2 small finishes which I can’t share yet ;o) and a new project, I couldn’t help myself…

I worked on it a little more this morning when I really should have been packing, or helping the kids to pack, or organising costumes for the Christmas parade tonight, or finishing up the washing or getting the place all spic and span for my MIL who is coming to stay etc… And now I’m sitting here chatting with you! I really must motivate myself before it’s too late.

DH and I are leaving in the morning(early, like before the sun rises) and are flying south to Akaroa for a few days, and no the kids are not coming! Granny is coming to stay with DS1(who is milking for us) and DD2. The other two are staying with friends. Hope you all have a great weekend I know I will be…

Vignette

A big hello to my new followers(yes you have been noticed!)

I just have to share my new vision for my kitchen. You see I have always since I can remember wanted a blue and white coloured kitchen until…

I saw this! What’s not to like, the pink Smeg fridge, the crisp fresh whiteness and the rainbow of colours. Often I have been out browsing and found a great bargain, and fallen in love with it but it wasn’t blue! But now that’s another story, of course I would design it a little differently but it’s the colours that do it for me!

And then this arrived in the mail…

Leanne Beasley’s first issue of Vignette, at first I thought it was a bit thinner than a normal magazine(only 35 pages) BUT there are lots of nuggets in here… and some beautiful patterns… The other day I just happened to be close to Spotlight so decided to sneak in for a quick look and guess what they were having a sale! This is what came home with me…

I have plans to sew it into a table cloth, with matching pink napkins! I can imagine inviting a few friends around and having a little tea party or two!

Sew now I’m intrigued, what colours do you have in your kitchen?

All things…

  

He makes all things Beautiful in His time!

Country home…

Where oh where did the week go? I could give you numerous excuses for not sharing part 2 of a country home but let’s just make it easy and say life got in the way! And it’s all good, nothing to complain about just life! I am blessed with sew much, I hope I never take it for granted!  Right where were we…

View Full Album

The master bedroom was sew pretty, not sure my DH could live in such a room;OD I can imagine myself spending lot’s of time relaxing on the window seat.

View Full Album

Just look at the wallpaper in the ensuite…

And the cakes of soap on the cake stand…

We are almost there, check out the sunroom/ conservatory…

View Full Album

And to finish up just some random shots…

View Full Album

View Full Album

Don’t forget you can click on the pictures to enlarge them. While the house was very beautiful, I sure wouldn’t want to dust it! Better go get organised now, we’re off to my nieces 1st birthday party (life again) we have bought her a cute little soft toy that makes a loud quacking noise, payback for all the noisy presents she bought my kids LOL!

Enjoy your weekend.

A country home…

Are you ready to see to see some more photo’s from last week? Grab a cuppa and sit back and enjoy…Let’s start in the kitchen, the biscuits tin are full and the Christmas cake is made…

View Full Album

The larder…

View Full Album

The dining room and lounge…

View Full Album

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a cosy craft room like this?

View Full Album

If you are having trouble viewing the photo’s just click on them and they should enlarge.

Don’t you think having a laundry like this would almost make washing a pleasure!

View Full Album

I think a nice soak in this tub would be wonderful after a day in the garden…

View Full Album

The nursery for the grandchildren…

View Full Album

I’ll be back tomorrow with Part II…

Be still…

Be still and know that I am God…

Today I am appreciating the small things (which really are the big things!) A cuppa with a friend, the buzz of a bee, the flutter of wings, the laughter of my children all playing happily together!

Friday Frolics

Oh I wish I could’ve have taken you all with me yesterday, DH and I went to visit a few more gardens. I took over 300 photos!!! So grab a cuppa and come and join me and welcome to John and Margaret Young’s beautiful home…Do you remember that song ‘I’m a little fire engine Flick is my name’ well here he is, he even sang his little tune for us! Now let’s take a peak around the corner… ahh look at all this prettiness…

View Full Album

View Full Album

This ones for my DH to help remind him we really need a frame to hang our swing seat;o)And if you’ve been joining Fee over at Mother’s Cupboard for Re-purpose Thursday, http://www.designsbyfee.com/2010/11/re-purposed-thursday-at-fees.html check out this neat idea to re-purpose those old jars you have lying around…

An old agee jar filled with glass pebbles and a candle hung from a tree, I can just imagine summer evenings spent outside with several of these hanging here and there.

View Full Album

A little look at the vege patch…

View Full Album

Unfortunately that’s all the photo’s from the vege patch I got a little excited and forgot to take more! Margaret uses pine needles as a mulch to protect her plants from drying out, I am going to try this tip out, we have lot’s of them on our farm for free! Another tip I learnt on our garden rambles was to sprinkle a tablespoon of milk powder around each tomato  plant as they need calcium, you only have to do this once. It can’t hurt to try. 

Now, I met Margaret at a quilting group I used to belong to, and she is one talented lady! She is not only a wonderful gardener but a quilter, a knitter, a painter, a cook, and I could go on and on… She is never still, no matter where she is she takes something to keep her fingers busy. Would you like a peek inside her home? Yes? Ok first let’s start outside in her American style barn that she set up as a cafe just for the open gardens…

View Full Album

Beautiful china cups, quilts on show and for sale. And in the kitchen the lovely ladies from Quirky Quilters. We enjoyed a 3 course meal of soup, scones and bread cases, berry slice and lemon tart, all for $10 with a complimentary tea and coffee! Come back tomorrow and join me on a wander through her home, it deserves a post of it’s own!

Enjoy your day!