This is where I live

Thought Id put a few pictures of The Blue Mountains where I live.Its about 1 and a half hours from Sydney.I love living here,we have Penrith at the foot of the mountains for shopping and with our lovely Nepean River complete with its paddle steamer.The mountains themselves are called blue because thats how they look from a distance,its a phenomenon caused by the eucalyptus oil in the gum leaves .Sometimes i take living here for granted but then i go shopping in Springwood and right behind the shops is a view to take your breath away.Its a lot more crowded up here than when i first moved here but i still love it.I took these photos myself and am always surprised how great a digital camera is.
The lake is one of our lakes near Canberra lake George i just had to include it .There is nothing like Australia in a drought.Thats sheep walking accross what a few years ago was a full lake.There are still no swimming signs up.
The kookaburra our laughing friend i love them .The blue Tongue lizard there is sunning itself in our yard.Easy to think they are snakes.The picture of the valley and mountain is in Wentworth Falls a few towns further up the Mountains.I took that one sunset when we were looking for McNaughts comet.

Tiaras and Cold toes

It very cold here now,its snowing further up the mountains.
My whole self is cold and its hard to motivate yourself even though my head is spinning with new ideas to try.
I have finished the Tiara for Shannon as part of Holly doodles Tiara swap.
Its been a lot of fun and a heap of glitter.I hope she likes it,if you dont want to spoil the surprise Shannon do not scroll down okay.
I also made her son Sam one he is adorable and just had an operation so he is in plaster poor little possum.Sams is a simple crown with all his favourite characters on it like THOMAS THE TANK AND POSTMAN PAT ETC.ShannonsI managed to get a bird and a nest (not easy on a tiara)
as they are kind of a signature of mine.She loves pink and old lace and dangles and glitter so i think i got it all in.

Late for wedding week my four sons.

I just love the photographs of my sons at our wedding seven years ago.
They looked so sweet in their suits.Thats just the sweetest little church behind them set on a hill in a country lane,its a happy ever after church and even though i had been divorced i so wanted to be married in a church,the minister was so lovely.
My girlfriend took all our wedding snaps she did a fabulous job.I told her beforehand what sort i wanted hence this blues brothers line up.And yes the sky really was that blue.It had been a week of freezing windy weather we had to change our garden party reception at the last minute and behold the day was lovely.Ok The tallest is Matthew followed by Timothy then Joel and the tiny one is Alex he was pageboy.What a difference 7 years makes Alex is now almost 14 instead of almost 7.Ahh but i miss them boys.

Kindred spirits amongst us.

"I've always dreamed of having a "bosom" friend...a true kindred spirit"~Anne~

Anne Shirley: I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me SOME credit.


I just wanted to say how visiting blogland has affected me.I have met so many lovely people and so many strangers i now consider Kindred spirits.Dionne from cherubs kisses,Debbie the purpleflower fairy and natasha,and so many others who have said such nice things and have poured out their hearts (and crafts )on their blogs.And just this past week i signed
up late for natsha's matchbox swap and met a truly great kindred spirit named Daisy.We just connected straight off and we are so excited at not just the swap
but finding a kindred spirit.She lives in the UK (my first UK friend)I can see we are
going to be friends long after that matchbox has been swapped.
Also the swapping thing is so fun I quickly became an addict,of course the normal people in my life just shake their heads at my excitement over Hollydoodles Tiara swap or HopHOpJingleboos bunny swap (another friend Heather my swap partner i met)I had a ball doing Risa the partyplanners ParTea swap received a lovely swap and met a lovelier lady (Linda of Lilly cottage)But know what its their loss cause life shouldnt be so serious that there isnt time to make or wear a tiara,or swap the odd bunny or two.So to everyone whose blog i visit and everyone who visits me,heres to you my kindred spirits!My thanks for blogland where we may all visit.

Warm sink + cold Cat =Cattitude

Well there is a chill here in the mountains,it was 1 degree yesterday when i got up,ice in the pipes ice in my toes,I dont take the cold well (which isnt to say i take the bad heat well either),but wearing a beanie to bed isnt my idea of romantic.Yesterday i had just drained some vegies etc into the sink and the sink is cast iron so it holds the heat (and breaks heaps of plates and my husband hates it and i adore it but thats another tale) So there was the nice warm sink and i turned around from the stove and who was sitting nice and warm in the wet sink.Thats right the cold cat who was by then the warm wet cat.Happy as larry she sat watching the kitchen drama until the sink was just cold and damp then she made for the air conditioner.Thats my emmilou she has Cattitude.

Bunting makes you happy

It does i Tell you,who can be sad looking at bunting.Especially pink and patterned bunting. My dear dear friend Joan (who also happens to be mother to my dear dear friend Chris) sent me this bunting which i blush to say i may have hinted for her to make for my birthday. Not only did she make it she posted it instead of waiting for me to visit.I adore it,its happy bunting. I ended up putting it accross my quilt rack that also contains a green quilt made by Joan.She is very talented and really doesnt think so .How fabulous does her bunting look !



On another positive note Id like to thank a girls day out for lifting my spirits and putting life into perspective.I am a chicken basicly ,i mean i like my safe little life my house my favourite op shops i like spring to follow winter and people to be nice to each other.I like christmas and easter and fairies .When stuff happens i really try to make the best but i try to stay safe.My friends made me see that not all changes are bad and im trying to embrace the future wherever it takes me.Thats all ,a day out with 3 longtime girlfriends can be a huge comfort,they have all had knocks some huge,ones husband was killed many years ago leaving her with two kids,ones ex husband is friends with the devil and years later he lives the high life whilst she tries to get her half of the settlement.The last had her breast removed months ago from cancer and has just endured months of chemo without whinging and without support.So i guess no ones lot is an easy one and we cope the best we can.We need our friends and im sure blessed with my friends especially since i count my mum and sister in that lot !

Dreary day suprises are the best

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Once upon a day so dreary,kinda down and very teary, when along comes my Partea swap from the fabulous Linda of lilly cottage I asked her does she have shares in a Tissue paper factory,Gotta love a gift so swathed in blue tissue sprinkled with stars,suddenly the day grew brighter and all the world seemed much more righter ! (poetic licence here) Here is my patched and embroidered wall hanging
fabulous .
Wow i was so lucky rose painted sugar cubes,felt cupcakes
handmade (with sprinkles no less) as was my wallhanging,Teabags Robert gordon cup/saucer.A tiny bird and crystal ended teaspoon,all packaged and labelled and rosey and crafty and i adore them thankyou Linda.



A scroll poem enclosed explained the letters P is for Pink patty cakes sweet and full of fun A is for a crystal teaspoon that sparkles in the sun etc ended with I have made a new friend Jullie who lives in mountains blue All from visiting Risa in America_who knew!

Tiaras and Tears

Been a bit sad lately so i am doing the only thing i know how,IM MAKIN A TIARA for Holly doodles Tiara swap and the funny thing is
my swap partner is shannon of Paintminepink (see sidebar fav blogs) she is my sweet friend form my Prettychic yahoo group.Its a U.S swap how funny we got each other _no postage as she lives near me.
In times of great stress use more glitter i say so Bling bling my tiara has begun, may its royalness bedazzle her !
and may i stop feeling sick and just cross my bridges when they come,with a tiara on and with glitter.

Partea time swap sent

Well my Partea time swap (risa the Party planners swap) has been packaged sent and received
and all a little early but thats better than late.It was a very fun one to enter,my swap partner is the fabulous Linda co-owner of Lilly Cottage a tiny sweet vintagey crafty sort of shop in Queensland.Check her out and read her post titled only in Australia (a funny,twisted,tragic tale of a day in the life of her little shop)
http://lillycottage.typepad.com/I packaged her Partea swap in a material covered Hatbox with a huge pink bow
i wrapped each present in tissue or tea relate material ,sprinkled with rosepetals and surrounded by teabags such as Russian caravan tea (it sounded so exciting)
I labelled each parcel to spell out ParTea and stole her pics from the lillycottage blog to show
you,
The tags read
P is for Pretty Perpetual calender (Debbie Mumm) A is for Animal picture and artists slide ( a sweet vintage ducks with breakfast in bed picture and a very cool glass slide collage made from a 2 microscope slides and copperfoiling
it is supposed to be soldered till i found i was missing the soldering gene (i have the burns to prove it) and quite possibly i am the worst solderer at least in Australia if not the world.
R is for Rosy mini jug, the sweetest .T is for Teacup (robert Gordon Heaart shaped ) and tray cloth ,E is for embroidered scone cosy, and lastly A is for accessories




The fun and challenging bit was fitting it like a puzzle inside the hatbox. Anyway Linda glad you liked it.I had so much fun doing it and emailing you. I will be back to visit Lilly cottage again im sure.