Panic Stations............

A few years ago I decided I would prolong the beauty of all the Autumn colour by pressing some leaves and then making them into a wreath to display on the chimney brest.

Well Autumn, may have just finished and I'm a bit slow getting it together, but finally..........

A WIP pic, lots of Blutac is used to attach the leaves.

I arrange them first to see how I like the composition and colours.

Then I carefully move the leaves off the cardboard and use small pieces of Blutac to attach each leaf.

If I need to change something around later on it's not a major problem as they are not glued in place.

This year I pressed alot of different varieties of leaves not just from the trees, but from garden shrubs as well.

You can click on the pic to see more detail.

I love the various shades of colour, shape and texture.

It will stay on the chimney brest until Spring, or until I can bring myself to take it down.

Some male members of the household don't share my interests, but that's OK because I don't share some of his, such as eating mice.........

I'm feeling a little like the above............no I'm not doing a mind reading trick......

I'm a bit at sixes and sevens, trying to get packed and organised for a long weekend away, followed by a holiday O/S and throw into the mix a rather significant numbered birthday and it's all a little bit overwhelming............

My boys are away at a festival at Perisher, brrrrrr...........

They're welcome to it I say, so I am going to head slightly North where it is hopefully warmer bahahaha............ and have a 'girls weekend' (well, not technically as 2 of my 3 B's-I-L will be there as well)

How did it happen? That so many years have passed so quickly?

Please tell me if you know the answer...........

Wasn't it only yesterday I was 3 and now -- years later I'm turning a certain number with a zero on the end of it.

I love this photo, even though we are all squinting into the sun.

I'm the youngest of 4 girls and this photo was taken at the annual show.

I'm the one in the pleated red skirt and jumper and I had my patent leather shoes on.

I remember that little outfit and loved it so much.

My sisters had to wear their school shoes, boring, but back then we didn't have the luxury of half a dozen pairs of shoes each.

Being the youngest I got lots of hand me downs.

No doubt they will all say I was spoilt and got away with murder, but that's not how I remember things.

So I shall be spending the weekend with my eldest sister and the next one up from me (both to the left in the pic)

We shall eat some of the above with wonderful coffee, have a look in some great shops.

Sit around and tell stories of when we were young, laugh till we cry, play pranks on each other. (did I tell you about the time I went away with same two sisters and one of them hid my underwear and swore black and blue she hadn't? Another time perhaps)

Then eat some more cake and complain that we shouldn't have.

This turning fffffffifty (ssssh!!) has had me doing a lot of thinking about all sorts of things recently.

Mainly trying to find the upside of getting older.

If you have any positive points you can share with me please do so............

After the weekend I shall come home and madly repack my bag for ten days in Tassie.........

It's a long overdue annual holiday and even though I love Winter and the cold, what was I thinking..............

I'm hoping our very loose schedule will allow for a catch up over coffee with a couple of wonderful blog buddies.

No 1 is staying home to keep the home fires burning feed the chooks and as he informed me invite some mates out for a jam........... should I be worried?

So, if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, never fear I'm not too far away and hope to be back by the end of June if not before with lots of interesting pics and news of our holiday.

So, thankyou all for stopping to say "hi".

If I get a chance over the hols I will pop by and see what's been happening in blog land.

We are taking a laptop, as it seems we can't live without it these days..............

I shall be busy crocheting up some woolly Winter bunting while I'm away, to keep my fingers warm..........

Till next time, take care,

Claire X

12 Days in April May

What can you say when someone offers to cook dessert after the dishes are done and the kitchen is clean?

You say "YES" of course.

Not the cooking techniques Nigella would use, but just as effective.


Cheesy grin, warpaint flour on the cheeks and standard cooking outfit, gotta keep the feet warm!!

"What did he make?" you ask, his current favourite of course - Golden Syrup Dumplings and I must say they were yummy, light as a feather .

This post is a little late, but he turned 19 on the 28th of April. Where did all those years go?We went out for a coffee and he took this photo, not bad for a one handed attempt.

He's just decided to grow the little goatee thingy on his chin and it makes him look soooooooo much older, sigh!!!

Standard Autumn leaf throwing photo. Couldn't resist taking a few leafy shots .

What do you buy a 19 y.o.? Driving lessons of course and 2 tickets to see Powderfingers last concert. They went on sale before we realised, just as well we are in the country and the tickets to the Albury concert didn't sell out, phew, big sigh of relief!!

A little bit of sewing going on here. Two more book covers rolled off the press. Kombi love is still going strong. Not sure about the angle? I made a drawing from a photo in a magazine and there was only one headlight showing and two tyres but the more I look at it the more I think I should've added in the other headlight and a tyre on the right front.

What do you think? All opinions welcome. Mind you this is a prototype, so I will do it somewhat differently next time.

It's coming into Hottie Hugger season (H.W.B. covers!!)

A friend commented on some at my market stall and I said I could do one with a caravan on the front for her as she often heads off on holiday with her hubby in their van.

So far so good, just need to put it together and fill up the hottie .
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

The 'writing' says "wherever I park my van that's my home" also on the Kombi book cover.

Woke up one morning last week to find the sky chocabloc with vapour trails.

I have never seen so many at the one time. In the above photo there are 9 if you start counting from the top RH corner and there were another 2 possibly 3 outside of the shot.

The planes are flying between Sydney and Melbourne a busy route, obviously.

No volcano clouds preventing planes from flying here.

These beauties are putting on a wonderful display in my garden at the moment.

Had to cut a bunch for the bedroom, so I could admire the stunning colours.

The photo just doesn't do them justice.

I really can't think of the right colour to describe them, except to say they are a burnt red with an almost gold tone on the centre petals.

Absolutely, divine and very Autumnal ( ooh I do love using that word)

I didn't realise until I put them on the dresser that they match the doona cover. No photos, but there's an idea. Designer flowers to match your bed linen, hmm.

I'll just put that out there, for anyone with a creative flair!!

Another shot of the maples in the driveway. Just keeping track of how they are colouring up. It's been a long process this year, as they started to change colour way back in January.


Shall finish with a final photo of the birthday boy.

What can I say about No 1 son (only child actually) so that will give you an idea of how special he is.

We drive each other crazy sometimes, he is like me in alot of ways and has my worst personality traits poor kid.

On the up side he has a wonderful sense of humour, we laugh alot, talk with silly accents and say lots of stupid things that only we get.

We communicate fairly well considering he's a teenager!!

He gives me lots of great hugs and he tells me he loves me, I enjoy each and every one of them.

I love the fact that I have been able to show him how to enjoy the beauty in the simple things in life:- sunsets, the stars at night, the colours of Autumn and all those things that don't cost a cent.

He said the best thing about his birthday was the fact there would be a full moon.(Could've saved myself alot of money, but how do you wrap the moon?) We love watching it rise over the mountains.

He's a talented musician, if you would like to see and hear a little of what he does he has a music myspace you can check it out at www.myspace.com/richardperso or look him up on Youtube

Thanks for letting me be a little self indulgent, after all , birthdays only happen once a year.

Well, that's some of what's been happening in my little corner over the last 12 days. I hope all is well with you, till next time.

Claire X

P.S. I am waiting on a very special parcel which is 'winging' it's way from the very talented Mimilove in the UK. You can view her blog here at www.mimiloveforever.blogspot.com

Shall share with you all when it arrives.