Just Like Martha

Getting ready for Easter

Only a few days until Easter and I am officially READY!

The hall table in our entry has been "Easter..ized" for a few weeks now...

 

My wonderful bird cage reappears this time with easter eggs and feathers...

 

The girls "Easter treats" are boxed and ready to go ..(managed to find treat boxes with Paris on the front for our little French girl Lil and New York inspired for Taylor - perfect...

 

I gave these cute parcels to my workmates this week, each little 'parcel' was filled with two Coconut Crunch cookes sandwiched to gether with chocolate ganache - yummo...

 
 

We are attending a family reunion this Easter so will be surronded by cousins, aunts and uncles as well as lots of little second cousins and babies...here are the treats bags I made up for the "little people"...

 
 

 

Hope your Easter is a happy one xx

Shadow Shot Sunday

After a very wet start to the weekend the sun is peeking through today, just in time for lunch with mum and dad then afternoon tea with friends....but first....here is my shadow shot for today.

 

I love this pot plant, not sure what it is but it looks so pretty on our outdoor setting. A few months back now we planted a passionfruit vine around the side of our house, we were pretty excited when we saw all these wonderful flowers appear...hope it means we are going to get loads of yummy passionfruit.

 

That's it or me today, short and sweet....hope you enjoy your Sunday. Be sure to take the time to visit Tracy and all the other shadow shooters from all over the world.

 

Some cards and an obsession with wrapping!

Hi there, Friday already...yay the weekend is upon us!

I thought I'd share my recent card making and my ongoing obsession with gift wrapping and the all important 'matching card'...here goes..

 

Gotta luv a new baby...little "Memphis" we can't wait to meet you at Easter!

 

 

 

And now for the all important "matching" and pefect present wrapping...oh I am so obsessed...does it really matter...hmmm.... YES!

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm I did warm you!

Happy Friday everyone, have a lovely weekend x

A Birthday Dinner....

Wow, what a busy weekend.....my dad is about to celebrate a significant Birthday, the big 7 0 so we thought a special family dinner was in order, with all his favourite foods of course!

The table went from this...

 

To this...

 

We all had a wonderful night, lots of photos and memories to share...we gave dad a new video camera (about a quarter of the weight and size of his old one) so there will be even more memories to share at his 80th!

Of course there was cake! Mum made a family favourite, a marble cake, yummo!

 

And all the grandchildren had to help "Gramps" blow out the candles (hmm I really must explain about the wonderful tie dad is wearing...its a family joke, dragged out of the wardrobe..LOL)

Happy Birthday (in a few days time) dad, we love you!

 

I adore having fresh flowers in the house, and a Birthday Dinner was the perfect excuse to head off to the local markets Saturday morning to buy flowers to help decorate...

 

Love, love this birdcage mum and dad gave me for Christmas...

 

Stuning roses for the bathroom...

 

For the centre of the table...

 

Friends called over for afternoon tea on Sunday and bought me these stunning tulips...

 

Dad bought these beautiful flowers over on Saturday night...simply gorgeous...

 

And last but not least these FUN flowers that arrived for Lilly (a beleated Birthday pressie) with her cousins. Each hand made flower (crafted with love from Aunty Karen) held a $10 note, very clever! The girls are saving madly for our holiday at the end of the year so it was the perfect gift!

Okay so there you have it our house is now filled with beautiful flowers that make me smile everytime I see them xx

More 'Op shopping' adventures

Managed a very quick visit to my local "Vinnies" on the way home from work and found some bargains with red tags (50% off - yippee) so they of course just 'had' to come home with me.

 

Now this is not the scrumptious leather old suitcase that I was after, however you can't go past an old "Globite" esepcailly for $6 and it makes a great container for my stash of scrapbooking paper...

 

I also picked up an old wooden frame that I plan to spray with white gloss paint for a bargain $1...

 

Check out Apron Thirft Girl for more op shop finds as well as Sophie for the weekly "Flea market Finds", but beware its not only fun but very addictive!

 
                                                             

My new love.....

I cannot keep it a secret any longer....I am in love....his name is "DEXTER"!

 

You have gotta admit he is pretty cute isn't he! Mardi packaged him up beautifully for his journey to his new home...

 

Make sure you visit Mardi's new shop on Etsy, Dexter has some brothers and sisters looking for 'someone to love them'....Dexter loves his new home sitting in my craft room...he keeps me inspired...

 
 

Shadow Shot Sunday

Last Friday night we were lucky enough to see James Morrison perform "Motown" as part of the "Twilight at Taronga" series. Such a great concept, they use a grassed area of Taronga Zoo to erect a temporary stage (with a magnificent Sydney city skyline behind) and ask a series of artists to perform whilst guests picnic. The gates to the zoo open at 6pm, the cincert begins at 7pm and is all over by just after 9pm so as to not disturb the 'locals' too much.

 

James Morrison was fantastic, such a talented man and all the Motown songs are timeless, a lovely way to spend a Friday evening at 'twilight'. I took a few quick photos to show the girls and they quickly pointed out I had a 'shadow shot' ready for today...

 

Now yes I am aware the photo is a little blurry but hey its hard to take photos whilst nibbling on a cheese platter and balance your wine...it was the best I could do!

Pop along to visit Tracy and see what the other shadow chasers from all over the world have been up to, say hi from me x

 

Happy Sunday one and all xx

A little thrifting.....and a new obsession!

I am hooked! I'll admit it I have become obsessed with finding hidden treasures at "Op shops"....sometimes referred to as "Lifeline stores", "Red Cross", "Salvation Army", "Opportunity shops" or even local second hand markets and garage sales.

Not sure what caused the additction, is it my new best friend (and Oprah's) Nate who's show on tv makes you just want to 'get out there and re-purpose'....or perhaps its the influence of Lea and her project Little bits of pretty that caught my eye....or Mardi and her wonderful new friends (check out those owls....soooo cute!)....anyways it all lead to Sophie and her "Flea Market Finds".

 

Every week 'treasures' from all over are found and shared....beware its catching...oh and its okay to feel just a little jealous of other peoples "Flea Market finds"....isn't it??????

Anyway enough rambling here are my recent finds....

 

I have been buying lots of china cups lately to make beautiful candle sets, I am so thrilled with the way they have turned out (more on that another day), I love getting mis-matched china cups and saucers and bringing them together....

 

Okay so I can't take the credit for this wonderful 'find'..my dear friend Jane is slowly, slowly getting hooked too and we are going to get together very soon for a 'dyeing session'...ooohh I can't wait.

 

We just have to decide what colour??????

 

Now what 'thrifter' can leave a bag of vintage trims behind for just $1??????

 

A vintage sheet (another bargain) not sure why this ended up coming home with me....bet its Mardi and those owls influencing me!

So there you have it, my latest 'hobby' (I can hear my dear hubby crying "nooooooo") LOL