Just Like Martha

Another catch up....

Oh dear, has it really been a month since I last spent time with my little ol' blog...I did have the best intentions but time has just slipped away...the good news is I am super organised for Christmas which is just around the corner...so, hopefully that will mean more time to enjoy my blogging and share some Christmas posts!

Spring has been glorious and we have enjoyed getting out in the sunshine...lots of weekend bush walks..along the coastline near where we live...did I mention how lucky I am!

Birthday Celebrations for me were low key this year...just a few quiet drinks and pizza out with my beautiful family (we all got the memo re the off the shoulder top lol)

Well actually, maybe the boys didn't!

There has been a lot of excitement at our place recently with the arrival of our latest addition - a spa!!! We have wanted one for ages and our cruise at the beginning of the year sealed the deal..there has been lots of work to get the garden area prepared, garden beds finished, deck built, even an outdoor shower! The process took a little longer than we hap hoped by wow the result has been worth it....we LOVE it!

Taylor has been busy baking her CAKE CREATIONS, she has become quite the baker and the orders come in thick and fast...

This weeks creation was a very pretty Birthday cake to celebrate a special friends 60th....oh my it was delicious and oh soooo pretty x

Of course we had to take a trip to the Sydney Flower Markets to select the flowers that were going to adorn this creation (any excuse right)

A stop for coffee on the way home is ALWAYS needed after such an early start. We usually leave home just before 5am its easy to think its later as the flower markets are alive and buzzing even at 6am!

I also used some of the flowers to make a cute little present topper...it looked so pretty sitting on top of the present.

And of course no Birthday gift is complete without a Birthday card...

Christmas baking has begun in earnest, and I have been making lots of my chocolate treats and rocky road ready for gifts and sale. Taylor has taken a few large cake orders...our kitchen will be VERY busy over the next few weeks...stay tuned, I promise to blog separately on 'Santa's Kitchen Workshop' x

Thanks for hanging in there with my 'lack of posts'....until next time xox

 

Around here lately....

Around here lately...also known as a "blog catch up"....here goes...

Taylor has been baking and creating again...oh my she is getting so good and the cake this time was delicious (not that the others haven't been lol but this one was hmmmm exceptional!!!)

This was an "order" but lucky for us she experimented with the cake mix so we got to enjoy our very own at home...almond cake with cinnamon buttercream frosting! (okay so ours didn't have all the pretties on top but it still tasted yum!)

Lots of Birthdays over the next few months so I am getting super organised. I am using up lots of my craft stash too which is always rewarding...

My recent scrapbook photo project of our holiday in New York and the Carribbean saw me print out more photos than I needed so its nice to 'share our memories' with some of my card creations..

Last weekend was a long weekend in Sydney, the perfect time to catch up with lots of friends.....lunch with girlfriends on Friday...brunch Saturday morning...dinner party Saturday night...High Tea Sunday morning...friends for dinner Sunday night...hmm maybe I should add gym on Tuesday lol!

John received a voucher for "High Tea" from friends for his Birthday in August..lucky me I got to join him. It was at a venue called Soiree Cakes and was amazing...the food was delicious and we were surrounded by cakes that were truly 'works of art', a lovely way to spend a few hours on a Sunday morning x

There seems to be a cake theme happing here...truly it happened by accident but Sunday nights dinner was to celebrate a Birthday of a dear friend...it definitely called upon Taylor to make one of her creations...(I couldn't go passed another almond cake with cinnamon frosting...yummo!)

I promise you the cake was our dessert AND I did insist that our friend take the leftovers hone to enjoy!

A weekend of entertaining inevitably means a weekend of flowers (lucky me) our home does resemble a florist (not that I am complaining!)

There you have it a catch up on whats been happening around here lately....time for a nap I think!

Friday...time for a crafty catch up

Friday has come around quickly this week, perhaps its because despite the stunning weather we have been enjoying last week was "flu week" and I spent most of it in bed sick......much better this week and time to catch up on all things crafty.

Some 'extra' photos that I printed for our New York album have found there way on to my card creations this week...and yes of course there are nearly always vintage doilies and vintage papers to include.....

Still a steady stream of 21st Birthdays to celebrate...so many pretty papers to choose from...

Same papers...different looks

So there you have it JULY cards done and dusted...always a good feeling to have cards made with love, packaged and ready to send or give in advance....now back to cleaning up the mess I made!!!!

A Crafty card update....

Lots of paper crafting...and an exciting new project on the go...but first a catch up on all things crafty...

My never ending supply of doilies ALWAYS gets a work out when it comes to my card making!

I always try to personalise each card making it extra special for the recipient...each card is made with LOVE!

Holiday snaps are starting to make an appearance...lots of memories!

Some of my favourite old magazines are also getting a workout - seems a shame to cut them up but "recycle-reuse-repurpose" has always been my motto!

Magazine layouts can be so pretty.....

Its ALWAYS about the packaging and of course a matching card!

Thank you for letting me share my crafty card creations with you and thanks for stopping by x

Around here lately......

Slowly catching up on life in general after a crazy busy few months...so what have I been up to....well here is a little snapshot to bring you up to date!

Our "baby" turned 18 and we celebrated in style at the gorgeous Aqua Dining restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbour. Her 'bestie' joined us to celebrate the milestone... and of course there was a magnificent cake baked by Taylor for dessert.

More celebrations with a friend's 50th Birthday, the theme HAWAIIAN, the invitation stated "no presents please"....hmmmm....perhaps just a "Hawaiian themed flower decoration" might be nice for the Birthday girl...

And maybe cake???? There always has to be cake...right?! 

The weather has been changing slowly, cooler evenings and cold mornings have arrived....along with a few spectacular skies...

BUT still a great time of year when the sun is shinning to enjoy what Sydney has to offer in Autumn...

Last weekend John and I headed north to celebrate a very special occasion...his folks celebrated their 70th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

What an achievement, what a special celebration...

70 years of marriage, 840 months of hugs, 3,650 weeks of laughter, 25,550 day of patience, 613,200 hours of love and a lifetime of precious memories! They celebrated at home with a quiet family dinner then headed out the following night for "dinner for two" at the Pier Hotel in Coffs Harbour and an "overnight stay" in one of their newly renovated guest rooms (70 years ago this is where they stayed after they were married....what wonderful memories)

Even the Queen, Governor General, Prime Minister, local and state members sent cards and letters wishing them the best for their 70th Wedding anniversary - a truly special weekend of celebrations!

So there you are,  in amongst all this there was a wedding in Melbourne (playing with lots of lovely flowers - stay tuned for a post soon), lots of card making (pics soon I promise) and preparations for a HUGE family reunion at Easter....

Thanks for stopping by and being patient whilst I scrambled to find time....xox

 

 

 

An overload of Cards...

Seems the past month has gone by in a flurry of Birthdays and celebrations....the crafting supplies have been out in force.

Most of Lilly's friends are turning 18 and although the "group present" is still popular, I think turning 18 is worth a special card as well.

Ah yes as you can see I am STILL loving my doily stash....

I came across a heap of photos the other day that I had printed but not used in an album...they have been coming in very handy for my card making...this pretty photo was taken in the Cairns Botanical Gardens way back when we lived In Cairns...seems like a lifetime ago now, still makes me smile and remember x

And this one from our Europe holiday....Venice is STILL one of my favourite destinations!

I think that is almost ALL the cards for the year...must be time to start crafting my Christmas cards.....I think I read somewhere only 9 weeks 'til Christmas...eeek!!!

Cards and Photos

On my list of things to do today was make cards for Birthdays coming up....I have been recently getting photos in order and came across these little beauties in my clean-up....it didn't take me long to make this batch...

So happy that some of my holiday snaps of favourite places and plants get to live on in a greeting card....what did you get up to today???

Card overload....

Its been some time since I posted photos of my "card creations".....

Yes, LOL I am still slightly obsessed with vintage dollies and gorgeous papers....

Recently I was given some gorgeous wallpaper samples that a talented "interior decorator" friend no longer had use for...."you may find a use for these" she said as she handed over a bag of loveliness...

Love that I was able to breathe some new life into what would normally end up in the bin.....

More pretty paper and yes more doilly love.....

And a pinwheel thrown in for good measure.....

And finally a promotion at work for a niece definitely deserves a hand made card.....

Thanks for stopping by....

 

 

Card making and a Valentine xox

I love that my card making never seems to slow down...there is always something to celebrate!

The start of many 21st I am sure.....

A lovely engagement to celebrate....

Love to incorporate some vintage goodness wherever I can, this vintage sheet music book always gets a work out!

And finally something for MY VALENTINE...picked up a few yummy treats and sewed them into a big paper heart, donned some lippy and kissed some white card and the perfect gift tag was created..and yes don't die of shock I purchased a card....whilst recently in America I saw this card and just loved the words....xox

Happy Valentines Day to all you romantics out there, have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by x

 

Never ending cards....

That's how I feel today, there seems to be a never ending supply of cards needed...so many Birthdays, farewells, engagements, thank you's and new arrivals to celebrate.....I suppose it comes in waves and with Christmas cards also on my agenda I seem be spending a lot of time crafting cards!

Time for a cuppa I think.....then back to the craft room to begin on the Christmas cards LOL!