underwear shopping

oh, the things that the mother of the bride has to go through in the name of elegance & beauty.
Last night I had to buy my underwear for the wedding....... my outfit is gorgeous - a lace skirt with a sweet camisole top and darling jacket. So of course I needed a new bra & undies.


it is true to say (with my weight loss as well as the scar from my lump) that I am a little self conscious of showing all, to just anyone. So off I go to the underwear section to be 'fitted' by a trained fitter. Wandering around finding bras that 1. were the right colour 2. right size & 3. that I liked. With an armful of bras, I went into the changeroom and started trying them on.

What is it about those dressing rooms? I can't look THAT bad can I? and just where did those lumps, bumps and rolls come from? Honestly, you would think that the shops would put flattering mirrors and lighting in those rooms, to encourage women to stay and try more on. I couldn't get out fast enough... after trying on about 6 bras that all looked disgusting. Some I had bits hanging out the back, others I fell out of and one I looked like - ah well don't worry who, just not good. This all coming from a 12B - that is NOT huge.

Finally, I succummed and asked for help. I made a bee-line to a sales lady and asked if she could help me and she busy tidying up & said to ask some one else .... so I looked around and all I could see was some young, thin, tall thing & panicked. I turned around and said to *ms happy helper* that I would prefer someone older. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I realized that it was the wrong thing to say. She was so offended and said 'well, thanks very much'. So tears welled up in my eyes and I told her that I was very self conscious in front of young girls. Did I do wrong?
all I could keep doing was apologizing profusely......she gathered a few bras and after much trying & wriggling and all those other weird things us ladies do when trying bras on, I did eventually find a bra.....very pretty too, I must say

oops

oh gee, I am sorry but I posted the wrong yahoo email address.

I do still have my other email address

but the yahoo one is better for putting in a public place

How could I forget that I live in Australia

and must put .au on the end of my email?

so the new email address is

missrobyn1158@yahoo.com.au

sorry 'bout that

seasonal care swap *revised*

LITTLE GIFTS TIED DELICIOUSLY UP IN RIBBON

is there nothing more delicious than receiving something just for you in the mail? a gorgeous cake of soap * bath salts to pamper that tired bod * some herbs for the wanna be chef * oh! the list is endless. I love to buy little gifts for people, wrap them up delightfully and send them on their way to someone I know will just love to receive something - just for them.

- are any of you interested in joining a seasonal care swap? You only send one pampering gift each season & there will be a price limit - Just let me know and if we can get at least 6 ladies, then I will get it going. I think I need help - seriously - I have swaps flowing through my mind all the time & can get carried away ! I have heard it said before that I can be a teeny little obsessive with whatever I tackle. But a girl just wants to have fun!!!

(I would love to open this to international friends but am a bit hesitant in doing so because of the postage costs.......)

ok, because of a few of you overseas ladies being so interested, I guess that if you are prepared to pay for costs of postage then you can all join in!

email me at: missrobyn1158@yahoo.com.au

the swap blog

Michaelmas

September 29

is apparently the Christian feast of St Michael the Archangel

St.Michael is seen to be the protector against the forces of dark

oh, I know all this is not everyone's cup of tea

but I am so drawn to the Saints

& love to read about them

The feast is all centred around the harvest

which

living in the southern hemisphere

really doesn't apply to me at all

as we are heading right into our spring

- goose seems to appear on the menu quite alot

but umm - no thanks

........ legend has it

that St Michael drove the devil out of Heaven

and he landed in a patch of blackberry bushes

In Simple Abundance

it is suggested to have tea

with scones and blackberry jam

and this to me sounds just delightful!

So today

I am taking myself to a little deli in Leura

where they sell the most delish jams

and buying myself the biggest jar I can

as well as some King Island double cream

And then to celebrate living down here

where it is spring instead of fall

- I am heading of to the nursery

and buying a michaelmas daisy plant

* then I will come home

put the kettle on * make myself a lovely cup of tea

* put my gregorian chants on

then sit & thorougly enjoy myself

- no one would understand

Christmas stocking swap

sign-up closes for the Christmas stocking swap

on September 30

Don't miss!!!

you've got mail swaps

(the post is there somewhere on the blog)

shhhhh.....

*putting my hands over my ears* ...

I just DO NOT want to hear the word Christmas just yet

* why! I am still dealing with ms*louisa's wedding plans

trying to get the wedding quilt finished by Sunday

so that I can have it quilted

and making the wedding cake

*have two done, the last one will be made this Saturday*.......

but unfortunately

the gal at vintage pretty

has reminded me that it is THAT time of year

.....time to make my Christmas cake.

I usually make about 3 and cut 2 of them into quarters

wrap them in cling wrap

* place a sprig of holly on the top then wrap it in clear cellophane.

Then I place them all in a basket

near my front door for gifts

to give to friends who visit in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

I have been doing this for a few years now

and it has become quite a tradition.

So.....

I guess I am off to the food co-op today

to buy yet another lot of dried fruit to soak in brandy for a week or two

...then it will be full swing into

*shhhhhhh*

(Christmas)

in the mail box

what alot of mail I received yesterday!
a lovely card from Maggie Ann *
and postcards from Alice * Julie D * Brandy & Wendy.
thanks gals!! this is fun.
I also received a lovely pattern and some vintage paper from Gina E ..she lives in PATRA'S PLACE - thank you SO much Gina !

vintage self portrait Tuesday

I found this old scarf in ms*sophie's wardrobe and thought it would look good in my hair....

through the blogging glass

not sure if I have told you about this site

but I visited it again today & I love it

~ so thought I would share...... have fun!!

the vintage homemaker

housekeeping ~ September 27

an early spring clean today
*just one room and that is ms*sophies
~ she is home for spring holidays
and what better time for mum & daughter quality time together
cleaning out THAT wardrobe !!
strip the bed * vacuum the mattress and spray with lavender water
leave to dry while I tackle the rest of her room
clean windows inside & out

sort through winter clothes

to be washed, stored for summer

or given to St.Vinnies

then open those wardrobe doors

have a hissy fit

start tossing while muttering under my breath

ms*sophie will head for the hills

and a few hours later, I will emerge

* triumphant!!

finished spring cleaning her room

for yet another year

Then I can make the bed

and putter around her room

* maybe light a few little candles

and a spring posy to make it special

....ahh teenage daughters

- ya gotta love 'em

vintage housekeeping recipes

MOTH REPELLANT HERB BAGS

to help protect my precious vintage cardies from the dreaded clothes moth * I rinse my woollies in lavender water and tuck lavender bags among them when I store them. Lavender is a great moth repellant as are many other herbs ~ sweet woodruff * tansy * rosemary & mint * also cloves * the chest of drawers where I store my woollens is also made of cedar which is a moth repellant.

I found this recipe for storing the woollens away:

2 ounces each of dried rosemary & mint
1 ounce each of dried thyme and ginseng
8 ounces of whole cloves

combine the ingredients in a large bowl and blend.
make sachets by choosing a 4 x 4 inch piece of natural fiber with a tight weave, such as silk
sew three sides together* fill with the herbs then tie the opening with a gorgeous piece of vintage ribbon * tuck these bags among your stored woollen garment.....

housekeeping ~ September 26

well it's that time of year

* time to hand wash all my woollens & store them away for the summer months.

I have a pile !

I tend to leave them all to do at once and then regret it,

make a resolution that it will be different next year and is it?

NO!

So here I am today

wanting to start my winter woollen wash and its raining

- not complaining about that as we deperately need it

but you know the feeling of wanting to do it

NOW?

I have quite a wonderful collection

of hand knitted vintage cardis and I love to wash them

one by one -

rinse them and then another rinse in lavender water

* a light spin in the machine

then laid out in the sunshine to dry.

I then mend anything that needs to be mended.

This year, I am planning on changing the buttons on some of them

- adding my little 'ms*robyn' touch.

After all that has been done

I fold them just like in a department store

& put them in my lavender paper lined drawer

with lavender bags tucked between them.

Once the drawer is full

I cover all the hand knits with a vintage lace trimmed cloth

* ready for next year.

I do keep one or two out for those chilly days during summer....

but I guess today

* I will make some fresh lavender bags

& find some perfect buttons in my button jar

ready for that mending

*happy birthday*

Jack Elmer

born September 25 2003

this little boy is my grandson * a darling, but he sure has 'the devil in him' as my Nan would say.....

my grandpa *Percival Arthur Truscott* was born in East Stonehouse, Devon * England * the youngest child- very pampered, indulged & dreadfully spoilt and I was told that he had 'the devil in him' too. He would clamber up between the houses and give ' a mouthfull of cheek' to his mother Laura. When they came to live in Australia, his father died due to war injuries and his mother could not handle him, so he was sent to board on a farm. Naughty Percy he was known as!

Our little Jack*Spratt* is the image of my grandpa - the same twinkle in his eye and the same impish smile - he is gorgeous and he knows it !!!

Master JACK on flikr

indian summer

days like today were what my nan called 'indian summers' - those hot, hazy days that remind you that summer is just around the corner. Those days in spring when you just know that Mother Nature is sure to have a menopausal moment and send another frost but today the cicadas were singing, birds having a wonderful splash in the bird baths and for the first time this spring, you wear a t-shirt. It was hot!
I gardened - working nearly all day in my vegie garden * planting marigolds among my french beans * digging in compost for my greedy pumpkins, hammering in stakes for my sweet bite tomatoes and even having a go at growing capsicum. I am not a glamourous gardener, although I do have a certain *style* ~ I wear BLUNDSTONES with socks * t-shirt * shorts and my hair twisted up and secured with a huge clip! very glamourous indeed ! but ladies, I forgot to wear my hat which is a silly thing to do in this hot Australian sun ~ so now I am quite red - similar to a lobster and I am not proud of it at all. Love to garden on the weekend ~ Joe is a sweetheart and makes me lots of cups of tea or iced water with a slice of lemon.... I am so lucky, really I am.
but its late and I have just had a lovely bath with 'emperor blend' bath salts by BOD, sipping a cup of green tea, nearly ready for bed.

But just wanted to tell you that I have a celebration tomorrow

will share when I wake up..........

ahhhh gotcha

yes ladies I have been caught & tagged by MaggieAnn !

5 things I plan to do before I die :
learn how to relax * travel to Italy * make good pastry * become more tolerant * read Pride & Prejudice

5 things I can do :
cook * garden * discipline myself * sit at the computer and not do my housework(that happens alot) * quilt

5 things I can't do: *and I don't think I ever will*
read music * speak french * change a tyre * give blood * stop worrying about stuff

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex :
kindness * a good listener * supportive in times of trouble * understanding of women's emotional needs * loves to sit and just be

5 things I say most often :
everything happens for a reason * can you unpack the dishwasher? * I am so tired * there are always others worse off, you don't have to look far to find them * gee whiz!

5 celebrity crushes :
Sean Connery * Johnny Depp * Michael J Fox * Michael Landon * Benjamin Barry ( yes,I know he is young but he is a honey)

5 people I would like to do this :
Alice-a growing delight * Shell-sacred hearts * Gina L-my vintage days * Dolly * Ainslie-suburbansider and one more for luck Jenn-random ramblings

in the mail box

my mail box was full yesterday !

thanks ~ * Melissa and Ainslie! some wonderful postcards and a little treat from Peggy

* this postcard swap certainly makes my mail box fun... I wonder if my mail man will become a *happy chappy* instead of Mister Grumpy?

farewell ms*Amy

Amy @ only the berries has closed her blog

for the time being

* she has lots on

and just doesn't have the time to create her blog.

I sure will miss her sense of fun!!

Best of luck gal * cya soon

vintage self portrait Tuesday ~ September 20

this is a shoe that we have in our dress up box.

Even though my girls have 'grown up' I still like to keep their dress up box -

I bought these years ago at a flea market

for a vintage clothes shoppe birthday party that ms*louisa had...

they are the brightest sparkly blue

and not the most comfortable pair that I have worn -

that is why I sat down to take the photo

note that I have still not shaved my legs!!!

ms*louisa's wedding - September 20

don't fret - ms*louisa! as we 'speak' the first wedding cake is in the oven~ YES! I finally got my act together and made the fruit cake this morning.... and my hens - 'the girls', co-operated for once and laid me a wonderful clutch of eggs yesterday. I am planning on making the other cake on the weekend.

ms*louisa ~ the bride to be

this is my gorgeous gal ms*louisa - I thought I would post a picture of what she looks like now.... she is my *pink* girl - she loved pink when she was little and the wedding she is planning is going to be a princess wedding.

through the blogging glass -

Hello Dolly !

I am sure most of you know Dolly. Oh she is a favourite of mine - she is down to earth and prattles on in a most entertaining way.... has me laughing out loud sometimes *just this week she has been talking about finding just one thing that you love about yourself, which got me thinking.


I wish I were less sensitive. I wear my heart on my sleeve * always have and probably always will & I get hurt, dreadfully sometimes * I put my all into friendships and I guess I do expect others to do the same and of course when they don't * I feel a lump in my heart. My grandma always said that I had to toughen up...... but ya know, if I did that, then I wouldn't be me. Joe says that I should just take people as they are and not expect everyone to be like me.... but honestly, I can't change myself.
I want people to like me .....but don't we all want that?

day to day living ~ vintage style*

packed lunches! who can remember them? I still pack Joe's lunch most days and ms*sophie's about 3 times a week for school. The other days she likes to buy something from the canteen. And how fillings and snacks have changed over the years, there is such a variety of snacks on supermarket shelves these days....

ahh MEMORIES
when I was little - for play lunch we had either SAOS or wheatmeal biscuits with cheese or vegimite and a piece of fruit and for lunch a sandwich with meat, cheese or salad. Sometimes at the end of the week, it could have been vegimite or peanut butter, no supermarkets to run out and buy things whenever you needed and usually not alot of money left over either.
I can still smell the smell of a cardboard school case that a banana had sat in for a day. And I remember the plastic drink bottle with cordial....icy cold from when mum had put it in the freezer overnight so that I could have a cold drink during our hot summer days..all wrapped in a tea towel and placed in a plastic bag.

nowdays I pack Joe a sandwich with meat & cheese, some macadamia nuts and a piece of fruit. ms*sophie takes a chicken, avocado and mayo sandwich, a muesli bar or maybe something I have baked and a fruit juice. I do buy either chips or fruit straps each week for her but am trying to get away from too many processed foods.
I can remember reading how Rachel Aswell would write her daughter a note each night and I took this idea and sometimes put a little note in ms*sophie's lunch to remind her that she is special and loved. She has quite a collection now..all in a teeny little box......

vintage gardening in September

spring is here supposedly.

However, where I live, it is still a little on the cool side.

I am busting to get my tomatoes in but waiting a week or two will be so much better for those warmth loving plants.

roses are sending up new shoots and my crab apple is in full bloom.

I just noticed this morning that my lilacs have buds on them

*and it looks like they will be glorious this year.

I have 4 weeks to get my garden into tip top shape for ms*louisa's wedding.

I want lots of pots planted up with violas & pansies & alyssum spilling out of tubs.

And I need to plant lots of nasturtiums, alyssum and queen anne's lace

under my apple tree to help keep those bad bugs at bay.

It is looking like I should get a wonderful crop of apples this year.

This apple tree is amazing!

It is one of the original trees that was planted when our land was part of an orchard - over 70 years ago.

I have no idea what variety it is

but it makes the best apple crumble & apple sauce.

And it is a delight in every season -

just now it is ready to burst into blossom

and I am hoping it will hold off til the wedding day..

it would be lovely to have some photos taken under it.

I also need to wrap some hessian around the trunk for codling moth control.

This weekend, I am hoping to spend a few hours in my vegie garden,

getting it all ready for spring planting.

The snow peas can come out and be given to the chickens

and I will have to rake up alot of sticks that have fallen in the past few days...

I throw a few good handfuls of organic life onto the soil

and cover the whole garden with newspaper and lucerne.

This encourages worm activity .

I also need to lime the soil in some parts for those vegies that need lime.

Oh and I also have to turn my compost heap -

I have one cooking , one current and one that I can use now.

Wonderful things compost heaps -

the chicken manure and spent straw from their nesting boxes goes into it

as does any other kitchen waste that the chickens don't eat.

I stay away from meat products

and weeds like oxalis and some grasses.

I cover the whole thing with an old carpet piece

and the worms do their magic.

The liquid manure barrel needs to be stirred and topped up.

comfrey certainly comes in handy for that.

I also need to get more mulch on those beds that aren't covered.

The summer will be here before we know it

and I need to keep as much moisture in as possible.

I am now back to using lucerne, a little more expensive

but well worth the goodness it puts into the soil.

I need to weed, feed & mulch all my trees as well.

A busy time in the garden this month!

vintage friends * kindred spirits

we have such a wonderful little blogging community developing here that I thought that we should have a little forum where we can post also. Definately not to take place of our blogs ~ they are WAY too much fun.....but just a place where we can pop into whenever we want - to post & read & rest......

I have made it that you have to be approved by me to actually access all the forums ~ this is to keep weirdos (and yes, cyber world is full of them) out ..so that what we post can only be seen by members.

this is the link and if you would like to come chat with vintage friends & kindred spirits, please do !!!


vintage friends & kindred spirits

collage swap closes soon

Just a little reminder that the collage swap is closing in a few days. It looks like it is going to be lots of fun & lots of creativity seems to be in the planning.

Breakfast at Tiffanys

I wish *

nothing as wonderful as that - just breakfast at my house!
Friday is a day that I really do no housework - save washing.... I go grocery shopping but generally do just as I please....

so today I cooked my self breakfast - thank heaven my hens have realized that they are here to supply me with eggs, not to just look beautiful. Today, they presented me with one egg ( that's good going - 1 egg from 10 hens...) so I decided to cook my self a scrambled egg on toast with a few slices of vine ripened tomato, cracked black pepper & sea salt - all placed on a piece of toast, sprinkled with parsley from my herb garden. all I need to do now is convince Joe that I need a coffee espresso machine and I will be set.

about breakfast ~ one really interesting thing that I have learnt in the past 6 months is to vary your breakfast * don't eat the same thing : day in, day out. I am sure every one knows that breakfast is a very important meal of the day and it has been proven that by eating a healthy breakfast, we lose weight faster..... it gets the metabolism going & working like it should ......and BOY! was mine broke!

like I said before, when I was a skinny teen I could virtually eat what I wanted and hardly ever ate breakfast * I had way too much to do (nothing has changed there). I even had coke for breakfast sometimes when I was pregnant as it was the only thing I could keep down * yes I suffered dreadfully from morning sickness..... however when those years go by and we wake up one morning and we are near or over 40, the weight just seems harder to shift and with extra weight comes other health problems...... mine were high blood pressure and high cholesterol.... oh, yes I can ignore it and tell myself that it is all hereditary and that there are other people out there who are just like me and they are doing ok - aren't they? and yeah, sure I can eat all those good things and ignore those deliciously wicked things that taste sooooo good and then go outside and get hit by a bus.

So what is the point of watching what I eat ?

Well : for me it all boils down to ..... helping myself, stay healthier and living longer. Pampering myself and making myself feel good.

so what I have done is put a little list of yummy breakfasts that I can look at each week and have a plan - go grocery shopping and buy what I need so that I don't just grab a quick piece of toast.

*low fat muesli with yoghurt
* rolled oats cooked in skim milk & served with fruit & honey
* banana, honey & wheatgerm skim milk smoothie
and yes * bacon & eggs with tomato and mushrooms all on toast.
just a little every now and then doesn't hurt anyone

and sometimes Joe and I even go to a cafe for breakfast and share french toast with lashings of maple syrup and crispy bacon - all washed down with a skinny cappucino !

Always treat yourself.... so important in life, I think

in the mail box - September 15

my mail box was full today ~ of good things!

I received postcards from Amy * Peggy & Gina ! thanks so much girls.......I have decided that I am going to display them for awhile around my home *to remind me of my online friends* and then I am going to tie each batch up with a pink ribbon and put it them in an old suitcase..... this is such fun and don't forget the postcard swap is still open ....

actually I think the postcard swap is wonderful * I inherited a shoe box full of old postcards from my dear Nan and I get great delight reading during the cold winter months. Maybe, my grandchildren will get the same pleasure reading these cards from our swap in years to come

watch that weight !

yes dear ladies - I am a weight watcher.
Don't know why though as I was just about voted the least likely to ever put weight on in high school. My dear Pa called me lolly legs as they were sooo very thin and in my teens, I was so embarrassed by my 'thin-ness' that I wrote away to a company that would guarantee weight increase with their product ( which consisted of drinking copious amounts of milk, mixed with powdered full fat milk and malt). Even when I was pregnant, I was thin, I could eat cherry ripes every day and not put one ounce on .....so what happened? Age ? or gluttony? or just enjoying the good life? - all of these I guess.

I knew I was putting weight on but was so sure it would just slip off if I didn't eat my tim tams or if I went for leisurely stroll after dinner once or twice a week. Then one morning I woke and I saw my dear nan's arms staring at me in the bathroom mirror. Now don't get me wrong, I adored my Nan - she was cuddly but she was also diabetic and not a good one at that.

So that day, off to the gym I went * and I definately do not have time to be going running on a treadmill to nowhere... I joined, paid my money and went into the assessment room feeling very smug....thinking that he will say that I just needed a little tone up.... well, he weighed and measured and tut tutted... until I asked him what he was going on about. My blood pressure was up and I was way over my recommended body mass index (BMI - to people in the 'know').. I promptly told him that I was menopausal and that my dear Nan had big arms....which he quickly replied to with ' oh, don't blame her'..... I grabbed my bag and sneaked out...going home howling....
so I joined weight watchers that night! Not me to do things by halves, so I joined Joe up as well... and we were going along really well...it is actually a wonderful way to lose weight as it is all about healthy eating.... I lost quite abit and dropped a few sizes in clothes. eventually reaching my goal early this year and am now what they call a 'gold life member'

However this past month or so, I have noticed that my jeans are a tad tight..so off I go last night to the meeting and I have gained 1.8kgs in a month.... that is about 6 weeks of following the weight watchers diet.... I have no one to blame but myself.... one tim tam won't hurt, a few potato chips, dessert with cream ? yes please...... that has to stop and I have to start walking again........ Up bright and early this morning, dragged Joe out of bed, told him we were walking and off we went..... how lucky I am to have a man who doesn't complain about my obsessiveness with anything I tackle!

the vintage poet

no, I am not going to bore you with my poetry * heaven forbid!!* but I was looking through some really old encylopedias this afternoon, trying to find some things for the collage swap and came across this poem.

THE CANE BOTTOMED CHAIR - by Thackeray
( a few verses)

the snug little chamber is crammed in all nooks
With worthless old knickknacks and silly old books
And foolish old odds and foolish old ends
Cracked bargains from brokers, cheap keepsakes from friends.

Old armour, prints, pictures, pipes, china, all cracked
Old rickety tables and chairs broken-backed
A twopenny treasury, wondrous to see
What matter? 'tis pleasant to you friend and me

But of all the old treasures that garnish my nest
there's one that I love and I cherish the best;
For the finest of couches that's padded with hair
I never would change thee, my cane-bottomed chair

and this is what is said about the poem:

These verses are touched with true human feeling and although cane-bottomed chairs are now rather out of date, the sentiment attaching to any old chair in which we recall the presence of some departed loved one will never go out of fashion.


don't you just love it !!!

spring cleaning

where did this come from? this cold, icy weather with a wind that just about blows my washing into the next state... my poor garden doesn't know what to do... here are the new spring shoots peeping out and before they have a chance to open their leaves they are frozen to death.

so that is why I never, ever start my spring cleaning til after our term 3 school break. At this time of year, I never know if I will be needing a woollen jumper or an overcoat from one day to the next. And if they are all washed and folded til next winter - I find it hard to wear them. I would rather freeze to death and if I have cleaned the fireplace out for the year, I just cannot bring myself to light a fire..... all that ash and soot flying around my freshly spring cleaned house.... no, I will wait til Mother Nature has had her menopausal moment until the end of September...

vintage home hints

help is always welcomed by us vintage gals - and I am sure we can use help to send our packages wrapped the vintage way ~ although, I don't find these intructions very clear. taken from a vintage hint book

HOW TO TIE UP A BROWN PAPER PARCEL

it is always useful to be able to tie up a brown paper parcel neatly, and yet there
are many who do not know how to do this.
Stand the box or article in the
middle of the paper, bringing the two edges together so that they overlap on top
of the box and then neatly turn in the ends so a pointed flap, which is folded
up. Then tie round the string, most difficult part of the work.
The best and
easiest way is to fold the string double, and lay it on the table with the box
on top of it. Then slip the two loose ends of the strig through the loop, draw
this loop up on top of the box and turn the ends to right and left. now take
them round and tie on the other side

through the blogging glass

oh you just have to take a peek at this! MaggieAnn has been doing some collage and it is absolutely delightful!

COLLAGE BY MAGGIEANN

VINTAGE self portrait Tuesday ~ September 13

I was going to take a picture of the bottom half of my legs with a vintage pair of shoes on me tootsies.... but I shaved my legs over the weekend and just realized I only shaved one... and that is quite an ugly sight.... so this is my hand in an old glove.... I did one in colour and the another in black and white, couldn't decide which one I liked most so here they both are:

housekeeping ~ September 12

what a lot I have to do today.....after my little rest last week. I am scrubbing both the bathrooms *amazing how grubby they look with my one week off* ~ changing my sheets, doing endless loads of washing & generally tidying the house.
My home is by no means a show home ~ it is important to me that I clean but I don't have a perfectly pristine, don't drop crumbs type of home. My home is comfortable and I sure hope it is welcoming to anyone who visits......oh of course I run around like a woman possessed trying to tidy it all up but all I seem to do is shift piles of 'stuff' from one place to another....like piles of magazines that someone might like to browse through over coffee .
So dear readers...enjoy your home and don't stress...... enjoy whatever you do today!

arm chair traveller

I took a few photos in Mudgee - they have been uploaded to flikr if you want to take a peek
*link on my sidebar*

oh and by the way - the picture of the couple that I posted for our weekend away trip - that's not us! I found it somewhere on the net.. in a lost pictures site.

Remember 9/11

REMEMBERING
all those that died on 9/11 ~ 4 years ago

honey ! I'm home

HOME ! there is no place like it ... but what a great weekend we had. First stop was a little town called Portland where I was lucky enough to find the local St Vincent de Paul open for business... I hit the jackpot in that shop ~ 6 vintage aprons and two 1930's religious pictures all for the princely sum of ' $2 - thanks dear'.

Then a lovely drive through some gorgeous countryside.. arriving just in time for lunch at a local pub. After lunch we visited a few boutique wineries, purchased some lovely wines and generally had fun driving among the vineyards ~ we arrived at our accomodation around 3 on Saturday afternoon and had a lovely long nap. Dinner was superb ...dessert to die for - creme caramel with stewed rhubarb. Breakfast this morning was served in a gorgeous garden room and then off to a few more wineries. I also found a great shop called 'Heavenly Mary' which sold all manner of religious articles. I bought the most divine necklace made from red, vintage glass rosary beads, a few little bells and the most gorgeous crucifix... I love it! And some wonderful napkins for my daughter in law with a picture of a nun on them... and the words 'SISTER MARY MERLOT' .....she will have a laugh with the local nuns about that one!

off out west ......

today ~ Joe & I are going away for the weekend. We need it. We are packing our bags and heading west - to the wine country.
We have booked ourselves into a guest house in Mudgee and plan on reading & sleeping mostly. Having long walks around the town, visiting some junque shops - just generally doing as we please. Dinner is planned at a local winery BLUE WREN WINERY
AND ~ I am hoping to find some postcards for the postcard swap

so dear friends ....see you when we get back from our little jaunt..all rested and ready to tackle next week!!

in the mail box~ September 9

oh what a lovely week I have had & it ended on a delightful note ~ a postcard from ms*kali and a lovely long letter from the delightful Wendy..... I am so glad that everyone is having fun with the postcard swap...nice and simple don't you think? and anyone can join in at anytime !

spring cleaning ~ September 9

oh, I couldn't help myself this morning. I don't usually start my spring cleaning til after the September school holidays but my pantry was a mess! So * I donned rubber gloves, poured hot water into a bucket and started to sort the pantry out* threw out all those herbs & spices whose use by dates were long gone.. I am sure some of them were from my early marriage days. Wiped down all jars as well as the shelves, sorted out tupperware *eek* and washed the pantry floor.
I then sorted all my herbal teas out and put them into a vintage glass bowl....closed the door and felt a deep satisfaction.......now I am off out to have lunch yet again with Joe ~

housekeeping ~ September 9

or should I say, lack of it * ...I have not stuck to the routine this week as you know & boy, has it been hard. Oh of course, I did my daily washing and ran the vacuum over the timber floors each morning..and washed the dishes but the bathrooms haven't been cleaned and no dusting has been done... and I notice it. It is so hard to walk past a piece of furniture that I can see a layer of dust on... one of my MANY eccentricities.... and I will admit I have felt guilty at some stage but I pushed the guilt feeling deep down and just ignored it. I sat in my new chair and read, wandered around my garden * which I must say is looking absolutely wonderful right now* I lunched, I went to a junk shop and bought some treasures *old postcards for the swap ~ a few little gifts for my online friends and some bits and pieces for the collage swap*. Now I am all kind of relaxed and ready to tackle my up coming spring clean. REFRESHED is what I am feeling

brown*paper*parcels ~ memories are made of this

from brown paper parcels on April 30 * 2005


oh my how funny is this !!!! when I was 13 or so..a hair colour rinse was produced and let loose onto the beauty market called 'magic silver white '.... you put a few drops into some water and rinsed it through your hair. It was supposed to give your hair a kind of silvery, shimmery look. Of course being a teenager in the 1970's, I wanted to be dramatic and decided that half a bottle through my hair would be sure to make it noticeable. well that worked didn't it !!! I had a head full of bright purple hair, mixed with the silvery colour....it certainly was dramatic. My mum and dad didnt think so though and they weren't impressed with the purple ring left on the hand basin in the bathroom. There was also another version called magic silver rose...which gave pink and silver hues to the hair ~ purple was my preference

QUEEN OF SWAPS

for ages now, I have wanted to join a tea swap. Awhile ago, I emailed the tea swap blog organizer and asked if I could join. But sadly, it was full and he also said that it is near impossible to swap tea internationally - due to customs regulations. So - are any of you australian bloggers out there interested in starting a tea swap? If so....go to the 'you've got mail blog'

swap blog

and sign up...as soon as we have 10 people, I will organize a swap ~ yes ladies * I am the QUEEN OF SWAPS

simple but from the heart

yesterday, on her way home from school ms*sophie picked me a bunch of wild freesias. I have been meaning to do this for over a week and just haven't got around to it. These simple freesias grow all over near our home.....along the road, in vacant paddocks & around the town water tank. I put them in an old electric jug, right next to my sink....the perfume of these simple flowers is just divine

vintage self portrait ~ dress ups

anyone want to join in dress ups? I am going to do a vintage self portrait each Tuesday, dressing up in one vintage item - either gloves, hats, shoes, reading glasses or just a handbag... have a little bit of fun and join me!

vintage self portrait Tuesday ~ September 6

I have absolutely no idea what a self portrait Tuesday is supposed to entail but it sounds like fun ...being a vintage girl of course I will have to add a vintage twist to mine ~ next week I may be a little more adventurous.... I did it in sepia as the hat was way too bright ~ it is actually brown & orange velvet ~ straight out of the 60's!!

housekeeping ~ September 5

This week, I have decided to forget the routine! gasp, shock, horror! I am actually life lagged right now...guess its similar to jet lag. So, instead of my normal routine, I am going to spend the week, cleaning out cupboards and drawers, doing a mountain of hand washing and generally puttering and tidying. And I am going to read and sit and ponder. The house won't fall down and the world won't end AND I am sure the family will cope....but will I ?

in the mail box~ September 5

today I was feeling a little kind of ..well... I guess low or maybe just life lagged. What a wonderful treat to go to my letterbox and have my first postcard from the postcard swap. Thanks to Shell from Sacred Heart Arts....just gorgeous & creative....and thanks to dear Maggieann from knittingkat for a gorgeous redwork pattern.

Don't forget you can always join the postcard swap at anytime...the link is on my sidebar

old magazines & vintage patterns for soft toys

on the weekend, my sister gave me alot of old Women's Weeklys from the 1970's. In one of them there was a pullout for old soft toy patterns...if anyone is interested in a copy..please let me know and I will post one to you. The patterns are suitable for all those cute little soft toys that everyone is making at the moment....this is a really cute little owl that I just love.
those vintage magazines are such fun to read and some of the pictures are just perfect for my collage cards that I am into at the moment....

thank God

I have just read that a blogger friend is ok after hurricane Katrina's destruction. Laurie from
ROSE COTTAGE has posted that she is ok.....amazingly strong lady. God bless you, Laurie x x

ms*louisa's wedding ~ September 3rd

what a fun day ~ I have uploaded some photos of the luncheon to flikr....ms*louisa received some wonderful gifts ~ and we all had alot of fun & laughs playing the games....just good girlie fun.

something old, something blue

I have a special gift for ms*louisa..... my dear Nan - Jean, loved to keep all her gorgeous lace handkerchiefs for 'good' and lucky me, was given them all when she passed away. I treasure them with my heart. I have one special one, which still has the little sticker on it and I am going to give it to ms*louisa tomorrow as the 'something old' * along with a collage card that I made for just this day. I photo copied a picture of my nan when she was a little girl and cut out her head. I also found a picture of a vintage wedding gown which was the PERFECT size for the head! so I made a collage, with romantic words stuck here and there as well as a gorgeous flower right on the waist. Looks delightful. I wrapped this and the hankie up in blue tissue, tied it with a blue vintage ribbon and finished the whole parcel with a vintage flower. something very, very special for tomorrow.

ms*louisa's wedding ~ September 2

tomorrow is the kitchen tea or bridal shower... it is being held at my home, so I have been madly getting it all into order...about 20 ladies are coming for lunch and, as ms*louisa is a retro girl - we have decided to give her a 60's luncheon. To start with- we are having 'savouries' - cocktail onions & cheese on toothpicks stuck into oranges and cream cheese & cocktail onions on jatz. starter is prawn cocktail. Main course will be meatballs in a creamy mushroom sauce as well as chicken vol au vents. Waldorf salad on the side. Then for 'sweets' we are having chocolate slice, date loaf and pineapple boats. Washed down with sparkling wine and ice tea. All these recipes are authentic 60's recipes taken from a book that I have...absolutely horrid but lots of fun. All home made of course. a few games to pass away the time and some lovely presents.
For the past week, I have been scouring the op shops for 60's plate and other decorating things...have come up with quite a stash. The tablecloth is red with white checks and big white daisies scattered all over. It should be lots of fun..and I will most definately post some pics.

swap business ~

once again, I have confused the issue * I do that all the time!*.... I have created a blog that contains all the swaps that are either started or planned.... I deleted the vintage postcards from the edge blog & started you've got mail *the link is in the daily parcels sidebar* the rules, ideas and swaps are all there and I promise that it won't become a novel to read each day like this blog....just ideas, thoughts, comments & suggestions as well as what swaps are current and coming up. In the side bar on you've got mail I have lists of swaps and who is taking part in each one...if you want to be part in any of them...make sure you check that your name is there....coming up - collage journal swap & christmas stocking swap

now I can rest easy.....

I had my checkup this afternoon and my results came back.

NO MALIGNANCY !!

isn't that wonderful? I am doing the happy dance and feel so relieved, I can't tell you just how relieved I am. I was quite beside myself with fear as I didn't think I had it in me to fight again..... so it is with a light and happy heart that I am off to bed. Big thankyous to each of you for all the prayers, emails, good thoughts and well wishes..

now please remember to check your own breasts for lumps

so important

brown paper parcels ~ my vintage bookshelf

on April 28th * 2005 - this is what I wrote about Enid Blyton & the Famous Five:

I always wanted to be Ann in the famous 5 series and wanted to play house when out camping and wished I could buy some fresh produce right from the farm * the home made fruit cake from the farmer's wife * the fresh milk and cheese * all wrapped in a red gingham cloth ~ how I was so scared when they were in the tunnel with the 'ghost train' and the castle that they camped in ....what childhood adventures should be made of. My children were drip fed Enid Blyton from the time they were big enough to sit still and listen !
I just love ALL things Enid Blyton ! the Magic Faraway Tree and the Wishing Chair. Mrs Washalot (hmmm sounds like a name for me!)~ saucepan man and moon-face and the land at the top of the treePicking up vintage Enid Blyton books is a must for me on my trips to op shops or when treasure hunting. ...oh I cant sing her praises enough !Do something from your childhood ~ grab your favourite Enid Blyton book, a cup of tea, get cosy and read ~ does one's soul good to escape sometime

words to ponder

There is value in having a long-range perspective on
life, but there is
also a value in being able to live in the moment. Don’t
miss the beauty of
the buds because you’re impatiently longing for the ripe
fruit.

taken from care2.com

housekeeping ~ September 1st

oh! its a glorious spring day! I am going to throw my kitchen windows open to the fresh spring air - put on some suitable music and clean my little heart out. The kitchen is so dreadfully messy right now. So today I am give it & the dining room a thorough going over ~ tidying up all those papers that have accumulated in piles over the past weeks.....vacuuming & washing the floors, cleaning the benches & getting it all ready for the bridal shower on Saturday.

and I am going to make up a spring room freshener :

2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops eucalyptus oil
4 drops orange/lemon essential oil
1 cup distilled water

put water in a spray bottle and add drops. shake to mix. spray upwards & towards center of room. avoid spraying near eyes. store in a cool dark place.

I also have to go through my pantry and make a shopping list for tomorrow. grocery shopping - I quite enjoy it ! pushing the trolley and choosing items to make my home a welcoming place whether it be cleaning products (green of course) or food to cook up into something quite delish. Lots of special things to buy for the bridal shower as well.

*I think I may even go to the fruit shop and buy some leeks to put into one of my glass jugs.*

What a spring time treat!

September 1st

pinch and a punch for the first of the month!!!

remember that ?