The Gallery - Friends

Joining Sticky Fingers for The Gallery ... the theme this week is Friends.

These two little cousins had met only once when the youngest was just six weeks old. 

We visited recently on a family holiday and these two little girls became best friends.

Christine xx

There's nobody here but us penguins...

Christine xx

Listography - 5 things that make me happy

I'm so happy to join with Kate Takes 5 for this weeks Listography! 

1. Julia's hugs, cuddles, kisses and I love yous.


2. Listening to Julia sing to herself, especially when she makes up her own songs. 

3. Finishing a craft project, particularly if it's something big. 


4. Cooking something really delicious (and easy) that my family loves. 


5. Lazy family weekends at home.



What makes you happy?

Christine xx

The Gallery - Landscapes

Joining Sticky Fingers for The Gallery ... the theme this week is Landscapes.

Sullivans Cove, Hobart as dusk falls.

This was taken in 2005 on our honeymoon. Hobart is a lovely city; I would definitely love to revisit Tasmania and see more of this beautiful Australian state. It's on the travel list!

Christine xx

To Nan and Grandpa. I like you.

Continuing the February photo a day challenge from Fat Mum Slim. 

15. Phone
I created this little bunny mobile/ipod cover as part of my Easter collection - available now at Mini-Me Handcrafts. 

16. Something new
The mild Canberra weather this summer has brought out new pigface flowers.  

17. Time 
2.30 pm -  time to get off the computer, get organised, get into the car and pick up Julia from school! 

18. Drink
These Contigo drink bottles are definitely the favourites in our house. They are very sturdy, wash well, don't leak, and we love all the colours too! 

19. Something I hate to do
Ironing. And I'm sure it hates me too. 

20. Handwriting
This letter in my own handwriting has been kept for many years by my grandmother. I guess I would have been about 7 years old. 

21. A favourite photo of me
The black and white photo was taken on my wedding day and is definitely one of my all-time favourite photos of me.

Christine xx

Julia's Valentine Butterflies

Julia (Miss 5) had a really lovely Valentine's Day this year. We made some Valentine Butterflies to share with her friends at school.

When I picked her up from school at the end of the day she had saved two butterflies especially for her Daddy and me. What a sweetie!

The template was printed from Skip to my Lou - such a wonderful treasury of beautiful arts and crafts.

Christine xx

The Gallery - C is for Cookie!

Joining Sticky Fingers for The Gallery ... the theme this week is Embarrassing Outfits.

I'm not sure if this outfit is more embarrassing because I made it myself, or because the photo was only taken a few years ago. At least it was for a fancy dress party!

Christine xx

A little bit inspired by Andy Warhol

Continuing the February photo a day challenge from Fat Mum Slim. 

8. Sun 
Peeping out from behind clouds. 

9. Front door
These gorgeous fairy houses line the little window next to our front door. 

10. Self portrait 
In the pop art style of Andy Warhol.  

11. Makes me happy
Hugs. Lots of hugs, cuddles and kisses. 

12. Inside my closet
My closet is boring, but look inside Julia's wardrobe! I wonder if any of my Facebook friends can recognise their beautiful handiwork? 

13. Blue
This little blue bunny rattle that I have made is hoping to find a new home this Easter. He has lots of sisters and brothers too! 

14. Heart
A treasured drawing by Julia.

Loving this photo challenge!

Christine xx

Listography - Mugs (the ones for tea or coffee)

Doesn't everyone have a mug collection in their cupboard? There are always your favourites that sit proudly at the front, followed by the guest mugs which hover within reach, and right at the back are the novelty mugs and the ones received as gifts that you just haven't the heart to throw or give away.

Perhaps this is one of the more unusual Listography collections, but here is a selection from my own cupboard: 

1. A gift from my Mum, this is actually the second one because a shelf fell on the first. It was quite devastating at the time, and my Mum searched high and low for an exact replacement. 

 2. This one was a gift from a friend and still makes me laugh. It was used for some time at work for the all important tea break, mostly because it holds a good amount of tea and doesn't go cold too quickly. 

3. I have had this mug for ages. It's slightly smaller than normal, so it's not really very good for tea. Unless you like a small cup. 

4. It's plain white, but it's BIG. This is the best mug ever for soup, especially soup with noodles. 

5. These are my favourite mugs. Tea tastes best in a china mug.

Join in with Kate Takes 5 and share your favourite mugs too!

Christine xx

With all my love ♥♥♥

Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.

Gil: Oh?

Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! 

Gil: What a great story. 

Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.

- Parenthood (1989) 

To my wonderful husband, 

Happy Valentine's Day, you are awesome! 

With all my love, 

Christine xxx 

This is my family. Aren't we wonderful? This fantastic custom Happy Family Illustration was created by the fabulously talented Katie Moon at Oohmoon - you read more about this creation on her blog post here. Thanks very much Katie! 

I love the colours and everything about this amazing piece! I will be getting a canvas print made later in the year which will look fantastic on our wall.

Love to all,
Christine xx

My favourite handmade buys of 2011

I have found so many wonderful and talented people over the past year who can make the most beautiful handmade delights and thought I should share some of my favourites with you. I love to shop handmade, knowing that I am supporting someone else just like me (except ten times more talented).

Handmade dresses are my weakness, and those I will share with you another day. This blog post is about those other handmade items - anything but clothes!

So in no particular order, here are my favourite handmade buys of 2011:

Jac & Skeet

This fabulous oversized order book cover was made for me by Jac & Skeet. When Jac posted a picture of this jelly bean fabric on her Facebook page, I knew it just had to be mine! My order book was a mess and pages were all over the place, but not any more! Jac can make these covers in any size and can make matching business card holders and notebook covers too. 

Also from Jac & Skeet are these Eco bags, made wonderful with a terrific facelift. Both sides of the bag are covered in my fabric choices from Jac's fabric stash. I get great comments from other shoppers when I pull out my bags, especially when craft and yarn shopping!

Becca's Biscuits

My favourite gifts for others last year were these cookie decorator kits from Becca's Biscuits. My initial kit purchase included plain white iced biscuits, edible ink pens, gift box, cello bags and ribbon. Julia loved decorating the biscuits with her own designs, then gift wrapping them for special friends and family.

The ink pens were used over and over for more kits purchased later in the year. I even bought lots of plain tiara shaped biscuits for her birthday party, and her friends loved decorating them too.

Beck makes fabulous custom cookie creations, cookie cards, biscuit bouquets and cookie pops, and her designs and decorations are just fantastic! I bought the letter biscuits for my husband's birthday, and Julia set them into place on the birthday table - what a great centrepiece! The decorated tiaras were a special Christmas gift for Julia's friends at calisthenics. The beautiful work that Beck puts into each decorated biscuit is truly amazing.

There are so many delicious biscuit flavours available, but our favourites are lemon cheesecake and gingerbread. She can post all over Australia too, so take a look at her website and order a sample collection pack today - you'll be hooked too! 

Lella M

My husband was searching online for a cover for his ipad so I suggested he might like one from Lella M. This cover fits perfectly and provides good lightweight protection for travel.

Michelle makes wonderful padded covers and pouches for phones, dvd players and ipads as well as a fabulous range of bags, coffee jackets, notebook covers and lots more. 

The Karma Soap Company

Julia has quite sensitive skin that can dry out easily so I thought I would try some goats milk soap from The Karma Soap Company. This soap is just heavenly! It leaves her skin so soft and smooth and smells wonderful. It's so good that now we are all using goats milk soap in this house!

Felicity makes all her soaps in small batches, and none of her soaps contain preservatives, alcohol or petroleum products. I have tried several fragrances, and whilst Julia's favourites are chocolate and vanilla, my favourites so far are lavender and frangipani. Take a look at the website for more details.

There's a very special offer right now in the shop: Simply spend $20 or more on any products and include something from the seconds album to receive a free 30ml sample tube of the new goats milk moisturiser - this offer is limited so don't miss out! 

Odds & Blobs

I bought this gorgeous passport cover from Odds & Blobs for our big overseas trip last year and it was great! So well made, and how nice to stand out from the usual boring blue covers that all look the same. I bought one for each of us and it made finding passports a little easier in my bag too.

Jess also makes eye masks, luggage tags and zip pouches and you can find a great range in her madeit store.

I hope you enjoy browsing these stores as much as I do. Please support handmade!

Christine xx

The Gallery - A family story...

It's been quite a while since I joined Tara's Sticky Fingers blog for The Gallery ... the theme this week is A Family Story.

This is the beginning of a story.

In September 1968, my father, my mother and I left Melbourne to live in the USA for twelve months. I was two years old and that's me, in my Dad's arms, in a red coat. The photo shows family and friends all wishing us a safe journey as we leave Australia.

My father had been granted a Government Scholarship to attend the University of California at Berkeley. After his graduation we travelled extensively throughout the USA and Europe, before finally returning home in January 1970. My Mum kept a wonderful collection of letters to and from family and friends and which tell the story of our time overseas.

It's a pity that letter writing is such a dying art, as the letter collection, along with a substantial number of photos and slides, is a real reminder of a significant time in my own family story.

Christine xx