The Gallery - Special gifts you find under the Christmas Tree

Joining Sticky Fingers for The Gallery... the theme this week is "One title, no words".

Christine xx

The Gallery - Blech!

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

Do you remember those faces from the first time your child tried solid food? These pics of Miss J still make me chuckle! 

Christine xx

The Gallery - Me and Andy Warhol

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

I must admit, I'm not one for taking selfies. But if challenged I like to keep a bit of anonimity, usually hiding behind some photo editing creativity.

This isn't a new photo. But it's one of my favourite selfies :)

Christine xx

The Gallery - Looking cool

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

Several years ago... Miss Three on holidays. Waiting patiently at a cafe for a milkshake. Looking cool. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - I made this! (a long time ago)

Joining Sticky Fingers for The Gallery... the theme this week is "I made this".

I have always loved handcrafts. My grandmother taught me crochet and embroidery when I was quite young. 

You can see lots of things that I have made if you browse through my blog. But here is something that I'm really quite proud of, as this was a big project I completed a long time ago. 

These two double bed sized granny square blankets are some of my early crochet pieces - now almost 30 years old and still in use!

Christine xx

The Gallery - Bright sun

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

This is Julia's photo. 

Miss 6 and a half has an intermittent interest in photography. She likes to point and shoot, and is thrilled by whatever she captures on the screen. In her eyes, all her photos are artistic masterpieces. 

I think as we get older we often become more critical of ourselves and our creativity can become stifled. Perhaps the trees get in the way and block the sunshine. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - A beautiful city

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

This is the city in which I live. 

It's a stunning view of Canberra, taken from Mount Ainslie and overlooking the Parliamentary Triangle. 

Straight ahead at the bottom of the photo, you can see the Australian War Memorial, with the red gravel median along Anzac Parade leading to Lake Burley Griffin. 

Across the lake, the grassy area of Reconciliation Place leads up to Old Parliament House, and behind you can just see the tall flagpole atop Parliament House. 

Along the lake foreshore is the National Gallery, The High Court, Questacon and the National Library. On the left is Kings Avenue Bridge, with The National Carillon beside it on Aspen Island. 

On the right is Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, with the Captain Cook Memorial Jet shooting high in the air. 

I took this photo eight years ago in 2005, and the view hasn't changed a bit between then and now. It is truly a beautiful city. 

Come and visit! 

Christine xx

The Gallery - The new Dad

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

This is the first picture I took of my husband and his new daughter. 

Julia was born by caesarean section so I was in recovery afterwards for the good part of an hour. During that time, my husband waited in my room and was given Miss J to hold. When I showed up, his arms had just about fallen asleep because he had been holding her in the same position all that time. This new Dad didn't know what else to do with her!

Christine xx

The Gallery - A little girl's inspiration

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

Like them or not, the Disney Princesses have a story to tell. They entertain, charm and attract many little girls with their fanciful stories and beautiful dresses. But in many ways they also demonstrate courage, intelligence, and determination. 

Merida is the latest princess in the Disney line-up. She is impetuous and quick-witted with an outgoing, forceful personality, but she is also caring and kind hearted. Her story, of a girl who wants to take control of her own destiny, is compelling and inspiring. Especially to my little Miss who is very much like Merida in so many ways - minus the curly, red hair of course. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - Turning Two

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

When you turn two you get to blow out the candles on your birthday cake all by yourself. Even if your family has to eat birthday cake with extra drool.

Christine xx

The Gallery - Mmmmmm.... Butterbeer!

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

Here is a picture of me, scoffing Butterbeer outside the shops of Hogsmeade. It was absolutely delicious and I couldn't let all that yummy froth go to waste!

This photo was captured by my ever-loving (ever-laughing) husband on our trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, Florida. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - A new craft

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

A new craft for me... this is my first attempt at weaving and I think I'm addicted already! 

Christine xx

The Gallery - A lovely weekend

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

Every 6 months or so, we travel to Berrima for lunch with my brother and his family. They travel from Sydney and we travel from Canberra, so it's about half way. 

We usually have lunch at Josh's Cafe - the food and service are excellent! 

One highlight for Miss J is a visit to The Lolly Swagman. It's a real old-fashioned sweet shop with jars of lollies stacked up high on shelves along the walls, rows and rows of bagged lollies on benches, and handmade fudge behind a glass cabinet. There's always time to take a photo outside the shop, then Miss J likes to choose a bag of lollies for the car trip home. 

Such a lovely way to spend the weekend. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - The frazzle you can't see

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

The setting: Australia Day 2009, Commonwealth Park, a hot day. 

The Mr Men gang are dancing around on the stage and I'm enjoying the performance. (Actually, I'm enjoying the shade in front of the stage). Three-year-old Julia would like nothing more than to be let loose amongst the crowd. She's wiggling and starting to get really heavy in my arms. A self portrait of perhaps the best side of a somewhat frazzled Mum :)

Christine xx

The Gallery - Pulling faces

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

"Hey Mum, take my photo, take my photo!" 

"Okay... are you ready?" 

"Yes!" 

Click...

Christine xx

The Gallery - In my youth

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

This photo of me and my sister was taken when I was 12. 

In my youth I had two main interests: Calisthenics and Girl Guides. I loved both. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - A Happy Smile

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

Julia, aged almost 4. A happy smile! 

I love the photos where you can tell that her smile is genuine. You can see it in her eyes. As she has grown older, I have found that quite often she will pose for me with a fake smile. I'm sure you know the one I mean - with gritted teeth and grimacing lips. It's not that she isn't happy, it's just that capturing those genuine moments are harder now that she is always on the go! 

Christine xx

The Gallery - Three generations together

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

A photo of me at age three-and-a-half, together with my mother and grandmother.

I can imagine the day this photo was taken; perhaps a play in the park was suggested on such a beautiful sunny day. I love the togetherness of old family photos - photos taken on special occasions like Christmas or birthdays, snapshots taken on family outings, memories captured forever. 

Christine xx

The Gallery - Walking along the Walk of Fame

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

One of Miss Julia's most memorable places from our 2011 US trip is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She loved the stars along the footpath, the night lights and the many souvenir shops, but most of all she loved the characters who lined the path just waiting for the chance of a little cash in exchange for a photo or two. 

There was Woody from Toy Story (who quietly whispered to me "I work for tips" as Julia rushed into his arms), Tinkerbell (who I'm sure was dressed for a night on the town), Batman (whose ample girth made me think that he had seen better days), Spongebob Squarepants and Darth Vader. 

But the best was Spider-Man. He really knew how to play a role. Julia was delighted when she spotted him perched up on a ledge one night, and she was thrilled when he jumped down and posed for this picture with her. After that, it became a game each night to walk along the Walk of Fame and see if we could find Spider-Man! 

Christine xx

The Gallery - Un peu de rouge (a little red)

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

Christmas Day in Paris - that's three-year-old me in the red coat sitting under the Eiffel Tower with my Mum. A favourite family photo taken many years ago. 

Christine xx