snap it 'yellow' & all the latest giveaway lucky winners

Greetings all,

Playing along Snap It Wednesday with Faith Hope & a Whole Lotta Love Photography blog where this week's theme is 'yellow'.  I took this image last night, i know right, linking this non-flash-blurry-image to a photography blog is a tad ridiculous, however, it captures our beautiful pets relationship - German Shepherd still not too sure about the chirping chicken. But look at the warm yellow glow which comes from the coop at night.

Now to kick off the month how i plan to finish it - organised - here are the lucky winners of the latest bunch of giveaways i've run . . . hold your applause until the end please.

Congratulations CHD blog - 

you have won a copy of Tania McCartney's Beijing Tai Tai book.

Congratulations The Provincial Homemaker, 

Four Wise Monkeys & 

A Working Mother's Chatter blogs - 

you have each won a $10 'dough' voucher for Baker's Delight.

Congratulations Belle Inspirations blog - 

you have won a pair of baby boy sneakers & 

Me & My 2 Guys blog - 

you have won a pair of baby girl sneakers from My First Volley.

Congratulations The Humming Cat blog -

you have won a copy of Tania McCartney's Australian Story: an illustrated timeline book.

Congratulations Mrs Tiff Living Creatively blog -

you have won the National Library of Australia triple book set.

Applause.

Thank you to my lovely sponsors for donating these giveaway prizes, to my fabulous readers for your support & fantastic entries (all winners were chosen by random).  Winners, could you please email me your postal address for the goodies to be sent to you.  Love Posie

things i'm loving . . . 'link parties'

Greetings all,
Things I'm Loving this week with PaisleyJade is 'link parties' & the community they create, around the world.  Viva la blogosphere.  So i've decided to start my own . . . AEIOU: a mid-month-list-link-party of self-belief, improvement, acceptance, love & learning!!

With a nod to all the great blog link groups i’ve played along with . . . about being Creative, Grateful, Loving & Photography . . . i thought a middle-of-the-month get together would be a neat summary of life’s highlights.  So here goes nothing . . . AEIOU might go a little something like this . . .   

Awesome – something you baked/ created/ photographed/ a bargain you found
Exciting – share your news/ event/ holiday/ a gorgeous butterflies-in-tummy moment
Interesting – teach us information/ discovery/ facts/ a chance to show off your quirky side
Opportunity – embrace the unknown/ put yourself out there/ show off a new experience
Understanding – learning to appreciate/ forgive/ love/ unleash what helps you grow

The AEIOU adventure will scratch the surface of who you are.  I think the words Awesome, Exciting, Interesting, Opportunity & Understanding are positive & therapeutic.  I spend a lot of time alone, thinking, tune out & free my mind.  I am positive to the core, however, have a lot of stress in my life, pressure to perform & tremendous responsibilities.  When i was 21 i could have been a fully qualified psychologist - what would i have known about life??  I had travelled & was about to get married, but experience??  I’m often told my blog posts & comments offer down-to-earth advice, because i’m a different person now: 4 children, 15 years of marriage, 6 addresses & a husband going to 5 war zones will do that.  I’m more grounded & wide eyed than ever, shedding negativity from my life & truly believe in blogging as therapy.
 
So here’s my list to kick things off . . .
I found an Awesome bureau/ desk.  I’m sanding the wood, painting & papering it for . . . I’ll worry about that later, it was $15 & my furniture repurposing skills are improving with every second hand find!!
My husband came home last month for a visit, it was so Exciting waiting at the arrivals lounge, it’s the best feeling in the world.  I never know what he’s actually going to look like - full beard, silly moustache to tickle me, or clean shaven.  It was short beard, it tickled, i giggled, then he shaved it off to unleash the dimples.
My children’s school assignments unearth endless Interesting facts.  Years 5 & 6 created “Guess Who I Am??” posters & introduce themselves to the class.  I learned that Lewis has 21 convicts in his ancestry, hmmm . . . count your pencils at the end of each day children.
I have this fantastic Opportunity to do some blog PR for Baker’s Delight (hot cross buns), Esprit (children’s clothes) & Dunlop Volleys (baby shoes) – they all contacted me in the space of one week, yay!!  There will be giveaways folks.  
Hmmm, Understanding is the topic i could write the most about . . . like why our automatic car’s electrics blew just before i had hand surgery, it was the car I was going to drive during recovery, save me from changing gears manually.  Dumb things happen, that’s life.  Like my credit card seizing at the Country Road counter during the sale yesterday.  Deep breaths, I had cash.  I don’t stress about things i know i can’t control, like banks.  Why are people rude, mean, nasty – it’s their problem, not mine, i don’t let it flatten me, rather, fill myself up with happy thoughts of personal development (mine!!)
      
Meet me here on Sunday the 15^th of April to play along with your own AEIOU or just one particular letter might take your fancy.  Will you join in??  Have lovely weekends everyone, love Posie
 
Images courtesy of Esprit Children's Clothing, just bursting with life & positivity don't you think??  Not to mention gorgeous Winter fashion, i'm a HUGE fan & any excuse for cute baby faces.  Many Esprit clothing pieces lasted all 4 of my children, i wear their clothes & my husband loves their jeans.  I was not paid to say any of this, i just truly believe in the quality & style of this brand, for over 25 years of personal experience.  'tis all.