snap it 'straight lines'

Greetings all,

For a curvy gal i like my straight lines!!  Playing along with Faith Hope & a Whole Lotta Love's Snap It 'straight lines' today, i give you some of the liney goodness i snapped around my home this morning.  I love stripes, diagonals, chevrons & ticking, above all . . . texture.

 Country Road cushion; ice cream buckets; Lilly & Lolly child's blanket.

Hexagon florals; cookbooks on high rotation; Country Road children's socks.

Vintage straw collection; striped washi tape; Country Road cushion.

Note to self: venture outside Country Road for all my fashion & decor needs!!

 Laura Ashley throw; Army housing dining room blinds; Country Road cushion.

Adirondack chair; Army housing kitchen blinds; Piano keys.

Country Road felt cushion; Army housing fence palings; Kikki-K note paper. 

Like the black & white twist on this collage, i know, i try, hard!!

This my friends . . . is the Trenery block striped scarf which has kept my neck warm all Winter & is a great way to blend a brown/ grey/ black wardrobe.  Growing up the rule was you would NEVER wear brown & black together, i.e. black shoes with a brown belt or handbag.  Seriously, who cares??  I spent the Winter in 3 different maxi skirts (dark brown, light grey & dark grey) with cream/ caramel/ black cardigans in black low heeled leather boots or brown Converse sneakers.  All a bit drab but hey, i spent much of this Winter at home, cosy, with the animals.  

Now, bring on a colourful Spring, i'm ready!!  Love Posie

a week of Olympic proportions & flash back to Seoul 1988

Greetings all,

I often use 'Olympic' as a huge-prolific-amazeballs adjective . . . we had one of those Olympic weeks: children thrilled to be back at school with their friends; successful parent/ teacher interviews; my eldest is in a new Volleyball team in a higher grade; dinner out; my husband started work locally; even the chickens are laying more eggs since the Winter Solstice!!  I wrapped up the week with a clean house; read a few magazines; wrote thank you notes; lots of exercise; cooking new recipes; tending to animals; somehow became the marketing manager for our school fete + consulting with Jan-Maree of Aussie Hero Quilts about her trip to Canberra next week (including a sewing Saturday at Duntroon) 415 patchwork quilts have been sent to our troops overseas already!!   

Olympic Poster of the Day: Seoul South Korea in 1988.  

Olympic Scandal: attention London Olympic organisers, there are two very different Koreas,   perhaps you might like to check the flags (at the North Korean Women's soccer) as they are separate countries.  'Peace & good will' at Olympics = don't upset the North Koreans!! 

 Then a Friday treat - brunch with Tania McCartney.  While we gobbled down panini, exchanged 'just because' gifts & chattered a million miles a minute, we hit our favourite haunts - Typo, Seed, Pepe's Paperie, Laura Ashley - then Tania dashed to meet some authors for lunch (socialite) i had time to kill at Kikki-K, Fossil & Witchery.  Lots of sales, the sequin & tulle skirts cost me less than $40 (total value $150) for my eldest to wear to discos, socials, parties - baby steps, she's not a girlie girl - so the sequins were met with a screwed up nose, however, amazing what you're teenagers will do when you pay the entry fee &/ or drive them to said discos, socials & parties!!  Plus i met her after a volleyball clinic with sushi, she loves me!!  Actually Tania sighed her daughter wasn't frilly either, would live in jodhpurs if she could, alas, i have two extra frill-sparkle-sequin loving daughters to dress & hand these down to.  

Tattoos & London cup cake wrappers (thanks Tania) i baked my English Mummy's fairy cakes for my little athletes today.  Adorable stationery - Squirrels with acorn push pins, Oh Deer stamp, dotty tissue paper, quirky clips, note cards & book (bunting, hello!!)  A bunch of little things that pulled at my heart strings.  I saw the Amanda Paino fabric on Kate from Foxs Lane blog.  Just realised that is not the current issue of Mollie Makes magazine, ooppss, i flick through them constantly. 

I was up at 5.30a.m. to catch the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics, thrilled to find two of my girls already up watching, had to wake the rest.  The athletes parade - Italians, chic as ever; Australian team uniforms matched the French, only with bottle green jackets - we looked very smart (for once!!)  Very excited to see Patty Mills (a Canberra born & bred Basketball player) out there.  Then the Americans came out, oh Ralph Lauren, berets off to your classic style!!  We particularly enjoyed the Pacific Island & African nations with their glorious national uniforms.  Actually, i would have put the French in cravats or scarves (the ties were a bit bland) like my new red, white & blue Witchery birdie scarf!!  How i'd love to dress an Olympic team.

Now i don't have pay television & am suffering Eddie McGuire.  We picked up various faults in Eddie's opening commentary, including . . . this was the first Olympics where every team has both male & female participants (not quite) . . . & how ANZACs fell alongside British troops during the first few days of the battle of the Somme, France in WWI (no Eddie, they hadn't arrived yet!!)  Who researches this stuff & worse . . . who lets Eddie on television??  Just let Andrew Gaze do all the talking please (5 x Olympics, Sydney Olympic flag bearer, son of Olympian) as he actually knows how it feels unlike over paid, non athletic, television executives!!  What did you think of the Opening Ceremony??  I loved Daniel Craig with the Queen (corny but forever-hunky-in-a-suit); David Beckham looked pretty pleased with himself captaining that boat; the music was ace, although Paul McCartney was a bit off key; the cauldron was AMAZING!!  I didn't realise the British were such fans of the National Health System??  All my English relatives complain about it!! 

  Want to join in a blogging challenge during the Olympic Games??  My Limp Bits of cooking/  crafting/ photography improvement here, starts Wednesday 1st August with cooking.  Love Posie

a photo-a-day challenge with FatMumSlim April #3

Greetings all,

Welcome to the final 10 images of the photo-a-day challenge with FatMumSlim for April.

 21. bottle - popping the cork on this Veuve Clicquot beauty when my husband returns from Afghanistan next month.  We have so much to celebrate on top of his safe home coming . . . the sale of a property, academic & athletic awards for the children + we're buying a farm & new car!!

22. the last thing you bought - oh hello Country Road, this pom pom mohair blanket is truly to die for, plus a fluffy furry cushion.  I had to order on line, as & i quote "that blanket is only in the city stores in states where it gets cold" i.e. not Canberra which is not only Australia's CAPITAL CITY but we're the most likely city to get snow, um, thank goodness shipping was free. 

 23. vegetable - fresh from my sister's garden: onions, carrots & celery.

 24. something you're grateful for - oh bless my gorgeous Papa, he said he popped a little cash in my bank account & demanded i bought myself something nice, for me, not the children or the house, but for my heart. So i did exactly as i was ordered & picked up the Rachel Ashwell book i spied over Christmas but couldn't afford, a craft & invention book (which i can enjoy with the children) + a little egg cup holder, a love heart hot water bottle . . . just because + that divine felt cabbage which makes me smile.  There were also a couple of pear purchases too.  I'm forever grateful for my father, the most powerful influence in my life, possibly why i married such a similar man - right down to the military & bad back!!

 25. looking down - glorious right, a beef ragu on a cold night in a Bison bowl & quirky cutlery.

 26. black & white - could i possibly go past our baby Speckled Hamburg chickety chick??

 27. somewhere you went - Berrima, near Bowral NSW Southern Highlands.  Have to say, most shop owners in this town loathe children, physically blocking doorways & snapping at children for daring to LOOK at their wares.  My sister & i have really quiet know-how-to-behave-while-shopping children, as we both taught them how to care for precious things at home & actually supervise them.  Really left me with a sour taste in my mouth.  The only place we felt welcome was the Ice Creamery & even there it wasn't particularly friendly (hello, 7 children on school holidays wanting ice-cream??)  Lighten up Berrima!!  Your little village has a prison you know, you're not that fancy!!

28. 1p.m. - stunning Autumn skies & embracing the sunniest city in Australia, yes, it's Canberra folks (you other cities might be gloriously coastal & we're inland, but we get less rainy days)!!  Also love sun kissed blankets on the line.

 29. circle - oh dear, this is how my son stores his crayons now??  We'll be repainting this room before we move (that's the royal 'we', i really mean my husband will be painting.)  Whatever makes a child think to do this??

 30. something that makes you sad - oh the heartbreak of losing a baby chicken has left this one lonely & apparently, i'm her new best friend & she chirps until i let her out of her coop to sit with me.  I can't wait to get more baby chicks to keep her busy, she's getting bigger & bigger, louder & louder about wanting company.  Oh, you might spy the Kikki-K mood board i bought with my Daddy's money too.

So there you have it, a-photo-a-day challenge April done & dusted.  I think i'll play in May, have to say, this totally made me camera ready & it was very enjoyable.  Thanks for hosting FatMumSlim, love Posie

first day of shopping after surgery, retail therapy

Greetings all,

Thanks for the awesome feedback on the last post, including a Member of Parliament, sorry to bump big Ben off the top of my blog for gratuitous retail shopping showing off, but it was my first day out alone in the city for ages. 

I covered the basics of stationery & accessories at Kikki-K & TYPO.  Mollie Makes arrived in the mail, along with bills - i'm paying for my anaesthetist's yacht too it seems.  Did i mention i had cortisone injection for my tennis elbow while under the general anaesthetic, not brave enough to do it awake.

 Seed feeds my inner child with their playful style, i do share with my actual children but the plaid scarf & flower bottle is pour moi.

I picked up some gifts for friends & birthday parties, then walked into Laura Ashley, on a whim i might find the birdie dress i adored in Brisbane in January.  Not only did i find the dress, it had a 60% off tag too.  I so want to go back for the butterfly version.  

 

It's a blank canvas dress - can't you see this mixed up a million ways, with cardigans, tights, dressed up or down, teamed with cream or colour??!!  Best of all, my shopping was light enough to carry all by myself.

 

 We actually have some exciting events mid year when my husband comes home, adult parties, like weddings & 40th birthdays.  Totally warrants some new frocks.  I do need a bed side table lamp, not sure how i can introduce that into frock-necessary shopping??
Argh, on super slow internet as handsome soldier hogged the monthly usage to update all his Apple software & today i discovered a glitch in my ability to drive - i can't do a reverse hill start, as i still need 2 hands to operate the hand brake.  That was fun in the school car park, with a numb left thumb in a 2 tonne car.  Today my hands have yellow bruising, with tiny bandaids on my wrists, such a smooth recovery.  Have gorgeous weekends everyone, love Posie

have a lover-ly day

Greetings all,

Never one to anticipate Valentine's Day with roses, chocolates or gifts - i'm just thrilled if my husband is around (he's not, i'm not thrilled) but i can make it a fun day of love hearts for the children.  My darling husband is romantic in non roses-chocolates-gifts style, our first Valentine's Day he made a card (on folded ruled paper) drew a rose & wrote a tiny poem, so beautiful & i still have it!!     

Kikki-K of course has super sweet stationery, i bought the range in last month.

 We made a big batch of Vanilla Snap Biscuits for friends . . .

 the heart shaped trio cutters are from Gidgi on line (hi Rachael), i dusted the edges with flour for cutting, worked a treat.  I could have iced the finished biscuits or dusted with confectioner's sugar, but they'd end up a sticky mess by recess, so kept it simple. 

 The children decorated CD window envelopes for their teachers & friends, my high schooler made hers funny with "OMG, you give me butterflies" & my son wrote "Mrs Awesome Todd" complete with love hearts for his favourite teacher.  I know she'll adore it, she constantly threatens to kidnap my boy, it's his dimples, just like his papa.  

 I have found some new desserts to try out, so i wrote a comprehensive shopping list & promptly left it on the kitchen counter, so wandered Coles hoping i could remember everything.  Amazingly i remembered all the chocolate i needed, hmmm??

 I see lots of this happening to burn off said chocolate, with my constant companion Khan.  How glorious is dog walking in beautiful weather??    

 Happy Valentine's Day lover-ly folks & a friendly welcome to my new followers, thanks so much for joining my bloggie caper, love Posie

we wish you a Merry Christmas . . .

Greetings all,
I love that i live in a city that is occupied with interstaters (including me) as they all flee for Christmas (excluding me) . . . i swan around the supermarket aisles, shops & streets with ease.  It's hard to build traditions around Christmas when you're in a different city/ family member's house/ hotel/ husband away each year - i can't wait for stability, Christmas in our own home, with my husband & all the beautiful English traditions my mother instilled in us - especially the food.  I want to make Christmas pudding everyone has stirred, i want to deck the halls with holly & i want to host Christmas!! 

I put the special Oxfam decorations my dear friend Lisa gave each of my children on our cute wooden tree.  See the little early gift i gave myself - a Red Riding Hood teapot.  Next year i want to force myself to like tea.

 Last minute school class party reindeer cupcakes, they finally finished school on Wednesday, poor little public schoolers.  In the meantime, my high schooler & i took in lots of movies (Mission Impossible is amazing), shopping & lunches out, lovely!!  Her boy-who-is-a-friend tagged along too, he's one patient young man!! 

 I'm retiring my cute animal calendar this year . . .

 with this neat one from Kikki-K, about $12 in their early Boxing Day sale.  Note: i got the '21 Days to Start/ End Habits' in preparation of new year's resolutions.  Hey, i bought the book, that's a start, i'm already on my way . . . mind, body & soul!!

 In my effort to like tea, i have tried for many years to stomach hot tea but iced tea is my baby step.  I've just brewed my second batch of T2 White Christmas, chilling in the fridge, some of the children like it too, filled up with lemon slices & mint.  I also got Tummy Tea to help with digestion & flush out the demons of Christmas feasting. 

 The 2L tall jug is too big for any shelf in the fridge so she lives in the door or filled with ice on the counter on her rubbery coaster.

 Some last minute decoration finds at Hive, already know what my colour scheme for next Christmas is, lime, fuchsia & silver, pretty right??

 Found this red brick filled ornament in my letter box, thanks Lego!!

 Keen??  Me??  At the Seed sale at 9a.m. for shoes - the last year my youngest children will fit into their shoes as they only go up to size 35.  The sequin & polka dot shoes were reduced to $15!!  The strappy gold ones were reduced to $30, wish they had my size!! 

 So Merry Christmas blogland, have thoroughly enjoyed your company this year.

Have a wonderful time with family, friends, or indulging alone if that's your thing.  I'll be blogging over Summer so don't be a stranger, love Posie

things i'm loving . . . 'treats & goodness'

Greetings all,

I've possibly cried more this week than ever, i really miss my husband.  All this festive  'family' orientated vibe only reminds me of who will be absent at the Christmas table this year - my Mummy's Alzheimer's has stolen her away & my husband will be overseas.  I'm just focussing on the children & riding their new shiney bikes!!  If you get the chance to see the New Year's Eve movie, it's great, but think of me when you follow Halle Berry's story (to the end)!! 

I'm taking time to treat myself, facials, massages, walking away from passive aggressive mums . . . stop messing with me, i know better!!  My hands are sore but i'm stocking up on fabrics for future projects - Lotta Jansdotter - you are about to be quilted, hexagons i think, later this Summer.

 I needed new tongs (read: i loathe our tongs, they jam closed) & was thrilled to pick up these beauties for $3 at the supermarket!!  Little things make me happy. 

 While my car is having a major service, it was cheaper to hire a car than get a cab home, so i've been enjoying this new Mitsubishi Outlander, i like it!!

 Loving the extra pretty stationery at Kikki-K & their 25% off days . . .

 & 15% off at Peter Alexander, come on, Babushka pyjamas, as if i could resist!!

 It's official, i'm collecting pears.

 Reading in bed, using her glasses just like she's meant to.

 Ending my evenings with candles & calm.

So PaisleyJade, that is what I'm Loving this week.  You can find those candle paper bags here & if you're into IKEA toys or love baking with Donna Hay, check out my current giveaways below.  Love Posie

i'm grateful for . . . 'feeling the love'

Greetings all,

This week i'm so grateful for the love i'm feeling from family, friends, bloggers & . . . sales assistants.  How sweet is this little stamped heart on my Chrismtas ornament parceled up with love??  I was in Kikki-K purchasing a gift for a friend & said to the sweeet girl behind the counter "oh, & the white love heart Christmas decoration please as i love me too." 

I grew up with a ridiculous amount of love, time, compliments & attention from my parents, i used to feel awkward when girls would say about other girls "oh she loves herself" when i thought, i love me too, why is that bad??  Of course they meant 'that girl is a stuck up selfish cow' not generous of heart & oozing love!!  My end result has been a self assured & confident female, able to accept, embrace & return lashings of love.

 I would never term myself as a needy person, my husband is, just ask me when he gets 'man flu' & right now he is homesick.  I'm sending lots of love, attention & parcels his way, i have plenty to give.  It's just that when he comes home in June next year, he still has 6-18months in Brisbane, totally 3-4years living interstate (it was meant to be 2 years).  This is his 5th deployment & i'd hate to tally the total number of years he has spent away (courses, exercises & training).  I support him, imagine how it is for the guys whose wives & gilfriends have had enough, but the boys still want to be soldiers??  

 I collect hearts, not as some blazen heart breaker, hearts like this . . .

 they make me smile & after watching 6 romantic comedies this week, boy am i lucky to have found romantic love & stayed in love!!  My husband & i have a very uncomplicated relationship, i don't play games & there is an enormous amount of respect.  He is none of the RomCom cliches - the moment he met me, he wanted love, committment, marriage & babies, no arguments there!!  I was so young but it was so right, he knew he wanted to join the regular Army too, he can love us both, thanks to my attitude.

 I cry in movies, um, i cry in animal documentaries & long distance telephone ads, it gives me a break from being strong, determined & tenacious.  I can't watch The Notebook, way too close to my Mummy's Alzheimer's.  After 56 years of marriage (i came along after the 20th wedding anniversary) they still hold hands & walk to the letter box together.  My father was career navy, over 30 years at sea & went to war too, i know what they think when they are out there in danger, it's all about home & love.     

I have read & re-read a letter from an eloquent friend, who suggested that after a tumultuous year, her 'to do list' of gifts & commitments at this time of year was so long, she is sending out love: true friends will gracefully understand & she's being gentle on herself.  She is a giver & i applaud her focus on energy, where it is best spent.  I have 4 children & a husband at war + hands which can barely lift, so why exactly am i hammering myself about Christmas gifts for my enormous family??  I'm rethinking the gift list (we live interstate, no events, just gifts in the mail) the post man is handing over the gift, not me - with my smile, the message is lost??  I am going to do things differently forever more, i don't need the Brownie points for giving the best or most gifts in my family, i'd rather do something of substance with love!!  Love Posie