almost wordless weekend...

I'm not sure what sort of spider this is, but it spun it's web just where we spent last weekend pruning lavender and diosma bushes in the backyard! Eeeek!

her body was about the size of a fifty cent piece!

linen and lace...

Here is another linen and lace bag, this time in purple... made for a friend's Christmas present, which I completely forgot to blog about at the time. Too cute not to share!

it's Friday, I'm in love...

...with this shoe design from Shoes of Prey, see this post for more.

...with this sweet little top and it's peek-a-boo blue!

...with beautiful teacups, red ones particularly.


...with more red, this time a seriously delicious looking camera bag!

...with baby ballerina slippers.



and a too, too, cute tutu to match.

Hope your Friday has been a good one! I'm off to watch some more Gerard Butler... nite nite.

need you tonight...

Yesterday would have been INXS frontman Michael Hutchence’s 50th birthday. To pay tribute to the singer/songwriter, who died on 22 November 1997 here are a few of my favourite photos...

"We could live
For a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I'd make wine from your tears..."

Michael was my biggest musical, teenage crush and I absolutely adored him, his silky voice and beautiful, sometimes edgy lyrics. I remember dancing around to INXS hits in my childhood living room at age 13 or 14, mooning over that gorgeous clip of "Never tear us apart" which was apparently filmed in Prague, papering my bedroom with posters of his dreamy face and I'll always remember the two concerts I had the pleasure of hearing him sing in.

"You know I can forget
We have fought before
I've seen inside your heart
And I know it's breaking..."

I would've so loved to have seen you sing again Michael. I miss you...

reading challenge 2010!

Last year I took part in a 100 book reading challenge (original post HERE). This year I've decided to be a little more realistic and set my target at double last year's effort, which makes this the 42 book reading challenge!

Here is my first update for 2010...

January
1. The Alchemyst - Michael Scott
2. The Magician - Michael Scott
3. The Sorceress - Michael Scott
4. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke*

The Michael Scott books are part of a young adult fiction series called 'The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel' and I did find the first one a little slow. They did warm up pretty quickly after that and also became a lot more interesting once I read the little authors notes at the back of The Alchemyst. They give an account of the real Nicholas Flamel and also explain that all of the characters are real historical figures or mythical characters (if that makes sense). Michael Scott apparently intends to continue the series with another three books, The Necromancer, The Warlock and The Enchantress. Thus far only The Necromancer is available of the three. Once it hits the paperback list, I'll add it to my challenge!

*Currently reading Inkheart as of 20/01/10.

Yay me!

Just a quick, little note to say thank you to Sophie for my gorgeous brooch!

a beautiful broochy giveaway...

Sophie from 'Her Library Adventures' is having a gorgeous giveaway from her new collection of a-z brooches. Go over here to take a look at the entire collection and enter!

Talented Sophie's fabric brooches! So very lovely aren't they?

Reading Challenge wrap-up 2009...

In May of this year I came across a post on Becky's site about a "100 books reading challenge" hosted here. I thought I'd give it a go as I'm a very passionate reader and to be honest, have never really counted how many novels I've read in a year. I imagine in my pre-mummy days I might have had no trouble clocking up 60 or 70, but now with time not on my side, I unfortunately fell waaaaay short of the target at 21! My January through April books were a little hazy... I know I read the ones listed below (as I cleared out my bookshelves at the beginning of the year, only keeping back the ones I wanted to read) but I had thought there were more... ???


Here is my final list:

Jan-April (in no particular order)
1. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
2. Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind
3. Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs
4. Death du Jour - Kathy Reichs
5. Deadly Decisions - Kathy Reichs
6. The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton - Catherine Alliot
7. The Magician's Apprentice - Trudi Canavan

May
8. Handle with Care - Jodi Picoult
9. Blindsighted - Karin Slaughter
10. Kisscut - Karin Slaughter
11. A Faint Cold Fear - Karin Slaughter

June
12. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
13. Witches Incorporated - K. E. Mills

July
14. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling
15. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
16. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

August
No updates!!!

September
17. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

October
No updates!!!

November
18. An Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon

December
19. City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
20. City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare
21. City of Glass - Cassandra Clare

Well, no matter that I didn't get anywhere near the magic 100 titles. I figure that even at my best and speediest, I could never really read two books a week. My husband Nik suggested I add in all of the stories I read to the kids at bedtime... hmmm... that would've boosted me up to about 300!! Thank you again to Becky for putting me onto the challenge as I've enjoyed keeping my tally and checking out what great titles popped up on other reading lists. I'll start my new challenge of "50 titles in 2010" with a post in the next few days.

Edit: I was asked by Megan to recommend something from my list. My faves for 2009 are italicised. I have very ecclectic reading taste, so I apologise if you disagree with my suggestions.

a favourite photo...

I was tagged this morning by the gorgeous Beccy at Becca's Joy to show a fave photo of myself.

It's usually very hard to choose a fave photo as I have so many photos and lots of faves among them... just not that many of myself, hee hee! So, here is one that I've always loved. An oldie and not just me by myself, but Nik and I together. It sits on my bedside to remind me of a great moment.


Ten years ago last boxing day, Nik and I were bridesmaid/groomsman in my cousin Kirsten's wedding. This was a sneaky photo of us having a sneaky kiss. It was taken by their wedding photographer who was also an old family friend. The reason it's so special is because we look so happy at a time when we'd all been so up and down emotionally. Getting married ourselves two months prior, only to lose my baby brother the following day. I see this as a reminder to enjoy life, love lots, kiss your partner, hug your children, smell those roses, laugh out loud daily and not take things or people for granted!

So now it's my turn to tag 5 people! Please share a fave photo of yourself and let us know why it's special. Like Beccy said...'if you've already done it, sorry and don't feel obligated if you don't want to participate.' I do enjoy reading all your blogs, even if I don't always find time to leave you comments and for this reason wanted to tag you. So, if you are reading this Cathy, Megan, Becky, Nikki and Tania consider yourself tagged!

shoes in the city...

I came across this fun, little site this morning and thought I should share it with all of those budding Carrie Bradshaw's out there. It's called Shoes of Prey. They have an amazing interface where you can design your own pair of shoes and then if you really love them, you have the shoes made up! Here is a pair I just threw together...

Closed toe. Covered back. Finished with trimming and a black silk rose.

Why don't you have a go yourself? I'll let you know if I go ahead and make something truly spectacular that I decide to buy... mmmmm, how many red shoes can a girl have?

my happy birthday!

Well, it was yesterday... and I had a wonderful day with my beautiful family. Here I am trying my hardest to blow out some candles, but lo and behold if they just kept re-lighting! The concerned look on Cameron's face was well founded as the candles seemed to sparkle (like sparklers) every now and then and I guess if you're a little person, they might have seemed very close by! I hope we didn't set a bad precedent for her first birthday coming up later this month... oops!

Mmmm, choc/orange mud cake

My lovely, but jokey Mum had put everlasting candles on my cake. You know the ones? The harder you blow, the more they flame up? Sounds a little "Fred & George Weasley" doesn't it? Well, in the end, everyone was frantically blowing on the cake and there was smoke everywhere! We're lucky the smoke detectors didn't go off...

I think Noah was in on the joke... and I'm trying to keep a straight face!

Thank you to all who sent me gorgeous birthday wishes, beautiful handmade cards (and drawings Gabe), scarves (that I'm wearing), perfume (also wearing), bangles and amazingly fragrant red roses! I love you all. Thank you also to my lovely Nik who gave me a footrub and patiently sat by my side watching the obligatory chic flick. It wouldn't have been my birthday otherwise... xx

I'm reading this... 2011

Last year I challenged myself to read 42 books... This year I've decided not to set a target, so this is just a list of what I'm reading in 2011!

I've made a little button which I'll pop on my left-hand side bar which links to this post so you can sneak a peak at my list whenever you like!

Here is my master list for 2011, which I'll add to as I read...

January
1. The Outlander (or Cross Stitch) - Diana Gabaldon
2. The Drums of Autumn - Diana Gabaldon

February
3. Homecoming - Cathy Kelly
4. The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters

March
5. Devil Bones - Kathy Reichs
6. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

April
7. 206 Bones - Kathy Reichs
8. Spider Bones - Kathy Reichs


May
9. Sing You Home - Jodi Picoult
10. The Ruins of Gorlan - John Flanagan

June
11. City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
12. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
13. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen

July
14. The Emerald Atlas - John Stephens
15. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe - Fannie Flagg***

August
16. The Little Lady Agency - Hester Browne
17. Becoming Scarlett - Ciara Geraghty

September
18. Amazing Face - Zoe Foster
19. Fallen - Lauren Kate
20. Torment - Lauren Kate

October
21. Genesis - Karin Slaughter
22. Broken - Karin Slaughter
23. The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh

November


December
24. Upside Down, Inside Out - Monica McInerney
25. State of Wonder - Anne Patchett
26. When Santa Fell to Earth - Cornelia Funke







* Currently reading these!!
** Read/Reading to the kids...
*** Still reading this {but Noah has taken over my Kobo}