~ ** Giveaway Winner ** ~

... into the 'Christopher Vine' Teapot go all your nice comments...

the winner is ...

                                                                    



                                                       CoNGraTuLAtioNs  Roslyn !!!!!

You have won a $20 voucher to spend in my Etsy Store.

To contact me, just go to my etsy store and click on Contact. (or pop another comment at the end of this post with your email address!)


Thanks to everyone who entered my contest - I really appreciate your support and hope to hear more comments from you all in the future!

What a week I'm having...

It's been one of those weeks that's been 'less than fabulous'. 



 Determined to feel better, I have done a spot of 'browsing' online...  and found some more beautiful items that I wanted to share with you.

A good tonic to brighten my day and hopefully yours too. 

Japanese Cotton Linen Blend Fabric - Little Ballerina - felicitysiu

One Dozen Stunning Dried Sweetheart Roses - reginasstudio store

Tags - Sweet Little French Birds Vintage Look - Bluebird Lane

Mama and Baby Hedgehogs Terrarium - doodlebirdie

Antique Mossy Green English Mosaic Tiles - katiedesigns4u

Paris Bookstore - Paris Fine Art Photography - honeytree

Summer Garden Handmade Charm Quilt - WildHoneyQuilts

Love Potion No.9 - VintageScraps

Sweet Melody - Vintage Inspired 8 x 10 Fine Art Photograph - alicewphotography's store

~ Find something beautiful every day ~

An Elegant Collection of Antiques and Vintage

Last night I created a new Treasury on Etsy and I just love it!



~ Enjoy ~ 

(click on the title below to see actual Treasury)..

 My apologies for the attachment - I'm still working out how to add treasuries!


Elegant Collection of Antiques and Vintage

Bag Contents

Don't you love all those magazines that put everyone's bag contents on display?  I'm a bit suspicious they're not always real - what do you think?

I understand having things like nice perfume and kids drawings (as I have had these in the past), but I saw one where a woman just happened to have a wedding snap of them 'outside City Hall getting a bagel after their spontaneous wedding in New York City'.  hmmm

Anyway, I guess it's still fun to see inside someone else's life and get a few tips on what's the latest 'chic' thing to carry in case your bag gets dumped in a public place...

For your enjoyment/amusement, tonight I tipped out my bag so you can see what I carry around.  A few nice things and just some typical stuff as well. 

The mobile phone is missing because we don't get coverage here - only in the 'big smoke'...

Starting from the top... plastic bag - for any kind of emergencies... cute wallet to hold credit cards and some money ... almost finished mini hair spray ... Moxie tampon tin (empty - also good for holding coins) ... old locket from my grandmother ... bobby pins on a piece of worn out cardboard ... bion tears for dry eyes ... spare key inside leather zip up pouch ... red Rimmel lipstick from Target ... not so chic plastic bank money change bag with coin in it (wallets don't hold more than about 3 x $2 coins) ... bobbi brown 'the beach' perfume - my alltime favourite ... pen from motel in Richmond ... another plastic bag because we travel with 4 children ... another wallet (because the other one doesn't hold all my credit cards and other 'necessary cards' eg. spotlight, winners circle, medicare, mbf etc) ... cute French notebook ... Vaseline Intensive Care hand cream ... fantastic strawberry shopping bag (opens into a large bag) because I always need more bags ... Covergirl face powder ...

Exciting ...



~ find something beautiful every day ~

Creative Studio Space

Having a workspace for creativity is such a wonderful thing.

I remember all those years ago when we first converted the double garage at the end of the house  -  I was hoping to get the whole lot for my studio...

I received a firm 'no'.  The reason for this was that the bigger my space, the more messy it would get.

I also remember doing a lot of 'eye rolling' and thinking - "what does he know about how much space I need?"   Well, it looks like I will have to admit defeat on that topic ... he was right. 

I'm ashamed to say that not much longer after tidying up my studio, I manage to get it looking unbelievably messy in a short space of time! 

My defence is ... I have numerous projects going at once - pots in one area, bags (of all sizes) in another, shabby chic hearts somewhere else and then there's my paper section with collage and drawing ideas overflowing out of boxes and drawers.  

Alas, it has finally it has come to the stage again where I'm having trouble moving in there, so will have to dedicate some time this weekend to do a bit of 'tidying up'.    


Hmmm.. might even find that music paper I've stored in a 'safe place' to do some more drawings on ...  now, where was that again?  I've got to think...



~ Enjoy your weekend ~

Half finished drawings, pots and bits and pieces on the floor

The work desk - where there's not much room left to move!

The view through my Ken Done 'vintage' curtains that mum made me back in the '80's

New project - 3 more on the floor ...

My favourite Klimt coffee cup ...

Flowers courtesy of Lilly from our garden - to help 'mum' have a nice day in the studio

The fantastic concrete tubs to wash out the mess!

~ Find something beautiful every day ~

A thing for ... gates...

I wonder what it is that makes us interested in something?   For some unknown reason, gates are just one thing I've always been partial to.     Yep... gates.  Mostly intricate gates with lovely swirls, filigree and anything unusual.

I remember the gate we had where I grew up.  It had lovely, swirly ironwork at the top and a little mechanism, which you pushed first, then pushed on the gate to get in.  I thought this was a fairly simple feature, but for some reason it used to confuse most visitors and they would take forever to work it out.

Finally after getting inside, they would bend over to pick up a shiny 2c coin (showing my age now) which my brother had glued to our front path.  A bit of harmless fun which my siblings and I always got a chuckle out of ...  small things ...

Anyway, I've been looking around and found some gates that I like. 

Personally I think it's healthy to be obsessed about something - it gives you passion in life and keeps you interesting.

Anyone for gates?  If not ... tell me what you 'have a thing for'...  I'd love to know :-)

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

... find something beautiful every day ...

~ Lovely Store Owners ~ Favourites ~ Inspiration ~

Today I wanted to share with you (in no particular order) some of my favourite Etsy Store owners and Favourites.

They all create inspiration and motivation for me to continue with what I'm doing.

Enjoy ...

Paris Fleurs Flower Shop - shellsherree

Vintage Paper from France - Victor Hugo - cathymichaelsdesign

Wine Glass Markers or Charms - OOAK - Maddo

Help Japan cotton reels - 8 x 8 print - LolasRoom

Going to a Garden Party - 110 Designer Mosaic Tile Set - MosaicTileBuffet

37 Yards of Antique Vintage Sea Foam Green Floral Print 1930's or 1940's - VintageVancouver

Summer Glow Lavendar Freshwater Pearl Necklace and Earrings - RedGum Jewellery

Vintage Elegant Victorian Style Key Hole Escutcheon with drawer pull handles - Alchemyshop

Mini Camille doll in her little house - LovelySweetWilliam

couldn't resist ... early birthday pressie for yours truly  ... - secretcheif

Find something beautiful every day ...