Interesting book?

I just love the name of this book & think it would be an interesting read. Maybe.

I love the idea of many of us getting around like Audrey Hepburn. I can't really imagine myself swanning about like she does in Breakfast at Tiffanys, but it is a lovely idea & image. A girl can dream. Mind you, that's not to say I am currently a Hilton type now! Please don't think that! lol

And I said "What about Breakfast at Tiffany's?"
She said "I think I remember the film.
And as I recall, I think we both kinda liked it"
And I said "Well, that's the one thing we've got"
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something

My Place and Yours - Nice, Different & Unusual

The theme this week for Pip's meme was a tricky one! It was chosen by Toni here... Boy was this a tricky one. This is what she said...

Being the foxymoron that I am, I decided on the theme - That's nyoice, that's different, that's unewesyewl!*
Does your home have a quirky feature or several? Something you throw a strategically placed coat over if people are visiting or avoid telling the real estate agent about? You might be very proud of your house flaw. Maybe you have issues with plumbing, and give the Meryl Streep toilet speech from Mamma Mia, "Now about the toilet. If it doesn't flush right away, just go, then take a walk and...." with a hand wave.

Well I was really stumped on this. As far as I was concerned my house, place, space is pretty normal & ordinary! So I asked the other half. Within moments he had the answer! Our loo! Ok, so you all get a look at our very, very, very long loo room! lol It is ridiculous really & quite a waste of space but oh well. That's the way it was designed & built! I do keep the ironing board & clothes airer behind the door in there now as there isn't room anywhere else in the house. At least we don't have to do the dance around the loo just to shut the door like in some houses I have been in. They really didn't want to waste in inch in some places. So there you have it. My unusual long loo!

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'!

Did You Know???

or have you ever seen???

Bert & Ernie have legs! Have you ever seen them before? Here's the proof!

Your day will be a whole lot better now. Hahaha...

(pictures are from a new set of blocks I have made)

Rubber Duckie, you're the one

You make bathtime lots of fun

Rubber Duckie, I'm awfully fond of you

Rubber Duckie - Ernie

Generic Brand Challenge

I am really going to have to budget our groceries well now what with buying a new house & all. Ekkk... so I decided I need to start trying more generic brand food items. I am a Woolies shopper more than a Coles one so I will be doing a Homebrand challenge. I wonder if it really makes a great deal of difference. I found the Homebrand biscuits are pretty good. Their wafer biscuits in Vanilla, Strawberry & Chocolate are only 66 cents a packet! That isn't too bad I think. The Arnotts Triple wafer packs are heaps more. So that was my latest find. I will try to add more Homebrand items to my trolley each time I shop. I do always try to buy one new thing each time so that will now turn into trying Homebrand products.

I was just browsing the Woolworths website. It's actually got a lot on it. Including Karaoke Carols which you can record with your family & send it on an e-card. How cute! Round your family up & give it a go!

If any of you have tried & true recommendations on Homebrand products let me know please!

There's a wonderful world where all you desire

And everything you've longed for is at your fingertips

Where the bittersweet taste of life is at your lips

Where aisles and aisles of dreams await you

And the cool promise of ecstasy fills the air

At the end of each working day she's waiting there

I'm in love with the queen of the supermarket

As the evening sky turns blue

A dream awaits in aisle number two

With my shopping cart I move through the heart

Of a sea of fools so blissfully unaware

That they're in the presence of something wonderful and rare

The way she moves behind the counter

Beneath her white apron her secrets remain hers

As she bags the groceries, her eyes so bored And sure she is unobserved

The Queen of the Supermarket - Bruce Springsteen

who would have thought there was a song about supermarkets!!!

Unusual Christmas Tree

It's Christmas tree decorating season for in stores. I can't believe how early they appear but anyway, I thought I may as well decorate too. I am working in mum's mower shop still so thought I would get in the mower spirit! It's a little unusual I guess to see a tree decorated with mower blades, brushcutter line, spark plugs & other unusual things but they are all related to the work that goes on in this shop so it is effective I guess. Well mum was impressed with the tree anyway. That's good as she is the one that will have to take it down in the new year. It was heaps quicker to put up than decorating with regular decorations though. I am sure it will be as quick to take down as everything just goes back on the shelf. It is also sitting high in the garden trailer. It adds effect but is mostly to keep BJ from taking everything off it.

Close up shows packets of nuts & bolts, mower blades, strings of nuts & spark plugs. The bows were made with stuff I got at the discount store. It is hessian type stuff for wrapping around trees. For $2 it made about 7 big bows & blends in well with the garden type theme of the tree!

It's so much fun and simple.

It's as easy as can be.

Let's join hands and dance around the

Christmas tree with me.

Dancing Around the Christmas Tree - The Learning Station

Eye Spy - JOY

I thought I would jump on another meme theme this week. I found this one after checking out the Collections from the previous post. Check out bugandpop to see a list of others sharing their JOY!

Here is my JOY in pictures. BJ is my joy! There's no question. He's my special little fella. Along with my special furry one, Juneau they make a great team. What more can one ask for but to see the two play together & get up to mischief together.

There is joy in little things like the discovery of icecream. As BJ explores more he discovers so much & it is amazing to see things through a child's eye. Simple things are often the most enjoyable.

& who wouldn't be struck by a smile like this one. Pure joy & happiness.

Can you tell I love my little fella?

Oh joy in my soul

Oh joy, joy down in my soul

Sweet beautiful soul saving joy

Oh joy, joy, joy in my soul

Joy, joy, joy in my soul oh

Joy - Whitney Houston

My Place and Yours - Collections

Where to begin with a subject like Collections??? It seems everyone has a collection of some sorts even if they thought they weren't the type to collect anything! Humans are very odd types aren't they?

Well this weeks theme in My Place & Yours was chosen by Kate at Foxs Lane. It's a pretty place so go & check it out. Plus there really isn't anything like having all your Ducks in a row!

I did have to think about this topic. I collect a lot of things. But what do I really collect? Craft stuff is probably the thing I buy mostly. All sorts of stuff to do all sorts of things. So in that aspect a lot of you probably have collections that look like mine - piles of fabric, rows & rows of pretty coloured thread, specialty threads, paper, rubber stamps, balls of yarn, craft magazines, patterns of all kinds. The list goes on & on with crafts! No wonder I need a bigger house!

I decided on a couple of things to post about but mainly because some of my collections are now packed away, like my dog ornaments which actually started as a collection for Stu when I was overseas. Then there is my coca-cola collection that is all packed in the roof for lack of space elsewhere for all of it. I kind of still collect it & was given a load by an uncle as he wanted rid of it & when he saw I collected it he gave it to me. I don't buy all the new stuff that comes out now as I really like to stick with the old stuff. I don't buy any on ebay, as I find it makes it "easy". So if I see it now & it is old, yes I would still pick it up.

I could also add the sticker collection that I accumulated as a kid & teen. There were many hours of street walking around shops collecting some of those. I don't collect still but I just can't quite bring myself to give those up yet. Also the stamp albums that have many man hours of sorting, soaking & saving. They are all great collections that I don't spend time on these days.

One of the things I am quite proud of is my collection of bird pictures. I mentioned these in my My Place & yours - Through the Front Door post last week. I see these as I come in my door. They are pride of place on my lounge room wall. I love them to bits & am very proud of them as a collection of pictures. Alot of people barely give them a glance thinking they are just prints, but they are actually cross stitch pictures that I have done. They are Marjolein Bastin designs. I have since found another one to add to the collection but haven't done it yet. Maybe in the new year once we are moved & settled.

Now this pile of stuff I have spent a long time accumualting. It's stationery. Piles & piles of pretty paper, cute paper, foreign paper. I am sure this is a surprise to some people that know me well, to see the piles that are usually tucked away nicely in my stationery cabinet. This is not even all of it as there was a bit more that I didn't lug out for the picture. Ever since I was little I have loved writing paper. My Oma gave me some in a nice set. I used the plastic holder for a long time to hold other papers. I used to write letters to a secret friend. I would even mail them in our mail box so I could get the mail out! There is nothing like the thrill of a personal letter all for you. From those days of about 7 years old, the thrill of paper & letters is still there. Althought I don't have the amount of penfriends now as I have done in the past I still hand write letters to some & still receive them back. It can't be beaten. Writing on nice special paper is all the more fun! Most of the piles of paper I have aren't even opened yet. The hoards of Diddl paper (Diddle is a mouse from Denmark) I have I do use some of. I would love to open them all but do try to use up quite a chunk of the pad before moving on to another. Those are my rules for myself to try to make the pile smaller. It doesn't really shrink but I like the idea that it may one day look smaller! Hahaha...

So there you go. That's me for this post. Of course there are other things I could add to the list but I won't. If you would love to see some of the other collections that people have, & there are some great ones, just click on over to Meet Me At Mike's. Pip will be happy to meet you there & show you around. I will warn you to grab a cuppa first & then click on a few of the links there. They are good fun & interesting reads.

Collecting diamonds from the fabric of the ocean.

Collecting diamonds from domestic mines.

Collecting Diamonds - Q and Not U

Some of my Grannies!

I have got a few granny squares made over the last week & a bit. Not too bad an effort in between everything else! I have got another 2 but they were AWOL for the picture. Found them after & couldn't be bothered taking another picture. Slack I know. I have no idea how many I will make. I will continue until the blue runs out I guess. Might have to find another ball of the white though as I don't know how much of that I will need at all, to do the outside & join them together. I suppose it doesn't look too bad anyway. Or won't look to bad I hope. It will do for a kid to snuggle up in one day. I won't say when as I need to finish it first & I don't know when that will be.

A square. A square. Can you find a square?

A square. A square. Can you find a square?

Can you find a square? Ready...GO!

The Shape Song #1

Gorgeous

I took a bunch of pics of BJ on the swing yesterday. They were just terrific if I do say so myself. He was in just the right mood & was looking so cute. I think this is my favourite one of about 20. There weren't many that were bad so I was impressed.

Because you're gorgeous

I'd do anything for you

Because you're gorgeous

I know you'll get me through

You're Gorgeous - Baby Bird

My Place and Yours - Through the Front Door

This weeks meme from Meet Me At Mike's in My Place and Yours is Through the Front Door. (I will even call it the right thing this week as last week I called it Your Place & Mine. Backward but the same! lol) Mine isn't all that exciting as it goes directly into the lounge room. Weird I know but we are used to it & you manage with what you have. This is actually our soon to be ex-front door as we have a new one! We don't know when though, but at this rate it will be January! Patience, patience...

The boring front door.
"Welcome! Come on in!"

We have a greeting party for you! Well actually I was trying to keep him in while taking a picture, so that explains the crookedness - sorry. On my way in when BJ isn't greeting me I am usually greeted by my bird cross-stitch pictures on the wall. They are my favourites & have pride of place. (6 pics you see with glare spots on the wall)

Come around to my place,
Come around & play
Come around to my place & visit today
Can you come out & play
Come Around To My Place - Hi 5

Peppermint Stars

I found these in blogland the other day. Check out allsorts as it is one of the prettiest blogs I ever did see. She has a few patterns on there for some cute Christmas things. Anyway I was sucked in & had to make these stars. I sewed up 4 yesterday afternoon but didn't have the stuffing at work with me. I took it today & stuffed those 4 & then added the Oma buttons. Later on while sitting with my Friends I made another 3. (see the post I am refering to by clicking on Friends!) I will probably make more! But isn't it funny that your own work never looks as nice as other peoples. Jenny's at allsorts look so much prettier! I need more I think. That's the problem! Also I think I need to find some other ribbon. Oh & I don't actually have the Christmas tree up yet. This one is only out because I bought it the other day at a garage sale & I don't really know what to do with it yet. The other 2 trees are in the roof.

Stars in your eyes little one

Where do you go to dream

To a place we all know

The land of make believe

The Land Of Make Believe - Bucks Fizz

I did it! I did it!

Yesterday I learnt how to crochet!

I bought this yarn a while back when the shop was having a stocktake sale. I was helping!!! Giving her less to count of course! You may also remember this book that I got a while back. Well, this has granny square instructions in it. So finally I sat down to it. Like I need more crafts to do, I know. Anyway, between this book & one youtube video tutorial I finally got it right. I finally found a tute that showed me the proper way to do the treble crochet. I almost had it myself but wasn't sure as it didn't seem right. Turned out I was missing a loop. So many of the tutes wewe flying over that bit & showing the basic of the square, but finally I found one in slow motion as she put it & I got to see the actual stitch in action! So I am pretty pleased with myself. The blue yarn is a varigated blues. Looks quite pretty on the ball but I am not sure about the square. Too much? Does it look too messy? I added the white as it needed something & I did buy the white at the time to put on it too anyway. If you can imagine it with lots of little blue bits & the white, it isn't so bad is it? I guess the next thing will be learning how to put the squares together. Maybe I had better do another square & try that next!

Last night after work we were out on the deck as usual. (Brandon wants to swing so we are forced out there every night! lol) Stu said "are you crocheting?". I said "Yes". He said "I didn't know you could crochet!". I said, "I just learnt today!" So that's how easy it is really... so if you wanted to try, give it a go!

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

I'm about to lose control and I think I like it

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it

And I know I know I know I know I know I want you

I'm so excited - The Pointer Sisters

It's a dog's life

Finally some stitching! This is Mill Hill ornament Reindog. It's from their latest ornament series I think. I finally got it done anyway & he is now winging his way overseas to my ornament exchange partner...

Oh I wanna be a dog
I wanna lie around
Being human these days is getting a little crazy
I just want to be a hound.
I wanna be a dog - Barry Polisar

My new favourite book

Aren't these pictures just beautiful?

I have been looking around the second hand shops in town for Golden Books. You would think that would be easy. Well it isn't at all. Only 2 out of 6 shops had any at all & not many at that. I needed some for my blocks. Oh well, I did find this book, "Calling All Puppies". It was $1. I wasn't going to buy it & put it back & then thought I had to have it cos the pictures are just terrific! Of course they are too large to chop up for my blocks & that would be a dreadful thing to do to it. So I will keep it. Or it might go on BJ's book shelf. Sorry the picture of the cover is on an angle but it has a plastic cover on it so it was glaring of course. But you can see how lovely the pictures are from inside. It has double pages of coloured pictures like this & then on the following double pages are black & white drawings that are like sketches & the story. It has fabric binding on the spine so that is really neat.

I did a little googling & found it dates from the early 50s so that is pretty cool. There is no date shown with the publication information in the front of the book. I wonder when they first introduced that then? Hmmm... something to google when I am really bored & have absolutely nothing better to do.

I'm just a walkin' my dog

Singin' my song, strollin' along

It's just me & my dog, catchin' some sun

We can't go wrong

The Dog Song - Nellie McKay

How to make a little kid happy...

BJ is in a train phase at the moment. He particularly loves Thomas the Tank Engine. Yesterday on the way home from work I was on my own for a change, being the weekend & BJ could stay home with Dad! I had to take advantage on my way by of a new second hand shop in town. I didn't get very far inside & found these trays full of little cars & trucks & trains! $1.00 each of 15 for $10! Ok, start looking through. One Thomas, one Percy, one Gordon, & they seemed to accumulate before my eyes, all these little trains with smiley faces on them! Thomas himself was breeding in that box as there at least 10 of him! I wiped out the whole supply of each different one that was there though. There were 8, so of course it made sense to clock the tally up to 15 for that extra $2 didn't it? The old car on the right is way cool. They were all dusty as anything so I had to scrub them all up before BJ could play but the look on his face when he saw them all sitting on the bench was just one of total awe. Actually that is what it sounded like he said! lol They are all really really well loved but for that price who cares & being that they are all metal except for the yellow & green tractor, they should all last him another 10 years or some & even they don't last, we will have got our moneys worth & more than that, the enjoyment out of them. Thanks to the little boy who gave them away!

They're 2, they're 4, they're 6, they're 8,

Shunting trucks & hauling freight,

Red & green & brown & blue,

They're the really useful crew

Theme song from Thomas the Tank Engine

Your Place & Mine - Secret Weapon

This weeks meme was a tough one! Go over to Meet Me At Mikes & read what it is about. That might make more sense to you than if I tried to explain it! lol

I really had to think about it, though it seems most have had to from what I have seen so far after nosing around a few of the ones listed on the Meet Me At Mikes meme list so far.

I decided that my current Secret Weapon would have to be my Friends. I will wait until the household is in bed & then get my stitching out for a bit before I go to bed myself. I will put on an episode of Friends while I sit, stitch & relax. It's some very good me time.

So no one told you life was gonna be this way

Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear

When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but

{Chorus}

I'll be there for you

When the rain starts to pour

I'll be there for you

Like I've been there before

I'll be there for you

'Cause you're there for me too

I'll Be There For You - The Rembrandts

Do you like to read?

Have you heard of BookMooch? Do you read a lot? Do you have some books on a Wishlist that you can't find anywhere? Someone out there may have it & be wanting to give it away! Give it away I hear you ask? Yes! BookMooch is all about swapping books, but not with only one person.

On BookMooch, you sign up for free & then you list a bunch of books that you don't really want anymore. That is the start of your inventory. Once you have them listed people registered on BookMooch will find books they want. If someone wants one of your books they will "mooch" it. It's simple - you follow the click on buttons on their website. You in turn can create your own wishlist of books you are looking for. If someone lists one you want, you will get an email notification of it. Or you can just go browsing through for your favourite authors & pick up some other books you have seen & might be interested in. Whatever! It's great!

I have just finished listing another few on my inventory list. I think I sent 5 books away this week. Plus I got a couple of books that I had mooched in the mail too. It is so cool getting books to complete a collection.

If you a big reader then this is a great idea for you!

Paper back writer (paperback writer)

Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?

It took me years to write, will you take a look?

It's based on a novel by a man named Lear

And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,

Paperback writer.
Paperback Writer - The Beatles

The joy of new fabric!

I got to treat myself to some fabric yesterday. I had been looking at the pretty bundles in the window of my LNS & then I decided I could have them. Well they did have my name written all over them & they kept calling out to me when I went past! Well they only came in bundles of American fat quarters. (quite unusual for here!) It was probably a good thing they didn't have all of them available on the bolt. Then it would have been a much more expensive treat, but hey, it would have been an even bigger joy! Ok, some of you will be able to relate to the "joy" in buying new fabrics! These are the Birdie range from Me & My Sister. I had seen them on line a few times & thought how pretty they are. I have already decided what to do with 3 of them so now it is a matter of time... might be a while before I do it though, that is the only thing. I would have loved to get the machine out last night to sew!

Happy Friday!

It's in my hands, my feet

I'm talking about

What He's done for me

I get joy just thinking about

What He's done for me

Joy - Mary Mary

My Place & Yours - Blog HQ

This weeks meme from Meet Me At Mike's is Blog HQ, so where you write your blog. This is my messy desk. Actually I can't take the credit for all the mess myself! hahaha... but I was just finishing off some work so that is why the calculator is out still. There are a few note pads above the keyboard there so that's a pile of mess too. Keith Richards keeps an eye on all we do here. That is a drawing done by a Mark Gilbert in 1986. We saw an exhibition of his work at the time & Stuart was lucky enough to end up with this one. There were so many good ones it was hard to chose. So there you go! That's my space!

I’m a slave to work

I’m only living when I walk amongst the office staff

And catch up with the office wag

I’ll be in bed by nine

My curtains drawn

My thoughts composed

I get to work on time

Step Into My Office, Baby - Belle & Sebastian

Do You Remember...?

... sets of blocks that you could use like normal blocks but then they had pictures on them too, so you could put them altogether to make a picture. Then you could roll them over one way & there was another picture, & then roll them over again & there was yet another & so on?

Well here are mine!

I did these over the weekend. I finally got around to doing some & working out the best ways to go about it. I think I have figured it out. I am really pleased with how these turned out. Brandon plays with then as blocks right now but eventually he will figure out the "puzzle" part.

In case you are wondering about the pictures, well.... It is or rather was, the Golden Book "The Train to Timbuktu". You can't get any more retro than a Golden Book from 1952.

I am pretty pleased with these. I plan on making more too. I think these will be something fun that kids of today can enjoy! Everyone has a favourite Golden Book! What was your favourite? Mine was something about a rabbit with an egg. I still have to find a copy of it. Well I did see one somewhere in a bunch of GB's together but they wanted a fortune for them so I gave those a miss. I know my little sister's is "The Pokey Little Puppy". (Hi Ros!)

I hope you enjoyed seeing my blocks anyway!

Today is a holiday! Yay! I love Monday holidays! We are having friends over for lunch. We are having a pizza party. We are all making our own pizzas & bringing them here for lunch. Should be interesting to see what they others come up with as toppings! Bye for now!

Train whistle blowing, makes a sleepy noise,
Underneath their blankets go all the girls and boys.

Morning Town Ride - The Seekers

Our day at the Show & it's # 100

Brandon in the back boat enjoyed his first show ride - sort of. He wasn't completely sure I don't think but he didn't try to climb out at least.

He put the balls in Donald Ducks mouth. Really didn't have a clue what he was doing but oh well, he won a motorised toy motorbike.

We really liked the animal nursery. You could go in here & see the lambs & calves. He wasn't sure about the calves at all but the lambs he actually patted.

& wow, this is my 100th post in my blog! Imagine that!

To celebrate I thought I would send a little something to someone that reads me! So leave a comment on this post in the next few days. I will leave it until Wednesday 4th November. So you have time. Let me know what you have enjoyed seeing or reading about in any of my previous posts! I will have one of the family draw a name on Thursday! Thanks for reading my blog & comments in the past! It's been enjoyable. We will try to add it up to another 100 really soon.

The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny

The Winner Takes it All - ABBA