Friday's in the Bag!

good morning!

 

i've discovered "picmonkey"....

 

 

i've had some fun this week...

the vespas go to christina today,

the girls and boys with trailing scarves will go to a birthday girl on sunday

little yellow is in the making

&

bicycles will be a christmas prezzy for a little girl

in north queensland.

 

i just got these pics taken

before both cameras ran out of charge!

 

i can see i'm going to have lotsa fun with picmonkey...

i hope lotsa fun's on the way for you this weekend.

 

have a good one!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 

 



Celebrating Ordinary

 

hi there!

today i want to celebrate the ordinary

the everyday

the mundane.

 

 

 

i have decided i really like ordinary days,

having time to wash the dishes without distraction

time to think

while my hands do something they already know how to do.

 

i like days when there is no momentous news,

no event to plan and organise,

nothing urgent

or

off the radar bursting to be noticed or attended to.

 

 

time to make a first thing in the morning orange juice from scratch.

 

time to recharge my batteries.

 

time to notice nature.

 

time to be grateful.

 

time.

 

 

time to finish what i've started.

 

time to play with some fabrics...

picking out just the right shade of yellow.

 

time to fiddle & potter & pick.

 

 

pictures of ordinariness in my household today...

wishing you time for much ordinariness too!

 

naturally Carol xox

 



 



Making Mountains out of Molehills...

good afternoon!

i made this cushion earlier this year...
during the period my computer wasn't working
and just never posted it here.

i do have a soft spot for selvedges and scraps.

 

have you ever had something small

escalate before your very eyes into something it was never meant to be?

 

this happened to me

when i innocently ordered an omelette with sides of mushrooms and a grilled tomato

at lunch time today.

 

the waitress brought the omelette...perfect...but no sides.

so the omelette went back to gather it's mushies and tomato...fine i thought.

but no...

a while went past

& i realised, oh no!

the chef is making another omelette as well.

 

eventually...

another omelette comes out.

plain, this time... with mushrooms on the side.

 

oh well, i thought, i'll just eat this and shut up...

but a friend jumps up and talks to the chef.

thank you, i said, appreciating the help but feeling a little bit embarrassed...

'cos..well, getting it wrong twice?

 

i went over to the counter, menu in hand.

i explained...to the girl who took the order.

'fine' she said, ' i'm sure the chef has understood'.

'that's good' i said back.

 

haha!

looks like no one understood.

 

ten minutes later...

i get a styrofoam container.

in it was

the plain omelette

on top of

the original omelette

&

the mushrooms!

 

i think if i had uttered a whisper

the chef himself

would have thrown eggs at me..haha!

 

i ate the warmer omelette, paid and came home.

i had to chuckle though...i'm not offended at the chef or the waitress...

'cos it was just a giant lesson in miscommunication

&

i'm still not sure whose!

 

next time

i'm not ordering the omelette!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 

 

 



Tuesday in Taipei!

good evening!

 

i've been sitting here a couple of hours now

&

just as well i can touch type

'cos it's been getting steadily darker

as i've sorted through some more of our taiwanese holiday snaps.

 

the dogs need attending to

&

dinner needs fixing

&

mr w will be making his daily call...

but

i have to talk to you first..haha!

 

today we're going to visit

the national museum of history

in taipei.

 

 

a tiny gazebo & pond near the front gate.

 

 

also near the gate

this branch is held up by a large rock!

look at how it's been trimmed over the years

leaving knobbly remains along the branches.

extraordinary!

 

 

 

 

part of the elaborate front gate...just along from the tree.

 

 

 

 

the funny thing was

that we didn't see any history exhibits...

they were setting up a disney exhibition outside

with interactive installations

&

inside there were exhibitions of modern small sculptures...

very beautifully made,

vases that looked like pipes joined together,

not that i'm describing it well...

but it was nothing like what i have ever seen before.

very intriguing.

 

but i am getting ahead of myself

because after exploring the front of the building

we made our way

along an extremely narrow path beside this place

&

opened a wrought iron gate

went down two steps

&

into the botanical gardens.

 

 

in this enormous pond full of lotus plants

we found a kingfisher

resting.

 

 

we spent all morning walking around the gardens

they were fabulous...

but the pix will have to wait for another day...

 

'til next time!
 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 

 

 



Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

good morning!

 

 

this is the morning of the big draw...

 

 

 

we're really into doing things by hand around here,

so names were handwritten on slips of notepaper,

hand folded into quarters so no names are showing,

hand placed into my beaut blue bowl

and then

the winners (two) were handpicked

by mr t...on uni holidays, otherwise busy doing his assignments

&

mr p...who never goes to work on mondays!

 

 



the winners are...

 

{drumroll please!}

 

christina lowry @christina lowry designs

 

&

 

ANB @ suburban sonnet

 

{cheers and applause thank you!}

 

christina and ANB please email me with your addresses

so i can send your little girls a petite tote each.

 

congratulations to you both!

 

better luck next time to everybody else who entered

&

a big thank you for taking part.

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

p.s....sorry no chicken dinners!

 

 



Little Jilly Bag!

 

 

hi there!

 

i was thinking of all those who've entered my giveaway yesterday

who have more than one little girl needing a bag...

 

so i set out to make another one just in case it's needed
or
it could be second prize.

 

weeeell a funny thing happened...

catastrophic at the time really.

 

i was busy cutting out the red spotty lining

then cut out the little squares at the bottom edges so that it has a base...

then

oh, no!

i realised i'd cut them out at the top not the bottom...aaarrrahagggg!

 

but then not only did i make one mistake...hehe

but another..

i was measuring the amount needing to be taken off the other side of the bag

&

whooops!

i took off a full half inch more on that side.

 

well i evened it up...

&

it became shorter,

but sweeter i think!

 

talk about making strawberry jam out of squished strawberries..hehe!

 

i've also made the front pocket wider...

so i thought it needed a completely new name

so it's my "little jilly bag".

 

if you want to enter the giveaway...

just comment on the previous post.

it's still going 'til sunday night.

 

haveagoodweekend!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

p.s...mr t took this gorgeous photo for me...you can see the budding jacaranda tree and a brewing storm in the background.

 

 



Giveaway Very Pink Petite Tote!

good news!

a giveaway!

 

i've made another petite ..very pink...tote

just for one of your little girls,

probably best suited for 2-7 year olds,

but younger ones will grow into it soon enough....

 

 

&

i'm giving it away

to one of my followers!

 

so anybody who follows 'naturally carol' will be eligible,

just leave a comment here..on this post
by the end of sunday...aest..queensland time,

&

the winner will be posted here

on monday, 24 september.

 

my decision will be unequivocally indisputable..hehe!!!!

{which means that my decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into!}

 

 

so if you have any little pinkophiles in your life

i know they'd love a petite tote

to help you with shopping...

guaranteed to fit at least a few sweet surprises inside

&

 has two outside pockets

just waiting for a petite purse or tissue

...perfect for tiny hands to hide tiny treasures in too.

 

 

feel free to become a follower

&

if you have a good reason not to

i'll accept that too!

 

oh..and by the way

everybody..aussie and international followers are welcome to enter,

i will send it 'round the globe for you...

 

hoping you're all feeling terrific this thursday!

 

 

naturally Carol xox


p.s ...i've just linked in with mycreativespace..hop over there for some scrummy creativity.

 

 

 





 

 



Ella's Petite Tote...

good afternoon...

here i am

basking in the warmth of today,

alone but not lonely

relaxing but not vegetating!

 

i made a mini me tote bag...

i adapted the 'jane market bag'

for a small girl.

 

just for fun!

 

 

 

 

friends

...with geoffrey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it really is only a tiny version

measuring about 10" x 10" front on...

sides & base included, about a foot square.

 

 

 

 

lined with 'nicey jane' spots...

 

 

 

ella loves pink...

hopefully this has enough pink

for a pinkophile.

 

this tiny tote is on it's way to miss e now...

her dad is a dentist and is fixing ms s's teeth this afternoon...

so i didn't put a packet of sweets inside!

 

hoping the wednesday you're whiling away is altogether wonderful...

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Reflecting...

good morning...

 

 

i realised this morning

i was thirsting for something for my spirit,

reached for my bible

and read this...

 

 

 

"....Now as they were travelling along.

He entered a certain village;

and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

 

And she had a sister called Mary,

who moreover was listening to the Lord's word,

seated at His feet.

 

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations;

and she came up to Him, and said,

"Lord do You not care that my sister

has left me to do all the serving alone?

Then tell her to help me."

 

 

 

But the Lord answered and said to her,

"Martha, Martha, you are worried about so many things;

but only a few things are necessary,

really only one,

for Mary has chosen the good part,

which shall not be taken away from her."

{Luke 10: 37-42}

 

 

 

this morning i decided to listen a while...

 

my joy

my peace

my sense of well being

are back.

 

 

 

it's just like

when you keep eating

when really

your body is screaming

"i'm thirsty!"

 

...then finally

you listen

and give it a long cool glass of water.

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

p.s...the images were taken on a private property in taiwan.

the beauty was food for our soul on that day.

Hot Pink!

 good afternoon

on this quiet monday...

 

mr w left this morning

to go back to work,

up north again,

won't see him for at least a fortnight...

{talk daily though}

 

mr m

who was here just for the weekend

went back to brisbane shortly after.

 

it's quiet here

&

there are empty spots where their bags and clothes were,

where computers and phones abounded...

where shoes were abandoned.

 

mr w was here for a full ten days

i'd gotten used to having him around...

feeling married again!

 

it's a monday of adjustment around here.

 

on a brighter note...

 

 

 

made this.

still the jane market bag...

just jazzed up the colour a bit

&

relaxed the pattern a tad.

 

bring on summer i say!

 

how is it at your place today?

 

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



Holiday Home in the Mountains...

hi!

 

before having a bite of lunch today

i realised you just haven't had your dose of taiwanese pix...

from our january holiday there..for this week...

 

i thought we'd have a visit to

chiang kai-shek's holiday home,

coming down from the mountain range

on the way to the northeasterly coast of taiwan.

 

 

his holiday home was set up high on the property.

 

 

extraordinary views to the east of mountain gorges.

 

 

when the rains come

these valleys fill with rushing water.

 

in the dry season

they plant crops of watermelons down there!

 

 

 

 

the gardens and view

coming up from the easterly side of the property,

the blossoms were just starting to come out. 

the vegetation was lush and it was cool and wet in january.

 

the road coming into the property

was mossy with rock walls...

 

 

i hope you've enjoyed our visit to taiwan today!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Little Brown Nut...

hello today!

 

when my sister was very small

my dad used to call her his

little brown nut...

 

she was very cute...

short dark brown shiny hair

shining brown eyes

olive brown skin

 

when i was making this...

 

 

i found myself thinking of my sister

jill of velvetmoss

&

knew it was for her.

 

 

so this one

is not jane's market bag

it's jill's.

 

i'm sure she'd love a visit from you too!

 

i'm hoping you'll have a very special weekend with your family...

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Summer Blue!

good morning to you!

 

like all good foggy mornings

soon a patch of blue was forming

right over us.

 

i've been sewing another bag,

this one's for me

'cos i'm preparing for summer blue

&

golden yellow...

 

 

 

pegged by lime birds...

 

 

 

onto the banksia tree.

 

 

there are less words and more pictures today

as i'm a bit fuzzy-headed this week.

 

i'm doing more blog reading than writing this week,

thank goodness

that blog posts are short & sweet compared to books...

'cos i've read about two pages of a book

before i end up asleep!

 

 

here we are looking forward to summer blue

&

perhaps where you are there are sweet memories of summer blue...

 

but whereever you are

 

i'm wishing you happiness!

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 



 p.s...i know i said that bag no.1 was for me..but i gave it to my mum in n.z! i don't think i was thinking i would love to make so many  more at that stage. i will show you the one i made for my sister next...and i'm half way through one for my brother's partner for christmas.

 

 

 

 



Rarely on a Wednesday!

hi!

 

it is so rare

for mr b and i to lunch together on a wednesday.

 

he is recuperating well from his hernia op

&

me...well, they do say..feed a cold!

{and starve a fever..and i haven't got one of these..hehe!}

 

 

mine.

 

 

 

his.

 

we ate at our favourite cafe in town..

chatz.

i didn't show you the piled high with meringue

piece of lemon meringue pie

or

my foamy dense chai latte...yum!

...'cos i forgot to take pix before i ate them..sorry ;-o

 

with rather full tummies

we are back home and he's working

&

well, i'm here.

 

i hope your lunch was special today too!

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 

 



Choosing!

 

good morning!

 

i've got that bug,

the one that almost everybody

has ended up with this winter..

except that it's spring

 

'you've escaped this one'..i thought to myself!

&

then, it snuck up on me.

at first just a tiny sore throat and cough in the middle of the night

then wham.

 

 

but i have done some sewing

&

 'jane market bag' ..no. 3 was born....

 

 

i got ms s to choose her own fabric...

black and white was the theme on the outside.

 

 

 

pink with white spots on the inside.

 

as i make up these bags for various female family  members

i have thought about their personalities

and the fabrics they're choosing.

 

do you do that?

 

ms s...likes black...  sophistication & elegance ..outwardly

and has a passion for pink..soft, girly and fun on the inside!

 

 

i also think that the bag i'm working on

is my favourite so far...

every time!

 

 

 

now that this market bag has

done her photo shoot

she can roam the runways of the city with ms s!

 

how is your day shaping up?

 

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 



My Garden Is Your Garden!

 

mrs blanche spider and me

 

 

share a garden you see...

 

 

 

 

she makes her silken home in the hibiscus

&

i inhabit the house just across the front path...

 

 

 

she hangs around some of the time...

 

me too!

 

 

 

she looks like a tiny glow-in-the-dark alien...

 

&

 

i feel like one every now and then..hehe!

 

who else do you share a garden with?

 

naturally Carol xox

 

 

 



Humming Along...

this sunday...

 

 

 

i have been determined

to use what i have instead of buying more fabric...

 

 

had fun sorting them by colour a couple of days ago.

 

this always inspires me to make more,

but also to collect more.

 

last year my piles were twice this size

&

now there are a few gaps

in the stash

&

i'm longing to get my hands on

some of the beauties i've seen lately...

 

torn!

 

 

i hope you're humming along quite nicely this sunday...

 

naturally Carol xox