Friday, November 30, 2012

xox from Mum...

 
hi!
 
when most school leavers
are going to 'schoolie's week' down at the coast,
my friend's daughter has gone to thailand
to help at 'destiny rescue'.
{a halfway house/charity that gives young women a chance at another life style
after they have been sold or enslaved, against their will, into a life of prostitution.}
 
 
she has gone armed with small gifts
&
her guitar.
her aim is just to encourage them in their new journey
and to make some new friends.
 
 
her mum is a legend.
as well as making and selling
hundreds of jars of homemade jam,
lemon and passionfruit butter
for her daughter's trip
 
she is renovating her bedroom
while she's away.
 
 
 
the windows have all been reputtied
and the walls undercoated.
 
 a couple of friends and i went around there this morning
and my job was to sand down the furniture
ready for painting...white.
 
there will be white walls
except for one...
 
 
 
 
this fabric
will be made into cushions for her bed...
 

 
i hope it will be the best surprise for her!
 
 
yesterday,
was mary's funeral...
a young woman, a friends daughter,
who died going to work a week and a half ago.
 
rest in peace, mary.
 
she had a smile as wide as the sky,
an infectious laugh
&
was a loyal mate
with a passion for life & love.
 
 
tomorrow...
a bag to make...two cushions & an apron.
well, that's the plan.
 
what have you got planned for the weekend?
whatever it is..
do it with all your heart...
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Baby Shower...

 
with the baby!
 
 
hi...
this morning some friends and i
held a baby shower.
 
 
 
 
zoe was expecting a girl,
but lo and behold a boy was delivered
exactly two weeks ago.
 
i had made pink invitations
&
had them in my handbag ready to deliver
when a little boy was thrust into my arms.
 

here he is sleeping snugly this morning,
at his own welcome party with a friend.
 
 
last friday
we made some bunting...
 
 

 
which we strung along the rails of the deck at the cafe.
 
easy bunting it is.
coloured paper stapled on to curling ribbon
taped with washi tape onto the railings.
 
we blew up the balloons...
 
 
ordered cappucinos and cake
&
played party games...like baby bingo, baby memory,
name the parents and name the baby.
 

 
i can't wait to help host another one
it was so much fun!
 
i'm hoping you're all having fun this wednesday too...
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 

 
 
 
 
 


Monday, November 26, 2012

Going Postal!

 
ready!
 
 
 
 
set!
 
 
 
 
 
go!
 
go! go! go!
 
for christina's ornament swap.
 
 
have you posted yours?
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 


Saturday, November 24, 2012

Backyard Bunting!

 
good morning!
 
it's quiet here...
well, humanly quiet.
i can hear cicadas
&
three different birdsongs...
the gentle swoosh of traffic
hurrying away...
some sounds of sleepy snoring,
this pleasant sunny saturday morning.
 
i made this bunting last year
&
yesterday got 'round to taking some photos
of my friend's verandah...
'out the back'.
 
it's faded now
into true shabby chic-ness...
 
 
do you remember the bunting swap we did
with rachael @ squiggly rainbow?
that's one from her in the middle there.
all i did was make some extra ones
to go with her beauties.
 
 
 
knots are tied in the rope between the flags
so they don't bunch up.

 

 
a gentle flutter in the breeze.
 
 
 
 
 
the outside dunny...
 
 
every house used to have one...
outside!
 
enjoy your weekend...
 
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 
 
 


Thursday, November 22, 2012

Gates.

 
good morning!
 
firstly...
a big thank you for all your thoughts and prayers
for my friend and her family...
the peace of God is evident there.
 
further down my street
a gate caught my eye.
the house is empty right now.
 the front gate stands...
 
 
alone!
 
then there was this one i noticed
directly across the road...
 
 
as you can tell
i live in an area with plenty of character!
 
it led me to wondering though.
 
i wondered when it was
that these gates got opened or closed
for the last time.
 
isn't it funny
how we lay things aside.
maybe it was the last time you rode your bike
or put on roller blades
or twirled wearing your favourite twirly skirt.
 
we never think
'this is the last time'.
it just happens...
silently
while new gates are opening
meanwhile.
 
mr m made these...
 
 
they looked like chocolate earthquakes..haha!
 
 
very chocolatey
light and cakey inside...
good with a cup of tea to wash them down!
so big
half was enough.
 
i'm tossing up
whether to go to mainly music today.
it's not my week
but some of the helpers will be away.
 
....and it's ms s's birthday.
i can't wait 'til she gets up
so i can give her
her presents.
are you like that too?
as soon as i wrap something up
i want to give it and see them open it..hehe!
 
much love to you all...
 
naturally Carol xox
 


Sunday, November 18, 2012

Raining Tears...

 
this morning it has been raining
...tears.
 
 
my friend lost her daughter today.
she was on her way to work early this morning,
to milk the cows.
on the highway her ute spun off the road
and she died.
she was a beautiful daughter,sister, fiancee and friend.
a tragedy.
a heartbroken family.
 
got to church late,
just needed to be with the crowd.
another friend came up holding a little bundle.
she was expecting a baby girl
but had a gorgeous baby boy on tuesday.
as he rested his tiny head on my shoulder
and curled his body up against mine....sleeping,
he comforted me with his peacefulness.
 
i had made girly baby shower invitations...too late.
i will make new invitations
&
in a week and a half
we will celebrate the birth of a little boy.
 
tears of grief
tears of joy
it rained this morning.
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Lovely in Lavender...

 
but even better
spiced up with a bit of paisley!
 
 
 
 
this is the second out of three
that i'm making for my friend debbie.
 
the first was for her daughter,
this one will be for her
&
the third
for her to give away at christmas.
 
 

 
the bag was made from an amy butler fabric
and was beautiful to sew.
i'm a real amy butler fan.
her fabrics are always beautiful quality
and the colours always better in real life than on the screen.
 
 

 
these baby staghorns
have been growing here for over a year now.
 
i am thrilled
'cos when i lived in canberra
i tried to grow ferns from seed.
they germinated
but the humidity level is normally very low
and i didn't have much success beyond that.
 
here, living on the trunk of an old jacaranda
these have sprung up naturally!
they're living on the west side of the house
where they're shaded in the morning
and in the afternoon
they are shaded by the tree and the fence
so they thrive.
 
 

 
this hardy fern
grows verdantly out of an old tree stump!
 
it shrinks away over the cold and dry of winter
then springs back to life every spring.
 
 
we are expecting a super cell to hit later today
and the air is so thick and muggy
i think i'm turning into a puddle
and will melt away through the floorboards soon
if it doesn't rain soon!
 
i hope you're not feeling quite so uncomfortable!
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 







Thursday, November 15, 2012

For Your French Books?

good afternoon!
today is bursting with summer!
it's hot, skies are blue
those little singing insects are back in the trees...
'tis pretty much perfection.
 
 
i took some pictures
of a 'book bag' that's decked out
in eiffel towers
and black and white polka dots...
 
 

she's nearly eighteen
&
in love with all things french
&
especially parisian.
 
 
 
ah, though
 
we are all in love with paris...
 
city of lights
 
city of love.
 
she and i are not so different after all.
 
this is a day
that lends itself to dreaming...
so both of us,
all of us
we will dream of paris!
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 



Tuesday, November 13, 2012

The Book Bag...

 
hi there!
 
a little while ago
a friend asked me to make her
a bag.
 
smaller than the market bag
but bigger than the child's bag.
 
kind of an inbetweener...
good for a couple of books
and a purse.
 
 
 
 
this is the prototype...
 
now i'll have to get my act together
&
make three more.
 
 
 

 
today i went shopping with ms s
we don't shop together very often
so it was a real treat.
 
we are feeling rather christmassy at the moment
so we gawked at lots of decorations
and singing softies,
oohed and aahed at the sparkles and glitter,
sipped some soft drinks
and nattered and chatted.
 
we bought a singing santa hat,
some ribbon and beads
&
a pink fluffy koala purse for her sister in America!
 
it's good to be feeling better again.
 
i hope your week is swinging along sweetly...
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 

 
 
 
 


Monday, November 12, 2012

Red.

 
hi!
 
meet red.
 
red the gingerbread man...
 
 
red is a gingerbread man with plenty of bling!
 
 
 
he's a blingin' red head.
 
 
 
here's his dog...
red dog.
 
 
they've been hanging around together
ever since they were stitched up!
 
 
 
red the gingerbread man & red the dog
are part of the christmas ornament swap
 
they'll be posted off to their new home
by the end of the week.
 
thanks so much for all your kind comments
...i'm feeling much better now...
and i'm sure it's because of all the love you sent to me!
 
many hugz to all of you...
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Squeeze Half a Lemon...

 
good evening!
 
i have been attacked...
so it's one {wo}man down around here,
a random casualty of a spring cold.
 
 
this old fashioned concoction is making a very sore throat
feel a whole lot better...
i've had 3 today.
 
 
boil the jug and let the water cool down a bit while
squeezing the juice out of half a lemon
{wrap the other half up in cling wrap and keep in the fridge for next time}...
pour the juice into a glass or mug
add a good teaspoon or two of honey..a good dollop anyway.
fill up the glass with hot water...
and sip slowly.
 
it really takes the edge off.
 
i'll pop in and visit you again just as soon as i can...
 
take care!
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A Tiny Feather...

 
hello!
 
 
a tiny feather
found it's way onto my windscreen this morning.
i noticed it
as i pulled out from the school driveway
and onto the main road.
 
 
it was right in my line of vision...
spot on really,
i had to notice it.
 
 
 
i was fascinated.
it was so small and perfect.
i wondered what kind of bird it had belonged to
and why it had lost it.
overthinking really.
 
 
 
i realised i was willing it
not to let go...
not to get bumped off
or loosened by the wind
and carried away.
 
 
 
i realised i was not concentrating on the road
as much as i should be.
 
so i stopped.
gently pried the tiny feather off my windscreen.
placed it carefully on the seat beside me
&
took it home.
 
 
what did you do this morning?
 
 
naturally Carol xox

Monday, November 5, 2012

Retro Christmas Fabric!

 
good morning!

today is our 35th wedding anniversary!!

when reading 'small acorns' post today
i was reminded that it was 'guy fawke's day' in new zealand on that day...
except that it was a saturday in 1977.

our reception was held in my parent's back yard
and we did have fireworks...rockets and sparklers and the whole deal!
i was nineteen and mr w was twenty one...
i don't think either one of us thought we'd ever get this far..hehe!

i still have the wedding cards i received,
i'll have to dig out the best of them and show you...
you'll have a good laugh!
 
 
 
last week i bought a metre of retro christmas fabric
 
 
 
 
it arrived on friday.
it is light but has a great barkcloth texture
the gold is glorious and the colours perfect.
i think it must have been made in the fifties..maybe early sixties.
 
 
 
 
i've been thinking all weekend
about what to make with it.
 
my first thought was cushions
but then thought i don't want them ending up on the floor,
the fabric is too precious.
so i've been thinking of a table runner...
or one for my sideboard...
or perhaps placemats...
or even frame some of it for a christmas picture.
 
what would you do with it?
 
 
it's fun just thinking about it!
 
have a magical monday...
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 
 
 
btw...if you get in quick you can have some...
i checked this morning and there was some left in tanya's shop on her blogsite...
$7 metre + postage = it's a steal!
 


Saturday, November 3, 2012

For Her...

 
hi there
i've just come home from 'for her'
&
i'm buzzing...too awake to go to bed yet...even though i should,
i've got to be up and out of the house by a quarter past eight tomorrow morning!
 
 
 
 
it has been a stunning night.
the speaker was alison buttenshaw from newcastle,
she spoke about her experiences
and about forgiveness.
 
 
 
her father was killed by her brother
when she was only ten.
she saw a lot and had a lot to forgive.
 
she has written a book called 'out of the shadows'
which describes her journey from pain to freedom and healing.
 
 
 
 
it wasn't until she was preparing for her wedding
that she realised more deeply what she had lost,
not having a dad to walk her down the aisle among other things.
 
she chose to forgive her brother
despite the destruction that had happened to her family.
 
she finally found the courage to forgive
and found peace.
 
 
 
she talked about the damage that harbouring bitterness causes...
she quoted someone who said...
unforgiveness is like drinking poison
and hoping the other person dies.
 
very strong words.
 
 
 
afterwards there was time to talk,
eat cake and drink tea
at tables that were lit with candles and strewn with pretty stones
and glass jars with lights and baby parasols and tied with ribbons.
 
we even got to take home a party favour!

 
 
aren't the hearts scrumptious?
they'd look great done up in christmas colours...
little ones for the christmas tree
or to dangle on presents.
 
 
enjoy your sunday...
 
naturally Carol xox
 


Friday, November 2, 2012

Life is Sweet!

 
it's friday...again,
boy does it come around quickly sometimes.
 
after being out this morning
for an early breakfast/morning tea with a friend,
i gathered some gorgeous shots of some crafty goodness
going on around me for the next 'for her', tomorrow night...
but i can't show you until sunday
just in case anybody local reads this blog...
well, you never know!
 
 
lyncraft was having a storewide 30% off sale..yippee,
so i got a few bits of fabric, cotton and tiny christmas accessories
as well as some fluoro tape..a bag full of goodies.
 
being totally wiped out when i arrived home
from the heat and the gusty wind...
and of course all that socialising and shopping,
this was the only thing i craved...
 
 
a few pieces of red seedless watermelon..yum!
 
this was better and faster than any rehydrating formula in a bottle,
sweet and delicious...
a bit like my week actually.
 
sometimes
you actually get a week
where you think...
ain't life sweet!
 
haveagreatweekend...
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Plucked From the Too Hard Basket...

 
good afternoon!
 
last week was a wonderfully slow week.
this week has been wonderful, but busy.
 
 
 
there is something that has been nagging at me...
and for the past couple of weeks i have just folded it up like a piece of laundry
&
put it in my
'too hard basket'.
 
i have to thank ana and janet for being patient with me over this topic too...
which is 'awards'.
 
when i first blogged i duly received a few awards and completed their tasks
 and passed them on...
now i feel myself holding back,
both on the receiving and the giving of  them.
 
there are a few reasons
but the main one is that fifteen or eleven other bloggers to pass them on to seems a bit much...
do you think?
that's a lot of links to write up
&
the awards seem to either be ignored which is disappointing to the giver
or
flood the bloggosphere with everybody getting them
'cos they multiply so rapidly.
 
about two weeks ago
 
&
 
both handed out an award in my direction...
thank you girls for your appreciation,
i value your friendship.
 
i encourage you all to go and visit these two newish bloggers
and make some new friends!
they are both lovely.
 
please tell me what you think about this whole subject...
is it in your too hard basket?
 
do you love awards?
 
is is just too time consuming to find so many people to pass them on to,
but would love it if it were only one or two?
 
do you just ignore them when they come your way?
{and feel guilty..'cos you like the person that gave it to you and appreciate them!}
 
i'm interested to hear what you have to say!
 
have a great day...
 
naturally Carol xox