cornflower blue

Thanks Meg from elsie marley for organising the Fall Color Week. It's been fun and definitely inspired me to upgrade my camera. Also thanks to everyone who has popped by for a look and for those who left comments, they are always read with much joy. Kim and Carol - thanks for the SLR advise, I think I'm almost ready to take the plunge!

Have a great weekend.

PS. here's my final colour contribution- just adjusted my Etsy Mini in the sidebar to reflect cornflower blue items in my shop.... done now.

one more colour please

Just popping in to invite any other colour challengers to join in tomorrow (Sat) for a late ring-in, Cornflower Blue. I know it's not really an Autumn (Fall) colour but it is great for Spring which is hopefully around here somewhere - Spring! Spring! Where are you?

My little people are both sleeping (highly unusual, and took a great deal of convincing, but we are going out to dinner tonight) so while I should be getting the washing, bills, and sorting done I am looking at this. Wow! I had no idea there were so may colours and colour names created over the years.

See you tomorrow.

plum

Er..... plum..... tricky for me. Not a plum person myself so I've struggled to find much around the house. It's kind of cheating but I took this photo of my fandeck from the Wattyl Paints i.d range of interior paint colours. They are all wonderfully muted and moody.

And then I spotted these. My favourite bunch of Australian Natives that I splurge and purchase every few months when I need (and justify that I deserve) a pick me up.

To see an international mix of plums, chesnuts, golden rods, burnt sienas and brick reds hop over here.

chesnut

My onlyjustworkingkidsplaywithchestnutcamera is ready for retirement.

When am I going to get my new camera?? This is the question. It has been on the "to buy" list for some time now - I even received money on my last birthday for the purchase. Problem is, I can't decide. It's a digital SLR - that I know.....but which one? I've narrowed it down to Canon or Nikon and...well... any advise or assistance from SLR owners would be much appreciated.

I'm looking at an entry point model - doesn't need bells and whistles - as long as it enables me to take both macro close ups and good spacial images (mainly interior shots). The lens type is a mystery to me - again no need for massive zooms but would like to be able to capture movement and quick snapshots of the kids.

Also there is one other thing. I like a heavier weight camera - it's a personal thing I know but it needs to feel substantial in my hands. I have held my sisters Canon digital SLR and it felt too airy for my liking - is this common to the Canon brand???? Maybe I have just answered my own question??? Mmmmmm


I'll be back tomorrow with PLUM for elsie marley's Fall Color Week.

What type of camera do you use?

golden rod

Thankyou Adelaide weather for making it so easy for me to feel like I am actually experiencing Autumn (Fall) this week. It has been cold, wet and windy and we've had to pull out some of our winter woollies again. I've been hanging out to dress Sachin in this super vintage plaid vest I scored at the op-shop (thrift store) and it just happens to resemble the Crayola colour "Golden Rod".
How about that!

For a more Australian seasonal version of the colour here is one of my favourite springtime cushions made using a mix of vintage fabrics. It's available for purchase but not currently in my shop, so if you're interested in more pics & pricing please leave me a comment.

Happy hump day. Off to check out the other golden rods here.

burnt siena

Anyone would think this is a ridgy didge Autumn (Fall) photo. Truth is, it's a sun burnt Camellia after today's Spring rain. I'm playing elsie marley's Fall Color Week along with these other fun challengers.

brick red

It may be Spring here in the Southern Hemisphere but I'm playing elsie marley's Fall Colour Week, and today is the first entry. She's based the challenge around the colours of Autumn using Crayola crayon names for a bit of a twist.

Monday: Brick Red (deep red)
Tuesday:Burnt Siena (a reddy orange, like the rooftops of Siena)
Wednesday: Goldenrod (warm, deep yellow)
Thursday: Chesnut (dark, warm brown)
Friday: Plum (like a plum, duh)

lazy day

Yesterday was one of those days, grumpy Mum, grumpy child, not enough sleep on both of our behalves. I knew from the moment we stepped out of bed it was going to be a long one (which is, yes, a bad attitude to have at the start of the day).

Without a car to escape the four walls of the house (at the mechanics) we were going to have to find a way to entertain our snooty selves for the 12 hours that remained until Dad arrived home.

We stayed in our PJ's all day. Surprisingly we actually had a very productive day with painting, sticking & pasting, bubbles, hopscotch, water buckets, playroom games and so much more. It was a marathon play fest!!

After lunch I requested some quiet Mum time (which rarely happens) and even stranger I felt the need to sew something. I never sew when the kids are around as it turns into bedlam with scissors, pins, cottons etc all over the room. However, yesterday, it happened. I made this Lazy Days Skirt, using this pattern.


So simple and so pretty. The pattern calls for one width of fabric, but I didn't have enough so added the extra panels. The more colour the better as far as my rainbow daughter (other grumpy party) is concerned. Hanging on the door now it will be paraded & twirled with pride this Sunday at the Victor Harbor Rock'n'Roll Festival.

Confession time. In the midst of my sewing glory Ruby entered the room to ask me a question. Bare footed she stepped on my super sharp fabric scissors and seriously cut her toe. I had a moment of absolute terror that she had almost cut her toe off! Blood everywhere! !She is such a brave soul I needed to be brave too. Finally it stopped bleeding and I realised that it wasn't as bad as it first looked. Lets just say that this Mum will not be going there again! The scissors were on the floor because my work bench was too cluttered for cutting. Naughty naughty me. After multiple apologies, hugs and kisses I think she forgives me. Oh and a new pretty skirt helps :)

mouth watering gardens

1. Untitled, 2. Kid friendly courtyard, 3. Melbourne garden, 4. Xeriscape in Santa Monica, 5. California style, 6. After: garden overview, 7. Xeriscape at minimalist house, 8. Durham Botanic Garden, 9. knautia macedonia, 10. CRW_5569, 11. ., 12. Andalucia, 13. Modular Garden with Curved Deck, 14. Asymmetric Family Garden, 15. Modular Garden with Slate Patio and Deck, 16. Low maintenance garden with Slate and Pebble surfaces, 17. Low Maintenance Contemporary Garden in North London, 18. Courtyard Garden with Limestone Paving and Hardwood Deck and Bench, 19. Cool Contemporary Garden, 20. Tatton Park Flower Show, Cheshire, 21. Garden design, Tatton Park Flower Show, 22. Garden Design at the Melbourne Flower show, 23. NZ Landscape Design. NZLANDSCAPES.COM. Garden Photos New Zealand. Dry River Garden., 24. Exterior 41, 25. patio

There is no end to the inspiration I find on Flickr. We're now in garden landscaping mode at home and these designs are getting me excited!

shirt cushion

Sometimes in life you meet people you feel somehow connected to - maybe a past life? Who knows. Anyway, for me, that person is a friend called Clara. We crossed paths when our first children were born in Melbourne and we joined the new local mothers group. While both living away from our families (Clara more removed than I with her home in Argentina) we found a similar void that needed to be filled. Our little families grew close and we subsequently had our second children around the same time too. Sadly for me, Clara returned to Argentina a couple of years ago to be with her family. I miss her dearly and will always remember fondly the special time in our lives we shared together.


Before she left Australia she gave me an old shirt (for fabric) which had been a favourite but had passed it's use by date. It has only taken me a couple of years but finally I have made this shirt into a cushion for her belated birthday present. Just 3 more buttons to sew and it will be on it's way to Buenos Aires.


The back of the cushion is the shirt front (button holes & pocket)

However, I've been deliberating whether of not to applique a little blue kangaroo onto the bottom of the front RH panel (as a reminder of her time here in Australia). Is this too tacky? Should I do it or not?

us show day. me pooped.

Ah it was a mighty fine day but I'm simply too tired to verbalise so hoping that the pictures tell the story. Weather was perfect. Entertainment was abundant - magician, music, fairies, hoola hooping, juggling, sword swallowing, wizzy rides, lollipops, icecreams, cows, roosters, goats, jumpy castle, super slide, flying kites, and so much more squeezed into 9 short hours!!

We love the Royal Adelaide Show...... bring on 2010 we say.....

reminiscing

We've been doing a bit of this over the last week.

December 2001 .....young(er) carefree couple pack up and head off camping for 3 months around the west side of Australia ......

I know I know! ! Hard life.

Oyster farming at Coffin Bay, South Australia

Fowlers Bay, South Australia

200km Bunda Cliffs, South Australia

crossing the Nullabor Plains

first of many flat tyres on the trailer

Esperence Great Ocean Road drive, Western Australia

Greens Pool, William Bay NP, Western Australia

lunch stop on the road

reef sharks at Coral Bay, Western Australia

Coral Bay

Sun Pictures, Broome, Western Australia

Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia

Cable Beach sunset, Broome, Western Australia

Geike Gorge, Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia

Lake Argyle, Kimberley Ranges, Western Australia

Kununurra campsite, Western Australia

Kununurra wet season afternoon rain

Kellys Knob lookout over Kununurra

border of Western Australia and Northern Territory (with some sexy chick)

barra (barramundi) & chips, Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, NT

Cullen Bay, Darwin, Northern Territory

Cullen Bay Marina, Darwin, NT

Yellow Water Wetlands, Kakadu, NT

Noulangie Aboriginal rock art, Kakadu, NT

wet season water crossing

sunset, Kakadu, NT

Southern Rock Pool, Katherine Gorge, NT

Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory

grapefruit breakfast at Kings Canyon, NT (lookin' good honey)

Kings Canyon, Northern Territory

Uluru (Ayres Rock), Northern Territory

Yesterday was Fathers Day here in Australia and we spend the afternoon in sweet little Strathalbyn where we had a family lunch at the local pub. Afterwards while meandering through the local second hand shops we came across this painting. It called out to us and found it's way home in the car and onto our wall (admittedly in a temporary position until we decide where it goes). It was painted in 1976 by D Filmer, whom we are told she is a local painter from South Australia. It perfectly captures the amazing Australian landscape we so love.