Wishing You All A Happy New Year!

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families & friends. We have been keeping pretty busy around here so I have not had a chance to share any photos but I wanted to check in before the new year and wish you all a happy and safe new year.

All the very best to you and your family in 2010

xo

Is It Christmas Eve Already?

Can you believe tomorrow will be Christmas? My gosh...where has the time gone? Are you all organized? Hope so! I am so sorry I have not posted much at all this month, Ive been running around mad trying to get everything done in time for tomorrow and finally its all done...well...except for our roast lunch with all the traditional trimmings that is!

In the meant time we have managed to visit some beautiful houses around Melbourne with stunning light displays (I am sorry about the photos as its so very hard to photograph them in the dark!) These would have to be our two favourites that we visit each and every year...

Aren't they gorgeous!

What a beautiful sight this was up high on a wall...

Sadly we didn't get to add to our light display this year and I feel a little guilty that we didn't get to put the family tree up...the big whopper tree that we put up each and every year but didn't get around to this time. Time has not permitted with all the duties I have been doing with the upcoming house but we are hoping next year will be the first year we will get to pop it up in our new home...fingers crossed! Instead we decorated a sweet white Christmas tree trimmed in silver and gold.

I hope you all have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas with your family and friends, stay safe and enjoy each and every moment! xo

Creamy custard & jam cake...yummy!

Jake and I had a lovely Saturday morning baking. I think I have said before that my son is very fussy when it comes to cakes and wont eat any chocolate cakes as he says its too rich (he doesn't get that for me!) In Jake's eyes there is nothing better than a home made vanilla cake filled with creamy custard and jam sauce!!!

The jam sauce would have to the highlight in the whole cake for Jake

creamy custard

Yummy homemade vanilla sponge

And dusted with icing sugar.
We are off to have lunch and then a piece of yummy cake.
Have a wonderful weekend.

Just what I have been looking for!

This week I sent my husband and brother off on a little pick up trip, when they came home they arrived with the ute & trailer full of furniture. Not like I need any at the moment but come on...how could you say no to these beautiful old French pieces???

dressing table...



stool...

boudoir chair...


OHHH...I am so excited!!! They are just what I have been looking for and will go perfectly in the new house! They also picked up a few other matching pieces which I still have sitting in my garage but I will get around to showing those a little latter.

Hope you are all having a wonderful December, Ive been shopping up and getting ready for Christmas as we will be having lunch here this year. I still have lots to do but I am getting there. What will you be doing this Christmas?

Poppies & Roses On The Wall

Are you drawn to old antique paintings or is that just a silly question...??? Recently I picked up some wonderful antique paintings from an auction, not as if I needed anymore as I have so many pretty rose paintings from Gail McCormack & a beautiful cherub painting from Alicia but...well...I just couldn't put my hand down to these two pieces lol.

This first painting is an antique poppies watercolour signed by T. Phillips.

Isn't it beautiful?

And the second painting is an oil on canvas called 'Flowerpiece' signed by William Kearney, Melbourne & London. It still has all the information attached to the back which was really interesting.

I love the colours in this one!

So, which one is your favourite? I'm not sure I can pick??? I do love my rose paintings but I really love the detail in the poppies! Hmm...???

I'm hoping to find a wall in my house so I can hold on to them so I'm off to start looking xo

Was it worth getting out of bed?

Was it worth getting out of bed to go to the market bright and early Sunday morning???? Well...YES!!! There were lots of beautiful treasures that I could have picked up but I just had to stop myself when possible as our house seems to be getting smaller by the minute! Although I was a good girl there was one thing I just couldn't say NO too...

This sweet chandelier candelabra was calling my name as soon as the lady popped it out on the table.

Old tarnished silver metal arms...

A sweet little crystal ball to the very top...

And sparkling vintage crystals...

Look at the pretty china I picked up as well...

Pink roses & blue birds...

I don't think it gets any better than these pretty plates!

I'm hoping to get some mosaics done this week and I may even use these pretty plates to inspire me!

The sweet smell of jasmine

I have always adored the sweet smell of jasmine in my garden even if my garden is not that big in our current home and I don't have a spot in the yard to plant as its full of roses. Last year I saw a great idea on potting jasmine on the Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Special so I decided to give it a go. Ive been patient the past 12 months making sure its well feed all year long and this is what graced our garden this week...

Better Homes & Gardens called it a living wreath that you could display on your front porch for all to enjoy.

It is really a great plant to choose for this as the jasmine seems to flower from November all the way to January and the smell...well...its simply wonderful! We are sure to have a sweet smell in the garden this Christmas!!!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend...I'm off to the market tomorrow so I better get to bed or I wont want to wake up!

More Mosaics

Ive been a busy bee creating more mosaics this week as well as submitting a whole lot of quotes for the house. Its going to take some time getting these quotes back as they seem to need a bit of a kick to return any phone calls which makes me really....GRRRR!!!

Anyway, first of all is my field of daisies wall plaque

(24cm x 17cm)

And another Christmas decoration...

Loving this colour scheme!
I wouldnt mind keeping this one for myself.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Christmas Decorations

Is everyone starting to get ready for Christmas? I can not wait to get the Christmas decorations out! Anyway, here are some of my mosaic Christmas decorations I have been creating this year...

Am I aloud to have a favourite? If so this would be it.

Just can not help myself...I love blue!



And this is the sweet crimson & french grey china I am so in love with at the moment...



I love the silver mirror tiles which creates an added sparkle!



and this spring bouquet is so very sweet!



love the chippy old pearls!

(measures 13.5cm wide x 24cm long)

I'm working on a few other bits and pieces at the moment so I will share them soon.

A field of daisies!

Been creating yet again, this time I decided to use a different feature and based this sweet little wall plaque around sweet daisies. I hope to have it finished soon...

I'm a pretty little thing,
Always coming with the spring;
In the meadows green I'm found,
Peeping just above the ground,
And my stalk is cover'd flat
With a white and yellow hat.

Little Mary, when you pass
Lightly o'er the tender grass,
Skip about, but do not tread
On my bright but lowly head,
For I always seem to say,
"Surely winter's gone away."

Poem by Ann Taylor

Today is my grouting day so I will share my finished projects with you shortly.