updated the sounds!!

I have wanted one for ages + finally on Friday I got my little wish + brought a working record player!!
Its just a tad amazing + the sound is soooooo crisp.........yep got Jimmie Rodgers playing atm!!
Kev needs to gather up his record collection from his mum + dads + me I'm gonna checkout the record collection when I visit dads house this week..........I feel a party coming on!!

and yes do you spy that lovely collection of vintage candlewick bedcovers + other vintage goodies poking out behind the stereo!!  They are for another exciting adventure of mine!!

kids are loving the record player btw.............."its pretty cool" I heard one of them quote!!

just

source

saying goodbye is hard

this week I had to say goodbye to my dad.
my dad had been really ill for the last 6mths but no one could find anything wrong with him.
but as well my dad had never been the same since my mum passed away 3.5yrs ago.  he was living with a broken heart + that was hard to watch.
last friday we told him he had a option to have a op (that he would not survive) or it was ok to go to mum.
once he knew that we were ok that he could go ............ he was so happy because he was going to see my mum.  how could I argue with that, how could I be sad about that...........watching my dad celebrate that he was gong to see his beloved mary.
finally the duo of mary + ron has ended.  I tell a lie i am sad....... very sad cause its like living mums death all over again a little bit....... he was the connection to her.......partner in crime.......dance partner.......... card partner..........they were one hell of a duo!!
i never imagined that I would be without my parents at the age of 40......... lucky i still have my little family to lean on.  dad was 80..........he had a full life + no time was robbed from him.......only mum leaving early!!
rest in peace dad

handmade xmas

this year........oopps I mean last year I wanted to get into making alot of my decos.  Since I have a cupboard filled with supplies everything was at my finger tips!!

I had spied a few lovley ideas on blogs, pinterest + mags. 

First I went with the pompoms.........how fun are these babies!!  Got me a few circles + a star from spotlight.

This is how it ended up. 

this bad boy was pinned to my cork board at front door

Ruby was busting to have a turn with the glue gun + pompoms .......so she made this little wreath for us + as well a friend really admired it so Ruby made another one for her.

button trees

not such a new idea but after making these nearly 4 years ago + stealing buttons off them throughout the years I finally sat down + completed them before xmas

No more stealing buttons!!

checkout our newest pet........old pull-along........he was a mere 50c

then there was the netted garland. I got this idea from Your Home + Garden mag.

they used just white netting but I spied some lovely red polka dotted netting + just had to have!!

I would of liked the garland to be longer but I ran out of time + found a fun spot to drape it over.

and lastly.......yes another wreath.....but they are so easy + fun!

now I saw this fab idea via this blog

I didnt have a lovely collection of vintage decos like her........bit hard to source here.

so I just brought some fun decos from spotlight.  I think it turned out ok!!

Sadly I didnt have time to add a ribbon to hang as i made it xmas eve when I should of being cooking!!

But I laid it up against the computer screen + it did the trick.

I just added it to the cork board for photography purpose!

already looking forward to this years handmade decos!!

ringing it in with the rain.............

Yep the rain did come down on New Years Eve but no spirits were left damp!!
We had a fantastic holiday house in New Plymouth for 5 nights.............that means 5 nights + 5 mornings of not milking the cows!!  It was bliss...........even if rained for 4 days!
Such a fun time away with kevs family + a few friends popping in!!

it was about ice creams

brothers

false eyelashes for new years eve!

hair cuts for the boys

new years eve smiles with my sil

 scooter gang.........lead by miss B

me + miss B on new years eve















summer nights

ahh well at last the summer nights are here!....... warm nights filled with late night games of badminton, drinks on the deck + night sessions in the garage!  how one loves summer!!

then the rain fell out the sky onto my little parade of happiness!!  damn that rain for falling just before new years!!  please hurry along Ive got important outdoor things to do + a  few celebrations drinks to be had
 with friends + family on new years eve!!

wow where did xmas go?.......the build up was big as ever!!  I over did myself + had to put myself to bed early on xmas day!!  was a fantastic day.........great food + great people to share the day with!!
I didn't over do myself this year with photos.

finn playing mr cool!!

my reindeer ruby........ever so helpful........bless her!!

omg does this boy start with a capital T or what?....... not for Taidhg but for trouble!!

see no over doing!!  one never knows what do with 50 million photos from oneday!!

I am playing a bit of catch up here + going backwards!!
Once again I pushed my creative brain hard to make pressies for the teachers!!  Big effort as I have struggled creatively since my mum has passed + thats over 3.5yrs now.........death eh how it effects us!!  Anyway I can celebrate now as my creative brain is back!!  It feels sooooooooo good + I forgot how relaxing it makes me feel to make things with my hands!!  might even start scrapbooking again!!

So I have a little collection of retro pillowcases going on here + lets not forget the sheets + table cloths!!
And the doilies........omg the doilies!!

I have been inspired by this very clever lady for awhile now dottieangel
so I pulled everything out + set too.
I also have a reason for making these creations.  A week before school finished one of our lovely teachers lost her 19yr old son.  he just died!!  its terribly sad + my heart broke for them + as well our school has had a shitty year with illness + loss.  So I just wanted to bring some warmth + a smile back to their hearts.

I made this for our head teacher

finn had two teachers this year

and for Taidhgs teacher.........sadly I took a crap pic of this (in a hurry)....... this was a lovely irl.

Rubys teachers got a jar of food........he's a man!!
Teachers also got these..........my fav thing to make at xmas..........xmas bark with some apricot slice thrown in!!

so here's to a fantastic new year + lots of good things happening for 2012!!
see you on the other side!! :)

7

On Monday Mr Taidhg turned 7!!
We had a quiet Do on Sunday......just two friends this year.   I asked Taggie what cake he would like for his mini party...........'chocolate cake please'.........yay easy for me!!  Then we covered it in lollies.........can you tell I was going for easy!!

Jelly + lemonade drinks........these are so much fun + you suck the jelly up through a straw.  I got this idea from a Donna Hey birthday mag.  I did these for our Halloween party this year too.

Then for his birthday on Monday I made him frog cupcakes instead of a cake.  Easy again!!

Another great birthday!!  Taidhg had a ball + his best present was his roller blades!!

Now I can pull out all the xmas decos!!