ho, ho, ho.................

I wish all my lovely readers, followers & lurkers a very merry christmas & a fabulous new year!!!
I hope you are all having a good one, we are!!

Oh it seems like forever since I have had a chance to visit my blog or other people's for that matter. Life has been a little hectic to say the least. I have had a pre Christmas visit from my mum and she bought my niece with her. So in the space of 10 days we did some sight-seeing, some touristy shopping, finished off the Christmas shopping and spent a whole lot of time at the beach swimming and book reading. It has been so hot here that is all we feel like doing but things are slowly getting back to normal, well as normal as they can be 2 days out from the big day. I finished up the last of my shopping today and found myself a pretty dress to wear in the process, all the presents are wrapped and looking pretty under the tree. 
Life is good is this part of the world I hope it is all coming together for you too!

My creative space.........

My creative space..........well inbetween doing lots of cleaning, baking cakes for end of school celebrations, going out for fancy dinners for friends birthday's I have found some time to make some new dollies. All cloth & wool and smily faces. I think they turned out very well and are rather cute! They are based on an old doll pattern just with built in clothes. I am thinking I need to sell them as I don't really need to keep all three so when I get them into my shop I will let you all know!

Mosaic Monday........

1. Vintage schoolbag, 2. Randoseru, 3. Free cat bag crochet pattern, 4. Spooky , What's sticking out of your schoolbag?, 5. Deco Bag!, 6. 57/365

This is the last Monday I have to take the kids to school for this year. They finish up at the end of the week for their vacances. Their vacances that lasts 2 months.........yes that is right you read properly 2 months!! They don't return until the end of February. Anyway geting back to my mosaic this week it is all about the school bag. Something next Monday I won't have to get ready. Next week we will be entertaining my mum and my niece who are coming for a visit before Christmas. Drinking tea and not having to rush out the door will be much better..............for a couple of weeks anyway!!!!

Sundays wisdom..........

Tread softly on unknown ground.

Not sure what relevance todays saying has for me but maybe I bettter watch my step in the wee future!

1st Decembre..........

Christmas is in the air at our place........how about you?????

Sundays wisdom..........

The first time is always not perfect.

I don't think there is a truer saying than this. I can never ever seem to get things right the first time around even though they look ok they are somehow not perfect! Though I must confess I made a dessert(turn to page 7-8) last night, honeycomb semi-freddo for the first time and it darn near turned out to be perfect. There is still some in the freezer for a second helping tonight to see just how good it was!

Rainbows............

1. 96/100 Painting Rainbows, 2. Colorful Rainbow Splash, 3. Rainbow curly wurly, 4. RainBoW BigFooT, 5. rainbow bunny, 6. Happy Rainbow Friday and Wishes for a Fabulously Colorful Weekend!

I have been working in rainbow colours alot this week (see hat far right) so I thought this could be the theme of my mosaic this week. I hope all the lovely colours make you smile!

Stars & sequins...........

Promises, promises! Yes I made promises at the beginning of the week that I wouldn't stay away too long and look what happened it's Friday already. As you can see I have been busy! I have been making felt Christmas decorations and lots of them......many more than you see above. Some I am going to take into a gift store that is going to try selling my wares and some are going to go on my Christmas gifts this year. The recipients should be very happy!

Blue Monday.............

1. Choose your blue..., 2. Blythe - Hand Knit Cape or Poncho in Baby Blue, 3. blue / travel / woman / japanese : maiko (geisha apprentice) kyoto, japan 　舞妓 杏佳さん　, 4. Takara Blythe blue doll shoes, 5. Mushroom - A "Blue" Jewel, Germany, 6. I'll have a blue Christmas without you...

I know I haven't been here for a while...........I'm so terribly sorry!! It was a combination of too many public holidays, husband being away, annoying kids and not much to say. I hope I will be back this week with something other than a mosaic. Mind and hands have been working on Christmas decorations and gifts. Very exciting indeed I love the lead up to Christmas. My mind is in overdrive about what Santa will bring, how to decorate the house and an impromptu visit organised by my mum. Oh the next few weeks will be busy!!!

Little shoes...........

Little Kelly shoes is what I have been searching for in all the nooks & crannies & boxes in my house. Why you ask.......well there is a new girl arriving for me for Christmas this year and the Kelly shoes apparently fit her perfectly. This wonderful mid sized dolly is a little sisiter to the original Neo Blythe. She is new and the first one off the production line. Excitement is building in me as I write & as you read you probaly think crazyness. Bring on Christmas I keep saying to myself I want to open that box!!

Sundays wisdom..........

Listen to the rain fall and smell the wet air. 

You will feel so safe.

It is funny what these dolly cards come up with but they always seem appropriate on the day!

Cruisin'.............

Cruisin' is what we have been doing today. Husband getting ready to go on another work trip, me getting the kids things ready to go back to school & me checking out the kids pulling the old Barbie stuff out and using it for the other dolls in the house. I  love that Barbie stuff can be upcycled for the Blythe girls. Guava & Perrier have been off doing a Thelma & Louise kind of adventure. Crossing rough terrain meeting Blaine along the way, shame we don't have a cowboy hat for him. He does have some similarities to Brad Pitt with his shirt off! Did you know that Barbie was with Ken for 43 years before she ran off with the fun-loving Aussie Blaine. Read the dilemmas of Barbies dating over here it is so funny!

Happy Halloween!..........

Sundays wisdom..........

Do what is right and nothing much will go wrong.

Well it's the last day of Blogtoberfest for another year. I must confess that I missed a couple of days but I think that isn't a bad effort considering I don't always have alot to tell. But in saying that I have enjoyed myself and I have found a few new & interesting ladies to follow and I also got myself a few new follows. So at this point I am going to say that I will come back next year and join in the fun. Thanks to Tinniegirl for the organising and encouragement!.

I will leave you this Sunday with a very profound saying from Miss Blythe. I'd like to think that I know that this is true already!

Friday!.............

Bloss 75

It's Friday again and it has been a busy kind of busy day yet I don't have much to share with you all. I am feeling a bit like the Mad Hatter in the photo above. I think trying to post everyday for a month is taking it out of me, my sometimes procrastination about doing things leaves me with nothing to say at times. Anyway this Friday I leave you with a photo from a photo group I have joined. WPWD photo challenge with a twist. Go and take a look at this months entries for the theme-Dolls and Fairytales.

Drumroll please.........

Ok today is the day for the draw. 2 Prizes, 2 happy people( I hope)! Drawn randomly by the random number picker as my usual assitants are at school.

So first prize is the owly owl and some other bits...... the winner is number 8- The Clip Cafe 

And the second prize winner of the pacific inspired fat quarters and some bits is number 13- Weatherbee ;)

I hope you girls like your prizes and a big thank you to everybody who jumped on to follow my blog. It is muchly appreciated and makes me feel very happy indeed!! 

Wordless Wednesday............

Wordless Wednesday!

Slack...........

photo by Marechka.

I know today I was supposed to draw the winner of the giveaway but you are all going to have to hold on a couple of days. The first prize of the owly owl is done but I haven't quite got the fabrics all together for the second prize and I would like to have them on hand before I do the draw so sorry if you come over to look and see if it was your day!

Hope your lucky day is Thursday!!

 

Mosaic Monday........

1. Pumpkins, 2. pumpkin peepers, 3. Trick or treat!, 4. Gourds and Pumpkins, 5. Untitled, 6. Dollhouse Miniature - Baskets of Fruits and Veggies

All this talk of Halloween by the kids has made me think of pumpkins so that is what I searched flickr for today. As you can see there is also a couple of lovely dollies in there too!

Sundays wisdom...........

Once you say it, it's too late to take it back.

For those of you who are new to my blog I have a deck of cards that has fabulous pictures of Blythe and each one of them has a saying. I try to put one up each Sunday and make it a kinda mantra for the week. I like this weeks and I will try to remember it when I am growling at my kids next!

For more wise words.

Felties & fun!...........

Sorry everybody I missed yesterdays post not for any other reason than purely running out of time. Today I was determined to get something up as this is two I have missed and I don't want to miss anymore. Todays post is not so very exciting but it is something that we have been doing, well me and the kids anyway husband has been lying on the couch. He had a very big week in Sydney! Anyway making felties is what we have done. We have this great book, Felties and seriously it is fantastic. It has cute projects for the kids, they are easy enough for them to make most of it by themselves and they love it. What more can you want. The kitchen table is one hell of a mess but who doesn't sometimes like a night of eating your dinner on your lap. Seriously I say if you are looking for a gift for around about 8 year old up I would spend my money on it, it is a winner.

Thank you everybody who has started to follow me I am now up to 58 only 2 to go to hit 60. Come on go and see the giveaway and lets see if I can hit the mark.

My creative space.........

Sorry everybody there is not alot to show you today that is in anyway creative......unless you want to see what I have done with the vaccuum cleaner!!! No no I lie over the last couple of days the talk about the house has been about Halloween. So I have started to get my dollies dressed for the occasion. I have found a few bits and bobs that have been collected over the last couple of years. JuJu has decided she is to be a devil with her offsider "the green eyed monster". Together they will be performing as the ventriloquist act on the night. I wonder if she will be doing it whilst drinking a glass of water!!!

116 other crafty ladies here.

Wordless Wednesday............

wordless wednesday!!

Giveaway day.........

Salut everybody! Forgive me dear readers as I had totally forgotten that I said I would have a giveaway in this month of Blogtoberfest. This morning I jumped out of bed thinking that I need to get going and announce something considering we are way past halfway of this full month of posting. Ok the prize isn't fully decided upon but I will have 2 up for grabs. Firstly one of my owls, not the one above but one with colours very similar and a little pacific surprise. Second will be some pacific island inspired fat quarters and a surprise. 

Now there is no hidden things to do for this swap. Just comment, maybe follow me( now I have hit 50 I would like 60) and tell me if you have a preference of prize just in case next Tuesday is your lucky day. I will come back in a day or 2 hopefully with some photos of said gifts.

Now go on get commenting!!!!

Mosaic Monday........

1. [107/365] this rabbit..., 2. purl rabbit raglan, 3. giant rabbit- artesina italy, 4. wild rabbit, 5. White rabbit plush, 6. PaiKhai Rabbit..So cute ..my little girl

I was flicking through flickr and trying to decide what to do my mosaic about today and rabbits popped in my head. Why rabbits who knows but was trying to think random thoughts. In the process of choosing what to put in I came across this incredible gigantic rabbit, photo number 3. Click on the link and read the story about this knitted bunny that sits on an Italian hilltop with it's guts hanging out............it is incredible!

Happy Monday everyone!!

Sundays wisdom...........

Don't ask for pity!

I don't usually do you?

A question.........

I have a question for you - when people are looking at my blog is there a problem with the followers thingy? When I go onto the blog( and also with some I have visited) it says firefox is having a problem connecting. Could you help me please!!!

Lunch fun............

 

 I have 2 people come home for lunch everyday, my husband & Django. Sometimes to shake it up a bit we go for a picnic on the beach. Nothing very fancy as you can see but it isn't always about the food........

 

sometimes it is just about looking at the view ...........

& laying back and looking up!

Hope everybody has had a nice Friday and that it leads into a nice weekend.

My creative space.........

My creative space has nothing serious going on it this week. Just some hat making for the new twins in the house and some skirt making for my daughter as she seems to be growing out of everything far to quickly. I am thinking about Halloween things, kids get into it at school and usually someone is having a party and there is a couple of Blythe photo groups I would like to add something too. So it isn't about what needs to be finished right now but what can be thought about and finished a little later. 

But I think I will also spend some time at the creative place itself today looking at what is inspiring others.

The self portrait challenge............

It's all me with new hair and a dirty mirror. I found this challenge via Punky who found it via Tinniegirl.

Why is it so hard to get a photo you like of yourself????

Tuesday twitterings.................

I think this is what I will have to call Tuesday's from now on. Nothing to do with twitter but everything to do with not much really happening for me on a Tuesday's even though today I did get to the hairdresser to get a badly needed dye job and cut and you know what I have finally found an English speaking coiffeur!! Oh it was so nice to go in and explain what I wanted without hand actions, photo's and badly phrased French.What I was going to talk about today was the love of Spongebob Squarepants that has grown in our house. One little fellow that shall remain names, Django, has become totally obsessed but he does this with alot of things. The little fingerpuppet was a find at a festival on the weekend. Oh and we also think it is really funny that the French call him Bob L'eponge!!!

Anything in your neck of the woods worth twittering about?

Mosaic Monday........

1. Mine 2. Untitled, 3. Recovering, 4. pinky paris bear, 5. Who says a girl in pearls can't eat her toes?, 6. M'zelle Lollie

The humble beret is the topic of my Monday mosaic. Simple but always tres chic!

P.S sorry for not showing up yesterday.......the day disappeared somewhere and I'm not sure where!

Sweet treats...........

The kids had a friend come for a play this afternoon and we made some marshmallow choc brownie cakes for afternoon tea. They are from the latest Donna Hay magazine. They were very easy to do but I did have a little problem with the making of the marshmallow.......it didn't whip up quite right. It got thick but not as thick as it should have been. If anybody out there has any tips on making marshmallow please do tell.

The verdict on these little pretties was that they were nice but seriously you could only eat one. I am a sweet tooth and these were too sweet for me.

Surprise Friday............

You wouldn't believe it because I hardly can believe it myself .............. I got a place in a lovely treasury over at Etsy. How lucky am I!!! I always wondered that if you were put in a treasury how would you know. Well somebody tells you that is how!!!!

My creative space.........

Through my obssesion with Blythe I have come across many many groups that talk, take photos and drool over her. There are forums, blogs, swaps and flickr. I have joined a couple of photo groups on flickr to try and work on my photographic and styling skills. The first group i discovered was the WPWD photo challenge with a twist group. There is a theme every 6 weeks and you can participate or not. It can get your mind ticking or you can just see what other clever people out there can do with their dolls and a camera. This months theme is 'dolls & fairlytales' and here is my entry.  Can you guess what my fairytale is?

Barbie..............

We went off to the library this afternoon for the kids to have a wander about and find something new to look at as the 500? books at home are never enough! Juliette found a book on the history of Barbie. We bought it home as it is full of wonderful pictures and I just love a dolly book. The kids are fascinated with how old she is and asked the question  'Do we know anybody born in the same year as her?'- 1959. When I realed of the names of cousins and friends they thought this hilarious. Anyway I digress from my train of thought. I know many women out there think that Barbie is not a good role model for girls but I have never ever nor has my daughter ever thought we should be like Barbie. All blonde and leggy and beautiful! Come to think of it she has had some wonderful careers in her time. What I do know about Barbie is she has the most marvelous fashion sense and the wardrobe to match. Long live Barbie & her fashion designer's!!!!

P.S You can disagree with me if you wish I won't mind!

Tuesday..............

Vagabond jewellery

What to say to you all today..............I have not much to say on this fine Tuesday arvo. For those of you who have just tuned in I live a nice life on a tropical island my husband goes off to work each day, my kids are off at school and I get to spend my days as I please- except at lunch when they all come home. Sometimes that is great and sometimes it can be a little quiet. I have days where I am very motivated to accomplish alot and other days (like today) were I don't feel like doing anything at all! This is no good at all around Blogtoberfest time as I have to tell you all about something I have done or am making or so on.

Look at that..........in saying I have nothing to say I have made up a paragraph...........just goes to show if you blabber on long enough something comes of it. Fab bracelet found on flickr while trying to think of something to write!

Mosaic Monday........

 

1. 3 different pink eyechips, 2. Scary Pink Tuesday... well, not really..., 3. Pink for the CURE, 4. Someone asked for Pink...lol, 5. Perfection In Pink ......A Lovely Pair!, 6. Dreamy Pink Balloons

I am thinking I will give myself a couple of things to do each week so I am not having to think of snappy, funny, quirky posts everyday. Monday's will be the mosaic.......I know this has been going around forever but I do like to have a flick around flickr and finding new things. Today's theme is pink I hope you enjoy it!!!!

Sundays wisdom...........

Carefully choose your stepping stones.

Behind you others follow.

Continuing on with Blythe's words of wisdom..............I think this one is very appropriate for me and my little family. You often forget about the ones following your every move.

P.S Helloo to my new follower. I hope I get a few more out of Blogtoberfest.

Mango & Guava.........

Mango & Guava...........to most people they are fruits but to all concerned in our house they are to 2 newest members in our growing Blythe doll collection. Very cute little girls aren't they? They arrived last week and had to take an adventure toute suite. We went to a place up north were they serve mango & guava jams with breakfast. The kids deemed it appropriate that the girls needed to have their picture taken with said delicious jams as they were the inspiration for the husband to fork out more money to Takara!

P.S- the dolls actually belong to the kids so aren't they lucky that they have such a generous dad!!!!!!

Florence...............

Two posts in one day can you believe it!! But I had to show you the finished garment that I started yesterday. Florence models very well don't you think? This piece, which is meant to be an olde style nightie is to be used in a special photo that I will reveal later on in the month.

Blogtoberfest begins..............

 

Well October has come around once again and it it time for Blotoberfest to start. One post a day for the next 31 days. Golly that is a lot of talkin' about nothin' me thinks! But within all the talkin' there will be a giveaway and I hope there maybe some new friends made & discovered. The party has started over at Tinniegirl's place and the giveaway commitee is based at Curlypops place.

There you go 1 post down 30 to go!!!!!!!!!!!

My creative space.........

There hasn't been a whole lot of crafting going on here but today I felt the urge to create. So inbetween doing loads of washing, feeding people and sweeping floors I got some books out that I purchased a couple of weeks ago. They are very cute books about dolls & dolls clothes. Anyway I pulled out the pattern sheet knowing what I wanted to make. I knew the next step wasn't going to be easy trying to find all the pattern pieces I needed but I studied and studied and finally worked it out. I am now in the middle of sewing it up which is equally frustrating as all insructions are in Japanese. I am thinking at this stage I need to study Japanese instead of French!




P.S If you ever purchase one of these books with the intentions of sewing I would make sure you have some knowledge of sewing otherwise you will be lost!!!!

Wednesday.............

Wow that was a bit of an extended blog break! Over the last 10 days life had taken a course of being very busy indeed, visits from my bestest bestie and family, finish of vacances, weekend away, preparing and eating of too many nice meals. But today we are back to some kind of normality...........that is as normal as any day can be! I am back to sitting in front of the computer having my breakfast as I do most mornings before contemplating what I need to do for the day. So without further ado I need to get of  my butt and go and do it.

Happy Wednesday to you!!!

Sundays wisdom...........

Practice gets rid of stage fright.

We all know this don't we but sometimes it is easier said than done! 

Speaking of doing something and not being afraid. I opened myself an etsy shop. Big cartel was just not doing it for me so I made a leap of faith and just did it. Take a look if you have a few spare minutes.

Happy Sunday!

Lost...........

 Django's found and happily decorated items!

  Lost is what I seem to be feeling at the moment. There is no direction to my days at all, they are just kind of bobbing along................it doesn't help that we are on school holidays again and I have to think of three people to entertain. The 2 kids and me! 

I know I am having a bit of a winge but sometimes you just need to do it and then you feel all the better for it. I will go to bed now, that is if I can drag myself away from crap latenight tv and tomorrow I will wake up revived and ready to go again. Maybe with a plan and a marker in sight.

Sundays wisdom...........

 Don't waste your ideas. Use them!

We haven't had any of Blythes words of wisdom lately but today I think I needed a bit of encouragement!

Ou est le printemps?.......

We are only 11 days into spring here in Noumea and it feels like summer already! We only  have 2 seasons here and that is a bit of a shame really. It's winter or Summer no in-between. There is no smells in the air that Spring is about to unfold, no sense that the air is getting warmer. It is just wham 'I am Summer and here I come'!! I very much liked this time of year living back in Melbourne. I have very vivid memories of it and it is one thing I miss about my old home but I don't dwell too long on these things I mis, I have too many things here that I lovealot. Like the not very cold winter we have. No siree I don't miss the Melbourne winter!!! 


 Onto something completely different I would like to thank the ladies who took me up to 50 followers.................Yipeeee I am finally there!!!

Crafternoon...............

 A fellow arty crafty person and myself talked at the begining of the year about a crafternoon type get together once a month. A get together with like minded people to create something different than we normally make.We got our act together about 4 months back, trying to organise everybody and their schedules is always complicated.

Anyway our days are a Monday straight after lunch and they are fun and what makes these fun is I get to have a French lesson at the same time as sewing. We are a mixed group, 1 American and 1 Australian who speak French no problem, 2 Frenchies who speak pretty good English then me. It  is funny sitting in a room where the language flips from one to the other like it is a normal thing to do. I know my comprehension with the crafty words is getting a whole lot bettereven if the other stuff isn't.

P.S thank you to the lovely ladies who have increased my follower numbers. Only one to go to hit 50!