Catching up!

 

There is a lot I haven't blogged about due to a bit of a hiatus, so I'll just start with some of the most recent happenings! I bought some new lamps - MK thought they needed some more adorning so there are plenty of stickers around.

 

 

I have big custom framing plans as discussed in previous posts - but indulged in a cheap Kmart sunburst mirror ($19) for the interim! Not bad!

 

 

I have just completed a Circle of Security course, it was brilliant. I could do a whole post on that alone!

 

 

After our Caloundra holiday added a few more things to the wall! It's growing, growing.

 

 

And speaking of growing, my baby girl is growing, growing too! This is this morning, a rainy morning so had her gorgeous pink coat on to go to ballet.

 

Life is pretty wonderful at the moment. So incredibly lucky. Hope this post finds you all well, too.

A beautiful party for our babes!

So the party has been and gone and we all had a wonderful time! It was perfect weather and despite my concerns about the kids being entertained, they played happily on Adam's playground and kept themselves busy! There was more than enough food and the cake that Jean made was nothing short of AMAZING! 

Maddy and Will had a great time, young Will was so overtired but refused to nap for a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out)!

After all the guests left our neighbours came over and we reclined in the backyard while Maddy jumped away. Took this on my iPhone and it really was the perfect ending to a perfect day. I'm proud of myself for not getting too stressed and enjoying the day.

Planning a Picnic Party!

Madeline and William are celebrating birthdays this weekend! It's going to be a big party outside on the fort so praying for sunny weather. The lady who printed Madeline's first birthday invitations was so lovely to deal with, I sent her the following inspiration picture and asked her to come up with something.

I also love the ginormous balloons and have a couple ready to go!

A snapshot of the invite, details removed of course.

I bought some navy and white drill for a table cloth and raided the junk shops for party accessories.

Hopefully it all goes smoothly!

The Backyard - Part 5

I'm happy to report the play gym is finished! Including a little shop, perfect height for William!

Mum has constructed some curtains and bunting. It has had a couple minor adjustments since this photo. All ready for the party!

And it isn't really the backyard big my mother-in-law spent the day in the garden weeding in ready for the party! Aren't I lucky?!

The Backyard - Part 4

There has been more steady progress today with the cubby getting 'built in' and the railings being completed. It is all yet to be stained so it looks uniform but looks pretty amazing! The circle is a plaque that will have an M and W for the kids names.

Looking inside, Madeline has a few cheap cushions from Ikea to sit on. Mum has been commissioned  to make some curtains!

Very nearly finished and looking fabulous!

The Backyard - Part 3

It has taken a while (see Part 1 and Part 2) but Adam finally has some time to continue building a fort in the kids play area.

It is taking great shape and Madeline is very impressed with her 'castle'.

The views are spectacular!

Adam has been creative in the roof line and the stairs. It's looking fantastic!

Admiring his handiwork with the kangaroo. 

We are hoping that it will be fit and ready for the kids birthday party at the end of May. I'm envisioning lanterns and balloons tied to the fort and a picnic party.

We are so lucky to have a visionary and clever husband/Dad! To be continued on Wednesday.

Random musings!

Hi!

There has been a bit of a lull in house related things, but our little family has been busy.

Firstly, a night (kid free woo!) seeing the Rocky Horror Show. It was fabulous, Craig Mclachlan was fantastic. I snapped this on the way into the theatre. Dusk city lights, what a beautiful city we live in.

Mum and I took the kids to Eagle Farm markets last Sunday, amazing fruit and veggies, homemade wares and pony rides! I asked Madeline if she wanted a go, there was no hesitation at all! She loved it. I hope to go frequently, we go through fresh food SO quickly!

We had some family pictures taken last Sunday, our family and Adam's family. The photographer takes about 4 weeks, I can't wait to see them. I hope by some magic I look ok (the diet was going well, now it's not haha!) It was overcast and stunning at Roma St Parklands, perfect conditions.

I have seen this post on Facebook and have created an email for both kids. Since I can email photos for posts for the blog I thought surely, I could for the kids too. How fun would that be to read 18 years worth?! My kids won't believe I existed before the internet did! Haha!

Madeline's Room - More bits and pieces!

As always, still buying bits and pieces for the unending project that is Madeline's room. My latest purchase is a $10 bedside table from Gumtree. Have to love that!  It's perfect and solid, nothing a good lick of paint won't fix.

I also purchased some crystal knobs from ebay to fancy her Ikea Hemnes drawers and now her bedside. 20 for $23.10 (including postage) - I'm holding my breath hoping they are ok!

And while I've been catching up on old magazines, I love this girly room - the yellow looks so fresh - I'm half tempted to paint the bedside yellow! I could always give it a try?! ;)

And lastly, a new addition to Madeline's picture wall, a pink heart mirror from Kmart for $5. Can't beat that!

Spot of sisal!

Thank goodness for the enabling power of social media (again)! A nursery retailer posted on Instagram that she bought a sisal/dute rug at Spotlight for the small sum of $24.50. She was on her way to Freedom to purchase something similar in size and texture for $300! It is 180cm in diameter.

Without a shadow of a lie, I had been looking at the same sisal/dute rugs at Freedom or even importing some from online, so this discovery had me dash to Spotlight first thing on a Monday morning! (And I wasn't the only one!)

So Will has one in his room (shelves still waiting to be painted!)

And I have another in the entryway. Wouldn't the table from Boticelli go perfectly? Sigh. 

It was very serendipitous and I'm very grateful for the absolute bargains!

Madeline's Room - Sneak peek!

A separate post as the picture wasn't included below and I'm working on the iPad! (Read=difficult to add!)

Madeline's Room - A bit of progress!

Good evening!

Another raging Saturday night on the lounge here! Haha! Last time I posted about Madeline's shelves they were yet to be painted and hung, I'm happy to report that both have been done. (With a bit of painting outsourcing to my father-in-law!) Its a terrible picture but you get the general idea below. So my brain was ticking over with ideas as to what to put on the shelves - pictures, trinkets, bunting? Where to start? Possibilities are endless and with my perfectionism it was hard to find a place to start! Haha!

The below image is a very popular pin on Pinterest, I spent a long time looking for the actual source to no avail. If anyone knows please let me know. The image and Madeline's wall swirled together in my mind and I decided to use it as a bit of inspiration.

{Source unknown}

I had a collection of different letter M's, framed photos and other artworks to use. I had the hurdle of trying to plan a layout around the shelves and the letters were already hung, so I traced each of the artifacts and cut them out.

I used sticky tape doubled over to hang them on the wall (no blu-tac nor patience to get some from the shop). I played around with the layout a couple of times remembering that the bedhead would go square underneath the shelves. Excuse the night time photo!

The result is quite lovely, I'm very happy with it. I took a couple of quick photos - I am yet to decide on some bunting and have to move the furniture around so only a sneak peek for now.

I also received the most gorgeous cushion cover this week from Max & Me Homewares - I was yet to put an insert in the cushion but couldn't help myself taking a quick photo!

More photos to come! 

Christmas 2013!

I hope this posts finds you all well and hope you had a very Merry Christmas. We had a really wonderful day and we all were spoilt rotten. Especially the kids - but that's what it's all about isn't it?!  Maddy got so many dress ups from Mum I enlisted Adam to hang some a board of hooks to keep them on (idea from Pinterest of course).

Among many other things we got this Wedgwood plate, probably something I wouldn't have bought instinctively but really glad we got it because I love it!

We did get the chandelier which is so generous and exciting - just a few more lights and power switches to buy and then we can get them installed! Yay!

Christmas in a bag ready for next year! 

I need to get my laptop fixed to get some photos off my DSLR to share! 

Madeline's Room - Old progress shots!

 

I found this photo today while I was searching for backyard photos. Since the original post I have moved the shadow boxes and introduced a big girl bed (from Snooze). I also purchased old season Sheridan linen off eBay as the pink was perfect - however due to the synthetic nature of the ruffles - Madeline slipped off one day and is scared of the linen! Haha! I have since changed it up a bit.

 

This photo was even earlier, pre-big girl bed. I wanted to post this as it is a lovely shot of the personalised cushion and others - excuse the non-styling of the throw!

And a picture of my little darling, I adored this Country Road dress so much I have kept it.

So a post for my own record really! As you were!

Madeline's Room - A quick, fun project!

 

When I was Christmas shopping the other day I picked up these little hearts at Typo, they were just sweet and I thought I could use them somehow. I had a mini brain-wave and brought out a spare Ikea frame and dug around my old scrapbooking supplies for a pink spotted paper.

 

 

The hearts are so very sweet. So in less than 5 minutes while Will was in the Jolly Jumper and Madeline was playing Lego I knocked up a sweet frame for her room. Pretty cute I would say. (There is something similar being sold in boutique children's stalls for a much higher price!)

 

 

I was in a bit of a hurry to have a good look around Typo so I jumped online to see if there were other shapes and designs. There are! Might even make a sweet gift. If anyone would like the spare hearts let me know!

 

 

Our Ollie dog.

 

Now Summer is here, our Ollie is moulting like a madman. It's driving us bonkers and it's like tumbleweeds in the house. (Even though he is limited to the kitchen and the back deck). We called in reinforcement of the doggy wash kind. He looks reasonably happy - he hasn't had a hydrobath in years but something about it made him bolt inside and hide! He is normally a typical water loving Labrador! He smells nicer now!

 

 

Adam was vacuuming the kitchen for the 34,567th time and I suggested he vacuum Ollie. He loved it! Amazing how much MORE came out. Oh heavens. Lucky we love him!