iPhones, renovating and hail...

Loving these iPhone pics I was able to take of a little cove at Penguin a few weekends ago, in between rain showers. I am amazed by all the apps that are available even though I am trying to wean myself off my phone, very hard after carting one around for 14 YEARS! Back then you couldn't even text on them! Yep, I'm old school!

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In other news our renovations are coming along nicely. Last time I showed you the bathroom it was a nightmare, well it still is as we can't use it however we have - drumroll - walls, no holes in the ceiling and cornicing!! Yay! So excited! I think this is the room I am most excited about, it is so tiny but I'm hoping my design will work well and give it maximum impact on our meagre budget.

Today it hailed here and was down to 5'C by 7pm, I would hate to think how cold it is in the freezing cold shed Mr HMH is working in tonight! The Munchkin however loves hail after one particularly magnificent hailstorm last year which saw her eating a cup full like a slushy, she was so excited today wishing it would stay around long enough to collect some, but it melted before we could get enough. She was equally excited though to see a mummy duck with her 7 teeny ducklings wandering in the gutter down the road from The Cottage. 

It's so nice to see the wonder of nature through a child's eyes, it really makes me stop and take the time to appreciate the little things. We often turn the car around to check out things we have spotted, or stop walking to smell, touch and feel the things we pass.

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We are heading back up to the house tomorrow and I have plans to do some leaf rubbings with The Munchkin which should be fun. Also, I found my pattern from this book I was looking for to make a few tops and dresses for her with this fabric that the lovely Kellie sent me so hopefully I'll be able to get a few of those together too.

Sorry about the disjointed thoughts, I really should not post at midnight, my brain is trying to sleep!

Thanks for stopping by,

Till next time, xxx

PS. Thank you again for all your birthday wishes, your kind thoughts mean a lot to me! xx

Spoilt rotten...

My lovely family took me to the beautifully placed Crossed Spoons Cafe at Boat Harbour for my birthday lunch which was lovely! Michelle and Claire both stock some of their gorgeous goodies there and have mentioned it on their blogs here and here.  The cafe also stocks other local artists and gift lines as well as some lovely bits and pieces from Tibet including clothing, woollen gloves and socks. We brought home a cute pair of pink fisherman pants for The Munchkin and some writing paper and The Munchkin has her eye on one of Michelle's sock monkeys. The food was delicious and well priced and it was very, very Munchkin friendly which made our time there very relaxed and enjoyable. I had a scrummy Lemon Lentil Soup and Mr HMH had the Ploughman's Platter that included four different Tasmanian cheeses. Both were served with what seems to be a house made bread roll which was divine. We will definitely be going back again soon and if you are passing by, stop in you won't regret it!

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I was also very lucky and humbled to be given gorgeous presents from my lovely family and friends including:

This awesome owl light from Have You Met Miss Jones from my sisters Bridget and Olivia, doesn't she look at home on my side table? The Munchkin has called her Mrs Norton, yep, don't know why but it works! I LOVE it!!

This amazing Limited Edition "Shambala" candle from Glasshouse which smells deliciously of Honey, Vetiver and Patchouli from Mr HMH and The Munchkin. Yummy!

They also bought me this butter soft NZ sheep leather wallet from Elk which doesn't want to photograph well but is gorgeous! The Munchkin also chose me a sweet black hair slide from Tasmanian blogger and accessories queen Under the Shade Of  Bonsai Tree. All of these gifts were purchased at Nest - Penguin and the beautiful Nat was super helpful and kindly wrapped everything too!

 My gorgeous brother Sam surprised me by sending down these two pieces of hand lino-tile printed fabric, and some cards from the Babbarra Women's Centre which is located in Maningrida , Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is an Aboriginal community with a population of 2600 and my brother has been working with a construction company there maintaining the houses and facilities. I am so proud of him for choosing to support the local women by purchasing their textile art. I am planning on using some of the fabric as huge canvas panels as the handprinting makes them such unique art pieces.


I am undecided as to how to use the remainder as I don't want to waste it, and although it has been baked in a fabric oven to seal it I don't think it will stand up to a lot of wash and wear. Any ideas??

The Munchkin, Liv and I finished off the day with a trip to Ladybugs for pizza (paid for by my Mum and Dad!) which was a perfect ending to a perfect day!

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I am now madly planning our Daylesford trip for next month as it has snuck up on me! We are considering getting one of these for the 5 days instead of paying for accommodation AND car rental. Cool huh! Very road trip I think! 

Till next time, xxx

Sun, sun, sunny ...

(image via here)

So it would seem that Spring is going to honour us with some nice warm days and I am feeling sadly lacking in the warm weather outfit department! What do you think of this dress? I know it has long sleeves but it is linen and I kinda prefer to cover my arms if I can anyway. I also like this one:

(image via here)

which I would have to wear with either a light cardi or top underneath. Actually I like nearly everything from this etsy seller! Her clothes are simple with a twist and look really wearable.

My thought is, that I need a summer 'uniform' of sorts and can't afford to fork out so much for one dress when I really need a few in different colours etc. So what I would like to know is, do you have any favourite patterns or pattern books to recommend so I can have a go at making my own? I would love to hear from you!

Till next time, xxx

PS. I had an awesome 31st birthday today - a big thanks to everyone who sent their best wishes!! I'll show you how spoilt I was tomorrow, lucky me! x

Bloggy awards...

Oh dear, so back in July the lovely Emma of The Wannabe Work at Home Mum kindly gave me an award that she probably wants to take back now... *hanging my head in shame* ... however in my defence we have moved, been renovating and hmmm, I forgot. sorry... but without further ado I gladly accept this lovely award with 10 things that make me happy:

1. Kind fellow bloggers who are always there with a nice comment, sweet letter or parcel, harmless stalking and encouragement -  you guys make me very happy!

2. Spring - what's not to like! New life, sweet flowers, my birthday (he he)...

3. Finding treasures at the oppies, and by the side of the road, heavenly!

4. Pizza night with The Munchkin - a great new traditions and memory maker.

5. My gorgeous real-life friends who have stuck by me through thick and thin and still love me for who I am (mostly)

6. That my family and I are healthy and live in a safe place on this earth and have our basic needs met.

7. Friends - yep! the TV show, still makes me happy everytime!

8. Sitting down with a new magazine or book and a cup of Chai.

9. Ok, I'll admit it, shopping makes me happy!

10. and last but not least, my gorgeous family - you may make me cross, or even downright mad sometimes but I always love you and the fact that you are in my life makes me happy no matter what xxx

Thanks so much Emma!

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I was also extremely lucky to receive this award from the wonderful Stella at The Golden Adventures of a Very Dark Horse! Thanks Stella, you are awesome! The rules as blatantly copied from Miss S are: 

1. Thank the lovely person who gave it to you - 

Thank you Stella!! Stella has an awesome blog and an amazing little shop (here and here-NZ) with her sister where they sell incredible illustrated goodies like this and this.

2.  Pick 15 blogs that you love and pass the award along.

Hmm how to decide, well I read heaps of wonderful blogs that I love but in the interest of time saving here are 5 I have recently stopped by for a visit:

http://elrondielle.blogspot.com/

http://deedeesvintageretrodelights.blogspot.com/

http://lillabilly.blogspot.com/

http://lovekatyha.blogspot.com/

http://ebonyarwen.blogspot.com/

Tag girls - I humbly award you The Versatile Blogger Award ( I will not be offended if you do not chose to accept for whatever reason)

3.  Contact those folks and tell them that you love them!  Done!!

4.  Tell us 7 things about yourself.

My entire life philosophy in my 20's was based on Friends (Yep! The TV show again!) and to be honest it still kinda is!

I have every intention of letting my hair go grey when it chooses which will mean I have grey hair before my Nan, Mum and Mother-In-Law!

I have been reading Home Beautiful magazine since I was 17.

My first car was an orange Datsun 120Y called Mavis that took more oil than petrol.

My first ever cassette was "Kylie Minogue - I should Be So Lucky" for my 12th or 13th birthday.

The movies that had the most effect on me from 12 to 18 years old were: The Delinquents 1989, Cry Baby 1990 and Empire Records 1995.

People that know me really well know that my all time favourite colour is pink, even though I no longer wear it or really decorate with it anymore. 

Thanks Stella, you rock!

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Well that's it! Maybe you got to know me a bit better, maybe now you know too much ha ha! I hope your week is going well? How is the weather at your house?? 

Till next time, xxx

Oh my! ...

My last week has been filled with wonderful things...

The sweetest letter and hairclip from Rachel of Ginger-Crunch arrived in my mailbox with a printed tutorial on how to make my own!! So lovely and unexpected - thankyou so much!

We found this little brand new hand knit and lined bag for The Munchkin at a local church fair for $4! When we came home The Munchkin chose some crochet flowers from here and some matching apple buttons from our stash from here and we made it even more pretty...

"Camping" at our old house for the night while Mr HMH gets some more painting and skirting boards done. We had great fun sleeping on a blow-up bed, doing drawing, crafting and playdough and enjoying some computer and TV free family time. We had such a nice time, and got so much done that we will more than likely be doing it every weekend until the house is finished! 

Collected this from the Post Office finally, it's so pretty - cant wait to put it up! (Incidentally Mr HMH does not like it - oh well, we can't agree on everything)

Posted this little parcel of undies, teddies, books and little toys for this great cause, with a happy drawing and letter from the Munchkin!

I also received this surprise parcel from the wonderful Kellie of Green Tea and Red Nails for my birthday! How sweet is she! Scrummy Nighty Nite tea, awesome handmade envelopes, a vintage Enid (which I didn't have by the way Miss K!), sweet embroidered linen and two pieces of vintage fabric! She even wrapped a little dancing giraffe up for The Munchkin, much to her delight. He proceeded to do lots of bowing after his "performances" - he he! After holding the fabric up in the gorgeous spring sun we had today I was inspired to make it into clothes for The Munchkin - must track down the pattern I have in mind, stay posted!

And last but certainly not least, The Munchkin and I stopped in to The Wynyard Airport Market and Car Boot Sale on sunday and this amazing vintage 1950's Kleeware kitchen set jumped into my bag! The lovely seller had $28 on it but kindly let me have it for $15 - *sigh*. As The Munchkin has plenty of kitchen furniture for her dolls house already I popped it into a little shadow box I picked up from an oppie for $2 a few weeks ago with some vintage wallpaper and Voila, the start of my own dolls house maybe! Don't worry, The Munchkin took home a gorgeous miniature ceramic dog and cat for her house which are now requiring little beds, and the cutest knitted chicken eggcosy and knitted play egg so she did not miss out on the goodies! 

So all in all a pretty fabulous week! I'm off to bed, I think the Nighty Nite tea is kicking in!

Till next time, xxx

and the winner is...

Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by and entered my "Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String" Spring Giveaway.  Without further ado, Random.org selected entry number 4 which was Alison of Hill & Vale Designs! Yay Alison I have left a message on your blog asking you to contact me via email so I can arrange for your parcel to arrive very soon indeed!

I will keep the goodies a surprise for Alison and show you a pic when I know it is safely at her home. 

Till next time, xxx

REMINDER: Final hours to enter my Brown Paper Packages Giveaway...

Hey awesome people!! Final hours to enter my Spring giveaway if you haven't already, entries close midnight TONIGHT! Head on over to the original post and leave a comment to enter. I will be announcing the lucky winner tomorrow!! Yay!!!

Counting down...

Just stopping by to say a big thankyou to everyone who has entered my Spring giveaway so far and to all the lovely new folks who have stopped by too! If you haven't commented to enter yet then please do as there are only a few days left!! Entries close Midnight on Sunday the 19th of September and I will be announcing the lucky winner on monday - Yay!!

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I am also counting down the sleeps till my 31st birthday on Thursday, 6 more to go!! The Munchkin is super excited as her and Mr HMH had purchased and had wrapped my pressies from Nest last weekend and she can't wait to give them to me. Mr HMH was more impatient though and gave me the most awesome magnet that he had chosen almost straight away. Thanks honey, you rock my world!

 We usually go out somewhere for my birthday dinner but as Mr HMH is on afternoon shift it will be The Munchkin and I at Ladybugs for our Thursday pizza night instead I think, which is fine by me!

There seems to be lots of September birthdays happening around blog land so a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to everyone - I wish you all the bestest birthdays ever!! 

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I find it so irritating going to buy canned fruit and reading that the majority is shipped from Overseas.

Tasmania is the Apple Isle after all so yesterday I grabbed two big bags of juicing apples for $4 each and set about stewing one up with rhubarb and some vanilla pods for adding to our breakfasts and things. 

After de-coring I realised how much I dislike preparing apples and decided to keep the skins on which admittedly is the healthiest option anyway...

Yummy! They smelt amazing cooking up with the fruity, vanilla-y scents drifting though the cottage...even better today when I turned one of the jars into ...

... scrummy apple and rhubarb crumble! Just what we need to get us through these wild stormy days I think.

Well that's it for this trade-mark rambling post - I will be back over the weekend to update you on our painting/renovating progress!

Till then, stay safe everyone xxx

PS. I am allergic to uncooked apples by the way and was trying very hard to not touch my face whilst cutting them all. Of course after sitting at the computer for a quick search whilst they were cooking I of course rubbed my eyes and instantly regretted it! I had to remove my lenses and rinse with saline for ages then wait around in my glasses till my eyes were suitably un-bloodshot to be able to go out in public for our pizza night later that evening. Yep, I'm that Stoopid, ha ha!

Lust-haves...

In our next house I would love...

(image via)

World map wallpaper somewhere for The HMH family to keep track of the places we want to go, and where our family and friends have been to or live...

(image via)

Floor to ceiling bookshelves made from reclaimed timbers to finally house ouansr book and magazine collection the way that befits them...

(image via)

Concrete floors for their sexy look and solar-passive heat storing abilities...

(image via)

*sigh* An outdoor bath for dreamy summer evenings, and fun water-play for The Munchkin...

(image via)

Mr HMH really, really wants to build a wood-fired pizza oven, and I can't say I'm going to argue! Think of all those home baked breads and roasts and scrummy pizza from scratch, mmmm!...

(image via)

Lots of reclaimed timber, windows and doors to give our home that comfortable well loved feel, and also to do our bit to stop chopping down timber in Tassie...

(image via)

And most definitely a dedicated craft spot for The Munchkin and I, although I think we'll give the cookie-cutter Pottery Barn look a miss!

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A big "hello" and a hug to all my new readers! I am so glad you have stopped by. I can't believe I have reached 100 people, who would have thought it, not me that's for sure! 

Will have to throw something extra into the giveaway I think, don't you? If you haven't entered already head over here and do it before you leave.

Till next time, xxx

Pop on over ...

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The lovely Kellie of Green Tea and Red Nails is running a sweet vintage-y giveaway at the moment. She is including this spunky handmade Owl and sweet handmade envelopes as well as vintage linen and some SURPRISES!! What fun!!

 Head on over and become a follower, if you are not already and leave a comment to enter. Entries close midnight Sept 20th 2010.

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We are spending the weekend cleaning up the mess our plasterer left and then painting the living space and bathroom! Eek, so excited, feels like we are getting somewhere now! I ordered one of these last week...

(image via Click-On Furniture)

for adding a little pop of colour in an unexpected place and am dreaming of how everything will look when all my ideas come to fruition! Have actually started planning our next house much to Mr HMH's bemusement. Poor guy! He must love me to deal with my overactive interior decorating gene! 

Anyway, don't forget to enter my Giveaway as well as Kellie's!! 

Till next time, xxx

PS. Here's a little sneaky peak hint at something included in my giveaway...

PPS. Check out the yummy new Toast Home Catalogue - Lots of interior inspiration there!

Canon AE-1 test shots ...

Today I took in that first exciting roll of film taken on my Dad's vintage Canon AE-1 SLR camera with the hope that something had turned out...anything! The lovely and helpful girl in the camera shop actually has one too and says it is her favourite thing to shoot with. So nice to go somewhere with staff that are knowledgeable, passionate and involved in the products and services they are selling!

I really enjoyed the weight of the camera itself and the click as I took each photo was very satisfying however it takes a bit of getting used to winding on each frame after the luxury of a digital camera. I kicked myself quite a few times after preparing a shot, clicking and then realising I hadn't wound on.

So, after having the pics put straight onto a disk in fear of having 24 blank photos developed, I was so thrilled with the results. I will in no way claim to be a photographer and even my digital photography is pretty hit and miss but this camera was a breeze (once I'd studied the booklet) and really did everything I asked of it. Now that the first roll has proven that I can at least load the camera right I'm keen to play around and maybe one day take it off the "program" function and do some manual shutter speeds and things. 

Have you used one of these cameras? Do you have any tips? I would love to hear from you!

Till next time, xxx