Tanto Amore

Lounge Room - Mood Board

2011-04-13T12:29:00.001+10:00

A few ideas for our new lounge room - couch has arrived and curtains are in.

I am back.......

2011-04-13T12:27:00.002+10:00

I have been so so slack blogging, it has been over 6 months since i posted.

Peaches is 9 months old and Master M has just turned 6yo !

It is crazy !

I am back , and i will make an effort to blog much much more !

Election Baby

2010-08-23T12:39:00.003+10:00

We love politics in this house. My husband and i are both political junkies and support opposite political parties ! Election night is always a high tension night filled with good food, good laughs and a lot of ribbing each other.

Eleanor was only a few days old when Julia Gillard become Australia's first female PM, and i am sure it is something we will tell her about when she gets older.
She got a "I Voted" sticker from the polling both and while i was tempted to take her photo out the front near all the election posters, i decided against it !

My husband joked that she was upset because she was with me when i voted for a certain party.

This post is part of Point and Shoot on FAT MUM SLIM

M & I

2010-08-08T14:05:00.003+10:00

I love this picture of M and I , i took it yesterday after our picnic on the lounge room floor, while his little sister slept. It was so lovely to spend some quality mum and big boy time.

E is for Eleanor

2010-08-06T10:28:00.003+10:00

I have just bought this for Eleanor's nursery. It was custom made for her by Kylie @ WallFry. And i love it so much.
Kylie was such a big help in getting the colours and style right to suit our little ones's room.

Funky Furniture From Fantastic

2010-08-06T04:44:00.004+10:00

We are considering building in the carport on our company supplied house. We would just use heavy duty fly screen to make it an indoor/outdoor area. And so, i was looking for some cheap but cheery furniture to fill it. And i come across Fantastic Furniture
And they have these chairs with this funky pattern on them. Not at all what i was looking for, but none the less very cool.

Cute as a Button

2010-08-04T11:32:00.003+10:00

I have just purchased this for Eleanor's nursery. It is from Clares Place
Can't wait to put it up.

What's going on today..... Gardening

2010-08-04T08:23:00.005+10:00

Today, we are planning a day of gardening. It is chilly outside but the sun is shinning and my husband has the day off. So, thought we might get stuck in and use our green thumbs.
We live in a house supplied by the company my husband works for and as such, i refuse to spend to much money, time or effort on the place.
So , i have been buying beautiful pots to decorate the place with, we are currently planting Aussie Boomers (Syzygium australe Boomer PBR) which are a type of Lilly Pilly and make beautiful topiary trees in pots.

Native with non-invasive roots. Grows to 1.5 metres high x 1.5 metres wide. Can be shaped into any size or shape. Ideal for hedges, container planting, topiary or general garden planting. Makes a great specimen plant or a spectacular hedge. Dark green foliage topped with bronze/red new growth.

Info from Logan River Tree Farm

Aug to do...

2010-08-03T05:33:00.004+10:00

This month i will try and....

~ Walk 5 times per week
~ Finish Eleanor's Nursery
~ Cut down my chocolate intake
~ Make healthier food choices (as per previous post)
~ Do much more housework
~ Organise E's Christening

Nursery Sneak Peak

2010-08-03T05:08:00.002+10:00

A sneak peak at Eleanor's work in progress nursery....

Eleanor's Birth Story

2010-07-29T21:01:00.004+10:00

At 38 weeks, i arrived at the hospital for my planned induction, i had been booked in for a C-section but thankfully she decided to do something right and turn around. On Tuesday night i had the first set of gel done , and nothing happened, a few tightenings but nothing. Wednesday Morning, another set was done , and again a few tightenings but nothing major, Wednesday night , another set of gel and this time nothing at all happened , no tightenings nothing. By Thursday morning, i was starting to get a little depressed and my obs decided to break my waters and start me on the drip. We got all set up in labour ward and obs arrived and broke my waters all over his trousers at 7:35am. He joked that he would send me the dry cleaning bill, and i replied “ if you have this baby out by lunch , i will pay your dry cleaning bill"
The midwife got me up and i showered and returned to the bed for monitoring and the hooking up of the Synto drip. Before she could hook me up the contractions had started and she decided to ring the obs to check he still wanted me on the drip. He told her that he didn't want me to labour all day , as i had with Master M , and so to hook it all up.

Within 15 or so minutes the contractions were quite bad, and then just before 9am , i had my meltdown. I think it had been such a long journey that it all just hit me. The midwife and my husband decided that i needed a shot of pethidine to calm me down and space me out a little bit to get through what was to come. I remember them having the conversation and not including me but i knew that they both had my best interest at heart. So at 9:20 am , i had a Pethidine shot which allowed me a chance to pass out between contractions, and not worry about what was happening.

As her back was against my back , i was really uncomfortable and whilst the midwife advised me to stay active, i felt the most comfortable laying on the bed , as each contraction came i would squeeze my husband's hand with one hand and rub the midwifes hand with the other. Rubbing her hand gave me something to concentrate on.

The midwife left us at 9:55 to go and have a quick drink and she had been gone about 5 minutes when i felt the need to push, i pushed the buzzer and she didn't get back into the room until just after 10. She said that she thought it was bubs just laying on my bowel and not to worry but she would have a quick look to see how things where going.

She took one look and looked up at me and said with this ver panicked look, “Your baby is coming" , she then yelled at my husband to grab her some gloves and hit the emergency button. The midwife grabbed the blue towel thing from under neath me and caught her with that and the end of the bedsheet. At this stage people started running in from everywhere and another midwife introduced herself and held my hand whilst people rushed around getting all the stuff organised that should have been there like clamps, wraps, wipes ect.
She was born at 10.09 , just under 2.5 hours after my waters where broken.

They then put her briefly on my chest and then grabbed her from me and took her over to the resus table to check her out. The obs came rushing in , gloves on to realise he had missed all the action.

Our little girl was checked out and given oxygen before they handed her back to me and my husband took a quick photo of us before they decided it was best for her to go to SCN.

To us names and meanings are very important and all 3 of her names are family names

E- meaning "sun ray, shining light"
G- meaning "favor; blessing & the hymm sung at our wedding
M- meaning "fire-born; son/daughter of the wise ruler".

We are so very blessed to have added another child to our family. She is Master M's little sister and our beautiful baby girl.

Details

Born - 17th June 2009 10.09am
Weighing - 7lb 1oz
Length - 47cm

Sleepless nights.

2010-07-23T13:26:00.004+10:00

Our little girl doesn't like to sleep of a night, so i am living on minimal sleep, and thus why i am such a slack blogger.

Introducing Eleanor

2010-07-04T17:36:00.002+10:00

We welcome Eleanor, our beautiful little girl, born at 10.09am on the 17th June 2010 weighing 7lb 1oz.

It's not a Bugaboo ...... But i will cope !

2010-06-07T09:11:00.005+10:00

As many of you will know , i have converted a Bugaboo, as i raved about in this post here
I have loved it forever, but in the end we got a exceptionally good deal on a Strider 4, they are basically a superseded model.

The close to $1500 that we saved , will go into the holiday fund ! I can cope, and it won't be long until i will buy a stroller for trips to town !

Book Shelf Love......

2010-05-19T12:20:00.005+10:00

Our nursery is small, okay, i will be honest, it is tiny ! And so, space is at a premium. I found these great bookshelf ideas over at Spearmint Baby and just love them. What a great way to display books, while saving space.

Personalised Hanger

2010-05-18T18:53:00.004+10:00

I saw this on Spearmint Baby, it is a personalised hanger, for her son, Rexford.

You can find them a LilaFrances. I would love one , but i need to first decide on a short list of baby names .

I want lots of DOLLS.....

2010-05-18T18:26:00.003+10:00

I saw these beautiful little dolls on Bondville and followed the link over to Retro Bird.

These beautiful little dolls are amazing and i really want the whole set...... do you think i can convince my husband this is a really important purchase :)

Photo Walls

2010-05-12T12:04:00.005+10:00

I need a photo wall. But i don't want the ussual look of lots and lots of frames. While i love that style of photo wall, my husband will have a pink fit if i ask him to put up a heap of photo frames. The other issue is that our house is small, and a photo wall down our hall way will more than likely narrow the already narrow space.

Currently, all the photos are blue-tacked to my fridge, and they look silly. They are only happy snaps, nothing special, but i would love to have them on display.

Open to any suggestions that anyone may have ??

Pram Liner by 'myMonkeymoo'

2010-05-11T08:45:00.004+10:00

I have ended up with a very simple looking pram, and i wanted to add a bit of excitement to it. I asked around for a recommendation to what would suit my style of pram best , and was referred to 'myMonkeymoo' , in Australia they are stocked by Handle with Care.

Our bub will be in a bassinet attachment to our pram for a while, but i will definitely ordering one of these before we change them over to the regular pram and once we are 100% certain on their gender.

Point & Shoot

2010-05-10T09:58:00.004+10:00

Yesterday , i couldn't help but take this cute pic of my little man in his new Ben 10 PJ's ! He had just woken up and was looking a little bit worse for wear, but ever so snuggly

~ Point and Shoot can be found over at Telle's Blog - Fat Mum Slim ~

Mothers Day without Babies

2010-05-09T15:59:00.000+10:00

Today is Mothers Day. While celebrating with your mum, children and loved ones, please keep in mind those women who have lost children and babies and those who are experiencing infertility.

To my beautiful friends, D&R, A&B, K&C, V&B, B&E and so so many others. I am thinking of you on this difficult day and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

This beautiful song is 'I Would Die for That" by Kellie Coffey

Beautiful Flowers

2010-05-09T13:37:00.005+10:00

In the next month or so, my husband and i will celebrate our wedding anniversary and also the birth of our much anticipated new baby. It is a big couple of months in our life.

I love Tulips, i actually got married in a colder month how i could have them as my wedding flowers.

Now , i don't expect my husband to buy me Tulips to celebrate anymore, but i am dedicating this post to some beautiful pictures i have found.

Nursery .... A Work In Progress

2010-05-08T14:55:00.004+10:00

My nursery for this bub has been a long time comming. However, it really hasn't happened how i would like it to. We now live in a tiny 3 bedroom house supplied by the company my husband works for , so my dreams of a beautiful spacious nursery with beautiful décor have become a pipe dream. Instead, my nursery will have to include a single bed (for me to rest in whilst hubby is on nightshift), a cot and a change table. I really don't know how we are going to fit it all in. It will be ever so cosy.

THE DAY WE MOVED IN

AS IT HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS - (For storage )

~ The first step has been to put up curtains. Please ignore the fact they have not be ironed. I will do that before baby comes homes.

~ The bed and cot both need linen and i am working on that at the moment.
~ We are not 100% sure of baby's gender and as such i am not going overboard with any gender specific colour, just yet.
~ I am waiting for my husband to install some floating shelves
~ I need to make some bunting
~ I am on the look out for some prints and some accent features.

Less than 6 weeks till bub arrives, and with no access to shops, i really need to get motivated !

Harrison (AKA HRB) by Rachel Ritcher

2010-05-08T07:46:00.004+10:00

Those that read this blog know that i am a fan of photographer Rachel Ritcher, as seen HERE and HERE

Yesterday my beautiful little godson did some modelling for her for a private photo workshop.

Check the pic's out....

All you need is LOVE

2010-05-06T16:12:00.002+10:00

I LOVE these LOVE cushions that i found over at Ezibuy

I am thinking about buying them for my niece's Christmas present. At the moment, they are on clearance for only $30 for the set. Each letter is approx 30cm's high !

WHO SANK THE BOAT ?

2010-05-06T09:35:00.001+10:00

This is currently Master M's Fave book , we have read it every night for months and months.
If you have children, nieces or nephews, you must add this to 'the must buy list'.
It is an easy, fun read !

A Beautiful Angel's Birthday

2010-05-05T18:08:00.003+10:00

One of the most beautiful Angel's in heaven celebrates her birthday today.
Her beautiful mummy who blogs HERE has asked that we make pink cupcakes to celebrate her birthday.
Unfortunately, i am not going to get a chance to make some cupcakes today, but i found a beautiful picture.

Happy Birthday Lola, i am thinking of your family today xx

A Babymoon (Of Sorts)

2010-04-30T14:16:00.003+10:00

While i had these grand plans of a babymoon to Melbourne, unfortunately my health and baby trying to arrive a little to early has ruined those plans.
And my crazy husband is working lots and lots at the moment, so this weekend i am off to the beach with my beautiful little boy and my parents, we are tacking it onto a long weekend and a hospital visit.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend !

Picture from here

Love Stamps

2010-04-29T18:10:00.005+10:00

I love love love this bangle from LOVESTAMPS
I am thinking of getting one after our new baby is born. I think i will get my husbands name, Master M's name and also new baby's name ( if we can ever decide on one)

So True....

2010-04-29T17:54:00.001+10:00

From HERE

Beautiful Prints by MySweetPrints

2010-04-27T15:23:00.003+10:00

I am currently looking for some inspiration for my nursery, and i found these beautiful pics by MySweetPrints over at madeit. Loving them for little ones room and also Master M's room !

Day at the Park

2010-04-27T15:16:00.001+10:00

The best part of being a kid is days at the park .....

LEST WE FORGET

2010-04-25T14:34:00.000+10:00

Anzac Day March and Service in our town.

Pink Pandora's Support Breast Cancer

2010-03-24T10:32:00.004+10:00

Those that know me well , know that Breast Cancer Awareness and Support is an issue very close to my heart. My parents and little sister brought me this beautiful Pink Leather Pandora for my birthday ! I love it ! So simple and elegant yet young and funky! The best part is that that Pandora makes a donation from each pink pandora and amulet to the the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Amazing Grace ... DIY

2010-03-23T15:47:00.005+10:00

Continuing on from yesterday's post , i thought i would show you the print i framed yesterday.
I got the basic idea from Jo over at Your Nearly There Joanna . Jo gave her husband a framed copy of the music to their wedding song as a wedding anniversary present.
I loved the idea, but seeing as i am saving for the Bugaboo Fund and i don't have access to lots of shops, i found the song sheet for Amazing Grace , free online. Amazing Grace was the hymn we sang out our wedding. So ,it has special meaning to me. I also had a frame that had a ugly print in it, so a few quick steps and i had my picture.

i - Find music online and print onto desired size. I saved the music and then edited and got rid of some info i didn't need, plus added a larger song tittle.

ii- I then soaked a couple of tea bags in hot water and once cool, painted the paper lightly with the water.

iii - Once dry , i then painted it one more time, this time with a strong coffee mix. and let it dry.

iv- As, i don't have access to a framer, i wasn't able to cut a mat, so i just filled the frame with a piece of white cardboard.

v - And ta-da, hanging on my office area wall.

Once again , terrible photos, once all the area is completed , i will take some more pics of all my gold projects.

DIY Project - Gold Bowls

2010-03-22T17:54:00.008+10:00

I have been looking for some little bowls for my chest of draws. Unfortunately, i haven't been able to find any that are suitable. So today i decided to do a little bit of DIY and see how i go.
(Please bare with my shocking photos , i have misplaced the battery charger for my camera and as such am using my iphone)

i - 3 plastic bowls my son used to play with.

ii - Sprayed with gold spray pain

iii- All Done ! Super Easy !

I am by no means an expert at DIY and had i access to shops, i would have gone down and bought them from a homewares shop, but alas they are not perfect but they will do !

I have a few more bits and pieces to come together, and i will be able to share my chest of draws mini display.

Currently Listening to... HERE COMES THE SUN

2010-03-22T11:15:00.003+10:00

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right

Pram Crazy

2010-03-22T10:51:00.002+10:00

I am currently converting a Denim Bugaboo Cameleon. They are so very slick and cool ! I think it will enhance my mummy-yumminess (not), they seem to be a good all around pram. Only Problem, it cost more than my first car. Now to convince my husband !

A Party Dilemma .... But it is not all about me

2010-02-28T17:05:00.006+10:00

(Last years cake , with the birthday boy in the back ground)

SO, i love parties, I love throwing parities, i love the planning, creating, theming, organising , writing the lists, and then making all the beautiful food.

This year, My Master M turns 5, we have also recently moved to a new town and i really don't know that many people.

Today , Master M informs me that he is inviting everyone in his class , plus his friends next door to his big birthday party. He has picked out a cake from my cake book, and so, it seems we are having a party. (Why am i surprise, he is my son)

My hesitation is that i don't know any of the other mums, they don't seem to be overly friendly at drop off and pick up time at school. I am sure they are just shy , or maybe they don't want to talk to the mum they all don't know.

As my husband keeps reminding me , "It is not all about me" , and so to keep the boy happy i have agreed.

So, i am inviting 17 kids from school and their parents to a birthday party at our house. (plus our neighbor and her boys)

Should be very interesting ..... thank goodness it is still a while away.

M's Room Needs A Make Over

2010-02-27T08:27:00.006+10:00

Master M's room needs a Make Over, since moving into the new house, i haven't had the time or energy to do anything in there. I seem to be forever picking up his toys and putting his clothes away.

In the old house his room looked like this-

Unfortunately, i never got the chance to tweek it, as we moved after a couple of months.

M's room currently looks like a BOMB has hit it. His book shelf is a mess....

So, this morning M and i are having a big clean up (i hate messy kids rooms) and then we are going to do a bit of decorating !

Will be back to post some pics !

Buttons By Lou Lou

2010-02-26T10:00:00.004+10:00

April over at A City Girl in the Country held a comp recently which i won ! YAH, i never win anything !

The prize was a gift from Lou Lou At Buttons By Lou Lou .

Her work is amazing and so much fun ! I am so happy with my little gifts and since i can't find my cord to upload my pics , i have stolen a few from her site !

Slack, Slack Blogger

2010-02-26T09:55:00.004+10:00

Ohh, i have been so slack in blog world .....
Those that know me realise my life is pretty hectic at the moment, i am 22 weeks pregnant and still suffering from severe morning sickness, my little Master M is settling into prep, for the first time ever i am a stay at home mm, i have to drive 3 hours each way to see my obs regularly, plus trying to keep a semi-normal relationship with my husband that works a crazy roster !

BUT i have so much to blog about .....

Comming up in the next couple of posts

~ Some Cafe Reviews
~ Some blog reviews
~ Some pics of my boys
~ and a little update on our mouse baby
And lots lots more.....

STAY TUNED !

14 hour days.... What about families ?

2010-02-17T11:42:00.004+10:00

I usually write fluffy posts about things i love, people i love or food i love. Today's post is about something that i am probably as passionate about.... Working conditions.

My husband works in the mining industry , yes it is very lucrative and it allows us many luxuries, but he also works long days. 12 hour shifts might not sound to bad on the surface, but factor in a hour each day travel time , and the fact that when he gets to work he is operating large scale heavy machinery.

We live in a smaller mining town in the hope to get ahead, we understand that there is risk associated with the work that he completes and i am thankful every time , he walk back in that door.

Today's Daily Mercury front page is blazed with the headline 14-hour days for mining workers

ONE of the big miners has introduced a new fatigue management plan, that allows employee's to work 14 hour days (16 hrs in an emergency) and up to 14 days straight.

Is this safe ?
These men and women, will finish these shifts and then drive home , it could be 15 minutes or 4 hours home. We advise our normal drivers " that tired drivers die" , that we need breaks while driving"
Is it family friendly ?
14 hour days ..... so , based on roster now, these men could start work at 5am , well before the family wakes, and will not be home till 7pm. The kids will be feed and ready for bed.

As a wife, mumma and mumma to be, i would hate for my husband to do 14 hour shift. I would hate him to work 14 hour days, with 14 days straight work.

I understand that big mining companies want and need to improve productivity, but instead of increasing days at work , and more than likely increasing Loss Time Injuries or even deaths, lets improve moral for the employees.

We are trading Valentine's Day for Chinese New Year.

2010-02-12T09:06:00.002+10:00

So, i hate Valentine's Day, maybe because in the whole time i have known my husband he has never really got the point. I have dropped hint after hint, sent him email after email, and i am still waiting on that elusive pink diamond ring.

I also find it a little crazy that men who treat their wife horribly all year are praised because they cough up the bucks for a bunch of red roses and a box of chocolates. My husband is nice to me everyday (well most days) and i don't think i would appreciate the sentiment, if he followed the trend and bought me the unoriginal gift of red roses on the most expensive day for flowers of the whole year.

So, it just happens that Valentine's day falls on Chinese New Year this year, and so we plan to celebrate Chinese New Years , with a New Years Eve Party.

We have never celebrated Chinese New Year before, but think it is a great way to expand our horizons and allow our Master M a look at other cultures whilst living in a fairly remote area of QLD.

We have a great Chinese Restaurant here, and we thought about going there for dinner, but the logistics of a cranky pregnant mumma (me), a hyperactive 4 yo (M) and a husband who has just come off night shift , didn't really mix.

So, we are having a banquet at home with a few close friends. We will be decorating the house with red decorations, we have red lanterns and red streamers (the best i could do on short notice), we will be eating Jau Gok (Chinese New Year Dumplings, Mandarin Oranges (Mandarins), Melon Seeds (or pumpkin and sunflower seeds), Noodles, ,Whole Fish (if the boys can catch one tomorrow) AND also some very Australian chinese food in spring rolls, steamed dim sims, some stir fry dishes and fried rice.

I know people will laugh and probably cringe out our attempt to celebrate Chinese New Year with such ignorance, but i like the idea of sweeping away the previous year and bringing wealth , prosperity and happiness to our lives.

The only hitch is now Fireworks, but my husband assures me to leave it to him. He knows a man , who knows a man, who something , something. so , we may have a few little snap , crackle and pops in the back yard.

Checky Check Up

2010-02-11T16:34:00.004+10:00

A little reminder for all women to check out the link to Checky Check Up

Please ensure that you all check your breast regularly and ensure that you are vigilant. Breast Cancer affects women from all walks of life.

Please also check out my fave breast cancer charity - Chick's in Pink. They have a great pink online shop - HERE

Did the baby eat the cleaning lady ?

2010-02-10T17:09:00.004+10:00

My son, M, is very concerned that our cleaning lady doesn't come to visit anymore. I explained that now we are having a baby and mummy doesn't go to work anymore, we couldn't have a cleaning lady and a baby.

About an hour later he came back and asked
"Did the baby eat the cleaning lady ? "
My reply - Ummmm.............No.
M:- "Well where is she ? "

What could i say nothing was going to fix this problem in his head. So, he has now told everyone that our Baby ate the cleaning lady !

4yo Logic....... ? ?

Marriage .... by Kerri Sackville

2010-02-09T16:37:00.003+10:00

Love this point of view on marriage by Kerri Sackville - Check out her blog

Marriage suits me. I like knowing that I have a regular date for Saturday nights (provided we can get a babysitter). I like having someone to talk to (and I don't even need him to listen). I like knowing there's at least one person who'll remember my birthday (if I remind him repeatedly in the preceding weeks). Oh, and of course I like my husband. Just a bit.

Australia Day = Good Food Day

2010-01-26T10:44:00.004+10:00

Australia Day equals good food, good wine and good friends.

A few 'Aussie' themed food from the Taste Australia Day Collection

All images and recipes available from Taste Website.

2 minute noodles are not a Sin !

2010-01-25T17:44:00.004+10:00

So , i suffer from Mummy guilt like every other Mum i know. There is always something we think we can do better, shouldn't have done or should have done, when it come to raising our children.

Tonight, i am exhausted. It is stinking hot, has been raining all day and Master M has made me play a million rounds of his version of Monopoly, which involves counting dices, dancing and changing silver figures every time you roll the dice, add to this me trying to explain in a non-jaded voice about property development.

So, it rolls around to almost dinner time, and i throw open the fridge door, and yell in my sickly sweet mummy voice "What would you like for dinner ?" , the reply from a very well mannered 4yo "Noodle Box Please". I think i might pass out. When you live 350km's from a major town, Noodle Box is no longer about picking up the phone and calling your fave noodle shop. It is cutting up a million vegies, the meat, mixing together all the ingredients for his fave marinade, putting it all in the wok, with a packet of hokkien noodles and cooking. Then once completed, placing into into a ceramic noodle box dish , we bought especially for the "4yo Noodle Connoisseur"
It was so not appealing tonight, then i reached into the cabinet and pulled out a packet of 2 minute noodles, doused them in boiling water, drained and served !

Master M was ecstatic, and then Mummy guilt set in, and those voices began... I should have made the effort, he needs meat and vegies, 2 minute noodles are not a meal, what would my mother-in-law say....... And then i realised , 2 minute noodles are not a sin. Sometimes easy dinners are the most fun, he doesn't live on them, he will survive and i checked my mummy guilt away for a while.

Ps- And to add to my mummy of the year award(you can nominate me here.... ha ha ha ) ... i gave Master M, Ice Cream for desert

The Perfect Lazy Sunday

2010-01-24T09:39:00.003+10:00

I don't get to many perfect lazy Sunday's. My husband works shift work , so there is very few Sunday's where he is home. Today is just perfect, we are all here in our PJ's, enjoying Sunday together.

Hope your Sunday is as enjoyable !

Take the Cake

2010-01-24T09:29:00.002+10:00

I have decided that to fill in the next 5 or so months till i become a mum of two, that i needed a hobby. So, my very wise mum bought me the 'Planet Cake' book.
I come from a family of amazing cake decorators, but i have never really been very good at it. I have never had the time to learn the art and perfect it.

So, once Master M starts Prep next week, i intend to learn. I have bought everything i need. Let's hope it is not a disaster, only time will tell.

Will be back to post some pics of my first attempt at cake decorating.

Blog Love

2010-01-23T19:48:00.003+10:00

I want to send a "Very Happy Blog Birthday" to one of my dearest friends, APRIL over at 'City Girl in the Country. '.

She has a great blog on everything from life to reno's and beautiful homewares, head over to her blog at the moment, and check out her birthday competition.

Beautiful Pink Nursery

2010-01-10T19:33:00.003+10:00

I love this nursery, i found this while browsing on Spearmint Baby . It is designed by the team at Little Crown Interiors

M by Rachel Ritcher

2010-01-10T10:54:00.003+10:00

Beautiful & amazing pictures, by the very talented Rachel Ricther. Rachel did an amazing job of capturing our little boy.
Check out her work HERE

Babushka Dolls Alphabet Poster...

2010-01-09T11:10:00.003+10:00

I have blogged about the awesome work of Neisha over at Creative Neesh before.

And i saw this last night and fell in love..... I love Babushka dolls so much !

Must Have....

2010-01-08T17:42:00.004+10:00

Doing a bit of Blog browsing over at one of my fave blogs - Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle and saw this bag-

It is from Independent Reign who can be found here

I am adding it to must have list, in the hope my husband decides to read my blog and realise how much i need this little bag.

Friday Follies

2010-01-08T08:52:00.005+10:00

I have blogged about this site before Keep Calm Gallery

Here is a few of my fave prints.

Hello Bloggers.... I am Back

2010-01-07T10:55:00.003+10:00

Well after a long absence i am back in the blogging world.
It has been a very crazy couple of months.
Instead of writing huge big long paragraphs, i might just dot point.

1) In am pregnant ...... i am currently 15 weeks and feeling very blessed.
2) However , i suffered from Severe Morning Sickness known as 'Hyperemesis' and spent nearly 3 weeks in hospital
3) We have moved into a company supplied house (aka 'the shoe box') in a small-ish mining town inland from Rockhampton
4) Very soon Master M will start Prep , very very exciting and scary

Goodbye 2009 ..... Hello 2010

Forgive Me.....

2009-12-05T13:55:00.004+10:00

I have been a very bad blogger, there is just so so much going on right now in our world ! But i am going to try and make and effort to blog a little more.

I have some beautiful pics of my little boy to post and some exciting news to share about our big move.... so i will be back very soon !

In the mean time, the blog is getting a makeover, thus the boring white background..... it will be very beautiful once i am finished

Style Scope from HomeGoods

2009-11-07T16:58:00.003+10:00

I stumbled upon this online quiz over at HomeGoods is was created by Deborah Needleman,the founding editor-in-chief of Domino (an awesome home magazine)

I took the quick quiz and this is my results

Ali , you are an Elegant Classic
You have a refined sensibility with an appreciation for history and tradition in your furniture and your rooms. You value beauty, things that are well crafted, and family heirlooms. You are visually sensitive and understand how symmetry and a formal layout give order to a room, and hence your home is refined and calming. You are not taken in by the trends of the moment. You go for things with a timeless appeal, and appreciate old-fashioned virtues like manners and handwritten notes and making a home that is welcoming for others.

You value serenity. While there are probably a lot of interesting things in your home, they are joined by your taste or a certain palette that keeps them in harmony. You appreciate the beauty in simple forms. Whether fancy or plain, you appreciate things that are well made and function as well as they look. You also have a strong respect for the environment and craftsmanship. You care about how things are made, and how they are used.

Intresting, it does a fairly good job of describing me !

Master M meets Rachel Richter

2009-11-07T11:41:00.005+10:00

Rachel Richter is one of my fave photographers.
She took some beautiful pics of my dear friends , Alicia & Matt's baby boy Harrison.

On our recent trip to brisbane , she took some beautiful pics of Micheal.
Here is a little sneak peak.....

Rachel has captured M so very well ! We are super pleased !

Country Style

2009-10-23T18:15:00.011+10:00

Saw this beuatiful pic in November issue of Home Beautiful and fell in love.

It is an Ikea EKTROP , which are super cheap. The 3 seaters starts at $599

And the Armchair starts at $399

They also have washable covers, in a couple of styles. Ikea has recently changed the patterns they do , so trusty old EBAY has lots of the older style covers. They can be found at Ikea from $150 and online for less !

The hugest range of covers can be found at BEMZ
They are a little more expensive but they seem to be more fitted and have so so many colours

So , much inspiration. We have a secret project on the go here , and these ideas might take centre stage. Will fill everyone in when we get the green light.

New Shoes..

2009-10-22T19:41:00.002+10:00

Loving my new shoes, Peep Toe Kitten Heels !

Terrible Pic

Caulfield Cup Race Day

2009-10-18T17:27:00.003+10:00

Had a lovely day at the races on Saturday with some wonderful friends.
We got all dressed up, had a few drinks and a bit of a flutter on the horses.

Unfortunatly, our afternoon ended a little to soon as i had to go home to check on the approaching fires. Thank Goodness , our house was safe !

Pink for October - Part I - Shoes

2009-10-13T22:41:00.004+10:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and quite a few bloggers are going PINK for October. I am not skilled enough to change my blog to pink, so i am going to try and post lots of beautiful pink things through the month of October.

All images for Flikr

Career Mum

2009-10-13T17:04:00.004+10:00

I am a busy working mum, i love working and love my child.
However recently, i have been thinking more and more about what i can do to spend more time with my family. I hate the daycare drop off and the long days. I am not sure that i have the drive and motivation to work from home full time, and i don't want to be a Stay At Home Mum (SAHM) But it is something to think about.
I am not only driven by money, i love the altruistic nature of my work. The helping of those in the community who are less fortunate than ourselves. I have worked for both Government and NGO's in the community sector for the last couple of years, and it is time for a change. What that change is i am not sure ?

Introducing Harrison

2009-10-03T20:42:00.005+10:00

Very good friends of ours, Matt & Alicia have just had a beautiful little boy named, Harrison. I have known Alicia for years and she was bridesmaid at our wedding, and Matt is a good old fashioned country boy, just like my husband.
We tried really hard to think of a perfect present to give them to celebrate their beautiful little arrival , and decided pon a gift voucher for a session with Brisbane Photographer - Rachel Ritcher.

Rachel is a super kind, talented lady, who i have got to to know online, and you can tell by her pictures that she really loves what she does.

Check out Rachel's Blog HERE.

Windmill Art

2009-10-01T20:01:00.006+10:00

I love this above image, i saw it in one of my fave mag's "Australian Country Style" and instantly fell in love with it. Then when i stumbled upon this electronic version on Brabourne Farm , i knew i had to share.

I remember the owner of the house and mum of these two cuties saying something along the lines of " i couldn't afford a beautiful big piece of art for this space, so i had my husband get this off an broken old windmill"

What a clever women ! It looks amazing !

The Post It Note Wisdom

2009-09-30T19:00:00.011+10:00

My husband is in his mid-to-late Twenties, However, he is an old fashioned country boy. I have always said that he was born 'a little old man' as he is wise beyond his years. I am very honored to have meet and married someone who has such a stable grip on reality because i don't ! His advice and wisdom is what gets me through each day. Mind you, sometimes i want to strangle him for being so sensible)

Earlier this year, we had a mini medical emeregency. It was terrible and hard. But we coped

It was the hardest thing , we have ever dealt with as a couple, it pushed us both to the limit and back again. I really don't think i coped all that well.

My very wise husband, gave me a little pink post it note with this Pearl of Wisdom written on it-

“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping”.

It melted my heart and made me realise that i do need to focus on the future, that as a family we could get through horrible experience and come out stronger and braver for it.
I have since discovered that it is an old Chinese proverb .

That little note is pinned on my notice board, and everytime i start to struggle with my day , i look at that scrawny handwriting on a little pink post it note, and remember i can go on, just put one foot in front of the other.

- This post is inspired by the BlogThis-Challenge 18- Pearls of Wisdom

A New Direction.....

2009-09-30T18:49:00.003+10:00

I am back , it has been a little while coming BUT I have decided to start blogging again !
I am taking a little bit of a new direction on my blog. In the past i have tried to only blog about my love of beautiful things, however i feel that i have so much more to say!
Anyone, who knows me in real life, knows that i am fairly vocal in my opinions and beliefs, so this blog will soon be about everything in my life from beautiful lounges to politics and every thing else in between !

Stick around and enjoy the fun !

Inspiration Slump

2009-08-27T19:54:00.002+10:00

I am having a inspiration slump , the bloggers eqivelent of the writers block. Maybe it is the sad lull that comes after your house has settled and the boxes unpacked.
I thought i would be madly decorating, and yet i am struggling to even think about where to hang the paintings and pictures. I thought i would be madly buying new peices of funriiture, alas , i am reading catolouges and not evn paying that much attention.
Untill io get my mojo back i am on a design hiatus.....adios for now !

All Moved In

2009-08-26T20:21:00.001+10:00

And unpacked and so the decorating begins !

Finally Moving !

2009-08-09T19:27:00.004+10:00

We are moving this week, don't know how much i will be able to post in the next week or so !

Will hopefully see you all at the other end !

To Bland..... Not to sure ?

2009-08-08T20:33:00.003+10:00

I am always on the look out for inspiration for our home makeover, But i always keep in mind that we don't have a huge beautiful bedroom to work with. Our new bedroom is very simple with no stunning architectural features, and is quite small.

I found the above image on RATE MY SPACE and i love it.

Is it to bland ? does it need a splash of colour ?

TGIF

2009-08-07T07:21:00.003+10:00

Today is 'Jeans for Genes Day' one of the charity's that we quite happily support .

Image from here

RL Style

2009-08-07T06:54:00.003+10:00

Anyone who knows me IRL , appreciates my love of all thing Ralph Lauren. I love his clothes and also his furniture.
Local Interior Designer, Fran , pointed me in the direction of Robertsons Furniture & Interior Design, who stock RL Furniture. I AM IN LOVE !

Check out a few little peices from their collection !

Beautiful Bedrooms !

2009-08-06T18:08:00.005+10:00

A few beautiful bedroom images from Architectural Digest

Simple elegance, this one is the bedroom of Media Mougul Ted Turner

Love the accessories

So soft and Feminine

Really like all the pictures on the wall.

Love the built in TV.

Farmer Found A Wife

2009-08-03T20:59:00.008+10:00

Each season i laugh , cringe and cry, as i watch the channel nine show "Farmer Wants a Wife". I was very lucky to meet my 'farmer' at the Roma Picnic Races.
He was a cute country boy who worked on a irrigation and cattle property, I was a fun loving city girl, who's parents bought a property as a mid-life crisis.
I think we were such opposite ends of the spectrum that no-one thought we would ever work .

I found my farmer, and i suppose that my farmer found a 'wife', Over half a dozen or so years later, my husband is now a miner, and i am so thankful that i found my 'farmer'

Garage Sale Find

2009-08-03T17:45:00.004+10:00

I always whinge about not being able to pick up anything good at garage sales. In seems that i frequent sales that have horrible old foul rubbish for sale.

But a couple of years ago, while pregnant with Master M, i found a beaten up, scratched old rocking chair, all the timber was scratched and all the material had rotted away. I picked it up for $15 , squished it in the back of my car , and had grand plans to do it all up.
4 or so years later when we left the property , it was still in the shed. So, my Mother in Law has restored it for me.
I am very impressed with her work , and only wish i had taken a picture before it was done up.

No idea where it will fit into our new home, but i am sure we will find somewhere.

M's Room - Befores....

2009-08-02T08:18:00.008+10:00

So i have blogged about our new house in a few other posts, it has previously had a minor reno but needs some work , and the first room to get the TLC is Master M's room. (excuse the dodgy picture)

It screams ugly, horrible and outdated. We instantly thought a total wardrobe re-vamp, a modern colour pattern and some plantation shutters. We thought of a built in desk with a wall mounted LCD computer screen that doubles as a TV.

A little bit of inspiration -
(images from google images - source unknown)

However, the more we (ie me) have thought about it, the more i am not to sure. This room is right next door to the Master bedroom and one day in the future could become a nursery.

So, what to do.....If it becomes a nursery , it would need to be uni-sex, have a built in change table and lots of storage. There isn't to many babies that need a desk with a wall mounted TV.

The images that started my hunt for beautiful cabinets , from COCOCOZY

A few Nursery storage ideas ..... All images from Tiny Decor Blog

And from Little Crown Interiors

Great Big Stuff

2009-08-01T08:30:00.008+10:00

I have been searching the net for a giant set of cultary as blogged about here .

I was laying in bed last night reading 'O' The Oprah Magazine and i stumbled upon a picture of a giant tape measure. The credits at the back lead me to GREAT BIG STUFF .

And i love over sized things, a few of my favorites below.

Oversized book stool -

A great addition to a kids room or playroom -

Giant Crayons for the playroom -

And for my husbands bar - (at over 60cm's , it is quite large)

And while they do ship to australia, i would need a giant credit card to pay the shipping fees.

Pools

2009-07-28T19:18:00.003+10:00

Our new pool is super sad looking !

So , i have been searching for some inspiration.
We hope to deck around the edge of the pool and then put glass fencing around the outside.

A water safety note - we support HANNAH'S FOUNDATION - To Prevent Drowning within Australia, Raise Awareness of the risks of Drowning, especially in Children under the age of five and to provide the necessary support to families.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOUR POOL AND FENCING COMPLY WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS

A Weekend in the Big Smoke......

2009-07-24T07:31:00.004+10:00

I quite often lament about the lack of shops in our little town, so this weekend , i am off on a girls shopping weekend.

We are staying in a wonderful hotel with close promxity to shops, resturants and more shops.......

The World is Your Oyster

2009-07-20T18:28:00.004+10:00

I was Blog Browsing over at one of my fave blogs, Creative Neesh and she was talking about the cool prints and tea towels at the Keep Calm Gallery . I have coverted their 'Keep Calm and Carry On' print for some time.

I love this print and think it would look perfect in Master M's new room ! I am going with a Red , White and Blue Theme as blogged about here

A Fine Find

2009-07-16T17:26:00.002+10:00

Mum and i stumbled upon "Something Different" in Rocky last weekend and i was very excited, it had beautiful decorating ideas, clothes and paintings. I knew something like this had to exist in this town, i just wasn't sure where.
After my visit there , i had a brain wave to give them a call and see if they could suggest a interior designer. They did and i have given her a call ! I await her call back, let's hope that she is willing to work with us !

Big Decorations......Cultery !

2009-07-10T20:25:00.007+10:00

I recently have been harbouring a secret addiction to Channel Nine show , HomeMADE. I watched it quite religiously, and if the phone rang i would ignore it ! However, one episode, i was distracted by Master M, and so i only saw this image in passing and loved it ! However, i didn't compute that they were oars, my super tired, distracted mummy brain saw a knife ,fork and spoon !

So, i have been searching high and low for a giant wooden set of cutlery , i haven't yet been able to find anything. But i have founds some funky decals on Etsy. This Decal is from Custom Silhouettes.

Chesterfield Classics & Modern Twists

2009-07-05T13:10:00.003+10:00

I was having a huge chat to one of my best friends last night about my love of furniture , and my desire to own a beautiful Chesterfield. Our conversation , inspired this post....

Traditional

Modern

Rejected......

2009-06-24T21:54:00.005+10:00

In this post i wrote about my search for a interior designer in rockhampton. I had approched a local firm and they had not made contact with me. So , yesterday i bit the bullet and dropped into their offices.
They apologised and told me that they would be in contact in the next few days to make an appointment. This morning i got an email to inform me that they are to busy to take on our project, And thanked me for contacting them. What the ... ???

My husband thought it was hilaroius, that i had been rejected ! He speculated that they thought i looked/acted to bogan to be able to afford their services.
And it got me thinking why i was rejected.....

So, i am am still looking.... looking for the designer to help with our amazing project !

Wonderful Women

2009-06-21T20:26:00.003+10:00

While talking about amazing stylish women, i want to do a post about my beautiful grandmother.

My grandmother was recently honored with an Order of Australia Medal for service to the community.

It is really nice to see her work recognised as an individual, my grandfather and his work was so well celebrated and awarded , but during their life together and the years following his death my grandmother has work so hard to make a difference in people's lives.

I am so proud of her, and it makes me remember that we can call make a difference in the world !

Mrs O

2009-06-21T19:40:00.008+10:00

I have a lot of respect for Michelle Obama. Agree or disagree with her husbands politics , she is a stylish , intelligent women, a supportive wife and a great mother. Something so many of us stive to be.

Michelle Obama (or Mrs. O) is the most stylish first lady in many years. I stumbled upon a website dedicated to her excellent sense of fashion.
Mrs O. - Follow the fashions of Mrs O.

A few pics of her more recent outfits-

Mrs. O and Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy. (Photo by Yves Forestier/Getty Images)

Date Night with Mr. President.

(Photo by Jonathan Ernst)

Bright Side

2009-06-20T20:44:00.002+10:00

I was browsing on one of my fave blogs- Swish & Swanky and i read her wonderful review of a beautiful etsy shop -Studio Mela's .

This is one of her original art works , aptly titled "Bright Side". I love it ! Check it out HERE

So share the photo, Share the story

2009-06-20T19:21:00.005+10:00

The wonderful Telle over at Fat.Mum.Slim has started a wonderful idea to show fave photos of bloggers.

" It's really simple. I love how every photo tells a story. Some short stories, some long tales. I want to know what is your favourite photo of yourself. Everyone has one. The photo they look at and smile. It reminds them of something, some time, some place. A moment in time.
So share the photo, share the story . I want to see photos and stories all around the blogosphere"

And i was tagged by the very beautiful JJ at Twisted JJ

It has taken me ages to get around to this post , and so i apologise !

This photo was taken at Agro Field Day 2005. Our little man was 6 weeks old and we had just had our first outing to a rural event. We had spent the day looking at stalls and exibits, meeting up with old friends and generally showing off our beautiful little boy. You can see the tiredness in our eyes but also, how extremly proud and happy we both our.

Rockhampton Designers ?????

2009-06-16T23:23:00.007+10:00

Photo from Flikr

With a new house on the horizon , i have been searching for an interior designer to help with some concepts, i approached a company in town over 3 weeks ago , and left my details with the idea that they would contact me asap. 3 weeks later , i am a little disgruntled, that there has been no contact.
I thought that i might find someone from Brisbane prepared to be involved in our little project, but alas no luck. So, the search continues to find someone local to help create our vision !

Living Room Inspiration

2009-06-16T23:11:00.004+10:00

I found these pictures on Architectural Digest. These lounge rooms provide some interesting decorating techniques and hopefully, i can steal some inspiration.

A Ghost Chair..........

2009-06-14T18:23:00.002+10:00

Chairs, oh beautiful chairs.........

2009-06-12T19:34:00.002+10:00

Eames Lounge Chair

Egg Chair

no need for words.

Welcome.....

2009-06-09T06:45:00.007+10:00

My little sister lived o/s for a number of years and has only been home since January.
Her English boyfriend arrives today ! Which is so exciting for her and for us. We are a close family and it seems so strange to us that we don't know this person that she has such a serious relationship with.
So i have decided today , will be Union Jack Tuesday to celebrate his arrival in Sunny Brisbane !

TRADITIONAL UNION JACK FLAG CUSHION/PILLOW red white and blue, from Karen Hilton Designs

Austerity Britain - patchwork quilted flag wall hanging by Fire Horse Textiles

Distressed Leather British Flag Wallet (Union Jack) by Blue Smoke Studio

Cool Britanna Bunting Inspired by Union Jack from Paper Fish

Rug Rage - M's room !

2009-06-07T17:48:00.005+10:00

I am starting to think about M's new room ! And i have purchased this set from Adairs. And now i am on the look out for a star inspired rug. There isn't much out there , it is making me very frustrated !
i have found these , but i am not happy with them:-

from HERE

found here

Maybe i will just go one solid colour, maybe red !

Thought for a long weekend Sunday !

2009-06-07T15:54:00.000+10:00

It is the little things...like Master M's birthday party !

2009-06-07T11:06:00.006+10:00

And while no words are needed, i had a wonderful time celebrating Master M's birthday , even if it was stinking hot !

"It is the little things" is this weeks challenge on "Blog This"