Hume Cottage

Hume Cottage is closed!!

2011-09-10T23:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday saw the last trading day at Hume Cottage. Mixed feelings that's for sure.Shed a little tear and said my goodbye with a glass of champagne.Thanks again to all those gorgeous friends, family and customer's who supported me along this 3 and a half year journey, it's certainly been a roller coaster ride full of laughter, happiness and stress!!!My beautiful friend Heidi shocked me with a Surprise Tea Party at her home.She filled it with gorgeous food, tea,coffee and friends! I was shaking and crying when I had discovered what she had done and was so overwhelmed by this random act of kindness.She knows how much the shop meant to me and we celebrated in the best way ever....a tea party!!

So what will I be up to now?
I have landed myself a full time job at Bed Bath n Table as Assistant manager!! I start on Tuesday and I am excited and nervous.It will be nice to be working in amongst those beautiful homewares and get paid for it!!
So going back to my previous post....one door closes...another one opens, and it has for me.
I have a new direction in life to look forward to and I also look forward to balancing my life with more time for family, friends and me time.No more stressing about paying the rent or supplier's, not my worry anymore.
Yay!! So thanks to all my bloggy buddies who have encouraged me along the way...it has meant alot and I certainly have enjoyed sharing the experience with you all.

Take care
LUCINDA :)

one door closes.....another one opens

2011-08-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

It is with a little sadness that I write this post.
For some time now my shop has been struggling to meet the requirements it needs to sustain itself.And after another epilepsy turn a few weeks ago(due to stress) I have made the decision to let Hume Cottage go.

I have battled with this decision for quite a while now hoping that some miracle would come along and get me through.And when it starts to play havock with your health I know it's just not worth it.But at the same time I feel a little relieved that there is some light at the end of the tunnel and who know's what the universe has planned for me in the future!!

So until I find a job, or find someone to take over the lease I will continue trading.I would like to thank all of my beautiful customers that have supported me along this journey.........and I would also like to thank the blogging community as I have been so inspired by what so many of you have done.

Wish me luck......will keep you updated as we go along.
Lucinda x

2011-07-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

It has been a really cold winter this year and today it snowed for about 5 mins......not enough to settle on the ground but so so pretty when it's falling.No wonder my toe's feel like they about to fall off!!

So the shop needed some brightening up on these gloomy days.I made some big hot pink snow flakes to hang and a few pompoms to add some colour to my window this week.

Also made some more pot pourri sachets with some old lace and flowers and bit's and pieces.

And thought I would show you this pretty heart shaped paper weight .Love it!! Have a great week everyone
Lucinda xx

Face cloth handbags

2011-07-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

This week I have been trying to make some things for the shop.

These are my face cloth handbags I made.They have a sweet smelling soap inside.

Love the colours and diffrent idea's you can do with them

This one is a soft green with a bit of lace and pearls

They are going to make a great litlle token gift for someone.

And last week you saw my tea cup candles.....well I though not everyone might not want them with flowers all over them....so I found some cappucinno cups at the local thrift store and scented these one with cappucinno hazelnut yummmm!!!

Also this week I have been helping my girlfriend get ready for her sister's wedding on Sat.It will be in ner garden and we are doing a High Tea afterwards.So we have been busy making decorations,and yummy goodies.Will take some photos to show you if I remember!We are hoping for a nice sunny day so the ceremony can be held under the willow tree.We are going to hang pretties in the tree too.Finger's crossed!!

Catch you next week

Lucinda xx

2011-07-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone....just showing some more of my teacup candles I made for the shop.

Have made them with soy wax and delicious flavours like cappucino, lemon verbena, cottage garden , fig and pear and clean cotton.

Great way to use my odds and ends and customers can bring them back to the shop for a refill.
Have a wonderful day!!

this weeks goodies...

2011-06-20T18:31:00.000-07:00

These lovely little room perfumes came in last week.They are only $8.95 each!

Yumm these melts smell devine.Made in Australia, you just break a block off as you need .Priced at $4.95 each.

And lastly I have been making some candles.I have alot of odds and ends left from when I we were doing high tea's in the shop, so I thought I would use some of the cup's and saucer's for some delicious soy wax candles.And once burnt customer's can bring them in for a refill.So far I have tried english garden,lemongrass,lemon verbena and rose fragrances.Lovely! Ok that's all I have to show today, see you next time!

stocktake sale

2011-06-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

Hume Cottage Stocktake Sale

For those of you who live nearby, we are having our annual sale next week.

Sat 18th from 12pm - 4pm with drinks and nibbles on offer along with a lucky door prize to win.

Otherwise it officially starts Mon 20th June for one week only,
20% off all full priced items

Hope to see you there!

latest finds and goodies

2011-06-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just arrived some new lace edged runners, toppers and doilies.I had them stacked while pricing them and thought they looked so pretty I had to share with you.

I hung these beauties on the old door that I use for so many different displays.Shows them off nicely

Latest find is this pretty coffee set....gave it a quick polish and now sits in the front window sparkling away at customers

Pretty.That's all my news for now see you next time!

2011-05-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

This weeks finds.....a pretty shaving pot? Think that's what it is......and a shabby little frame that I put a pic of roses in.

New little display I did...... cute little birdies on the table

This dressing table was a nice find...it's hard to find different shaped ones with mirrors in good condition.Did'nt have to do anything to this one it was already painted!

That's all I have time for today,see you next time.

feeling old today .......:)

2011-05-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

AND THIS IS WHY..........MY OLDEST DAUGHTER IS 18 TODAY !!!!

Happy Birthday sweetheart, may you be blessed today and always and may all your dreams come true x

Her are some vintage goodies I sourced for the shop this week

This old frame is so lovely, found it just the way it is, how lucky?

Love the chippiness! of it

I dyed the tablecloth and napkins a soft soft pink.

And I just adore any china that has a rose on it along with glass or crystal.

Bet these guys dont stay in the shop long.

Have a great weekend.

Lucinda x

new mirrors

2011-05-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Though I would show some new mirrors in the shop.This one you have seen before but it is in again ...just love it.

This one is new.......love the old window look!!!

Took this with the flash on next one was without.

This one has a little window box attached to it, sweet.

This one is like an old set of rusty gates.They actually close and a latch holds it tight.Very nice!
So there you go some newies in the shop this wek.Hope you enjoyed.Have a great weekend !
Lucinda x

moved the shop around a bit.....

2011-05-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Before we moved the counter

Now it is up the back...unfortunately i had to move it to where i could see the whole shop as i have had quite a few thefts...which happens i guess! Now we have cameras installed up front and back as well so that should help.

view from the rear of the shop

Might need some rugs or mats for these chilly months coming up !Have a great day!

latest window display

2011-04-27T22:42:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone....changed one of the window displays today.....what do you think?

I made a slip cover for this chair over Easter weekend...underneath it is a lovely" baby poo" colour velvet....urrrgh!Much prettier now.Did make a ruffle cushion to match but it sold before i had a chance to take a photo

The photo makes it look lilac but it's actually a dark dusty pink.This was my first attempt at a slip cover.

These shutters I picked up from a second hand store and I hinged them together for a screen.They were already the softest prettiest green....what a great find! They will be handy to section off bit's of the shop etc.
That's all for today
See you next time
Lucinda x

more pretties....

2011-04-07T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hi EVERYONE...got some new lovelies to show you all.These gorgeous embroidered handtowels and washers have arrived.Love the bling buckle on the matching teal coloured ribbon on the soap.So pretty!

These notepad and pen sets have just come in.....lot's of clours and patterns

The notepad is almost too pretty to write on.....click to enlarge

And these handmade beauty's are gorgeous...geez some people are clever.
Hope you have a great weekend
Lucinda xx

2011-03-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

quick post today between customers....................just adore these mini milk bottles in the shop at the moment.Would look lovely with a rose bud in them or some ribbon tied around their necks.Also picked up the vase in the background.Think it might have been a carafe originally but for now it's perfect for a bunch of flowers.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Lucinda xx

friday....again!

2011-03-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

soft, gentle roses......nice way to start the day.

Hello again, another week has passed by too quickly and I must say this week was a bit of a doozy for me!

You know how us gals just keep going and going....not stopping for even a second to smell the roses?

And we get so wound up in routines,appointments, running kids here and there, not even pausing to appreciate the simple lovely and beautiful things in life.
Is'nt it crazy?

So I am going to stop and take a deep breath.........and be grateful for all I have in my life.....agghhh that's better!!!!

Now onto business.....

Changed one of the front window's yesterday.This beautiful wrought iron setting is new in.Love the heart shaped backs on the chairs.Recognise the door as the back drop?

I screwed in a couple of brackets to make it stand on it's own.Will come in so handy for different display ideas.This is the view from inside the shop looking out to the road.I also have over the back there a chandelier hanging from a birdcage stand.They come in handy.

Another birdcage stand that was black and I spray painted.It has a candlelabra on it.Put it against the wood so it stands out.

And will finish with some more roses, soap this time.Got these in for the ladies at the Rose Festival.It's on in Goulburn this weekend(about an hour south of where we are)Might be popping down there for a look.
So have a great weekend everyone
Catch you next time
Lucinda x

latest goodies....

2011-03-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Hello again....another Friday!!!It goes toooo fast .....here are some pic's of some more goodies.Love this wire shelf.Does'nt do it justice on the shop wall colour

Closer detail...took pic with the flash so you can see the hooks and scroll work...yum!

It's sitting above this sideboard at the moment....was going to paint this but needed it to fill a blank spot in the shop, so will see if I get around to it one day!

On top of the sideboard is some old china and glass bit's and pieces.

Love the little crystal spoons and the little glass milk jugs...sooo cute!

This is a sticky note pad with pen set......is'nt the picture on the front adorable? I hope you get to have some giggles with your girlfriends or family this weekend!!!!!
See you next week
Lucinda x

Rosey day today

2011-02-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hello again.....new in Hume Cottage this week.This sweet little mirror and shelf set.Love the rose detail on the little drawers.So cute!

Still continuing the rose theme ......really adore these rose patterned sweeties.

Quite a while back I cut these loveheart's out of MDF and painted them with blackboard paint.

They come in handy for little signs around the shop!

Love this bedside table......the rose plate stand near the rose print is always popular,and on the bedside is a lovely boxed candleholder which I will show you in closer detail in the next pic.

Is'nt it lovely?

And finally today.....a close up of a bracelet in my jewellery cabinet....so sweet!Geez....I have gone all rosy today!!See you next time!
Lucinda x

garden corner

2011-02-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone........sold my garden arch in the shop the other day and found this lovely rustic bookcase to go in my garden corner.Love how it is all washed out looking.

Some new styles of oil burners.I also sell locally made melts to go in them.Some of the smells are devine, like french pear and one called angel.

Still have my pink section....could'nt go without it!Some pretty soap petal's in a heart container,and a musical jewellery box and one of Gails prints that I found a nice frame for.

And today I did a bit of a valentine's day window with lot's of lucious red's and hearts....and a few cuddly teddy's too.Hope you get spoilt !

Lucinda x

more shop pics.....

2011-02-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

Hello again...finally getting around to showing you more of my shop now we have moved to the Main St

Here is my rustic little corner.Got some lovely bath tea's and soak's today.They come with a cute little wooden scoop and some muslin to tie around your tap and infuse....sounds great!

My black and white section....bit of Paris and bit of glam.

This is a shot of a lovely mirror that looks like a window along with a lamp and wire bust.You can just see the back of my window display.
That'a all I have time for now...but before I go...check out Sue's blog.Lovely vintage china company,absolutely gorgeous!
See you soon
Lucinda x

2011-01-28T16:10:00.000-08:00

Good morning all......a couple of shots in my shop.

Love this pretty pink little snail!

One corner in my shop where i keep most of the garden decor.

And a liitle corner of my bedroom.I have probaly shown this before....but there are a few new additions.The jewellery stand and powder chair are new.
Have a great weekend!
Lucinda xx

2011-01-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

Woops!!!!!.....sorry about that guys..accidently bumped the publish post button...geez I'm on a roll today lol!! This is the most gorgeous garden umbrella that Cindy gave me for helping her out

Can you picture a tea party sitting under it with all your best buddies?That's the plan!!Will keep you posted!
Have a great day Lucinda xx
Forgot to add that Cindy got the umbrella from the very talented Tina from theoldfrenchdoors

2011-01-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

Hi ....long time between blogs.My laptop died before Christmas and I've been lost without it.But we are ready to go again, so here is a pic of a table I have in my family room.My beautiful mother in law gave me a bunch of roses out of her garden....dont they look great amongst my other pretties?

This was one of my pressies from my lovely friend Helen.They have the most gorgeous scent and so so vintage.Love them!You can see a bit of the other things she gave me.But I'll leave that for next time

Sorry about these photos ....you'll have to turn your head on the side heehee I forgot to rotate them.

I also got this beautiful book from my gorgeous friend Heidi

As well as lot's of other lovelies like the scrumptious cupcakes book.I have promised to have a lovely tea party very soon as I have so much china left over from doing high tea's in the shop.

I also have'nt got around to showing you the sweetest gift my firend Cindy gave me a while back for helping her set up her shop MISTY MEMORIES in Robertson (about 20 mins drive from Mittagong)

2010-12-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Hume Cottage...............may you have lot's of love, happiness and health!!!
Lucinda xx

phew!

2010-12-08T21:56:00.000-08:00

Boy has it been a crazy few weeks for me.As per last post I mentioned we were moving the shop.Well it's all done and dusted!!!

We have moved to a slightly smaller shop in the Main St of Mittagong(not too far away from where we were) So in a short space of time we had to paint,build, pack ,sort, move ,unpack all within 1 week!!!

Here are some before shots...I forgot to take one earlier, but you can see up the back that the whole shop was painted burgundy on the bottom part and a dark cream on top.It used to be a hairdressing salon and we also built a wall up the back to give me a bit more storage.

Lots and lots of painting to cover that dark colour, but already it was lightening up the shop.

View from the back looking out.A bit dark sorry!

And all moved in!!!!We utilised the counter that was left behind and it is great for display and has given me more counter space.

Will take some better photo's ...the wall my hubby built looks like part of a cottage.We used an old windoe out of our house that was taken out for the extensions, so I can do my bookwork and keep an eye on the shop.Great!!
No more tea's and coffee's though,or high tea or devonshire tea's.Not enough room and I am up near 2 coffee shops so it's not needed so much.

And view form the back.....day before we re-opened(paper still on the window).
Wil show some more next time
Lucinda x

2010-10-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

soft and pretty

new goodies

new cannisters

Hi Everyone
Quickly showing you some new arrivals in this week.
The scarves are gorgeous...only $29.95 each
Cannisters $39.95 set.

Also sharing some exciting news!!!
Hume Cottage is moving!
Watch this space for more details, as soon as I have confirmation on the date I will reveal more!!
See you soon
Lucinda x

MINI TEA???

2010-09-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

vintage look today...not so pink and frou frou

made my own serviette holders,lace,flowers and a hot glue gun!

cloth napkins

put this bunch of hydrangeas in a pot then covered the pot in lace

even put velevt roses on the back of each chair!

Hi everyone.......I normally have a day off on Wednesdays but today I am doing a sweet little mini-tea? for some lovely ladies.They decided that the High Tea was a bit too much food for them so they are coming in for a scaled down version.They will get a yummy scone with jam and cream, a piece of orange and poppyseed cake,a melting moment biscuit and tea sandwiches.

should be a bit of fun...will let you know!

pretty flowers

2010-09-19T23:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.....thought I would show you some new pretty flowers that have arrived in store this week.

soft pink and cream roses...yum

These are fake rose buds......but don't they look so real??
Had to pinch a couple of stems for home, just could'nt resist!

I put some in a silver coffee pot in the window of the shop.The afternoon sun was streaming in....had to take another pic.Soooo pretty!

And these gorgeous creatures are little velvet forget-me-nots.Dont they look sweet in the crystal dish???
They will come in handy for future craft projects.

Well that's all i have time to show you today...catch up next time.Have a great evening!!!

little trip away

2010-09-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I was lucky enough to duck off for a few days up to Cairns to visit my parents who are at Innisfail(about 1 hr south).I booked my tickets months ago and was counting down to see them.( had'nt seen them since April) It was lovely to spend Father's day with Dad and Mum's birthday was only a few days beforehand so it was perfect timing.

They took me sight seeing and showed me all around the area.It was only 4yrs ago a massive cyclone went through the area..and unless you were looking for the signs you would'nt have guessed that the whole area had been devastated.This is a pic of Paranella Falls it is the ruins of a castle that a spanish man built for his new wife.Apparently she would only move to Australia if he built her a castle.These days you can have a tour through the ruins and parklands.Gorgeous!Was trying to imagine what it would have been like in it's hey day.

This is the view at night ...spectacular!
On the Monday Dad had to work so Mum and I went to Cairns for the day .Had lunch on the esplanade and then lot's of shopping and coffees! A few tears when it came time for goodbyes but a very enjoyable weekend.Will see them again at Christmas and the way the weeks go wont take long at all.

Off to the Gift Fair in Sydney this weekend to buy some more goodies for the shop, fill you in next week
Lucinda xx

family room

2010-08-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

Before(while building)

after

Today I thought I would show you some pic's of my family room.Last year my hubby and I put an extension on the back of our cottage,which included a family room, bedroom, new laundry ,main bedroom with walk in robe and ensuite.
I still keep shuffling things around trying to acheive the look I am after.Originally I thought I would paint the sideboard, but now it has grown on me and I think it adds character to the room.The only thing I might do is strip it back to it's original timber.
The white cane chairs were a xmas pressie form hubby and were to go on our verandah...but I am loving them inside at the moment.Makes for a cosy conversation area.
The shutters are a greeny bluey colour and were given to me by a friend.They are just leaning against the walls at the moment.Still deciding if I should leave them there or not.

Well there you go ..a peep into our family room.Hope you enjoyed it.Have a great week!

2010-08-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Received some more craft supplies for the shop through the week.The lace is so pretty cant wait to put it on some cushions or lamps.Velvet roses are one of my fav's and the organza rose braid I have already used on a lamp.

Put some on the bottom of this lamp shade along with some flowers.Probably should have taken a better photo!

Love the cushions on the bed.Ruffles....lace...ribbon embroidery....lovely!

Took this photo in the late afternoon with the sun shining on the goodies in the window.

And finally, the ruffle bath mats are back in stock again.They wash up so nicely and have a non slip backing.

Thinking and saying a little prayer for my 21 year old niece.She was hit in the head last night with a hockey ball and is in hospital with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.Very worrying!

2010-08-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

Look at these cuties!Heart shaped sugars...one heart equals one teaspoon of sugar.

Heart shaped sugars

Available in pink or assorted.

or in individual little bags

How cute!

bridal shower

2010-07-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

Normally Hume Cottage is closed on a Sunday but we had a special function to present.We had a Bridal Shower in the shop and here is a before photo.We laid out the table for 15 ladies to enjoy tea and coffee while the hostess brought along some yummy food and games to play.

Sonia's bridal shower

So the ladies shopped and shopped, and Sonia (the bride to be) got 10% of the total sales to spend in the shop.The ladies also put some money in a box for her.So she had a lovely time deciding what to get.
It was a lovely afternoon and the ladies all seem relaxed and enjoyed the pretty surroundings...(although some ladies complained that it was all too tempting spending that much time in a pretty shop and that their budgets would suffer!!hehe)

What a nice afternoon...certainly did'nt feel like work(until the washing up had to be done!)

Catch up with you very soon
Lucinda xx

2010-07-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

Hello again......here's what I have been up to lately...

Picked up these lovely trunks on the weekend.They were already painted white.Good size for a glory box or to store blankets and throws in.

Also picked up this lovely writing desk (which also was already painted..yay)Has crystal handles and knobs and the bottom drawer is a filing cabinet.Very handy.Looks cute with the pink stripe chair I did a while back.Should've have taken the photo in the morning as the sun was coming in..but I guess you get the idea.

Been decorating soaps again.I'm in love with these cute pink roses and clear hearts at the moment.

Also did a few coathangers.Trying for a more vintage look.I was lucky enough to inherit some lovely vintage laces from my husbands grandmother(who passed away last year)She loved to do craft and I am so glad I have been able to put it to good use.

Have been doing a bit of sewing too...but I'll show you that next time.

See you then

Lucinda xx

2010-07-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

Latest goodies in store this week.............

Love these sweet notecard sets

They have 10 cards and envelopes with 2 different styles of photos.

lovely gift at $14.95

Also love these new serviettes

Wish I had of had them for the blogger teaparty last week!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Lucinda xx

blogger tea party

2010-07-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone........something very exciting happened in my shop on Saturday!

Sarah from SARAH JANE organised for some bloggers to meet for a Devonshire Tea.I was so excited to meet them and raced around preparing a pretty setting for their arrival along with some yummy cupcakes,scones with jam and cream and fresh strawberries.Yum!

Pretty china trio's, pink tulle ribbons on the chairs.Pink serviettes,candles and silver cutlery were the order of the day.

As you can imagine there was lot's of chatter and excitement as we all got to know each other.

I was busy making tea and chatting that I only took some before photos.

It was especially nice to meet Mandii and Kirstie who came all the way from Victoria and were staying with Sarah for the weekend.Another lovely surprise was to meet Maryanne from marion-deedesigns who was really sweet and travelled to meet us all.Delcie and her friend Sue came from the Blue Mountains,thanks girls.And Vicki did'nt have to travel to far to join us along with my lovely friend Heidi (who doesnt have a blog yet!) who stayed behind to help clean up and wash all that pretty china!Thanks Heids!

What a nice way to spend a morning...what lovely people...think we might have to make this an annual event!

Thanks again Sarah for organising such a fun time.

Catch you next time

Lucinda xx

Lovely surprise!

2010-06-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

Just showing you something I got today .....and what a lovely surprise it was to receive!

My lovely friend CINDY made this pretty stack of books for me and one for another lovely friend.

Are'nt they gorgeous.They are painted the softest pink,green and white.

Cant wait to take them home and find the perfect spot!Thanks again Cindy!

While I am here ...got some new bodycare products in the shop.

Isnt the packaging so sweet!Love the crystal look knob on the body lotion box.

And some bon bon soaps.They look great and are only $8.95 each.Lovely gift!!

till next time!

Lucinda x

2010-06-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...I wanted to show you some more pretty china I bought recently ( I know...how much can a person need..but I do use them in the shop!!)

I got the whole lot for only $20 bargain!Sometimes you can be really lucky

I also have been busy making this gift wrapping station.Couple of curtain rods and brackets and all done.Very handy indeed!

Time has run out again...see you next time!

2010-05-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

I love chandeliers and I just wanted to show you some that have arrived in store.They came with an electrical plug so I was able to light them up for display.Popped one in the window...love the soft glow it produces.Have it on a timer so it is on at night for a while.

This is another one I have lit up and it is up the back near the counter.This is a part of it showing a view to the front door.

Also made another teacup pincushion today from some old china.They are so much fun to make and make a nice little gift.Thats all for today catch up next time xx

pretty china

2010-05-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hi again...hope your day is full of happiness.Today I just seem to be getting the loveliest customers coming through and it really makes your day when they say such nice things to make your day and enjoy the shop as much as I do.So thank you to all the sweet people who take a minute to say something nice

Thought I would show you some new china trio's I have recently bought.I will use them for the High Tea's.

They are all pretty ,I'm sure the ladies will enjoy using them!!!!

Remember a while back I thought the shop was getting a bit too girly, here is a pic of some of the more neutral stock I have got in recently.Love the rooster bookends....and the glass candleholders......and the silver alphabet bookends.

Another short post...catch up with you next time!!!

2010-05-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

More goodies to show you today.Firstly I am showing some baskets my mum in law made up for Mother's Day.(and might I add how lucky I am to have such a beautiful second Mum)She painted some baskets and planted one with herbs, and the others with flowers.They are out the front of the shop.Dont they look fab? If they dont sell I think they would look fantastic on my verandah!!hehe

This is a liitle lavender pouch I made a while ago.Pretty lace,velvet flowers and bit of bling.What more could a girl ask for?

I have a bed in the shop again.......doesnt it look pretty.My lovely friend Cindy gave me the white lace bedspread(which I wont sell) and it looks so gorgeous!Now I just need to order in some vintage cushions to make it look even more delicious.Every now and then I think I am getting too girly and fluffy in the shop....and it has happened again.But you cant help what attracts you can you, and as long as it sells I suppose it doesnt matter.I have been wanting to add more vintage, rustic, french look for a while and I think it will tie in with the look of the shop and may appeal to a wider target.Mmmmm..food for thought.Ok thats all today, Happy Mothers Day to you all.Hope you get to relax and enjoy time with your special ones!

Lucinda x

2010-05-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

Mini cupcake anyone? Seems I never have time to post so am quickly showing some cupcakes I made.Yumm!

Quick post is better than no post.

Have a great day and week!

Lucinda x

creating is good for the soul....

2010-04-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.............I dont know about you but I just love to create and probably go a bit crazy if I dont get a chance to.

Here is a pretty pin cushion I made the other day, you cant see but the base is a crystal dish.Pretty, pretty , pretty!

This another one of Meghans lamps.She sure is one clever chickie.I dont know how she finds time ...with working full time and kids and a house to look after.Maybe its her way of relaxing and feeling great!

I dont know if you can see but on the back of the chair is a velvet heart I made that has a doily,velvet roses and a bling cameo brooch.

a pic of one part of the shop.We are getting full ready for Mothers Day.More goodies to come.

Well thats all I have today.

Have a wonderful day full of love,laughter and good health!!!!!!

Lucinda x

2010-04-06T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hi again.....bit of a quick post today to show you the gorgeous lamp I got for Xmas ( I know.....a bit late are'nt I?) Better late than never.I love it.....and it now takes pride of place in my bedroom.

This is a corner in my room and the lamp is now on this table...will have to update the photo.

That lamp is in my family room now.

And this mirror I love as well.It was gold so hubby painted it ...might rub it back very gently so it shows off the detail.Have'nt decided where I will put it yet and its extremely heavy so where ever I put it , it will have to stay there.

The bench at the end of the bed I have recovered in a pink toile. Boy I really DO need to update these photos, but thought I would quickly show you today.

Till next time...Lucinda x

2010-03-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, thought I would show you what I have been up to lately.Been busy creating for the shop .

My hubby painted these chairs and I recovered them.

This one I did in pink and white candy stripes.

This one(which has since sold) is lovely duck egg blue/green with roses.Pretty!!

I have also been busy making White Chocolate and Macadamia cookies for the shop.YUM!!!

As well as all that I have been having fun making these pretty hanging hearts.I popped some lavender inside them.

Well that's all my news for now.Have a great weekend.

Lucinda xx

2010-03-01T15:22:00.000-08:00

Just a quick hello today to show you my latest trio set I got from the markets a few weeks ago.I got 2 the same and will use them for High Tea's.

Have a wonderful day!

Lucinda x

2010-02-24T20:40:00.001-08:00

As promised here are some pic's of one of my best buddies home.

This is her bedroom and the photo's dont do it justice at all, but is'nt it just gorgeous!!! So romantic and inviting.

Pretty corner filled with beautiful goodies.The corner shelf was timber and her hubby painted it white.Looks great.

The other pretty corner.Could you see yourself relaxing with a cuppa???

Lovely dressing table and powder chair, perfect under the window.

Close up

Tall boy adorned with more gorgeous goodies.

The ensuite filled with clean fluffy towels ,sweet smelling soaps and powders.

This is the plate rack her Dad made for her.It's in the family room.Will do a post on that room next.But maybe I should'nt show you too much as I think we may(?) have convinced her to start her own blog .

Thank you Heidi for allowing me to show parts of your beautiful home, and thanks for being such a wonderful caring friend.Love ya x

Lucinda xx

P.S I think I am up to my 96th post so will have to have a giveaway to celebrate.Better get my thinking cap on?!

2010-02-22T15:52:00.001-08:00

A few new goodies this week ....but waiting for this weekend when the Sydney Gift Fair is on to get some more exciting and new things.

So for now I will show you what I have been up to.

I got this dressing table last week from the tip shop.Was going to change the handles but am going to leave it for a change.I love the legs on it.

Front window at the moment

New dangly...blingy.....light fitting...pretty!

Pair of pink birdies cuddled up...so sweet!!

And a sneak peak at one of my best buddies house(with her permission of course)It is absolutely divine and I will do a complete post on it next time.

But for now a little look at her bedroom.Click to enlarge if you need.

See you soon xx

Lucinda

Lovely surprise!

2010-02-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

It is with a little tear of happiness I write this blog today.You know one of those days when you feel like there is'nt enough of you to go around,and you wish you had more time to stop and smell the roses?......that was how I was feeling today .......until this beautiful bunch of flowers arrived at the shop!

"Who could this be from?" I thought.

It's not Valentines Day yet..........and my hubby and I usually just give each other a card...so who could it be?

Who would be sending me such a gorgeous bunch of flowers?

I could'nt open the envelope quick enough to see who it could be and this is what it revealed in the card........

" A garden without lady bugs would be like life without friends"

They are from my beautiful friend Helen......and she knows I love pink flowers ........it just made my day.(sniff...sniff)

I had to contain myself not to cry when I rang her to thank her.

Sometimes in life a special friend comes into your life and they are so rare and precious.....you feel blessed to be her friend....so Helen if your read this thank you again, I'm blessed to have you and you'll always be one of my special friends.XX

2010-02-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Wow another high tea has come and gone.Heres some pics of one of the tables.Looking forward to next months one when we will celebrate the shops 2nd birthday.I think something special will be in order for that one.

click to enlarge any photo

Lots and lots of pink.

Yummy food.

Pretty china and lot's of giggles!

Just missing a bottle of pink champagne...dont you think?

Catch up next time

Lucinda x

2010-01-24T20:58:00.000-08:00

Hello again

A while back I was given a bag of doilies and have been wondering what I could do with them .

This is what I came up with and they are so easy to make.Click to enlarge

Some lovely heart shaped soaps.They look sweet in this jar.

Some new birdie houses.Bit of a rustic look for a change

A new tiny clock came in last week.The verse says"Home is where your story begins"

These I have had for a while, but they are such a great idea.I gave my daughter one when she was doing swimming lessons.They are plastic lined so it keeps all your other items dry.

Well that's all my news for now....catch up next time!

Lucinda x

ready for a new year

2010-01-18T15:11:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone....well after three weeks off (thanks to my gorgeous Mum who ran the shop for me) I am back ready for an action packed 2010.

May this year be a great one for all of us!!

I thought I would start with some pic's of the shop, have had a bit of a rearrange ,even though it's a bit hard with stock levels down after Christmas.

This is a new garden arch with bench seat that will be great to display things on and hang on.I did order a cream one,but that's not what arrived so will just have to work with it.By the time I hang lot's of pretties on it you'll hardly see it!!

This is on the other side of the arch, bit of an angle shot for a change.

This is to the side of the arch.Love the shelf on top of the chest.It has crystal knobs under the shelf.Just need lot's more pretties!!

This is a pine dresser we painted and put new knobs on.It turned out quite nice and shows off the stock nicely.Need to keep an eye out for more furniture like this.I think I need to make a pact with myself to go searching at least once a week.

And a sweet lavender corner.The wrought iron clock is new too...would look really nice on a coloured wall.

A new dancing lady with mosaic butterfly on her dress.

Well ther's a few shots of the shop at the moment.

We are starting our VIP shopping nights soon too.Stay tuned and I will fill you in

Chat again soon

Lucinda xx

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

May you all have a .........

and I hope you will......

and.......

and may there be lot's and lot's of........

See you in the New Year!!

Lucinda xx

2009-12-12T18:54:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone...thanks for coming over.Today I popped out to the markets before opening the shop and checked out my friend Cindy's stall. She did a fantastic job of putting it all together and I managed to buy quite a few goodies in the short time I had. I saw on her blog some beautiful reindeers she had made.At first I thought they would look great in the shop but I think I will have to take them home, they are so sweet.

not the best photo sorry but you get the idea(soft pink and white,she also had a soft green)

I thought while I am here I would show some more pretties

Is'nt this a little sweetie?Bit hard to see but it says HOPE and has cute little birds on it

A mixture of goodies.Tin calenders,bling nail files,hand painted bookmark,new doilies and a lovely glass paper weight.

A new lamp....cheated this time.Bought it ready made...no time for craft at this time of year!

Bling pill box's and a bling hand bag holder that clips on your bag.Some had painted magnets as well

And a quick photo of my eldest daughter on the night of her Yr 10 formal.Must say I had a tear in my eye as she was picked up in a Rolls Royce, my little girl is growing too quick..they all are.

And she is just as beautiful on the inside :)

Till next time

Lucinda xx

2009-12-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

Wow...another High Tea on it's waythis Saturday...They really come around very quickly.19 Ladies are joining us this time so that will keep us on our toes!! Should be fun.

Thought I'd better post some more pics of our home.This is our hallway, it's inthe old part of the cottage.I painted the hall stand about a year ago and love how it lightens up the hallway.This photo was taken on a dull day and I am in the lounge room.

This is our new family room.Since I took this photo I have changed a few things , but you get the drift.The dark sideboard I got for $99 and have started stripping the drawers with intention of painting it white, but now am not sure.I think I will still strip it and see what it looks like.That will be a project for after Christmas when my gorgeous Mum is filling in at the shop for 2 weeks.YAHOO!! Cant wait to spend some time with my beautiful family that I am so blessed to have.

Another pic of the family room.I am looking for a nice rug to tie in nicely.

Our dining table.We painted the legs of the table and chairs and left the top timber.Loving it!! It's given it a whole new look.

Well there's a bit more of a look.Hopefully will get to post some more soon

Have a great day

Lucinda x

2009-11-24T20:08:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we managed to take the family away down the South Coast for a nice break.We have been so busy working on the house every Sunday that we thought it was time to get away and have some fun!!

Here is Nick jumping off the rock into the pool

And Sarah feeding the Rainbow Lorrikeets on the back deck of the cabin we stayed in.It was hillarious watching the antics of 'who's the boss'?

My boy's checking out the surf

But before we ducked away I had a quick look at the local markets and manged to pick up a few goodies.I got this lovely chair, already painted and upholstered, the cane waste paper basket that I added some roses to and another basket that I also added roses to.So that was a nice start to the weekend.

One of Gail's lovely prints.
Some of the soaps that I decorate

Here is a cute little mini cup cake dome.Is'nt it sweet?

Gorgeous heart shaped cup and saucer is new in this week.Would'nt you feel special drinking out of it?

Well that's my news for this week........till next time

Lucinda x

2009-11-16T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hello again........another busy week has flown by.

Last Saturday one of my lovely friends Heidi decided to hold a Hume Cottage party at her beautiful home.What fun we all had and my pretties looked fabulous in her home.We enjoyed some yummy afternoon tea and some bubbly.I took a few photos(should have taken heaps more) but it was hard to get a clear pic without someone in it.So these just dont do it justice but you get the idea.Next year we will hold in-store parties after hours , where the hostess organises a few friends to come to the shop and I will supply tea/coffee and a few nibbles, and the hostess will get the benefits.Sounds like a whole lot of fun to be had!

Today I have been out and about and am very excited to pick up an old standard lamp made from iron, for $25! Bargain....and these guys are so hard to come by.Will post some pics of before and after soon.

Before I go thought you might like a chuckle .Here is a pic of my shop the day before we opened.....it seems soooo bare.It is nice to look back and see how far we've come.

Have a great day!!

LUCINDA X

2009-11-09T14:20:00.000-08:00

another quick post before I start my days work in the shop.

Last Sat we enjoyed another sucessful hightea.Some ladies went all out and got dressed up fo r the occasion, with one lady wearing a beautiful antique lace dress.Nice to see them going to some trouble.

Next one is 5th December and we will have a Christmas theme.We already have some bookings for that one, should be fun.

Betta go and open up ,short and sweet these days but better than nothing I guess!

Have a great day!

Luicnda x

2009-11-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

Hey all , thought I would show you my Christmas display in the shop.Still a work in progress.I could'nt believe the customer pressure to put it out ( I did'nt want to put it out toooo early) , then the other day a customer groaned "oh no...you've got your Christmas things out too!!!" Cant win! I must admit that until I did put it out I was'nt feeling very Chrismassy.

click to enlarge

I managed to take some pic's of our extension yesterday, bare with me as the lighting was'nt great but it will give you a bit of an idea how things are coming along.

This is our bedroom ...looking from inside the ensuite.How lucky was I to be given the bench seat at the end of the bed.I have'nt decided what colour I will re-upholster it yet.I love it!!

Another pic of our bedroom.And a little peak at the ensuite.I got the vanity off ebay and it's one of my fav things.The frames on the wall I got from the markets and spray painted white

Another one of my fav pieces, my plate rack full of old china and crystal.

And the lovely mirror shelf I was given last Christmas from some beautiful friends hangs pride and place in our family room with some pretties.Can you see a bit of my chandy in the reflection?

betta go, will post pics soon of the rest of it.have a nice weekend

Lucinda xx

2009-10-22T21:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone....hope all is well in your world.

My hubby and I enjoyed our 15th wedding anniversary yesterday.I brought home some chinese and a bottle of bubbly and the kids set the table with candles and flowers and homemade cards.Just gorgeous!

These candles are lovely,they are Rose and Sandalwood(click to enlarge if you like)Next to them is some oil burners.I have just got some beautiful smelly melts to go in them.Baby powder,lemongrass,cottage garden to name a few.

This little sweety is ceramic.How gorgeous is it?

My kids laughed at me when I brought home one of these bling bath plugs.Goes nicely in my new ensuite.I also have them in blue,purple and clear.

A lovely Nana teddy that is holding a baby teddy.So cute!

Some lovely rose soap leaves for your handbag.Very handy

What about some pot pourri shoe stuffers, to make your shoes smell nice.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend

Lucinda x

2009-10-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hey girls....a really quick post to show you some more pretties in the shop.It seems I never have time to do a post .

So I will leave you with these pics and try to have more of a chat next time.

Have a great weekend... Lucinda x

P.S Check out a friend of mines new blog.Cindy is new to blogging so pop by and say hello

she loves pretties too.

2009-09-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hey......long time no post!!!

Well I better get a wriggle on and update with all the latest news.

any spare time I do have has been taken up with our extensions, but I pleased to say we are on the home stretch now, with the timber floors getting finnished yesterday...yay!

So very soon I will post some photo's of how it is all looking,but for now I will show you some lovelies in my shop.

A lovely rose mug that come's in a pretty box...how nice to drink out of! Such soft colours.

Some cute faux rocks for the verandah.They have lovely glass mosaic butterflies/dragonflies on them.Some of the other ones have the words 'serenity' or 'caring' on them.Sweet presies!

This is a pretty chair I have been working on.When I got it , it was already painted white, but the chair pad was a silver fabric and I felt the back was too plain.So I grabbed some soft green fabric and stuck a rose decal on the back......and there you go!Much prettier.

This little sweet jar I found in a second hand store and gave it a bit of a polish,added a crystal tea spoon and is hard to part with.It really would look nice on my plate rack at home....I must be good...I must be good!!!!!!!!!!

Love these cute little suit cases that have come in.

And what a nice way to save for a girls night out!

Picture of one part of the shop that's looking pretty.

Well that's all for now hope all is good in your world!

Lucinda x

P.S. okay maybe one little peek

a crazy week

2009-08-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

What a busy week......it all started last Saturday after work, when my friend and I went looking for bits of furniture to do up.Ended up getting a sideboard,chest of drawers,a half table and some pretty rose china.My friend got a lovely round table with 4 chairs for her new home that she will paint and make beautiful.We loaded up the ute with as much as we could fit in.

Then Sunday hubby and I laid carpet in the bedrooms all day.Boy I have found muscles I did'nt know existed.This renovating thing ceratinly keeps you fit!!Back to work Monday and then some sadness when our dog passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning ,which was my daughters 14th birthday(of all days!.He was a great dane and was 11 and a half which is a pretty good innings as they usually live to about 10.We are all heartbroken, but at least he is'nt in any pain now.They become part of the family,dont they?

That same day my Nan had a fall so I took her to the doctor and then for xrays.She has a broken knee cap.....ouch!!!In between all this we managed to paint a couple of the bits of furniture which I will show you here.

This had lovely gold stencils and texta all over it.Now it has a new life in white with pink crystal handles.

This is the little half table that had heaps of laquer on it.Looks great in the shop.

These are some lovely tassels I decorated.Click to enlarge if you like.They have a cute heart shaped button with bling on them.Pretty!

Another candle I also decorated.Love the bling buckle!!

A cosy pink throw with some new flowers on top.And underneath is an old crochet bedspread that has been freshly laundered and came up a treat.

And a pic of some other lovelies.

So I have filled you in on my crazy week....hope the next one is better!

Have a great weekend

Lucinda x

2009-08-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

High tea went really well last Saturday..........and silly me forgot to take photos again!!!!I did take one while we were setting up, anyway we had lot's of fun again and the homemade goodies were delicious!!!

I've been working on some lamp shades that were given to me.I have been having a great time decorating them and some other things.Here's a close up .

Loving this plum colour throw, it goes nicely with the large print and frilly cushions.
Some new box cushions in pink,and also towel set that has lace edging and embroidered roses.The small decorator cushion behind is also new.

Some spoons with pastel colour 'cameos' also arrived this week.

These lovely pastel green buckets that have a hand towel and body lotion inside will make a lovely gift at $14.95.The butterfly soap in a pack of three should also be a hit at $9.95.

new robert gordon mugs

A candle I decorated with lace and velvet flowers.It's sitting on a crystal dish that I got from the salvo's.Tied it all up with a ribbon.Too pretty to burn..do you think?

Wow I had lot's to show you today.I will leave you with a cup of tea and a scone or two.

xxcheers
Lucinda

P.S a big cherio to my friend Helen who broke her arm in three places(and has just had an op to put pins and plates in it....)and also broke some ribs in a fall from her motorbike.Get better soon and I'm thinking of youxx

2009-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

High Tea again this Saturday....boy does it come around fast.This time I will try to remember to take some photo's of before and during.Vicki is making some homemade chutney, jam and pesto and is also selling it on the day.Nothing like fresh homemade goodies!!

Love this print from Gail.I had such a hard time picking which ones to buy for the shop....and I have to admit I took one home.I 've been very restrained so far....but every now and then I give in!It will look lovely in our new extension.We are getting very close now, we are up to flooring.....so watch this space for some updated photo's.

These are just as lovely!

This is a pic of the table for two in the window.Looks inviting does'nt it?I made the centrepiece from some posey's in the shop and put them in a round box (that normally houses a cup saucer set)and glued some flower braid around the middle to disguise the writing.I wish we could have real flowers but these will do in the meantime.

Some pretty coat hangers on a painted bedside.Coat hangers make such a pretty and practical gift dont you think?

Well that is all my news for now.Catch you next time!

Lucinda x

long time ...no blog

2009-07-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

NEW POSIES!

Surely it has'nt been 22 days since my last post....goodness me..I've been slack!!

Well I better get to it and show you some goodies, but before I do , the high tea went extremely well and we are now doing them once a month.The first Saturday of each,the next one(1st August)is coming up quickly and the bookings are coming fast.It was so much fun, I think I was on a high for about a week after!

Since I last posted I have been to another gift fair, and some new goodies have been trickling their way in.I got some lovely garlands and posies to make the shop prettier.I have wrapped them around my ugly curtain rods.Makes a big difference, really frames the window.

I also have been busy doing up some chairs.Sorry I forgot to take a before photo of this one.The fabric is so pretty , originally the chair was dark timber with a rust colour velvet on it.Much nicer dont you think? Next to the chair is a bench seat that I also got from the fair.

A lovely birdcage on a stand that I wrapped some more rose garland around and made a nice tassel to go on top.Next to it is a lamp I decorated as well.Both have been lay byed.

Some new pretty spoons also arrived.I got extras to use for the high teas.

Well that's all for now, till next time.

Lucinda

2009-06-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on for the High Tea this Saturday.We are getting great feedback from the customers and bookings are coming fast.Check out Vicki's blog for some pic's of what they used to serve in the cafe,and some pic's of the cafe itself.

A while back I bought this old round table and got hubby to paint the legs white.Does'nt it look inviting.

Will check back later in the week, and we will try to remember to take some photo's on Saturday to show you.

Have a great day!

Lucinda x

High tea at Hume Cottage

2009-06-23T23:17:00.000-07:00

Some very exciting news...........Vicki and David from The Silver Teapot are presenting a high tea at Hume Cottage.When????

Saturday 4th July

12pm - 3.30pm

$20 per head (introductory rate)

So looking forward to it...should be so much fun playing tea party's!

A few weeks ago I went out to their house and came home with some charred silver(from the cafe's fire) they were going to sell in the garage sale.I could'nt resist.... so have been busy polishing away to my hearts content.This is how they are starting to come up.May need to do a few more polishes.What do you think? Almost good enough for royalty lol.

click to enlarge

I also had to decorate some baskets for a customer.So here's the before.

And after.They are to go in a cabinet that has them as drawers.Should be cute!

What else have I got to show you......some pretty new cushions that came in today.Pink of course.

Cant remember if I have shown this pretty shoe before or not.Is'nt it lovely?

Well that's a bit of an update.Hope all has been well in your world!

Lucinda x

2009-06-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

I was up on a ladder in the shop changing a light bulb and thought I'd take a few pic's of the shop while I was up there to give you an idea of what it looks like at the moment.....I say at the moment because I am forever moving things around,trying to make it look even prettier.

I love the old cast iron bed and it looks nice in the middle

Here is my newset addition, a lovely dressed up mannequin.

I have been decorating some tie backs for a customer,I hope she likes them.I also had to make a few small rose tassels for another lady and thought I'd share them with you.

This is another new addition, a lovely old dressing table.I've decided to leave it timber, as not everyone wants white.It adds a bit of warmth, especially at the moment,we need it...it's really cold.

I will try to remember to take some more photos of our reno this weekend.It's looking fab!

Have a lovely weekend,

Lucinda

dressing tables

2009-06-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

Just a real quickie today,before I go home......love the new/old dressing tables in the shop.

Are'nt they gorgeous!!!

Chat again soon

Lucinda x

2009-05-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

MEOW...........what do you think of these gorgeous pussy cat doorstops that Vicki has very cleverly made.I just love them and think they look especially great in the shop.Geez.....some people are just too clever.

click to enlarge

I also love this new flower spray that came in this week.It's sitting above one of Sarah's handmade signs.Looks beaut, does'nt it?

And this is just a pic of a corner in the shop that I thought looks very pretty at the moment.The lamp is one of the ones I got a few weeks ago.I think I raved a bit about Meghans house so here's a little sneak peek at her lounge room and kitchen.Just lovely.I think Sarah put the link on her blog of Meghan's house so you can check out more.

Hope you have a nice weekend.It's supposed to be cold and rainy here...good for indoor jobs I think.

cheerrrrrrrrrs!

Albino????

2009-05-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, thought I would share this photo of my hubby covered in plaster from sanding the gyprock.Mind you I looked just the same but managed to escape a photo.I know...I know I'm no fun at all ,am I?

We had a good ol laugh anyway!

This is my new timber vanity I am putting in the ensuite.What a bargain.......$175 on ebay.I was really sweating on winning it.You know .....counting down the seconds and waiting,hoping you've won.It came complete with taps and bowl.Love it!!!

Sorry about the photo. I think the dust was still airborn the next day.Next to the vanity are some chandeliers.1 for our room and 2 for the family room.Hope I have'nt over done it, but I really do love chandy's.

This is a photo from our room.The ensuite is on the left and walk-in robe on right.We are getting there slowly.The kids are getting excited about decorating their rooms.We are reusing some old doors from my hubby's Nanna's old house that has been demolished.

Here is the family room.We wont know ourselves with so much more room.Not looking forward to all the painting.

Well there's another update on the reno's , boy have I been good with blogging this week,must be some kind of record.

Till next time,Lucinda x

SWEET 16......OMG

2009-05-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you.....

Happy 16th birthday to my darling daughter Lauren..............I cannot believe it....where has the time gone.

They are only on loan really are'nt they? Well I am extremely proud of the person she is becoming and may all her dreams...wishes...hopes come true.

(and I am feeling old now...)

Love you sweetie, Mum

mmmmmmmmwa xx

Loz and Sarah

Loz and Sami

lamps....lamps......lamps

2009-05-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Wow I have'nt done a post for ages.....so to catch up on what's new!!A few weekends ago I went to a customer's house to check out some lamps she's been doing.Boy was I in for a surprise.Every lamp was just devine and so I ended up coming home with 13 I think.Could have been alot more I tell you.You know when someone inspires you and you cant stop the whirring in your head, that's how I felt for the next few days.So ideas...so little time.

Anyway I thought I would share some photos of them .Some have already been sold.

I am heading back to her house this weekend to pick some furniture up for the shop.Cant wait!

These photos dont do them justice but you get the idea.

I have them in the window as well.Above them is some bunting Sarah made.I will take a better photo as you cant see the pretty pinks and greens.I am a lucky gal to have so many clever people making such lovelies for the shop!

This is one of the standard lamps, again it's a bit washed out too much light.I will take one at dusk to show the true beauty.You can click to enlarge all the photos

I will post again soon and show you some more goodies.

Chow

2009-05-07T23:09:00.000-07:00

Hey all, cant believe it is Friday again.Hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day and that you get spoilt rotten.You deserve it!!!

Does anyone else ever feel overwhelmed with the busy-ness of life.i spend so much time pleasing everyone else, I neglect myself at times and am feeling a bit stressed and anxious.I guess we are'nt superwomen and cant do everything all the time,it's something I need to learn!

Anyway on a lighter note here are some pics of some pretty's in the shop at the moment.

Here are some lovely locally made soaps.They look almost tooo good to use.And I wish you could smell them , they are delish!

A lovely apothocary jar(is that how you spell it?) filled with pink dingle dangles.I just love these sort of jars.You could fill them with anything you like really.

One day i sold all my tie backs in the shop so i temporarily made up these to hold the curtains back, and what do you know...........people want to buy them.So I have just made another 6 for a customer.So simple to make, takes about 2 mins with a bit of ribbon and a hot glue gun.

And last but not least I had fun decorating this lamp with bits of lace and beading.I have a tendency to overdo things but maybe on this one I could of put a bit more on.Think I will live with it for a few days and see.

Well that's all for now,hope you have lots of laughter and love surrounding you this weekend and always xx Lucinda

A bit of excitement!

2009-04-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

Thursday, I had an exciting morning........the photographer and stylist from Country Home Ideas magazine came and spent a few hours in the shop.I was slightly concerned about the mayhem it might have caused with customers coming in, but it worked out just fine..I told the stylist she could do whatever she liked to see what she would come up with,and now I cant wait to see the finnished pics.(in about 2-3 issues)They were so considerate and put everything back where it came from.So that was a bit of fun!

Once again I feel the compulsion to move things around.Do I have a sickness?I think I might...The afternoon sun comes through the windows in winter, which is much appreciated.We are having some really chilly days .

I put the table and chairs in the window for a change.Does'nt look too bad.

We have the insulation in the walls at home so guess what I will be doing Sunday? Gyprocking yehhhhh.Getting very excited now and it will be sooooo much warmer then.Last Sunday we went to a lighting shop and bought some chandeliers.2 for the family room and 1 for our bedroom.I really could have gone mad and bought some for the girls rooms too, but I will do that later.

Well I hope you all have a lovely weekend and get to enjoy some quality time with loved ones.Till next time chow!

a day at the show

2009-04-23T19:14:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous day at the Sydney Royal Easter show.My kids have never been and had a wonderful but exhausting time.Thought I would share some photos of our day.

This is my 4 treasure's at the piggy pen where mum was feeding her babies.The kids thought it hilarious that the piglets were all fighting to get a nipple!

Later on we went on this big ferris wheel together.

This is hubby with Sarah and Nick.

Then Lauren, Samantha and myself on the other side.

This is one of the views from the top of the ferris wheel.You can see the Harbor Bridge and some of the city

The 3 older ones went on this ride.We could see the look on their faces, sheer horror! But then when they were safely on the ground thought it was the BEST!!!

Then Sarah and Daddy went on this roller coaster.You can just see hubby's hand giving us a wave before approaching the crazy bends.

This is Nick.We all had a good chuckle at this one,very funny!

Now they have all got their showbags, they are all happy to go home and collapse.......we certainly made sure we saw everything we could and made the most of an enjoyable day together.Nice memories, I am so grateful for my family xx Lucinda

2009-04-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

Wow........does anyone else feel like you've been really busy but when you are asked 'doing what?' you cant really answer.Life in general is so hectic, is'nt it?

So I thought I would show you these cute little manicure sets.They look like a thong and da dah! when you open them up , a little travel manicure set.Cute are'nt they? Very popular for the young gals(and likewise 2 teenage girls in my home who keep pinching my set) .$9.95 each

Absolutely adore this new heart shaped cushion.I had cream and a light pink but they did'nt last long at all.I did have an alterior motive, if they did'nt sell they would look really nice on my bed
hahaha

Some new aprons, hanging on the wall.And
I love the

little bunches of roses in the basket.

I have been

doing a fair bit of rearranging(whats new?)Trying to have a bedroomy section, a kitchen section etc.But it does'nt always go to plan.

Anyway it keeps it all interesting.The
devonshire tea's have been well received so far.

We are off to the Royal Easter Show tomorrow with the kids.It's the last day so I hope the weather holds out for us!Kids are very excited,they have never been, and I'm

guessing with the amount of money we will be spending ,probably not again!!So we will have to make the most of it.
Renovations are ticking along nicely.Waiting for the electrician to do the rough out.We had fun planning where we need power points how many lights etc.I think we counted 17 powerpoints!!!
I can hear you laugh........but you never know where you might need one(says hubby)
Well that's enough blah blah for now.I'll chat again very soon
Take care Lucinda x

2009-04-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to everyone.I hope you get the chance to enjoy the company of loved ones and also get a chance for some rest and relaxation.I also hope the Easter bunny comes to you all.....

After fiddling around with tea and coffee in the shop for a year I have finally made a commitment to give devonshire tea's a go.The lovely Vicki and David have been so helpful with tips and ideas I can implement.
It was the coffee's I was scared of.It is a real art to make a proper cuppacino.But after some great tips from Vicki, I feel I am getting closer.

We are hoping to offer High Tea's in the near future.So we will be doing a bit of rearranging over Easter to accommodate a few more tables.Here's a pic of what I have done so far.We are planning to move the buffet and hutch on to that wall and fill it with tea's and locally made jam's etc.Make it more of a kitchen section then over the other side of the shop have all the bedroomy stuff.We'll see if it works.I'll post photos next week to see what you think.

Speaking of locally made things,check out these yummy gingerbread men.They are almost too cute to eat............I did say almost!

I sell them for $2.00 each , do you think that is a reasonable price?

Love this stack of notes with pen.It's a lovely saying 'live love laugh' is'nt it?
Take care and catch you next week.
Lucinda

2009-04-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

thought I would show you some new candlabra's I got from the Gift Fair.They are so pretty!

Which one do you like best? I cant choose,that's why I had to buy all 3.They retail for between $31.95 and $39.95.Candles are extra.

Had another lovely day off yesterday, even though we have had 3 days rain.Helped hubby with the house.Demolished the back wall, now it gives me a good idea of how much room we will have.(and mentally planning out where all the furniture will go)We did it while the kids were at school.Should have seen the looks on their faces when they got home heehhee.

Well that's all from me for now.Better go and do some boring bookwork.

See ya x Lucinda

House reno's

2009-03-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Finally I am getting around to posting some pic's of the house extension.

BEFORE
This is when we first started digging the holes for the piers.The bit at the back(where the gas hot water is) was my laundry(that has since been demolished).That is hubby working hard.So glad we remembered to take before photo's.

ALONG A BIT FURTHER NOW

This is the back view.That window is in our new bedroom, it faces east so we will get the morning sun.Very nice on those wintery days.

next photo is the side view.This window is the family room which will come off the kitchen.Just enough room for the kids to have the playstation etc.We are going to extend the deck right out,maybe, if we dont get sick of all the mess!

Now the next photo is just going to look like a web of frames, I

dont know if you can make it out but that doorway goes into our room and then on the left will be the ensuite and next to that the walk-in -robe.Fantastic.

Anyway the cladding arrived today so we will soon be up to lock up.Yay!

Next photo is standing in our room looking back towards the kitchen.That wall will be demolished when we get to lock up and if you look hard you can see my washing machine that is backed up to the kitchen bench.Oh well at least I can still wash.And to the right is the new laundry(u cant really see) and one of the girls bedrooms.

So there you go a tour of the extensions.I will keep you posted on the progress.

Thought I'd quickly show you a lovely shabby chic bedside that David from shabbilyrestored did up.Is'nt it a sweetie? Looks fantabulous in the shop.

Okay that's all from me today have a lovely weekend everyone!

Lucinda xx

2009-03-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I'm in love with this birdcage.(click to enlarge) I bought the pedestal off a customer on Saturday and thought the cage would look lovely on it.I put some pink ribbon on and a few roses and hey presto!

Sometimes it takes all my strength not to take all these lovelies home.Ughhh!

I am looking forward to having a day off tomorrow.I have'nt had one off for about 3 weeks.I am going to get a haircut and spend some vouchers I got for Xmas, then home to catch up on things.Not sure if hubby is working yet but if he's not will probably help him with the house.The roof is almost finnished.Just 2 small corners to go.We have had 2 storms in a row, so it will be nice to get it finnished before we get any more.

This is the view along the front window at the moment.In the glass bowl is scented flowers, and my ballerina is going to a new home on Thursday.A customer lay byed her.I will try to find something lovely to go there now.The roses in the tall vase are new too.Pink and white of course( I really am a pink freak)

Well better go just got some more deliveries to unpack.Show you next time.
Chow for now!
Lucinda x

2009-03-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I dont feel like I have much to show you this week but we'll see how we go as we walk around the shop.

Today I received these lovely candles and melts.I wish you could smell them, they are devine.

The ivory ones are lemongrass and white tea and the pink ones are rose and sandalwood.Yum!

Hope fully today when I get home there might be a roof on our extension.Poor hubby has been battling all week trying to join a staright extension to a crooked house.I would hate to be a fly on the wall the last few days,I imagine a few expletives would've been thrown around hehe.

This is a cute little door stop.Is'nt it gorgeous? I had 4 in the range.Think I will have to get them again,they've proven very popular.$19.95.

This afternoon a good friend is popping in after work for a cuppa.Sometimes it's the only chance we get to catch up as we both work full time.We play tea parties and I close up for the day so I can relax and enjoy her company.

I got this silver serviette stand from an op shop for $1. I love it and the roses are from my garden.A last spurt before winter.

Hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy the company of special loved ones and good friends.

Luv Lucinda x

2009-03-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, hope you are all well.I've been down and out with a dreaded flu bug for a few days.Nothing some rest and antibiotics wont fix.I was extremely lucky to have a husband with a day off who was willing to fill in for me so I could go home to bed.Thank you darling :) then a wonderful mother in law who worked Sat for me.I sure am blessed to have such a supportive family surrounding me.So back to work today feeling fine,just an annoying tickle cough that only errupts when you are trying to talk to customers !!(how embarrassing)

Thought I'd show you this lamp I decorated the other day.Click to enlarge if you need , the lace has little diamonte's in the middle of the flower.

This beautiful cameo brooch could be pinned to a lamp for a bit of bling

and glamour.Just gorgeous!

These sweet little hand painted birdies are back in again.Every time I get them they dont last long at all.Are'nt they sweet?

Hubby is off again today and I was just talking to him and he has part of the old roof off ready to join the new frames on.Cant wait for the next stage.

Well that's all folks, till we meet again xx

2009-03-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

Ok here's some more pics of some other changes and new things this week,

This is what I have put in place of a chest of drawers that went out this week.The liitle cream cabinet sitting on the table came from my hubby's grandma's house.After she passed away a few years back,the house was sold to developer's.They told the family they were demolishing the house and we could take wahtever we could.So Tony and went in and levered this cabinet off the wall.Along with an assortment of doors(which will look lovely in our extension,and sentimental too x),and an old warmbrite fire and the copper out of the laundry.I tell you if I could of I would have got the windows,floorboards and awning.This little cabinet has come in so handy for displaying.It might end up in the house eventually.

This is a lovely table I bought from a regular customer.I love the wood top and cream legs.I also got that chair from her as well.I think I showed you that a while back.

This is another view of the dresser,the wrought iron seat is under the window now.And can you see that floral chair at the front.That is new too(same lady I bought the table off)

I took my camera home last weekend to take some pics of the renos and forgot ugghhh!Things have slowed down with a bit of rain and hubby has picked up some part time work,but this week is working everyday.So not much has happened.Cant wait to get the roof on then we wont have to worry about the rain.Which has been on and off all week .It's very hard when you know we need it but cant it just wait a week or too? Not much to ask,is it???hehe

Another new lovely that came in today.Anything with roses on it grabs my attention straight away.And this wrought iron shelf came today.How handywould it be for a laundry or bathroom

Alright,that's enough jibba jabba from me.Hubby and I are off to the Coldplay concert Thursday night.Should be fun.Till next time luv ya and leave ya Lucindaxx

2009-03-09T22:35:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to show you my latest edition to the shop.I was so excited to see this dresser on shabbilyrestored blog, I had to have it as I could picture it in the shop.So the lovely David,Vicki, and the adorable babyLily(oh and I cant forget Val,Vickis mum) delivered it today.

Wow, I can see this dresser with all sorts of displays on it.The big question though 'will I be able to part with it?' Probably not!!! But I want to say a big thanks to the Millingtons and I look forward to buying lot's more goodies off them.

Beter go its nearly knock off time,will post again tomorrow and show you some other changes I have made this week.

XX Lucinda

2009-03-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Time for a change.With the shop celebrating it's first birthday,I thought it time to change a few things.The first to go( for a while anyway) was the bed.So in a quiet moment I starting pulling it all apart.Then what do you know a flood of customers(of course!!!)It's always the way is'nt it? Anyway I shuffled and shuffled and this is what I came up with.What do you thinlk? AND it's NOT pink hehe.

You can click to enlarge.The 2 seater bench is new.I got it from the furniture fair I went to.At least I will have a bit more room for all the new things when they arrive!

These cannisters are sweet.I dont know if you can tell but the handles are butterflies....................too cute!

Update on reno

Have ordered the roof for our cottage.Windows going in today or tomorrow.Helped hubby put fascia up yesterday.

Must remember to take a photo tonite.

CHAT AGAIN SOON XX

2009-02-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, have'nt posted for what seems ages.What a busy week I have had.I'll try to fill you in a bit.

First of all we have been to the gift Fair in Sydney.2 days of shopping and trying to stick to a budget is very exhausting, but fun! We have got some lovely goodies on their way, especially coming up to mothers day. Boy where does the time go?

Next week is the shops 1st birthday, so have been busy organising that.Also on the weekend it was my grandmothers 80th birthday(happy birthday nan,)She had a lovely afternoon tea at the local hall then we went out for dinner.

Along with all this I had lot's of deliveries in the shop and have been busy unpacking and finding spots for things.One morning when I was opening up I heard a lady moaning and she had fallen on her face on the pavement and couldnt move, so I called an ambulance.Luckily I have heard back that she is OK but very bruised.Poor thing.

The extensions have also been cruising along well.Yesterday I had the day off and helped hubby.We have the frames and trusses up and hopefully next week will be ready for the roof.The windows are ready to go in.So it is all very exciting!

So I betta show you some phot'os of how full the shop looks and some of the lovelies Ive been unpacking.

It's getting full and the stock from the gift fair has'nt come yet!!!

This half table was from the furniture fair I went to.I love all the pink things on it.It has already been lay byed.AND this chair.What a bargain! A regular customer came in and asked if I would be interested in some chairs.I bought 2 of these chairs for $20 each.They are so lovely I dont think i can part with them :(

Sarah and Vicki were in the shop having coffee when these beauties arrived.What a lovely morning we had together.Isnt it great to be able to share common interests with beautiful people.

It has really hepled me through a tough time,thanks gals and all the blogging buddies who left such supportive comments.xxNow I betta catch up on everyones blogs.Have a fantastic day till next time LUCINDA

2009-02-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

Some sad news......we found out on Saturday that my dear cousin did not make it.He was found 3km's from his house with his dog.It appears he was trying to get to a creek in the gully .
We are all praying that he did'nt suffer for too long.We are still trying to process it all.

I want to say thank you to all of you who have left such supportive comments.It's nice to have such beautiful blogging friends.
I am imagining a big cyber hug to all of you.ooxx

2009-02-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

Still no news on my cousin.I guess it could be a bit of a wait to find anything out.So I am trying to keep myself busy and distracted.Yesterday the shop was quiet so I started fiddling around and found some pink tulle.

Here's what I did with it

What do you think? Extremely girly!!! Love it, we all need a little girly in our lives.

Hubby has been busy working on the house.We have demolished the laundry and the floor is laid.Next is frames, yeah! I will be able to get more of an idea of what it will look like when the frames are up.

Will have to remember to take some progress photo's to show you.

This is one of the new lamps I got through the week.They retail for $69.95.I could imagine some more beading and maybe some velvet flowers on that shade.Ummmm food for thought.

Speaking of velvet flowers, I had a customer order to do.It's a lovely rose garland with beading underneath.

Here's a pic, hoping to get some more done today.You can click to enlarge.

Well that's enough from me today.God bless

Lucinda x

a little prayer

2009-02-09T16:59:00.000-08:00

As I write this my cousin (34) Martin is missing in the Victorian bushfires.He has been missing since Saturday evening when he contacted family to say a tree was blocking the road he was trying to get through and he was going to abandon his car and travel by foot.His car has been found burnt out and so is his house .We are just hoping and praying for some good news.His wife and son are safe.
Please say a little prayer for him and the many others who are missing .

2009-02-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hi again,thought I'd show you the new cream lace curtains I put up in the shop in the doorway to my back room.They were given to me by my lovely sis-in-law,and I was wondering what I could do with them.They look so lovely and give me a bit more privacy (or should I say cover up the mess in the back room!haha).I originally had ribbon curtains here which I used to get tangled up in!

Love this pink rose cushion! It retails for $34.95.

I also have it in green .

Tomorrow I am off to Sydney for the Design and Decoration fair.It is also a furniture fair,and I have'nt been to this one before so am very excited.Will let you know all about it.My hubby is coming with me so it should be a nice day out.

Speaking of hubby,he's unfortunately been laid off temporarily for 4 weeks.So he will be using the time to get a wriggle on with our extensions.Out of something negative comes a positive.We are hoping to get to lock up before winter as it gets extremely cold here.We have to pull the back of the house down so there is going to be lot's of mess and dust ,but will be worth it.We are just starting to feel a bit squashed with 2 teenage daughters and one bathroom!!!!!!

Here is a pic of the front of our cottage.It is only 3 bedroom at the moment(with 6 of us living in it)So we will be adding a main bed with ensuite and walk in robe,another bedroom for one of the kids,a new laundry and a family room.Should be just right,not too big(too much to clean)!

Will keep you up to date with our progress,have a lovely day!

'WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART THAT EVERY DAY IS THE BEAT DAY OF THE YEAR"

Ralph Emerson

2009-01-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to show you what I was talking about yesterday.

Very exciting.Thank you to all the lovely ladies who left such nice comments .It is so nice to be supported,and I hope I can do the same for you all.

Cheers

Lucinda

2009-01-29T21:39:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

I'm very excited about the latest issue of Country Home Ideas as it has a little feature on my website.I have already received some orders and enquiries and it is only just on the stands.

So I have been busy making sure it is up to scratch.

I was going to show you but my battery just went flat on my camera.Typical!I will show you tomorrow.

I'm loving these new goodies that arrived today.I probably should'nt have photograghed them on pink,but anyway on the right is organza bags filled with rose soaps and on the left is little bath soak jars tied up with ribbon and roses.Sweet!

They are from Helen White and smell glorious AND are Australian made.

Ooooops! I forgot to rotate!.........These are a set of 3 cupcake teatowels for $9.95.Bargain! You would'nt want to get them dirty would you?

Have a fab weekend and stay cool.

2009-01-26T20:21:00.000-08:00

What are little girls made of?

Love the illustrations in this book by Sandra Kuck.They are so girly and gorgeous!

I was just flicking through it and came across this little verse:

'Tis the greatest gift from heaven,

little arms that hold you tight,

and a kiss so soft and gentle

when you tuck them in at night.

Is'nt that beautiful.I think it is so easy to be busy and take for granted little things like that.They grow up sooooo quickly that I think they are only on loan. haahaa

These are new hooks that would be great if you were renting as they just hook over the door,no need for screws.And of course you have to have a little bling!

Till we chat next time!
Lucinda

2009-01-21T18:21:00.000-08:00

Love these crystal topped teaspoons that have just arrived.Makes you want to sit down and have a little tea party!

And these glam salad servers are cute too.

It's hard to see but on the end they have a diamond shaped crystal .Bling!

I've had these heart shaped mirror hooks many times but dont think I have shown you before.I am putting them on my website .

Also love these maple leaf shaped ones as well they are so pretty.

Had a little graffiti attack on the shop onite.Luckily I was able to scrub the bright purple scribble off with some turps.Makes you wonder what people are thinking when they are defacing someone elses property.Thank goodness that was all they did!

Thought for today: "Love is a little haven of refuge from the world" Bertrand Russell

Till next time!

2009-01-19T15:23:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd show you what I did yesterday.Before Christmas I had ordered some wooden birdhouses with the idea of decorating them.First I painted them white,then I stuck some rose decals on(seeing as I am not clever enough to paint ) then put some pink crystals and ribbons on them.To my astonishment they look half good and I even sold one yesterday, AND I even remembered to take a before photo,amazing!

I was also given a basket so thought I'd pretty it up too and it could hold some of my laces.I painted it cream then hot glued some velvet roses and hydrangeas on it.

This blogging thing is so much fun and checking out everyones blog certainly keeps u inspired.I am continually amazed at how clever some people are.

Here's my thought fot today:

'THE BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS....CANNOT BE SEEN OR EVEN TOUCHED.THEY MUST BE FELT WITH THE HEART' Helen Keller

I agree, have a good day!

2009-01-18T16:27:00.000-08:00

I am back again..... I forgot to mention that Kerryanne from Shabbyartboutique tagged me.

So here goes....I think you are supposed to post the 4th photo in your 4th folder and tag 4 people.I think i can do that.

Okay so this was my 4th photo.It is a pic of a shop I started in Lismore NSW(Abode Gift and Homewares) about 5 years ago.The pic shows the little display shed(that was already there) and back then I was a lot more into country.I sold the shop a few years ago to my friend Helen, and she is doing a fabulous job at continuing to grow the business and make it look even more beautiful.It's great to talk with her and share our worries and great finds and basically just support each other. The only thing I have to convince her to do is join the blogging world!!!

So I would like to tag:

Sarah @ shabbyrosesand prettythings

Vicki @ shabbilyromantic

Marilyn@ lavendercottage

Lisa @inncountry

Cant wait to see their pics

2009-01-18T15:18:00.000-08:00

Wow another week gone, looks like this year will pass us by quickly too.Hopefully we will get a bit more time to stop and smell the roses, which is what I did yesterday.It was a gorgeous day here yesterday so I spent most of it outside tending to my roses, they are looking fab at the moment.Then later in the day I sat on the verandah with a cup of tea and a mag and actually had time to study each page in detail.(country home ideas of course)

Here is a pic of some of the roses

I have a few new Gail McCormack prints in the shop.I cant

seem to keep enough lately.I can understand, they are stunning.It takes all my strength not to take them home.

Love the girls only sign,it's such a sweetie!

Leave you with a thought for the day

"let us not hurry so in our pace of living that we lose sight of the art of living" Sir Francis Bacon

Have GREAT day!!!

2009-01-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hello again, I have just been inspired.A lovely lady Vicki has just joined the blogging world.She and her husband owned a gorgoeus shabby chic cafe that tragically got burnt down last year.If you have time pop over to read her post

,very inspirational and great to see them on a mission to enjoy the best of every day.Which I think all of us need a little reminder every now and then.What's that saying "dont sweat the small stuff",very true.

When I came back to work I was determined to move things around a bit and get a fresh look for the New Year.After moving the bed into several positions(on an angle,against the wall,at right angles to the window) I ended up putting it almost in the exact same position.Does anyone else do that? WHAT A SILLY DUFFER

Anyway I have decided that I might give the bed a break and make a display window instead for a while,but will probably need a cupboard or hutch or something.Now I will be on the prowl for one.

I have been having fun playing with my new camera.It has so many more features than my old one.I absolutely looooove these tassels.They make me happy just looking at them :)

These are a little dearer than normal.$11.95 (all my other tassels are $9.95) but well worth it I think.

I am looking forward to my day off tomorrow, my beautiful mother is going to work 1 day a week for me until they go away travelling in April.Is'nt she a saint.Words cant express how much I love her and my dad, I only hope I can be half as good a parent as they are.Ohhh I'm getting all mushy now hee hee.

Hope you have a lovely day and see you next time.x