Saturday, 29 May 2010

back in the loop

Finally I feel a bit of normality returning to my world, along the way I've managed to leave my bag at the dentist, covered the roast veg with bread crumbs and washed my credit card, all of which I'd like to attribute to jetlag but I've a sneaking suspiscion it's more to do with age than anything else! I also discovered I took 447 photos, most of which are either fuzzy, yellow or just plain unbloggable! I sat on the huge Airbus 380 twice for 12 hours and failed to take a single picture of the staircase up to the first floor, I mean really how often do I travel on a doubledecker plane?! I did however manage to catch a few of the 'blues' that I so love Downunder. Brighton Beach with it's forever horizon.

This is the view from the cabin we stayed in at Akaroa, rather nice to get an upgrade and not have to pay the extra, that NEVER happens to me! The hills were looking a bit browner than usual after a long hot summer.


Birdlings Flat Beach where the stones are perfect for skimming, it's a rather windswept place with a thriving artist community

Diamond Harbour, so named for the sunlight dancing on the water. This is where I spent my summers as a child and my mother still has the batch some 40 years later.


The flags in the previous post were at the Wellington Zoo and I thought they looked so cool blowing in the wind.


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Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Belated birthday thanks

While I was away I had my birthday, well actually owing to the delay caused by the ash cloud I was in the skies on the very day! My dear QB5ers celebrated in my absence and I came home to assorted goodies!

This adorable altered matchbox from Patty


a sparkly sewn 'shine' ATC from Nathalie filled with tiny stars and glittery paper!



a folded birthday book from Linda (note the reference to eating cake)



and an apron from Carole, with cupcakes!


are my friends trying to tell me something or what?!!



Posted by PicasaThank you all so much for your wonderful wishes!

Monday, 24 May 2010

Filled to the max!

I've spent the past week trying to catch up on what seems to be a never ending 'to do' list! One of the things I wanted to show you for ages is this wonderful little matchbox that arrived from Jan shortly before I left for NZ.
Jan and I did a spontaneous matchbox swap which we themed 'vintage'. Jan altered a jig-saw piece with Queen Elizabeth I and filled her box with treasures, I love every teeny tiny one!

bursting at the seams, superb!

We bent the rules ever so slightly by wrapping lace around our boxes! look at the tiny pearls, swoon! Jan's box was completed by the fab tag below. Thank you for the most wonderful swap Jan!
Posted by PicasaI forgot to take pics of my box for Jan! she's kindly blogged about it here!

Saturday, 1 May 2010

Dress Up - May

Welcome to Dress Up in May!

the sun is shining and the flowers are flowering, finally!!! I used a page from an old gardening dictionary as my background for this month.


I ripped up an old paper napkin and rearranged the flowers before gluing them down



I have some very old paper string which can be unravelled to make numerous things, from elaborate flowers and garlands to tiny leaves





Posted by PicasaIt's amazing to think that next month we will already be halfway through the Dress Up project, and what fabulousness we've created so far! I'm planning a little surprise for you in June to celebrate our creativity! Thank you once again for playing along.