Spring here at last

Spring is here at last,although still cold and wet I can feel and sense it in the air. Sunday is going to be 25 and sunny. Can't wait for tea in the garden,roses blooming and scents and smells of herbs and Spring flowers.
We have spent Winter decorating the house from front to back. It's been hectic with the painter in, mess everywhere,but it's just about finished thank goodness. So pleased with it all. Just waiting for our new curtains to be finished and nearly done.

I had my first attempt at laying tiles. Admittedly it was only capping tiles but am so proud of myself. I painted the whole bathroom and came up with the idea of painting half wall burgundy with pencil capping tiles. I am so pleased with the result.


I bought a crystal chandelier off the internet but am so disappointed with it. Apart from paying too much for it,it's not in the condition it should have been for the price. You know how it is,falling in love with all the droplets and sparkle only to find it isn't in good working order. The electrician said it would be far cheaper to buy a new one than fix it. Oh well lesson learned.

I have been sewing my little smocked dresses too and knitting little cardigans to match,just like Princess Charlottes,isn't she the cutest in her smocked dresses and cardigans.

I have a new hobby too, cake decorating. For my recent birthday my friend and I who get together at her home once a week and practice, made all the cup cakes. We were so pleased with them as we even made all the flowers for the decoration.

Needless to say they didn't last long with the family over. They took home a little parcel too.

We are planning the next batch now for my Grandsons birthday. I don't think it will be roses though.

Also I have decided to keep the crystal chandelier and put it up in  the sunroom. I'll post pics when its done. I also bought 2 new chandeliers today from Recolections. I am so pleased with them. I bought them to put up in the hallway. They don't have drops but I managed to purchase on Ebay 4 mtrs of crystals which I will attach to them. More pics of them to to come. The electrician is coming this week to install them. Can't wait.Almost done.

I am going to find time to visit my favourite blogs today
Happy week x jeanette ann

Spending time doing what you love

Autumn is still warm even though we are into the second month.

It's more like Spring and the garden is still blooming and looking so pretty.

To me, Autumn is cooler days and cold nights. Leaves turning golden on the trees and walks in the park scrunching them under your feet. But not this year,it's feels so strange.  Will we get Winter I wonder.

I spend my days doing all the things I love.

I love this time of year when one can spend time indoors or out whichever takes our fancy.

 We are so lucky in South Australia. We don't really suffer too many extremes like other parts of the country. Queensland is experiencing such terrible weather patterns, Cyclones and now floods.

I thought I would share some of the things I have made recently

A smocked romper. It was so difficult to apply poppers. They look so easy but very difficult to line up. I prefer buttons next time.

  

A little pink dress

Don't you just love it when you can just enjoy creating. One of my favourite pastimes is sewing baby clothes,especially smocking and embroidery.
Princess Charlotte is always dressed in smocked dresses,they are so sweet. It's nice to see little girls dressed like little girls.

I like to spend time in the veggie patch. It's not easy to grow organically. There is always something around that like to devour whatever is in abundance,like my little baby squash. I'm afraid I didn't get to pick any,we had a few rats who liked them. Ugggh you might say Rats,but yes we do live near a river and we do get them.


I also love to bake, bread is so therapeutic to make. Getting that lovely warm dough smooth,lovely to handle. Love it

Throwing in a few olives or sultanas and you have lovely gourmet bread. So good

Well I'm off to check out a few linky parties and favourite blogs.

See you soon. Happy week
Jeanette ann 

bits and bobs around home

I love pottering around in my sewing room and as I have collected an awful lot of scraps from the Christening gowns I have made, I decided to create some small items to use them up.

Bridal favours seemed the best choice along with some dolls blankets and baby bibs.

TheWeather has been so hot even though we are well into the first month of Autumn. The  garden doesnt know it's Autumn so keeps on blooming.

 This is our Dragon fruit with its first fruit.

The beans keep producing too

I will be visiting some of my favourite blogs today. See you there xx jeanette ann

Keeping busy inside during a heat wave

We are in the very midst of an awful heat wave. Over 40c every day this week. It's a bit hard to take even though we have aircon. The garden is taking a beating we have lost some veggies and some of the flower seedlings I planted a few weeks ago.
I always make my own bread but it is too hot to put the oven on. I decided to try making the bread and fruit cakes in the Webber Q not knowing how it would turn out.
I could only fit 1 loaf at a time in the BBQ so it took a while but everything came out lovely.

I love kneading the dough,it's warm and moulds under your hands and very meditating. I'm going to try a custard tart in the BBQ tomorrow,I found a recipe on Pinterest for a no crust custard tart,my hubbies favourite.
I also want to try homemade pizza too.
Our son bought us the Webber Q last year but we haven't used it much as we don't have anywhere to put it under cover. They recomend it not to be outside exposed to the wet weather,but not to be used inside only under a carport or covered pergola.   With the heatwave now in full swing we can leave it outside so it's getting lots of use and practice.

I also managed to get a few more squares done to add to my quilt. At least being stuck inside gets the jobs done.
I have this quilt on the bottom of the bed,but meant to make it the size of the whole bed but never got that far. I am determined to finish it this year at least.

Thats it for today now to visit some favourite blogs and linky parties and some new ones. The links are on my side bar
Hope you have a lovely day
xx jeanette ann 

Sewing room reveal

Good Morning blogger friends.
Well after a very tiring day decorating yesterday,I can now reveal the finished sewing room.
We were going to get the experts in to paint,but our lovely son said he would do it. He's a school teacher and on school break.  Hubby and I got into it too. Thank goodness I didn't have to cut in on top of a ladder 3.5 mtrs up. Hubby stood precariously up there a few times but after me nagging mmm I mean asking him not too,he relented and left it to the more fit younger one.
It took all day and I did I must say enjoy sitting on the floor painting the skirting boards, a more delicate task and kept the drinks and eats flowing.

I am so pleased with the end result,it's so fresh and as hubby says, it's probably the last time it will get  done. He thinks (or hopes) sometimes he forgets how impulsive I can be like painting the tiled hearth last year. I so regretted doing that because yesterday,I had to scrape the whole lot off as it had peeled. Never again will I do that.
Anyway,here are a few pics

All done and dusted and now time for me to enjoy my little haven.

Now I have some time to visit all of you and maybe some nice linky parties which I have neglected for some time. The links to some of my favourites are on my side bar.
I am going to spend some time visiting blogs I haven't been to before too. I'm quite looking forward to that to get some lovely inspiration.
 Bye for now.
xx jeanette ann
I am visiting A Stroll Thru Life linky party

Sewing room makeover

It's been so long it seems since this room which I so enjoy has had a face lift. So with the walls starting to crack and the paint fading, it was time.
The hardest part of realising this,is the thought of the mess and preperation.
The ceilings in our 1910 home are 3.5mtrs high,so at our age quite a daunting task to balance on tippy toes on top of a lader. Then it was decided we had to get in the professionals.
The plasterer has just completed his part and we were amazed at the quote of $200,bargain.
A friend had used him and said he was excellent.
Now to find a painter.
The fun part for me was do I stay with the lovely blue already there or have a change. I decided to stay with the blue as it is so restful and goes lovely with a cream trim.
I think the window frame will be painted cream too like the skirting boards.
When we got the windows replaced,it was decided to stain the window frame,but on reflection I think they need to be cream or antique white it's called.

I have put an undercoat on some tables and a bookcase and will top coat in the antique white when I do the trims after the painter has done the ceiling and walls. I am so excited about seeing the finished result.

A few years back we got some built in shelves for my sewing machine and all the storage. I have found them to be exellent so will keep them. I have been toying with the idea of getting some sort of bifold doors in front of them,but that's a little down the track. One thing at a time.

Well I will be back when the painter has been to show you the next stage

I hope you are having a lovely week and enjoying crafting or decorating or whatever makes you happy bye for now and hope to be back to blogging on a regular basis. I have neglected it for far too long

xx jeanette