Bling!!

This year I have decided I really want to work on my 'pretty' accessory wearing.  For my birthday this past week I was gifted a card with instrucitions not to spend it on the kids .... today I went to have a nosy at the shop and what do you know, an accessory, not to chunky, in my style that would go with most of my outfits.  Better yet, majorly discounted!!!  So I have heaps left on my gift card still!  So blessed!!

Wedding bling doubling as a plaything for youngest miss

Birthday bling

Close up of bling bought for wedding

Friends

You know what ... I love my friends ... That's all.  Just so you know.  If you know me in person, or as an online persona, whether you've met me or not .... love to you all!  Special love to those who are on the end of a phone line while I  grapple with my bundles of fun!

Source

Source

 

 

Making and Baking

Been doing a bit of making and baking lately.  I am finding my groove a bit in the evenings.  For the past nine or some months (ok, lets be honest - 5 years and I've never been a huge night person) I have been heading to be between 8-9pm.  In the past few weeks I'm finding that I only actually start to get evening time at about 8pm, so it's been around 10ish by the time I'm tucked up and ready to snooze.

I am enjoying chatting to a dear friend on the other side of the world in the evenings - time differences mean chat happens around 8am or 8pm and 8am in our house doesn't work that well.  So that is some evenings.  Other evenings I have been trying out some sewing, and watching tutorials on U-tube.  I want to try shirring/smocking - so I am watching lots of tutorials on that before i give it a go.  I gave Miss M a look-see at my sewing material pile and said she could choose something for me to make a dress for her ... result 

Nice and cheerful for a summer's day!

 In the baking part of our home I have been cutting down on the very sweet things and trying to extend our family's grocery budget as much as possible.  In aid of this I have tried out Destitute Gourmet's English Muffins.  They worked really well.  I made some large mixed fruit/spice ones and I think they were even nicer. 

I have also trialled making our own muesli.  I have a few jars of applesauce in the cupboard and instead of having it with milk for breakfast the kids enjoy it on applesauce.  I haven't priced it out yet, but I'm thinking it will be similar in price to the bought stuff, but does have less sugar and more oats.  I used 250grams whole oats, 500grams quick cook rolled oats, 200grams sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds, cup of thread coconut, 2 Tbsp honey, 2tbsp olive oil, 2bsp peanut butter, 2tbsp brown sugar ... that's all approximate measurements as I just used 1/2 of each bag of things I'd bought.  Oh, and I added a small bag of cashew nuts at the end (would bump up price, not essential, but nice).  I toasted it in the oven in sets of five minutes before stirring.  Next time i'll do every four minutes and for a bit less time in total, I got distracted by a baby, so use the oven timer!!  Ours is slightly on the crunchy side, but still nice.  It tastes different to our usual shop one, but the kids and I are happy.  I will tweak it over the next few months hopefully until we get it exactly to our liking.

Late wardrobe Wednesday

Do you ever find that you have some clothes that you just put on in the morning and they set the mood/tone of your day?  This Wednesday was an at home, cleaning and tidying day.  It was also a day where all five kids apparently needed to undo the tidying as I was doing it and that didn't help my mood very much.

In the morning I shlopped (yes, I did just invent a word) on a comfy polar fleece and my trusty Warehouse trackies/yoga pants thing (honestly, they have the best hugs supportive waistband that does wonders for sucking your tummy in a tad).  It was colder so I even dug out a pair of socks which I noticed later both had holes in the heels.  These aren't pretty clothes, they are definatly not clothes I would go out in, well, not to town.  Have worn said trackies to best friends before - think that is ok?

I got B to take a photo of me part way through the day (hence the no head).  I admit, I was frazzled, grumpy, and over tidying.  Aunt Flo visiting had alot to answer for as well.  About 4pm I went to my (ok, our) room and changed into a pretty top.  AMAZING.  Instant makeover.  Didn't get a photo, but wearing my pretty top did make me feel much happier.  Should have made the effort at 8am ... moral of the story.  Wear something nice even if you're just cleaning the loo (and shower and bathroom and toyroom and bedrooms and deck and ... well, you get the idea).

Playing along with ....

Wardrobe Wednesday

Well, I'm getting to it.  It's an outfit and it's in a photo.  It wasn't the one I was wearing today, but on Saturday.  Never mind ... we'll get there.  At least I'm taking photos of me.

January 5 2013

Smart me thought I could take a pic in the front door.  I do like the way it turned out. 
Sun hat ... Waihi Beach Pharmacy, Feb 2010
Top ... op shop (originally from Pagani, it's a greyish purple silky feel top, makes me feel very pretty)
Jean shorts ... op shop (Girl Express brand) knee length, super comfy and I can wear them all week and then wash ... if I don't get puked on by baby.

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Shoes ... it was about 27 degrees so no go on the shoes.

I'm still figuring out this whole linking business ... bear with me :-)

Pretty with Intention

I read somewhere that someone (New Years resolution) was going to live more intentionally.  Sounds great!  But how does that apply to me.  The more I got thinking, the more I started wondering what things do I do intentionally.

Well, I often intentionally stack the dishes in the dishwasher to hide them, and then unintentionally forget to put it on, so the next morning fill it past full and put it on.  I intentionally put a DVD on for the kids so I can get some jobs done (and/or other things).  I often intentionally ring someone - just to pass the time of the day.  BUT I don't often intentionally got around trying to make our home look loved.  We're in a rental, and it's hard to put your own stamp on something that you don't own - well, I find anyways.  However, one of my goals for this week is to intentionally make my spaces a place where I will smile.

First stop.  The toilet.  Everyone has to use it.  With two small boys and a small girl toilet training, it can be a bit, how do you put this nicely, wet floorish at times - and smelly, despite a clean every second day and a spray and wipe numerous times a day.  So, in my Pinterest browsing (oops, nearly got sucked into that vortex last week ... someone save me!!!) I read to put a drop of essential oil on the cardboard of the toilet roll and it will freshen the room up.  Done, easy peasy.

Next step, found a preserving jar (called Mason Jars in the USA and on Pinterest), filled with agapanthus and greenery, some white tulle from my sewing cabinet = pretty arrangement in the window.  We'll see how long it lasts ... the last vase I had in there when we first moved did a week.  But, it makes me smile every time I go to the toilet, even if i'm just mopping up "I didn't make it on time."  Also I've put a picture on the wall as well. 

Pretty eh?

At our place

With summer here, I am really enjoying our place.  Yip, we're renting, but it is an amazing wee spot.  A bit of land for our sheep - which yesterday DH took to shearing.  When a dear friend passed away, his wife gifted DH his shearing gear and a portable shearing unit.  What a blessing.  That gift has enabled DH to really start his own business - as he can take the shearing gear to lifestyle blocks and do their animals.   We are excited to see what this year will bring for our family!

The bank garden is full of weeds, think weed-eater and roundup needed but in full bloom are many agapanthus

DH crutching a ewe

View of the portable unit

Black-face (I know, original name) she is a two year old ewe with heaps of character, favorite thing for her is a slice of bread and a good scratch behind the ears

The sheep waiting in the pratley yards for their turn.

The Great No-shopping challenge

Starting this  ...

 

Following these guidelines mostly ....

The Great No Shopping Challenge commenced on Jan 1 2013. Our aim is to only spend money on essential household expenses and save the rest. Some of us are doing a one week challenge, others two months.

My rules are (you may want to modify the length of the challenge for you):

1. No clothes shopping, toy buying, book depository shopping (my weakness), no craft supplies.
2. No thrift shopping, no markets, unless I'm window shopping.
3. Food, petrol, household expenses are allowed.
4. Gift cards are allowed but only up to the limit of the gift.
5. Any birthday presents needed during the challenge will be hand made (it's OK, I can make cool stuff).
6. The challenge starts January 1st and runs until the last day of February - maybe longer!

 I am going to do this for this month.  So far, pretty good with town day today.  Last month I picked up a Stax skirt and some pretty silver sandals from one of the local op-shops for $7 and today I did buy a top from an op-shop to match that for a wedding in a couple of weeks.  Since I haven't been to a wedding or anything fancy for the past few years, I honestly had no going out clothes (we're invited to the reception) and since there is another wedding 3 weeks later that we're also going to - plus reception - I think $14 in total for an outfit isn't too bad.

 Next town day is next week.  Goal for that will be to stick to grocery list, no extras - menu plan for two weeks, allowing for some baking.  Also I will need to remember to do packed lunches for us all. 

 Here is the link if you want to follow along with us!  

Wardrobe Wednesday

One of the things I have wanted to do this year is more blogging.  I've always admired Wardrobe Wednesday that my friend Jess played along with.  I do have a photo to add, will do that today, but while the kids are quiet and behind a DVD, I thought I'd muck about with the links ... might need to do a call to Jess later in the week to get some advice

First attempt at photo with timer ... top Maternity Direct, pants, Egg Maternity

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But ... what I'm wearing in the photo are my 'frumpy' home clothes.  Breastfeeding top - super comfy but not that smart anymore.  3/4 jeans from Egg Maternity.  Yip, I know my baby is 5 months BUT they are fitting and comfy.  Ideally I would like to be out of all my maternity gear but finances and comfort are constraints.  I would love to see myself wear more accessories just because rather than only when I go out.  No shoes as it is 7am in the morning, but since it's a home day and summer it will be bare feet unless I go outside then it will be glamorous gumboots.

Playing along here