Some hearts understand each other,

even in silence. 

💓💚💓💚💓💚💓💚💓💚💓💚

Good morning my wonderful friends! Felice Anno Nuovo = Happy New Year. I have to say I leave 2016 behind as having been a not to bad kind of year. If a year comes to an end and you have your health....it's got to be a good thing right? I have been doing fun things as 2016 winds down. We had fun yesterday hanging out at Chris and Neville's farm, enjoying the peacefulness, view and laughs. We went for a bumpy ride out to the rock pile and find just the 'perfect' rocks for my garden path. Thanks for the fun afternoon guys xx.

 

 In our hearts we are just kids!

A walk on the farm.....

 Yes Neville....the truck is red, I noticed! lol

 After enjoying some quality time at the Watson's farm the drive home was just as sweet. For miles we see the sight of the bales in the paddocks.

Some years ago I decided that surrounding myself with positive people who were good for my soul was the path to take. It was to be one of the best decisions I have made. When work broke up for the year, the gang and I decided to get together for brunch. We laugh together, banter, pull pranks on each other and love together. Each of these darlings bring such happiness to me, they're amazing.

              I am very lucky actually....there are many wonderful people at my workplace.

More loveliness....a beautiful Christmas gift from my favourite niece Lisa. I was just so wrapped to receive this delicate cup and saucer set. It's adorable thanks Lisa, I love it. It sits proudly on my antique tea trolley.

Here is Milo opening his gift on Christmas day. He sure did know what to do with his wrapped gift.

An indulgence of pavlova on Christmas day is something I could not refuse. I added cream and berries to the pavlova and I enjjoyed every bit of it. lol

I promised myself that these holidays would be spent restocking for the markets and here is the start. I've decided that perhaps the Marvel characters would be a good place to begin, so here is Captain America's beanie....

complete with the star on top.

complete with the star on top.

A wild thought came into my mind as I was sewing the head ties. I remembered how my customers love being baby beanies with matching booties, so I thought I would make up a little skirt to match some of the head ties.

These are newborn sizes for babies. I think they're sweet.

A trip down memory lane here, I take a secret photo of my favourite boys walking through the gorgeous island of Burano near Venice....

A look at the incredible textures and patterns of an ancient wine counter at Pompeii..

Definately one of the oldest things I saw in Italy (lol!)....oops! Is that my husband? Thanks for taking us on that wonderful trip to Italy old fella, you're the best.

Well, I'm off now to enjoy this beautiful day I have been given. Today I want to finish my garden path before it gets too hot. I will show it to you when I have completed it. I wish you all a happy day and love to you all.
Ciao, Anita.

Fire and rain

Let your smile change the world,

but don’t let the world change
 your smile.
 .

Good morning dear friends. I'm feeling pretty stoked on many levels: I've started my holidays, Christmas decorations are finally up, I've only just brushed my teeth but not my hair....I'm so casual! lol I'm feeling pretty blessed too because I received some beautiful, unexpected gifts in the mail yesterday.

Thank you so much Karen and Linda, I feel so special right about now. I'm blowing you both kisses and virtual hugs. Karen sent me a beautiful scrapbook Christmas card and felt tree decoration. Linda sent me some gorgeous crochet and handmaking books. I'm loving them all xx.

I have finally finished the crocheted girls bags I showed last post and here they are. They now have the buttons added and the lining stitched inside. I'm pretty happy with the way they have turned out and when I put them up for sale...there were a mountain of requests for them. So five have been sold. I'm still plugging away at some more of them. I'm hooked.

 

Last weekend we had quite a scare. Such  strange weather to say the least. Not too far from our house a bushfire had started...been started by someone....grrrr. You know the bushfire is a big problem when you hear the water helicopters in the air. Here are some photos of our brave fire fighters doing their best to keep us safe.

The view of the fire coming towards us.

Something peeking out from the grey smoke.....

We appreciate our wonderful fire fighters for keeping us safe. Thank you guys.

 

Just when you are busy worrying about the fire coming towards town..the clouds start coming in, it is now overcast and then...

We get rain, and we get thunderstorm. 

It is crazy.

I still look for anything positive in all this. The rain smells devine, it puts a damper on the bushfire, it is good for the garden, it brings a smile to me. Mother Nature came to the rescue. She didn't start the bushfire but she helped put it out.

Today I'm hoping to add to my library bag collection and make some more. I have some beautiful material just waiting to become something. 

Enjoy your beautiful weekend my friends, I am off now to wonder around the house and do the things I love to do. Love to you all.
Ciao, Anita.  
                                                                 

Speak with honesty,

think with sincerity,

act with integrity.

Hello dear friends.....I missed you all last week. My week was so busy that my feet ran one way while my head went the other. Throw in a visit to the dentist in the city, preparing for Christmas, having an all day market, preparing a new order for stock at the Visitor’s center and working full time = crazy.

This week is my last week of work and I also work four full days. It means busy time at work because the library pretty well gets cleaned and packed away. Book stands are taken off the shelves, toys packed away and desks moved to one side of the library so the floor can get a thorough clean.

In all this I have still managed to happily make some projects to help sooth my soul. Come with me and I’ll show you what’s been going on......

 I’m thinking of everyone’s waistline when I made these knitted Christmas puddings, the tag reads “No calorie Christmas puddings’. I placed these puddings on a napkin with a little fork and label and wrapped it up with cello paper. A cute gift.

 I’ve made some super cute little beaded doll brooches, these are my specialty. They really give the Christmas cheer.

 I just had to sneak in this gorgeous photograph of my creeper that is coming along nicely. Do you love the flowers? I do.

Some sweet knitted baby booties! Every spare second I knit up more booties or beanies for next year’s winter market. These go so fast.

My favourite project at the minute is crocheting little bags for girls. I am having so much fun with these. I’m using the variegated colours for the main section of the bag and then a solid colour for the straps. I add flowers using a brighter tone to pop it off.

 I fell in love with the little flowers. I made only five petals instead of six for this project but if you are interested in the crochet flower pattern, click here for the free pattern.

I can’t help myself....here is number two coming along. lol

 Here are lovely handmade library bags. I’m loving the bright colours I used to make them with.

 ......and here is the old stallion! Lol I won’t pick on him too much today, he has been quite good lately (which is a miracle) and in this photograph we were at a cosy little cafe settling our nerves before we went in to the dentist.

By the way....our visit to the dentist is better this time. I did say to one of my blogger friends that I would let you know how it went. Hubby got a warm hello and a few friendly sentences....I received a quick hello and just had to answer a few questions he asked me as he worked on my teeth. I responded only with yes or no answers. That was better than last visit. lol

How do you like this? A double yoker! Hubby was cooking breakfast and two days in a row he cracked open two eggs, both with double yokes. We get pretty excited about little surprises like that. lol

 Some interesting sculptures? In bright colours in the lovely city of Perth.

 We came across this character whilst in the city. How groovy is he?

I can’t resist showing off Heather the feather’s work of art. These are her specialty ....baby clutch balls. Very popular with the customers and very sweet. At least making these keeps Heather off the streets!! Lol 

Now that I have well and truly caught up on my blog, I am going to attack some ironing, have another cup of tea, visit my sister and then come home to stay inside. We had 43C here yesterday and today we are having a cooler 36C!!! It is the Australian summer after all. Lol

I throw you handfuls of love and beam to you warm hugs. Have a beautiful week my friends.

Ciao, Anita.