Greetings and Salutations

Well, it's new Years Eve and I am a little bit a lot sloshed. Usually I only drink on Christmas eve(once a year for you people who don't know how many Christmas eves there are, clearly you have had more than me to drink *hic*) but this cowboy drink for 14.99 is just the best thing since double choc coated Tim Tams so I decided to make my alcoholic bingeing a twice yearly event.
How is every one else holding up? Merrily I hope, whether it be with an ale in your hand or the hand of some one you adore.
Now what about those nasty New years resolutions eh? Well, I did them last year as pictured here.

Most were done but to be honest it was the easy stuff. I had a goal for myself to lose 20 kilos and I put on 8...... I wanted to paint the house but change my mind on colours so much it was too cold to do it.
Some one jokingly put a note saying "send Zack to a monastery" and he ended up in a remote town living with a bunch of guys..... *note to self* dont joke about goal stuff. As heart breaking as that was, another goal posted on the board simply said "peace" and funnily enough when Zack moved to the "monastery" this was achieved. Hard for a mum who loves her kids more than power tools to say but true. Another backwards resolution was " earn more money" . Ok so we did that, but we also owed more, what's up with that??? Oh and last but not least, my daughter wanted to pass year 10, which she did, with awards and all, then she quit...
Resolutions have too many grey areas and if they are not defined thoroughly , we as people will do anything to find loop holes to get out of them. I'm not dressing it up like some new age namby pambian, we FAIL.
So, with that in mind. I'm not doing a New years resolution. I am doing LAST YEARS resolutions and it is simply "achieve this year what you failed at last year"
And it starts today. not next year.
Anyhow, I will raise my glass which is now empty and wish ya'll the best for 2009.
Cheers Big Ears!! (of course you dont have big ears silly, its just my fav toast my brother does)

It will be a catching up on blogs day tomorrow. I am excited to be back on deck. Yep even excited about working again. I have been most creative. Nothing I have touched since my break has had anything to do with work. I feel invigorated.
Cant wait to dive back into the blogasphere( um how does one spell that word?)

See Ya tomorrow.

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Merry Christmas

I will be having a blogging and work break from 19th December until the 1st of January.

I have been looking forward to the 19th for such a long time and now it is here hasn't hit me.

I will be using this time to give all of my attention to my family, getting out in the garden more and reflecting on what I have learnt, achieved and failed at

in 2008 and what I expect from myself in 2009.

I wish each and every one of you, the lurkers, the regulars and the passers by a Happy and safe Christmas filled with joy and all things that make you smile.

I look forward to catching up on all of your blogs in the new year.

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I thought I had lost my friend

I mean seriously, where can an 84 year old that requires a scooter get to late in the afternoon? I started to panic when no one answered the door so I went to the main house to see what had happened to her and there she was, beaming from ear to ear, sitting on the couch holding her 1 day old Great Grandson.
I know she doesnt read blogs but I am marking this day for myself. The day my friend became a great grandmother for the 3rd time. Thats pretty wow!

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Trying new crafts

I dont fuss much over my wares being rejected by people who dont think it is thier taste in a shop but I am terrified of giving people a gift that I have made and wondering if they hate it to pieces and wont even use it but are telling me furfies about loving it.

Well, I am no beader. I can barely string a coherant sentence let alone a color co-ordinated string of beads. But Pam, who I am very very very fond of, gave me these and said she bought them and then didnt like them so I could use them.

I said I would try making her something out of the black and silver bits which she liked. Well here it is. Is it any better? Will she laugh at it? If I was putting it in a shop I wouldnt care because Im not around to hear people criticize me but I wanted my friend to like it, a lot.

Spotlight at Fountain Gate have a table of beads for $1 a bag so I grabbed 5 and used some to add a little colour to Pams gift. Looks like I have 100s left over!

Bargain!

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Impossible Pie

This is a one pan meal recipe given to me by Pam from the craft shop in August 07 and I reckon I have used it way over 10 times already.
Delicious hot or cold

IMPOSSIBLE PIE - Pams Version
Ingredients
4 Eggs
1 1/2 cup of milk
3/4 cup of pastry mix
1 cup of bacon diced
1 cup of grated cheese
1 cup of grated onion

Directions
Mix together eggs, pastry mix and milk
Add everything thing else
Mix thoroughly
pour into a 20 x 20 lasagna dish
Bake in moderate oven for 30 - 40 mins until golden or until knife comes out clean.
Optional extras- I also add a grated zucchini and a grated carrot.
Pam likes spring onions instead of Onions
No meat is necessary or you can put cut up sausages to make a variation of Toad in the Hole (Another family favourite)

Yummo!

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Insomnia

Its 1 am and I am obsessing over the state of my messy blog. Links lost, widgets missing and heaven forbid I should place something in the wrong order. Its not my blog keeping me awake though. Its the anticipation of my son coming home for Christmas and the fear of being a massive baby once again once he leaves again. This is a little heartfelt I know for a blog and from someone like me who would rather laugh at old episodes of Auntie Jack with paper cut out teeth strapped to a cat but I think it inappropriate to call some one at 1am and I don't have any sleeping pills. Could some one email me some?? joke of course. Anyhow. 2 more sleeps and insomnia wont matter. Its school holidays and I have never looked forward to them so much. I'm going to sleep in till 9 am whenever I feel like it. Hear that kids.... I'm not your mother til after 9 am. hmmmph well of course they cant hear me, its 1am and they re asleep.
nite nite bloggers.

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Nervously Poking around things I should probably leave alone

Ok I was just saying that I hope to see you all on the other side of me tinkering with xml thingy whatsits and then I get ERROR "you clicked too much" Way to scare me Mr Blogger. Hope this works. I want 3 columns and I want them now!

later : omg I did it. 3 columns!!! Now I must redecorate. It was so easy I cant believe I carried on like a pork chop and put it off for so long.

Later later: I am alot tired so I will have to fix it tomorrow. Now I feel like you do when your house is a mess and people come around. *yawn*

oh an before I shuffle off, Thanks curlypops for dropping in to help me out. Any help is always appreciated:)

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Reasons to shop at a real shop for Christmas

Well, here is the other half of my ponderings. It has been a busy few weeks and I have noticed on my blogroll that I am not the only one with less time available to blog.

This list is in relation to a post I did the other day which you can find here regarding my list of reasons for shopping online. Today I am faced with actually going to the shops physically so I thought I would list my ponderings on the good side of this too. I wonder what kind of shopper you are? Online or In Person or both? I think there is good and bad in both dont you?

Well here are my thoughts anyhow.

1.Real live human contact
2.Easy and faster return of goods to the store of purchase
3.The energy that is given off by a large crowd on a mission is exhilarating to some.
4.Customer service- you can demand as much or as little as you want and don't have to wait for email replies
5.You can demand better customer service on the spot
6.Instant gratification - we all love that:)
7.If you wait until the last minute you can get great deals on items.
8. No postage delays
9. No risk of item arriving in post damaged and then being unable to have it replaced in time.
10. Less risk of item not being as described.
11. Exercise. I wore my pedometer once and clocked up 17000 steps in one trip at Westfield Fountain Gate.
12. The Christmas Spirit can be quite evident in some stores which makes a lasting impression when you experience it in person. This is the feeling you would definately get at the craft shop where I worked.

lets see how I feel in about 4 hours time lol

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Grade 6 Graduation 2008

Is it just me or are the girls looking more elegant now? I am unable to show pictures because you are not allowed to take pics of school kids but I was so impressed with how beautiful these grade 6 girls looked. One young lady was wearing something I would have expected to have seen on Audrey Hepburn. Some of the boys wore tuxedos, wow.
So there goes my 3rd child, off to high school. Well done Dallas John!
Congratulations to all the kids this week that are enjoying their last few days of Primary School and brace yourself mums for the teenage years we are about to endure:)

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Its all good now

Thank you !

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Mission Accomplished :)

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15 Evironmentally and Consumer friendly reasons to do Christmas shopping Online

1. Conserve fuel - It wont last forever you know and the posty was coming your way anyway.

2. Reduce Pollution. I don't know if you are aware of this or not but CARS POLLUTE the environment... OK so I am being facetious there.

3. Reduce packaging from the seller - Many online sellers recycle packaging, particularly craftsers and the like.

4. Reduce packaging as a seller or sender of gifts - Whether it is used once or repeatedly, reuse packaging that you have received with your parcels.

5. For example - Aussie Post Cardboard boxes. As long as you remove or cover any previous information you can re use it. And what about that bubble wrap, come on guys, that stuff has a lot more life in it than one trip in the post.

6. Reduce the risk of Car Park rage. - oh don't you scoff at that one. I have seen perfectly rational women waving clenched fists and threatening all kinds of abuse over a stupid car park slot.
7. Reduce wear and tear on your car, tyres, shoes and nerves

8. Reduce your carbohydrate intake - seriously, how much crap do you consume when you go to the shops if you haven't prepared in advance for when hunger pangs start

9.Reduce foot pain - tell me your feet don't hurt after trekking around distances that surpass a small hiking trip in shoes designed for mannequins

10.Save money - there are some absolute bargains online and you can compare prices quicker and with less effort at now cost before you make the final purchase.

11.Reduce impulse shopping - Impulse shopping and then experiencing cognitive dissonance later on.

12.There is no reason many bricks and mortar shops cant offer online options to buying their products so don't feel bad for them, they are behind the times.

13.Online shopping gives you more variety

14.You can do it in your lunch break or while your boss isn't looking ( I take no responsibility if you get caught - shame on you) Also, try not to get mayo on the keyboard..yucky

15.With all of that time, money and the environment you have saved, take a walk and smell the Ozone while you wait for the posty. Even better if you live in the Northern Hemisphere where it is freezing or even snowing. Stay in by the fire and let the postman freeze his butt off.

Most important of all, whether its online or in a shop, enjoy yourself and

Have a Merry Christmas

Disclaimer: These are based on my opinions only and because I know that I am not really the ruler of the world even though it quite clearly says that on my business description, I totally understand that you may have different opinions or information in your world.

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So you thought you could get out of Christmas?

Not Bloody Likely!!

Next year I am buying a fake tree and decorating it and storing it fully decorated.

K Santa, when you pass by my house fill my bag with important things that I need please. Motivation

Good Health

A miraculous loss of 40 pounds

Endless energy

Laser beam focusing skills

and NEW TEETH

OK ?. I put it right near the door so you cant miss it.... Don't let me down, I have been very very good this year, well um except for the
lack of motivation, too much chocolate, refusing to exercise and staying up way past my bedtime.
Santa doesn't need to know that thought right?
I have 12 days left to be good so that Santa gives me what I want for Christmas...

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Online Christmas Shopping

I am one of the millions that embraced Online shopping years ago and I get looks of horror from some of the dearies where I work because to them it is a well known fact that the Internets are evil and people will rob your bank account every time you enter personal information like your pets name. But still I persist, even knowing these horrors and I am appreciative of their genuine concern for my new fangled habits.

I cannot, however, imagine anything more fun than parcels arriving from all over the world containing items that were half the price even with postage or so different that you know your gift will surely amaze.

If not for online shopping I could not have bought My US husband a Miami Dolphins T shirt which not only made him feel extra special but made me look like the best wife on earth. That gift guaranteed me many coffees over the holiday season, not that I had that agenda when I gave it to him but what the hey, I'm not going to pass up weeks of coffee's being made for me by a grateful husband.

It also adds to the excitement. Kids or spouses see the parcels and ponder over its contents "is that for me?", "wow, who is getting something from Yekaterinberg?

Most of us that are old pro's at online shopping are aware of the shortfalls, however, I thought I would make a list of things that I take into consideration before hitting that ACCEPT button just in case someone passed by my blog and had been pondering this very subject.

These are tips for shopping online just from my own experience. This is my own version of lists that I tick, not based on any advice from experts so it is up to your judgement to decide whether these tips are of any use to you. I have provided links for you to browse through at the bottom.

1. Always leave enough time for the goods to arrive in time if they are for a specific date.

2. Watch the postage costs. Sometimes it just isn't worth it.

3. Do some research on the company you are buying from. It doesn't take long and its a lot less effort than driving to a store.

4. Be wary of companies that don't offer a Contact Us page with a phone number or address. Even online business's operate from somewhere

5. Read the fine print. What kind of warranty or guarantee comes with this product and if it does break how hard will it be to return it to its place of origin, bearing in mind a lot of people will make you pay postage for returns initially.

6. If something goes awry, contact your bank or credit card people as soon as possible and let them know. We had a very large company stuff us around and Amex got onto them as soon as we had given reasonable time for the company to comply and our money was refunded. This is just an example of a personal experience and was not based on any expert knowledge of what to do on my behalf.

7. Always ensure you are dealing through a secure website. Look for the padlock symbol at the end of the URL line when you are at any page where you are giving credit card or bank details.

So these are the 7 things that I have noted that I do written up in a very informal list just for you to get an idea. For some really in depth and more precise information try these links.

ACCC ( the big guns)
Consumer Affairs Australia
Consumer Direct - Good user friendly information
What does the Padlock or HTTPS Symbol mean on my Browser?
I tried finding a good link to BBB guidelines but could not find one and with my fishbowl attention span I gave up when I was 4 pages into their site. Boring. Come on BBB, I have shopping to do, I cant be clicking through your site all day.

The Aussie and the UK ones give great information and places like that are there to assist you should you have exhausted all avenues when an issue with a company does arise.

Just remember, and I don't need any kind of education or expertise to tell you this, but
an online shop is just a shop that is online. Expect everything from an online shop that you expect from The Prancing Pink Pig Emporium bricks and mortar store.

Happy Shopping, whether its online or "in real life"...enjoy!!

And beware those Internets!

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Op shop love

I went looking for a round mirror to add to my wall of round mirrors and found these darling little Servex Oven dishes. So light, so delicate and so little even though they look big in the photo.

50 cents each. Yay me!!

2 more weeks until I am no longer working at the craft shop which is right near my fave op shop. My traditional Thursday thrift shopping day is soon coming to an end.

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Oh Christmas Tree

Since Sunday it sits there, taunting me, pleading me and inviting me to decorate it.

But I cant be bother. I wonder if I just got struck off the nice girl list for saying that out loud. I hope Santa doesn't blog.

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Vintage Key Tree

Work in progress

with 61 vintage keys, a dead snowball tree that didnt make it through the drought, a cracked vase and numerous rocks and shells handed to me by my children over the last 17 years, the Vintage key tree adorns a corner table casting shadows from candles lit below and moving mysteriously to some unseen breeze.


I cannot take a picture that isnt ruined by the flash and the sun refuses to shine and I cannot wait to repaint my walls white this summer.

As you will note, it isnt finished. Threads still dangle, the candles are long burnt out and its certainly not a picture worthy of note but thats OK because I know with you guys I dont need to put on a show when I do show and tell. Just wanted to share my tree with you:) I have seen a sequined butterfly wire thingy in the garden centre around here that I have to have to put on a branch.

The origin of the keys (in answer to your question Aisha)

I did not know their owner but they belonged to a man that horded things like myself and when he died his wife loaded everything from his shed up in the trailer and donated it to our woodworking club. I bought them for $5.00, a box of vintage locks with the working keys attached and an awl with a basic hand turned handle that he may very well have turned at the club. I sat and pondered that day at morning smoko about what happens with our collections when our kids or family see them all as junk and I was grateful that this lady thought to give it away to someone who would find it as treasure. One day my collections of tools, bits and bobs will end up in a trailer but that's OK, as long as they end up somewhere and not in landfill.

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Vintage Key Tree

The pictures I take tend to ruin the ambience and the clarity of the warm light and the play of shadows. The keys move mysteriously all on there own which is mesmerizing. All 61 of them. The vase is filled with items collected by my children from beaches, footpaths and various other places. If they saw it as beautiful enough to present to me(yes, even gravel) well I saw it as a gift and can never part with it. Still a work in progress and a pleasant distraction from the ever nagging need to decorate the christmas tree.

Here is the tree.

Naked

Im not big on christmas. To me, and I know people will gasp in horror, its all about the presents. Giving and receiving. People just dont say it out loud. That is all it represents to me and this tree is a symbol of something we place the presents under. I dont care for family gatherings, dressing up, driving on roads with drunks in abundance and I can bet there are more people like me( except for the shallow all about the presents thing) than there are who love the whole christmas thing. Religious people not included, I cant speak on behalf of them, Im talking about the 1000s of Aussies who dont even know who that Jesus bloke is and who just see christmas as one more yearly expense like registration.

Many a son or daughter will drag themselves to a xmas dinner and not be thankful for the xmas roast but for when the clock strikes a suitable and appropriate time to leave. Im in it totally for the Boxing day bargains.

So I will take my merry little self off and force myself to get in the mood to mess my house up with gawdy green and red.

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Vintage Keys. Trying to unlock my inspiration.

To you, these may seem dirty, old and useless. To me, I see a lamp shade, window dressing or a wind chime. The sound that the keys make is simply beautiful. I threw the glass beads in with them one day and instantly thought of light reflecting through the keys and crystals to create patterns. How to get the patterns, light and sound all together is the conundrum.
I cant wait to make up my mind which. I think I am having more fun mulling over the possibilities

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Pink and Brown. Never a frown

I posted the last of this fortnights eBay items today. Funny how the universe works. One minute I am reflecting on the standing stillness of my business and the next minute I haven't had time to sit for a week.
eBay is a very iffy venture. I made very little on items this week that I may have made a lot on last week. It is a fickle market. I should know, I am part of that market that other eBayers depend upon to bid.
So with my package posted, and a quick hello in passing to 3 people I knew that had errands in town also, then I was off to scrounge for supplies. I wonder how all of you hand makers or buyers of handmade are going this year. I intend to surpass my efforts last year in that front.

I scored some of the most luxurious fabric from the Curtain and Drapes store scrap bin for $2.00.

I pondered as I took this photo. The colours of these fabrics reflect my colour scheme at home.

Can you remember all of your colour scheme changes as you got older? I can.

First was the eclectic hand me downs that didn't match one bit. (things people pay big money for now from the 70s lol)

Early 20's everything was Black.

mid 20's pink....too bad I had my house build when I went through this phase, 30's I went green & pink and now my 40s, Brown and a tiny splash of very pale Pink.
I wonder if this colour pattern that I am seeing is a reflection of my tastes changing or myself just becoming B O R I N G ! Argh.....

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Plastic Bag. Lost and found.

Dear Mr/Mrs Polluter
I believe that you have lost your plastic bag.
Well I found it in my climbing rose. Care to come and get it?
Yours Sincerely
Melanie


This could have been prevented if the perpetrator had only made the responsible decision to buy a bag from one of the many bag makers on Etsy, eBay, made it or Coles for cryin out loud, they sell calico ones! Buy my bags or someone else's, I don't care, just buy a real bag that isn't made of plastic.

P.S This message is most definately not meant for you lovely people who I know would never do such a thing.

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Craft IQ Seems there is a quiz for everything!!!

This is why I don't have an empire like Martha Stewart yet.


Craft IQ

You got 6 out of 10!
You really know your crafts! Your IQ falls in the mid-range, but keep crafting and learning new techniques and you'll be on top soon enough!

Are you up to Martha's standard yet?? Take the quiz here

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Buckeye recipe for Aussies

This is what they should look like

Picture courtesy of All Recipes

Buckeye Balls recipe translated for Aussies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs (Arnotts Marie Biscuits)
1 cup confectioners' sugar (Icing Sugar)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (Cole's choc melt buds worked the best)
2 tablespoons shortening(oil) (I never add it, too lazy)

DIRECTIONS
Combine peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs(Marie biscuits), and confectioners' sugar(Icing sugar) in a bowl or a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roll teaspoonfuls of peanut butter mixture into balls. About the size of a Large marble Refrigerate until ready to dip in melted chocolate.

In Australia FREEZE THEM until ready to dip
Melt chocolate chips and shortening together in the top of a double boiler until very liquid. Using a tooth pick, dip each ball into chocolate leaving just the very top of the ball exposed. Set on a greased cookie sheet, setting each ball on the peanut butter end. Refrigerate(FREEZE) until the chocolate is firm. They only take about 5-10 mins to thaw here. I use the freezer because they tend to melt way too quick in our Summer which is when I make them.

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Buckeye binge

I suffer from binging. Once a year I make Buckeyes for my husband for our Down under Thanksgiving and once a year I binge so much I am in a sugar coma for days.

For all you peanut butter and chocolate loving Aussies out there you really should try them.

Just remember to replace graham crackers with Marie biscuits unless you know where to get graham crackers, if so please please please tell me where.

I have been working by the way. Very hard actually and I can prove it but just not right now, I am still in a coma

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A door closes. Another one opens.

The Narre Warren Community Craft shop is closing its doors after 21 years.
This is where you would have found me over the last 2 or so years on a Thursday. Knitting, laughing, chatting about what we were making, what charity we were helping next and drinking lots of tea and coffee. We were all volunteers, from all walks of life who valued the community spirit. There just wasn't enough interest in local craft to keep it open in this area so the hard decision was made. The shop had to close.

Now I am completely free of any volunteer duties. Last year I gave up the Newsletter and hand balled it to the lovely Elsie and I stopped making toys for the local kids and I ceased helping out with the local centres admin.( I only lasted a month due to complete utter boredom but hey, volunteers need stimulation too and not the office politics kind. If I am going to have all that garbage then I want to be paid for it :P)

All of the above things I chose to start and I chose to finish except for the craft shop. Like the blog post says though. One door closes and another one opens. I do believe one is opening already. Better things ahead!!

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And the winner is...

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Last Day for Handmade Crafty Giveaway

The winner of these cutesy cupcake and poptart-ish magnets will be drawn tonight so you still have time. 15 hours actually!!! Click on sidebar for link.
Good Luck

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Fantastic Friday - reflections of a working stay at home mum

7:30am

I have reflected this week on where I am going with my business.

Where will I sell my product?

What is my product?

Who am I even?

Well all of those questions are answered in my business plan. Thank goodness. So all I need to do is grab it and reacquaint myself with it.

Today is my designated admin day. I don't have a lot to do because I haven't generated much business which is probably the reason for my reflections. My goal was to generate enough income to support a family of 6 should it all fall to me to do so. There is a real urgency in this task and it wasn't an idea born from me just wanting to play grown up business person stuff.

As I have stated before, we would all starve and be homeless if they were to rely on me now. It has been over a year and complacency and inertia have become my main obstacles.

I would love to hear from people in this situation or people who arnt but just want to tell me to get off my fat arse and work harder or smarter.

note* Whilst this may not seem like a Fantastic Friday it actually is. A day of reflection and re-assessing can ground you and refresh your sense of purpose.

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A little bit alot miffed

Oh hi there. OK, so I am walking down the street to my house and it is the 19th of November and what do you think I saw.... some one, who is working of an entirely different calendar to me, has all of their xmas decorations , tree and lights up..... I don't know why but that bugs me.

I just walked for an hour by the way so everything bugs me. I totally and absolutely hate exercise.

Wish I was more like my friend Aisha who loves exercise and was so fit when I last saw her and clearly doesn't consume the quantity of carbs that I do....must keep walking....... be back later with On My Desk.

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Um can you say 作ってみよう：fil2：株式会社 フジックス?

I just found the most gorgeous Japanese sewing site with free patterns and I'm giddy. This is also my first "blog this" attempt. Yay me

作ってみよう：fil2：株式会社 フジックス

Ok now I do confess, I did think it would show the whole page. I mean it did say Blog this Page.....

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Coffee and a chat...

Hi there. Just dropping in for a quick coffee and a chat. Well that's what a blog really is isnt it, a chat of sorts? I am making drawer freshers at the moment and I keep forgetting to make me some. Do you ever do that? Totally forget that you would really really love it if someone made you one of these things you are making for some one else......
I thought I would try a cupcake shape one since I am cupcake obsessive at the moment. I am starting to resemble a cupcake actually and at 3pm I have TOLD myself that I have to get on the treadmill. GASP, the treadmill isnt an ornament?

I'm not sure what scent I will put in these. The colours make me think Melon or some kind of fruit. Something nice that wont give me a headache. Don't you find some scents are so cheap that you are left with a migraine? Don't worry, I can't have those kinds near me so I have to use good quality fragrant ones or pure oil essence. Preferably pure oil.

I'm on a bit of a "get fit" campaign at the moment. Not just on the outside but the inside. Hence the treadmill. (my inside voice just moaned in objection at the mere mention of the treadmill"

Ill be honest though right, I got on it at 1pm but lasted 10 minutes because of boredom, wanting to lay down and sleep and just not enough will to live if I have to use the darn thing, ever.

OK well I better run ( not literally because if I did I might cark it" and carry on my my list of things I have to do today.

Have a good evening

Ta ta

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My Garden 2008

My Garden 2008
Originally uploaded by nundecreations

I think my pelargonium collection has expanded somewhat, however, just like you can never have too much fabric, you can never have enough of your favourite flower

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Fantastic Friday

More cupcake patty pans than you can poke a stick at

I have been busy:)

Dont forget to enter in for my free giveaway. Come on!!! ITS FREE :)

p.s I tried so hard to make a header today but it was gigantic. oh well. who needs a header anyhow right???.....

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More Pelargonium Love

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I have nothing to say

So I will show you what I saw on the way to my shed today

Yeah, it's tough working in this environment.

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It's Gonna be a Stinker today Melbourne

32degrees Celsius in fact.

Not really that hot I know but consider where I work. A shed with a tin roof...

So, after a nutritious breakfast of coffee and potato chips, which is probably why I am a little bit alot overweight, I set off to get equipment needed from my shed to bring inside to work.

I have been a little grouchy lately and I think I know why

Today I have to go to centrelink to get my daughter on Youth allowance which I have put off for a year. I hate centrelink. I didn't even bother with my son when he turned 16 but my daughter needs it to help pay for her education. Well I need it really since I am paying for it. OK OK, my "enabler" (my new pet name for my husband) is paying for it

We are so lucky in Australia that we get so much assistance(even though it is our own tax money paying for it) so I am going to shush and be grateful because right now my nunde empire is not at the point where I can be totally financially independent. But mark my words, one day I will have the freedom to chose whether I need the assistance available. Oh yes indeed. But until then....

Here is my fence

No reason for the picture except I love the pattern.

See how easily I get distracted

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Trashy Talk

Yes, it is Trash talk Tuesday again and I cant wait to share what
Crafty Daisy is doing with trash. Just brilliant. Check these bags out.

More great work

Trash bags.com.au and for other green ideas
Great Green Goods
More links to tingle your enviromentally aware bone

Green on a budget: A sampler of sustainable products

Busting the plastic bag recycling myth

Events raise awareness about the harm of plastic bags

One question I want to ask, should you even be this far into my blatant enviro naggin blog, is this.

Do you really need that one plastic bag to carry that tiny item home from Coles or any other huge Grocery store? I see people still opt to say YES when asked "would you like a bag for that Sir?"

For one bloody item.........


Shame on you who do that.

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Its an eBay kind of day

Monday is almost over and I have excelled.

House clean, as required by the book of rules and time management for running nunde. Then eBay item pictures taken, scanned, edited and described ....press upload and voila

If you are looking for a bargain I have some old fashioned patterns(new but old) for dolls and bears going out in my 99 cent auction. Mind you, bears never go out of fashion. A few of the links are in my sidebar.

Anyhow. I'm back in my eBay business which I love doing. At least I don't have to rely on my creative mojo to list and sell on eBay. It is because my mojo is lazy that I have to rely on eBay for the time being. Well a girl needs to get new teeth don't ya know and last I heard there was no teeth world.

I curse that ad. I really thought it WAS a new supermarket for false teeth, you just drop in, pick out a movie star set and off you go. Bargain!!

Alas

There is no teeth world

but.....

there is a *&^%^ Toothpaste World

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Fantastic Friday

inside voice says in a Yorkshire accent "Come on Team nunde, put your back into it. Today is admin day and your not gonna get away with fobbing it off another day. I'm on to you ya lazy git, so get off yer big butt and do some work"...

OK OK, sheesh my inside voice is so bossy and sounds a lot like Joyce

Insert Enya "in memory of trees" cd for admin inspiring ear candy.

6 hours later... not done yet, sick of Enya and I have a work induced headache

and I still have to start on my eBay business paperwork.

Looks like it's Pizza for tea

One day, when I have an empire, I will employ people to do admin for me... "OK stop dreaming and back to work.." There's that inside voice again...

I got Mail!

Hey, check out what I got for free with my Print Gocco starter kit that I got in August. Its a freebie and I got it just for registering for my 12 month warranty. Yay for freebies. I love great customer service. They even emailed me to ask how my first print went to which I replied um, I havent gotten to use it yet. Shame on me.

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Trash Talk Tuesday

Tuesdays are now my days to report what people do with trash and trash ideas.
Refashioning, recycling and reusing are the new black and I hope it is here to stay.
If you are a consumer with a conscience then you might find some interesting stuff on my new Tuesday addition. I wont be doing much writing, just providing you with stuff that I found worthy of noting.
Brilliant Bags
Eco-chic a matter of choice
Wearing rubbish has never been such a great idea!
'Green' designer uses recyclable materials in fashion
How to make bag out of wrappers
Green gifts
'Gifts of Green' at Winter 2009 Edition of California Gift Show(R)
An Interesting comparison for school mums regarding the debate between using foil or plastic is here - I found the aluminium difficult to clean after use which then deems it un recyclable so I am sticking with lunch paper for now. It goes straight into my compost, yucky half eaten lunches and all.
I hope these links provide you with some useful information or inspiration.

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3 Posts to go

Nearly 200 posts!!. I am going to do a give away. Something small and cute and affordable to post. Last time I sent a freebie it cost me $9.60 postage and the ungrateful so and so didn't even say thank you or reply to any of my "did it arrive safely" emails. Even an honest "oh I got it thanks, but its crap sorry, but thanks anyhow" would have shown more manners.

I wonder if any of you have experiences blog rudeness like that?

So I will shrug off my bad give away experience and give it another shot.

ROIGHT (as the original and only Kath and Kim would say it) I actually did some work today. Bag work I mean, which is what I am, a bag maker. I love a good standy uppy tote bag. Now to make the other 199 of them. Is that a tune I hear " 199 standy uppy bags on the ......." OK I worked in the garden most of the day and I am clearly sun struck.

Bougainvillea and Roses on a windy afternoon.

Oh and a Big HELLO to Elsie. Thanks for stopping by and for all of the encouragement!

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I have been tagged!!! Im it?

Lavender from The Birds and the Beads tagged me for a meme and I will do anything to get out of debating the length of the handles on the 3000 totes I am about to make so what the heck eh?
OK so I reckon I know how these go now since I have been blogging for over a year now ( oh yeah I'm pro now matey)

7 Facts about me

I believe that hiding lentils in children's food is a form of child abuse
I am aiming to be as round as I am short and I am slowly succeeding.
I think I have super powers when I wear my glasses
Old men walking old dogs make me teary.
I learned what the word hubris meant today
I cannot say Ohio
When I talk in my head, which is alot, it is always in the accent of the last person I spoke to.

I am unable to tag at this time because the people that I would feel comfortable tagging have already been tagged by me in the past and I don't want to overstep my blogging welcome. I will of course greedily await other people tagging people and read their memes with great enjoyment.

Cheers all!

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Almost

I almost finished a bag I was designing

I almost posted something I have been doodling quite a bit lately

I almost finished some folded swing tags for my cupcake candles
But I stuffed up the bag I was designing

and I couldn't make my doodle have a white background so it looks crappy

and I got a bit sick of fiddling with settings to make my tags work.

So I am having a little bit of a break to avoid feeling deflated.

Tomorrow I will realized that I have actually almost finished so much today which is way way better than saying I haven't started anything at all.

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1 and a half hours later

OK so its a miracle.
Thanks to advice from Fly Lady
And revising time management advice from the business courses I have done plus some motivation from Motivation 123
I now seem to have learned skills from all of the above to manage my time and chores better and that's why now it takes 1 and a half hours a week instead of a whole week to clean. I mean like CLEAN clean.
I don't know how other establish self employed people do it but I couldn't have worked it out on my own, I'm far too "Oooooohhhhhh Colours"
I wonder how you girls manage kids, business, work and all the cleaning and cooking? oh and gardening, finances, home handy man stuff......the list goes on.

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nunde Monday

The urge to sew today is so great it is almost like an obsessive compulsion yet today is my designated domestic cleaning day. So what does the self employed do? Veer from the time management sheet so well thought out or stick to it, knowing that any deviation will cause chaos to my weekly roster. Oh the dilemma.
I know what to do...
Clean really super fast
then say to my self
"self we have time left over and our jobs are done so we are free to sew"
yes, that will work.
Now to find my techno housework CD for some really fast cleaning motivation.
yeehaaaw off I go !

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