How nice!

Oh my!

Lee over here is a new visitor to Number 10, and contacted me at the weekend to tell me he'd given me an award.

Thanks Lee.....that's really sweet of you.

As part of accepting this award, I have to divulge 7 interesting things about myself.

Hmmmm, not sure how interesting they're going to be, but I'll give it a go.

1. I didn't get married until I was in my 40's.
2. I never get enough sleep.
3. I once owned 5 cats...all at the same time
4. My grandfather was a bare knuckles boxer in his early days.
5. Apart from my regular job, I do part time work for a company in New York.
6. I have a "thing" for shoes, fabric and dress patterns
7. I often sing at the top of my lungs when I'm home alone

I'm also going to nominate 7 lovely bloggers who brighten my day...but I'll do that a little later. It's back to work for me right now.

Have a good one.

Need Hair? Yeah Yeah !

Over the past few weeks we've been having the pleasure of this little guy's company. He flits in and out and has been very elusive.

He really has a face that only a mother could love.

Need a closer look?

Cute huh?

I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to take a good photo of him. I got one of him flying away and another having a quiet moment in the back garden... but none were in focus...and I didn't get a close up view till today...and it was all thanks to MONT. He set my camera up at a strategic spot in the back room, washed the window and said let her rip...so I did.

When he first appeared I wasn't sure what sort of bird he was....he was completely bald. Now he has this cute tuft of hair on his noggin.

Yep, we sure attract them at Number 10.

AWOL

I admit it. I've been remiss in my blogging duties. I'm sorry but I do have an excuse.

Apart from work, I've been organising a trip so MONT and I can attend a wedding. In Ireland. In June. Yes I know, it's a long way to go but we said we would so, we are.

The timing isn't perfect for us, seeing we'll only be returning from another trip in early May, but that's just the way it goes I guess. One part of the timing that is perfect though is that I'll be able to catch up with a girlfriend who'll be there at the same time. She lives in Sydney and I haven't seen her since our wedding, six years ago....but she'll be in southern Ireland at exactly the same time as us. Amazing huh?

Anyway, that's what I've been up to.

On another note, I have a big thank you for Amanda at Homely One

Amanda emailed me to tell me she'd given me an award. AN AWARD! The SUNSHINE AWARD!

The rules of the award are:

1.Put the logo on your blog or in a post

2.Pass the award on to 12 fellow bloggers

3.Link to the nominees within your post

4.Let them know they have received it by leaving a comment for them

5.Share the love and link to the person who gave you the award

So I'm following the rules and doing what I'm asked of.

Now to my 12 fellow bloggette's who I'll also pass this award onto.

I have quite a few blogs that I list on the right hand side of my blog, but to be honest, I don't check all of them every single day.

There are a few that I do though, and that's because I really love them. They aren't all about decor or decorating with white.... but the one thing they do all have in common is that they brighten my day. I feel like I know their authors because they make me feel as though they are inviting me into their lives and homes.

Can't get any better than that

So, here are some of the blogs that make me feel like I'm home:

1. April at A City Girl in the Country

2. Mimi at Mimi Charmante

3. Rose at Able Mae

4. A-M at Cape Cod Designs

5. Karen at Cavania

6. Brismod at Fun and VJ's

7. Tina at Rubies Place

8. White Dove at White Dove

9. Kitchen Hand at What I Cooked Last Night

10. Millie at The Laurel Hedge

11. Stacey at Stacey Snacks

12. Michelle at Michelle Made This

I hope you all enjoy your awards...and I have to say Thank You to everyone who makes me feel welcome into their lives and blogs.

Mantle scaping

I love looking around houses because I love getting ideas from other people who are, well, super talented when it comes to all things decor. Over here you can see some great examples...as well as here, where Amanda has shown us around her lovely home.

...and Tina here is also an inspiration. I love her place and checking out her projects!


Me? I tend to paint everything white or off-white and then add some bits and pieces for interest. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Like the time I though black cushions would look FAB and add contrast and "interest" on the stone coloured sofa and chairs. Unfortunately, I failed to realise that the dog and cat hair would make them look like mohair after just a couple of days, so they were removed, pretty quickly.

Anyway, I digress.... Today I begin a very limited tour of Number 10. Limited because not all of it is worthy of public viewing...I begin with the mantle in the living/lounge room....and yes, we are without a heater at the moment.

The black hole here used to house a gas log fire, and my job over the next few weeks is to get a new one. The hearth was covered in charcoal slate, but MONT removed it and will re-do the hearth in sandstone, because we have some left over from the outdoor paving.

The clock was a bargain from Oswald Sealy in Johnston St.Fitzroy, which is well worth a visit.

These birds were a Christmas gift a couple of years ago... and the two "vases" were a bargain from a place called Albi Imports. If you're looking for home wares, then a trip to the Albi Imports outlet store in Chifley Drive, Preston will duly impress you.

...and the pears...well, I love their fluid shape. I can't remember where or when I purchased them, but whenever I see fruit shaped items like these, I have to have them.

Have you ever.....

...looked in the mirror one day and wondered where that girl had gone?

I did yesterday when I came across this old photo while cleaning out a drawer. I was just 24 when it was taken at a dinner dance. Remember those?

I still remember the dress I was wearing too. It was all plummy and purply pinks with some black for contrast.

I looked at it and it sort of made me feel a bit "old". Then I thought, nah, you're only as old as you feel and I still feel 24.

Henrietta

I found a nice (temporary) frame for her and placed her on top of my rescued chest of drawers in the living room so everyone can enjoy her.

I think this is where she'll stay until the bedroom is renovated, then I'll rethink her position and frame.

Oh. My. God!

I am one very happy Mail Exchanger today!!

This parcel from Virginia was waiting to greet me when I arrived home.....

...and this is the beautiful gift that was inside it...

Lovely huh?

I almost cried when I peeled back the cardboard and saw this Janet Hill beauty!

...and in the small pink parcel was this beautiful ring.

Thank you so much Virginia...and thanks to Chantelle at Fat Mum Slim for organising this, because it's been a wonderful experience.

I only hope everyone who took part is as happy with their gift as I am with mine.

Long Weekend & New Look 6602

What a weekend...and it's not over yet! We've had wild storms, downpours, flash flooding and hail stones, some as big as tennis balls....

Me here at Number 10? Well, I've had spurts of productivity....and spurts of just sitting on my behind and watching movies.

Blissful!

I did get this dress made though and will finish it off today. I just need to face the neck and armholes and then machine hem it.

It's New Look 6602 and it isn't a bad pattern, for a simple, shifty type frock.

I made it up in this fabric which caught my eye at Darn Cheap Fabrics. It looks vintage, but isn't. In fact when I first saw it I thought it looked like some old curtains from the 1940s....or possibly earlier.

I bought 2 metres and overlocked the cut edges before I threw it in the machine for it's first wash. I wash everything in wool wash before I sew it up...sometimes, depending on the fabric, I wash it several times just to be sure.

Well, it washed up beautifully and passed the "no iron" test. The pattern's good too because it'll go with just about any colour shoes/sandals. That makes me very happy.

My next project will be the sequined t-shirt dress. I've been putting it off until a rush of confidence sweeps over me. It's sometimes a little daunting positioning your scissors at the edge of a fabric that cost a small fortune... it will get done though...it's just going to take some courage on my part

Show some guts girl....come on!

Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Our girl's been looking a bit sad and sorry for herself this week because she's had a major visit to the vet

She's had a knee problem for some time, apparently, little dogs are prone to their knee caps dislocating or some such thing....so it was time. MONT took his darling to the vet on Monday morning and we collected her that evening...and boy, was she a sooky mess.

She's gradually got a lot brighter and she's hopping around on three legs at the moment and applying some minor pressure on the leg...so it looks like the operation was a success. Fingers crossed!

She will have to keep this "Elizabethan" collar on for a few more days yet though, at least until we take her back to the vet in a week's time for the stitches to be removed.

Have a wonderful long Labour Day weekend everyone...MONT's headed off to Bonnie Doon again and me? well......

I'm going to have a girlie weekend all to myself. I've got the movies, I've got the bottle of wine and I've got the sewing machine set up. So I might even get the fabric and patterns out and start cutting...then again, I may not. I'll see how I feel.

Silly Me

I almost forgot the best ones.....

Big Cowboys....

Little Cowboys.....

...and one more time with feeling......

Big cowboys.

A conservative bedside lamp for your enjoyment.

Don't ya love vintage?

Flashback Vintage

I mentioned last week that I'd found a new fabric store that sells everything vintage! IT'S FANTASTIC!!

Look at all these gorgeous colours and patterns.


It's Flashback at 79 High Street Westgarth.

If you love Vintage, you'll absolutely love this treasure trove.

...and you don't have to live in Melbourne to shop there.

They also have an on-line ordering service.

Check out these lovely children's fabrics

The store is open Tuesday to Sunday 12-5pm and you can call Nola on 03 9482 1899.

It really is well worth a visit.

Lampshades, cushions, upholstery fabric and dress fabrics are all available....as is wallpaper...I was amazed to see all the rolls of vintage wallpaper they have. They also have the design books with the newer modern designs.

I had a lovely time wandering around this beautiful store... It was very, very hard to keep my purse in my bag, but I will be back there soon. LOVELY!

Toto, there's no place like home

I thought I'd take these babies out for a spin at the weekend.

MONT and I ventured into the garden for a little while to prune and trim and get rid of some of these god awful brown weedy things in the grass....these 'girls" worked a real treat.

...and no... contrary to popular belief, I was dressed before heading into the front garden and was not still in my night attire, (although I can't guarantee that wasn't the case a few minutes before this photo was taken)

eBay to the rescue

Remember this roadside bargain?


Which was given the Number 10 makeover...

...and eventually ended up all fresh and painted in the lounge room?

Well I was looking for some nice paper to line the drawers, so paid Bristol a little visit to look through their wallpaper books. Unfortunately, a roll of wallpaper these days can cost upwards of $100, and as much as I loved some of the designs, I just wasn't prepared to pay that much for something that was going to lie, mostly unnoticed, in the bottom of these 5 drawers.

So I tried my luck on eBay...and Eureka! This white one with little pale pink dotted flowers is an old one made for Bristol ages ago...

...and this rather colourful one is a Laura Ashley print. I'm not a huge floral type of person, (well not anymore) but hey, for lining the bottom of a drawer, it's just perfect!

So instead of paying out $109.00 for 1 roll, I got 2 rolls for the princely sum of $36.00 including postage.

I must say the bottom of the drawers are looking rather nice now.