A Few Bits To Share

After our little holiday down south, the rest of last week was spent with 'what will we do today?' type days, the kind where you wake up with no particular plans and see where the day takes you. Not only was it nice to have Paul around the house during the time he was off from work, but we also managed to get some jobs crossed off our long running 'to-do list' which was very satisfying.

One item on my list for Paul (which was actually ticked off on the weekend before he began holidays but which I had yet to share with you all) was to hang some decorative plates in our kitchen. Thanks to some pestering on my part, the blue and white trio above now fills up a patch of wall which has been bare since we bought our house. A two dollar op-shop saucer and a vintage Swedish side-plate I bought off Etsy (which matches the tea cup and saucer I purchased a while back) fit in nicely next to the Villeroy and Bosch dinner plate I bought as a Christmas present to myself last year.

A trip to Ikea was another 'to-do' we managed to complete.  After returning home from our holiday to Denmark last week, I managed to persuade Paul to come to Ikea to check out a chest of drawers I was interested in.  They turned out to be perfect for what we were after and have made me happy every time I've walked into our bedroom since the weekend.  We now have SO much extra storage with such big, deep drawer space.  Now I just need to decide what to display on top...

The Wonderful World Of Online Shopping

Once upon a time, a package at our front door was a rarity.  These days, it isn’t uncommon.  I’m by no means a shopaholic, in fact, I’m quite the opposite.  It’s just that with two little ones, shopping without having to leave home is SO convenient.

Here are some purchases I’ve made online in recent weeks…

…a hand stamped keyring from Brag About It as a treat for myself (although it’s so pretty I’m now contemplating hanging it from a chain as a necklace instead) …

…a pair of teacups and saucers from Etsy seller Turtle andDove – I bought one set and loved it so much, I ordered the second one too…

…Peppa Pig jigsaw puzzles for Grace – initially I bought her a set of simpler ones.  However, these quickly became too easy and so last week, I bought the ‘nine in one’ set of 12, 24, 35 and 50 piece puzzles – the perfect challenge for wintery ‘stuck indoors’ days!

… and I finally bought those adorable Beehive Kitchenware bird measuring spoons I’ve admired for so long with some birthday money I'd been given.  Guess what job is at the top of my list for Paul to do tomorrow? 

Also, not worth a photo but worthy of a mention is Kitchenware Direct.  Following my mother-in-law's recommendation, I bought a new stick blender from their website when the motor on our old one went a few weeks back.  Not only was it WAY cheaper than any of the stores I'd looked at, it arrived on our doorstep only two days later!  

Are you a fan of online shopping?  Which purchases have you made lately?  Do you have any online stores to recommend?

What Was I Thinking?

Have you ever bought something only to find yourself thinking weeks or months later down the track, "what was I thinking?"  For me, it was the pyjamas above.  Before winter last year, back when I was pregnant and my belly was rapidly expanding, I realised I desperately needed some 'larger' PJs to see me through the winter months until I was due.

Wandering through Peter Alexander one day, the pattern above caught my eye.  Its 'Nana-ish', floral fabric, resembled a cross stitch embroidered piece and lured me in.  The pants were the 'wide-leg' style I've always found so comfortable and the top nice and baggy and accommodating for my bump.  However, these PJs were SO not me.  They were bright and loud and the complete opposite to the style of clothes I am normally drawn to.

Back at home when I put them on for the first time and said to Paul, "what do you think of my new pyjamas?" his response was, "okay if you want to wear curtains to bed".  I was given a similar comment by Mum and her partner one night when they saw me wearing them.  The only person who seemed to like my purchase was Grace who told me they were 'very pretty'.  But, I loved my PJs nonetheless.  They saw me through my week in the maternity hospital with Sophie and have been cosier than any I've ever owed before.

As the cooler nights hit a few months back and I found myself searching for something warmer to wear to bed, I had a 'what was I thinking' moment.  Paul couldn't believe it had taken me this long to see the light.  This week, I bought a new pair.  They are light grey with pale pink polka dots and MUCH more like the type of thing I would normally go for.

So tell me, have you ever had a 'what on Earth was I thinking' moment about something you've purchased?  Do share...

Kitchen Mixer

I am in desperate need of a kitchen mixer. As you all know, I love to bake and for the five and a half years we've been in our house, I've made do with a pair of handheld electric beaters. This hasn't been too much of an issue, except on the occasion that a recipe has stated 'beat for ten minutes'. However, seeing as I enjoy cooking so much, I've decided that it's time to buy myself an actual mixer.

As much as I love the look of a Kitchen Aid, I don't know if I can justify the huge price tage that accompanies it when it would spend most of its time hidden away in a cupboard. I also love the old vintage Sunbeam mixmasters like the one above. I remember reading a post of Simone's at Beach Vintage and admiring her lucky thrift shop find when she scored one. Sunbeam still do a retro looking mixer which I was all set to buy recently until I read a few product reviews online which were definitely not 'glowing reports'.

So I'm turning to all of you for advice. Which mixer do you have? What do you like or dislike about it? Is there anything I should consider when making a purchase? Hopefully there will be some good deals in the post-Christmas sales so I can make a purchase then but in the meantime, I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Source of image above unknown

Recent Purchases

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. On Saturday, we finally ordered our new heater and then I enjoyed morning tea at a local cafe with my best friend while Paul minded Grace. Yesterday my sister popped over for a cuppa in the morning and then we had a family lunch with Paul's side of the family which is always loads of laughs. Unfortunately Paul and Grace have come down with colds so today we've been laying low around the house.

Today I thought I'd share a few recent bits and pieces I've bought recently...

My most recent purchase is the bowl above by Etsy seller dustanddawn which I ordered on the weekend. I stumbled upon it by chance and was particularly drawn to the yellow and white pattern. I can't wait for it to arrive.



On Friday, I scored this knitted throw when Grace and I were wandering around the shops and it has successfully filled my wish for a wintery throw. The photo doesn't really show how warm and woolly it is but I threw it over me on the couch last night and it was lovely and cosy. I found it in Adairs and when the sales assistant scanned it to find out the price for me, it was only $27 so I decided to snap it up. I love it and it's much cheaper than the Country Road ones I had been eyeing off. You can also see the Inklore cushion I won in a recent giveaway - I have to get the proper sized insert so it isn't nice and plump yet but I'm really happy with it.



I bought the little pear above a few weeks ago from Bed Bath and Table (excuse the poor quality photo but the shiny surface of this made it so difficult to photograph!) The top half of it lifts off to reveal a candle but I simply bought it because I thought it was cute. Not sure where it's going to live yet.



These storage boxes from Officeworks are Grace's new toyboxes. It's great to be able to hide away all the bits and pieces Grace has played with during the day once it's time for bed.



And finally, Asha's new kennel which by chance, matches our charcoal grey window frames perfectly. She did have a lovely warm lambswool in there but she must have dragged it out on the lawn somewhere this morning so her new home looks rather bare in this photo.

What about you? Have you made a recent exciting purchase or scored a bargain? Or is there something on your wishlist you're desperate to buy?

All images are my own except #1 from here

My Sweet Prints Bedtime Bus Roll

Hope you have all had wonderful weekends. Ours was a mixture of shopping, morning and afternoon teas and jobs around the house.

Today I wanted to share with you one of my latest purchases for our house, a Bedtime Bus Roll from the lovely Janette of My Sweet Prints. Last week I found a rimless frame which fits my new print perfectly and I really love finally seeing it up on our wall. It's displayed outside the main bathroom, in between Grace's room and our spare room and I am so very pleased with it.

Janette has more wonderful prints for sale, many of which can be customized and would make wonderful gifts and she is one of the loveliest bloggers I know. Be sure to check out her work here if you haven't already.

New Necklace

I finally got around to ordering some jewellery from Elk Accessories. From the pieces I had been considering, I ended up ordering the drop pendant as I like the idea of it being adjustable.

My package arrived last week and was one of the loveliest wrapped online purchases I have ever received. I'm really pleased with the necklace I chose.

How about you? What lovely packages have you received in the mail lately?

Embroidered Homewares on Etsy

I was so excited to discover Etsy seller Kainkain whose beautiful embroidered cushion covers, table runners and placemats I absolutely love. Owner Jenny was more than happy to arrange a custom listing for me of a design I wanted in an alternate colour. The cover arrived in my mailbox last week and it is perfect! Below are some products from Jenny’s shop. See more for yourself here.

All images from here

Helen Rawlinson Screen Printed Fabric

The fabric I ordered for Grace’s room has arrived so it looks like I’m in for some sewing this weekend. I really happy to stumble across Helen’s Etsy store – she has some great items for sale. All the fabric in her shop is hand screen-printed in her studio (a converted Chocolate Factory in East London) using solvent free water based inks. Check out her store or her blog to see more. Below are some examples of her lovely fabric…

All images from here

Busy Weekend

Doesn’t the weekend always fly by so quickly? Went to IKEA (again!!), visited a nursery to get some more plants for our garden and made a few batches of vegetable puree for Grace’s second week on solids. Also after months of careful thought, I decided to buy the cute little red teapot I had seen at T2. Now I’m off to sit down with a magazine, a cuppa and some of my new favourite biscuits which I baked this afternoon - a perfect way to spend a Sunday evening. Hope you've all had an enjoyable weekend too.

Calico Bag

The calico shopper I ordered from the Etsy store Little Glowing Lights arrived last week. It was so beautifully wrapped - felt like opening a birthday present! I am very pleased with how the colours turned out. Thanks so much Catherine!

Apple & Bee

Thought I’d share a recent purchase – I spotted this cute toiletries bag a little while ago and decided to treat myself. It’s made by Apple and Bee, who are 100% Australian owned. They have a huge focus on being eco-friendly and are a carbon-neutral company with a portion of their profits being donated to environmental organizations. Check out their collection here.