Cupcakes and Vintage Treasure

Yesterday I had to do a quick delivery and on my way home I just had to stop at one of the local charity shops. So glad I did. Wooden cotton reels, lace, buckles, a card of press studs and about one metre of beautiful cotton lace edging. I can see it hanging below the dress of a doll or edging a pillow case maybe. I would so love to be doing so much more sewing at the moment.


I had a very productive afternoon in the kitchen much to the surprise of my family!! These yummy "cupcakes" and two trays of slice. Alexandra helped with the icing last night. I know the decorating isn't quite Crabapple Bakery but yummy just the same.
I am so wanting at the moment to just be home and being a homemaker. Everyone is so much happier when home is organised and I am more peaceful.


Cupcakes and vintage treasure, a lovely day indeed.

One Egg, Two Lemons......

We have an egg!!!! The girls from the bottom of the garden are maybe going to earn their keep! One of them finally laid an egg - mind you a small one at that!

Our tiny lemon tree has had two lemons ripening now since we planted. We were advised to cut them off when it was planted but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Mmmmm, one egg, two lemons. Maybe Lemon Delicious Pudding might be on the menu!

Cupcakes Anyone.........

Our eldest son just had a few days in Melbourne with his part time job. He was so very kind to his Mummy and went to Borders and brought me home this. It is the Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Book. This is an Australian business based in Victoria. This lady shared her design with Robert Gordon pottery and that is how the little cupcake ornaments came about.I love the idea of cupcakes and was given a lovely wire cupcake stand for Christmas. I have made one lot of decorated little cakes and set it all up for a 45th Wedding Anniversary - they were a hit.
I wonder which I should try first.

The Marshmallow Clouds.

The Strawberry Butterfly Cupcakes.

Or just some Vanilla Daisy Cupcakes.

I hope I get some time this weekend to make some!

A lovely week...

We were fortunate to escape to the beach for 3 nights last week as a lovely end to the winter holidays. This was the view from our unit - it is truely beautiful. For any overseas friends, this is Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

There is a lovely boardwalk right across the front of the beach. The south-westerly blowing was a little nasty if walking in one direction, but lovely if going the other way. We had a lovely time and mostly walked, read and sat while Alexandra enjoyed the playgrounds. Of course a little stitching on a new project happened as well. We even saw dolphins just out the front.

The children are back at school today for Term 3. Hopefully the September holidays will be much more pleasant weather.

This is my latest project I am working on. It is in a little more "put together" state now and has come together quite nicely. I am now putting together two pillowcases to go with it. It is called Carnival Stars by Kookaburra Cottage. I am hoping it will go on an old daybed I am about to have restored and painted cream. It is another little find, this time from my dear Nana and Pop's home. Oh, so very special to have it. More about that later I'm sure!!

I picked this little boquet of winter lovelies from the garden over the weekend.

My foxgloves are looking very lush and growing madly. I'm not sure that they are flowering at the right time of year though. They were little seedlings when I planted them and they have done beautifully - maybe it's the lovely rainwater from my tanks that's doing it!!
When I was first gardening I used to plant seedlings and wait all winter for them to grow and flower. Now, they seem to go mad and flower within a few weeks. Is it my imagination or are they producing "super plants" now?

All in all a lovely end to the school holidays. Back to the routine and running around but so grateful for a lovely break from it all.

Some Stitching Fun

I just found this on Leanne's blog and would like to join in. Be quick, it will be fun to send some parcels.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

A corner of my Home......

I love visiting blogs from all over the world and enjoy seeing little corners of everyone's homes. It is truely inspirational to see all the different styles and ideas we all have. Often the pictures alone are worth the visit even if the language is not one I understand.

I have recently stitched these pears. I love patterns from Crabapple Hill Studio. These were lovely to do and came together quite well, it's always a little daunting to put things like this together hoping they "look" like the picture on the front of the pattern. They are sitting under a cloche that my husband gave me for Christmas. It even meant a trip back to Brisbane to get it from one of my favourite stores, Wheel and Barrow. They sit on top of an old meat safe that I rescued from my Grandad's shed and had done up.

The third of the trio is sitting on another treasure I saved from Grandad's shed and have just recently had painted. I love the early morning shadows and light.

I had a moment this morning for a little "thrifting" and found this collection of treasure.

A little pin dish, a glass egg cup (I think) and a lovely little piece of vintage linen. I have never seen anything this shape before. It is about 30cm long and quite narrow with three little eyelets stitched into each end. Any suggestions?