Look what Jacqui made me!

Isn't this cool!

I admired the animated picture Jacqui of The Bowerbirds Nest made of herself and Jenn her Mum, shown in their recent post about Bowerbirds Collecting.

Well, I couldn't believe it, Jacqui made me my very own animated picture. Too clever, look at my champagne bottle and the rose I am holding and I am sure that is my pink hat perched on my head! Its me to a T!!

The Princess had the biggest grin on her face when I showed it to her this morning. "Mummy, that's me in my Princess clothes" she said!

Thank you so much clever, kind and generous Jacqui, I love reading about the adventures you and your Mum have together.

If you haven't visited Jenn and Jacqui at The Bowerbirds Nest, make sure you do, they have a lovely style of writing, warm and friendly and Jacqui aside from making clever animations, takes the most beautiful photo's.

I'm not Heartless!

Jenn and Jacqui at The Bowerbirds Nest did a Heart to Heart open tag! As I was scrolling through their post looking at their pictures of all the lovely hearts in their home I was getting a bit worried. I kept thinking, I haven't got hearts, I can do cherubs, roses, butterflies and fairies but I think our home is a bit low on hearts!


The more I thought about it the more concerned I got because after all, the heart is a symbol of love, surely I'm not heartless!


So I went a heart hunting and sure enough we have got hearts! Not too many on the ground floor I have to admit but we still have some heart downstairs.


This carved heart is the top panel of the umbrella stand in the 'Grown Up's' room.




This cute little kitchen sampler was cross stitched by my Mum years ago.


And these heart cookie cutters were given to me by my god daughter.

And of course the trinket box Gail made me for my birthday, its got heart shaped drawers!

This gorgeous sampler was done by Jean, my mother in law.

There was a bit more heart in the upstairs part of the house. This heart cushion hangs on our bedroom door.

The ring cushion Mum embroidered for our wedding rings. As I photographed it I realised that both Babes and I had forgotten our 11th wedding anniversary, which was the day before I took the photo. Whoops!

A photo frame with a heart has my baby Princess inside it.

A vintage baby brush and comb set, the brush is heart shaped.

A picture of an Angel holding a heart.

This cute little heart is a hanging trinket box that Mum brought me back from one of her Australian holidays.

Another heart shaped trinket box.

A minature cross stitch of hearts done by Mum.

I have quite a few hearts in my teeny tiny ensuite bathroom. This heart carved shelf. (Yes, Jen and Jacqui, I collect bath salts also!)

A heart shaped plate my beloved Granny china painted years ago.

And a tile she also did.

These pink glass hearts were part of a bracelet that pinged apart.

The Princess put this heart shaped sticker of Cinderella and Prince Charming on my bathroom mirror!

The Princess has heaps of hearts in her room -phew!

This heart shaped Barbie lamp.

A reindeer that Daddy got her in Sweden earlier this year.

And this Dalmatian doggie that Daddy brought back from another business trip.

The Princess's birth mummy gave her this beautiful pottery Angel heart last Christmas.

The Princess has a few hearts in her china cabinet. This heart frame is her at about 6 days old in the arms of her birth mummy.

A miscellaneous heart shaped button.

A silver heart shaped trinket box (I must clean it!)

And last but not least my cellphone has heart bling!

I can tell you I am really relieved that I have got a heart, let alone more than one!

Paper Dress Swaps & Shop Window

Mum and I did a little mini paper doll dress swap with Karen and Catiean. Both girls dresses arrived within days of each other.

Here's what Karen sent, look at this gorgeous card she made, its so elegantly vintage.

Inside the card was the sweetest dress she made for me. Its so dainty and delicately made. Pink gingham trimmed with contrasting pink ribbon and clear rhinestones. Shabby, shabby chic!

Thank you so much Karen, I love the card and the dress. I hope yours turns up soon!

Two days later this parcel arrived from Catiean. Hmmmmm, bit large for a paper doll dress or even two we thought!

This is what spilled out when I hurriedly ripped into the parcel!


Catie!!!! Mum and I are blown away by your generosity. Love it all and eventually we did find the dresses amongst the goodies!

Packets of earrings and necklaces that I am thinking we can break down for crafting as they are perfectly sparkly! and rose gift bags that I have whipped away to the shop to use for lucky customers! and rose patterned fabric samples and Snow White scrap booking bitties that The Princess took an instant liking to! and finally we found the dolls dresses.

Beautifully made with vintage paper and lace and embellished with sparkly jewels. Mine is pink and Mum's is green. Clever, kind and generous Catie. Thank You! Your dresses should be arriving any day.


I finally got the new shop window done. Halloween themed. It was a bit challenging because the shop is actually pink and rose themed and Halloween decorating isn't normally something we do in NZ.

Anyway, I came up with this. Am pretty happy with the result, have a couple more things to add tomorrow.

I am going to try and make Jack O Lantern's. I have yet to see an orange pumpkin in our green grocer shops and all I see on the blogs of you American girls are fields of them, farms of them actually.

Guess I will have to paint them orange!

I didn't go too overboard with what I made, just tussy mussies and a couple of banners, to test the water, so to speak!

I'm off to bed, its raining so I have my electric blanket on high (Babe's will have a fit!) and a good book waiting - Good Night - xo

Long Weekend and Give Away Reminder

It was a long weekend in New Zealand, Monday was a public holiday to celebrate Labour Day!

Ours was a busy weekend, my dear Aunty came from Wellington to stay. Babes and I left her and Mum in charge of The Princess on Saturday night as we drove off to Hamilton, one hour South of Auckland to attend his high school class reunion!

I didn't want to look tatty and show him up in anyway, so I went all out out and painted my toes, REVLON RED, yummy!


I had to do a few repairs to the shoes they were going to peep out from! Here they are on the dashboard, spring pegs to hold the freshly craft glued bits down!



It was fun to get away and get all dressed up.

Yesterday we travelled one hour North to Whangaparoa where my brother and his family live. We had a delicious bbq lunch of fresh fish, crayfish (lobster), salads and breads.

They have a fabulous home, which overlooks this beach.



Babes, Mum and I took Stella and her 8 year old twin cousins and their dog to the beach to kick ball and fly a kite.

The twins were almost identical as babies and little boys but they look quite different now.

Mum has Pepsi the latest edition to my brothers family. She is so cute!

It was a great weekend catching up with family and friends.

Don't forget to leave a comment to go in my October Give Away. This gorgeous bag could be yours!

Two Posts in One Day but I Just Have to Show You this!!!!!

This morning I paid a visit to my local thrift shop which just so happens to be 100m from our home . . .

I was actually doing a good deed and donating stuff to them . . .

When I got there they showed me THIS!!!!!!!!




Its huge. Stands just under 60cm tall and its really heavy. I carried it home in my arms cradled like a baby!

I know its not to every ones taste (Mum and Babe's) but I LOVE IT! Its hand painted, got roses, cherubs, pink, gold bits, what's not to love!

Look at this little fat cherub, he's actually a lid. And see, he comes with his own cobweb tucked in behind his raised arm.



Look at these hand painted roses in the middle bit.

And then the base with cherubs heads and roaring lions!!!

I think I will keep it, for a while at least. Mum if you cast nasturtiums on it then its going in your room!

While I was there I got a few bits for the shop and crafting. Vintage linens, always a good seller and the Sanderson print cushion. Sparkly brooches, a little baby doll and blue baby boot, Japanese Art postcards, as vintage and shabby as I am I do love the delicacy in Asian art work. A cigar box to cover and then on the right hand side of the photo are 20 water colour prints that came in an envelope. They are done in beautiful soft colours. I think I will put them on my Etsy.

So a happy day for me, A smiley award and TREASURES!

You make me Smile

I've been given an AWARD!

How cool is that!

Lovely Linda at Somewhere in Time awarded me the "You make me Smile" award.

Well Linda, you sure are making me smile!

The rules to this are to pass this award to 10 other ladies

These ladies are among many who put a smile on my face, some of who make me laugh out loud, sometime's even snort with laughter!

1. Lizzie at Lizzie - cos she's my Mum!
2. Barb at 123 lavender lollipop lane
3. Amy at Petticoat Lane
4. Natasha at Artistic Creations by Natasha Burns
5. Karen at Bluemuf's Corner
6. Catie at Catiean & Co
7. Bad Fifi at Chez Fifi - who makes me inelegantly snort with laughter!
8. tif at Dottie Angel
9. Beth at Gathering Dust
10. Linda at Raspberry Roses

Have a happy day - xo

My Name is Rachael, I am a Swapaholic

I've gone utterly and totally mad, check out my right hand side bar and look at the swaps I have joined up for . . .

And I have yet to complete my 12 days of Xmas swap . . .

then there's all the Christmas stock to make for the shop . . .

I will not, must not PANIC!!!!

A Long and Winding Road, or should I say A Long Winded Post!

Last Saturday, October 6, was my birthday. It was a funny but nice day, funny because I wasn't well, but nice because I was spoilt rotten!

First of all Mum worked in the shop for me so I could have a little sleep in. Thanks Mum!

The Princess and Babes woke me up with a cup of tea, cards and pressies! Babes renewed my Romantic Homes magazine subscription for another year. The Princess bought me pink balloons and champagne shaped bottles of bubbles for us to blow in the air!

Look at the cards she chose for me, one from her and one from Babes. She so has my number dialled!



Here are the pink balloons, gorgeous!

I told Mum I wanted English Lavender plants for my garden and I wanted them done up in cellophane and a bow!! That's exactly what I did get but more!!

Sitting on this pink thing (picked up from the side of the road!) are the rest of my goodies. Loads of cards, all pink and girly themed! And lots of pink, girly and vintage themed goodies as well as money and things for the soul! Very nice!

My brother, sister in law and three nephews gave me this divine butterfly filigree ring. Sorry its the best photo I could get.

Dear Gail gave me, among other bitties, this trinket box with four opening drawers that she 'tarted' up for me.

My bestist friend Sonje made me this gorgeous 50's style apron and had The Rose Room embroidered on the hem line!

Another good friend Kirsty gave me this Pin Money purse. It was really weird because I had seen them on Stephanie's blog, the week of Karla's Romantic Home party and I had coveted them but hadn't told anyone apart from a comment on Stephanie's posting about them.

And then my lovely friend Melanie who helps me in the shop came to work yesterday with these! Are they not gorgeous, art glass sweeties, a whole bowl of them! Actually I had seen them at her house and told her she could give them to me for my birthday and she did!

She also gave me this gorgeous PINK hat!

I am blessed!

Yesterday my Paper Doll Dresses arrived from America from my swap partner Michelle. Too gorgeous. This swap was hosted by the talented Heather over at Jewelled Elegance.

The 'Designers Choice' dress was inspired by the black and white swap Michelle had recently participated in and the 'Fall Dress' was inspired by the colours she loves seeing in the beautiful North West Oregon fall.

Thanks so much Michelle, I love them. And thanks to Heather for hosting the swap.

And finally, I've been tagged by Natasha's friends, Jenn and Jacqui. Go check them out, they have recently posted photo's of their utterly and totally gorgeous house, which I can't believe they are moving from!

Actually while you are checking things out, swing by Natasha's, she has just listed the most divine velvet beaded, lavender strawberries in her shop. They are the nicest I have seen and have put them on my wish list!

Anyway, I diverse!

Back to tagging, here are the rules:

Link to the person who has tagged you and post these rules. Share 7 facts about yourself, some random, some weird...all devastatingly interesting. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them) Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Fact No. 1:

I have strange food fetish's. I fixate on a food and then eat mostly that food for months on end! One year I ate a piece of broiled chicken and broad beans almost every single night of the week. Another time was salad and mushrooms for about 3 months! And lately it is plain white rice wrapped in seaweed!! Is that obsessive compulsive behaviour???

Fact No 2.

I like to give my pets and other peoples pets middle names. Don't ask me why, I just do. My friend Gail's dog is Rick, I call him Richard Simon. Among others we have had Riker John, Chance Wilfred and currently Coco Chanel.

Fact No 3.

I hate camping, hate it, hate it! I am strictly a beach house or luxurious, expensive hotel, hot running water, clean private toilets etc get away kind of girl. I went camping once in the early days of my relationship with Babes. I amused our camping friends with my luxury air bed, fitted sheets and matching pillowslips and comforter. Not to mention the many cleansers I had for face and body as there were no showers. I had tried to buy a chemical toilet and solar shower for the two LONG nights we were away but Babes drew the line at that! I HATED it!

Fact No 4.

I can't go to sleep without reading. Doesn't matter if I am dog tired, drunk whatever I still have to pick up a book and at least attempt to read a page. Babes will quite often come to bed and find me asleep with book still in hand!

Fact No 5.

I see things, like ghosts. It's true I do. Babes and I used to live in a 1918 railway workers house and a lady wearing a blue dress used to wander up and down our driveway. Recently I have been seeing a black cat that pops out at me from around corners and a lady wearing a long black dress. They don't scare me but I don't want to delve any further into it either. SPOOKY!

Fact No 6.

I am quite superstitious. I have all these rituals and little blessings I do each morning when I open the shop. I don't walk under ladders or open umbrella's inside etc etc. Some of my little rituals are Chinese based. I am more Chinese than some of my Chinese girlfriends!

Fact No 7.

My life has a lot of strange coincidences. Here's the strangest. Babes and I adopted Stella. Stella is the name her birth mother gave her. My Mum and Granny's middle name so happens to be Stella. Stella's birth mum shares the same maiden name as my Mum. Her birth Mum also lived in a street that had the same name as my Granddad's street in another city. Stella was born on my Stepfathers birthday, now how does all of that happen to people who were random strangers until the baby was four days old. Strange . . .

So there you are, 7 weird, scintillating and fascinating things about me!

You are supposed to tag 7 other people but I can only think of, Mum, Karen, Catiean, Barb, Diane. who might not have been tagged.

Thanks for visiting, sorry for going on and on and on, actually that's the 8th thing about me, I do go on and on and on and on . . . !

xo