holiday book take one

 before we left on our trip I bought this little book from this lovely lady...I've spoken about her blog here before...but head here if you'd like to see it again!

 So I think the idea was to fill it in during December...but it was a little tricky for me to do that!

 so yesterday while I watched a marathon of dance acadamy I started to put a few pages together, photos of out trip, tickets from things we went to

 Photos! 

 Maps! 

It was a fun project to start and to be able to stay inside in the air conditioning while it was 42 degrees... celsius outside! AND perhaps I might have a repeat today because that is what it is forecast again today!
and if you want to see the photos bigger...just click on them!

little shoppe

Last year I bit the bullet and decided to put my badges and magnets out there into the world...instead of just keeping hundreds of badges for myself...I opened an etsy store! :) I made a few sales, even got a custom order late last year due to a friends sister getting married! I love to crunch the badges and I love that people like them! Last week I was reading this post about branding and packaging of your products. I couldn't agree more. When I have bought something from etsy it has always been presented really nicely, it's like opening a little present...sometimes they are gifts and so you don't need to re wrap them sometimes they are treats for me! Penny made some really helpful points that I think I can put into place to improve my little shop. It's just some fun on the side from my full time job, and I'm not about to be able to live off my creations...just yet. But for now I am happy to share the badge and magnet love!

angus and julia

image

Happy Australia Day...hottest 100 day...invasion day whatever you like to call it! Today we have been enjoying BBQ after BBQ, listening to the radio and enjoying the hottest 100. It has become a long standing tradition for us to listen to the hottest 100 on Australia day!

2010's winner...Angus and Julia Stone! Lovely!

Happy Australia Day, hope you've had a wonderful day wherever you are 

xxx

we had a party

It was fun!

love is in the air...

...for these two! Dylan and Mirinda are engaged and getting married next January! A big Yey for them! we helped them celebrate yesterday with a good old fashion BBQ! Congratulations you two! :)

little bunnies...and one big bunny

This is Sophie

And this is her twinnie Ava!

 This is their big sister Isabelle

 This is Uncle Tim reading to Isabelle!

 This is Isabelle being tickled by mummy! She was having a really good time! 

 We got to hang out with these cute little bunnies (and their way cool parents!) last weekend! It was a wonderful way to finish our trip and make the final leg of our journey home.

I am as proud as punch to be an Aunty to these little ones...can you half tell? :) 

this post has been a week in the making...blogger has been difficult and wouldn't let me load photos from Tim's camera...which some are in black and white...and some of my faves...oh well hopefully I'll get to share them with you sometime!

feeling a bit funny

I have been distracted the last 24 hours or so with my beautiful nieces. But I will be honest I have felt a but guilty blogging about whatever this week while all the heartbreak is going on in Queensland. I have a soft spot for Queensland. My family moved up there in 1999 and I finished high school there and did uni in Brisbane. I love Brisbane. Every time I go back for a visit I have a twinge in my heart because of the good memories, the friends I met, the people I miss. And wish I could visit more often, or heck maybe even move back one day.

It feels weird feeling powerless to do anything. We were there while the waters were rising and now we are on the way home to Adelaide and feel like we can't do anything. I feel like the kid that's gone to the toilet after tea...when they are supposed to be doing the dishes...but this time I feel guilty about it. You know what I mean?

And when you hear stories like Jordan you want to do something to help. 

To all the people doing their bit, helping by making a toy for a little kid, or raising money in their special way, or doing someone's washing cheers to you. For the people who are helping their neighbour...in some cases complete strangers I tip my hat to you.

a week of black and white...continued

 This is Simba...he knows how to scoot through the house really quick...and then how to relax!

 This is one of my nieces...she is a big sister now to a couple of cute little bubbas!

 

These are brothers...having fun

to check out more things in black and white head here...

Things I was told, things I knew, things I'd wished I'd listened too

I didn't mean to make a rhyme! Here are some things I have thought about since travelling overseas, tips I heard and things I learnt along the way.

Glad Bags...Take some spares. I put a lot of my toilettries into seperate bags so if they burst they only went in the bag. But there were times through the trip where I could have done with a few extras. I bought some biscuits, and didn't eat them all at once! :) and could have done with a glad bag to keep them fresh, might sound anal but heck who wants a soggy chocolate chip cookie! Not I!

Moisturiser suitable for the weather- this may sound like a no brainer. But my skin reacts differently in the winter. In summer it is rather oily in winter REALLY dry. But I took the moisturiser that I use in the summer and so my skin was getting even more dry! Lucky for me there are Body Shops all over Europe!

Up load movies onto your computer- During winter, going out at night isn't always viable...well it may be if you are 19 but it's nice to be in the warm after a long day of toursiting about. If there is a TV where you are staying, don't count on there being a variety of English channels! Other then news there isn't much else, it's always good to keep up with world affairs but sometimes you would like to watch a movie or something. So if you are taking a laptop upload a couple of your favourite movies for chill nights. It's nice to be able to understand the movie if you have been away for a while. Translating is hard work! (well for me any way! My brain works slower in German!)

power board- This can get bulky but it saves you from having multi international plugs for your appliances (chargers for phones, cameras etc)- you only need one to plug in at the wall and then your chargers etc plug into the power board

borrow international plug ins- I looked into buying these and they can be quite expensive. So I asked around to see who had been away and still had some plugs. It means you save a few dollars to spend on the trip, AND the plugs that are just sitting in your friends cupboard get to be used again!

take a magazine- I WISH I HAD!! If you're not taking a lap top this can be another great alternative for night time chill out, that's in the language you know.

take something that comforts you (favourite mix drink eg milo, biscuits whatever) just a small glad bag full! Most things like coffee and tea you can get in different places. But things like milo or hot chocolate mix aren't as readily available. You may get a craving or need some comfort from home.

Some other random things! I took too many clothes. When I was packing I put all my clothes out and then took some away...I could have done with less even!! (and then had more room for presents!) If I packed again I would leave my towel at home. All the places we stayed at provided them. But you may want to check this before you go because then you could be in a pickle. An alternative is buying one there and then donating to the op shop! I re read something while I was away, put out what you will need then halve it...I almost agree with this!

If you go to a place in winter you want your feet to keep warm and dry! Doc martins are an excellent choice in shoe! My shoes were warm and only got wet once.

And take small bottles of shampoo..in the glad bags in case explode! :)

Have you ever traveled before? Have any ideas to add or things that worked well for you?

a week of black and white

Back in October with blogtoberfest I came across a blog and have continued to enjoy reading it since. So I decided...after finishing 365 I would have a break...but I enjoy taking photos and sort of missed taking so many so thought I would join in Christina's photo project...a week of black and white! :)

...I love black and white photos...

Tim's camera is fancy and new and has a black and white option...I couldn't find it until he showed me last night but here are a couple of "almost" black and white photos (the camera also has a cool option to focus on one colour, so the rest will be black and white but that colour will remain! It's quite fun!)

Lovely Sez with her peacock 

and I got to West End before I realised the weather was going to be so bad to this lovely shop. (finally last year when we were hear it was closed for the Christmas break!)

If you'd like to check out the other black and white photos head along to a little bird told me..you can join in too! :)

worse than 74

We're in Queensland at the moment hanging out with Tim's family. While we were still away overseas there was floods in central QLD including Bundaberg (where I finished high school and my family lived for 6 years.) People were cut off and there were lots of homes that had a lot of damage to them. But up until yesterday there were no lives lost. Now it is working it's way down. Toowomba has been hit hard, Gympie, Rockhampton still cut off and now it is coming for Brisbane. AND as the dam is 150% and they are letting water out so that will effect Brisbane big time. 

Our thoughts are with the people who are having to leave their homes and take cover.

A couple of crafty ladies (Penny and Kate) are doing their bit to help. Go and check out their blogs to donate.

And if you want to donate go here...

Finished!

day 265 

 Well I (WE!!) finished on December 31st but have only just finished loading my photos on Our Daily Click! Rachel, Anna, Jek, and Bec and I all started on January 1st 2010. The challenge was to take a photo every day for a year! I had fun with this project. Some days were challenging to find something to photograph, some days there were so many photos to choose from, some of my photos sucked, some I was really happy with. 

It was an exciting year! Anna had twins...on the very last day of the year, Rachel opened an etsy store...so did Anna and I come to think of it! :) Jek passed her uni subjects and Bec continued to cook up a storm in the kitchen! (Along with so many other things for each of us!)

Now that it is finished I feel accomplished for sticking with a project all year long! I possibly could have waited til I had collated the photos together off line to share this but it feels like something to celebrate! I printed the photos off as I went and I have been trying to decided now how I will put them together in an album...I bought a few different books and kept changing my mind...BUT I think I have settled on something now! And once it is done will share some...photos! :)

A couple of people have asked if I will continue on again in 2011 but it is the 9th and I have almost taken zero photos! (although I did get a cool one of my mum in law feeding a kookaburra yesterday!). I am going to take a break from this project for now, BUT I can definitely see myself doing it again. It's a fun way to document a year creatively!

Nut and Bee

oh goodness! oh goodness!

I was reading this lovely ladies blog as I often do...and she mentioned some places to go have a look if you were looking for presents for the men folk in your family for Christmas...well it's a bit late for that now but hey you may have a birthday coming up!

Well I went and had a look over at Nut and Bee and just gave my paypal account a workout! Do yourself a favour make a cup of tea and head over here to look at the cute stationary and other delights!

Have you watched Mary Poppins lately?

on the way home on the terribly long plane flight I watched Mary Poppins...I haven't seen it for years! It was great! Have you watched it lately? You should! I couldn't help what a great this song is! I love to laugh! ...I really like the bit...I squeak as the squeakerlers go! ha

I've been trying to do a post of wrapping up the trip...but for some reason I can't add photos... :(

2010 ended excellently...bring on 2011!

 This photo is a bit blurry but it contains the best news you could get on New Years Eve!

As we traveled from Berlin to Hamburg yesterday we got this message! :) Big congratulations! to Luke and  Anna! 2 precious bubbas! Happy New year Everyone! May 2011 be a safe, happy and healthy year for you and your family! xx