Making plans

We're meeting with a draftsman on Monday to start putting together plans for our house. So I'm trying to remember all the things I've not liked about houses we've rented so I can do them differently.

So far the list is
1. I want a linen cupboard
2. Must have toilet separate from main bathroom
3. Need lots of storage, especially in kitchen and laundry
4. If have high ceilings make sure there is some easy way to change light bulbs
5. Build a cupboard in the kitchen that the bin can go in
6. I hate pull out pantrys (with those basket things)

I asked G for his list and it has 1 thing on it so far
1. Be able to open all cupboard doors fully (without anything getting in the way which means you can only half open the cupboard door).

He is easy to please. Me - not so much.

Etsy problem

I think I'm addicted.

This weekend I bought these two dolls from runamok, I don't know why other than I think they're cute. I am not really sure what I'm going to do with them but I do love them.


I'm about this < > close from buying the teatowels I posted about yesterday.

And then today, while "innocently" checking my bookmarked Etsy sellers I stumbled across this print by Ashley G. So I've just bought it too and G doesn't know yet. When he reads this post I think I'm going to be in trouble. Sorry G!


My future Etsy purchases list (as well as the Patapri teatowels) also includes something from here, and here and here. Just waiting for the perfect little item to come along.

Trouble.

Tonight in Melbourne...

Is rainy and cold and I'm sleepy.

So what better way to spend it than more West Wing and a big bowl of pasta (notice I took the photo before it's possible to see how much parmesan I put on top - very important). We got season 6 and 7 on dvd last week which explains all the references lately. We're already up to disc 4 of season 6.


I also just cut out a new duck. This is the last one before I try a new animal (maybe second last). I must be brave and try something different. But this time it will be a big duck.


On the right is normal size duck, left is papa duck.

Apples and Pears

Over the last few weeks I've slowly been going through a million pamphlets and catalogues we picked up at a trade show in February to pick some stock for a little homewares section in our cafe and I came across this fruit bowl, called Happle (available here)


I love it, I think it would look nice in my new kitchen (regardless of whether I went with white or navy blue). I love apples, they are so happy looking. I wonder if that's what the H in Happle is for? I also love pears.

Anyway, this got me onto a bit of a shopping high and now as well as the fruit bowl I want to buy...

This fabric from Superbuzzy


This Alexander Henry fabric (available here)


These tea-towels from Patapri on Etsy


All for me, not the shop. This is going to be dangerous :)

Laziness and Bunnies

More ducks this weekend - two little presents made by me and another one made by a girlfriend for a 1 year old's birthday party. And I tried the Big Footed Bunny pattern from Wee Wonderfuls, he turned out pretty cute I think. He'll be going to my little 18 month old kind of nephew next weekend when we're in Brisbane.


I had to work yesterday and took this photo of the view from my desk, a little something to remember it by. 5 more weeks left.


Spent the rest of the weekend in a West Wing marathon. G and I were both a bit wiped out after a busy week so it's been nice to have a lazy day. I'd like to keep the marathon going tomorrow, haven't quite had my fill of couch time yet :)

Dinner and Ducks

I had a few (5) girlfriends over last night for dinner and to make ducks. G thinks I've gone a bit mad.. having craft nights?!

It was a lot of fun although we weren't terribly productive. By the end of the night we had about 4 ducks cut out, 1 partially completed duck finished, 2 new half completed ducks and 1 new complete duck that we collaborated on to give to one of our friends who has a 6 month old baby girl. We wanted to make a funky duck because she's a funky little girl. Check out those eyelashes...


We can't really decide if she's funky or ugly, but she's is going to Lucy anyway.

Morning Tea Take 2

We did it this time! I made some raspberry friands and chocolate fudge slice and we raised about $160 for the Cancer Council. We figure that's not too bad for some impromptu fund raising.

Flickr Groups

I joined my first Flickr group today - Vessel Wednesday. This is my first contribution...


It's a ceramic fish and chips tray from Robert Gordon. They have a whole range of ceramic 'fast food' containers including noodle boxes, pop corn buckets and hot chip buckets. I think they're cute.

Morning Tea

We decided yesterday afternoon at work that we would do Australia's biggest morning tea, nothing like a last minute plan. So last night I made a Lemon Meringue Pie and a Banana and Caramel cake. Good practice for the cafe I figure, the plan is that we will have all homemade food in our cafe - we want to avoid the mass produced stuff so we have something different to the cafe down the road.

Unfortunately for us, we didn't get our little collection box, balloons etc delivered to work until around lunch time. Fortunately for us this means we get to try again tomorrow - won't be as exciting food this time, has to be things that can be made quickly. The banana cake in particular was very tasty, you can find the recipe here.

The Next Thing on my List

I finished this book on the weekend. I always get sad when I finish a book because I still kinda want to know what happens to the characters next. Anyway, I enjoyed this book - a nice light entertaining read. Next on my list is The Lollipop Shoes, sequel to Chocolat, one of my favourite books ever.

Kitchen options

So I know we're a long way off and I don't really have to pick anything yet but I don't know what kind of kitchen I want in our new house and I kind of like knowing these things... I'm a planner and a list maker so from the minute we decided to build a house I've been collecting ideas and making plans for colour schemes, decorating ideas etc (hence the need to buy a scrap book a couple of weeks ago, which I haven't done yet!).

Last week I found this kitchen and I'd kind of been sold on it. The floor boards are the same colour that I want, and we're going to have white walls and grey couches so the kitchen kind of goes with the colour scheme. But then when I was getting my morning coffee at work today and I found this kitchen in Australian House & Garden and had to rip the page out on the sly so I could keep the details.


And then back at work I was showing a friend and she showed me this picture from Kitchen Spaces magazine...


So... now I'm thinking maybe I want a navy blue kitchen, with white bench tops and definitely a white wrap around on the bench that will double as a breakfast bar. But will it date? Will it be too much with the grey couches, dark floor boards and white walls? Will I get sick of the darkness after a little while? On the other hand the blue will work with any of the colours I like for accent bits - red, yellow or green. (Lucky I have at least 6 months before I really even have to start thinking about making a decision)

In the same Kitchen Spaces magainze I saw this picture which is a bit bizarre because this is pretty much exactly the living space we have planned for our house at the moment. Except the kitchen and back wall of windows are swapped in ours... and the wall on the side is only 1/2 a wall... we're building a split level house so the living room will go up a few stairs to a hall way with the bedrooms and bathrooms of it. Anyway, back to the point - would I like a navy blue kitchen in this space or would it ruin the lightness and airyness of this room?


Decisions, decisions.

Food + Friends

I'm a little bit sad that the weekend is over already. I've had a good weekend, but I can't believe it's already gone! We've only got 8 more weekends in Melbourne before we head off so we have to make the most of them.

Finally took our prints to the framers and we pick them up in about a week so that's one job done. Yesterday we also visited Zakkaya - a Japanese store in Fitzroy that was blogged about on Blosem, we didn't end up buying anything but we have a little shopping list going on. I think we'll go back to get one of the little wooden toys that walks down the hill by itself for G's cousin when they have their baby in July. I think we might also pick up one of the clocks for the office in our new house.

Then we called in at the markets to pick up some food for a girl's lunch that was planned for today and had to grab a little cupcake from the Crabapple Bakery for an afternoon snack. I chose choc peppermint, my favourite.


Today was lunch with the girls, we try and have at least monthly meals together, otherwise everyone gets so busy with life 3 months have passed and we haven't seen each other. Normally we go out for a meal, but every now and then they come over to our place. Today we had antipasto, then 2 different types of pizzas - potato and pecorino and garlic prawn with salsa verde. And of course, chocolate for desert. Normally when I make pizzas I just use normal flour for the dough, but I tried extra fine this time. I'm not sure that it made too much of a difference, but the bases were nice and light.


I forgot to take a photo of the pizzas, but here's desert ...

Pin cushion

A little pin cushion made while watching some television tonight... it's meant to look like the ones over here and it doesn't really. But if you don't look too closely I think I almost get away with it.

Oven mitt + pot holder

I finished my first oven mitt tonight, to match the oven mitt I made on the weekend. I'm planning on making an oven mitt + pot holder set for a few of my friends at work as a little gift when I leave town. I might add a set of matching magnets with each if they turn out ok. I think it turned out ok for a first attempt.


A little present arrived in the mail today. I ordered this t-shirt for one of my good friends whose first bubba is due this November. It's the perfect attire to come and visit me in my new cafe!!! It's from Smirk, who have lots of cute little t-shirts for babies and it was wrapped so nicely in the mail too. I love getting packages.

Beating the Mondays

What better way to beat the Mondays then a new home magazine + post-its + the couch. I like this kitchen from the magazine too - might be an option for the new house. I love the colour scheme. This page of the magazine definitely gets a "love it" post-it.




I also have these post-it notes, but they are reserved for new Donna Hay and Dish magazines or new recipe books.


Also, a quick photo of this weekend's flowers. What else but chrysthanemums for Mother's Day. I like these green ones, they look like under-cooked real flowers to me :)

Times up

Weekend is over... Sunday night, just about time for bed. I think this is my least favourite time of the week, I'm not ready for another one to start yet.

I did have a good weekend though - got a few things off the list. House is clean, we've eaten good home-cooked meals this weekend, potholder is done and the oven mitt is almost finished, Charlie has been taken for a walk and I made a chocolate cake. We walked to the local framers yesterday but they've moved or closed so we'll have to try and find a few one next weekend. Also looked everywhere for the flat backed glass marbles and I haven't been able to find them so I'll have to have a look around the internet and see if I can find them.

The chocolate cake recipe was one I haven't tried before, from Donna Hay. I think it could be a keeper - the cake is really nice but next time I think I'll try a different icing. It's very rich, you only need a thin little bit but so yummy and chocolately. I'll take the rest to work tomorrow to share.


Autumn is a nice time of year in Melbourne, especially to go for an afternoon walk. The light is nice and the air is very calm.


Update: chocolate cake was voted a yes for potential cafe food but we've decided that we might try white chocolate icing next time.

Happy Mothers Day

Since my mum is in Brisbane and G's mum is in Chile we have no one to go and visit today... just a few phone calls to make to say hi and thanks. We saw my mum a couple of weeks ago and gave her her present then and we've ordered some flowers to be delivered our time tonight for G's mum.

We gave my mum this book by Saskia Havekes with beautiful photos by Gary Heery. Once our cafe is up and running, mum will be able to make a new arrangement from it every week :) I love the peonies on the cover, they're my favourite flower ever (followed closely by poppies).


The coming year is going to be a big one for my mum and I, going into business together. It will be interesting to be mother-daughter plus business partners and fun I hope. Thanks for taking the risk with me mum!

One thing off the list

Actually writing down the list this morning made me more determined to get them all done. Then, on my lunch break today I visited the local market and found beautiful ripe, red and really flavoursome tomatoes so I decided I had to make G one of his favouries, Caprese Salad. The same stall also had some nice bunches of lemon thyme and that decided the second course - chicken with preserved lemon + olives + feta served with crushed potatoes and green beans. Yummo. I think you always feel a bit healthier after eating a good meal.


Finally ordered my couches today too.. very excited!

The List

This weekend: clean up my messy house, grocery shopping, potholder + oven mitt, find those glass marble thingys everyone is making magnets with, take my pictures to the framers (left over from last weekend!), make a nice meal at least 1 night, find a pretty scrap book to start keeping house ideas in.

Plus I have to go to work on Saturday for a few hours. I don't think the list is going to happen this weekend. I don't know that G knows I make these kinds of lists, he doesn't really plan anything for the weekends - I think it's cause his ideal weekend filled with doing nothing. I think he must think I'm crazy sometimes when we get up on Saturday and I want to spring into action crossing things off a list he knows nothing about :)

The catalogue card generator reminds me of this address file from lovely design. I wonder if they'll ever come back into stock. I want the walnut one.

Cavallini obsession

I am a little bit in love with Cavallini stationery. The first time I ever heard of them was on a trip with G to Italy in '99 and we bought a vintage travel poster calendar home with us. I've been obsessed ever since. A couple of weekends ago I bought their birds + nests stamp kit... I have no idea what I'm going to do with them, but I had to have them.


Here are a couple of my favourites...


I also love them because they match my birds + nests calendar for this year.


If I have kids I will also have to buy them these alphabet flash cards, potentially in all 3 languages.

I want, I want, I want...

This bag...

In this fabric...


from Signature Prints (images from Signature Prints also)

Pretty Stationery

One of the things I think I'm going to love about opening a cafe/homewares shop is visiting the trade fairs and seeing all the fantastic things on offer.

One of the things I loved from our visit to Sydney earlier this year was the recipe books and dinner party invitations from the greetings line from Chapel Press. I think these might need a place on my shelves.

New for new

This week we're ordering our new couch for our new house :) I'm excited about this. Yes, we are now building a house and we won't be able to move in for about a year probably but I still want to get the couch before we go. I'm not sure we'll be able to find the couch in Brissie and by the time we get around to moving in we probably will be so over budget that we won't be able to afford it.

So here's the fabric we have decided on, and the couch we are going to order. We're going to get the 3 seater and 2 seater... then I think we'll re-cover a single armchair we have in some kind of matching fabric.


We're going to change the feet to tapered wooden feet too (couch from Home Concepts). The basic colour scheme I want to use in the house is darkish wooden floors, white walls and kitchen and grey couches then bit of colour in accessories.. this way we can change the colour whenever we get sick of the old one without having to change too much else. Good theory, no?

Also before we go I want to get a dining table and credenza made before we head off. A friend has found a great guy that makes hard wood furniture to order for really reasonable prices.. so that is also on this list of things to get before we move up.

Poor G.

Getting organised

I tackled something today I've been meaning to do for awhile. I got all our stacks of unfiled paperwork, plus everything out of our filing cabinet and did a big clean out. Our living room this morning looked like this..


3 movies later and a few paper cuts, it now looks like this...


The last 7 years paperwork neatly packed up into a couple of little boxes. Our filing cabinet is nice and neat and only has this year's stuff in it. The bin is chock-full of anything else that was in there. Packing and de-cluttering for the big move in 2 months has begun!

G's brother came over for dinner to pick up his duck and we had Moroccan lamb pizzas. So yummy and a nice quick/casual meal.


Can't believe the weekend is already over.. so many more things to get done. Pictures didn't quiet make it to the framers and the crocheted booties still haven't progressed.

G has been busy designing a home for us to build on our new block of land. He's been using the free software availble at My Virtual Home. It's pretty good, you can walk through your floor plan and pick lots of products to finish your house with. I think that means I can start planning a shopping list :)

No Martha for me

Martha Stewart Crafts does not ship to Australia :(

So much goodness that I can't buy.

Pretty ribbons and twines, cupcake papers, a scalloped circle craft punch (i've been looking for one of those for ages), pretty ribbon storage box.. all of it not headed my way.

Friday already?

Where did this week go, it's scary sometimes. Only 7 weeks to go now before I finish work! We've had a busy week though - apart from crazy business at work we had to do the first quarter's worth of tax for the cafe and we bought a block of land!! We've been looking for a house to move into when we move up to Brisbane in July but haven't been able to find anything so we're going to build instead. Too much happening at the moment and as a result there's been no creativity this week.

We got our fantastic print in the mail this week from GoodShape Design this week so have to arrange to get it framed this weekend. I start to get excited about the prospect of building a new house when I do stuff like that.. decorating will be fun!

I think G will be well and truly over it all by the time we're finished. He thinks I had a big scrapbook of stuff for our wedding. That'll be nothing compared to building a home.